There are a few big mistakes you’re making. Yes, you. We have to assume it’s true, because there are a few big marketing errors that keep turning up everywhere. So the odds just happen to be very good that you’re making at least one or two of them.
These errors? Many have been around for a while, but that’s just the thing: We really thought they would have gone away by now. Unfortunately, they seem to have gotten worse.
Now, it’s time to speak up! So here are the big mistakes we can’t stop seeing:
Megaphoning. What does this mean? It means just posting whatever you feel like sharing without considering what your audience feels like consuming (or the best way for them to access it). That might include posting something on social media that would work better as an email—or worse, spamming all of your channels, just trying to be as loud as possible.
Believing everyone is your audience. Not everyone is the right audience for you. Refusing to assess your true potential market and then be targeted with your approach is going to cost you time, effort, and money. The first step is admitting that some people just aren’t going to want what you’re offering—understanding that your task is to connect those who are seeking your product and services with your brand.
Treating all customers as a monolith. Segmentation is essential; you need to speak differently to kids and their parents when advertising back-to-school, for example. Similar to “megaphoning,” just trying to reach the widest possible mass isn’t necessarily your best approach, since you’re failing to reach anyone at all on a more personal and nuanced level. If you only have the bandwidth to reach one type of customer, it still pays off to be specific.
Posting the same content everywhere. If someone subscribes to your newsletter but also follows you on Facebook, are they going to see the exact same messaging on the exact same day? Will they see identical posts pop up at the same time on Instagram and Twitter? If you can only have one social media channel and can drive your followers there, then focus your energy on the one where your audience is most likely to be. Don’t create multiple accounts without a reason to address different audiences in different ways there. Assess who is on each channel.
Failure to track the competition. Are you putting a lot of work into an incredible strategy that…your competition is already doing, and perhaps doing even better? Or maybe doing, with no discernible effect? Keeping track of what your competition’s up to and how your potential audience is responding can save you a lot of work, while inspiring other ideas for truly original campaigns. You should also be able to name your three biggest competitors in your space, rank them, and understand the threat they pose.
Making assumptions without data. Let’s face it: There’s no reason in today’s age of real-time analytics and automated dashboards not to get some basic data to guide your decision-making on every type of campaign. Being informed means predicting, and then getting, better results.
So, are we right? Are you guilty of making any of these mistakes?
Luckily, you’ve got us. Connect anytime for a strategy that helps you avoid all of the above—and more. We can also assess your current work and let you know if there are any easy fixes you can make to step out of last year’s shadow and take your work into tomorrow.