5 Ways to Rethink Marketing

Marketing has become a dirty word for some people, and there’s good reason for it. There is a lot of what we’d call “junk marketing” happening out in the world. Junk marketing is done without any real strategy. It’s lazy and over-used, over the top click-bait. It’s the lowest common denominator race to the bottom. This is so sad for those of us who know it doesn’t have to be this way. Marketing needs a rehab.

Rehab begins when we start to challenge our old ways of thinking. Here are five truths about marketing to get us all on the right track.

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If it doesn’t make your business better or attract the right customers, don’t spend the money. There are many forms of marketing that are measurable and can be quantified – from the newest digital tools to the oldest channels like direct marketing. So, you can see where your budget went and how much value came from the investment.

But there are intangibles too. Clear messaging that communicates your differentiation gives you an edge in a crowded marketplace. A memorable, cohesive brand builds visibility, trust, and followers. Marketing strategy built on business goals will help direct the budget to the best channels. Look both long term and short term with your marketing for the best results.

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A scarcity mindset comes from being focused on not having enough (money, time, etc.).^* And because of this there is a reluctance to invest and spend money in marketing. Sometimes these beliefs are deep seated from experiences earlier in life, but they can still affect how you see money and risk. Creativity and innovation do not come from fear, they come from freedom. Once you release that fear, the work (and results) becomes better.

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AI is capable of many great things – actual personalization isn’t one of them. AI is an excellent tool. It’s efficient, it can help with research, outlines, structure, etc. but true personalization, at least right now, takes paying more attention to the humans you’re talking to. AI will make associations and assumptions that don’t make sense or are untrue, so if you let it go on its own it will do the opposite of personalization, like the nice person who wanted to send leads of people looking for cat training to cat&tonic.

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Take the garbage out before you send your marketing. Put out quality content and marketing messages to attract quality responses. Poorly written, clickbait junk only clogs the internet as noise. We have enough noise and interruptions in our lives. If we all agree to go for quality and not barrage with quantity junk, we’d all be better served. Google prioritizes good, useful content too, so there’s another incentive.

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We all have implicit biases. Look for these biases in your marketing and weed them out of the creative and messaging. Marketing with stereotypes is lazy and harmful. If you’re curious if your idea is biased, try the concept with someone else in mind, a man instead of a woman, a white person instead of someone black or brown, etc. If it feels awkward, it is. So don’t use it.

Great marketing takes strategy, thought and follow through. It’s not easy and it’s not throwing as much crap at the wall as possible to see what will stick. It’s time to rehab marketing and I hope you’ll join us.

^* https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-scarcity-mentality