Why Most Marketing Sucks
I can’t tell you how often I see entrepreneurs whose marketing hits me (and I’m sure their prospects) like a blunt object. They reach into their toolbox of tactics and pull out a template, swipe some copy stick it all together and voila!
Crap!
Advertising legend David Ogilvy once said,
“The customer isn’t a moron. She is your wife! You insult her intelligence if you assume that a mere slogan and a few vapid adjectives (or a bunch of ready-made marketing tactics) will persuade her to buy anything.”
People instinctively know when a marketer is trying to manipulate them with simple tactics. The alarms in their internal BS meters start blaring like crazy. And of course, they react appropriately.
Beating them over the head with tactics (persuasion or otherwise) isn’t marketing and will not carry the day.
And to me that is what’s at the heart of most people’s misunderstanding of marketing. They want to shortcut their way to marketing tactics without actually understanding its definition.
A Brief A-D-D Tangent
I’d like to go on a random ADD tangent for a second. (But pay attention anyway!)
Definitions in any field of study are incredibly important.
The way you master any area of knowledge, including marketing, is by mastering its definitions.
Most people don’t have clear definitions of things. And because they don’t, it means they also can’t think clearly.
But once you do, you can start thinking the way you need to think. And start reviewing what you need to review in order to use that knowledge like a master.
If you don’t have a well thought out definition of marketing, that’s a problem.
You need one. You don’t need to agree with my or anyone else’s definition, but you need a definition because…
The Other Reason Marketing Fails
Your definition of marketing has to be clear and precise because it also guides your actions. That means it determines, in large part, how potentially effective your marketing can be.
So what is your definition of marketing? Take some time to write it down and “Cocktail Napkin” it. (Summarize your whole definition so it fits on a cocktail napkin.)
And then share it below.
If you’re willing to take this little exercise on, I’ll bet you’re going to see something shocking.
You’re going to see how tightly your responses to my last post are tied to (and maybe even limited by) the quality of the definition you operate from.
Try it out. And let me know what you find out!
That’s it for now. But stay tuned! In Monday’s post I’m going to…
- Share my definition of marketing…
- Give you the answer to the question I asked on Wednesday and…
- Announce the winners of this little contest.
Don’t miss it!