5 Reasons Your Marketing Isn’t Working

Ever wondered if marketing is just a big waste of money, a poor investment? It might be if you are making these errors.

1. You’re focusing on services and products which are not THE key economic drivers of your business, organization.

What are the key economic drivers of the business or organization? Is your marketing/sales/storytellling focused on what you make money at, drive value for clients or are you focusing on inspiration, what you’d like to someday make money at but currently don’t have clients or demand for? What drives your bottom line? Why, how? Is this the thing you are best at? Are you investing in owning this space, this niche?

2. You’re competing in shark infested, overly competitive, blood bath markets with a product/service that is undifferentiated; not perceived as either high value or innovative from it’s competitors.

Sometimes we are competing in the wrong markets at the wrong time, focusing on the wrong products and services and or targeting the wrong clients and developing the wrong partnerships. Are you unique? Different? Do you provide superior value, a differentiated product based on the current competitive landscape and current consumer demand? Are you competing in the right niche, targeting the right client, offering something unique and high value?

3. You are out of touch with your clients and prospective clients, trying to promote or sell something there is either limited demand for or mis communicating the value and innovation you offer.

Consumer insights drive marketing. What do your clients want now? Not last year. Now? What is their feedback on your current services, products, what are their suggestions? How engaged are they at helping you to augment and develop improvements to your products and services. What is the demand for your products and services now- based on the current market reality? Clients have the answers. Are you engaged, asking, listening?

4. Your message is not clear, powerful and or easily shareable and social.

What are you promising clients? Is it easily understandable in 2 minutes, 3-10 words? Are you focusing on what you are best at, what drives success for your organization? What do you stand for? Are you communicating this simply and powerfully in all forms of media? Is your story social? Is it easy for your clients to share with others? Tell me- what are you promising clients? Does this statement clearly differentiate and position you? And what are the social objects, how are you telling your story in this new social world?

5. You are doing everything well and nothing GREAT. You’re focusing on a lot but not the thing that most resonates with you, your team or tribe. You are good in many categories which is sucking resources, energy and time away from being great, hit it out of the park, fantastic in any one area.

More is not always better. What are you best in class at? What is your passion and vision? What gets your team up early and keeps them up late? What is the soul of what you do and why? Have you veered off track from the heart and soul of your purpose, calling, passion? Focus. Simplify. Clarify. Be original, authentic and be you; your passion, values, vision and mission and then execute- innovation and high value.

In the past couple weeks I’ve worked with companies, founders and individuals whose businesses are suffering because of the reasons above.

Let’s be honest. I’ve made these mistakes, most entrepreneurs and leaders have.

Growing a business, launching a venture is not easy. Art and science. Marketing is also a combination of art and science and at it’s core marketing is simply good business, it’s not pricing or promotion solely.

Growing a business or organization begins with understanding clients wants and needs and it ends with you and I delivering high value solutions. In between…well that’s the art and science, now isn’t it?

Sure you could be wasting money on marketing, but you can also make game changing, growth causing marketing investments.

The choice is yours. As always…Want to learn more about me? click here!

Pam

pam @ Pam Hoelzle.com

425 218 5864

Photo credit By Hamed Saber