The world of marketing is saturated with cliches, confusion, and downright bad advice. If you ever come across a so-called “marketing expert” who tries to tell you that any sort of well-established marketing tactic like email is “dead,” or that you “need” to be using using the latest and greatest social media platform in order to stay relevant, we’ve got one word of advice for you: run.
By far the worst marketing offenses are those myths and misconceptions that have been repeated by businesses and brands so many times, that they’ve become accepted as truth.
Here are 4 marketing myths to stop falling for, once and for all.
Myth #1: Our product speaks for itself – we don’t need marketing.
Believing in the value and effectiveness of your own service or product is a great thing…but it’s not a marketing strategy. After all, it’s not your opinion of your product that matters, but that of your customers. In order to sell your target audience on your product, you’ll need to showcase your unique value proposition through marketing.
For instance, let’s say a consumer is looking to buy a new car. How will they decide which brand to shop for? Well, it all depends on what they value. Fuel economy? Performance? Value per dollar? Or maybe they desire something more abstract, such as luxury and style, or a make and model that will impress people or “make them look cool.” Maybe they just want a car that will get them from point A to point B without breaking down!
When you consider all of the diverse features and benefits consumers may be looking for in a vehicle, you realize that there’s no one brand that’s “best”–it all boils down to what the consumer thinks (and what they think is often based on marketing!)
Myth #2: My business has a website and a logo – our work is done!
While an informative website and a memorable logo are good starting points for your brand, this is actually when your marketing work really kicks off.
● What’s your plan for making sure your brand gets noticed?
● How will you attract potential customers to your website?
● How will you establish your brand’s authority?
● How will your brand and website help drive sales?
Take a look at some of the most widely recognized brands in the world like Apple, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, or Walmart. Did these brands get to where they are today by relying on a mentality of “if we build it, they will come?” Definitely not!
In fact, Apple spent a record $1.8 billion on advertising in 2015, despite the fact that it produces some of the top consumer products in the world, has one of the most recognized logos in the world, and is one of the most-visited retail websites in the world.
Myth #3: Social media marketing won’t work for my target audience.
Another variation of this common myth is “social media is just a trend” or “social media marketing isn’t real marketing.” If you’ve found yourself buying into this sentiment, these quick facts just might sway your opinion:
● People aged 55-64 are more than twice as likely to engage with branded content than those 28 or younger
● 72% of all online US adults visit Facebook at least once a month
● 42% of all online women use Pinterest
● LinkedIn has 400 million members; 100 million of those access the site on a monthly basis
● 77% of Twitter users feel more positive about a brand when their Tweet has been replied to
That said, using social media just for the sake of checking it off the marketing to-do list won’t get the job done, either. But by using the right platforms (i.e. the platforms your target audience is using) and by using social media strategically, you have the potential to seriously boost your brand awareness and your sales.
Myth #4: One marketing channel is enough – too many options would just complicate things.
Ah yes, the age-old excuse of not wanting to do “too much” marketing at the risk of sending mixed messages, or letting your marketing focus spiral out of control. But is this actually a concern?
The answer: not really. In fact, many modern consumers expect (and demand!) to be able to research and interact with brands in a variety of formats, including brick-and-mortar stores, social media, websites, online chats, apps, and via phone.
As long as you’re using each marketing channel strategically by defining your specific audiences and goals, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be using a variety of channels to promote your brand, including:
● Content marketing
● Social media marketing
● Event and trade show marketing
● Email marketing
● Search marketing
In fact, many of the most successful and well-rounded marketing strategies do use all of these diverse channels to drive new business leads.
H2: Falling for these common marketing myths can hurt your sales and diminish your brand’s authority.
If you’ve just realized that your business has been falling for one or more of these marketing misconceptions, don’t give up – it’s not too late to turn things around! The marketing landscape is constantly evolving and growing, but there’s always time to inject new life into your marketing strategy and help grow your business.
Need help breathing new life into your marketing game plan, or undoing the damage caused by one of these marketing myths? Contact us today for more information.
Recent Comments