Given the plethora of marketing advice online, it would be easy to assume that marketing is easy. Surely it’s the kind of thing that anyone can do! Spread the word of your business or side hustle, earn more money, and ensure that your enterprise is a success– simple, right?
Wrong. Marketing is one of the most discussed business topics because it’s difficult. If marketing was simple, it would be intuitive; there would be no need for the pages and pages of online advice. So if you’re struggling with your business marketing, then give yourself a break: this is a tough area, so don’t expect amazing returns for little effort.
If you’re currently not seeing returns for your marketing efforts, then it’s worth investigating what might be happening. There are reasons that marketing strategies fail– but don’t despair, there are solutions to prevent those failures too.
MARKETING MALADY: You Don’t Really Know What You’re Doing
Marketing is an entire profession, something that individuals dedicate their entire career to. If you’re not seeing returns on your marketing endeavors, then the problem may be simple: you’re not an expert, which means you don’t know all the tricks of the trade. You can read advice guides and follow online advice, but this will only take you so far.
If this is the issue, then you have two choices:
- Spend more time learning about marketing, potentially even taking an adult education class to brush up on your skills.
- Hire an expert who does know about marketing, giving your more time to work on other aspects of your business.
Both solutions are viable, so choose whichever suits you (and the time you have available) the most.
MARKETING MALADY: You’re Marketing An Unusual Business
There’s no doubt that some businesses are easier to market than others. If you’re a beauty company, it’s easy to broadcast your latest innovative product and attract influencers to help promote you. If you’re a personal trainer, then there’s always going to be eager ears wanting to know what you can do for your clients. These businesses are non-controversial and easy to market.
Then there are the businesses that are a little trickier. First and foremost, anything to do with death. You may have chosen to operate in this area because it’s profitable, but let’s be honest; it’s not a subject most people will happily discuss. Then there’s divorce or personal accident lawyers; again, businesses that operate in a section of society that most of us prefer to pretend doesn’t exist.
How can you market effectively when your business is in one of these sectors? Well… it depends. In truth, you’re likely going to need to consult an expert, who has history working within your difficult niche. Qamar Zaman, an attorney marketing expert, advises that you only work with marketers who have a specific background operating in your difficult niche, as they know how to get returns from their work. Look for specifics from the agencies you hire, a history of working with potentially difficult clients, and then utilize this expertise to allow you to market your business effectively.
MARKETING MALADY: You’re Not Marketing Across Multiple Platforms
Effective marketing is like being a spider at the center of a web; you need many different threads for it to be effective. These threads radiate from a central point and are constantly working on behalf of your business, with each thread specializing in a different area.
However, there’s always a chance that you’re missing a few threads. Marketing works best when it uses strategies that cross platforms; cross demographics; when a campaign ensures that every potential customer is captured. If you focus too much in one area — such as social media marketing, or leafleting campaigns online — then the other, lucrative threads are being left to hang. Marketing should always be approached as a broad spectrum that brings together all of those different threads into a coherent campaign. If this isn’t the case for you, then you may want to consult a professional to help decide your strategy going forward.
In Conclusion
Marketing is tough, so don’t be too hard on yourself if your current efforts aren’t living up to expectations. The key aspect is that you know there’s an issue; you know that your marketing campaign isn’t currently delivering the returns that your business needs. When you know there is an issue, finding a solution — and implementing it — is relatively simple. Find your problem, work to solve it, and then you will finally be able to see your marketing efforts help you make more money than ever before.
