Mistakes are great – if we’re learning from them right? That’s key – learning from our mistakes is the catalyst for growth. It’s what separates rookies from serial entrepreneurs.
Marketing for entrepreneurs is a passion of ours – helping business realize their potential by helping them develop a communications road map for their business is what excites us – watching that said client roll it out and succeeding is I’m sure – better than winning the lottery! When a business fails there are only three areas one looks to – financial management, operational flow and marketing strategy. It’s no good looking to the finances and operational flow of the business but ignoring or avoiding the marketing aspects of your business – that’s just a disaster waiting to happen. Stopping or avoiding marketing has been likened to a business man winking in the dark at his wife – he knows what he’s doing but his poor wife or partner is none the wiser! Lost energy and lost intent! I do also just want to also share a sentiment the same boss taught me – feeling that you’re doing the wrong thing in marketing your business and doing it anyway because you don’t know how to correct it is a missed opportunity to grow and shine…In his book – there were never any problems – only opportunities to grow and shine! So with this in mind – let’s look at a few rookie marketing mistakes we’ve come across in our time in entrepreneurville:-
- Entrepreneurs developing a brand for themselves – instead of their customer
- Not having a set brand voice, tone, language and style for your brand.
- Not knowing who your target audience is
- Not knowing what your target audience needs and wants from your brand or business.
- Not truly knowing and understanding your bulls eye target audience’s lifestyle and life-stage and tailor making your communications to the key touch-points of their traditions, habits and rituals.
- Not knowing what mediums are consumed and used by your bulls eye target audience.
- Not having a location marketing strategy – 5-10 km radius in and around your business pin point.
- Not having a retail / sales strategy designed to bring cash into your business on a regular basis.
- Not measuring return on investment properly.
- Not reviewing and regrouping on a campaign in order to learn from mistakes and takeouts.
- Not willing to try something new – risk adverse means growth adverse.
- Spamming with – especially on social media and inboxes.
- No call to action – what do you want your customer to do next?
- Entrepreneurs try do wear too many hats – trying to do it all themselves and they end up being jack of all trades and master of none – this is reflected in the growth of their business and their sales figures at the end of the year.
It’s easy to sit in a stone house and throw stones – but then again – I’m not in a stone house – I’m in the same glass house that my clients own – I own two of my own businesses – and yes – it’s hard to market your own business, but there in lies the secret – don’t do it by yourself – get help… #Wordonthestreet is that marketing your own business is not for sissies…I concur…get help. Contact Robyn Lambrick at Word on the Street Media 064 135 9719 – Marketing support for Entrepreneurs.