1. To assume you don't need marketing.
Coca-Cola is by far the most famous soft drink in the world, but the manufacturing company continues to invest tens of millions of dollars in marketing, each year. It will do you no good to have an excellent product if the world don't know you exist. Any business must be constantly and aggressively promoted, otherwise it fails.
2. To think that you would need a lot of money for marketing.
In Jay Conrad Levinson's best-seller "Guerrilla Marketing Attack", he listed more than 100 ways to make your ad and 50 of them are free. A very interesting method is to build a good relationship with the press: a small well written post can have the same effect as an advertising block of half of page.
3. To address to the wrong niche.
Telling something to everyone is just like saying nothing to nobody. Your niche target must be as narrow as possible and contain only those people who need your product or service. The role of advertising is to remind, rather than to impress. Repetition is the key for success!
4. To confuse the Image with the Identity.
First of all you should communicate the identity, not the image. The customers must first find out what you have to offer and where can they find you. Later you can concentrate on building an image.
5. To under evaluate your product.
Be competitive, be aggressive, but for any reason don't sell your merchandise for less than it's worth. The customers will never appreciate your product or service if you don't appreciate it yourself.
6. Not looking for feedback from the customers.
Whenever you close a sale, call your customer after a few days and ask if he/she is satisfied. Ask him/her to tell you how could you improve your product/service and seriously analyze each suggestion. If you're listening to your customers and do what they suggest you to, you can not fail.
7. Not setting your goals.
Define the precise outcome of your marketing actions - you want to inform, to educate, to entertain or to convince? Each cent that you spend on marketing should be looked at like an investment so you should follow the ongoing efficiency of this investment. Whenever you are contacted by a customer, you should ask him/her how did he/she found out about your product/service. This way you can see which advertising method (fliers, brochures, newspaper ad, radio, etc.) is the most appropriate for your business.
8. To provide insufficient information.
Readers' attention decreases after the first 50 words, but people often want more information. For this reason structure your ad in two or more parts. The first part should be short, visible and respond to the key questions (what product/service you offer, what are the benefits for the customer) and the second, more detailed part, should provide enough information so the readers can decide whether if it is for them or not.
9. Not having a long term thinking.
You probably don't want to get out of business tomorrow. Because of that, you should make a long term plan for your marketing actions. To make your promotional materials (brochures, leaflets) you should collaborate with a designer, with a small typography, with various other service providers; close long-term deals and try to get as many discounts as possible.
10. To change the promotion methods too soon.
The most frequent mistake is to change your marketing campaign data too soon: the theme, the format or the advertising support. It is such a big mistake that it should be placed in top of the list. Just when you begin getting bored with your marketing campaign, the public starts to recognize you, to know who you are and what you have to offer. Instead of changing your company's image, spend your money to repeat the message again and again and again.
We found this list in an e-mail that we've received and we agree with it because it can also apply in the network marketing industry. So no matter what kind of business you own, you should make a good marketing plan to insure your success!
Coca-Cola is by far the most famous soft drink in the world, but the manufacturing company continues to invest tens of millions of dollars in marketing, each year. It will do you no good to have an excellent product if the world don't know you exist. Any business must be constantly and aggressively promoted, otherwise it fails.
2. To think that you would need a lot of money for marketing.
In Jay Conrad Levinson's best-seller "Guerrilla Marketing Attack", he listed more than 100 ways to make your ad and 50 of them are free. A very interesting method is to build a good relationship with the press: a small well written post can have the same effect as an advertising block of half of page.
3. To address to the wrong niche.
Telling something to everyone is just like saying nothing to nobody. Your niche target must be as narrow as possible and contain only those people who need your product or service. The role of advertising is to remind, rather than to impress. Repetition is the key for success!
4. To confuse the Image with the Identity.
First of all you should communicate the identity, not the image. The customers must first find out what you have to offer and where can they find you. Later you can concentrate on building an image.
5. To under evaluate your product.
Be competitive, be aggressive, but for any reason don't sell your merchandise for less than it's worth. The customers will never appreciate your product or service if you don't appreciate it yourself.
6. Not looking for feedback from the customers.
Whenever you close a sale, call your customer after a few days and ask if he/she is satisfied. Ask him/her to tell you how could you improve your product/service and seriously analyze each suggestion. If you're listening to your customers and do what they suggest you to, you can not fail.
7. Not setting your goals.
Define the precise outcome of your marketing actions - you want to inform, to educate, to entertain or to convince? Each cent that you spend on marketing should be looked at like an investment so you should follow the ongoing efficiency of this investment. Whenever you are contacted by a customer, you should ask him/her how did he/she found out about your product/service. This way you can see which advertising method (fliers, brochures, newspaper ad, radio, etc.) is the most appropriate for your business.
8. To provide insufficient information.
Readers' attention decreases after the first 50 words, but people often want more information. For this reason structure your ad in two or more parts. The first part should be short, visible and respond to the key questions (what product/service you offer, what are the benefits for the customer) and the second, more detailed part, should provide enough information so the readers can decide whether if it is for them or not.
9. Not having a long term thinking.
You probably don't want to get out of business tomorrow. Because of that, you should make a long term plan for your marketing actions. To make your promotional materials (brochures, leaflets) you should collaborate with a designer, with a small typography, with various other service providers; close long-term deals and try to get as many discounts as possible.
10. To change the promotion methods too soon.
The most frequent mistake is to change your marketing campaign data too soon: the theme, the format or the advertising support. It is such a big mistake that it should be placed in top of the list. Just when you begin getting bored with your marketing campaign, the public starts to recognize you, to know who you are and what you have to offer. Instead of changing your company's image, spend your money to repeat the message again and again and again.
We found this list in an e-mail that we've received and we agree with it because it can also apply in the network marketing industry. So no matter what kind of business you own, you should make a good marketing plan to insure your success!
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