Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

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Marketing is a key ingredient in the success of most businesses.  However, improper marketing can often be just as detrimental to your business as no marketing at all.  Avoid these six mistakes and you’ll be well on your way to a successful marketing campaign:

1. Marketing to everyone. Do your research, find your target audience, and gear your marketing message to that audience.  Don’t try to reach everyone.
2. Fractured brand unity. All of your marketing efforts should present a cohesive feel for your product, service, and company.  The more unified your advertisements, website, etc, the better.
3. Using a single marketing medium. Your marketing efforts should employ a variety of media from television to the internet and everything in between.  Ensure that your message reaches your entire target audience, market creatively through a cross-section of channels.
4. Ignoring current customers. Repeat purchasers make up 80% of customers in most businesses.  However, most marketing campaigns focus on new customers instead of current ones.  Use messages that reach both potential and repeat customers.
5. Sending mixed messages. Marketing messages that are too confusing, too subtle, too long, or too complicated can easily miss your target audience.  Keep your campaigns simple.
6. Not asking for feedback. Testing your marketing messages is extremely important.  Test your marketing ideas on focus groups and ask for feedback.  Don’t launch new marketing campaigns blindly.

A good marketing plan can help launch a new business or grow an established one.  A quality marketing plan will include measurable objectives, exhibit creativity, and deliver a message.  Above all else, the best marketing plans are well-written and easy to implement.

The next time you’re racking your brain over your company’s next marketing plan, keep these six things in mind.  In order to get the most bang for your marketing buck, avoid the commonly committed marketing mistakes.