Business owners have a ton on their daily to-do list. From operations, personnel issues, and financial obligations – each one can often feel like a full-time job in itself. To save business owners time and money, we compiled a list of some of the most frequent marketing mistakes that we have seen clients and business owners make, and ways in which they can ensure they are not falling prey to these traps.
1. Not owning their website – We have written about the importance of websites before. It is the first impression of your brand, and many times the decider if someone wants to do business with you or not. The investment into a website that accurately portrays your brand and helps drive your business goals will give you a return tenfold. However, we know that websites can be an upfront investment that is more than some want to shell out in one sitting. This is where the “cheaper” option website developers get you. They offer you an inexpensive website, but there’s almost always a catch. You sign with them and lock yourself into monthly fees for perpetuity. So, if you decide you want to change your website or not pay the monthly fee any longer, the website goes away. The website developer owns your platform – not you. You would have to start all over and create a new one at that point. Websites are way too important to not be owned by the company that it’s for. Make sure you check the fine print before signing on for a cheap website.
2. Now knowing how to access all of their accounts – Business owners should have access to all of the accounts connected to their brand. Yes, it’s daunting to remember every password to each platform and website, but it’s so important that you are in control of your company. We have seen businesses who do not know their passwords and trust us, it’s incredibly difficult to prove to Google and Facebook that you are the owner without them. As the owner of a business, you should be able to access 100% of the active accounts your company has or at the very least, someone from inside your organization should be able to. This includes – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google My Business, Google Analytics, Google AdWords, WordPress, Bluehost, etc. We recommend keeping a running (locked) Word document or Google Doc where you can easily access all your account logins, passwords, and even the names of the platforms your company utilizes!
3. Trying to do each type of marketing, instead of narrowing in on the few areas that will work best for them – Marketing spans a lot of mediums, both digitally and traditionally. Depending on your business, you should be focusing on the few that will give you the largest return. If you’re a B2B brand, you may not need that Pinterest board. And if you’re a bakery, LinkedIn might not be your weapon of choice. Large brands with endless budgets can afford to try each marketing option, but when you’re trying for the largest impact with the smallest budget possible, it makes sense to refine your strategy. Find out what platforms and mediums are best for your brand and stick to the ones where you see the best ROI and engagement.
4. Not understanding the importance of branding – Branding is everything. The benefits of someone seeing a graphic or email and immediately being able to identify that it’s from your business is crucial to having your business grow and thrive. We often see companies that have different colors, fonts, etc. that are all over the place and provide no consistency. This translates to the consumer that you don’t know who you are, and surely, they won’t be able to tell who you are either. Other companies have a consistent brand but are in dire need of a refresh. Before implementing your marketing strategy, you must get your house (brand) in order. A plan that drives to a clear and on-brand site will thrive at a much higher rate than a plan that drives to a website that is too busy, looks old, and doesn’t resonate with the target audience. Remember, at the end of the day – your business is your branding.
5. Trying to do their marketing all on their own – There are only 24 hours in a day and 7 days a week. When you’re a business owner, that often feels like 1/100 of the time you need to get everything done on your to-do list. When you are worried about the operations of your company, the marketing of it can quickly fall to the wayside. However, ignoring your marketing can be detrimental to the success of your company and also people’s perception of your company. Staying in front of your consumer is half the battle!
If you’re reading this and realizing that you’ve fallen victim to one (or all five) of these mistakes, we are here to help. Contact us today for a free marketing consultation!
