Are You Committing These Ten Marketing Crimes?

Are You Committing These Ten Marketing Crimes?

Scott Ginsberg (www.nametagtv.com)

Oct 16, 2009 -

1. A. Worst letter in the alphabet. It suggests you’re one of many, not one of a kind. Instead, you need to strive for “thee.” As in THEE premiere dentist in your city. THEE best dry cleaners around. THEE website for unemployed professionals. Are you “thee” or “a”?
   
2. Adjectives. Utterly useless. And sadly, most websites and marketing materials are nothing but adjectives. Just sitting on the page; saying how awesome you are. Whoopee. Look: You need testimonials. Proof that you actually help people solve problems. Proof that you’re the answer to something. Is your message peppered with proof or just a bunch of adjectives?
   
3. Anonymity. In an attention economy, anonymity isn’t just the enemy – it’s bankruptcy. That’s why you’re going out of business. Because nobody knows you, nobody’s heard of you and nobody’s talking about you. Are you invisible?
   
4. Arrow. If you’re still operating on the old school model, you’re probably shooting a LOT of arrows. “Target Marketing,” as you call it. Ha! What a waste. What an antiquated approach. Especially now, in our My Culture, in which customers are going to get WHAT they want, WHEN and HOW they want it. Your challenge is to reverse your marketing and become the bull’s-eye.  A big, beautiful, juicy target. And the best part is, you don’t have to waste your money AND self-qualified customers come out of nowhere. Cool. Are you aiming or being aimed at?
5. Average. That’s just not going to cut it anymore. And here’s why: Competence is assumed. Competence is the price of entry. And when there are a gazillion other instant choices out there, people have no motivation to pick anything other than the best. Lesson learned: Be amazing or be out of business. Are you a C?
6. Boring. Just another word for bankrupt. Especially in commoditized industries where service is the key differentiator. Which means your challenge is to make the mundane memorable in every possible touchpoint. Are you a snoozer?
7.  Branding. We’re done with that word. Instead, focus your efforts on expressing your identity fully and freely. Concentrate on transferring your passion to others. Make what you sell a natural extension of your personality. It won’t feel or look like branding, and as such, people will buy it. When was the last time you updated your brand identity?
8.   Clever. If someone uses this word to describe you, your website or your business, it’s NOT a compliment. You don’t want to be clever. Clever is short-lived, annoying and easy. You want to be smart. Or cool. Or simple. Much more enduring, attractive and, yes, hard to pull off. What is the one word you want people to use when describing your marketing?
9.  Comma. You never want one of these anywhere near you. In the words of my pal Robert Bradford, founder of the Center for Simple Strategic Planning, “Every time you add a comma to the description of what you do, you decline a little bit more.” Periods. Periods. Periods. Commas are for unfocused hacks. Pick a lane. Which punctuation mark does your offering have?
10. Customers. Customers are overrated, clients are useless and prospects are for amateurs. You need FANS. Like a rock star. Or a ballplayer. Or a red-carpet actor. Fans. The people who are fully engaged. The people who love your stuff. The people who are insistent upon using you. And I mean this in the most non-stalker way possible. How many fans do you have?

Scott Ginsberg, aka "The Nametag Guy," is the author of eight books, a professional speaker, an award-winning blogger and the creator of NametagTV.com. For more info or for his list of “24 Ways to Out BRAND Your Competitors, e-mail scott@hellomynameisscott.com.