3 Marketing Mishaps (And How To Avoid Them)
Whether you are managing a small business at home or own a large company, you should always ensure that you pay close attention to your marketing strategy. It is an aspect of your business plan that should continue to evolve over time, as your business grows and consumer trends change. You should also ensure you learn from your mistakes, alongside the mistakes of others in order to succeed in marketing.
With that in mind, here are three of the most common marketing mishaps (and how you can avoid them).
Mishap: No USP
When you are creating an advertisement, it must serve a clear purpose. This could include:
Introducing your brand to an audience
Promoting a new product or service
Advertising a specific sale/discount code
However, each advertisement must refer to your USP. This is your unique selling proposition - or, to put it simply, the thing that makes your brand stand out from the crowd. For example, what do you give your customers that they could not get anywhere else? What makes your brand unique? Failure to establish a clear USP in your marketing material means you will struggle to differentiate yourself from other brands, and you will blend into the crowd.
Mishap: Relying on one form of marketing alone.
As you are probably aware, digital marketing is proving to be incredibly promising, especially due to the effectiveness of social media advertising. However, you should not rely solely on digital marketing alone - as this means you are selling yourself short.
Do not understand the importance of mail and print marketing, such as leaflets, newsletters, and posters - which can also help you connect with your customers. When putting together print materials, ensure you work with companies such as Action Mailing & Printing Solutions, which can provide you with everything you need to get your name out there.
Mishap: The content is too general.
By now, you probably have a clear vision in your head of your target audience. If you want to succeed in business, you must strive to get to know them as well as possible. You should know what kind of person they are, what they enjoy doing, what they dislike. The more you know, the more you can focus your marketing on them.
One of the most common marketing mistakes that brands make is creating marketing material that is too general. For example, an advertisement designed with no audience in mind will fail to entice anybody. In contrast, a streamlined advert created directly for your target audience will capture their attention and encourage them to make a purchase.
Mishap: No CTA
Each advert should also include a CTA, otherwise known as a call to action. For example, this could be a short, simple phrase that encourages them to make a purchase. Perhaps it provides them with a particular incentive, such as a discount code if a purchase is made by a specific date. However, it can be more general. Without a convincing CTA customers may watch your advert and forget about it within seconds.