Too many tactics, not enough strategy

3 years ago

The wrong tactic, done well, is still wrong.

I come across this almost every day when talking to business owners. In fact, I saw a perfect (bad) example of it yesterday.

I was talking to a business owner I have known for many years. He has a good wholesale business with a high quality product for the hospitality industry. But his marketing has always been more miss than hit and he desperately needs to grow his customer base.

The reason for that is that he gets roped into tactics by people who might mean well but have very little idea about how to get him more customers.

The latest example is signing up with an agency to create and post content. They’re posting on his Facebook and Instagram pages and on his website. I’ve seen the content…it’s nice, it’s cute and I’m sure it’ll make him feel good for a few weeks.

But it won’t land him any new customers. In fact, I predict in 6 or 12 months he will wonder why he has paid this agency so much money but his business hasn’t grown. Again.

Why?

Because these are just tactics.

Pretty little tactics, done nicely, but with no real effect.

What he needs is a marketing strategy.

A strategy that…

– identifies his ideal customers

– has an insight into their “real” needs and desires

– communicates clearly how he can help them address these needs and desires

– has a mechanism to move these people from passive “viewers” to interested leads

– a way to nurture the relationship until they are ready to buy

– and a “Hero Product” that makes it easier to start doing business with him

Once he has a strategy like this…then they can plug in the best tactics to achieve their goals.

I’m working with another client who services the same industry with a different offering. They get an average of 215 new leads every month with their marketing strategy. These are names and addresses of ideal clients who have genuine potential to become paying customers soon. And a nice percentage of them do. Every single month.

Meanwhile, my friend with the pretty posts and aimless tactics receives an average of 5-10 “Likes”and 1 “share” per post.

I know which I would rather.

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