Marketing Mishaps

You can learn a lot about what not to do in marketing simply by paying attention to your surroundings and what other businesses are doing, or are not doing. Is what clients see actually congruent with what you promise to deliver? Are your mission, actions and presentation consistent with one another?

One example I have personally witnessed of an incongruent marketing method was a safety and security company who promoted "safety and security for your home and business." While walking by their store I noticed that their door had been vandalized and was taped with duct tape. Almost a week later, the door was still taped and not replaced. I don't know about you but, I was not feeling a strong feeling of faith in their ability to maintain security of my home or office. They would have been well served to replace the door immediately.

Another example was a Realtor promoting "We will sell your home". However, while on holidays, we walked past one of their client's homes for three weeks. During that time, the information sheets for the home that were in the plastic box beside the "For Sale" sign where never replaced. Interested people passing by could not get the information about the home because the flyers were gone. The Realtor's actions did not match the promise.

How you show up is everything! One of my marketing mistakes on this very topic of "How you show up" was featured in Carol Roth's 55 Business Marketing Mistakes article. Check it out here: http://www.carolroth.com/blog/55-marketing-mistakes-in-business.

As you plan your marketing strategies for 2012, spend time ensuring that your actions match your promise.