It can be said that the most effective marketing is the marketing you do. This means that, above all else, some marketing is better than no marketing at all. Whether it be flyers and bulk-mailings, internet marketing, articles, networking, or events, something is better than nothing. I find face-to-face interactions and events to trump the rest, but I would never part with my business cards and speaker’s packets. They are part of a fuller picture.

That said, I think we often fail to make an important distinction. Part of the work of marketing is sending the message, and part of the work of marketing is preparing the channel. We’re sending the message when we write a blog post, when we attend an event, when we follow-up with someone who has given us their email address. We’re preparing the channel when we install WordPress, when we choose a template, when we sign up for an event, when we design a business card, when we create a newsletter-sign up on our website. Do you see the distinction?

Without the channel, the message has nowhere to go, but we need to avoid spending all our marketing time preparing the channel. Yes, especially when getting started, a lot of time will be needed setting up channels of communication with our market, but the clock is ticking and we need to get that message out too. Why spend all the time developing a channel without testing it along the way? What if it turns out the channel you’re building does not really work for your target market? Wouldn’t it be better to find that out sooner than later?

It’s like buying a motorcycle that needs a few repairs and a few cosmetic things corrected, but not riding it until everything is perfect. You’re not going to learn about how the bike truly handles for a long, long time. You might not even enjoy the bike once it’s all done, or you might not realize there are other more pressing matters on it that need addressing until you’ve poured significant time and money into it.

Yes, work on setting up channels of communication, but also experiment, work with them. Get your message out, even if you don’t have all the ducks in a row. Experiment. Measure the results. Don’t wait for the perfect website, the perfect templates. Experiment as you go! As I say in my workshops…. Lather, rinse, repeat!

And keep the shiny side up!

Posted in Everything Else
Comments Off Posted by Allen