Fixing The Glitch
If your brand is super duper excited to get to work with a new agency on that razzle-dazzle #marketingcampaign, it's always a really good idea to hit the pause button and take a deep look at the inside reality of your company. Does it match the persona that's about to be unleashed to the public? Is the #culture that you think you have really the culture that you do have? Is your team happy and well adjusted? Will they actually do all of the things that you're telling the world that your company will deliver? No matter how shiny and pretty the new campaign is, if your internal reality can't deliver on the promise, OR if your target consumers smell any bullshit, your brand can be screwed.
How to fix the glitch(es):
If you have any toxicity in the organization, it's time to cut it out, like, now.
Communicate with your team members with as much #transparency as humanly possible.
Some organizations will actually hire a secret shopper, I'd rather you trust in your team members enough to deliver the goods. If you have any doubts, set them free.
Build a safe and open door policy to address any real team member concerns, and here's the trick, act on their concerns and be their best advocate.
Ask your customers about their experience, not just a survey, a real conversation, and LISTEN.
Ensure that you have #customerservice protocols and procedures in place to handle customer service challenges like human beings, and not like robots.
I can't emphasize enough how important it is to get your organization shored up before you pull the #marketing trigger. It may not be easy and you may find yourself having to make some really difficult decisions for the good of the brand, but it must be done. Thanks for reading and sharing.
Hard Pass.
“Everyone is NOT your customer.”
This ridiculously simple quote would save so many small businesses so much time, aggravation, and money if they just digested it and took it to heart. As a small business owner, sometimes the tendency is to get that product or service in front of EVERYONE. And while I completely understand that in terms of exposure, etc., it's almost NEVER a good idea to focus on this strategy.
I learned so many lessons owning and operating a digital marketing agency, especially in the early days. I would take ANY customer just to pay the bills, and over time, thank GOD, I came to realize that this strategy was a runway to nowhere. I had to learn how to say no and how to pass on all of the little guys who simply didn't have budget, OR didn't "get it", or simply wanted instant results.
By chiseling away until you find your target customer sweet spot, you start to also find the real value that your company brings to the marketplace. You start to stand firm on your pricing, you start to design your material for that certain demographic, you start to grow and thrive within a niche, you start to truly speak the language of the customers that are going to gravitate to you. You now KNOW your customer, and that is by far one of the fundamentals of marketing and branding.
It's not easy to pass on a customer, especially when people rely on you for paychecks, but the headaches, trouble, and the money that it costs in the long run far outweighs the quick benefit of some cash. Remember, niches make riches.
Thanks for reading, sharing, and Hard Passing on customers who don't spark joy.