The Harsh Reality of Marketing

Whenever I work with a new business (or person) wanting to grow through marketing, I see a common pattern that emerges. 

They all have a hugely optimistic belief that ‘doing some marketing’ will create a massive surge in business. 

They hope that every dollar they spend will turn into two. And quickly.

However, in my experience, that’s rarely the case. In fact, marketing ends up costing a lot of people more time and money than they can make from it.

In this article, I want to share a few of the ‘realities’ of marketing that I have learned throughout my career. Some might sound pessimistic, or downright disheartening. I guess it depends on how you look at them, but knowing these truths upfront can help you succeed over the long term.

1) Marketing costs money before it makes money

Think about a master archer shooting a target. Do you think that the very first time they shot an arrow, they hit the bullseye? Of course not. And yet, most businesses expect that their marketing campaigns will hit the ‘bullseye’ of their market immediately. 

The reality is that to get the marketing right for your business can take years. It’s a constant testing ground. You try something; you review the results, You refine it, and keep testing. Eventually, something sticks, and you keep improving from there.

People seem to readily accept that ‘it takes money to make money’ but also expect marketing dollars to make money every time. 

Lesson: Be willing to spend money testing and refining your marketing when you start

2) Everyone (except you) sees your marketing as an interruption

Do you ever open your mailbox at home and get excited about the flyers and catalogs in there? Unless you love coupon hunting, it’s likely most of the junk mail you get goes directly into the recycling. 

Most people see the direct mail advertising they receive as a nuisance. It gets in the way of their real mail.

But guaranteed you wouldn’t feel the same way if you created a piece of direct mail. If you created a brochure or a catalog for your business, you would cherish it. You’d see it as valuable, interesting, and compelling.

Here’s the thing: both points of view are right. But when it comes to getting people to pay attention to your marketing, realize you are swimming against the stream. That’s why a compelling offer and targeting the right people are a huge part of the puzzle. They cut through the distraction and create interest.

Lesson: Know that people won’t care and that you must find ways to wow them.

3) A bad product (or service) can’t be ‘saved’ by marketing

That old saying ‘you can’t polish a turd’ holds true for marketing too. 

There’s nothing worse than using hard-earned dollars to try to promote a bad product. More often than not, trying to rush a product to market means that people are underwhelmed when they use it. And once they don’t like it, it’s almost impossible to get them to try again.

Many companies spend way too much time and money marketing before they even got their product to a decent level. In my experience, a bad product just makes it difficult for the marketing to do its job. 

A massive piece of marketing success is social proof and word of mouth. The reason services like Venmo, Airbnb, and Spotify succeeded is because they are useful. The reason millions of other products fail is that they’re not useful.

Lesson: Before you spend money or time on marketing, spend it creating a great product

4) It takes time and attention to get it right

Marketing is always an uphill climb. The audience you want to attract won’t magically congregate in one place and obediently pay attention. They’ll do it slowly, randomly, and inconsistently.

It takes months (and often) years to build a customer or client base through marketing. That’s why a lot of businesses fail. They can’t attract enough customers to stay profitable. 

Lesson: Be patient, persistent, and realistic. Keep trying new things, and keep what works.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Knowing these realities gives you a better stomach for what’s ahead with your marketing. Don’t get disheartened if what you try doesn’t work. Remember that if marketing were easy, then everyone would be immediately successful. The good news is that modern tools make marketing a lot easier.

Don’t be afraid to try something new, and know that you will find the right solution eventually. 

Ready to grow your online attention? Shorthand Content Marketing is an Orange County Content Marketing and Advertising Agency, helping businesses and influencers to succeed. Reach out to us today to see how we can assist you in building your business.