Spooky Marketing: 5 Scary Things Brands Do
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1. Leaving Social Marketing Out Of The Budget
Why it’s scary: A brand without a social budget is clearly missing the role that social publishing plays in the buyer journey. Deliberate, strategic social campaigns offer brands the opportunity to engage with shoppers and move them closer to selecting your product, not to mention the wealth of data those likes and shares provide about your target audience.
What’s really spooky is that nowadays everyone in the US is broadcasting their buying preferences and other valuable marketing metrics from their pocket all day long. If you aren’t tapping into that today, closing the gap on your competition will become an expensive challenge as more and more direct sales move online.
2. Managing A Brand In A Constant Reaction-Mode To Retail Requests
Why it’s scary: If your product line is a result of merchant demands only, your brand risks becoming a cobbled-together mess, kind of like Frankenstein’s monster. This dilutes your brand presence and can hurt you in the long run. Retail merchants manage thousands of products. When you come to the table as a partner in sales, you bring a measure of control. You should be prepared to show why your brand is the right fit for their customers.
3. Asking For A Logo Design When You Really Need A Marketing Plan
Why it’s scary: Because a logo redesign is NOT going to guarantee increased exposure or sales. That’s like the teenager who shows up on your doorstep with a pillowcase: it was easy, it was in front of him, but it doesn’t really fulfill the mission of a Halloween trick or treating. (I always make them say it, too!)
Before taking on what should be a lengthy and considered logo design project, start by looking at the top few issues your brand is facing this year. Then plan your actions around how your marketing funds will move the needle on those items. More often than not, what your logo looks like will fall to the bottom of the priority list.
4. Overinflating The Marketing Budget In B2B Communication
Why it’s scary: The retail world has a lot of monster-sized companies that move a lot of product. Small brands don’t often get a second chance with major retail players. Misrepresenting the size of your business, or the depth of your financial backing can backfire in many ways. Taking on a contract that is too big for you to fulfill can result in your line being dropped, or worse yet, can put you in financial risk as you scramble to meet goals you can’t actually meet.
Transparency builds trust. There are plenty of large chains that are happy to build brands one region at a time. It’s good business for them and good business for you. Size yourself right in all communication. Much like a parent towing an adorable trick-or-treater, there will be merchants looking to bring your brand along as you grow.
5. Investing In Consumer-Facing Content When The Top Goal Is To Grow Dealer Sales
Why it’s scary: This one’s a mystery not even Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc. could solve. Yes, content marketing is vital for web traffic, but the solution above does not fit the problem. Only focusing on content that increases consumer traffic to your site will not grow your share of dealer sales.
In this example, the larger content investment should be centered around the issues dealers are facing in their business, and how your brand solves those problems. (A smart marketer could also build consumer content that aids dealer sales.) Support your content with landing pages that convert leads and other inbound marketing strategies, and your website will become a partner in growing dealer sales.
If you recognize yourself in any of the above, don't break out in a panic. We've heard variations of these comments from more than one source, so you are not alone! If anything above leaves you feeling full of fright, give us a call. We are here to help calm your fears. Happy Halloween!