Welcome to our August issue! In continuing our focus on The 16 Monumental Secrets of Guerilla Marketing–principles presented by Jay Conrad Levinson in his national bestseller GUERILLA MARKETING–#2 is INVESTMENT. In his book, Conrad says, “Marketing and advertising should be considered conservative investments. They are not miracle workers. They are not magic formulas. They are not instant gratifiers. If you don’t recognize that marketing is a conservative investment, you’ll have difficulty committing yourself to a marketing program.” So in order for your commitment to your marketing program to continue and persevere long term, it is crucial to think of your program as an investment. Perceived value with marketing is difficult because you can’t specifically measure your results from the messages you are putting out for people to take in, whether consciously or subconsciously. But one thing in my extensive experience is certain: Marketing yourself consistently and making that investment in your brand will contribute to a steady increase in business. It may be slow, it may take some time, and you may not be able to trace your success directly back to your marketing alone. Marketing isn’t designed to produce instant results, and while it has great power it also has its limitations.
Moreover, there is a difference between an expense and an investment. Companies, and individuals for that matter, should always be looking to cut costs while looking to increase investment whenever possible. However, many companies choose to cut out investments such as marketing when times are tough mistaking them for mere expenses. This not only negates what you have invested, but also any return that you would have gained had you continued. Marketing and image are two of the common (and major) areas that are considered an investment by companies that understand a growth model vs. a survival model, in addition to hiring, training and development, technology, physical location, etc. Not only have I seen all too many businesses bail out on their marketing plan when they are struggling, but also once they have become successful. When times were good, they made the decision to stop marketing in spite of the fact that it was their marketing that got them to that point. They became too comfortable with the business flowing in and deemed their marketing to be no longer necessary. This allowed their competition who continued to market themselves to steal the spotlight and that valuable top-of-mind recognition from their targeted audience. I assure you, the minute you stop vying to keep that spot there is someone else who will move right in. Marketing is an ongoing investment and an operational (not to be confused with optional!) part of how a company conducts business.
by Paige Zutavern
402-730-0096
paige@stricltybusinessomaha.com