The Best Thing I Ever Learned (About Marketing) - Reader's Questions

In another article I wrote about what I learned fromrelationships with your customers and clients. If you
the VP of Marketing at Disneyland, how it's best tostop you'll save a few dollars, but you'll also fall off
stop putting money into something that isn't working.people's radar and they'll forget about you. Sure, you
However, I received some emails from readers thatcan cut down on costs and save some money by
sent up some red flags. One reader said that sheworking smarter (ask me about this if you're
was considering stopping (or cutting back on) emailinterested), but as I advised the reader who wrote
newsletters to her mailing list because it was costingin, it's not a good idea to stop. Just look at it
money and not making money. Another readerdifferently and revise what makes it a success.
wrote that he was going to quit a marketing2. When setting "rules for success" be realistic. One
campaign because after one week because it wasn'tweek probably isn't enough time to accurately judge
working.a marketing campaign. On the other hand, doing
So let me talk a bit about those "rules for success" Isomething over and over for years with no results
mentioned in the original article. It's important to beisn't good either. I once had a client who mailed
realistic about potential results. It's important to notletters to purchased mailing lists as part of his
stop something before it has really had a chance tomarketing. He did it for years, and never got one
succeed.response. When I asked him about it he said, "Maybe
1. Some business activities are not meant to bethis time it will work." It didn't. Go figure.
money-makers, per se. They're part of marketing.So, give it enough time so you really know if it's
They serve other purposes, like reminding peopleworking or not. Disneyland can tell right away if ticket
that you're there, letting them know what's new andsales are up. For the rest of us, it can take weeks,
exciting, and giving them information, tips and otheror months, to see a result from our efforts. Don't
things that they find valuable so that they will alsoexpect miracles. It takes time, and a sensible plan, to
find YOU to be valuable and worth paying attentionsee results. THEN, if it's not working, stop.
to. It helps build and maintain those oh-so-importantAll my best to you and yours!