Trash Marketing Techniques to Avoid

If you google “marketing strategies to help your small business” you’ll get millions of results. Some of the advice is excellent, like creating a strong marketing plan, knowing your customers, and making your value proposition clear. But some strategies that are used widely by small businesses should simply be chucked out the window as they do more harm than good. We call these “trash marketing techniques,” and this is why you should avoid them.

5 Big Marketing Mistakes

1. Telemarketing or Robo Calling
   There’s nothing that will turn potential customers off more than cold calling and robocalls. Simply put, they’re annoying and make your business seem desperate. Trust and reliability are essential qualities that convert, these go out the window with unsolicited phone calls. And, if you want to stop the robocalling, add your number to the FTC’s do not call list.

2. Spam Emailing
   Junk mail is called “junk” for a reason. Much like cold and robocalling, spam emails are unwelcomed and push customers away. Emails can be an effective way to stay top of mind, promote sales, and engage with customers. However, your email lists should be built through relationships and people who want to hear from you, not spamming.  Also, it’s important to know that buying email lists is illegal and can result in hefty fines.
   
   

3. Poor Prospect Targeting
   Supply and demand are at the heart of marketing. The goal is to get your product or service in front of someone who needs it. That’s why targeting the right group is so critical. Knowing your ideal prospect and targeting content and advertising well is essential if you want to gain conversions. 

4. Content Without a Strategy
   We hear all the time from new clients who are producing tons of content with no results. Most often we find this is because they are producing content with no clear goals, strategy, or understanding of their audience. Content for the sake of content is useless. If you’re not producing content with a clear plan of action you can’t expect to connect with your audience and achieve results. You need a content marketing plan with clear goals, audience and competitor profiles, and a content strategy that will resonate with readers.

5. Outdated Ad Techniques
   Advertising is a great way to reach new audiences and connect with potential customers. But not all advertising is created equal. The key to advertising is using the right technique at the right time and avoiding those that are outdated or won’t work for your business. Newspaper is almost dead, billboards often have little return on investment, and radio marketing is only good for some businesses. If you’re going to spend money on advertising, you need to choose the right platforms and methods, target well, and adjust frequently.

Don’t get caught committing these marketing mistakes. A strong email and content marketing plan are a great place to start and can keep you from jumping down rabbit holes that lead to dead ends. If you’re ready to get your marketing plan back on track, give us a call. We can point you in the right direction and help you identify which activities will jumpstart your growth and lead to success.

Written By: Kimberly Kulp