Principle #2: Out-&-Out Marketing is Disciplined
We’ve all made New Year’s resolutions, only to be back to our old habits and routines by February 1. What keeps us from sticking with our plans year after year? It’s not that our intentions aren’t true – it’s that we lack the discipline to stick to them. With marketing, discipline is a vital component of your success or lack thereof.
Marketing can’t be something you “kinda” do when time, energy and budget allow. It is important that it become a priority – almost a mindset – for your company and its leadership. You must make a conscious effort to consistently focus on your customers and prospective customers and deliver compelling messages about your products or services.
This might mean a shift in priorities and/or resources. You must be committed to creating or investing in systems (such as databases or a CRM tool) methodologies and practices that can help you better understand and reach your customers.
Take the time to analyze the data you collect to develop more effective strategies and tactics for future campaigns. Record your notes after every customer interaction and add them to your database. Examine your successes and failures to determine what works – and what doesn’t – to engage your target audiences.
A marketing plan without the discipline and dedication to wholeheartedly and completely carry it out simply won’t work. Writing a marketing plan only to put on a shelf to gather dust won’t to cut it. Marketing is a commitment.
Keep it disciplined.