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In the competitive landscape of business, marketing holds the key to success and survival. However, amidst the dizzying array of strategies and tactics, it’s easy for business owners to fall prey to marketing delusions: false beliefs about what works and what doesn’t. These delusions can lead to wasted resources, missed opportunities, and ultimately, hinder the growth of the business.
Last week, we looked at seven common marketing delusions that business leaders believe and we dispelled each with the truth. But those were just the tip of the iceberg of misconceptions that plague business marketing. And some delusions are worse than others. Some can be really damaging. Here are three more widely-believed but utterly false marketing delusions to avoid in order to do marketing right in 2024 and beyond.
Marketing Delusions that Hurt Business
Delusion #8: “The brand story you tell in your marketing is true and people believe it.
Many business owners and leaders fall for the allure of a carefully crafted brand story. They envision captivating narratives, building loyal communities, and achieving marketing nirvana. From Chief Marketing Officers to Marketing managers, those in the trenches are often the first to buy into the narrative. But the belief that consumers believe the brand story is a dangerous delusion. Don’t fall for it. There are several reasons why this just is not true.
Reality: First, today’s consumers are far too cynical to believe hype. They are bombarded with brand messages and they understand the marketing game more than business owners give them credit. After a century of lies told by Big Tobacco, Big Pharma, Big Oil and a multitude of other industries, consumers approach every brand story with skepticism. They crave authenticity, not polished narratives. Second, the attention spans of consumers today are shorter than ever. Consumers scan, skim, and scroll, rarely digesting brand stories in their entirety. Carefully crafted details get lost in the noise. Last but not least, consumers have their own narratives – their own values, experiences, and aspirations – through which they filter brand stories. As seen through their perspective, brand stories are found wanting… irrelevant or inauthentic.
Solution: Talk is cheap. Instead of telling a story, prioritize action. Consumers care about deeds, not promises. They want to see evidence of values embedded in the products or services provided. Today, only brands that understand their target audience and tailor their products or services as well as their stories succeed. Any company that wants to move beyond the delusion must focus on authenticity and data-driven insights. They need to research their audience, understand their needs, provide products or services that speak to those needs and then tell stories that genuinely connect and resonate.
And clients or customers also want to see those values in the company’s culture. Even companies with great products or services will not survive if the company culture is hurtful. Customers want transparency, vulnerability and authenticity. They connect with brands that acknowledge their flaws, own up to mistakes, and show human faces behind the corporate logo. And what a company shares doesn’t need to be perfect but it does need to be relevant. Stories need to connect with individual needs and experiences. Generic feel-good narratives fall flat. If the company is experiencing a challenge, it’s best to acknowledge it and discuss what is being done to overcome it. Companies that want to sweep mistakes under the rug will fall flat when the truth inevitably emerges.
And when the time comes to gauge ROI, measure relevance… not just engagement. Track metrics that demonstrate meaningful connection to customers or clients, not just fleeting clicks and shares. By abandoning the “truthful brand story” delusion and embracing a more nuanced approach, leaders can build genuine connections with consumers and achieve sustainable marketing success. Remember, it’s not about creating a perfect narrative, but about fostering authentic relationships built on trust and shared values.
Delusion #9: “Marketing is a one-time effort.”
The “one-and-done” approach to marketing is a mirage. Too many business leaders think of a marketing campaign as a single performance… like a dazzling firework show exploding in the night sky, then leaving behind only fading echoes. Unfortunately, that’s precisely the dangerous delusion many hold about marketing. They see it as a one-time thrust of effort — a burst of activity — followed by blissful sales sunshine.
Why is marketing thought of this way? Leaders – especially those who crunch the numbers – often have a short-term focus. Quarterly reports and bottom lines often overshadow a long-term vision. Under pressure to deliver immediate results, leaders often see marketing as a quick investment with rapid returns. But they misunderstand marketing’s role. Marketing isn’t just about flashy campaigns. It’s about building brand awareness, nurturing relationships, and fostering loyalty. This ongoing process takes time and consistent effort. Leaders also tend to confuse launches with sustained growth. While a successful campaign launch can provide a temporary sales boost, it’s not a magic bullet. Growth requires continuous engagement, not a single fireworks show.
Reality: In reality, marketing is far less glamorous and far more important to understand.Marketing is a never-ending performance, not a one-time show. Building a strong brand and loyal customer base is a long-term process. Consistent marketing efforts, including content creation, social media engagement, and customer relationship management, are key to sustained success.
And it’s crucial to track campaign performance and adapt strategies based on insights. A static, one-time effort ignores audience behavior and market shifts, leading to wasted resources and missed opportunities. Ultimately, the goal of marketing should be to cultivate lasting connections with customers. This requires ongoing engagement, personalized experiences, and genuine value-adding interactions, not just fleeting efforts.
Solutions: The right way to think about marketing is as an investment, not an expense. While budgets must be managed effectively, viewing marketing solely as a cost ignores its potential ROI. Consistent, well-planned efforts yield long-term value and brand equity. Every dollar spent on marketing generates $10 in revenue and $100 in brand equity long-term. And to ensure this is true, data is crucial. Analytics, customer feedback, and market trends are what should inform marketing strategies.
By abandoning the “one-and-done” delusion and embracing the reality of continuous marketing, leaders can unlock its true potential. Imagine, not a fleeting firework show, but a vibrant tapestry of programs that generate ongoing engagement, personalized experiences, and genuine value. That’s where sustainable success lies.
Delusion #10: Great marketing comes from the “Collective Wisdom” of groups.
It sounds smart… leverage the collective brainpower of a group – colleagues, consultants, even focus groups – to craft the perfect marketing strategy. The idea is tempting. It feels democratic, collaborative, and full of potential. But beware, leaders who follow this path generally fall prey to a dangerous delusion: that consensus equals marketing magic. In truth, the “collective wisdom” approach often leads to bland, diluted messaging that resonates with no one.
Leaders embrace this delusion because they worry that individual perspectives might overlook a valuable piece of the puzzle, leading to missed opportunities. This leads to an preoccupation with inclusivity, even if it comes at the expense of clarity and focus. And building consensus feels safe. By involving everyone, leaders spread the responsibility for potential failures, shielding themselves from blame. But this creates an environment where bold ideas get watered down into palatable mediocrity. Last but not least, leaders misunderstand the nature of true collaboration. Collaboration doesn’t equate to an equal voice for every opinion. It’s about harnessing diverse expertise, but with clear leadership and direction to ensure a unified message.
Reality: In truth, when everyone has a say, no one voice truly stands out. The result is often watered-down, generic messaging that fails to differentiate the brand and connect with any specific audience. It is the tyranny of the average. Moreover, endless discussions, revisions, and compromises stall progress. The time spent reaching consensus could be better invested in execution and learning from real-world results. It becomes paralysis through analysis.
Solutions: What a strong brand really needs is a single, clear vision to guide its messaging. Consensus-driven approaches often lack this cohesive direction, leading to a fragmented and confusing brand story. While input from various stakeholders is valuable, data ultimately reveals what resonates with the target audience. Analytics and market research should be used to inform strategic direction. For that, there must be clear ownership of the marketing vision and messaging. One leader with expertise and a strong understanding of the brand should be the decision-maker. This centralizes direction while still allowing for input and collaboration. Doing this ensures that the marketing doesn’t get bogged down in endless approval loops. This approach encourages rapid prototyping, testing, and iteration based on real-world results.
Leaders who ditch the “wisdom of the crowd” delusion and embrace a data-driven, vision-led approach can build marketing that truly stands out. It’s not about silencing voices, but about harnessing expertise strategically to create messaging that resonates deeply with the target audience. After all, sometimes the most impactful ideas come from a single voice, not a cacophony of noise.
Stay tuned til next week as we shed light on even more common marketing delusions that are clouding the marketing landscape and causing companies to make costly mistakes. Don’t miss it.
Quote of the Week
“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service sells itself.” Peter Drucker
© 2023, Keren Peters-Atkinson. All rights reserved.
