Great marketing can't save a bad product or business model

The Hard Truths About Marketing

It's not that your CEO doesn't understand marketing; it's that you can't explain your strategy.

Effective communication with leadership is crucial. Simplify your strategy and align it with business goals to ensure clarity and buy-in from the top.

Your CEO is the CMO; act accordingly.

Treat your CEO as a key stakeholder in your marketing efforts. Their vision and direction should be reflected in your strategies and campaigns.

A lot of the best marketing can't be measured, but that won't make the finance team happy.

Understand that some marketing activities have intangible benefits. Strive to find ways to demonstrate their value, but also balance these with measurable, impactful actions to satisfy financial scrutiny.

Your job is to drive revenue, not just generate leads.

Leads are only valuable if they convert into sales. Focus on strategies that contribute to the bottom line and demonstrate clear ROI.

Your success is often determined by factors outside your control (platform changes, market conditions, competitor actions, etc.).

Be adaptable and stay informed about external changes. Develop contingency plans to mitigate risks and take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

Great marketing can't save a bad product or business model.

Ensure that the product or service you are marketing meets customer needs and has a viable market. No amount of marketing can compensate for fundamental flaws.

Bad marketing is often made to look better because of a great product. Be careful of hiring these people.

Evaluate the success of marketing professionals critically. A great product can mask poor marketing strategies, so look for evidence of their contribution to success.

Your biggest wins often come from questioning long-held assumptions, not following "best practices."

Innovation often requires challenging the status quo. Encourage creative thinking and be willing to test unconventional ideas.

You're always selling - to customers, to your team, and to your own company (execs).

Marketing is about persuasion. Whether convincing customers to buy, rallying your team around a campaign, or justifying budgets to executives, effective communication and persuasion are key.

The most important skill in marketing isn't creativity or analytics - it's knowing your customer.

Understanding your customer is the foundation of all successful marketing efforts. Invest time in research and developing deep insights into their needs, preferences, and behaviors.

The Importance of Understanding Your Customers: A Case Study

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing and branding, it's easy to make assumptions about what your customers want. However, as this recent experience with a client demonstrates, assumptions can often lead us astray.

CLIENT:
"We need a landing page. No research needed. We know the offer and audience inside-out. Our Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is looking to modernize; they want the most advanced tech."

ME:
"Great. Let’s schedule a Two-Day Intensive. One more question — do you have any customer feedback or testimonials?"

CLIENT:
"Nope. It's a relatively new offer."

ME:
"No problem. In advance of the Intensive, we’ll send you targeted questions you can share with a few of your best customers. They can respond with voice notes or raw answers, and we'll use that material to craft testimonials (which they can approve). Because social proof is important."

Three Weeks Later...

CLIENT:
"So. Funny story. We sent those questions to a handful of customers, and every single one responded that they don’t care about the advanced features! They’re really just looking for the peace of mind that comes with our trademark customer support."

The Lesson: Don't Assume Anything

This interaction serves as a crucial reminder for founders and marketers alike:

Talk to Your Customers.
It's tempting to believe that we know our audience perfectly, especially if we've been in the industry for a while. However, direct feedback from customers is invaluable. It can reveal surprising insights that significantly shape your messaging and strategy.

Understand What's ACTUALLY Driving Them.
In this case, the client's customers weren't as interested in the latest technology as they were in the reassurance and reliability provided by the company's exceptional customer support. This pivotal insight should drive the core messaging of their landing page and marketing efforts.

Actionable Takeaways:

1. Engage with Your Customers Regularly:Set up systems to regularly gather feedback from your customers. Surveys, interviews, and feedback forms can provide ongoing insights into their needs and preferences.
2. Use Social Proof Effectively:Once you have feedback, use it to craft compelling testimonials and case studies. Real customer experiences are powerful tools for building trust and credibility.
3. Adapt Your Messaging:Be ready to pivot your marketing messages based on what you learn from customer interactions. Your initial assumptions might not always align with their actual motivations and concerns.
4. Emphasize Customer Support:If customer support is a key differentiator for your business, make it a central theme in your marketing materials. Highlight stories and testimonials that showcase your commitment to exceptional support.

Final Thoughts

In the ever-evolving landscape of business, staying in tune with your customers' true desires and concerns is paramount. By actively seeking and listening to their feedback, you can ensure that your messaging resonates deeply, fostering stronger connections and driving better results.

Remember, the key to successful marketing is understanding your audience — not just who they are, but what genuinely matters to them.