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True Marketing Maxims
As I’ve climbed– occasionally stumbling– up the path in my marketing career, I’ve collected some helpful maxims along the way: pithy sayings that have proven truth in them.
Some have inspired me. Others have helped guide me to the next level of knowledge, skill and career. I thought I’d share a few of them and let you know how I try to apply them.
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.
This maxim is attributed to Steven R. Covey; the well-known author of a number of best-selling books, the most famous of which is probably The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People-a book well worth reading (or re-reading for that matter.)
I use this particular saying to remind the clients I work with, and myself, to keep marketing strategies and tactics tightly focused on driving sales leads.
I strongly believe that all other marketing objectives are secondary, especially for marketers with limited budgets who don’t have a lot of money to waste. These secondary objectives should come along for the ride while you are focusing your marketing activities on trying to convince potential buyers to raise their hands and express interest in your products or services.
Just do it.
In my Marketing for Leads and SalesTM seminars and workshops, I like to quote Nike’s slogan: Just do it.
In other words, when it comes to marketing, stop thinking about it and get it done and get it on its way to prospects. Marketing that never leaves the drawing board doesn’t help you build your business.
Measure twice. Cut once.
A Web search found more than a million Web pages featuring this gem. It was probably said first by some wise old carpenter who didn’t have a board stretcher handy!
When it comes to marketing, I believe this motto means you should think things through carefully before you act. Pay special attention to the Domino Effect, where one thing leads to another. For example, if you make an offer on your website, do you have the requested information or materials ready to go? Or, if you invite someone to a webinar, what will your follow up activities be?
Good enough is good enough.
I think I came up with this one on my own, specifically to avoid getting stuck in the “measure twice. Cut once” mode. However, a Web search shows that even marketing guru Seth Goodin, the best-selling author of marketing books like Purple Cow, is thinking about good enough too. So I must be on to something.
I have to admit that I’m a bit of a perfectionist. I could easily find myself fiddling with my marketing communications plans, campaigns or materials for months.
Instead, I’ve had to teach myself, and my clients, to aim for the best results instead of aiming for perfection when it comes to marketing.
Your brand is the promise that you keep, not the one you make.
Kristin Zhivago, my friend and author of Rivers or Revenue, coined this phrase a few years back, then said it again recently in her blog.
What this means to me is that all the brand marketing in the world doesn’t matter if the experience the prospect (or someone they know) has with your company is bad.
Want to build a great brand for your company? Instead of investing a bundle financing a snazzy new logo or wasting a truckload of money on brand advertising, invest in making sure that all the touch points your company has with its prospects and customers are enhancing the brand rather than hurting it.
And then some.
I heard this saying early in my career. Sadly I can’t remember who said it. However, it has become one of my mottos for customer service.
In other words, try to do everything your clients expect, and then some. The “and then some” might be an offer to provide some follow-up consulting by phone at no additional charge. (As a bonus in my case, these follow-up consultations often lead to additional projects.) Or, an unexpected gift basket as a “thank you” for their business.
I suggest you try “and then some” on for size. See if it fits. If it does it might just help you build your brand.
Do you have any additional marketing maxims to share? If so, please send me an email about them to . If I think I can use them (with proper attribution of course) in future articles or seminars, I’ll send you a bright yellow “Marketing Genius” t-shirt.
I agree with the first few Pithy Sayings and Proven Truths, and I think number six is seldom understood in the world of sales and marketing.
I have a problem with “Good enough is good enough.” For someone who has been involved in quality improvement for the last 20 years the expression is “good enough isn’t.”
I believe your intent is more in line with the Philip Crosby definition of quality — “conformance to requirements” even though your statements are not. If the requirements are clearly defined the end point is clear and there is no acceptance of good enough. Nor is there any need for “making things good enough to achieve the desired results.” The requirements are the desired results!
“And then some” seems at first to contradict “Good enough is good enough.” I’m not saying I don’t want delighted customers nor am I saying we shouldn’t go beyond the expected. However, believing that quality is conformance to requirements there is no need to provide “and then some” other than identifying additional things that need to be accomplished that weren’t in the requirements — and that’s a whole different issue.
Posted by: Randy Hoekstra | Jul 2, 2007 at 9:38 am
My intention was to say that you can fiddle with things forever (something copywriters and graphic design people tend to do) without gaining any real improvement as a result; so get it out instead of continuing to fiddle with it. Perhaps I should have explained that better in the article.
The intention of “And then some” is to delight the customer by giving them a little more than they expected. (Or a little more than the competition.) A bonus as such. Like the perfume retailer who adds some free samples to the bag (as happened when I was buying perfume for my Mother this weekend in anticipation of mother’s day). Or the airline who gives you milk and warm cookies and a hot towel before landing.
Randy, I appreciate the feedback.
Thanks much,
Mac
Posted by: Mac McIntosh | Jul 2, 2007 at 9:54 am
My favorite: “Perception is reality”
Often used to force management to face unflattering criticisms, this sometimes works in the other direction, i.e. the perception is better than the reality. Then you have to put together a plan to improve internally to live up to that perception/expectation.
Loved the article!
Posted by: Mary McElwee | Jul 2, 2007 at 10:02 am
Great list, Mac. For me, the most important is number two.
Posted by: Steve Slaunwhite | Jul 10, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Hello Mac,
My suggested quote is, “When the student is ready the teacher appears”.
By taking the time to help the client model understand and use the critical process of approach for themselves, as they speak/think they will learn, as their insight develops so must your own (red queen effect – environmental adaption to challenge).
At this poínt the student/ client also becomes a teacher. The push/pull of truly active participation is a great way to develop long term relationships.
The value of this method is that the questions the client asks will be insightful – the modelled approach they take will be your own but adapted for themselves, (providing hidden insight)- the language/relationship will be unique to both you and the client.
With the relationship grounded in trust and mutual accountability through on-going discovery, participatory agreement, and mutual adaptability to challenge/change, trusted advisor status can be reached.
Thanks and best regards,
Robert C Wright
Posted by: Robert C Wright | Aug 1, 2007 at 7:29 am
hmm… bookmarked ))
Posted by: guepaipse | Apr 15, 2009 at 7:26 pm