Here are three ways your marketing vendor isn’t delivering

Is your marketing pro using cookie-cutter solutions?

“Is my marketing working?” That question nags at the back of business owners’ minds every day. Marketing is the lifeline of your business – you rely on it every day to keep your business filled with great customers.

But when marketing vendors have their own agenda that isn’t in line with yours, how can you know that your marketing is actually driving the results you need?

Marketing vendors may tell you your marketing is working because it’s getting people through the door, and if they don’t turn in to valuable customers then it’s your fault.

When a marketing vendor makes you believe that it’s you that is not delivering instead of them, they can get away with underperforming campaigns and strategies that fall short. Your marketing vendor isn’t delivering in three big ways:

#1 – They use Cookie Cutter Solutions

Cookie cutter marketing is ineffective at best. The same generic email blast or social media posts won’t grab your customers’ attention. Another crowded, coupon-filled mailer will go straight in the recycling bin. You might as well throw your marketing budget in the trash with it.

But it’s not only that this kind of marketing is a waste of money. Cookie cutter solutions can damage your business.

The biggest offenders are template websites. Big vendors offer cheap and fast websites, but buyer beware. These templates often come pre-loaded with generic content that simply plugs in your business name and phone number.

A recent Google Algorithm update focuses heavily on user experience with ranking penalties for sites that have duplicate or unhelpful content. Not only is your website ineffective, this penalty means your website can’t even be found when a potential customer searches for your services online.

Plug-and-chug, cookie cutter, easy button – these are signals of ineffective marketing. If your vendor doesn’t take the time to get to know your unique business and doesn’t customize your marketing plan to your unique market, they can’t deliver.

#2 – They attract the WRONG Customers

Think about the best customers in your business. What makes them the best? I’d bet they aren’t the ones that bring in your latest coupon every time.

When your marketing vendor sends out an advertisement filled with highly discounted coupons or “Free” services, they are targeting the bottom feeders – those customers who always keep a stack of coupons in their pocket, hassle your staff with unreasonable demands, and hop around from store to store based on who has the best deal.

Coupons and low-cost offers bring in a fundamentally different kind of shopper: not only are they low-value because they bring in coupons, but because they will never become loyal. Their shopping decisions are based on price alone, seeking out the cheapest deal anytime they need to buy.

They are the last people you want to give a “deal” to and the last people you want to bring into your business. Pouring time, money, and resources into the wrong customer hinders the growth of your business. 

So why do so many vendors rely on coupons and discounts as the primary strategy to get new customers in the door?

Because it’s easy.

Anyone can get customers into your business when the price is low enough. If your vendor relies on price driven discounts to get people through the door, they aren’t delivering.

#3 – They focus on Activity, not Results

Do you want to look successful, or do you want to be successful?

That is the essential difference between focusing on activity and focusing on results.

Your business looks successful when you have a full parking lot, customers in the store, products or services being delivered… at first glance, everything is flowing smoothly. But are you hemorrhaging money under the surface?

When the only people attracted by your marketing are those coupon-clippers, you’re left in a position to barely breakeven at best. It’s not only the price of the marketing itself, but also the lost money from the discount and the cost to pay the employee to spend time with a no value customer… You’re paying to lose money!

You don’t need to be busy with activity. You need to be successful with truly sustainable results. Your marketing needs to attract the right people with the right message to build lasting relationships that grow your business.

If your vendor looks only at activity, they aren’t delivering.

When marketing vendors are focused on activity, your business may look successful. When marketing vendors are focused on results, your business will be successful!

Is your marketing vendor delivering?

Most marketing metrics measure pure activity. Clicks, views, and coupon redemptions all focus on things that happen in at a specific point in time. But looking at a single burst of activity only shows you the tip of the iceberg.

The key to measuring true results is looking beneath the surface. What effect does your marketing have on your customer base? When you measure the trust, loyalty, and value of your customer base, you’ll start to see the real result of your marketing.

Not every marketing vendor has the ability or knowledge to measure the long term effects of marketing on your customer base. Business owners have to rely on the measurements the vendor presents to them.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Turn to a qualified expert or marketing advisor you can trust and ask them to take a deep look at your marketing strategy. Ask for their qualifications and watch for warning signs of these three major mistakes. An honest marketer will offer guidance and support so you can make educated decisions for your business and your marketing.

If you’re ready to know if your marketing is working but don’t know who to trust, call 303-703-8000 for a free marketing assessment. The team of marketing experts understand the needs of small businesses because they are one. They aren’t a typical marketing vendor because they have skin in the game every day. The entire team of experts is committed to achieving sustainable results for each of the businesses they serve.

Get sustainable results from a marketing agency you can trust – one that delivers personalized marketing tailored to your unique business in your unique market, attracts the right quality customers to build lasting relationships, and delivers sustainable results to grow your business!

(Editor's note: This sponsored content was provided by Automated Marketing Group.)