The Three Biggest Pitfalls Companies Encounter With Digital Marketing

New marketing strategies and the prospect of developing a valuable lead-generating strategies for your business is exciting. But how do we determine what’s really going to help push the bottom line? 

You see when it comes to business people and creative content… There’s a problem. 

The biggest overarching issue is of course that companies end up wasting time and money on marketing strategies that either do not perform as intended, or are so complex to implement that it would require bringing on another specialist or an entirely new team. 

During my time starting Baseline, I’ve seen a lot of companies make these easily avoidable mistakes with new marketing strategies and I’ve made some of my own! I’ve discovered that behind the major problem of “wasting money on marketing strategies that were over-hyped or over-sold”, there’s a couple fundamental mindsets that can lead a company to dump their money in a pit, and those subtle invaders are what we’ll uncover in this article.

Pitfall Mindset #1: “Too soon, too fast.”

One of the major reasons people get burned when hiring out for marketing projects is that they dive in too soon, too fast. Companies are rightfully looking for the next big investment in their growth, but can sometimes be so blinded by the hunger to scale that they jump at the first shiny object without thinking it through, or seeing results first.

To avoid this, simply practice patience. Not so much patience that an opportunity passes you by, but just enough to give you more confidence in your investment decision before stroking that check.

Pitfall Mindset #2: “Are we the only ones in here?”

If you go to work with a marketing company and it feels like you're the only one in the shop, tread carefully. It may seem exciting to be recieving specialized attention, but take a moment to look around you. Are other people refusing the same deal you’re about to take? If so… why are they doing that?

When you find yourself wanting to grow your presence online, look for signs that you’re about to go down a worn path that others take with success. It doesn’t have to be the same exact path everyone takes, but it’s best not to venture blindly without a trail of data. Which brings us to the next mindset.

Pitfall Mindset #3: “Faith in promises, not data.”

Marketing sales can be a deceptive and confusing place. If you don't know the basics, hiring a marketer can feel a little bit like hiring a plumber or electrician while not knowing anothing about those industries or the work they really do. This leaves you vulnerable to being taken advantage of and overcharged.

When it's time to get serious about marketing, look for those that have previous success in your field or a closely adjacent field. If they cannot provide you testimonials or results from previous work they've done, it's time to walk away. A company that truly values your business will always provide results, data, and previous success stories to prove their credibility.

Pitfall Mindset #4: “The imbalance of desire.”

When it comes to investing in marketing -or almost any service for your business-  you want to find what is called the ‘balance of desire.’ The company you trust with your business should be just as eager to work with you as you are to try their product or service. 

If the desire is not there for the provider, the client runs the risk of receiving poor service or poor results without much care from the provider. Conversely, if the client lacks the desire or time to utilize the strategies as intended and only wants a quick/cheap solution, then the business runs the risk of having to spend extra time and resources to satisfy the client. 

In short, a balance of desire protects both the interests of the client and the service provider alike. When dealing with larger companies this desire can sometimes be harder to identify as different people in the organization will have different personalities, so ask these questions to test when you’re feeling unsure:

• Does the service provider give me an easy way to reach the decision-maker of my account?

• Is communication clear and consistent, how often do miscommunications happen?

• Does the other party respond in a reasonable timeframe to messages and requests?

• Does the other party take the initiative to ask questions and clarifications?

• Does the service-provider want/value my review or testimonial, and how important is it to them that others know they did a good job for me?

By asking yourself these questions, you can look past the appealing notion of new marketing tools, and look critically at the company providing them. When you base your decisions off of data and proven processes, you not only protect your scalability as a company, but also your reputation as a thoughtful decision-maker.

If you have questions about how well your new technology is working or you’re looking deeper for proven results that lead to long-term success, let’s have a conversation and see if Baseline Marketing Solutions is right for your company. Reach out today!