Ask a leadership team what marketing did last quarter and you're usually met with a load of activities. We posted this. We wrote that. We shot this. We launched something.
If you ask for the real details, you might even be told how many leads were generated.
What we don't often hear about is how we've added value to the company though...
Better marketing is good for everyone.
When we start to create better marketing, we start to be noticed more. When we're noticed more, we inevitably start to find more of our people. Our tribe. Our customers.
A good product goes a lot further with better marketing. But what does better marketing look like?
For some it's more outrageous and scroll stopping content for social media. For others it's being brave enough to call someone out about something.
It's different for every brand. But one of the biggest worries for me when I look around the marketing landscape right now is that most brands are happy to just exist, and never step outside of their comfort zones.
Doesn't everyone want more revenue?
It's an interesting moment when you're talking to a business owner who is convinced that what they need is social media marketing. More content, across more channels.
When you ask what the goal is, you're met with some obscure idea that they need more followers, because a bigger following means a better business, and so on.
If you even dare ask about current revenue, pipelines, cost per acquisition or the lifetime value of a customer, you're met with either dead eyes that don't know what you're talking about, or with contempt, as if you've stolen the jam out of their doughnut.
What can we all do about it?
Remember: if you go to a social media agency, they'll tell you to spend more on social. If you go to a paid media specialist, they'll tell you to up your budget on paid ads. If you go to a printer, they'll tell you to start doing flyers.
Sometimes what you really need is to take a step back. Make sure you can see the wood from the trees. Really analyse and figure out what you need to be spending your resources (money and time) on. But most importantly, make sure it's positively impacting the business.
Is it generating revenue? Is it adding value to the business? Or am I just doing it because I thought I was supposed to?