Feel Like You’re Stuck In A Marketing Rut? Don’t Lose Hope!
Marketing is like anything else in life. Sometimes it’s incredibly exciting and rewarding. Other times, it’s just kinda there, doing its thing.
I liken it to something that my trainer told me years ago about how I’d likely feel about my workouts: About a third of the time, your workouts are going to feel fantastic. Another third of the time they’re going to feel just fine — nothing spectacular, but you put in the work.
And that last third? Sometimes they’ll feel like a struggle. This is a mindset issue just as much as it is a performance issue.
So many of us believe that if we’re doing something, whether it be strength training or a Google Ads campaign, that we should always be operating at peak performance. I’ll include myself in having that sort of mindset.
But when I really think about it, I understand that’s not always possible. It’s something to strive for, but it’s called “peak” for a reason.
Formada is a great agency. Our team does incredible work. I love the diversity of industries our clients represent. Our pipeline is steady. But that steadiness can be taken for granted. Shouldn’t we be experiencing explosive growth?
When I find myself getting lost in the “Shouldn’t we…?” vs. the “Next, we’re going to…” trains of thought, I realize that I’m stuck in a little bit of a rut — marketing rut. A brand perception rut.
I think all business owners probably feel this way from time to time. If you let yourself get too deep, you’ll start to make erratic decisions about your business that will ultimately be harmful instead of helpful. Here’s how I get out of it.
Remember: Great Marketing Is A Marathon, Not A Sprint
Marketing is a place in your business where you can experiment, take chances, and try new things. It isn’t something that you should fear. Digital marketing allows you to get feedback from your customers in a way that was unimaginable just a few years ago, but that immediacy has caused some businesses to make rash decisions that have hurt people’s perceptions of those brands.
Take HBO, for example. For the better part of fifty years, HBO meant “premium,” particularly in its pre-streaming, subscription television years, where it showcased blockbuster feature films, prestige original programming like The Sopranos and The Wire, and exclusive sports telecasts.
Of all of the hundreds of cable networks that existed throughout the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, HBO was always perceived as the crown jewel.
But recently, in our current streaming era, HBO is going through something akin to an identity crisis. Outpaced in subscribers by competitors like Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+, HBO took a big swing by aggregating all of the media properties owned by its parent company, WarnerMedia, into a single entity.
So when you visited the HBO streaming service — at the time called HBO Max — everything from HBO, Discovery, Warner Bros, Magnolia, Cartoon Network, and a host of other brands were all smashed together under the same confusing, difficult to navigate experience.
Relatedly, they’ve rebranded the app five times in the last 15 years. From prestige to precautionary tale.
But here’s the kicker: As a business owner, I can relate. You see your competitors making huge strides, you worry about falling behind, and you lose sight of your own value.
Focus on what makes you unique, what your customers love about your offerings, and make working with you as simple and as enjoyable as possible.
Remember: You Are Not Your Audience
There’s another reason we make rash decisions with our marketing: We get bored with ourselves. We’re still using that headline, and that image, with that call to action, and we make the assumption that newer will be better.
But what we’re forgetting is that we’re using those assets because they tested really well, and because they’re still consistently driving opportunities to the business. Sure, we have seen them a million times, but the majority of our potential customers absolutely have not.
When your audience is fatigued by a campaign, your reporting will tell you. If it’s performing well, let it run. Look for opportunities to refine the campaign and improve its performance.
Use its success to brainstorm new ideas to experiment with in the background, so you can launch new campaigns with informed confidence vs. reactionary behaviors.
You keep yourself out of a marketing rut by remembering this one simple thing: The campaign is for them. Their reaction to it is for you. Act accordingly.
Remember: Reporting and Auditing Will Keep You Focused
Spending too much time focusing on what’s already passed can distract you from where you’re headed, but there are two areas where looking back can help you build stronger marketing campaigns: reporting and auditing.
At Formada, our team receives the same campaign performance reports that we create for our clients. We get a precise overview of what content is resonating with our audience and which campaigns and tactics are generating the most leads. But it’s not just a snapshot of our most-recent performance, it’s also painting a picture of what our performance looks like over time — and best of all, it’s actionable.
There’s no better way to get out of a self-imposed marketing rut than getting a clear understanding of where you’ve been, where you are, and where you can go if you make the right decisions. To me, it’s inspiring. Good reporting, recommendation-rich reporting, gives me the confidence to stay consistent vs. veer off in multiple time-wasting, energy-sucking, revenue-draining directions.
The same is true for content auditing. When you take the time to do a deep dive on your content — something that our team recommends you do regularly — you’ll learn about a number of important things: How you’re representing your brand, what’s resonating with your audience, and what isn’t.
If your website or social channels feature content that is no longer relevant to your brand, then it’s time to prune it. If it’s clear that certain subjects are getting traction with your customers, then how can you expand on that? This is exactly the right way to get yourself out of your marketing rut, because you’ve got user data that’s telling you precisely what you should be focusing your energy on.
Formada Can Help You Get Out of Your Marketing Rut
Sometimes, the best remedy is getting an objective point of view. Our team specializes in helping businesses grow. We do this by working closely with your team, learning your mission, understanding your goals, and creating a sophisticated, personalized strategy.
We all go through periods where it seems like nothing is working. That’s normal. We’ll help you see the opportunities you have, and create a plan that works for your business. Contact me today to learn how we can help you.