Marketing is Complex, Yet Simple

Subscribing to Google Alerts ensures that I get no less than a dozen marketing articles in my inbox each day. Typically, and may I say thankfully, these articles are short and to the point so I endeavor to read as many as time permits.

They say knowledge is power but for a full-service ad agency in the 21st century, I think knowledge is just plain mandatory.

A couple of things to pass along as we get into yet another year where just about every business is expecting double-digit growth regardless of their category. One, marketing continues to be a ridiculously complex task requiring persuasive messaging to be placed deftly on increasingly convoluted platforms that are changing on what seems to be a weekly basis; and two, you don’t have to overthink it.

Wait, did I just contradict myself?

Well, kind of. My point is that when advertising continues to change faster than most companies can move, we create a marketing ecosystem where confusion reigns and bad players take advantage of said confusion. No matter how diligent I am at keeping my email inbox “clean”, I also manage to get a dozen or so solicitations from companies that can miraculously move me to the number one organic position for any search term or category, create response generating content for any industry, or provide me leads that will double my business in 10 days. If I wasn’t in the business, I’d most certainly be chasing my tail trying to figure out how best to market myself in a sea of confusing solicitations.

The real truth is that marketing hasn’t really changed as much as some people want to make you think. Yes, platforms have changed and certainly executions are different but any marketing professional worth their salt will tell you that it always boils down to generating market awareness and keeping your brand top of mind.

It’s really that simple.

Whether you choose to do this digitally, traditionally, or both is up to you. I would just caution that whatever you decide to do, do it properly. More often than not, the confusion and change related to promoting your business leads to poor decisions that cost you money.

My best advice to you is to run a good business; Do right by your customers and your employees. Create an impactful, differentiating, and convincing brand message and get it in front of as many of your potential customers as possible. Be consistent. This is the very best marketing execution you can do now, and in the future, regardless of how things change. Want to grow faster? Look to hire a good ad agency or an in-house marketing director that you can trust and then let them do their job.

If that doesn’t work for you, set up some relevant Google Alerts here and start reading. Know that once you learn something, it most certainly will change but that’s OK, as there will be another email in your inbox soon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR – Ed Olsen is the president/owner of ReThinc Advertising. He has lots of opinions on all things marketing. To read more of them, click here.