Flabby Marketing Thinking

For the past several months I've been on an exercise program. The first thing in the morning I turn on the TV, insert a DVD and do either aerobics or weight lifting. It's not easy and it's not always fun. But it sure is getting results. I'm in the best shape I've been in 25 years.

In marketing, there's an equivalent to exercising and pumping iron and that's the topic of this fifth installment of the "Ten Dumbest Marketing Mistakes."

Marketing Mistake #5 - Avoiding Writing.

Yes, writing is pumping marketing iron. Writing builds your marketing muscles unlike any other marketing activity. If you want to be a better marketer, it's inescapable; you've got to write. And you've got to do it regularly.

I got into my exercise program because one day I had to wear some dress pants for a speaking gig and I couldn't fit into them. Yikes! My 36" pants weren't fitting around my 38"+ waist that had appeared, as if magically, overnight. I was getting flabby and it was time to take action!

Just as problematic is flabby marketing.

You may not be articulating your marketing ideas as clearly and as concisely as possible. And as a result you're not getting the kind of marketing results you want.

For example, here's a typical transaction between me and someone in an introductory TeleClasses:

Me: "Answer the question, "What do you do?" by saying who you work with and the problem they are experiencing."
Independent Professional: "I work with high tech companies to increase productivity and profits."
Me: "That's a solution, not a problem."
IP: "Hmm, OK. Well, I work with high tech companies who want to be more productive and profitable.
Me: "That's not a problem, it's an aspiration."

Flabby marketing thinking.

Some of the symptoms of flabby marketing thinking: Ideas not clear or well organized. Ideas that don't follow logically from one to another. Too many ideas jumbled together. Failure to use the basics of Marketing Syntax (problem - solution - story - credibility - process - action). Inability to get to the point.

To combat a flabby body you need to exercise. There's no alternative. To combat flabby marketing thinking you need to write. There's really no other way.

So what do you do? Where do you start?

Here's the most powerful marketing exercise I know of. Write the answers to the questions below. Keep fine tuning them until your answers have strength, flexibility and power.

- What exactly is your service and why should I be interested?
- Is this service for me? Will it work for me and/or my business?
- What kind of results can I expect with this service?
- Who else has used this service and what were their results?
- How exactly do your services work? What's the process and structure?
- Are you credible? Do you have the experience to help me?
- What do I have to do next to get and use your services?

It may or may not surprise you that the average Independent Professional (maybe you) doesn't do a very good job of answering those questions. But spend some serious time answering them in writing, and your clarity, certainty and confidence will build slowly but surely.

Your flabby marketing thinking will start developing some muscles.

For example, many people who have used my Web Site ToolKit report that they not only have a great web site now, but they are communicating much more powerfully about their business. The ToolKit took them step-by-step through all those questions above.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: Time to fight flabby marketing thinking and start pumping marketing iron. Start answering the key questions about your business in writing and you'll discover a whole new level of persuasive power.

Share your thoughts on this topic and your experience of fighting marketing flab with writing.

Comments

[Karl McCracken]

On Monday I was talking to my busines partner about a problem with our 'audio logo' - it just doesn't work. At the moment it takes probably a minute or two of explanation before people 'get' what it is that they can get from working with us, and that's far too long.

Seems to me that if we go through the process of putting together good, concise answers to the seven questions that Robert suggests we use to kick-off our writing, then the right audio logo just can't help but drop out of the end of the process.

Oh, and on the subject of health / getting fit ... I can really understand how hard it can be some mornings to do the workout. It's a heck of a lot easier if the exercise & fitness is a means to an end, and not an end in itself. So get a bike and start cycling to your more local appointments!

[Justin Woolich]

I totally agree with the comments about our need as marketers to continue to write.

This is particularly important with web based businesses where writing is your number 1 communication tool.

[Pamela Mitchell]

Talk about the right topic at the right moment! My big project for today is to outline a new product that I'm planning to offer to my corporate clients. Your questions are going to be invaluable in helping me 'tighten up' my thinking!

Thanks, as always, for a really useful newsletter.

[Richard Lane]

Great thought-provoking article. I am printing it off, posting it by my computer and will refer to it daily. The writing excercise is hard, but will be well worth the effort.

Thank you for such wonderful information.

Richard Lane

[Jeremy Boone]

Robert,
CONGRATULATIONS on your decision to becoming more healthy! The best part is you are now one of the few in this country who actually take action and do something about it!

Fanstastic ezine this week!