11 Rules for Today's Marketer

In today’s competitive world, there are many different beliefs about how to market a product or service. Regardless of approach, however, there are some core concepts that are found in every successful marketing program, effort and plan. By incorporating these traits into your marketing activities, you will increase the effectiveness of your marketing communications.

Commitment: No matter what your produce or service is, a solid commitment to the marketing process is required for success. Fervency, passion, and dedication are all essential.

Investment: Famous author and critic of his day, Mark Twain once wrote that if you can’t afford to advertise, place one last ad saying “Going Out of Business.” Rather than thinking how much you “have to” spend on marketing, consider “what investment” you want to make to ensure your organization’s future.

Consistency: Keeping in front of your customer’s eyes and in their ears ensures you’re also in their minds. Marketing is not effective when it is here today and gone tomorrow. A constant stream of messages increases top of mind consumer awareness.

Quality: Ensure your marketing is top quality. Your ads, newsletters, brochures—whatever you do—sends a message about your organization, product and service. If the visuals are poor, so will be the reader’s perception. Your marketing must confidently go head-to-head with your competitors.

Patience: The rapid rate of technological advancement has tricked us into thinking that our marketing must be an instant and huge success. On the contrary, since our marketing is building a relationship and perception in people’s minds, success comes much more slowly.

Assortment: Effective marketing uses a variety of tools to get the job done. There are many traditional mediums everyone uses, so sometimes doing something a little bit different may provide you the edge you need. Don’t get fooled into believing that one size fits all.

Adaptive: Because our world is changing on a daily basis, so must our marketing efforts. Stay away from the “We’ve always done it that way” mentality and constantly ensure your marketing efforts are focused on today’s customers—not last years.

Convenience: Elaborate and complex marketing programs or efforts tire people out. Make sure your communications or programs are simple and easy for the recipient to use or read. Successful marketing and red-tape don’t mix.

Amazement: Seek to astound, amaze and surprise through your marketing efforts. Today, successful marketing is about differentiating yourself by the experience you provide your customers. Don’t just try to satisfy, but amaze!

Measure: Successful marketing employs clear evaluative tools and check points to measure its efforts. Most everything we do in business has clear goals and evaluation processes tied to it. Measuring our marketing allows us to make course corrections as needed and provides confidence in the investment made.

Change the Rules: Jerry Garcia, formerly of the Grateful Dead, once said, “You don’t want to be the best at what you do. You want to be the only one doing what you’re doing.” When companies compete, they lose their focus on creating and delivering value for their customers. Instead, their focus is on the competition. Make sure your company’s focus is on providing value, not trying to beat the competition.

These are my rules. What rules would you add? For more rules, listen to my interview with David Meerman Scott, author of the New Rules of Marketing and PR...he's got some ideas on what rules we should be following today. I'd love to hear what rules you're trying to follow and live by.

-- David Kinard, PCM