Ever notice how often companies get pulled off their sales and marketing plans by “the next big thing?” It’s a real problem for a lot of businesses. Especially in the marketing universe.
Companies hear about a new tool or platform or technique and BOOM – they rush right into doing it, too. After all, anything to boost sales, right?
Ugh.
Some of my favorite “bright shiny objects” of the past few years –
- Facebook (for B2B) – when it launched, “everyone” said we HAD to be there. Let’s face it, a lot of B2B companies rushed to put up a page and then sat back and looked at the results and said “social media is a waste of money.”
- QR Codes – cool tech, limited usefulness
- “Big” Data – hey, data is data. You should be doing smart analysis and gleaning actionable marketing insight regardless of the size/scope of your data. Why make it “big” if you don’t know what to do with “little?”
Please, please, please . . . don’t let that very pretty, very alluring, and very trendy idea derail your carefully thought-out marketing strategy without a really good reason!
Ask yourself first if your audience will use it, like it, benefit from it. Will they care or notice?
If they won’t, then why do it?
Be ready to say “no.” Even if it’s a good idea, be sure it’ll be worth the investment and will compensate for the “lost opportunity” you’ll experience by diverting resources to pursue it.
If you don’t set up strict criteria to judge whether to pursue these “hot” ideas, you could end up following trend after trend after trend. Such a pattern leaves your marketing in a state of continual interruption. On-again, off-again efforts eventually cause sales results to drop off, campaigns to falter, and new products to miss launch dates.
Don’t let that happen to you!
Avoid the time wasters and pick the winners by asking – how could this improve my audience’s interaction with my company? If you can state clearly to your team WHY a new tool matters to your clients, then go for it. If you can’t, pass on it. At least until the opportunity matures and/or you can determine a reason to add it to your marketing arsenal.
And now you know how to cure “Bright Shiny Object” Syndrome!
Feel free to add your favorite “Bright Shiny Objects” in the Comments section!