Last week I posted this note on Twitter: “Don’t use a marketing technique just because someone else is using it. You are not running their business, you are running YOURS!”

This post has generated a tremendous number of comments from people on Twitter and Facebook. When business owners see their colleagues getting results from certain marketing techniques they decide to use the same techniques in their own business. However, many times the techniques don’t turn out as successful for them, so business owners are left disappointed and unhappy.

Why does this happen? Many times business owners see others using a marketing technique effectively, so they jump in and start using the technique without proper evaluation and planning. As a result, the technique does not work for them and they are not able to get clients using it. Before starting to use a marketing technique, spend some time on evaluating how it is going to fit into your overall marketing plan.

Here are three reasons why a marketing technique that others are using may not be working for you and how to correct this:

#1: The marketing technique you are trying to use isn’t helping you reach your target market and isn’t bringing in clients as a result

For example, let’s say you are a dating coach. You have a colleague who is a business coach and who has been gaining a ton of clients by speaking at many Chamber Of Commerce meetings. You try to speak at the Chamber Of Commerce meetings to bring in clients, but are getting no takers.

This is happening because people who go to Chamber of Commerce meetings are in a business coach’s target market, but not in a dating coach’s target market.

How to correct this: Speaking is a great technique to promote your business. Look to speak at meetings for groups/associations/chambers for your target market and you will start seeing results!

#2: You are not using the marketing technique effectively and are not seeing the results others are seeing from using the same marketing technique

For example, I see many coaches using article marketing and trying to immediately get coaching clients with it. Truth is, it is very hard to convert someone who has just read your article for the first time into a coaching client. It is much easier to convert this article reader into a newsletter subscriber.

How to correct this: Instead of concentrating on immediately getting a client from a marketing technique, concentrate on getting newsletter subscribers and then using your newsletter to turn your subscribers into clients. You will see much better results this way.

#3: You do not have all the pieces of puzzle. Many times business owners hear about someone else using a marketing technique effectively, and they jump in and start using it without any kind of a plan

Just using a marketing technique is not enough. You need to know what results to expect, how to track them and what infrastructure you need in your business in order to get these results.

For example, if you are using article marketing, you need to know what types of articles to write, how to structure an effective resource box, how to use the article to get newsletter subscribers, etc.

How to correct this: Before starting to use a marketing technique, get all of the pieces of the puzzle. Do research to learn exactly how the marketing technique is used, what kind of results to expect and how to apply it effectively for your business.

Remember, you are running your business, not someone else’s! Before jumping into using a marketing technique do research to make sure that you know how to apply it so it will work for you! Get the
step-by-step instructions for applying online marketing techniques to your business in the How To Get Clients Online Home Study Guide at https://www.avocadoconsulting.com/rlinks/zmarketing

Biana Babinsky

This entry was posted on Monday, April 6th, 2009 at 9:48 am and is filed under Article Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.