There is a question that I get fairly regularly, either from a friend that knows what I do, or a client for which we’ve done some limited work: “Should I run this ad? It seems like a great deal! It’s a big discount, and they’re going to run free banner ads for me!”
Here’s the thing – it’s an impossible question to answer. For that matter, so is any other question about their marketing.
Why?
Because they’re operating without any kind of strategic marketing plan. Without the context of a plan, every decision is a random act of marketing.
Think about it for a minute – every professional you encounter has a plan. Your heart surgeon has a plan before the surgery starts. Your landscaper has a plan before planting the first tree. Your pilot has a flight plan before taxiing down the runway.
You are a professional in the rest of your business. Why not with your marketing?
If you’re considering a random act of marketing, the best advice I can offer would be – get a plan. Go hire a marketing director, or an ad agency, or learn about the Goldilocks “just right solution.”
I’ve never had a client come back and say, “You know what, running that one random ad worked great!” Not once. Oh, and there’s a reason those banner ads are free.
All the best,
Bill Bice
CEO
