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Have you ever taken blurry, out-of-focus photos before only to realize it wasn't your photography skills that were the problem – it was the camera lens? After cleaning the glass, your pictures were perfect. Often, in business, it's the same way. We can operate within a fuzzy lens and not even realize it.
My Business has worked with over 115,838 business owners (and counting), so I know that sometimes business owners have blind spots in marketing. We are all guilty of this! We don't know what we don't know.
But the first step is to take a hard look at your perspective—the lens through which you view your audience and business objectives. The challenge is to break free from any limitations and expand your view in order to reach more perspectives with the right message.
Here are some common pitfalls that business owners encounter when creating a marketing strategy and how you can expand your mindset to increase annual revenue and build strong customer loyalty.
Connected: 6 marketing pitfalls that can haunt your company
You're too focused on digital marketing and neglect the offline touchpoints that deliver 70% higher engagement
Often the familiar feels comfortable, and for younger generations, like Millennials and Gen Z, there's a stigma that they're glued to their phones 24/7. However, the unknown can sometimes strike a stronger chord. Print advertisements, such as postcards and letters, actually excite younger generations because they are outside the normal scope for them.
A study found that 57% of 18- to 34-year-olds said they found direct mail extremely or very useful, and another poll showed that 63% of Gen Z consumers were more excited about direct mail in 2023 than in 2022.
In fact, scientific studies have also proven that direct mail has a more lasting impact than digital media. The researchers found that direct mail kept people's attention 118% longer and stimulated 70% higher brand engagement than digital advertising.
Whether you're a new business owner who's relied on digital marketing because it's always been your favorite, or you assume all prospects naturally gravitate toward online content, it's time to think outside the box and get more creative with how how you present products or services in the tangible realm.
Try direct mail, track the results, and you may find that recipients respond even better to printed content. Remember, a postcard can sit in a house for months, while an email is often ignored or trashed within seconds of opening.
Connected: Direct mail marketing strategies to target Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z
You don't research the competition to discover new ways to grow your business
It's possible to be so focused on your business that you have no idea what your competitors are doing. But this is a big blind spot. It is important to find time for it get to know your competition. Start with blind shopping, such as signing up for their newsletter, visiting their website, analyzing their shopping experience, and following their social media.
You may not want to copy what they're doing, but you can analyze what they do well, what they're not doing well, and how you can offer something unique that fills those holes. For example, your competitor may have an amazing social media presence, but they don't have any in-person events or tangible touch points for their followers.
You can create more opportunities for prospects to interact with you in a pleasant way, such as shopping events, meetings, personal consultations or training if this applies to your industry. Or if a competitor does too much email marketingyou can make an effort to do the same, but include an enticing offer that is much better than what they are giving.
As you continue to analyze other businesses—not just your competitors, really any business you might interact with—keep any marketing materials or ideas you like in a folder and use them for inspiration.
You never ask your customers why they like you over competitors to find the secrets of brand loyalty
After doing some secret shopping and getting inspiration from other businesses, I suggest you ask your customers exactly what they like about your products and/or services, and why they ended up choosing you over a competitor.
Some questions you might ask include: How much research did you do before making a decision? What was the deciding factor after considering your options? Was there anything that stood out to you that you liked about us that was different from everyone else?
You may have a few loyal customers that you are in regular contact with that you feel comfortable reaching out to. But if you don't, you can always use a survey site, like SurveyMonkey, Jotform, or Mailchimp.
You'll never know what your customers are really thinking until you ask them, and you have nothing to lose by trying!
A way to bring more polls is to offer them a discount or free item to complete it. You can also motivate your employees to provide feedback by giving them merchandise or a small bonus if their marketing ideas are used and successful.
By staying open-minded and inquisitive, you'll tap into new areas of growth for your company and even learn more about your mission and brand along the way.