Putting the sales horse before the marketing cart

Oh, how I wish more people understood what marketing is! Here are three recent examples that prove they don’t.
“Adrienne, my partner is meeting with our staff next week, to define our marketing issues. Then we’ll set an appointment with you.”
Excuse me? You’re too close to the forest to see the trees. Let the marketing consultant listen, define and prioritize the issues.
“Adrienne, we have to hold off on the marketing plan for a month or two. Right now I’m bogged down trying to hire an assistant and a marketing person. I’ll call you once I complete the hiring.”
Huh? How can you possibly know what skills you require for these people, when you don’t even know how you’re going to market?
“Adrienne, I know we need some sort of plan, but I’m so busy, flying here and there and talking to as many people as possible, that I can’t even think of marketing for at least three months.”
Let me get this straight. You’re spending a fortune, you’re not closing and you’ve already told me you’re a visionary who’s poor on details and implementation. You need someone to help you focus. You’re working hard, not smart.
n Adrienne’s Adage No. 1: Talk to outside consultants.
You need outside objectivity, fresh ideas. Let go! What are you afraid of? Few consultants will tell you you’re doing everything wrong. They’re far more likely to concentrate on what you do well and leverage your successes, which you’re not even acknowledging. Scared of the cost? You’ll be staggered by the productivity consultants will achieve. The consulting fee will more than pay for itself … quickly.
n Adrienne’s Adage No. 2: Marketing is the cause; sales are the effect.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, marketing and sales are not the same thing. They’re polar opposites. When you’re doing your marketing, sales happen.
More conventional thinking: “We don’t have to market to our existing customers. They already know who we are. We need new business!” Dead wrong. Concentrate on those who already know how great you are. They’ll refer others.
n Adrienne’s Adage No. 3: Stay in touch with existing clients and customers.
When you take the time to make a sales follow-up call, you either ensure that everything’s cool, or you uncover something that needs fixing. You show you care. You fix what’s broke. You impress your client that you’re there after the sale. They tell others. Often they say, “You know, Herb/Helen, I’m glad you called. Can you also help us with … ?” Because you had your marketing ducks in a row and made the follow-up call, another sale happened. Stop selling and start marketing.
n Adrienne’s Adage No. 4: No one is too small to pay attention to marketing.
“We’re still too small to market” is pure bunk. If you start marketing when you’re small, you’ll grow. If you wait until you grow to market, you’ll perish.
n Adrienne’s Adage No. 5: Ego can get you in big trouble.
Know everything, do you? Don’t need to attend a conference, seminar or workshop, because there’s nothing you need to learn?
Get out there and schmooze. Share experiences and contacts. Form alliances. You’ll be amazed.
n Adrienne’s Adage No. 6: Be proactive, not passive. It’s up to you to make the phone ring.
In other words, don’t wait for your ship to come in. Row out to meet it. That’s what marketing is all about.
A couple of years ago, I was to speak to an engineers’ association in Denver. To my amazement, they wanted me at noon. Since morning is the seminar time of choice, I didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I couldn’t resist asking.
The education director replied, “Our guys won’t come out in the morning. They’re in their offices, waiting for the phones to ring.” It was real work not to let my jaw drop. I’ve long said that engineers are at the bottom of the marketing pyramid. Here was more proof!
Folks, just as people hire you for your expertise, you need to welcome the outside professionals to your office or shop. It’s time to save money and time, not waste it!

Fort Collins resident Adrienne Zoble is a marketing consultant, speaker and author of “The Do-able Marketing Plan” workbook and creator of “The 10-Minute Marketing Plan.” She’s just introduced her new e-mail “Marketing Myths.” Her monthly Marketing Roundtables (sponsored by US Bank), plus her Teleseminars, are open to the business public. You can reach her at azoble@azoble-assoc.com or (970) 282-1150.

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