There are several glaring marketing mistakes cropping up everywhere, from email campaigns, newsletters, to even social media. Such offenses are usually under-estimated. Very few people realize that such mistakes cost their businesses thousands of dollars- an amount most beginning start-ups can’t afford. Below are some of the most common six marketing mistakes that make one look like a rookie.
Not Testing when Advertising
Most marketing incorporates some element of paid marketing, usually in the form of ads. However, every business ought to ensure that it is getting a positive rate of interest from such ads. Most businesses make the mistake of running online ad campaigns immediately after their launch. They do not undertake to first analyze and test their early user flows. Such marketing strategies end up being an utter failure as a result of no conversion.
A good marketing strategy would be one that focuses on improving the conversions, monetization and retention. This leads to resounding success. You should not bother wasting money on ads without first having the assurance that they will work.
Expecting to go viral
The RTs, web traffic and video views don’t all come organically. It is necessary to first create content that is quite compelling. You should then promote that content to your highly potential audience so that they can start snowballing by word of mouth. Most startups barely realize that such engagement is earned, and some remarkable effort is required. If you want your product or service to start getting traction, you should ensure that you play your part in creating awareness of your content’s existence.
Boosting Credibility by Buying Followers
This is one of the most common mistakes most entrepreneurs make, which is quite a sad paradox. For instance, you create a Facebook or Twitter profile for your business. Unfortunately, you’ve got no followers to start with. You then decide to do what you’ve heard other brands are doing. You shop and buy thousands of followers for some bucks. You then put in into your mind that you’ve gained instant credibility.
What such persons barely think of is that this lot of followers is just bought. There is a very high chance that they’re not your target audience. The worst happens once people know you cheated your way to being a star in social media platforms. And in some cases, some platforms such as Twitter may even decide to filter out your fake followers, leaving you back to your starting point. You should make sure to build real relationships right from the start, and you’ll appreciate the effort in the long run.
Failure to Engage with Customers on Social Media
Most probably, you may have come across several brands that post lots of things about themselves but don’t respond to comments and questions, especially when people are enquiring for more information. If you get the time to write down your post, you should also allocate some time to talk to your potential customers. Social media is mostly about connections. Your profile or page should be suitably entertaining, educational and inspirational with your unique brand voice. This creates the perceived value of your firm.
Making use of Facebook ads
Lots of startups and established firms have spent huge amounts of money on Facebook ads. Unfortunately, 70% of these firms don’t benefit at all from the strategy. In fact, only about 10% of them thrive on such ads. Yes, setting aside some budget for Facebook ads may be helpful. However, you shouldn’t invest all your cash to rely solely on such. It would be wise to first test and see whether the strategy works instead of deciding to invest in this strategy alone.
Seeking PR Firms for Quick Media Fixes
PR firms are usually way too pricey for most startups. PR firms used to be useful back in the days when the media was centralized. Today, you should not even think of taking this approach. Instead, you should focus on creating and building relationships on your vertical. It will be much beneficial if you strive to provide value to the community whenever you can. This has proved to be a very effective marketing strategy that you should certainly employ.
