We all fall off the bandwagon when it comes to our marketing. We start it with good intentions, smash out blog after blog, videos, and maybe a few podcasts, and after all the months worth of hard work, you have 25 Youtube viewers and finally got two keywords into the top 50 according to SEMRush. So, you give up. But here’s the thing. You don’t stop marketing ever.
Because since around 2018/20, marketing is now all about consistency and time. Ok, it always was, but with the introduction of social media, we had this easy period that allowed us to place up social media posts and get 1000+ likes within a few days; now you’re lucky to get 1 or 2. That is until you’ve established yourself, which takes time and a whole lot of hard work.
Marketing has its twists.
Marketing, like the twisting plot of Game of Thrones, You watch episode after episode, wondering how long it’s actually going to take for anything really exciting to happen. How long do they need to spend setting up the characters to have then Ned Starks head cut off. Boom! Where did that come from, just like those 1000 subscribers you picked up on YouTube or those Keywords that are now on page one? But it started, and that little voice at the back of your mind that said ‘don’t stop marketing ever’ has been justified.
What’s the big deal?
But you’re not there; instead, you’re reading this because you either want to stop or you’ve missed the odd week here and there, and you’re asking ‘What’s the big deal?” Ok, let’s flip this and think of it from our customer’s point of view. Google will also prioritise the readers, the person doing those searches, because even though Google rely on our ad spend, without the people searching for content, they wouldn’t have a business model. So, let’s think of your content as a TV show.
Hooking in the person.
Now, one of my favourite shows is Star Trek; I’ve just finished watching the third and final series of Picard! Oh, man. Goose Bumps just thinking about it. Episode one was amazing; I quickly hooked back in. Episode two, goosebumps, and from there, it only got better. Ten amazing episodes, with episode nine giving every trekies the rush of seeing the original Next Generation crew back on the deck of the Enterprise. Boom! But imagine if they stopped there. If the makers turned to Amazon Prime and said, “Do you know what, we can’t be bothered to deliver episode ten. We’re a bit busy, and one 10 million people are watching, and until it gets to ,100 million it’s just not worth our time”.
I would have been gutted, I would have cried, and Netflix would have never trusted the makers of Star Trek ever again. That’s what’s happening to your marketing when you give up.
Numbers take time.
Because ten people are reading, listening or watching, you think it’s not worth it because you expected hundreds. So you give up, but you didn’t consider that Google was getting to that point of trusting in what you deliver. They were going to start giving you that prime time slot on the home page (just like Amazon Prime does for their shows), but you give up just as they stick their reputation on the line for you. You lost their trust, and now your marketing has stalled, and you are back to nowhere.
I often hear people say to market when things are quiet, around the times you need to do the work. When you’re busy, it can be dropped until it’s needed again. Unfortunately, marketing doesn’t work like that.
We’re not all superheroes.
I don’t want to come across as if I’m claiming one slip-up, and it’s all over. Forget everything; close your business down and go back under a rock. Because, in truth, we’re not all marketing Iron Men or Wonder Woman. We falter, we hesitate, and sometimes, we completely tumble. And you know what? That’s ok. Because it’s not about how many times we stumble but about how many times we get back up, dust ourselves off, and step forward. I promised that I would podcast, YouTube and write a blog every weekday. But this blog has been sitting in my Grammarly for a week now, with the rest backing up behind it. I’m here on a Sunday evening going through it before posting. I will backdate it, so you need to read it to know. Why backdate it? So my blogs look consistent and not all over the place. I want to get better at this, and I want my audience to know they will get a blog daily.
Having a structure.
Much like the game Jenga, marketing is all about building and maintaining a structure. Occasionally, a block (or strategy) might make the tower (your business) wobble, but the continuous effort to stabilise and grow matters. You might pull a wrong block (a marketing slip), and the tower might teeter dangerously (business slows down), but the game isn’t over yet. Until you stop completely, Google will also give you changes to get back on track. You just need to make sure that you never stop marketing completely.
Adjust and go again.
When you do fall down, adjust, correct your strategy, and keep going.
Marketing is like the heartbeat of your business, a lifeblood that keeps your Enterprise alive and thriving. A bold statement, yes, but utterly true.
To think of it more simplistically, I challenge you to treat your marketing slips like a toddler treats a fall. Does a toddler lie on the floor, defeated, when they stumble while learning to walk? Absolutely not! They get back up, time and again, undeterred by the fear of falling. Their goal is clear, and nothing will stop them from reaching it. I want to walk; it’s a lot better than crawling.
Another way to think of it is that they don’t lie there thinking, “We’ll Mummy and Daddy can already walk, it’s too late for me, they’ve capitalised the marketing on walking”.
No, they want to be just like Mummy and Daddy and want to be better. Think of this in regard to your marketing. This whole thing, when people say, “It’s already been done; there’s no point in me doing it”, is so stupid, let alone lazy thinking.
Overthinking
Too often, we adults overthink our failures and excuses for holding back. Instead of using them as motivation to push forward, we see them as roadblocks. We allow them to stop us dead in our tracks rather than seeing them as detours that might lead us to better paths.
Feast and famine
Feast and famine cycles are as common in business as cliffhangers in TV shows. There are times of bounty when business is booming, followed by periods of scarcity when things are tough. But with a consistent, well-executed marketing plan, you can smooth out those extreme peaks and valleys.
With marketing, I go back to the blog’s theme, Don’t stop marketing ever, and consistency is key. A one-off marketing campaign is about as effective as a single episode of a TV series unless it’s a spin-off of the larger show (marketing efforts). Without context, without continuation, it’s meaningless.
Picking yourself back up again.
So, how do you regain your stride after a marketing stumble? How do you piece together a marketing plan that’s been knocked off course?
First, don’t beat yourself up. Even the giants of business make mistakes. I’m not saying you could get away with a ‘Ratners’ moment. No one could survive that, they certainly didn’t, but you can bounce back. The only question is how long it will take, and it’s often based on how long you haven’t been marketing.
What worked
Secondly, figure out what worked before and quickly return to doing that. Your audience is going to need to be warmed up again. You need to build trust, and you need to redevelop those relationships. You might even get a few leads from the back of the first few posts or blogs. But please don’t see this as a rule. I’ve seen too many companies think they can drop a social media post or quick Google Ad to generate leads and turn it back off again until they’ve completed that work. This is prime feast and famine.
Never stop learning
Finally, and most importantly, never stop learning. Marketing, like the rules of Monopoly, can be complex and ever-changing. What worked yesterday may not work today. Hence, you need to be agile, adaptable, and ready to learn from every success and, more importantly, every failure.
I recently started pushing YouTube shorts after hearing of the success they can bring. I dropped videos daily for two weeks, seeing my views rise into the hundreds. From there, I doubled down on my learning, adjusting the content type and wording used, and now they’re flying. It’s even increased the speed that I pick up subscribers. I’m due to take a course soon which will help me level up further.
Summing up
There you have it, some of the best information on why to never stop marketing and top tips to turn marketing slips into powerful lifts. Remember, a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. It’s the storms, the waves, and the occasional capsizing that mould you into a marketing powerhouse. I have mentioned several times the importance of continuous marketing activities, but as I talked about, it can happen to the best of us. Life gets in the way. Clients get in the way. At the end of a long day in the office, I just want to go home and see my young son. So I do, but I also make sure to find time to catch back up again.
Tumble, fall, but always get back up. Marketing, like life, is a journey, not a destination. Be brave, be bold, and never be afraid to fall because each fall is an opportunity to rise higher. If you remember just one thing from this blog, let it be this – the only true failure in marketing is the failure to try again.
Ten followers, hundred followers, or whatever you have. Someone with less is still trying to get to where you are. Never see where you are as struggling. It’s a stepping stone that someone is trying to get to, and you are using it to get to the next stone.
Your successive marketing win is just around the corner. Dust off those strategies, gear up with newfound wisdom and charge ahead. The marketing world is your playground, and it’s time to play!
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s natural to have questions swirling around like comets in the vast marketing universe. To help navigate this cosmos. (I’m still thinking of Star Trek). I’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions that will serve as your star map, guiding you through the mysteries and wonders of the marketing world.
1. What do I do if my marketing campaign fails? Failure is not the end; it’s merely a detour on your journey to success. Assess what went wrong, learn from it, and tweak your strategies. Remember, Thomas Edison didn’t invent the light bulb on his first try.
2. How often should I review and adjust my marketing strategy? Think of your marketing strategy as a living organism that needs regular check-ups. Quarterly reviews are a good starting point, but if you notice a sudden drop in performance, it’s time for an immediate review.
3. How do I stay updated with the latest marketing trends? Invest in continuous learning. Read blogs, attend webinars, join marketing communities, and always keep your ear to the ground. Staying up-to-date is like keeping your spaceship fueled for the journey through the marketing galaxy. Technically, you are already doing it by reading this blog.
4. I’m a small business, do I really need to invest in marketing? In the world of business, visibility is vital. Regardless of your size, investing in marketing is like sending a signal into space – it’s how you get noticed. And in the vast universe of competition, getting noticed is half the battle won.
5. Is digital marketing more important than traditional marketing? Both have their merits and are suited to different scenarios, much like choosing between Star Trek and Star Wars – it depends on your audience. A successful marketing strategy often involves a blend of both traditional and digital methods.
In marketing, remember that falling off the bandwagon doesn’t mean you’ve lost the race. It’s all about dusting off those boots and hopping back on. Your journey may be filled with problems and challenges, but with persistence and resilience, you’ll find your way to your desired destination.
Now, if you’re ready to gear up and launch your marketing mission, we have a trove of resources waiting to guide you. Head over to our Spotify page for more insightful episodes of the Marketing Botics Podcast. Alternatively, tune in to our YouTube channel for engaging video content. Remember, in marketing, knowledge is your most powerful tool.
