The Two Biggest Marketing Mistakes

We all make mistakes. No one is perfect. Mistakes are usually accidental. Most mistakes are even excusable. BUT ........... I believe that two mistakes are NEVER excusable. Do I have you a little curious?

You have most likely heard the saying, "Don't burn your bridges behind you." For marketing, you can translate that to say, "You never know where your next order is coming from."

So what are the mistakes? Here is the first ..... most business people do not realize that ......

Every person you meet in the elevator, talk to on the phone, buy from, pass in the hallway, sit next to on the plane, etc. etc. is either . . . .

a customer,

a potential customer, or

a referral source.

They ARE buying from you now, CAN buy from you in the future, or can REFER someone to buy from you.

If I sell left-handed golf clubs and you don't play golf, you may not buy from me now but you may start to play in the future and need left-handed golf clubs. You would be a potential customer. If you are not left-handed, you will not buy the clubs even if you start to play in the future. BUT .... you may know a left-handed golfer. If you like my company and my product, you will likely recommend to your left-handed friend that he buy left-handed golf clubs from me. Thus, you are a referral source.

Everyone is either a customer, a potential customer or a referral source. Think about that when you have contact with other people.

A financial advisor has an office in the same building where I am located. She recently put a sign on her door that said, "NO SOLICITING." I asked her why she put the sign on the door. She said she didn't want people who sell office supplies, copiers, phone equipment, etc. coming into her office and trying to sell to her. I asked her if those people ever used a financial advisor. She said that they probably do. You can guess what my next question was. "Why don't you want potential customers coming into your office?" Then I said, "And if they don't need your services, maybe they know someone who does." I suggested to her that when someone makes a cold call to her office, all she needs to say is, "I will let you tell me about your product or service if you will then listen to me discuss what I sell." She took the sign down.

The second of the two biggest mistakes is not telling EVERYONE what you sell. To be a potential customer or referral source, a person must know what kind of business you have. A plumber comes into your house to make a repair. Does he leave with your business card and brochure? No, he may not need your product but he is certainly a referral source. What about your mechanic, hair dresser, dentist? What about the receptionist at your chiropractor's office?
They all can be referral sources , but they MUST KNOW WHAT YOU SELL.

If you are not treating EVERYONE properly (because you never know where your next order is coming from) and if you are not telling EVERYONE what business you are in (so they can be a customer, a potential customer or a referral source), then you are making the two biggest marketing mistakes.

I have received a great email from an attorney who wanted to comment on my postings about protecting your business. I will present his comments in my next posting. Please feel free to comment on this and previous postings. Your comments are always welcome.