2:34pm
Saint Paul
I have tattoos.
They’re leftovers from my younger years.
And now… as my kids are growing… I wish I didn’t have them. Because my tats give my kids a reason to—someday—mar their own beautiful skin.
They’re not my only shortcoming, I know.
But I hope I’m displaying good habits, too.
My son wants to start a lawn care business. He’s 8.
My daughter wants to earn money, too… but at age 10, we won’t let her start a YouTube channel.
They both see my wife and I working and they want things… so it makes sense to earn money to get those things.
More than making money, though, I hope we’re impressing upon them that failure is inevitable.
It’s the process of getting up and trying again that makes the difference.
And with marketing… doubly so. Triply, if that’s a word.
When you know what you’re doing, marketing campaigns have a so-so chance of out-of-the-ballpark success.
In my interview with copywriter Jim Clair, he tells a story of an “expert” that had one huge success.
And… unable to replicate that success… the expert instead turned to coaching. Selling his “expertise” to unsuspecting up-and-comers.
Clients, too, expect huge success from their marketing.
It’s always good to temper that with a bit of realism.
Yes, your company should be marketing.
Yes, it can drive your business forward.
But marketing is not a solution to a poorly run business.
And bad marketing… like a meaningless ad that fails to tell the customer about the benefits of doing business with you… may be worse than no marketing.
Money spent with no return is what turns many businesses off of marketing in general.
But it shouldn’t be that way. It’s just that the “experts” out there have skewed our ideas of success.
Either they promise too much… or they don’t understand the basics of making ads that pay… or, perhaps, both.
Ad agencies, too. They don’t track results. They track awards for creative efforts.
That’s why direct response marketing is so powerful.
Your ad offers what the client or customer needs. The ad gives compelling reasons why and how you can solve their pain.
In one ad, you say, “if this is a problem for you, and you want to try my solution… let’s talk.”