Insist on Using Your Own Marketing? Think Again.
April 12, 2007 by Don Hobbs
As an ad agency, we see many clients who initially come to us to find more powerful strategies and tools that will promote them in their market. But it's amazing how many agents insist that we use their homegrown slogans, logos and copy in the process. That's like going to a cardiologist with chest pains and demanding that he treat you with your grandma's elixir ' which worked wonders on your stomachache at age 9.
After all my time in advertising, I'm still amazed at this phenomenon.
For over 21 years, we've been successful in helping agents transform their personal marketing and form lasting relationships with clients, and the results are impressive. Many of our seminar attendees come to us in serious need of marketing help and we've been there to make a difference in their thinking, practices and ultimately in the growth of their business.
But some clients who are looking for change aren't always committed to embracing it. Why? Because the simple truth is that they don't know what they don't know. Moreover, they can't change what they don't know how to change. "?
When professionals are ready to move forward, they must be open-minded to what the experts know about how to succeed. That means giving up their old ideas of what marketing is and adopting concepts that can revolutionize a business. Holding on to marketing tools of the past (probably copied from another agent way back when) is allowing fear to be your strategist.
It's like hiring a craftsman to construct a house but dictating which tools and materials to use in building the roof. To realize a vision, it's crucial to leave the strategy, planning, materials and tools in the hands of an experienced pro who knows what he's doing.
As the market is cooling, we're seeing clients behave this way more and more. Agents are opting for quick fixes, including staunch allegiance to silly slogans, cartoonish logos and materials focused on closing a sale rather than building a relationship. In survival mode, many people default to what they "know" works ' tried and true solutions ' and believe we can squeeze the client's square peg into the round hole of a professionally-crafted personal marketing campaign.
The bottom line is this: Too many agents are buying tools but they don't have the blueprints or knowledge to pull off that new home project. But savvy professionals know how to find the experts and let them do what they know how to do best. Those who don't come to this realization may one day have the roof fall in on them. And that's how most people come to us in the first place.
Let me know your thoughts.
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After all my time in advertising, I'm still amazed at this phenomenon.
For over 21 years, we've been successful in helping agents transform their personal marketing and form lasting relationships with clients, and the results are impressive. Many of our seminar attendees come to us in serious need of marketing help and we've been there to make a difference in their thinking, practices and ultimately in the growth of their business.
But some clients who are looking for change aren't always committed to embracing it. Why? Because the simple truth is that they don't know what they don't know. Moreover, they can't change what they don't know how to change. "?
When professionals are ready to move forward, they must be open-minded to what the experts know about how to succeed. That means giving up their old ideas of what marketing is and adopting concepts that can revolutionize a business. Holding on to marketing tools of the past (probably copied from another agent way back when) is allowing fear to be your strategist.
It's like hiring a craftsman to construct a house but dictating which tools and materials to use in building the roof. To realize a vision, it's crucial to leave the strategy, planning, materials and tools in the hands of an experienced pro who knows what he's doing.
As the market is cooling, we're seeing clients behave this way more and more. Agents are opting for quick fixes, including staunch allegiance to silly slogans, cartoonish logos and materials focused on closing a sale rather than building a relationship. In survival mode, many people default to what they "know" works ' tried and true solutions ' and believe we can squeeze the client's square peg into the round hole of a professionally-crafted personal marketing campaign.
The bottom line is this: Too many agents are buying tools but they don't have the blueprints or knowledge to pull off that new home project. But savvy professionals know how to find the experts and let them do what they know how to do best. Those who don't come to this realization may one day have the roof fall in on them. And that's how most people come to us in the first place.
Let me know your thoughts.
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