An Email That Made My Day, Before It Even Started
As I was checking my email this morning, I read one that was from our design team (we're re-branding & re-organizing the company – more on that later). They were sending me the proofs to look over, along with a brief explanation from the team with their thoughts on each one. The design process entails three rounds of iterations, and we'll generally have three options to review in each round. Pretty straight forward….
…but what struck me is what they had to say about Option 3:
"Option 3 comes from our experience of working with Fett Marketing. The concept is that Fett looks at the foundation of our business, and out of this foundation we see growth. Believe it or not Chris, this is unique! We work with a lot of marketers and 90% of them are too busy working through tactics to worry about the foundation of those tactics. My two cents is that this unique ability of Fett is what you should be leading with."
I always think it's cool when a company's essence is repeated back to that company, especially when it is just given as straightforward feedback. What moved me was that this IS what we're about here. This IS a unique aspect of our company. We're not a typical marketing firm / SEO company / graphic design company / copy writing & ad agency / social media / "local marketing" / etc.
…and because that is unique, it sometimes makes it hard for prospective clients to understand us (sounds like a "marketing problem", eh?? 
) – which is part of the reason why we are going through the re-branding project.
At Fett Marketing, we've assembled a team of people and partnerships that brings all of the tools & resources that the business needs to drive growth in their company. You see, there is always opportunity for growth – especially in this economy!
But the above quote is what is embodied in the very essence of our company. Yes, you need to be able to execute on your tactics, but without an integrated strategy and a solid foundation, you are simply wasting your money. It's better for you to go to Vegas & put it all on "Black 32", or else put it under your mattress (I would have said to put it in a bank account, but they don't seem to be able to do a good job of that these days). Either way, you'll have more money or more fun, and at least that's something…but (and I'm about to be uninvited from all of the marketing parties with this next statement):
Spending money on Marketing, with ZERO accountability for results is just plain stupid!
(…and as my Dad used to say, "Stupid ain't against the law!" Yep, true enough…thanks Dad…)
Four of the businesses we met with this week have a wide revenue range, from $0/yr (startup) to $15M/yr, and have been in business from less than a year to over 30 years. One thing they all have in common – they lack a consistent approach to marketing, and consequently they can't hold themselves or their vendors accountable for the results (that's true for the Billion dollar companies we've worked with in the past too; these are just the most recent examples). When we asked them questions like:
- what is your cost to acquire a new customer?
- what is the lifetime value of a customer?
- what is the current ROI on your marketing spend, per channel or per campaign?
…none of them could give us an answer (…and these were the EASY questions…)
But it's not their fault!
Nobody told them how they should market their companies, or that they could hold their marketing people accountable for results. They've had to figure it out on their own, the hard way. If he were still alive, John Houseman would have been a great spokesperson for us, because:
"We make money the old fashioned way – we eeeaaarn it!"
All of these owners started these businesses because that's what the love to do, and they were good at it! But in order for them to be able to do what they love, they need other people to participate with their company – through sales, by being "customer advocates" / raving fans, etc.
It's about the relationships FIRST, and the business SECOND…and that's where good marketing comes in to play.
Marketing should move a prospective customer to take action – join your list, buy your product or service, pass along an offer to a close friend or colleague, etc.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media, Video or <INSERT LATEST "THING" HERE> won't bring in more sales. These things could make you more visible on the Internet – but you still need a compelling offer, targeted at the right customer – and then you need to be comfortable with the fact that people buy in their own time and for their own reasons (that doesn't mean you can't induce them to buy sooner!). You still need to understand your market and how to package & present your products or services, so that your customers want them.
Want to know the best way to see if you've got a Marketing company that knows what they are talking about?
Ask them about their level of accountability with what they are proposing to you, and then listen to their answer. It's best if you can do this in person, so you can watch their body language…
…you can actually, physically see the "bad" marketing firms squirm in their chairs! It's kinda funny…
(…and it's true, too…)
The Cobbler’s Children
Did you ever hear the old fable about the Cobbler (as in "one who make shoes" and not the "delicious dessert") and how his children never had any shoes, because he spent all of his time making shoes for everyone else? Well, we're getting some shoes.
Our company is going through a corporate identity and re-branding exercise right now. We started it about a month ago, and hope to have it completed by the first part of June (if not sooner). We're also re-doing the SEO work on our website, so we can share our experiences as a case. So between that, and the normal day-to-day activities of taking care of our customers and growing the business, things have been pretty hectic around here the last few months!
Why are we doing this? Good question…
In the last year and a half, we have learned a lot about ourselves, the markets in which we operate and the best way we can add value to our clients. Quite often, it extends beyond just "online marketing". We talk with business owners about operations, sales, developing strategic partnerships, developing Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) – there is almost no topic that is "off limits" for us. If it's bothering our clients – well, then it's our problem too.
Spring Time is just around the corner…I couldn't think of a better time for us to look at ourselves from a rebirth / renewal perspective.
Has your business gotten stale? Are you more concerned about "the economy" than "your business" or your customers' business? Maybe it's time for you to change that…
Grow Business During The “Slow” Times
One of our favorite tactics to encourage business growth is diversifying your product line. This can have particular significance if your business is subject to cycles. Many times business owners won't get creative until they "have to" – usually when their costs are exceeding their profits and they are staring at some tough times ahead. I'm never surprised by the number of business executives who fail to deal with problems head-on, hoping instead that they will somehow solve themselves. Truth is they never do. When you are accountable for the business line (or the entire business itself) – why wait? Do it now! For example:
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a midwest scuba store owner who diversified their business by taking on ski rental and equipment sales. Both are outdoor businesses, but they have two different business cycles; this helps him smooth out his revenue during the course of the year
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a photographer who specializes in wedding and graduation photos changed his market position to include other types of protratue (specifically, pets). While most of his business still comes in the Spring and Summer, he now has a position that allows him to specialize and reposition his services during the other parts of the year.
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most nurseries find that their slowest times were the winter months. In fact, many nurseries will "close down" until the growing season begins again. However, one east coast nursery expanded their product and service offerings, and purchased a stump grinder and advertises stump removal services during the winter months. And while that has helped to bring in some extra revenue during the slow months, who do you think is building a lead list for new trees and shrubbery for the Spring?
The point is, you can't always rely on "the economy to turn around" or for someone else to figure it out for you. You need to own it. And while you can benefit from getting outside help and perspective, you might just need to schedule some quiet time away from the business to stop and think about your business – what does it need? What can you do to start growing your business – today?