4 Marketing Mistakes You Can't Afford To Ignore

Struggling with marketing?  You might be surprised to find out how many entrepreneurs are winging it, or don't have a solid, or effective plan in place.

So here's a tip:  Don't just do what you see other's doing, without understanding what's working, and why you're doing it. 

It's a huge waste of time, money, and it's the blind leading the blind.  

If you believe that everyone else has it all together, and you don't, it's not true.  Did you know 63% of entrepreneurs struggle with traffic and leads, and 43% aren't sure about their ROI, or if their marketing activities are even working, according to Hubspot?

So, if that sounds like you, or you're struggling, don't get discouraged.  Most people aren't born marketers.  But, you can improve your marketing, it's possible. 

I researched some female entrepreneurs, to figure out their top marketing challenges. Here's what they said: 

"Content creation and building an audience outside of your network!"

"Knowing how to do it right."

"It’s difficult to know how to do social media marketing."

"Creating authentic content to get conversations and relationships started with followers."

There's a lot to discuss, but let's begin by covering what not to do. 

Here's 4 marketing mistakes you can't afford to ignore.

Mistake #1: Not Knowing Your Audience 

The best marketers ask questions.  How well do you know your audience? Are you reaching the right people?  What are they struggling with? Does your marketing resonate with them? Do you know and understand them?

If you're struggling to connect, or close a sale, you might be missing some of these key pieces. 

Don't assume, research, poll, ask questions, engage and interact with them.  Create messaging that speaks to them. Get to know your audience well, so you can improve your marketing and better serve your customers.  

Mistake #2: Overcomplicating Marketing

If you're trying to do everything and be everywhere, you're on the fast-track to burnout, and you'll get nowhere fast. 

A simple, strategic, and consistent plan, beats a fancy, overcomplicated marketing headache, any day. 

Keep it simple.  Start with one core strategy.  Get good at it.  Grow it, and you can always add to it, later on. Stick with what's working for you. What can you be most consistent with, and where is your audience? Go from there. 

Mistake #3: Failing to Adapt 

Think of marketing as something that constantly evolves.  It's not rigid, set in stone, and permanent. 

There are timeless marketing principles you need to master, nailing your core  messaging, your copywriting, your product, price and positioning etc. 

But, when it comes to choosing the right strategies, you need to be current, test and adapt. 

Think about the advertising and marketing popular just 1 to 5 years ago? What has gone extinct, or is on its way out? Avoid out-dated marketing techniques, and adapt to current, more effective methods. 

You must be able to adapt, or you'll get left behind, but that doesn't mean hopping onto every marketing trend either.

So, before you go to the next trend, stop!

Remember that trends and algorithms always change.  You can't beat the algorithms.

Take a moment to observe it. Get curious. Think about which method your customers are most likely using, what you can see yourself implementing, and ask yourself which has the best chance of sticking around for a while. 

Mistake #4: Not Making Data-Driven Decisions

Are you tracking the metrics that matter?  If you're thinking to yourself... wait, what's a metric? We need to have a talk. 

You need to be collecting valuable marketing data, or at the very least, being aware of what's working. 

It doesn't have to be a long, complicated, fancy spreadsheet and report.  But, you do need to be tracking data, and making decisions based on those numbers, what is working, and ditch what's not. Keep a simple piece of paper and start taking notes!

It's totally possible to improve your marketing, reach the right people, and create a simple and effective plan, and anyone can do it.  It's not rocket science, you just need the right plan and strategies that work best for you. 

Avoiding these 4 marketing mistakes and you'll start heading in the right direction. 

What's your biggest fear or challenge when it comes to marketing? I'd love to hear from you.