Marketing: 10 mistakes that destroy your business - part 1

• 19.09.2023.
• News, Marketing

Are you wondering if you have achieved your goals and if you have been able to maintain client loyalty? Are you making typical marketing mistakes like lack of strategy, lack of authentic story and ineffective website? Andreja Fazlić says that it is an ideal time to reassess. Find out what mistakes are causing you not to achieve the desired revenue and how to correct them.

While the nautical season is slowly winding down, the question arises: Did you achieve everything you planned? Have new clients found their way to you? What about those who have already cooperated with you - have they remained loyal to you this season as well? 
  
If your brow furrowed reading these questions, there's a good chance you're making at least one of the 10 common mistakes many businesses face. 
  
As the lull of the season follows, it is an ideal time for re-examination and corrections. 
  
In the following lines, I will reveal to you the 10 most common marketing mistakes that can be a stumbling stone for your business, as well as ideas on how to correct them. 
 

 

Mistake 1 – Navigating without a compass: haphazard marketing moves 

Random acts of marketing is a term that is repeated throughout my columns. The reason is simple: it is a common trap that many companies fall into. 
  
Today, almost everyone uses e-mail marketing, shoots video content, manages websites, is active on social networks and uses PPC advertising. But how many of them really think strategically? 
  
Ask yourself the key questions: Do you have a clearly defined profile of the ideal customer - in black and white, not just in your mind? Do you understand the needs and interests of your target group? Do you know how to provoke the right emotional reaction in them? 
  
The answers to these questions should be clear and precise. If not, it's time to review your marketing strategy. 
  
Assemble a team that will be composed of members from different departments - marketing, sales, management, and, if necessary, also from service, bookkeeping or production. Work together on a clear definition of your ideal customer. Have your team start with one idea, but don't stop until they have at least three different visions. Develop the story behind your brand and focus on mapping the customer journey as well as defining your main goals. 
  
It's important to understand that just because a marketing channel is popular doesn't necessarily mean it's right for your business. TikTok, for example, may not be the best solution for every type of business. 
  
When you have a solid and well-defined marketing strategy, you will be able to confidently implement the chosen marketing tactics, confident that they will contribute to the achievement of your goals. 
  

Mistake 2 – Your story is without particularity 

If you look at a few websites of leaders in certain industries, they more or less follow the same pattern. Many even sound very similar. We might even think that they waste their time, energy and money on random acts of marketing without particularity. 
  
In life, it is often better to remain silent if we have nothing interesting, specific to say. The same is true in business. 
  
Customers are generally looking for something special in a sea of the same or at best similar. And this is the easiest to achieve with an emotional, engaging and potentially revolutionary story because that is what engages the audience. It is the holy grail of marketing; to be different, interesting and not afraid to push the boundaries. But few seem to actually realize this. 
  
If you have found yourself at this point, you can start to change things by thinking about the problems of your customers and how your product or service can help solve them. Create an emotional story that explains it, be authentic, test it and iterate. 
  
Your story should be the heart of all your marketing activities. 

 

 

Mistake 3 – You have a web brochure, not a website 

Do you have enough educational content on your website to download? No? 
  
Then you have a regular digital flyer, or better yet a brochure. 
  
People want to be informed in their purchases. Especially when they are ready to make the purchase. 
  
This is something that many companies overlook, and it is crucial for effective marketing. 
  
A good website shouldn't just talk about itself; it should offer valuable content in different formats to further inform and educate the user about the product. Here I mean content such as guide instructions, ebooks or webinars. Real educational content, not a blog post or “contact us” page. 
  
Without it, the opportunity to convert visitors into real potential customers is missed. 
  
If you have found yourself at this point, don't worry, this missed opportunity of digital marketing is present in many companies, and certainly in your competition as well. 
  
Some of the key optimization details are: 

• Understanding the real information needs of your target market. 
• Diversity of content formats; not all users are fans of articles or e-books. Some prefer visual or interactive formats. 
• The promotion of such content should be strategically planned. 
• Valuable educational content isn't just reserved for new customers and lead generation. 

Overall, there is a clear opportunity for businesses to improve their online presence and conversions through quality, targeted and educational content. 
  

Mistake 4 – You have no idea what your customers' customer journey looks like 

In order to have a stable marketing strategy and be able to implement targeted marketing tactics, you need to know the customer journey of your customers to the last detail; both existing and potential. 
  
Many companies and brands begin marketing activities without fully understanding how their potential customers actually experience their brand through the various stages of the purchase. A lot of attention is paid to obvious marketing touch points like websites and email campaigns, while other key points like sales and customer service touch points are often overlooked. 
  
There is a huge opportunity in mapping and optimizing each touchpoint - not only in attracting more potential customers, but also in creating higher quality sales opportunities. 
  
A user experience that is carefully designed and orchestrated at every touchpoint is the fuel of the so-called revenue generation system - Revenue Flywheel. 
  
If you want to map your customer's customer journey, do the following: 

• Create the ideal customer for each target market segment. 
• Map all the touch points of each customer in their purchase journey. 
• Define what information they might be interested in at what stage and what experiences you want to provide them during the interaction. 
• Create valuable educational content to add to that experience. 
• Test and iterate marketing campaigns and tactics. 

 

Mistake 5 – You don't acknowledge sources of web visitors other than organic 

Most companies tend to focus on one key source of traffic - organic. Namely, while SEO is an important tool in the arsenal of marketing tactics, many ignore the potential of other sources of visitors. 
  
Email marketing, as an older but still powerful tactic, is often not used to its full potential. The quality of e-mail campaigns directly affects the number of website visitors. 
  
Social networks, in their organic form, are often treated superficially. On the other hand, paid advertisements on social networks, which target specific segments, are not always used optimally. 
  
Paid search engine ads can provide immediate visibility, but many businesses still don't invest in them as part of their overarching, long-term strategy. 
  
Linking to relevant websites that recommend your site is often seen as a secondary task, although it can have a powerful impact on bringing in qualified traffic. 
  
Direct traffic is often overlooked as a source, although it indicates strong brand awareness and customer loyalty. 
  

There is a clear need for a holistic approach when it comes to attracting visitors to a website. Integration and optimization of all available sources, along with constant testing and adaptation, can lead to consistent increases in traffic and better marketing results. 
 
Read about the remaining five most common mistakes that can hinder your business in the next column. 
 

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