Preaching to the Choir

I just had to share Seth Godin's post from this morning. He's right in saying the solution to low conversion is not necessarily a larger audience--it's really the right audience. 

The unforgiving arithmetic of the funnel

One percent.

That's how many you get if you're lucky. One percent of the subscribers to the Times read an article and take action. One percent of the visitors to a website click a button to find out more. One percent of the people in a classroom are sparked by an idea and go do something about it.

And then!

And then, of that 1%, perhaps 1% go ahead and take more action, or recruit others, or write a book or volunteer. One percent of one percent.

No wonder advertisers have to run so many ads. Most of us ignore most of them. No wonder it's so hard to convert a digital browsing audience into a real world paying one--most people are in too much of a hurry to read and think and pause and then do.

The common mistake is to reflexively come to the conclusion that the only option is to make more noise, to put more attention into the top of the funnel. The thinking goes that if a big audience is getting you mediocre results, a huge audience is the answer. Alas, a huge audience is more difficult than the alternatives.

A few ways to deal with the funnel:

• Acknowledge that it's there. Don't assume that a big audience is going to easily convert to action.
• Work to measure your losses. Figure out where in the process you're losing interest and clicks or the other behaviors you seek.
• If you can, remove steps. Each step costs you dearly.
• Treat different people differently. If you alter the funnel to maximize interest by the wandering masses, you may very well miss the chance to convert the focused few.

His last point is such a great way of boosting conversions. We are in the time of "personalization" and "customization." Customers want to receive information that is only relevant to their interests. Don't send email marketing messages to your entire mailing list if the information is not relevant to the entire mailing list. Segment your marketing efforts by customer tastes, interests, or preferences--it will pay off in the long run. 

"Preaching to the choir" isn't cliche, it's necessary. Why would you want to preach to an audience that is completely closed to your offerings? You aren't going to convert them, at least not all of them, and likely not large numbers. Preach to the audience that is present, interested, and willing to engaged. 

Market to a 9-Year-Old

I just came across an Inc. article about simplifying the sales message. Beyond just the sales message, this is important for everyone that's in marketing. We have gotten to fancy, fru-fru, and complicated.

I read so many business plan concepts and statements of competitive advantage, and I still don't know what it is the business is selling. If I can't figure it out from a business description, I likely won't be able to figure it out from the marketing messaging. It's a bit of an identity crisis on the business owner's part--who are you and what do you sell, in plain, simple, digestible words.

You know very well what you do--your business is your heart and soul. I don't know though, and big words with extra fluff aren't going to make it any more clear for me. Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.

What a 9-Year-Old Can Teach You About Selling [or Marketing in general]

Digital Marketing

Maybe it's my "old age," or just the decrease in excitement the internet brings to my life, but I'm really finding it to be a necessary evil. There used to be a time when I thought the vast amount of information and content on the world wide web was valuable, usable and consumable. Now it just feels so massively large, it's dauntingly scary to think about consuming even a portion of the information available.

Perhaps you are in the same boat, or maybe the value of the internet has never been clear to you. Social media seems like a vacuum that steals precious time, and search engine optimization seems unconquerable. Fortunately, none of this is true, even if it may seem like a gospel truth at brief periods of time.

It's easy to become paralyzed by the sheer size and reach of the internet. You want your business to be successful, but the thought of outrageous success is almost as scary as total failure. I get it. But, somewhere in the middle of doubt, the feelings of being overwhelmed, the unwillingness to evolve with the times, and the fears of success and failure, there's an unstoppable pocket of "let's do this!" Harness that pocket and use it for good.

Don't think you have to tackle all your marketing efforts all at once on fifteen different websites. Start small, plan big, and execute in digestible steps. The first step to really managing your expectations and feelings, as well as your digital marketing efforts, is to define your strategy. How do you want this to work? It's not any different than building a house, starting a company, or painting a picture--most people don't just dive, they have a plan. The architect designs the plans, the entrepreneur structures the company, and the painter draws out a rough sketch.

Create a roadmap. If you need help, I'm here to lend a hand. We can curse the internet together, while making it work for us to do good.

Picking and Choosing

It's easy to believe, as a small business, you should not ever turn down business, or turn away a customer. Revenue is money, and business is business.

I wish to disagree with this belief. Not all customers are good customers for your business. There's a point where you are working harder to obtain/retain a bad customer than the customer is returning in value. This is why it is so important to define who your ideal customer is, and work towards obtaining those specific customers--not just any customer.

A business shouldn't be afraid to say this person is not right for my business. They want more than we can provide, they are ultra critical about our work, or the products/services we offer don't exactly address their needs (making it difficult for us to ever exceed their expectations). You're further ahead to cut the "square pegs." Not to mention, you're doing them a favor by allowing them to find a business that does meet their needs.

Think about who you are as an organization, and who you want to serve. Who can really benefit from your products or services. Draw an ideal customer, right down to the clothes they wear and the car they drive--put this picture on your wall and compare each customer that walks through your door to the picture. Are they a match? If yes, proceed with the razzle-dazzle. If no, point them in a direction in which they are more apt to find what they seek.

Super Bowl Commercials

My preferred focus is marketing for small businesses, but it's hard to overlook the marketing brilliance that shines bright this time of year--the Super Bowl commercials. I wrote earlier this month about the possible death of these marvelous wonders, but for this year, they are still alive and well, full of surprise, creativity and innovative "hooks."

For your viewing entertainment, here's the whole rundown of marketing's own Super Bowl.

Pinterest for Businesses

There's a new social network in our midst--Pinterest. It will be interesting to see how business leverage this network. According to a recent article on Mashable, Pinterest is the top traffic driver for retail businesses. I'm anxious to talk to a business that is using the platform successfully. How can you make Pinterest work with your brand? I've got some ideas, but I'd love to hear yours. :-)

And the Pinterest frenzy continues...

Here are two more great articles about how small businesses are marketing on Pinterest, and how the site is changing web design.

Ferris Bueller Rides Again!

Just for fun, I wanted to share a blurb about the leaked Honda CR-V ad featuring 1980's classic, Ferris Bueller. I love the commercial, and I think it is genius marketing. Bueller is a favorite of Generation X and Y, and the CR-V is targeted to this segment of the population.

With the rise of social media, has the Super Bowl Ad seen its death? The Honda ad leaked a full week before the big game and is close to 8 million views still days before Sunday's event. There's something exciting about being made to wait like a kid at Christmas--keeping all ads secret until the game. But... there's also the lure, from a marketing standpoint, of garnering greater exposure, watching the ad spread like wildfire across the internet before the official big reveal. Companies spend millions on creating and building these ads, not to mention purchasing air time during the game. Why not let them springboard off social sharing?

Here's one guy's thoughts on the death of the Super Bowl Ads.

Marketing and Small Businesses

Some people say marketing efforts and small businesses mix about as well as oil and water. The small business customer is often the least desired client--budgets are small, the probability to get stiffed as a consultant is high, and there's a fear of trying new marketing techniques. 


I beg to differ (but not too loudly because I don't want every other marketing consultant trying to encroach on my space!)--I love the challenge of marketing small businesses. I believe limited amounts of money and a lack of a long chain of command make for the perfect conditions for real creativity to happen. Too many "cooks in the kitchen" and an unlimited budget stifle the inspiration to dream big. I've always been an innovator, problem solver, and a creativepreneur--I don't really feel alive until faced with a impossible challenge.


Walk with me and discover what others have been too quick to rule out.