photo credit: celine nadeau
I recently came across a saying on Inc.com that made a lot of sense to me, it was, “if you can’t fit your idea on the back of a business card, then you don’t have a clear idea”. When you think about it, it does make a lot of sense. If you have to run on and on about an idea to get people interested then it’s not a well thought out and clear idea yet.
It is the same for marketing. Many people think that their marketing message has to be long, full of information, and dazzle in order to get the attention and business of their clientele. The truth is that as long as your message is short, to the point, and speaks to your audience in some way through humor, emotion, or even reality, then it’s a great marketing message.
In other words, less is more in the case of marketing. If you start rambling on and on about your many ideas and thoughts related to your business then eventually people will change the channel, turn the page, or dial into a different radio station about something more interesting.
People who are new to marketing or advertising often give it one or two tries and then give up. They don’t realize how many times you may have to do something in order to get people to take action. Like Covey says, Begin with the End in mind. A strategy is very important and without it you may be throwing money away. You may have to reach out 5 to 7 times before people will take action.