“I need a logo. If I tell you what I want, can you just design it?”
“My business needs a website. What will it cost?”
Businesses call us with these kinds of questions all the time. They have one particular need and they want a solution to it. We all understand that, right? But does it contribute to the optimal health of their business?
Let’s say a person – we’ll call him Jerry – starts having headaches so severe that he can’t work. He also starts noticing that he can’t see out of his right eye and his left leg won’t cooperate when he tries to walk.
Jerry calls the doctor’s office and explains all these new symptoms, but instead of asking for an appointment for an exam, he says he just wants a pill to make it better. And the crazy thing is, the doctor goes along with it and calls in a prescription without even laying eyes on him. No vitals, no medical history taken, no physical exam. No tests ordered to determine what might be happening in his brain to cause not only pain, but also vision and movement impairment.
“We expect a doctor to ask questions, run some tests, and actually figure out what’s going on. Then, and only then, can appropriate treatment and lifestyle adjustment be prescribed.”
Would any real doctor do that? Would you trust one who did? Yeah, me neither. That kind of doctor would rightly get sued for malpractice and lose his or her license in a heartbeat. And Jerry is negligent in this scenario, too. He’s sacrificing his health for a quick fix.
We expect a doctor to ask questions, run some tests, and actually figure out what’s going on. Then, and only then, can appropriate treatment and lifestyle adjustment be prescribed.
Choosing a marketing health partner
Please, don’t expect less of any marketing partner when it comes to your business’s health. We would never hand you a one-size-fits-all package and call it good. You deserve better than that. So we’re going to ask you lots of questions. We want to know what your goals are, what your business is all about at its core, who your ideal customers are, for starters.
Then, and only then, will we be able to diagnose your marketing needs. Does your logo communicate who you are (or worse, turn people off)? How can a new website help you engage more of the customers you want? Where will print collateral enhance your brand recognition and credibility?
Perform a marketing health assessment
You know how when you go to the doctor they have you answer a bunch of questions on their intake forms? As you think about the health of your marketing, here are some questions we recommend you begin asking yourself:
- What marketing efforts are you currently doing? Are they working like you want them to?
- Are your current marketing efforts all part of a unified strategy? Does it advance your brand?
- Does your creative help (or hurt) your brand? Does it look professional? Does it resonate with your intended audience?
- What are your goals? Do you want to increase the number of customers you serve? Retain more existing clients? Introduce new product lines?
- Who are your ideal customers? Are you currently reaching them? How do you know?
- What is your key message to them? Is it working? How do you know?
- What is your marketing budget? How do you know whether you are getting the best return on your investment?
You might also want to read this helpful article recently published in the Houston Chronicle called How to Build a Comprehensive Marketing and Promotional Plan.
Just what the doctor ordered
Sure, you could go with something like Wix or Squarespace for a website. But that’s like the doctor handing out drugs without the exam. They’re not going to help you refine your vision, diagnose any problems, and give you a holistic plan as a leg up for your business. You deserve better than that.
Come see us instead. At Lumen Marketing, we want to get to know you before we take a prescriptive approach to help you ensure the robust health of your business.
To schedule an introductory appointment…
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