I often hear business owners exclaim that a particular marketing tactic they are using “doesn’t work.” They say this because they aren’t getting the results they’re expecting from using a particular tool or channel for creating visibility and exposure for themselves in the marketplace.

When I put my business diagnostician hat on, I know what people are presenting as the problem is simply a symptom of a deeper issue. So, when I dig into things a little further I discover that the reason their marketing isn’t working as expected comes down to two main causes:

1. Human Error. It has less to do with the tool being wrong, but rather with human error in using the tool. Basically, they aren’t using the tool in the right way. It’s like flying a plane, without knowing how each of your navigational instruments impacts your ability to fly and get to your destination. You start turning dials and pushing buttons randomly and winging it; hoping for the best.
2. Incorrect Expectation. The expectation placed on the outcome is unattainable because the expectation doesn’t match the capability of the tool. In other words, they are expecting to squeeze water out of a rock, which is impossible. No matter how much or how hard you squeeze the rock, nothing emerges and you continue to be disappointed – and blame the rock.

Here are 5 critical questions to ask yourself when evaluating your marketing initiatives:

1. Am I using the right tool or tactic for the job?
2. Am I winging it, or do I know that I am executing or implementing the tactic in the right way?
3. Is my expectation in alignment with what the tool is capable of doing?
4. What are the key performance indicators that will impact the effectiveness or success of this initiative?
5. Do I know which levers to pull and which buttons to push – in the right order, to get the expected results?

The next time you evaluate your marketing initiatives, rather than assuming it’s the tactic that doesn’t work, I invite you to decipher the real reason behind why things aren’t working out.

If you are simply not sure what to do or where to go from here, I invite you to reach out to me. We’ll jump on a call and I’ll help you diagnose the real issue and lay out your next best steps for creating the success you desire. Marketing and business growth aren’t rocket science. But if you know the levers to pull and the buttons to push – in the right order, it becomes a whole lot easier to reach your desired outcome. Let me be your navigator and your short cut to achieve predictable success – faster, and with a whole lot more ease.