10 Mistakes That Cost Marketing Managers Their Customer Base

“But this has never happened before!” said Michael as he watched the analytics software throw up numbers that are nothing but a nightmare for marketing managers. “It usually works,” said a flustered Michael as he went through sheets and sheets of process workflows and team communication, wondering why his brainchild marketing campaign for the new software product of his company had not performed as he thought it would.

“Look, I even had good callbacks, 100K impressions, 5K social shares, and a decent click-through,” said the 35-year-old senior marketer as he beckoned me to this fancy screen with widgets and whatnot. It seemed like he wanted me to undo the entire campaign over some invisible chink that he did not take note of. The guy has been managing marketing for 12 solid years. A big Gary Vaynerchuk fan, though; with an unbeatable knack for branding and client acquisition! But this chink, might be something that even the great old Gary V will need a head scratch for.

The truth is that Michael, or any other marketing manager for that matter, is prone to mistakes once (or several times) in a blue moon. And it is not that a job of that magnitude does not have its challenges. But even the most agile-minded marketing managers can miss the target sometimes. Let’s give them a break. They are only human. It is not always rainbows and roses or brochures and logos every time. Devising a marketing strategy can end up in pitfalls, whether marketing managers see them coming or not.

↓Download this template resource to start planning unbeatable marketing campaigns

Even as an integral part of business management, marketing stays jam-packed with things that marketing managers do not often find in their job description. There is a lot of room for creativity and analytical thinking, besides the constant need to reinvent oneself. And much like any job vertical, head honchos insist that marketing managers achieve perfection, come what may.

But perfection is a myth of the fool, and prevention, the reality of the smart. Therefore, to help you avoid the Michael conundrum, this blog shall walk you through the 10 common mistakes marketing managers commit that cost them their customers (and a decent chunk of ad spend too). This quick guide shall also provide you templates that you can incorporate to fix those mistakes, handy tips included. So read on and find out.

10 mistakes marketing managers need to stop committing right now (and their nifty cures)

Let’s be objective here for a change. What are we dealing with?

On the one hand, you have offline marketing with the fundamental function of connecting with customers and other businesses through offline mediums. This can include face-to-face meetings, print and billboard ads, and physical networking via conclaves and such. On the other hand, though, you have got an entire gamut of techniques, principles, and tools that make the world go round. Online or digital marketing is a galaxy in itself, ranging from SEO and social media to online paid ad campaigns, PPC, and so on.

Marketing managers in any company are responsible for juggling these two for a synergy that drives more sales. But to have the balance that actually sustains this mission is hard to find. In fact, ‘find’ is an overreach. You cannot throw all you have onto the wall and wait for something to stick. One misplaced newspaper ad can bring down your brand reputation, or one seemingly harmless tweet can cost you 15 billion dollars (Elon Musk, we are looking at you).

#1 Not knowing the USP

It comes naturally to marketing managers. You ask them what they are selling, and they will be able to come up with a whole list. But do they know what exactly they are selling? They are selling its USP or Unique Selling Proposition. The drive to get more customers may obscure the urge to know this fundamental requirement of any marketing campaign. Needless to say, not knowing what problem your product or service solves depletes your chances of selling it.

The lack of thorough knowledge about the solution to a problem can lead to gaps in your approach. This can also fade you out in front of your competitors, who are understandably doing better at presenting their products with highlights. Consequently, this disconnects you from your customers, and, clearly, bouncing back is a battle that will never end.

Here’s the fix: The quickest way to up your USP game is to be in the customer’s shoes. Put on your thinking cap and get to the drawing board. What prompts you to buy the product? Why is yours the best product that the customer needs? Once you have found out the pain points that your product addresses, you have your USP at the ready. Make sure you are giving the customer a chance to visualize the product in a practically appealing setting. You should also make sure that you supplement the visuals with a copy that speaks to the customer directly and succinctly. Once you get that mix figured out, use the template below to put forth a convincing point.

↓Template resource to start selling your product like hot cakes

#2 “Who needs a plan?”

Marketing managers get bold sometimes. There is no harm in getting bold. But the “spray and pray” approach can birth one-hit wonders and one-hit wonders alone. Moving without a plan can never be in your best interest. With the glut of information all across the internet and even the offline space, blurring the lines of careful planning and sheer luck can throw processes haywire and lead to performance gaps as well.

To add worry to the woes, processes without a careful plan can be detrimental to your team’s progress. Here we mean that if marketing managers go by guesswork, any successive line of subordinates will not be able to emulate profitable marketing campaigns. Devoid of any strategy, such campaigns will always cost you resources and chances to do more in your capacity.

↓Use this marketing plan template to make the smartest move

#3 “It’s tested and tried”

We agree. Devising a marketing plan is no cakewalk. But once you have managed to draft one and patted yourself on the back, it is time to put on your thinking cap for this pitfall. One should not rely on a single strategy for the rest of their tenure as a marketing manager. Saying that it is “tested and tried” can bleak prospects of growth. Choosing the easier route and not reinventing your marketing plans can lead to a one-size-fits-all mindset.

Think of it as following recipes from a cookbook. You can try to modulate and moderate the ingredients once you grasp the concept of making a pancake. But for a different concoction like baking a cake, your guesswork may not hit the right taste buds from the get-go. The result — a sub-standard batter that could have been the crown of the oven but now lies in the bowels of the dustbin.

Here’s the fix: Supplement your marketing plan with ample experiments and AB testing. This can pave the way for better and more precise plans. Make sure that your research and innovation efforts are directed towards creating a unique plan for every product or service you are targeting. This leaves a lot of room for improvements initially, but with time, these tailor-made plans can give a lot of insight into product marketing modules. In fact, the cumulative pointers from each marketing plan can work as a ready-reckoner for hits and misses. Besides, one can also research more techniques of lucrative marketing to make their plan more power-packed.

↓Incorporate this template resource for ultra-flexible marketing campaigns

#4 The MIA syndrome

Any well-meaning company or brand can be guilty of being MIA (missing in action). After all, the illusion of “all is well that works well” can creep in anytime. The MIA syndrome, therefore, is the mistake many marketing managers need to dodge at all costs. When you are not part of the conversation in your niche, you miss out on an incredible opportunity to emerge as a relatable brand. In fact, those satisfied with monthly targets getting fulfilled by occasional meetings and ad displays are playing it safe.

But this is where the MIA syndrome gets tricky (and damaging). Not taking to prospective channels of brand communication can limit your scope of customer acquisition. Moreover, lack of presence online, for instance, can be perceived by your prospective buyers as a disconnect, giving your competitors a leg up.

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#5 The gung ho syndrome

If marketing managers dial back to when Pepsi roped in Kendal Jenner for their marketing campaign echoing the Black Lives Matter movement, they are sure to find a lesson or two. The snafu led to a widespread outcry over the beverage brand jumping into the conversation for all the wrong reasons. Pepsi pulled the campaign with clarifications amid a controversy that still singes. This is where we have the gung ho syndrome at play in the background.

As opposed to its MIA counterpart, the gung ho syndrome shows up when marketing managers get overexcited with the possibility of adding to a conversation. To this effect, they reach out to almost every platform of voice, whether online or off, and then, inevitably, fall into a trap that they seem to have laid themselves. Consequently, the brand loses authenticity, not to mention a decent chunk of customer interest.

Here’s the fix: How do you not be gung ho? There is an inherent excitement for more and better. However, the simplest solution is to find out where your brand message can be relatable and effective. To that effect, you can analyze your customer profile and avoid being the omnipresent logo with the blue tick. Be where your listeners expect you to. A soft drink company may not always figure out the right context for a turbulent topic. Therefore, marketing managers should draft a well-thought-out communication plan, replete with resources and channels for voicing the brand. This step can also eliminate errors (and misplaced tweets and videos too).

↓Make an informed choice with this fully editable communication plan template

#6 Losing consistency

It’s a constant strife for getting noticed in the market. But large companies (and successful ones at that) are doing something that many do not deem worth emulating — consistency. The ambit of marketing is not limited to impressing a customer once and just going about your way. It is a journey that demands a persistent drive to connect with the customers. However, many marketing managers seem to lose this skill for survival over time.

By consistency here we mean two aspects — brand activity and brand design. Marketing professionals ignore consistency in activity to engage their customers. In fact, they miss out on perfect opportunities that their competitors take advantage of. The second issue is inconsistent design. When those at the helm of brand success ignore the importance of impressive design, it leads to a cascading effect that ultimately erases the company from the consumer's mind.

Here’s the fix: Use quality checklists that include consistency parameters like frequency, relevance, and content type. Also, when you invest in good design, you are already cementing an image in the consumer’s mind that you are not just a silhouette; you have a persona to associate with. Additionally, you can ensure consistency using marketing activity planners and connect them with these quality checklists for maximum effect. So whenever you plan out a campaign, you can see that the end product conforms to the highest quality and efficiency standards.

↓Stay consistent with this handy marketing activity planner

#7 Not leveraging influencers

Let’s face it. Celebrity endorsements are a resource-monger for all the right reasons. Getting A-list stars to promote your product or service may seem like a good step for your high-spirited glory days. But what marketing managers often ignore is that the customer is looking for solutions in the corners that call out to them; the corners that make them feel valued, emotional, or entertained. Companies think influencer marketing is a white elephant that takes a lot of negotiation and tete-a-tete. Therefore, they do not chase the idea in the first place.

↓Make waves by utilizing this influencer marketing strategy template

#8 Audio is crucial too

The journey to exploring alternative channels of marketing can be overwhelming for marketing managers. But if they take a finer lens and weigh their options carefully, they will find avenues that, though seemingly forbidden, are actually fortune magnets. This brings us to the next mistake that marketing managers make — not leveraging audio content.

With every passing second, a mobile phone switches on a live audio stream on a Spotify channel that engages the listener almost immediately. Leading content marketing thought leaders have been vouching for audiobooks and podcasts as the future of on-the-go entertainment. So if you have been walking the walk for a long time with your readable content, not talking the talk will be a terrible mistake for your inbound marketing efforts.

Here’s the fix: We will not simply set you off by saying, “Start a podcast.” Rather we will advise you on taking baby steps. Is the niche market actually responsive to brand audio? Is it just a stock sound or something catchy for the ears? Once you arrive at the sound you need, test it out in your video content. Align the sound with your presentation and let it grow organically into a brand tune. Thereafter, test the waters with simple and thoughtful podcasts and promote the links. Patience is key, and experimentation is the keychain.

↓Join the conversations that matter through this podcast presentation slide

#9 Ignoring data insights

Inbound marketing gives marketing managers the advantage of attracting, engaging, and delighting the customers with relatable content and campaigns. You move from ads that inspire to emails that get clicks to subscriptions that keep on coming. But at the background of all this merriment is data. Some insights can help businesses grow their customer base based solely on what works and what goes viral.

Unfortunately, there is a misconception about a key aspect that marketing honchos tend to have — learning from data. Such is the word-of-mouth about tools that can help maximize a company’s potential, yet countless people fail to invest in them. This ultimately leads to a wild goose chase of viral clickbait that no one really cares about. For added effect, this also makes your business lose potential over time.

Here’s the fix: Invest in analytics. The blind shot cannot work every time. Analyze your ad spend, resources, and methodologies using technology that can take you above and beyond your competitors. Google Analytics? Sure. Alexa? Have that. SEMRush? Why not? Bottom line, work according to what data says. Make changes in your SEO strategy according to that. You can also use in-house resource tracking tools to enhance your revenue streams. Additionally, it helps one align these tools to their marketing KPIs (key performance indicators) and record insights into performance tracking dashboards.

↓Track your investments and growth with this effective KPI dashboard template

#10 Failing to create customer experience

When companies start with inbound or outbound marketing, the urge to get everything on your plate can cloud judgments. In fact, the most common mistake that eats into marketing budgets is the “we do” mindset. But the customer is not looking for your “we do”. They are simply looking to get their problem solved. As a result of such myopic vision, sales plummet, putting every strategy in troubled waters.

The mistake can also trickle down to your long-term goals. Failure to impart value to the customer can make retention a hard nut to crack. There are no accomplished targets if there is no retention, which ultimately puts a marketing manager’s job in jeopardy. Additionally, it hollows out the conversion funnels, leading to abysmal lead generation, leaving no scope for the brand to reach its fullest potential.

Here’s the fix: Give the customer a reason to experience your brand. Leverage various content formats to satiate their desires. What cuts a long story short is the following tweet by Marketing Showrunners founder and author Jay Acunzo.

Every creative person I know is trying to make what matters.

The motivation they feel, the boss or client they like/dislike, the works they admire—it all comes back to the endless pursuit of one idea.

Not “drive sales” or “unlock growth” or “rank #1.”

Make what matters.

— Jay Acunzo (@jayacunzo) October 11, 2020

Conclusion

David Ogilvy rightly said, “Develop your eccentricities while you are young; that way, when you get old, people won’t think you are going gaga.” The Father of Advertising might have given a wake-up call (or an instruction manual) to marketing managers of the 21^st century this way. In essence, this is what every marketing professional has to live by. They have to find their eccentricities while staying true to their mission of striking a deep connection with the customer. Sure, they can make mistakes on their way as they grow. But it’s nothing that this handy guide and our templates will not solve. And on that parting note, I think it’s time for me to get back to Michael with a nice template, before he goes gaga.