| You see them every day-self serving marketing | | | | prospects as they compare you to |
| messages, cliché-riddled business cards, | | | | alternatives, after you have already gotten |
| and sales letters that do little more than | | | | their attention with a message that relates |
| ramble on about a company that you couldn't | | | | directly to them.3. Weak calls to |
| care less about. This marketing dead weight | | | | actionImagine writing a brilliant sales |
| doesn't compel you to respond or buy, but | | | | letter, free of clichés and puffery. From |
| instead just bores you with meaningless | | | | the first sentence your readers are |
| babble.Why is so much marketing so pointless? | | | | captivated by your thorough understanding of |
| The short answer is time and effort. The | | | | their needs and your clear solutions to their |
| easier it is for businesses to rely on | | | | problems. So how do you end it? With a weak |
| filler, the less they have to actually think | | | | "Give me a call any time to discuss your |
| about what the customer really cares about. | | | | needs". After all that build up, don't go |
| Unfortunately for them, the less they think | | | | limp at the end when a strong call to action |
| about the customer, the less relevant their | | | | is needed to pull prospects through to the |
| marketing becomes.Your own marketing doesn't | | | | next step. Tell them what to do and |
| make the same mistake, does it? Of course | | | | why.4. Silly clip artHere are 3 stock photos |
| not! But just to be safe, here are some | | | | that are guaranteed to add excess tonnage of |
| examples of marketing dead weight to keep an | | | | dead weight to your marketing, web site and |
| eye out for. If you find any of these in your | | | | business cards:a. Two hands shaking (intended |
| own marketing, eliminate them without | | | | message: Done deal, let's do business |
| mercy.1. ClichésThe business cliché is | | | | together, partnership. Real message: I needed |
| the most popular form of dead weight thanks | | | | a colorful picture on my web site and I had |
| to lazy corporate marketers and the small | | | | no idea what else to use.)b. Skyscrapers |
| business owners and self-employed | | | | (random or city specific, intended message: |
| professionals who follow their poor examples | | | | Big, strong, important. Actual message: We |
| of "professional" writing for their own | | | | are a tiny business trying to look bigger and |
| material. Here are the worst | | | | more important than we really are.)c. 2-4 |
| offenders:- "Premiere provider", "Number 1", | | | | models/executives all huddled around a |
| "The Best". It's amazing how many businesses | | | | computer screen and smiling like they just |
| all happen to be the best in their | | | | had a group lobotomy. (intended message: |
| industries. If you are going to claim to be | | | | ???)If you want to dress up your website or |
| the best in any particular area, back it up | | | | brochure with pretty pictures, use |
| with measurable facts, preferably from a | | | | photographs that are at least mildly |
| reputable 3rd party. Also keep in mind that | | | | original, differentiate you from your |
| being "the best" probably means more to you | | | | competition and communicate something |
| than to a prospect who is simply looking for | | | | relevant to your market.5. Too many |
| "good enough".- "Committed to Excellence", | | | | wordsEvery part of your marketing arsenal has |
| "Customer Focused", "Results Oriented", | | | | a word budget-the exact number of words that |
| "Win-Win", "Integrity", "Value-Add". These | | | | it will take to get your prospects to take |
| clichés attempt to take credit for basic | | | | action. The more unnecessary words you use, |
| business skills. Of course you're customer | | | | the fewer people will maintain interest and |
| focused, committed to excellence and results | | | | finish reading. Be brutal in your editing and |
| oriented! If you weren't, you'd be out of | | | | get rid of every letter that doesn't support |
| business. These types of statements are | | | | your core message and offer.The sooner you |
| simply empty promises of value. Instead, | | | | rid your marketing of dead weight, the sooner |
| demonstrate your excellence with samples, | | | | you can refocus on why you are in business |
| case studies and testimonials that let others | | | | and what will motivate prospects to hire |
| brag for you.2. Focusing too much on the | | | | you.By Marcus Schaller, Managing Editor of |
| company, not the customerNo one cares about | | | | Purple Dot Magazine ( a free online |
| your company, how long you've been around, or | | | | publication covering marketing, sales and |
| how professional your staff photo looks. Your | | | | public relations for small businesses and |
| company info will only matter to your | | | | self-employed professionals. |