What's The Problem With Ad-Hoc Marketing?

Many business owners believe that marketing is a relatively simple exercise. Something that they can manage on their own, for the most part. They may wish to add or change elements or some content on their website. Sometimes, they may look to design a brochure for their prospects. Or, they may look at reworking or putting together any other kind of a marketing campaign, plan, or promotion with the intention of building their list of prospects and enhancing their business.

And there is nothing wrong with a business owner managing their own marketing. That is, as long as they understand that each individual piece of a promotional undertaking is actually an underlying element of a bigger plan.

So what the heck is ad-hoc marketing?

Well, let me explain:

Recently, I was approached by a prospect who was looking to change up his corporate website. He had spent a lot of money and had spent a lot of time on what eventually became four different variations of the website. And after all that, he still had not managed to get what he wanted. The various marketing companies that had been hired had been either unwilling or unable to understand the ultimate goal of the business owner in articulating his vision and the brand of his business.

When this prospect approached me, he was understandably very frustrated. He was looking for someone to rewrite the content of his website in a way that would be more appealing to his target audience. As I explained to him, if he was simply looking for a copywriter he could hire any one of a number of people who would be happy to simply fill his pages with content. I explained to him that although this might be a quick fix, it was unlikely that he would ever end up satisfied with the final product for the long-term, and that he would most likely end up having to do yet another redesign and remake of his website.

Unfortunately, this guy is a techie. It didn’t help that he didn’t grasp the importance of designing his site and creating content that would “speak” to his ideal client. Concepts that were simple for him were way too complex for his prospects to grasp. And, unless he was willing to let go of controlling the content, he would never develop a site that attracted anyone but his competition.

Which leads me to the reason for this article.

The unfortunate trap that many business owners fall into when attempting to either do their own marketing or doing their marketing on an ad-hoc basis is this: there is a complete lack of synergy between the different elements of their marketing efforts. Each element of the pieces that make up a marketing plan and the individual marketing campaigns is a part of a bigger puzzle. Consider what would happen if you took one piece from five different puzzles and tried to make each of those pieces fit together. It wouldn’t be very pretty, and it certainly wouldn’t have the results you would hope for!

The Science of Marketing:

So, once again I come back to the reality that there is a science to marketing. As a marketing strategist, it is my role to help the business owner see the complete picture and understand how all of the pieces fit together. In the example that I provided above, I advised the business owner that for him to end up satisfied with the website that would serve his company’s interests, it is imperative to understand and to develop a marketing strategy that encompasses both his immediate and long-term goals, and how best to apply this in order to attract the proper prospects while retaining his current clients.

Creating a proper marketing strategy is building the foundation of your communication and promotional efforts. This blueprint creates the framework and gives the guidance to move your business forward in a structured and measurable fashion, providing the results you want to achieve. Therefore, try to avoid Band-Aid solutions and quick fixes if you are hoping to obtain positive measurable results.

About
Latest Posts

Follow me!

Nancy Boisvert

President & Marketing Director at Agapi Marketing & Consulting, Ltd.

Nancy Boisvert is a professional marketing consultant with over 3 decades of experience. During this time, she has helped countless entrepreneurs understand and hone their marketing programs.
She knows that in order to have a successful marketing plan, one must be able to see the whole picture and understand the interaction of the business model and the personalities, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the people involved. She knows how to analyze the viability of a business model, and applies her real world knowledge and experience to all projects.
Nancy has a wide range of hands-on expertise, including working with political parties, public companies, and private businesses in both the business-to-business and business-to -consumer arenas.
In March of 2017, Nancy was invited to become a member of the Advisory Board of the Advanced Marketers Institute, an organization dedicated to elevating small marketing agencies into elite marketing consultancies through the provision of training, structure, software, and community.
Nancy’s unique combination of experience and business skills makes her services highly sought after, and her advice and consultation invaluable to her many clients.