Comments on: Two Key Mistakes Marketers Make Every Day

By: J Brown

J Brown — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:46:08 +0000

I could tell you why I feel about your article the way I do (which I LOVED by the way)…but it’s already been said by the others.

Great post!

By: Is Your Marketing Pilot Light Lit? » Media Emerging

Is Your Marketing Pilot Light Lit? » Media Emerging — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:22:02 +0000

[...] a thermocouple into your marketing strategy will help you avoid making mistakes. As a blogger, I use a few easy tools to notify me of “hiccups” in my marketing and [...]

By: jaywalk1

jaywalk1 — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:25:24 +0000

Spot on David. On top of us not speaking for the whole target market, we always need to remember that we come from a PR and Marketing background. We can see, understand, disect and appreciate several components of a campaign that average consumers may never notice. This doesn’t make us better, but it certainly makes us different. Something amazing to us, may not seem so hot to others and may not be appreciated. On the flip, something we think is basic and overlook might really strike a chord with lots of consumers.

By: PRJack

PRJack — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:59:38 +0000

It was ‘worse’ when using today’s measurement metrics. At the time, it was more the norm so didn’t seem so bad… or to be honest, even if seen as a concern doing something about it fell into the ‘law of diminishing returns’ back then.

By: davidmullen

davidmullen — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:25:50 +0000

@PRJack – if it was once worse than it currently is now, then I can imagine I would have pulled my hair out then! I still see it pretty often, whether it’s from clients, colleagues or bloggers ranting on someone else’s marketing initiative.

@Beth – Chris’ Kmart “controversy” and the Motrin Moms debacle both came to mind as I wrote this post. Excellent examples, especially of the second mistake.

@Terry – Thanks. Let’s email the post to people after they make the mistake in meetings. (just kidding… kind of.)

@Kirk – Great addition. I’ve seen that happen recently, too. Glad you brought it up here.

@Arik – Thanks. I’ve learned a few tricks about shaping the content of a conversation along the way in this business.

By: Arik Hanson

Arik Hanson — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:53:23 +0000

What I find most interesting about this post, Dave, is your advice on how to redirect the conversation when discussing with a client. These kinds of skills separate the counselors from the tacticians. Well done, sir.

By: Kirk Phillips

Kirk Phillips — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 02:14:29 +0000

I have a related mistake to add: Mistaking one member of a focus group as the spokesperson for the target audience.

Have you ever witnessed this? A colleague or client selects one member of a focus group whose perspective they happen to agree with and proclaims, “That’s our customer!” This, in total denial of the opinions of the rest of the group. Be careful with selective hearing!

By: Terry Morawski

Terry Morawski — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:42:30 +0000

I think what you just described are two of the most common mistakes made in our field. The age demographic is a good example of this. There was a time in my life where I wished jazz would be extinct as an art form. Now, I love jazz. And, I could completely change my mind tomorrow. I’d venture to say I’m not the only consumer that has ever changed their mind, or attitude, about a product.
You reminded me of too many people I run into that make decisions almost solely on whether “they” would buy an idea.
Nicely written, and something that needed to be said. Thanks.

By: PRJack

PRJack — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:38:02 +0000

And indeed in the Motrin case a portion of the audience that believed they spoke for the entire audience!

By: Beth Harte

Beth Harte — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:28:30 +0000

Amen! I used to see those mistakes made internally all the time… from PR to product development. I have seen services developed based on one hallway comment and an “oh yeah, they’d buy that!” Really… Can you imagine developing a service that actually took some data center infrastructure costs and partner investment to pick up slack based on a hallway conversation and the notion that you “got” the audience?! WOW! But it happens all the time…

A sign of a good marketer is that they don’t fall into that trap and they ask the tough questions. It seems to me that marketers sometimes forget that you need proof that a target market exists…that’s why marketing research will never go away.

And from a social media perspective, do I even need to mention Chris Brogan’s KMart post or Motrin?! Both were riddled with posts from marketers who thought they spoke for the audience.