Five Marketing Myths, Debunked

They say there’s two sides to every story.

And when it comes to marketing, we want you to be on the right side. That’s why we’ve outlined five of the most common marketing misconceptions, so you can make the most out of your marketing efforts, and allow your brand to flourish and evolve – much like the ever-changing world of marketing.

Myth #1. “Marketing and advertising are the same thing.”

Marketing and advertising – two words that are often used synonymously. But are they the same? The answer is no.

Advertising is an important component or form of marketing communication where a company pays for space to promote their product, service, or cause outside of their business. But marketing, as a whole, engages a much broader range of ways for customers to connect to a brand (such as your website, social media, customer service, sales materials, etc.), looking long-term, beyond the success of a single ad campaign.

Myth #2. “Marketing is easy – anyone can do it.”

Marketing – easy peasy, lemon squeezy, right? Wrong.

Many novices to the marketing game believe that marketing is a simple process, with little need for research and planning. They could not be more wrong. Marketing [link to When to Hire a Marketing Agency] requires creativity, time, and dedication. And lots of it if you want your efforts to pay off.

Myth #3. “Marketing is only meant to acquire new customers.”

It’s only natural to commit a good portion of your marketing efforts to acquiring new customers – but that’s only half the battle. The other half is keeping them coming back for more. Maintaining a relationship with your customers requires proving the lifetime value of your product or service.

Myth #4. “Quality products and services will sell themselves.”

Humility will go a long way here.

Key to a successful business? Staying ahead of the competition and continually communicating your competitive difference. With the millions of small businesses rooted in the US alone, you can count on the fact that somebody out there is selling what you’re selling, so why should someone buy from you?

Marketing your product or service is vital. Think about the major corporations you engage with every day. Walmart, Apple Inc., Ford, Pepsi – do they every stop advertising? Never. Neither should you.

Myth #5. “These days, everything is digital – so online marketing is all I need to be successful.”

Yes, digital marketing is a major part of today’s business. But this doesn’t mean that you should abandon offline marketing all together. Billboards, brochures, radio ads, jazzy product packaging, bathroom advertising, and even your customer service practices still go a long way – especially if your target audience isn’t a part of the more (ahem) tech-savvy generation.

Well, hopefully we didn’t rock your world too much. We know it can be hard to separate fact from fiction, but that’s what we’re here for.

Creative. Experienced. Black and white.

Let’s talk.