I hate to be the one to tell you this, but if you haven't already worked it out there are no guaranteed results with marketing. However, there are things that you can do to improve your results.

In this article I'm going to bust some common myths surrounding the topic of marketing and some interesting steps you can take to move forward.

Marketing Myth 1: 

"I'll do one promotion with my prospective target market and make heaps of sales!"

One touch is not enough! It can literally take up to six plus contacts with the same person before they purchase. With this in mind, create marketing campaigns that have various touch points with your prospective consumers and engage them in your business. This is not about telling them about you, it is about expressing the kind of experience they will get when they deal with you. 

Marketing Myth 2:

"I'll get some PR in my local paper and I'll be run off my feet!"

Ok, yes it can happen if it's the right kind of PR, however typically if it isn't positioned well, it is more than likely going to be a credibility building factor. You will however be able to leverage off of this to convert more prospects to clients. Once again, it is consistency. Consistency with the same target market seeing your message over and over again. Regular PR will have a greater overall impact than a once off here or there.

Marketing Myth 3:

"I'll send out an email campaign to my database and make tonnes of sales!" 

Yes this can happen if you've been in consistent contact with them and you have a substantially sized database. Just think of the last time you saw an advert for the first time and you had planned to act on it? You may have had all the good intentions in the world. However, life gets in the way and we forget. You're prospects are no different! If you are consistently exposed to a marketing message you will eventually act on it when the time is right as will your prospects. Consistent and regular emails have greater impact. Make them informative to your prospects and educate them on key topics relevant to their needs. This way you will build a trusting relationship with them overtime and you will increase brand awareness and overall loyalty to your product and service.

Last of all, don't give up too soon. It takes time to create marketing messages that make impact and sales. Practice, practice, practice and first and foremost, educate yourself on ways you can improve your marketing to improve your results. As I said, there are simply no guaranteed results, however by improving key factors you will greatly increase your chances of making it work for you.

Copyright 2008 Ben Angel

Guaranteed Marketing Results, Marketing Myth