The Rookie
As a kid, I always looked forward to track & field season near the end of the school year. I loved running the 100m and usually walked away in 3rd or 4th place. Except one day my coach pulled me aside and said “I want to you to run in the next race, the 200m.” I was a little taken back since I always ran the 100m, but was excited at the opportunity.
My coach gave me some great advice that day, one of the most important things he said was “stick to your own pace, regardless of what others are doing, regardless of your adrenaline, and regardless of your nerves.” He said, “Just run it as you’ve always run, you just have a little farther to go.” So I lined up and waited for the starting shot to ring, the whole time replaying my coach’s words in my head “stick to your own pace.” As the shot rang I found myself staring at the back of the other competitors, but the words of my coach kept invading my thoughts with every stride I took. As we rounded the 100m mark, I began to notice I was gaining ground. As we continued, I kept my pace as instructed and started overtaking the others one by one until I passed the finish line in 1st place. The rookie in me couldn’t see what the veteran really saw. My coach was able to see where my weaknesses were and where my strengths truly were.
At some point in our lives we have all been the rookie, full of passion, excitement, and ready to take on the world. We go full force, pushing harder and harder no matter what gets in our way. However, it’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all that we don’t always reflect on our weaknesses or our strengths. In business, I have always put an emphasis on doing our own thing and running our own race regardless of what the competition is doing. So here are a few tips that we have learned along the way that will help you avoid the most common rookie mistakes.
Mistake 1: Being in a Rush
Good marketing comes from planning and preparation. Sure sometimes you can get lucky when something spontaneous happens. However, we usually don’t achieve the desired outcome when there is little planning involved and we end up looking unprepared since no follow up has been planned.
Mistake 2: Too Wordy
Our marketing messages should be short and to the point. Even if you are selling a book you need your messages to be clear, drive action, and be to the point. You only have your viewer’s attention for a few seconds so make it count.
Mistake 3: Looking for the Quick and Easy
Marketing is never quick and easy, if it were then everyone would be millionaires and we would be selling the shirts off of our backs. Marketing takes time and usually gains results through repetition. We rarely buy based off of first introductions as it takes repetition to gradually gain our trust and ultimately our conversion.
Mistake 4: Pushy Car Salesmen Tactics
Regardless of how your sales are performing don’t resort to pushy car salesmen tactics. Words like “BUY NOW,” or “Limited Time Offer,” tend to breed an environment of distrust and turn many consumers off. You can often deliver the same messages in a more appealing approach that your customers will appreciate and respect.
Mistake 5: Don’t Throw it all on the Line
Don’t try to hand out the biggest deals and promotions, even though you may think it will attract more customers. If you give away too much your product will become devalued and customers may end up thinking that there is a hidden catch. When Apple has a promotion, it’s never a large one. They have done a fabulous job of maintaining their brand’s reputation, value, and have never sacrificed on their products’ price points.
Mistake 6: Taking Offence
I know that you’re super excited that you just sent out this huge email marketing piece, but one of your subscribers has just opted out, meaning that they don’t want to receive your marketing information again. In business sometimes someone will not like or want what you are offering. Do not get offended, as it’s part of the process. Just keep running the race and you will gain new subscribers in time.
Mistake 7: Failure to Listen to the Coach
My coach advised me to “run the race at my own pace.” However, he did not say, “stop, take a break, and then continue when you are good.” It’s easy in business to let other things take priority over your marketing. However, it is very difficult to gain back that lost ground once you stop. This is because marketing is built upon consistency, earning consumers’ trust, allowing them time to make a good buying decision, and letting them know that you are here for the long haul. If you find that you do not have enough time to keep on top of your marketing, then hire a company to help you out. Don’t make a rookie mistake by getting tied up with tasks that are less significant as marketing yourself is the one of the best things you can do to gain new ground.