Marketing Manifesto
Wed, Sep 5th, 2018
#MarketingManifesto1
#MarketingManifesto (PART 1 of 3)
Let’s have a real honest conversation. I know some of you won’t like what you’re going to hear; but quite frankly, you need to hear it...
Every time I scroll through social media, I am inundated with SPONSORED ADS from all these different no-name, clearly amateur, “marketing agencies”. And every one of them is promoting some nonsensical scheme they have concocted that is “Guaranteed to Grow Your Business Online”. Well, I have news for you guys…they’re BS.
There are no “magic beans. No “revolutionary funnel”. NOTHING!
There is and never will be an easy, one-size-fits-all solution.
The only way to make it in the digital world is through the deliberate application of skills and knowledge. And just like in life, those skills and knowledge are often very hard-earned. Skills are honed over tens of thousands of hours typing away at a keyboard. Knowledge is learned from past mis-steps.
THAT is what makes you a successful digital marketer; not a logo from some overseas website and some cheap pens with your name on it.
#MarketingManifesto2
#MarketingManifesto (PART 2 of 3)
It is my sincere displeasure to share this with everyone, but it really REALLY makes our industry look bad…
So many local small business owners have been burned by a “digital marketing agency” before. It’s always the same crummy story. They sold you a bill of goods for digital success; success that was severely over-promised and then, ultimately under-delivered. There were mistakes made online that, simply put, cost YOUR business unquantifiable sums of money.
I don’t want to “rub your nose” in the past. That’s not what I’m here to do. I simply want to be as transparent as possible here…and hearing this same story over and over again really pisses me off.
#MarketingManifesto3
#MarketingManifesto (PART 3 of 3)
If you have read my 3-Part #MarketingManifesto, THANK YOU! I’m quite sure that by now many of you may be sick of hearing me rant and rave about the issues that I have with the digital marketing industry as a whole.
That being said, I really have to get this off my chest…
There is a common theme I’ve been noticing in our client meetings as of late that has really been sticking out to me.
Many small business owners seem to go through a “Natural Progression” of sorts, regarding how they opt to meet their digital marketing needs, before they finally decide it’s time to make the change to a professional web development company.
#DIY
First, you (the small business owner) will try to do it yourself; you create social media pages, watch YouTube videos on how to integrate everything and Google any questions you have. Now I certainly can’t knock you for your “Go Get ‘Em” spirit; but to truly succeed online you need to dedicate significant amounts of your time and energy. We both know that as a small business owner, time is money; and many people see other aspects of their business begin to suffer as they spend more and more time trying to manage their digital world.
#CheapDevelopers
After becoming frustrated with the lackluster results, you are seeing from the massive amounts of time you have been putting in, you may recruit someone you know that you really do believe can accomplish your online goals. A lot of the time this is a family member, friend or acquaintance that is either “tech-savvy” or a recent college graduate. The problem is that this individual simply does not have the experience or technical expertise to understand the big picture, thus increasing the likelihood that costly mistakes will be made.
#EntryLevelWebDevelopers
Your sister’s friend’s daughter didn’t work out how you hoped. You know that it’s time to step-up your game and decide that you do, indeed, need a professional; however, cost is still a major concern. So, you try to find the cheapest solution to your digital woes. This more often than not involves outsourcing your web development needs overseas. An overseas firm may be cost-effective, but the obstacles you inevitably encounter (time-zone issues, language barriers, lack of accountability, terrible customer service, etc.) soon become glaringly apparent and you realize that overseas firms are not for you.
Next, you make the decision to hire a local digital marketing agency, but cost is still an issue, so you go with what you perceive to be the “Best Bang for Your Buck”. Unfortunately, many of these digital agencies are NOT full-service, nor are they actual web developers. Yes, they may manage your social media profiles and occasionally stop by to take photos or videos, but these agencies almost always utilize either overseas firms or template-based website building services (cheap template company); all of which will result in a very generic looking site that is sub-par, at best.
#ProfessionalDevelopers
After years of struggling to find the best solution for your business’ digital needs, with extremely limited success, you are no doubt frustrated and “in-pain”. This is where the old adage, “You Get What You Pay For” comes into play. You wouldn’t hire an inexperienced or low-cost attorney or accountant to represent your best interests; the same goes for digital marketing and web development, you simply can’t expect a high-quality product for very little investment.
So, with all that being said, I’m just going to lay it all out there and see what happens…
We are a full-service web development and digital marketing agency, based out of Bonita Springs, Florida; and we are looking to bring 3-5 new clients aboard.
No, we don’t want your business unless you are well-established professionals who are willing to allocate resources to marketing. Simply put we KNOW we can get you the results you and your business deserve; but we are uninterested in doing so unless, like us, you actually take your web presence seriously and trust the process.