Have you ever thought that there just has to be one thing you could do to propel your business to financial glory?  You are not alone.  Business owners constantly scour competitors’ advertising in search of the missing link.  While it is always good to keep an eye on the competition, proceed with caution.  From the outside, you have no idea what is bringing their success, or what their books look like. There are a lot of illusions out there.

Illusion #1:  With a great new website, I should be at the top of Google search results.  After all, my web designer put SEO keywords into the site.

Truth:  A good SEO foundation on your site is essential; but, it does not replace the rest of the SEO equation that takes place off your site.  The best site in the world will still need external proof that your site is the most relevant on the topic to get Google to prioritize it in search results.  That is where the marketing strategy comes in, and where long-term SEO needs to be applied.

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Illusion #2:  I need as many clicks as possible on my AdWords campaign.  It’s a numbers game.

Truth:  Unless you are running a branding campaign, you absolutely do not want to pay for clicks unless they are what we call “high quality clicks.” 100 clicks from a narrowly targeted campaign are much more desirable than 10,000 clicks on broadly related terms.

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Illusion #3:  I. should be on Facebook.  That’s the place to be these days.

Truth:  In everything you do, do it well.  If you think Facebook is good fit for your business, then post regularly and engagingly.  There are some businesses, however, that just aren’t a good match for the social realm.  If that is true for your business, leave Facebook alone.

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Illusion #4:  There is a magic bullet.  If I keep trying everything, I’ll hit on it.  You’ll see.

Truth:  There is no magic bullet except knowledge and hard work.  Most people just simply don’t stick with one thing long enough to see if it works. That’s where a marketing strategy can save you from wasting time and money flipping from one marketing tool or provider to another (pro-tip: that won’t do anything for you in terms of building your business, and will actually end up confusing your target audience).

 

When deeply engaged in growing a business, it is sometimes necessary to back up a little to see if any of our initial assumptions were off the mark.  Otherwise, we could potentially be like a third grade gifted kid who never learned the months of the year.  In other words, we get ahead of ourselves.

Many different types of marketing can work, given enough time and hard work.  We love Internet Marketing because of its efficiency, reach, and measurability.   But, there are other things that can complement a solid Internet presence, and it starts with a marketing strategy.

For real success, work with professionals you trust and give it everything you’ve got, plus a good dose of patience. It will pay off!