Do any of these three thoughts ever cross your mind? You might want to think again. Your business is at stake.
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I tried it once. It didn’t work.
No promotional strategy will ever work if you try it only once. I would even venture to say that most substantial things in life will not pay off if you approach them as a one shot deal. Think of losing weight, quitting smoking, looking for a job or even learning to read. They are all processes, and marketing is no different. Getting your name out there and building a brand takes time and repeated action, because it takes time for people to notice you, trust you and want to do business with you.
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We are not at the point where we need marketing. Once sales improve, we will.
In this particular case, there is no “chicken or the egg” discussion. Your sales will improve once you start marketing your product or service. There will be no divine intervention or magic trick that will drive your sales up with no promotion. Marketing is a necessary part of your business operations, and not a luxury reserved for companies that have already established themselves. This is particularly true nowadays, as small and medium-size businesses have a slew of opportunities to engage in affordable online marketing activities.
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Marketing does not really apply to my industry.
I recently heard a phrase that says it all: “You are in the marketing industry regardless of the industry you are in.” I couldn’t agree more.