Measure Twice, Cut Once!
By Sandra Pearce, MPA Media Marketing Manager
What does this have to do with marketing? I'm glad you asked!
When I was growing up, my single mother of six children was determined to teach us how to fix and build things. She believed there is absolutely no reason to pay someone else to do what you can do yourself. And being a very large family, wasting anything was just not an option. That was especially true of money, and materials to fix or build something cost money. So does marketing, as we all know. You can no more build a bench without wood than you can build a company without marketing.
Here's the measure twice, cut once connection. When you're building or fixing something and you have to cut one piece of wood, wire, pipe, etc. to fit where you need them to go, you better measure correctly before you make that first cut. So, the rule is measure twice, cut once. The same rule is true in marketing. It particularly applies to knowing what you need to accomplish before you decide what marketing "materials" to use.
First, know what you want when you're done. Think of your marketing plan as a blueprint to make something like shelves, a table or a bench. Decide what you're building. Only then can you determine the right amount of materials needed so you don't over buy or under buy to get the job done. The biggest pitfall is this: If you don't know exactly what you're trying to make before you start cutting up the wood, you might just wind up with a bunch of pieces of wood that don't fit where you need them to and some sawdust and nothing functional to show for it.
It's not enough to say you want a cabinet, anymore than simply saying you want new customers, or that you want to sell more to the ones you have. You have to have a plan, or blueprint, if you will. I can get a lot of cabinet doors out of one piece of 4 x 8 wood if I plan and measure carefully to build a cabinet. But if I can't decide between that and a bench, I could easily wind up sitting on the floor next to a pile of stuff that I don't have a cabinet to put it all in.
I can replace every fuel line in my 1964 car with one 6-foot piece, if I plan ahead. But if I just start cutting before I know every length of every piece needed, I'll wind up right back at the auto parts store buying another two foot piece while four six inch pieces are on the garage floor, wasted. And, I'll be driving there in another car because this one is not going anywhere until I spend more money.
Second, find out how many potential new customers there are and then determine how many you can realistically get, and in what amount of time. This will be your blueprint to build your company. But you are not done yet. You need more than wood to build a cabinet. You also need hinges, nails, knobs and paint. To market your products, you need advertising, branding, sales, service and customer feedback. What those elements are usually differ for each company.
After that, determine how much money you think you need to invest to get them, grow them and keep them. That's the building budget. Then find the right building materials, or marketing channels, to make that happen.
Once you start, don't forget to measure. The success of each of the elements you are using individually and as a campaign can be very telling. Most of the time marketing platforms together have far greater success than they do standing on their own.
From my perspective and experience, the most successful marketing plans are the ones that were thoughtfully planned, blueprinted, executed according to plan, then measured, adjusted and measured again. There's that measure twice cut once connection again. Creating a blueprint for marketing that's unique to you, your budget and your goals gives you the best chance to succeed cost effectively. Doing it with an understanding of your market, your place in it and what you want improves your success rate.
Only you know what has worked in the past, what sales messages have been successful and most importantly, you have the passion for your product that can motivate your future customers.
Happy Building!
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