The question that must be asked

It’s easy to focus on the wrong things:

Your logo when your message is weak.

The people who will never be your customers.

Your email marketing platform while the content of your emails doesn’t work.

Your office decor while your people feel ignored.

Pleasing the C-level with your website without giving your visitors a simple user experience.

Attending an industry event without a clear business reason for being there.

Publishing on social media without a directed voice.

Latching onto buzzwords like content marketing without fully understanding content or marketing.

Trying too hard to keep up with everyone else rather than amping up your difference.

Listening too much to the loudest talkers in real estate while ignoring the biggest dealmakers.

Watching your competitor without cultivating your own strategy.

Doing what you’re asked to do without questioning the value of the task.

Chasing every lead while letting your past customers become someone else’s.

Features and benefits rather than your intended users’ needs and use cases.

Design with no message.

We’ve all done these things.

Here’s an idea:

To bring more focus to your marketing in 2017, start with one question:

Why are we here?

No really, why are we here?

You will need to ask a few more follow-up, “but why’s”.

Then ask, who cares?

Done right, this line of questioning should eventually lead you to your unique difference. And that difference is where you can bring clarity and focus to your marketing.

It’ll guide the message in your 2017 marketing campaign.

It’ll guide your email marketing plan.

It’ll direct thoughtful, interesting social ads.

It’ll thread together your sales team’s talking points.

It may even help write your product roadmap.

Point is, it’s good to hit pause like this at times – when you feel you’re running on all cylinders but not getting anywhere. When your marketing has become fuzzy. When you feel constantly pressed for time.

You’ll end up with a more sustainable, effective marketing plan and campaigns.

And people will hear you much more clearly.