Years after I was entrenched in the marketing business I read a statement from the renowned marketing curmudgeon, Dan Kennedy that said, “If you don’t like failure, don’t go into marketing.” Truer words were never spoken. Fortunately, like the concept in the Disney movie Meet The Robinsons, you don’t learn anything from success, but failure teaches you loads. They applauded failure and asked, “what did you learn?” Good businesses learn from their screw ups.
Be Fearless – No one has ever gotten anywhere by being a wimp. If
Instant star or risk taker?
you’re going to show up – show up big! No one buys anything from someone they don’t know. No matter how soft spoken you are as a person or a business, your marketing needs to be loud – metaphorically speaking. Take any celebrity, famous athlete or entrepreneur gone big. They stuck their necks out before they become big, took risks, made bid mistakes, but we laud them for their eventual success.
Embrace Criticism – I have thicker skin than most, but I coach my clients to grow some quickly because once we gain traction someone is bound to criticize you. You must accept this as success! I love it when I strike a nerve with someone because I’m still getting their attention. Sometimes, that person just wants to complain. Others have a definite point to consider. Recently I had an email exchange with someone who raged at me for something she mis-interpreted. I answered in a firm and real way – not by pacifying her like a phone service reps. Now she probably won’t become a client, but her take away will be better than had I ignored her completely.
Fail Spectacularly – With risk comes reward — or failure. Marketers are often given a bad rap because business owners think paying us represents an investment in X number of clients. If you want big rewards you either take bigger risks or take a lot more small risks across more media. (This is why I screen clients, because if you come to me with a half-baked concept without doing the hard work around targeting your clients well all the firms on Madison Avenue couldn’t help you.)
Analysis For The Un-Trained - The new product launch was a flop. You got a fraction of your projections. You need to dissect the entire launch starting with the product and projections. Other than your mother and friends, did you poll your current clients to determine whether this was something they wanted? Who specifically were you targeting? Was it everyone with a car in a 100 mile radius or people with 1985-2002 Dodge trucks? Why did they NEED this product? Was it presented in a way that made them run right out and buy? Was it packaged with other specials and bonuses? And, I haven’t begun to look at the advertising distribution.
Get the idea? You must dissect the failure piece by piece, which is usually very difficult for the business owner to do. Get a pal to help you - particularly if that pal is a “half empty” person. Better yet – invite 1985-2002 Dodge truck owners for a free lunch and ask them directly. Just don’t blame us marketers if we aren’t involved from the very beginning! We really do want to help you succeed.
Paula Pollock is Director of the Pollock Marketing Group: helping business owners attract consistent clients with less effort. To receive her quick-read, weekly marketing tips and her Special Report, “7 Client Attraction Secrets That Will Double Your Income,” CLICK HERE and sign up. www.paulapollock.com
project, sit with yourself quietly for a minute. Ask yourself why you really don’t want to do it. It’s probably something you’re not sure about or afraid to try. If it’s that extra helping or dessert, stop again and ask yourself about the reasons you want to lose weight. Perhaps you have a reunion or a health directive that’s more important. 
