Beyond the Hype: Separating Fact from Fiction in Marketing

Marketing is interesting and creative but it can be challenging, and overwhelming. We all would love a quick fix, or to find the silver bullet - and many people online are only too happy to make golden promises which don’t pan out or sell you products which are questionable at best - unfortunately there isn’t a single magic bullet. With marketing and branding there are infinite options and combinations of strategies which can reap excellent results, and none of them are instantaneous. As with any good relationship, they all require thought, care, creativity, monitoring, adjusting and persistence. Be cautious of anyone who tries to tell you otherwise.

Here are 4 examples of questionable marketing advice I’ve seen recently. It makes me feel so sad when I see small businesses spending valuable time and money on dodgy advice or solutions that won’t work and will most likely make problems which have to be sorted out later. I like to think that marketing people who know their stuff will always tell you the truth about whether they can help you or not - even if that means losing a sale. That’s the sign of an experienced and ethical operator.

And here’s my ranty list of a few marketing “strategies” to be mindful of if you are looking for solutions…

1. You should buy followers on social media.

   Don’t listen to anyone telling you this. Buying followers on social media may seem like a quick way to boost your follower count, but it’s a HUGE no-no. It’s banned on all platforms and your follower count is just vanity metrics - and it’s a risky and unethical strategy. Here’s why…

   1. Lack of Engagement: Purchased followers are often fake or inactive accounts, meaning they won't engage with your content or contribute to meaningful interactions. Having a large number of followers who don't engage with your content can actually harm your brand's reputation and credibility. Facebook and Instagram penalise your account health for lack of engagement and is could put your commerce or advertising accounts at risk. The rule of thumb is quality over quantity at all times.

   2. Low engagement impacts your organic reach. Social media platforms prioritise engagement and authenticity when determining the reach of your content. The quicker your audience engages with your content, the algorithm thinks - hang on this content is on fire, people love it let’s send it out to more people! If your followers are fake or unengaged, your posts are less likely to be shown to genuine users, leading to limited organic reach.

   3. Buying followers goes against the fundamental principle of social media, which is to build genuine connections and engage with real people. It can damage the trust of your existing audience when they discover or notice your inflated follower count, potentially leading to a loss of credibility.

   4. If you have already bought followers or have purchased a business with inactive followers and you are in a pickle - the only solution is slow and steady deleting of those accounts. Instagram will pick up any mass unfollows and you will be locked out of your account. Continue with your usual account posting and use of the platform and delete between 25 - 100 accounts each day at different times of the day (err on the side of 25 as there isn’t a hard and fast rule, but you don’t want to get locked out, and it won’t give you a warning). Instagram will pick up and flag anything which doesn’t look like normal human behaviour, so don’t do them all at once or at the same time every day for example.

2. You can buy email databases for better results with your EDM’s.

   As above, purchasing email databases may appear tempting for quickly building a large subscriber list, but again … just no. Back in the day I remember you could choose from catalogues of databases and select one dependant on your target demographic - email spam wasn’t a thing yet and mostly we sent out catalogues in the mail - people would opt in to receive promotional mail. But I’m sure it wasn’t long before people were selling their databses and it all went a bit haywire. Thankfully now there are laws about selling personal information and who you can contact and how. So here’s a few reasons NOT to buy an email databases.

   1. Lack of Permission: Buying email databases means you're contacting individuals who haven't explicitly given consent to receive emails from you - you’ll have no idea where the emails are from, they could even be outdated or inaccurate . Sending unsolicited emails not only violates privacy laws, but it can also result in high unsubscribe rates, spam complaints, and damage to your sender reputation. All email platforms like mailchimp and Klayvio are on high alert for unethical mailing practices and it will affect your usage of the platform - they also have reputations to maintain. Keep this all squeaky clean.

   2. Legal Consequences: Depending on your jurisdiction, sending unsolicited emails can result in severe legal consequences and fines. It's essential to abide by the rules and focus on building an organic and engaged subscriber list through ethical means, such as opt-in forms and providing valuable content.

3. You can just make your own brand up in Canva.

   Well yes, you can in theory do this, especially if perhaps you are just starting out and can’t afford brand development straight away, Canva might then be a good temporary fix for you. However, while Canva is a graphic design tool that offers various templates and customisation options for non designers to use (and many designers do use Canva for some clients including brand management once it is created), creating your entire brand solely on Canva may hold you back in the long run. Here's why:

   1. Lack of Originality: Canva provides pre-designed templates that are widely accessible. Relying solely on these templates can lead to a lack of originality and uniqueness in your brand's visual identity. Your brand may end up looking similar to others who have used the same templates, diluting your differentiation.

   2. Limited Flexibility: Canva, while user-friendly, has limitations compared to professional design software. It may not offer advanced features or customisation options required to create a comprehensive and cohesive brand identity. Working with professional designers or design software allows for greater flexibility and customisation.

   3. Strategic Branding Considerations: Building a brand encompasses more than just creating visual assets. It involves understanding your target audience, defining your brand's values, voice, and positioning. Professional branding agencies or experts can provide strategic guidance and ensure your brand accurately represents your business personality and goals. Nothing can replace the experience and insight an established brand designer can bring to your brand and business. (Hiiii - Reach out if you need help ;-))

4. Email automation will fix all your email problems.

   Maybe it can reduce a little of the workload, but it’s not a silver bullet and it often works best when you have a healthy and growing database already. Automating some of your email functions can be really helpful - but you will still need to be closely monitoring and customising your email strategy and content.

   1. Maintaining genuine and engaging communication: The risk with relying solely on email automation is that your emails might come across as generic and impersonal. Sending the same automated emails to all subscribers without considering their unique needs and preferences can reduce the effectiveness of your campaigns. To drive meaningful engagement and conversions, it's important to tailor your messages to match the interests, behaviors, and journey stages of your subscribers. You will still need to create personal, creative, appealing and valuable content for your emails and this part of the process can’t be automated.

   2. Potential Automation Errors: While email automation can streamline your email processes, it's essential to be mindful of potential automation errors. Technical issues or incorrect configurations can lead to unintended consequences, such as sending incorrect or irrelevant emails or encountering broken links. To prevent these kind of things happening, regularly monitor and test your automated email campaigns. Additionally, human oversight and intervention are crucial for addressing specific customer queries or situations that require a personal touch or human thought and care, which automation alone may not be able to handle effectively.

   3. Email flows which work for automation :

      1. Welcome

      2. Thank you for signing up

      3. Abandoned shopping cart

      4. Thank you for your purchase

      5. Confirmation of event details or purchase follow up

      6. Reminders

      7. Review Requests

   By striking a balance between automation and personalisation, you can create a more friendly and effective email strategy that nurtures genuine connections with your audience and saves you some time.

Stay tuned for Part 2!