Business owners sometimes visit me at my office to pick my brain about marketing. Typically, I’ll bring them in and show them all of the things I do to get a client. I’ll take out a blank sheet of paper and draw the flow chart of all the things that occur to get a client to raise their hand and say “I’m interested” and then all of the things that happen to them once they do. I’ll show them the steps I force clients to take before they can meet with me.

Most leave disappointed. They were looking for the magic bullet—the ONE thing they could do to get more clients. The easy thing. The tweak in their yellow page ad that would make the phone ring or the quick tips for internet marketing that would help them dominate Google in their market area. They can’t believe that I don’t meet with every client who wants a free consultation and that my marketing material dissuades certain clients from even calling for an appointment.

Getting new clients, customers or patients can a complex problem, especially in a recession. No matter what your business, there’s usually a ton of competition out there. By and large, consumers don’t know how to buy what it is you  are selling, particularly if you sell professional services. For some, ethical rules appear designed to make your entire marketing program look just like your competitor’s. Finally, your marketing message competes with 3,000-5,000 other marketing messages a day.

Read the rest of “Your Marketing SHOULD be Complex“