Quality marketing: Shortcut? Short-change!

Coins in palm

When money and time are tight, it's often tempting as a soloist to take the cheapest and quickest option at hand. But are these cheap and hasty actions a false economy? Is quality marketing important?

Here are ways you could be cutting corners, particularly in terms of the quality of your marketing:

Do you hire the cheapest designer to slap together your business card, website, and logo at that low, low price you love, knowing that you are short-changing yourself on quality?
Do you print your marketing collateral on the cheapest paper just to let the world know who you are immediately?
Do you make do with inefficient information systems just so you can save on licensing fees and avoid the initial research effort?
Do you buy the cheapest equipment you can get your hands on just to have something NOW?
Do you catch yourself thinking “I’ll just get something happening now. We’ll do it properly later once we have the cash. No one will notice.”?

Some of these things may appear trivial at first glance, but they do make a massive impact on how you are perceived by the outside world. Whether we consciously acknowledge it or not, we humans are very good at gut-feel.

You may well have everything perfectly laid-out on your marketing collateral, but if it is printed on poor quality paper or the colours aren’t quite right or your logo is blurry, subconsciously people will feel that you’re somewhat dodgy. Your customers’ sensitive gut-feel will catch you out.

There’s no point having all your hard work dismissed because you took an inappropriate shortcut! Even with ultra-time critical projects, don’t ever compromise just to meet a deadline – get it as best you can within a reasonable (yes, very grey word!) timeframe.

When cash is tight, get creative about value-exchanges between yourself and a supplier of supreme quality. Seriously think outside the square on this one. Don’t just limit (or confuse) what you can immediately offer them, with “what you know how to already do”. Explore other avenues (like helping them explore new markets, introducing them to valuable people, or providing value to some third party, such as a favourite charity they care about) that could provide them with momentous value. You will be surprised how open businesses and individuals are to these arrangements if you can make the case for value.

Stop and think about what you are trying to achieve. Would your customers really notice yet a-n-o-t-h-e-r brochure? How can you get your message across WITHOUT using conventional channels? Can you discover a whole new way of publicity that is more in alignment with what you do and what you are about?

There is no shortcut to genuine value, and NO substitute for quality marketing! If it is worth doing, it is worth doing right.

Paul J. Morris is an information systems strategist. This incredible title means that he helps businesses become more efficient at what they do while keeping them on track with their goals.

5 comments | Add your own

Spot On, guys ! Spewing out stuff just for the sake of getting your name out there is not only a waste of time and money, it may ruin your credibility, burn out your energy and send you back to being a wage slave. Stay focused on what your target market wants, not what you want to tell them ! Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
Exactly, I used to print my own business cards. Lately I noticed the odd look from clients ; some were a bit botchy and had a slightly amatuerish look.
Ive dumped them and had some really simple yet professional ones printed, It has really left a good first impression. Geoff Bishop from Sydney NSW
More good advice! Our logo was done professionally as were our business cards. Although we are only starting out in a new business people are already commenting on how simple and interesting our holiday accommodation name and logo is. Jan and Lin Bell from Ocean Grove, Victoria.
I agree totally. I was very definite that I wanted a logo and stationery designed professionally specifically for my business that I hope eventually people will identify with me and a quality job. I also wanted to make sure I had a decent PC and printer to work with, I use them every day. I think if you're not prepared to commit a realistic budget (let's face it, you don't need to go crazy) to setting up your business, then how commited are you to the business in the first place. If you've invested more than just a bit of time then it's harder to walk away without making some real effort to make it work. Karen Morris from Sydney | Read my articles
Graphic design is one of those odd professions that gives the impression of being "easy to do". Reality is, if you want a good result, you need a pro. If you can't quite afford one just yet and need a "logo" ASAP: KEEP EVERYTHING SIMPLE. Pick a simple legible typeface and just type your business name. Black on white. That's it. Don't be tempted to fuss. Then save up to get a pro on the job. A legible name always beats a homemade logo. More importantly it leaves a relatively clean slate for the graphics pro. Zern from Vermillion

5 comments | Add your own

Add Your comments

Preview comment

Name

Website *

Town / city and country

Email (never sold, displayed or given away)

* This will link your name to your site. So please avoid self promotion elsewhere! We delete spam, disrespectful or off-topic comments.