Have you ever noticed how many advertising agencies, PR firms, and marketing consultancies out there are absolutely dreadful when it comes to branding themselves, and marketing their own services and capabilities?
I certainly have. It’s a trend that’s been going on for years, and unfortunately, it has not improved much in the Internet age. I see countless firms out there that constantly drop the ball on this front, and it’s shameful. They know it, and their clients know it.
Sure, most of these entities have nicely-designed brand identities, functional Web sites, and solid sales and marketing collateral materials. Most are probably quite active in the social media space with their Facebook fan pages, corporate Twitter accounts (as well as individual employees posting Tweets), MySpace profiles (not that MySpace is even relevant anymore), LinkedIn groups, and so forth. But, these activities matters hardly matter if they are not executed strategically, intelligently, and, above all, correctly. And this is where I take issue.
Let me put it to you another way. Would you hire a bookkeeper that can’t even maintain his own books properly? Would you willingly work with CPA who is routinely investigated by the Franchise Tax Board or the IRS? Would you retain an attorney who has legal troubles himself? Would you select a Web site designer whose own Web site looks like it was developed on the now-defunct Geocities platform? The answer, of course, is no. So why should it be any different when hiring an ad agency, a PR firm, or a marketing consultant?
In my field (i.e., marketing consulting), as it is in any other professional services sector, qualities such as professionalism, trust, credibility, knowledge, expertise, and experience are absolutely paramount to long-term success and reputation. In discussions with a prospect, I not only have to convince him that I possess these characteristics, that I know what I’m talking about (marketing strategy and execution), and therefore, I am the right individual to assist him and his business, but also I have to prove it. It’s pretty simple: no proof, no business.
So where does my prospect find the most obvious proof? By looking at all of CMAC’s countless marketing channels and materials, including this blog. This explains why I spend so much and time effort on these activities, aside from the obvious value and benefits of consistently marketing my services to various target audiences: generating leads, enhancing brand awareness, furthering my individual and corporate reputations, reinforcing credibility and expertise, and educating existing and prospective clients about various marketing strategies and options.
The moral of the story? If you want to work in this discipline, or any other field for that matter, you have to practice what you preach. And that means talking the talk, and then walking the walk.
I certainly have. It’s a trend that’s been going on for years, and unfortunately, it has not improved much in the Internet age. I see countless firms out there that constantly drop the ball on this front, and it’s shameful. They know it, and their clients know it.
Sure, most of these entities have nicely-designed brand identities, functional Web sites, and solid sales and marketing collateral materials. Most are probably quite active in the social media space with their Facebook fan pages, corporate Twitter accounts (as well as individual employees posting Tweets), MySpace profiles (not that MySpace is even relevant anymore), LinkedIn groups, and so forth. But, these activities matters hardly matter if they are not executed strategically, intelligently, and, above all, correctly. And this is where I take issue.
Let me put it to you another way. Would you hire a bookkeeper that can’t even maintain his own books properly? Would you willingly work with CPA who is routinely investigated by the Franchise Tax Board or the IRS? Would you retain an attorney who has legal troubles himself? Would you select a Web site designer whose own Web site looks like it was developed on the now-defunct Geocities platform? The answer, of course, is no. So why should it be any different when hiring an ad agency, a PR firm, or a marketing consultant?
In my field (i.e., marketing consulting), as it is in any other professional services sector, qualities such as professionalism, trust, credibility, knowledge, expertise, and experience are absolutely paramount to long-term success and reputation. In discussions with a prospect, I not only have to convince him that I possess these characteristics, that I know what I’m talking about (marketing strategy and execution), and therefore, I am the right individual to assist him and his business, but also I have to prove it. It’s pretty simple: no proof, no business.
So where does my prospect find the most obvious proof? By looking at all of CMAC’s countless marketing channels and materials, including this blog. This explains why I spend so much and time effort on these activities, aside from the obvious value and benefits of consistently marketing my services to various target audiences: generating leads, enhancing brand awareness, furthering my individual and corporate reputations, reinforcing credibility and expertise, and educating existing and prospective clients about various marketing strategies and options.
The moral of the story? If you want to work in this discipline, or any other field for that matter, you have to practice what you preach. And that means talking the talk, and then walking the walk.
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