Three clients. Three stories. But they are all, in a sense, the same story. a failure to focus. Marketing has always needed focus–focus on who your best customers are and what your biggest differentiation is. Because digital marketing forces you to compete with many more companies from all over the world, it requires that you have a laser-like focus on who your target market is. Because if you don’t, someone else will.
So why am I harping on this? Because out of all of my clients, I have a few that just can’t focus.
- Of course I can focus. Well maybe, but you change your mind every week. Focus does not mean flavor of the month–it means what we are committing our company to one thing. It doesn’t wear out before the next quarter unless you now have compelling evidence to change.
- Of course I can prioritize. Well maybe so, but you prioritize everything number one. That means that you are actually prioritizing nothing. And when you prioritize nothing, that is exactly what gets done.
- Of course I set targets. Well maybe, but you keep saying that your target is to satisfy the customer. And if you get a different RFP every week, you change your target every week.
They are not bad people. They are not dumb. They are just scared. Scared to commit. Afraid to delete any choices. Not confident enough to really go for it.
And I don’t blame them. It is scary to bet your whole business on something that might fail. The only problem is that not betting on your business will definitely fail. Chew on that while mulling over your next indecision.
