Seriously, I really do hate painting. But like everyone else I’m forced to do it every once in awhile. The other day was one of those ‘once in awhiles’. As I set-up I happened to look at the back of the paint can. Have you ever done that? There’s a ton of information back there. But what struck me was how little of that information related to applying the paint. Most involved the dreaded preparation. Now the truth is most of us are focused on getting the paint on the wall. We do the absolute minimum preparation and end up with a job we can live with by simply ignoring the imperfections that we can’t hang pictures over.

Unfortunately, this same philosophy is shared with too many marketing programs. In the rush to launch, most of the vital prep work is ignored or at best glossed-over. The focus becomes developing an impressive creative piece with a compelling offer. Sometimes the campaign will be floated by a focus group but most often it will end up being what makes the organization and its creative partners feel good. Neither approach can ever come close to maximizing your organization’s potential. Why?

The most important factor in the development of your MarCom program is the customer (or prospect). Unfortunately, the majority of MarCom development proceeds with little if any real understanding of the customer. Consider for a minute your family, friends and co-workers. Have you ever stopped to think about how differently you communicate with each? No? Imagine talking to your boss the way you do your significant other (and visa versa).

 

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