You see a beautiful marketing campaign and think to yourself, “I want that.” You see the amazing before-and-after photos, the life-changing testimonials, and you’re hooked. You think, “If only I had a marketing budget like that.”
But before you get too ahead of yourself, let’s take a look at the expectations vs. reality of marketing.
The Expectations vs. Reality of Marketing
Marketing is both an art and a science. It is the perfect blend of left-brain and right-brain thinking.
And while some people are born marketers, the majority of us have to learn the ropes through a combination of study and experience. Even then, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle and lose sight of the bigger picture.
That’s why I’ve put together this quick overview of what marketing is really like, versus what we expect it to be. So if you’re new to marketing, or just need a reality check, read on about the expectations vs. reality of it.
The Expectation: Marketing is all about coming up with creative ideas.
Reality: It’s only one piece of the puzzle.
Marketing is a complex field that requires both left-brain and right-brain thinking. It’s important to have creativity as well as strategic planning, execution, and measurement skills.
Need tips? Read Crunchy Lemons’ other blogs for tips, tricks and the basics of what you need in marketing.
The Expectation: Marketing is all about selling products/services.
Reality: It’s not the be-all and end-all.
In fact, effective marketing is more about creating relationships than it is about making sales. Of course, those relationships eventually lead to sales, but they don’t start out that way.
Marketing is about so much more than just having a great product. Even the best products need to be marketed in order to reach potential customers. Marketing is about creating a relationship with your customers and letting them know that you exist and that you have what they need.
The Expectation: Marketing is all about making ads.
Reality: Advertisements are just one type of marketing communications tool.
Other tools include public relations, events, content marketing, social media, and direct marketing.
With Crunchy Lemons, you can get access to a full, personalized marketing team that will work to improve all aspects of your business online.
The Expectation: Marketing is expensive and requires a big budget.
Reality: Marketing doesn’t have to be expensive.
There are many free or low-cost marketing techniques that can be just as effective as traditional advertising, such as content marketing, social media marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO). It’s all about being creative and finding what works best for your business.
For example, if you’re interested in hiring a marketing team but are on a tight budget then Crunchy Lemons is here for you. We act as your internal marketing team, without the cost.
The Expectation: Marketing is easy and anyone can do it.
Reality: Marketing is an art AND a science.
It takes time, effort, and preferably some formal training to really master the craft. However, even if you’re not a marketing expert, there are still ways to market your business effectively. Just remember to keep your goals realistic and be willing to put in the work.
Do you want to find out where your business is lacking? Get a free consultation with Crunchy Lemons in 24 hours.
The Expectation: You’ll only work on one project at a time.
Reality: You often have multiple projects going on at once.
You could be working on a launch campaign for one product while also troubleshooting an issue with another product. And don’t forget about those ongoing tasks like social media maintenance and email list building! It’s not unusual for a marketer to have several balls in the air at any given time.
The Reality
So, there you have it: the expectations vs. reality of marketing. It’s not an easy field, but it can be immensely rewarding for those who are up for the challenge. Are you ready to take your marketing career to the next level? We hope so!
Just remember that it’s okay to ask for help sometimes too! Talk to us. We’d love to help you out here at Crunchy Lemons.
