So there I was, with a bowling ball in my hands for the
first time in twenty years, watching the 12-year-old in the
next lane throw one strike after another. I scored an
embarrassing 13 in the first game.
My brain was at odds with my body in even the simple
question of which foot would start the stride. Game two,
frame two, I threw a strike, then two exquisitely arching
gutter balls. That's when it occurred to me that marketing
a business and bowling share four basic rules.
1. Stay in Your Lane. If you want to score, the first
objective is a focused aim that sends your ball into the
heart of the pins. Marketing "lanes" - the boundaries that
define our target markets - aren't as clearly defined as a
bowling alley, but the concept is the same. Focus on the
heart of your client base, and design your marketing
message to hit your prospect's most intense desire.
2. Find and Perfect Your Own Stance. My bowling partner
towers over me by six inches. He told me to stand behind
the dots, take four strides, and aim the ball down the
middle of the lane. That process worked for him, but not
for me. If I stood a bit closer to the line, took three
strides, and aimed for the right edge of the lane to adjust
for a wicked left hook, my numbers were better. There is no
one-size-fits-all process for marketing, either. You have
to be willing to design, test, and fine-tune your process
until you find the approach that brings results.
3. Gain from the Gutters. Even the pros experience a
momentary loss of focus, or that slight twist of the wrist
that spins a ball into the gutter. What makes them pros is
their ability to register the error and make immediate
adjustments. In 2002, one of the world's largest auto
companies ran two ads that alluded to "adult activities" in
the back seat. Public backlash was intense, and the ads
were swiftly pulled. As much as we want to avoid gutter
balls in our marketing and advertising, they do happen.
Smart marketers wipe the beer-foam from their faces, adjust
their stance, and focus on throwing the next ball straight.
4. Build a Great Team. The 12-year-old whiz kid in the
next lane said a lighter ball would improve my game. She
was right. In the third game, I scored 74 - a 175.6 percent
increase over game one, if my calculator is correct. I've
joined the "Bad Bowlers Club" at the local lanes because I
am unable to see my form and delivery at all, much less
objectively. As advertising guru R. H. Williams says, "It's
hard to read the label when you're inside the bottle."
Business owners have the same issue in marketing.They're on
the inside looking out, full of product knowledge and often
answering questions one one is asking. Investing in the
objective perspective of those experienced in the field
brings stronger results.
Parting Thoughts: Whether you're aiming for the ten-pin or
the ten-million dollar sale, success is the result of
focus, practice and patience. With the right attitude and
approach, marketing can become a sport you love, and one
that brings you higher rewards than ten perfect frames at
the lanes.
----------------------------------------------------
Linda C. Anger is President and Principal Writer/Designer
of The Write Concept, Inc., located in SE Michigan. Her
mantra in life and business is: "Those who say a thing
cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it."
http://www.thewriteconcept.com
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