You've heard it here and you've experienced it. Marketing is a process not an event. Marketing is made up of many, many, many, many things all working together but how many times does it take for your marketing to hit a prospect before they buy?
One of the great considerations in all of your marketing is the frequency aspect of it. It has been said that it takes 6-8 times to “touch” your prospective buyers with your marketing to get them into purchase readiness mode. That means, when and if they need your product or service, they will think of you if they have been exposed to your marketing messages 6-8 times (and maybe choose you for their purchase).
Many numbers of frequency are thrown about but the point is whether its 6-8, 21 with two out three messages ignored or another number, frequency of communicating your marketing message is a driver in your marketing and eventually your company’s success.
A “touch,” or exposure to marketing messages can be a phone call, a handshake at a networking event, a direct mail postcard received in the mail, a sign or a personal visit. What sticks in the mind of your prospective buyer is your identity: your look, your feel, your colors, your logo, what you stand for, your positioning, a tag line, a reminder of your product and service offering, people profiles, benefits and more.
The ways you touch your target market are only limited by your imagination. A few are mentioned above but it takes consistency. Not only does it take consistency, it takes a plan. We have offered you checklists in this blog. That can be a plan. We have talked about planning a quarter ahead. That can be a plan. A plan can even be a brainstormed list of items to use to communicate to your target market.
All of these things add up to the process of marketing. Do not fall into the trap of saying things or experiencing things like, “I tried direct mail postcards once and they didn't work,” or “I went to a Chamber of Commerce luncheon and didn't receive any business, so I’m not going back.” These are traps. This is “event,” thinking, not process thinking.
What is your marketing process? What items make up your marketing list? How often are you touching your target market with your marketing messages? Be consistent. Be relentless. Always be communicating. Be successful. Marketing is a process not an event.