Marketing Madness — A Warning !

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Marketing Madness? What’s the warning?

You can find incompetent marketing everywhere.

Saturday morning we decided to go antique shopping. We both love antiques and it’s always such a pleasure to find a hidden treasure.

Judith researched antique shops in Las Vegas and found a mall not far from where we live. As we approached and could see the building, which was to be our first stop, our excitement rose.

“It looks like it’s going to be a fun morning,” Judith smiled. And in we went.

This mall contained spaces where dealers showed their wares. It wasn’t apparent from the outside, and not even as we walked through the front door, but the place was huge — comparable to a Home Depot.

We were both a bit stunned.

So what’s the warning?

Check out the picture. There were at least 100 individual dealer spaces/stalls, like the one Judith is standing in, and every one was as over-stuffed as the one you see above. Waaaaayyy too much stuff !

Remember the marketing rule — don’t give customers too many choices. They won’t make a decision.  This mall was an example of marketing madness — as though over-size and way-too-much mattered more than connecting with customers.

As we made our way through the place, we were both emotionally going down and down.

“Not another space!” Jim groaned.

“Not more stuff!” Judith whispered.

Instead of enjoying the treasure hunt, we both wanted to flee.

“This is horrible marketing,” Jim said. “Madness. It’s almost obscene, like they want to show me everything they’ve got. No discrimination.”

“I know,” Judith said. “Instead of bringing us in, it feels like this place is driving me to get out.”

Selective Specificity

When it comes to what you offer, selective specificity is key. Show your prospective customer one product or service you’re offering and take them deep into its benefits. Show them what they will gain.  Don’t overload them with features. That just comes off as narcissistic — and this mall was pathologically narcissistic.

In fact, we’d picked up a pair of pink depression glass salt and pepper shakers and had them on hold up at the front counter — but we were so eager to get out of there we lost our attraction to them — and they’re still there.

Marketing Madness

Marketing madness is focusing all about you, while your clients or customers want to know what’s in it for them.

Finally we left. We did not come home with an old treasure. We left witnessing a serious marketing error — a warning to us and we pass it along to you.

Stay away from the marketing madness of  TOO MUCH. It will cost you customers and relationships.

Because It’s All in the Connection,

Judith & Jim