The Epidemic of Mediocre Marketing

Jeff Ogden, the Fearless Competitor (@fearlesscomp) Writer, Speaker and TV show host
 
In researching prospective clients for Find New Customers, I took a look at a mobile device management technology firm in the Philadelphia area. A first glance, they looked really good:

• In a hot market space – mobile (For a great take on mobile, watch CK Kerley on Marketing Made Simple TV.)
• Deep pockets with tons of venture capital
• In the Northeast – not far from me

But as I started digging to see if they were a good target for Find New Customers, I soon found they were afflicted with the disease affecting so many today – a disease called “mediocrity.” This disease affects so many today. Do you have it? Read on or watch the video to find out.
B2B sellers show symptom of the mediocrity virus in 3 key areas.

1. Their content is deadly dull
2. Total lack of personalization
3. Failure to show a human element.

Case in point, I registered to download a “white paper” from them, so I can test lead nurturing. The content I received was certainly boring to read – over a dozen pages of words – few graphics and nothing else.  It was a snooze-fest.
After I registered, I got an email, ostensibly from a marketing manager there. It said:
Jeffrey,Thank you for downloading information about MaaS360 for mobile device management (MDM). Mobile devices are constantly evolving – as are the tools to effectively manage them. We are committed to sharing our knowledge to help you uncover best-practices for enabling smartphones and tablets in your organization.

Here’s a very small sample of articles and webinars available in our MaaSters Center, the only online community solely dedicated to mobile device management:

• Bring your Own Device — Balancing Privacy & Security
• Cloud Solutions Floating to Top of MDM Market
• Tips for Managing Tables After iPad Boom

There are hundreds more articles and resources awaiting you in the MaaSters Center, we would love for you to join us.
But if you’re ready to start test driving (our product), you can instantly access a free 30 day trial today.
Best Regards,
Meghan Carney
Marketing Manager
 
Lack of Personalization
But there’s one big problem with this email. It assumes it knows who I am and what I need. (an education on Mobile Device Management.) That’s akin to walking up to an attractive girl (man) in a bar and raving about our education, salary, and awards we’ve won. We’re assuming we know what is best for her or him. We’d get a drink thrown in our face – but marketers are doing this every day.Seth Godin said it best when he said “I don’t want email. I want me-mail.” A far better approach would be to start by asking questions. Who are you? Why did you visit? What do you hope to accomplish? With that data, marketers can begin to personalize their communications. Then they will start sending ME-mail.
Deadly Dull Content
As I spent more and more time on their website, I found more and more words. Articles, how to’s, and white papers. A flood of words.Written words are dull. You need fewer, not more. And video/audio is the medium of the future.
Lack of a Human Face
The final big problem is the lack of a human face. People prefer to deal with people, not companies. Where is Meghan’s photo? What about social links? Is she a fun and interesting person?
I know nothing at all about Meghan.
Summary
The disease of marketing mediocrity affect so many companies. If you have boring wordy content, fail to personalize communications and don’t exhibit a human face, you have the disease too.
Sources:

• Marketing is Boring
• Marketing Best Practices: The Human Face in Online Marketing
• How to Craft an Exciting Product Message – Even for a Boring Product