We all know the fable from Aesop about the tortoise and the hare. Slow and steady wins the race, right? But is that still true when it comes to marketing in today’s world? Things move at such a rapid pace that if you’re the poor tortoise in today’s business environment you’ll probably end up as road kill.
Maybe it’s not a matter of tortoise or hare—but tortoise and hare. There are times when you need to be nimble and able to move quickly. That’s one advantage to using the Web wisely in your marketing strategy. You have the ability to reach people—and make changes—quickly and inexpensively. You have access to tools like Twitter and Facebook that allow you to reach large numbers of people almost instantly. You can use your company blog to establish yourself as a trusted expert with your audience. You can use email to follow up with clients that have expressed an interest in your products and services. And you can do all this quickly.
Being able to move as quickly as a hare can be a real plus. But it doesn’t mean that everything you do has to be done in a rush. And that’s where the tortoise comes in.
If you recall your Aesop’s fables, you’ll recall that our friend the hare was all over the map. He was fast, but he went off on all kinds of tangents. He wasn’t focused on the goal—and it cost him the race. The same is true for your marketing efforts.
It really comes down to making sure you have a clear goal for your marketing and a good strategy for accomplishing your goal. If you have clear objectives and a well-defined message you can take advantage of spur-of-the-moment opportunities. But you can’t rush the process. You need to take the slow and steady approach to setting your goals and strategy. That’s what will allow you to win the race.
Know where you’re going with your marketing. Be crystal clear with your message. And be persistent. Don’t change course every other week and don’t quit if you don’t get immediate results. It takes time to create your roadmap. You may need to make adjustments to your strategy, but make sure you’re still headed toward the finish line—your goal. There’s nothing wrong with an occasional burst of speed—as long as you’re running in the right direction!