I really wish marketing was a science instead of an art. It’s great to think that when you mix together the right formula of strategic messaging, targeted creative execution and thoughtful media planning all financed by an adequate budget, out pops the perfect sales results you desire. Ah, if this were only the case. It’s not. In fact, there’s not a marketing exec alive who can look you in the eye and tell you that every campaign he or she created was a winner. Some efforts, if the truth be known, were complete and utter disasters. It happens.
They happen more frequently in the funeral business than in many other industries because of the greater challenge of speaking to an audience who doesn’t want to hear about death. Moreover, the majority of funeral businesses are run by people whose own backgrounds lay in providing compassionate care, not writing strategic marketing plans.
Marketing failures generally happen for two reasons. The first and most common reason is the combination of lack of experience, unfocused effort and minimum expenditure leading to insufficient marketing results. The ol’ rocket just didn’t have the stuff to get off the launch pad in the first place. The truth is that this accounts for most marketing duds. Usually then the owner looks at the marketing manager and says, “See, I told you advertising doesn’t work!”
However, the second reason for marketing failure is the kind I actually support, where the right effort was made, the proper budget was spent, the creative was fresh and the media seemed properly chosen, but still, THUD! Another egg was laid. Why do I support this kind of failure? Because it wasn’t from lack of energy or forethought. Sometimes, $%#@* just happens. Sometimes, in an effort to think outside the box and venture out on a limb, the limb snaps. (But if nothing is ventured, nothing is gained.)
Of course, there are a hundred other factors that can negatively influence results outside the marketer’s control.
Remember, some very bright, highly experienced professionals came up with the Ford Edsel and New Coke. But Ford Motor Company and Coca Cola have done pretty well before and since. And think about how many new products McDonald’s introduces that don’t last even a year?
In the world of direct response (infomercials, junk mail, etc.), failures happen all the time. But experienced direct response marketers willingly accept this fact, knowing that everything is all about testing. They just keep tweaking the copy, fiddling with the offer, adjusting the media until the results start to show positive results. And then they tweak and fiddle some more until the sales needle climbs or dips with each new change. Those ab flexer and indoor grill commercials that sell by the millions are the result of many successive failures on top of which have been layered ongoing testing, ongoing fixing, and a willingness to keep playing the game.
Do not shrink away from the possibility of failure in your marketing. My wife, a very accomplished high school teacher, has on her desk a sign that says “The greatest risk in education is not taking one.” I’d say the same so perfectly applies to the world of marketing.
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Dan Katz is president, creative director of LA ads. To discuss your thoughts with Dan on this blog or any marketing matters, email via this link, or visit www.LAadsMarketing.com. You can also connect with Dan on LinkedIn. See agency work via this link.
Funeral Marketing for the Perplexed 