Buffet Style Marketing

Does your marketing resemble a buffet? I pose the question with all sincerity. During the holiday season converging themes make the marketing/buffet comparison easy. Many people run out of plate before they get to the end of the food line. The choices seem overwhelming and once the feasting begins, reality sets in.

Similarly, marketing opportunities can also be endless. Typically, most firms run out of money before they try everything. It’s hard to imagine an all-over-the-board marketing effort (a true marketing buffet) that’s efficient. Little bits of everything provide no satisfaction and fewer results.

For the potluck connoisseur, it’s safe to bet that discipline goes out the window in the face of a plethora of savory, high calorie options. An advertising solution such as fabulous artwork causes the same pain; I know clients that have to buy additional display ads just to show off their creation.

Going to any type of food feast in a hungry state is dangerous because of a temptation to over-consume or eat mediocre offerings. Unplanned marketing expenditures produce similar unhappy circumstances. Spur-of-the-moment decisions, for example, drain resources; subsequent responses to changes in the competitive arena may have to be delayed for lack of budget.

Buffets offer little hope for consistency. They’re a mixed bag when it comes to maintaining a disciplined eating program as well. Think about your marketing. Is it suffering from the same symptoms? Are you ordering buffet of the week or season? The basics might be boring, but they work.

Food, festivities, indulgences, and social opportunities can collide in a buffet, with collateral damages for all. Don’t let your marketing buffet put your business in a similar situation.