There's an Elephant in the Room

Article: There's an Elephant in the Room
By Julie Friedman Bacchini

As a consultant, I have become very good at spotting elephants.

Yes, you heard me correctly: elephants.

Here’s how it happens. I’m talking with a prospective client, and they are nodding their head enthusiastically as I describe the importance of search engine optimization, web site usability, strategic Internet marketing, etc. They are totally onboard: This is the answer to their problems! This is the road to Internet visibility! This is the answer to flagging sales and a lack of brand awareness!

Then we get down to the brass tacks. And that is when the elephant opens the door, sneaks into the conference room, and sits down unobtrusively at the table.

I say, “Now, to develop the Internet marketing strategy your business needs, we will need to engage in intensive business, industry, target market, and competitive research.

And the elephant leans over and whispers into the prospect’s ear, “No. Research is for traditional marketing; the Internet makes all that obsolete. Everything is easy on the Web.”

I go on to talk about timeframes, “Developing your strategy will take several weeks, if not a few months. Implementation, then, will definitely take several months and will be an ongoing process as we track results and make modifications to improve ROI.”

The elephant then leans back in his chair (which creaks dangerously), blows bubbles from his trunk, and says clearly, “No. This is the Internet – immediate, huge results are the norm. This shouldn’t take long and we’ll be rolling in dough.”

Finally, I bring up the matter of the budget. “A customized Web strategy is an investment. It requires both a substantial outlay for the initial campaign launch, and continued investment over the course of years for the true return to be realized.”

And the elephant starts shelling peanuts nonchalantly. “Nonsense. Everything on the Web is cheap. Just $299 will get you top Google rankings – I see the ads all the time.”

“Well,” says the prospect, “I’ll have to think over everything you said.” And as I shake hands and leave the room, I can see the elephant smile contentedly, fanning himself with his ears.

Free. Fast. Easy. It’s the mistaken perception that businessmen and women all over the world hold dear to their hearts. It’s the elephant in the room every time a serious marketing consultant tries to talk commonsense and reality.

So here’s the truth:

Electrons are free. Expertise isn’t. The Internet is nothing more than the movement of electrons, of which the universe has an inexhaustible supply. But to make those electrons move in a way that drives customers to your door and puts dollars into your business – that takes expertise. And expertise doesn’t come cheap. Marketing is an investment: an investment that can yield a positive ROI, but an investment, nevertheless. Treat it like the investment in your business that it is, and you will not be disappointed with the results.
The Internet is instantaneous. Results aren’t. Yes, an email blast can traverse the globe in a matter of seconds. Yes, millions of people can crash a site from a video gone viral. But those are the exception – not the rule. The speed that information can travel on the Internet does not negate the time it takes to plan what marketing message you want to send, how to send it, and how to convert the people who respond to it.
Technology changes every day. Strategy doesn’t. New technology is constantly appearing, promising an end to drudgery, to effort, to blood, sweat, and tears. It isn’t strange that people assume that “the right technology” will be the answer to their business and marketing problems. But the fact is, there are no silver bullets, and all the technological bells and whistles in the world don’t hold a candle to solid, old-fashioned, sweat-it-out marketing strategy. Technology is one of the tools of strategy – it can never replace it.

The bottom line is this: the way to build a business hasn’t changed since the advent of the Internet. It still takes money, time, and effort. “Free, fast, and easy” is just what it has always been: wishful thinking at best, and a lie at worst.

It’s time to get the elephant out of the room.

You have my permission to reprint and distribute this article as long as it is distributed in its entirety, including all links and copyright information. This article is not to be sold or included with anything that is sold.

About the Author:

Julie Friedman Bacchini is President of Neptune Moon Design (www.NeptuneMoon.com), a full-service agency providing businesses and non-profit organizations with custom web designs, web site marketing plans, and strategic search engine optimization (SEO), all designed to build brand recognition, increase site traffic, and generate leads, clients, and revenue. Be sure to visit NeptuneMoon.com to read additional articles that will help you reach your business goals!