For some companies, "short-term" successes can lull them into a false sense of security. Let's look at some easy examples using a restaurant business model:
- A restaurant may be busy because it's summer and their outdoor patio is open (aka season and weather dependent circumstances)
- A restaurant may be busy because they are new (aka the 90-day "honeymoon" syndrome)
- A restaurant may be busy because they received some sort of traditional publicity (aka local media mentions, reviews, etc.)
- A restaurant may be busy because businesses around them are busy (aka a hotel is full for a convention, they are near a dining/entertainment "district", etc.)
- A restaurant may be busy because a marketing campaign worked well (aka a food discount, an after-dinner "lounge" program, etc.)
- What happens if it rains?
- What happens when summer ends?
- What about all the other patios?
- What happens when the "honeymoon" ends?
- What happens after the buzz from the press article wears off?
- What happens when the surrounding businesses stop marketing effectively?
- What happens after the successful marketing campaign runs its course?
More often then I care to know, businesses revel in a "moment" of success, and stop thinking ahead to ensure they (A) prepare new ideas and strategies and (B) adjust/react to those that expire. If this seems like I'm pointing out the obvious - it's because I am.
Before you completely scoff at the obvious - think about some other critical, less obvious factors that can be happening simultaneous to the expiration of temporary successes:
- What if your e-mail list starts to see more bounces because it hasn't been cleaned?
- What if your e-mail list starts to get blocked by certain ISPs?
- What if your feedback loop is incomplete and you start getting SPAM complaints that never actually reach you?
- What if someone forgets to update your web site, and potential/current customers (A) log on to see outdated information and/or (B) log on and do NOT see recent coverage of their own experiences?
- What if your Facebook page is outdated, misused, or under-utilized?
- What if your next round of conventional ad spends (print, online, radio, etc.) don't generate reasonable ROI because they aren't integrated into your other marketing vehicles?
- What happens when the "next great ____" (insert your business type) opens up?
Bottom line: marketing is more important than ever, and timing is still everything. Prepare to connect with customers further in advance via multiple strategies and you won't miss out. If you believe yesterday's "checkout" indicates all is well - you may end up behind.
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