Professor Theodor Levitt shared the idea that “People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole.” But, do people really want a “hole”?  No!  They want to hang a picture, or secure a shelf, or install a hook.  It struck me recently that this is an excellent metaphor for marketing. It’s really easy to get hung up on the marketing activities; the “hole.” Surely, having a hole in the wall, (generating a bunch of marketing output) isn’t one of your firm’s goals, and certainly not part of any strategic vision. When it comes to marketing, here’s why I think you should start with admiring the hung picture.

Hung Picture

Even though it’s the last phase of the process, stepping back to admire how the picture on the wall accentuates the room is really where the magic happens. Having a drill to make a hole is just how it happened, it’s not where the benefit lies. But hanging the picture may beautify your space, give you a mood boost or create a welcoming environment for visitors. That’s why it’s important to get the picture hung up. If you can view your firm within this paradigm, you’ll be on your way to actually doing what you want to do. Growth for the sake of growth can feel tedious and overwhelming. But if your vision is to earn more and work less or create a firm your children will be proud to take over, then you’re hanging the picture. Start with your lofty dreams, and then let your goals and strategy get you there. 

Drills

How do you get to the place where you know what marketing activities you need? Strategy. And that’s the marketing drill. It’s going to provide direction for your marketing efforts and help your team stay on the same page. Strategy will also dictate what not to do. Strategy and goals go hand in hand. While your strategy may evolve and change, your goals will not. Without clear and measurable goals, it’s impossible to create a plan that will get your proverbial picture on the wall. 

Holes

When it comes to marketing, a lot of what you see is the “hole”. Social media posts, emails, videos, websites, networking groups and so on, can all be useful marketing activities, but  without strategy behind them, they are basically just a bunch of empty holes in the wall. Unless your firm’s goals involve generating a certain number of tweets (which, as a professional services firm, I’m going to tell you that your goals should not include tweet counting), it’s really important not to focus on this type or quantity of output. Activity for the sake of activity leads to burnout, frustration and wasted resources. Holes are a step  in the process, but when it comes to marketing, you can’t start, or end, here.

Conclusion

Where have you been putting your focus? On the holes or on the picture? I know how easy it is to get ‘busy’ with marketing activities, but the best piece of advice I have is to start with really getting clear on what you want. Need some help? Let’s talk about it. Contact me today.