Bursting the marketing bubble

Save budget, ask yourself … does my business need this?
By Nicole Crump

For many companies a first foray into marketing can be an eye opening experience.
Often it requires those closest to the business to be more honest and objective about their own company than they have ever allowed themselves to be, with the result being a “bare-all” state of the nation-style report. I’ve seen more than a few clients leaf through the pages of one of these analysis reports with a look of genuine surprise on their face, seeing for the first time an outsider’s view of the market they operate in.
Certainly exploring the world of effective marketing has the potential to burst the bubble. In many cases, companies find they have been committing significant chunks of budget to marketing activities that don’t necessarily add benefit, bring brand awareness or ultimately lead to sales. It is a tough thing to take motivation from, but companies that are serious about increasing sales and ‘honing in’ on what drives the business will jump at the opportunity.
So how do companies without a dedicated marketing resource begin to tackle their marketing activities while keeping to budget? It’s all about identifying a set of honest truths for your business.