I blogged on this topic before, but it was in advertently deleted. I wondered if I should leave it deleted, but frustration on this topic has finally overwhelmed me once more. There's an old adage that you can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink. This is never more true than in the marketing business.

There is a psychology to marketing. As a matter of fact, 99% of marketing is psychology. A good marketer designs your ad so that it appeals to your target market and promotes your desired response. In over 20 years experience in marketing I have seen dozens and dozens of ads and websites, from a marketing standpoint, destroyed by our clients. This is one of the most frustrating aspects of our work. I don't get frustrated because I see countless hours of design and development going down the drain. I get frustrated because the client expects me to produce an ad or website that will work in the market and the client has just destroyed that opportunity.

Last summer we began working on a website that was specifically geared to a target market as specified by the client. The first layout was immediately trashed by the client who then designed his own layout, look and marketing aspects and told us to "Do it." Of course, I informed him that the layout he was providing was not geared to the target market and therefore would not work. As happens most of the time, despite my best attempts to be diplomatic, the client took the advice personally and became upset. We followed orders and completed the site, however, in my mind, I gave him 6 months to come back for a site redesign. I was wrong. He held out for eight months. But, yes, he did come back stating the site was not getting him business. He also said that several people had told him that they did not like the website. The reasons listed were the same ones I told him last summer.

Recently we were asked by two clients to design ads to be placed on a website. Again, the first proofs were trashed and all of the marketing psychology was removed at the client's request. Again, one of the clients became indignant and told me I should take lessons from another local ad agency because they knew what they were doing. Nothing against the other agency, but I know them personally and also know that they are graphic designers with no marketing background or experience.

I could go on and on listing examples, but I think you get the picture. So, I finally decided I would start a "Stupid Club." I am the head member, my staff are all associate members. Except for Holly. She's the smart one. Now instead of getting frustrated when a $20,000 marketing degree and 20 years experience are trashed by a client who has no marketing or psychology background I just remember that I am a member of the Stupid Club. Hey, we're accepting new members. Would you like to join too?

South Alabama experienced the rare treat of significant snowfall yesterday. I told the employees they did not have to report to work and recommended they spend the extra time with their families. Like many youngsters who have grown up in this area, this snowfall was my son's first real opportunity to experience the joy of snow. Following my own advice, we had a great time together starting with a snowball fight. I had forgotten how cold snow is when it gets down inside your shirt! We ended the day with a pretty well-built snowman with red coke bottle top eyes, carrot nose, cowboy hat and black mouth set to one side giving our "man" a sarcastic look.

I told a client the other day that our office hours are Monday through Friday, 9-5, but as the business owner my office hours are totally different. More like 8-7 Monday through Saturday, plus Sunday afternoons between church. I believe proper priorities should be God, Family, then Work. As any successful businessman knows, it is easy to let Work become the first priority when deadlines loom and work has to be completed. Our Pastor has quoted a statistic many times that the average time a father spends with his children is only 37 seconds per day. Yesterday's snowfall was a welcome opportunity to right the priorities, to spend some family time that will remain in our memories for a long time. I hope you spent time with your family too.

My personal background is a degree in marketing from a top business university with emphasis on entrepreneurship. What does that mean for our clients? I know how to market small and start-up businesses. Our clients know that Wiregrass Advertising, Inc. is not a simple web design company. Instead we are a marketing company whose primary niche is internet marketing, but we can help our clients in many avenues of getting their message out to their target market. Yes, we build great websites that WORK for our clients, but the game does not end there. A small business should understand that a true marketing campaign is an all around experience.

Every marketing campaign needs to start with one question. "Who is my target market?" Once that question is answered in specific terms then the marketing falls into place. The website is designed to appeal to that group of people and the ads are placed wherever those people would be most likely to convert from a viewer to a customer. In addition, if the marketing model calls for it, the client should be willing to do additional non-web related advertising to reach their target market. This may include brochures, business expos, calling on prospects, developing a client list, direct mail and more.

This article stems from a wonderful conversation I had with new clients yesterday. They came into my office with the initial thought of simply having their website redesigned. Part of their problem is that they have been using Yahoo Web Builder. With limited website building knowledge they found making changes was time consuming, therefore the site did not get updated as often as it should. They had known for over a year they needed a new, professionally designed website, but were fearful of the expense. The bottom line is, their company has been in business for five years and only pays the bills. Like many other business owners they feel strapped, tired and depressed because they have not been able to successfully build the business to the profitability level needed to sustain the business.

I immediately understood the problem. Although the client does need a website that allows quick and easy updates, they need more than a website. The problem is, over the course of the past five years they have failed to effectively reach their target market. Today their primary source of future income comes from word-of-mouth from previous customers. Although word of mouth can be great, it is also one of the slowest ways to build a solid and profitable customer base. I showed them my recommendation that would solve the website update problem and provide them with a website that will WORK for them. But over the course of the hour we spent a considerable amount of time just brainstorming ways to get the message to their target market in addition to the website. The ideas we came up with were things the client could do today and tomorrow while the website is being developed and then continue as the business grows.

After our conversation I have a great feeling. It is going to be exciting to watch this fledgling company grow over the course of the next two years as they follow advice and properly implement a full marketing campaign that will certainly meet their budget and their needs and provide then profitability freedom. After all, that is what Wiregrass Advertising, Inc. does...

• Is Your Web Master a Graphic Designer, Website Designer or Web Developer?
• A Comparison of Southeast Alabama Website Design Companies
• Marketing Consultation Update
• When Websites Don't Work
• Marvin Salter Construction's New Website
• Definition of Internet Terms

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