Marketing involves many functions such as lead generation, sales, writing copy for ads and content, keyword research and search engine optimisation (SEO), graphic and web design, analysis, and measurement. People make a lot of mistakes in marketing. Here are some you should avoid:
1. Having a Boring Call to Action
The mistake: Your CTAs are not grabbing people's attention—they are boring, uninspired, and forgettable.
The solution: It's not difficult to fix your CTA strategy. Use buttons that are big, bold, and easy to click. Don't use common phrases and descriptions; switch things up—for example, instead of saying "Get a Quote" say "Get My Unique Price". Your CTA must be a button placed somewhere visible on your website and landing pages (such as the homepage), along with compelling text that explains what's in it for users and guides them toward the next step. For more tips on crafting effective ad copy, see our guide on writing compelling Facebook ad copy.
2. Not Building Your Social Audience
The mistake: You're missing out on tremendous opportunities if you don't take advantage of social selling. According to LinkedIn, businesses using social selling tools are 51% more likely to achieve their sales quotas, and 78% of social sellers outsell those who don't use social media.
The solution:
- Build a community: Start a member forum and/or Facebook group. Arrange regular live streaming Q&As or virtual meetups with industry experts to create a more relatable presence. Social media algorithms now favour short-form video (TikTok, Reels, Shorts), so consider adding video content to your strategy.
- Listen to Your Audience: Offer customers support via social media and be willing to solve their problems. Conversational marketing through AI chatbots and WhatsApp Business is now mainstream for lead qualification. Nothing spreads faster than a negative review based on a bad customer service experience.
3. Creating Buyer Personas Without Customer Research
The mistake: What can appear to be a useful 'buyer persona' may come to you with blind spots—for example, the sales staff may have limited knowledge on what's happening in the industry that could be impacting the business.
The solution: Survey customers through 1:1 interviews, email surveys, or live chat software. Collect all the relevant data and gather insights from it. Create a profile that includes demographics, professional information, and personal details. Finally, include your customers' goals, challenges, and pain points. For a comprehensive guide on this topic, see our article on market research and how to get started.
4. Not A/B Testing
The mistake: You can build the most ingenious marketing strategy in the world, but if you're not tracking its results, you're not going to get the results you may be hoping for.
The solution: Think about A/B testing early on in collaboration with the product, customer experience, and marketing teams. AI-powered tools now enable sophisticated A/B testing at scale, automating multivariate testing that was previously complex and time-consuming. Your tests should include multiple types of CTAs, keywords, blog posts, and email campaigns. Also, add a competitive analysis to help you develop better products than your competitors.
Conclusion
Making the same mistakes in marketing is easy for busy small business owners, but the good news is these solutions aren't hard. Whether you consult with a marketing specialist or handle it yourself, avoiding these errors is well worth the effort.
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