There's a noise over that way - quick shoot... (TWANG) it's a miss.
Now it's over there... shoot! (TWANG) another miss
Damn the torpedoes... just shoot everywhere! (TWANG) (TWANG) (TWANG) (TWANG) (TWANG) (TWANG) OUCH! (TWANG) (TWANG) OWW! MY FOOT!
Well you hit one, but which one was it? Which direction? Without a plan you won't know.
The theory behind some branding efforts or mass marketing is that you just want to “get your name out there” ...wherever 'there' is!
But what is going to happen when you do hit something? When your name is finally arrives “there” what next?
One theory of branding says that if you put any message about your business out there enough times, you’ll in-print your message in their mind, and when they need your product or service, they are more likely to remember you. Maybe?
If that sounds a lot like the archer, flailing about in the fog, shooting his arrows here there and everywhere, even in his foot and hoping and praying just to hit anything at all. Then you've got it.
Another argument is that — if he just shoots enough arrows in all directions, surely he’s bound to hit his target eventually.
Right? Maybe, if you are large business then yes.
But I don't know many small to medium sized businesses who can do that.
In fact I would suggest to them that they are wasting their money!
Why? Because you will never, ever have enough arrows (i.e., money) to hit their target enough times to get a good return on their investment.
To be a successful small business marketer you need laser-like focus of your message, on a narrow target market, sometimes called a niche.
For example: if your business is targeting the 'niche' of young parents with kids, then your ad shouldn't be targeting everyone - it's core message needs to be hyper focussed on young parents with kids.
Focus your message and blow away the fog of that target, then you will be able to hit them with your message and then slowly expand your branding so people who know people with young kids, will be able to say "Hey, have you heard of XYZ Business - they do great things with kids!"
Cheers and good luck with hitting those targets!
