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Sharpening Your Marketing Axe

Starr Hall Int. Speaker/Author/Social Media Strategist, Entrepreneur Recent Posts

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March 18, 2010

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“This is a grate tip, you need to be prepared ...”

Bit Doze

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It is no wonder that marketing can make or break a business. What often puzzles me is how many businesses don't do it on a daily basis or they don't try new approaches and take risks with their marketing to move a product or brand forward into the masses.

You can have the best idea or product on the planet, but without continual and savvy marketing, no one will ever know about it.† On the flip side, you could have the dumbest idea in the world and if marketed well, you could reach millions--and make millions.

One of the most fascinating "dumb idea" products that made it big time is the Antenna Ball, brought to fruition by Jason Wall. These nifty little balls with no other purpose than to sit on the antenna of a car are now carried in convenience stores and big-box markets around the globe. Wall is a millionaire. And not only was he very consistent when marketing, but he also tried different techniques and approaches until he made it. He continually does what I like to call sharpening his marketing axe.

There is a great illustration that explains this concept:

Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job with a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good, and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter brought in 18 trees, and of course his boss congratulated him. Motivated by his boss' words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he could only bring in 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only bring in 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing in fewer and fewer trees.

The woodcutter thought he was losing his strength, and he went to the boss and apologized, saying that he couldn't understand what was going on. His boss then asked, "When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" Appalled by the question, the woodcutter harshly replied, "Sharpen my axe? I have no time to do that. I've been busy cutting trees."

So I pose this question to you: Are you too busy chopping trees on the front line and not allocating the time needed to sharpen your marketing skills? What is that costing you and your business? Furthermore, how much time would it really take to keep your marketing axe sharp?

Here are a few tips and resources to help you sharpen your marketing axe in 15 minutes a day or less:

Go to sites such as Technorati or the Tweetdeck Directory to find blogs and content links that will take you directly to marketing conversations and resources. Technorati is the hub for top blogs around the globe; you can find any blog topic you want. Tweetdeck, organized by industry or topic, has an excellent directory filled with people posting (aka tweeting) resources and how-to information.

Read 15 minutes per day minimum or a set number of chapters from a marketing book. Or get out of the office and take a walk to the local bookstore, and sit on the floor in the marketing aisle browsing through books. You'll be amazed at the marketing concepts you'll come across in the aisle of a Barnes & Noble.

Search for webinars or teleseminars online from marketing-focused sites and personalities. There are thousands of great webinars and quick-tip videos from marketing gurus, and most of them are free.

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Starr Hall, Article, entrepreneurs, marketing strategies

What do you think?

Join the conversation ( 5 )

Bit Doze 1 year 4 months and 2 days ago

This is a grate tip, you need to be prepared if you want to do a good job in this domain.

Tech Doze
http://www.tech-doze.com
Starr Hall 1 year 10 months and 17 days ago

Hey Linda- a few great marketing books- Crush it for social media marketing and Guerrilla Marketing for low cost different approaches. I like your marketing in 15 minutes a day- I think you have a new book idea!!! :))
Linda Hardenstein, MPA, PCC 1 year 10 months and 17 days ago

Starr -- thanks for the great tips. Can you recommend a marketing book that offers a daily 15 minute marketing action a small business owner could take and incorporate into their daily routine to be continuously marketing his or her business?
Starr Hall 1 year 10 months and 18 days ago

Webinars that I am referring to- authors and speakers such as John Assaraf, Jack Canfield, Michael Port, Mitch Meyerson, Alex Mandossian, of course moi- Starr Hall and companies like Infusionsoft for email marketing or enowit for mobile marketing. Books- Michael Port has a great book- Book Yourself Solid, I have a book on social networking- Get Connected- The Social Networking Toolkit for Business, Mitch Meyerson had some great books on internet marketing, Chris Brogan- Trust Agent, Gary Vaynerchuck- Crush it.

Hope that helps. :))

Starr Hall
JOSH LEVINE 1 year 10 months and 18 days ago

I love the concept, but I'm curious specifically where you have found thousands of great webinars. I've sat-in on several and have yet to find one that taught me anything at all. Most of them are either for absolute beginners or they're extremely general, to the point of being unhelpful. Any suggestions?

And, what are some favorite marketing books I should look for at Barnes & Noble? I do read quite a bit about marketing, and would love to know what sources you find most helpful.

Thanks!