Why Your Marketing Isn’t Working

Every business relies on its marketing to fuel growth. Effective marketing produces a steady flow of paying clients.

?But what if you don’t have an effective marketing strategy??You probably don’t have a predictable stream of clients.?If your marketing isn't working, your practice is vulnerable. The good news is you can fix it and get your business back on track. Take the time to thoroughly audit your marketing plan and your marketing systems. Do you have a winning message? Have you built a brand that positions you as a trusted expert? Are you targeting the right market? Are you nurturing relationships rather than pushing for a quick sale? These are a few of the common culprits, but the most frequent reasons for marketing failures are below.

?Identifying the problem is the first step to finding a solution, so let’s get right to it.

?1. ?Have you given your growth enough time?

?One of the most universal and unpopular truths of building a successful mediation or arbitration practice is that it takes time. Most neutrals I talk with are aware and accepting of this hard news but are also frustrated by how long it takes to promote and build a successful practice.?The average is 2 to 5 years. This time frame can be shortened by using an effective marketing strategy.

?Effective marketing requires repetition and consistency. It's not enough to reach a prospective client once. It takes repeated touchpoints and engagements in order to drive action. I’ve been helping mediators and arbitrators promote their practices for more than a quarter-century, and one of the key principles I’ve learned is that it takes a minimum of six touchpoints with a decision-maker to motivate them to look at your practice, and often far more before they have a case for you.

You need to reach your target market repeatedly. And you need to do it through different channels -- your website, social media platforms, email, video, podcasting, networking, speaking, writing, and training.

One note of caution: A shortcut that neutrals try frequently is to skip the strategy and jump to execution. This invariably means their marketing doesn't achieve good results because the marketing ends up haphazard and unfocused. Ensuring you have the right target market, with the right message and the right approach (ie, your marketing strategy) is critical.?

?2. Do you have the right person doing it???

?Most mediators and arbitrators have been trained to do something other than marketing and practice development.?Taking on these tasks means that you have to work at learning a whole new skill set.?For some, the challenge will be to balance mediating all day and not having the time or motivation to do the necessary marketing at night. If you’re struggling with learning and acquiring the necessary skills or finding the time to implement your marketing strategy, you might need to find someone who can help.?

?It’s going to be more profitable and less stressful to outsource some of your marketing activities as opposed to doing nothing at all. ?

?3.?Do you really know and understand your clients?

Of course you do!?But is that knowledge getting translated into your marketing? What's the process your clients go through to do business with you??Which other neutrals do they consider for settling their case? Some time spent analyzing your primary target market and their buying preferences is always time well spent.

?If you haven't spent this time to deeply understand customers and made sure to translate that knowledge into your marketing means you're missing the mark.?Do this and your ROI will improve.

?4.?Does your message resonate?

?First, any messaging you put out into the world should be authentic to your personality.?Our clients hire us because they know us, like what they know, and trust us.?Be true to that.?

Second, most clients will check out our websites and LinkedIn profiles before committing to us.?If the first page of your website (or more accurately, the top of the first page) as well as your LinkedIn profile, doesn’t explain who you are, what you do, for whom you do it, and how you’re different, you’re going to miss potential clients. Generic messaging is a lost opportunity.??Say more, or else your message will be lost.

Finally, keep your messaging simple. How does your practice make life better for your clients? Not having a strong and clear message will negatively impact your growth results.

5.??Your brand isn't as strong as it should be.

I’ve already mentioned, and you already know that clients prefer to work with neutrals that they know, like and trust. It's important that you build a brand that positions you as likable and knowledgeable in your area of service. If prospects don't trust you or aren't convinced that you're going to be able to help them, they're not going to hire you. It's that simple.

Consider using blog entries, video content, and podcasting to strengthen your brand and build trust with your potential clients and show them that you are a credible authority in the resolution industry. Focus on providing practical information that they can use to make their lives or businesses better. For example, creating content like "Four Strategies to Increase Your Success In Mediation" could work well.

?6.?You're asking for too much all at once.

Most clients take some time to make a purchasing decision. And the more significant their investment, the more time they typically take. This means, for example, that a good portion of the traffic to your website or your social media sites consists of people who are doing their research?but aren't ready to purchase yet.

What those people need is valuable information to help them make their decision when they're ready. Yet, most mediators and arbitrators focus their marketing on making immediate sales, rather than nurturing the relationship and guiding the buyer through their purchasing decision. Don't ask people to buy before they're ready. Instead, provide educational resources and nurture the relationship. If you do this effectively, there's a good chance that when the prospect is finally ready to purchase, you'll be their first choice.

7. ?You’re selling the features, not the benefits.

When resolutionists post on social media or talk about their practice, they frequently talk about their service features, which is not beneficial.

While it is essential to have a great service, your target audience will likely hear the same message from your competitors about their practices. The potential client has not experienced either of you, so he cannot know who is better, who may have overstated, and the difference between the practices. Instead of promoting the mere features of your product, you are better off stating the benefits and creating credibility by presenting narratives with examples of your experiences and, if it’s right for you, testimonials.

When marketing your practice, focus on how your service will improve your prospective clients’ lives.

In conclusion, there are many reasons that your marketing might not be working for you, but chances are you’re somewhere in the ballpark of these 7 reasons.?So, with a critical eye, look over your marketing activities, put on your strategic mojo, and have fun leveling up!

Have you experienced a marketing slump??What helped you pull out of it?