Get clear to get results.

Even those experienced professionals who advocate quantitative marketing as both a strategic and tactical philosophy or guidance system are acknowledging that the team and its leadership need to know 1) what the prospect looks like (real-world profile) and 2) what that person needs and wants to be more successful and satisfied in their work and play.

Rather than plugging into the CRM and pulling a sample demographic or customer zip code groupings, it’s more effective, measured by messages that resonate with the prospect’s discovery process using their value scale, to get your input directly from the market by phone, in person or by email survey. You need a set of open-ended questions. And a commitment to put in the research time, aggregate the results and then tailor your plan, channels and metrics so that your ground work is valuable to and valued by sales management and the C team.

It’s the rare creative and innovative marketing leader who will then take risks to move your brand or offerings along the buyer’s awareness and interest meters. And this is where content can carry more than its share of the load.  Marketing leads the company. So have something to say to your audiences. And go beyond the formulaic headline, body copy and call to action template.

If your strengths lie in the area of operations, finance or technology, get the talent you need to inspire marketing, messaging and mind share. Hire well or outsource.

Then measure, evaluate and realign. It’s a circle of purposeful improvement. Be willing to let go of the trapeze bar. Get some air. Stretch. Learn and adapt. Have fun. When you learn from being less than perfect you can grow wise. Wisdom can lead to wealth. And that’s fun too.