Search for quotes about regret, and you’ll find many. Millions in fact.  “No Regrets” is a simple statement of positive spin on the many lessons we learn in life.  It may only be my perception, but I hear and see more and more quotes from those in the spotlight (celebrities, business leaders, “influencers”) saying that they have “no regrets.” 

I’m sure you’ve seen the interviews:

Would you do it all over again?  “Yes. No regrets.”

What would you change?  “Nothing, I have no regrets.”

When you look back, what will you think?  “I did what I needed to do, I’ll have no regrets.”

Hey, that’s awesome for them. 

But truth be told, most people will admit they have regrets.  In fact, this article states that over 90% of us admit to having some regrets.   Not for things they’ve done, which is what most people think, but for things they didn’t do.

I can’t help you go back and un-eat that cheesecake, say no to that last shot of tequila, or that horribly inappropriate selfie. Only Superman can do that.

What I can do is point out a few ways that you can make it through 2019 with no (marketing) regrets.  Here are my top 5. 

1. Don’t spend time and money on the hope that your marketing efforts will yield results.

While you are crossing your fingers and relying on vanity metrics to bolster your confidence, your marketing dollars and ability to compete may be slipping away.

What to do instead:  Increase your confidence in marketing results by amplifying the things that work and making small and measured additions.  For example, if referrals are working well for your firm, increase your development of marketing assets like customer stories and conversion-oriented content that can be used for referrals and on your website.

2. Don’t ignore the importance of customer experience. 

The customer wants you to guide them, help them make the right decision.  They don’t want regrets either.

What to do instead:  Document the customer experience by asking yourself this question:  How does my customer buy?   Your answer should include how they acknowledge they need to engage a tech consulting firm like yours, how they become aware of your firm, and how they rationalize their decision. If you can’t map out a step-by-step buying process, you’ll be unable to build an experience they love.

3. Don’t assume what worked last year (or the year before) will work for you now.

The buyer is gaining more and more control of the buying process.  Marketing tactics that worked a few short years ago may no longer yield results.

What to do instead: Assuming that your ideal customer persona is accurate and up to date, evaluate your marketing channels and supporting content and make improvements.  Your ideal customer may rely less on social media today than in the past or may want to consume recorded webinars. The chances are high that their channel and content preferences have changed.

Obviously – If your ideal customer persona isn’t accurate or up to date, start there.

4. Make investments to build your reputation as a leader and trusted authority.

You may be too young to remember the old saying “No one gets fired for hiring IBM,” but that cliché was the perfect example of leader and trusted authority status. Life is good when your audience thinks this way.

How you make the investment:  Content is the fuel for your marketing engine and is the perfect place to begin to establish your leadership and authority.  If you can define the problems your customer faces better than anyone else and provide amazing insights into solutions via written, video, audio, and visual content you’ll build authority.

5. Update your marketing strategy, especially your core message.

Your marketing strategy needs to be frequently challenged and tweaked to get maximum marketing execution results.  If your message is stale, it will impact your brand. If your brand suffers, you’ll have a difficult time building trust which is essential for marketing success.

How to determine if you need an update:  One simple test of strategy and message staleness is to read your firm’s About statement.  Do you have to explain what it means and variations on what’s publicly stated?   That would be a clear red flag and the indication that you may need to revisit and update the most important element  of your marketing system.