Marketing Myths Exposed
By Marketing professional


This small guide should help remove some of these myths, and help you develop better marketing for your business.

MYTH 1
Doing any marketing activity is better than none at all!
Absolutely not true, the bottom line is that marketing costs money. If you do not do any format marketing you maybe using the wrong messages to the wrong audience, in the wrong media, and all your money will be wasted, and you may do your brand damage.

MYTH 2
Branding is concept dreamed up by marketing consultants and doesn't affect me!
Crazy, branding at its simplest form, is “delivering a promise”. You promise the market something (by your actions, messages, promotions, advertising etc) and deliver (through website, staff, branches etc). You MUST ensure that customers receive the products/service and delivery they are promised, failure to do so is fatal. Just think how you feel when you receive poor service or a faulty.

MYTH 3
Public Relations (PR) is FREE!
Well in it purest form yes it is, but you are missing lots of editorial opportunities if you live by this myth. Spending a bit of money on building a relationship with editors and journalists is incredibly important. Invite then to your product launch/open days etc, entertain them, even take them out. You will be surprised just how helpful they then can be when you need editorial coverage, fitting in a photo to your story, or information about future editions that may be of interest to you.

MYTH 4
Marketing takes a while to work, I know I have to be patient!
Crazy, if your marketing hits the right market, the right decision makers within that market, with the messages they want to see, then results can be almost instantaneous.
Its true that large business have got the budget and time to create subtle awareness campaigns that take a while to sink into buyers minds, but a well executed campaign can bring in problems within days, even hours!

MYTH 5
We have a website, business will now come to us!
Not true, sure you have a website, but

01 Cost-Effective Ways To Improve Brand Awareness And Increase Online Sales (Part 1)
Guest: Greg Squires, Online Marketing Manager, Shopatron<Br><br>Get expert advice on search engine optimization and search advertising from Greg Squires, Online Marketing Manager at Shopatron.
04 How To Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond The Competition (Part 2)
Guest: Michael Stelzner, Founder, Social Media Examiner<Br><Br>Learn about Michael Stelzner’s new book and learn how to improve your social media marketing, company blogging and more.
02 Cost-Effective Ways To Improve Brand Awareness And Increase Online Sales (Part 2)
Guest: Greg Squires, Online Marketing Manager, Shopatron<Br><br>Get expert advice on search engine optimization and search advertising from Greg Squires, Online Marketing Manager at Shopatron.
03 How To Quickly Propel Your Business Beyond The Competition (Part 1)
Guest: Michael Stelzner, Founder, Social Media Examiner<Br><Br>Learn about Michael Stelzner’s new book and learn how to improve your social media marketing, company blogging and more.
01 Google+: Should Your Business Be Using This Platform? - Part l
Guest: Jon Henshaw, Co-Founder, Director of Product Innovation, Raven Internet Marketing Tools <Br><br>Learn all about Google’s new social media platform from social media expert Jon Henshaw of Raven Internet Marketing Tools.
02 Google+: Should Your Business Be Using This Platform? - Part ll
Guest: Jon Henshaw, Co-Founder, Director of Product Innovation, Raven Internet Marketing Tools <Br><br>Learn all about Google’s new social media platform from social media expert Jon Henshaw of Raven Internet Marketing Tools.
03 How Twitter Improves Your Relationship with Customers - Part l
Guest: Leslie Poston, Founder, Magnitude Media<Br><br>Find out how Twitter can improve customer interactions and increase sales. RSS Ray interviews Leslie Poston, the author of “Twitter for Dummies.”
04 How Twitter Improves Your Relationship with Customers - Part ll
Guest: Leslie Poston, Founder, Magnitude Media<Br><br>Find out how Twitter can improve customer interactions and increase sales. RSS Ray interviews Leslie Poston, the author of “Twitter for Dummies.”
01 Mobile Marketing Strategies That Grow Your Business - Part l
Guest: Michael Becker, North America Managing Director, Mobile Marketing Association<Br><br>Get mobile marketing tips from the industry’s leading trade organization. Michael Becker of the Mobile Marketing Association joins RSS Ray for this must-hear interview.
02 Mobile Marketing Strategies That Grow Your Business - Part ll
Guest: Michael Becker, North America Managing Director, Mobile Marketing Association<Br><br>Get mobile marketing tips from the industry’s leading trade organization. Michael Becker of the Mobile Marketing Association joins RSS Ray for this must-hear interview.
03 The Best Website Usability Tips for SMBs - Part l
Guest: Amy Africa, CEO, Eight by Eight<Br><br>Learn how to drive more sales on your company website. RSS Ray interviews website conversion expert Amy Africa of Eight by Eight.
04 The Best Website Usability Tips for SMBs - Part ll
Guest: Amy Africa, CEO, Eight by Eight<Br><br>Learn how to drive more sales on your company website. RSS Ray interviews website conversion expert Amy Africa of Eight by Eight.
01 Email Marketing: Measuring Customer Engagement (Part 1)
Guest: Kara Trivunovic, Director of Strategic Services, StrongMail<Br><br>Get the most important email marketing best practices from one of the best. RSS Ray interviews email marketing expert Kara Trivunovic of StrongMail.
02 Email Marketing: Measuring Customer Engagement (Part 2)
Guest: Kara Trivunovic, Director of Strategic Services, StrongMail<Br><br>Get the most important email marketing best practices from one of the best. RSS Ray interviews email marketing expert Kara Trivunovic of StrongMail.
03 How To Create Web-Based Presentations and Seminars that Sell (Part 1)
Guest: Roger Courville, Founder, 1080 Group<Br><br>Get exclusive tips on how to conduct business boosting presentations online from expert Roger Courville. RSS Ray and Roger discuss slide formats, audience engagement and more.
04 How To Create Web-Based Presentations and Seminars that Sell (Part 2)
Guest: Roger Courville, Founder, 1080 Group<Br><br>Get exclusive tips on how to conduct business boosting presentations online from expert Roger Courville. RSS Ray and Roger discuss slide formats, audience engagement and more.
01 Social Media Tools That Will Save You Money (Part 1)
Guest: Pete Codella<Br><br>Description: Find out the top social media tools that will improve productivity and sales results. RSS Ray interviews Pete Codella of Codella Marketing.
03 Designing Great Websites That Sell (Part 1)
Guest: Leon Fayer<Br><br>Unlock the keys to website design that will help you sell more. Learn all about CMS and website design from Leon Fayer of OmniTI.
04 Designing Great Websites That Sell (Part 2)
Guest: Leon Fayer<Br><br>Unlock the keys to website design that will help you sell more. Learn all about CMS and website design from Leon Fayer of OmniTI.
02 Social Media Tools That Will Save You Money (Part 2)
Guest: Pete CodellaFind out the top social media tools that will improve productivity and sales results. RSS Ray interviews Pete Codella of Codella Marketing.
01 Landing Page Conversion Secrets For Businesses of All Sizes Part 1
Guest: Tim Ash, CEO, SiteTuners<Br><br>Get expert tips on how to improve landing page conversions from one of the best. RSS Ray interviews Tim Ash of SiteTuners.
02 Landing Page Conversion Secrets For Businesses of All Sizes Part 2
Guest: Tim Ash, CEO, SiteTuners<Br><br>Get expert tips on how to improve landing page conversions from one of the best. RSS Ray interviews Tim Ash of SiteTuners.
03 Common Marketing Mistakes That Most Companies Make Part 1
Listen to RSS Ray reveal the top mistakes that most companies make. You won’t find this info anywhere else.
04 Common Marketing Mistakes That Most Companies Make Part 2
Listen to RSS Ray reveal the top mistakes that most companies make. You won’t find this info anywhere else.
01 How Social Media and RSS Feeds Improves Search Rankings
Guest: Mark Carlson, CEO, SimpleFeed<Br><br>Learn the ins and outs of RSS feeds and how they improve your business. RSS Ray interviews RSS and social media expert Mark Carlson of SimpleFeed.
02 How Social Media and RSS Feeds Improves Search Rankings
Guest: Mark Carlson, CEO, SimpleFeed<Br><br>Learn the ins and outs of RSS feeds and how they improve your business. RSS Ray continues his conversation with RSS and social media expert Mark Carlson of SimpleFeed.
03 How To Make Working With Your Marketing Vendors Suck Less
RSS Ray discusses some important tips on how to improve your business relationship with marketing vendors. You won’t find these tips anywhere else!
04 10 Suggestions For A Better Business
RSS Ray shares his secrets on how to boost your business. You’ll get lots of great tips that will get you more customers.
01 Designing Smartphone Applications Customers Love
Guest: Ken McDonald, VP of Marketing and Customer Success, LifePics<Br><br>Learn how to design smartphone applications that customers will love. RSS Ray interviews Ken McDonald of LifePics
02 The iPad’s Effect On Online Marketing
Guest: Ken McDonald, VP of Marketing and Customer Success, LifePics<Br><br>Learn how to design smartphone applications that customers will love. RSS Ray continues his interview with Ken McDonald of LifePics
03 Designing Smartphone Applications Customers Love
Guest: Mark Douglas, CEO, SteelHouse Media<Br><brGet exclusive online marketing tips on how to use the iPad to generate more revenue for your business.
04 What You Should Know About Monitoring Your Employees’ Web Traffic
RSS Ray shares best practices on how to protect your business and monitor your employees’ web traffic.
01 Leveraging Social Media to Create More Likeable Companies
Guest: Dave Kerpen, CEO, Likeable Media<Br><br>RSS Ray interviews social media expert Dave Kerpen of Likeable Media about social media best practices and his new must-read book “Likeable Social Media.”
02 Leveraging Social Media to Create More Likeable Companies
Guest: Dave Kerpen, CEO, Likeable Media<Br><br>RSS Ray interviews social media expert Dave Kerpen of Likeable Media about social media best practices and his new must-read book “Likeable Social Media.”
03 How To Find Your Target Market
RSS Ray discusses the key tips to discovering your target market.
04 How QR Codes Grow Your Business
Learn everything that you need to know about QR codes and how they can help grow your business.
01 Content Marketing Best Practices That Will Get You More Customers
Guest: Joe Pulizzi<Br><br>Get exclusive content marketing tips for your company blog from one of the best. RSS Ray interviews content marketing evangelist Joe Pulizzi of the Content Marketing Institute. They discuss content marketing best practices as well as Content Marketing World 2011.
01 How Influence Strategies Can Boost Your Online Sales
Guest: Mike Schultz of RAIN Group<Br><br>Get exclusive sales tips that will get you more customers from Mike Schultz of RAIN Group. RSS Ray talks with Mike about his new book “Rainmaking Conversations: Influence, Persuade, and Sell in Any Situation.”
01 Text Message Marketing: Why Your Business Should Be Using This Powerful Marketing Tool
Guests: Michael Lamb and Brian Stafford, Co-Founders, Opt It<Br><br>RSS Ray speaks with the co-founders of Opt It Text Message Marketing. Get exclusive text message marketing best practices from Brian Stafford and Michael Lamb in this week’s show.
01 Tools That Will Help Your Company With Paid Search Advertising
Guest: Alex Cohen, Senior Marketing Manager, ClickEquations<Br><br>Learn about some of the best paid search tools for your business from Alex Cohen of ClickEquations. RSS Ray and Alex discuss paid search advertising best practices.
01 Optimizing Company Websites For Google And Other Search Engines
Guest: Kayden Kelly, CEO, Blast Advanced Media<Br><br>Get SEO best practices and more from SEO expert Kayden Kelly of Blast Advanced Media. RSS Ray talks with Kayden about click through rates, SEO tools and more.
01 How Online Review Sites Benefit Small Businesses
Guest: Kara Nortman, Senior Vice President of Publishing, CityGrid Media<Br><br>Learn how online review sites like Citysearch and Urbanspoon can grow your small business. RSS Ray interviews Kara Nortman of CityGrid Media, the largest content and ad network for online review sites.

does everyone know about it? Have you informed your customers and prospects? Have you placed your website on the popular search engines?
Search Engine Optimisation is important, especially for smaller businesses, you need to make it as easy as possible for online customers to find you. All businesses need marketing, your website is no exception.
For more information on search engine optimisation visit http://www.blackwhite.uk.com/search-engine-optimisation/

MYTH 6
I put in the right Meta tags and I'll get ranked high.
Meta tags are a small part of a very big puzzle. They are extremely important but they are not the only thing that you need to tweak in order to improve your search engine ranking. Sometimes a good meta tag change can make a big difference, mostly it won't. There isn't one magic formula that can vault you to the top of the search engines. It's more like 20 little things that you must do just right in order to get ranked high. With that said, by all means do your meta tags, but don't stop there.


MYTH 7
We are a sales organisation, and salespeople aren't part of the marketing process!
Crazy …. Sales are an incredibly important part of the marketing process especially in the B2B environment, marketing alone cannot sell anything. Marketing can get customers through the door, marketing can get in sales leads, but it takes a sales team to convert these prospects into customers.


MYTH 8
How do I know what percentage to spend on marketing!
You MUST give x% of your revenues and plough them back into marketing .. nonsence, its certainly true that you could expect to spend a certain percentage of your revenues on marketing, but all businesses are different and its difficult to say exactly how much you should spend without looking at market conditions, business objectives etc