Stop Putting ALL Your Eggs In One Basket

by Skip Cohen

​It's Marketing Monday, and after reading several threads with small business owners concerned about targeting their ideal audience, I realized the solution is relatively easy.

Ironically, we grow up learning never to put all our eggs in one basket. Yet now, as adults running a business, the vehicles we use to promote are so limited. Many of you launch programs with singular approaches, leaving you to make comment later like: "We tried an email campaign, but it didn't work!" But did you do anything else at the same time?

You need to expand your reach and use every resource you've got. There's no such thing as too much exposure, but not getting enough is very real. So I went off into cyberspace to chase down a little more information.

"It's been proven over and over that the more positive contact you have with customers and prospects, the easier it is to develop and sustain relationships and, ultimately, close more sales. Unfortunately, you're one of thousands who are vying for your customers' attention." KruseControlinc.com

The quote above is from an article about the "Rule of 7." It's an old rule, going back to the 30s, and states that you have to hit a consumer at least seven times for them to remember you! If that was then, what's the number today?

This is a short post this morning with a long list of all the vehicles you need to keep active to maintain brand momentum:

• ​Your Website
• Your Blog
• Fine-tuning SEO
• Social Media Outlets - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn
• Email Blasts
• Direct Mail
• Community Involvement
• Local Organizations - Membership
• Publicity in Local Publications
• Partnerships
• Networking Luncheons
• Advertising

The list goes on and on, but the more vehicles you use to reach your target audience, the greater your success rate in gaining recognition for your brand. Essentially the concept is to weave a web around your target consumer. You want your name coming up in multiple locations throughout the day.

Over the last ten years, I've written about each bullet point above in more detail. But just for today - pick at least five off the list and consider how to do more within each area. The more activity you generate, the greater your brand awareness.

And while not putting all your eggs in one basket is the standard expression, here's an old African proverb that's so much better:

Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable!
Bondei proverb