Marketing’s Magic Bullet?

To follow-up on Skip’s post below, too often businesses look for the magic bullet when it comes to marketing. Executives want the “one trick” that will have people lining down the block to buy whatever it is their organization is selling.

The real trick, however, is knowing there’s no such thing. Like the YMCA, many businesses will hemorrhage funds and chase their tails for years before realizing that successful marketing requires a layered approach.

From the church that wonders why one postcard mailing didn’t fill the pews, to the retail business owner who learns the hard way that “word of mouth” is not a communications strategy, business’ graveyard is filled with tales of single-tactic marketing “plans.”

So kudos to the marketing geniuses at the Y, and to Skip, who no doubt was among the architects of their triumphant, multi-layered campaign.