Crystal Balls
Anyone who suggests and guarantees specific results should be questioned. Ask them how they arrived at that conclusion and how they can support their claim.
Because for any scientific claim to be credible, it must be testable and yield consistent results, regardless of who conducts the experiment or where it is conducted. This is vital for establishing a robust foundation of scientific knowledge that is universally accepted and applicable.
Another question to ask is how many brands participated in their “experiment.” Was it 2,10, 100? This information can help gauge the reliability and breadth of their data.
Case Studies
Case studies are excellent marketing tools. They may not show the entire picture, but they do demonstrate competence on specific accounts and should be seen as evidence of good work done.
However, this doesn’t guarantee that the same results can be replicated for your business. To get a clearer understanding, probe deeper. Ask questions that help determine whether the approach and results outlined in the case study could be aligned with achieving similar outcomes for your business.
Same as sexy screen grabs – these are merely a snapshot in time but do not mean the same thing will happen on your account. You must use your critical thinking.
Magical Strategies
There is no such thing as a magical strategy – only magical thinking.
You must appreciate that your product, pricing, market fit, and competition all play significant roles. Your goal is to find the strategy that works best for your products. What might seem like a magical strategy for Apple products might not work for your supplements or camping gear.
If someone claims to have a magical strategy, ask them how many successes they’ve achieved with the same magical strategy. Remember, scientific validity is based on the repeatability of results.
Are you Big Enough?
Are you big enough to warrant having an agency?
If you are experiencing margin compression and turning over less than $800,000 a year, can you truly afford to spend on an agency, plus ad spend, plus percentages, and then consider drawing a wage?
Do the math, because you don’t want to be living month-to-month based on ad spend and other overheads of your business. Find a way to manage, either with software, a virtual assistant, or by improving your skills, until you reach the right point in your business.
