• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Margie ClaymanMargie Clayman

Marietta, OH

  • About Me
  • Marketing
  • Librarianship
  • Random Musings
  • Contact Me

Mowing the grass in the rain

May 12, 2010 by Margie Clayman 4 Comments


Around where I work, there is a crew that mows the grass throughout the Summer. When I say “throughout the Summer,” I mean that they have specifically scheduled days on which they perform their duties. They perform those duties whether it is hailing, sunny, warm, cold, rainy, or droughty. There could be nothing but dirt left and they would still probably come to mow the grass just because it is what they have always done, it’s what they’ve been told to do, and it seems to work.


I mention this because I think sometimes companies get into ruts with their marketing. Maybe marketers get in ruts with their recommendations, too.

Every Year is a Winding Road

Beginning in about July or so, and really throughout the year, we start formulating ideas that will evolve into the backbones of our proposed marketing plans for our clients. It would be easy to say, “Well, you did six print ads in this publication last year and it didn’t seem to hurt anything. Let’s do that again!” But that is not really the best approach. Maybe it never was, but it certainly is not now. We’ve noticed that due to time constraints and a multitude of other responsibilities, companies who handle their own marketing often fall into these kinds of thought patterns. It’s easy to manage, it does some good. What more could you ask for?
In fact, though, a lot can happen in a year. Publications can launch and fail. Websites can launch and fail. Heck, really anything can launch or fail. Sometimes the same thing does both in the span of a year. It’s a lot to keep track of. There are so many details to monitor, and now that the BPA has started to audit websites in addition to print publications, there’s going to be even more to get our arms around.

If you don’t approach a marketing plan from a fresh perspective, you can end up mowing grass that is already dead. You can end up trying to seed a parking lot while there are plant beds all ready and waiting just a few yards away. Increasingly, tightly scheduled, “perfect” repeatable plans can be deadly. A company cannot possibly pursue everything there is to pursue now over a year-long period. A company that has always relied on print can start dabbling with online advertising. A company that has done nothing but collateral could look at updating their website. A company that has sworn off print could look at a really innovative direct mail campaign. That’s right — using paper. Just repeating what has been done “since I started” or “for as long as this company has been in business” is not just a boring approach to the new world, but it also is dangerous. It will make you look lazy. It will make you look like you are behind the times. And that’s not a good place to be.

So before you decide that you are going to mow the grass every Wednesday and Friday no matter what the elements tell you to do, take a step back and actually look at the yard you have. Does it really need to be mowed today? Maybe it’s time to try something new. You could always go back to mowing next week.

Image by octavian napoleon. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/octavianuk

Filed Under: Marketing Talk

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sandy says

    May 14, 2010 at 2:38 pm

    LOL…I had to laugh. Firstly, thought I was on the wrong blog. clicked back to my page, reclicked on the link and yep…it's you. Your blog looks so different I did a double take.I need to mow the grass today, but my knee hurts. I can mow it, then ice my knee and put my brace on. Or I can do other things and hubby will do it tomorrow. Hum……decisions decisions. lolI work in food market research, and all the times we've chatted didn't know we had an odd connection there. I moderate food taste tests…another thing that bothers these arthritic knees.Sandy

    Reply
  2. that Marketing Chic says

    May 24, 2010 at 12:59 pm

    A few days ago, the lawn mowing people cut our community's grass in POURING rain. I immediately thought of your post. It currently looks gross and dirty 4 days later. Previous wet grass has now dried and sits in piles on the sidewalk. Sighs, people get in routines and just don't care how awful it makes their work look – as long as they got it done.

    Reply
  3. Suzanne Vara says

    July 14, 2010 at 5:56 pm

    I love this post as companies get into such a routine and "we have always done it this way" always finds its way into the conversation. Change has to happen to remain competitive. It is inevitable. Adding to and not abandoning a traditional adv plan with online efforts enhances the efforts and not diminishes.Great way to get a point across here with the analogy of the mowing of the lawn. @SuzanneVara

    Reply
  4. johnm6654 says

    February 14, 2014 at 2:58 am

    Proper mowing is one of the most important practices in keeping your lawn healthy.
     
    Make your garden lawn look enviously beautiful through the lawn care expertise of the professionals of Cannington Lawn Mowing. We’re certainly glad that you have finally reached the end of your online search. This is where you can find all the best lawn mowing services within the locality of Cannington.
     
    Visit Us: http://www.canningtonlawnmowing.com/

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Post: « Editorial Calendars aren’t just for print anymore
Next Post: But we’re here to help you! »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Seeing Double: African American Literature
  • Book Review: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
  • Book Review: Land of Lincoln, by Andrew Ferguson
  • The portrayal of the infertile woman in entertainment
  • Chapter 3: A Weird Thing Happened Today

Recent Comments

  • Delores Baskerville on Are you locking out blog subscribers?
  • frank c tripoli on Book Review: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
  • Lyv on #30Thursday number 10 (we’re in the double digits?!?)
  • Fitoru on New Recipes, 2013
  • Anna Wyatt on Help me petition to deactivate driver-side airbags for Little People

Archives

  • February 2021
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • April 2017
  • October 2016
  • July 2016
  • April 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • December 2014
  • October 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • February 2014
  • December 2013
  • October 2013
  • August 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • June 2007
  • April 2007

Categories

  • Book Reviews
  • Crafts and Charity
  • Gardening for Renters
  • Marketing Talk
  • Molly Maggie McGuire
  • Musings
  • PassionPlayers
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Footer

marjorie.clayman@gmail.com

   

Margie Clayman © 2022