Marketing is Motion, not Magic

Much is made of genius. It's a magical thought that someone does better than you because of their innate, born-with mental acumen. It gives us comfort to know there is nothing more we could do to achieve what they've achieved because... they were just born that way.

In this current world of rationalizing so many things because of gene pool back strokes, let's talk common sense which isn't so common.

Genius accounts for little. Few have it and those with it often nominally contribute to the greater good.

Not to be different, in marketing genius is greatly used to dismiss our own lack of success. But it's best to put that behind us and get to the real heart of what matters. My little maxim for all this is "marketing is not magic but motion."

In nearly all advertisements or marketing campaigns I've conducted that have been wildly successful, the path behind them is strewn, littered and piled with massive mistakes I've made. I've tried one idea followed by another. Smartly, I carefully tracked what worked and adjusted. That led to the "genius" idea... eventually.

I've been around many other "marketing geniuses" and worked with dozens. Their tale is no different. The notion of motion matters most. I advise many people and nearly all take the information and stew on it and then look for magic that never comes. I'm reminded of the two turkeys who attend a wonderful all-day session on how to fly. They soared and flapped to the sky. And as they were walking home declared how worthwhile the day had been. Yes, walking home.

The great entrepreneur Larry Miller (lacked formal education, worked in car parts stores and ended up with dozens of car dealerships, owner of the Utah Jazz and a world-class speedway) was once asked the "secret" of business success. That's about as astute a question as "what's the magic of your marketing?". Miller's response was, and I paraphrase: "60% of success is just showing up. Another 20 or 30% is showing up with the right attitude."

Edison is created with the quote, "Genius is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration."

Do something. Even if it is wrong because you'll learn more from your mistakes than your successes although success will seduce you into thinking you're the cat's meow.

Do something today. Now.