Marketing is a process, not an event

Many business people see marketing as a panacea to all their business woes. Some people implement marketing efforts and expect immediate results. They are misinformed. Marketing is a long-term, persistent, and consistent activity that should never end.

Another mistake made by many companies, both online and offline, is to concentrate on the marketing or PR home run-that one story, event, or customer touch that will bring a bonanza of business.

The problem with these expectations is that home runs aren't what usually win baseball games; it's usually a collection of singles and doubles that make for the winning score. Sure, you may hit a home run occasionally, but you can't go into the game expecting to win that way.

The same applies in business, marketing, and PR. It's the little things that make for the success of a business.

As I tell my clients, marketing is a "process," not an "event." Establishing a credible business reputation is a process of doing a lot of little things consistently instead of looking for instant gratification or a marketing home run.

You have to be willing to put in some work and you have to market yourself on an ongoing basis. Slightly famous entrepreneurs take their marketing and promotional efforts as seriously as paying their rent.