By Scott Harris
Sometimes things that go without saying, don’t. I am reminded recently of the importance and value of precise language, especially for those of us in the communication business. It is my contention that words can and do influence thinking and action, and I’ve picked two fairly common phrases to suggest a subtle, but important, change.
The first is regarding the discussion of dollars, budgets and marketing. Over and over, you can hear the phrase, “I’m spending X dollars on marketing” or, “I paid Y for this campaign or ad.” The critical word here is “spending” – but it should be “investing.” As long as marketing is viewed as an expense and not an investment, it will always be the first cut when budgets get tight, and you’ll continue to be judged on the cuteness of a headline or the impact of a photo. If you continue to refer to marketing efforts as spending rather than investing, you will continue to perpetuate the mistaken belief that marketing is an expense, something unnecessary that sits at the top of the “we need to cut” list.
Marketing should be evaluated the same way as any other financial investment that your company is making. What is the Return On Investment (ROI) from the investment? What impact will the proposed campaign have on awareness, on prospects, on sales? Are your efforts making inroads in helping the company achieve its stated goals? If not, you’re not doing your job. If so, you have earned – and deserve – the respect accorded anyone who successfully invests company assets and delivers a measurable ROI.
Starting today, when you think about marketing, bring a new mindset – and plant that same seed in others. When asked what an ad “costs,” respond with, “We have invested Z in this campaign and look forward to a healthy return.” Hold yourself to the standard that you expect others to hold. This requires a subtle language shift, as well as a shift in how you view marketing. Treat marketing as a critical component of a business’s overall success, as an investment and not an expense, and the perceived value of marketing within your company will skyrocket.
In a similar vein, most of us are asked multiple times during the business day, “How’s your day going?” or, “Working hard?” or maybe even the more succinct and direct, “Busy?” The most common response appears to be some variation of “I’m busy,” from “I’m having a busy day” to, “I’m so busy I can’t see straight.” Perhaps you really are as busy as a one-armed paperhanger, or a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest. You might even be as busy as a beaver, or for East Coast transplants, as busy as Grand Central Station. The key is that you’re busy, and often answer the questions with a laundry list of hours worked, plus late evenings or weekend days when you came into the office.
So what?
Isn’t it more important to be productive than it is to be busy? We have slipped into the habit of judging productivity based on hours and not output. Lots of people are busy all day long, running around, moving paper and checking emails. At the end of the day, they can honestly say they’ve been busy. However, the key question is, Did they get anything done? Just like the marketing conversation above, have they moved the needle in helping the company achieve its goals, or did they (or you) simply fill the hours with activity? As adults and professionals, shouldn’t we be judged by our results, not our efforts? I would much rather have a salesperson who works 30 hours a week and makes ten sales than one who works 50 hours a week and makes five.
If you want your chosen career (for those who are in marketing) and yourself (all of us) to be taken more seriously, think about the importance of words. Focus on investments (and return on same) rather than expenses, and spend your day being productive rather than just busy. So, the next time someone says to you. “How’s your day going and what’d that ad cost?” you’re going to say…
Scott Harris is the owner of Mustang Marketing, a full-service marketing agency serving the San Fernando Valley for more than 20 years. You can reach Scott at scott@mustangmktg.com or visit Mustang’s website at www.mustangmtkg.com.