Are your eyes bigger than your budget?

You know that feeling you sometimes get after Thanksgiving dinner?  That, "I want to lay on the floor and bemoan the second helping of turkey, stuffing and the extra roll?"

Your eyes were bigger than your stomach and you always pay the price.

The same thing happens when you're buying media (new or traditional).  You try to stretch that budget too far.  Which means you take on more than your budget can comfortably handle.

One more radio station.  That great buy in the trade pub.  A couple more sites for the banner ad.

Push the plate back and walk away from the table.  When you're buying media, you are always better off to not overdo.  Buy a good strong schedule and if you have money left over....go back and buy more of what you've already bought.

For a media mix to be effective, each element in the mix must be substantial enough to establish retention.  Too often, people sacrifice repetition for the sake of reach.

By the way....the same logic holds true for marketing tactics.  Don't try to do too much.  Better to do fewer things more often and better.

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Comments

[beckie]

the thing i;m concerned about is the stimless that all these big ceos and the parties that this money is being used for ,the bonuses that all these people are being given and i really upset that no one is concerned about our countries cars like ford and chevy,we've lost everything else,this is like throwing grandmas fried chicken down the dispoisal and feeding her apple pie to the dogs,whats wrong with the american making our produces again farming our own veggies again ,picking our own veggies again,making our own cloths and shoes ,our chickens laying milking our own american cows,we have to build america back-up and that the only way to really do it put our people back to work,we need to think about americans ,and these stimulis checks should go the the american people to buy a home or car or start a business and that takes more then three hundred dallors doesn't get if your going to give money away that we have to pay hand over at least $100,000 to each person let us to something worht while with it for our families. becky rusie

[Michelle / chelpixie]

People have asked me for advice in the past about achieving their goals with social media. Should they have a twitter/facebook/blog/plurk/etc accounts? How should the put these pieces together?

Well the answer is clearly that not all pieces are there for every business/person to use. I think analyzing where you want to go and THEN making a map and using the tools that work to get you there is the best strategy.

I love Christopher Penn's car analogy: http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/16/vision-strategy-and-tactics/

[Drew McLellan]

Michelle,

Always begin with the end in mind. You're so right -- it's not about the tools, it's about the destination.

Here's my version of Christopher's thoughts. http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/2007/01/could_you_get_t.html

But we're all making the same point. This isn't something you just do willy nilly. It requires a plan and some strategy.

Drew

[jacqueline]

PLANNING - goodness I talk clients into planning more frequently then anything else. They want to do the next new thing regardless of what we had planned. It is a balance of flexibility and planning and managing that effectively. Great site - great post.

[Tim]

This is a crucial message to all marketers during this economic slowdown. Especially young marketers want to make such an impression and it so often backfires! Thanks for making this great point.

Visit my blog for more on marketing and leadership:
http://www.timgiuliani.blogspot.com

[Gavin Heaton]

Looks like I will have to put my scattergun back into the closet ;)

I find that a lot of people involved in social media have limited understanding of the fundamentals of marketing practice. Baby and bathwater, I guess.

[Drew McLellan]

Jacqueline,

You're so right. It's like wanting to eat dessert first. I get why clients want to cut to the fun stuff but it always bites them in the rear end when they do.

Our job -- keep talking and help them see the value. It's a no pain, no gain sort of lesson, I guess.

Drew

[Drew McLellan]

Tim,

Ahh, great point. Many people rush to the sexy execution because it's great show and tell. Showing off a smart strategic plan isn't any where near as much fun. But, showing the results of that planning is!

Drew

[Drew McLellan]

Gavin,

In many ways, social media is the shiny new object. But the fundamentals often get ignored in the rush to play with the new toy, I think.

Drew