Marketing: The Art Of Balance

What draws in the attention of crowds and audiences when watching an ice skating performance is the ability of the performer to tell a story through their actions and motions in fluidity, while at the same time retaining perfect balance. In similar regards, this ‘balance’ is one that can be the difference between a good marketing campaign and a great one.

To understand the many dimensions and angles that marketing campaigns consist of, we would need chapters rather than articles to fully understand them. Still, understanding the art of balance in regards to marketing is a fairly simplistic concept.

Marketing Is Not Only Sales

Here we have an instance where balance is commonly overlooked, yet extremely important.

One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about marketing is that it is sales. While to an extent this is true, marketing is not only sales. Marketing consists of multiple individual areas that each serve a unique role in the marketing landscape. Understanding this is key when promoting a brand or product. Without a clear understanding that you are part of a ‘chain,’ marketing efforts won’t reach their full potential. One of the biggest problems that companies face today when it comes to marketing are individuals on the team not understanding the importance of the role they play within the system.

Going back the example of a sales, there are times you may find that there is a disconnect between the sales team and the marketing strategist. Much of this is due to the fact that both are focused on different tasks. Separately, they both have different immediate goals at hand, but in the long-run they are still a support system for one another. Although the sales teams immediate goal is to sell the product or service of the company, they are on the front lines of client interaction and will get first hand knowledge of user experience, feedback and questions. With this knowledge it helps marketing strategists develop a better campaign which includes providing sales teams with a better product and experience to sell. Once all team members are on the same page, marketing runs efficiently and productively.

The Marketing Mix and Balance

In school, we are taught the importance of the marketing mix or what’s commonly been referred to as “the 4 P’s.” While many of us may not remember each and every one of those P’s (Product, Price, Place and Promotion), the fundamental concept of it is important.

Conceptually, the marketing mix says that if you can optimize each of the 4 P’s, you can improve your marketing results. While there have been many variations of what people like to consider the 4 P’s, the concept remains the same. A companies ability to balance different aspects of a campaign directly affects the outcome.

Balance and Storytelling

To some, marketing is perceived as the process by which a brand promotes themselves and their products. Still, it is much more than that. Marketing is storytelling. Whether it’s Nike’s brand or their shoes, marketers are telling a story, that when effective, compels a consumer to buy a brands products or services.

In our everyday life for example, we see this storytelling by the choices we make. From the car we decide to drive to the type of energy drink we buy, we make these choices because we were presented with a story that connected with us.

As a marketing professional, it is important to understand that you are a storyteller and that you can shape the way a consumer perceives ones brand or products. Again, balance plays its part in that by understanding ones role as storyteller, one needs to be able to understand the delicate balance between what the consumer wants to be told and what the brand wants to present. Too often do we see brands marketing their products in a way that a consumer can’t connect with. Remember that no one wants to hear a story that they’ve heard before or they can’t relate with.

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Although the meaning of the term ‘marketing’ has changed in many different ways over time, ‘balance’ remains a common denominator. Yes, the strategies we employ today are much different than those 5 or 10 years ago, but the ability to balance different elements continues to be important.

Going back to the example of an ice skating presentation, without balance, no one would want to watch it.  Similarly, a marketing campaign that doesn’t have a balanced plan of action and team focus will yield little success and value.