Published:

09/03/2014 10:49pm

Avoid The Shiny Object Syndrome - The Top 3 Tactics To Market Your Business

Shiny object syndrome is a disorder affecting millions of marketers around the world. The symptoms include an infatuation with using certain keywords, trends, or channels promising thousands of new conversions. Those suffering from this affliction may also experience a nagging feeling in their head to pull out the company credit card for the latest and greatest new software or services.

If you feel that you or a co-worker you know might be suffering from shiny object syndrome, you're not alone. Shiny object syndrome doesn't have to be permanent; it can be treated and here's how.

Find The Source

Before you can treat the ailment, you need to determine how you got the syndrome in the first place. Look over your organization's marketing goals and try to come up with a solution as to why you are attempting to compensate with this new strategy or 'fad.' Maybe your organization doesn't have any real answers to address increases in conversions, or produce observable A/B split testing data.

The most common way to become infected with shiny object syndrome is by not having clear enough marketing goals. Not having clear goals permits room for deviation and may be causing you to stray from the mission.

Apply The Cure

If you do find any kinks in the system, ask yourself whether or not this new strategy or asset will help to close the gap and provide you with what you need. If it does-great! Add it into your strategy and come up with a basic solution for any of the other problems that you might have found. Just make sure that you test it out on a small scale first before implementing it into the general approach.

On the other hand, if you can't find any plausible and realistic use for this new strategy, trend, or keyword campaign, ditch it. In the end it's not going to be worth your time or money to implement. You may think to yourself, "Well maybe I'll find use for this later on," but the fact of the matter is that if it is really that important, you start it up again later on. There is no such thing as a magic strategy that works for everyone that tries it.

Cover Your Mouth

Last but not least, once you've found the treatment for shiny object syndrome, cover your mouth and avoid spreading it; meaning keep your head down and stick to an agreed upon marketing plans. Don't run off to your marketing coordinator to spread the information around and cause excitement about this great new strategy.

In the end, everyone has to come up with what works for them. If you want to keep shiny object syndrome contained and out of the office, work together to develop solutions independent to your company and stay away from all the excitement on the Internet or among other companies. Setting aside strong marketing goals and steps to achieve those goals is the only preventative measure against shiny object syndrome.

Pamela Wigglesworth is a Singapore-based American corporate trainer, speaker and Managing Director of Experiential Hands-on Learning, a training and development company. A resident of Asia for over 20 years, she works with companies across multiple industries to enhance their branding, marketing communications, personal communication skills and effectiveness in the workplace.

To learn more about Pamela, visit the Experiential website at www.experiential.sg or email her at courses@experiential.sg