Why Your Opinion Doesn’t Matter
I know you have an opinion on all kinds of internet trends and practices. And on design issues, you have even more.
Sometimes business leaders allow their opinions to send them hurtling down certain marketing paths, and sometimes we allow what we think to put a screeching halt to one part or another of our marketing mix.
Think of all the times you’ve heard someone say:
- I’m just not a big fan of social media. This whole Twitter thing is way overrated.
- I can’t believe that design group put orange on my business card. I hate orange!
- Google Adwords is a scam that makes you pay to get to the top.
- The landing page is just kind of boring. I think we should jazz it up!
- There really isn’t any kind of ROI to be gained from keeping up a page on Facebook.
The truth is that there are all sorts of reasons business leaders might decide to employ social media or the color orange, and those reasons are based on data.
Have you ever noticed how many food-related brands have red in their logos? Costco, Wendy’s, Safeway, and so on? Years of market research show that the color red makes people hungry. Just envision a counter full of fresh produce: The bright red raspberries, strawberries, and tomatoes automatically pop out in a field of pineapples, spinach, and jalapeno peppers. Brands from Coke to Campbell’s Soup have been taking advantage of this research for decades and none of the million-dollar decisions about these brands is based on opinion.
With the right data, our opinions don’t count for much. Which is incredibly good news, because this valuable piece of information can save us hundreds of trial and error efforts, not to mention thousands of dollars of marketing budget. When you have data points, you don’t have to guess.
You may be correct in deciding that there’s no reason for your business to build and maintain a page on Facebook. And just because you keep hearing that social media is the next big thing doesn’t mean it’s right for your company.
But before you decide, take the time to gather the facts. Talk to someone knowledgeable in the marketing field and research to see if you can find reliable statistics on the matter.
Above all, implement testing and measurement tools everywhere you can in your marketing. Website analytics, split testing platforms, and even simple benchmarks (did the pointy widget or the smooth widget sell better) can all work together to help you know — rather than think you know — exactly what’s working to bring you leads and convert to revenue.
