Marketing and golf have a lot in common. Let me give you some examples...
When people start trying to re-work their golf swing there's a tendency to copy other people's work.
It's only natural. You don't have to reinvent the wheel, you just need someone credible and successful to copy, right? Like Adam Scott or Freddy Couples.
But blind mimicry will not serve you well in golf or in marketing.
Rather than trying to mimic some 25 year-old-tour pro, it pays to focus on your own, authentic swing.
Tap into that! Instead of tearing down the whole building, work with what you've got.
"Hagen and Jones do not will the swing into being, they use their will to find the swing that's already there." - Bagger Vance.
The same holds true for your marketing efforts:
Before you race off and try the latest, greatest social media solution or marketing automation software, find the authentic core of your brand... the personality, purpose and heritage that's uniquely your own. That's the core of your strategy.
You can mimic the tactics other people use, but never, ever copy a competitor's strategy.
In golf, the monkey-see-monkey do mentality will lead you down all sorts of unproductive rabbit holes.
Like when you see one of your know-it-all golfing buddies doing some newfangled drill or using a "game-changing" new swing aid.
Just because he swears it "added 15 yards to his drives in just 5 minutes" doesn't mean you should copy him. Don't listen to that knuckleheaded monkey. He'll probably lead you right off a cliff.
Golf instructors are notoriously susceptible to the monkey-see-monkey-do syndrome.
A new book comes out and they're all scrambling to become certified disciples of another stack & tilt style guru.
One YouTuber posts a video, gets a boatload of views, and everyone starts copying.
Same with marketers. A few years ago everyone was jumping on the drone bandwagon. Now Ai's the answer to all your marketing troubles.
Nonsense.
When it comes to marketing in the golf world, you still need sound fundamentals. Just like you do with your swing.
The best golf instructors start by looking at the entire swing, not just one or two positions. Only then can they start dissecting the individual parts.
Same with the best marketers. They don't start by going deep into one little marketing tactic. They get the strategy nailed down. Strategy before tactics every time.
It's not the easiest way to go. It takes more thinking, and some hard decision-making. But it's the only approach that produces sustainable results.
Need help? Want a new perspective on your marketing efforts and your brand position?
We'd love to help, just like we helped Nike Golf. Book a meeting with us. We'll give you 60 minutes of FREE consulting, plus a plan for at least one Birdie Opportunity that you're currently missing.
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