Don't Panic.

Today's Marketing Cookie is about the benefit of fear.

As marketers, we attempt to use all means at our disposal to reach a target audience who we believe has a need for what XYZ product or service will solve. We come up with crazy, bold ideas that are sure to stand out from the fray, but as amazing as the creative may be, they aren't always going to deliver an acceptable return on investment. So, sometime shortly after we push the red button to launch a campaign, the fearful questions begin to haunt us like the three ghosts out of a classic Dickens' novel. The ghosts linger, unreachable in the back of our brains asking, "Are you reaching the right audience?" They whisper, just loud enough for only us to hear, "Will the prospects care?" and they snicker when asking, "Will they buy?"

Oh, it's quite unnerving indeed, and unfortunately, the ghosts of fear cannot be banished from the mind of the marketer. Unless, of course, the marketer chooses not to use their brain. In the case of mindless marketing, there's nothing for the ghosts to haunt. There have been times when we've played it safe by being more like the competitors, or worse, we've set the marketing engine on cruise control by using recycled programs that have served us well in the past. When we've been lazy, or too afraid to take a risk, the ghosts leave us in peace - and so too, most of the prospects ignore our message.

I always tell our clients, "everything in marketing is a risk... even not taking a risk, is risky." If we've gone out on a limb to find new opportunities, really pushed our creative muscles to the edge of the cliff, and double-checked every landing, trigger, and action along the conversion path, we are sure to hear those ghosts in our brains. When we have a good dose of fear, we know we've done something right. Now we must endure the pressure of our fears and worries, to see if what we've done actually works.

Although fear is unavoidable in the practice of marketing, panic, however, has no part in the training of a good marketer. Fear of failure is typically the mother of panic and it's ugly. In fact, panic has a face that only its mother can love. The only cure for the fear of failure is experience, which is quite truthfully why companies hire our agency. We've made all the missteps, discovered most of the trip wires, and mapped out many of the safest shortcuts. The truth is, experience is what you get when you don't get what you want. When you, like us, have twenty-five years of learning under your belt, you won't be prone to panic, even though you'll always have a healthy dose of fear.

Even if you're relatively new to marketing and do not possess a wealth of experience, I encourage you to take some risks. Be creative and clever and let the ghosts of fear visit you when you've pushed the red button. Fear based on risk is the juice that gives your marketing the adrenaline it needs to move the needle, generate leads, and meet your revenue goals. Above all else, always remember what today's fortune says, "Don't panic."

Panic is ugly and doesn't suit you.