Treat Marketing Like Day One, Every Day

Most business owners treat marketing like something they’ll get to when things slow down. When the phones are ringing and the tables are full, it slides to the bottom of the list. It feels optional, because business is already good.

Fran recently had a conversation with the owner of one of the fastest and most successfully growing food chains in New York City. That owner sees marketing very differently, and he said something Fran hasn’t been able to stop thinking about since.

A great product isn’t enough

Here is what he said: “Your product can be great, but if you do not have visibility or relevancy in today’s world, you will not last long.”

That’s coming from someone whose product is clearly working. The brand is growing fast. If anyone could argue that the product speaks for itself, it’s him. He doesn’t believe it.

He backs it up every month

This isn’t someone who stumbled into that belief. He backs it up every single month. He spends tens of thousands of dollars on content creation, and on top of that spends thousands more on food specifically to use for that content.

Not for the menu. Not for the kitchen. For the camera.

That’s the part that stands out. He treats the food for content as its own line in the budget, separate from what he serves customers, because he knows what the content does for the business.

What the product does, and what marketing does

A great product and great marketing do different jobs, and you need both.

The product earns the second visit. But the first visit, and staying top of mind between visits, comes from being seen. Someone who has never tried you can’t know your product is great. All they can see is your content.

Why waiting for a slow month backfires

When marketing only happens once business slows down, it’s always starting from zero. The audience you could have been building in the good months isn’t there. Neither is the habit of posting, or the library of content that keeps people thinking about you.

The owners who keep marketing when business is good are the ones who have something to lean on when it isn’t.

How to treat marketing like day one

1. Budget for it every monthMake content a fixed line in your budget, not something you fund with what’s left over.
2. Spend on what the camera needsIf your product has to look its best on camera, plan and pay for that separately from day-to-day operations.
3. Stay visible when you’re busyThe good months are when you build the audience you’ll need later.
4. Stay relevant, not just presentVisibility gets you seen. Relevancy keeps people caring about what they see.
5. Talk to people who haven’t tried you yetYour content is the first taste for anyone who has never walked through your door.

Day one, every day

The difference between this owner and most is simple. Most owners treat marketing as something for later. He treats it as part of running the business, every month, no matter how well things are going.

If your product is great, make sure people can see it, and keep making sure. That’s what makes a great product last.