So last weekend it was announced that Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympic summer games beating Istanbul in a head to head vote after Madrid was outed in the first round.

Now Istanbul have had their problems with anti-government protests a negative you would think in this kind of contest, but then Tokyo have the leaking Fukushima nuclear plant 140 miles away from Tokyo – a big health risk and possibly more of a negative?

But Tokyo won, after a valiant plea by the Prime Minister, he ‘out-marketed’ his competition and stole the 2020 crown. But what if his marketing is fake – what happens then?

Well for Tokyo and the 2020 Olympic games, nothing at all because they only have to market themselves for this opportunity just once, but for you as a small business owner when you need to make multiple sales of the same product or service, false marketing will do you know good at all.

Customers have the right to know what they are buying so it is really important that you give them all the necessary information and not provide mis-leading statements. What will happen if you do:

  1. Of course you’re likely to receive a complaint from the customer you sold it to
  2. That customer may then share his dissatisfaction with his friends and online followers
  3. Your social reputation will then be damaged
  4. It will be difficult for you to sell the product again using the same marketing
  5. Other areas of your business could be affected by the bad press

We all know you cannot market a bad product, not more that once anyway!

So what is ‘good marketing’ it’s basically the way you tell your story to your customers. Good marketing is consistent with your purpose and your brand, if the two don’t marry then potential customers may not trust your marketing.

  1. Good marketing is consistent with your brand so drives loyalty
  2. Good marketing is truthful
  3. Good marketing is about your clients

If anything feels fake and contrived then your customers will know it… if it feels authentic they’ll know that too! So don’t market what you haven’t got – instead build on your brand and your culture and share that experience through your marketing and every customer interaction. That way customers will remain loyal and keep coming back for more!

p.s. no children were harmed in the making of this blog post!