“This is the BEST marketing tactic if you want to grow your company.”

You’ve probably heard that line before, maybe hundreds of times. It seems everyone is telling you that they have the best solution if you want to drive phenomenal business growth, doesn’t it? And you’ve probably tried a few of those solutions – maybe more than a few. Usually they don’t deliver as you expected.

So you’re skeptical now, but you clicked on the link to read this article anyway. And I think you will be happy that you did, because I am going to tell you what the absolute best tactic for driving growth is, and you’re going to be shocked. It’s not going to cost you more money. In fact, it should not cost you anything at all.

Let’s start with an explanation of what I do so you will understand that I am not about to lure you into a sales pitch. I am a Fractional Chief Marketing Officer, which means the only thing I produce is expertise, advice, and marketing leadership. This article is about to give you some advice – for free.

Why give it away? Because I am tired of hearing from so many companies that have tried  the “best thing” more than once and are now struggling just to right the ship. Not because they overspent, but because the results did not materialize or, worse yet, the results caused damage to the brand. Attribution in marketing is not easy. So claiming to know what the “best” tactic is would be difficult if it was not proven across industries and over time.

The buyer’s journey is not a single step. Marketers have always said it takes multiple touches to generate a lead, and then even more touches to close a sale. Anyone who tells you that one tactic you are using is the reason for all your success is probably oversimplifying things. And if they are telling you it’s the tactic they created for you, they may be giving themselves more credit than they are due.

I will discuss attribution chains and modeling in a future article, but for now let’s just say attribution is not simple, and rarely is the key to success a single tactic. However, there is one thing that you absolutely can do to improve the results you get from your marketing. That one thing? Be AUTHENTIC!

Customers don’t buy from you until they know, like and trust you. Trust requires that they experience an authentic brand every time they encounter it. Being authentic means you don’t have to remember what you said in each campaign or on every marketing channel you are using because what you say this time – and next – is going to be consistent. Authenticity leads to consistency, and that leads to increased sales with customers who truly trust you. Authenticity also eliminates post-sale complaints and increases the likelihood of repeat business.

Regardless of what your Unique Value Proposition is or how catchy your slogan, if you’re not being authentic, your growth will stagnate (or worse). Want  more tips on creating a great marketing strategy? Check out this article for five suggestions to improve it.