From our twenty-first century perspective, it’s easy to see that the farmers that viewed the fish as having magical properties were putting themselves at a severe disadvantage. Without being aware of the underlying strategy of feeding the plants, the farmers who subscribed to the fish spirit as magic tactic could not understand how placing too much fish in with each seed could actually lead to undesirable results. (If you are a dog owner and have brown spots in your lawn, then you’ve seen firsthand the results of excessive nitrogen on vegetation.)
Imagine that you were a farmer who subscribed to the fish as magic school of thinking. At some point as you watched your corn fail to grow, you would have to ask yourself, Is there such a thing as too much magic? How can some magic be good but more of the same magic be bad? Only when you adopt the scientific view of using the fish as part of a fertilization strategy can you begin to see where too much of a good tactic can actually lead to undesirable results.
The same is true in modern marketing. For example, offering a limited time discount can improve your sales initially but when used excessively, consumers become conditioned to wait until your next big discount to buy. Even the big players in the market, like GM and Macy’s aren’t immune to the underlying principles at work. No matter what size your business, the going gets tough when you learn that there is such a thing as too much magic.
When you understand the underlying principles behind creating a successful marketing strategy and successful marketing message, then you’ll be able to choose the right marketing tactics that will help you to achieve your marketing objectives.
If your dream job includes launching a business, take the time to define a marketing strategy before you begin. You'll find you increase your odds of success exponentially.
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