The following article was originally published in our monthly newsletter, Building Marketing the Works. Click here to subscribe.
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a tool guy – yard, garage, or on my laptop I like to have the best tool for the job.
Last month I embarked on a “spring renovation” of our deck – badly needed, and at least a year overdue. It ended up being one of those “entire weekend” projects, but it turned out well. While I was in the midst of prepping the deck, I realized that my current project and online marketing weren’t all that different. Experience, planning, preparation are key elements for success. But having not just the right tools, but the best tools for the job can make all the difference.
Tool choice has an impact on your results
The stain went on well, but as I worked I realized it wasn’t the shiny new paint sprayer that made difference (though I did like using it), it was the time that I spent cleaning and preparing the deck that was key to my success. As I took break, I reviewed my preparation process and was surprised to find that the most effective tool that weekend wasn’t my belt sander or the specialized detail sander I used on the railings, but the simple pole sander I used on the decking itself. For those of you not initiated into the joys of house painting, the pole sander is just what you’d imagine it to be – a sanding pad attached to the end of a pole. Solid, but no great mechanical marvel.
I arrived at the choice of the pole sander though a bit of hard won experience . The last time I had refinished the deck, I had rented a floor sander – what I thought would be the best for the job. But I didn’t like the results – the sander was hard to control, took too long, and most importantly – didn’t produce a great result.
It’s not about the tool, it’s about the result
The pole sander is a decidedly low-tech solution. It took a little more time and a lot more elbow grease. But I had greater control over how the tool preformed and to my surprise, I started to focus on the result instead of managing the tool. All too often the tool, while well intentioned, distracts us from our goals.
In online marketing, especially social networking, the best tool might not be the most automated or “efficient.” Successful online marketing requires building a relationship with your audience. Solid relationships aren’t built overnight or with a rapid-fire tool set. Using tools that value automation over quality or worse yet, distract you from focusing your relationships, won’t end up producing the best result.
This article originally appeared in the April edition of our monthly newsletter, Building Marketing that Works. You can subscribe here.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36894712@N04/ / CC BY 2.0
