Ever try typing a newsletter with one hand?
The non-dominant one?
That’s me today. It’s not pretty. And it’s slow as heck!
While prepping dinner for the fam, I wrapped my hand around a steaming hot pan.
My right hand - sporting a collection of burns and is completely out of commission.
Silver linings though, it’s served up two piping hot lessons:
The underestimated brilliance of being ambidextrous
The uncanny knack of turning personal misfortune into a marketing metaphor (I swear, it’s a professional hazard)
So, bear with me as I fumble through this one-handed, and jump right into the metaphor du jour - your marketing as a pair of hands.
We’ll keep it short & to the point. 🙂
Right hand = Brand.
Left hand = Performance Marketing.
Brand Marketing
Ok, I might be a little biased on making brand the dominant hand.
But brand is the foundation.
It’s the heart & soul of your business.
It’s who you are.
It’s what you stand for.
It’s how you show up to your target audience.
It builds recognition.
It turns one-time buyers into lifelong fans.
It gives you credibility in the market.
The tactics look something like this:
PR
Podcast
Live Events
Customer Experience
Value-Driven Content
Community Engagement
And… it’s a long-term play.
With brand, you’re likely not seeing these results overnight.
But over time, brand compounds.
This compound effect allows performance marketing to work harder for you.
Performance Marketing
It’s the engine that drives day-to-day business growth.
It attracts. It activates. It converts.
It’s the science of your brand’s artistry.
It lets you track, measure, and optimize in real-time.
The tactics look something like this:
SEO
Lead gen
Promo offers
Pay-per-click
Direct response ads
Performance marketing is designed for short-term conversion.
It can produce that overnight result.
And backed with a solid brand, it can produce that quick result more effectively.
So, brand marketing and performance marketing - each a solo act?
Sure, just like opening a jelly jar with one hand.
Possible? Yes.
Efficient, smooth, and sustainable? No.
Brand = Your compass. Your guiding light.
Performance Marketing = Your vehicle. Your driving force.
Together, they fuel meaningful, consistent, and sustainable growth.
Working hand-in-hand, don’t dare leave one behind.
And on that note…
Lefty out. ✌️
TL;DR
Oven mitts are not optional. :)
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