If marketing really consists of many of the things we already do, and strategy just means thinking about a thing, then a marketing strategy is really just "thinking about many of the things we already do." Put that way, it's not such a bad idea. But sometimes organizations just don't do it.
Take this church sign. I should point out that some very good-hearted, well-intentioned person dreamed up this sign, probably as a way to appeal to people in my generation.
Trouble is, this sign does the opposite. Ignore for a moment that the word "donwload" is spelled wrong and that the phrase "get-on-line" is strangely hyphenated. I don't have to explain too much why a 20-something like myself wouldn't feel more inclined to enter this building after reading this sign.
Take-Away 2
When you're trying to reach a 24-year-old, ask a 24-year-old. If at any point the sign committee had consulted a member of their target audience, someone would have had the audacity to say, "No, that's not appealing." The quote here was not the bad idea - the bad idea was the assumption that they knew the audience better than the audience knew itself.
This principle fits for youth, parents, men, women, and senior citizens. Never assume you know your target audience. Ask.
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