Customers Aren't the Focus

• One sign of an ineffective marketing strategy or campaign is that customers aren't the center of the strategy. Marketing is all about directly or indirectly generating new customers and, thus, more business. For example, certain campaigns target new customers directly with enticing promotions, such as radio or TV ads, newspaper or magazine ads, or direct-mail campaigns. Other marketing efforts target new customers indirectly by increasing brand or product awareness: If your company or product is top of mind when a potential customer is looking for a similar service, that customer looks to your company first.
  
  

Missed Goals

• Consistently missing your marketing goals or objectives is another sign of ineffective marketing. All marketing strategies should include measurable goals, such as increasing revenue by a certain percentage or generating a specific number of new users or customers. Marketing strategies also include budgeting goals to cap the money spent implementing a marketing campaign. Although it's acceptable to miss goals on occasion, successful marketing campaigns meet or exceed most goals laid out in a marketing strategy or plan.
  
  

Message Is Confusing

• A confusing message is another sign of ineffective marketing. Messages can be confusing both internally and externally. For example, if your sales team spends more time figuring out how to pitch a product or service than actually pitching it to potential customers, then your message is too complicated for the sales team to communicate simply and needs revision. Also, if potential customers are generally confused about what your company does or what purpose your product serves, then you've missed the mark on your marketing message. Messages should be clear and simple for almost everyone to understand.
  
  

Revenue Is Down or the Same

• The overall goal of marketing departments is usually to increase a company's revenue. Therefore, if a company's revenue doesn't change, or if it decreases, then the marketing team isn't doing its job well. You must factor in the current economy: In a down economy, for example, slight revenue decreases are expected. But if a marketing team can't increase revenue in a positive or stable economy, that's a sign of ineffective marketing.