Tackling the Beast That is Marketing

Note: Blog post subject matter is discussed in more detail on the Athalonz Podcast.

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When I started Athalonz almost 10 years ago, I had no real experience with marketing and completely underestimated its importance.  I assumed that if we made really good products, the rest would take care of itself.  Boy, was I wrong!  Today, it’s abundantly clear that marketing is Athalonz greatest challenge. 

That’s not to imply that we haven’t done any marketing.  We have, but with very little success.  Over the last seven years, we spent about 25% of our budget on marketing.  We’ve tried a vast array of marketing strategies and, with few exceptions, our return on marketing dollars spent has been less than one.  Our modest successes have been with email marketing and targeted You Tube advertising.  So, why is marketing so hard?

It’s in the data. 

• We are each bombarded with marketing on daily basis. It’s estimated that we are each exposed to 4,000 – 6,000 brand images per day and that we ignore most of them.
• Most people don’t believe the claims of a manufacturer regarding its products.
  • Only 14% of consumers believe that claims of a manufacturer.
  • About 80% of consumers believe the claims of a person they don’t know.
  • Over 90% of consumers believe the claims of a person they know.
• Most people buy on emotion and then rationalize the purchase later.
• As consumers, we need to see something at least 7 times before we buy it.
• Almost 5 billion videos are watched on You Tube daily.
• There are about 32.5 million businesses in the US and about 85% of them are small businesses.
• Large companies spend tens of millions of dollars to billions of dollars per year on marketing.
• If your business doesn’t show up in the first few pages of a search, your business won’t be seen.

The data is downright depressing.  How can we be heard?  We are literally one in 30 plus million voices vying for consumers’ attention and we are far from the loudest.  Even if we can be heard, only 1 in 7 people will believe us.  So, what can be done?

Well, for Athalonz, we’ll to keep walking the walk and talking the talk with regards to what our shoes do for athletes, our mission to make the world a little bit better place, and our mission to help prevent child abuse.  We hope others hear us, believe us, and join us in walking the walk and talking the talk.    

About Me: 

I am the CEO and Founder of Athalonz, LLC., I am a founding partner of the patent boutique law firm of Garlick & Markison, I am a survivor of child abuse, and I am an inventor on over 300 patents.

About Athalonz:

Athalonz is a technology company based in Mesa, AZ.  It develops and sells athletic footwear, which incorporates its patented technology that leverages the laws of physics to improve athletic performance.  Website: athalonz.com

About G&M:

Garlick & Markison is a patent law boutique firm that assists clients in building a patent business within their business using proprietary tools and techniques.  Website: texaspatents.com

Athalonz Supports the Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation

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