The 7 Deadly Marketing Sins

Pride: The Sin of Overconfidence

Pride, the first of the seven sins, is characterized by an overbearing love for one's product, often to the point of ignoring market realities. Prideful marketers are so enamored with their product that they continue to pour money into advertising, even when it's clear that there's no market for it. They are willing to risk financial ruin, stubbornly insisting that their product is a stroke of genius.

Greed: The Sin of Stinginess

Next up is Greed, the sin of wanting to sell a product without investing any money into marketing it. Greedy marketers believe they can sell their product without any marketing efforts. They are unwilling to spend a dime more than necessary, preferring to hoard their money even if it means never making any more.

Wrath: The Sin of Impatience

Wrath is the sin of impatience and quick temper. Wrathful marketers get angry when their advertising efforts don't yield immediate results. They are quick to give up, hating the idea of losing money on a strategy that doesn't seem to be working, even if they've only just started.

Envy: The Sin of Imitation

Envy is the sin of wanting to replicate others' success without understanding the nuances of their strategies. Envious marketers try to sell in an already saturated market, assuming that if they do what others are doing, they will succeed. They don't bother to find a unique selling proposition for their product, instead choosing to blindly follow others.

Gluttony: The Sin of Overindulgence

Gluttony is the sin of overindulgence in marketing, often leading to financial ruin. Gluttonous marketers spend all their money on marketing without testing the success of a strategy first. They may blow their entire budget on radio, television, and direct mail marketing without researching their target market.

Sloth: The Sin of Laziness

Sloth is the sin of laziness and lack of effort. Slothful marketers don't bother to research the market before launching their campaigns. They don't like to ask customers why they bought from them or participate in discussion groups to understand what kind of marketing works for different target audiences.

Lechery: The Sin of Neglect

Finally, Lechery is the sin of neglecting customers after a sale. Lecherous marketers don't understand the value of a lifetime customer. They lose interest in customers as soon as the sale is over, failing to follow up with promotions or offers.

In conclusion, these seven cardinal sins of marketing serve as a cautionary tale for all marketers. Avoiding these pitfalls can help ensure your marketing efforts are successful and profitable.