Everyone thinks they are a marketer, and everyone thinks that what marketers create should take no more than a day. Maybe a few hours if you are lucky.
When I started in marketing, I had the pleasure of working with a terrific art director. On every art order, he stamped the phrase: Good, Cheap, Fast – Pick 2. He didn’t invent the phrase; in fact, I later learned that it was a modern variation of an ancient business concept called the Iron Triangle. To a new marketer, this was intimidating. Because of course, I wanted it fast and cheap. Thank goodness he let me slide and helped me out. Thanks, Ed.
But when we look at today’s marketing, good, fast, and cheap are the norm. The world is moving so fast, and people have the attention span of a goldfish, so no one is willing to wait. Is what we are putting on social quickly really good? Yes, it is fast, and in terms of real dollars, cheap, but how much of it is good? Do we even know what is good anymore, and does it really matter?
I still love the good, cheap, fast – pick 2 phrase. When we are working on a social media campaign, we take our time; sure, then we pass it off to the editor, and he has 30 minutes to put it on the socials. (Just kidding.) I have a ton of respect for editors. The creative process takes time. Please don’t slap something together and put it online. Coming up with a monthly calendar really helps. If nothing else, it makes us take the time to think about projects in advance. Sure, you can crank, but do it after you have had time to think through the process, how it will be received, and what the outcome will be.
Comment below and let me know if you believe in Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick Two! Or, share your strategy for getting more time in your day.