Too many people think marketing begins and ends with their logo, brand colors, and website. In other words, their company flag, its colors, and their storefront – or store if they sell online.

But the essence of marketing is so much more than that. Marketing is the experience your customer expects when they engage with you. It involves a promise and keeping it.

Your marketing is the product or service you offer. It is the feeling your customer has before, during, and after giving your their money or sharing with you their personal information. It’s the things they tell their friends or colleagues about your brand after their experience, good and bad.

So yes, maybe your logo or website needs refreshing. Maybe you need to rethink your strategy and how you communicate about yourself. 

But don’t make the mistake of thinking that those tasks fundamentally fix lagging sales or poor employee morale. Turn instead to your product or service and ask if you are doing everything possible to fulfill the real needs of your audience.