Your brand is more than just your logo or tagline. It is the complete promise you make to every business who buys from you. It is the value you deliver brought to life and positioned in the mind of your prospects. It is the crystal clear reason why they should buy from you.

Anyone who has ever spent time trying to craft snappy marketing messages for B2B products/services can tell you it isn’t easy. Sometimes a question as simple as “What is product x?” can cause no end to trouble for the marketing team. Often a great place to start is to look at the stories being told by the sales team or executives when they meet with prospects, investors or even new hires.

You're busy, I get it. Your business won't run itself and so you need to prioritize - and marketing isn't on the top of your list. So why not get some marketing help. Here are five sure fire signs you could use a little help:

A lot of marketers rent lists. You might be one of them. You may have a great broker or other third party who you love. This is great. Lists can be very useful - but they aren't leads, they are just names.

For those of you who clicked through to this post but don’t know what a QR or quick response code is check out the Social Media Examiner’s QR 101.

Design a mobile experience.
I am going to be on my smartphone so don’t send me to your non-mobile web experience or content. Your QR code will not generate more or better leads if drives me to an experience that is neither optimized for mobile (teeny tiny print means I won’t read it) or provides some content that makes sense for me in that moment. Mobile is the medium for QR code marketing and so you can't just send someone to your website and hope for the best.

Hey – get outta the way.
Don’t place your QR code in a high traffic area where I have to negotiate people, cars or other moving objects to get the click. Keep it simple and remember the user. Most of the time QR codes seem to work but I have noticed that when the lady with the big hat is standing directly in front of it I can’t get it to work...or her to move.

And related…hey - make sure I can get bars.
Not to be repetitive but QR codes are for mobile devices. If I have no coverage because I am in: a)the subway, b)in a bathroom in the basement of a club/bar, c) any other random dead zone, than I will never experience your marketing.

QR codes are for the top of the funnel.
Don’t send me to a landing page that requires me to register. I don’t want to fill out a form on my phone. Provide me meaningful and relevant educational content that is minimally promotional. I will remember who you are and I will like you more for it.

And although this one is a bit of rip-off as I mentioned it already, it still is the most important:

Act like a commercial. No value. No help. Just a request to buy.

I am reviewing some buyer personas with a client later this week and so I thought it would be a good opportunity for a persona blog post.

Take a look at your marketing and ask yourself – is it telling prospects about your products and services or is it solving their problems?

When you ask your marketing agency to help you out with your website or a promotion - do they ask you why you need help or do they go to work getting the details for a quote?