Marketing is one of those strange disciplines that’s a mix of art and science. There’s no doubt that being a good marketer takes a creative brain and the ability to think outside the box, but it’s also about conducting rigorous testing and creating repeatable results. Sometimes, marketers place too much emphasis on the creative aspect, and not enough on results. Tom Poland is not one of those people.   Tom is the creator of Leadsology, which he defines as the “science of being in demand.” Tom has spent years honing his lead generation strategy to the point where he has a sure-fire method for creating a flow of high-quality, inbound enquiries to his business on a weekly basis. It’s so effective, he even trains other business owners how to do it. Recently, I spoke to Tom for my Marketing Speak podcast, and he had some powerful advice on lead generation and marketing in general. It’s an awesome episode, and I suggest you check it out. In the meantime, here are a few insights Tom revealed on the show to help make your marketing more scientific.

1. Avoid Random Acts of Marketing

Every business owner has hit that low point where the enquiries start to dry up. Unfortunately, it’s only when things get really bad that many people start to think, “We should do some marketing.” Often this means a series of sporadic actions, like grabbing a coffee with a well-connected friend, sending a few emails to old clients, or signing up for networking events. According to Tom, this is not how you should go about generating leads at all. These are “random acts of marketing”—that is, half-hearted efforts to gain new clients that are usually a one-off. The problem with random acts of marketing is exactly that: they’re random! These are not repeatable or measurable actions. Say you get some work from your coffee date. Fine, but how many times can you have coffee with a friend to generate leads? It’s unpredictable and unsustainable.

2. Don’t Compromise Who You Are For Marketing’s Sake

When you think about marketing your business, there are a lot of “shoulds” that come to mind. You “should” set up funnels. You “should” create personalized Facebook ads. You “should” be blogging on LinkedIn. Tom’s response is counterintuitive. Rather than forcing yourself to set up and execute marketing campaigns that feel like a chore, don’t do it. Instead, focus on marketing in a way that feels natural and effortless. According to Tom, “97% of marketing campaigns have failed for the one simple reason and that is the person that’s meant to be executing them, doesn’t want to do them.” If you love talking on the phone, stick to that. If you’re more of a tech nerd than a people person, maybe online will suit you better. Tom says, “If in your body you’re going, ‘I don’t know if it’s needed, but I suppose I should do it because I need clients,’ then don’t do it because you’re compromising your personality…you’re compromising your life’s purpose.”   People recognize when something is inauthentic or forced. The best strategy is to do what comes naturally.

3. Create Simple, Repeatable Lead Generation Processes

There’s so much noise in the marketing world and so many people telling you what you should be doing that it can sometimes be overwhelming. Many business owners get confused or spread themselves thin trying to do it all. Instead, develop a lead generation process that you can perform weekly and that you know will get results. “A lot of people are waiting to be discovered. They’re waiting to appear on someone’s stage or get the invitation from Oprah or if they can just get the one big breakthrough, and that’s not repeatable. We need to have a system that can be rinsed and repeated. Preferably, rinsed and repeated by someone else, by a contractor, so that you and I and our clients can do the things we loved to do,” says Tom. For more powerful insights from Tom Poland, listen to the full interview at the Marketing Speak website.