With news of Starbucks closing 600 locations, I can’t help but reflect on the phenomenon of paring down.

So many people have an all-or-nothing marketing mentality: they either go all out (Starbucks’ own insane oversaturation of the market, anybody?) or completely withdraw and cut back until they lose any semblance of marketing.

We all know that marketing is a good investment (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), but when do we know that it’s time to pare down?

There’s no cookie-cutter answer, of course, but a few good indicators include:

• failure to meet revenue projections: this can mean many things, but it definitely warrants revisiting your marketing plan and how it serves (or undermines) your company’s financial goals;
• inability to continue marketing at the current pace due to audience drain, oversaturation, or just plain lack of energy
• a marketing monoculture consisting of one tired slogan or campaign that has never changed and shows no indications of starting anytime soon

Do one or all of these indicators mean that it’s time to throw in the marketing towel? Of course not. But each and every one is a good sign that a re-evaluation is in order. This can mean anything from a quick look at the books to a call to a strategic partner to a full-on rebranding/paring down effort a la Starbucks.

Think of it like pruning: in order to let a plant grow to its utmost glory, sometimes you’ve got to clear away the dead growth. The same is true for marketing. But prune with care…you don’t want to cut away at the heart of your business!

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