Fundamental Assumptions are what I question almost everyday.
So what if it’s always been done that way, doesn’t mean we should continue.
Things change.
What I find is that going to the complete opposite yields not only greater understanding but the opportunity to tackle a problem in a way that hasn’t been attempted before.
Also no one else is doing it… which means you should at least give it a shot.
Building a Marketing Strategy is not straight forward, well not at least till you have done it over and over again.
Of recent I have had a lot of focus on very early stage strategy, taking a brand from nothing, starting from scratch.
The benefit of getting in at this stage is it’s very exciting, the possibilities seem to be endless, also very open to risk.
Often my job is like that of a rider, to rein the horse in, refocus on business objectives and how can we achieve that.
The strategy is always highly constrained; on time, funds & absolute need for leverage.
Oh and usually the only funds available are for my time (sometimes not even that!)
Where I am going with this is that building a marketing strategy is all about taking the steps from beginning to end and to keep taking them.
Simplicity works over complexity.
Please stop freaking out that things aren’t happening as fast as you want.
Just be patient. Keep plugging away. Even though it takes twice as long as you thought it is just as (if not more) rewarding.
Often things don’t happen as quickly, rather than stress, keep walking and maintain your momentum. For patience is a virtue.
I remember fondly my first motorbike experience – a family friend put it in gear for me and told me how to release the clutch and turn the accelerator. I immediately raced off and bailed in a ditch. No problem got on again and off I went.
From then though it was up to me. I knew what to do – I just had to do it.
But you know what? I tried for weeks and weeks and weeks to get the knack of it, I couldn’t for the sake of me take off, I would always stall. It frustrated me that I couldn’t get it right. Finally I got the knack of it and managed to coerce it into action – after what must have been hundreds of attempts.
A few months later, I found the problem, guess what it was? I was in the wrong gear, 1 up from neutral was 2nd gear, not first. First was 1 down. That’ s why it would always die on me. I was in the WRONG gear!
Lesson learnt – you can get going in the wrong gear – but it’s bloody hard.
For whatever goal you are seeking, have you checked the gear you are in? If you just swap gears, you can probably get there much much faster (and not make it so hard on yourself).
If you’re not sure what gear you should be in, ask those that have fulfilled the goal already, often they can get you into the right gear within seconds.
Look, honestly, if your product isn’t shit hot – all the marketing in the world ain’t going to save it.
Sure you will get a bit of a boost when you get nationwide coverage on tv, or a mention in the paper, but honestly is it going to be the answer to building a sustainable business? No.
Focus on the product, bring it up to speed, grow & evolve it from customer feedback. As if it isn’t hot we can stick any marketing tactic to it and you won’t get the return.
Whereas if you have a shit hot product – it makes it a million times easier to market – as it markets itself.
Take some time, refocus on what you offer, if not today when?
One of my points in the bwagy marketing manifesto (download pdf) was that:
“We have all heard, a bad experience results in 64 people hearing about it, a good experience leads to 8 hearing about it. Sounds out of whack right? Wrong. If I have a good experience with you I will repeat my purchase, if you keep looking after me, I will keep telling 8 people forever…. and everytime I make a purchase. Marketing & Business is all about the long term. If you can get a customer and keep them forever they will sell your products for you. Easy. Never forget this. A good customer experience compounds over time.”
This came from the realisation, that when people talk about a brand they love (or a lovemark) the real thrill and enthusiasm from which they speak from is the continual experience they maintain with this brand. The fact that they get looked after over and over again.
Karen is one such lady, now Karen is a super mum, she all week as a Theatre Nurse, still finds time to do the cooking, baking, washing, looking after the kids, taking time to really help her friends and family, we all know a Karen in our lives. They are all absolute legends (and the cornerstones of society).
She absolutely loves Jack Lums, the local fruit and vegetables place, she has been going there for 15 years and she can name all the bad experiences on her fingers, that’s how rare they are! She recommends them to everyone, their price, the freshness, the quality of their produce and they stand behind it. This consist experience has only compounded her loyalty, in turn she has also spent 15 years raving to them to everyone. Now if they had tried to take a short cut to make a quick buck they would have lost Karen. But they haven’t.
You see providing a good experience does compound and pay off over time, the key is it’s a long term strategy, but it’s a solid one.
Great little video from Andrew St. John at TED – he talked to over 500 people trying to find what leads to success.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6bbMQXQ180
His definition of CRAP is hilarious – watch it again.
As many of you may have heard (and seen the occasional spy shot) my first book The Best Ideas are Free is due out soon.
I sat down last year after 6 months of blogging, printed out every post and spent an afternoon selecting the 63 best ideas.
Since then they have been put together into a book – 63 easily digestible ideas to chew on.
It will soon be available to the general public (I expect to ship July 6th but that may move up if time allows) but I will be opening pre-orders exclusively to you guys. This is to thank you for all your support, comments (good or bad), readership and to celebrate my 1 year anniversary of blogging!
Now I will be the first to admit that yes you can browse through the blog and read the ideas for free (go for it I encourage you) but hey how much cooler is it having a book?
The book is designed to be such that you can open it up on any page, read an idea within 30 seconds, pick it up and run with it. The first time you read it you won’t get them all but reread it three months from now another one may be relevant.
If you enjoy the blog you’ll love the book. Like the blog it is colloquial format – as if I am having a conversation with you. DO NOT expect a typical book – expect my blog in phsyical form (and yes with all my quirks!). This truly is a book the way I would want a book to be..
For the 130 pages of goodness you will be given the opportunity to pre-order 1 of 63 limited edition signed copies.
To snag one enter your email below and I will be in touch (first in first served).
(Update 3rd Aug 09: The book is now out, you can click the book cover to the left in the sidebar to get a copy off Amazon or visit www.thebestideasarefree.com thanks – Ben).
(Note: RSS & Email Subscribers need to click here to visit the blog to use the form. Thanks!)
Today I celebrate a year of blogging! Woo hoo!
I started off initially 1 post a week, then ramped up to three posts a week (a huge step). Then in September decided to try and do one a business day. Since then I have been set.
I have explored doing more than 1 post a day but tend to avoid it. By limiting my output I enhance the value of the posts that do make it. Often I find myself deleting posts that are great but not great enough.
Some of the cool stuff that has happened as a direct (or indirect) result of my blogging:
The list goes on, it has been a wonderful year & I look forward to many more… so keep watching & participating, glad to have you here.
I just want to thank you all for reading – keep an eye on the blog for a follow up special* announcement later in the day 🙂 -Ben.
Brand experiences tend to be post event.
However now we have the technology for live experiences.
Social networks with live engagement are such an example.
Local energy drink provider has taken advantage of this with their V Bebo Community.
Another great example is Vaughan Rowsell.
Now Vaughan is cycling the length of New Zealand Uphill (bottom to top) for charity. He is just about half way now.
You can send him messages on twitter, see his blog, watch his videos. I have included his first one below:
You can experience it as he does. With the right software and cell coverage he could even stream live from his cycle trip.
Imagine watching the Tour De France from Lance Armstrongs bike with his commentary as he rides. Motor racing does this with in car cams – but there is a ways to go.
You could be sponsoring such an experience as Vaughans, some great fits would be:
This isn’t for everyone, yes it is less controlled, you don’t know what will happen. Maybe it will be boring? Or maybe you will be there when something remarkable happens. It is reality tv meets real world. We all know reality tv isn’t that real anyway so why not deliver an authentic experience. (Hell if you even track Vaughan down you can partake).
Twitter, Blogging, Video all allow people to engage with your brand real time which creates an extremely loyal customer base. Neat huh?
(Vaughan is raising money for a good cause TASC The Agency for Spinal Concerns, check his blog out for more details).
Flying under the radar is good, it gives you time to experiment, learn, without risking everything.
By the time you are out of the radar the recency effect means the ‘majority’ tend to only remember the last good (or bad) thing you did but so what you probably made your mistakes whilst under the radar.
So fail lots and fly under the radar for a bit.
No need to blow your own trumpet once you’re good enough others will do that for you…
A brand experience is magnitudes times more valuable than observing a brand.
You experience the Apple lifestyle, you experience the Gary Vaynerchuk brand through his video blog, you experience my brand through this very blog.
Seeing an advertisement at a bus stop just doesn’t compare – however pairing that up with an experience completely changes the game. A great example is a free ringtone which you can grab via bluetooth from the advertisement which then gives you something to walk away with and experience.
Living a brand is so much more fun, engaging and most of all attractive to others as they want to be a part of it.
Sure it’s not for everyone but those that can master it will reap the outrageous rewards….
As most of you do not visit the blog and get it via RSS or Email (which is great, thanks for your subscriptions) I thought I would let you know where I am and where I’m not.
Where I am:
These are the three ways to friend me up and keep in touch. Email is always preferred but these platforms are the other avenues you can stay in the loop.
Of your role models which took the conventional path? Virtually none.
You see following the same path as everyone else is a surefire way to relative mediocrity. Sure you may do well. But imagine how much better you could do on your own path.
Think Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Steve Fossett…
Everytime I go get Sushi, they say ‘Ginger & Wasabi?’ and everytime I say yes.
I do eat the wasabi but never the ginger yet I always say yes.
A quick poll of everyone else in line before me (three people) they all did as well.
Now I have said no before and other places haven’t offered and you know what? I didn’t feel like I got a good service.
For some reason those two little packets help communicate value. In fact some sushi places charge extra for it.
The standardised addon has become an essential part of the consumer experience.
What part of your service has become standardised? Or is there room to standardise something that others don’t? Just a thought.