The large bad boy companies are notorious for getting this wrong.
Usually it's the astounding difference of service your customer's face when calling in regards a problem they have. Or worse yet: being told 10 different stories regarding a product you thought was going to solve your problem: "Internet not working? It must be your router or your non warranty copper wires, but it's definitely not our fault, we just sell the service. Let me transfer you"
As mentioned in the previous post: if you can't market your brand as being real (authentic), you may as well pack up and head home.
Same goes for consistency. Consistency goes hand in hand with authenticity. Not only do you have to keep it real, you must do this for every customer.
Remember that people don't but what they need, they buy on what story they tell themselves.
Therefore it's essential that how you answer the phone, to how you manage your website, to your in person meetings are all consistent with your brand, and the story you tell your target market.
Bell Canada lost lots of internet customers because they couldn't keep their story straight, but apparently TekSavvy can when it comes to internet providing. This goes to show that people will talk about your brand (or lack thereof) whether you like it or not.
Find your inconsistencies in your message, fix them fast, and maybe just maybe your customers will say nice things about you.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Authenticity
What is real?
In today's over crowded market we are constantly bombarded with ads, calls, and people getting in our face screaming for our attention.
One secret to breaking through this noise is how Authentic is your product/service? Do you have to bluntly tell people what you are all about? Do people see through your claims and unique selling proposition?
Good marketers know that while you can fool some people you can't fool all people. To build trust for your brand you have to start with an authentic product. One that promises what it delivers, does not insult your target community, and leaves the prospect giving you their permission to have more.
Chances are that if you have to say your product contains 100% juice, that you are the #1 at XXX, or using generic photos for your brochures, your not authentic. Same goes for people's attention to your message.
Start with authenitcating your brand and you may suprise yourself with the results.
In today's over crowded market we are constantly bombarded with ads, calls, and people getting in our face screaming for our attention.
One secret to breaking through this noise is how Authentic is your product/service? Do you have to bluntly tell people what you are all about? Do people see through your claims and unique selling proposition?
Good marketers know that while you can fool some people you can't fool all people. To build trust for your brand you have to start with an authentic product. One that promises what it delivers, does not insult your target community, and leaves the prospect giving you their permission to have more.
Chances are that if you have to say your product contains 100% juice, that you are the #1 at XXX, or using generic photos for your brochures, your not authentic. Same goes for people's attention to your message.
Start with authenitcating your brand and you may suprise yourself with the results.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Just Do It
Nike was right all along...
Sometimes the fastest way to remarkable marketing is to just start somewhere, get some traction, and revise according to trial and error.
I see too many people who are semantically posturing their ideas and business plans to get anything done.
The result? Someone else gets their first, establishes the position, and you lose.
Ideas that can spread, ultimately win. What are you waiting for?
Sometimes the fastest way to remarkable marketing is to just start somewhere, get some traction, and revise according to trial and error.
I see too many people who are semantically posturing their ideas and business plans to get anything done.
The result? Someone else gets their first, establishes the position, and you lose.
Ideas that can spread, ultimately win. What are you waiting for?
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Why Most of Us Won't Become Millionaires
There are over a billion ways to become a millionaire. No longer is the club reserved for those who have paid their corporate dues, or were in the right spot at the right time with the right seed capital.
In fact you would never know who is a millionaire or not because the look and style of a millionaire is so varied, so different, your neighbour next door with their modest house and car could easily be part of the club.
So why won't most of us become millionaires?
The traditional way calls for us to go to school (often now for long period of times) go work for someone else, be told what to do for XX years, and hopefully be in a spot of control where we can tell other people what to do while raking in the dough with maybe a few stock options in our back pocket.
The problem with that world view is that it's no longer realistic. The ladder has all but been replaced with a ramp. More people are moving laterally into positions than up. Why? As you move up there is fewer and fewer space but with more competition. After all your playing by their rules.
It's really hard to spread your ideas with all the noise and competition. Those who truly want to be millionaires have to break the rules. Start your own business, find your own niche, and become the ultimate expert of your field. Then and only then do you stand a chance of being remarkable.
But for most people the problems still persist
You decide
In fact you would never know who is a millionaire or not because the look and style of a millionaire is so varied, so different, your neighbour next door with their modest house and car could easily be part of the club.
So why won't most of us become millionaires?
The traditional way calls for us to go to school (often now for long period of times) go work for someone else, be told what to do for XX years, and hopefully be in a spot of control where we can tell other people what to do while raking in the dough with maybe a few stock options in our back pocket.
The problem with that world view is that it's no longer realistic. The ladder has all but been replaced with a ramp. More people are moving laterally into positions than up. Why? As you move up there is fewer and fewer space but with more competition. After all your playing by their rules.
It's really hard to spread your ideas with all the noise and competition. Those who truly want to be millionaires have to break the rules. Start your own business, find your own niche, and become the ultimate expert of your field. Then and only then do you stand a chance of being remarkable.
But for most people the problems still persist
- Being safe and secure in a mediocore paying job is less risky
- Entrepreneurship involves moving outside your comfort zone and (gasp) outside a 9 to 5 work environment
- Short term results are favoured over long term ones
- Being told what to do is much easier than telling others what to do
- If our parents could do well climbing the ladder, so can we
- Shortcuts are preferable to going down the long road
- People are comforted by what everyone else is doing
- Going it alone seems too risky, too hard, too unrewarding for the generation that wants everything yesterday
You decide
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Being Stephane Dion
I had recently sent this op ed to some prominent newspapers in the country in the hopes that it would get published. The official opposition leader, Stephane Dion has had a rough year and I thought it would be beneficial to air some of my creative marketing ideas he might find useful to know.
Incidentally the major news makers weren't interested in hearing what I said. I only realized this after I had sent this piece off, that newspapers are really mass communication devices. In other words they are the total anti thesis of my blog - which serves a much smaller niche market (see I am a human). My ideas are less likely to spread in mass market newspapers so should that stop me from attempting to spread my ideas?
Absolutely not. Hence why my creative article appears below for those wishing to take a gander:
On How Stephane Dion Can Spread The Message
It is no secret that the Leader of her Majesty's Loyal Opposition is one of the toughest on Parliament Hill. Stephane Dion has been in the job for no less than 12 months and there are already rumblings from his own party that he has to go.
Attention span of consumers (translate: voters) has gone down over recent history. It used to be that party leaders had three kicks at the can before being given the boot, now it looks like Dion may only have one shot at - and only if he agrees to go to polls sooner rather than later.
Stephane this message is directed towards you. Other party leader and politicians alike may read this but this advice I'm about to give you is no more relevant than to you:
1. You were elected leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. As Donald Trump would say, it doesn't matter how much your opponents lost by, they lost and you won. Do not take this a zero sum game (your Dream Team notion is remarkable). Understand that the buck stops with you.
2. Stop reacting to Stephen Harper's story and start changing it. I know you have been trying very hard to do this but, he has set traps all around the Liberal boat, and you don't have to play his game - unless you want to. This also includes the media. The media loves to cover winners and castrate losers. Right now you are a loser in the media's eyes. This will change if you start changing the story into a winnable idea.
3. Right now you suffer as not being seen as a front runner among voters. Why keep playing that game with media, and your opponents? So why not change the game? Instead of waiting for a TV network to invite you to an interview, why not make your own TV show? Debate Jack Layton and other opponents in public - start in Calgary . Broadcast the whole thing on YouTube, Myspace, Facebook. When you're done, challenge the Prime Minister to debate you, one on one. On your channel. What are they, chicken?
4. Harper has tried to control the message very carefully, and to somewhat of a success. Voters don't care about the "Ottawa Bubble" (i.e. Harper's dislike of the media and vice versa) but they are very concerned about where our planet, economy, and health is headed. Appeal to voters with emotion and senses rather than logic and rational. Please note this is not a trade off of substance for fluff. Find a way to invoke your substance into quick easy to understand sound bytes for Canadians to consider. This is crucial as voter's attention span is at an all time low. Make a "Dion souvenir" that is practical but informative for Canadians to remember you by. Give them to party members across the country to hand out.
5. Your Dream Team idea is excellent. Find ways to create to create other remarkable ideas (see #3) that can be turned into stories that can spread to Canadians. Further you need to get your dream team front and centre, allowing each of them to use their own strengths, and talents, to complement each other and make your leadership even stronger. Parade them around the country as a force to be reckoned with. Find ways to use non traditional ways of communicating with your target base. Hint: not traditional media.
6. Make it a point to visit as many university campuses as possible. After all this is your comfortable turf, and there are countless numbers of Young Liberals and other progressive voters who would love the opportunity to meet you and hear your ideas. Universities are a great marketing tool to engage not only students but many community members as well. If cost is an issue, do a webcast (Think: Alan Greenspan at the Sheraton Centre). Have a funny (but serious) mannequin stand in.
7. Speaking of youth, get the Young Liberals more active. No political party has a more active youth wing (the Conservatives disbanded theirs). Ottawa is full of so many old (and sometime grumpy) people. Surrounding yourself with tomorrow's generation will not only show you as progressive ("and with it"), you might actually learn something from them. They are best source for market research. Make all events free for them. Have senior members to subsidize their involvement in the party. Don't worry those young liberals will turn into regular members who will return the favour down the road. By making this a liberal tradition, it will create a sense of excitement and party engagement that the party has been looking for after throwing the Old Boy's club out.
8. Don't let your perceived lack of charisma become an Achilles heel. Sure you'll never have the charisma of your predecessors, but playing to your strengths (geeky but fun) will make you a more authentic individual in the long run. The party didn't vote for your charisma they voted for your leadership and substance. Play to that. Everyone said Harper was Canada's youngest old man with no personality; It's obvious this is not a prerequisite for the keys to 24 Sussex.
9. Keep your message consistent. And it should be a message that Canadians can remember outside of (and during) an election. Again having the Young Liberals and your Dream Team spread this message is key. It is crucial that you give them the proper marketing tools to do so. Don't assume they can do this on there own - all the more reason to visit them (see #6).
10. Finally don't give up. You are in a Dip but Not on a cliff, understand the difference. People who are in the Dip with perseverance can get out of it. People who quit midway through are never seen or heard from again. Read the Dip by Seth Godin (it's short and easy to understand). Keep Mrs. Dion around for Support, let's see more of her. And most of all never stop smiling, you do it so much better than Stephen Harper. I think he's jealous.
Garrett Saunders is Founder and Agent of Change, of Canadian Beaver Consulting, a Marketing Service Firm in Waterloo, Ontario. He can be reached at marketing.change@gmail.com
Incidentally the major news makers weren't interested in hearing what I said. I only realized this after I had sent this piece off, that newspapers are really mass communication devices. In other words they are the total anti thesis of my blog - which serves a much smaller niche market (see I am a human). My ideas are less likely to spread in mass market newspapers so should that stop me from attempting to spread my ideas?
Absolutely not. Hence why my creative article appears below for those wishing to take a gander:
On How Stephane Dion Can Spread The Message
It is no secret that the Leader of her Majesty's Loyal Opposition is one of the toughest on Parliament Hill. Stephane Dion has been in the job for no less than 12 months and there are already rumblings from his own party that he has to go.
Attention span of consumers (translate: voters) has gone down over recent history. It used to be that party leaders had three kicks at the can before being given the boot, now it looks like Dion may only have one shot at - and only if he agrees to go to polls sooner rather than later.
Stephane this message is directed towards you. Other party leader and politicians alike may read this but this advice I'm about to give you is no more relevant than to you:
1. You were elected leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. As Donald Trump would say, it doesn't matter how much your opponents lost by, they lost and you won. Do not take this a zero sum game (your Dream Team notion is remarkable). Understand that the buck stops with you.
2. Stop reacting to Stephen Harper's story and start changing it. I know you have been trying very hard to do this but, he has set traps all around the Liberal boat, and you don't have to play his game - unless you want to. This also includes the media. The media loves to cover winners and castrate losers. Right now you are a loser in the media's eyes. This will change if you start changing the story into a winnable idea.
3. Right now you suffer as not being seen as a front runner among voters. Why keep playing that game with media, and your opponents? So why not change the game? Instead of waiting for a TV network to invite you to an interview, why not make your own TV show? Debate Jack Layton and other opponents in public - start in Calgary . Broadcast the whole thing on YouTube, Myspace, Facebook. When you're done, challenge the Prime Minister to debate you, one on one. On your channel. What are they, chicken?
4. Harper has tried to control the message very carefully, and to somewhat of a success. Voters don't care about the "Ottawa Bubble" (i.e. Harper's dislike of the media and vice versa) but they are very concerned about where our planet, economy, and health is headed. Appeal to voters with emotion and senses rather than logic and rational. Please note this is not a trade off of substance for fluff. Find a way to invoke your substance into quick easy to understand sound bytes for Canadians to consider. This is crucial as voter's attention span is at an all time low. Make a "Dion souvenir" that is practical but informative for Canadians to remember you by. Give them to party members across the country to hand out.
5. Your Dream Team idea is excellent. Find ways to create to create other remarkable ideas (see #3) that can be turned into stories that can spread to Canadians. Further you need to get your dream team front and centre, allowing each of them to use their own strengths, and talents, to complement each other and make your leadership even stronger. Parade them around the country as a force to be reckoned with. Find ways to use non traditional ways of communicating with your target base. Hint: not traditional media.
6. Make it a point to visit as many university campuses as possible. After all this is your comfortable turf, and there are countless numbers of Young Liberals and other progressive voters who would love the opportunity to meet you and hear your ideas. Universities are a great marketing tool to engage not only students but many community members as well. If cost is an issue, do a webcast (Think: Alan Greenspan at the Sheraton Centre). Have a funny (but serious) mannequin stand in.
7. Speaking of youth, get the Young Liberals more active. No political party has a more active youth wing (the Conservatives disbanded theirs). Ottawa is full of so many old (and sometime grumpy) people. Surrounding yourself with tomorrow's generation will not only show you as progressive ("and with it"), you might actually learn something from them. They are best source for market research. Make all events free for them. Have senior members to subsidize their involvement in the party. Don't worry those young liberals will turn into regular members who will return the favour down the road. By making this a liberal tradition, it will create a sense of excitement and party engagement that the party has been looking for after throwing the Old Boy's club out.
8. Don't let your perceived lack of charisma become an Achilles heel. Sure you'll never have the charisma of your predecessors, but playing to your strengths (geeky but fun) will make you a more authentic individual in the long run. The party didn't vote for your charisma they voted for your leadership and substance. Play to that. Everyone said Harper was Canada's youngest old man with no personality; It's obvious this is not a prerequisite for the keys to 24 Sussex.
9. Keep your message consistent. And it should be a message that Canadians can remember outside of (and during) an election. Again having the Young Liberals and your Dream Team spread this message is key. It is crucial that you give them the proper marketing tools to do so. Don't assume they can do this on there own - all the more reason to visit them (see #6).
10. Finally don't give up. You are in a Dip but Not on a cliff, understand the difference. People who are in the Dip with perseverance can get out of it. People who quit midway through are never seen or heard from again. Read the Dip by Seth Godin (it's short and easy to understand). Keep Mrs. Dion around for Support, let's see more of her. And most of all never stop smiling, you do it so much better than Stephen Harper. I think he's jealous.
Garrett Saunders is Founder and Agent of Change, of Canadian Beaver Consulting, a Marketing Service Firm in Waterloo, Ontario. He can be reached at marketing.change@gmail.com
Monday, November 19, 2007
On Cell Phones
I used to work for a cell phone dealer (I won't tell you which one), and one thing I learned very quickly was the name of the game for the Big Three (Read: Bell, Rogers, Telus) confusion and staying within the legality (but not spirit) of the law. We always tried our best to explain everything including extra charges, terms and conditions and such, however the game kept changing and customers were more infatuated with their phone then worry ing about the contract they just signed.
This has been shortcut for higher profits for the telecommunication's industry. But no more. CBC.ca has a new special on Cellphones which can hopefully lead to a consumer revolution and a serious market correction.
Using shortcuts and confusion will not lead you to marketing success in the long term. Just ask JetBlue.
This has been shortcut for higher profits for the telecommunication's industry. But no more. CBC.ca has a new special on Cellphones which can hopefully lead to a consumer revolution and a serious market correction.
Using shortcuts and confusion will not lead you to marketing success in the long term. Just ask JetBlue.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
On Learning
Recently I went to Toronto to visit a few friends. One of them was my former boss when I worked as an Executive Assistant for the UW Federation of Students. He gave me a tour of his new job (he's a Urban Planner for a Hospital), and two things struck me while conversing with him.
After much reflection and thought he came up with an answer - but it didn't seem authentic. You've heard it many times a response just to kinda shut you up and move on. Don't get me wrong I'm pretty sure he's doing an excellent job in his field, but why is it so difficult for people to answer such basic questions? Because they perceive them as loaded questions, and are used to verbose answers with lots of stilted language.
I think answering this fundamental questions is one of the most precious ways to not only market yourself, but help those around you make sense of the world. As Seth Godin puts it: "Being Safe is Risky", remarkable ideas, things, or people don't come from being safe - quite the opposite.
Educating others can be one of the most profitable and rewarding things that you can do. When was the last time you educated someone? Try it, (it doesn't have to be long) short and simple will do just fine in this attention deficit economy.
- His story (read ideas and ambitions) have not changed. In fact they have been very consistent and authentic in terms of his ideological predispositions on society. This is extremely important for personal marketing (and branding) if you wish to effect greater social change.
- He had difficulty answering a basic question: What is the most important thing you've learned in your position? His non verbal communique suggested I put him in an uncomfortable position. That this type of question is too weird (or worse shouldn't be asked).
After much reflection and thought he came up with an answer - but it didn't seem authentic. You've heard it many times a response just to kinda shut you up and move on. Don't get me wrong I'm pretty sure he's doing an excellent job in his field, but why is it so difficult for people to answer such basic questions? Because they perceive them as loaded questions, and are used to verbose answers with lots of stilted language.
I think answering this fundamental questions is one of the most precious ways to not only market yourself, but help those around you make sense of the world. As Seth Godin puts it: "Being Safe is Risky", remarkable ideas, things, or people don't come from being safe - quite the opposite.
Educating others can be one of the most profitable and rewarding things that you can do. When was the last time you educated someone? Try it, (it doesn't have to be long) short and simple will do just fine in this attention deficit economy.
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