Business Leaders Choose What is Marketing
Most people think of marketing as an event or campaign that is intended to accomplish practical business objectives. This mindset puts a lot of pressure on the outcomes.
You know the feeling, you’ve invested thousands of dollars on a direct mailing or special event but did not receive a single viable lead. This is one reason why people dread marketing.
Marketing puts us and our companies on the spot. That’s its role. It takes us center stage where we either shine or shrivel into the background. Not surprisingly, most people choose the latter because it’s relatively painless.
The problem is you will fail to accomplish your business objectives. It doesn’t have to be this way.
You can get a lot more from your marketing if you change your thinking about what it is and how it should work. Back up a little bit and think about what you could do with it if you weren’t so afraid of failing.
~You can explore new ideas
~Help your audience in a small way
~Validate research findings
~Have fun playing a role
~Secretly communicate to one person
~Test a hypothesis
~Face your fears
~Weigh in on relevant trends
~Express what you stand for
This is what gets people tuning in. It’s what makes social media so engaging and storytelling so powerful for building trust.
Business Leaders Shape The Brand
Apple Computer is legendary for its marketing. And while the company has worked with legendary marketing firms over the years, the personalities and beliefs of its leaders have shaped the brand.
Steve Jobs said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
This is what consumers now expect from Apple. It’s evident in Apple’s
products, packaging, and everything about the customer experience.Current CEO Tim Cook said, “Having the product you want, where you want it, and when you want it is marketing.” This belief stems from his background in logistics.
In a world that is being defined by the mobile experience, Tim Cook’s view of marketing is every bit as meaningful as Steve Job’s. You could even suggest it’s an extension of it.
Marketing can be anything you wish.
You can choose what is marketing and should. Because how you see the world and your business within in it is what people want to know.
Use your marketing to experiment and you’ll find that voice that resonates with your audience.
I truly enjoy creating these communications for you. Yes, it is marketing, but it’s more than that for me personally, and that tells me I’m on the right path.
How about you?
Marketing today is a process of learning, loving, and stretching to find new ways to help your audience. Just take the stage and go for it.
I think you’ll find it’s much more fun that textbook marketing.
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