The other day, while walking my dog, a woman slowed her bright red Lincoln Navigator, stuck her head out the window and yelled, "They have poop bags over there [pointing] and there [another point] for your dog!"
Most people would have thought this a kind, helpful tip. Heck, we all want to keep the area clean and no one likes to step in a fresh (or stale) pile of dog remembrance. (In fact, there's an unofficial policy that's followed here in Austin for the non-picker-uppers. Refuse to pick up the doo, screw you. "Sean, get the pliers because we've got some fingernails to pull out. [Turning to offender.] Why couldn't you just pick up after Muffy?")
BUT here's my response.
"SHE"S PEEING!"
Yes, it seemed helpful but it was completely irrelevant to my situation. It's like going up to a parrot, offering it a side of beef and not understanding when it opts for the sunflower seed. That there, my feathered, beaky friend, is Kobe.
And that extends to marketing messages as well.
You may have been in your industry for ages or perhaps just coming into it but the number one sin in marketing is not knowing your clients and prospects and what they're thinking. Sometimes, you get so wrapped up in the company and what it is doing that you forget to reach out to the audience to get some feedback. I've been guilty of it. And I know others who have as well. So here are some ideas of how to keep perspective and not offer advice or information to your audience that won't hit the mark.
Pull Out the Three-Year-Old Brat that Asks "Why" A Lot
When you walk into a new job, you always hear from everyone what you should think and feel about your company's products and/or services. "Here's what the industry thinks of us. Here's how we compare to the others. Here's our most important feature." Sure, these may come from very smart people with very smart experience. But a loss of perspective can hit even the most expert professionals. Don't settle for the spiel. Ask why. Why does the market think this way? What motivators within the industry are indicative of this position? Why do you think this way? Does the company overall think this way? Why? Pull that word out every chance you get because I guarantee you that it'll yield some nice returns (and a couple of temper tantrums, but keep pushing.)
Source it Out, Baby
As a companion piece to "Why?", go to the source for all good, valuable and potentially resetting information. In this case, it often means go to clients and prospects. Be it surveys, phone calls, chats with media or even competitors, ask for the low down on your company. What's its reputation? What have you heard from clients who have worked with it? What's its biggest flaw? What's its biggest strength? Sure you might get some unwanted news, but without it you can't begin to do a relevant and compelling marketing message. AND it'll introduce new considerations when it comes to communications, product development and client relations.
So there you have it: A few rudimentary methods to halt the process of offering unwanted and completely worthless advice (aka messaging) to the people you're wooing. Know thy audience, marketer!
No comments:
Post a Comment