| When you hear the word "marketing" what | | | | New Coke? If not, you're not alone. It |
| comes to mind? More business or wasted | | | | didn't last long. Despite the marketing muscle that |
| money? If your experience with marketing or | | | | Coke put behind it, the Coke- |
| advertising has been less than positive your | | | | drinking public decided they were quite happy |
| cynicism may be well founded. Yet, have you | | | | with the old Coke. Another case |
| ever noticed a competitor with a mediocre | | | | involves a new tropical hotel. Eager to jump-start |
| product and a healthy business? The difference is | | | | his business the owner got tour |
| often marketing.Some say they've never done | | | | directors and travel writers to check it out and |
| marketing and don't need to because of good | | | | hopefully generate some good buzz. |
| word- | | | | Problem was, the hotel wasn't finished. Had he |
| of-mouth. Positive word-of-mouth is great, but | | | | waited a couple more months he |
| not enough if you're serious about | | | | would've gotten great reviews. Now he'll be lucky |
| growing your business. Others do invest in | | | | if those tour directors and writers |
| marketing yet treat it as a necessary evil. | | | | give him another shot.If businesses spent less |
| The problem with that mindset is that it's driving | | | | energy trying to sell their product and more on |
| with the brakes on. Those people | | | | improving |
| sabotage their efforts by making poor decisions, | | | | it, they'd have more success in the long run.Follis |
| taking half-measures and often | | | | Fact #3 Great marketing will make a bad product |
| resisting anything innovative.When asked about | | | | fail faster.When product, client, and marketing are |
| the "one big key" to marketing success I reply | | | | all exceptional the results can be a |
| that there's | | | | beautiful thing -- even if it doesn't start off that |
| nothing more important than a "marketing | | | | way."Let me get this straight...you want my |
| mindset". A marketing mindset is an | | | | commercial to start with my competitor's |
| attitude, a way of thinking, that values and | | | | tagline?"That was the company president's |
| embraces the power of marketing. If you | | | | response when I presented the concept. I guess I |
| look at the companies and brands that are most | | | | |
| successful -- Nike, Microsoft, | | | | couldn't blame him. Recommending that he put |
| Virgin, Trump, Saturn, Kenneth Cole, etc -- you'll | | | | $350,000 behind a TV spot that |
| find someone at the top with a | | | | began with his main competitor's tagline may not |
| marketing mindset. People like Trump, Cole, and | | | | have seemed like the smartest |
| Virgin's Richard Branson may have | | | | idea. Yet, I knew my concept was strong -- if I |
| it instinctively. For most, however, it's a learned | | | | could articulate it. But, before I |
| attribute. So, if you don't have a | | | | continue, let me step back and explain the |
| marketing mindset yet, keep reading and start to | | | | scenario.Sorrell Ridge Fruit Spreads was an |
| get one.Follis Fact #1 You need a Marketing | | | | unknown all-natural "spreadable fruit" product |
| Mindset.Attracting vs. ChasingA guy sees a | | | | (ie. jam) that had been selling in health food |
| beautiful woman in a bar, tracks down her name | | | | stores. Now, the tiny brand was ready |
| and number, calls her | | | | to battle the big guys on the grocery shelves of |
| up and says, "Hi, my name is Joe and I'm great | | | | America. The main competitor and |
| in bed." That's cold calling. Another | | | | undisputed leader in the category was Smucker's. |
| guy sees a beautiful woman in a bar and gives | | | | Smucker's had a 30-year history |
| her a napkin that says, "I'm Bill and | | | | during which it built one of the strongest, most |
| I'm great in bed." That's direct marketing. A third | | | | positive brand images in history. |
| guy sees a beautiful woman in a | | | | Their tagline, "With a name like Smucker's it has |
| bar, has his ex-girlfriend go up to her and say, | | | | to be good", was famous and |
| "See that cute guy over there? He's | | | | endeared by the American public. What's more, |
| my ex, his name is Tom, and he's really great in | | | | their ad budget was about 20 times |
| bed." That's PR. Last guy walks into | | | | that of tiny Sorrell Ridge. To say we needed a |
| a bar, a beautiful woman approaches him and | | | | kick-ass campaign is an |
| says, "Hi, my name is Courtney and I | | | | understatement. But Smucker's was vulnerable. |
| hear you're really great in bed." That's effective | | | | Their preserves were mostly high |
| marketing.Attraction is the essence of marketing. | | | | fructose corn syrup, refined sugar, and little fruit. |
| When you create enough desire to get your | | | | Sorrell Ridge, on the other hand, |
| prospect to come to you, they'll always be more | | | | was all fruit. It was a big competitive difference |
| predisposed to buying. That bares | | | | and the stage was set for a classic |
| repeating. When you create enough desire to get | | | | David vs. Goliath battle. So, back to our |
| your prospect to come to you, | | | | meeting..."You want my commercial to start with |
| they'll always be more predisposed to buying. | | | | my competitor's tagline?""The idea here isn't to |
| The challenge, of course, is that your | | | | promote Smucker's tagline, it's to dismantle it," I |
| prospect is elusive prey. So, imagine the first | | | | replied |
| rabbit hunters. They'd exhaust | | | | passionately. The president's eyebrows raised. I |
| themselves using spears and rocks until a more | | | | then walked him through the simple |
| evolved Neanderthal got the idea of | | | | 30-second TV spot which opened with the |
| using carrots. Or, imagine the girl who | | | | Smucker's tagline filling the screen...With a name |
| desperately wants a date, but can't | | | | like Smucker's it has to be good.The announcer |
| understand why she scares guys away when | | | | began: "For 30 years Smucker's has been telling |
| she chases them. Unfortunately, too | | | | us they have to be |
| many businesses act like that girl chasing for a | | | | good. But in fact, Smucker's Preserves is mostly |
| date by putting lots into selling and | | | | corn syrup, refined sugar, and only |
| nothing into marketing.Follis Fact #2 It's always | | | | some fruit." At the mention of each ingredient a |
| better to attract than chase.Expense vs | | | | pair of hands popped up from the |
| InvestmentThose who don't understand | | | | bottom of the TV screen and patched over the |
| marketing view it as an expense. Those with a | | | | last line of type, "it has to be good," |
| marketing mindset know it's an investment. They | | | | with a succession of modifications starting with |
| know that, if done right, it can | | | | "it's probably good", to "it might be |
| excite their prospects and produce a great | | | | good," and finally, "is it really so good?" We then |
| return. "Done right" means well- | | | | cut to the Sorrell Ridge jar as the |
| researched, well-managed, and generally handled | | | | announcer explained that "Sorrell Ridge is 100% |
| by someone who knows what | | | | fruit." The final stake in the heart |
| they're doing. Regarding expense, being a small | | | | was our tagline which played directly off |
| business is a bad excuse to do | | | | Smucker's:Sorrell Ridge. With 100% fruit, it has to |
| nothing. Start small, but do something. There are | | | | be better.Holding my breath, I glance over at the |
| plenty of cost-effective, non- | | | | Sorrell Ridge president who now looked like |
| traditional ways to do a test. So, if you want to | | | | a kid on Christmas morning. I then presented a |
| grow, you can't afford not to develop | | | | "50 cents off" coupon ad with side- |
| a marketing plan.Determine your Objective and | | | | by-side visuals of each jar positioned under their |
| BudgetLike building a house it starts with a solid | | | | respective tagline. Like the TV, it |
| foundation. Start with a clear objective. | | | | was simple, but compelling, and he loved it. But |
| The more specific you make it, the better you | | | | now came the legal questions. |
| can develop an effective plan to | | | | Could we even do it? After some nail-biting |
| achieve it. If your company has no marketing | | | | delays, and a few minor copy changes, |
| director to create a plan, get help. A | | | | the lawyers gave us the green light. But not |
| marketing plan is critical and it involves the | | | | without stern warnings that there was |
| analysis of key market factors such as:- the | | | | no guarantee that Smucker's wouldn't sue. To |
| nature and traits of your product.- the exact | | | | the president's credit, he pulled the |
| audience you're targeting.- the competitive | | | | trigger on the campaign and we held our |
| environment.- the traits of your industry | | | | breath.We didn't have to hold it long. Sales spiked |
| category.- the maturity of your business.- | | | | and within the month were up a full 90%. |
| timing.Your marketing budget depends upon the | | | | Our thrilled client immediately doubled his media |
| analysis of these factors as well as your | | | | spending by scraping together |
| short and long term objectives. For some | | | | every dime he could muster. When the dust |
| businesses, 5% of annual sales is plenty to | | | | finally settled 12 months later, Sorrell |
| invest. For others, 10% may not be enough. | | | | Ridge had a 50% national increase while sales for |
| Once the marketing goal is determined | | | | the entire jams category increased |
| it's easier to determine the budget needed to | | | | only 3.5%. The Harvard Business Review wrote |
| achieve it.Have a Great ProductAt the risk of | | | | it up as a case study and Forbes |
| stating the obvious, a big key for marketing | | | | wrote it up as a 2-page feature. My partner and |
| success is having a great | | | | I got covered in a dozen trade |
| product. In his best-selling book, Purple Cow, | | | | publications and appeared live on CNBC. And, |
| marketing guru Seth Godin calls it, | | | | despite all our legal fears, Smucker's |
| "being remarkable." It's about having a product or | | | | never did take action. Everything we said was |
| service that's exceptional.Though many | | | | true and obviously Smucker's knew it. |
| non-remarkable products may seem to do well | | | | Though they probably could've tied us up in |
| because of great | | | | court, the last thing they needed was |
| marketing, no long-term success can be achieved | | | | more press. We simply had a better product and |
| without a great product. In fact, if | | | | we got the message across in an |
| a product is not great, great marketing will | | | | exciting way.Follis Fact #4 The better your |
| usually make it fail faster. People will | | | | product, the better your marketing can be.© |
| buy it, not like it, and never buy it again.Case in | | | | 2005 John Follis. All rights reserved.John Follis is |
| point: Ever see an exciting teaser for an upcoming | | | | one of the 12 "Best Advertising Minds of New |
| movie? It can make a lot | | | | York" as voted by The |
| of people run out and buy a ticket. The problem | | | | New York Ad Club. His campaigns are in 3 college |
| starts a couple of weeks later when | | | | textbooks, he has written for |
| folks see the movie, hate it, and then spread the | | | | ADWEEK, and he has taught at 3 New York |
| word. Before you know it, the | | | | universities. Currently, John works on |
| movie's gone. Here's another case. Remember | | | | select projects, consults, and speaks. |