Fear Factor

Fear Want to know what sabotages most marketing efforts?  It’s not the competition, the small budget or too much work, so you can’t be proactive. So what is?

Fear.

There is a sweeping attitude (although many who have it won’t even see that they’ve been infected.) that it’s better to be safe, bland and expected when marketing.   Many marketing execs and even some agencies are just not willing to stick their proverbial neck out and risk being bold or different.

What is there to be afraid of?  You might get noticed? You might inspire reaction from your consumers? You might get someone’s attention? 

You don’t have to do it the way you’ve always done it or how your industry does it. I’m not advocating being wild just for the sake of it.  Do it in your voice.  Have a good strategy.  Just deliver the message in a way that is a surprise. 

Take a look at your recent marketing efforts.  Are they staid?  Expected?  Would you notice them if you were the audience?  Do you make a bold statement?  A startling promise? Do you say something that you haven’t seen someone else say this month? 

If not, the fear bug might have bitten you.  Want the antidote?

Resolve to stick your toe in the waters of bold. Come on in, the water’s fine!  You’ll love being heard for a change. 

Next post we’ll talk about Fear’s partner in crime – comfort.

Stock photograph courtesy of www.shutterstock.com.

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3 comments on “Fear Factor

  1. Drew, an excellent reminder that marketing not heard or seen is a waste of money.

    The key line in your post is, “Do it in your own voice… just be surprising.”

    Don’t be bold just to be bold. Refine your message, make it memorable, and tell it in a bold and surprising way. Not only is the water fine, it’s profitable when you do it right.

    Great Post!

  2. Tracy says:

    I think this is a great personal message to people. It seems that it’s all too easy to forget that it’s a team effort. If you have the idea, share it with others and see what happens. You might not be the one who has all of the answers to the what if’s, but just by putting it out there, you have a task force of people that can expound on that to turn it in to something useful and profitable.

    I think we’ve all been witness to those times when we’re sitting in a meeting and someone looks like they are about to say something, only to change their minds at the last minute. Imagine if we all spoke out and if all of those ideas were brought to light!

  3. Phil & Tracy,

    Good additions — thank you. It’s not about being bold just to be bold. It has to be authentic. But…lots of great ideas die on someone’s lips because they don’t feel safe or respected enough to share them. or it’s a crazy idea in a company where crazy is not always welcomed.

    So many times a bad idea shared spawns a spectacular idea that would have never existed if it weren’t for the spark that the original idea gave off.

    Drew

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