Growing & Learning

5 marketing lessons from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

December 25, 2007

We’ve sung the song, teared up at the movie…but have we really considered what marketing messages are woven into the classic Christmas story — Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer?

I think not.  So let’s correct that mistake right now. (And enjoy the film’s original trailer)

Marketing lesson #1:  You can’t hide the truth.

Rudolph did not embrace the fact that he was different from all the other reindeer.  He just wanted to have a cute little black nose and the chance to play some reindeer games.

You can fool people for a little while, but if you cannot walk the talk…don’t say it in the first place.  Your consumers know you’re not perfect. They just want you to be straight about it.

Marketing lesson #2:  Never make assumptions about how your consumers feel.  Far better to ask directly.

One of the main reasons Rudolph took a hike was because he assumed Clarice wouldn’t love him now that his nose so bright was common knowledge.  Think of the grief he could have saved everyone if he had just checked in with her.

You are going to be hard pressed to find a more insightful marketing tool than a customer survey.  Sometimes the news is tough to hear,  but I guarantee you — you can make some simple changes to significantly increase your customer loyalty and retention.

Marketing lesson #3:  Your worst enemy can turn into your greatest ally.

Sure…the Abominable SnowMonster (or The Bumble as Yukon Cornelius called him) tried to eat his girlfriend but Rudolph came to see him as a buddy — even letting him put the star atop the Christmas tree.  All it took was someone (Hermey the elf) listening to the Bumble and finding his pain (tooth ache) to turn the grumbling beast into a helpful and happy pal.

When someone clearly dislikes or even hates your company, product or services’ shortcomings, listen.  If you really work towards understanding their perspective — you can not only save the relationship but you can turn that negative word of mouth risk into an advocate.

Marketing lesson #4:  Create raving fans and a community by giving first.

Rudolph didn’t have to promise the Misfit Toys anything.  At that moment, they couldn’t help him.  But with a generous heart, he promised them he’d try to find them good homes with children who would love them.

When you do something without regard for "re-payment" of any kind, you create value. When you create value…people keep coming back.  When they do that, you begin to build a relationship and a sense of loyalty and no one has even tried to buy or sell yet. Which makes the selling a whole lot easier.

Marketing lesson #5:  When you find what makes you unique, it can be your ticket to new heights.

When Rudolph began to see his nose as an asset and recognized it was what set him apart from all the other reindeer, he suddenly got asked by Santa to take a leadership position.  From then on, it was his calling card.  People told others about his nose and pretty soon, he was known from coast to coast.  That’s branding!

Companies like Apple and Disney rise to the top because they are proud of what makes them different.  They don’t try to be everything to everyone.  They recognize that having a niche means you can create brand loyalty as opposed to being lost in a sea of sameness.

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Start the new year with a BANG!

December 19, 2007

Here’s what I know. 

Despite my harping about the importance of marketing plans and budgets, most of you don’t have either.

Even if you are one of the minority that has a plan — the truth is, you won’t get it all done.  Painful but true.

But…you can get your year off to a running start.  Check out my post over at Small Business Branding to learn how.

Related posts:
Three things to remember when creating a marketing plan
Do I need a marketing budget?
A quick peek in the rearview mirror

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Looking for some great reading?

December 8, 2007

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Thinking of going into marketing?

December 6, 2007

Somehow through the years, I’ve befriended many people who teach a college course or two.  Which means I get to speak to many a college class. 

Recently I was asked to give a presentation about my career path and how to break into the business.

Here are some of the lessons I shared:

It won’t go as you expect.  One of the most valuable skills a marketer can have is the ability to dip, dodge, dart and dig.  Flexibility and the fortitude to endure constant change is a must.

It’s not about the money.  Sooner or later, almost everyone takes "the" job for money.  And quickly realizes what a huge mistake that is.  The job is grueling.  Do it because you love it.

Be memorable.  This is a business filled with smart, funny superstars.  You have to find a way to stand out.

Do whatever it takes to break in.  After the first job is on the resume, it gets much easier.  But that first one is a bear to get.

Look for opportunities others don’t want — clean up the biggest messes.  This is a great way to get noticed and demonstrate your passion for the business.

Always be the guy/gal on the bottom of the pyramid.  He who supports his teammates will ultimately shine.

Never work for a jerk.   Life is too short and there are too many good bosses out there.

Soak it all in.  This is probably one of the most amazing  eras of marketing — and you get to live it.  Revel in that.

Steven Silvers at Scatterbox had some advice for students as well. 

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Can you imagine a world without books?

December 2, 2007

I am very late to a meme that started in early November.  My pre-vacation prep and time away just kept me from getting to this.

I was tagged by both Cam Beck and Phil Gerbyshak — both avid readers and among my favorite bloggers.  Speaking of favorites — if you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know I really love books. I love listening to them, reading them, and being surrounded by them.  (Check out my bookshelves!)

You can learn a great deal about a person by discovering what books they read and love.  That’s the goal of this meme.  Let’s jump in.

How many books do I own?

Geez, I have no idea.  The house is filled to the gills with books and we probably have 4 or 5 bookshelves at work too.  So suffice it to say, many, many books!

Last book I read

Join the Conversation by Joseph Jaffe AND I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason by Susan Kandel.

Last book I bought

Not counting holiday gifts (I love to give books!) it was Now and Then by Robert B. Parker.

What I’m currently reading

I have several books going right now.  Now and Then (see above), Herd by Mark Earls and Lead With Your Heart by Lewis Green.

What I’ll read next

On the road, I am getting ready to start Bad Business by Robert B. Parker (audio book), and the next two books in the pile are The Inside Advantage by Robert H. Bloom and The Watchman by Robert Crais.

What’s on my wish list

The list is, as always, bulging.  But a couple that top the list are Walt’s People: Talking Disney with the Artists Who Knew Him by Didier Ghez and Juicing the Orange by Pat Fallon.

5 Meaningful Books (for me)

   1. Odd Girl Out (Rachel Simmons)
   2. Still Life with Woodpecker (Tom Robbins)
   3. Radical Leap (Steve Farber)
   4. Selling the Invisible (Harry Beckwith)
   5. The Journey of Desire (John Eldredge)

Okay, tag time….(I apologize if you have already been tagged, I know I’m late to the party!)

Chris Wilson
Tim Johnson
Tom Vander Well
Liz Strauss
Tara

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Get a referral by offering to give one?

November 30, 2007

We all know and understand the power of referrals.  Word of mouth is as potent as it gets.  You can't buy it or force it.  But you can encourage it.

John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing created a short video about how to get your strategic partners/vendors to help you grow your business.

What do you think? 

I think just the act of creating the referral guidebook on your company would be a very eye-opening experience.  I'd love to see yours, if you actually take this idea and run with it.

Who knows, this might create a series of case study posts.

Related posts:
Turn things upside down
What is the most powerful selling tool?
Is that your hand in my pocket?

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David Reich: Is Blogging Losing Steam?

November 26, 2007

Is blogging losing steam?  Or maybe the better question is – Are bloggers losing steam?

Over the past several weeks I've noticed a number of posts and I've heard talk, online and off, about blogging overkill, causing some of us to be less active in the blogosphere.  I've felt it myself somewhat, as my business has thankfully been very busy lately.  That, coupled with personal commitments including being involved in a major election in my town, has taken my time and attention away from the web.  But it seems to be not just me.

When I first began blogging back in February, I felt the need to post something new almost every day, following the example set by my mentor CK and some other blogs I'd been following, including this one.  What a rush I felt when I'd get comments, especially if the comments were from bloggers I'd been reading, like Drew, Lewis, Gavin and Cam.  And comments coming not just from around the nation, but from around the world.  It spurred me to write even more.  And my wife was feeling like a computer widow.

It's been interesting to see how some posts generate lots of comments and discussion, while others just sit there, unanswered.  After my first posts that drew a blank, I wondered, "What did I do wrong?"  But then I saw comments come in days or even weeks later.  And I also realized that some posts are fairly complete, answering their own questions and leaving little room for discussion other than, perhaps, a polite comment like "Good post." 

I've watched my daily readership grow, and I got picked up on some feeds, so I know that – comments or not – I'm not just talking to myself.  I'm not on Mack's Viral Garden Top 25 list, but my Technorati authority has gone up and people are reading.

The first time I got jammed with work and let my blog go unchanged for four or five days, I felt terribly guilty, like I was playing hookey from school or sneaking out of work to go to the beach.  But I was busy, and I guess nothing struck me at the moment as something worth writing about. 

Around that time, I had coffee with Transmission Marketer Mark Goren, who was visiting from Montreal.  He said he was having similar feelings and felt pressure to post more often.  I told him, it's better to take a break for a few days than put up drivel just for the sake of having a fresh post.  If I don't have something useful to say, I'd rather say nothing, I said.

So when I got busy in September, I took my own advice.  I didn't post as often.  I don't think my blog suffered and perhaps my readers appreciated the break, instead of being served mindless chatter.   

I'm realizing that we're all busy and we're pulled in many directions – work, family, friends, hobbies and even relaxing.  And some bloggers have migrated over to newer social media, exploring places like Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.  They're still out there having discussions, but on other channels.

Steve Rubel wrote at Micro Persuasion a few weeks ago about Web 2.0 overkill and how the pioneering spirit he felt a few years back is giving way to the smell of money — cashing in.  Hey, if the guys who developed Facebook and the others can reap big rewards for their efforts and their smarts, good for them.  Many of us newbies still feel like pioneers, though.  We are in the minority.  Among my public relations peers and even among my marketing friends, I'm still a pioneer to them, plying what they see as the uncharted waters of blogging.

But there's definitely an undercurrent of talk about blogging losing steam.  Some have posted about it, and a quick check around will turn up a number of once-active blogs that have slowed down or have gone silent for weeks at a time. 

What do I make of this?  I can only speak for myself and speculate, at best, about how others might feel.  I still love this blogging stuff.  It continues to give me the chance to write in my own voice about things that interest me and ideas and issues I'd like to share with others.  The feedback, the camaraderie, and some new friendships that I'm sure will last have been rewarding and inspiring.

Posting every day?  I don't feel the pressure now because I realize – call it, perhaps, blogger maturity – that it's better to wait till you have something of value to say than to say anything just to hear yourself talk.  If I'm not as active all the time, it's just lack of time, not lack of interest.

So I don't think blogging is losing steam.  Some who have been doing it for a while may be growing tired or bored, but there are still hundreds of new voices coming on line every day, and more conversations are popping up in other online venues besides blogs.  As businesses learn how to utilize the blogosphere, blogging activity will continue to grow.

Losing steam?  Hardly.  It's full steam ahead for blogging.

Drew's Note:  David Reich started Reich Communications in 1991 and blogs at My 2 Cents.  He's worked for clients like RJR Nabisco, Gulf Oil, General Electric, and many more.  When Age of Conversation broke, David was the guy who got us all the media play.   Not only is he good…but he's most definitely one of the good guys.

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Tim Siedell: 15 Steps to Bigger Ideas

November 26, 2007

Thinking is hard work. When you're up against a deadline or facing a declining sales chart, it gets even harder. Whether you're a business owner or a creative professional, here are some steps you can take to get even bigger and better ideas.

First things first, however. It's a process.

Creativity is not a magical act. It's a process. Scientists, authors, musicians, and other creative professionals who have studied such things have broken down the creative process into five basic steps:

1. Gathering information for the task at hand
2. Thinking through various solutions
3. Walking away from the problem
4. Getting an idea
5. Testing the idea

Yep, walk away.

No doubt, the most surprising aspect to this process is step 3. When you think about it, however, you've experienced this firsthand many times. Frustrated by a project, you walk away in disgust. Hours or even days later, you come up with the perfect solution seemingly out of the blue. It's the clichéd shower experience. Your subconscious is an idea machine. 

Ten Steps to Bigger Ideas Now

1) Give yourself a target.
The more concretely you define the problem, the more energy you can focus towards a specific solution.

2) Manage the process and deadline.
Don't allow yourself to move onto the next step until the current one is finished. And build time into your deadline to walk away.

3) Find a comfort zone.
Surround yourself with the creature comforts that make you feel most at ease.

4) Attack the white bull.
Hemingway feared the blank page. He called it the "white bull." If Hemingway can fear the start of a project, you can, too. It's natural. Attack your fear head on.

5) Free-associate with abandon.
Robert Frost called an idea "a feat of association." Smash thoughts together. Write down words and see if they connect. Mash, smash, and crash.

6) Actively search for inspiration.
Look into other industries or unrelated fields for sparks of inspiration. Search the web. Look for items that spin you into new directions.

7) Aim low at first.
Nervous about a deadline? Frustrated? Get an easy solution onto that blank page and you'll loosen up and feel more confident.

8) Forget about it.
Seriously. Go to a movie. Take a walk. Move on to another project.

9) Go to sleep.
Research shows that a good night's sleep leads to bigger and better ideas. Let your subconscious go to work.

10) Be willing to kill your babies.
Don't fall in love with your ideas. Try to get as many ideas as possible and then test them without prejudice at the end.

Five Steps to Bigger Ideas Long Term

11) Break out of ruts.
Pick up a trade pub from a different industry. Eat at a new restaurant for a change. Listen to new music.   

12) Be a sponge.
The more stuff you have in your brain, the more material you'll have to work with the next time you free-associate.

13) Keep your radar up.
Actively look around you. Carry a journal to record little nuggets of inspiration.

14) Gain confidence.
Confidence is key to any creative person. The more you employ the above steps, the more your confidence will grow.

15)  Collaborate. 
Working with others will help you grow your ideas exponentially.

Now it's your turn. What steps or tips have you found effective when it comes time to be creative?

Drew's Note: Tim Siedell is creative director and co-founder of Fusebox Brand Communications. His bad banana blog is an excellent daily resource for creative ideas and inspiration (step 6 above).  Tim is one of the funniest Twitterers I know…and has very quickly proven to be not only smart but a good guy.

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4 things marketers could learn from reality shows

November 16, 2007

We make fun of them, we swear we never watch them….and yet they are everywhere.

Reality shows. 

Long before the writer's strike, they were already here to stay.  Having a teenager in the house means I get to watch more than my fair share of them.  Like the proverbial train wreck, they're sort of hard to turn away from.  They are both grotesque and fascinating. 

I realized tonight that there are some lessons for us in the reality show recipe.  After all, wouldn't we like our marketing efforts to be mesmerizing?

High Emotion/Drama:  There's not a dull moment on these shows.  They have a wonderful sense of story-telling build up.  You can feel the tension mounting and before you know it — someone is taking a swing at someone else or we've got a full on sob fest.

How about your marketing materials?  Are you telling a story that builds up to a satisfying emotional reaction?  Are you drawing your audience in?

Messy:  There's nothing pretty or perfect on a reality show.  But then again, life isn't perfect.  It's messy.  Especially when you are doing things "live" or on the fly.

I think one of the reasons many companies shy away from social media tactics is because they can't package them up and put a bow on them.  It's okay to just get out there and wing it a little.  Maybe it will look a little messy from time to time — but it will also look authentic.

Conflict:  Most reality shows are some sort of contest.  It pits people against each other and within that, secret alliances, grudge matches and villains.  We need someone to root for.  And against. 

We know that all buying decisions are based on emotions. Do you know what emotions trigger a prospect to become a buyer for your product/service?  Are you setting up conflicts to evoke those emotions?

Surprise:  There are more twists and turns than the roller coasters at Cedar Point.  They're always bringing back old contestants or revealing secrets, just to keep everyone on their toes.  Adding an element of surprise enhances the three earlier elements — high emotions, messiness and conflict.  Surprise also offers relief from those elements.  So just about the time you can't handle any more drama, they'll take a twist and offer a sentimental moment.

Are you remembering to surprise your customers?   That's a very powerful way to generate word of mouth and stickiness.

So next time you are feeling a little guilty about watching Dancing with the Stars or I Love New York 2 — have no fear.  You're just enhancing your marketing knowledge!

Related posts:

Surprise — marketing lesson from Walt
Are we playing the wrong role in our stories?
Sex or money?

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Free Audio Series: Extreme Leadership

November 3, 2007

I read a lot.  So for me to say someone is one of the best business authors I've ever read…means they have gone against some serious contenders.  And Steve Farber is without a doubt, one of the best.

His books Radical Leap and Radical Edge should be required reading for every business leader.  The work world would be a much better place.

Steve's making a very generous offer.  In celebration of being featured on MSNBC, CNN, CNBC and Public Television this weekend, he's giving away his audio series, Extreme Leadership: In Pursuit of the OS!M.

We're talking 3+ hours of leadership inspiration and wisdom.  Free.

I can't imagine this offer will go on forever…so get on it now.  Really. Now.

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