What’s more valuable than a product to sell? How about a person who’ll buy?
While explaining the blockbuster success of Broadway’s upcoming Odd Couple, Seth Godin makes a not so odd statement.
The lesson is that the new marketing makes it a lot easier to make products for your customers (instead of having to run around finding customers for your products.)
How many of us have had this wrong the whole time?
If you haven’t heard about the bird flu (AKA avian flu/AKA H5N1), turn on the evening news sometime.
If you have heard about this threatening pandemic, how sure are you of it’s innevitable entrance into the U.S.? Do you think it will be confirmed in America by the end of the year? Before April, 2006?
Intrade is asking people to put their money where their mouths are. Intrade allows “investors” to place money on current events. Per their website:
Intrade.com is a person-to-person trading “Exchange”. It allows you to trade in the most innovative, transparent and fun way on political, financial, current and similar events. Intrade members trade directly with each other. When you trade on Intrade you are pitting your wits against other members of Intrade. Intrade provides the platform whereby members can trade between themselves.
The interesting part is that the end product is fairly accurate polling data. By requiring money to be placed before you can log your opinion, Intrade has given incentive for thoughtful and honest feedback.
Right now, those who believe the bird flu will be announced within the U.S. by the end of the year are selling at 32. This means those participating give a 32% chance that it will occur within the given timeframe. They give a
60% chance that it will occur by March 31, 2006.
The data within these polls has been amazingly accurate, so you might want to investigate information concerning the bird flu.
Or you can just laugh it off.
johnmoore of Brand Autopsy was gracious enough to pay a visit to us business marketers in Tulsa at this month’s Business Marketing Association meeting. Speaking on Starbucks Tribal Knowledge (Business and Marketing Lessons Learned from Working Inside Starbucks), johnmoore gave a great presentation and left everybody wanting more.
One of my favorite nuggets within the presentation was Starbucks (unwritten) Code of Marketing Authenticity:
1. Be genuine and authentic.
2. Always say who you are, not who you aren’t (we don’t do this, we don’t do that).
3. Deliver on all promises made
4. Respect people’s intelligence. (even provide mental stimulation)
5. Never forsake the company’s heritage and personality for a short term gain. (i.e. no Starbucks combo meal)
John drew a great group of people and held their rapt attention the entire time. Although I had watched the Starbucks Tribal Knowledge presentation online, there’s nothing like the real thing.
Afterwards, I was lucky enough to continue the discussion with johnmoore at a local Starbucks (go figure) and pow-wow on a few topics… almost to the point of John missing his flight. Not being a frequent patron of Starbucks, I was unsure what to order. I had enjoyed a few mochas in the past, but figured there might be something better suited for my tastes. John recommended something that ended up being an excellent drink (what the heck was that thing John?). It will probably start putting a little dent in my monthly budget. By the way, all of this hullabaloo about John knowing the inner workings of Starbucks and he didn’t even finagle free drinks for us. Some inside expert!
All-in-all, Wednesday was wonderful. By the end of the day, I had gained a greater appreciation for Starbucks marketing philosophies, their product, their experience, and the very pleasant johnmoore who delivered on all promises made (see #3 above).
Everyone was captivated by what johnmoore shared
John drew a great group.
There were plenty of questions about Starbucks Tribal Knowledge afterward.
My hosting service (email and web hosting) was knocked out briefly on Monday. If you emailed anything to me on Monday, please try again.
Thanks to Erica, who pointed out Jones Soda. I knew they accepted submitted photos to use on their product packaging. I didn’t think of them as one that might receive submissions via their website.
Unlike Taco Bell (see Talking Sauce) and Dentyne, Jones Soda has set up galleries of their many labels. What I also love is Jones Soda didn’t just set up a submission form. They also created a gallery through which viewers can peruse the submitted photos and vote for their favorites.
Jones Soda does a good job of keeping their store presence and online presence consistent. They’ve taken their website and created a place where customers can connect, collaborate, and create community.
Maybe Taco Bell and Dentyne will follow suit.
Corporate recycling programs have gone from exclusive to expected. Many companies today recycle their paper, wood products, metal, ink cartridges, computer equipment, etc.. These items are reshaped or refilled so they can be a renewable source of supply. So businesses see the benefit of recycling hard resources, but what about your soft resources?
A recent Business Week article stated that a large portion of the workforce will be retiring over the next 10 to 20 years. An example given is the U.S. government workforce, which will retire half of their current employees in the next 5 to 7 years.
As members of the boomer generation exit the workforce will their knowledge, talent, and leadership go with them? Is retirement a landfill of innovation and leadership that never returns into the business ecosystem?
Companies need to develop not only retirement plans for their workers, but recycling plans for the hard knowledge and soft skills these employees can pass on to budding leaders. By implementing mentorship programs, you can begin to narrow the information and leadership gap. Also, pay attention to where your senior personnel are spending their time. Don’t bury them under paperwork and projects. Encourage them to share their experiences and wisdom. Give them a platform. Give them an audience.
Sir Isaac Newton is quoted as saying, “If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” Don’t load down the shoulders of your “giants” with busy work. In the process, you deny your future leaders from seeing further.
Ernie Mosteller talks about the silver bullet of advertising.
Integrated agencies have sort of the right idea. Problem is, what they’re integrating is the web and traditional media. By my count, now that’s five ways to deliver an advertising message: TV, print, radio, outdoor, web.
I’ve come to the same conclusion, and Ernie does a great job of encapsulating the problem. I think he’s onto something with a solution as well.
There is a silver bullet, though.
It’s the same bullet that’s always been silver: a great idea.Notice I didn’t say, “concept.†I could have, but in advertising, “concept†implies a medium. In today’s world, a great idea crosses all boundaries, all media, and infects every part of a business’ face to the public. Delivery method is part of the idea – but not the idea itself.
Problem is, I think this still falls short. I don’t think we should just address the business’ “face” to the public. Companies need more than just a pretty face in order to succeed. The business needs to be addressed from the front door to the back office. And most agencies are not getting it done.