So I’m in the process of launching my first web start-up company. I get to work with the most talented people in the world, which just happen to be my best friends (Nice Job eh?). In this start-up one of my chief responsibilities is in the area of marketing. Thus, I have spent the last couple of days and plan to spend the next few weeks of my life taking an in depth look at marketing.
My goal is to get away from the traditional ideas of marketing and boil it down to its core. From that point I will work to develop a strategic plan to implement the core principles in a unique way. Sounds like fun huh!
And of course I want you to come with me…..This post will mark the start of a series of post concerning this topic. Enjoy!!
Principle #1 – Marketing starts with me
I think one of the most important concepts that I have learned is that marketing is not just a plan to implement or a campaign to manage but a lifestyle. Ask yourself this question: What attracts me the most to something (company, product, etc)?
Well, to answer this question I think we must first ask: What in life is the most important to me? This may seem like a difficult question to answer, but I think if you boil it down the answer would read something like this; I am the most important to me. My life, My family, My concerns.
Thus the companies, the ads, the books, etc that truly capture my attention are the ones that add value to my life. I think the key to marketing is not mass broadcast or even celebrity affiliation. I think the key to marketing is adding value to the consumer’s life and honestly if your in a business that doesn’t add value to your consumer’s life…Well, I think you should re-think your industry.
So by now your probably thinking that I have gotten off topic because after all I said Marketing starts with Me and that it’s a lifestyle. EXACTLY…..I dare say that the most effective marketing campaign will be derived from a person who lives a life looking out for others. It’s the age old principle of “love your neighbor as yourself.” In marketing terms it would be, “love your consumer as yourself” or better yet what if you were your consumer?
To sum this post up…My opinion is that a truly successful marketer will be a person who is genuinely interested in the well being of his/her consumers and who approaches their marketing plan with this in mind.
I would love to hear your comments. This is a journey that I’m on and I look forward to growing with you.
June 19, 2007 at 11:43 pm
You have the right idea going in – Marketing starts with you! And when you sum your post up, it shows that you will be successful because you are interested in your consumers 1st! That is where many companies fail because they only think what would be good for themselves, and they seem to forget that happy informed consumers are the best kind to have!! Good luck on your journey…
June 20, 2007 at 1:37 pm
I like your approach and I hope you are right. To be effective, we absolutely have to understand the motivations of our prospects and customers. The very best way of putting this is as you have, “love your consumer as yourself”. Whether this is the MOST EFFECTIVE way of marketing is questionable to me and it may not be a general rule of marketing. For example, let’s say you were marketing cigarettes, would high-empathy marketing be most effective? What about for hand guns?
Personally, I think your outlook is spot on as an ethical approach to marketing and one that will bring you much joy. I intend to incorporate it into my thinking as well. Cheers.
July 31, 2007 at 12:04 am
Nice post. I enjoyed “the love your neighbor as yourself” principle. It is a great approach to clarify your method of reach.–Mindshare creates marketshare.–If only everyone thought just like me, but using your theory, if enough people do, I’m in their head!
February 4, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Hey Chris,
Great thoughts man. I love the concept of marketing starting with “who I am.” It sounds like you are hitting on the idea of rooting your marketing in your core values. Very cool.
-Brett