On September 11, 2001, our country fell under an unexpected terrorist attack.  It was one of the darkest days our generation has ever seen and a day that will live in history forever.  We lost family members, good friends, acquaintances, and strangers.  No matter where you were, from New York to California, whether or not you knew someone in the towers or on a plane, you could feel the pain of an entire nation.

America got knocked down. 

Briefly.

It was a catastrophic attack.  We saw the smoke, we witnessed planes, we called those close to us…we were scared.  You remember where you were when it happened and I’m sure you’ll never forget; we all have our stories.  I recall that my father was on a plane that day and I spent hours trying to get a hold of him before my fears were eased.

Why do we keep reviewing the tapes?  One reason is that we let our curiosity get the best of us.  What could we have done differently?  How could we have prevented this?  Whether we know it or not, we’re studying.  The CIA/FBI/ETC study the scenario in attempts to take extra measures for the safety of our citizens.  You and I study and think about what we would have done in those moments on the plane, we study the tears and smoke, and we study the resilience of a nation.

There is a lot that we can learn about this tragedy as it applies to our businesses.  

First of all, it’s important to take as many precautions and you know to take.  When you engage in business, make every effort to protect yourself.  Use past experiences of others and yourself for improvements.

Look towards the future.  What elements can impact the success of your business?  How can you control those elements or have a “plan B” prepared?

Businesses can often be impacted by the decisions of others.  Sometimes things seem like they are going well but then you are blind-sided.  It’s important to always be on your feet and be ready to act so that you’re not caught off guard in any situation.

But if you do get knocked down, don’t stay down.

Just like the United States of America did following the attacks of September 11, you have to dust yourself off and rebuild.  Sometimes getting knocked down is just the beginning of something great.  If you’ve been knocked down, turn it into something better than you had before.  Today, New York is rebuilding to be better, safer, and bigger than it was before.  You can too, you just have to be able to see through the smoke.

Get back up.  Determine what you could have done differently.  Do it better

What is the message that is being used in your marketing collateral?  Are you telling people what you or your company is or does?  Or are you using generic fluff terms to try to connect with your audience?

Fluff is a term that refers to ambiguous words that are intended to impress your viewers.  Here is a restaurant example:  

“Expect to have an exceptional dinner experience with our dining staff who always strives to astound our customers with an unexpected and unparalleled level of service.”

Wow.  I am impressed.  But wait, the logical thinker in me has questions.  Can I call up your employees in the middle of the night to astound me with their level of service?  Does this mean that I will get a song and a dance when my food is delivered to my table?  Are you calling your employees exceptional because they are or because you are selling me something?  What makes an employee exceptional anyway?

For a long time, the world of marketing (and sales) relied on sentences like these to convince people to buy their products.  However, today’s evolving consumer wants more.  To be specific, they want specifics!

So, how could the sentence above be better?  What can we say that will specifically appeal to the audience?  I have some ideas of my own, but I listen to myself think all day long.  I want to hear from you.

Leave comments regarding how you think fluff can begin its exit strategy from the world of marketing.

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” – John Wooden

March Madness recently ended and the Kentucky Wildcats (Go Cats!) came out victorious to win their 8^th title of all time.  Despite being the favorite to win it all, there was much suspicion as to whether they could actually do it.

What was the concern?  Youth and immaturity.  Kentucky started 3 freshmen and two sophomores and were considered to be one of the youngest teams in all of college basketball.  Too often, immaturity trumps talent and you are left with the loss that puts you out for the remainder of the season.

Kentucky, however, found a way to win the 2012 national championship and tie for winning the most games in the history of the school.  It wasn’t because of any one player’s ability, it was a result of three important factors.  Here is a list of those 3 factors paired with an season reference.

1. Lack of Ego:  The predicted #2 player in the 2012 draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist noticed that senior Darius Miller was not playing well for a string of games.  In an effort to help Miller build his confidence back up, he requested that coach John Calipari start Miller instead of himself.  Miller’s confidence came back shortly thereafter.
2. Teamwork: Every one of Kentucky’s starting five players averaged double figures for the entire year.  No player thought of themselves as any greater or better than anyone else on the team.
3. Collaborative Goal of Success:  In the championship game, the #1 player in the country, Anthony Davis, only scored 6 points.  He looked to his teammates to carry Kentucky to victory by distributing 5 assists, collecting 16 rebounds, blocking 6 shots, and stealing the ball 3 times.  He never focused on his own stats to build stock in his NBA future, but rather deferred to his teammates to win the national title.

“The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.” – John Wooden

A creative agency is much like a basketball team.  We each have our own unique skills and talents, but it is the assistance of the team that pushes us towards reaching our true potential.  

In an effort to overuse John Wooden quotes, here is the closer.

“Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” – John Wooden

P.S. For anyone who is not familiar with John Wooden, he is one of the greatest basketball coaches and leaders of all time.  He has written several books.  You may want to read them.

How important is perception?  What is perception?  How does it relate to one’s image?

Whether we are talking about an individual or a company, perception is everything.  As an individual, we want people to think highly of us.  As a company, we want our brands to evoke positive responses.

Every action we make is a reflection on our image.

When you dig down to the bottom of it, it comes down to principle and character.  Unethical people and businesses can only “fake it” for so long.  In time, the truth will be uncovered and the individual will be fired or the business will falter.   Alternatively, those who stand on good moral character can be confident that their image is based on a solid foundation.

One of my favorite quotes regards the concept of branding:

“A brand isn’t what you say it is, it’s what they say it is.”

Perception.  Image.

What is does your image say about you?

The short answer is, your ultimate success.

Here’s a reality: not everyone cares about your product.  I know, it’s tough to believe because your product is so great.  However, great products and services are built to solve specific issues and therefore should address their respective niche audiences.   So we need to identify who these people are that might care about what you have to offer.

It’s important to conduct your research.  Talk to your friends and family and try to learn what it is about your product or service that they would value as consumers.  Your sister-in-law may be willing to purchase something that your mother is not.  If you can understand why they differ, you are one step closer to making your product successful.  Having said that, don’t put all of your eggs in what your sister-in-law has to say about it.

Once you have your theory, test it out, and test it again.  See if you can find anyone else who would purchase your product and determine if there are any attributes of that person that match those of your sister-in-law.  If you can find some solid comparisons, you may want to use those to sell to the unknown market base.

Some of the major questions you may consider asking are:

• Why do you like this product?
• How much would you be willing to pay for this?
• Why would you buy this when compared to _______ (competitor or alternative solution)?
• Do you know anyone else who would be interested in my product?

Consumers make buying decisions all the time for different reasons.  We can never know the specifics of what goes through the brain of the purchaser, but through behavioral research, we can get close.  Successfully identifying your target market is a step that is crucial to the life expectancy of your business.

Now that we understand some of the basics of how we identify a target market, we need to understand HOW to reach them. That will be coming in a future post, but I would also love to discuss some options in the comment section below if you are so inclined to write me.