I sometimes think I shouldn’t have original thoughts in this forum at all (and, yes, there are those who argue that I don’t!), but, rather, should just point people to the wisdom over at Crossroads Dispatches.

Evelyn makes a big, big point about sales and marketing with a simple analogy:

I have noted time and time again that most marketing and sales professionals take on the role of a beggar more often than not.It’s a pitiful sight. They are frantically running up and down the beach jumping up and down waving dim-bulbed flashlights hoping beyond hope that any passing ship will notice them and take refuge.

Meanwhile the lighthouse around the bend on the point isn’t killing itself (not to mention not embarrassing itself) to attract ships whatsoever. The ships are proactively seeking the lighthouse of their own accord. If there is a new lighthouse, the sailors spread the word. It’s on their maps. They knew where they are.

Read more …

Share This

Over at Collaborative Marketing Services, they’re asking a question sure to warm the collective hearts of the buzzword-compliance set: What is open source marketing?

Great question. Unfortunately, I’m not sure they have the full answer. OK, I am sure, but I’m being professional.

The article’s thesis goes something like this: More choice in the marketplace means monolithic brands — and the equally monolithic media buys used to support them — are going the way of the dodo. (Insert Cluetrain-ish stuff… insert Seth-like stuff… etc.)

There are good points in there, but much of it has a dotcom-heyday feel. More importantly, they focus on the community-driven aspect of open source software, but don’t spend nearly enough time discussing how explicit licensing and copyright choices allow these communities to flourish.

I’m not sure there’s such a thing as open source marketing — at least, I wouldn’t put that name on any of the trends now unfolding. Now, open source branding? That’s another matter. It exists today, often as a byproduct of fast-growing online companies or communities. And it’s a great example of branding backward.

Share This

Rob Thrasher has an interesting take on using Google to reverse-engineer a brand. Good stuff, although it’s certainly just part of any larger branding effort.

One thing that’s usually an eye-opener — particularly with smaller clients — is the concept of branding forward vs. backward:

• Branding forward: You start with a brand that reflects back to customers things you know the they want, and then build a product around that brand.
• Branding backward: You can start with a product, and refine from its characteristics (both existing ones any any additional ones the branding team may imbue it with) a successful brand.

Both work. Both have their uses.

Share This

Colin has such a great post on the importance of personalization during the pitch that there’s not much for me to add.

Go read it, and follow the great links.

Share This

Mike Bawden pointed me to this excellent, metaphorical article on positioning over at 101PublicRelations. It’s smart stuff, but I may be biased because the author used two of my favorite airlines as examples.

An aside: I like long blog entries — as long as they have something to say. For me, the link-and-run miniposts so ubiquitous in blogging (and yes, I’m guilty myself — with this very post!) are a little bit like fast food; fun, but not really filling… and your mom would tell you to eat better.

Share This

Jennifer Rice brings up some stats — and their importance — in such a direct way that all I can do is quote (emphasis mine):

The Conference Board found that the top four chief executive challenges for 2004 were top-line growth (52%), corporate agility (42%), customer loyalty and retention (41%), and innovation (31%). By contrast, Booz Allen Hamilton found that marketing executives were focused on branding guidelines (83%), counseling divisions (52%), best-practice sharing (52%), and developing capabilities (47%). No wonder the ANA concluded: “Marketing is disconnected from the CEO agenda.”…

Read more …

Share This