20 April 2010: Your customers own your Brand

The sooner you realise that, the sooner you'll understand that it's not about what you're selling that counts, it's what they're buying from you. As soon as people start identifying with whatever 'personality' your brand/company puts across, it starts becoming hard to change anything that links to it. This is why it's so vitally important to get it right in the first place.

Coca-Cola US learnt this the hard way when it tried to change it's formula to a sweeter version (in order to compete directly with Pepsi flavour). Even though the new flavour was preferred in blind taste tests, people were unhappy that Coke was messing with their brand.

23 March 2010: The new Mass Media

TV is becoming more and more fragmented. With the rise and rise of TV on demand, people are building an expectation of watching programmes without the interuption of advertisements. Advertisements, in and of themselves (both radio and TV) are irritating at best, insulting at worst. So, what do you do to reach the 'masses' and build awareness of your brand? 

Easy: outdoor - bus sides, bus stops, posters, billboards. People are a lot more receptive to advertising that invites them to engage - rather than forcing them to watch & listen. Outdoor does just that. The only thing you need to work out is: in which areas your target market lives (so you don't waste money on outdoor in the wrong areas) and what it is you're going to say.

(with thanks to Nicole Perez for the conversation that brought this concept to life)

the male giraffe has the longest tail amongst mammals

8 February 2010: The long tail of Business and Marketing

I heard someone talk, at the end of last year, about the 'Long Tail' of business and marketing. I have to admit that I'd never heard of this termanology in this setting before. Since then, I seem to have come across this term a few times in various formats, all of them in context of 'online marketing'. 

The concept (if you're not already familiar with it) is around building strong businesses based on marketing to niche sectors and sometimes even providing bespoke products for your customers. This is especially possible for small businesses who operate out of warehouses or offices based in low cost areas and who's 'store front' is online.

The great thing about niche marketing is that you can adapt you don't have to be 'everything to everybody' anymore. Start looking for specific customers that would most likely buy your product. You may be surprised how lucrative this could be if you position yourself right and use the right online tactics to build awareness for your products. 

6 January 2010: Are you ready for Marketing in the 'Tenties'

Now that the worst of the recession seems to be behind us, the most important questions we need to ask ourselves is:

• has our consumers behaviour changed as a result of the past year?
• how does this affect the way we do business with them over the next few years?
• are there any new opportunities that now exist for our business, and how can we capitalise on them?

Probably the most important thing to focus on over the next few years is continuing to build the relationship with our current customers and offering them more 'personalised' products and services. There will always be a place for big companies that offer huge discounts etc. However, many consumers tire of big corporations and long to be recognised as individuals. As an entrepreneur, you are able to offer them exactly that.

We think that it's now going to be about the relationship you are able to build with your customers -  giving them back the 'power' that banks and corporates have stripped them of (do you remember the days when the adage ' The Customers is King' was actually true).

We think mass media is on its way out and targeted, succinct, useful, solicited communication is in.

We think that successful Marketing in the Tenties will be about taking the basic core principles of Marketing from the last century and changing the rules to adapt to the digital world. 

26 August 2009: There is no ‘magic formula’ when it comes to marketing

But, there are two essential things you need to get to grips with:

1) understanding what the best marketing is for YOUR business and

2) that marketing is a process and not an event – it has a beginning and a middle, but no end

Keep in mind, your marketing will be different from anyone else who does the same thing as you. Your business is as unique and individual as you are. This is one of your best assets!

13 July 2009: Communication is not what it used to be

There has been so much talk, this past year, on the recession and how businesses have been impacted by it. It's quite a relief to hear less and less about 'recession proofing your business' - which has become tedious in and of itself.

Yes, the market has shifted, as have consumers spending behaviours and attitudes towards advertising. But, that is inevitable in any climate. What has happened over the past few years, and is continuing to happen, is consumers are becoming more and more scepticial about all forms of advertising and communication, both traditional and on-line.

It is our prediction that Word of Mouth (WoM), Relationship Marketing and Guerilla Marketing are going to become more and more prevalent in the coming years. All of these will require a deeper knowledge of who our consumer actually is, what our brand really stands for in their minds, and how we show our customers how our product best satisfies their needs.