Brett’s Blog

Bill has posted his Luther-esque thesis on the doors of the blogosphere with this post on 26 reasons why I love marketing. My three favorites:

1. The best people I know are marketers
2. I understand the phrase “Having a Purple Cow who Zags in a Blue Ocean”
3. It’s better then being beat with a bag of oranges

Check out it out share your favorites.

What if Led Zeppelin IV was called “Stairway to Heaven” instead?

What if the Beatles’ White Album was actually called “Dear Prudence?”

What if Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill was called “You Oughtta Know?”

And what if For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge was better known as “Right Now?”

Because none of these albums would be as cool.

What seems so apparent with names of classic albums should be more apparent in marketing and product management. Yes, most people are buying Led Zeppelin IV because it contains one of the most enjoyed rock songs in history. But that doesn’t mean you name the album after it. It’s just not as cool. It’s not to say that an album named after a song on the album sucks; it just means it could’ve been made a lot better with a different name.

Marketing forces us to try to communicate clearly and simply to consumers. In the case of the albums above, you could make a strong case for naming Zeppelin IV “Stairway to Heaven.” But what are you communicating? “Here’s a great tune surrounded by 8 other tracks that are also OK.”

You’re missing out, and you’re only communicating a part of your product, not the whole thing.

I’m rambling, but here’s the deal: don’t let “traditional” marketing tactics and philosphies make you strip a really cool product of what truly attracts consumers longterm. Something just feels good when you can talk to someone who knows the Rumours album well, or when someone knows that “Jagged Little Pill” is just a part of a single line in a song on the album.

Take a chance at making your product cooler, even if it breaks a few rules.

Since starting my new job with NCH Corp. back in July, I’ve primarily had one major responsibility: The Skeeter Defeater Mosquito Defense Unit. I haven’t been able to fill any of you readers in on it until now, so I wanted to take the first opportunity I had to introduce you to the best mosquito killer on the market (yes, I’m biased).

The launch has had more obstacles than the Eliminator on American Gladiator, and there have been more lessons learned than Bill Nye the Science Guy could’ve ever conjured up. And there’s still a lot more to go. For one, I’ve never done much work with retail before, so interacting with buyers and manufacturer’s reps has been amazingly tedious and occasionally difficult. But we’re getting there.

Quickly, here are the main points about the Skeeter Defeater:

1. It’s a mosquito killer, not a mosquito repellent. There’s a big difference there, as you can read here at SkeeterDefeater.com.
2. It sprays automatically at dusk and dawn. The Dispenser incorporates a DUSK/DAWN sensor to actually measure the sunlight every day, spraying when mosquitoes are the most exposed - at dusk and dawn.
3. It kills mosquitoes on contact using pyrethrin, a botanical insecticide.
4. It covers up to 300 square feet, perfect for porches, patios, decks, etc.
5. It’s portable and battery-powered. You can take it just about anywhere - can’t say that about the big systems.

Obviously, you can read all about it on the website, and contact me or leave a comment with any questions. This year will be a limited launch, with most of our focus being in Texas, learning what we can so we can really launch nationwide next year. However, you’ll find it in random hardware stores all over the country currently, and in SkyMall magazine (if you ride American, you’ll see it on the cover for another month).

While I’m definitely proud of the work that’s been done on it so far, there’s still a long way to go. If you’ve got feedback or ideas, you know I’d love to get it. Drop me a line, tell me what you like, what you hate, and what you don’t understand.

Here’s the thing with ancillary products: Every company has them; every company has trouble knowing what to do with them.

The common logic goes something like this:
A product needs complete marketing focus to succeed.
Ancillary products don’t get complete marketing focus (or else they wouldn’t be considered ancillary).
Therefore, ancillary products can’t succeed.

If you’re trying to compare your ancillary stuff to your bread and butter, then you’re probably right - they won’t succeed. But I think you have to accept ancillary stuff for what it is - it’s low hanging fruit, a by-product, that you might as well make a few dollars on if it provides some added value to a customer. When you look at it this way, then it makes sense. However, if you start looking to an ancillary line of products to start producing bigger bottom-line figures, then you’ve got the wrong idea.

When I worked at AdvoCare, we struggled severely with selling a pretty amazing skincare line, Definite Difference. The product works great, the market was open to it, and women were ready for something that they could especially sell. But it never really took off - for various reasons - most important of which was the fact that consumers didn’t want an AdvoCare Distributor selling them skincare (usually). They wanted the AdvoCare Distributor to keep selling them what they were good at - weight loss, energy and performance.

The temptation when you have a really good product filling an ancillary role is that you think you can break it into stardom, out of the ranks of ancillary and into the ranks of major product line. This will rarely, RARELY happen, and going down that path will only weaken those areas of strength where you do excel.

Keep the main thing the main thing, and take ancillary products for what they are: extras that don’t deserve much attention. But don’t always get rid of them - they have their place.

Don’t know why I’m stuck on definitions of marketing right now, but I am, so we must deal with. The fundamental issue might be that it is such an inconsistently defined term that finding new, fresh definitions is almost fascinating.

In her article “How Marketing Can Go Beyond the ‘Make It Pretty’ Syndrome,” Laura Patterson defines marketing as it relates to value, namely:

1. Creating value: In this capacity, the marketing organization serves as a driver of an organization’s value chain by insuring products and services are shaped by customer expectations and demands.
2. Communicating value: Every customer touch point affects the customer’s decision and action; therefore, every touch point needs to tied to and communicate the value proposition.
3. Delivering value: Through constant monitoring, Marketing can help determine whether it is delivering on its value promise and whether the value proposition needs modification.
4. Sustaining value (or, Managing Customer Relationships): {Brett’s note - I just had to keep the ‘value’ pedalpoint going, though ‘Managing Customer Relationships” might be clearer} This ability to create a single view of the customer comes with responsibility—to take a leadership role in the creating and managing the processes associated with the company’s customer relationships.

It might not be the most complete definition, but I definitely think it’s the easiest to apply and to clarify marketing’s role within any organization.

The key is remembering that value is in the eye of the beholder, or, in this case, the customer. Pinching pennies to help the bottom line means nothing if it doesn’t create, communicate, deliver and sustain value for the customer.

Seth Godin has been on a roll lately (which is a big deal, relatively speaking). But his recent revisit of a list he wrote 3 years ago that lists quick snippets that encapture marketing is a must-read.

Here’s a to-do for all of us marketers: Set an appointment each month to read this list and write down at least 20 things that come to mind in response specific to what you do. It’s bound to make a difference.

A few noteworthy posts I’ve stumbled on over the past few weeks . . . .

1. Yes, Words Matter: So when do you use “more than” instead of “over?” Better yet, when does it matter? CommonSense PR has a take on it.
2. Link/Comment Baiting: Ed’s listed his favorite marketing-ish blogs. I’ve hit a few links, but plan on digging in over the next couple weeks.
3. 5 Steps to Becoming a Buff: You just can’t go wrong with the ‘Seinfeld on Marketing’ series, but this is one of my favorites. I wanna be a buff!
4. What Corporations Need from PR in a Web 2.0 world: Lee summarizes a keynote by Mike Moran that makes me feel better about not knowing everything that’s going on in the Web 2.0 world. My favorite Moran quote: “You have permission to sip from the new web 2.0 world, rather than drink from it like a fire hose.”
5. 10 Signs You Should Be Charging More as a Freelancer: A lighthearted but practical guide into making more out of making it on your own.
6. 7 Things Innovators Do That You Don’t: My favorite one is that innovators aren’t afraid to communicate their crazy ideas.
7. Peel-off Wine Label: Now this is too simple to be as smart as it is. Why hasn’t this been thought of before?
8. Why Does Big Mean Bad?: Paul Williams details the process of moving from small to big, and that parts that may be inevitable. Why are people shifting away from Whole Foods now?

Spike Jones clarifies an often timidly believed principle in marketing: to get someone to want what you’ve got, it helps to make them think they might not get it. It creates a sense of urgency.

In his post, Spike has this to say about barriers of entry:

Barriers bring with them a sense of exclusivity. Everyone wants in the party that hardly anyone gets into. I’m not saying this is right for all social networks, but before you throw open the doors to the entire world, why not invite those true kindred spirits – those biggest fans – to the party first. Hell, let them be the gatekeepers even. And then watch how the barriers can become assets.

In reading through this, I started thinking through random situations where this works. Please add your own ideas in the comments:

1. Traffic going in and out of a sports arena or concert.
2. The ride with the longest line at the fair.
3. Blogging consistently for more than a year (or more) before the studs of the blogosphere acknowledge you as legit.
4. Sam’s Club and Costco - becoming a member before you can take advantage of their discounts.
5. Waiting a little longer for the sou flee to cook at a top restaurant.
6. A doctor who’s first opening for an appointment is in 5 weeks.
7. The Red Sox having to pay $51 mil. just to make an offer to Daisuke Matsuzaka.
8. Waiting 3 months for your Nintendo Wii to arrive.
9. Paying high annual fees to the home owner’s association of your ritzy neighborhood.
10. Getting asked to a friend’s poker game.

Making it harder sometimes makes it better.

I haven’t even begun to sift through all of this, but when you need some ideas with a certain project, this is definitely a great first resource to get the brain juices percolating.

Thanks to John for bird-dogging this one.

Watching the NFL Draft can be a rather fascinating process, as it was this past weekend. There’s so much excitement in the thought of grabbing that amazing talent and seeing your favorite team add to their roster, not knowing if they’re going to pan out in the end. Over the past few years, the draft has become quite a complex event, with trades up, and trades down, and trades for players, etc.

Unlike the days at the playground when two captains were picked to choose who they wanted on their kickball team, today’s NFL team management can’t simply pick the best players available. There’s a lot more to consider, and each consideration is something we as entrepreneurs must also take into account on a regular basis.

Here are some quick considerations on the draft and strategy that I hope you can easily translate into your own planning:

1. Consider your needs. More than anything, a team’s specific needs influences the draft pick more than anything. Sure, there might be a stud quarterback waiting to get picked up, but if you’ve already got your QB of the future, then you don’t need another one. Address other needs, or support your QB by getting him a better wide receiver. Each team goes into the draft with certain positional needs they want to meet, which narrows their picks down significantly. By focusing on your area of needs, you can easily wade through the murky waters to find the types of players/opportunities that will help out the most.
2. Consider the market. This year was not a good draft for wide receivers, so you didn’t see any picked in the first round. There are plenty of teams that need a wide receiver, but since the market for them is low, there’s no need wasting a first round pick on something you can easily get in the second or third round. Knowing the market - or better, the opportunities that the current market is providing - has significant bearing on your decisions. It doesn’t make since to invest too heavily in the best choice from a sub-par group. Either go for value (later rounds) or put it off (next year’s draft).
3. Consider the timing. The funny thing with the NFL Draft is that no team can get everything they need to make an immediate impact. You have to choose filling certain needs and leaving other needs still empty. It becomes a question of timing: will picking up the linebacker this year have a significant impact on the team over the next three years, or will getting that cornerback? Can I put off getting the linebacker until next year and still be ok? Again, the ability to focus and plan becomes huge in the draft. The Dolphins definitely can’t fix their team in just a single year’s draft, so they picked up lots of foundational positions they know can help over the long haul. However, the Giants, having already won a Super Bowl, attached their need for secondary defense to make their team even stronger, and it will directly, positively affect their success next year. That’s just where there team is at this point.
4. Consider your reality. Speaking of the Dolphins, you gotta know when you suck and have lots to work on, or when you are only one small fix away from making great things happen. Look at the Chiefs this year: they are clearly rebuilding, so they got rid of some of their current talent (Jared Allend) and managed to pick up additional picks in the draft. The players they picked up this year will exercise huge influence on the team for years to come, but it took admitting that you’re not winning the Super Bowl in the next couple years to make that happen. We often times hang on to our strategies for too long, not willing to define reality. The sooner you can accurately pinpoint where your business is, the sooner you can pinpoint the areas you need to address to get better.
5. Consider your customers. Or in this case, your customers. The Atlanta Falcons picked up Matt Ryan, a quaterback from Boston College. Some people think Ryan will be great, others not so much. But the key for the Falcons has more to do with giving their fans, who’ve had a horrible year (Michael Vick, Bobby Petrino), something to hold onto. Yes, you could probably add a nice offensive lineman here, but fans don’t get excited about the offensive line. Fans like quarterbacks, and that’s what the Falcons are giving their fans. Always consider your customers - they mean too much to your business to simply overlook. Yes, they may occassionally sway you from making smart decisions, and you have to know when and where to draw the line, but often the simplest acts of good will and open communication can do wonders.