2007 September | Wendistry

A definition of MARKETING that makes sense…

2007

You see a gorgeous woman at a party. You go up to her and say, “I’m a fantastic guy.” That’s DIRECT MARKETING.

You see a gorgeous woman at a party. You go up to her and give her your web site address. The next day she visits the site and reads, “Hi, I’m a fantastic guy.” That’s INTERNET MARKETING.

You’re at a party with a bunch of friends and you see a gorgeous woman. One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you says, “He’s a fantastic guy.” That’s ADVERTISING.

You’re at a party and you see a gorgeous woman. You get up, straighten your tie, walk up to her and pour her a drink. You open the door for her, pick up her bag after she drops it, offer her a ride, and then say, “By the way, I’m a fantastic guy.” That’s PUBLIC RELATIONS.

You’re at a party and you see a gorgeous woman. She walks up to you and says, “I hear you’re a fantastic guy.” That’s BRAND RECOGNITION.

courtesy of Simon Vetter

Don’t Promote… POSITION!

2007

The most important ingredient in a thriving business is passion. Passion for your brand… to find your niche and create your work around it. It’s not the promotions, the hooplah, the noise. It’s the position, the core, the brand.

Here are five insights on discovering your niche and focusing all your energy on those unique strengths:

1. Recognize who you (your company) are and who you are not. this takes a lot of self-reflection and self-acceptance.
2. Constantly ask yourself, how can I look at at this differently? Make a habit of playing “devil’s advocate” with yourself. Force yourself to make a viable argument for the opposite side of the coin.
3. Develop creativity. Diverge before you converge.
4. Listen to and learn from many people.
5. Find the things in life that really excite you, that make you feel passionate. Your passion will give you energy and fuel your life.

The toughest job of a company is to define the “work.” Expertise is not self-evident… define your niche and grab a bullhorn.