Lots of Ways2Learn

I haven’t always been a marketing expert.

No, I haven’t. It’s taken years of observing, stumbling (at times), succeeding, building and developing to become one. It’s been decades of engagement in the advertising, communications, and marketing industry.

Nothing against the communications and marketing programs at colleges and universities…I’ve had the opportunity to address many students and have met with many interesting professors and teachers. Marketing theory is important and the studies released by those types of experts lead a lot of activity and drive many behaviors. It’s interesting stuff.

It’s just that I’ve found, as helpful as that information is, the axiom about rubber meeting the road really drives much more of our plans and the efforts we put in place to build our client’s brands, traffic, and sales. Theories are good, but practical seems to work even better for the medium and small sized organizations we typically work so closely with.

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How are we going to sell more of this, bring more people to that, or tell our patients, customers, or clients we are now doing this new thing?  Those are the practical questions most businesses are really asking.  And those are the types of questions we work hard to solve with marketing (and advertising and communications).

The Lesson4Business

Unlike so many types of industries, it’s not the acquisition of knowledge that helps clients win the battle for top of mind awareness. It’s what you do with that information and how strong your resolve is to stick with it when times get tough or challenges arrive.

Anyone can read books or listen to Podcasts. But does that really make them a marketing expert?

A marketing expert knows the foundational principals that drive business, can communicate them, can create a plan to reach them, and can execute the plan. The marketing expert knows challenges will come and temptations to cut or change the plan (before it may be time to cut or change) the plan will come. They’ll prepare for that and even plan for it, too. Knowledge does help. Experience is even more important.

Like I said, I wasn’t always a marketing expert.

On the Way2the Top (or Back)

About a year ago I worked with some other community leaders in Roanoke to restart a small non-profit music venue (visit TheSpotonKirk.org) and over that chunk of time I’ve observed some interesting things.

One pattern has surfaced pretty consistently.

We get some extremely talented musicians to play in the 120-seat listening room two doors down from our advertising agency. Generally, they are performers who are routing through town and on their way to building their music careers. Some appear talented enough to have very, very successful careers. We’ve also had our share of performers who’ve likely lived some of their lives in the spotlight of some pretty big stages. Let’s just say they’ve had their play on the radio and now they play for the love of music (and to answer the call when audiences ask for that one special song).

Either way, our mostly-volunteer team works really hard to give all of the performers and traveling musicians a welcoming, high-quality experience.

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The Lesson4Business

Profound lessons are often found in simple observations.

I will often judge how much we’ll enjoy an act at The Spot based on one natural interaction: I watch how the artist treats our magical, kind, and helpful sound engineer, Travis. If they care for him and treat him well, their performances are almost always extra enjoyable. If they come off as short or unappreciative, it's not as good.

Guess what? People are watching how you interact with others, too: The receptionist, the assistant, the nurse, the salesperson, and everyone else with whom you cross paths. It’s a good reminder.

In business, just like in life these days, we can use a little more kindness and care.

Everyone Loves2Laugh

Like so many of you on February 4th, I sat watching the Super Bowl waiting to laugh. I wanted to laugh and I wanted to see advertising that entertained me.

Most of the night, I passed through the :30 second commercials tossed in front of me waiting and hoping for the next one to be a little funnier or more interesting. Usually, I was disappointed.

As a general rule at B2C Enterprises, we like to use our client’s airtime and space to interrupt and get attention. After we’ve caught your eye, we’ll try to educate, promote, sell, or create an action. But first, we have to make sure you’re engaged.

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Humor4An Interruption

Humor is a wonderful way to break into someone’s space or to capture their interest.

When it’s appropriate, we use humor in our client’s marketing. It’s a fun way to communicate with clients and customers. Ultimately, people want to do business with someone they know or trust. They also want to continue doing business with those same people. Comical advertising that’s also successful can often create a more in-tune and deeper relationship with both your prospects and your current clients.

So, if you want to break things up a little bit or freshen up your outreach – try something new.

Laugh a little. Better yet, make others laugh – out loud if you’re good enough.

(As I wrote this, I couldn't help but also think about the below piece from our Tennessee office at the end of last year. Though it’s officially springtime and not the Christmas Season, I thought I’d wrap things up by passing it along to you.)

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Keep it Real4Your Development

Over the past few months I’ve been spending a lot of time discussing, coaching, and observing business development – both within and outside of my organization. My mind has been on it consistently and I’ve been reminded of something I coached many sellers to do through the years.

It’s so easy in the sales process to nod your head, agree with the prospect, and work to keep the peace. After all, it feels better and what kind of position are you in to object or share strong opinions when you’re trying to start a business relationship with someone? The answer is the best position.

While you may not want to upset the proverbial apple cart, it’s really important to establish a truth-telling relationship with a prospect before they become a client. It’s how the framework of your bond will be built. Is it difficult? Yes. But it’s worth it because until you share direct and honest feedback, you can’t get to the issues that are causing your new prospect (or client) their troubles.

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And2Help Elsewhere Too

I’m pretty sure my friend Jerry Brown, President of Madison Avenue Marketing Group, didn’t invent the phrase “Authentic Dialogue”, but it resonated with me from the very first time I heard it. And frankly it revolutionized how I helped salespeople approach their work. It’s so important to be real with your prospects.

So maybe you’re still reading this and you’re not in sales – my hope is you’re getting the point of where I am headed. Like so many lessons in life – this one goes deeper.

The genuine exchange of information, vision, and plans extends way beyond the sales process. It’s woven throughout the client relationship. It’s important to stay on top of the down deep feelings and concerns of your clients (and employees, and advisors, etc.). Only through an authentic exchange can you and your team truly accomplish all you desire.

Ask2Get Answers

Early on I was going to be a reporter – a television sports reporter, actually. I think someone told me I had a face for radio and, eventually, economics and life caused me to shift from journalism to capitalism. In the TV business we used to say "the journalists and the capitalists never cross paths", but I think I kept at least one habit from my days as a reporter.

I ask questions. A lot of questions. It could be curiosity or nosiness, but it is a heck of a good way to learn things.

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And4Many Other Reasons

It's also a really important part of the business development process. Whether training sellers, information gatherers, or practicing this technique in my own agency's efforts, I know questioning is a critical part of selling. For a long time I heard salespeople were the outgoing, gregarious ones who were the life of the event. In reality, I observed the best sellers were the ones who asked good questions and listened intently to the answers provided.

The power of sales is in the hearing of the problems and the crafting of the solutions. Without questions, you cannot get to the source of the challenge. Good questions should lead to more questions. After learning, the capable seller can then propose an answer that best aligns with their client's needs. Frankly, it's the reason good doctors ask why you're there before they start the examination and provide the diagnosis. Doing it the other way around makes no sense.

Ask questions and get information.

Ask really good questions and get even better information.

Listen2TheMusic

It was probably 2003 and I was working at BusinessVoice in Toledo, Ohio. I had one of those little desk calendars with quotes on it, and while I can't remember who said it, I clearly recall the daily message saying "The problem with life is there's no soundtrack." It's an observation that has stayed with me throughout my days...most things are better with music.

In fact, I'm writing this month's Seed with my own "soundtrack" playing in the background.

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Nothing like a little Johnny Depp Rockabilly to get me in the writing mood.

Music can propel me to write more, help me to feel better, and sometimes cause a flashback to another period of my life. It impacts my life – and probably yours – in a myriad of ways.

An Application4Your Marketing

Whether it's your father's Firestone Christmas record collection, sheet music for a song you played in your high school band, or the newest song on your playlist (Mine is "Remember Home" by Sebastian Kole), music is intertwined with life.

It stands to reason music can impact your marketing too. If you're doing significant outreach advertising, you'd be smart to put a lot of consideration in what music is used to carry your digital, radio, or television commercial. Just as much as a logo, a combination or colors and fonts, or a tag line...music can and should be a part of your brand. Whether it is a catchy tune from an upcoming indie artist or a custom created five second jingle, music has the power to invoke any number of feelings as well as bring immediate recognition of who you are.

It might be called background music, but it can have a great impact on the foreground of how the world sees you.

The successful organizations and businesses have already figured that out. The ones we work with are at least paying attention to that part of their operation. When thinking of your outreach strategy for 2017, consider making music the soundtrack of your business.