No, it’s not – marketing is all around !

 

In today’s society we are bombarded with the marketing of goods and services from when the radio goes off in the morning and we pick up our mail through the front door – companies are throwing millions of messages at us before we actually get out of the front door!

 

 When we are finally out of the door into the rain marketing is all around!  When we walk up the stairs at a station there is branding on the steps and on the turnstiles.  If you are driving around with the radio on, you are inside a brand (a car) and you are wearing brands of clothing (hopefully!) and your eyes are being visually bombarded with billboards, advertising on cars and bikes and sometimes if you are really lucky people want to give you something through your car window or on the street!

 

Why is this?  Well, marketing makes the world go round, not love or money.  Humans are very much visual beings and our brains invest around 80% of our thoughts and assumptions of what we actually see – surprisingly we even ignore our other sensory capabilities of what we hear and what we read unless it’s something we want.  We may want it, but equally we may not need it or we may aspire to it!

 

Individuals and organisations spend both small and vast sums of money on getting marketing messages ‘right’ for their product or for their service.  They seduce us to buy their offering.  Nothing to do with love – it’s pure seduction!

Before the brand reaches us, millions of different global currencies are invested in market research through consumer testing, consumer communications through brand messaging and brand identity through to packaging.  That is just the tip of the whole marketing mix (which covers the famous 8 Ps - people, product, price, promotion, place, physical evidence, process, packaging.

 

But what is branding?  Yes, it is what a product/service looks like and the communications around the brand but I believe branding is all about PERCEPTION and how branding is PERCEIVED by people leads to a purchase or a relationship with a brand.  It’s the nineth P for me!

 

So why, what, where, when, how do we buy?  I believe that products have functional, emotional and values benefits for example – let’s take a look at a portable music player

 

Q:  What are the functional benefits? 

A:  It is an on-the-go music player

 

Q:  What are the emotional benefits? 

A:  It is uplifting or relaxing to listen to music on-the-go

 

Q:   What are the values of the portable music player brand?   

• It may be perceived as a fun brand

• It may be perceived as a state of the art technology brand

• It may be perceived as a sexy looking brand

• It may be produced by an ethical company

So if the seduction works and the perception works and you admire the values in a brand you embark on a relationship with a brand and PURCHASE the brand.

 

And often it does not end there there are often newsletters and clever clubs designed by companies for new owners where consumer can share experiences offline and online and the brand cashes in on free consumer research (which in the trade is called Tribal Marketing – creating a tribe of consumers).  Effectively, through word of mouth you may sell companies products and services for them! 

Oh!

 

And if we look at a product advertising for perfumery and cosmetics for example – the marketing is huge for these products and communicated continuously straight through to our living rooms and bedrooms through televisions, computers and portable televisions too.   Non-stop seduction!

 

Service branding is sometimes more complex and subtle - it can be:-

 

functional – for example - a solicitor for conveyancing if you are buying somewhere to live

emotional – for example - a holiday company selling a perception of a dream

have values – for example - shopping ethically or supporting local trade rather than the big players

 

I work a lot with people who are small businesses and here is some advice if you are starting up or wanting to stay ahead of the game on the marketing front:-

 

1.        Have crystal clear and concise messaging

2.        Don’t too much information away - concentrate on the benefits for your customers not you! 

3.        Don’t strictly target your product or service – leave the door open for your customers

4.        Be clearly differentiated from your competition – seduce your customers with something unique to you and your business (not literally of course!)

5.        Have memorable marketing

6.        Be proud of your business

7.        Talk to a professional

 

And remember – whether you are buying or selling - it’s all about visual impact and understanding that your customers are highly intelligent, are continuously marketed to and they do have a choice about what to buy!

In conclusion - we live in a world where marketing is all around – there is some love around too! 

But in the speed and the crowded market place of today marketing success can be all too short-lived.

 

If you don’t innovate a brand, put yourselves in your customers’ and consumers’ shoes, make NOISE about a brand - whether this is a multi-million global marketing campaign or a simple post-card - have a strategy which is evaluated quarterly the brand will get BURIED.

 

Alison Davey

Real Eyes Marketing

www.realeyesmarketing.com

Alison is as a marketing adviser to sole traders, consultants and small businesses.  Working in any business area, with vast experience on marketing strategy, marketing reviews, marketing materials and talks, she gives her clients the benefits of real marketing appropriate to a client’s business and, for a client’s customers and consumers. www.realeyesmarketing.com.