marketing with meaning

In the Next Evolution of Marketing, Bob Gilbreath talks about creating a marketing experience as being a form of entertainment.  He talks about creating SuperBowl commercials, filming videos that could go viral, and creating video games where your product is used.  Yes Dove’s Evolution campaign has sold billions of dollars of products.  In fact, at the writing of this post, that YouTube video has had 15,581,187 views.  Fantastic – but I don’t know about you, but my marketing budget is in the thousands, not the millions.

So, I looked at creating an experience in a different way.  I broke the idea of a marketing experience down to “entertainment” and “environment”.

Entertainment

One of my good friends and fellow Speaker supporter is Cindy Ashton.  She is a singer as well as a speaker and she has entertainment nailed.  Her events leave her audience dancing, crying and ready to take on the world (actually – check her out at www.speakerstarcom.com)  One of the fun things Cindy does to market her speaking services is something as simple as singing happy birthday to her subscribers.   She actually posts this video on the facebook walls of clients and prospects.  Wouldn’t that make you feel great?  But not everyone has that ability.  When I try to sing people run away with their ears bleeding.  I am not about to do that to an audience I care about.  But we can still entertain.   We can do it in our presentation AND we can do it in our marketing.

Our marketing can be funny.  Our marketing can be interactive.  Our marketing can be the video blog that brings a smile to our subscribers face every Tuesday.  I had a client in California years ago that sent out monthly “hugs”.  It was a simple video blog where she shared an inspirational message, or some scripture, or simply words spoken with honesty that told her subscribers how very important they were to her.  She never sold anything in these videos.  They were simply a gift for her loyal clients; a “thank you for supporting me” hug.  She entertained through her loving personality alone.

Anyone can post the occasional motivational saying on twitter or Facebook, but that is not entertainment.  Think about what makes you special.  What do your friends and clients appreciate about you?   Are you funny?  Do you have a passion that is shared with several of your subscribers?  Do you have a way of ‘calming the storm within’ through meditation and your voice?  Share it, and do it in the spirit of sharing, not with the caveat (and for just $49.95…)

Environment

An ‘environment’?  You mean like Starbucks?  Well, yes, in a way.  No I don’t want you to install a cappuccino machine in your office and invite clients over for scones (although – I like scones…)  Obviously you cannot create a physical environment if you are coaching over the phone or you are hired only to give a keynote then leave – or – can you?

An environment can be as simple as the way in which your company deals with people.  It can be the consistency of how the phone is answered, the knowledge that you always deliver on your promise, or that if a client calls, you will be there for them.  That is an environment.  But we can go a step further.  My business coach Barb Stuhlemer coaches me by phone.  But – we don’t only do phone calls.  She has created an online “webinar environment” where she tapes our calls, yes, but while she is talking to me, my computer screen has a peaceful, calming photo of a meadow.  It is a little thing, but I focus on that photo for every call.  I look at that screen and automatically relax.  It has become part of the environment she has created to get the best out of me.  I appreciate it.

What can YOU do to enhance your customer’s experience with your company?