Astonish Your Customer(s)

My Giants, My Celtics, My ...

It has been very common to hear people pronounce, "My Giants won today", or "I can't belive how badly My Wildcats played today".

My, not THE. Notice the difference?

My favorite movie is ..., My beer of choice ...

Does your brand get referred to as ... My, or just THE? Do what it takes to make your brand a "MY" brand.

O.D.O.o.O.D.B.

Dream Bigger

"There’s one story that Carmine Gallo thinks will sum up Steve Jobs’ career at Apple. 

An executive who had the job of reinventing the Disney Store once called up Jobs and asked for advice.  Steve’s advice? 

Dream bigger. 

I think that’s the best advice he would give us today and the advice he will continue to offer to Apple as its Chairman.  See genius in your craziness, believe in yourself, believe in your vision, and be constantly prepared to defend those ideas."

TY: Carmine Gallo 

O.D.O.o.O.D.B.

Learning from Oprah & Stern

In the last few years two of the biggest players in media history, Oprah Winfrey and Howard Stern, made one major change in their product - they changed a portion of their delivery method, but not the product.

Howard stayed on radio (but moved to paid-radio) and Oprah has stayed on TV but they both switched stations.

Both stars had an audience that by any standard would be considered humongous, super-loyal and valuable to advertisers. Their power as a cultural influencer and business driver was steady and probably growing.

Neither one has found it easy to bring their previous audience with them. Howard had a much bigger hurdle to overcome than Oprah and it is still early for Oprah but it has not been easy.

Not been easy for two mega-stars both with audiences that love them. All the Oprah fans have to do is tune into another station just down the dial.

Change is hard --- for everyone. Don't underestimate the challenge, the time or the expense that it will take if you are asking your current audience to change for you or asking another audience to change to you.   

O.D.O.o.O.D.B. 

Don't worry so much about a big launch day

It looks good in the news but almost all the mega-hits (Starbucks, NetFlix, Jet Blue, Amazon, facebook, Nike, IBM, Sam Adams, Burt's Bees) didn't start out that way.

O.D.O.o.O.D.B.

TY: Seth Godin  

3 is 3, 5 isn't 5

I recently stopped at $3 Car Wash - that's the name of the business. I pulled in, got in line and just waited for the "bait & screw", as in ... It's $3 after midnight or some such off-putting restriction.

When I pulled in, I saw the sign, "free vacuums" and then I proceeded to a touch screen that had four options for car wash ... $3, $6, $9, $12 - all the amounts included the tax, so the cost was exactly the stated price. I selected $3, glided through the many rows of bristles and suds and was on my way. I was thrilled.

On the other hand, when I buy a $5 Foot Long at Subway I always feel snookered, even though Subway is not doing a bait & screw, per se. Subway is very clear - the sandwich is $5 (plus tax), not the full lunch. Subway tries to up-sell the full meal or to add a drink and/or chips to the sandwich purchase. So, my lunch always costs more like $7 or $8. 

Make a compelling promise and then deliver - what a concept. It's not about legalities, it's about a relationship. 

O.D.O.o.O.D.B.

 

Be like APPLE

1. Have an inspiring and crystal-clear reason-for-being that transcends the product (celebrates the individualists, the rule breakers, the pioneer because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do)
2. Break (hard) with the conventional wisdom of your industry (see below)
3. Celebrate & fight for a very specific audience (even if it is niche at the start) 
4. Eat your young (killed the Mini when it was best selling iPod)
5. If you come into a huge & highly competitive market late - Wow 'em (iPhone, iPod)
6. Launch im-perfect products and introduce rolling improvements (limitations of original iPad) 
7. Pick fights with Goliath (Gates & Microsoft, Music industry)
8. Use a minimalist approach to packaging (product exterior, outer cartons)
9. Make complex things intuitive and simple (device operation)  
10. Don't launch unless you know the consumer will think and say "Wow" when she holds & uses product 
11. Use multiple layers of design to delight shoppers and users (when you have a product in your pocket or hand for hours everyday, your relationship with it is profound, human and emotional)
12. Be aware of, steal and apply ideas from others (a. "Think Different" campaign/positioning that relaunched company inspired by Nike; b. Wanted the Apple II to be the first personal computer people used in their homes, so sought inspiration in the kitchen appliance aisle at Macy's; c. Used Ritz Carlton operating model and concierge service to create Apple Stores )
13. Scratch your own itch (create products for yourself because you are your audience; be idea led rather than consumer led)
14. Everything is marketing and all must reinforce one another (core product, individual elements of core product like ear buds, customer support, outer carton of products, store employee attire, video tutorials, way you answer the phone, etc.)
15. Create advertisements that actually sell the features and benefits of the product (iPad)
16. Say "No" to most ideas, even if they are great, if the idea is a distraction or off course 
17. Kill failures fast (Cube) 
18. Hire people that are genuinely passionate about the mission; who have a track record of meaningful accomplishment; diverse skill sets 
19. Solve problems (Genius Bar)
20. Charge a premium price and reap high margins (see above)  
21. Set and maintain very high standards and then raise the standard (see above) 
22. Listen to your employees who interface with people who use your product (Apple store employees & Genius Bar)

This is my take from what I have read and observed about Apple over the years. For a more expansive and better view of Apple, read this article from Fast Company magazine.

O.D.O.o.O.D.B.

(re)Align - Never invest ahead of the learning

P&Gs Align brand team was developing a probiotic pill whose daily use could alleviate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (30 million sufferers in U.S.) The idea was brimming with disruptive potential. A pressing problem with no adequate solutions. "The team stair-stepped to market, never investing ahead of learning." P&Gs Align group reframed its approach to one that was more "invest a little, learn a lot." Instead of trying to come up with a definitive answer about Align's potential, members of the brand team identified which assumptions would have to be true to create a business about which P&G could get excited. Two questions they zeroed in on: Would doctors promote the solution? Would consumers take the probiotic every day? "The training helped us narrow down to the critical things we had to answer before we and management were comfortable moving on to the next step."

Instead of putting all their eggs in the shelf-life basket, the Align group decided to offer the product on the Web as an over-the-counter supplement. P&G didn't invest big in advertising. Rather, its existing pharmaceutical sales force promoted the product to doctors in three cities. By selling to consumers online and being able to track sales histories, P&G was able to learn whether consumers were trying Align and repurchasing. "The most surprising thing was how word of mouth spread." "We were only [focusing] in three cities, and in four months we had online sales in 49 states."

Borrowing from birth control packaging, the P&G group created an Align blister pack with days of the week on it to remind consumers to take the pill every day. 

The team talked to people taking the product. They videotaped consumers' touching stories. Some of the stories were amazing. These interviews would come in handy later.

O.D.O.o.O.D.B. 

Crest Toothpaste loses 20 share points

What would happen to the leader of the brand team, the VP of Marketing, the President and maybe even the CEO if that happened?

Would any of them be claiming that they did great things or that the problem was simply a failure to communicate effectively?

They'd be out on their duff and they'd know that they deserved it. 

So, what's one or two big differences between brand management and politics? Accountability. Consequences. 

The Democrats, in effect, just lost 20 share points at the national level and the people in power are saying - love me, trust me, I am the right leader for this brand, give me another chance.

If it wouldn't be allowed in brand management or business, why should it be allowed in politics?  

O.D.O.o.O.D.B. 

What was inspiration & objective of Jet Blue

Overcome dehumanization of air travel. Give people what they most want – civilized travel at fair price. CMO in charge of training and other critical customer touch points not just traditional “marketing”. Considered giving prizes for best-dressed travelers to upgrade the overall look & feel of Jet Blue flying experience. 

Let the golden rule prevail in air travel. 

O.D.O.o.O.D.B. 

Hard Manufacturing Company

The maker of hospital beds already had 90% market share with an indestructible product = growth problem. Action: Gave nurses a blank sheet & asked them to design the ultimate hospital crib. They included a digital scale and computer monitor in their feature list. Preemies have to get taken from their crib to be weighed and checked often, which creates problems for the baby. 

Hard launched it but provided no marketing or sales support due to 10x cost - from $1,000 to $11,000. Nurses spread word: “Product saves kids lives”. Hospitals pay attention to that. Now, #1 crib in units & dollars.

O.D.O.o.O.D.B.

TY: Seth Godin