And More Importantly Taught Me About Myself
That’s right. At 50 years old, by learning more about marketing, I learned quite a bit about myself, and in some ways, I’m not at all who I thought I was.
I’m an engineer and software developer. I’m a logic-first guy and a rational thinker. I would not consider myself a follower of the crowd, nor easily influenced by messaging and other people. I’m not exactly a non-conformist, but I would definitely consider myself an independent thinker.
I’m wrong.
I recently went through Seth Godin’s Marketing Seminar, which gave me a chance to dig in and start to understand marketing from someone who I virtually admire. One of the most interesting personal outcomes, however, was not “how I can be a good marketer” but it was a better understanding of myself (which can lead to being a better marketer).
I learned to admit that I am indeed influenced by messages, people, and groups. In other words, marketing works on me, as it does on you. That was a little uncomfortable for this “independent thinker” to admit.
Armed with this new-found awareness, and a much better understanding of how to do marketing right, I took a look at three different products that I love and how marketing works for these.
Pizza Wars: Awareness
I love pizza.
So do Americans as a whole. US pizza restaurants generated almost $46B in revenue a couple of years ago. But which style is better, New York thin or Chicago deep-dish? A debate for the decades.
I’ll eat either, but when presented with a choice, I’m a New York thin guy. I love that sweet sauce and foldy crust.
You may feel the same, or you may prefer Chicago-style. In either case, however, we each recognize that “which is better” is purely subjective.
You have your opinion and I have mine. We may have a friendly debate over a cold brew, but neither of us will convince the other.
The pizza industry knows and understands these entrenched opinions, so they don’t fight them. Marketing at pizza shops isn’t trying to convince you that one style is better than the other. Its purpose is to make you aware of which style you can find there.
This is why it’s marketing done right:
You have an opinion that likely won’t change, so if you are in search of pizza, all you need to know is where you can find the style you want. Marketing for pizza is all about awareness. It’s not trying to convince you that one style is better than the other, it’s simply letting you know where you can find what you already want.
The Wine Tasting Experience: Investment in Success
I’m no sommelier, but I do enjoy wine.
Visiting local wineries for tastings is one of our favorite things to do when my wife and I travel. We’ve been wine tasting all over the US and we’ve found that the good experiences are very similar whether you are in California, North Carolina, or eastern Pennsylvania. The tasting experience in all locations follows a script whose purpose is to take you on a journey that sets both a physical and emotional stage for the wine (er…for the purchase of the wine).
The script goes like this…
Your host starts with the background of the winery, its ownership or winemaker, and the sourcing of the grapes. The who, what, and why behind the wine you are about to sample. The purpose here, along with the physical setting, is to set your mood and mindset. It primes the pump, piques your interest, and invests you in the success of the vintner.
She then tells you in interesting detail what you are about to experience across the entire flight. This is a form of anchoring bias, with a side of confirmation bias setup.
As each wine is offered, often with some taste-enhancing or palate-cleansing cheese, cracker, or chocolate, you are taken further on the journey of that specific wine. The host will compare this one to the others. Then she’ll tell you exactly what aromas you will notice as you swirl the liquid, followed by the mouthfeel, and ultimately the full taste profile from the first touch of the tongue through several seconds after you swallow.
When done right, it’s amazing. I can’t help but want to love the wine, and hence, I love the wine!
Then I buy.
Here’s the problem: Once I get it home, it rarely tastes the same. Occasionally I’ve found the wine to be almost undrinkable.
What happened here? Why did I love, or at least like this wine just a few days ago at the winery? Were there shenanigans? Is this a different year, or lot, or has some chemical shift occurred?
Heck no.
The difference is that when at home sipping while making dinner, there’s no story. There’s no mood, no ambiance, no emotional connection. I’m no longer invested in the vintner’s success. Without that emotional investment, the taste just isn’t the same.
This is why it’s marketing done right:
The story directs the physical to be an outcome of our emotional connection. Stories captivate us, and we tend to become emotionally invested in a positive outcome for people with whom we are engaged. The anchoring and confirmation bias are real tactics that feed our investment.
Does Vinyl Sound Better Than Digital: People Like Me
People like me appreciate the art of an album and the vision of the artist for the work. The extension of the music to the production and recording, to the album jacket, and to the medium itself.
People like me care about the whole experience of listening to music. We care about the equipment, the setting, the furniture, and the company with whom we are listening.
People like me are discerning and appreciate subtleties and nuances. We are experts (and possibly a bit snobby).
People like me enjoy the real thing and we care about important things.
People like me shun the modern throw-away culture and know that a song or album is an art form to cherish over the long haul of life, rather than something to occupy interest over the next 2 weeks of driving in a car. It’s something to hold in your hand and to show another person.
People like me enjoy nostalgic memories. Sometimes our own, sometimes borrowed from others, and we find them to be deeply impactful on our current self.
Do you find yourself in any of those statements? If so, you likely think that vinyl LPs sound better than digital music.
They don’t, by the way. Nor do digital recordings sound better than analog. At least not scientifically. There are exceptions, of course. But the exceptions are a product of recording and production techniques (or failures) and playback equipment, not a product of the medium itself.
Many studies show that equipment and listeners can’t discern these differences, but those who favor one format have a confirmation bias based on their preferences or values going into the test — ie, people like us.
This is why it’s marketing done right:
Vinyl-lovers is a club with exclusive membership for people like me. Marketing for vinyl LPs (music being an already highly emotionally charged product) is about appealing to my connection with my gang. Exclusivity is a real appeal to our emotional being. We all want to be part of an exclusive club, even if that club is “people who don’t join clubs.”
Next time you insist that vinyl or digital sounds better, remember that’s your heart talking, not your ears.
What This Tells Me About Myself
I’m human.
Also that I can be influenced more than I’d like to admit.
I have opinions, prefer particular things, and I will purchase things I like.
I am susceptible to stories and emotional connections, and these stories can affect my physical experience. I root for people and ideas and am willing to spend my money to support them.
I identify with people like me, and I like to be around them. Even as a person who likes to think that I don’t go along with the crowd (which in itself, is a crowd), I’m fooling myself. Deep down, I take pride in the exclusive clubs into which I have been invited or purchased a membership. I love to share the knowing little head nod, or sideways wink with my gang — the smart people.
What This Tells You About How to do Marketing Right and Yourself
When do marketing the right way, it works like the examples above. It works on you and it can work for you.
To make it work for you, define your audience, and find the method to emotionally connect them to your product or service.
Is it awareness? Does your marketing need to be a beacon that shows your audience where they can find you? Marketing doesn’t always need to change your mind, it can simply be confirmation to your audience that here you are.
Is it to invest your audience in your success? Does your marketing need to connect with your audience on a level that makes them care about your success or touches them in a way that affects their senses? Marketing can be the uncovering of that connection.
Is it membership in an exclusive club? Does your marketing need to be a signal that people like us are doing things like this? Marketing can be a gatherer of certain people, and just as importantly, exclusion of others.
Marketing done right isn’t about gimmicks. It can be about awareness, and connection, emotional investment, and the gathering of people like us.
On a deeper level, what does it tell you about you? What are the feelings that drew or continue to draw you to your product or service? Knowing yourself on this deeper level helps you understand and connect with your audience, which in turn will help you connect your product or service to this audience. This connection is where you’ll find success.
