Nessie and You
May 31, 2007 Uncategorized
What does the Loch Ness Monster have to do with running a small business? Everything.
You see, nobody really knows if the beast is real or not. Many people have claimed to see her through the years. Even today, new videos are emerging claiming that Nessie is real. But none of that really matters. That’s right…it makes no difference if there’s really an animal there or not…what matters is the buzz.
Business owners are constantly talking about the power of word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing. Truth is, there’s no such things as word of mouth marketing. Why? By definition, “marketing” is a controlled communication. Sure WOM communication exists and that is surely very powerful. But, marketing’s role is to seed individuals with the tools they need to effectively communicate through WOM. Do that right, and you’ll be on your way.
Tags: Buzz Marketing, Loch Ness, Loch Ness Monster, myth, rumor, rumour, urban legend, viral marketing
Do you have a purple cow?
Apr 17, 2007 business, marketing, small business marketing
Have you ever stopped by the side of the road to take a picture of a cow? Probably not. Would you stop if you saw a purple cow? I just watched a pretty entertaining video by marketing guru Seth Godin that describes how to use this “purple cow” syndrome to improve your marketing performance.
Historically, marketers have focused on getting the attention of the general majority of consumers. The problem is, these people are so inundated with marketing that they ignore nearly every attempt to pique their curiosity. Seriously, think about the billboards you passed on the way to work this morning. What were they for? What were the phone numbers they asked you to call? Do you remember any of the commercials you heard on the radio?
Seth explains that if you want to get people’s attention now, you need to have a purple cow. For example…have you ever seen an ad for LinkedIn? I haven’t. I don’t think they advertise. They don’t have to. Their members do it for them. They’ve developed a unique solution to a common problem and their customers tell their friends about it.
Watch the video and then come back here and post your comments. Tell us about other companies (that you’re familiar with) who have successfully utilized the “purple cow” philosophy.
Tags: Buzz Marketing, growth, viral marketing
