Meaningful Marketing Strategy Workshop
4.17.12
Jeff James
twitter.com/buildingbelieffacebook.com/mythologymarketinglinkedin.in/in/jeffjameswvyoutube.com/mythologyworkshops
Ten Pillar Descriptions
The Ten Pillars of Meaningful Marketing™Understanding What do your employees/customers/partners believe? What do they want to believe? What do you want them to believe about you or your product/service?
Engagement Campaigns and communication - How, when, where the story will be told in unexpected, breakthrough ways
Priority Choosing first the ones who will choose you - Segmenting customers and stack-ranking who is most valuable to you
Surprise Unexpected value - emotional and functional – that exceeds expectations and builds into a dependence that they won’t be able to live without
Differentiation Competitive strengths that set you apart- Finding the core of who your organization is and why that is special and unique in both emotional and functional benefit categories
DialogThe power of intimacy and the path to loyalty - Interactive communications that lead to relationships
Alignment Internal buy-in and readiness…are your people ready? Helping your team see, understand, believe and live out the vision
Empowerment Incentive and opportunity to share the great experience with others
Mythology Your brand, your story that builds belief and inspires action
Innovation The next surprise - Feeding the addiction of being delighted with new value
http://www.mythologymarketing.com/pillars/
What We’re Doing Today
Agenda
• The media and marketing world we live in today • What it takes to break through with meaning • Understanding your customer/constituent segments • Building your value proposition • Creating “sticky” stories and meaningful messages
TODAY’S MARKETING ENVIRONMENT
Creating ChangeThe Rider(Intellect, Logic)
The Elephant(Emotion, Desire, Impulse)
The Path(Environment, Prompts, Tools)
To effect change, you must address all three effectively
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard © 2010 Chip and Dan Heath
Beginning Assumptions
Good
Not So Good
UNDERSTANDING
Understanding
• Market – Segmentation
• Decision-Makers – Personas
• Decision Process and Triggers
• Competitors• Influencers • Your Team
How Understanding Can Open Doors
• 78% of airline customers are "often frustrated by the lack of timely, accurate information" about delays
• 45% of travellers said their biggest frustration was not knowing where their plane was, or when it would arrive.
• Another 34% said their biggest frustration was not receiving fast enough or accurate enough updates on new departure times. In both cases, the lack of information was felt to create a more stressful travel experience.
• Implications: – 40% said they consider avoiding that airline
the next time they fly; – 22% say it's partly why they don't like flying and
may avoid flying, if possible
Sources: FlightView, The WiseMarketer 11/3/11
Client Segmentation• Industry • Region • Size - Revenue – Historic and potential (Lifetime Value)• Reputation? Influence in the area? Industry?• Relationship history? • Relationship/service cost? • Business Philosophy? Risk tolerance? Growth stage?
How Do Consumers in Your Industry Make Decisions?
• Their buying criteria– What is paramount on their list of must haves/nice to haves? – Relationship vs. function?
• Their decision process– Who’s involved? How is decision made? – Where do they gather data?
• Their influences– Industry data/reviews, peers?
• Their decision calendar– Time of year? Frequency?
Identifying the InfluencersWho They Are
• Activists: influencers get involved, with their communities, political movements, charities and so on.
• Connected: influencers have large social networks
• Impact: influencers are looked up to and are trusted by others
• Active minds: influencers have multiple and diverse interests
• Trendsetters: influencers tend to be early adopters (or leavers) in markets
Ranking Their Influence
• Market Reach – the number of people an individual has the ability to connect with.
• Quality of Impact – the esteem in which an individual’s view and opinions are held.
• Frequency of Impact – the number of opportunities an individual has to influence buying decisions.
• Closeness to Decision – how near an individual is to the decision-maker
Keller, Ed and Berry, Jon. The Influentials, Free Press, 2003
Exercise• Who are the influencers in your…
– Niche segments– Key Regions Message
Influencer InfluencerInfluencer
Market
#shale Influencers
Customer Segmentation MapCustomer Segments
Demo-Graphics
Functional Needs
Emotional Needs
Affinities & Interests
Gathering Spots
Decision-Making Process
Current Beliefs About You
Other
Audience/Persona Summary
Customer Segment #1
Awareness/Affinity Primary Needs/Desires
Engaged Keys to Success
What do We Want Them to Believe? What do We Want Them to Do?
Competitive Map
Competitor Functional Advantages Emotional Advantages
PRIORITY
Priority• Of your client segments, which are most critical for meeting
short and long-term goals? Why?– Stack rank segments– Stack rank sub-segments within segment
• Factors to consider– Revenue potential– Historic revenue– Profitability– Reputation influencer
• How are current resources being applied towards these priority segments? – What adjustments need made in order to ensure the most important
segments receive appropriate investment?
DIFFERENTIATION
Differentiation
• Differentiation drives growth• What are the core elements of service in your
industry? • What elements are essential vs. non-essential? • What element will you be the absolute best at in
your market area – Becomes key point of differentiation
The Discipline of Market Leaders
The Discipline of Market Leaders, Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema. Addison-Wesley. 1995
Three Characteristics of a Good Strategy• Focus
– Southwest emphasizes only three factors: friendly service, speed and frequent point-to-point departures
• Divergence– Value curve should stand apart from competitors– Southwest offered point-to-point travel between midsize cities
vs. hub-and-spoke
• Compelling Tagline– Authentic, clear, memorable
Blue Ocean Strategy, Harvard Business School Press. W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, 2005
Core Elements of Creative Services?
• Critical
• Nice to have
• Not that relevant (perceived)
For (Target Customer):
Who Needs:
The (Offering Name)
Is a (Category)
That (Provides Key Benefit):
Unlike (Primary competitive alternative)
Because (Our offering’s primary differentiation):
Defining the Value Proposition
MYTHOLOGY
Mythology
• myth·ol·o·gy a set of stories, traditions, or beliefs associated with a particular group or the history of an event, arising naturally or deliberately fostered
• What builds belief? • Purpose of mythology - What human emotions
can you connect with? • What should the structure of the story look like?
Can You Share the Myth?
Newer Examples
Emotional Value:Connecting via Archetypes
Belonging&
Enjoyment
Independence&
Fulfillment
Stability & Control
Risk & Mastery
CreatorCraft
something new
CaregiverCare for others
RulerExert Control
JesterHave a
good time
Regular Guy/Gal
OK as you are
LoverFind and give love
SageUnderstandour world
ExplorerMaintain
independence
InnocentRetain or
renew faith
The Hero and the Outlaw, Margaret Mark & Carol Pearson © 2001
By a factor of three, what you do is not nearly as important as how it makes people feel.
- Seth Godin, April 2007
Emotional Value:Connecting via Archetypes
Belonging&
Enjoyment
Independence&
Fulfillment
Stability & Control
Risk & Mastery
CreatorCraft
something new
CaregiverCare for others
RulerExert Control
JesterHave a
good time
Regular Guy/Gal
OK as you are
LoverFind and give love
HeroSave the day
OutlawBreak the
rules
MagicianAffect
transformation
SageUnderstandour world
ExplorerMaintain
independence
InnocentRetain or
renew faith
The Hero and the Outlaw, Margaret Mark & Carol Pearson © 2001
What Builds Trust?
• Consistency of word and action • Unselfish action• Authenticity and openness (Non-
manipulated admission)• Unrelated third-party validation• Familiarity and intimacy • Unexpected benefit
http://www.forbes.com/2006/09/25/trust-relationships-confidencetech_cx_ll_06trust_0925tips.html?boxes=custom
Exercise• Considering your client segment priorities and their
corresponding emotional/functional needs, what mythology should you develop, communicate and reinforce to establish your value proposition?
• Sources of inspiration– Historic examples– Employee and client stories
• How many belief-building elements can you incorporate?
What’s the Difference
• The Power of the Sale– Media plan– Audience plan– Memorization by brute
force
• The Power of the Story– Story plan– Storyteller plan– Memorization by
stickiness
Can a commercial message have the same power as an organic story?
There are built in obstacles, but it’s possible.
VS.
What Makes an Idea Stick?SUCCESs• Simplicity
– Finding the core of the idea
• Unexpectedness– Combining surprise and interest
• Concreteness– Bringing it alive with the five senses (memory Velcro)
• Credibility – Tapping the power of authority – or anti-authority – to build belief
• Emotional – Priming people to care
• Stories– Generating involvement that leads to action
Made to Stick, Heath and Heath © 2007 Random House
Successful Advertising Templates
• Pictorial analogy - Featuring extreme, exaggerated analogies rendered visually
• Extreme consequences - Exaggerated results of not using the advertised product/service, or extreme benefits of using it (NOTE: The majority of award-winning ads fall under these first two categories)
• Extreme situations - A product/service is shown performing under unusual circumstances, or an attribute is exaggerated to the extreme
• Competition - In which a product/service wins a "bake-off" with the competition; even better if the bake-off circumstances are exaggerated
• Interactive experiment - Where people interact with the product/service directly to "see for themselves"
• Dimensionality alteration - Shows the long-term implications of a decision, such as not using or using the product/service
• 2009’s best ads – http://www.youtube.com/user/AceMetrix#p/c/6DB48DCE2DC7066A/6/OWrAJT1IDuM
Making Meaning: How Successful Companies Deliver Meaningful Experiences
Accomplishment
Beauty
Creation
Community
Duty
Enlightenment
Freedom
Harmony
Justice
Oneness
Redemption
Security
Truth
Validation
Wonder
Making Meaning: How Successful Companies Deliver Meaningful Experiences
Accomplishment•Achieving goals and making something of oneself; a sense of satisfaction that can result from productivity, focus, talent, or status. American Express has long benefited from transmitting a hint of this meaning to its card holders by establishing itself as a credit card intended for those who are successful. Nike relies on the essence of this meaning for many in its “Just Do It” campaign.
Beauty•The appreciation of qualities that give pleasure to the senses or spirit. Of course beauty is in the eye of the beholder and thus highly subjective, but our desire for it is ubiquitous. We aspire to beauty in all that surrounds us, from architecture and fine furnishing to clothing and cars. Enormous industries thrive on the promise of beauty stemming from shinier hair, whiter teeth, and clearer skin. Beauty can also be more than mere appearance. •For some, it is a sense that something is created “correctly” or efficiently with an elegance of purpose and use. Companies such as Bang & Olufsen audio equipment and Jaguar automobiles distinguish themselves through the beauty of their design.
Making Meaning: How Successful Companies Deliver Meaningful Experiences
Community•A sense of unity with others around us and a general connection with other human beings. Religious communities, unions, fraternities, clubs, and sewing circles are all expressions of a desire for belonging. The promise and delivery of community underlies the offerings of several successful organizations including NASCAR with its centralizing focus on car racing and leagues of loyal fans that follow the race circuit, Harley-Davidson motorcycles and their Harley Owners Group (HOG), and Jimmy Buffet with his dedicated Parrotheads. These businesses attract and support user communities who embody specific values tied to their products and services.
Creation •The sense of having produced something new and original, and in so doing, to have made a lasting contribution. Besides driving our species to propagate, we enjoy this experience through our hobbies, the way we decorate our home, in telling our stories, and in anything else that reflects our personal choices. Creation is what makes “customizable” seem like a desirable attribute, rather than more work for the buyer, for example, making the salad bar a pleasure rather than a chore.
Making Meaning: How Successful Companies Deliver Meaningful Experiences
Duty•The willing application of oneself to a responsibility. The military in any country counts on the power of this meaning, as do most employers. Duty can also relate to responsibilities to oneself or family, such as reading the daily paper to stay abreast of the news. Commercially, anything regarded as “good for you,” including vitamins, medications, Cross-Your-Heart bras, and cushioned insoles relays some sense of duty and the satisfaction it brings.
Enlightenment•Clear understanding through logic or inspiration. This experience is not limited to those who meditate and fast, it is a core expectation of offerings from Fox News, which promises “fair and balanced” reporting, the Wall Street Journal, which many consider the ultimate authority for business news, and the Sierra Club, which provides perspective on environmental threats and conservation.
Making Meaning: How Successful Companies Deliver Meaningful Experiences
Freedom•The sense of living without unwanted constraints. This experience often plays tug-of-war with the desire for security; more of one tends to decrease the other. Nevertheless, freedom is enticing, whether it’s freedom from dictators, or in the case of Google, the freedom to quickly search the Web learning and interacting with millions of people and resources.
Harmony•The balanced and pleasing relationship of parts to a whole, whether in nature, society, or an individual. When we seek a work/life balance, we are in pursuit of harmony. Likewise, when we shop at Target for a toaster that matches our mixer, we are in pursuit of harmony. Much of the aesthetic appeal of design depends on our personal desire for the visual experience of harmony.
Making Meaning: How Successful Companies Deliver Meaningful Experiences
Justice•The assurance of equitable and unbiased treatment. This is the sense of fairness and equality that underlies our concept of “everyman” or Average Joe. It helps explain the immense popularity of the Taurus and the Camry, the ranch house, Levi jeans, and white cotton T-shirts—all products with a simple, impartial appeal to a very broad audience.
Oneness•A sense of unity with everything around us. It is what some seek from the practice of spirituality and what others expect from a good tequila. Although we don’t normally think of them as a company, the Grateful Dead sustained its revenues for decades building an experience that connected with its fans’ desire for oneness. Similarly, organizations that connects their members into nature or a broader sense of the world, like the Monterey Bay Aquarium or the United Nations, are capable of evoking a meaning of oneness.
Making Meaning: How Successful Companies Deliver Meaningful Experiences
Redemption
•Atonement or deliverance from past failure or decline. Though this might seem to stem from negative experiences, the impact of the redemptive experience is highly positive. Like community and enlightenment, redemption has a basis in religion, but it also attracts customers to Weight Watchers, Bliss spas, and the grocery store candy aisle. Any sensation that delivers us from a less desirable condition to a more pleasing another one can be redemptive.
Security
•The freedom from worry about loss. This experience has been a cornerstone of civilization but in the U.S. in particular, acquired increased meaning and relevance after 9/11. On the commercial side, the desire for this experience created the insurance business, and it continues to sell a wide range of products from automatic rifles to Depends undergarments to credit cards that offer protection from identity theft.
Making Meaning: How Successful Companies Deliver Meaningful Experiences
Truth•A commitment to honesty and integrity. This experience plays an important role in most personal relationships, but it also is a key component of companies like Whole Foods, Volkswagen, and Newman’s Own, all of which portray themselves as simple, upright, and candid.
Validation•The recognition of oneself as a valued individual worthy of respect. Every externally branded piece of clothing counts on the attraction of this meaningful experience whether it’s Ralph Lauren Polo or Old Navy, as does Mercedes Benz, the Four Seasons hotel chain, and any other brand with status identification as a core value.
Wonder•Awe in the presence of a creation beyond one’s understanding. While this might sound mystical and unattainable, consider the wonder that Las Vegas hotels create simply through plaster and lights. Disney has been a master of this experience for decades, and technology companies routinely evoke awe as they enable their users to do what seemed impossible the year before.
How Archetypes Map to Meaning
Archetype Meaning
Caregiver Validation
Creator Accomplishment, Creation
Ruler Justice, Security
Jester Validation
Regular Guy/Girl Community, Harmony
Lover Harmony, Oneness
Sage Truth, Enlightenment, Wonder
Explorer Freedom
Innocent Oneness, Beauty, Redemption
Hero Duty, Validation
Outlaw Freedom
Magician Wonder
Exercise
• Building from your value proposition, use the principals of communication SUCCESs and the tools in today’s media toolkit to build a “sticky” concept targeting a priority client segment that spreads the brand mythology
• You can use images, stories or abstract ideas to develop your sticky concept
• Simplicity• Unexpectedness• Concreteness• Credibility • Emotional • Stories
ENGAGEMENT DIALOG, SURPRISE, EMPOWERMENT
Marketing Accountability2011-12 Objective 2011-12 Goals/Metrics
Maximum % aware in target audience
% aware of org and message
Make consideration set out of X choices
% preferred in consideration set
# and % taking a step towards participation
Web site visits, lead form submitted
Win participation # and % converted
Turn customers into repeat customers and vocal advocates
% repeat customer, % proactively advocating
twitter.com/buildingbelief
Plan and Create Your
Organization’s (Sticky) Content
Publishvia Blog
What are the business goals?
Who’s planning, managing, measuring?
What’s the target audience?
What value are you really delivering to the audience? Why should they care to follow?
Who’s building the content calendar?
Who’s creating content?
What are the weekly/ monthly story ideas?
Who’s approving the content?
Who’s responding/ conversing with the audience?
Distribute via Social
Media and Email
Optimize with your priority search
engine keywords
Pull out interesting tidbits for posting on social media sites using a simple tool like HootSuite or Tweetdeck
The Social Media Planning and Execution Map
Use the blog headlines to develop your e-newsletter; customers will click back to your blog to read the full articles, which will improve your search engine rankings!
Interact and listen to audience for
new content ideas. Ask them
to contribute content
1 2
3
4 5
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Tip: Use “hashtags” to join in or start conversations, on Twitter such as #buzznuggets
Tip: “Sticky” = 1) unexpected, 2) delivers emotional, functional or entertainment value, 3) simple
Topic/Theme Interest Communities
Friends/Family
Rings of Influence and Interest
ContentParticipants
& TopicsTeams/Clubs/
Groups/Schools/
Church/Alumni Networks Workplace
“Brag Network”
Implication Interest
Communities
Media/Blogs Who Cover the Topic/Theme
and/or its Implications
General Population
Interest in the Individual ParticipantsTurbo-Charged by Popularity of Participant
Interest in the TopicTurbo-Charged by SUCCESs Criteria
Admirers
Developing an Influencer Strategy
• An influencer is someone who helps other people buy from you• Influence is contextual• Popularity is not influence• Passion, knowledge advocacy and popularity are factors of influence• Everyone can be an influencer about the topics they are passionate about• You don’t have to know your influencers (but it can help). Instead of finding them
allow influencers to self-identify• Influencers are “turned-on” by empowering them to be advocates• Most influencers are hard to influence. You can’t buy influence – stay authentic• Your most influential customers are already predisposed to buy from you• Influencers are often driven by status: recognition is more important than rewards• (bonus) If your products suck it will be really hard to find influencers. The opposite is
true, of course.
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