Your Values are Marketing Essentials

The theme of 2010, value, is still alive and well. Conflict around this concept frequently comes up when I'm teaching the "Don't Pick a Niche" Marketing Workshop. The first nmarketing concept each group works on is value. Specifically, what are the values of each person in the workshop and how they are essential to effective Small Business Marketing.

Traditional marketing wisdom focuses extensively on benefits and outcomes. One of the participants last week made the brilliant connection between this focus and and the never-ending pressure in the job market to completely turn yourself into a dissassociated bunch of skills. The next step is to then relentlessly "market" yourself by trying to figure out exactly whick "product" configuration will be purchased by a possible employer.

Most employers also operate from this perspective. I agree that a candidate needs to have the ability to do the tasks of the job, or better yet the ability to learn the additional tasks they don't already have. And there's more.

A first impression happens in 2-3 seconds. This mostly unconscious decision becomes the driver for the entire conversation; driving towards the pre-assumed outcome. Even highly trained individuals struggle to behave differently, in fact most of them fail, regardless knowing how the game goes. Long before an interview conversation gets to skills, the deal is mostly sealed.

The same reality is good and bad news for your marketing. You have a maximum 2-3 seconds to get a potential customer's attention--through some media channels the timing is much smaller. Just as individual values influence clothing choices, vocabulary and attitude about a job, the presence of embedded values will work for or against you.

Why you do what you do; what you love about your work combine to make an important foundation for your marketing efforts. Consider: most consistently taught marketing techniques are out of the loop on the newest, freshest, more empowered ways to communicate with your potential clients.

Blessings,
Heidi Sue

© Copyright 2009-2010 Heidi Sue Roth. All Rights Reserved.

Coffee, Confusion & Coherent Values

Well, we don't do it very often, but today's errands included a Starbucks stop. It's close to the house, it was only 1 block out of the way on our route...on and on.

And I noticed a funny thing about the cups the coffee came in . Both had printed on them stories about how buying Starbucks coffee was a way to support the Conservation International organization, with the 'Buck buying 66% of coffee beans from sustainably grown sources, specially selected farmers, etc.

I do believe that's a good thing. Unfortunately, Starbucks is still doing stuff that demonstrates responsibility is likely a marketing move--it's primarily a ploy to keep me spending money at their dwindling (yeah!!! ubiquity is NOT a recommendation for quality) outlets. I don't believe any market has actually needed the number of 'Bucks installed--and obviously so as many are now being closed.

Just below this moving story of how important it is that I spend my money on coffee out instead of making it at home (which we typically do at least 6 days a week), is the imprint about how the paper cup was made.

And that imprint is sad. Anyone wanting to be responsible with resources should be embarrassed by it: Made with 10% post-consumer recycled fiber.

What I found so odd is that 30% post-consumer fiber is such a normal, everyday occurance now. Then, add in that how the little insulator sleeve was labeled 60% post-consumer fiber, and it becomes even more confusing.

Here's my confusion: the mis-matched messages from a cup that isn't really helping to save the world, but coffee beans that supposedly are and a brown cardboard sleeve that is saving ghe planet...and my just up feeling it's all about marketing and whatever consciousness is involved focuses on separating me from my pennies and Washingtons.

If you're going to choose that a particular value be part of your business, be consistent. Make sure everything you communicate about that value is as coherent and consistent as you possibly can. Otherwise something as simple as a tall vanilla latte could end up strengthing someone's intention to drink more coffee at home.

Wishing you Success & Heart,

Heidi Sue Roth