Quick notes to help you grow your business in less time with less effort. . . sometime next week.
In this issue:
- Thoughts on Interest
- Being Human
- Random Stuff
Thoughts on Interest
- Start your pitch with prospects by describing an outcome they're interested in. Or ask questions about how they handle the problems you solve. Both approaches do a good job of establishing your intent. This works because, as they say, our intent counts more than our technique.
- If you're an entrepreneur pitching investors that aren't directly experiencing the problems you solve, get their interest by starting with big trends your prospects are experiencing. Then add the problems this creates. Then, after they have a sense of your world, tell them how you're going to add value.
- Building interest in a new service isn't a one-and-done event. It's a process to win people over. Part of the process is follow up. The best way to follow-up is to have a reason for re-engaging in conversation. Don't follow-up just to check-in.
- Our trust in a person, process, or company is not based on some objective measure or set of criteria. It's subjective and sounds like, "do they have my best interest in mind?" Check your intent.
Being Human – The best marketing metrics
"There is more to sex appeal than just measurements." – Audrey Hepburn
What are the best measuring system/tools/metrics for marketing?
Good question, on the surface, but the answer to it is. . . there's not one. We need metrics to track progress towards results and there isn't a perfect system out there. More important than the measures, I say, is the process behind the measuring.
Let's dig into this a little.
When it comes to any marketing activity, the first question asked is why are we doing this? And, if it works, how will we measure the return on it? Beneath that is an assumption that we have a process in mind, and the process is mapped to getting a result. What your leadership wants to know is, do you have a disciplined approach? They love it when you can describe the approach behind your activity and budget requests. With an approach, or a process underlying our decisions we can answer questions like, why do this activity? And how will we know it's working?
Most marketers I visit with, especially in the B2B space, want to tell their leaders about tactics and campaigns, but have trouble translating this into accounting/finance/business terms. I teach them that more important than the tactics and campaigns is their belief system driving those decisions.
Instead of talking about campaigns, it's better to point to our process then show leadership where we see improvements and point out areas of concern. Describe where the marketing spend seems to be making a difference, where the spend doesn't show progress, and our plan to improve it. That's a good discussion. It lets non-marketers understand what we're trying to do and let's them ask about the assumptions we're making in the process. With this approach, when things get tight, (because they always get tight), it's easier to justify keeping marketing spend going because everyone understands the disciplined approach.
The system spitting out the metrics is not as important as a disciplined approach. It's worth investing time defining it in detail.
Random Stuff
"No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as the dog does." – Christopher Morley
The most avid reader of my weekly missive turned 100 last month.
A few months ago my lovely bride took this old man into the vet. He's been racked with arthritis and his parts haven't been working well, so we expected bad news. The vet surprised us by recommending a new drug for his arthritis pain, and telling us that in border collie years, Wilson the ABC is like 100 years old.
Well, happy 100th, Mr. Amazing Border Collie!
The vet said this new once-a-month shot wouldn't fix his parts, but with the pain gone, he'd be more active in two to three months.
It took days.
The old man is jumping up on the couch like it's nothing, demanding to go outside to yell at varmints, and demanding we rub his lumpy body. It's amazing. For maybe 2 total hours a day. The rest of the time is still spent sleeping punctuated by bouts of licking, startling farts, and deep sighs. I know buddy, I know.
To be 100 is a lot. My aunt is 94. She's almost there. I'm barely over half way there. (look for "Right FIT #2,772, Greg turns 100") New baby Chambers hasn't even technically started, although they can begin their journey any time now.
100 is a good number. Lots of time for things to happen.
Like getting to know Wilson the Amazing Border Collie. Such a good boy.
