Category: Marketing

Artificial Obsolescence

‘Influencers’ claim people
should change their bath towels
every two years
or they lose their effectiveness.

This is, of course,
bullsh*t.

I have rotated between
two bath towels
for well over two decades
and they remain ‘effective’
and soft.

The push to replace
bath towels after two years
is artificial obsolescence.

It is a marketing campaign
to sell more bath towels.

And…
it works!

Most people I know
replace their bath towels
every two years.

Can you use
artificial obsolescence
to sell more
of your products?

How To Content

A buddy runs
a popular How To site.

She told me
that, according to her recent survey,
over 90% of her followers
didn’t complete
the simple How To task
in her most popular video.

They seem to like
knowing all about the process.
They don’t seem
to ever plan
to implement that process
themselves.

What does this mean?

It means
we don’t have to worry
about showing customers or prospects
how we do general things.

(Of course,
we shouldn’t share
exclusive-to-us
secrets
that give us
a competitive advantage.)

I, for example,
can talk about
how I create a story
and I don’t have to be concerned
that my readers will write their own books
and stop reading mine.

Most of them
won’t put the knowledge
I’m giving them
into practice.

Embrace
How To tips
as marketing content.

Adding Friction

A loved one
is going through
a tough time financially.
They are between jobs.

I’ve been sending them funds
in the form of checks
every month.

They have gently requested
I eTransfer the money
as that would be easier
for them.

Easier isn’t the point.
The friction is deliberate.

I want them
to notice the fund transfer.

I’m sacrificing to send them
this money.
I want them
to appreciate that help.

Forcing them
to handle the check
does this.

Friction CAN add value
to a process.

Use it
to help you achieve
your goals.

Presentation Matters

I went to a fancy restaurant recently.

The presentation of the food
and the ambience
was amazing,
absolutely beautiful.

The food was average.
But everyone raved about it
because it looked so pretty.

Presentation matters.

Pay attention
to your packaging,
to the appearance of your products,
to the state of the spaces
your customers see.

It WILL make a difference
to your customers’ perceptions
of your business.

One Social Media Company

I’ve seen quite a few posts
from people
thrilled to have
all their social media platforms
owned by one company.

Speaking as someone
who has lost
one of her social media platforms
for no valid reason
(and yes, that social media platform
was owned by that one company),
you don’t want one company
to own all your social media platforms.

When you give banned
from one platform,
you’ll be banned
from all of them.

And, if you are running a business,
there is a good chance
you WILL be banned
from one of your social media platforms.

You could get hacked.
You could receive a complaint.
You could be selling
a product/service
that social media platform owner
doesn’t approve of.
Heck, you could be a person
that social media platform owner
doesn’t like.

Poof.
All your contacts
on all your social media platforms
are gone.

Ensure all of your social media platforms
aren’t owned by one big company.

Mitigate your risk.

And ensure you own
at least one online contact point.

If You’re Arguing On Social Media…

Yesterday,
I was a heartbeat away
from arguing with a stranger
on social media
about something non-business related.

I caught myself
in time.
And I realized…

I should be funneling
that energy
into my business.

Arguing with a stranger
wouldn’t accomplish
anything.

I was unlikely
to change his mind.
He was unlikely
to educate me
in any way.

All it would be
was a time suck
and an energy drain.

I closed social media
for the day
and I worked on my business.

When you find yourself
arguing
with strangers
on social media,
that’s a sign.

It is time
to get back to work.

Expectation Of Support

Haters recently
targeted the social media account
of a zoo
because their employees
participated in
the local
Pride parade.

I EXPECT a zoo
to support
LGTBQIA2S+ causes.

Many of the
animals and plants
and other nature
they care for,
promote
and protect
qualify as LGTBQIA2S+.

It would be hypocritical
if zoo employees
didn’t march
in the Pride parade.

Support the causes
your customers/prospects
expect you to support.

F*ck the haters.

They will never support you.

Don’t try to please them
That’s an impossible goal.

Delete Old Problematic Posts

A stranger looking for a fight
found an old post of mine.
He posted a harsh comment.
Then he directed
his equally awful friends
to the post.

I deleted the post.
And I blocked
all of them.

Everyone in my circle
had already seen the post.
It hadn’t interested them.
It no longer served
any purpose for me
and for them.

There was no incentive
for me to keep it.
And there was no incentive
for me to engage
with the fight-seeking stranger.

Delete problematic
social media posts
if they no longer serve
any purpose for you.

A Temporary Upgrade

I go on cruises
regularly.
I usually stay
in the least expensive cabin.

Recently, my cabin
was upgraded
for free.
It had a balcony
and was larger.

It will be VERY challenging
to go back
to booking
the least expensive cabin.

Temporary upgrades
WORK.

They will shift
some of your customers
to the more expensive option.

Offer a temporary upgrade
to your loyal customers
as a ‘reward’.

Evaluate the results.

Expand that marketing
if you see positive results.