Think about...for just a minute...how many times you will hear that phrase today at work.
Of course, this weekend you will be reintroduced to a slightly modified version from your partner in words such as "I only need you to help me for 5 minutes." The reality is that in all of our work, in our family lives, and in our social environments, time is the number one denominator that factors above everything else since it is totally inelastic.
So, with that as the first mini-factoid this morning, I (or you) now come along as an experienced sales and marketing guy and ask for a tiny slice of time, a glimpse at a message, 10 seconds for a video, 1 minute for a social post or 3 minutes to read a 650 word blog to achieve some sort of an action or reaction. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, but the end point of what we, as sales and marketing people, are attempting to do is to motivate you the reader, the buyer, or the influencer to actually do something. More and more with the exacting sales and marketing tools that all of us have available today, some connection will be made, it will be measured and its will lead to some other (hopefully positive) action.
Second mini-factoid of the day is that if you want to sell something, you absolutely will need to move somebody to do something!
Let's now bring this down to the world of Marketing
In response to an aspiring marketer just yesterday who was asking advice for their first marketing plan, after we talked, I found myself writing this note below to her:
First, think about how many messages you and I get every day, every week?.
The answer is 6,700 messages between a normal Monday and Friday…for everything: personal, business, good companies and people and annoying companies and people. 6,700 messages, in an era, where more than ever, no one-not you, not me-has any available time.
Second, now you, the marketer, comes along and "interrupts" someone with a new idea, a product or a service which provides something new, something innovative, and is "the best ever" and wants me to buy, endorse or react to whatever your shiny new toy is.
Third, you have only one objective in your marketing outreach, and that is to enable some action. Ideally, it's an action to do something positive in either purchasing what you are selling or to move that person to an additional action to learn more and nurture a potential relationship.
Fourth, just simplify what you're doing. Don't overthink the messaging or the activities.
That's why I wrote our 2021 ebook "Writing the Winning Marketing Plan"
- This is a "How-To" instruction book.
- The 1st half, which is the "how-to" part, is written for any size company
- The 2nd half, which is about the planning process, is written for larger companies
You can find it here in the Marketing Optimization section of our site in our Solutions Section.
Connect with me for any questions. Would love to hear your comments and your own ideas.
Have a great day selling and marketing today, and enjoy what looks like a beautiful weekend!
A SOUNDING BOARD FOR august
If at any time, you have a need for a confidential sounding board for Sales or Marketing, just connect with me at any time. Text or email me, and I'll quickly set up a call. I'm a pretty good listener, and we can get deep into tactics if you want. Obviously, no cost for a call or two; just an opportunity to listen intently and make a few recommendations based on decades of experience.
Derby Entrepreneurship Center@Tufts
