Transform Your Marketing Approach Beyond Brand-Centric Tactics
Marketing fails immediately when it spends more words talking about the brand rather than the problems the brand helps its audience solve.
If you position your brand as the hero… you lose.
Let’s unpack…
Your audience—your clients, your leads, your targets—don't give a rip about you. When they woke up this morning, you were the last thing on their minds.
The year your company founded? — Yawn.
Someone in your org received a big promotion? — Don’t care.
New technology? — Snooze.
Employee culture? — Seriously?
Your mission and values? — Shut the front door.
The most important person in your customer’s life? Themselves.
The person that stared back from the mirror.
And they asked that person: how am I going to win the day?
How can I be the best person, the best spouse, the best parent, the best employee or employer, and the best friend I can be?
When your marketing interrupts their life (IF it can interrupt their life…more on that another day) it better be ready to engage the story they’re living. If your marketing isn’t making them the hero of the day…
They will tune you out, walk on by, click ignore, delete, unsubscribe. All of the above.
It's as simple as that.
Change how you communicate.
Find moments where you play the hero…
Talk excessively about your brand in ways that don’t help your audience?
Use insider slogans and buzzwords?
Place too much emphasis on your organization’s buildings and properties?
Slap your mission, vision, and values on everything?
Brag on your employee’s accomplishments and promotions?
Write endless bios about your team and how great they are?’
…and replace that mindset with the heart of a guide.
Show your audience how deeply you understand the problems you help them solve.
Help them see a better life with that problem fixed.
How can you share value today? Help your audience find success and they won’t forget.
Are you selling? Or are you guiding?
Do you see your customers and leads as real people with a need?
Be the guide on their hero’s journey.
Be the Yoda to their Skywalker, the Morpheus to their Neo, the Dumbledore to their Harry Potter.
It doesn't seem like much, but shift this mental model and I guarantee you'll increase the power of your marketing.
I dare you to try it.
Keep your eyes open. Which organizations play the hero and which play the guide? Once you start looking, you'll see it everywhere. If you see a fun example, snap a photo and share it with me.
If you face a particularly difficult marketing challenge, shoot me an email. I’ll share my best answer with you and the world so everyone can learn together.
Be the guide and you’ll make your world a better place.
