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Today, the customer chooses what they will give attention to. In this environment, the most effective marketing messages are those that are DESIRED.
Anything that is not DESIRED — will be merely tolerated and, more often, IGNORED. Consumers have taken the reigns of power away from the marketer.
Consumers have TIVO, iPods, DVD’s, blogs, social networks and a myriad of other tools available that allows them to avoid (or IGNORE) your marketing message.
Consider the methods you are using to market your tiny business — are they ignored, tolerated or desired?
Ignored
Over the last week, Bank of America called my cell phone each day to sell me some added service to my business account. I continued to push the “IGNORE” button on my iPhone because I do not have time to be interrupted.
Finally, on the sixth day, I answered the call. The telemarketer was able to get about two sentences in before I cut him off and told him to remove me from the call list.
The service was for some insurance on my credit card. It promised to pay off my balance if an unforeseen accident happened and I was unable to conduct business and thus pay my bills. This is actually a very good idea for a service and Bank of America might have had a chance to sell it to me.
But not with a completely rude and interruptive marketing tactic like telemarketing. NO WAY!
Not only do I not tolerate telemarketing anymore but I have technology in place that allows me to IGNORE it completely. It’s called a cell phone with caller ID. I will never answer a phone call from Bank of America again.
Tolerated
Bank of America runs a lot of television, radio and print ads as well. I still see or hear them once in a while because I still watch some regular television, listen to some AM/FM radio and occasionally will browse through a print magazine or newspaper.
But this is merely tolerated. I expect to see these types of ads when I am in these mediums.
Let me tell you what is making Bank of America and other business owners very nervous:
- I am using Netflix, Tivo and online video for entertainment and news more and more each day.
- I am using my iPod and online radio stations more and more each day for music and news
- I am reading blogs, forums and my RSS reader more and more each day for my print news and entertainment.
I use these technologies because they allow me to AVOID marketing messages and interruptions. Although I tolerate these messages in traditional mediums like television, radio and print — I am in the process (as are all of us) of eliminating these mediums from my news and entertainment diet.
Desired
What if I was actually seeking out Bank of America’s marketing? What if I wanted it? What if I actually went out of my way to get access to information about their products and services?
That would be powerful.
Bank of America has at least one piece of powerful information about me —
I am a small business owner.
Do I have problems that need to be solved? Absolutely.
Do I have questions that need to be answered? Absolutely.
Do I need support from someone that can help me? Absolutely.
Would I like to be connected with other small business owners? Absolutely.
So why doesn’t Bank of America spend their time and money building something online that will solve my problems, answer my questions, provide me with support, and connect me with other small business owners?
Wouldn’t I respond much better to a product that would insure my credit card against a catastrophe if it came in the form of an informative article about risk avoidance as a small business owner or if it came recommended to me by another small business owner in a community run by Bank of America? Absolutely.
I’m not picking on Bank of America here. All large corporations are this way. They just haven’t figured it out yet.
You cannot interrupt me, I will ignore you.
You cannot sway me, I will merely tolerate your ads.
You may only talk to me if I desire to be spoken to.
The good news is that your tiny business can learn these lessons and make a quick change. Realize that you do not have to market they way that they do.
Create marketing that people DESIRE — it is the only way.
Image credit – hebe
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