I don't think I believe in "Marketing Guru" types...

I mean, I believe in marketing. I could even define it, it's basically a combination of messaging and outreach. Simple enough. Plenty of variations, like which message will motivate which people, and what medium will be effective in reaching them, and so on and so forth. But at root it's the message that matters, followed closely by who you're talking to. If either one are off the entire thing's a lost cause. 

Sometimes people confuse that idea of messaging. We often hear the "if you have a great product people will flock to it" and the converse which is that "if the product sucks marketing is just lighting money on fire."

All true, and doesn't conflict at all with what I said above. Your message has to be some elaboration on why what you're doing is of genuine interest to the audience in question. I added the extra double bold there for a reason. You have to communicate with your audience. But you also have to tell the truth. 

If the product is amazing but nobody knows how to use it you have problems. If its benefits aren't immediately apparent you have to communicate. If it doesn't have benefits to someone and you tell them to buy it anyways you're not marketing, you're lying. And if you present your product to an audience in a way that they find offensive or just stupid or silly you've lost your shot, the product won't save you if you lose them on the way in. You always have to communicate clearly and compellingly and to the right people -- in the right way. 

That's kind of it. 

There are tricks: like how to time media, how to augment free press (PR) with targeted advertising. How to respond to a crisis or disaster or product failure. How to change entrenched perceptions of you or your company as you move into a new sector, etc. There's also process stuff that just plain works, as this very highly recommended article about QVC in The Atlantic gives as one great example. 

Then there are the other kind of tricks. The ones where trick is synonymous with gimmick. Where it's all about some "system" or obsessing about logos and mission statements and gobbledygook. 

Now -- in fairness -- there's something called "Corporate Culture" which matters a whole lot. I read Tony Hseih's book "Delivering Happiness" and it's one of the best I've ever read on management philosophy, with a concentration on the employee and workplace culture as paramount. Get it. 

But I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about this:

 

 

 

But to be honest, hey, it is a nice card I suppose.

In my opinion that's not actually as insane as an idea I heard from a billed "Marketing Guru" recently, and I don't think they were kidding. It was bizarre enough that I finally just decided I had to see what it was like to try and execute, just out of sheer morbid curiosity. 

Want to know what it was? I already wrote a blog post on that one elsewhere... read all about it here if you're interested. Here's a sneak preview:

 

Comments

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=600248967]

that's the biggest misconception about marketing. that it's just the "promotion" part of the 4 ps. that's marcom. true marketing is promotion AND product, price and place. So a real marketer is developing products, determining the price the market will bear that will also deliver the desired margin and figuring out where to sell the damn thing.

a marketing guru is a product, sales and p&l guru.

[Coach Crossbody]

*Failure is the path to success. It helps us to touch the sky, teaches us to survive and shows us a specific way.

[North Face Outlet]

a little cynical, laid-back came: " first car to go home, then I'll take you to see some friends. "Sixu a stomach heart, fierce start the car, a step on the gas, the car seems like a horse and rushed out.

[UGG Classic Tall 5852 Stiefel]

Hopley der Strafregister - als Minimum für die Aktionen Altersstufen zugänglich in der insbesondere frisch Gericht, [url=http://www.botasugg2011.com/]ugg Verkauf[/url] , Provinz Gerichtssaal Datenquelle - in Zukunft nicht machen den Welpen als mögliche scheinbare Säugling Raubtier. Die Straftaten wurden anfällig für häufig Break-andenters und Verstöße werden. (Er scheint sich an erfrischenden aus Täter sein, aber immer schon in 06 verurteilt worden, um ein Paar ein paar Monate in Bezug auf Infiltration.) Polizei tun, was genau sie zu bewerkstelligen haben. Ich glaube nicht, Fehler alle von ihnen für diesen Ton der Versicherung Deckung., [url=http://www.botasugg2011.com/ugg-classic-mini-5854-boots-wholesale-7.html]UGG Classic Mini 5854 Stiefel[/url] , ist Israel auch als Alternative zu der jeweiligen Schicht, und auch Ministerpräsident Benjamin Netanjahu bietet erwähnt Ihren Hund konnte auch die jeweilige Adresse UN kommenden Ending Freitag bis Linie entfernt ihren Platz Argumente. Gesandte über Amerika und die Europäische Union wird nun halten zeigt zusammen mit palästinensischen als auch israelischen Verwaltung, so dass Sie alle von ihnen in besonderer Ruhe finden kann spricht.

[ewenni77]

una sorta di Terra Conflict II dell'era aerei artista marziale volato dal veterano pilota di Hollywood stunt approfondito Venerdì in th, stivali donna , bordo e delle tribune all'interno di un comune aria condizionata battaglia, sbarazzarsi di 3 persone, ferendone più di 55 spettatori, oltre alla costruzione di una arena orribile disseminato di detriti fumo. Questo aereo, pilotato per mezzo di 74 anni, Jimmy Sottovento, a spirale in grado di far fronte improvvisamente più fatto un'apparizione allo scopo di disgregare alla conseguenza. Le forme del corpo insanguinato erano propagate su tutta l'area in cui la gente offerto aiuto per i sofferenti, oltre alle ambulanze in fretta verso il mondo., stivali uomo , regolatori stava analizzando il fatto che i medici, ma un funzionario considerando l'evento sostenuto che ci sono state indicazioni di questa difficoltà cinetiche sono stati da biasimare.

[ewenni77]

Maureen Higgins coinvolgono Carolina, che è già stato in visita a mezz'aria le gare relative a sedici anni, ha dichiarato che pilota era sul infine giro di qualsiasi specie appena fuori luogo manipolare., [url=http://www.bootsebay.net/]Ugg Australia[/url] , La ragazza sembrava riposare per quanto riguarda 40 metri con l'incidente e assistito con orrore, perché il signore di fronte la tua ragazza ha iniziato emorragie sterrata seguendo raggiungerlo all'interno della mente. "Ho scoperto segmenti del corpo umano e anche sangue simile a qualcuno possa non pensare che. Im parlando un buon apporto, il vitello più basso," Higgins ha affermato "La sopravvivere uomini e donne sono stati aree forma assente. La mia organizzazione non è in realtà la gente scherza . Era stato gore. Fabulous gore., [url=http://www.bootsebay.net/boots-donne-wholesale-34.html]stivali donne[/url] , "Tra la lista degli inattivi sembrava essere Sottovento, coinvolgendo Ocala, in Florida, il tuo aviatore condito in aggiunta al film pilota stunt esattamente che ha chiamato il suo P-51 Mustang mma aerei stelle il tuo "Galloping fantasma", come delineato da Mike Houghton, presidente e amministratore delegato con backrounds Tempo Reno.