Unless you’re in the CPG industry, though, you’re probably not paying too too much attention to the positioning of water.
I didn’t think about it much either…then I saw this commercial:
httpv://youtu.be/kZ5CykoHn-8
SO…there’s something interesting here: Nestle is positioning its water not as an alternative to other brands of water, but as an alternative to another beverage.
Positioning may be more about “choice” than anything
You have a choice when you take the kids off to the soccer game. You can bring a bottle of water that you picked up at the store (at an insane markup) (at a potentially high cost to the environment), or you can fill up your reusable water bottle with tap water that costs you 0.2 cents per gallon.
You have a choice between tap water and bottled water. Pragmatism, cost, the environment: those factors help you decide to choose tap.
In Nestle’s eyes, though, you have a different choice – and they have decided to position the choice of their water against a much more expensive drink. “If we’re losing water, why don’t we just drink water?” asks the soccer player.
You have a choice between bottled water and the much more expensive flavored water/electrolyte alternative. Cost, convenience, no artificial ingredients: those factors help you decide to choose bottled water.
You can take this positioning all the way up and down various choice “decision trees.” Should you choose tap over bottled? Cheap, generic bottled over more expensive brand names? Premium names over everyday brands?
How to apply this thinking to your brand
You have a brand – even if you are in the service industry and it’s just you, you have a brand.
Let’s say you’re a Life Coach. You might succeed if you use similar positioning to Nestle: why would you go with an expensive consulting firm at thousands of dollars, when an engagement with me is just hundreds of dollars.
Of course, your target customer might ask itself whether it can just get an inexpensive alternative to your coaching through something like blogs, books,or a trip to the library. But, in this case, you are positioning your service as an alternative to paying someone nothing and getting average results in return.
And, beautifully for you, you can do this without negativity.
Positioning without cutting the competitor down
Notice how Nestle didn’t say anything negative about their perceived competition – the sports drink category?
Notice how our Life Coach doesn’t have to say “I’m the best Life Coach, better than the other Life Coaches?”
In addition to being about choice, positioning can also be about value. You will value our bottled water product when compared to other products – less cost, more money in your pocket, you’ll benefit. You will value my coaching services when compared with what you’ll get from doing nothing – more growth in your life, and more money in your pocket when compared with the cost of hiring a really expensive coaching firm.
And you don’t have to say a darn thing about how much better you are than your direct competitor.
Positioning: Putting your choice on the canvas
You are painting a picture, you are telling a story, and your product or service needs to be one of the ones on the canvas. It is impossible to position your product without mentioning other categories – but it is possible to position your product as a solid choice for your target customer without mentioning your direct competitors.
Join us as we discover whether or not the Facebook Fan Page is…uh…dying at the hands of the Facebook Group.
We started an experiment last night, and, even though it’s early, we are optimistic. The experiment?
What would happen if, instead of asking people to “Like” a brand page on Facebook, we started a group instead? AND, what if that group had a mission statement that didn’t try to ram things down people’s throats?
So we did it. First, the objective – increase connections between small business owners and give them access to information that can help them better market their products and services. We came up with a Mission Statement worthy of an H1 tag:
Mission: Share Small Business Marketing challenges, questions, concerns – in a non-threatening, non-salesy way.
This might seem counter to what you hear on Facebook – that it’s all about the Fan Page Numbers, and that, unless you have massive numbers of fans, you can’t do anything substantive. Like sell product. Or make connections that lead to business. Or whatever.
But what if it isn’t about that?
What if, instead of asking someone to “Like” your page (so you can try to sell them something) you, instead, invite them to join a group where they can share knowledge?
What if, instead of looking to be one of the nameless, faceless brands with 1,000,000 Fans but no engagement, you, instead, start conversations and jump in on other conversations?
What if, instead of trying to sell something, you, I don’t know, DON’T try to sell anything?
Why are we optimistic? 12 Hours in and we’re already up to 175 members of the group, and counting.
It is bound to happen – someone you thought was your friend, someone who you’re related to, someone who you thought you had on the hook…they’ll unsubscribe. Or unfollow. Or – GASP – unfriend.
First, background: “unsubscribe” is what happens when you use an email service to send out messages (newsletters, autoresponders, whatever) and someone clicks on the link and says, basically, they’re not that into you. Or, more accurately, they’re not that into your message.
What’s a marketer to do?
What to do When Your Own Dad Unsubscribes.
This is a true story – my own Dad, who was busy with his real estate business, clicked on the link to unsubscribe from my startup’s monthly newsletter. ACK! Was it something I said?
Well, when you dig a little deeper, like I did, you can learn a lot. For instance, it is quite possible that Dad didn’t need to get monthly updates from the startup I was running (since it was aimed at college-bound students).
I got over it – partly because I knew how much my Dad hustled at real estate, and partly because I knew how much he was indeed interested in my business ventures.
I since have received countless unsubscribes, a few rude messages, a couple pleasant apologies for unsubscribing – and, over the years, built and rebuilt list after list.
Your family may not unsubscribe from your messages, or unfriend you on Facebook (shameless plug for 12 Minute Marketing on Facebook), or unfollow you on Twitter (follow Area 224 contributor and one-half of 12 Minute Marketing Rick Strater on Twitter) – but here are ways to soften the blow if they do.
Permission, Permission, Permission.
Dad was in Real Estate, where the three most important words are “Location, Location, Location.”
In email marketing, the three most important words are “Permission, Permission, Permission.”
I have scores of business cards from my U Sphere days – most of them don’t have any value now, but I actually have notes on the back that say things like “send the monthly email” or “follow up with a phone call.” A good chunk of them had notes that would fall into the “unsubscribe” category – thus saving pain in the process. (I remember vividly a guy saying to me something akin to “don’t bother me until May, then I’m happy to talk, and I’ll remember you.” I didn’t, he was, he did.
Your Message May Not Be Relevant (to the reader)
We all have a ton on our plates, so you can forgive the person who thought they were into wine a couple months ago if they aren’t into wine right now. Relevance is subjective. The greatest message (“save thousands of dollars”) sent to the greatest list (that you built over years) may not be the right thing at the right time, at least right now.
And you may actually know some of the people who unsubscribed from your list.
Tough to not take these things personally, right?
Think again. Open rates – the percentage of people who actually OPEN your email – can be as low as 10% for people with great lists of potential target customers. The fact that someone opens your email AND takes a couple seconds to unsubscribe…that’s a win, in that you now know not to keep talking AT them.
Your Message May Not Be Well-Written
“Monthly Musings from XYZ Co.”
Welcome to an email newsletter that has increased its chances of the dreaded unsub.
We get some great stuff here at HQ. We also get some very average stuff.
Styles are all over the map. One woman likes to tell us the semi-intimate details of her life, warts and all – but does it in such a way that we can’t help but think she’s human and someone we’d like to have a beer with.
There’s another guy running a little info empire whose newsletters are close to poetry – and he sends them sorta like a waiter at a fine restaurant…exactly when they are needed and not a second later.
Like relevance, it’s subjective. Like Edwin Meese describing pornography, sorta, you’ll know good writing when you see it.
Move On.
You should have enough on your plate as you build your business that one little unsubscribe, one less Facebook friend, and one fewer Twitter follower won’t have you weeping and gnashing teeth.
Get permission, strive for relevance, and sharpen your writing. Now go get ’em!
The QR Code has been around since 1994; the Microsoft Tag is just two years old.
QR Codes have the “open source” feel to them; the Tag comes from a corporate behemoth.
The deck is stacked…right?
First, a little background before we begin our study. You have no doubt seen QR Codes everywhere. You have read about them lots of places – even here, where we asked if this is the Year of the QR Code.
The basic concept goes like this: take out your mobile phone, use a QR Code reader, and snap the code to access digital content.
Microsoft Tag works the same – take out your mobile phone, use the Tag reader, snap the code and access digital content.
While they might appear to be pretty even, this is actually not a fair fight.
Not by a longshot.
In fact, and the answer may shock you, Microsoft Tag wins hands down. Here’s why, along with some tips you can put to use in your business starting right now.
Reason 1: Flexibility – and not just Color.
QR Codes sure could use some spice. Right?
Remember this photo from the Holidays, with QR Code Wrapping Paper? That is as flexible as you can get with a QR code. You’re stuck with a black-and-white square.
Thanks, emilychang.com
The basic information in a Tag still has to fit into a square – either dots or triangles – but, as long as the dots or triangles remain intact, you are free to make some magic happen.
For instance, let’s say you run an art museum and want to take people behind the artwork. Like this:
So you’re not constricted by color, and you can get rather creative with what goes behind the Tag – as long as the important dots or triangles are there.
Flexibility Score: Tag 1, QR 0.
But what about actually using them – like, putting the tag onto something printed, and getting more information to your audience?
Reason 2: Hundreds of Readers – or Just 1?
Open Source technology is awesome – WordPress we love, of course – but there’s a problem with Open Source in that, well, it’s “open.”
Think about this for a second: WordPress is great and thousands of people are creating thousands of plugins for millions of websites. But what happens if your plugin provider decides they’re bored with the plugin – but you find out that the plugin doesn’t work?
Try finding support.
Meanwhile, Tags are supported by Microsoft AND there is just one reader. Add reliability for your end user – the person you want scanning your Tag and taking a look at your content – and you have a winning combination.
Usability Score: Tag 1, QR 0.
Okay, one more category. Fixability.
Reason 3: Fix Your Codes on the Fly.
This is less about fixing the codes themselves – once they’re out the door on some printed material, they’re gone.
This is more about fixing the links to your digital content.
Seriously, can you tell these two apart? And just try keeping track of them, where they link to, what you’re using them for. Without a place to keep them all, you’ll go nuts: one place to create them, storing them on your blog, knowing where all the creative goes for each…
Code 1Code 2
Microsoft to the rescue with this category.
Let’s say I wanted to change the link on the above tag – takes a few seconds, done, and done. And, since I customized it, or color-coded it with my logo, or have one that has my picture and another one that has my logo, keeping track mentally is a heck of a lot easier, too.
Fixability Score: Tag 1, QR 0.
So…now what? Are there any categories where the QR could win?
Maybe – adoption numbers have QR way ahead. But Flexibility, Usability and Fixability – give those to Tag, hands down.
Final Score: Tag 3, QR 0.
If you STILL have doubts about how to use these in your marketing efforts…listen to a chap named Kenny Powers.
Friendly Faceless LinkedIn Logo GuyA friend uses this saying quite a bit. And he’s not kidding.
When I try to explain the difference between “social media” an “social networking,” I usually go this direction:
Social Media: Connecting information from people, places and things with technology to tell stories online.
Social Networking: Connecting people through technology to form real relationships, online and off.
The differences between the two might seem subtle, but, if you focus on the “Social Networking” definition, you’ll see why we want to focus on the title – “Practice Safe Networking” and get you to think differently about how you approach social networking.
How to Practice Safe Networking
The same friend I referenced above knows my strengths and weaknesses. Knows what I’m up to professionally. And knows how I can help him.
Whether he keeps a file on me or not is a whole other story – but, suffice it to say, if I ask him for a contact, it’s for a very specific reason.
Sometimes, it’s because I know he worked at a certain company. Other times, it’s because I see someone listed on his LinkedIn contacts.
“Hey, I’d like to connect with Mary Jones in HR at XYZ Corp.” That is not likely to get a positive response from him – nor would the same request get a positive response from me if you asked me. (Are we connected on LinkedIn yet? If not, this could make a heck of a lot more sense if we did connect.)
Tip #1: Always Have a Specific Reason for the Connection
“Hey, I’ve got a question about Mary Jones in HR at XYZ Corp. You two are connected on LinkedIn. Do you know her very well? I have a friend who is running a startup and they are looking for someone to head up HR, with a Comp and Benefits focus. From Mary’s bio, it looks like she’s got the right skillset. Do you think you could connect us via email?”
Odds of a connection are 50/50. Since this person knows me pretty well and I know him pretty well, the BS meter is always going off. If either of us detects it, then we’ll say so. “Great potential, but I know her well enough to know that if it’s not a pretty interesting company, then she won’t be interested.” OR “Our paths hardly crossed; I heard great things about her, but an intro from me would be pointless.”
Tip #2: It’s Not About Me. It’s About You.
When I reconnected with a former colleague recently, he asked tons of questions about what I was up to. Then, he started revisiting his own databank of people to connect me with – focusing on those that could help with my current endeavors.
Not-so-subtle hint: This is one of my current endeavors. 12 Minute Marketing. Now, back to regular programming.
This was a nice gesture on his part. And, maybe, down the road, I’ll be able to help him by making a connection that can help him with his current endeavors.
Tip #3: Pick Up The Phone.
Can’t stress this enough. Call. On the Phone.
Normally, the amount of time it takes you to craft the right email is 10 times what it would take you to find the phone number and reconnect.
Tip #4: Karma Bank.
Keep paying it and paying it. BUT to the extent that you’re not mucking up the Mojo you’ll need for our fifth and final tip.
Tip #5: Your Ace Connections are an Extension of You.
This is why I “get” LinkedIn, I don’t “get” Hashable, and I still love doing the Social Networking thing the old fashioned way.
If I send my friend the banker in the direction of another friend who is running a startup, I only do this because my friend the banker is someone I would have a beer with, and whose bank is someone I have done business with. And because the startup executive is someone I trust, and would also have a beer with.
(Beer doesn’t have to be the common thread. Still…)
Even the seemingly random “hey, you should talk to this guy” requests you might get are an extension of the person sending the request. Why should I talk to this guy?
Beyond that, requests to talk to one of your guys can come back to bite you. Wasting the time of one of your ace contacts is a surefire way to see that ace contact start recommending you less and less.
