I was clicking through my Facebook today, and re-watched this excellent, short, and neatly presented vid by Derek Sivers (thanks, Tripper). Here it is:
I love stuff like this. And I love talking to people that love stuff like this. Thinking differently is refreshing, no?
One of the requirements to thinking differently is the willingness, even the delight in, being proven wrong. I like it.
When it comes to marketing, the most successful campaigns happen when our assumptions are challenged, exposed, and overturned. Blow expectations from the water, and you’re probably doing something worthwhile. If enough people of the “please change everything” crowd buy in, followers probably will too.
Which means some people will hate it, because most buy ins of that ilk are small. People from that other side of the fence consider themselves the norm; their expectations are set according to the simplest, most probable outcomes. Anything that doesn’t fit is too weird, exotic, or obscure.
If that’s the kind of people you need to market your business to, you’re pretty much set. Deliver what’s expected, and you’ll keep those customers, until something more mainstream comes along.
If those aren’t the kind of people you’re marketing too, then it might be time to ask: “What are we doing that’s different?”
Tags: business trust, content, content strategy, ideas, marketing blogs