July 30th, 2008
by Projectline

In catching up on my RSS feeds over the weekend, I found myself staring at a short New York Times article that suggested a long story left unwritten. How does anyone build a viral campaign that succeeds out of any force other than blind luck?

Believe it or not, there is an equation for just that purpose:

[Be Amazing] + [Act Amazing] = [Get Amazing]

Viral is really that simple – just be worth talking about and do something worth talking about. The only catch is you have to have both to succeed. Notice also that I’ve not mentioned timing anywhere. There is a reason for this: Great campaigns always make their own timing.

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tags: advertising, audience perception, Best practices, creative services, Digital Content, early adoption, marketing, marketing goals, messaging, new media, web 2.0

June 10th, 2008
by Projectline

Move to an edge. Declare your edge the center. Let the world reorganize around you.

The great misconception of marketplace leadership is that success comes from saddling up and blazing a new path for all to follow. Intuitively, we all know it doesn’t work like that.

People don’t connect with an idea because some commander inspired hearts and minds – they connect with an idea because it makes sense on a fundamental level. Something works better/faster/easier/cheaper. It’s more fair or honest or viable or responsible.  It’s more exciting, or makes them more exciting.

Modern leadership is about taking a fresh idea and committing to it – and allowing people to find their way to the best solution. It isn’t push. It’s pull. The greatest successes in this generation haven’t tried to drag a marketplace with them, rather they’ve focused on building mp3 players and social networks and powertrain systems that deliver more value than the status quo.

This truism applies in equal measure to brands and marketers as it does product designs and program developers. Unforgettable work requires establishing a center apart from old Madison Avenue, rethinking the rules for engaging your audience, raising a new flag and allowing people to find their way.

tags: advertising, audience perception, Best practices, marketing, marketing goals, messaging

October 29th, 2007
by Anika Lehde

 So I have been thinking today (not the first time) about my least favorite approach to customer evidence, (case studies, success stories, customer testimonials, whatever you want to call them). I think it is a problem that permeates the execution of so many sales and marketing activities: goal-agnostic metrics.

What do I mean? I mean when some poor marketing manager has been given the task of “creating XX number of success stories by XX date” as the goal of a customer evidence program. This is a fine target number, but not the goal of the program. The goals of an evidence program should be more like: to create stories that are instantly readable and genuinely connect with the audience, to create testimonials that are true and informative with a reasonable call to action, to produce stories that resonate and can be passed on to your customers’ industry peers, and most importantly to create materials that actually get in the hands of buyers and influencethem at all stages of the sales and marketing life cycle.

So my quick advice, if you are ever asked to “create XX number of success stories by XX date” is to consider these 4 questions:

• How will these materials get into the hands of potential customers, specifically? Events? Online? Sales calls? Proposals? Direct mail? Press releases? and how can I make sure that it actually happens?
• What formats will be most useful in these channels?
• What quantity of success stories is needed to be successful in these channels based on coverage across industry, geography, and segment?
• If I were someone in my audience, what would I really bother to read that would make a difference in my buying decisions? (See little chat on empathy in marketing or more ideas.

Once these questions are answered, then set the best target possible for your budget, and include a few more details such as what formats will be used in what channels (online, direct mail, advertising, sales calls, events, etc). That is sure to generate more success for your company in the long run, and you’ll still likely hit hit your targets. And if any one ever asks you, “why 20?,” you’ll have an answer.

tags: audience perception, B2B, case studies, customer evidence, customer reference, marketing, marketing goals