I don’t know the first thing about woman’s fashion; nor the
second or third either. What I do know
is brilliant marketing when I see it.
Christian Louboutin is
a French footwear designer whose very expensive shoes have shiny, red-lacquered soles. It
is his signature. What Louboutin has done is pay attention to an aspect of his
footwear category that no one else paid attention to and he did it with flare.
Brands tend to rush toward the center where it is safe. Be
like everyone else. Do what everyone else does. Accept the norms and
conventions of an industry and blur into the middle. This isn't marketing, this
is boring.
Find Your Red Soul
What part of your product or service could you pay attention
to in a way that is unique and different from your category?
Can you use a color
that isn't often seen in competitive products? (If the industry like financial service's palate is
dark and somber, can you use orange to signal different)
In what innovative
form or function can your product be dressed to dramatically differentiate it
from standard packaging? (Toothpaste
that isn't in a tube)
Can you provide a
benefit in serving customers that is so noticeable that everyone wants to talk
about it? (My thermostat learns my personal heating/cooling habits and
helps me save money)
Can you differentiate
along the mode of distribution so you create wow through how the product is
delivered? (My pizza get delivered by just pushing one button on my smart
phone since it knows my name, address, regular order and preferences)
Can your new product do its own marketing because it brings a new innovation to market? (An alternative wine closure that is made, in part, from sugar cane)
Can your consulting, law, accounting firm give away some of its best advice for free to gain trust and confidence of potential clients? (Free to fee)
Can you write your children's novel and distribute part of it in a way no one else has ever done? (the back of a box of cereal)
Notice Me
If you create a product or service and then try and market it, it is too late. Your marketing should be integral to the product or service offering and built in. Don't be a heel, do something differently?
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Buy The Book
21 lessons from my marketing career exclusively
at Amazon. Labels: Christian Louboutin, ING, Marketing Moments, Nest, Nomacorc, red souls, Select Bio
