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Are Marketers Liars?
This is an excerpt from a new article on our site. Read
the full article.
In his recent book, All Marketers are Liars, Seth Godin
contends that consumers prefer fantasy to the truth, and that consequently
marketers should “live the lie, fully and completely.”
Stopping short of endorsing marketing methods which might kill people
(!), Godin’s view is that marketers should “give people
what they want,” regardless of its relation to reality.
Godin’s ideas are shaped by the fallout of large businesses
trying to compete in a global marketplace. With media saturation
at almost 100%, it’s getting harder and harder to catch people’s
attention.
But there’s another reality out there, and that reality is
the world of small and medium-size businesses. Particularly for
those businesses whose target market is local or regional, the situation
is different. Reputations are built less on flashy marketing campaigns
and more on the actual experiences of the people using the product
or service.
In that environment, what’s most effective is to tell the
truth, clearly and consistently. Successful brands tell stories,
but those stories are rooted in the authentic experience of the
person buying the product or service.
Telling the truth in an engaging, creative, authentic fashion builds
trust with your audience. It builds goodwill and encourages repeat
business. Authentic marketing begins with defining what makes your
offering unique and then telling a great story about that unique
advantage. Truthfully, clearly, and consistently. And that goes
not just for small or regional businesses, but for big business
as well. Rooting your brand in the truth is not only ethically sound
but essential for long-term success.
Read the full article
What Makes Logos Work
One of our favorite sites, MarketingProfs.com,
recently published an excellent two-part article on What
Makes Logos Work. We wish we'd wrote it ourselves! Check it
out to learn what a logo is, why size matters, and how to protect
your rights. (Free registration required to read article)
Mills attends design conference
Cairril Mills, principal of Cairril.com Design & Marketing,
recently attended the HOW Design Conference in Chicago. Useful sessions
covered creativity, cultural trends, copywriting and design, and
branding. Mills also cruised the extensive trade show area, gathering
information about the latest in papers (recycled papers are finally
a significant presence in all producers' line-ups), software, stock
photography, and materials.
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