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Introduction
The 42 Rules of Marketing is a compilation of ideas,
theories, and practical approaches to marketing challenges
I have been collecting over the past 17 years. The
idea was to create a series of helpful reminders; things
that marketers know we should do, but don't always
have the time or patience to do.
The concept of the 42 rules is that almost anything
in life can be summarized into 42 distinct ideas that
capture the essence of the topic.
I am often asked "why 42?" In the science-fiction
novel turned cult film, The Hitchhikers Guide to the
Galaxy, the main characters try to find a legendary
computer that was asked to find the answer to the "ultimate
question of life, the universe, and everything." When
they finally reach the computer, the group is told
that the answer is simply "42." As I approached
writing this book, 27 rules seemed too low, but 51
were way too many. Douglas Adams, the author
of The Hitchhikers Guide, was on to something when
he chose 42. It felt right to me as well.
Rule
8: Customers are people too
Statistics and data are useful in helping us paint
a picture of who your customers are, what they value
and how you can expect them to behave. But at
some level it is very impersonal. You talk about
your customers in very generic terms. You don't
connect with them as the individuals they are. Read more...
A few thoughts about strategy
and tactics
Companies often find themselves with brilliant
strategies, but nothing to really show for it. What
looks good on paper doesn't translate into real
business results.
So what happens? Why don't those great ideas
turn into equally great profits?
Well, sometimes when companies try to implement the
strategy, they run into obstacles such as channels,
partners, technology, infrastructure, competition,
or lack of resources. The reverse is also true. Companies
can spend so much time executing that they lose sight
of the business objective. They might end up with an
awesome website, but no real results. To be valuable,
strategy must be practical, and tactics must be integrated. Read more...
A few thoughts from Michelle
Bonat
The best way I have found to connect strategies
and tactics is to listen to your clients and
let their real world needs drive your short term
tactics. I just returned from a three week "listening
tour" visiting clients and potential clients
to listen to their challenges. Sure, we
outlined ideas for our solution, but only as
a means for pointing the discussion. Most
of the time was spent digging into their key
challenges and the gaps in their current solutions.
The point was not to sell but to listen. Read more...
Thanks
for your continued support. I'm looking forward
to your comments and ideas for future issues
of Be Heard!
