We all measure success by some kind of ruler, and this ruler needs to have two characteristics.
It needs to be consistent. So that you can measure ups and downs over time, and maintain the course on the same objective (or set of objectives).
And it needs to be relevant. To you, and to those you seek to serve, your audience, your people.
If you change the ruler, distort the scale, zoom in and zoom out, what you get is not a consistent and relevant measure of your success.
When is the last time you felt good about somebody trying to outsmart you?
Probably, never.
Yet, most B2B marketing feels like a run at outsmarting the customer. Obscure language, unclear pricing, absurd experiences, inconsistent services. And that is mainly because at some point the company decides that their product is better than anything else, and it is the customer’s job to pay attention, put in the effort, understand the ins and outs, and be wow’ed.
It might indeed be that your product is good. But as a marketer, your role is to remind yourself of the challenges you faced when moving from somebody who knew nothing about it to somebody who knows enough to tell about it.
From somebody who is on a 2 to somebody who is on a 7 on the scale below.
| 10 | Is world’s leading expert on the idea. |
| 9 | Can ask expert questions and generate new information/data on the idea. |
| 8 | Can answer expert questions and reconcile contradictory thoughts about the idea. |
| 7 | Can answer any layman’s question and forms independent thoughts on the idea. |
| 6 | Can answer any layman’s question and forms intelligent opinions on the idea. |
| 5 | Knows about the idea, and can discern inaccurate statements about the idea. |
| 4 | Knows about the idea, and can explain what’s been learned in one’s own words. |
| 3 | Heard of the idea, and recites what others have said about it. |
| 2 | Heard of the idea, but doesn’t know anything about it. |
| 1 | Never heard of the idea. |
Marketing is not a competition. It is not about outwitting your customer, finding smarter ways to express complex concepts, putting on display all the knowledge you have.
Marketing is about going back to your journey across the scale and bringing some customers along.
If you succeed in this, you succeed in marketing.
When you talk about change, you might get a lot of resistance or a lot of cheering. Most likely, a mix of the two.
In both cases though, you are not one step closer to the change you are seeking.
And that is because telling about change is only one small step on a highway that also features telling about change again, finding supporters and aids, telling once more, showing what change is, buying in those who are against it, preparing everyone for change, reshaping the change story and spread it a bit farther, measuring change, following up to change, and initiating what comes after change.
A meeting or an email might be a good start, they are never the end of it. Even when everyone agrees. Particularly when everybody agrees.
When you put your idea out, it is the whole world to you.
For anybody else, it is just one of the hundreds heard in the past few days.
This is a gap that drives a lot of misunderstanding (“that’s not what I meant!“), frustration (“they do not care!“), and missed opportunities (“I give up!“).
It is a gap that is your responsibility to fill.
And so, when you put your idea out.
Go straight to the point. We might get interested in the background story at some point, definitely not the first time we get in touch. What do you do? Why do I care? Keep it short, actually shorter.
Make it stand out. You will not break through the noise if you just repeat what others are saying. The way they are saying it. My idea will increase your team’s productivity! It will save you money! It will make your floors shine brighter! Pass.
Make it relevant. And I am not sure if I should rather say specific. Generic messages that aim for the masses are doomed these days. Aim carefully, and craft it as if your audience’s well being would depend on it.
When you launch a rebrand, it’s often better to just rip off the bandaid.
One piece of evidence.
Google launched Workspace today, as a replacement to Google G Suite offering.
Microsoft launched Microsoft 365 six months ago, as a replacement (?) to Office 365 offering.
Judge for yourselves.
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