When I worked agency-side, we had tonnes of courier companies vying for our business – we were sending packages out of our office every minute of the day: from mock ups to creative concepts to print proofs to proposals. They sent us mailers and emails on a daily basis claiming that they were the “fastest” and the “cheapest”. One day, I returned to my desk from lunch to find a wrapped package sitting on my chair. I opened it and inside lay a perfectly intact egg and a letter. The letter said (something like this): “We know you take great care and attention with every package that leaves your office. This uncracked egg should show you how much care and attention we put into every package we deliver…” This courier company was the antithesis of “fast” and “cheap”. Fast and cheap meant nothing to a business shipping items that were, in many instances, invaluable. Instead, they spoke in a language that MEANT something to us. It wasn’t about schtick. It was about meaning, relevancy and proof. It got my attention. It spoke to me. It resulted in me giving them our business.
For me, great marketing has always come down to understanding your customer, their problem(s) and communicating a solution that speaks to your core competencies with creativity.
Do you have an example of a company that effectively used marketing to get your sale? You can also weigh in on our LinkedIn Group page: What are the best examples of marketing you’ve experienced?.