How to Craft A Strong Marketing Message
In the mid-90's, Microsoft tried to humanize their operating systems.
To appeal to non-techies, the brains at Microsoft introduced Bob. It tried to give a face to their operating system, so non-users would feel more comfortable with a computer.
Rather than interacting with a keyboard, a mouse and a monitor, operators who were not technically savvy were encouraged to communicate with Bob -- a face on the screen who would explain terms, do what the operator wished, and recommend things when asked.
The results were horrendous for Bob. Given the choice of working with a cold operating system or a pseudo-human interface, the market chose the standard OS. Bob just faded into the black.
So you would think technology companies would have learned their lesson of trying to give a face, and a persona, to technology.
Not so.
In late 2006, I was consulting to Cisco Systems to help them improve human and organizational performance. Their marketing department came out with a new brand -- "the Human Network". They changed their logo to be more consumer friendly, as they evolved into the company that brought people together in India, Hong Kong, Africa, America, etc. The images were magnificent, and they continued their best practices of communicating their new strategy and brand to all of their employees.
But can their technology, no matter how good it is, be a replacement for "the Human Network"?
People need face to face contact. Despite the fact that ATM's can handle 95% of banking transactions, many people still stand in line to wait for a teller at a bank.
They want the human contact.
They want the real human network.
Cisco may be 'connecting' the human network. They may be 'enhancing' the human network. But they are not 'replacing' the human network.
Now some of you marketing types are wondering if human is even a good term to use to describe something. After all, most people will say after making a mistake that they're only human. 'Human' often evokes a meaning of imperfect. Is that what Cisco is trying to imply about their networks?
How long can Cisco continue down this road?
Furthermore, shall technology ever have a face to it?
Will consumers ever warm up to technology the way Cisco is trying to get them to? Or will consumers continue to fear that Capek's "Rossum Universal Robots" may become a reality, and that technology will realize that it can do better without the human network to interfere with it? (in Capek's play, people make robots, but the robots eventually kill off all the people because of their inefficiencies)
It's commendable that Cisco kept its message simple, and non-technical. There is far too much VOIP, GSM, Web 2.0 etc. to confuse most consumers. But a message and a brand has to express benefits without so much hyperbole that people can't associate with it.
Cisco should have selected a message which outlines their benefits, in addition to keeping it simple.
A great example in the food industry is Subway, with their "Eat Fresh" slogan. They didn't call themselves "the food chain". Yet they kept their message simple, and showed the benefits in just two words. Eat Fresh. Well done.
New marketing messages are crafted everyday. Some are extremely successful, while others just never connect with their target audience. How can you ensure that your company's message can make the connection you're looking for?
Here are some tips on crafting a stronger marketing message:
1. List the value you add to your customers. How are they better off after buying and using your product or service? Brainstorm with co-workers, your team, your customers, etc. to get everything down on paper.
2. Consider how your target market will view your business as being different from your competitor. What makes you stick out? Brainstorm again with others.
3. Consider your business strategy for the next two years. How is it you want your business to be seen? Perhaps the company is divided now, but you wish to unify it, for example. Maybe you're moving from B2B to B2C, as in the example above.
4. Synthesize the comments into paragraphs. Usually 3-5 paragraphs can cover a Fortune 500 company, while 1-2 should cover any small business.
5. List all the colorful adjectives that describe your value, your benefits and your differentiating factors.
6. List all the nouns that describe your product or service offerings.
7. Synthesize your paragraphs into a sentence of 12 words or less, using the colorful adjectives and nouns from the last two steps. For example,
"Acme Widgets makes the user interface more convenient."
8. Start testing your new message with your co-workers. Get their input on suitability and appeal to target market. Modify as needed. If you do change it, retest the new message again with your co-workers.
9. Start using the new message at networking events. When people ask you what you do, answer, "I'm with Acme Widgets. We make the user interface more convenient", for example.
10. When you feel enough confidence in your testing, roll out the new message in your marketing materials. Put it on business cards, web pages and other marketing collateral.
Tell the world why they should be doing business with you in a simple and efficient manner, and you'll be sticking out far above the crowd.
To appeal to non-techies, the brains at Microsoft introduced Bob. It tried to give a face to their operating system, so non-users would feel more comfortable with a computer.
Rather than interacting with a keyboard, a mouse and a monitor, operators who were not technically savvy were encouraged to communicate with Bob -- a face on the screen who would explain terms, do what the operator wished, and recommend things when asked.
The results were horrendous for Bob. Given the choice of working with a cold operating system or a pseudo-human interface, the market chose the standard OS. Bob just faded into the black.
So you would think technology companies would have learned their lesson of trying to give a face, and a persona, to technology.
Not so.
In late 2006, I was consulting to Cisco Systems to help them improve human and organizational performance. Their marketing department came out with a new brand -- "the Human Network". They changed their logo to be more consumer friendly, as they evolved into the company that brought people together in India, Hong Kong, Africa, America, etc. The images were magnificent, and they continued their best practices of communicating their new strategy and brand to all of their employees.
But can their technology, no matter how good it is, be a replacement for "the Human Network"?
People need face to face contact. Despite the fact that ATM's can handle 95% of banking transactions, many people still stand in line to wait for a teller at a bank.
They want the human contact.
They want the real human network.
Cisco may be 'connecting' the human network. They may be 'enhancing' the human network. But they are not 'replacing' the human network.
Now some of you marketing types are wondering if human is even a good term to use to describe something. After all, most people will say after making a mistake that they're only human. 'Human' often evokes a meaning of imperfect. Is that what Cisco is trying to imply about their networks?
How long can Cisco continue down this road?
Furthermore, shall technology ever have a face to it?
Will consumers ever warm up to technology the way Cisco is trying to get them to? Or will consumers continue to fear that Capek's "Rossum Universal Robots" may become a reality, and that technology will realize that it can do better without the human network to interfere with it? (in Capek's play, people make robots, but the robots eventually kill off all the people because of their inefficiencies)
It's commendable that Cisco kept its message simple, and non-technical. There is far too much VOIP, GSM, Web 2.0 etc. to confuse most consumers. But a message and a brand has to express benefits without so much hyperbole that people can't associate with it.
Cisco should have selected a message which outlines their benefits, in addition to keeping it simple.
A great example in the food industry is Subway, with their "Eat Fresh" slogan. They didn't call themselves "the food chain". Yet they kept their message simple, and showed the benefits in just two words. Eat Fresh. Well done.
New marketing messages are crafted everyday. Some are extremely successful, while others just never connect with their target audience. How can you ensure that your company's message can make the connection you're looking for?
Here are some tips on crafting a stronger marketing message:
1. List the value you add to your customers. How are they better off after buying and using your product or service? Brainstorm with co-workers, your team, your customers, etc. to get everything down on paper.
2. Consider how your target market will view your business as being different from your competitor. What makes you stick out? Brainstorm again with others.
3. Consider your business strategy for the next two years. How is it you want your business to be seen? Perhaps the company is divided now, but you wish to unify it, for example. Maybe you're moving from B2B to B2C, as in the example above.
4. Synthesize the comments into paragraphs. Usually 3-5 paragraphs can cover a Fortune 500 company, while 1-2 should cover any small business.
5. List all the colorful adjectives that describe your value, your benefits and your differentiating factors.
6. List all the nouns that describe your product or service offerings.
7. Synthesize your paragraphs into a sentence of 12 words or less, using the colorful adjectives and nouns from the last two steps. For example,
"Acme Widgets makes the user interface more convenient."
8. Start testing your new message with your co-workers. Get their input on suitability and appeal to target market. Modify as needed. If you do change it, retest the new message again with your co-workers.
9. Start using the new message at networking events. When people ask you what you do, answer, "I'm with Acme Widgets. We make the user interface more convenient", for example.
10. When you feel enough confidence in your testing, roll out the new message in your marketing materials. Put it on business cards, web pages and other marketing collateral.
Tell the world why they should be doing business with you in a simple and efficient manner, and you'll be sticking out far above the crowd.
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