Comments

MOST MARKETING PROGRAMS FAIL BECAUSE THEY TREAT CUSTOMERS AS BUYERS, AND NOT AS PARTNERS ON A SHARED QUEST.PERIOD.

Posted by Jayakumar.T.H. at November 30, 2004 4:35 AM

Its a big step to treat a prospect, a customer or even a client as a partner, those brave enough to delve into this area can reap highly valuable rewards (and I speak not of money.) Indeed they can make lifelong partners if treated right and the 'strategic' friendship that develops is likely to be far more profitable than cash. (After all what value do you put on great, indepth, meaningful friendships!)

Cheers Steve Gray (Australia).

Posted by Steve Gray at November 30, 2004 6:38 AM

Good-o... looks like someone started a hole into which I can two-footedly leap.

The essence of great customer service is simple... founded on awareness-of and respect-for 'each other'.

Often, there's a 'them/us' barrier bewteen organisation and customer - sometimes it's apparent and others real. And, whether deliberate or accidental, there's an implied balance of power in favor of the organisation - in which the customer feels disempowered.

'J'accuse' - it's something of which this site is not an exception.

Posted by g at November 30, 2004 7:45 AM

g - Let us hear more ... (j'accuse)

These first comments all focus on the distance/barrier between sellers and customers ... interesting ... any examples of organizations that aren't guilty of this?

Posted by Steve Yastrow at November 30, 2004 7:50 AM

I believe that lack of creativity is often a major factor. It's easy for companies to get stuck in a rut with a "this is the way we've always done it" mindset. They develop a marketing strategy, but it may be last year's cookie-cutter, rather than having a strong focus on meeting objectives today. Or, they may try to jump on a trend when it's too late or try to capture a market that their competition alread captured last week.

Speaking of customers, many companies claim excellent customer service, but, in reality, don't provide it. I'm a huge proponent of creating memorable customer experiences, no matter what industry you're in. If you can connect with your customers in a dynamic, compelling and memorable way, they'll keep coming back--and evangelize for you.

Posted by John Fries at November 30, 2004 8:19 AM

>g - Let us hear more ... (j'accuse)

Tiny examples...

The piece on 'If you post a comment here, check back. You might find the one under yours signed "tom peters."'

Well, woop-****ing-doop. Big deal. I'll venture my Maria Callas cds that many (perhaps) most folk don't post here in either hope or expectation of such. They certainly didn't in the Brand Cafe/Reimagine discussions (which enabled levels of personal interaction beyond blog format). [And, where did they go? Open to 'entirely my fault in missing a communique', I'm not aware of any notice they were being nuked. Archiving them to a forlorn corner of the site would have been better.]

That remark is on par with the big wood desk... door marked 'boss'... and lower-level visitor seating. It's neither necessary nor constructive.

Unless it's been fixed, the shopping cart experience is a short stop from hell.

Overall, the site tone is largely one of 'talking to' rather than 'speaking with'. It doesn't really engage. Compare the tone of the Yastrow contact page with the one on this site. The former invites. Does the latter?

Regarding distance/barrier examples... there's many. Currently compiling for a 'DifferentBusiness' project, I'm keen to hear from others with suggestions. Meantime, I suggest Kelleher gets it right with SouthWest, Peterman usually does... and from the wings, try StoryPeople.

Posted by g at November 30, 2004 8:43 AM

Most marketing programs stand on the surface, they are obsessed with image and have little impact on the company´s culture. They don´t reach the heart of the business. They are just make up when they should be a an inner transformation.

Posted by Felix Gerena at November 30, 2004 8:51 AM

Steve: I'll fill in the form again. I wrote a good experience, but i'll also write in a bad expereince later..

Ok ok..the us/them syndrome, I'll second g's comments... I have seen that too often. its Them vs US .. is most of the time occurence...which sucks.. !! Steve: classic eg. Bell.ca.. they overcharged their customers on certain airtime plans and when the raging customer fought back it was the US vs Them syndrome... This nearly went to the Classic Class action law suite.. If you need the whole story..i'll dig it up..And Orgainizations that ant' really gulity of that is the most often seen in the small mom&pop org's.. e.g Hugh MacLeod - he does what he loves and we all love him..if one does not agree- so be it. deal with it and get on with life..he gets more brand equity then most others designers !!! !!

g: what looks inviting to you ..may look unviting for others... this is part of market demo/psycho graphics..but that again.. all markets consit of human beings... read the my abrdiged version of the cluetrain manifesto.. This is preceisly the why marketing plans and strategies shift. Its very nature of essense of converstions between human beings.. this converstaion itself, is a prime exmaple..

Posted by /pd at November 30, 2004 9:06 AM

/pd... >g: what looks inviting to you ..may look uninviting for others...

Agree. And... there's a point at which things become absolute rather than relative. Just like 'quality', it's implicit and doesn't have to be defined.

Posted by g at November 30, 2004 9:22 AM

As the marketing executive recruited to start operations in my state (Kerala, “God’s own country!”) for “Dainik Bhaskar", India’s largest read and circulated daily newspaper, the inaugural event of a super-speciality ayurvedic hospital in New-Delhi was something too good to miss. The hospital belonged to a prominent ayurvedic group from my state, and I felt responsible.

There was a problem, though. Dainik Bhaskar was not printed in New Delhi!

To begin with, I started a dialogue on this, both with the advertisement agency (Mudra) and the client. I told them that since the hospital is going to be inaugurated by the Hon. President of India, they needn’t advertise in Delhi. It will be all over the front pages of Delhi newspapers, anyway. But they need to advertise in the Hindi heartland, and the best vehicle for that was Dainik Bhaskar.

On inaugural day, Dainik Bhaskar carried the Advertisement. Hindustan times, which used to be Delhi’s prominent newspaper at that time, didn’t!

I treated my client as a partner, and engaged him in the larger communication context.
The dominant newspaper guys treated the client as a BUYER and lost.

Posted by Jayakumar.T.H. at November 30, 2004 9:44 AM

oh way to go g!!! you got me going now !! :)-

"there's a point at which things become absolute rather than relative"..jhust like when the absoulte speed of light becomes 186Km/hr and the then relative theory kicks in correct ??

btw..What is the difference between 'defined' quality and 'implicit' quality ?? Is the nature of quality implicit or defined ?? what replationship does it have on a marketing efforts ??

I dunna..

Posted by /pd at November 30, 2004 10:11 AM

The biggest reason I see for marketing programs failing, is that they start with the marketing TACTIC first...and THEN try to figure out how to make it work.

"Hey...let's do one of those interactive CD roms!"

"Great idea!"

[several months of planning, preparing, creating]

"Ok...we're done! How can we use this?"

Most marketing programs that fail don't begin with the END in mind.

Posted by Dean Jackson at November 30, 2004 10:17 AM

g"we each genuinely know when we're right/wrong... have done good/bad... whatever."-
NO.. we genuinely THINK we know whats good/bad !!
Take for e.g. marketing beef burgers to North Americans..sounds kewl every corner has a Mac's ..correct.. same concept go and try and market beef burgers in rural heartland India.and see if you walk away alive !! The point here is ,that the perception if what is right and wrong is based on the premise that we know all the good/bad stuff.. but we really dont ... its the consumers and markets that know that !!!

Posted by /pd at November 30, 2004 12:58 PM

Christ, you lot think to much. I dont even know what a marketing program is. Oh, and pd - you'd be far better off developing your own style of writing rather than trying to emulate Mr Peters.

And I just thought of a question. If you lot know so much about why marketing programs dont work, then why arn't you marketing gods?

Posted by Craig at November 30, 2004 1:01 PM

I'm in an industry that clings to unworkable marketing. I'm in life insurance.

Status quo: beat ppl up until they buy out of need.

My approach: show people their financial potential, then promise them to move heaven and earth to help them make it real, using a local network of advisors of which I am one.

Biggest marketing problem: Going against the grain of customer status quo mindsets. Once I'm in, they become believers. Getting in is tough, one call at a time, looking for open minds.
Elie

Posted by Elisha at November 30, 2004 2:30 PM

hey..craig.. I can't help it if TP emulate my style of writing !! get a life Dude.. better still get a blog.. at least we'll see what your style is !! and to answer your question.. the marketing gods of today are leeches with no Qualms on shafting the consumer !!!.. and I dont want to be one of em.. !!!! so there.. thats why I an't a marketing god and if were..I'll still write how the heck I want :)-

Posted by /pd at November 30, 2004 3:49 PM

Simple... Stupid Marketing people never consult and get the buy-in from their sales counterparts.

Posted by Matt Chamberlin at November 30, 2004 4:39 PM

Okay, kids, back to the original question!!!

I think there are a few reasons why marketing programs fail: The company thinks of itself more in terms of beating the competition than being the best in its field. The company follows the trends (fads) instead of doing what's right and best. The company doesn't find its customers' needs and fill them. The company's marketing doesn't speak to its customers or prospective customers. Other departments in the company look at marketing the same way Scott "Dilbert" Adams does.

And no, I don't work in Marketing.

Posted by Ron at November 30, 2004 4:42 PM

Sorry folks - but I don't believe marketing fails - PRODUCTS/COMPANIES/PEOPLE/SERVICES fail. Some miserably because they rely too much on the marketing dept 'to take the product home' THEN the marketing plan gets blamed (or credited) for the blessed event.

What GREAT product failed because of marketing? None. And what GREAT/PERFECT/WONDEROUS 'thing' with a marketing plan that originally sucked (eventually) didn't get noticed for just that - being GREAT/PERFECT/WONDEROUS? --- None.

If you want to know why marketing fails - its because they have the daunting task of pushing a lousy 'thing' that no-one will buy a second time after they realize they were lied to by THE MARKETING GODS!

Marketing just prolongs a '1 time user' assult -speeding up the exposure of a 'crap' product.

or

Adds to the momentum of consumer demand for something that finally works!

And no - I am not in marketing either. (I am a sales god)
And I have always written like this - not trying to EMULATE anybody (as mentioned above)

Posted by Bryce Hartman at November 30, 2004 8:40 PM

The main reason is that differentiated unique selling proposition (USP) is lacking. Most campaings I’ve seen, failed because they couldn’t differentiate theirselves from the competitiors: The offers are usually same. Blue campaign, red campaign, .... Yes, red takes more attention, but that’s it.

Posted by Can at December 1, 2004 8:38 AM

Hey, hey, I have an idea!

I've heard of Hemingway contests, which see who can write the most like Ernest Hemingway did.

How about if we have a Peters contest? Who can write the most like Tom Peters does?

TP: choosing a pseudonym and entering the contest wouldn't be fair now, would it? heh heh . . .

Posted by Ron at December 1, 2004 10:48 AM

Thanks folks! Reading those posts was the most fun I've had in weeks. ;-)

So as to why most marketing programs fail? The answer lies in the question. It's a case of bad terminology causing bad thinking and worse outcomes.

The word "marketing" conjures up doing things "to" people, typically with explotive and wasteful activities. Better to ask: why do most customer programs fail? Hard to answer that one, because a customer program would be one we do "with" and "for" through shared information, insight, collaboration, etc.

Okay, I have to go now. But please . . . all of you . . . be nice, make up and go home and get some sleep.

Kindest regards,

Tom

(aka The guy Tom Peters refers to as "a marketing guru" in his latest book, Re-Imagine!) So don't be questioning me. hehe

Posted by Tom Asacker at December 1, 2004 7:24 PM

Get the best guy in the business regarding marketing: Seth Godin. Also a great book from Kevin Roberts of Saatchi & Saatchi: Lovemarks.
Those will answer a lot of questions why marketing doesn't work.

Posted by Serge Labelle at December 2, 2004 6:37 PM

Avoiding Marketing Pitfalls

Many competent consultants risk their own success, and their bank balances, by driving straight into the same old marketing potholes again and again.

Take action to avoid these ten common traps:

The curse of experience. Many consultants believe that their deep understanding of clients and their businesses translates into an understanding of the nuances of marketing. That assumption can cost you clients and money.

Go it alone. Consulting is a collaborative business. Whether it’s Web design, writing marketing copy, or launching a survey, you should always be on the lookout for talented people to partner with in marketing. Focus your efforts on what you do best—deliver value to clients. Let the pros cover your weak spots in their areas of expertise.

Overestimate clients’ interest in you. Clients care about their own problems and how to solve them, not about your business. They’ll engage you to help and express polite interest in you, but keep the focus on them, not you.

Believe your services are top-notch just as they are. Clients’ needs are always changing, so your service strategy must always be evolving too. It’s never good enough.

Sell too hard. Don’t think clients are ready to be sold by you right off the bat. Clients buy, they’re not sold. Give them something to buy that they really need.

Dabble in marketing. You can’t just throw an article or two out there and expect clients to take notice of you. Successful marketing requires sustained, consistent, and coordinated effort.

Focus on your “accounts,” not your clients. Learn as much about the people as you do about each client’s company. Plan and market in a client-centered manner—at the individual executive level.

Take the one-size-fits-all approach. Each client and project is different. Your previously winning formula can easily backfire unless it’s tailored for each individual situation.

Impatience. Instant gratification and marketing rarely go together. Be patient. Your marketing investments will pay off, but it almost always takes longer than you think.

Dread marketing. Consulting is a marketing business. If you don’t enjoy marketing, the road will seem like—and be—one pothole after another.

Posted by Michael McLaughin at December 2, 2004 11:55 PM

This question brought my day to a screeching halt. Why? Because it goes to the core of what I do every day.

I work for a company that provides marketing strategies for financial advisors. If I were to venture a guess as to why a marketing program does not work for an advisor, it is because the advisor did not do what s/he agreed they would do.

Here is a typical conversation with an advisor that “gets it”:

ME: So, what results have you seen this past week/two weeks/month from the marketing plan we worked on?

ADVISOR: Great!/Super!/Better than we imagined/We are starting to see some positive results. We have been making our targeted number of calls/holding our targeted number of meetings/following up on opportunities to bring in new assets/doing what the marketing plan tells us to do.

ME: Is everything perfect yet?

ADVISOR: (usually laughs when I ask this) Hell, no! We’re still not quite where we want to be in regards to production/assets/policies written, but I am much more optimistic/much happier/willing to do what it takes because of the initial results we have had.

ME: What, if anything, do you want to change?

ADVISOR: I want to keep doing what works and find ways to do more of it. What do you recommend?

ME: You stated you are doing well at calls/meetings/some other things. What else do you want to add to the mix? (once I know this, I dig deep into my resources [my company’s widgets/staff’s experiences/WWW/blogs/no-BS buddies/other successful advisors], assemble the data, and present my findings to the advisor for an up/down vote).

Here is a typical conversation with an advisor that doesn’t “get it”:

ME: So, what results have you seen this past week/two weeks/month from the marketing plan we worked on?

real pfizer viagra online ADVISOR: (huffy/pissed off/arrogant tone) Your company sucks! We spent all this money on your system and we haven’t had one new @&!#? client yet!

ME: Hmmm. What actions on the marketing plan have you implemented?

ADVISOR: (getting close to ‘going Vesuvius’ on me) Hey, you guys and my staff are the ones who are supposed to run this thing. All I want to do is see new people/have my days full of meetings/do my thing and have you %!#@* take care of the rest!

ME: You and I laid out a game plan for…

ADVISOR: (interrupting) I saw on your web site that you have a killer pre-packaged seminar presentation program/a new strategy for insurance sales/a better closing technique. How much is that, and how soon can I get it here, cause you bastards obviously don’t know what you’re doing. online pharmacy australia viagra

ME: (counting to 186 in my head before I speak) Before we wander down the path of finding new clients, how about we take a look at getting new business from your existing clie…

ADVISOR: (interrupting yet again) I’m bored with my clients [yes, I have heard this more than you can imagine]. I want action/I’m in this for the ‘thrill of the kill’ [yep, heard this a lot too]. So, how do I fill up my seminars with people with money?

ME: (taking a deeeeeep breath, holding it for 10 seconds, and exhaling slowly) If you will please refer to page 8 of the marketing plan we crea…

ADVISOR: Oh, so we’re back to that again? You’re trying to make it sound like it’s my fault that the marketing you guys gave me isn’t working!

In the universe I work in, marketing program fail because the ‘marketor’ failed to implement the program aimed at the ‘marketee’. It may be different in your universe – if so, I would love to know.

Posted by Brian Taylor at December 3, 2004 1:07 PM

If you want to comment on this post, please see it's twin brother closer to the top of the page and make your comment there. Thanks!

Posted by Steve Yastrow at December 7, 2004 9:10 PM