Pitching The Night Away

WoW!
Has it really been three weeks since I last posted on here?
Sorry for those of you who kept checking back for updates.
You know how it is.
Real life has a habit of getting in the way.
We’ve had something of a pitch frenzy here at GPJ.
So, of course, I couldn’t be happier.
As I've said before (repeatedly) pitching is our cost of sales.
Since we don’t advertise, pitching’s the best way of getting our name out there.
And even if you don’t win, no-one goes home empty handed.
We leave behind some great ideas.
Tons of chemistry.
New relationships.
There’s an old sports saying: "You miss 100% of the shots you never take."
Similarly, "You've got to be in it to win it."
OK, so they’re all clichés.
But they’re based in truth.
So of course you want to win, but also focus on taking every opportunity to meet,

engage and share.
Get out there and spread the word.
You never know who might be listening.

Here's The Truth,, You Can't Handle The Truth

There are thousands of graduates out there, dreaming of a career in marketing, advertising and PR.

Ask them about their ideal job and they’ll tell you all about the brands they’d love to work with.

The audiences they’re dying to engage.

And the campaigns they hope to create.

What they probably won’t mention, is a long-standing desire to work in B2B marketing
So how did B2B become the last pick weedy kid of our industry?

Why aren’t we top of the hit-list when it comes to attracting the best talent?
I think it can be summed up in one word.........: boring.
A contentious viewpoint, perhaps.

But time and time again, we seem to forget the golden rule: our audiences are all people at heart.

It doesn’t matter how they fill their 9-5.

They still go to the pub with their mates, veg out in front of the TV, and try to score tickets to that long awaited reunion gig of their favourite band.

It’s not as if they automatically disconnect their souls the moment they log into their work email.
And yet, for some inexplicable reason, the world of B2B marketing seems to think that the only thing its audience cares about is work.

So that’s what we talk about.

Ad infinitum.

The more information then better.

And if it doesn’t inspire us, imagine how they must feel.
The fact is, our brands need the same thing our B2C counterparts need – advocates.

Those unofficial, authentic, low-cost sales people who will go out and evangelise on our behalf. Word-of-mouth is just as important in our world.

And social media is the perfect platform on which to activate it.

But we keep making the same mistakes, confusing information overload with emotional engagement.
We need to shift our mindset, and play by the same rules as our colleagues in B2C.

Our audience wants to be entertained and inspired.

Engaged and rewarded.

They may have to run their decisions past the folks in procurement, but they still listen to their heart when it comes to the crunch.
With the economy still in the grip of a seemingly endless recession, the competition is fiercer than ever.

We need to cut through the white noise, give people a reason to choose us over someone else.

The principles which have governed B2C marketing for decades can all apply.

Loyalty rewards, humour, great customer service, entertainment, engagement and dialogue. They’re essential tools, and yet all too often, they’re completely overlooked.
None of us want to be defined by the work we do.

And that includes our audiences.

This One's On Me

Nothing stands still for long in the world of marketing.
It's not so long ago that I was talking about the experience economy.
Now, it seems, we've shifted to the relationship economy.
Brands are looking for long-term engagement with audiences.
Relationship that don't just last a lifetime, but that will span generations too.
According to Tom LaForge, Global Director of Human and Cultural Insights at Coca Cola:
"The last thing we want to do in any relationship is transactionalise it".
I don't suppose that means he's going to be giving away Cokes from now on.
But I think he understands the fundamental issue at the heart of relationships based on any kind of exchange.
In the past I've described advertising as the friend who only ever calls when they need something.
"Can you lend me a tenner?"
"Can you pick me up from the airport?"
"Think you could write me a reference?"
Annoying, aren't they?
Experience marketing, on the other hand, is always in touch.
It wants to know how you're doing.
And it understands the difference between a conversation and a monologue.
The fact is, even the best relationships sometimes have a transactional side.
The key is to make sure that there's a quid pro quo at the heart of it.
This time, you're doing a favour.
Next time, like the song says, "They'll be there for you."
The best brands are happy to go Dutch.
Because they know that it all evens out in the end.

Shine Like A Star

Sometimes, even I struggle to get out of bed.

Maybe it's been a long week.

Or I'm still feeling the effects of a late night.

Either way, I find myself thinking how nice it would be to just lay back and stay in bed.

But I never do.

Because the one thing I enjoy more than sleeping is coming to work.

It's true.

And if you can't say the same, you're doing something wrong.

Think about it.

We spend more time at work than we do anywhere else.

We see more of our colleagues than we do our family and loved ones.

Work has to be fun.

It has to be a laugh.

And if you enjoy yourself, chances are your workmates will too.

Same goes for your clients.

My friend Chris Barez Brown releases his new book today.

It's called How To Shine At Work.

The website's here: www.howtoshineatwork.com

In it, he teaches you how to be Bono...Or Elvis.

The entertainer with the power to lead.

As.Chris says start reading novels instead of The Economist.

Slope off for a nap if you need some inspiration.

And if your boss has a problem, tell them to take it up with me.

Actually, on second thoughts, give them Chris's number.

The Sky Is Falling, Take Cover

WoW!
The world moves so quickly, and so slowly at the same time.
Our environment can change in an instant.
And yet it can take us years to respond.
I remember writing on this very blog about two years ago about the demise of Woolworths.
As someone who used to buy the top 20 singles every week, it was a loss I felt very deeply.
At the time, I argued that some businesses had simply passed their sell-by date.
Time to chuck them out, along with the curdled milk and furry cheese.
(You should see inside my fridge)
Anyway, it was a sad time for the people who worked there.
But the closure of those distinctive red and white stores was more about the business model than the recession.
Its core offer was outdated.
Unsustainable.
And yet here we are again.
Those who forget the past... and all that.
Oddbins, Moben, Habitat, Focus DIY, Jane Norman and Thornton's are all either biting the dust or opening wide in preparation.
Again, it's unfortunate for the lives and careers that will be affected.
But once more, it's about the business model.
Not being an expert on female fashion, I can't comment on Jane Norman.
But the others are all outdated propositions.
Oddbins can't compete with grocery multiples and their 'pile it high sell it cheap' mindset.
Moben was built on a personal finance model that no longer fits.
Habitat seem over priced when compared with other fashionable furniture stores.
Focus DIY was always an also-ran to B&Q.
And Thornton's have given up their exclusivity, enabling their loyal customers to pick up chocolates in the supermarket.
Ultimately, the energy that creates as business has to be sustained.
And that means redirecting it to respond to changing market conditions.
It means keeping track of changing audience tastes.
If the global slow down has taught us anything, it's that nothing lasts forever.
Even beloved brands.
Evolution is a painful process.
But if you don't embrace it, you're just another relic waiting for your place in a museum.