Trent365

We know that much of our behaviour happens without us really thinking about it.

We also know that our customers make much of their purchasing decisions for emotional reasons, not rational ones.

Till Boadella suggests that Fear and Shame are two of the biggest motivators of buying behaviour.

The Fitness Industry, Beauty Industry, Dating Industry and even the Porn Industry are all built on Shame.

I don't fit in. I don't look pretty. I'm not good enough. 

And as for Fear...well, we're living through a great example of it right now with COVID-19.

The Insurance Industry, Medical Industry and even the Wellness Industry are are all built on Fear.

We're not running towards being better, we're running away from being worse...because we're scared.

So, through this lens, how could you modify your marketing and especially our messaging to ensure that you can trigger those emotions of Fear and Shame?

Here's the link to Till Boadella's website - https://bit.ly/3cpUBz6

#fear #shame #consumerbehaviour

I have a confession to make...

I have become a Lululemon Man!

Since I started my new burst of fitness activities about 5 months I have be wearing Lululemon gear...and I'm a Fan!

One thing I love is finding the hidden motivational messages inside the garments.

'Better Everyday' is on the inside on one shirt.

'Find Your Focus' is on the inside sleeve of another.

What I love most about these messages is that they are only for the fans. Only for those who own the product.

Only YOU know the secret.

They're not overt, in-your-face branding messages for all to see.

And this is a strategy that could be applied to just about any product.

Put your message on the underside of the box, on the inside of the packaging, on the inside of the lid.

Anywhere you like...as long as it's not plain to see for all.

Share the secret...but only with your fans!

#branding #messaging #marketing

I think it'd be pretty naive to think that something that has caused such a dramatic change in our behaviours over such a sustained period of time, like this COVID-19 Pandemic has, will not lead to long lasting changes in the way we live our lives.

Looking at my own behaviours over the past year or so, I have become more Patient. I've had to. I've had no choice.

I've also become more Empathetic.

Now, I know many will recall the crazy scenes at supermarkets when people were hoarding toilet paper and pasta, with no thought for their fellow man.

Not a lot of Empathy being shown there.

But that was just our survival instinct. (yes, somehow people saw toilet paper as essential to their survival!?!)

Once we got over that though, we have been bombarded with stories every day of the terrible plight of others around the world.

That can't help but lead to more empathy for what others are facing.

So, if Patience & Empathy are going to be at the forefront of our behaviours Post COVID-19, how does that impact your business.

Maybe quick service won't be so important?

Maybe the brand stories that show empathy will resonate more deeply?

What do you think?

#patience #empathy #postCOVID19

Often time it's a good idea to try to copy what the big brands do.

They have the money and resources to get it right when it comes to website designs, social media strategies, advertising campaigns, etc.

But when it comes to marketing, it's important to remember there's a key difference in what they're doing compared to what you're probably doing.

With brands like McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Apple, etc., everybody already knows what products and services they sell and the value they represent.

So much of their marketing is focussed on Branding. 

Chances are, much of what your marketing should be focussed on is Selling.

For Coca-Cola, sticking their logo everywhere they can makes sense. It helps them stay front on mind.

For your business, paying big money to put your logo on the back of a team shirt is unlikely to have the same impact.

More useful advice like this is Till Boadella's book 'The 7 Laws of Direct Marketing'. Here's a link to Till's site - http://bit.ly/3cpUBz6

#directmarketing #branding #selling

Anyone who's ever managed the P&L of a business or a department would be familiar with the line item under Expenses for Marketing.

Unfortunately, many businesses use this for just part of the marketing puzzle. Usually, for expenses related to advertising, promotions & sales.

But Marketing is much more than that.

Marketing is about creating products and services to meet the wants and needs of a consumer.

Tom Goodwin recently suggested that if we treated Marketing not as an Expense but as an Investment, maybe it would be taken more seriously.

I'm not sure if that would even be allowed under the accepted Accounting Standards (Does anybody know?)

But regardless, if companies just made the shift in mindset internally, it might work just the same.

I like it! What do you think?

#marketing #investment #businessstrategy

UNICEF has recently reported that over 30 billion school meals have been missed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of school closures around the world.

In many of poorer and vulnerable communities this has already led to a major nutrition crisis as the school meal is often the one nutritional meal many of these kids get each day.

At the other end of the spectrum, a number of folks in more developed and wealthier communities have turned to fast food and comfort food during their home lockdowns.

This too is having considerable impact on their nutrition levels which has the potential to have long lasting impact on their health.

Thus, there is likely to be an increased demand in the future for nutritional deficiency treatments, supplements, advice, etc.

Here's the latest from UNICEF - https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/nutrition-crisis-looms-more-39-billion-school-meals-missed-start-pandemic-unicef-and

#nutrition #COVID19impacts #wellness

NOTE: This is NOT a post about Job Redundancies! No amount of of that kind of redundancy is good, if you're the one losing you're job!

But redundancy in terms of language and explanation.

When you send someone a bouquet of flowers with a note saying 'Happy Anniversary' or 'Thinking of you on this special day'.

Chances are, the person receiving knows what the special day is. The note isn't really necessary. It's redundant.

But we do it anyway.

Or Happy Birthday cards. What other kind of birthday card is there? Of course you're wishing them a Happy birthday. The 'Happy' bit is redundant.

But we do it anyway. As if to reinforce the message.

However, in our businesses, we often go the other way.

We assume that our customers, guests and clients just understand our jargon, acronyms, systems and processes.

Often, they do not.

So spend a bit more time looking at over-communicating in this situation. Risk being a bit redundant to the many, for the sake of putting the few at ease.

It's worth the effort.

PS: Thanks to Seth Godin for sending me down this rabbit hole.

#redundant #clarification #communication

Being disciplined about something that doesn't really excite you, like exercise, is difficult.

Being disciplined about doing something you enjoy, is easy.

So try taking something that you enjoy, applying a level of discipline to the way you do it - eg: duration, frequency, etc - then, after a while, try taking on that exercise plan that you've been dreading.

You may well find that once you have created the Habit of Discipline, you can apply it to just about anything.

#discipline #habit #routine

You've no doubt heard the cliche...

'I don't see problems. I just see opportunities.'

and...

'In every challenge lies an opportunity.'

Well, the first one I think is just rubbish we tell ourselves when we're trying to pretend that problems don't bother us.

But the second one, the part about challenges being opportunities, is very real and something that not enough businesses spend time focussing on.

Spend time identifying every little challenge that your customers experience with your business. Each one is an opportunity to fix it. And that is a chance to Surprise & Delight your customers.

But be aware that just because it is an opportunity, doesn't mean that it will always be financially viable to fix it and exploit it.

#challenges #opportunities #fixit

Reading books should open the door to a new world for the reader.

That's why Fran Lebowitz enjoys the serendipity of walking into a book store, discovering a book, and just reading it.

Unfortunately today, many of us spend our time on the internet and on social media instead.

And thanks to the algorithms, social media is much more of a reflection of who we already are. It's a mirror.

We need to do better. We need to work harder.

Focus on using the internet just as you used to use books...as a door, not a mirror.

Here's a link to Ep. 52 of this show where I spoke about Windows Not Mirrors - https://apple.co/2n0HFoT

#discovertheworld #readabook #alwayslearning