Five Things Marketers Should Keep In Mind

Yahoo asked me to participate in their “Futurist” series of videos.

The discussion covered everything from the “People’s Network”,  to how no single agency or holding company can “do it all” . We discussed why benchmarking against the competition makes you “only less pathetic than the competition but still pathetic!” since the real gap is not between what a company does and its competitors do, but what its customers want and what it delivers.

Was also asked for five quick pieces of advice on how Marketers can succeed in these fast changing and challenging times.

Here they are:

1. Marketing to Gods: People have God like power due to enabling technologies. Don’t talk about how your company or your product will empower them  since they are already empowered ! How will you change your marketing to align with this new reality?. Stop fixating on the competition, the real gap is between what your customers expect and want and what you are delivering.

2. Reduce Fear: Innovation is difficult in frightened cultures. Management must watch their own behavior and the environment they foster. Leaders who are intimidating, inaccesible, or puffed up with their own importance  will not get risk taking, rapid iteration or open thinking.

3. Bias For Action: Stop asking for position papers, decks and reams of data before you move. Do first, and think later about what you have learned. To much thinking is a prelude to sinking.

4. Technology Matters: Understanding the implications of technology on your business is critical. Move tech savvy people onto your Board and as advisors. Try to get folks technology at work that is as good as they have at home.

5. Question Yourself: Build a case for why you are wrong. If you cannot do so then maybe you have not really thought through an issue at all!

The  10 minute conversation is available at….http://advertising.yahoo.com/creative-showcase/creative-thinkers?video=Rishad  

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