You’re not an asshole. You’re just trying so hard to be one. Please refrain from having a Christian Bale flip-out just yet. If you’ve seen The Social Network, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. At the end of the movie, Mark Zuckerberg’s lawyer comforts him by saying, “You’re not an asshole, Mark. You’re just trying so hard to be one.” This is a pivotal statement in the movie, and also a perfect lead-in for one of the biggest mistakes some of us make in trying to communicate with viewers online.
Has it ever crossed your mind that maybe you’re trying too hard to engage?
You’re probably wondering, why would I want to know poor methods of communication? Well, because there are thousands of companies out there right now that are making the same mistake, and chances are you’re either doing business with them or you are one of them.
The bottom line: there are some ideas for effective communication floating around that should be put in a straight jacket and thrown in a padded room, never to see the light of day. In other words, these new theories on how to engage your customers and connect them to your brand are certifiably nuts.
Com·mu·ni·ca·tion: What is it good for?
Absolutely everything!
How do you communicate? Seems like a very simple question. Yuo cmmounictae yb opnenig yuro motuh adn tlakign. The letters can be scrambled but you’ll still understand the concept because you’re familiar with how the words are supposed to look and sound, and obviously what they mean. However, familiarity is not always a good thing, especially with the overall design and content of your landing page. You communicate through your design and what is written across your page. How do you know what 6 billion people want to hear? How do you appeal to mass of people who all have completely different interests, past experiences, and beliefs?
It’s impossible, and that’s why we narrow it down. But, even narrowing it down isn’t personal at all. You can’t communicate to even a group of 10 and hope that they’ll believe a word you say. You’ve never even had a single interaction with these people, so how could you actually know what they want?
That’s why we should let them create their own unique experience and not try to tell them what they need or want. If you think about cell phone apps, they have the right idea using interactivity and straight forward design. What’s stopping us from designing our page like apps? Simple, task-accommodating, and interactive. Think about it.
Buzzwords are NOT Effective Communication
If you’re to take away one thing from this post, it should be the following quote. Apply it to your web design, marketing strategies, content creation, and even the way you do business.
“You can make more friends in two months by being interested in other people than in two years by making other people interested in you.” –Dale Carnegie
Zuckerburg’s lawyer was spot on. Trying too hard is going to backfire. Build your website with the mindset of not trying so hard to make your customers interested. But, be interested in your customer. How do we go about that?
Set your buzzwords free, and let your product do the talking. Quality, convenience, and zero bullshit. Isn’t that how you want it? So why wouldn’t your customers? Start with how you view your brand and how you view your customers. Some of the top creative agencies are doing it all wrong. Here’s how they view their customers…
“Good brands are like people.” “Brands are people.” “Brands need to emulate people.” “People need brands.”
These companies need to get off their high horse already and realize that brands are not people, at all. And, the more you try to make them like people, the more you are hurting your brand. So maybe you need to check yourself into brand rehab, and realize it’s not all about the brand.
I know, I know…but look at my stats! Everyone loves their stats, and if your whacked out ‘brands are people, people are brands’ theory is working out for you, congratulations you’ve successfully referred to your customers as a running number, and life of your brand will be short-lived.
Faking The Sale
Ask not what your customer can do for your brand, but what your brand can do for your customer?
The common sales tactic of putting everything you’ve got to offer on the table is becoming all too familiar. We are trying way too hard to connect with our customers. Why not let them do the connecting?
Click to play!
It’s similar to going on a blind date. How you present yourself is everything. If you talk too much about yourself or try too hard to impress your date, they are going to be uninterested. No one wants to be bombarded, and the same goes for the presentation of your website or landing page.
Instead of focusing entirely on your brand, we should focus more on the viewer and the ways they can connect with your landing page or website. You’ll build a relationship by not trying to build a relationship. Reverse psychology at its finest.
Good Ol’ Fashioned Advertising
Think about all the brands you use on a daily basis. For you, the best part of waking may be a fresh cup of Folger’s coffee. Your bathroom cabinets may be stocked with patriotic-colored tubes of Crest toothpaste. Or perhaps, you get rid of your 5 o’clock shadow with Barbasol shaving cream—because that’s always what your dad used. Why these brands? Because you’ve always used them? Because they’re reliable? Because they serve their basic purpose?
Nowadays, we see gum commercials with sexual connotations—“Dirt mouth? Clean it up!” And deodorant commercials that claim you can win over women with the alluring scent of your antiperspirant. I have to admit some of these are clever and funny, but it’s nearly impossible to cut through the clutter, and the life cycle of these brands normally doesn’t make it past the honeymoon stage.
Do you want to be in it for the long run?
You can, but you need to know how to properly communicate online. Gmail, Video Chat, Texting, Facebook, FourSquare. Methods of communication are only getting creepier and crazier. We are able to find out all about a person’s buying behavior. Plus, we now have multiple ways to reach them. Sounds like a pretty personal conversation. Has technology completely de-personalized our lives or simply made communication much easier? It all depends.
Want to know one of the best ways to communicate? I’ve got three words for you… User-generated feedback. Let your customers start the conversation and watch your brand and relationship grow. Haste makes waste my friend, so make sure you respond quickly. And, remember that quickly nowadays means freakishly fast!
Great post Amy! I wanted to expand a little bit about the brands… products are not brands; neither are buzzwords. A brand is a promise. It’s a promise that a certain service or product will fulfil a certain need for a certain person. For small businesses, I think it’s important for their to be a brand ambassador – a person behind the brand who represents that brand’s promise and gives the whole thing a human face.
How do they think they can get the message right for 6 billion people?
I mean look at the people in a high school. There are so many different groups of people who think and feel different things. If you are nice to one group, you’re bound to offend another group. Or your going to get laughed at, by a different group.
And just because someone remembers your advertisement, doesn’t mean they are going to buy from you. Especially if you’re doing something ridiculous.
And that’s one of the main reasons why some ads fail miserably. They TRY to be too ridiculous in an effort to capture the viewer’s attention. While most people will remember it, they will not necessarily take further action past the commercial. I think Audi’s Release the Hounds commercial was unique, tasteful, and effective in engaging viewers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3snyXTNmFm8&feature=player_embedded
I think it’s time to go back to the basics. Take a barber shop for instance. They don’t go around town dressed all silly and stuff. They do wear the white barber outfit, which brands them as a barber. If they screw up your hair-do, their customers won’t come back no more… heh heh. That’s for sure.
Let’s take these big-time department stores now-a-days. They have “greeters” at the front door to make feel all welcome (like the barber). But since that’s all they do, customers walking in the door either wonder why those people aren’t runnin’ the open cash registers or wonder why your money is payin’ these people to stand around.
There are so many things that have changed over the years, but the barbers know where it’s at. They ain’t changin’ and their customers ain’t leavin’, neither.
The shaving cream brand Barbasol is a prime example of a company that’s been in it for the long haul. I’ve never seen a single ad for them, yet they are the preferred brand of shaving cream. What makes them so successful? Quality? Consistency? Perhaps, both? I think brands that have always remained true to the quality and message of their product can win over customers every time. It’s hilarious watching commercials for Gillette razors and shaving cream…they are so intense and try to add all these crazy technological features like vibrating razors and “fusion battery powered shaving systems.” Whoaaa that makes shaving sound like a science experiment. Marketing at its finest! Yet brands like Barbasol still come out on top because they don’t try to make something out of nothing…
Even people in fashion know that doing things that are hip and fashionable now can sometimes look silly and laughable 10 years from now. Most of the advertising out there focuses on the latest and greatest fans and although it works great for some markets, it won’t work at all in other niches. Besides, it takes a lot of work to stay on top of things in the fashion industry.
I would rather see an investment company advertise without gimmicks and silliness. I like the TD-Ameritrade advertisement because they make it sound like they are on my side. If I can trust them, then they can handle my money. Otherwise, it seems a little bit more like a gamble when I let them invest for me.
What do you think of E*trades banking babies ads? Do you not trust the company as much when they advertise this way? When it comes to money and managing finances, I think I’d trust a company that doesn’t use humor to win me over.
There’s no way that I could get away with selling homes to people with silly advertisements they use on TV. I have to build relationships with people. It takes years of selling homes the right way and making sure the home owners and home buyers are happy when all is said and done. If I did a silly commercial in a swimsuit like that, not only would I be kicked out of town, I would probably get the wrong types of customers trying to buy houses through me (if you know what I mean).
It’s important to talk about this stuff, because we all need to know it if we want to succeed in marketing.
Talk to you soon.
That got me thinking, and I was curious as to how you personally build and maintain relationships with home owners/buyers? Do you go about it a particular way? And if so, what methods do you use?
I don’t know if this is what people mean when they talk about brand, but I really don’t like that cartoon-like version of the Brawny towels guy. I wonder if it’s because they changed who he was after so many years of being the type of person he was. He just doesn’t seem manly enough or somethin’.
Any-who, you folks have a good night, now.
Oh the nerve of that guy! He obviously isn’t around kids very much. I’d say more, but I won’t say it front of this nice bunch of folks.
Sigh…. Anyway, I like the rest of this conversation. Very good things coming up in this discussion. Does this website have a forum? Or just the blog? Just curious. Thanks.
Just the blog. I’m going to look into starting a forum since these posts seem to be sparking some good conversation.
We the customers have a voice (our money). I say we buy the products that don’t make a fool of themselves on TV or wherever they advertise. Who’s with me?
That’s just it, business is supposed to be run a completely different way, but these days nobody in the corporate offices get it. They are too busy playing golf or talking over what stocks to invest in this week. Maybe they’re even lounging by the pool side. We need to make businesses better and start meeting people’s needs instead of selling horrible products with “buzz words” and “brands”.
Like the article.
Thank you. Yeah companies need to get back to the basics and start fresh for the New Year.
You know, BMX doesn’t have to advertise that much, either. Everybody is seeing it used in all sorts of extreme sport competitions. Plus there is so much word of mouth advertising, that the commercials don’t really matter.
I’m definitely going to have to try out the “Where To?” Future Tap App. It looks like something I can use. Has anyone else tried it out before?
I think that Harley Davidson does a great job of advertising. First of all, their product is so awesome, that it sells itself. It is known for it’s quality. All they have to do is show some commercials once a year talking about “enjoying the ride” of life. Companies are probably not able to get people to buy with silly advertisements like they used to because their products are so horrible any more.
Most companies are so out of touch with who their consumer base that they don’t have a clue about what they are doing. The worst part of this is that they can actually upset their current customer base to the point where they lose customers over an advertisement. Like this article mentions, they need to stop trying to be hip and just tell us how their product is better. Most of the consumers out there are ready for a steady relationship instead of the one night stands of the past (just an analogy for purchasing products people … sheesh… lol).
I agree Alice, not only is it degrading to women, there is no need for it. I recently heard a good quip that I will leave you with. Unfortunately, I don’t remember who said it, but this how it goes…
“Don’t try to sell hamburgers to vegetarians” Why? Because it doesn’t make sense. Even if you have a sales force that can sell ice to Eskimos, your over all conversion rates are going to be worse than just advertising to people who eat hamburgers. Just my 2 cents.
It’s so true, some companies just don’t understand that their product isn’t for everyone. If they only could channel their product’s benefits and target them to people who actually care, they will save a lot more time, effort, and money! This conversation inspired me to write a post for next week on how to build a strong relationship with your consumer…seems appropriate with Valentine’s day right around the corner!
I just love the advertisement for milk on this page. I so hope someone can see the same advertisment on the page. It’s great and artistic. The one thing most people don’t realize about the poster is how much the picture says to the viewer. The glass is centered and large with the people staring at it. When you click on the ad, it has you go to a game you can play where you keep trying to get the glass of milk. It’s the most ingenious ad that I’ve seen yet. I think the poster is the most subtle way of advertising to people, though. It happens so often in our culture that most people don’t realize just how much the advertisement is saying. In the poster is the most important thing in the poster according to the way the poster was made.
Thanks for talking about this. It’s a great exercise in thinking about how companies should advertise.
With all this talk about how many companies make mistakes in marketing, I think it’s a good idea to remind everyone that we can learn from those mistakes. In doing so, you fill that void in the market and could very well end up with customers that stay with you for life.
There is a great conversation going on in here. I’m so glad I get to join in.
“The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.” -Jean Piaget
I think this applies not only to education but to great business practices. I believe that it’s useful to take old ideas and revamp them and also learn from the mistakes we’ve made in the past. If you don’t, you’ll keep making them over and over again and never move forward. The word failure has a very negative connotation to it, but really anyone who has enough courage to try something new knowing the potential risk of failure has learned way more than someone who never tries.
I love the communication image. It is funny how almost anybody will become your twitter follower or add you to their Facebook friend list. It is way easier to talk in a digital “room” (facebook, twitter, etc.) of people than it is to get up and talk to a room full of real people. Maybe that’s because the real people can throw food and things at you… lol Seriously, though, big corporate companies are even further away than the level of communication on Twitter.
Maybe they need something similar to the sticker on business vehicles that asks “How’s my driving?”. Change it to “How’s my advertising?” I would be one of the first ones to call. Commercials are usually something you learn to deal with if you don’t like it.
Yet, in today’s TV advertising, I like the phrase, “I am actually dumber for seeing that” or “I’m never getting those 30 seconds of my life back”.
Thanks for being bold enough to speak up about the lack of quality marketing.
A waste of 30 seconds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__HZmDsYK7Q
This 60 seconds is well worth your time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0
One thing I have noticed about commercials lately is how the blame the other companies and talk about the mistakes they were making too. Like the cell phone companies who talk about the huge contract documentation and the two year cell phone plan like it was all from another company. They were doing that last year, but now it’s the other guys’ fault. Do they really think we are that stupid?
This comment was right on… “You’ll build a relationship by not trying to build a relationship”.
Keep these kind of articles coming…
It’s all about relationship marketing, if you get it right with the customer, you will usually have that customer until you get it wrong. I have actually contemplated boycotting a product I use regularly just because of how bad their commercials have become. Big corporations have just gotten lazy over the years and don’t know how to do an honest day’s work anymore.
That was a funny analogy Kellie…. “You must be tired from running through my mind all day, darlin”…. lol
Why do commercials always seem to fall back on the sexual connotations?
I was watching TV with my kids the other night and I have to change the channel when some of the commercials show up. How is that supposed to sell gum anyway? Or sandwiches? I still don’t get those hamburger commercials where the actress get’s sauce all over her clothes.
I sometimes wonder if businesses put all of their options on a wheel and spin it to see which tactic they will go with this time.
Thanks for talking about this topic. Hopefully someone will see this article and understand that something needs to change.
I think companies are still firm believers in the idea that ‘sex sells’. And often time it does work–in terms of revenue, but I do think it’s wayyyy too overdone especially with gum, deodorant, and even food commercials like you said. I found this Harris Interactive poll that examines how consumers feel about the concept of ‘sex sells.’ The results showed that more than half of viewers (56 percent) are bothered by sexually suggestive imagery in advertising.
Why not try playing up product quality and the benefits it provides? Now, that’s a novel idea!
In years past when the economy was much better than it is now, people didn’t think so hard about where their next dollar was spent. When money became that much more valuable, companies couldn’t just wave the magic wand in a commercial and increase sales. People have finally caught on to the trick. No wonder those types of companies are struggling to figure out what consumers really want. Companies are like the suave hunk that walks into a bar and uses the same one-liner he’s always used. In today’s world the ladies actually started listening to him instead of staring into his dreamy eyes. Society is much more practical these days.
I like the article. Thanks.
Great analogy. It’s true, when companies stop treating consumers like a number and start making an effort to find out what consumers actually want, that will be the day they’ll see a positive response. It’s a matter of getting out of their own way, tossing old ideas out the door, and adopting a new way of thinking.
I think the crucial part about the loss of communication between companies and consumers is more about the companies not realizing that they can’t keep selling their products the way they used to. In today’s world of product reviews (by consumers and not paid sponsors), companies can’t get away with selling poorly made products as much as they used to. However, instead of it being a quick transition, companies only see a loss in the number of sales they make. If nobody bought their products at all, a company might actually figure out the problem. Instead they just get confused by this drop in revenue and resort to weird methods that they think will work.
Like you mentioned in the article, companies have to communicate with the consumer in today’s world to find out what the consumer wants. Until they do that, consumers will just roll their eyes and think to themselves just how out of touch with reality a company is in today’s world.
Very true, and the thing is…it’s not brain surgery to figure out what consumers want! Some companies get it, and some just don’t. I think it has a lot to do with their egos and being able to let go of old methods that are now obsolete. Everything changes, it’s just a matter of responding properly.
Although I love technology, I think everyone is overwhelmed and confused because of it.
Instead of trying to remember who someone is that lives down the street, you have to remember this John Doe in Chicago who I chat with on Skype and that Jane Doe who lives in New York who I let become my Facebook friend. It’s no surprise that some people are stuck in techie mode drooling over their phone as they aimlessly see information scroll by. It’s no wonder people can lose track of time when the next want is only a split second click away.
Because of all of this chaos, I don’t think companies can determine any sort of pattern to the way consumers are behaving these days.
Thanks for the intriguing article.
Yeah I agree that it is all too easy to get lost in the chaos of technology. It’s a blessing and a curse at the same time. Your comment made me think of this one situation in particular. My friend’s little brother is constantly playing video games, and it makes me think about his generation and how they are already locked into technology and I’m sure that down the road they’ll have a hard time engaging in everyday human interactions like making simple conversation.
In one way technology helps us communicate with loved ones no matter how far away they are, but on the other hand it throws normal human interaction out the door. I hope we don’t all end up like robots!!
i believe technology has made communication less personal and people feel like they can say more things online, things they are to afraid to say face to face. I feel like if you try to hard to engage you end up freaking people out, coming off to strong people will start to become less interested.
I completely agree. I saw this commercial the other night for a new cell phone–the name of the company has escaped me? But…anyways, the guy in the commercial was literally walking through different scenes using his cell phone, and his head never came up to look at anything. Eyes glued to the screen! Zero awareness of anything or anyone around him. He was in a full-blown technology coma! Plus, people are texting and emailing about personal matters that should be discussed face-to-face. It always cracks me up when I hear how people break up with their bf/gf over text! I have a love/hate relationship with technology.
I love this. I think if you have a good enough brand/product, word by social media from consumers will help sell your product. Less is more if you want to be in it for the long run.
Thank you! Yes, less is definitely more. Think about an advertisement in terms of walking into a store at the mall. If an employee immediately bombards you when you walk in, you are turned off. I usually walk out, because it’s so intrusive. The same goes for a landing page and website except the features of the page are the pushy employees. A nice balance is always best.