Your Brand as a Patient: Malpractice in Marketing E-Book

Wolfgang Frick

• Herausgeber: Haufe Lexware
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Serie: Haufe Fachbuch
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 272

Beschreibung

Utterly provocative and trenchantly the author dissects the most common malpractices in marketing and helps to get your brand back in shape. Try to profit from other people's mishaps, strengthen your brand essence and make your brand resistant to crises. This book is definitely worth reading and a true enrichment to both beginners and experts in marketing. Contents: - The core essence of marketing. - The direct path to your consumers. - The price of making mistakes and how much they are allowed cost. - Ten comprehensible propositions on unerringly accurate marketing.   

Leseprobe

Table of content

Copyright NoticesImprintBARELY ANYONE CARES TO READ THE FOREWORD, BUT EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT FOREPLAY1   MEDICAL EVIDENCE I1.1   WITHOUT A PHILOSOPHY MARKETING IS DOOMED1.2   MARKETING AS A STATE OF MIND1.3   THE NECCESSITY OF A BRAND-MANAGED CULTURE1.4   A MATTER FOR THE BOSS OR WHAT THE BOSS MAKES OF IT?1.5   TOO IMPORTANT FOR ONE DEPARTMENT ALONE?1.6   ORIENTATION AS LIFE INSURANCE2   MEDICAL EVIDENCE II2.1   BRAND MANAGEMENT NEEDS STRENGTH2.2   SPIRITS THAT I’VE CITED2.3   DIFFERENTIATION AND ’TIME TO MARKET’2.4   THE DIRECT PATH TO THE BRAND-CONSIOUS CUSTOMER2.5   POS – THE PLACE OF TRUTH2.6   DECIDING MEANS TO DO WITHOUT2.7   PARALYSING HABITS (OF CONSUMPTION)3   MEDICAL EVIDENCE III3.1   MARKETING LEADER OR PLEADER FOR MARKETING3.2   KNOWLEDGE IS POWER – NOT TO KNOW EVERYTHING DOESN’T MATTER EITHER3.3   DOGMAS AND OTHER SOURCES OF ENLIGHTENMENT3.4   MARKETERS AMONG THEMSELVES3.5   THE PROPHET IN HIS OWN COUNTRY3.6   THE MARKETER’S OATH4   MEDICAL EVIDENCE IV4.1   BUDGETARY POLICY AS SUCCESS FACTOR4.2   ROMI: PROBLEM OR PLACEBO?4.3   HOW MUCH MISTAKES CAN COST AND WHAT THEY COST4.4   EXPECTATIONS AND PRODUCT BENEFIT4.5   MARKETING AS A KALEIDOSCOPE4.6   MARKETING DIVERSITY RATHER THAN SIMPLICITY5   MEDICAL EVIDENCE V5.1   THE NATURAL BOUNDARIES OF MARKETING RESEARCH5.2   BRANDS MUST SET CREATIVE LIMITATIONS5.3   ’SM’ STANDS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA5.4   BRAND AWARENESS CAN BE BOUGHT. DESIRABILITY MUST BE EARNED5.5   SAFETY AND COMFORT ARE CLOSE FRIENDS5.6   BETWEEN LIFE EXPECTANCY AND LIFE FULL OF EXPECTATIONS6   MEDICAL EVIDENCE VI6.1   HOW TO GAIN PUBLIC DISTRUST6.2   THE ’MARKETING SOMMELIER’6.3   TEN PROPOSITIONS FOR ACCURATE MARKETINGABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Copyright Notices

Haufe-Lexware GmbH & Co. KG, Freiburg

Imprint

Bibliographical Information of the German National Library

The German National Library lists this publication in the German National Bibliography. Detailed bibliographical data can be accessed on the internet at http://dnb.dnb.de.

ePUB:ISBN: 978-3-648-08199-0Bestell-Nr.: 10416-0100ePDF:ISBN: 978-3-648-08200-3Bestell-Nr.: 10416-0150

Dr. Wolfgang FrickYour Brand as a Patient – Malpractice in Marketing1st edition

© 2016, Haufe-Lexware GmbH & Co. KG, Freiburg [email protected] management: Jürgen Fischer

Editor German Edition: Peter Böke Translation: Andrea Sever-GantnerCover design: RED GmbH, Krailling Composition: Content Labs GmbH, Bad Krozingen

All information/data to the best of our knowledge but with no guarantee of its completeness and correctness. All rights, including but not limited to printing of excerpts, photomechanical reproduction (including microcopy) and analysis using databases, are reserved.

1   MEDICAL EVIDENCE I

1.1   WITHOUT A PHILOSOPHY MARKETING IS DOOMED

For millennia, philosophers have sought to both comprehend and define man’s existence and relationship to the world he lives in. The result of all this mental effort is that there are as many points of view as there are thinkers in this world, leading us to the conclusion that up to now, no one has yet come up with a universally valid solution! However, like so much in life, there is no clear wrong or right – even though one viewpoint might make more sense than another. We can easily apply this philosophical analogy to business matters, even though, in this case, on the surface at least, the hard facts seem to matter the most.

So much for theory – but what’s much more exciting is what can be experienced in practice. That’s why I would like to draw on my own very personal impressions and experiences throughout this chapter, starting with my academic years. While attending lectures it was always a real effort to keep my eyelids open, even for a short time, before the professor’s monotonous murmur would send me drifting off to the ’Land of Nod,’ especially when they were trying to teach us about corporate culture and the relevance of a coherent philosophy. That said, however, for me the theme itself was far from boring as it has always been as clear as mud that all our marketing actions should be influenced by two things: a personal identification with a corporation plus the natural social interaction with each other that should never be taken for granted. However, the older I get the more it strikes me that it’s becoming harder to find brand-evangelists with a real die-hard commitment for what he or she does and, worryingly, what’s even more difficult is to retain them as employees! One direct consequence is that only in very few cases, is the impact of the corporate message successfully communicated throughout the value added chain. This is a feature not only of more mature corporations, but also younger ’entrepreneurial’ organisations, since an embedded commitment to a continuous marketing philosophy (which starts with recruitment and flows right through to outsourcing) can only be found in very few companies. Although it is common knowledge that a motivated employee is as valuable a company asset as raw materials, without a clear marketing philosophy this potential is lost. So where is the market differentiation? It’s no surprise that the product ranges are becoming more so similar to each other in so many markets, where companies compete on price rather than on brand values.[14-15]

In situations where a philosophy is far from evident or where there is an obvious lack of commitment, warning bells start to sound. A marketer who tries to hide behind visually and esthetically elaborate brochures and spurious guiding principles has nothing specific to communicate. That’s why, dear readers: stick to clarity and simplicity, two noble fellows who will prevail at the end of the day. Why? Because as crash barriers are to road traffic so are sound guideline principles to marketing. Both of them are only useful if you can recognise them instantly!

PATIENCE AS A VIRTUE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE IMPATIENT

Marketing is rather like homeopathy – having faith in it can work wonders, although it usually does take some time until you can see first results. Therefore, I thoroughly recommend that even the most impatient readers amongst you should take time to discover that a marketing philosophy comes first and foremost from an inner fortitude and conviction while being further defined through attention to detail. So to make this work you need to introduce your in-house philosophy throughout your entire workforce, from the maintenance man to the switchboard operator and on through your senior team. A company hierarchy is fine when expressed as an organogram where responsibilities are being defined – but this meaningless if your philosophy is not actively working all the way onto the store shelves![16]

However, even I have to admit that in everyday practice you sometimes don’t have any other option but to rely on people who are often the least reliable. Though even in this situation a brand-managed business will generally fare better, as they tend to attract employees who will adopt their philosophy because their recruitment criteria are more focused. Hard to believe but it’s as simple as that – at least where a commitment to a core philosophy ranks first and foremost!

Let me reinforce that a little by throwing in a brief question – ’Does your external sales team know your philosophy – really know, that is?’ Well, it’s a common belief that family businesses or owner-run businesses work that way; so let me offer two examples:

A very successful Austrian energy drinks producer who has refocused extensively on their Marketing.

A conference hotel in Nuremberg, Germany that was voted ’Hotel of the Year’ for the tenth time thanks to its uncompromising service-philosophy.

In both cases, the company philosophy has been championed by the owners but has also been fully assimilated throughout the workforce hierarchy from management down to trainee. So here’s my plea – A well-defined marketing philosophy is the key to success particularly when married to a commitment to uncompromisingly adapt your own actions to underpin the philosophy. Some talk about it, some watch others do it – but some actually do it! Guess who are the most successful?

Naturally there are always going to be practical restraints such as the demands of the bottom line, cost and revenue-orientation etc. The big question being, of course, what compromises are you prepared to take? For example, the ’added value’ of a brand could possibly be enhanced through a deliberate approach to put ’Identity’ above other decision criteria. A dilemma that highlights just why marketing can often be considered an art form, in this case the art of renunciation – ’We are not going to do this because it will harm the brand.’ – Only someone with absolute faith in the brand, and thus in their marketing philosophy, could confidently act this way. It is therefore up to us marketers to curb any tendencies towards adopting ’multi-philosophies’ and instead try to focus on a robust one that actually works! Employees like to be stirred not shaken, unlike James Bond’s vodka martini. Consumers will quickly pick up on the underlying culture too – a happy efficient and customer focused philosophy is nothing if not infectious.[17]

So very often it’s the small gestures in everyday life that make such a big difference. A friendly ’hello,’ ’thank you’ or ’you’re welcome’ can boost the motivation and enthusiasm necessary to bring a certain philosophy to life. Many conversations that I’ve had in this regard have proved me right. You wouldn’t think so, but a good, open, friendly and caring attitude is often sufficient to overcome any lingering skepticism and reluctance to embrace the philosophy.

However, a word of warning, it’s not enough to hide behind empty platitudes such as ’the human angle’ or ’people come first’ – Believe me I can barely stand to hear those expressions anymore. First of all, cannibals have long been practicing this and secondly, everyone and their brother seems to be coining those phrases since we’ve started living in this ’touchy feely’ age.[18]

And, last but not least, if I’m being absolutely honest – in our free market economy the asset side of the balance sheet is always the hard basis for a business. When your staff start to realise that they have been either ’been led up the garden path’ or ’had wool pulled over their eyes’ you will find that your employees are quicker than you think to see through any meaningless posturing. So, be on your guard! Shall we explore an example? Here’s an oft-stated claim: ’Our customer’s satisfaction is our top priority.’ Sounds good, right? Now here’s a little story drawn from personal experience:

I’m a regular customer of a well-known German automotive manufacturer serving the higher end of the market (and priding itself on efficiency & professionalism) but on one occasion I struggled to obtain a replacement vehicle from one of their dealerships and once I actually received the car the fun began. The tank was more than half empty and the car was also missing the tax disc for the Swiss autobahn that I needed for my daily commute to work. Fortunately, I noticed the missing tax disc before I joined the autobahn. I quickly called the dealership and asked my customer service representative (a guy I’ve known for years) – if to save time was it ok for me to purchase the tax disc at their expense? First there was total silence, eventually followed by an apology – saying that he would first have to double-check with the boss! Not the most encouraging of responses. A query like that really needs to be dealt with quickly and – as importantly – in a friendly and soothing manner. Their reaction spoke more about giving priority to the costs of a potential claim rather than anything related to customer satisfaction![19]

Now, you might ask yourself whether I still drive that same brand of car or if the dealership has profited from saving those 42 Swiss Francs? … Well, you probably know the answer to both questions. Which brings us to the conclusion of this chapter. Why not send your management team to a ’business philosophy’ osteopath or chiropractor. If the diagnosis shows the presence of some backbone then you know you’ve got the right people.

Then, you just need to allow them to make mistakes every once in a while.

Side note – There are companies that even celebrate ’Mistake of the month.’ A kudos builder as everyone makes their own mistakes at some point and can hopefully learn from them. That’s an experience that can’t be delegated, as it’s the only way for an individual to grow, develop and become a defender of the brand philosophy.

Unfortunately, ’brand-managed’ enterprises often don’t appreciate ’marketing experts’ in their midst as their ability to understand and deal with issues while simultaneously putting forward a reasoned argument can sometimes upset the higher ranks. On top of which, being able to engage with this form of interaction requires strong nerves and plenty of energy and commitment on both sides. The key question to ask yourself, however, is ’who’s working IN and who’s working ON’ the company, for, in the long run, it pays to know that you’ve got a stalwart brand fighter on your side.[20]

1.2   MARKETING AS A STATE OF MIND

So, what exactly is MARKETING? Wikipedia defines it in a very dull fashion over several lines but you could also briefly sum it up in just one sentence:

Marketing is the systematic application of one’s intellectual capacity.

I personally think this definition is the most fitting of all the ones I’ve come across to date. Perhaps because it’s my very own definition of marketing – and, critically, it ruthlessly hones in on the three most essential issues.

CLASSIFICATION

The worst examples of poor marketing practice arise from situations where no classification is being applied and chance intervenes at a whim. Success cannot be achieved where the key components of a marketing concept are being either ignored, used only in an obsolete manner, or where vital elements of the marketing-mix are disregarded.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

In theory, in the majority of marketing situations, we know instinctively what needs to be done. But, in reality our marketing knowledge lies idle and is barely applied. For instance, we don’t truly credit the value of market research, we view the generation of market data as a necessary evil or just don’t pick up on the really relevant consumer feedback. As a consequence, any market shift is being seen either too late or worse not at all.[21]

INTELLECTUAL CAPACITY

We all have our own way of thinking, right? However, the thing about intellectual capacity (thinking) is that there will be variations between individuals, not only in the amount and quality that they have, but also in how they acquired it. And, last but not least, there’s the inability to consider.