Authenticity and Context Drive Effective Marketing and Sales
TL;DR
- Unconventional marketing approaches, like "unmarketing," succeed by positioning individuals as trusted experts, leading to organic customer choice when needs arise, rather than aggressive sales tactics.
- The effectiveness of any marketing strategy is highly individualized; "nothing works for everybody and everything doesn't work for nobody" emphasizes finding a personal approach that resonates.
- Marketing is a continuous, pervasive activity encompassing all actions and communications, not just scheduled campaigns, with significant impact often stemming from seemingly casual interactions.
- Building trust is paramount, especially in sales with a large "trust gap," necessitating authentic relationship-building over generic or unsolicited outreach to overcome customer skepticism.
- Adapting marketing tactics to specific contexts is crucial, as demonstrated by the success of a paving company in a neighborhood versus unsolicited financial services at home.
- Social media presence, even on platforms like Twitter, can be a powerful engine for business growth if the content aligns with one's natural communication style and audience.
- The future of social media involves deeper integration, with platforms like Facebook becoming primary internet gateways and AI-driven interactions shaping customer experiences.
Deep Dive
Scott Stratten argues that effective marketing and sales stem from authenticity and understanding individual needs, rather than applying one-size-fits-all strategies. His "Un-Marketing" philosophy emphasizes building trust and avoiding the tactics that consumers dislike, asserting that marketing is a continuous process inherent in all actions, not a discrete task. This approach is crucial for bridging trust gaps, especially in sales requiring significant relationship building, and highlights how digital transparency has amplified the impact of an individual's or company's overall presence.
The core of Stratten's argument is that forcing individuals into marketing or sales methods that do not align with their natural strengths, or that are universally disliked by consumers, leads to inefficiency and failure. He posits that while traditional outbound methods like cold calling can be perceived negatively, their effectiveness is highly context-dependent and relies on the sender's ability to build rapport and demonstrate value. Stratten illustrates this with examples of successful contextual outreach, such as a paving company offering services to a neighborhood already undergoing work, or a realtor who built trust through personalized gifts and consistent engagement, ultimately securing him as a client and friend. This contrasts sharply with unsolicited financial service pitches or intrusive cold calls during dinner, which create significant trust gaps and alienate potential customers. The implication is that success hinges on aligning the method with the industry, the customer's expectations, and the individual's authentic communication style, recognizing that what works for one person or business may not work for another.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of any marketing or sales strategy, whether digital or traditional, is contingent on genuine performance and the ability to build and maintain trust. Stratten's perspective suggests that as digital platforms offer greater transparency, individuals and businesses must be mindful that their actions, both online and offline, constantly shape perceptions and influence future opportunities. The future of marketing lies in this sustained, authentic engagement, where understanding and adapting to individual contexts and customer experiences are paramount to driving meaningful results.
Action Items
- Audit sales outreach: Identify 3 common "wrong context" cold call scenarios and develop alternative approaches for each.
- Create personalized outreach framework: Define 5 criteria for tailoring communication to individual client needs and trust gaps.
- Measure marketing impact: Track engagement and conversion rates for 3 distinct social media platforms to identify optimal channels.
- Design customer experience guidelines: Develop 4 principles for authentic engagement that bridges trust gaps, not widens them.
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View Episode Notes →Key Quotes
"Nothing works for everybody and everything doesn't work for nobody. We've got to say what works for me."
Scott Stratten argues that marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. He emphasizes the importance of identifying and executing what is effective for an individual or business, rather than adhering to universal best practices. This highlights a personalized approach to marketing and branding.
"The bigger the trust gap when making the sale, the more you are going to have to work to bridge the gap."
Scott Stratten points out that sales requiring a significant level of trust between the buyer and seller necessitate more effort in building that relationship. This implies that industries or products with inherent skepticism or complexity demand a greater focus on establishing credibility and rapport.
"Marketing is always happening. It’s everything you do, say, and appear on. It’s everything."
Scott Stratten asserts that marketing is a continuous and pervasive activity, not confined to specific campaigns or tasks. He suggests that every action, statement, and presentation contributes to a brand's marketing efforts, underscoring the holistic nature of brand perception.
"The reason the youth have gone to snapchat is because marketers aren’t there."
Scott Stratten explains that younger demographics gravitate towards platforms like Snapchat because they are less saturated with traditional marketing efforts. This indicates that the appeal of a platform can be inversely related to the presence of marketers, suggesting a desire for more authentic or less commercialized spaces.
"I was so anti door knocking, I was it was just black and white. I know the world's not black and white and I'm very black and white because that's how my brand is."
Scott Stratten admits to a previous rigid stance against door-to-door sales, aligning with his brand's clear directives. He acknowledges that this black-and-white approach, while effective for his brand, does not reflect the nuanced reality of business practices.
"Facebook has become the homepage of our computers. Over 1 billion people are logging in a day."
Scott Stratten highlights the profound integration of Facebook into daily life, stating it has become the primary entry point to the internet for many users. He emphasizes its massive daily user base as a significant indicator of its pervasive influence and central role in online activity.
Resources
External Resources
Books
- "Unmarketing: Everything Has Changed and Nothing Has Changed" by Scott Stratten and Alison Stratten - Mentioned as a product the author has to sell.
- "Unselling: Everything Has Changed and Nothing Has Changed" by Scott Stratten and Alison Stratten - Mentioned as a product the author has to sell.
Articles & Papers
- "The New Customer Experience" - Mentioned as a concept related to doing great things for great results.
People
- Scott Stratten - Leader of the unmarketing movement, author, and podcast host.
- Alison Stratten - Co-author of books and co-host of the podcast.
Organizations & Institutions
- Southwestern Family of Companies - Producer of the Action Catalyst podcast.
- UNICEF - Sent a Google Cardboard mask for a virtual reality experience.
Websites & Online Resources
- unpodcast.com - Website for "The Unpodcast," described as "the business show for the fed up."
- unicef360.com - URL for a UNICEF virtual reality experience.
- Facebook - Discussed as the homepage of the internet for most people and a platform for AI integration.
- Instagram - Mentioned as a platform owned by Facebook.
- Twitter - Mentioned as a platform that changed the author's life and a place to connect with Scott Stratten.
- Snapchat - Mentioned as a platform where Scott Stratten has a presence.
- LinkedIn - Described as the "gateway drug of social media for businesses" and a digital rolodex.
- Yelp - Mentioned as a source for finding the independent donut shop Ronald's Donuts.
Other Resources
- Unmarketing - A movement and philosophy focused on doing marketing differently.
- Unselling - A philosophy related to doing things differently in sales.
- Cold calling - Discussed as a sales tactic that can be effective or ineffective depending on context.
- Social media - Discussed in relation to marketing, branding, and personal transparency.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Mentioned as a future development in platforms like Facebook Messenger for automated responses.
- 360 video - Discussed as a impactful video format, particularly for real estate.
- Virtual Reality (VR) - Mentioned through the use of Google Cardboard for immersive experiences.