The Journey...

The journey I am traveling on as both a marketer and business owner is one that continues to bring me to a better understanding of myself.

I am committed to two main objectives on this journey:

1. TO MAKE MARKETING MORE EFFECTIVE

2. TO MAKE MARKETING MORE EFFICIENT

As a business person, what's not to like about those objectives?

Now as a mother, father, aunt, uncle or just someone who cares about this planet - imagine for a moment if I told you that by applying effective, efficient marketing methods my clients make money (their main objective), save money and do so in a way that produces a cleaner, safer environment for the next generation. Do you care about that? I thought so.

Here's how...

The result of combining these two objectives does in fact result in a leaner, meaner and greener approach to marketing that has a greater impact financially and environmentally. These results mean more qualified leads and customers for my clients while they spend less and therefore produces a win-win.

1. MAKE MARKETING MORE EFFECTIVE
I have a mission and a passion and that is to study the very nature of human beings - how they tick, what makes them buy, etc. What I have learned about human nature and understanding why people respond to simple things (such as color and how it affects their moods, photographic content and the power of metaphors, the printed word, etc.) I have found an approach that truly resonates with an individual or potential customer. There are so many components to this that I will get into in this blog - I cannot wait to get started. Furthermore, I will dig much deeper by examining complex principles such as behavioral psychology, trend analysis and the like. All of these components contribute to a 'better way' to think about marketing or as I call it 'Fundamental Marketing'.

Malcolm Gladwell wrote about a component to this approach in his seminal book 'The Tipping Point'. The premise of the book focuses on the very specific moment where all trends or movements reach a point where the scales 'tip' towards maximum effectiveness or growth. He examines how we as humans think, act and feel as individuals, but more importantly as groups and has brought light to many in the marketing world.

2. MAKE MARKETING MORE EFFICIENT
In order to make marketing more efficient there must be an understanding of every component about it's effectiveness while combining that knowledge with intelligent solutions that speak directly to my clients' target audience. I have found that this can be done no matter what medium so long as the focus remains on what resonates with them (the audience), not what the clients preferences are. This is the hardest component to marketing, checking one's ego at the door.

We have all lived in an age where advertising and marketing have been as much a natural part of our lives as the air we breathe. While the industry is an enormous moneymaker it is not running anywhere near it's maximum efficiency. Think of the hundreds of billions of dollars spent on campaigns that exist on a local, national and international level. Do you really think they are all well-planned and 100% efficient? Absolutely not.

As marketers, our ways of thinking can be greatly improved upon. We certainly don't know everything yet and it's up to us to evolve and to find better methods and approaches to marketing.

THE BONUS SECTION
As I continue to find both more effective and efficient methods to marketing I am also focused on reducing the 'shotgun approach' to plans such as direct mail and printing in general. Less is more when it comes to applying some methods such as 'variable data printing' and I will continue to steer more and more clients towards paperless solutions. This approach saves trees, energy and reduces overall carbon footprints.

SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
-How do you know your marketing works? How do you measure it's effects?
-What visual cues do people respond to? Why?
-What psychological principles work?
-Do you like your marketing? If so, are you truly the target audience? I let you do the math on that one.

I believe in marketing that is effective. I believe in continuing to find more and more efficient ways to market your business.
I believe the result will make money, save money and improve the environment.

:: Tim Andren
TRGT MKTG