You need new marketing. You must Get Different. (No, as a matter of fact, I won’t stop telling you!) The world is evolving at a rapid pace, so the demands of your business will evolve too. No one is going to be looking for the same. Old. Thing.
I conducted research for Get Different for years, because I wanted to give you a step by step marketing strategy that would forever level up your marketing and conversions. Then, the other day, I saw a prime example I wish I could have added to the book before it went to print.
The best marketing ever – Behold, the Morris County Sheriff’s ’63 Chevy Impala. Wait, different marketing goes beyond business? Yep. Yes it does. And our sheriff nailed this one. This isn’t any old car. Rightfully so, this isn’t any old sheriff. Sheriff James Gannon is different, and it seems his car ended up as one of his main identifiers in the community. Though, it should be noted that anyone who’s familiar with him would support him regardless of political affiliation, or car for that matter. Gannon has almost 40 years of law enforcement and security expertise, spanning from years as a police officer, to the FBI, to the Prosecutor’s Office, to our county Sheriff. He also just happens to be an exceptional human being.
Fantastic. However, what if you never heard of Sheriff Gannon before? If you saw this car cruising up Main Street, what would you think? Words such as classy, old school, bold, reliable and interesting may come to mind. Likely not a coincidence, these are all adjectives I happen to have heard Gannon described as.
The perfect marketing recipe – My friends, this is the perfect marketing recipe. It’s subtle marketing. Maybe Sheriff Gannon just loves this old school car! But, from my marketing mind, I see a delicate balance between getting attention from prospective voters, while representing who Sheriff Gannon really is – classy, old school, safe, relatable and reliable.
It’s also a balance to get attention and not drive (pun intended) people away. The car, and Sheriff Gannon’s persona, does the opposite of driving people away. People gravitate to this car, and to him. It announces that he’s there and is a conversation starter. He is known for progressive leadership and security efforts in our community. When we see his car, some of our basic needs (see Mazlow’s Hierarchy of Needs) are met. We feel a sense of well being, and smile. We feel help is near should we require it. We feel safer, and more secure. We know he’s present. Fellow business owners, this is the Shangri La of marketing.
Find your “est” – I realize buying a new car and outfitting it with your company logo may not be the secret to your marketing success. You should, however, take a page out of Sheriff Gannon’s marketing book (whether he realizes he had one or not). What describes your business best? How can you serve your prospective customers in a way that no one else can? Can you fulfill their needs and make them feel secure in their transaction with you?
What is your “est”? Are you the smartest or the fastest? Are you the most progressive, analytical or reliable? Play off of the traits unique to your business that will tell people you can serve their pain points and needs better than anyone else.
Stay visible for the best marketing – Just because you win business doesn’t mean your marketing can disappear. You have to believe in your business and your marketing more than anyone else. Keep your marketing messaging out there to ensure the public you are confident in your offering and are there to serve for the duration. Just as Sheriff Gannon still drives his classic car, you want to be sure you’re letting people know you are still around, reliable, and here to stay.
It’s a time of regrouping. In that, necessary changes are happening in the world, the environment, the economy, people’s personal lives and in your business. Let the world know your business is there for it all by using authentic marketing techniques to fulfill the new needs of the world.
I cannot wait to see what you achieve!
-Mike
PS – Get Different will launch on September 21st! You may preorder HERE. In case you were wondering, yes, we will be releasing a video of us dancing to September, by Earth, Wind and Fire. Don’t judge us.
