To pay, or not to pay: That is the question

To pay is my answer. In this digitally fragmented world, I believe paywalls are a smart strategy for newspapers that have a unique value proposition. And only those newspapers with a unique value proposition like the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times can be successful at implementing a pay per view strategy. With the rise in internet consumption and the introduction of new social media mediums like reddit “The front page of the internet” people don’t need newspapers like they needed them before. We can get information from hundreds of different sources such as blogs, Twitter, RSS feeds, Google alerts, niche news organization, etc. It’s no longer just about the news but it’s about offering readers a unique experience and compelling content. Sound familiar? Like with any other product, consumers will always pay more for a product if they perceive it to be of high value. I am willing to pay $15.99 a month for SHOWTIME just to watch Homeland.

The real question comes down to are these newspaper organizations differentiating themselves from the rest of their competitors. Is their offering unique? Is it perceived as valuable? If it is, there is no reason for a paywall not work.

I commend The New York Times for seeing the writing on the wall early and adapting to their new reality. Many newspapers like the Washington Post were critical of the New York Times in 2011, but since then have implemented their own paywalls.

What are you willing to pay more for?

The Maestro: Confident, Goal-Oriented, Influential, Opinionated, and Decisive

I am always a little skeptical when I take personality tests. How do these tests do it? How can a test accurately describe you by simply asking two dozen and half questions?  

The Fascination Advantage Test does it. It only took a couple of minutes to complete and with unbelievable accuracy it described some of my most admired personality traits. I was really amazed at how it pinpointed my core strengths.  The test identified my archetype as the Maestro which is a combination of the power and prestige triggers. Even though power and prestige are not words that I would usually use to describe myself, the descriptions of these triggers were spot on.   It described me as always seeking to expand my sphere of knowledge and elevate my value.  It also described me as competitive, driven, confident, detail and goal-oriented.  

One of the best things about the Fascination Advantage Test was the action plan. The test provided three key actionable steps to continue to fascinate.  It’s important to identify your core fascination triggers, but it’s even more important to harness your fascination factor and continue to build on it.

How do you fascinate?

Champions Make No Excuses

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was watching the French Open finals this weekend and I was moved by the level of performance and athleticism shown by Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.  Rafael and Serena both overpowered their opponents to win the grand prize. Serena did it in two sets (6-4, 6-4) and Rafael did in three sets (6-3, 6-2, 6-3).   Rafael and Serena are champions, successful athletes, at the top of their game. They are well known, admired by many and brand ambassadors for Nike.  Over the years, Nike has done a superb job at associating its brand to successful athletes like Serena and Rafael. Nike is one of the brands that time and time again engages me in their brand story.  Athletes and fans alike, Nike inspires the young and old to Just Do It!. So, how are they doing it?

Nike keeps it simple. Inspiration and Innovation for Every Athlete in the World. There is no fluff in this positioning statement.  The characters of its story are made up of professional athletes, at the top of their game. The setting of the brand story is ones respective playing field- whether it be a clay court, a baseball field, a track or life. Nike inspires and motivates millions to be more active and to achieve their goals. Nike inspires me.

Below are some of the Nike commercials that tell the brand story perfectly.

 Find Your Greatness

 

Rewrite the Future

 

No Excuses

What brand moves you?

Welcome

Welcome to the No Fluff Marketing blog.  Why name my blog No Fluff Marketing, you may ask?  I have a background in accounting and finance and I have been in the world of marketing for the past 7 years. It’s been my experience that unlike finance and accounting, fluff is widely accepted in the marketing function. We all know that fluff is not tolerated in accounting and finance. In fact, there are governmental agencies that have been created to uncover accounting and finance fluff.  Fluff in accounting and finance has led to damaged corporate reputations, costly penalties and eroded shareholder value. Marketers, however, have been getting away with fluffy marketing for years. The consequences of fluffy marketing may not be as devastating as those of fluffy accounting, but it does result in ineffective product launches, irrelevant content and wasted marketing dollars.  Let’s face it.  All marketers across industries, at some time in their marketing career, have used fluffy marketing.

So why is marketing fluff a common practice in our industry? I would submit to you that the reason why so many marketers resort to using fluffy marketing is due to the lack of understanding of their customer market and product offering. As marketers, we have to get past the marketing lingo, aka fluff, and create relevant and compelling content that will motivate potential buyers to act. 

In a world where buyers are bombarded with hundreds of marketing messages a day, relevant content is king and there is simply no room for fluff. My goal with this blog is to take you in a journey where I cut through the marketing fluff and present best practices on how to spot marketing fluff and how to avoid it.

Why do you think there is so much marketing fluff?