The Best Marketing Ever

The best lessons are taught in real life, not in classroom. Do you think the same? We can agree that there are many books about marketing, how to handle advertising campaign, how to boost sales, how to promote your product/ service. Universities teach marketing strategies in such way that real person doesn’t understand anyway, right?. That is my feeling. However there is one thing that is forgotten: "We are people". Instead of using complicated strategies we should more focus how to enchant others.


I want to share story I read about incredible service and what really matters. The story as I read in HBR Blog Network goes like this: „Brandon Cook, from Wilton, New Hampshire, was visiting his grandmother in the hospital. Terribly ill with cancer, she complained to her grandson that she desperately wanted a bowl of soup, and that the hospital's soup was inedible (she used saltier language). If only she could get a bowl of her favorite clam chowder from Panera Bread! Trouble was, Panera only sells clam chowder on Friday. So Brandon called the nearby Panera and talked to store manager Suzanne Fortier. Not only did Sue make clam chowder specially for Brandon's grandmother, she included a box of cookies as a gift from the staff. “ 

It was a small act of kindness (enchantment) not a try to activate marketing campaign. She used enchantment which is more important than just quality, price, marketing strategy or something else. But what happened was more than that. Brandon told his story on his Facebook and Brandon s mum said story on Panera Fan Page. A post generated more than 500 000 „Likes“and 22 000 „Comments“.  Panera so far received something that no marketing could do- a genuine sense of affiliation and appreciation from customer around the world. It doesn’t matter that we live in modern world where computers, internet are spreading rapidly, what stands out are act of compassion and connection that remind us what it means to be human.  I am sure that this is a lesson that no University can offer. What do you do to enchant others?

Black Or White

What is the first thing that comes to your mind if you think black and white? You might think about bad and good, war and peace, fear and hope or something else? It is contrast isn’t t it?

Have you ever heard how you can use contrast in persuasion?

I have some fun example. I tried it out and I think you might try it out as well. I bet you will like it as I did. Imagine you are owner of your boutique where you are selling your stuff. Customer enters and he says he wants to buy nice elegant cashmere sweater and 3 buttons black striped suit. You are a person who wants to help what would you offer like a first?

If you showed first suit, you would for sure sell sweater as well. However if you did it reverse, you wouldn’t sell sweater and you might not sell suit as well. Why?  

There is an automatic mechanism inside of human beings which called law of contrast. It means if we can spend 495 Euro on suit and after they offer us sweater for 95 Euro which you wouldn’t spend normally, you would buy it now. You are influenced because of law of contrast. If you spent already 495 Euro, sweater would seem for 95 Euro cheaper than it is. 

You can try law of contrast as well home. You can make a little experiment home. You pour coke (sweet), water (neutral) and salty water (salty) into 3 cups. You drink first coke and after water. How does it feel? I bet water seems to be less sweet than actually is. Now drink first salty water and after water. Water will seem sweeter than actually is. There you can see how you are influenced by law of contrast. 

The first and second lines are equal length, third and fourth as well, yet the second appears to be shorter than the first

Enjoy weekend and try to use law of contrast :)  

Want To Make Positive Impact, Initiate a Community Around You

Imagine since early age you were always part of something bigger. If you played soccer, you would become part of soccer team, if you wanted to be singer, you would join a band to play with. 

"If you wanted something achieve, you would join something bigger than you." 

Based upon this you can think that your team or band is group of any size, whose members share the same values, beliefs and interest, right? What you created or became part of is called a community.

If you want to create positive impact, I encourage you to initiate community around you. If you want to become more effective in what you do, you will join people who share the same values, goals like you. Why I think about building more communities? Because what I see around us is interesting insight.  Nowadays a lot of people want to become director, executive officer, entrepreneur, manager. If you asked question yourself, why would you like to become that person? What is your answer? Most of people usually say because of having control, money, fame, success, public awareness and so. All answers aim only to one person, you. I assume that this is reason no.1 why there is a problem in society. This is reason why people cannot stick to their commitments, values. That is reason why there are crisis all around our society. People are self centered. They focus to be more powerful, having more money, being more successful. More you, you, you...

Let me share story I have read in one book. Imagine year 1890, there is Samuel Pierpont Langley- smart, skilled, surrounded with technicians, well funded inventor. He has all what he needs to have success in what he tries to accomplish. He was trying to build first flying machine. However when we look closer at his intention we find following. He wanted become the first person who would build flying machine. Because he knew if he did it, he would achieve fame, money, and appreciation. At other side were brothers Wrights. They didn’t have anything what Langley had. It includes all sources for building of flying machine. However their intentions, motivation and purpose were different. They knew if they succeeded they would help people. They would change travelling, they believe in positive impact to people. They focused on community. They believed and inspired others in community to join them in their cause. That was a real strength of them. And after many attempts, they won like first one. A community built around them won. Can you see a difference?

Why do communities encourage you? Because

1. Everyone belongs – have feeling that you are part of something bigger, gives you power to win in any circumstances
2. Deserve a chance- there is no limitation, everybody in a group deserve a shoot
3. What you do is a important- it doesn’t matter what you do because it will benefit others which mean it is important always
4. Serve others- you show caring about welfare of others, you know that you can make positive impact in their life’s
5. Self fulfillment- you are not driven by money, fame but with purpose of your work

I think it is time to build more communities around us. I encourage you, be part of one or initiate new one. If you inside of community, it lets you focus on something more important than yourself. 

"Community let you be active in what you do and achieve better results. "

Let me know what you think about it and if you would like to build any community­ shoot me email about it.