Blog + Diamonds
VIDEO SUMMARY
Awaken Your Marketing Success: Unveiling the Key Steps
Hey there, fellow entrepreneurs! Ever felt like you’re going in circles in the marketing game? 
We’ve all been there, trying to crack the code on how to stand out amidst a sea of competitors 
and get your business noticed. But fret not, because we’ve got something revolutionary for you! 
Imagine if marketing wasn’t just about shouting your message from the rooftops 
, but rather providing real value and service to your audience. 
What if I told you there’s a completely new approach that turns traditional marketing upside down and makes people beg for more of what you have to offer? 
We’ve uncovered the secrets to transform your marketing from mundane to magnetic, from ordinary to extraordinary. 
With our proven steps, you’ll learn how to innovate with purpose, embrace the power of value-added marketing, and harness the magic of being truly unique. 
So whether you’re a seasoned pro or just taking your first steps in the marketing world, it’s time to up your game and unlock your business’s potential. 
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to revolutionize your approach and boost your success! 
Ready to learn more? Stay tuned as we reveal the groundbreaking strategies that will take your marketing to the next level! 
#MarketingMagic #Revolution #StayTuned
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Understand the Two Key Elements for Business Growth
Description:
Understand the two fundamental elements necessary for business growth as outlined by Tony Robbins: innovation and effective marketing.
Implementation:
- Recognize the importance of innovation in meeting clients’ needs better than competitors.
- Understand the significance of effective marketing in getting people to want to do business with your company.
Specific Details:
- Innovation involves finding ways to surpass competitors in meeting client needs.
- Effective marketing is essential to attract customers and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Step 2: Recognize the Importance of Marketing
Description:
Acknowledge the critical role of marketing in business success, alongside innovation.
Implementation:
- Understand that even with a superior product or service, effective marketing is necessary to drive business growth.
- Recognize that businesses with inferior offerings can outperform if they excel in marketing.
Specific Details:
- Marketing is crucial for attracting customers and driving sales, regardless of product quality.
- Aim to be both an innovative leader in your industry and an exceptional marketer, like Apple.
Step 3: Introduction to Value Add Marketing
Description:
Introduce the concept of Value Add Marketing as a strategy to capture clients’ attention amidst advertising overload.
Implementation:
- Understand that Value Add Marketing involves adding value to your marketing efforts beyond simple promotion.
- Recognize the need to provide something extra to customers to stand out in a competitive market.
Specific Details:
- Value Add Marketing goes beyond traditional advertising by providing additional value to customers.
- This strategy aims to differentiate your brand and attract customers by offering unique benefits or experiences.
Step 4: Creating a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
Description:
Understand the importance of creating a unique selling proposition to stand out in marketing.
Implementation:
- Define what sets your business apart from competitors.
- Identify your unique strengths, features, or benefits that appeal to your target audience.
Specific Details:
- Your unique selling proposition should clearly communicate why customers should choose your brand over others.
- Focus on what makes your product or service unique and valuable to customers.
Step 5: Implementing Value Add Marketing
Description:
Understand how to implement Value Add Marketing to capture clients’ attention effectively.
Implementation:
- Identify ways to add value to your marketing efforts, such as offering educational content, exclusive deals, or exceptional customer service.
- Tailor your marketing messages to highlight the added value your business provides.
Specific Details:
- Value Add Marketing involves going beyond product features to offer customers something extra.
- Use storytelling, personalization, or interactive experiences to engage customers and differentiate your brand.
Step 6: Implement Value-Added Marketing
Description:
Understand the concept of adding value to customers’ lives through marketing efforts without costing them anything.
Implementation:
- Offer something valuable to customers, such as teaching, valuable content, or experiences, without charging them.
- Position yourself as an expert by providing valuable information or experiences that resonate with your target audience.
Specific Details:
- Provide educational content, tips, or resources that address customers’ needs or interests.
- Offer free samples, trials, or consultations to showcase your expertise and build trust with customers.
Step 7: Introduction to Drue Icer and Renegade
Description:
Introduce Drue Icer, author, speaker, blogger, and CEO of Renegade, a New York-based social media and marketing agency.
Implementation:
- Highlight Drue Icer’s expertise in helping both B2B and B2C clients improve their marketing ROI.
- Acknowledge Renegade’s focus on cutting through marketing BS and providing effective marketing strategies.
Specific Details:
- Drue Icer’s background and experience make him a valuable resource for exploring world-class marketing strategies.
- Renegade specializes in helping businesses navigate the complexities of marketing and achieve better results.
Step 8: Characteristics of Successful Marketers
Description:
Explore common characteristics among successful marketers based on Drue Icer’s conversations with marketing leaders.
Implementation:
- Recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution in marketing, but certain characteristics are prevalent among successful marketers.
- Highlight the importance of mastering various elements of marketing to tailor solutions to specific challenges.
Specific Details:
- Drue Icer identifies common themes among successful marketers using the acronym CATS: Courageous, Artistic, Thoughtful, and Scientific.
- Each characteristic plays a vital role in the success of marketers, and mastering them can lead to effective marketing strategies.
Step 9: Understanding the CATS Framework
Description:
Explain the CATS framework and its components: Courageous, Artistic, Thoughtful, and Scientific.
Implementation:
- Define each component of the CATS framework: Courageous, Artistic, Thoughtful, and Scientific.
- Explain how each characteristic contributes to effective marketing strategies.
Specific Details:
- Courageous: Successful marketers demonstrate courage by taking risks and making bold decisions, such as investing in innovative programs or initiatives.
- Artistic: Marketers leverage creativity and artistic skills to develop compelling campaigns and storytelling that resonate with audiences.
- Thoughtful: Effective marketers demonstrate thoughtfulness by considering the needs and preferences of their target audience and tailoring marketing strategies accordingly.
- Scientific: Marketers use data-driven approaches and analytical skills to measure and optimize marketing campaigns for better results.
Step 10: Applying the CATS Framework
Description:
Discuss how to apply the CATS framework in developing marketing strategies.
Implementation:
- Incorporate the principles of Courageous, Artistic, Thoughtful, and Scientific into marketing planning and execution.
- Use the CATS framework to guide decision-making and problem-solving in marketing initiatives.
Specific Details:
- Consider how each characteristic of the CATS framework can be applied in various aspects of marketing, such as campaign development, audience targeting, and performance analysis.
- Use the CATS framework as a roadmap for developing comprehensive and effective marketing strategies.
Step 11: Courage in Marketing
Description:
Understand the role of courage in marketing, demonstrated through bold actions and risk-taking.
Implementation:
- Recognize the importance of identifying risks that can benefit your business and having the courage to take them.
- Learn from examples of courageous marketing decisions, such as handling protests or creating controversial advertising campaigns.
Specific Details:
- Courage in marketing involves taking calculated risks to achieve business goals, even if they may initially seem risky.
- Examples include handling protests by using unconventional methods like turning on sprinklers or creating attention-grabbing advertising campaigns.
Step 12: Artistic Elements in Marketing
Description:
Explore the artistic aspect of successful marketing, where marketers identify and execute creative ideas effectively.
Implementation:
- Understand the importance of creativity and innovation in marketing strategies.
- Learn from examples of artistic marketing campaigns, such as JetBlue’s response to Carmageddon.
Specific Details:
- Successful marketers leverage creativity to develop unique and memorable campaigns that resonate with their audience.
- Examples like JetBlue’s free flights during Carmageddon showcase how creativity can generate positive publicity and align with brand values.
Step 13: Thoughtful Marketing
Description:
Understand the significance of thoughtfulness in marketing, including consideration for customers’ needs and broader social impact.
Implementation:
- Recognize the importance of being thoughtful in marketing approaches, both in serving customers and contributing to social good.
- Learn from examples of thoughtful marketing, such as incorporating social purpose into brand messaging.
Specific Details:
- Thoughtful marketers consider not only customer needs but also broader societal impact when crafting marketing strategies.
- Examples like Daniel Lubetzky’s kindness initiatives demonstrate how thoughtful gestures can strengthen brand reputation and customer loyalty.
Step 14: Scientific Approach to Marketing
Description:
Explore the scientific aspect of modern marketing, focusing on data-driven decision-making and measurable outcomes.
Implementation:
- Understand the importance of measuring marketing effectiveness and optimizing strategies based on data insights.
- Learn about available tools and methods for measuring marketing performance, especially in digital channels.
Specific Details:
- Successful marketers prioritize measuring and analyzing marketing efforts to understand what works and optimize resource allocation.
- Small business owners should focus on channels and strategies that align with their goals and have measurable outcomes to maximize ROI.
Step 15: Approaching Marketing Investment Decisions
Description:
Learn how small business owners can approach decision-making regarding marketing investments.
Implementation:
- Avoid the common mistake of jumping into marketing channels without a clear strategy or understanding of effectiveness.
- Prioritize channels and strategies based on alignment with business goals, target audience, and measurable outcomes.
Specific Details:
- Small business owners should conduct research, set clear objectives, and prioritize channels that offer the best return on investment.
- Focus on proven methods and channels that align with business objectives rather than chasing trends or fads.
Step 16: Importance of Strategy in Marketing
Description:
Understand the critical role of strategy in marketing success, especially for small businesses.
Implementation:
- Recognize the significance of having a clear strategy to guide marketing efforts.
- Understand that lack of success in marketing often stems from a lack of strategic direction rather than ineffective spending.
Specific Details:
- Small businesses should prioritize developing a clear understanding of their brand’s uniqueness and value proposition.
- Strategy ensures that marketing efforts are aligned with business objectives and target audience needs.
Step 17: Uniqueness in Branding
Description:
Understand the importance of uniqueness in branding and marketing.
Implementation:
- Shift focus from being “better” to being unique and distinct from competitors.
- Identify what makes your brand unique, whether it’s through emotional connections, values, or unconventional approaches.
Specific Details:
- Uniqueness in branding goes beyond product features to encompass emotional connections and values.
- Examples like Mary Kay Cosmetics showcase how brands can differentiate themselves by aligning with empowering values.
Step 18: Aligning Marketing with Brand Values
Description:
Learn how to align marketing decisions with brand values and uniqueness.
Implementation:
- Identify core values of your business and understand your target audience’s values.
- Make marketing decisions that resonate with your brand’s values and appeal to your target audience.
Specific Details:
- Every marketing decision should reflect the core values of your business and appeal to the values of your target audience.
- Consider how your brand’s uniqueness can guide marketing strategies, from messaging to media choices.
Step 19: Developing a Unique Company Culture
Description:
Understand the importance of developing a unique company culture that aligns with brand values.
Implementation:
- Identify core values of your business and integrate them into company culture.
- Empower employees to embody brand values and create a cohesive brand experience for customers.
Specific Details:
- Company culture should reflect and reinforce brand values, creating a consistent experience for both employees and customers.
- Examples like Kids R Kids showcase how deep integration of brand values into company culture can create a unique and memorable brand identity.
Step 20: Avoiding Superficial Branding
Description:
Understand the importance of depth and authenticity in branding, avoiding superficial approaches.
Implementation:
- Ensure that uniqueness in branding goes beyond superficial elements like logos or colors.
- Emphasize authenticity and depth in brand messaging and customer interactions.
Specific Details:
- Superficial branding efforts, such as merely changing colors or logos, are insufficient to create a unique brand identity.
- Brands should focus on embodying values and creating meaningful connections with customers to establish authenticity and depth.
Step 21: DIY Self-Discovery for Small Businesses
Description:
Learn how small business owners can conduct self-discovery to identify their core values, target audience, and unique selling proposition.
Implementation:
- Prioritize customer feedback and interactions as a source of valuable insight into your business’s values and strengths.
- Focus on understanding your best customers and what drives their satisfaction and loyalty.
Specific Details:
- Engage with your existing customers to understand their passions, preferences, and behaviors.
- Identify patterns among your best customers to refine your target audience and tailor your offerings to meet their needs.
- Calculate the lifetime value of your customers to determine how much you can invest in acquiring similar customers in the future.
Step 22: Customer-Centric Marketing
Description:
Understand the importance of customer-centric marketing and tailoring offerings to meet customer needs.
Implementation:
- Shift focus from viewing marketing as a cost to understanding the value of acquiring and retaining customers.
- Conduct primary research with current customers to gather insights into their preferences, behaviors, and values.
Specific Details:
- Prioritize customer satisfaction and loyalty by aligning marketing efforts with the interests and passions of your target audience.
- Leverage customer feedback to refine your offerings and improve the customer experience, ultimately driving long-term success.
Step 23: Identifying Target Customer Characteristics
Description:
Learn how to identify key characteristics of your target audience to better serve their needs.
Implementation:
- Analyze customer demographics, behaviors, and preferences to identify common characteristics among your best customers.
- Use insights from customer research to tailor marketing strategies and offerings to meet the needs of your target audience.
Specific Details:
- Look beyond demographic data to understand the motivations and passions driving your target audience’s behavior.
- Consider factors such as hobbies, interests, and lifestyle choices to develop targeted marketing campaigns and initiatives.
Step 24: Structuring the Organization for Customer Service
Description:
Understand the importance of aligning organizational structure with customer service goals.
Implementation:
- Hire employees who align with your business’s values and prioritize customer satisfaction.
- Structure the organization to support a customer-centric approach, with a focus on delivering exceptional service and experiences.
Specific Details:
- Prioritize hiring individuals who enjoy working with people and are passionate about delivering excellent customer service.
- Implement processes and systems that support a customer-centric culture, empowering employees to meet customer needs effectively.
Step 25: Utilizing Customer Feedback for Brand Development
Description:
Learn how to leverage customer feedback to inform brand development and marketing strategies.
Implementation:
- Actively solicit feedback from customers through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.
- Use insights from customer feedback to refine brand messaging, product offerings, and marketing initiatives.
Specific Details:
- Regularly review and analyze customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and innovation.
- Incorporate customer suggestions and preferences into brand development and marketing strategies to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Step 26: Networking with Other Small Businesses
Description:
Learn the importance of networking with other small businesses to gain insights and resources.
Implementation:
- Make time to connect with other small business owners in your community to share experiences and learn from each other.
- Discuss challenges, tools, and resources with fellow entrepreneurs to gain valuable insights and recommendations.
Specific Details:
- Networking with other small businesses provides opportunities to learn from their experiences and discover useful tools and resources.
- Platforms like HubSpot for CRM are popular among small businesses and can be recommended based on peer experiences.
Step 27: Utilizing Small Business CRM Tools
Description:
Understand the importance of using customer relationship management (CRM) tools for small businesses.
Implementation:
- Research and consider CRM tools like HubSpot to track leads and manage customer relationships effectively.
- Leverage insights from other small businesses using CRM tools to understand implementation requirements and benefits.
Specific Details:
- CRM tools like HubSpot help small businesses organize leads, track interactions, and develop effective lead generation strategies.
- Networking with other small business owners can provide firsthand insights into CRM tool usage and best practices.
Step 28: Outsourcing Content Creation
Description:
Consider outsourcing content creation to leverage expertise and resources.
Implementation:
- Identify areas where external expertise can enhance content quality, such as writing or graphic design.
- Research freelance writers or content agencies to find affordable options for content creation.
Specific Details:
- While small business owners may possess industry expertise, outsourcing content creation can ensure professional quality and save time.
- Freelance writers or content agencies offer flexible options for creating high-quality content tailored to your brand’s needs.
Step 29: Assigning Responsibilities for CRM Implementation
Description:
Assign responsibilities for CRM implementation and training within the organization.
Implementation:
- Designate a team member to oversee CRM implementation and serve as the point of contact for training and support.
- Ensure that team members responsible for CRM usage are trained adequately through tutorials and resources provided by the CRM provider.
Specific Details:
- Assigning a dedicated team member to CRM implementation helps streamline the process and ensures accountability.
- Providing comprehensive training resources and support helps team members effectively utilize CRM tools to manage customer relationships.
Step 30: Developing a Social Media Strategy
Description:
Understand the importance of developing a social media strategy for small businesses.
Implementation:
- Define clear objectives and target audience for social media presence.
- Develop a content plan that balances promotional content with engaging, social-focused posts.
Specific Details:
- Avoid common social media mistakes such as lack of strategy, self-centered content, and failure to showcase unique brand positioning.
- Follow the Shaq Real Rule: 60% fun and interesting content, 30% brand-related content, and 10% promotional content.
Step 31: Avoiding Common Social Media Mistakes
Description:
Learn how to avoid common social media mistakes that small businesses often make.
Implementation:
- Develop a clear social media strategy that aligns with your business objectives and target audience.
- Avoid self-centered content and prioritize engaging, social-focused posts.
Specific Details:
- Assign social media responsibilities to knowledgeable individuals rather than solely based on popularity or seniority.
- Understand that social media platforms, like Facebook, are evolving into paid channels, requiring budget allocation for advertising.
Step 32: Embracing Mobile Optimization
Description:
Understand the importance of mobile optimization for websites and marketing strategies.
Implementation:
- Ensure that your website is mobile-optimized to cater to the growing number of users accessing content on mobile devices.
- Consider how mobile usage impacts user behavior and tailor your mobile experience accordingly.
Specific Details:
- Over 50% of website views occur on mobile devices, highlighting the significance of mobile optimization.
- Explore opportunities for mobile transactions and integrate features like Apple Pay to enhance user experience.
Step 33: Exploring Video Marketing Opportunities
Description:
Explore the potential of video marketing, including live streaming platforms like Blab and Periscope.
Implementation:
- Experiment with video content creation and distribution on platforms like Blab and Periscope to engage with your audience.
- Utilize video content for storytelling, product demonstrations, and engaging with customers in real-time.
Specific Details:
- Streaming video platforms offer opportunities for small businesses to connect with their audience in a more interactive and engaging manner.
- Consider archiving video content for future use and promotion across various channels.
Step 34: Understanding the Internet of Things (IoT)
Description:
Learn about the implications of the Internet of Things (IoT) for small businesses and marketing.
Implementation:
- Stay informed about IoT developments and how they may impact consumer behavior and expectations.
- Explore ways to leverage IoT technologies, such as beacon technology, to enhance customer experiences and deliver personalized interactions.
Specific Details:
- IoT technologies enable businesses to collect data and provide personalized experiences for customers, both online and offline.
- Small businesses can leverage IoT to deliver tailored recommendations and enhance customer engagement across various touchpoints.
Step 35: Adapting to Evolving Consumer Expectations
Description:
Understand the importance of adapting marketing strategies to meet evolving consumer expectations.
Implementation:
- Anticipate changes in consumer behavior and preferences driven by technological advancements like IoT and mobile usage.
- Stay agile and proactive in adopting new technologies and strategies to meet consumer demands effectively.
Specific Details:
- Consumers expect personalized experiences and intelligent recommendations across online and offline interactions, necessitating adaptation to emerging technologies and consumer trends.
Step 36: Utilize Facial Recognition Software for Customized Video Display
Description:
Utilize facial recognition software to customize video displays based on the viewer’s gender.
Implementation:
- Research and select facial recognition software that offers gender detection capabilities.
- Integrate the selected software into your video display system.
- Configure the software to recognize and differentiate between male and female viewers.
- Develop alternative video content tailored specifically for male and female audiences.
- Implement automatic switching between the alternative video content based on the gender detected by the software.
Specific Details:
- Ensure the selected software is reliable and accurate in gender detection to provide a seamless viewing experience.
- Test the system thoroughly to ensure smooth transitions between video content based on gender recognition.
Step 37: Embrace Technology Accessibility for Small Businesses
Description:
Embrace accessible technology to enhance business operations, despite initial reservations.
Implementation:
- Research emerging technologies that can benefit your small business operations.
- Evaluate the accessibility and affordability of identified technologies.
- Prioritize technologies that streamline processes, improve customer experience, or expand market reach.
- Allocate resources for acquiring and implementing selected technologies.
- Provide training and support to employees for effective utilization of new technologies.
Specific Details:
- Consider technologies such as cloud computing, automation tools, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, or digital marketing platforms.
- Monitor advancements in technology to stay abreast of new opportunities for business enhancement.
Step 38: Shift Marketing Focus from Message to Service
Description:
Shift marketing strategy from emphasizing messages to delivering valuable services.
Implementation:
- Reframe marketing strategy to prioritize actions over communication messages.
- Identify opportunities to provide valuable experiences, content, or assistance to customers.
- Develop creative initiatives that engage customers through service-oriented marketing.
- Allocate resources towards executing service-based marketing initiatives.
- Monitor and analyze customer feedback and engagement metrics to refine service-oriented marketing efforts.
Specific Details:
- Encourage a culture of innovation within the marketing team to brainstorm service-oriented initiatives.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align service-based marketing with overall business objectives.
Step 39: Implement Marketing as a Service Initiatives
Description:
Implement marketing initiatives that deliver tangible services to customers.
Implementation:
- Identify customer needs or pain points that can be addressed through service-oriented marketing.
- Develop and execute marketing campaigns or programs that offer valuable services to customers.
- Ensure seamless integration of service-based marketing initiatives with existing branding and messaging.
- Monitor customer response and engagement with implemented marketing services.
- Continuously optimize and evolve service-oriented marketing strategies based on customer feedback and market trends.
Specific Details:
- Leverage customer data and insights to tailor service offerings to specific segments or personas.
- Collaborate with external partners or vendors to enhance the delivery of marketing services.
Step 40: Measure Impact and Adjust Strategies Accordingly
Description:
Measure the impact of marketing as a service initiatives and adjust strategies based on performance metrics.
Implementation:
- Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the effectiveness of service-oriented marketing efforts.
- Implement tracking mechanisms to monitor KPIs and gather relevant data.
- Analyze performance metrics regularly to assess the impact of marketing services on customer engagement, loyalty, and brand perception.
- Identify areas of improvement or optimization based on performance insights.
- Adjust marketing strategies, tactics, and resource allocation to optimize the delivery of marketing services.
Specific Details:
- Use A/B testing or multivariate testing to experiment with different service offerings and determine the most effective approaches.
- Solicit feedback directly from customers through surveys, focus groups, or social media channels to inform adjustments to marketing services.
Step 41: Cultivate Passion for the Business and Products/Services
Description:
Cultivate a deep sense of passion among team members for the business and the products or services it offers.
Implementation:
- Encourage open discussions and brainstorming sessions to identify and reinforce the core values and mission of the business.
- Lead by example by demonstrating genuine enthusiasm and belief in the business’s purpose and offerings.
- Provide opportunities for team members to share their personal stories and connections to the business’s mission.
- Celebrate successes and milestones to foster a sense of pride and accomplishment among team members.
- Offer continuous education and training to deepen team members’ understanding and appreciation for the business and its products/services.
Specific Details:
- Organize team-building activities and events centered around the business’s mission or industry to further instill passion and camaraderie.
- Recognize and reward team members who exemplify exceptional passion and dedication to the business.
Step 42: Build a Strong Social Media Presence Around Passion
Description:
Leverage passion for the business to build a strong social media presence that resonates with followers.
Implementation:
- Identify key themes or topics related to the business’s passion that can be shared and discussed on social media platforms.
- Develop a content calendar that highlights passion-driven content, including behind-the-scenes glimpses, success stories, and industry insights.
- Engage with followers authentically by responding to comments, sharing user-generated content, and fostering community discussions.
- Experiment with creative campaigns or initiatives that showcase the business’s passion in unique and memorable ways.
- Monitor social media analytics to gauge audience engagement and adjust content strategies accordingly.
Specific Details:
- Collaborate with influencers or brand ambassadors who share the business’s passion to expand reach and credibility on social media.
- Encourage user-generated content by launching hashtag campaigns or contests that invite followers to share their own passion-related experiences.
Step 43: Measure Fan Engagement and Dedication
Description:
Measure the level of fan engagement and dedication to gauge the effectiveness of passion-driven marketing efforts.
Implementation:
- Define key performance indicators (KPIs) related to fan engagement, such as likes, shares, comments, and brand mentions.
- Implement tracking mechanisms to monitor KPIs and gather relevant data on fan interactions and sentiment.
- Analyze fan engagement metrics regularly to assess the impact of passion-driven marketing initiatives.
- Identify trends or patterns in fan behavior that indicate a strong connection to the business’s passion.
- Use insights from fan engagement metrics to refine and optimize passion-driven marketing strategies.
Specific Details:
- Utilize social listening tools to monitor online conversations and sentiment related to the business’s passion across various platforms.
- Segment fan engagement data by demographics or geographic regions to tailor marketing strategies and messaging effectively.
Step 44: Blend Artistic Vision with Scientific Testing
Description:
Blend artistic creativity with scientific testing to optimize marketing strategies and decisions.
Implementation:
- Embrace creativity and innovation in developing marketing campaigns and initiatives that reflect the business’s passion.
- Implement a systematic approach to testing and learning, using data-driven insights to inform decision-making.
- Conduct A/B testing or multivariate testing to experiment with different creative elements, messaging, or tactics.
- Measure and analyze the performance of marketing experiments against predefined KPIs to determine effectiveness.
- Iterate and refine marketing strategies based on the results of testing and experimentation.
Specific Details:
- Establish a culture of continuous improvement within the marketing team, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Document learnings and insights from marketing experiments to inform future strategies and campaigns.
Step 45: Seek Continuous Learning and Improvement
Description:
Commit to ongoing learning and improvement to stay agile and competitive in the ever-evolving business landscape.
Implementation:
- Invest in professional development opportunities for marketing team members, including training workshops, courses, and conferences.
- Encourage a mindset of curiosity and exploration, fostering a culture of lifelong learning within the organization.
- Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices through industry publications, webinars, and networking events.
- Solicit feedback from customers, partners, and stakeholders to gain insights into areas for improvement and innovation.
- Iterate and adapt marketing strategies based on feedback, market trends, and competitive analysis.
Specific Details:
- Create a knowledge-sharing platform or internal resource library where team members can access relevant articles, case studies, and research findings.
- Foster cross-functional collaboration and learning by organizing inter-departmental workshops or knowledge-sharing sessions.
COMPREHENSIVE CONTENT
Introduction
Alright, folks, so today we’re gonna be talking about something really exciting. We’re gonna be diving deep into the world of astrophysics, specifically focusing on black holes. Now, I know this might sound a little intimidating at first, but trust me, by the end of this video, you’re gonna have a much better understanding of what black holes are all about.
What is a Black Hole?
So, let’s start with the basics. What exactly is a black hole? Well, imagine a massive star that’s reached the end of its life cycle. When these stars collapse under their own gravity, they become incredibly dense, forming what we call a black hole. Now, black holes are known for their intense gravitational pull, which is so strong that not even light can escape from them. That’s why they appear black, hence the name “black hole”.
Characteristics of Black Holes
Now, black holes come in different sizes, ranging from small ones that are just a few times more massive than our Sun, to supermassive ones that can be millions or even billions of times more massive. And because they’re so dense and compact, black holes have some really bizarre properties. For example, if you were to get too close to a black hole, you would experience something called spaghettification, where the gravitational pull is so strong that you would be stretched.
Introduction
Hey, welcome to the podcast. As Tony Robbins, listen, today we’re gonna talk about that second element that’s required for any business to grow geometrically.
Keys to Business Growth
Do you recall what the two keys are? Number one, every business has to innovate. We’ve got to find a way to meet our clients’ needs better than anyone else in the marketplace. But you can innovate and you can be in a position where you’re ineffective in your marketing because that’s the second thing you got to do.
Effective Marketing
You got to get people to want to do business with you. You got to get people to seek you out in a world where there is so much information coming at them. So how do you set yourself apart? And if you really think about it, every single business out there, there are many businesses I’m sure you’ve seen that have an inferior product or an inferior service to your own. But if they’re doing more business, it’s because they’re better marketers.
The Ideal Scenario
Now, the ideal is you’re the best product ’cause you’re constantly innovating and you’re the best marketer. That’s something like an apple.
Introducing Drew Iczer
That’s what they’ve done. They really deliver the best products, the best innovation, but they have phenomenal marketing. That’s really our goal in this podcast is to move you in that direction. And so to do that today, I’ve asked a New York to interview Drew Iczer. Drew is brilliant. Many of you know him probably because he’s the CEO of the renowned marketing firm Renegade.
Drew Iczer’s Insights
He’s going to talk to you about the skills, the mindset, and the tools that’ll give you winning marketing campaigns and also what to avoid. Sometimes some of the mistakes can just take out your marketing so quickly. So his insights and they gonna find invaluable. Let’s get right to the podcast. How do you capture the limited attention of your clients through marketing when they are constantly being bombarded with advertising? How do you compete with corporations that have seemingly unlimited resources through world-class marketing?
Value Add Marketing
World-class marketing comes from creating a unique selling proposition we call value add marketing. You’re literally adding value to your customer’s lives. You do something, you teach them something, you give them something valuable that cost them nothing. Then they look to you as the expert and want you to supply them with more information, more experience, and more products.
Introducing Drew Iczer Again
So to help us explore what it takes to deliver world-class marketing, we have Drew Iczer, author, speaker, blogger, and founder and CEO of Renegade, a New York City-based social media and marketing agency that helps B2B and B2C clients cut through the BS and improve their marketing ROI. Drew, thanks for joining us today.
Characteristics of Successful Marketers
Hey, I’m excited to be here. Thanks for having me. In your book, “The CMO’s Periodic Table of Characteristics of Successful Marketers,” Renegade’s Guide to Marketing, you highlight sixty-four intimate conversations you’ve had with marketing leaders at prominent companies. Were there any characteristics that these senior marketers had in common?
No One-Size-Fits-All Solution
You know, it’s really interesting when you talk to, first of all, the opportunity to talk to 64 really smart marketers you can imagine is a wonderful thing for me and I’m so grateful to all of them. But you know, you’re gonna learn a lot, and the first thing you realize is that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution. The second thing you realize is that these folks have a methodology that could work wherever they go, but their individual problems require very specific solutions. And so one of the things I wanted to do when the book was to lay out a lot of different elements if you can master all of these then it’s.
Common Themes Among Marketers
Just a question of putting the right ones together, so now I can answer your question. I did see some common themes across these 64, and I’ll use an acronym, CATS, because these are cool cats, and it stands for courageous, artistic, thoughtful, and scientific. If you want, I can go through each of those just briefly and explain what those are.
Courage
Courage is something that you really find in the greatest marketers. They have the ability, I’m gonna say sometimes, to even bet the ranch. Sir Terry Leahy, who became a sir after moving from the chief marketing officer to the CEO of Tesco, a huge food company retail chain in England in the world. At one point in his career as the CMO, he risked 20% of profits in order to set a loyalty program. That was a huge, huge risk, but he had the courage to do it. Similarly, Terry Grant, Terry Funk, Graham, of Jack-in-the-Box, had the courage to do brilliant advertising, including a famous ad where she had a young man hallucinating at the drive-thru about 30 tacos. And of course, she ran into protesters, which she handled courageously by actually turning on the sprinklers at the headquarters, which dampened the protesters’ enthusiasm. Literally, the protest never happened. So, courage is the ability to sort of understand what risks can be taken and the courage to take them.
Artistry
There’s an artistic element to most of these successful folks, and the book is really about blending the art and the science. But the artistic ones have the ability to identify ideas and run with those ideas in a way that’s pretty special. A quick example, Marty St. George of JetBlue. I had heard about what Carmageddon, which was in your neck of the woods when they were shutting down the San Diego freeway, and they decided to offer JetBlue offered free flights from LA to San Diego during what was supposed to be called Carmageddon. It just got tremendous publicity for that. So, they did well. It was wonderfully artistic, one that was consistent with their brand.
Thoughtfulness
And also, adding value to customers, like sort of foreseeing what their needs would be and then jumping to fill that need. Exactly, and that’s really artistic, the ability to do real-time marketing as that is described. It really is an art form, and yeah, you’re right, and I get to a big believer in what you’re talking about. I call it marketing as a service, and it’s one of the elements I describe, and that is in the next area of this area, thoughtful. What does it mean to be thoughtful as a marketer? They’re not just thoughtful in terms of how they approach their job, but they’re also thoughtful on a bigger scale.
Where marketing fits in the broader social good. I mean, there’s a number of people like Daniel Lubetzky, the founder of KIND, is in the book and talks about the role that social purpose plays, not only inspiring him to do the kind thing but in… He loves to do this. He does this in New York. He’ll get on the subway, he’ll see someone who had just shared a subway seat with someone else, and he’ll hand him a couple of KIND bars and say, “Here’s one for you and one for you to give to somebody else.” Just a sort of nice little kind gesture, but there’s a lot of thinking that goes into that kind of thoughtfulness.
Scientific Approach
And then the last area is this scientific one of the challenges.
Challenges for Small Businesses
That a lot of marketers face, particularly small businesses, they don’t know where to spend the money, and so they spend it everywhere. And then they say, “Well, I don’t know what’s working.” And more and more modern marketers are progressing and finding ways of measuring and creating measurable programs. And that’s, again, that’s an art form. But today, with so much digital opportunity, it’s increasingly easy to measure.
Approach to Marketing
So, for those small business owners who have limited resources, who are really overwhelmed with all of the opportunities available, not just today, the proven methods, but things that are coming just around the corner that they might read about or hear from somebody that it’s the new hotness, how do they approach the decision-making on what to invest time and energy and money into?
Importance of Strategy
And it’s a great question. And I think that the biggest mistake that I see, particularly with small businesses, is that they hear about a channel and they jump into the channel. “Oh, there’s now there’s social media. We better have a Facebook page.” What they don’t have is a strategy, which is a problem because it’s sort of that every other road looks good if you don’t know where you’re going in situations.
So that I always step back, and typically when you find a small business that isn’t having success with their marketing, it’s not because they don’t have, they’re not smart about where they’re spending it, it’s because they haven’t spent time figuring out why their brand is unique. Notice I didn’t say the word better because this isn’t about better, this is about being unique.
Uniqueness and Emotional Appeal
And you use the words, you know, unique selling proposition, but I think it’s deeper than that in the sense of why, why are you doing it, what makes you unique. And it’s not necessarily a wholly rational uniqueness, like better ingredients, better pizza is for Papa John’s. It can be emotional. I mean, one of the folks that I interviewed and really enjoyed was from Mary Kay Cosmetics, and you talk about a well-branded company whose brand is in the hands of independent ambassadors.
But those ambassadors, Mary Kay’s commitment is to empowering women, the women that sell for them and the women that buy from them. So you think about that why, and you say, “Okay, I’m about empowering women. Now, where do I spend my marketing dollars?” Well, maybe I need to do forums on helping women get jobs in the workplace after having a first child or, you know, how to re-enter the workforce. Or I need to help empower women. So you make your media choices based on your uniqueness. And so they go together. And I think that’s really so fundamental, but it’s so often skipped. I will tell you flat-out that 75 percent of small businesses do not have a strategy.
Alignment with Company Culture
We were also talking a little bit about company culture in another interview, and that came up at the core level, which is identifying the values of the business and the values of the customer. So it sounds like you’re saying that it’s very similar in that you really need to figure out what your values are as a company and who your customer is, and then every decision that you make, including marketing decisions, need to be in alignment with that.
Importance of Genuine Uniqueness
It’s really important that they use uniqueness not as a coat of paint. It really is important. You can’t just say, “We’re the purple brand,” and then paint everything purple and call it a day. And a good example of that, I don’t know if you’ve ever been into or had experience with KidZania, but their employees have names. It’s all about empowering kids and teaching kids by making them in control of their own country.
So there’s a currency there, the kids are on the advisory board, they only hire people who like kids, you know, they’re committed to teaching kids in a very different way. Than the fun environment goes from all the way to the CEO who isn’t called the CEO, he’s a governor, to the CMO who’s called the Minister of Communication. So that brand, if you were looking for how deep can culture and brand and marketing go together and be blended so you can’t even distinguish them, that’s when you know you don’t doing it right. It doesn’t even seem like marketing anymore, it’s just this is how we behave.
Tactics for Self-Discovery
So, are there any tactics DIY Self-Discovery that you would recommend for a small business owner to discover what those things are? ‘Cause it sounds simple, right? You ask, “Okay, what are our values? What do we stand for? Who are we serving?” But in a lot of cases, especially with larger brands, they bring in a facilitator, right? You’ll have a consultant come in and work you through that whole process. Is there any kind of primer or recommendations that you would have for a DIY self-discovery of what business not just what business you’re in ’cause Tony speaks about this a lot but what business you should be in moving forward, right?
Thinking about where you are, you know, I think that small businesses have an opportunity every day to talk to their customers and so often miss that opportunity because they’re so concerned about trying to serve the next one. And the information is right there in front of them.
And I think it’s really important to say not every customer is a good customer. So, I want to figure out who are my best customers and why are they happy with me? What is it about them? And spend time with them and find out what their passions are because they may not be passionate about whatever your dry-cleaning service but they may be passionate about looking good, right?
They may not be passionate about the water service but they may be passionate about living a healthy life. And those are things that you can find out just by talking to people. And you don’t have to talk to… You can talk to 50 customers, for the customers you think you want to do business with. And then I can extend this a little bit more, when why am I talking about existing customers and why am I talking about something odd? All customers are equal.
If you look at marketing, the problem with most small businesses have is they see it as cost, right? How much do I spend? So let’s back this into how much is a customer worth to you, right? Lifetime value. How much is that customer going to spend either with my brand or by encouraging other people to buy my services, right? And so you can put a dollar amount on that, whether it’s five dollars, ten dollars, a hundred, five thousand, whatever that number is, and then you know, well, I can spend that much money to acquire this type of customer.
Customer Research and Tailoring
And in most cases, your next customer will look like your current customer. So, therefore, talk to your current customers, get to know all aspects of their behavior. Find out what sports their kids are doing. Is it, you know, maybe that it’s all soccer moms are your target? Fine, then there’s your answer for, you know, how do you serve soccer moms better? And maybe a media sponsor and a soccer team, right? Because that’s what they really care about. So, it’s primary research with your customers is there, and I’ll tell you, the name Renegade for us came from one of our customers before we existed. We were a division of a large agency, as importance, and once somebody said, “Hey, oh, you’re those renegades over at Dentsu.” And I said, “Damn right we are, going broke Society, that’s where we are, that’s what we do.” And so, anyway, I think that you don’t need to talk to a thousand, you just need to talk to the right ones. And you just have to really get the ear wax out and figure out, all right, how can I uniquely meet their needs and do it on a consistent basis? And how can I structure the organization in order to, if, for example, you’re all about customer service, then you better hire people who like people, right?
Behind-the-Scenes Competencies
That actually brings me to a question I was going to ask about how do you equip yourself with the right tools to be able to serve the needs of those customers? In other words, what behind-the-scenes competencies are key to a successful marketing team or campaign? It’s a lot of these small business owners are doing it themselves and they feel possibly intimidated by not having a skill set that they think, you know, maybe I’m not creative enough or we don’t have the resources or I can’t write copy or, you know, there are a lot of things that I think they might be struggling with. So, what are some of the basic ways that they can prepare themselves to be able to DIY it?
I think one of the things that they can really think about, and this is a couple of chapters in the book, is networking with other small businesses. There isn’t a challenge that they’re facing that somebody just down the road hasn’t probably addressed. And so, making the time to get out of the office or doing it at night or doing it on the weekend and talk to the people and ask them, “Okay, how are you doing? What tools are you using?” A lot of small businesses have gravitated to HubSpot, for example, which is a small business CRM, customer relationship management tool. It allows you to track leads and develop a lead generation program. So, before you jump on spot that, you can talk to, you know, ten businesses in your neighborhood and say, “What were the issues? How did you deal with it? What resources did it require? And then how did you fulfill those?” So, I think the answer for the morgana right in a neighborhood, they just need to get out and make sure that they are talking with people in terms of very specific things. Again, I think it depends on first, we have our unique position, then we start to say, “All right, how do we execute that? Make sure that the product or service aligns without a hundred percent. Then, how do we make the marketing align with that?” And what that ends up being is a content marketing play because you want to provide all the reasons that your pool service, why the reasons you need a…
Content Creation Strategies
Specifically, your pool needs to be cleaned a certain way, right? So, you create all this content. Well, chances are you personally, because you’re in this business, you know this stuff. You could probably even if you’re not a writer, you can you could write down a bunch of thoughts. And once you get your thoughts down, then you can find somebody, lots and lots of writers out there, surfaces out there that can help you get this done pretty cheaply. So, I think this is where you, in one of the chapters of my book, “Tiny Budget,” Julie Garlic Roth talks about how she sometimes outsources and the in sources and she very strategically uses it. There are some things where it’s just cheaper to go outside, and you kind of know what your strengths and weaknesses are. And if you don’t know how to write, then you better get outside help, the writer. If you don’t know how to use a CRM system, make sure you get one that’s one really easy, and then someone in the organization is assigned to go through the tutorials. Sure, that makes sense, creating a custom solution based on your needs.
Common Mistakes in Social Media Marketing
So, on the topic of content marketing and social media, what are some common mistakes that you’ve seen small business owners make and how can they avoid making these mistakes?
You know, the first most common mistake is not having a social strategy, literally just saying, “Okay, we’re gonna be on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram,” without necessarily a plan, the reason why they’re going to be there. And so that’s number one. Number two is they spend all their time talking about themselves and think of it as an advertising channel, and they’re not social and think of it as going to a party. And you’re going to a party and all you do was talk about yourself, well, you’re the bore that everybody sort of avoids, right? And so, even Shaquille O’Neal with his, what’s called a Shaq real rule, yeah, sort of 60% fun and interesting, 30% sort of a little bit closer to brand, and then 10% of it’s actually, “Hey, buy my stuff.” And so that’s one. Those are two. And number three is, again, if you have this unique position, then bringing that position to life in a passionate way. In theory, your position should be extremely attractive to certain types of people, right? So then you can be delivered that, you can find those people in soap on social that are interested and excited around a particularly communal idea. And you embrace them and celebrate them, and then gradually, you know, they sort of give you give, get, or and. So that’s really, I think that’s the biggest mistake, not having a strategy. Second is spending too much time talking about yourself. Probably the third biggest mistake is that they assign it to the intern or the person with the most friends on Facebook and not necessarily somebody who actually knows anything about it. And a lot of the big mistakes that happen in social media because they turn over their brand. But I will say that the upside here was social and content is very high, and those that get it right, do it, are finding tremendous success with it. I guess the last thing on social now, in particular, Facebook has become a paid channel, and it is important to acknowledge that if you want to make hay on Facebook, then you need to budget some advertising dollars for it, which in my mind is actually a good thing because Facebook is an extremely powerful and effective advertising channel. It’s just not as social as it used to be. Yeah, and Facebook continues to evolve.
New Channels and Opportunities
They just came out with what people are calling the Yelp killer, alright? Yeah, I guess I’m wondering, making decisions about which platforms to be on. I mean, Facebook was originally an owned media channel what people thought it was, and like you said, it’s transitioning into becoming a paid media channel. Do you think that there are any new channels or new opportunities that are going to emerge in 2016 or even beyond that marketers and small business owners should keep an eye on and be aware of and deeply consider starting to leverage?
Well, I think, you know, first and the most obvious answer to that is mobile, and mobile everything. In the sense that if your website isn’t mobile-optimized or then you’re making a bigger mistake because chances are over 50% of the views will be on a mobile device. Also understanding how mobile plays into your category, are they consequently searching on mobile or for your location they’re doing research, you need to understand that so that you can design your mobile experience accordingly. You need to understand how mobile might be a transactional opportunity for you or get it, people going to be using Apple pay and are you ready for that. So, that’s a massive thing, mobile, like the next big area, and this has been big for a while but video and especially streaming video. I’m a big fan of this platform blab which is a streaming video platform where like Google Hangouts but it’s only for people at the most and it’s actually just quite a cool little streaming platform and great for archiving video content. I have friends who swear by periscope as the coolest hippest thing out there in terms of streaming video so I think that’s an area that could be an opportunity for some small businesses. And then there’s this just this whole world of the Internet of Things, IOT, and as devices start to connect more and more businesses will need to make their experiences smarter and I think it’s gonna be hard for small businesses in some ways it may be easier in others.
And by this I mean there’s going to be an expectation for example if I go to Amazon right now and I go shopping, they’ll always say people who like this book like that, right? So I know that I’ve expected that I’ve got used to it it gets smarter as I buy there’s beginning to be an expectation that wherever I go on the web the someone’s gonna know nothing about me to deliver something intelligence well this is happening now on an offline basis as well. So, it’s quite possible through beacon technology or Wi-Fi technology that you as a small business would know who this person is, there’s facial recognition software that would know whether it’s a male or female so you could change your video display accordingly there’s lots of things like that that small businesses might say oh we can’t do that but this technology is going to become very accessible so starting to think about how you keep it into this Internet of Things is going to be important and also really important that you’re not a commodity that can be just ordered on the Amazon.
Marketing a Service Philosophy
Renegade’s philosophy is marketing a service. Can you explain a little bit more about what that means and what that means for the company the brand and what it means for the customer?
Absolutely, so a coin is expression marketing as service to be the opposite of marketing as message and marketing as message is the dominant part of communication strategy most companies try to spend all their time thinking about what can they say what’s my message and I wanted to turn that on its head by saying what can we do not what we what can we say. So, we think in terms of do’s not saying and those do’s can be entertaining they could be enlightening they can be an experience they can be content there’s a lot of wonderful ways of doing things a20 marketing into a service and I can give you a quintessential example of one that I’m really proud of it Renegade did several years ago HSBC the large global bank and an HSBC came to us and said hey we’re this large global bank but we have this world’s local bank position we want to put.
Key Takeaways
- Passion and Evangelism: Successful businesses are often led by individuals who are deeply passionate about their products or services. This passion can drive innovative marketing strategies and foster strong connections with customers. For example, NASA’s social media presence is fueled by the passion of its leaders for science and astronomy, leading to creative campaigns like “Supernova Sunday” during the Super Bowl.
- Blend of Art and Science: Effective marketing requires a balance of artistic creativity and scientific rigor. Businesses need to identify their unique positioning (the artistic aspect) and then use data-driven approaches to make informed decisions and continuously improve. This “test and learn” mindset allows companies to adapt and refine their strategies based on measurable results.
Overall, businesses should strive to be both passionate advocates for their brand and strategic in their approach to marketing, leveraging creativity and analytics to drive success.
Closing Thoughts
In conclusion, I’d like to emphasize the importance of finding the right balance between passion and strategy in your marketing efforts. By tapping into your enthusiasm for your product or service and applying a disciplined approach to measurement and optimization, you can create impactful campaigns that resonate with your audience and drive business growth. Thank you for the opportunity to share these insights with Tony’s audience, and I wish you all the best in your marketing endeavors.
Promotion and Closing
Jerry shares insights from his new book, “CMOS Periodic Table: A Renegade’s Guide to Marketing,” emphasizing the importance of blending art and science in marketing strategies. He invites listeners to explore his book for further guidance.
Jerry expresses gratitude for the opportunity to share his knowledge and concludes the podcast.
Podcast Closing
Jerry thanks the audience for their time and participation, expressing pleasure in being part of the podcast.
He promotes his new book, “CMOS Periodic Table: A Renegade’s Guide to Marketing,” suggesting it as a valuable resource for marketing insights.
Jerry encourages listeners to attend the Business Mastery event by Tony Robbins, emphasizing the importance of mastering both mindset and skills for business success.
He directs listeners to learn more about the Business Mastery event at www.tonyrobbins.com.
Credits for the Tony Robbins podcast are given, acknowledging the team involved in its production.
Jerry concludes with appreciation for the audience and directs them to the Tony Robbins website for more content and upcoming events.
