Have you ever had a discussion with someone who states that something is a fact about marketing, when you know it is not?
Sometimes the person bases the fact on their experience and sometimes it is what they have read or heard.
One experience on the weekend and one article I read got me thinking about this topic.
A simple question was asked at lunch – which pet has the following characteristics:
- Shows you affection by licking your hands or face
- Loves to play fetch, runs, jumps up and catch the toy in his mouth
- Follows you everywhere and rolls over to have his tummy rubbed
- Greets you at the door when you get home
- Would eat anything and often wants seconds for dinner
- Likes to sit on you whenever you want him to do it or not
One person stated there was only one kind of animal that fitted the description.
Others disagreed however he said it is a well known fact. He argued well and we found out it his point of view was based solely on his experience.
Regarding information, there seems to be more and more articles written for what you should do in marketing based on one off studies which can be rather misleading. I read a very interesting article by Tom Webster – The Due Diligence of Sharing Social Media Facts which I encourage you to read.
Learning from what someone else did as a case study can give you ideas and inspiration. The same can be said for studies that are done properly or articles. However if you take all the information or experiences as facts then you end up going in the wrong direction with your marketing.
Fact or fiction
So, how can you work out the facts from fiction regarding marketing?
One way is the common sense approach. Look at the information or what someone says and see if it makes sense. Could it apply to your business and customers or does it depend on certain criteria or circumstances. Remember one size definitely does not fit all regarding marketing.
Over to you, how do you working out whether the marketing facts are real or just fiction?
As an aside which pet do you think has the characteristics described above?
Everyone does seem to be a marketing expert these days. What you describe would lead you to believe the pet is a dog. But somehow the answer is probably going to be something else.
Rob
Hi Rob,
You are right about experts and it does get confusing for clients to spot the difference. That is why I think it is important to understand what really are facts.
The description does apply to dogs, however I was also describling my cat.
Hi Susan! I drive my (especially new) clients crazy when I pick apart their briefs. I always ask: ‘Is this true? Can we prove that? How do we know this? Are you absolutely sure this is the case?’ Once they calm down, they realise that when I’m armed with hard facts, I can write bullet-proof, killer copy. A good way to get facts is to drill down to the source documents under the brief. It can be a time-consuming hassle, but it sure beats coming unstuck half-way through a campaign. With best regards and many thanks for another beaut post! P.
Hi Paul,
It is good that you ask these questions Paul as you are right without facts they will come unstuck. Not all people do and what they may not realise is that someone could challenge them and then they would be in trouble.
How do your clients react when they can’t produce the source documents?
Thanks for your comment.
I always say to my clients that I’ll work with whatever they give me. There’s no point standing on ceremony if they literally have nothing. But I do warn them that the less ammo they give me, the fewer targets we’ll hit. I also warn them of the clear and present danger of being caught out in unsubstantiated claims. I put this all in writing, so if the poo hits the propellor, I’m safe at least. Ironically, doing this usually clarifies their thinking no end!
Great approach Paul and I am sure they appreciate you helping them clarify their thinking rather than just taking the brief. Team effort always produces a better result.
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Okay… the suspense is killing me – how many kinds of pets fit that description and what are they?
Lindy Asimus recently posted..Social Media And Business Survey Results
Hi Lindy,
Hate to disappoint you as I only know 2. One of course is a dog and the other is a cat or rather my cat Charlie who thinks and acts as a dog.
Maybe there are more, can you think of any?
Marketing Facts or Are They Really Fiction?…
Have you ever had a discussion with someone who states that something is a fact about marketing when you know it is not?Sometimes the person bases the fact on their experience and sometimes it is what they have read or heard. One experience on the week…
Susan,
You are finding some really unique things to write about! I’ll go with “dog” as the answer as mine is now curling up by my feet!
You hit on something really imortant which is distinguishing between what is real, substantiated and proven and that which is heresay, unsubstantiated, etc. The source is definitely how I check to see if it is legit. If it comes from a knowledgable expert or a source which shows to data and stats to back it up, I take it seriously. If it is just based on what somebody says, I am leary.
Great post and one of the reasons we turn to YOU for advice. We have no doubt that what you say is backed up by experience and expertise!
Yoni and Rivkah
Yoni and Rivkah,
Of course you are correct as I have read about your dog. The other answer is cat as Charlie is sitting on my lap but wanting dinner and thinking if he licks my hand as I type dinner will come faster.
Your practice is a good one and I wish more would follow your practice. Do you find that facts and fiction occur in your market as I guess many say they are writers without your experience.
I really appreciate your comments and I was taught by great marketers at Johnson & Johnson, don’t make claims that you can’t back up.
The pet description could be in my experience, could either be a dog or a cat. But I personally don’t know any cats who “greet” you at the door!
I love this advice for my introvert clients and prospective clients. So often, as a guest blogger stated on my own blog, http://prostrategies.com/wordpress/2010/07/introvert-itudes%C2%A9-marketing-doesnt-have-to-be-one-size-fits-all/ – an introvert trying to market like an extrovert is exhausting and counter productive. So while it is important as you say, to learn from others, you want to take those learnings and shape them in a way that work for you, your energy and the results you want.
Thanks Susan.
Hi Patricia,
I hadn’t thought about introverts and extroverts and you make interesting points. I have read many blogs where the author says they are an introvert and perhaps that is why some just follow what others do. Energy as you say is an important factor.
Mine greets us at the door but I don’t know of any others.
What’s fact or fiction? As far as I’m concerned good marketing is whatever gets results for whoever. It varies enormously from company to company depending on a multitude of factors.
Guerilla marketing can for instance be a winner for some but a disaster for others.
Hi Catarina,
It does vary a great deal. The only thing is small business owners can get misled to think they should take certain action with their marketing based on studies that are stated as facts when in fact they are not.
As you point out it does depend on a number of factors.
The blog and comments bring up a couple of thoughts for me.
When I went to university and got a degree in Marketing, and then worked as a Product Manager and later Marketing Manager, I understood that marketing was that part of the business that looked at needs, how to meet them, at what price etc., etc.
Over the last few years (15), certain words became “dirty” words – sales, advertising, and people started to call themselves marketers when they were really sales people or advertisers. So semantics seem to colouring what we mean by marketing.
Next, a fact is a fact but not necessarily true for everyone. So what is a marketing fact. Having been involved in a lot of research over the last few years, so much research is designed to prove what the researcher wants to prove – loaded questions. So they have the facts but did they ask other questions.
So the pet analogy is great. Most people would think a dog but a friend of mine has a pig who acted similarly. Most cats I know are not that social. And at the end of the day, people will believe whatever they believe.
Thanks for the great thought provoker Susam
Roberta Budvietas, recently posted..Get out of stuck
Hi Roberta,
You have brought up two great points. I must admit although I have always worked in marketing and I am getting confused with as you mentioned so many people call themselves marketers when in fact they only work in a specific area such as writing copy. My thoughts on marketing are based on a similar experience to yours and the fact I worked with consumer companies where as marketers we were responsible for all aspects including the profitablility. Our partners were the advertiing agencies, researchers etc who di not call themselves marketers.
Your second thought about research is so true. Loaded questions and the way they are asked, sample sizes etc can sway the results. I worked for a company, very well known and each year we did research that always came back with the same answers. One year I was put in charge and gave the research to another company and he introduced me to segmentation. This reasearch gave different results in some areas and importantly opened our eyes to what what really occuring with our consumers just by the design and the questions for example. The reason I brought all this up is that many small business owners have not had the experience or exposure to real studies and can be misled.
I would not have thought of a pig.
Thanks for your input.
I think that the current spate of “Social Media Experts” reinforces what you are saying. You must have a blog and post every day, every other day, twice a week, once a week — depends upon the expert. I just think you need to do what works for you.
Hi Jeannette,
You take take note of what others suggest, however as you say you do need to see what works for you especially in this area as it is still so new.
Thanks for your comment.
Sometimes you can’t tell if an idea is going to go viral beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, or fall flat. (Look at Old Spice’s ridiculously popular campaign.)
Sometimes marketing can be a bit of a trial and error. You constantly learn new tactics and tweak things as you go along, that’s the fun of it!
Hi Ally,
Marketing especially for small business can be trail and error as you mentioned. Trying, testing and tweaking is one way we learn.
Thanks for your thoughts.
I think this definitely applies to SEO. I thought it was fact that commenting on blogs improved your SEO. I recently learned that it only helps if the blog you comment on is a dofollow blog. I am not sure how to find that out but the point is that I wonder which one is fact.
I am glad that I started commenting on blogs based on the idea it would improve my SEO because I think it serves a greater purpose of developing relationships which in may opinion (not based on fact) is more valuable.
Julia M Lindsey recently posted..Creating an SEO Keyword Strategy for Your Website
Hi Julia,
I have read that also about dofollow. It appears most including blogs this one are a nofollow simply to stop people putting in spam, such as automated spam, increased spam for outside commenting for example. This then takes up more time in moderation and readers who want to read other comments etc have to wade through the spam and rubbish comments.
Although you do not get SEO benefit many of us use commentluv for example that automatically includes your last blog post which people can click on as well as your website link.
You are right about developing relationships which really do develop with regular readers who comment. This applies not only (in my opinion) between the blog writer and readers but between readers who comment. This has happened to me on other blogs and I find reading others’ comments really adds value.
Thanks for your comments Julia.
I’m of the opinion, that when it comes to social media marketing, there are no experts. Mainly because although there is tons of hype with SM, there is little evidence for success. Let someone tell you how great FB is for marketing and how their “expertise” can get it to work for you, then watch as they flounder when you ask for some concrete numbers, ROI stats, or even quality traffic numbers.
Every empirical statement we can make can be pretty well reduced to a matter of fact vs fiction. That should be the first thing to note when considering the merit of a statement.
Determining validity is the next part of the process, and imo requires a methodical and objective approach, eg critical thinking. It’s rare that there is justifiable equivocation in a subject, and when there is, it does little to bolster a claim. Usually because the claim is vague and misleading to begin with.
Good post Susan.
Paul Novak recently posted..Everyone Needs a Little Help Now and Then
Hi Paul,
I think some people have expertise in social media and I can understand what you say about experts. I think we have all seen how some experts work. The problem and it just does not apply to social media are the small one off stuides that are misleading. Very good point about critical thinking.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Great post Susan! I’m going to comment from a consumer’s viewpoint. If I note even the slightest “fiction”, I lose trust and run, fast, in the other direction. It is a question of honesty and ethics offered and not necessarily a product or service.
Figuring there was a “catch” in the animal description I would have guessed both dog and cat. I’ve been fortunate to have met some incredibly affectionate felines.
Hi Keyuri,
Thanks for giving us the consumer’s viewpoint. You guessed correctly, although a pig has been mentioned as well.
One question for you can you share a couple of things that makes you think something is fiction?
This makes a very good point. Also, people will use “facts” to confirm their existing ideas or prejudices. Once a “fact” is lodged in someone’s mind, it’s hard to dislodge it … even with other “facts!”
Hi Eric,
Your comment reminds me of the saying perception is reality. I agree with what you say and very often people will strongly defend their facts even when they sort of know they may be incorrect.
Thanks for commenting Eric.