Justin Watson is currently Chief Commercial Officer for Christchurch International Airport responsible for leading commercial marketing strategies for the airport. His extensive marketing career spans over 18 years, and ranges from McDonalds NZ, to DB Breweries and Coca-Cola Oceania, to Director of Trade, PR & Major Events at Tourism New Zealand. As he coins it, he went from “selling beers and Happy Meals to planes and purity,” which was, for him, 'the Path to Redemption.'
Justin came up to Tauranga to share some of his learnings and insights from his international career and the "importance of marketing fundamentals that span the lot”.
So, here it is. The Path to Redemption and the Foundations of Marketing, in 10 steps.
You have to see how people behave and act, in order to understand who you are selling to. Take a walk in their shoes; what do they think, feel and do? What are their needs? It's important to look at this from their point of view and understand the difference between what you want to sell and what they want to buy. Don't mistake one for the other.
People often think this kind of research will cost the earth, but doesn't have to. Sitting at your desk, plotting what you think people want, will. Get out there, talk to people and gather their insights. Something is always better than nothing and this kind of knowledge is invaluable.
Don't be blinded by the big idea. If people don't want it, it won't sell, and it's as simple as that. It can be likened to getting on the wrong train; if you climb on board, every stop will be wrong.
Take a step back and discuss whether your product or idea suits the market -- does it solve a real problem? Do you have a marketing problem, a business issue, a profitability issue? Are you trying to raise awareness, interest, desire or action? Be clear on this, and you will always have a plan to help steer your direction.
This goes back to the age-old phrase, keep it simple -- it was true back then and it's still true today.
What's our goal for the Christchurch International airport? Find planes. Fill Planes. So what do we do? We get planes coming in and out of our airport and open up travel avenues for our customers.
What was our goal for McDonalds? Make people feel good about what they're eating. So we collaborated with Weightwatchers, allowing people to make informed choices about the food they are eating.
Of course, there is a lot of work involved behind these simple messages, but keeping it clear at a top level gives your team something to come back to when things start to get foggy or unclear.
Marketers are storytellers; it's what we do right? To get people to believe in your product or service, you need to craft your story. I can't stress the importance of this. Know your elevator pitch and bring your story to life! Illustrations, campaigns, videos -- there's so many ways this can be done. Connect people with what they already know, then show them the new stuff. They'll be hooked!
It's essential to make sure your story comes from a genuine place -- people know when you're bullshitting them. This is when the long game can pay off. Take the time to talk to people, discover what they want and need, and then tell your story. If they can connect with it, they'll believe in it. Being unauthentic is a real killer.
Everything communicates, everything is marketing! From the giant video campaign on prime time television down to Sarah at the front desk. Once people associate negatively with your company or product, it can be pretty difficult to change their mind. Figure out all your customer touch points and ensure that your brand and communication is tight. You'll be amazed at what can happen with some truth and consistency.
Now, this is an interesting one and may companies, big and small, forget to do this. If something fails, let it go and move on. The longer you hold onto something, the worse it can be for you, your team, and your cash flow.
Just because something fails, doesn't mean you didn't succeed -- there is a lesson in there. Take the time to discuss with your team what went wrong and learn from your mistakes, otherwise you'll burn out.
We live in a fast-paced world, so success often results from disrupting the industry and moving with the times. Be brave and seek to change the dynamic!
Some questions to ask yourself are; who owns the product? Who has the power? If it's the consumer, then a lot of the 'heavy lifting' may be done by them. Some fantastic examples of this are:
See what's happening here? Food for thought…
As disruption continues, move with it. When you're in an innovative environment, you can often find yourself in unknown waters -- but don't fear! The answer is to work with people who are experts in their area. There's no need to figure it out yourself if you don't have to. Working with experts will ensure a genuine, strong and meaningful outcome as well as expanding your own knowledge base. It's a win-win.
Lucky last, but oh so important. Analytics are the key to everything you do. If you don't measure your activity against real metrics, how do you know you're achieving? It doesn't need to be perfect but it must be real (this seems to be a real theme here).
How do you do this? Google Analytics is a good start for all your online activity. Find the numbers and talk the language of the boardroom in order to keep everyone happy. It's a great way to keep yourself on track and check your messaging is hitting home. And don't forget to pick up the phone and talk to your customers! After all, they are the ones that are living with your product or service.
So that's that! While none of this is particularly groundbreaking, it is essential to successful marketing. Don't let the groundwork get lost in the whirlwind that is innovation and marketing.
Thanks to BNZ for proving the food, drinks, A/C on a super humid day, and a room full of Life chairs. And thanks to MOPED - Marketing Professionals BOP group - for another great event.
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