We are all surrounded by every form of communication imaginable. It comes from our TVs and radios, it comes from our landlines and cell phones, it comes in the mail and in our magazines, it comes from our computers and GPS devices, it comes from billboards and blimps, it comes from sports and symphonic events, it comes on our monthly bills and in-store receipts… It’s everywhere and more is to come.
The reasons for this explosion are many, so I’ll only point out the two most obvious. First is technology — and the explosion, simplification, dispersion and miniaturization of it. It’s everywhere and much like our morning cup of coffee, we have become dependent on its purpose and support to our lives.
Second is the dispersion of media. Thanks to digital technology and a growingly segmented society, today’s media options are as vast as the local grocery store – capable of satisfying popular and common tastes as well as ethnically diverse. This dispersion allows marketers to find, reach and (hopefully) influence specific targets no matter how demographically miniscule they may be.
So, since all consumers are accessible to marketers all the time no matter how demographically unique (save when we sleep – for now), there is a continued rush to develop digital tools that further segment and deliver messaging to specific target audiences. This is especially true when adoption levels of that new distribution technology are high. When you combine technology with an ability to reach an ever-growing and diverse audience, it’s easy to be smitten by all the message-delivery options out there.
What often goes unsaid is that these message distribution hoses are only as effective as the water put through them. This is particularly true in B2B. Here, B2B target audiences are not looking for a digital Big Mac® coupon from their smart phone. Rather, they are industry experts looking to stay abreast of the issues and opportunities that breed success or failure. The more they uncover and leverage, the farther ahead they get. Knowledge is power.
To this end, experts do not rely on a host of unproven, unreliable or irrelevant distribution channels to stay current. Real experts focus on the fewer outlets that matter. They care less about the hose and more about the water, as this is what creates growth.
Either leverage fewer channels more effectively or better repurpose the channels you get toward the audience(s) you wish to influence. Fewer hoses, more water. That will create the relevancy you need to grow.
Tags: Andrew Montgomery, B2B Communications, Media, Montgomery Marketing Group, Technology
We really like what you write about here. We try and visit your site every day so keep up the good writing!
Andy – once again you make a great point – the firehose of data is making advice more important than ever we all need a informational sherpa to eliminate the noise from the needed information is critical.
My team is bombarded with noise – but we only accept advice from people we know like and trust.
Companies who can figure out how to deliver trusted messages will end up doing the most business.
How much do we trust BP now that they have turned the gulf in to a jiffy lube?
How much do we trust goldman sachs?
How much do we trust Atlanta Public schools – who are mired in a standardized test cheating scandal?
Benign messaging is no longer good enough. It has to be smart – focused and add real value. Smart business people will take your advice.
Thanks for making my team smarter.
Well stated.
Even within specific industries, often times trusted sources are fragmented and concerned with trying to deliver messaging in the same way that a consumer wants to hear it.
A consumer may be open to a broader message targeting their discretionary spending. A smaller purchase, if they guess wrong or experiment, doesn’t really have a significant long-term impact on their happiness. An organization however, and industry experts… ideas and knowledge are currency and without it, they fall behind and eventually die. The thing that has not changed throughout the explosion is that the best ideas, quality of brand/product/message still trump all.
In other words…. what you said.
Say less things, but say them well. Simplify your communications. Focus. Great advice, whether you’re in B2B or consumer-facing advertising. Too many brands rush to catch the next wave of whatever’s hot (Foursquare, Twitter, whatever) without wondering whether they *should* be there or, more importantly, without having anything worth saying. Thanks for keeping us on point.
Excellent points, Andy. Law firms like mine, like all other businesses, can benefit from carefully targeted marketing instead of scattergun expenditures of time and money–and then we can devote more resources to the channels that work. Your ideas make a lot of sense.
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Andy, Love the perspective: cut through the clutter with more “water” (value) and focus your efforts/distribution. Relevancy, positioning, differentiation these days means laser focus and value creation at each stage of the B2B or B2C relationship. As usual, you are right on point. Thanks for continuing to share your insights and perspectives.
Brilliant insight, Andy! I love reading this blog. I learn something new and essential every time. Please keep sharing your perspectives and ideas. They’re great!
For the ultimate in targeted marketing, watch the movie “Minority Report” with Tom Cruise. In this futuristic film, individuals are identified by a retina scan which ties the retailer into a database containing their past purchases and buying habits and an artificial intelligence program interprets the data and makes suggestions with the highest probability of landing a sale, like an electronic personal shopper. In this case, the target market group is shrunk down to the individual. If you think that this is simply science fiction, then take a close look at the advertisements that you see when you go to Amazon.com.
In short, I agree with Andy’s assessment but am not sure that the outcome is what we are expecting. My concern is exhibited in this futuristic film where the pipeline has been widened to the point where we are left drowning in the water…
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Andy, Love the perspective: cut through the clutter with more “water” (value) and focus your efforts/distribution. Relevancy, positioning, differentiation these days means laser focus and value creation at each stage of the B2B or B2C relationship. As usual, you are right on point. Thanks for continuing to share your insights and perspectives.
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