November 15, 2006
if… you take the j train
John Dodds, a frequent gapingvoid commenter, has written a marvelous marketing manifesto, called The J-Train Manifesto. Inspired by frequent rides on New York’s “J” Train, back when he was living there, it’s also a pun on Cluetrain, Hughtrain etc.
1. All Markets Are Up For Grabs.
It’s no longer possible to control the conversation. While incumbents spend their time trying to cling to that belief, you have the opportunity to step in, reframe the discussion and win a new argument.
2. Difference Not Differentiation.
Customers have either too much stuff or not enough time and value current choices over substitutes. Minimise the behavioural change you demand of them, but give them a real reason or reasons to love your product/service.
3. Don’t Disappoint.
Ensuring that everything works and instantly reacting to any problems is a given. Bad news travels much faster and wider than it did before. An informed customer is your best promotion but potentially your worst nightmare.
4. Make Your Marketing Sociable.
You can’t control the conversation, but you can facilitate and, to some extent, host it in a way that allows you to build genuine relationships with potential customers rather than white-noise relationships with anyone you can bombard.
5. Interaction Requires Iteration.
It’s not enough to listen and a single return path does not constitute a dialogue. Meaningful long-term connection with prospective customers can only come from community, co-operation and co-creation.
6. See The Wood For The Trees.
Don’t assume you’re like the customers. You’re much closer to your business than they are or care to be. Find out what they’re like. The shared interest at the heart of your relationship will probably not to be the product itself.
7. Relate, Renew and Reinvent.
If you want them to keep coming back to you, then you must keep coming back to them. It’s not about new campaigns that look different. The new focus is more on product and customer development and less on explicit promotion.
8. Don’t Forget To Sell.
Engagement is great but it doesn’t pay the bills, so remember to sell. Selling is responding to the customer’s interest when they choose to make the move. It’s not about cutting deals, it is about making it easy for them to buy or trial.
9. Le ROI Est Mort.
Marketing cannot be a measurement-free zone, but increasingly its overall impact is indirect and qualitative. However, as engagement methods are less expensive than advertising, ROI will almost certainly rise and, crucially, with no increase in spending, it will continue to rise as your engagement intensifies.
10. Marketing Is Not A Department.
Marketing is a combination of elements that creates the environment in which it is possible to meet a customer need (starting right back at product development). It operates online and off and should inform and occupy every aspect and department of an organisation. More than ever before, it is everybody’s job.
One thing that really impressed me [besides the great thinking behind it] is how short it is. Ten small paragraphs, and that’s it.
I bet even Seth Godin, the master of marketing brevity, will be impressed.
"Hugh's Daily Cartoon" Newsletter.
A new cartoon sent out every weekday morning to your inbox [RSS version here.].
A wee chuckle to start your day off right etc.
Misty will be impressed! For sure.
Specific question to you about Stormhoek, in regards to John’s advice about:
“Don’t Forget To Sell. Engagement is great but it doesn’t pay the bills, so remember to sell.“
How has your blogging and “getting a lot of attention in the wine trade” translated to increased sales at Stormhoek, or not?
John says “It’s not about cutting deals, it is about making it easy for them to buy or trial.“
But the truth is, I ask for Stormhoek everywhere I go (restaurants, wine bars, retailers etc.) and 1) they have never heard of you and 2) could care less about carrying your wine.
So although you seem to be doing a lot of marketing and apparently making some noise in your industry… where is the quantitative data that you are selling more wine? more suits?
Just curious.
Not heard of our Hugh?! Nonsense m’dear. Everyone knows our Hugh and the cartoons.
But they should not worry themselves unduly. Hugh transcends all media and armed with his bottle of Stormhoek Pinotage, I am certain that they will recognise him immediately when presented with a business card with one of his excellent cartoons adorning the reverse. And a snifter of the gorgeous Cape wine that is Stormhoek!
Got LOTS of quantitive data, Kristin.
$250K might just buy you something useful.
How much are you willing to pay for it? Just curious
John’s post is already better than good and… I think he can further refine and develop his thoughts on the subject!
Thanks for the post Hugh and for the link.
Speaking of marketing and the wildly original and creative Hugh MacLeod (better sit down!)… Last evening here in Toronto I attended a Mesh 2007 related gathering at a local pub (TONS! of great people and TONS! of fun!).
Now we come to a really great part! Two people there gave me their business cards (Psst, a secret, guess what I discovered) and there on each card was a “Hugh Cartoon”! How waaay cool and fun is that!!
FYI the first was Peter of peterdawson.typepad.com (Hugh cartoon… Quality isn’t Job One Being fu*king amazing is Job One) and the second was Michael O’Connor Clarke of michaelocc.com (Hugh’s cartoon… the market for something to believe in is infinite).
Rock on Hugh!!!!!
I’ve always taught people that Advertising is the event, but Marketing is the strategy.
I’ve explained it as an equivalent to fishing. The typical amateur goes fishing by grabbing a pole, a hook, and a worm and dropping it in the water (advertising). But the professional knows the weather, the water temperature, the location of the sun, the lures that attract, the time of day, how the wind is blowing, and where they’ve caught the best fish before… only then does he drop his line in the water! And he continues to adjust his strategy to continue getting the best catches.
You are correct, though, and I love the point that you continue to drive. Everyone in an organization has an impact on marketing!