The Law of Leadership

In Al Ries & Jack Trout's 1993 marketing classic - The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing - Violate Them At Your Own Risk - the very first law is The Law of Leadership.  

"The basic issue in marketing is creating a category you can be first in."

Being first is a commanding position to occupy, especially as time goes on.  They go on to ask a fairly simply question, "What's the name of the first person to fly across the Atlantic Solo?"  

Charles Lindbergh.

Who was the second?  I sense silence.  

With every client, I spend time asking them what makes them different than the competition.  And I preface it by saying the answer is not "great employees, marvelous customer service, family owned, years in business, etc."  Everyone says these things, so no one can own this positioning.  It turns out that answering the question "what makes you better than the competition" is harder to answer than you think.  And for the record, few consumers really care how long you have been in business (it didn't help Montgomery Wards), they don't care that you are family owned, and they don't believe all of your employees are the very best.

What can you tell your clients and prospects about you and your business that makes you number one in their eyes?  

Frequently the answer stares you in face.  It can be a fact that everyone already knows, but nobody is claiming ownership of it.  In the pizza business it might be "We deliver rain or shine." Do all pizza companies deliver rain or shine?  Of course.  But if you are first to claim this position, you have the chance to own the position in the mind of the consumer.  When the other pizza chains start advertising that they also deliver rain or shine, are they leading or following?  In the pizza business today, you have to deliver.  Why not position yourself as the leader in delivery? 

What service do you provide that is important in the mind of your clients?

When you think of fast food and breakfast, who do you think of?  McDonald's.  They pioneered drive through breakfast.

If I say Pizza, Pizza, you think of Little Caesars.  At least around here.

The point is, find a relevant point about your business where you can be seen as a leader and claim it.  And keep in mind, if you don't tell the prospect/client, you will not receive credit.  

By the way, Bert Hinkler was the second person to fly solo across the Atlantic.

“Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are.”

“Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are.”

                 -- ancient proverb

Below you will find four of my favorite reads – out of a library that is way too large to be sensible… 

 

Selling the Invisible – Harry Beckwith

Selling the Invisible is pure analog in a digital world.  It remains my favorite book of all time and I have given away hundreds of copies over the years.  Originally published in 1977, it is a marketing classic.  When I taught a marketing class for new franchisees at Tuffy Auto Service Centers, it was required reading.  I gave everyone who attended a copy.  I still read this book each year and continue to discover new ideas that can be applied to business today.  I believe the longest chapter is 4 pages.  Among his gems, “Too often, service sucks.”  Before you launch a marketing campaign, fix your service.  “Bad news, you are competing with Walt Disney.” (Page 8)   Be sure to read, “A Butterfly Named Roger” (page 11).  “Life is Like High School” (page 51).  “Brands and the Baby-Sitter” page 163.  Better yet, it is only 250 small pages.  Read it all. 

Contagious: Why Thinks Catch On - Jonah Berger

What makes things popular?  Jonah Berger looks at why people talk about some ideas and products but not others.  He looks beyond advertising and focuses on what gets consumers talking.  Look at Social Currency (page 29) – we share things that make us look good.  Learn why a cheesesteak costs $100 and is a best seller (page 2).  How Kit Kat used coffee as a trigger to boost sales (page 81).  Social proof (page 128) and why the line at a restaurant reaches around the block… 

A/BTesting: The Most Powerful Way to Turn Clicks Into Customers - Dan Siroker andPete Koomen

You see this book advertised a lot on Linked In.  I was exposed to it by ChrisTiutan at Optimizely.  Dan and Pete are the co-founders of Optimizely and wrote the book.  A/B Testing gives you a lot of ideas and case studies on how the smallest changes on your web site can yield amazing results.  Test and measure.  I find that the concept really embodies a way of thinking that applies outside of web sites, and is really a commentary on how marketers should not take anything for granted.  Test and measure other marketing decisions.  You never know when a change of a single term from “Submit” to “Support” means millions of dollars (page 61). 

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking - Malcolm Gladwell.

 

Actually anything by Gladwell is a great read.  I also like David & Goliath, The Tipping Point (Troy and I were talking about The Tipping Point earlier this week.), What the Dog Saw and Outliers.  “Blink is a book about those first two seconds.”  The first two seconds is when many of us make our decision.  Gladwell shares stories that quantify this intellectual/emotional reaction and explains how most of the time we are….  You will have to read it to find the answer. 

Enjoy the weekend.

Go Broncos.

 

 

“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.” ~ Jonathan Swift