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THIS
MONTH:
“Is 'Authentic Marketing'
an Oxymoron?"
 download pdf (54
kb)
THE SOFTWARE MARKETER'S TOOLKIT
Volume I, Issue 8, November 2006
Dear Software Marketer,
This month I’d like to depart from the usual
practical tips to share a more profound insight that
nonetheless does impact the bottom line.
The insight is simply this: the best marketing is
almost always the marketing that is authentic.
What is “authentic marketing”? It’s more than
just “being honest”, it also entails “being
yourself”. This may run counter to the notions
taught in most marketing classes, but there are
several good reasons for marketing authentically:
- Tougher consumers: consumers are
becoming increasingly sophisticated – and
cynical. They can ‘smell’ a fake quickly and
will end the interaction immediately.
- Information overload: consumers are
experiencing information overload so they want
the straight facts without a lot of blah-blah.
In a 2004 UK survey, 55% of consumers said that
they “never have enough time to get things done”
and 38% of consumers felt overwhelmed by all the
information that they receive. If prospects
detect even an iota of insincerity they won’t
bother to read the rest of your promotion.
- Branding/Differentiation: when you
market authentically, you let your personality
shine through, and that is very appealing to
customers. They are more likely to identify with
you and your brand. This is particularly
important when selling professional services or
B2B products, but it’s even applicable to fast
moving consumer goods (think about why you
yourself buy a particular brand). Not everyone
will like you, but you’ll be in a better
position to reach those who will when you are
authentic.
- Customer experience: it’s a
well-known fact that delighted customers are
repeat buyers and may spend more with each new
purchase, and that word-of-mouth is the most
effective and inexpensive form of marketing.
When you’re authentic, you can create the kinds
of genuine interactions that customers value.
- Credibility: marketing gurus such as
Joe Sugarman have noted that admitting
shortcomings can actually work to your
advantage. It shows that you are human/fallible.
Moreover, as long as you can show what you have
learned from your mistake and how you are trying
to improve, showing weakness increases the level
of trust prospects feel towards you, and builds
rapport and credibility.
- More convincing: unless you’re a
pathological liar, you’ll probably find it
easier to be authentic. And for that reason
you’ll be much more convincing. Ultimately, this
will translate into higher response rates,
conversion rates and sales.
So, how do you market authentically? The first
step is to figure out what you stand for. This
should not be a sterile corporate mission statement;
it should be a real statement of your brand values.
Once you’ve identified these, you should make sure
that they are reflected in all your marketing
promotions: tone, words, visuals, style, target
audience selected, etc. Don’t forget to consider
ways in which your authenticity can differentiate
you: brands such as Apple Computer, Virgin, and even
Microsoft are underpinned by specific values that
attract customers to them.
One last thought: when choosing a copywriter or
marketing agency, make sure that they understand
your values and brand, and can properly convey what
you stand for.
That's it
for this issue of "The Software Marketer's Toolkit".
If you have any questions, comments or an issue that
you'd like to see covered, please send me an email:
paul@paularinaga.com.
To your
software success,
Paul Arinaga
paul@paularinaga.com
www.paularinaga.com
Tel: +32 2 782 0207
Next month:
“The Most Important Email Marketing Tactic of All”
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