Current Lingo

I'm back from a trip with my bride of nearly 10 years and while we didn't fly, we had a great time.

There will be some lessons from our travels I'll be sharing in the weeks to come on my other marketing blog in the weeks ahead, but for now, check out this from Drew:

Marketing question #91: What's changed?

Posted: 22 Aug 2010 12:12 PM PDT

As I was replenishing my dopp bag (here's why it's called that) so that I can maintain my "pack in 10 minutes or less" standing, I noticed something different on my deodorant.

Check out the sticker on the cap. "Sized for airplane travel." Good to know. Now, if I'm just taking a carry on bag, I don't have to get one of those travel sized deodorants.

But the truth is...the only thing that's changed is Arm & Hammer added the sticker.

They didn't change one thing about their product or packaging. It's the same deodorant they've been selling long before 9-11 and all the new TSA security measures.

They were just smart enough to ask "what's changed? What in our customers' lives, in our society, in the world has changed?"

And now they're capitalizing on it.

Most of us sell/make a mature product or service. Whether you're an accounting firm, sell fresh fish or consult on IT security -- odds are you've been doing it awhile. And to you, it's business as usual.

But stop and ask the smart marketing question. What's changed? Are your customers worried about something new? Are they bound by some new rule? Do they suddenly have new options? Has your industry been labeled as "green" or "luxury" or something else?

In most cases, business owners/leaders are so busy keeping their noses to the grindstone that they don't look up to explore the changing landscape. Don't get stuck in that trap.

Look around. Notice what has changed. (And I promise you....something has!) and then ask the important follow up question -- how can you take advantage of that change?

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