It’s here! The first installation of Radical Marketing. This first video is a bit longer than I anticipate most of them to be, because I had to set the foundation for our analysis. Every video is going to include the juicy guts of this Radical Marketing concept, but for those of you surfin’ at work with disabled video, I’ve provided the core bare bones points below. That said, if you want the good stuff…you gotta watch the video.
And remember! I intend to have a full well-defined concept for Radical Marketing by the time this series is over, so your feedback is critical! If you disagree with something, say so. If you think I missed the point, enlighten me. If you think I nailed it, let me know! Can’t wait to hear from ya!
Radical Marketing Element #1
Educates your customers beyond the benefits and features of your products and services.
What this means – This means that you not only tell your ideal customers why your product or service is right for them and how it meets their needs, but you also give them useful information as it relates to their related interests. This means you equip them with the information and resources they need to get the most out of what you offer.
Why it works – This works towards establishing a relationship with your ideal customers because you’re providing them with more benefit than your product or service alone. You’re preparing them for great success with your product or service by giving them the additional resources or information, and this builds trust.
How this looks in application – A great example of this element in action is the way Copyblogger Media, LLC engages in marketing it’s products. Take ScribeSEO for example. ScribeSEO is a content analysis software program that helps content producers select the right keywords, optimize content properly, and build links. When Copyblogger media launched ScribeSEO, Brian Clark created a detailed SEO copywriting report called How to Create Compelling Content that Ranks Well in Search Engines.
This report highlighted all of the important factors a content producer should consider in developing great content. Not to mention, Copyblogger continually teaches it’s audience about copywriting and content creation at a very high level. Plus, when you purchase ScribeSEO you also get free educational seminars behind the scenes. For the Copyblogger audience, a ScribeSEO subscription was a no-brainer, because they educated their ideal customers beyond the benefits and features of Scribe. As a result, the Copyblogger audience trusts their products and easily recommends them to others – I’m doing it right here!
P.S. I added a “what not to do” example in the video that is pretty solid. So check the vid to hear a great example of element #1 gone totally wrong. 
Can you think of any other examples of people or companies that get this element right? HOLLA in the comments below.
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you so much for your helpful insight. I have been a face to face person to help clients and finding that writing blogs, facebook and twitter have slown me down as I am learning…..I truly believe that marketing has had a radical change and will forever be affected by social networking. The
change so far has not grown my business. I do FB & twitter to direct to my blog which I’m creating to inform current & future clients. The gradual progression from curiosity, to interest, to purchase & serious user seems waaay too slow for my patience so I am anxiously looking forward to your “Radical Marketing”
Hello Kay!
Welcome to Metamorphoself. Thank you so much for your comment. You bring up a very good point and common frustration for entrepreneurs using online channels to drive customers, which is that it take time. Unfortunately, there isn’t much of a shortcut in this area. You can try to make quick conversions using pay-per-click ads and powerful sales pages, but it’s very difficult to establish relationship with customers in that fashion let alone develop word-of-mouth referrals amongst social networks.
If you stick with it however, and if you use the tried and true principles with consistency, you will see results and you will be amazed at the relationships you build with your clients as a result. I’m sure you will find the rest of the radical marketing very instructive in this light. And don’t forget – copywriting plays a huge role in your success with using online channels to covert customers.
I certainly agree with you basing on the content of your post. It is important to educate our customers and making them aware.
Hi Marlee “Radical marketing” – The concept sounds interesting, it reminds me of our teams philosophy back when I was a manager. The philosophy was to over deliver where ever we could and build long lasting costumer relationships with every sale no matter how much they spent.
Some times over delivering meant sending costumers to our competitors, this built incredible trust with our long term costumers, who would normally spend just that little bit more because of the trust we had built. Long term costumers really wanted to give up their money because we had already prepared the environment. Ive never been the most savvy sales man but your concept of “Radical marketing” sounds vary people orientated and its all about people and value.
I’ll be keeping tuned Marlee great show
Hi Lloyd,
Yes, Radical Marketing is “people” oriented. You have to have your customers best interest at heart if you’re going to marketing “radically.” I really like what you mentioned about referring to competitors. That is HUGE! When you refer a customer to a competitor because you know they can meet the client’s need, you just got SERIOUSLY radical. Client’s remember that stuff. An even more radical action to take would be to follow up with the customer after you referred them out! Yep, contact them and find out if they were happy with that other persons service. You’ll be unforgettable at that point.
Glad to see you Lloyd. Thanks for your support.
Ok Marlee, so I am among those who unable to view your videos every time. I only get a handful of all the content you create. Will hopefully upgrade my internet subscription to cater for high stream videos
Back to radical marketing….
The radical in the marketing i think is the unconventional approach of “educative selling” adopted by internet marketers. This mindset of providing a heck of a value much more than the money paid could be ever equivalent to. The usual way was to create a product and stuff it down the throat of customers. The radical way is what the web is allowing us to achieve, selling by teaching. And you know when it comes to teaching, the lessons will be delivered long before the test. The same way in radical marketing, lessons are delivered long before the sales is being asked for. That in my opinion is what makes it radical, it goes against popular marketing of mass advertising and in your face selling.
This is what the future is going to be like, people selling because they have been great value creators and adders. You can imagine how long it takes the copyblogger team to make a sale, but then when they make sales, it is usually huge, because they have given so much for the little they ask in return. In most cases, radical marketing makes the sales an obligation to the ones being marketed to, you just feel you owe it to them because of how helpful they have been.
If you ask me, the foundation of radical marketing is being HELPFUL.
Tito!
I’m so sorry you don’t get to view the videos! The content in the video is slightly different from the content in the post. The main idea is communicated in both, but I think I give much more fullness to the concepts in the videos.
As to your take on Radical Marketing, I give a resounding AMEN! Radical Marketing begins with being helpful. I also think it goes beyond being helpful to being a “connector.” If you want your marketing to be radically effective, connect the dots for your customers. Show them how your product or service enables them to be more powerful in other related (and indirectly related) areas of their lives. I think when you do the leg work for them in those areas, you are not only being helpful, but you’re becoming essential.
Thank you for adding such clarity to the concept, Tito.
Hey Marlee
Great video! I bust out laughing when you said “That’s Pitch-fest, with a P”. Ahh, that was funny!
Hey I definitely agree with you that people only buy from those they know, like or trust. I learned that from my mentor Mike Dillard.
So I definitely get where you are coming from when you say educating your clients beyond the benefits and features of your product or service and I don’t disagree with that at all. But if you remember, a few days ago I wrote an article about it is import to ask your customers the right questions in order to close the sale.
From my research in this arena, I learned that 85% of people buy emotionally and the other 15% buy logically. To me, this tells me that the 85% of people that buy emotionally may be necessarily concerned with the bells and whistles of a product or a service. They want to know how they’re going to benefit from the product and service and they want to now how their life is going to be better or how their “pain” is going to be alleviated. Then after, they have made the emotional connection they may or may not be concerned with the specifics.
I believe that this marketing methodology may apply more directly to the 15% of society which buys logically. This segment of people usually want to know specifics, want to see charts, graphs and want to see records of data that indicate the product claims are legitimate. Usually, these are most of the people who are entrepreneurial minded.
Of course, I am not saying that there is no need to educate customers who buy emotionally. What I am saying however is that there is a difference in how you first approach those who buy emotionally versus those who huy logically.
What do you think about this Marlee?
Great read and video. Really looking forward to next one!
Hi Hector!
Thank you for this very thoughtful comment.
First I want to say that I believe that marketing and selling are not the same thing. Obviously, there is an overlap in their core objectives, but I believe marketing is what you do to get “your phone to ring” and selling is what you do once “they are on the phone.” Having said that I think this means your analysis, which I whole-heartedly agree with as it applies to sales, doesn’t apply to marketing the same way.
Here’s why: Educating your customers isn’t a strictly logical activity. As you alluded to with respect to sales, your marketing must point to the pains they have (or may not even recognize they are experiencing). This means you’re educating your ideal customer from an emotional perspective in conjunction with the intellectual stuff. But the point in this particular video is that not only should you be doing those things, but you must go beyond them as well. You must speak to how your products or services enhance their lives far beyond the initial purchase.
So let’s apply this concept to your “all natural nutrition energy drink” product that you sold to “John,” to make this more concrete.
If you were to educate your target market about the features and benefits of Natural Energy it would probably include things like:
- provides jitter-free energetic feeling
- increases physical stamina by 30%
- improves cardiovascular circulation and oxygenation
- no crashing or sudden exhaustion
- packed with B12 vitamins and natural stimulates
- lasts for 8 hours so you only need one serving a day
- 5 great tasting flavors
Okay so you get the idea – those aren’t great, but they are off the top of my head and they are cookie-cutter benefits and features.
Now, let’s apply the Radical element. In addition to the features and benefits above you might share things like:
- 6 exercises that improve your sex life (and you link that to taking Natural Energy, which helps you have better workouts) – this is a classic emotional pull
- 3 Vitamins that have proven to increase weight loss (and you explain that these vitamins are all present in Natural energy)
- Increased cardiovascular circulation reduces cancer risks (and you explain how easy it is to achieve this increased circulation with Natural energy)
- Risks associated with overstimulating your body with supplements (and you demonstrate how Natural energy is the perfectly balanced supplement so that you won’t need another one or have to worry about over stimulation)
Do you see the expansion in the second set. In the second set you are educating your target market about health, sex, supplement usage – not just how great Natural Energy is. You’ve gone waaay beyond that. That is the radical element in action.
Now where your point comes into play is in the framing of those benefits. Use the language that triggers the emotion, that resonates with the logic, and that makes them want to pick up the phone. At that point, it’s on to you and your methods over at the IEC! (I abbreviated your site for you).
What do you think about this, Hector?
Marlee
Great video. I am excited about the launch of radical marketing and your introduction piece has me desperately wanting more. I actually work in the customer service world and one of the greatest drivers of our business is the business of relationships. Instead of focusing on us pushing products down our clients throats we are given incentives for proactively educating our clients and helping them. So, one we met the need, we offer education, and lastly we provide unexpected value.
Now since I don’t run a business myself this is the best way for me to relate. But the company I work for has done great even during the recession in a business that was greatly affected by it. I have seen this element in action and it is a way to separate you from the pretenders and make you a major business contender. (Didn’t know I could rap did you?)
Great content and video Marlee. I can’t wait for what’s next.
LOL! Love the rhyme.
And you are right on point Frank. When you can make your client see how useful your product and service is to them beyond the basics you don’t have to shove anything down their throat. They just open wide! AAAAAAA. ;D
This is a great read Marlee, ‘radical marketing’ just sounds so wonderful!
I think it’s great to not only inform your customers of the benefits of your product/service, but also to show them how they can use it for more than they originally intended to use it.
For example, if I was working selling DVDs, I’d not only try and sell a DVD to a customer by saying what a great film it is, but I’d also say what else they can use it for. Lending it to friends, having friends over for parties, using particular scenes as examples for meetings at work, etc.
We can push what we offer so much more if we offer as many benefits as we can think of, no matter how indirect they may be. The customer wants to trust you, so give them more reason to
Exactly Stu!
And I love your example, because you’ve demonstrated how easy AND Natural it is to take those extras steps. You just have to commit to taking them.
Thanks for your comment Stu!
It really is no surprised on having to explain your product and cover all the bases. Customers do not buy from people or places that lack the knowledge of their product and are not willing to explain how it helps and all the nitty gritty to be assured the product is trustworthy.
I have heard a lot of great stuff on ScribeSEO, but considering my “purist” beliefs as a WordPress developer and the number of plugins used on a site, this one did not make my cut. However, it really is a great tool. I have used it at sites I have guest blogged for and for clients I have designed and did SEO work for.
The point even though Brian Clark already made himself influential and trustworthy to his readers, when he went beyond the normal means to pitch a product, he made sure he covered all the bases. He also put himself behind the product, which if the product did not do well performance-wise, would have dented his reputation. Thankfully he has a solid product and because of its success, it only added to his reputation.
Hey Nile!
Welcome to Metamorphoself. I just checked out your site and I must say, it’s very cool. Thanks for your insight on ScribeSEO, it’s always good to get other perspectives here. I think it’s really great for people who aren’t SEO oriented and just want to take the “thinking” out of it. As to marketing, it may seem obvious to go beyond communicating the benefits and features of your products, but the truth is, on a large scale, it’s rarely done. The fact that you get that puts you way ahead of the game.
Thanks for your comment!
Okay, I just paid 87.00 for this same advice! Timing is everything in business, as in comedy.
Seriously, though, thanks for reinforcing some concepts. This totally makes sense and actually helps me with a problem I was having regarding explaining my product to potential customers.
@JKAllen By the way, the Sprint example isn’t lame at all. It represents exactly the kind of relationship that businesses crave: the raving fan.
Cheers,
Mitch
Thanks for backing my example up Mitchell. You’re right, shouldn’t call it lame because the relationship is solid on both ends!
LOL! Well that serves as a great testimonial for me Mitch! I’m glad your finding a way to apply this info right away. Mission accomplished!
Hey there Marlee,
I love your idea to educate your customers beyond your product or service. This can really be applied to any business, online and off.
Your website itself is a huge example in action – you offer readers multiple free ebooks, e-courses, and tremendously useful comments, advice, you name it. It really shows your readers that you care about them individually, and I can imagine that it would do wonders for anyone’s brand.
I’m now in the midst of thinking up ideas that I can incorporate these same tips in my own online business.
Can’t wait to get started!
Looking forward to the rest of the series!
Christina
That is awesome Christina! You can never got to far in making it a no-brainer for your ideal customer to use your products or services when it comes to providing content. There isn’t much else that can replace truly “being” there for you client and establishing yourself as a trusted resource. So glad you’re motivated to take action!
Hey Marlee: Congratulations on your launch. I know this must have been an enormous amount of work and I am looking forward to seeing everything you created. I thought your advice to educate beyond your business is a really good one and agree the last thing you want to ever do is not to deliver on a promise to your customer. I think you really did a great job of driving that point home in your video by explaining what happened with your most recent experience where the company just had a “Pitch” session. Great term by the way
Hi Sibyl!
Great to see you here! You are so right. It’s much better to set a lower bar and blow people away rather than disappoint them. It’s so much harder to redeem yourself from that position. Plus, if you say your going to teach me something – you better teach me something – do just brag about how great your thing is. It just goes to show that totally self-serving marketing will backfire.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Hey Marlee, congratulations on the launch of the Radical Marketing series!
I haven’t seen the video yet (my fiancee is reading, and I don’t want to disturb, so I’ll watch it tomorrow), but I love the ideas you’ve got in the text.
Basically, what you’re saying is that on top of offering a great product, and communicating the features and benefits to the audience, we should also ask ourselves “what else could they possibly need to make the most of what I’m giving them”… and then give it to them! I love it!
Really great, Marlee – I’m excited to come back tomorrow and watch the video!
Went back and watched the video. Amazing, Marlee – and boy, did that webinar company blow it!
I agree with you – always, always, always under-promise, and always, always, always over-deliver.
Rock on, Marlee!
Agreed.
Thanks Danny!
I love the way you put it: “what else could they possibly need to make the most of what I’m giving them… and then give it to them!”
Exactly! I’ll be using that.
Marlee,
First off – fellow Copyblogger fan here! This is going to be a fantastic video series and I’m already getting ideas for a future product thanks to you. For real! I appreciated the new additions and polish you put on the video.
So, your Radical Marketing concept is fantastic. It takes the product/service delivery experience to the next level. The way I see you explaining it is, you’re educating your potential clients about the features and benefits but then offering to hold them by the hand to help them implement.
That’s power.
That also deepens your sales funnel. If you’re marketing products that, after purchased, still have a bit of a learning curve you can deepen the relationship with coaching.
They win because you can show them exactly how relevant the product is for them. You win because you will have gained a loyal customer and potential follow-on work. It can mean more attention to each customer without the need to close countless deals (although we should always be generating fresh leads).
The first thing that comes to mind is my current site dev offering could benefit from this strategy. Though I bolt together sites for people, I could help lead their effort rather than let them “place an order.” Certainly I can weigh in with more guidance on layout, colors, and best practices. Just a quick thought.
Thanks so much, Marlee. Best wishes with your new project!
Jon
Wow Jon!
Your comment ROCKED my socks! Yes, yes, yes. You articulated this so well. I’m definitely going to be incorporating a lot of what you’ve said here into my final product because you’ve encapsulated the concept so clearly.
And…I’d like to add that doing this: “educating your potential clients about the features and benefits but then offering to hold them by the hand to help them implement.” – doesn’t even mean that you have to do the doing. You can merely provide the additional resource, information, or connection and that will still put you head and shoulder above others when it comes to your product & service delivery!
Radical Marketing has arrived!!! And to my surprise, it’s even more exciting than what I had hoped for. I can’t wait for what’s next already.
Great job Marlee! This is one to stick for sure. Okay, on to the business…
Well – I’ve used Sprint since 2003 and at the time, they had a pretty bad rep. The only reason I used them is because I had very little credit and only had to pay a $125 activation fee!!! Anyway, the service was so so, product options were on the weaker side and customer service was awful. Well in 2007, Sprint got a new CEO (I think his name is Dan Hess, but don’t hold me to it) and everything changed. Customer Service was revamped, and it was clear. Product selection was extended and service quality increased significantly. What was more noticeable than anything else was their attempt to make each customer feel unique. They started sending out these special newsletters jam packed with interesting information and promotions. They had me thinking for a long time that I was in some exclusive club for having service with them for so long. They referred to me as a premier employee and every month, I got this high value newsletter (I honestly only glanced at it then threw it away, but I appreciated the gesture).
Sprint’s new approach as defined how I conduct business with them. I’ve stayed for this long and at the end of each of my contracts I feel compelled to say home with Sprint.
Now that was a lame example – but it’s one that has actually worked, for me as the customer. They made me feel like more than a customer…they made me feel like they wanted to offer me more than just their standard business, but also education from their newsletter. I feel like I have a relationship with Sprint and they have my best interest.
So, that about it for me!
I will like to conclude with mentioning that your video was great; informative and entertaining. I watched while sitting on a conference call. At one point someone was like “James, can you speak on that”…and of course I wasn’t listening! Oops!
Good job, one last time in putting this together. I can only imagine all the research and organization you’ve done to develop this new series. So thanks!
PEACE
Oh Jk! You’re always so encouraging – thank you.
I actually gagged when you mentioned Sprint. They were my first cell phone provider and the JERKED ME AROUND terrible. I curse the company and swore never to purchase anything from then again. Naturally, I have an aversion to sprint because they burned me.
That said, I think your example is a great one, but I don’t know if I’d align it with this concept. I think it probably lends itself to something coming down the pike almost seamlessly. But this is an excellent example of why your customer service, products and services are an extension of your marketing. The way that you mange those things dictates what you communicate to your target audience about you and your business. If you aren’t measuring up on those levels, you can say anything you want, you educate to no end, and you’ll still be mediocre.
I really do love the example, and I’m going to be using it in the future, so keep your eyes peeled!