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February 2018

Marketing In Outer Space

How Can You Launch Your Branding into Outer Space?

By Blog

Who Does This?

Who straps a $100,000 car onto a rocket and sends it into space? A genius, that’s who. Or, to be more precise, a marketing genius. In one shot Elon Musk took branding to a whole new level, literally.

Branding is “the perception a consumer has when they hear or think of your company name, service or product.” If you mention space or space travel to anyone under 30 they’ll talk about Elon Musk, SpaceX, and a car traveling to Mars. If you speak with anyone over 50 they’ll talk about NASA, Neil Armstrong, and the moon landing. The perception of space travel has changed.

It’s not just the perception that has changed. Space and space travel are now branded with the Tesla and SpaceX logos. And, with his latest feat, marketing genius Elon Musk has media outlets all over the world talking about his two biggest companies.

The launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket, with the Tesla Roadster in its nose cone, was live streamed over the Internet. Every major news outlet carried the event along with interviews of Musk after the successful launch.

On numerous YouTube channels, you can watch as the cherry red convertible Tesla Roadster, complete with its “Starman” passenger clad in a SpaceX designed pressure spacesuit, orbits the earth on its way to Mars.

Of course, the Internet has helped to spread the “news” with a series of memes that are hilarious. My favorite was from @AngelList on Twitter. It reads, “California Man Finally Finds Way to Beat Traffic.”

The best part of this marketing campaign is that it doesn’t feel like a marketing campaign. This is due, in large part, to Musk’s authenticity. He’s real. People can relate to him.

  • He’s a gamer. His favorite video game is Overwatch.
  • He’s a dad. He posts pictures and videos of his children’s birthday parties.
  • He interacts with his followers on social media. He tweets like he’s talking with his friends, not followers.
  • He is current with pop culture. He watches Rick & MortySouth Park, and The Simpsons.

Musk is reaching consumers on a very personal level. For example, Falcon, the family of multi-use rockets developed and operated by SpaceX, is named after the Millennium Falcon of Star Wars fame.

Musk also pays homage to Douglas Adams, author of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,by placing a plaque on the dashboard of his cherry-red Tesla Roadster that reads, “Don’t Panic.” And in a Twitter discussion with fans, Musk revealed that there’s a towel and a copy of the book in the glove compartment.

These are just a few of the many ways Musk relates to the “common man.” He includes references to the rock music mockumentary Spinal Tap, the movie Space Balls, and the comedy group Monty Python in many of his products.

All of these actions make Musk a typical guy with whom you can relate. I can’t think of any other billionaire that seems so approachable.

All of us involved in marketing can learn from Elon Musk.

  • Be authentic.
  • Be original.
  • Be relatable.
  • Take risks.
  • Set your sites high.
  • Dream big.

Although you will probably never put your product into outer space the way Elon Musk has, if you follow the tenets above you will find success.

Enjoy the journey! And, every once and a while, climb into your car, put the windows and top down, casually rest your arm on the door, crank up David Bowie’s Space Oddity on the radio, and go for a drive.

Your Marketing Challenge 2018

What is the biggest marketing challenge facing businesses in 2018?

By Blog

What is the biggest marketing challenge facing businesses in 2018?

Most economic indicators show that the U.S. economy is continuing its recovery. A recent article in Investor’s Business Daily highlighted a number of economic reports that illustrate these signs of growth.

The number of people filing for unemployment benefits is down while payrolls are starting to rise. Retail sales rose in October and consumer confidence hit a 17-year high in November. Also in November, labor costs fell while productivity surged. And, the federal tax cuts in the new tax law could spur increased capital investment, triggering even more job growth.

All of these indicators point to an increase in consumer spending. How will your company large or small, B2B or B2C, take advantage of this renewed optimism?

If you want to be a part of this recovery, you need to get your products and services out in front of consumers. To accomplish this you need to strategically place your marketing dollars where they will best reach your target audience. With the numerous online and traditional marketing channels available, the biggest marketing challenge facing businesses today is how to increase visibility and generate more quality leads.

How to increase visibility and generate more quality leads

To meet this challenge there are a few questions you need to answer about your target audience.

1) What problems are they trying to solve or what need are they trying to fulfill?

Even with more disposable income people still need a reason to part with their money. Will your product or service make them happier, healthier, or complete a task with less effort? How will you help or improve their life?

2) What makes your product or service different and why would your target audience want to do business with you?

Many times manufacturers think that price is the biggest motivating factor for consumers. That’s not necessarily true. Many times a consumer will pay more for a product or service if it makes their life easier. For example, it may be worth paying a store to deliver your groceries if it gives you more time to be at home with your family.

3) What compelling message will move your target audience take action?

Based on the information above it’s easy to see that your message must touch on a consumer’s pain point. The consumer wants to know, “What’s in it for me?”

4) What strategies are available to reach your target audience with your message?

Perhaps online messages delivered through email or social media will work best for your target audience. Maybe traditional media channels like newspapers, magazines, television, radio, direct mail, or outdoor advertising will work best. The truth is, a combination of both online and traditional media is the ideal solution to reach today’s consumers.

5) Are there new ways to reach your target audience?

Today’s marketing channels are constantly changing and new ones are being created. And many traditional media channels have new features that may help you reach your target audience in ways never before imagined. For example, direct mail pieces with variable text and images will create a personalized customer experience. Or embellishments like dimensional print that can add depth and texture to a marketing piece and thus capture the attention of the consumer who then pays more attention to the offer being made.

6) What marketing channels appeal to your target audience?

Today’s consumer is connected 24/7. You should see this as a marketing opportunity. Your website can provide information to the consumer when they want it. A B2B StorFront can provide online sales just as easy as B2C sites. If your clients are online your marketing should be online, too.

At the same time, if you offer financial products, research shows that a tangible product, like a direct mail piece, creates a greater feeling of trust in a consumer than an online offer. If you are targeting younger people perhaps an online offer followed up with a printed piece will work best.

Today’s marketing options are endless. And at times they may be overwhelming. A partnership with a company who understands the ins and outs of the industry can be a big help. Working with a company that can help you define your target audience and reach that audience with both online and offline-marketing materials is this best way to get your products and services in front of consumers and increase visibility and in turn generate quality leads.