If You Can Label It You Can Sell It

"If you can label it, you can sell it."

"The Alchemists tried turning lead into gold and failed.  The Marketing People succeeded by selling lead to the Alchemists.

The Quotations of Slim Fairview. (c) 2017

Remember the pet rock?  Adopt a Cabbage Patch Kid?  Here we go.

LABELS

When I was young, a label spoke to the quality of the merchandise. Dunhill tobacco pouch, Florsheim shoes.

Today, a label speaks to the price of the merchandise. Everything does come with a price.  But many times the price is more than dollars and cents.  Every label has a price.

If you carry a Birkin Bag, you'd better be a celebrity.  If not, you will be viewed with contempt for parading around with a $60,000 pocketbook.  On the other hand, if you wear Birkenstock Sandals, don’t you also pay a price; a price for marketing yourself?  You are marketing yourself, aren't you?  Really?  Aren't you?

Florsheim Shoes, Gucci Loafers, Birkenstock Sandals are all quality products. Different price ranges, but all quality products. And each sends a different message.  Who are you labeling your product for?

Label v. Logo.

You're logo is not the little picture you hired that graphics designer to create for you.  Your logo is, in fact, how your customer feels when buying, wearing, or using your product.  Your label is what your customer tells other people he paid for your product--not in dollars only.  To understand logos, read my article "YOUR LOGO".

There is, of course the cynical approach.  Two outstanding examples of that are:

P.T. Barnum:  “There’s a sucker born every minute.”

H.L. Mencken:  “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.”
 

Now, we move onto serious marketing people.  For this we have the Four Marketeers.

• Redesign

• Reconfigure

• Relabel

• Repackage

These are the four cavaliers of successful marketing.

There is an old saying on Madison Avenue.  “Half of all advertising works.  But nobody knows which half.”

The issue, of course, is not advertising.  The issue is marketing. And, I've said this repeatedly.  Marketing:  “Find a need and fill it.”  

Don’t get T-Boned at the intersection of Marketing & Madison.  Marketing Trumps Advertising

Relabel

WHY THE BUY IN?  Is that the hard question?  No.

If you'd read my article "MARKETING 1959" you will already know that wearing leggings (snow pants) made you a target of derision and teasing.  I remember the "consumer pushback" as my Mom tried getting me into my leggings. 

Then, one day, my buddy had to wear them.  And someone began, "Ha, ha, you had to wear leggings."  But he was ready. 

"They're not leggings, they're ski pants".

 

Suddenly they became an icon of cool.  Okay, why the buy in?  Why did the other boys in the class suddenly buy into the premise?

Two reasons: 

In part, to be a part of it all if they had to wear them.

In part for protection from derision if they had to wear them. 

Call it relabeling, not rebranding.   You’re not switching from the discount store brand to the designer brand. The product was renamed.

  

For example:  My Dad wore a robe.  Noel Coward wore a dressing gown.

However, one of the most brilliant relabeling strategies was employed by Japanese Automakers. 

When US car manufacturers wanted to enhance revenue, they outsourced their work off-shore.  This was an effort to cut costs.  However, you don’t sell a lot of Oldsmobiles in a country where people earn $5. A day.

When Japanese auto makers wanted to enhance revenue, they opened plants in the US and hired American auto workers.  What happened? 

Japanese automakers began selling cars that were made in America by American workers. 

There will be more to come.

If you find anything here to be helpful, please don't hesitate to send me a really tricked out Mac Book and to tuck a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank you note. 

Sincerely,

Slim

Box 33
Pen Argyl, PA 18072

slimfairview@yahoo.com 

Copyright (c) 2013 Bob Asken

All Rights Reserved.

Teamwork is for Teams

"A team is not a committee.  A committee is not a team.  Teamwork is for teams.  

Committees do not solve problems, they create them." ~ Slim Fairview

I do not like sports analogies. However, as we are discussing teams, we must use them.  Also, I do not like long introductions.  Therefore:

Here is the metaphor:

The Giants have 11 men on the field. For the purposes of  this discussion they are:

One Center

Two Guards,

Two Tackles

Two Ends

One Quarterback

Two Halfbacks

One Fullback

Each player plays a position. (A Job Title)

Each position has a job description.

Each player has some degree of discretion within the parameters of his assignment which he may exercise as different situations present themselves, at the time they present themselves, and in the way that they present themselves.

If a defensive lineman decides not to break through the line, the tackle must decide whether and how to change his approach--to handle his assignment.  Others must make adjustments accordingly.

"The joke is in the way I say it, not in what I say." ~ Slim Fairview.

The Tackle does not call a time out, walk across the field and say to the Receiver, "Listen, you missed that last pass, how about I run down field with you in case there is another problem?"

The Halfback does not stroll over to find out what is going on.

If there appears to be a dispute, the QB does not go over to implement some conflict resolution.

The Coach does not come out onto the field to suggest that the tackle head up a committee of back fielders and receivers to look into the problem.

Human Resources doesn't not go out onto the field to suggest bringing in a consultant who might hold a training session where everyone will have the opportunity to play different positions in order to become more sensitive to the other players feelings.

A fan does not come out onto the field to represent stakeholder interests and suggest we need a field 200 yards long to expand the market and six downs per play for revenue enhancement.

A second stringer does not go out onto the field to suggest increasing the number of players on the field to 15 or 20 so more people get to play.

There are a few things to consider though.

The team already has a shared vision

The team already has a defined goal

The team members already have their assignments

The team members already have their job descriptions.

Also there are other similarities

The opposing team presents a set of  knowns and a set of unknowns.

The offensive team knows the strengths and weaknesses of the defensive team. They do not, however, know which members of the defensive team will present the problem--or where.

If that defensive lineman decides to go around the offensive line rather than through it, then the Tackle must made a decision--on his own--"do I pull back or not?"  That decision will influence the action of, say, the Fullback. He may now be forced to move to protect the QB from being sacked.

In the same manner, the defensive line must also respond to situations and changing situations as a team.  That means each player has a degree of autonomy to make decisions within the parameters of his assigned position.

"As a team" means each individual doing his own job--not someone else's job.

A defensive lineman must decide where to go, depending on which offensive player is carrying the ball and in which direction he is heading.

You won't win many football games if you tell your defensive linemen, "Don't worry about where the ball is going.  Let me worry about that. That's my job.  If you want to be helpful, just do what I tell you to do.  If I want you to do something else, I will tell you." (Right in the middle of the play, eh?  That comment is pretty much what I was told on at least two occasions by a boss who made a serious error in judgement.  That according to many bosses.) 

Back to Congress

Everyone is entitled to an opinion.  True!

Everyone is entitled to express that opinion.  True!

The right to an opinion does not confer value upon that opinion.

"Opinions are like hemorrhoids.  Sooner or later almost every Congressman has one."  ~ The Quotations of Slim Fairview.

Case in Point:

Congress has 535 members.

Congress has a 5% approval rating.

You can't put 535 Congressmen into a 5% bag.

Back to football

Credentials:

Each football player has credentials.  Each team has a record.

Players have training, ability, experience and a track record.  Teams have a record of wins and losses, over and against which teams, and the analysis of the reasons why.

For example: Both Quarterbacks have a record of passes, pass completions, yards gained and lost, runs, yards, gained, sacks, and wins and losses.

Still, one QB wins and one loses.  Obviously, no one wins or loses on his own. Each has 10 other players on his team.  Each player doing his job. And only his job. Each team has a coach who writes plays (strategic planning) and a coach who replaces players who get tired, makes too many mistakes, or fails to perform to the (measurables) standards of the team.

When was the last time you replaced someone on your team? As they say across the pond--"Dropped for not scoring."

GET THE MESSAGE?

Teamwork is for teams.  A team is not a committee.  A committee is not a team. Committees do not solve problems, they cause them. 

Replace your committee with a team.  

Be sure your team is in compliance with the paradigm of a team.

There are those who believe that a committee is the best way to deal with a problem.  I will now refute, repudiate, disparage, and debunk their delusions with one word--Congress.

Einstein (The Physicists) said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."  I assume he meant better results. 

"I am no Einstein.  I know nothing about physics." ~ Slim Fairview.

"Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting better results." ~ Slim Fairview

From, The Quotations of Slim Fairview (c) 2013

Einstein also said, "You don't measure the intelligence of a fish  by its ability to climb a tree."

Slim Fairview said, "If you want someone to climb a tree, you hire a cat."

"If you want to know something, Google it.  If you want to understand something, ask an old person." ~ Slim Fairview.

If anything herein has helped guide you toward clear thinking and solid action, please do not hesitate to send me a really tricked out Mac Book and to tuck a few dollars into the envelope along with the thank you note.

or

GoFundMe

Warmest regards,



Slim.


Robert Asken Box 33 
Pen Argyl, PA  18072

LinkedIn Profile 


slimfairview@yahoo.com

Copyright © 2013 Robert Asken 

All Rights Reserved.