Gain inspiration from these marketing gurus

When I need to set business goals I find it very useful to motivate people using inspirational quotations. If you want to motivate and inspire your team, you might enjoy this selection of some of the world’s greatest marketers.

#1. “Strategy and timing are the Himalayas of marketing. Everything else is the Catskills!” – Al Ries.

This refers to the Catskills in the Appalachian Mountains located in southeastern New York at an elevation of 1,270 metres. It is compared to the Himalayas, which includes some of the world’s highest peaks, including Mount Everest at 8,849 metres.

To succeed in marketing, you have to scale the highest peaks of strategy and timing, and not settle with smaller hills.

Question: Are you upgrading your marketing to meet the greater challenges?

#2. “In marketing, only one strategy can’t miss – that is to market to your best customers first, your best prospects second and the rest of the world last.” – John Romero

I love this quote because it’s about knowing and understanding your customers. Your best customers – however you define them – come first and your best prospects, second.

Question: Can you identify your best customers and know everything you should about them?

#3. “Business has only two functions – marketing and innovation.” – Milan Kundera

This signifies the oft-forgotten importance of marketing to business. Those in sales or operations may complain, but if customers don’t know and love your brand, you don’t have a business.

It’s that simple. Innovation is also vital because nowadays, customers are so demanding that we need to constantly upgrade.

Question: Do you value marketing? If not, how can you get people to recognise value?

#4. “The wise man doesn’t give the right answers, he poses the right questions.” – Claude Levi-Strauss

Are you better at asking questions or answering them? Which is more important in your job and why? A leader doesn’t have all the answers but be surrounded by people who do.

Question:Do you often ask the right questions? What more could you ask and from whom?

#5. “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories, and magic.” – Seth Godin

As products and services become more similar, brands that win are those that understand, engage and entertain customers. Build relationships by telling stories about your brand and add some magic that only your brand can deliver.

Question: How are you sharing your stories and brand magic?

#6. “A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is. It’s what consumers tell each other it is.” – Scott Cook

As with the previous quote, be careful when sharing and telling. Brands should share interesting anecdotes and stories – things in which customers are interested.

Question: Does your website offer things that matter; content are stories and information the customer is interested to know?

#7. “Make your marketing so useful people would pay for it.” – Jay Baer

Upgrade your marketing after telling stories and building relationships by making it so useful that people would actually pay for it, such as eBooks, games, articles and memberships.

Question: How useful is your marketing to customers? Are you recognising and appreciating their purchases?

#8. “Awareness is fine, but advocacy will take your business to the next level.” – Joe Tripodi

Awareness comes in many forms, such as advertising, activities and promotions, and social media posts. How do you measure it?

The problem is that these metrics don’t mean much if it doesn’t resonate emotionally with customers. You’ll only know this is when people support, advocate and recommend your brand.

Question: Do you know what marketing metrics to measure? What would make customers recommend you?

#9. “No one is like you. No one in the past was like you. No one in the future will be like you.” – May Sarton

You are unique with your gifts and talents. So, use them to make your business better. Treat your customers as if they were you. Discover your gifts and talents to succeed in your career. Avail of training to help you uncover it.

Question: How do you like to be treated? Use that as your guide in treating your customers.

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