Published:
03/15/2011 04:12pm
Cutting-edge Marketing For Cultural Creatives
Audiences, especially savvy cultural creative audiences, have become jaded about the thousands of advertising and promotional messages we receive each day. We’ve learned how to tune them out. We just don’t respond to hard sell approaches the way our forefathers did, unless we have a specific need for the product.
Traditional advertising tends to use a ‘push’ approach. The fear tactic is a tried-and-true favorite of traditional advertising, which attempts to undermine the potential buyer’s self-esteem and sense of well-being:
“If you don’t use this product you will lose your health/spouse/sex appeal…”
“Without this product you’re doomed to remain (or to become) fat/ugly/poor/sick…”
Traditional modes of advertising appeal to fear, greed and other vulnerable human emotions. It’s all about sell, sell, sell – whoever sells the most wins – and the ends justify the means. Isn’t that the American way?
All this push advertising is outdated and proving less and less effective. That’s why many of the biggest sellers seek alternative ways to reach their markets by becoming associated with entertainment through sponsorship, product placement, etc.
The push approach smacks with the feeling that they’re trying to put one over on the buyer. It makes claims that sound too good to be true, and often are.
We’re hip to that jive. That’s why modern-minded companies and individuals need to find another approach to reach their markets.
NEW SCHOOL: PULL ADVERTISING
So what’s the opposite of pushing? Pulling. Pull advertising is the advertising of the future. It’s ultimately more effective because an approach born out of sincerity, that shows respect for the consumer, is a lot more appealing than a shrill, “You need this now… or else!” – which reeks from the frustration of, “I need more sales!”
It’s less expensive and labor intensive, and more environmentally friendly than the traditional hard-sell route. Businesses offering healing or spiritually empowering products are especially ill-advised by traditional marketing gurus operating under the assumptions of the old school, convinced that buyers need to be manipulated into buying your product or service.
The pull approach can also be employed in a cynical way, but it will prove the most effective for businesses that truly do seek a win-win situation, who believe in their products and services and who really want to make a positive difference in the world. Research has already shown that many consumers are willing to pay a little more for products and services backed by this kind of philosophy.
In fact, the old marketing methods are incongruous with this new paradigm of ethical products and services – and could even be a deciding factor against dealing with you or your company.
For the consumer seeking an empowering experience or product, this is also what they seek from their interaction with the seller. They want your information, but they also want to make up their own minds. Use of the old push tactics is only going to confuse them, giving them the wrong idea as to what you’re all about.
By all means, show your excitement about what you have to offer. But it’s your sincerity that is convincing and your desire to present honest information that makes you trustworthy.
A business or person who knows who they are and seeks the best outcome for themselves, others and the world in which we live, is already working with ethical, moral and spiritual principles. You can trust that there will be people and businesses out there who are in sync with what you are all about, and will feel good about doing business with you.
That’s where good word-of-mouth comes in – which is more valuable than any amount of advertising, even a sexy Superbowl commercial.
This is how the law of attraction operates (THE SECRET, anyone?) And that movie is a great example. It’s a product with a positive, empowering message, and it had a huge impact with just a little publicity and a lot of word of mouth.
