Mindset Marketing

A lot of effort and study has been spent on the process of how a consumer chooses a brand.

The traditional “Four P’S of Marketing” are in order. The Product exists, The Price is set, the Promotion is out there trying to convince you to buy, and of course the Place determines where you actually fork out the cash---whether it’s a store, a catalog, or the internet.

But these all about what happens before you actually use the product. All the above have happened, and now the moment of truth is here.

What is going through your mind? What are you doing right now? What role are you playing? How’s your mood? Are you different than you were yesterday, or this morning?

Your mindset changes frequently and it has a lot to do with choices you make. In marketing that’s key. How can you tap into the experience of using the brand, so that it will be chosen the next time?

If you focus on the actual use you are practicing Mindset Marketing.

Here are the new “Four P’s”:

Persona. That‘s the role you are playing as you use the product. What are the touch points of your day, and what are you trying to do? How will the product help you to fulfill that role?

Perception. That’s the preconceived notion of a brand. It’s the de facto wide spread consensus of what the brand is all about---how it is thought of, compared to other brands in the category. It may or may not have anything to do with what’s most important to users. But it is vital to understand this to begin.

Positioning. This is the key. You should find out what benefits are being delivered, through research and watching how and when the product is being used.
Then you determine which benefit is the most important. That will become the one thing you will be known for---your positioning, the basis for your brand’s success.

Participation. Mindset Marketing identifies with a user’s persona and taps into his most basic needs with a winning positioning. It also makes possible marketers’ fondest dream---that users become fans. They might communicate with us through social media, become loyal customers, and recommend us to friends.

Mindset Marketing means walking in the user’s shoes, feeling what he feels, and making human contact at the tipping point of brand prefence.

The traditional “Four P’s” proceed from the makers’ point view---Product, Price, Place and Promotion.

But the Mindset Marketing “Four P’s” are more basic---Persona, Perception, Positioning, and Participation---come from the users. That’s a good place to start and to end.

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Loud Laughs, Fake Friends

Some salesmen use the “Big Ha-Ha” technique to announce they are here, they are with it, and you are included in their joyful and productive reason-for-being.

Some members in the country-club-set use “Forced Hilarity” to establish that they are indeed the in-crowd, sharing the in-secrets and the everlasting good will of the group.

Some sycophantic social climbers use “Loudly Assumed Status” as a tool to bring instant acceptance into privately held domains.

These high-decibel shouters haven’t heard that silence is golden, or that less is more. Instead, they practice that noise is better. Their overbearing shrillness marks insecurity and insincerity, not the confidence and stature they covet. To them, silence is a vacuum to be abhorred.

The salesman bursts into a room with a hearty guffaw, a demand that all within his hearing should bow to his superiority and emulate his mirth. “Hey, did you hear this one?” Then, “How many did you conquer (wink and smirk) yesterday?” This verbal slap on the back says, “I’m in charge here and I am a funny, down-to-earth guy, let’s all hear it---ha ha ha!”

The Country Club regulars assemble again---liquidity fortified---by restating last week’s banal nothings---
“I saw the Galbraiths at Aspen!” (Chuckles)
“My shrink says I should eat more lettuce.” (Laughs)
“I think they should turn up the speakers.” (Knee slapper)

The upward mobile wannabe interrupts by announcing, “It was nice to see everybody at the Van Gogh Exhibit!” After the nods, she continues, “Oh Marge, I loved your remarks at the ball--- priceless! And how can I help at the next bazaar?”

Why do some people need to talk loud and laugh louder? Is it because their arguments are weak and their egos weaker?

Why do some people shout into their cell phones? Are the phones their tickets into the breathlessly waiting world?

If “A soft answer turneth away wrath,” can a softer voice silence the false prophets?

Turn the radio volume down for the car commercials; turn away the ha ha’s.