Detective Marketing: Creative Common Sense in Business, 3rd Edition [illustrated edition] 9163113899, 9789163113895

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This book is based on my theory of creative business and the meeting of minds. Because this requires a certain mindset from the reader, my readers are primarily professionals in IT, PR, corporate communications, advertising, marketing and sales. Creativity, however, knows no boundaries. No matter what your profession is, Detective Marketing can help you grow. "In his book Detective Marketing, Stefan has succeeded in creating what we always strive for: simplicity, clarity, perfection. Using simple, yet thought-provoking examples, he manages to inspire both creativity and clear-sightedness. His hypothetical cases use humor to tickle the imagination and to shed new light on the role of common sense in marketing and communications.'' CLAES ANDREASSON, DIRECTOR, ABSOLUT AKADEMI THE ABSOLUT COMPANY

"There are a number of good ways to get an idea. Sleep on it, go for a walk or read Stefan Engeseth's new book. The sleeping and walking ways will be greatly enhanced if you read Detective Marketing first." AL RIES, CHAIRMAN, RIES & RIES

Pearls of wisdom at www.DetectiveMarketing.com DESIGN WEEK

US $12.55 / UK £8.95 / EURO €13.55

ISBN

recommended price 9

91-631-1389-9

" S o m e really good examples of business metaphors" TOMPETERS!

Stefan Engeseth

0 n "Fasten your seatbelts, Stefan is going to take you for a wild ride. It's a new and provocative dimension." BO OSTEN JOHANSSON President The Association of Swedish Advertisers

"Straightforward thinking. It's thoughtprovoking. He's taking the Peppers' One-to-One philosophy a step forward." BRAND REPUBLIC

"Totally crap!!!" ANONYMOUS CRITIC

"Very few hear the music when they read the notes. Good examples for his theories." MARIANNE REUTERSKIOLD President The S w e d i s h Marketing Federation

"This book lets me travel from imagination to practical experience." JORGEN WAHL CEO Advisory Board

"Amusing case studies" BRAND CHANNEL

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Stefan Engeseth has been called everything from consultant to chaos pilot. A well-known lecturer and writer, Stefan has built a solid reputation as a sort of "Jonathan Livingston Seagull'7 of the business world. Over the years, he has worked with such diverse companies as Letsbuyit.com and the Swedish Postal Service. He has held over 500 lectures and workshops internationally at corporations and academic institutions attended by the University of Stockholm, Pace University (New York), IIU, i!R, BMW, J. Walter Thompson, Leo Burnett, DaimlerChrysler, Ericsson, Berghs School of Communication, Public relations and Pharmacia Corporation. He has also taken part in the Oresund Consulate's reference group on the Oresund bridge between Sweden and Denmark - one of the largest projects of its kind in Europe. He writes articles for international business magazines.

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10 TIPS FOR BECOMING MORE CREATIVE i Hire people who talents than you.

have

different

a Install a random control in the elevator so that everyone ends up on the wrong floor. Get a head start by pressing the wrong button today. 3 Exchange Filofaxes with each other. Bring your children to work. 5 Invite your customers to participate in projects at an early stage. S Invite someone from the street to attend your next meeting. "7 Mix people in meetings: for example sales people and marketing people. S Change the setting of the meeting. Why not hold your next meeting at a kindergarten? 9 Create imbalance. Stand on one leg during a meeting and seek imbalance. Seek imbalance in the marketplace. I O Use simple language. A good idea thrives on simplicity. II Read this book and do a little more than what's on the list.

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"Stefan E n g e s e t h crackles with energy in his book D e t e c t i v e Marketing, H e ' s not afraid to think differently and he does so with t h e authority of long practical experience. We all need the fresh breeze that blows through this book. 1 recommend it wholeheartedly." Per F r a n k e l i u s , P h D E c o n o m i c s , O r e b r o U n i v e r s i t y , t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l School of E c o n o m i c s , Jonkoping

"Stefan managed to distil years of experience and t h e ideas that inspire him into an accessible, digestible form. D e t e c t i v e Marketing is a book to which one turns to catch Stefan's inspiration. It gives you room to think through to your own outcomes and never dictates, making it thankfully a far more interactive title than a traditional textbook." Jack Y a n , C E O , Jack Y a n & A s s o c i a t e s

"I. can't r e m e m b e r the last time I read such a thin book with so many memorable ideas. His O N E idea is brilliant. Stefan has an ability to put his finger on what is essential and discover new paths." Ola Feurst, PhD Economics, Stockholm University, School of Busines s

"Stefan presents wild thoughts that are really wild until someone earns a fortune by using t h e m . " lb Lenneke, Advisor, the I B I D E A company

"Suggestions for increasing your creativity" T h e Chicago S u n - T i m e s

"His ideas are a radical 2000's evolution" AH A b o u t Branding

"Swedish business bible" Brand Strategy

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Stefan Engeseth

DETECTIVE MARKETING Third Edition

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Stefan Engeseth Publishing tel/fax + 4 6 ( 0 ) 8 651 4 4 5 4 www. d e r.e c i i ve m a rke t in g. co rn

infoCwdetecciveinarketing.eom © 2001-2003/2004 Stefan Engeseth © D e t e c t i v e M a r k e t i n g " ' is a r e g i s t e r e d t r a d e m a r k of Stefan Engeseth

Art d i r e c t i o n a n d layout: L a y o g r a f / J o n a s Ni i sso n C o v e r d e s i g n : ForsHng & F l y b o r g Illustrations: M a g n u s Eriksson (page 110: M a x E r i k s s o n , age 4) Illustration: J.Nordwall Design / J o a c h i m N o r d w a i i ( p a g e 75-76, 123-125) I l l u s t r a t i o n : N o f o n t / A n d r e a s Carlsson ( p a g e 116-117) I l l u s t r a t i o n : ForsHng & Flyborg (page 14.3) Cover photo: T h o m a s Svensson T h i r d e d i t i o n revised a n d r e - w o r k e d b y S t e v e Strict Per N i i s s o n r e - w o r k e d c h a p t e r c o m m o n s e n s e in b r a n d i n g Digitally p r i n t e d in t h e UK N" USA by L i g h t n i n g S o u r c e Third edition I S B N : 91-631 -1.389-9

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t h a t is an obstacle to c o m m u n i c a t i o n . M e e t each o t h er face to face. Use games and role-playing. Body language makes it easier to t u n e into each o t h e r ' s w a v e l e n g t h s and u n d e r s t a n d each o t h e r ' s t h o u g h t s . Role play leads to participation that increases the ability of t h e individual to create. Role play gives a mirror image of your own role and o p p o r t u n i t i e s . Dare to drop your mask and you will grow. D i f f e r e n t skills can create imbalance which leads to m o v e m e n t and change. S t a n d i n g up during t h e m e e t i n g is a good way of g e t t i n g s t a r t e d . Seek creative stimuli in both the internal and external e n v i r o n m e n t by holding t h e m e e t i n g in inspiring places. Choose c o n f e r e n c e facilities and activities that encourage a creative m i n d s e t . Being outdoors is o f t e n a good idea as are f r e q u e n t changes of setting. If you are working as a group, "ignorance" should be made an i m port a nt part of t h e collected skills of those present. Knowledge can be intolerant while ignorance can s o m e t i m e s encourage untried new ideas. T h e untried idea is an i m p o r t a n t parr, of D e t e c t i v e Marketing. It is easy to dismiss the opinions of people who are unfamiliar with t h e specialized language of a field as ignorant and unintelligent, b u t their perspectives and ideas, although a little rough around the edges, can o f t e n be new and exciting.

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It is also important to have a certain distance to one's own knowledge. You don't always know best. And even if you do, there are always viewpoints that are worth noting. In meetings b e t w e e n several generations, it is o f t e n difficult to understand each other's experiences, but these meetings can often lead to real growth. Work with yourself. What resources do you see? What weaknesses? Ask someone to describe you. Collect and record the group's individual characteristics such as cultural background, sex, interests, etc. See each other's differences as the group's most important resource. Analyze which seeds you wish to sow, w h a t ideas you wish to work with and "give away" t h e ideas that your group doesn't wish to pursue. An idea that doesn't fit in your work, may work just fine in another part of the company. Don't keep ideas to yourself, they need other perspectives to grow. Be h u m b l e towards o t h e r ' s ideas, generous with your own. Creativity as a Driving Force For me creativity isn't just a driving force, it's an addiction. If I bottle up my creativity, my entire body shakes with negative energy5; If I let my creativity flow, it feels infinite. T h i s intoxicating feeling has been described by many people in many

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differenc terms. O n e familiar word is "How". I prefer to call it life. Working methodically in a group and reaching a collective flow 1 call "super-flow". Creative joy shared is creativity doubled and then some. Creative joy gives b e t t e r results and fewer ego problems. Always strive for super-flow! Creativity, rush, flow, life - whatever you chose to call it - it is an essential part of all work. T h e ability to turn ideas into reality creates motivation. Conversely, when the ideas cannot be realized, negative feelings and anxiety are created. T h e result is anything but creative. Childish Simplicity T h r o u g h o u t this book, 1 will give a n u m b e r of concrete examples. T h e book's value and relevance will increase in proportion to your ability to see your own opportunities in these examples. Don't lock up your creativity. T h i n k of what a child would do. A child sees opportunities with wonderful ease. L e t this positive energy create a stimulating rush of creativity. Children act as creative consultants when you play with t h e m . Make the most of this free, but invaluable consulting time! In the world of imagination, a child visualizes his creativity by turning dreams into mental images for the here and now. As adults, we tend to normalize

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our visions. We quier t h e m down and housebreak t h e m . T h e imagination is full of possibilities; let us make our visions just as rich. T h e presence of children stimulates creativity. Why not schedule t h e next board m e e t i n g at a day care center? Read more in Lessons from the Sandbox (Gregerman, 2000) to utilize the magic of childhood for inspiration in your business life. O n e of my most influential mentors is named Erik. Erik is 3 years old and can be seen interviewed on this book's website. See this film together with other consultants Erik's age and discuss. On a platform in between reality- and illusion there is no right or wrong. How can this increase tolerance for the "undone " in the creative meeting? Applied Humility " N o one is perfect, not even me". Use this sort of introduction to open a formal m e e t i n g and you will open doors to innovation. T h e informal m e e t i n g is important'. It is here participants learn about each other. It is b e t t e r to place one piece of t he puzzle at a time and understand why it goes where it goes, than getting large parts at long intervals. Take time to show an interest for others' opinions and questions. Acknowledgement and recognition

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inspires creativity. H u m i l i ty and inspiration are the best basis for a true dialogue. Dare to ask questions - "I didn't understand what you m e a n t , could you explain it again?" Asking politely and showing a g e n u i n e interest helps get the most out of these meetings. L e t the questions tickle t he participants' curiosity and draw out the group's hidden resources. Not Understanding is The Easiest Form of Knowledge Work, consciously to create an atmosphere where everyone is comfortable. Use humor. Do not let the m e e t i n g become a forum for grievances. Jt is so much easier to criticize t he ideas and suggestions of others, than it is to come up with your own new ways of thinking. C o n c e n t r a t e on tomorrow. Conflicts can be productive and sometimes it's necessary to point out the impossible in someone else's idea. For the most part, however, this is counter-productive. W h e n someone in t he group gets a rush of creativity, a flood of ideas will come pouring forth to t he entire group. Ask questions, but don't be condescending; that person is at his or her most vulnerable. Lift instead of d a m p e n . Utilize his or her creative energy. Who knows what is possible the m o m e n t an idea is born? L e t the m e e t i n g flow

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like a jazz jam session, w h e r e everyone is given a solo. T h e business c o m m u n i t y n e e d s more jazz! A m e e t i n g that bubbles with e n t h u s i a s m and new ideas is magic, like falling in love. Don't let egos get in t h e way of t h e feeling. T h e more you acknowledge each o t h e r ' s ideas, t h e more your results will improve. Collective intelligence is greater than that of the individual and besides, who wants to d a n c e alone? If there are participants at the m e e t i n g that see only problems, give t h e m time. If they still are unable to adapt to this new way of thinking, t h e y should perhaps be excluded from t h e s e meetings. Discuss w h e r e they might make a more meaningful c o n t r i b u t i o n and feel more satisfied. No one feels good about constantly having to raise objections. Be firm w i t h o u t s t e p p i n g on anyone's toes. J u d g m e n t s t h a t h a m p e r magic and love in creativity also d a m p e n motivation. Wake the love of creativity and your e n t h u s i a s m will carry5 you towards your goals. Ask q u e s t i o n s and try to u n d e r s t a n d each o t h e r ' s ideas to allow t h e group to grow. L e t the ideas create the c o n t e n t . B e c o m e a c h a m e l e o n of t h e m e e t i n g w h o plays a n u m b e r of d i f f e r e n t roles. If you have a t e n d e n c y to be too verbal and d o m i n e e r i n g you can ask t h e o t h e r participants

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he has ever tasted. T h e need for this caste exists from t h e t i me he leaves the cafe and c o n t i n u e s even w h e n he comes home. T h i s p u t s d e m a n d s on t h e market to offer t h e consumer a reasonably priced espresso machine for home use. It can also mean a certain kind of coffee m u s t be i m p o r t ed and sold by t h e major grocery chains. T h i s n e e d o p e n s the door to new o p p o r t u n i t i e s . T h e o p p o r t u n i t i e s are already t h e r e waiting to be discovered. A n o t h e r example is a grocery store that now offers " r e s t a u r a n t " services and fast food along with d e t e r g e n t and milk. Delicious, restaurant-quality food m a d e in the store, ready to take h o m e and heat. T h e next s t e p for the stores could be to teach their c u s t o m e r s to cook. A g u e s t g o u r m e t chef could teach c u s t o m e r s the tricks of the trade. Every action that adds value in t h e grocery store has profitability and growth potential. Sooner or later, everyone gets hungry! Another example comes from q u e s t i o n i n g t h e world around us: W h a t is real and what is fake? O n e can say that t h e world is really "faked up". Fake is real in a fake world. Fake is business. Why not create a trend t h a t expresses and confirms " t h e fake world". 1 rends are not created in a vacuum. Punk culture had a very high profile in its day. Today, outrageous colored hair is more c o m m o n than many

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would care to admit. It's easy to have t w e n t y - t w e n t y hindsight as to who created w h a t w h e n . Why not create a fad of your own, for example, wigs for men! Today, wigs for men are an embarrassing s u b j e c t . Even t h e man who sells t h e m would o f t e n rather be bald than use his own products. T h e r e is a parallel here with pink shirts. For years, it was very obvious that no real man would wear a pink shirt. T h e n c a m e the b u t t o n - d o w n oxfords of t h e 80's and s u d d e n l y every man had a pink or pinkish shirt in his closet. T h e s a m e could be d o n e with wigs. T h e n e e d is global and t h e r e is enough tension in t h e s u b j e c t to create truly m e m o r a b le advertising and PR. C a p t u r i n g top-of-mind would be a cinch. T h e Bob Marley t u n e could be changed to " N o Hair, No Cry". A bald man with " S o m e o n e stole my wig" tattooed across his shiny head could be a poster child for t h e n e w fad. I'm convinced t h a t wigs for m e n could become a global fad in 14 days. Do you feel yourself losing your balance in t h e example below? Do you see t h e path to t h e goal? What does this say about t h e society in which we live, about what is fake and w h a t is real? Ask yourself how t h e following scenario would affect the introduction of wigs for you. Imagine, the Italian c h a m p i o n s h i p soccer team or this year's NBA champions playing in wigs. Can you n a m e t h r e e

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scars rhac wear d i f f e r e n t colored wigs day afcer day. Describe how t h e f e m a l e a u d i e n c e would react? Could d i f f e r e n t colors symbolize d i f f e r e n t traits such as single, divorced, likes a s e n s e of humor? Can wigs be m a d e to grow like plants? Could you use an Elvis wig as a trademark? Could o t h e r target groups be p u t in the spotlight through s o m e kind of event? Would wigs fit into today's 70's trends? Can wigs be m a d e in team or corporate colors? W h e n , historically did m e n wear bright wigs? The S e a r c h for Distribution W h e r e does t h e c o n s u m e r wish to c o n s u m e ? Brand shops is a way of c o u n t e r i n g established retailers. T h e s e shops are a way of g e t t i n g closer to t h e consumer. H e r e , you can only buy one attractive brand. A f u r t h e r d e v e l o p m e n t of this idea could be "brand streets'' on t h e I n t e r n e t (a collection of brand n a m e s ) , such as a brand s t r e e t with 7,000 jeans of d i f f e r e n t makes. I n t e r n e t makes it easier to develop a d d e d value. M e e t i n g places can also be a form of distribution. Stockholm's subway system, for example, is one of t h e biggest distributors in t h e city. Alliens, t h e largest d e p a r t m e n t store chain, has built t h e e n t r a n c e to its grocery store and music, m u l t i m e d i a , stationary and book d e p a r t m e n t s directly connected

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to the central station. Over a quarter of a million people a day pass by the centra! station, of which 50,000 e n t e r the store. The S e a r c h for Knowledge Where do you find new knowledge. Education is growth; you should always see your desk as part of a classroom. T h e world, just like life, is everchanging. Following change is also a sort of search for knowledge. Challenge your own conceptions and you will always find new knowledge. M e e t i n g people with other talents, will increase your own. Start by structuring all internal and external information to encourage this sort of exchange. Try to create a self-educating organization. Trends and events in t h e world should be charted in detail and followed carefully.

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The Search for Customers H e a d h u n t your dream customers! W h e r e are they? Choose the customers you wish to work with, then coilect al! the information you can about them. By using the S P I N m e t h o d of interviewing, you will get an accurate picture of who you are selling to. You will get an idea of what your product and service portfolio should contain. Your customers will become part of an positive spiral in creating a winning concept. T h e right customers will give your company a strong identity when your products and services become visible on t he market. T h e right rings on t he water are the key. Read more about S P I N in Spin Selling (Rackham, 1988). The Search for Active C o n s u m e r s W h e n a company, in both its advertising and on its packaging, encourages consumers to contact it with c o m m e n t s and questions, it gives the market a picture of the company as open and responsive. Every time your customers visit your website, an interactive platform is created. Here, you can create a database that can be used to create a more two-way communication. O n c e a dialogue has been created, t he needs of t he consumer can help set the guidelines for your communication. Being able to

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quickly reach your c u s t o m e r s is an invaluable asset in t h e m a r k e t p l a c e . Many c u s t o m e r s race around like zebras on t h e I n t e r n e t w i t h o u t knowing that t h e stripes are actually bar codes. With today's technology, ethics and respect for privacy b e c o m e i m p o r t a n t issues. Where do zebras like to be? W h e r e do they stop to drink? W h e r e do they s e e k their oases? When you've found the zebras, you can always ask t h e m a few questions. Active c u s t o m e r s are o f t e n b e t t e r at developing a market than c o m p a n i e s themselves. O n e obvious reason is that the c u s t o m e r ' s life is a f f e c t e d to a larger d e g r e e by the product or service than is t h e company staff. Listen carefully to t h e c o m m e n t s of the active consumer. Many smaller companies use c o m m o n sense and simplicity in their dialogue with the consumer. O n e of these is H I F I Art, a local stereo store. T h e owner, Kent Melirt, has d e v e l o p e d a truly u n i q u e dialogue with his c u st o m e r s. 1 call his t e c h n i q u e "make the c u s t o m e r your best salesman". It took a n u m b e r of visits to his store before I realized that the salesman who was helping me wasn't a salesman at all, but rather a regular customer. T h e owner is at the store, but customers often find everything they n e e d , including advice,

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by themselves. T h e more e x p e r i e n c e d c u s t o m e r s help the new ones. T h e c u s t o m e r s discuss t h e best brands and what the store should earn', allowing the owner to always have t h e right selection in stock. T h e c u s t o m e r ' s value grows on a long term basis. O n e problem with traditional c u s t o m e r clubs is that although they have b e e n successful in g e t t i n g c u s t o m e r s to stay, they have been less successful in increasing their n u m b e r s . T h e result is a dying target group. In Kent Meiin's store, c u s t o m e r s are part of a sort of c u s t o m e r hierarchy, w h e r e the active c u s t o m e r s invite t h e new ones into a society. Kent Me I in is a visionary who lets his c u s t o m e r s live and grow in his personal vision. With his permission, I asked his c u s t o m e r s a few q u e s t i o n s . T h e answers were very interesting, considering t h a t many of his p r o d u c t s are available at other stores, probably at b e t t e r prices. " H e carries what I want. We have the same caste...The ocher stores don't know what goes with w h a t . " (Read: T h e y don't listen to their customers). "Kent knows w h a t I want b e c a u s e he knows what stereo I have at h o m e . " O n e c u s t o m e r p o i n t e d out that it's i m p o r t a n t to eat before coming to Kent's store; a visit can take 2-3 hours. Kent Meiin's personality and ability to run his score, based not only on a business idea, but

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•also on a philosophy, s e e m s odd at first. T h e more you learn about it, however, t h e more s e n s e it makes. D i f f e r e n t solutions and o p p o r t u n i t i e s are everywhere on t h e market. 'The D e t e c t i v e M a r k e t i n g m e t h o d h e l p e d me evaluate and u n d e r s t a n d Kent Meiin's u n i q u e skills. When you work to build bridges to o t h e r people's know-how, your u n d e r s t a n d i n g for t h e o t h e r side of t h e bridge increases. Building bridges automatically teaches you humility and increases your ability to see and listen. "Everything makes sense if you can see the sense in it". T h e search is never-ending, k can be compared to a c o m p u t e r virus that is constantly finding n e w ways to strike. W h e n a hacker succeeds in g e t t i n g past a large corporation's security, it shows t h e power of searching. T h e person who searches is always one s t e p ahead in adaptability, acquiring n e w knowledge and foreseeing e v e n t s and openings. T h i s is no glorification of hackers and t h e damage they cause, it is rather a way of e m p h a s i z i n g the s t r e n g t h of t h e searching process. Begin t h e search process by asking yourself what information you n e e d . S t r u c t u r e your work accordingly and evaluate regularly.

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G-Customers: An Investment in Relationships W h e n you have found your dream c u s t o m e r and have i d e n t i f i e d w h o to approach, you m u s t invest in developing a relationship with this individual or group. T h e c u s t o m e r s you are successful with are called your "(./-customers'". A G - c u s t o m e r is a symbol for the relationship you are forming. G s t a n d s for "green", a c u s t o m e r that you are ready to pursu e at full s p e e d . In your m i n d , go around your c u s t o m e r; look at him from d i f f e r e n t directions. Move closer to him as if you were walking in a spiral. L e t the G - c u s t o m e r take the initiative.

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Never approach him directly if the customer doesn't show interest. Listen for and act on sales signals. Give the c u s t o m e r the information he needs. T h i s will make it easier for you to get to know one another and the customer will be more open to your reasoning, your opinions and your product. Many databases differentiate b e t w e e n A, B and C customers. Add G- c u st o m er as an additional field. G can also apply in other areas: G-contaet, G-person. G-iobbying. A G - c u s t o m e r is a long term investment in relational marketing. Different industries can use G-contacts for strategic sales when they are faced with big changes. If a company decides to e n t e r an entirely new market, you can begin to influence key people in that new industry to get them to buy the company's values and open doors. Who do wish to influence? And how?

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In this chapter, I give a number of examples of both real ad campaigns connected to salespeople and hypothetical eases. Brand names and companies are used for purely educational purposes. Let yourself be inspired to create your own reality and see new opportunities in your organization based on the examples in this book. Feel free to stand up when yon read this chapter. Try lifting one leg and feel yourself losing your balance without falling. Try to feel yourself losing your footing; it is this imbalance that is t h e basis for the u n e x p e c t e d . Your body is larger than your brain, so listen to its balance and feel its nuances. Feel the art of losing your balance, yet never falling. (Note: All the examples are gender-neutral as I make no distinction whatsoever b e t w e e n men and women in skills or opportunities.)

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MARKETING AND SALES THE SALESPERSON AS IV!ARRET!IMG MEDIU1VI

T h e problem is often that marketing and sales are two completely separate activities, in the m o m e n t of truth - t h e sales call - there is oft en no connection to t h e advertising. In the long-run, many corporations just can't afford it. So what can we do? Factor 1: Marketing T h e connection b e t w e e n advertising and product is often absent at the sale. Factor 2: Sales T h e salesperson is efficient, but expensive without a connection to marketing. Result Factor 4 Advertising agencies o f t e n use different media to get their message out, yet completely forget that the salesperson is also a m e d i u m , perhaps the most important of all! T h e goal is to make every day a kick

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for the salesperson. If he or she is having fun, their c o m m i t m e n t will be forged from iron and motivation will come automatically. T h e result is that big c u s t o m e r s will come to associate t h e salesperson with variety and e n t e r t a i n m e n t , s o m e t h i n g chat creates long-term business. E n t e r t a i n i n g salespeople create extra impact if they act as part of the advertising. T h e c o m m u n i c a t i v e qualities of t h e advertising can be transferred to t h e sales force to e n t e r t a i n the c u s t o m e r and Inspire t h e salesperson. Naturally, t h e corporate image and t h e salesperson's credibility muse never be jeopardized. A salesperson t h a t knows the business, is not motivated to excellence through sales c o n t e s t s and new sales t e c h n i q u e s . W h a t warms a salesperson's heart is the m o m e n t of truth, eye to eye with the customer, where sales ability and the merits of the product are t e s t e d . It is at this m o m e n t chat motivation and c o m m i t m e n t m u s t be spiced with variety and challenge.

Advertising Lives Longer With the Salesperson As Medium Naturally, t h e market's familiarity with a c o m p a n y and its brands makes t h e salesperson's job easier. As c o m p e t i t i o n for t h e ear of the c o n s u m e r increases

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with today's growing media static, advertising muse become more cost-efficient. T h e salesperson can improve t h e buyer's recognition of his company by giving him the same added value seen in advertising for the p r o d u c t or give him a live showing of t h e ad (a m e t a - p r o d u c t ) . If t h e salesperson projects the same feeling as the company's marketing, the buyer will see the bigger picture and will be less sensitive to price. For a Salesperson, Fun = Success Show me a buyer who is open and alert w h e n the fifth salesperson of day knocks on the door. T h e salesperson m u s t have a feel for how m u c h is required to reach t h e c u s t o m e r through t h e day's flood of information. People in sales are often t a l e n t ed actors. T h i s image of the salesperson as e n t e r t a i n e r can be reinforced by hiring a director to help the sales staff to be more daring. L e t c o m m o n sense set the limits. Choose a salesperson and a customer for a test panel and see how far you can go. T h i s will h e l p you get references and e x p e r i e n ce that t h e rest of the sales force can learn from before they go out into t h e field. Total Communication Adds Impact By coordinating information, marketing and sales d e p a r t m e n t s , a company can make a greater

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impact:. Total communication also works as internal marketing for the project. T h e sales force's enthusiasm will rub off on the marketing d e p a r t m e n t that will in turn motivate the PR d e p a r t m e n t and so on. When d i f f e r e n t d e p a r t m e n t s work together, it's important to c o m m u n i c a t e in an easily understood common language. Entertainment Many shopping centers have already tried to stand out from the competition by offering their customers e n t e r t a i n m e n t of various types. O n e shopping center, put on an exhibition called " T h e King of Rock and Roll", an example of how the market is adopting a more open a t t i t u d e to what is acceptable. T h e question is how do the salespeople become "kings" in the eyes of the buyers at a shopping c e n t e r like this one? Another e v e nt is car dealerships that have long arranged Sunday outings for family interested in buying a new car. What happens when the families show up? Sales? Use your creativity and your imagination and balance t h e m with a well-thought out concept. T h e following examples are from first-rate advertising campaigns to which I've added my own ideas about creative sales. The difference between playing and entertaining is skill.

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Carlsberg's Salespeople Are Part of the Advertising Most of us have seen the ad for Carlsberg beer whe re beer is delivered by a horse-drawn wagon by a be a rded Danish man in a distinctive cap. In D e n m a r k , t h e beer capital of Scandinavia, the ad is o f t e n shown live. Salesmen, dressed as t h e man in the commercial, deliver beer to selected bars and restaurants with a horse-drawn wagon. T h e s e salesmen help make t h e Carlsberg brand more personal and the buyer less price-sensitive. T h i s m a r k e t i ng has increased brand recognition considerably - the man in the commercial is t h e r e even w h e n t h e p r o d u c t is sold. Carlsberg's salespeople are generally more successful than the c o m p e t i t i o n who are not g e t t i n g as much a d d e d value out of their advertising. T h e y lack t h e same sort of physical connection to their advertising. Carlsberg has created a meca-product. T h r o u g h the magnifying glass we can see other successful examples. T h e car salesman who has the most visible personality is o f t e n the most successful. Ice cream trucks melodies create a strong identity and an image. If you don't believe me, change the ringing signal on your ceil p h o n e to that of a wellknown ice cream truck and see how people around you react.

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Other Ways of Connecting Sales to Advertising

O L W P o t a t o C h i p s Commercial "Where are t h e babes?" Everyone in S w e d e n has seen t h e commercial: a dozen cool, dark-haired young m a c h o - m e n in sunglasses stand c o n f i d e n t l y in a classic bachelor pad, music blasting. O n e makes a t e l e p h o n e call to a nerdy guy eating a bag of potato chips. " W n e r e are the babes?" t h e macho man asks. 'Are you having a party?" t h e nerd asks innocently. "Party.." t h e macho man c o m m e n t s sarcastically to his friends and hangs up. T h e camera pans out to show t h e nerd with an a p a r t m e n t full of w o m e n literally eating out of his hand. A great way to get t h e most out of this commercial would be for the salesperson to ask the head buyer "WTiere are the chips?" or even to dress like the m e n in the commercial. C o m m e r c i a l for Nasal S p r a y T h e print ads for a nasal spray f e a t u r e a classic black and w h i t e picture of H u m p h r e y Bogart with a red clown nose. H e r e , the salesperson can wear a similar nose when he makes sales calls and encourage the retailer to wear o n e at the height of the cold season. Playing down the suffering c o n n e c t e d with health

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care products is a challenge with great rewards for those who can find the right balance of humor and credibility. T h e PR activities that can be run with t h e above examples d e p e n d s on how the d i f f e r e n t people and d e p a r t m e n t s succeed in working together. (More about this in chapter 6 of this section) Top of Mind Without Soul [s Wasted Money Much of the flood of TV advertising by the largest multi-nationals is wasted money. T h e s e companies. who are chasing broad target groups have managed to buy top of mind for their brands at an exorbitant price. Many of t h e s e products will fail in the long run because they have failed to create a d e e p e r relationship be t we en the consumer and the product. For example, when you move from point A to point B, your buying p a t t e r ns don't change significantly. Nor do these p a t t e r n s change when you move product A to market E. Advertising can make you notice a new product, but ic isn't until you experience something and buy the product that you go from top-of-mind to t h e test-of-my-newconsumption-behavior. T h i s is why coordination of sales and marketing is such a powerful force it reinforces new behavior. Every time you see

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advertising for the new product, you will relate to an honest e x p e r i e n c e of t h e p r o d u c t . Top-of-mind can be compared to first and second gear in a car - it takes a lot of power at the wheels to get a newp r o d u c t roiling. T h e n , w h e n c o n s u m p t i o n grows a n o t h e r kind of power is n e e d e d CO plCK up s p e e d . T h e c u s t o m e r ' s experiences b e c o m e part o f t h e actual marketing. Unfortunately 7 , many brands rely on top-of-mind and get s t u c k in first and second gear, while t h e c u s t o m e r is e x p e c t i n g to shift into fifth gear. Of course, you can always back up and try again. T h i s gear shift analogs 5 can also be used to illustrate how sales, marketing, PR, logistics, space m a n a g e m e n t and c u s t o m e r service can work together. Naturally, you can drive in first and second all the t i m e if you are all alone on t h e road, but t h e r e are very few c om pa ni es who are alone on their markets. T h e c u s t o m e r can always find s o m e t h i n g better.

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fMARKETIMG - THE PRODUCT IS ITS OWN SPOKESMAN

A simple, yet o f t e n forgotten fact is that the product is its own spokesman. T h e product is the m a r k e t i n g c o m p o n e n t that comes closest to t h e target group. All coo o f t e n , the product d e v e l o p m e n t and m a r k e t i n g d e p a r t m e n t s are worlds apart. T h e product is developed in a relative vacuum, far from the needs of the consumers. Or marketing is completely disassociated from the qualities of the p r o d u c t . W h e n t h e two d e p a r t m e n t s work t o g e t h e r from the beginning to the end, you are more likely to gee a product chat is taken to heart by t h e consumer. Absolut Vodka and the Big Picture T h e Swedish brand Absolut Vodka is one of t h e biggest success stories in t h e spirits i n d u s t r y First exported in 1979, Absolut has in record time b e c o m e one of t h e best-selling spirits brands in the world. 1 asked Claes Andreasson of T h e Absolut C o m p a n y about their formula for success.

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"1: An honest brand w i t h a strong connection to a real p r o d u c t , " he answers, "2. A m e t i c u l o u s coordination of advertising, PR, e v e n t s , image and quality. O u r message is a part of everything we do." ''Everyone sees Absolut as an advertising success and image product, but what p e o p l e forget is b e h i n d e v e n powerful image is a powerful story. O u r story begins with over 400 years of vodka-making tradition. Every drop of Absolut c o n s u m e d around o t h e world comes from Ahus, a medieval village in t h e w h e a t fields of s o u t h e r n S w e d e n . " On the surface, it would seem that Absolut's advertising has n o t h i n g to do with e i t h e r S w e d e n or a Swedish vodka tradition. Yet, how does one explain t h e cult around t h e Absolut image? Can an image become part of the popular c u l t u r e t h e way Absolut has w i t h o u t being based on strong values. T h e answer is no. By translating Absolut's quality and history into t h e correct visual and emotional cues. T h e Absolut C o m p a n y has managed to instil) t h e s e values at a d e e p visceral level. " N o t everyone knows," Claes Andreasson o

explains, "t h a t Ahus, S w e d e n is to Absolut Vodka what C h a m p a g n e is to c h a m p a g n e and Cognac is to cognac. T h i s is vodka country; h o m e of t h e very best. What people do know at a very d e e p level is that Absolut, whatever it is, is a high-quality

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product that says volumes about the person who is smart e n o u g h to c o n s u m e it. Quality by instinct - t h a t ' s branding. You just know. From the very beginning we worked methodically to create this relationship to this p r o d u c t . O u r ad campaigns are aimed at a narrow s e g m e n t - t r e n d s e t t e r s . T h e n , these campaigns take a life of their own in the popular mind through well-planned and well-timed PR and e v e n t s . Contrary to popular belief, most of Absolut Vodka's visibility has been as editorial material in n e w s p a p e r s and magazines and as works of art in m u s e u m s . " Claes Andreasson is passionate about his product. What sort of passion do you feel for your job? What skills are involved? What does Claes Andreasson have to say about time for creativity?

Thinking Different Makes a Difference Another company that has managed to make the product its s p o k e s m a n is Apple C o m p u t e r s . T h e company's c o m p u t e r s replaced the square, gray, box that was once mandatory for all c o m p u t e r s with unique modern design and vibrant colors. T h e c o m p u t e r s gave c o n s u m e r s personality and color. Apple's " T h i n k D i f f e r e n t " campaign borrows image and personality from t h e story of E i n s t e i n and

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