Marketing Nutrition (1 of 5): Pie
Marketing your business really is a lot like nutrition. Not everything you do is the same, healthy or sustainable. In some cases, it can even be toxic. I've used this metaphor a lot over my years, and have finally gotten the chance to write it down and share my perspective. I decided to start with Pie - simply because it's fresh (glorious, golden freshness) in my mind.
The thing is, pie is amazing, now and then. They will kill you, eaten every day. But they can be a shear pleasure, occasionally. In looking at communications, the pie is that occasional act of random marketing we all do that feels great in the moment and is defined by 3, specific traits:
What you are doing lives independently of the strategic plan.
It generates an immediate lift of goodwill, engagement or other reward.
It is reactionary, making the most of a moment in time or opportunity.
A purist may say nothing should be random or non-strategic. But, that's a little extreme. Treat yourself! Every now and then, you will run across an opportunity where you can step outside your comfort zone and do something inspired. Nobody is inspired by Broccoli (Part 3 in this series). Just know that pie is not a diet. You cannot live on random, opportunistic actions forever. Eventually, the opportunities will dry up, you will misfire or just have a communications crash from burnout.
What does Pie look like in the wild? Where can you recognize it in your own marketing diet? Consider these examples.
Trade show giveaways. These are usually some kitschy thing that sales might think is a good idea. Rarely does it roll up into a strategic move.
That trade show itself! The one that wasn't on the schedule, but the sponsor ended up giving you a great deal on.
That print ad in a business journal that an executive wants to take out because he reads it.
That wildly unnecessary Prezi that nobody is able to edit once you own it.
That sales video you made to explain your products new UI that is so complicated that it needed a video to explain it.
That internal editorial about the most innovative member of your team.
All of these are random, unforeseen and feel great in the moment. And that's ok. Have some pie! Just understand where it fits inside your diet. It is not something you're going to do all the time, it's not structured and it is inherently unhealthy.
A better way to consider this is to do it as a trial, and then decide if you could sustain it as part of your overall nutrition. Do it occasionally, but predictably. Make it a marketing cheat day. Plan around it, and anticipate it. Just know, you need a healthy diet to sustain it.