I went to college with Tim Ferriss, author of “The 4-Hour Workweek” which has been on the New York Times Business Bestseller list for two and a half years straight. He’s very smart and very practical.
In this video he explains how to create a global phenomenon for less than $10,000. If you make stuff you want other people to find, you must see this.
I’m growing increasingly interested in marketing as it grows more and more clear that virtually every writer has to be his or her own best salesman nowadays. Apple has been one of the great marketing stories of recent history, so I think it’s helpful to take a look at what they’ve done right. There’s a lot of strategies on this list we can use:
Are You a Mac?: Let’s face it, Apple is a hip brand. It pushes a strong identification with everything young, up-to-the-minute and smart. Consider Apple’s I’m a Mac campaign. The Mac guy is smooth and confident, while PC appears uptight and old. Once you’ve become smooth, would you want to go back to uptight?
Varied Products: Many consumers may not be ready to buy an Apple computer, but they’re willing to give gadgets like the iPod or iPhone a try. By selling products with lower entry costs, it creates an opportunity for new users to be introduced to Apple. If these users enjoy their gadgets, they’re more likely to consider buying an Apple computer in the future.
Media Fodder: Media outlets, especially bloggers, love to write about Apple. Why? Because Apple makes it so easy. With leaked rumors about new developments, its very own expo and mysterious shutdowns of its online store, Apple gift wraps news stories that are just begging for speculation and hype. By perpetuating this cycle of media frenzy, Apple keeps its customers excited about buying new Apple products now and in the future.
Products That Deliver: Apple carefully considers what consumers are looking for, so its products are a result of both extensive research and strong design. This meticulous planning is a large contributor to Apple’s high customer-satisfaction rates. It’s plain and simple: Robust and easy-to-use products not only make your customers happy, but also make them want to buy more products from you in the future.
via 11 Effective Strategies Apple Uses to Create Loyal Customers – Inside CRM.
I really admire what NBC’s doing to market their new drama DAY ONE. Before the show even hits the air, the folks involved are setting up a mythological scaffolding that fans will gravitate towards like sea life to the footing of an oil rig. As Ashley Edward Miller (@ashman01) mused about on Twitter, it’s really important for Sci Fi dramas in particular to develop a fanbase who care enough and have enough story tools to give the story life outside the confines of what airs.
DAY ONE’s marketing campaign has been so smart because they made a character into a big fan of a show we’ve never heard of … so not only is the character just like us (meaning we relate), the character is also spreading the word about something we think we probably need to hear about, because it sounds like a real show. What’s this new show we’ve never heard of? I thought I’d heard of everything … etc. Early adopters quickly jump on board and DAY ONE becomes cool. Marketing success. Below is a write-up of the campaign:
So today I was browsing through my daily list of blogs and to my surprise came across an article about the most expensive piece of merchandise at San Diego Comic Con this year: For $147,000 you can be the proud owner of a very rare treasure indeed- four original toys from the classic sci-fi show “Sargasso Planet.” Then I happened upon another also reporting on it. Both sites wondered about “Sargasso Planet,” and both sites talk about the craziness of the price tag of those toys. The funny thing is? They’re unknowingly reporting on fake toys for a television show that never existed. “Sargasso Planet” is a viral campaign for NBC’s next big show “Day One.” It’s set to take over the “Heroes” time slot and has something to do with a cataclysmic ending of our world and the subsequent survivors.
This by far is one of the more successful and clever bids I’ve seen in a while for a viral campaign, especially at something that’s getting as much attention this year as San Diego Comic Con. There’s already a fansite set up by one of the main characters of Day One, Sargassoplanet.com. It was intentionally designed crudely so it looks like a fan made it on his home computer in his spare time. The site in fact has links to Sargasso Twitter feeds, Facebook groups and Flickr feeds. In other words, without coming out and saying it, it’s a hub for viral marketing.
Well played NBC, well played indeed.
via “Sargasso Planet” wins the internet! | Culturewav.es Blog .
I'm a writer. I write TV drama and comedy, and literary novels and features. I craft story: from one-liners to one-hour dramas to literary novels, it's all just story. I think the greatest stories, drama or comedy, are emotional, personal, rooted deep in characters' protected inner cores. I believe the way we live shows up in our stories, and the way we write shows up in our lives.
I'm going to tell some stories.
