“If there are still people on the planet that haven’t heard of it, it’s new.” – An interview with Ryan Holiday
Getting attention or selling something you really believe in? A marketer’s focus has usually leaned towards the former, while the latter has proven itself to be more effective long term. In this very inspiring interview, Ryan Holiday, bestselling author and marketer, states clearly what a marketer’s duty is nowadays, which effective tactic they should use to drive sells and how to improve their marketing strategies.
As we know, a marketer’s job is never easy when deciding how to promote a product. Sells are important, but they depend on the public’s response to the marketing campaigns, to say the least. And since we live in a time when it’s very easy to spread false information, marketers should be aware of what they actually sell. Because, if they don’t believe in the product, in what they sell, and it happens to not deliver as advertised, it will set up disappointment.
“I’m not just thinking about sales, I’m not just thinking about short term gains, I’m thinking about starting a relationship with people and I want that relationship to be ongoing and I want it to be a mutual exchange of value.” is Ryan’s perspective.
So, how do you build this relationship while focusing on building the brand as well? “What you want to have is a fan base, you want to have an audience”. Basically, build a community of fans or people who you know would stay true to your product, who you can rely on when coming out with something new. This list of people (or brands, depending on your industry or type of business) is what provides you a recurring income.
A common marketing bias is the fact that everyone is focused on what’s new, what’s trending, while the biggest ROI comes from this community (or fanbase) that you build over time. You can not predict whether a new release will sell well, but products that are already selling prove that people take an interest in them and you can further rely on their value to generate a steady revenue. Ryan has an even more insightful perspective on this subject: “If there are still people on the planet that haven’t heard of it, it’s new.”
Obviously, you have to create a balance in this relationship by sharing good practices and actively listening to objective feed-back. To keep on track, as a marketer, it is better to have a trusted network of people who give you honest opinions before you publish something, such as an editor or a mentor.
“When someone tells you something’s wrong, they’re always right.
When they tell you how to fix it, they’re almost always wrong.”
So listen to the feed-back you receive, try to understand what it means and then come up with your own solution based on it. Do not try to multitask in making decisions, but try to slow down and focus on what works.
Find out what other interesting insights Ryan had for us in the full video interview on YouTube. Don’t forget to subscribe to the GPeC YouTube Channel for more interviews, insights and live transmissions.
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