First, build the relationship

At a presentation last night on social marketing the speaker offered the example of Upumpitup, a new site by Crystal Light. Neat site, created to help young women with their challenges and very well done. It's getting great traction with about 54,000 members and apparently growing fast.

As the presenter finished this part of his discussion came a question from the back of the room, "Have they seen a jump in sales?"

The questioner didn't get it. First you build the relationship, then you get the sales. At 54,000 thousand members, you're just starting. But with the growth, it's meeting a need. Then it will boost sales. And not just the occasional sale but loyal sales that just keep on growing.

Why don't so many marketing people understand the need for a relationship?

Take a look at the site: www.upumpitup.com

Another nail in the coffin of focus groups

Catching up on my reading from an August issue of BusinessWeek...

As any of you in clothing retailing know, Gap has had a few problems. They have hired a new design head, Patrick Robinson, a bit removed from their norm: he has worked for Anne Klein, Armani, Perry Ellis and others, none of which you'd compare to Gap.

He started with a few simple ideas, and you can tell he's not your classic MBA marketing guy. "For several years, Gap ... relied heavily on focus groups and spent little time in the stores. ... Says Robinson of a meeting with store managers. "They are the only people who don't have a motive except to sell product. I've said to every designer, 'Get into the stores and talk to the sales people.' "

What a concept! Actually talk to the front line, maybe even customers.

How many marketing people really are committed to getting their butts out of their comfy chairs and into the market. Talk to the customers. Find out what's really going on. It may save your butt, and your comfy chair will last longer.

Never over-promise?

One of the key tenets of marketing is to never over-promise. You're trying to build a relationship and the letdown the customer feels when they realize you won't deliver is often a deal breaker.

Does this hold true in politics?

It seems so many I know who voted for Obama have expectations so high I can't imagine he'll be able to deliver. In fact, I'm not sure he ever directly created those expectations; I think many people have read into his promise for change the expectations that they desire.

Best of luck. We don't need more cynics when it comes to politics and the political class.

Cutting marketing expenditures? Why not?

Addressing a high-powered group of marketing executives last week, one question they asked was about cutting marketing expenditures during a downturn.

Go cut. Why not?

Earlier I had polled the group as to their definition of marketing; only one had a good answer. The rest saw marketing as sales support or doing marketing things: ads, direct mail, catalogs, websites and emails, trade shows and so forth. They might as well cut their budget since they were wasting their money anyways.

Until you understand the fundamental basics of marketing and have a sound strategy in place, there's no reason to spend money on tactics.