One of my favourite bloggers, Eric Karjaluoto, has a great article posted about finding your “wave”. The basic premise is that most of us are feeling frustrated about the lack of interest in our product or service, and in an effort to find a solution we try new marketing channels and gimmicks to spread the word. The problem according to Karjaluoto, is that we are just finding more ways to tell people something they don’t care about. Instead, we should be looking for our “wave”. Here’s how he defines it:
“Instead of just nattering on about features, gimmicks, and deals (like everyone else is) you might be better off to tap into a wave. This isn’t really such a groundbreaking notion. Big companies do it all the time! Think about it:
Apple doesn’t really sell computers or music players. They ride the design wave. They make it easy for us to access well designed objects and experiences, relatively affordably. This also comes with the promise of making our lives easier, simpler, or better. Apple’s promise has much more to do with functional beauty than with what’s in their devices.
Nike doesn’t really sell shoes or gear. They ride the sports wave. They hitch everything they do to the possibility of something epic. Sure, they could talk about materials, stitching, value, or some other thing. Instead, they concentrate on the joy of achievement, the camaraderie in sport, and discipline.
Harley Davidson doesn’t really sell motorcycles, handlebars, leather jackets, or branded hoodies. They ride the escape wave. Even if you don’t want a bike, most can appreciate the thrill of “leaving it all behind” and embracing the open road. Their wave brings with it the possibility of tapping something true, real, and free.
Look at almost every successful company out there, and you’ll see that they’re riding a wave. Eventually they might speak of specifications, value, or details, but most don’t do so until you’re interested enough to ask.”
So what “wave” can you tap into? Worth a read, the whole article is here.