5 Marketing mysteries revealed Washington DC

Rumors abounded in the months leading up to the introduction of the iPhone-and Apple did nothing to quell them. Nothing. No comment. According to Tim Beyers of the Motley Fool, as reported in The New York Times, "When Apple does nothing to stop rumors from circulating, the feeding frenzy gets more and more intense. They like the pot to be stirred and not to disturb it, just like a fine sauce simmering ... by talking sparingly, they get talked about."

It may be true that other companies, such as Sony and Microsoft, could have built an Apple iPhone, but it's equally accurate to say that only Apple could market it successfully. Microsoft's Zune is a good example.

Successful marketing is shrouded in such mysteries. Attempts to peel away the layers to uncover its essence may be futile. The closer we come to trying to understand why the iPhone is expected to sell 10 million units in the first 12 months, the more we may be fooling ourselves.

At the same time, it's possible to lift a corner of the curtain to see a dim picture of the mysteries of marketing. Here are five:

1. Be nosey

When customers say, "We're all set," "We're satisfied with our present supplier," or "Give us a quote," they send a valuable but often ignored message. In effect, their message is this: "You're boring me. I see no reason to spend time with you. Get out of my face."

Some are more polite than others, of course.

In the same way, if customers ask the price, they are sending a signal that the marketer or salesperson is not asking the right questions. More particularly, they are raising a red flag: "You and your competitors are all the same; all that's left is price."

Unfortunately, most marketers miss the message and merely mumble about "our great people" and "we give world class service"-phrases that only prove to the customer that "they are all alike."

Astute marketers are good detectives; they ask lots of questions. They don't want to miss even one piece of the puzzle. They're nosey. For example, a client told a marketing consultant that the company's telemarketer was having trouble making sales appointments. The consultant then interviewed the telemarketer to try to uncover the problem.

"I don't have a good answer when 80 percent of those I talk to ask me what makes our company different from our competitors," the telemarketer said.

To address the issue, the telemarketer was armed with helpful answers.

2. Refuse to accept opinion as fact (including your own)

Opinion and fact are easily confused today. Perhaps it results from so much talk radio and blogging, both of which seem to elevate individuals' personal views to the level of truth.

Good marketers are suspicious of all opinion, including those of management. For example, the head of one company talked about continuing quality improvements. The facts revealed that indeed quality had improved, but then took a turn for the worse-even though management continued to believe that all was well.

Do Web site ads with constant movement attract attention or irritate viewers? Which viewers? Are pop-up Internet ads effective? Are eye-level ads above urinals a brilliant breakthrough?

Just because certain tactics are used doesn't make them necessarily beneficial unless there is adequate evidence.

3. Forget about selling something

Many companies with technically competent salespeople often find themselves hiring those lacking in product knowledge, but who quickly go to the top of the sales performance charts.

While there may be any number of reasons for such success, one seems to stand out: those who know the product or service inside out fail to connect with the customer.

A new salesperson for a heating and air conditioning service company used a very simple approach with business prospects. He asked this question: "Have you ever had to wait for your service company to get to you when you were without heat in the middle of winter? We guarantee to be there in less than one hour."

He didn't focus on how long the company had been in business or even the experience of its service technicians. He understood vulnerability and used it successfully. Stories, not facts, are the essence of marketing and sales. Another mystery dispelled.

4. Saving money for customers isn't always appealing

It's amazing how many salespeople, particularly those making telephone calls, start with "Do you want to save money?" They seem to think it's the killer question- the hook that's needed to make an appointment or a sale.

But it doesn't necessarily work that way.

"I just don't understand some prospects," an insurance company salesperson said. "I show them how their current program is costing them more than necessary and how they can save a lot of money and have a better program at the same time. And they still don't buy?"

Believe it or not, just saving money can be a negative to customers. If it conjures up images of inconvenience, mistakes, disruption, confusion, complaints and extra work, saving money isn't worth the pain.

This is interesting, since finding the customer's pain is the way salespeople are trained to land an order. Ironically, pain can be a doubled-edged sword.

More and more, successful selling depends on identifying the pain that may be caused by making the sale and getting rid of it before asking for the order.

"You seem to like our payroll system and feel it would save you time, but you are also reluctant to move forward. Is it because you're worried about unnecessary hassles, extra work and dealing with possible mistakes in making the change? That's understandable. Here is how we will avoid all that."

At times, avoiding pain can be more powerful than saving money.

5. Head for the heart

In a study published in the December 2006 issue of the Journal of Advertising Research, three researchers, led by Dr. Robert Heath of the United Kingdom's University of Bath, determined the validity of the thesis that, "It is the emotional content in advertising that is responsible for building brand relationships," as first set forth in 1967.

Their study concluded that although the content of communication fades over time, the emotional qualities remain because "they are learned automatically." They also found that what works best is emotional content that's less obvious.

A new Suzuki motorcycle is promoted as going 100 mph in first gear. On the surface it's a rational, factual statement, but less obviously, the enthusiast may see the possibility of limitless speed waiting to be unleashed in the higher gears.

Is there a mystery about why Wal-Mart's face remains blemished in spite of efforts to clear up its corporate complexion? Years of criticism about low wages and harming local businesses failed to take a toll on its image. Yet when Wal-Mart's top executives are accused of failing to live up to its "down home" corporate values, a fierce backlash ensues.

Are we angry with management for betraying old Sam Walton and his vision of bringing low prices to millions of Americans who count on them?

The recent Apple ads featuring two characters, one representing PCs and the other Macs, are in a class by themselves when it comes to the overtones of emotion. Rather subtly, viewers don't hate the PC guy; they just pity him. If you're a PC person, perhaps you feel somewhat sorry for yourself.

Marketing and sales aren't about the obvious. They are shrouded in mystery. It's not what we think we know or see that counts. It's what we uncover that makes a difference.