Image via Wikipedia

Every year, people all over the world gather to remember the events of Exodus and to ask four questions.

Escaping slavery may not seem to have much in common with marketing, and these aren’t those questions.

But thinking about them did inspire me to write this post.

1. Why is your business different from all other businesses?

All other businesses fail to differentiate themselves, but your business is run by a Hasidic rabbi, hands out free ice cream, only sells $100 blue t-shirts, or has some “edge” that makes you different.  Your business stands out.

2. Why is your marketing more targeted than your competitors’ marketing?

Because you’ve been reading this blog.  And, instead of trying to sell to everybody, you have a specific kind of client in mind.  You only sell to them.  They’re your fish.

3. Why do you use internet/direct marketing rather than branding campaigns?

A direct mail campaign can cost as little as $260 to print and mail 250 postcards. Adsense can be pennies per click. A full out TV campaign – millions. I’ve done successful marketing campaigns for $100. I once heard an ad exec say, “The budget for this project was really small, only $5,000,000.” Glurk.

4. Why does remarkable content/marketing spread?

Something remarkable or special will spread much faster than something average and ordinary.  Remember all those electric sheep videos?  They were entertaining and funny.  They spread much faster  (and got far more views) than an ordinary ad would have, because they were fun.  People like to share things that are fun and unusual.  Nobody would share an ordinary ad for a TV.
Happy Passover everyone. Easy on the horseradish.