Emotionally Intelligent Marketing
[by Judy Herrmann]
A last minute gate change at LAX and I’m caught in a crowd stampeding down a long narrow corridor from Gate 1 to Gate 2 (which appear to be about half a mile apart, go figure) when I spy a lone figure in a pinstriped suit swimming against the current. “If you’re flying to Phoenix,” I call, “there’s a gate change.” The man notes he’d already passed at least 50 people, none of whom had said a word, and falls in step with me.
I quickly learn that my companion is a big investment guy, working with families whose net worth is greater than 100 million dollars. That’s $100,000,000.00 minimum! I ask him how he promotes his business and he says “I’ve always had a good story.”
He launches into his pitch, delivers it with charm and panache and I find myself thinking, ‘ya know, if I had that kind of money, I’d probably hire this guy.’ Not because of his credentials – which I’m still ignorant of – but because his story made it clear that he gets what parents worry about, is sympathetic to bizarre family dynamics and passionately believes in what his business does. Since I don’t have that kind of money, I settled for proffering my business card along with some insights on how the right visual communications would support his efforts.
Dan Pink, former white-house speechwriter, author and contributor to Wired, Fast Company and the New York Times would like this guy, too. In his book A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, he notes how the forces of Abundance (consumers have too many choices), Asia (anything that can be outsourced, will be) and Automation (anything that can be done through technology, will be) have led to commoditization, fierce competition, price undercutting and a loss of customer loyalty throughout nearly every industry in this country.
And we thought it was just us.
The solution, he argues, lies in creativity and emotionally intelligent communications, which lead to increased value and effective differentiation. He identifies 6 lenses for exploring creativity and differentiation: Design, Story, Symphony (big picture thinking), Empathy, Play and Meaning.
First published in 2005, the book rings startlingly true 5 years later. Reading it has definitely expanded how I look at my work as a visual communicator and how I approach my business.
Judy Herrmann uses skills gained over 21 years as an award-winning photographer, small business owner and creative problem solver to help companies grow. Judy@HSstudio.com
One Response to 'Emotionally Intelligent Marketing'
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Judy,
FYI, 3 too many zeroes on $100m typed out.