60 Second Impact
July 2006
| Contents 60 Second Articles |
| 60 Second Articles July 2006 60 Seconds of Information Impacting You and Our Fast-Forward Economy Estimated Reading Time: 60 Seconds 60 Second Articles: 1. Bottled Water Part 1: It's Only Water, But We're Buying Their Story 2. Bottled Water Part 2: A Cereal's Story Gets Bottled Into Water 3. Waiting for Your Cat to Bark? 4. The 60 Second Close: Storytelling Isn't Just For Kids ********************* 1. Bottled Water Part 1: It's Only Water, But We're Buying Their Story � The bottled water business is a billion dollar industry. Walk into any grocery store and you'll discover 15 different beverage companies all selling the same thing -- water -- packaged with different labels and in different colored bottles. And, we're willing to pay up to $6 for it! � The reason we've been "sold" on bottled water over tap water is because each bottler has a great story to tell and we buy their story! It's usually a simple story that conveys information about its health benefits or a visualization of a great image, like the Swiss Alps or a glacier in northern Canada. � Whatever the story is, we're buying it -- by the caseloads. � Because people love to hear stories, having one about your product or service is the best way for consumers in a crowded marketplace to remember you. So, what's your story? ********************* 2. Bottled Water Part 2: A Cereal's Story Gets Bottled Into Water � It's unusual for the story of one product to successfully carry over into a different category, but Kellogg's is about to give it a try with the introduction of their new bottled water. � Kellogg's believes that their Special K cereal story of fitness and diet management can be extended into the bottled water category with their new Special K20 Protein Water. With five grams of protein per 16-ounce bottle, K20 will sell for $5.99 and come in three flavors -- Strawberry Kiwi, Lemon Twist and Tropical Blend. The challenge though will be overcoming a possible consumer perception that the water will have a "cereal" taste to it. � Watch for other health and fitness brands, like Nike and Adidas, to branch into the bottled water business with their own stories. ********************* 3. Waiting for Your Cat to Bark? By Bryan & Jeffrey Eisenberg � If you want to know why business leaders need to study both marketing and behavior science, read this book. � These guys "get" marketing. Although they use their own "new" terms for things us marketers have been doing for years under more common names, they outline the framework for successful marketing. � It's not an easy read, but this is one of those books that I agree with so much, I wish I had written it. � Interesting "add ons" include an 80 minute Video Seminar and a $50 credit for YAHOO! search marketing. These guys practice what they preach, and that's refreshing. ********************* 4. The 60 Second Close: Storytelling Can Make You Memorable � Everyone loves stories. Maybe it's a short story, maybe it's an analogy. A clever story not only differentiates you, but it helps your customers remember you. Without a story, or without a point of differentiation, you become just another company blending into the blandness of a wall. � So, what's your story? And, how well does it connect with your customers' needs? How well are you and your staff communicating it? � Need help with your story? Call us. We can help you get there � faster than ever. Best Wishes Chris Lambrecht Intelligent Marketing Solutions |