Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Knowing When To Break Rules in Marketing

By Kyle Reyes

Society has gotten so damn politically correct that everyone is afraid to break the rules.

And that often means lost opportunities for your business.

Let's take for example the senior citizen just fired from Cracker Barrel.  Let's keep in mind - this is the same company that pulled Duck Dynasty products from the shelves during a recent controversy...only to have to put them back up and apologize after a huge backlash.

Here's the story (summarized) - in case you missed it.  A homeless person comes in and asks for packets of ketchup and mayo that he can use to cook fish.  The old Vietnam vet helps the person out...and throws in a muffin.

Boom.  Fired.

In fairness, it's not the first time Cracker Barrel yelled at him for being a good person.

Because, you know...the rules are the rules.

Good job with those rules, Cracker Barrel.  You guys look like blubbering idiots trying to fix this one.  Perhaps you need a team like The Silent Partner Marketing.

What about your business?  Do you force employees to abide by "the rules" ... even when it means sacrificing customer satisfaction?  Or do you encourage them to do whatever it takes to satisfy the customer...even if it "breaks the rules"?

Let's use social media as an example.  In case you didn't realize it...you can speak with customers in a VERY different way on Facebook and Twitter than you can on other conversation platforms.  The idea is that everything you do or say on these different platforms should be NATIVE content - meaning it should be customized and tailored to deliver the message in the best way possible.

Even if it means breaking the rules.

One might argue we broke the rules when we partnered up with Tilted Kilt of Milford recently for the world's first successful delivery of wings via drone.  Want to learn more and see the video?  Visit our partner's site here.

Want to learn about how outrageous marketing can help grow your business?  Get ready to at least have a conversation with us about the "rules".  Click here to hit us up.



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Kyle Reyes is the President and Creative Director of The Silent Partner Marketing, a boutique marketing firm focused on helping businesses grow in an age of exploding technology.  You can find him on Google+Facebook and Twitter.  He's the Chuck Norris of marketing.  It's outrageous - we know.  That's kind of the point.

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