I like to fish. I like the challenge of getting a fish to
bite on my line. I have been doing it most of my life and, over time, I have
learned what fish like to eat. One of my favorite lures is a bass popper. It
sits on top of the water and looks like a small fish. Fooling a large fish into
thinking a piece of plastic and feathers is actually a small fish is the
challenge. It is all in how you make the lure move that does the convincing.
How do you know when you are moving it the correct way? When a big fish attacks
it!

It doesn’t take much imagination to compare marketing to
fishing lures. We marketers are attempting to lure consumers to our brand to
make a sale. Much like fish, you have to know consumers well to be able to get
them to bite on your brand. We like to break down the larger market into
smaller segments according to how they fit us – a great fit, a good fit or not
a fit for what we are selling. We measure their inclination to want to purchase
what we are selling. However, that doesn’t mean they will unless we give them a
reason to do so. Your marketing has to know your potential customers well
enough that you know what would cause them to buy your brand. That typically
comes down to four factors (or a combination of the four): the quality of the
product or service, the price in relationship to the value they receive, the
time it takes for them to take possession of it and the relationship they have
with the people in your company… or to put it another way, were they treated
well and did you solve any problems they had with your brand.

The other factor we always have to work around in marketing
is your competition. You are not the only company fishing for customers. A good
marketing plan will make an honest assessment of how you compare to what your
competitors are offering consumers. Where do you beat them? Where do they beat
you? What do customers think of them vs. you when it comes down to the four
factors I listed above: quality, price, delivery and customer service? What are
they offering consumers through their marketing and how does your target market
react to them? A competitive analysis will help you cast a better bait with
your marketing. Never copy your competitor with your marketing, but find out
what you can do to expose their weaknesses and enhance your strengths, that is,
the strengths and weaknesses that matter to your buyers.

The bottom line in marketing is this: you have
to cast the better bait to lure consumers to your brand. In order to do so, you
have to know your customers well and your competitors even better. Marketing is
a lot like fishing.