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As a college sports fanatic, March is my favorite month. It's the race to the big dance, the NCAA's brightest shining star, and a chance to watch kids being kids playing a game. And that is where I wonder out loud where the kid inside the adult marketer goes as we grow.
If marketing is about understanding people (and I believe it is), why aren't we spending more time with real people? To better explain, I invite you to stay with my basketball analogy as metaphor for understanding people.
Friday, I watched Bucknell and Holy Cross play for the Patriot League Championship. Both teams are comprised of kids for whom basketball likely will never be a career, so the game is a purist's delight. No trash talking, no mislaid elbows to someone's nose, no nasty cheers about a player's family... just good hard basketball, where every player gives everything he has for the team before 3,000 fans who care little about Ohio State or my University of Florida. By the way, Holy Cross won.
In marketing terms, the people crammed into the bleachers and those few of us watching on ESPN2 are a narrowly focused target market. We are a group that enjoys a particular kind of college basketball, who possess very specific ideas about how the game should be played. Knowing our attitudes could deliver some business an uptick in sales and possibly extremely loyal customers, who will become brand evangelists. Furthermore, we are an easy audience to research because we spend countless hours in gyms or in field bleachers watching small schools participate honorably in a game of sport.
In my 60 years, I've never shared why I watch schools play sports with players who are not on the A teams. I watch along with millions of other Americans, who have some or many of the following characteristics:
1. Believe a sport is a game, not a war.
2. Believe sport is entertainment, not life or death.
3. Believe in hard work.
4. Believe in fairness.
5. Believe in a certain values system.
6. Believe in loyalty.
7. Believe school is first and foremost about learning, not the football team.
8. Believe kids should have fun in sports, not train for a career.
With that knowledge, we marketers can represent businesses that reflect similar values, and confidently reach our audience.
Learning about our customers is possible whether they are small school or big school. We need to go where they are. In this case, they were in Worcester, Mass., on the campus of Holy Cross, and watching and listening to them can lead us to understanding their wants, needs and desires.
Yet, so many of us spend most of our time in our offices and use broad marketing strokes to reach audiences we assume want our products and services. I would rather spend time in a gym, watching kids playing roundball, and understand what motivates them, their parents and their classmates.
What better education can a marketer receive?
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Comments
Lewis - Great points. Pure sport can bring out the best or the worst in us, so it's interesting to observe how teams handle the challenges associated with the normative rules of the game, which are generally clearer and easier to enforce (and therefore easier to draw meaningful metaphors from) than the rules for the rest of life.
When we see people behaving within a team concept towards a common end, and all the while having a good, friendly attitude towards their competitors, we see that human beings are capable of cooperation, excellence, and even restraint - and I think we're naturally drawn to that.
Posted by: Cam Beck | 03.12.07
Lewis,
The sports example you use, and its parallels to marketing concepts, is excellent. In fact, it's full of little gems. What better way is there, indeed to get to know the people we are marketing to, than by being with them in their natural environment, being themselves.
On another note: you're right. Pure sports occur when the kids playing have nothing to gain as individual superstars with pending NBA careers, and millions of dollars. That's what makes them such a joy to watch.
Collegiate sports are pressure cooker environments now with far too many parents, kids, coaches and schools aiming for fame, championships and winning at all costs--forgetting the most basic and human elements of the game.
Sure, we Americans love to crown champions, but we love the underdog, too. Let's remember that all the kids who play sports, at every level, should be encouraged to participate as TEAMMATES and for the love of the game in every instance.
Posted by: Ted Mininni | 03.12.07
Lewis,
Well stated. I've always believed that marketers cannot be that effective without firsthand knowledge and interaction with our target audiences.
Like you, I love team sports. While I love men's college basketball and watch it, I usually prefer women's basketball. Women athletes truly excel now; there is increasing parity in NCAA women's basketball and bottom line, women play for the joy of it. They tend to be very team oriented. They also play below the rim, so their fundamentals are very strong; stronger than their male counterparts' are, in most cases.
Let's face it: there are no multi-million dollar NBA contracts waiting for them after their college playing days are over. The WNBA is only able to pay the best players who get drafted a pittance, besides. Time to give the great women collegiate athletes in every sport their due, too, Lewis. I'd like to see much more of that.
Posted by: Claire Ratushny | 03.12.07
Ted and Cam:
Thank you for your comments.
I do see marketing as a team sport, and because of that I blog and try to share my thoughts when possible on other blogs. Furthermore, I like the way CK sees marketing tips and stories in nearly everything she does. Getting out there with the people and her vision and insight make her sensitive to others' wants and needs. That's what all we marketers should be doing.
Now for the important stuff: I bleed orange and blue and am proud as heck that Florida is the number one seed. I want another championship tee shirt and banner. But if Holy Cross goes all the way, I will be thrilled for those kids and may even drive to
Worcester for their celebration.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 03.12.07
Claire,
Thank you for mentioning women's basketball (and women's sports). I, too, enjoy watching the women play, for the sheer joy of it. The women are having fun, showing their joy, and creating great experiences for we spectators.
Translate that into sales and marketing attitudes: Smiles, passion and pride of work go a long way toward creating loyal customers (and loyal fans).
Posted by: Lewis Green | 03.12.07
How did I know you'd make a basketball-themed post today after your Gators were named the #1 overall seed? ;) Great point Lewis, we can learn something from every player, and like customers, not just the ones that we THINK are important.
Posted by: mack collier | 03.12.07
You watch with millions of other Americans indeed, Lewis... Cam Beck wrote on his blog today about the growth in viewers and ad dollars over the past several years...
Cam: I had no idea!
http://www.chaosscenario.com/main/2007/03/ncaa_march_madn.html
Posted by: Ann Handley | 03.12.07
Great analogy, Lewis, even if I'm not into watching team sports. It's always a learning experience in the trenches. What are your thoughts on market research to learn more about your target segments? Do you combine both approaches?
Posted by: Elaine Fogel | 03.13.07
Mack,
It's great to be seeded first, but I'm going to be pretty quiet until the final buzzer, except for one, loud GO GATORS!
Ann,
I think it is safe to suggest that March Madness has captured the US for the next three weeks.
Elaine,
I treat market research like everything else that offers a variety of tools and techniques. Use all that apply to the situation, but always lean heaviest on employee and customer insights.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 03.13.07
Very nice Lewis. I concur.
Posted by: Tammy Strnatka | 03.13.07