Show 122 | Faking It, User Research, Going Offline
Your weekly Marketing Homebrew breaks 30 minutes into what’s happening in the big world, our world and your world.
BIG WORLD: Waterstones have just been rumbled (27th March) for setting up stores that look authentic, but have no reference or branding that represents the book store (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39101186).
Is this is a brand that is pretending to be something they’re not and appearing false as an independent book shop, or is it ok as long as people see something that is compelling to interact with?
Perhaps they could have been a bit subtler with a, “Southwold books bought to you by Waterstones” approach.
I think the message for us all is that we need to be consistent with how we present ourselves to others. When your product and your message do not match up, it causes conflict. It doesn’t become believable.
OUR WORLD: Ian found an interesting article on Medium (https://medium.muz.li/user-research-is-overrated-6b0fe101d41#.gowz5bgp1) that looks at the fact that user research is overrated.
When it comes to research, lets not get bogged down that it slows the whole process down and becomes chore. A live lab is a great approach where there is consistency in learning. Maybe it’s time to create and share, rather than keeping everything in a box?
YOUR WORLD (or YOUR ROUND….see what we did)
This weeks question comes from Gordon Fong. Gordon asks, “Does there come a moment when you have to take this offline?”
Simply publishing in the digital space may not be enough anymore.
Whether online or offline, it doesn’t matter which side of the coin you prefer, if you are relevant to someone else, you mean something.
Taking it to a more personal space where someone has committed to find out more, you have elevated the whole experience to an audience that are ready, committed and prepared for what you have to say.
Don’t forget to ask us a question from your side, or highlight what is working with you where you are building audience. Send to ask@marketinghomebrew.com