• The Next Level (Is a Step Down)

    Posted on July 25th, 2006 by and currently 3 commenting.

    I’ve written before about the marketing graveyard and a list of words and phrases I’d like to see go there to die. ‘The Next Level’ is one I need to add to the list. But it’s been stuck in my head lately. And I’ve realized that going to the next level when it comes to identity development and word of mouth initiatives is not going a level up, but going a level down. And by that, I mean getting a level closer to your customers and employees.

    It means coming down from the corner offices and the ivory towers, rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty (and that’s dirty in a good way). It’s so easy to make a pretty multi-million dollar ad campaign, hope for the best and let it soar high above everyone (and their heads). But it’s not so easy to get down in there, elbow to elbow ” far beyond the comfort of focus groups ” and listen to the words and emotions that your customers are connecting with your identity as a company, product or service. And man, you’re gonna learn so much. And the rewards ” both monetary and other ” are so much greater.

    So the next time you want to ‘take it to the next level,’ think about it in a new way ” like taking a step down.

  • http://thebrandbuilder.blogspot.com olivier blanchard

    Is there room for “giving it 110%” in the graveyard?

  • http://brainsonfire.com Spike

    I’ll get the shovel…

  • http://biest-blog.typepad.com Susann

    The next step, the step down, or let’s say a buttom-up concept is a much tougher and fragile work where failure is hurting your skin much more than the big campaigns. I just made the experience how much more consuming it is, and how much more frustrating it can be, if you fail. Attending the sportexpo at the Eurpean Championship for triathletes in Frankfurt, Germany, we wanted to recruit athletes with health problems like recurrent infections or injuries, allergies etc.. (our company promotes a product for cases like this) for a treatment course. We did not succeed to reach people. The context was not adequate for a sensitive issue like this.