Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is never going to build your brand. One effective way to build your brand and brand audience is to show up in unexpected ways and unexpected places.
Not necessarily physical places, though live experiential marketing can be a part of the plan.
But showing up in unexpected conversations, genres, hobbies, areas of interest. In other words, going TO your intended audience instead of trying to drag them to you. Branded storytelling is about much more than just your brand. It's about connecting your story, your people and your product to a wider audience who might never think to consider you or your product.
That's how you get the results you expect, by doing something different and unexpected.
Full Transcript, apologies for any typos.
0:00 One way to build your brand story, expand your brand audience is to show up in unexpected places, or unexpected ways. You can't keep preaching to the choir. These are the people they will show up no matter what. You just tell me when, where, how much, I am there, I'm buying your product, I'm going to pay for your service.
0:21 To expand, you need to go out and convert and find a new audience. And you do that by going to them. You speak to them, you surprise them.
0:32 So let's use let's just use a local theater as an example. Okay, this is a theater that does primarily Broadway-style shows. And in your city in your local population, there's about 20% of the population. They will show up every single time, right? You just tell me what show, when it is when the tickets go on sale, I'm going to buy the tickets because I love live theater and I'm going to be there.
0:56 Probably about 10, 20% of that local population. They're never going to show up at a local theater doesn't matter what you say. So there's no sense even wasting time trying to get them in there.
1:06 But there's about 60% of your local population. They know they might know about the theater, they know about Broadway shows, they kind of know about the stuff but you know what, I know these other things a lot more. I'd rather spend my money on the movies, on the baseball game, on the on this other thing. I don't really want to spend the money on the theater, I have no connection to the theater.
1:27 So how do you go after them? You can't just say, hey, here comes Hamilton and it's the biggest show ever and you should see it. I don't care. I don't care about the theater.
1:36 You know what I do care about? I love to cook. I really love to cook and I love to go out and find new places to eat. Okay, so you know what, there are probably people on your staff who are pretty good cooks. One of your crew members on the backstage, he's an amazing BBQ master. So guess what? You can go out and kind of create a little story about this guy who is a barbecue master. And then there are other people on your staff, they might cook. There are actors, there are crew members, there are ushers, who know all these great places to eat. You can create a whole body of content around food. Around preparing food, around finding really cool little places to eat. And suddenly, you've got content that connects to me, as a foodie, as a person who loves to cook. I have no connection to the theater at all. But look at these really cool people who are cooking who are showing me these really cool places to eat. You've shown up in an unexpected place. I didn't expect to see you here in my neck of the woods, which is cooking and food. But guess what, I like what you're doing. This guy, this guy's ribs are absolutely amazing. You know what? The people are kind of cool. I'll take a chance I'll buy a ticket on this one show that's kind of you know, looks like something interesting. So I'll take a chance.
2:55 See you showed up in an unexpected place who would expect the theater to show up in cooking. To show up, maybe you got some motorheads there. They like to they like to renovate cars. You do a whole series on these crew members on these actors who love to renovate cars, and suddenly you're in a space that nobody would ever expect you to be in. Very, very unexpected. 3:18 So sometimes you have to kind of get out of your swim lane to go after that population that you're like, Well, you know, we're just going to keep making these really good ads about the musicals eventually we'll get to them.
3:30 No, you probably won't. But if you go play in their sandbox, and you show them hey, look, we have similar connections. We have similar interests. Yeah, we're a theater we put on big shows. But we'd love to cook. We'd love to paint we love where we love to renovate cars will do all the kind of things you do. You know what maybe you'll get through to them to say, Hey, I'm gonna buy a ticket.
3:52 And if they buy a ticket and you do your job, right, and you put on a great show, and the theater experience is awesome. Guess what, you've just converted that person over. And they can now start to spread among their network. You know what I never thought about going to the theater. But we had a really good time we're going to go back again. Word of mouth is more important than any advertising you could ever do.
4:16 So if you want to expand your brand story, expand your brand audience. Who, what type of people could you target? And how do I speak to them, go into their sandbox, don't try to drag them into yours. And eventually, if you do your job right, they'll come over and play in your sandbox.