Marketing Twain
Guest written by Nicole Masullo of Blackbird Marketing Blog
Mark Twain is one of the most important writers, comics and commentators of the 19th and 20th centuries. Moreover, he was a quintessential American. Mark Twain not only regaled us with stories, but left behind a legacy of what it meant to be human. Twain understood what it meant to market oneself, and realized that how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us are curious notions.
Each time I read Mark Twain, or discover one of his immortalized quotes, I’m amazed at how pertinent his message still is. In one of his more notable moments Twain said:
“A round man cannot be expected to fit in a square hole right away. He must have time to modify his shape.”
To me, this speaks volumes on not only philosophy, but the philosophy of marketing. In other words, it appears Mark Twain is saying - be flexible. Allow yourself to stretch and bend with passing times and changing marketing trends. Modify your marketing “shape” to better represent your business and its products/services.
Social Media. Ahh yes, that ever present marketing tactic that everyone seems to know they “need to do” but has no idea “what it does.” If Mark Twain knew about status updates and Twitter followers, he’d have a field day poking fun at us. But Mark Twain’s message of “round man - square hole” remains true.
Yes, social media is important, and no, it can’t be ignored. If a Mom and Pop dry cleaning business wants to market to a younger demographic, they can’t be expected to jump on the social media superhighway immediately. My advice - start slow. Ease into the square hole by analyzing your web goals, and think about social media realistically. An older company who’s product is not necessarily suited for social media may not succeed with a Facebook page and Twitter account. If nothing else, these two social networks will drive traffic to the business’s website - but the future probably holds an abandoned Twitter account of 12 followers and a Facebook page with mediocre audience interactions.
The good news? The internet world isn’t expecting you to fit into the square hole right away. Small businesses and consistent products still fare well from more traditional marketing practices (brochures, exciting logo design, etc). Social media and networking are highly effective, but keep in mind - not everyone is square. At least not at first....
Nicole obtained a degree in creative writing in upstate New York, where she gained extensive experience in copyediting and writing. Today, Nicole runs Blackbird Marketing Blog, a Nashville based website dedicated to exploring the creative side of marketing. She lives with her soon to be husband, Gary and two dogs.
