Even with today’s deluge of new tools and robust data, most marketers will agree that forever-increasing digital noise, distractions, and competition for shoppers’ time and money make things, well, challenging. Savvy marketers, however, realize that helping the consumer—not hyping a product—is the most effective way to grab and keep the attention of your target audience.
That was author Jay Baer’s main message at Oracle’s Modern Marketing Experience conference last Wednesday in Las Vegas. Baer, a New York Times bestselling writer and author of Youtility, stressed that shoppers don’t necessarily want fancy, scintillating campaigns but rather information that’s useful and simply meets their needs—even if the solution is not a brand’s product. “Stop trying to be amazing and start being useful,” Baer said to a large audience of enthralled marketers on the open floor of the Venetian ballroom. “If you sell something [to a shopper], you have a customer today. But if you help someone, you’ll have a customer for life.”
Baer stressed that by simply helping customers, marketers build trust. And with trust comes loyalty, advocacy, and eventually sales. “Youtility is marketing that’s so useful that people will pay for it,” he explained.
Baer’s colorful keynote address ignited a continued conversation on Twitter. Check out the chatter. Then simply ask yourself: Is my campaign merely hype or is it helpful?
“Being great at marketing is harder than ever.” #MME15 #youtility
— Jane Flower (@indigogirl09) April 1, 2015
Not only marketers, Jay..HR too! @ RT @jaybaer: “Marketers are surrounded by data, but starved for insights” #MME15 pic.twitter.com/jIi2vEVEG2
— Alex Outwater (@aoutwater) April 2, 2015
“Provide the answer to every question at every stage” @jaybear #youtility #MME15
— Nina Ortolani Khalil (@nortolani) April 2, 2015
“Marketers: Stop trying to be amazing, and start being useful!” ~ @jaybaer #MME15 #Youtility pic.twitter.com/vM19RXmfEK
— Jay Baer (@jaybaer) April 2, 2015
Online you’re competing for attention from people your customers know not other companies – @jaybaer #MME15 #Youtility
— DeShelia Spann (@DeSheliaSpann) April 1, 2015
“TRUST is the filter through which all business success must pass” ~ @jaybaer #MME15 #Youtility pic.twitter.com/QuJJXg7Q5f
— Jay Baer (@jaybaer) April 1, 2015
“Actively differentiate through transparency” @jaybear #youtility #MME15
— Nina Ortolani Khalil (@nortolani) April 2, 2015
“The thirst for information is insatiable.” – @jaybaer #MME15 #youtility
— Lauren Pettiglio (@lpettiglio) April 1, 2015
Stop trying to be amazing – start being useful. Difference between help & hype is one letter. @jaybaer #MME15 excellent advice!! #youtility
— Kim McWatt (@KimMcWatt) April 1, 2015
