Are You Marketing Like Springsteen Writes?
January 25th, 2009
It’s a good time to be a Bruce Springsteen fan. New album. Super Bowl halftime show a week from today. Tour dates starting to be announced. Another Rolling Stone cover story.
That cover story includes this quote from Springsteen: “I’m not interested in the solipsistic approach to songwriting. I don’t want to tell you all about me. I want to tell you about you.”
I like that quote a lot. It speaks to a big part of why Springsteen endures long after so many of the self-absorbed rock stars who populated the charts with him in the ’80s have faded into the “Where are they now?” category. His songs aren’t about himself, they’re about all of us. Like much great art, the best of them are open to multiple complex interpretations.
That quote reflects a philosophy that works well in business generally and marketing communications in particular. Or should, anyway. Sadly, too many companies ignore that philosophy.
When you visit a company’s Web site, do you want to know about the company, or do you want to know about what the company is going to do for you?
When you’re developing your marketing communications, are you focusing on what the company wants to say, or what the customer (and potential customer) wants to know?
They may seem like subtle distinctions, but they’re not. Understanding them is, I believe, a crucial ingredient to success today.
Takeaway for marketers: Reject corporate solipsism. Focus like a laser on the customer.
January 25th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Great article LOHAD. I saw a similar article a while back that echoes the same thoughts: http://robwoodbridge.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/back-to-business-basics-boss-style/
Seems there is a lot Springsteen’s long and relevant career can teach a bunch of business people!
January 25th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
In speaking with a new EAP Friday, she said she went to our website, and thought it was the best website she’d been to. She said it told her exactly what she needed to know about KPC.
Great job, as usual.