This just happened before our very eyes.  Marketing genius comes in different forms, in different venues, and from different approaches to the same problem.  The problem is that we all have a product to share and we need a message that conveys value so other people will want to support our product.  This support not only includes thought and deed, but also through monetization of that support.  True supporters share their money.

In February, marketing genius surfaced in the form of one organization...

...The Barak Obama Campaign.  Before we go any further, this is not a political message. But one does have to sit back and admire a campaign that has come virtually from nowhere, and in the course of less than four years, has risen to great heights.  In February, the Obama campaign raised $55 million dollars, more than any of the more "experienced" campaigns.  What is most remarkable is that the average donation amount was $100.  And there lies our marketing lesson.

The Obama campaign is setting new political fund raising ground.  The days of the "$1000 a plate" dinner fund raiser as a primary means of support may be dwindling because of the financial exclusions it creates.  Obama appeals to the masses through a created viral presence  and has been rewarded with a flow of support dollars that is unprecedented.  The "good old boy" money system may be on the verge of being replaced by the "what about the rest of us" money system.  Here are three tips for your business that can be realized through the study of the Obama campaign:

1. Get started.  The campaign does not just happen.  It takes goals, planning, and execution of the plan.  Our view of the Obama campaign may suggest that the campaign started in 2004 with a speech at the Democratic National Convention. More conventional wisdom may point to the start of the campaign when a book was first published in the 1990's. Still others may say his campaign really started in February. This is all so true for your marketing campaign, as well. There is always a beginning point.

2.  Don't quit.  Create your message, believe in your message, and broadcast your message.  If the going gets rough, and you begin to fall behind, do not quit because conventional wisdom says you should. Make your message louder,  broadcast it more often, and make it more exciting each time it is repeated. Take small, forward, and calculated steps to move the journey toward its successful conclusion.

3.  Do something different.  Distinguish your campaign from all the others with new ideas, processes, and values.  It may not be enough to win over an existing market, it may be essential to your success to create a new market. It will take vision to recognize the opportunity, create the  message to attract  the desired market, and communicate the benefits to the market for support to be provided.  Remember, true supporters share their money.

And as always, we welcome your comments.

The Plain Page Prophets