22 immutable laws of marketing the ladder rungs

вЂњIвЂ™d rather be strong somewhere,вЂќ said one manager, вЂњthan weak everywhere.вЂќвЂќ (71) вЂњWhen you try to be all things to all people, you inevitably wind up in trouble. вЂњAny sort of couponing, discounts, or sales tends to educate consumers to buy only when they can get a deal.вЂќ (64) вЂњOver time, a category will divide and become two or more categories.вЂќ (56) The first brand that captures the concept is often able to portray its competitors as illegitimate pretenders.вЂќ (54) вЂњMarketing is often a battle for legitimacy. Then make sure your program deals realistically with your position on the ladder.вЂќ (43) вЂњBefore starting any marketing program, ask yourself the following questions: Where are we on the ladder in the prospectвЂ™s mind? On the top rung? On the second rung? Or maybe weвЂ™re not on the ladder at all. вЂњYou tend to have twice the market share of the brand below you and half the market share of the brand above you.вЂќ (41) вЂњYou often reinforce your competitorвЂ™s position by making its concept more important.вЂќ (35) You canвЂ™t stand for something if you chase after everything.вЂќ (31)

You become stronger when you reduce the scope of your operations. вЂњThe essence of marketing is narrowing the focus. No matter how complicated the product, no matter how complicated the needs of the market, itвЂ™s always better to focus on one word or benefit rather than two or three or four.вЂќ (28) вЂњThe most effective words are simple and benefit oriented. The simple words are best, words taken right out of the dictionary.вЂќ (27) вЂњA company can become incredibly successful if it can find a way to own a word in the mind of the prospect. вЂњWhen you say, вЂњIвЂ™m right and the next person is wrong,вЂќ all youвЂ™re really saying is that youвЂ™re a better perceiver than someone else.вЂќ (19) All that exists in the world of marketing are perceptions in the minds of the customer or prospect. You cannot become a different person in their minds.вЂќ (17) They kind of file you away in their minds as a certain kind of person. Once they perceive you one way, thatвЂ™s it. The reason you blast instead of worm is that people donвЂ™t like to change their minds. You have to blast your way into the mind. вЂњIf you want to make a big impression on another person, you cannot worm your way into their mind and then slowly build up a favorable opinion over a period of time. The single most wasteful thing you can do in marketing is try to change a mind.вЂќ (16) вЂњOnce a mind is made up, it rarely, if ever, changes. вЂњItвЂ™s better to be first in the mind than to be first in the marketplace.вЂќ (14) DEC told its prospects why they ought to buy a minicomputer not a DEC minicomputer.вЂќ (13)

вЂњWhen youвЂ™re the first in a new category, promote the category. Few people are interested in whatвЂ™s better.вЂќ (13) But prospects have an open mind when it comes to categories. Everyone talks about why their brand is better. Prospects are on the defensive when it comes to brands. вЂњWhen you launch a new product, the first question to ask yourself is not вЂњHow is this new product better than the competition?вЂќ but вЂњFirst what?вЂќ In other words, what category is this new product first in?вЂќ (13) Find a new category you can be first in.вЂќ (11) вЂњIf you didnвЂ™t get into the prospectвЂ™s mind first, donвЂ™t give up hope. вЂњIf you canвЂ™t be first in a category, set up a new category you can be first in.вЂќ (10) вЂњRegardless of reality, people perceive the first product in the mind as superior: Marketing is a battle of perceptions, not products.вЂќ (8) ItвЂ™s much easier to get into the mind first than to try to convince someone you have a better product than the one that did get there first.вЂќ (3) ItвЂ™s the law of leadership: ItвЂ™s better to be first than it is to be better. вЂњThe basic issue in marketing is creating a category you can be first in. If you like the quotes, buy the book here. Below are the quotes I found most interesting. I recently read вЂњ The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk!вЂќ byВ Al Ries and Jack Trout.

22 immutable laws of marketing the ladder rungs