Four Things We Can Learn About Marketing From Sons of Anarchy

In a few short months, the popular FX series Sons of Anarchy is going to embark on season five. What could you possibly learn about marketing your business from this merry band of motorcycle hooligans?

Sure, morality has been tossed out the window in their home of Charming, California. This is a club of felons that we’re talking about here. Yet there is something about them that keeps us coming back. This show has all the excitement and drama of the Sopranos, this time on motorcycles. What is it that we can learn from them, that doesn’t involve shooting up your competition, or breaking any other laws?

Loyalty Is Huge

The Sons of Anarchy are nothing if not loyal. They showcase it every day in their unwillingness to rat on anyone for gain. You can showcase your loyalty by rewarding the talent that you see in other small businesses, your employees, and freelancers. Keep them in business. Make sure they know how you feel through your words and your actions.

Maintain Your Likeability

Despite their knack for shooting first and asking questions later, the Sons are still a likeable group of criminals that the audience can identify with. This is evident in the richness of the relationships that they hold, and the family life that they share. You can maintain your likeability by engaging with customers and working hard to continuously develop new relationships.

Fight For It

If it’s worth having, it’s worth fighting for. In season three, the club goes to Ireland, fighting to retrieve their vice president’s kidnapped son. For your business, it may be increasing your customer base that you’re fighting for. Don’t be afraid to try new things with your website, blog, social media and other marketing content. Stick with what works.

A Fresh Perspective Is Good

In season five, the club will start out with a new vice president. You don’t need to step down from your business, but seeking others thoughts and opinions is always a good thing. Maybe you can bring in a guest blogger. Maybe it’s just a matter of listening to the suggestions that customers, clients, or employees have made. 

It is possible to learn from a group of outlaws. Putting these lessons in practice will only make your business stronger. 

Small Businesses Should Take a Page From NFL

The National Football League has one of the best-marketed products out there. The Bears and Buccaneers are preparing to square off in London today at Noon. The game is played overseas so that they can take advantage of a potential new market of fans.

This expands the audience. People who otherwise would not be interested in American football walk away from the experience as fans. An endless array of new customers are at their fingertips…

Any small business could take a page out of the NFL’s book here. It doesn’t necessarily need to be overseas, but is there a market that you have overlooked? Is there another group or segment of the population that could benefit from your product or services?

With social media and other Internet marketing options, virtually anybody is reachable somehow. Maybe there are other networking strategies that could be employed.

If you are struggling for leads, maybe you just need to rethink your marketing strategies. Try increasing your social media presence. Have you been thinking about some kind of blog? Maybe now is the time.

You can use these technologies to expand the reach of your business. Maybe it’s time to hit one town further than you do now. Or maybe it’s an additional segment of the population you should be targeting.

Whatever the case may be, you need to show your perspective audience your product or service. It’s like the NFL. The people of London have no strong urge to align themselves with American football teams if they are unfamiliar with the sport.

Make sure they know that your business is there. To do that, you have to market it to them, aggressively.

Learn from the Borders Lesson

I know plenty of incredibly intelligent people resistant to change. I see people refuse to create a Facebook account or wonder why they would need a phone that does anything other than dial a phone number.

I’ve seen businesses toe the same line. Borders was at one time the nation’s prominent book seller. It looked like they’d be impossible to topple from that position. Customers are currently perusing their aisles looking for the best liquidation sales, before they close the doors forever.

How did it get to that point? They never thought the internet would be a factor. Their online presence was lackluster at best. They never made a strong push in to the e-reader market. As the rest of the world utilized the internet for retail purposes, this was a disappointing strategy from a company with the relevance of Borders.

Blockbuster took the same tactic, and a lot of good that did them. Netflix is now the industry standard for watching movies.

What’s the lesson here? Stay flexible. Think from the perspective of your customer. How do they use the internet with regards to your services? These are questions you should be able to answer, that lead to practices you should be able to justify.

While the parking lot may be full at Borders right now, it’s because the deals are bound to be good as they close their doors forever. What can you do to make sure you remain relevant?

Do customers have a way to access your services via mobile? No matter where your business stands amongst the competition, do not resist change. The great thing about the current tide of change is that it equalizes the smaller businesses with the larger.

A small online book store could leverage social media to achieve a larger scale success than what would have been possible 10 years ago. That’s just one example. Talk with customers. Interact. Give them your one on one attention. Give them the best ways possible to access your services. Don’t discount the web, and the current wave of technology.

You don’t want to go the way of Borders or Blockbuster. This economy, this culture is brutal to unbelievers.

Look at Me, I'm On a Horse: A Little Creativity In Your Marketing Copy Helps A Lot

It’s no longer enough to just tell your customers how great your product is and expect results. There’s hundreds of distractions competing for your customer’s time. Without something to grab their attention, you’re inviting them to leave.
What are your favorite recent ad campaigns and why? Chances are there was something funny about them, or at least stimulating. Something that grabbed your attention, and made you remember long after the spot was over.
When my dad and I watch any sporting event together, he has a favorite line during the commercial breaks. I should have gone into advertising. This line gets uttered for any commercial that just falls flat. It is said at least a few times a game, and the commercials that solicit this comment share one common trait—they’re bad.
As I write this blog, I’m sitting in a Starbucks across the lot from a Buffalo Wild Wings. I’m remembering the commercial that involved restaurant patrons putting in a request with a football ref for overtime, to stave off real life for that much longer. This spot works because it’s a creative and different way show just how much fun is possible while watching the big game in their restaurants.
Another that comes to mind is Dos Equis, with the most interesting man in the world. Not all of these commercials are equally interesting and outrageous, but some of them are pretty funny. Heck, sometimes the guy bowls overhand, and his bird bath has been known to attract Bald Eagles. That’s somebody anybody would want to know.
Another one that comes to mind for me is the Old Spice man your man could smell like. These commercials are just beautifully delivered, and memorable for their highly juxtaposed imagery. He’s on a boat. He’s on a horse. He’s on a beach. He’s also not your man, but he is the man your man could smell like. It’s so highly original that it is something bound to be remembered.
In the written world, Groupon has done a great job of providing some of this captivating copy. They go out of their way to captivate you with a funny or outrageous message before offering their deal.
Sure the beer and deodorants listed above are Fortune 500 caliber. Any business would benefit from a creative, strong message, though. Accountants, attorneys, restaurants, retail—it doesn’t matter. All businesses can benefit from a strong message.
It’s up to you to develop the message that works for your business. Don’t be afraid to outsource the marketing copy, and ask for something creative. Your business will benefit.

The Success of Made In Aurora

Local music scenes don’t emerge out of thin air. Like any movement, they require much effort, and the loyal dedication of everyone involved.

The record store Kiss the Sky in Geneva has been at the center of the music scene in the west suburbs of Chicago for years. Owner Steve Warrenfeltz has supported local musicians for a long time by helping organize various local shows, and selling their albums without taking a cut on the sale.

Recently Warrenfeltz came up with an outside the box idea that will help keep his store at the forefront of the music scene. While talking with some local musicians in his store, they came up with the idea to make a collaborative record, to showcase the local music scene.

That idea became a reality on Record Store Day, April 16, when Made In Aurora hit the shelves in his store. The album features various local artists singing their original material.

It’s an excellent showcase for the local artists, and should help to propel interest in their music. (I have to lay down a disclaimer here. I am a part of the volunteer marketing team for this project. I believe in what it’s doing, and the music really is good. Really good.)

Many of these artists have their own original albums, they’ve written, recorded and promoted. Many are veterans of the local scene, having played shows for years. They fight their fight. Made In Aurora's success should come through increased press and notoriety because of the collaborative effort. The album has already sold through more than half the initial run of 500.

If the music wasn’t enough, the proceeds from the album are going to the Paul Ruby Foundation, to help fight Parkinson’s. The album is something that all the musicians on it should be proud of for years to come. It’s not just a great local album. It’s a great album—one that hopefully generates interest in the local music scene for years to come.