Jake Long, Vernon Gholston, Glenn Dorsey, Darren McFadden, Chris Long, Rashard Mendenhall …
These are not all household names to many Americans but to a growing number, these represent the best of the NFL … uh … in April!! These names will be some of the top college prospects selected in this year’s NFL Draft and probably signed to many endorsement deals by Tuesday of next week!
“But football season doesn’t start til the fall, right?” you might be saying. You are correct. The NFL football season does begin in the fall but the NFL has found a way through incredible marketing and branding that they can promote their league about 9 months out of the year. It starts in July when training camp opens up. Then pre-season begins in August which leads into the full NFL season starting in early September. This 16-week season goes through the holidays and culminates into the NFL Playoffs which occupy many 50″ HD Plasmas and DLP flat screens in January. Then the Super Bowl is not until the first weekend in February. And so you get a break until July, right? Not so much.
This weekend, the NFL Draft will begin and many of those HD Plasmas and flat screens will be tuned in and watching parties will convene. So how does the NFL Marketing Machine do it? I found a good article on BrandWeek.com that I thought you’d enjoy regarding the answer to your question. In addition, our local Ft. Worth Star-Telegram has an article highlighting 10 things you need to know about this year’s draft. It’s a fascinating business and the NFL Marketing Machine has certainly managed to do a great job in promoting this event.
So, what does that mean for you in your small business, your church or your non-profit group? Well, you can’t call it the 5th & Vine Christian Church Marketing Machine or the Bob’s Toilet Repair Marketing Machine but what you can do is seek the help of some great marketing tools like Duct Tape Marketing. And we at 1429 Creative can certainly help you implement these tactics through incredible marketing coaching as well as practical solutions created with the small business owner in mind.
For now, Dallas … uh… you’re on the clock!
Ok, I’m a self-admitted Dallas Cowboys fan so I’ll be tuned in this weekend? Who is your favorite team and who do you want to see them draft this weekend? Tell us about any trades you’d like to see happen.
-donny-
Branding is important for any size business. The key to the NFL draft is that they create a buzz that people feel compelled to participate. The NFL could do these things behind closed doors. Probably did at one time. But why go about your business the same ol’ way when you can take a normal routine event and put it front-n-center in the media. Good PR! Create that buzz about your brand so that people can’t stay away.
Just FYI: this Marketing Twin could care less. I love football but the draft does nothing for me. LESSON: you can’t please everybody, but for those who are already fans of what you do (like Donny), go all out for them! Make it doubly exciting – I mean, if people have draft-watching parties because of something you are doing, then you’ve got a following!
What are you doing in your business to make your happy clients feel special? Do they sense any buzz about what you are doing or how you do it? Do they say to their friends, “Hey, check these guys out!”? If not, you might want to think of a routine exercise in your business and put it in the spotlight so you’re clients can talk it up to their friends. It’s all about creating buzz about your brand. And yes, even if you are Bob’s Toilet Repair, you’ve got a brand to work on!