u/baghdadcafe

When trying to break into a market "Is there product-market fit?" is the totally wrong question to ask.

The real question to ask in B2B markets is "who owns the relationship which X organisation has for Y category or product"

You can have the most aligned marketing in the world but if a supplier has developed a close relationship with a client. They practically own that client for all products in that category. They probably deal with them on weekly basis. Their relationship could be even akin to "old friends". If you think you can break this - with a brochure, cold calls or a drip email campaign - you could be in for a very big surprise.

How do we solve this?

In the 1970s Japanese motorcycle manufacturers (like Honda) came across this problem. The relationships motorcycle manufacturers had with dealers was close. In fact, it was too close to even try to disrupt. What did the Japanese do? They had no other option but to find a completely new channel - which at the time was department stores. This worked for them.

Like a UK manufacturer of air conditioning units discovered the relationships the legacy players had with facilities managers too tight to disrupt. So, instead they targeted owners of older properties where the there was not this stranglehold.

Lesson

Stop thinking about your B2B product in terms of alignment or features. Start thinking about your product in terms of relationships that exist in the channel - and you will see your market in a totally different light. And start thinking about how powerful marketing outreach platforms or your cold calling campaigns really are in disrupting relationships. Or, think about new channels or new markets where you side-step close vendor-client relationships.

Idea for a new RTE travel series: Backpacking the Congo with Bertie

Bertie goes to the Congo with camera crew chatting to the locals, sampling the local food and trekking deep into the rainforests.

I think it really captures the zeitgeist (Irish Times speak sorry) because the protagonist gets to meet his foes and the animosities, cultural and psychic barriers get broken down in from of the viewers. Now we could send Tommy Tiernan who could be the Louis Theroux side-kick who asks him deep questions about race, ethnicity and the globalising world in which we live. This documentary could be a tour de force. It could win at Cannes.

Would you watch this?

Anyone else find their locations are a bit unconventional?

Here is what I've noticed (in Europe)

They seem to really like setting up near large office parks. The fact that the hotel does is not near the centre (or downtown) of city, town or suburb does not seem to matter. The Moxy will be setup in middle of the software, insurance offices and fire protection companies. This is great if you've got a meeting in one of these companies early the next morning but not so good if you want to be near cafes, bars or restaurants.

I'm not sure if this hotel location trend is unique to the Moxy brand or it's happen industry-wide?

Seemingly Bertie Ahern is holding his "I'm not a racist event" tomorrow in the pub.

Africans, Chinese and Brazilians all invited.

Bertie will be doing some sort of slide show about why he's not a racist.

Here is a thing I come across a lot.

Some entrepreneurs get, what I like to call, a "stray customer"

So, they get a customer, from lets say the oil industry. A lucrative, cash rich customer - who buys your service and money is absolutely no object. They are a dream customer.

Guess what, the entrepreneur was so delighted with the whole process (and bigger bank balance) they starts chasing other customers in the oil industry hoping to replicate the success.

But, unfortunately, it does not work like this. All businesses get these "stray" customers from time to time to time in the same way that your local coffee shop gets a visit from some A list celebrity for their americano. A lot of times these customers do not represent your ideal target market. For whatever reason, your firm just happened to be at right place at the right time. But sustainable sales pipelines are not built this way. They are in fact built in a way that is a lot more boring.

According to anecdotal sources of human brain engagement whilst watching advertising, the brain tries to filter out pure sales-based messages. However, engage them emotionally first and you engage their brain, then present your sales message.

Would you agree with this?

There is square in the city where I live which seems to have had several small attempts at regeneration but each of them failed.

For example, a fancy restaurant setups there. 3-4 years later it closes down. Professional service providers like accountants have renovated offices there and moved it. Guess what 3-4 years later, they close them down. It seems like any green shoots of regeneration, gentrification, (call it what you like) in this small part of the city get squashed.

I'm suspecting there are some bigger issues at play here. I would like to know what are the success factors needed for sustained urban regeneration?