I hate Marmite. Can’t stand the smell, let alone the taste. My family? They LOVE it.
Marmite splits a population. You either love it or hate it. Can you imagine a brand SO strong that your brand name gets used in everyday conversation? Think about how polarising brands like Apple, Gymshark, or even Mrs Hinch are – people either love them or they don’t. And that’s exactly what makes them memorable. Talk about amazing marketing!
And yet having a strong, distinctive offering like that takes some guts. You know before you start that some people won’t like your stuff. And that’s exactly why most of us avoid anything Marmite-like and opt for vanilla.
Leave Vanilla For Your Ice Cream
Vanilla doesn’t offend anyone. Vanilla is plain. Vanilla is safe. People won’t LOVE it or HATE it – they’ll all be OK with it.
The trouble is, vanilla isn’t memorable. It won’t stand out in a crowd. It’ll blend in with all your competitors’ offerings. It won’t attract passionate, loyal fans – because they can find vanilla anywhere.
I bet at least one of your products, services or marketing messages is vanilla right now. Safe. Boring. Designed to appeal to as many people as possible.
And I get why you’ve done it. You think that by appealing to everyone, you’ll make more money. But you’re wrong.
The Problem With Vanilla Marketing
When you go all-vanilla, you end up with bad-fit customers, zero loyalty, and price wars with competitors – because let’s face it, if nobody can tell the difference between you (you’re both vanilla), it HAS to come down to price.
Boring, inoffensive products don’t make people say “OMG she’s talking to ME, I NEED her!” They don’t inspire anyone. No one talks about them.
Marmite Businesses Self-Filter
They inspire people who ADORE them. The people who aren’t a good fit don’t even bother to look. You only attract those who love what you do – and you don’t waste money marketing to anyone else.
I’d rather be Marmite. I’d rather be a ‘love it or leave it’ type of business, because that’s when magic starts to happen.
How To Add Marmite To Your Business
Simple: BE YOU. In technicolour.
- Stop using ‘professional’ speak. Talk as you really talk. Let your personality shine through.
- Go against the grain. If everyone else in your sector does things a certain way, do the opposite!
- Talk to ONE type of person. Stop trying to please everyone. Figure out who will be passionate about your stuff and market to THEM – whether it huffs or pleases the rest.
So, are you going to be brave? How are you going to Marmite YOUR business?