Oftentimes when you hire the marketing agency, it’s too late. The product is already built and it’s just not that great. It’s not worth talking about. There’s no story worth retelling.
Most companies succeed because their products are part of a compelling story. Edible Arrangements, for example. The marketing is built into the product. Instead of receiving a bouquet of flowers, you get a delivery full of delicious fruit cut into neat shapes. It’s more fruit than one person could eat in one sitting, so you tell your co-workers to have some, or you tell your family members to take a bite.
Everyone that sees the arrangement on the counter understands how cool it is. Anyone who’s never seen one before can’t help but tell their friends about the experience. Then, the next time anyone thinks about sending someone flowers, they reconsider and think about sending an Edible Arrangement.
But most companies aren’t Edible Arrangements. Most companies sell things that get the job done. Nothing more, nothing less. A marketer may be able to spice some things up. Make a good banner. Buy you better advertising. Create a Facebook page. But the marketer rarely gets the reigns to go back and actually make the product better.
It’s too bad, because building marketing into the product itself is the best way to spread the word. Integrating marketing and product is like Apple owning the full stack: hardware and software. It just works better. There’s more synergy and cohesion throughout the experience.
It’s harder to do, but integrating product and marketing is the way to make something remarkable.