Marketing is like a puzzle. All of the pieces need to fit neatly together in order for the image to make sense. It doesn’t work if pieces are missing or if you have some that don’t fit anywhere.
I’ve mentioned some important marketing elements before (design, story and care). Any one of these on its own is not enough to carry you...at least not anymore. Take coffee for instance. You could have the greatest blend in the world (yes, hand picked by Juan Valdez). But, put it in a crappy looking cup, and it just doesn’t taste good. Worse yet, deliver it without passion and in a place that’s cold and uninviting and you might as well sell instant.
Here’s a company that seems to get it, Black Glove Coffee. They use design and story to make their product meaningful to people who enjoy more than flavor when they sip their coffee. They make the coffee experience personal with descriptions like, “hand-made”, “small batch”, “New York” and “gourmet”. Of course, they aren’t the only ones making good coffee. But, that’s clearly not what they’re selling. They sell creativity, enrichment, relaxation and joy. The website supports this experience very well. It’s functional, efficient, aesthetically appealing and smooth.
So far, the pieces fit perfectly. I’ve ordered some coffee. We’ll see if it all comes together…I’ll let you know.
Thanks to Aki and Alex for the referral.