Act Like The Godfather to Make Them An Offer They Can’t Refuse

Marketing Lesson of The Week

► The Godfather Teaches How To Make An Offer They Can’t Refuse

Since marketers face many similar challenges now, you can learn a lot from the 50th anniversary of the movie, The Godfather. It premiered 50 years ago on March 14, 1972. The movie opened in 300 theaters across the US 10 days later.

► Story Matters: How Coppola Re-envisioned The Godfather

American audiences were tired of old style Hollywood gangster movies. So as part of his agreement to make the movie version of the runaway bestseller The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola insisted on co-writing the script with author Mario Puzo.

Coppola transformed the mob story into a Shakespearian epic of a mob dynasty fighting to preserve its values in a changing world. Beyond giving the film depth, it added an emotional component.

Actionable Voice Marketing Tip:

• Include stories in your content marketing to add emotion and memorability. Use classics like Shakespeare and Joseph Campbell’s “Hero’s Journey”.

► New Device Challenge: How To Get Customers To Consume Your Content

During the 1960s, Hollywood faced declining movie theater audiences. It reached its lowest point in 1971 (except for the pandemic) according to the Motion Picture Association of America. Studios now face a similar challenge with increased paid streaming subscriptions. (Note: This Statista chart doesn’t show activity post-pandemic.)

It’s worth noting that the US Video Streaming Services include social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Twitch. (Source: Business of Apps)

So what did Coppola do?
He changed how the story was told to take advantage of the big screen.

• Set the story in the period to create a sense of reality.
• Employed A-list stars including Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall and James Caan.
• Took 3 hours to tell the gangster story combined with the human story. this kept the audience engaged with on-going plot developments.

To add to the allure, Paramount Pictures made theater owners bid to play The Godfather after the premiere. The owners had to pay an “upfront, non-refundable monetary guarantee against 90% of the box office take, whichever was greater.” (Source: NPR)

The book’s bestseller status increased theater owner competition. As a result, Paramount accepted over 300 bids and yielded $15+ million before opening night.

Actionable Voice Marketing Tips:

• Monitor the landscape and test new devices and technologies to remain relevant to your audience. When it comes to video streaming and subscription services, the market continues to expand and evolve. To date, there are 16 top global video streaming apps.

► How To Create A Perennial Bestseller

With The Godfather, Frances Ford Coppola created the first in a trilogy of films and books. Over time, they’ve become perennial bestsellers as Ryan Holiday describes in his book, Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts. These are works that continue to attract large numbers of people over time. As a result, they create a long-term profitable revenue stream.

This has important revenue implications for marketers. You can use later releases and special anniversaries to create new and special offerings. Look at the array of products offered on Google.

Having sold products like these for Bertelsmann, I know that they’re highly profitable.

The key to marketing success:

• Understand what makes your audience true fans so they’ll buy all the related products you offer.

Voice Talks

► Global Adults Use Voice To Access Internet

These voice devices run on Siri and Alexa so they include Apple devices like smartphones and Amazon devices like Alexa. (Source: We Are Social)

Roughly one quarter of global internet users (16 to 64) use voice to gather information on a weekly basis.

While usage by age and sex varies by less than 10 percentage points, people over 55 tend to use voice the least or roughly 1 out of 6 in the 55+ age group uses voice to access information.

When considering whether you need to add voice and audio options to your marketing mix, look at the devices that global internet users employ for access:

• 92.1% use a mobile phone;
• 71.2% connect via a computer;
• 28.2% use a tablet device;
• 30.4% use via a connected television;
• 13.8% connect via a smart home device; and
• This doesn’t include smart cars and out-of-home kiosks.

Actionable Voice Marketing Tips

• Create and/or transform your new and existing content into audio and voice formats. Then distribute it across all types of voice-enabled devices and locations.

Social Scene

► How To Build Real Life Community

I’m sending hugs and kisses to my social media besties who are attending Social Media Marketing World 2022. Unfortunately, there are too many of you to list. But, while I’m conservative in my post-pandemic travel, I’m with you virtually and via social media.

Most of all I’m sorry that I’ll miss seeing Emeric Ernoult, the Founder and CEO of AgoraPulse take the big stage for the first time. (BTW–I’m a big fan of AgoraPulse for managing your social media.)

Whether you’re attending this year’s Social Media Marketing World (#SMMW22) or not, read through your favorite social media platform to appreciate how Mike Stelzner has built a blog and a conference into a community that exists beyond online platforms.

This should inspire you since if you read some of the posts on social media, you’ll see that many of these influencers started small just like Mike Stelzner. Even mega influencer Mari Smith talks about what she’s learned from #SMMW22.

New York City Marketing Minute

► How Do You Deal With Unintended Consequences?

Walk down any major avenue in New York City and you’ll see how the pandemic shuttered small businesses. It’s easy to understand why small businesses closed due to the lack of employees and shoppers who are working from and staying home.

Additionally, the pandemic pushed many local businesses hurting from other factors into the red.

Andrade Shoes Repair is a small business. It was hurt by the unintended consequences of the changes in its West Village location on Sixth Avenue near 14th Street.

This 42 year old shoe repair store was owned by difficult-to-find craftsmen who could fix any pair of shoes and premium name handbags. Their business
was crippled by pre-pandemic changes:

• Transformation of St. Vincent’s Hospital into residential housing reducing the number of visitors to their neighborhood; and
• Making 14th Street a busway to accommodate passengers while rebuilding the L subway tunnel. (At the last minute, the State found a way for the subway service to continue on a reduced schedule, but never rolled back the changes to 14th Street.)

Fortunately, Andrade Shoes Repair has another shop about 10 blocks north. So their sign can refer people to Cesar’s Shoe Repair at 180 Seventh Avenue at 20th Street. Inside Cesar’s, the show windows are filled with repaired Louis Vuitton handbags.

From a marketing perspective, what else could Cesar’s do?

• Reach out to sellers and resellers of high-end leather products for referrals, especially those located in New York City. They repaired the zipper on a designer handbag of mine so you can’t tell it was broken.
• Tap into the power of clothing influencers in return for repairs, ideally those on TikTok.
• Set up an Instagram and/or Pinterest page spotlighting their work on premium brands.
• Try old fashioned PR outreach to magazines such as New York Magazine and women’s magazines.

If you live in New York City and need a shoe repair, speak to Cesar’s Shoe Repair.

Actionable Small Business Marketing Tips

• Continually monitor the environment for potential changes that can impact your business longer term.
• Ask customers to leave reviews for your business on Google, Yelp and other review sites..

Marketing Reads & Training

► Social Media Facts 2022: What You Need To Know Now To Improve Your Marketing

Want to understand the dynamic digital landscape?
We’ve collected and analyzed the most recent social media facts for 2022. Also includes charts and actionable marketing tips to help you make your business case.

► Women In Marketing: How To Succeed

In honor of International Women’s Day, learn what 30+ marketing women have to say about the challenges they’ve faced in their careers.

► Check out Jamie Turner and Chuck Moxley’s new book:
An Audience of One: Drive Superior Results by Making the Radical Shift from Mass Marketing to One-to-One
Marketing

This book brings the ideas explored by Don Pepper and Martha Rogers in Enterprise One to One up-to-date.

► Top Marketing Influencers to Follow in
2022

Thrilled to be one of CustomFit.ai’s top marketing influencers to follow in 2022. #TipOfMyHat

► Marketing Training

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Plan Ahead: Mark Your Calendar

► VoiceLunch US – Friday, March 18th, 1pm ET

VoiceLunch is a global, free-wheeling, online community exploring the use of voice-enabled interactions with the online world. The North American lunch is every Friday. Sign up for the newsletter to get the full schedule of VoiceLunches.

► Project Voice – April 25–28th, Chattanooga, TN

The #1, in-person event for voice tech and conversational AI in America returns. Register Now!

► The 2022 Creator Economy Expo (aka: CEX) – May 2–4th, Phoenix, AZ

By Creators for Creators: Join 500+ fellow creators to explore the latest strategies, tactics, and tools — plus make valuable connections — for achieving big success as a new breed of content entrepreneur.

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