Chapter 4: Mindset Matters

Executive Summary:

Why do search ads on Google work so well?

Because people are often in “buy-mode” when they’re searching. They’re looking for something and often that’s something to buy. Google has cornered the market on reaching people in a commercial mindset.

Lowe’s executes marketing plans aimed at reaching people who are moving as they’re often in a mindset complementary to home improvement.

Pixazza created a platform to change the mindset of people looking at photos online from entertainment to commercial.

Newspapers are failing not because readers are migrating online but because readers no longer turn to them with commercial intent.

The Examiner and AOL are reinventing the content business focusing on topics that are both popular and commercial in nature.

Marketers must find apertures to reach people in “buy-mode.” And, if they don’t exist, create them.

Select Quotes:

“The sign of a good marketer, especially in search, is understanding intent and meeting your prospects halfway in helping them realize that intent.”

— Gord Hotchkiss, President, Enquiro Search Solutions, @OutOfMyGord

Final Thought:

Be mindful of the times when buying fills the mind.

Updates:

July 22, 2010: In this chapter I spent quite a bit of time discussing why news is tough to monetize before declaring, “I won’t spill any more ink on solving the newspaper’s industries woes.” Fortunately, James Fallows spilled a couple wells of ink on the topic for a well-written piece in the Atlantic on How to Save the News.

June 19, 2011: AOL is highlighted in this chapter for how it’s going about “Planting Seeds of Commerce” through outsourced writers. Apparently the approach is less content “farm” and more content “plantation.” At least that’s what this “content slave” would have you believe.