grow your business like a weed
grow your business like a weed
"Weed has a different view on Internet file-sharing. Instead of trying to shut down file sharing, we think people should be paid for it. Instead of punishing fans who don't respect artists' rights, we think it makes more sense to reward those who do."
This company has tapped into one of the essential components of music as a product - the social network. Sure there are incredible information sources out there for music reviews, a whole industry is built around that. But, first and foremost, consumers learn about, try and, in turn, buy new music because they heard about it from the ultimate source - a friend. There are no better salespeople than the network within which a consumer chooses to spend time. Whether a brother, mother or any other, these circles create strong consumption networks; and here Weed has built an organic, ever-growing multi-level marketing scheme of sorts with the power of the brand in the consumer's hands. The power of social networks is not unique to the music industry, of course; but what this business model demonstrates is a creative way to not only fix the demon issue of the music industry, but to creatively position the solution as a win-win for all parties - musicians, consumers and, of course, Weed.
This licensing software not only provides a solution to the file-sharing problem, it takes the consumer out of their current adversarial role (the "villain" of the music industry) and empowers them by letting them participate in the brand. By relinquishing control (control of the music and control of the brand), WeedShare.com has all the makings of a cultural brand. Today's most successful brands, what we call cultural brands, realize branding is about discovery, empowerment and connection.
How does this translate to the food and beverage arena?:
Product innovation: let your consumers have some say in current and new product innovation. Study the way consumers use your products for innovative delivery systems and product line extensions. There are countless ways consumers integrate your CPG brand into their lifestyle that you may not have intended. For example, by keeping a reflexive ear to the consumer, Kashi was able to recognize how people used their cereal. People were eating it, cooking with it; so, Kashi designed a Meal Planner on their website. Kashi also had a big appeal for weight management (not the original intention of the Kashi line); out of that recognition they created Kashi Go Lean. They've been very good at moving with the consumer.
Brand Community: create the space, real or virtual, where consumers can go to talk with you directly, but more important the space where consumers can talk to each other. Starbucks is an excellent example of a brand that uses its retail space not only to sell goods, but as a meeting ground for consumers - literally, with its meeting room spaces, but also symbolically by creating a comfortable, relaxing environment around all things coffee. By fostering the lifestyle attributes of their product world, and thereby the world of their consumers, they bring people together to share in the coffee experience through live music, art displays, community events and, of course, coffee. But, you don't need to have a retail presence to do this, Clif Bar, with its Luna Bar brand, has a knack for bringing their consumers together; and in the case of Luna Bar, their consumers are women. They offer LUNAFEST, a national festival of films by, for and about women; LUNACHIX, a women's mountain bike program; and Luna Moms Clubs, a moms support group created around the desire to achieve a healthy balance in motherhood. In this, Luna Bar becomes the connecting point bringing women together in their local communities for a common purpose. To these consumers, Luna Bar represents not just a good-tasting, healthy product, but a brand that represents their most personal and emotional goals and values.
Brand loyalty: allow for participation and collaboration to build a sense of ownership in the brand. With WeedShare.com no longer are consumers merely end users, but active participants in the success of the brand and the company, even the artist. Hey, now they're a part of the music industry! It's this kind of empowerment, ownership and investment that breeds brand loyalty. Jones Soda is an excellent example of brand loyalty by way of ownership. They relinquish so much control of the brand to the consumer that packaging is based on consumer contributions. Would you dare drink another brand of soda if a picture of your dog graced a Jones bottle?
Though its first release was in September 2003, the Weed model seems to be growing, well, like a weed and has all the makings of a cultural brand. We think a lot can be learned from this business model. We'll be keeping our eyes on it.
grow your business like a weed - To learn more about this author, visit Harvey Hartman 's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
On my way to the office Monday, I heard a story on NPR about WeedShare.com, a company out to solve the file-sharing problem in the music industry one song at a time. For those unfamiliar (as I was until Monday morning), Weed is a software license service of the Seattle-based Shared Media Licensing, Inc., that allows people to download music files and try them out by playing them up to three times before prompting them for purchase. But it's the next step that's truly innovative, they don't restrict the number of copies the end user makes, and they actually (financially) encourage file sharing. As Weed's website reads,
"Weed has a different view on Internet file-sharing. Instead of trying to shut down file sharing, we think people should be paid for it. Instead of punishing fans who don't respect artists' rights, we think it makes more sense to reward those who do."
This company has tapped into one of the essential components of music as a product - the social network. Sure there are incredible information sources out there for music reviews, a whole industry is built around that. But, first and foremost, consumers learn about, try and, in turn, buy new music because they heard about it from the ultimate source - a friend. There are no better salespeople than the network within which a consumer chooses to spend time. Whether a brother, mother or any other, these circles create strong consumption networks; and here Weed has built an organic, ever-growing multi-level marketing scheme of sorts with the power of the brand in the consumer's hands. The power of social networks is not unique to the music industry, of course; but what this business model demonstrates is a creative way to not only fix the demon issue of the music industry, but to creatively position the solution as a win-win for all parties - musicians, consumers and, of course, Weed.
This licensing software not only provides a solution to the file-sharing problem, it takes the consumer out of their current adversarial role (the "villain" of the music industry) and empowers them by letting them participate in the brand. By relinquishing control (control of the music and control of the brand), WeedShare.com has all the makings of a cultural brand. Today's most successful brands, what we call cultural brands, realize branding is about discovery, empowerment and connection.
How does this translate to the food and beverage arena?:
Product innovation: let your consumers have some say in current and new product innovation. Study the way consumers use your products for innovative delivery systems and product line extensions. There are countless ways consumers integrate your CPG brand into their lifestyle that you may not have intended. For example, by keeping a reflexive ear to the consumer, Kashi was able to recognize how people used their cereal. People were eating it, cooking with it; so, Kashi designed a Meal Planner on their website. Kashi also had a big appeal for weight management (not the original intention of the Kashi line); out of that recognition they created Kashi Go Lean. They've been very good at moving with the consumer.
Brand Community: create the space, real or virtual, where consumers can go to talk with you directly, but more important the space where consumers can talk to each other. Starbucks is an excellent example of a brand that uses its retail space not only to sell goods, but as a meeting ground for consumers - literally, with its meeting room spaces, but also symbolically by creating a comfortable, relaxing environment around all things coffee. By fostering the lifestyle attributes of their product world, and thereby the world of their consumers, they bring people together to share in the coffee experience through live music, art displays, community events and, of course, coffee. But, you don't need to have a retail presence to do this, Clif Bar, with its Luna Bar brand, has a knack for bringing their consumers together; and in the case of Luna Bar, their consumers are women. They offer LUNAFEST, a national festival of films by, for and about women; LUNACHIX, a women's mountain bike program; and Luna Moms Clubs, a moms support group created around the desire to achieve a healthy balance in motherhood. In this, Luna Bar becomes the connecting point bringing women together in their local communities for a common purpose. To these consumers, Luna Bar represents not just a good-tasting, healthy product, but a brand that represents their most personal and emotional goals and values.
Brand loyalty: allow for participation and collaboration to build a sense of ownership in the brand. With WeedShare.com no longer are consumers merely end users, but active participants in the success of the brand and the company, even the artist. Hey, now they're a part of the music industry! It's this kind of empowerment, ownership and investment that breeds brand loyalty. Jones Soda is an excellent example of brand loyalty by way of ownership. They relinquish so much control of the brand to the consumer that packaging is based on consumer contributions. Would you dare drink another brand of soda if a picture of your dog graced a Jones bottle?
Though its first release was in September 2003, the Weed model seems to be growing, well, like a weed and has all the makings of a cultural brand. We think a lot can be learned from this business model. We'll be keeping our eyes on it.
grow your business like a weed - To learn more about this author, visit Harvey Hartman 's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|||
David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
|||
Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|||
Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
|||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
|||
Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|||
Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Harvey
's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
|
||
 |
||
|
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 How to Get a Life The Leadership Edge Performance Emotional Intelligence Managing the Unimaginable Easy Product Ideas |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs
Top 50 Geek Business Blogs | |
 |
Top 50 Productivity Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||