Tweet

Turning Problems into Marketing Strategies

Guest post by: John Jantsch

Article Overview: Most industries impose an unseen tax on participants trying to stand out, go against that grain or do the right thing or hard thing.

Turning Problems into Marketing Strategies

Most industries impose an unseen tax on participants trying to stand out, go against that grain or do the right thing or hard thing. The tax isn't something regulated by an agency it comes in the form of higher costs, more steps, education, higher wages - all the things that go into trying to build a business that's more than a simple commodity type copy of everyone else.

While companies that try to move and innovate against an entire entrenched industry may have to work harder to get their message understood and appreciated, when they do, the payoff can be well worth the added effort.

I find that most innovative companies find ways to turn some of the challenges they may face, in order to do it their way, into brilliant marketing strategies that work for them rather than against them.

Let me tell you about just one such innovator.

Boulevard Brewing Company was founded exactly twenty years ago by John McDonald. Boulevard has grown to become one of the largest specialty beer brewers in the Midwest, shipping products to 17 states. McDonald has become a leading voice in the industry for quality and innovation. Part of that commitment to quality came with the fervent belief that beer should be bottled in, well, bottles and not in cans. Even though most of the competition offers can beer for the convenience, Boulevard held out.

As recycling programs became more and more mainstream over the last few years, bottles were often not included in municipal recycling programs, creating a real problem for the glass only brewer.

Boulevard has been working in a solution for a number of years and finally got the local community to support an effort that puts small glass recycling units in hundreds of locations around the Kansas City area. While other community partners participated in bringing the program, operated by Ripple Glass who grinds it and provides it to local fiber glass companies, to reality, Boulevard was at the forefront and is receiving national attention for this first of its kind program.

Boulevard's glass only innovation teamed with a glass recycling program has turned a problem into a marketing strategy.

Related Articles
  Teaching Online Marketing Strategies
  5.1 Insufficient investments in Africa have hindered the deepening of diversification: Economic Report on Africa 2007
  GOT MARKETING?
  How to Make Sales and Marketing a Doable Strategy
  Internet Marketing Strategies To Make Your Business Successful
  What Is The Biggest Challenge That Every Internet Marketers Face?
  X is for Xenophobia
  Blending Internet Marketing Strategies
  How to Stop Wasting Money on Your Marketing
  Effective low budget internet marketing strategies
  Would You Trade Your Problems
  Marketing Strategies - What Should a Banner Advertising Campaign Look Like?
  Parking Lot Power
  How to Get Results in Your Network Marketing Business Opportunity! ~HAVE SUCCESS TODAY
  What the Ad Agencies Dont Want You to Know
  Marketing Assessment
  Marketing Success vs. Sales Success
  Book Marketing Strategy of the Future
  Online Website Promotion Strategies For Your Online Business
  Key Success Factors For Not Feeling Overwhelmed In Network Marketing

Article Tags: added effort, beer brewers, boulevard brewing company, brilliant marketing, commodity type, community partners, do the right thing, fervent belief, forefront, glass companies, glass recycling, innovative companies, innovator, john mcdonald, kansas city area, local community, marketing strategies, ripple glass, shipping products, wages



Related Forum Posts
Re: pitching - Friendliness is closely related to the concept of "permission marketing" as articulated by Seth Godin. The subtitle of his book says it all: "Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers into Friends and Friends into Customers." The old method was "interruption marketing" where you suddenly get an ad in your face whether you want it or not...
Different Hats - CEO Sales & Marketing & Leadership Development Company Strategic Vision 10 Alliances & Growth Strategies 10 Hiring & Managing People 8 Mentoring 8-9 Strategic Planning for Clients 10 Execution of Marketing Campaigns 9-10 (i have great people who do the nitty gritty) Financial Management 9 Bookkeeping 3 (outsourced as I really hate the fine details like GST0 Administrative Follow Up 6-7 (again have great staff) Writing & Publishing 9 (getting better all the time!) Speaking 10 (so I have been told) Self Promotion 9-10 Web development & Promotion 6-7 (learning more and have brought on players who are 10+) Babysitting Employees (1 - wont do it, that's why I work so hard to hire and motivate the people I have) Great topic Kevin!! Jude
Re: What is your Business? - We are running a Online Marketing Firm and we have some good clients to which we are offering a complete Digital Marketing strategy like Search, Mobile Marketing, Branding and Design. I think in Online Marketing company online presence can be a wining factor for the success of the company.
Re: FREE Toronto Referral Workshop - Kevin, I'll try to get a copy of the slides and summarize the 14 Strategies. Stay tuned!
Re: Let’s talk about the ways of marketing your products, servic - I agree with some of the others who responded it depends on what your selling... but to answer your questions here are some of the methods I use. Forum Marketing Yahoo Answers (I need to use more of) SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Bum Marketing or Article marketing P-P-C (Pay Per Click) Marketing Online Directories Hope this helps.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Death by Micromanagement

Top Ten Home-Based Businesses

The Future of Online Marketing

Suggestions

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.