Lesson #5: Do Not Go Wild with Your Marketing
Lesson #5: Do Not Go Wild with Your Marketing
Despite that, however, Bean was a simple man. He liked the easy pleasures of reeling in a fish and reaching the end of a hiking trail. He enjoyed being surrounded by nature and hearing nothing but the sound of birds. It was that message that he wanted to convey through his company. And, it was that image that Bean decided to infuse throughout his marketing.
What started off as Bean’s first simple three-page marketing brochure quickly became a 12-page catalogue, filled with not only hunting boots, but also books, clothing, and a wide range of sporting equipment. The Bean Catalogue was one of the things he was most proud of. There were no snazzy gimmicks; it was just twelve pages filled with images and detailed product descriptions for over 400 products, which were arranged in no apparent order.
In his catalogue, Bean kept the text simple. Products were given clear, straightforward and unembellished facts about the products. He wanted his marketing message to be honest, believing that the quality and usefulness of the products would sell themselves. He did not need catchy slogans or fancy titles, when he had a hunting shoe that actually worked, and worked well, or a tent that he guaranteed would withstand even the hardest rain.
By the time Bean passed away in 1967, the catalogue that he created had expanded to 100 pages. But, while the range of products the company offered had grown, its message had remained the same. Where one product featured a whistle, Bean did not write its description to read: “A whistle that will blow your mind.” Instead, Bean’s description read simply: “Loud enough to be heard at a great distance.” Honest, simple, and practical. That, he believed, was what people really wanted to know.
Bean was one of the first entrepreneurs to seize the power of direct-mail advertising. After finding a list of all the hunters who had acquired hunting licenses in Maine, he sent each and every one of them his catalogue. Aside from the straightforward text, Bean also included real pictures of the Maine outdoors. He wanted to give his readers an image they would be familiar with, and show his understanding of their lifestyle. The models he used to outfit the L.L. Bean clothing were also relatively plain and wholesome in appearance.
Despite believing in his simple marketing strategy, Bean knew that it might take more to keep his company fresh in the minds of its customers. And so, that was why he tried to make everything he did as useful as possible. For instance, listed in the catalogue was one of two books written by Bean, called “Hunting, Fishing and Camping.” It was no ordinary book, however. This was a manual that had duplicate chapters, enabling its readers to tear out sections they might need for use in the outdoors while still keeping a whole copy of the book intact. How successful was that idea? In its first 20 years of publications, the book ran through twenty editions.
Lesson 5 Do Not Go Wild with Your Marketing
Like this article? Share it with your friends
The name L.L. Bean conjures up exciting images of adventure and exploration. It was the store you would go to if you wanted to set off on an arctic expedition. It was the brand you would trust to get you through a night camping during a thunderstorm in the back woods of Yosemite. It was the company that was going to help you survive your most daring journeys.
Despite that, however, Bean was a simple man. He liked the easy pleasures of reeling in a fish and reaching the end of a hiking trail. He enjoyed being surrounded by nature and hearing nothing but the sound of birds. It was that message that he wanted to convey through his company. And, it was that image that Bean decided to infuse throughout his marketing.
What started off as Bean’s first simple three-page marketing brochure quickly became a 12-page catalogue, filled with not only hunting boots, but also books, clothing, and a wide range of sporting equipment. The Bean Catalogue was one of the things he was most proud of. There were no snazzy gimmicks; it was just twelve pages filled with images and detailed product descriptions for over 400 products, which were arranged in no apparent order.
In his catalogue, Bean kept the text simple. Products were given clear, straightforward and unembellished facts about the products. He wanted his marketing message to be honest, believing that the quality and usefulness of the products would sell themselves. He did not need catchy slogans or fancy titles, when he had a hunting shoe that actually worked, and worked well, or a tent that he guaranteed would withstand even the hardest rain.
By the time Bean passed away in 1967, the catalogue that he created had expanded to 100 pages. But, while the range of products the company offered had grown, its message had remained the same. Where one product featured a whistle, Bean did not write its description to read: “A whistle that will blow your mind.” Instead, Bean’s description read simply: “Loud enough to be heard at a great distance.” Honest, simple, and practical. That, he believed, was what people really wanted to know.
Bean was one of the first entrepreneurs to seize the power of direct-mail advertising. After finding a list of all the hunters who had acquired hunting licenses in Maine, he sent each and every one of them his catalogue. Aside from the straightforward text, Bean also included real pictures of the Maine outdoors. He wanted to give his readers an image they would be familiar with, and show his understanding of their lifestyle. The models he used to outfit the L.L. Bean clothing were also relatively plain and wholesome in appearance.
Despite believing in his simple marketing strategy, Bean knew that it might take more to keep his company fresh in the minds of its customers. And so, that was why he tried to make everything he did as useful as possible. For instance, listed in the catalogue was one of two books written by Bean, called “Hunting, Fishing and Camping.” It was no ordinary book, however. This was a manual that had duplicate chapters, enabling its readers to tear out sections they might need for use in the outdoors while still keeping a whole copy of the book intact. How successful was that idea? In its first 20 years of publications, the book ran through twenty editions.
Lesson 5 Do Not Go Wild with Your Marketing
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
|||
Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan'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 |
|||
Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
|||
Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager'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 |
|||
Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
|||
John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
|
 | ||
|
||
 |
||
|
||
 | ||
 |
| 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!
|
|
 |
 Termination Suit Put Yourself Into the Top 3% Referral Strategies Choice of Forum Quadruple Your Business |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 Marketing Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | |
 |
Fortune Hunters
CBC Entrepreneur TV | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
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!
|
|
|
| ||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||