Scott Stratten, the creator of UnMarketing, was one of the main stage speakers at NACS’ big annual conference this year in Vegas and they invited him to have a live chat (via podcast) after his presentation. He was relatively tame during this podcast episode. Usually he is sassy AF and I love it. I had the pleasure of seeing him speak back in April and there were tears streaming down my face he had me laughing so hard. I do want to add, though—he is brilliant as well. Incredibly hilarious, and incredibly intelligent.
Here’s a little snap shot of some of my favorite points from the podcast. Take a listen here if you’re interested in hearing the full conversation!
UnBranding. UnMarketing. What does that even mean?
Scott has the word “unlearn” tattooed on his arm. He explains the reason behind it being the need to un-learn things sometimes if it doesn’t benefit you (or the whole). For example, we are not born with the ability to hate. That is something we learn. There are so many things people learn in the world today, and Scott acknowledges the need to unlearn things sometimes.
The concept of un-branding and un-marketing is similar, in a way. He makes the excellent point that no matter how beautiful a brand/logo/campaign is—if a person has a negative experience with your brand (or hears their friend had a bad experience with it), that bad experience is what they’ll think of when they see your logo. UnMarketing focuses on letting go of the marketing campaign and investing in the experience you provide to make an impact on your customer. Build a reliable relationship and positive experience with your client/partner/customer and you’re guaranteed to create lasting business.
How did I apply this to my business?
This reminded me that when building a brand, it’s important to remember that it’s more than just the visual of my website, my business cards, the material items I create. It’s about the interaction I have with my clients/partners. By showing up, being a good team player, always delivering, providing a reliable experience – that is what will strengthen my brand most.
When someone has a negative experience, it’s an opportunity for you
Scott talks about how people having negative experiences with your brand/business doesn’t need to be the end of the world. It’s an opportunity to step up, show them that they’re valued and repair the mishap. Overwhelm them with your thoughtfulness. Make them a bigger fan than they were before the problem happened by SOLVING the problem.
How did I apply this to my business?
This reminded me that if I make a mistake, it can’t be the end of the world. Just turn your focus to the solution and work hard to come up with something new that repairs the problem. And this is more than just fixing the immediate mistake that was made—it means revisiting the situation, reviewing what happened, understanding how the mistake happened, and then actively creating a new process that will guarantee that that mistake will not happen again. By showing a client/partner that you understand the benefit of reevaluating a process, and that you can view mistakes as opportunities to create an even smarter processes – that is how you repair a break of trust after a mistake (as mistakes are bound to happen, no matter how hard you try).
Scott Stratten is number two in Canada on social media (to Justin Bieber)
They were just “hangin’ out” Scott says, in his Canadian accent.
Scott mentions that he always responds to social media mentions that people make to him. He acknowledges that yes, engagement isn’t always scalable (Pepsi will get 100 thousand mentions in a day), but when you can, it really means a lot to people when you respond to their outreach. “Return the high-five! Don’t leave somebody hangin’.” That simple engagement builds connection.
How did I apply this to my business?
I love how Scott acknowledges how much he truly appreciates any and all support he receives from his peers/colleagues/fans. This reminded me how important and valuable it is to acknowledge any and all support I receive. Whether it’s someone commenting kind words on an Instagram post, or a mentor offering to meet up for lunch sometime to talk business—I should always acknowledge them and take them up on the offer! That simple engagement builds lasting connections.
PS, I posted a shout out to Scott on Instagram when I was working on this blog post and (living up to his word) he was one of the first people to like it. #youreagoodmanscott
“If you have the best product and the best service—good luck to your competition.”
– Scott Stratten of Unmarketing, Convenience Matters LIVE Podcast
I highly recommend Scott’s Unpodcast, the business show for the fed-up.
You can also watch one of his full keynotes to get a good laugh and a good idea.
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