Why Your Marketing "Mash-Up" is more sustainable than someone else's blueprint
I've decided that my word of the year is Mash-Up.
And what is that exactly?
Well, according to ChatGPT, "the phrase "mash-up" originates from music and media culture. Its roots can be traced back to the DJ and remixing communities of the late 20th century, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s when DJs and producers began "mashing" two or more songs together by blending their elements, such as vocals from one track with the instrumental from another, to create a new hybrid composition."
It goes on to say that, "today, "mash-up" is used more broadly to describe the creative combination of disparate elements in music, art, technology, and even storytelling". And today, we're extending that to Marketing.
And here's why I LOVE the concept for Marketing.
Because there are a LOT of things that have been DONE from a Marketing perspective.
AND...
There are a lot of unique brands out there who are NOT well-served by copying someone else's roadmap, blueprint or methodology.
And so, what if, the secret to sustainable marketing efforts is at the INTERSECTION of those two things?
Let's explore!
Why "Pure Bred" Tactics Fail
Let's start with my MOST businesses fail when trying to implement a duplicate of someone else's marketing program.
IT WASN'T CREATED FOR YOU.
Plain and simple.
It was created for someone else. With different goals. With different resources. With a different culture. Solving a different problem. Maybe even in a different industry, or at a different time in history.
So, the likelihood that you can 100% duplicate it and have the same success is slim to none.
Now, I won't pretend it's impossible. If you're similar enough to the originating business, then it MIGHT work for you.
But that's a big MIGHT.
Also, we often forget that those companies who originated those methodologies didn't START there...AND definitely didn't end there💡
The biggest players in the market continually adjust their marketing efforts to MATCH THEM. So, even if you DO get lucky with one part of the puzzle, luck doesn't really contribute dependably from a sustainability perspective.
I'm not saying we shouldn't LEARN from what other people have done.
But the SKILL is actually in "trying stuff on" to see what wor for you.
And to do THAT, you need to be able to tell what DOESN'T fit, and NOT choose it.
A Mindset of Both/And
While so much of the marketing conversation ends up focused on OUTPUT, there is a HUGE amount of mindset (the INPUT) that goes into making it work. And that's 100% true when it comes to even comprehending what a Marketing Mash-Up could look like for you.
It's a game of Both/And.
Where we get to see what's worked for other people AND be ourselves.
Where we get to take advantage of an expert's expertise AND be authentic.
Where we get to follow a process AND deliver on our targeted results.
But if you don't go into the conversation with that intention and mindset, then you CAN'T create something new.
This is why the INPUT is so important.
We've all heard the phrase, "garbage in, garbage out".
If we don't bring the intention of reaching our goals AND being ourselves, we have no opportunity to achieve that.
And honestly, if I was estimating, I would say that at LEAST 85% of marketing programs fail at focusing on meaningful inputs.
Now, you might be afraid when addressing Both/And of Analysis Paralysis. But that's why the first bit about learning how to stand for what "fits" you is so important.
When you don't know how to say NO to something, based on how it brings YOUR purpose to life, then it's easy to get overwhelmed by data. So make sure to practice that skill FIRST before moving on to this step 😉
Creating YOUR Mash-Up
Once you can confidently say what fits you (and what doesn't), and you've adopted a Both/And mindset, then you can actually get to the activity of creating Your Mash-Up.
Now, the tricky bit here (which leads to another piece of mindset work), is that there's no "measuring stick" that you can compare yourself to.
Since you're in the realm of creating from scratch, the exercise is based more on FEEL than on comparing your version to someone else's.
But at the end of the day, YOU'RE the one who knows what you're marketing program needs to accomplish for your business.
And YOU'RE the one who knows how it FEELS to authentically serve your customers.
THAT'S where the creation comes from...those two pillars.
And when you create something that's a HELL YES in both of those arenas...
Your Mash-Up is complete✨
And if you want to put it to a pressure test, just go to LinkedIn and wait for a "Marketing Expert" to pitch you something that DOESN'T match...
Because you REALLY win the game when you can confidently respond to someone else and say, "this is what I do, and it works for me"💖
A Journey of Creation
Just like in the origins of the phrase, a Mash-Up is about creating something NEW. And for each stage of your business, there will be something NEW you can create.
And you end up building the SKILL of creating new things that work.
I mean, that sounds like someone I want to have on my team.
Because inherently, marketing is ALWAYS changing.
New platforms. New tactics. New channels. New opportunities.
Clients evolve and change.
Markets evolve and change.
Your internal people evolve and change (even if it's the same people).
So, in an industry where change is constant, what's the best way to be prepared?
By being confident in your ability to CREATE solutions that MEET the change 🎉
If you're ready to enter THAT stage of your business, let's chat!
