Transcript:
Hello marketing ladies and gents – and Happy Holidays! We’re in the home stretch of December, the time mass retailers salivate over… and fear. So it reminded me of one of the first marketing lessons I ever learned that was in a little movie (or movies if you count the zillion remakes) called “Miracle on 34th Street.”
Often as marketers and brand managers we become convinced that commerce is a zero sum game. As in, if someone else gets the sale, I lose the sale…
But there are times when losing the initial sale is a good idea – it’s the same principle as a link sending traffic away from your site. It positions you as a resource and builds good will.
Good will often translates to consumer loyalty. Which then translates, to YOU GUESSED IT, more sales. Think of it as the long game. You may lose a battle, but win the war. And bonus! It’s a nice thing to do!
So make merry this season and give away a few sales. You’ll reap those rewards later.
Mad props to Danny Sullivan for first pointing out the link between links and this principle. Happy Holidays!