The sentiment of P2P is not new to me. I’ve written about it many times before, but I want to marry the sentiment with my current position here at Boldwerks. The Crew at Boldwerks embrace the same line of thinking, which is exciting (to say the least), and, well inspiring.
P2P: People to People.
Marketing is generally split into two buckets: B2B (Business to Business), and B2C (Business to Consumer). This is fine and well, but at the end of the day, people are people, and we as marketers need to treat them as such, no matter what bucket they fall into. B2C is in line with the P2P mindset to some degree. B2B is a little more “stiff.” When you think of B2B you think of a box looking to attract a box. Truth of the matter is, there are people in those boxes making them tick, and the final say and signoff is going to come from a person, not a computer, not box, not a stone. They’re not numbers in an organization, they’re people, and people respond to bold, eye-catching design, and engaging, unique, forms of content.
"The P2P revolution is here, and it’s not going anywhere. If you want to succeed in the P2P world, you need to interact with the folks that provide the lifeblood of your organization. How do you do that? It’s simple really:
Eat, Sleep, Breathe, and Design P2P. Design collateral that gets people talking. As a people, we come face to face with dozens, heck, hundreds of visual marketing messages each and every day. For most brands, you need to craft something that cuts through the crowd. You need to craft something that resonates. That makes a person stop for a second –take a breath – and exclaim (out loud, under their breath, or in their mind), “now that’s something…” The objective is to craft a design that isn’t just merely adding to the sea of clutter. Craft something you’re proud of. Craft a design that enlists action – that gets folks to seek you out to learn more. This may seem obvious, but are you practicing it? Are you proud of the work you’re delivering to the world? Is it bold?
It’s not as easy as you might think. But it is doable. It’s very doable. Don’t create for creation’s sake. Create to inspire. It’s in this inspiration that conversation happens, and when conversation happens, transactions commence.
Eat, Sleep Breathe, and Write P2P. Write copy that is engaging. Nobody wants to read long drawn out reports on your products and services. And if they do need this type of thing, they’ll ask for it. Or give an option to download a PDF within the body of your content. People want testimonials. They want to know how your offerings have worked for other people, and how said products and services benefit them. Connect on a personal level.
The reality of the matter here is this: In a given industry you’re likely to find that the bulk of your competitors make the same claims in their messaging – be it online, in print, or elsewhere. They’ll likely all be making the claim that, “we’re the best…” This is an easy claim to make, and probably the most cliché form of written content in the business world. There’s a difference between claiming you’re the best, and actually being the best. Show with your writing why you’re the best. Stay away from generic, and often lofty claims. Give examples, and when it comes down to it, show that while others claim they can do it, you actually do. In the P2P world, people want to know that the content they’re reading and experiencing is written and presented by someone that actually cares, and is actually going to deliver when it comes down to it.
Eat, Sleep, Breathe, and Deliver P2P. Working and marketing in the P2P world is no longer about a box communicating with a box. There are bodies in those boxes. Real, warm, live bodies brimming with personality and equally brilliant ideas. Engage. If you’re not learning from your clients as much as you are delivering, you aren’t paying close enough attention. You aren’t being a human.
People – not drones – are fueling the business world with their every step, every smile, and every breath. Harness the power of communicating as one person to another person. Why keep things bland, generic, and stagnant when there are so many spices at your disposal? If you aren’t open to embracing change and jumping on the P2P bus, you’re hard pressed to stay open.
Tread boldly. Listen intently. Deliver with passion. P2P.
