Actually, it’s isn’t all about you
February 7, 2013
At a recent jaunt to Disney World*, I found a great marketing reminder for us all. Right in front of the brand new Gaston’s Tavern in Fantasyland, there’s a huge statue of…no shocker, Gaston. (For those of you unfamiliar with Beauty and the Beast — shame on you!).
In front of the statue is this plaque that reads:
Tribute to Gaston
An extravagantly generous gift to the humble people of my village.
From Me, Gaston
Of course…Gaston is the buffoon in the movie but all too often brands and companies get their Gaston on. They behave as though it’s all about them. They talk about themselves incessantly (go on…look at your website — who do you talk about?) and they behave as though they are a gift to the people they’re supposed to serve.
We laugh at the behavior when Gaston does it in the movie. We shake our head when we talk about how “other” companies market this way -but when was the last time you did an honest gut check of your own marketing materials?
If you aren’t talking about what really matters to your potential customers and customers — odds are, you’re talking about yourself.
So a little message from Gaston and me — get over yourself and start focusing on sharing what you know/do in a way that actually helps and serves your clientele.
*Note: Yes, I know I start a lot of posts with this sentence. I’m a 12 year old boy trapped in a grown up’s body. I can’t help it.
There’s a remarkable difference between wishing for something and the relentless pursuit of a dream.