Just Because You Like It Doesn’t Mean It’s Right For Your Business

One of the most common mistakes that business owners make when it comes to their marketing is ignoring their customer base in favor of their own preferences. “Because I like it” may be a viable reason for picking tonight’s dinner choice, but it just doesn’t cut it when it comes to justifying your branding, communications and advertising decisions. In order to successfully speak to your target audience, you – the owner – need to face the harsh reality that the opinion that often matters least is your own.

Where does GoDaddy fit into this cautionary tale? While you may think that I’m going to cite the company’s shameless use of T&A as a sign that its horn dog owner has let his penchant for hot chicks and race cars get the better of his marketing goals, that’s actually not my issue with GoDaddy. While their campaigns may seem slimey and off-putting to some, their hot and heavy advertisements have garnered attention from millions and helped make GoDaddy one of the top domain resellers in the world.

GoDaddy’s problem is specific to a situation in which most customers don’t want to be, but will inevitably find themselves – waiting on hold for customer service. To save our clients the hassle of dealing with this common annoyance, we gladly make calls to GoDaddy on their behalf… and are subjected to the horrendous hold music that never changes – music that had its heyday during the unfathomable success of Neo-swing in the 90′s. On a recent call, when my ears were just about one horn solo away from bleeding, I asked a GoDaddy rep if there was any significance to this particular genre of hold music. He replied, “The Squirrel Nut Zippers are one of Bob Parsons favorite groups”.

Of course they are.

Just because Bob Parsons likes rockabilly and swing music doesn’t mean he should make his customers listen to the looping Squirrel Nut Zippers album, Hot while they are waiting on hold – just like your preference for electric blue and mustard yellow doesn’t necessarily make them the best colors for your identity, web site and print collateral. Consider your objectives, your research and, above all else, your customers when making decisions regarding your business and your brand. Your bottom line will thank you for it.

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