You Are Not Limited By Rules

Published February 27, 2010

Rules are there to be broken and some of the most successful marketing campaigns have become so because of the unique approach the company or brand took to build a consistent and extensive following. The thing is, though, there are no rules…If you look at what your competition is doing and analyse, to great extent, what many other people are doing on the Internet and ‘follow’ the trend with the thinking that “that’s the way we must do it” you are missing out on great opportunities to stand out.

Rules are Fickle on the Internet (just as anywhere).

If there was only one way to ‘do things’ and there was only one way to ‘say things’ and one way to present products or services via a website, a blog, a video or photo… then the hundreds or thousands of businesses in each industry would simply be copying others. But;

We all have different opinions.

We all have different ideas, and

We all have different personalities.

Personality makes the difference.

If you were to read several books about Internet Marketing, branding or search engine optimisation; they would each present ideas (not rules) and guidance (not rules) about developing your marketing strategy and promoting your brand online. They would all, to some extent, contain the same ideas… But presented with a different voice, with a different opinion, and with a different ‘vibe’.

Unwritten Rules hold back creativity.

We are all creative in one way or another and we all have our own ideas about ‘what works’.

You have some great ideas!

You could, however, have a completely wrong idea but how would you know that unless you go with it and see what happens. If you get flamed about what you said, how you said it, or what you did then you can change it. But don’t stop without trying. Your own personality and creativity could make the difference between being the same as everyone else or standing out by being different – by being memorable.

There’s a market for all styles and personalities

Who would have thought an advert promoting double glazing in the UK with the ‘BOGOF’ catch-phrase would be a successful advertising campaign? It was (and continues to be) – but I’m not a fan. I’d much rather see a M&S advert “not just food, it’s M&S food” – but that’s my own opinion – it may put others to sleep or run out and by a Happy Meal.

We all respond differently to different styles, different phrasing/attitude/dialogue and different personality… And for that reason, we, as advertisers, must think beyond “rules”…