A reminder about effective marketing
AA is famous for its 12 Steps.
Who knew that AA also has 12 Traditions—or that the 11th tradition is all about marketing?
Bill W. and Bob Smith, co-founders of the group, explained it this way, “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion."
They added, “We feel it better to let our friends recommend us.”
The approach obviously works.
AA currently has some two million members meeting in 123,000 groups in 180 countries.
All with an annual marketing budget of $0.00 (Yep. That's zero. Zilch. Zip.)
Meanwhile, businesses spend billions, frantically scrambling for better SEO, smarter LinkedIn strategies, and higher-converting email sales promotions.
All good things, but what if AA is right?
What if the most effective marketing is attraction, not promotion?
Attraction involves a “wow!” factor. It understands "If we deliver consistent results, people will recommend us to friends who also need what we offer."
And that word of mouth is not only free, it's priceless.
Attraction beats promotion for all sorts of reasons...
Attraction builds trust; promotion can sometimes erode it.
Attraction generates referrals; promotion generates expense.
Attraction compounds over time; promotion ends the moment the campaign is over.
Does marketing have its place? You better believe it!
Promotions remind customers, "We're here when you need us!" But, ultimately, it's your attractive solution—the one that truly works and delights—that keeps folks coming back.
AA's 11th tradition has me asking lots of questions: Do I focus more on promoting my business or creating attractive solutions? Do I have a product/service that generates enthusiastic buzz?
Imagine the impact on your bottom line if your business became famous for serving customers extraordinarily well.
One last question: What's an "attractive" business you tell everyone about, and why?
I'd love to hear.