Unique and Special

Back in 2012 I worked on a project where the elements of my work became the Merchandise Forensics framework that formed the basis of my consultancy from 2013-2018.

This business was leaking customers right and left. It had poor processes - marketers didn't know what merchants were doing, merchants thought the marketers were marketing to the "wrong people", creative was detached from everybody. Just a mess.

In trying to explain to Leadership what I observed, one of the Leaders gave a passionate speech. She told me that I misread her brand, that her brand was, and I quote, "Unique and Special".

I turned in my invoice a week later.

No payment.

I applied interest and re-submitted the invoice.

No payment.

No communication from the individual who hired me.

Then a letter arrived from a lawyer. The brand went bankrupt. I would receive a handful of dollars as the assets of the brand were divided up, liquidated, and shared with those owed money, on a proportional basis.

There's a reason why the late Don Libey told me to collect half of a project fee up-front.

This brand was not unique, and it was not special.

Clients who prioritize process over results understand their place in the world. They know the exact reason why customers choose them, and they are constantly looking six months to five years out to understand how they have to evolve and adapt. They could care less about Cyber Monday discounts. They care more about knowing that money spent with Google might be money poorly spent in five years when Google's AI engine becomes hyper-efficient at steering traffic away from you. This fact is part of their process, and they plan accordingly.

I have a lot of catalog clients this year, far more than the past four years. These brands are prioritizing process over results. They are building a strategy for the next five years. Does it anger their paper rep, printer, or the USPS? Maybe. Is it the right thing to do? Absolutely!

It's been fascinating to watch the push and pull between my clients and the old-school vendors who supported them. You hear the vendors talking about how unique and special print is. It is no longer unique or special, hasn't been for decades.

P.S.:  I realize you have no interest in sprint car racing, but the innovation happening over just the past month has people gossiping and speculating and trying to copy the competition (https://youtu.be/U47IJynmW-4?t=193). This brings up a question ... when is the last time you saw something happen in e-commerce that made you say "WE MUST COPY THIS EVEN IF THERE IS NO PROOF THAT IT WORKS?" Send me your thoughts (kevinh@minethatdata.com).