What can you learn about the marketing newsletter Microsoft error worth $ 900 million

Sales of the Microsoft Surface product line this year have reached $ 1 billion. The latest version 3 is sold much faster than its predecessors. When your sales reach billions of dollars, this can be considered a victory.
But this was not always the case ...

In fact, Surface was almost hopeless due to the senseless OS and the complete lack of direction of development.

And this is why, and how you can avoid the mistakes that Microsoft made.

How did Windows RT fail

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The first generation of Surface tablets worked on Windows RT, which was why they were criticized for several reasons, including:

1. High cost
2. Low Efficiency Software
3. Cannibalize the product line
4. Barely marked market differentiation
5. "Too closed" character
6. Opt-out with OEM

But what was the main reason?

No one understood what it was all about. Or for whom it is.

Obviously, such a discrepancy could also complicate the harmonization of product specifications with technology.

Neil McAllister explains:

Despite the failure, Windows RT still had a chance if Redmond would have been told who they saw as the target audience. But they did not. Three months after the launch of Surface RT, it was still hard to tell who the target audience of this device was on RT.

Julie Larson-Green noted that they didn’t even explain the difference between RT and Windows 8. “Differences” could be a good start. But the "differences" would still not be enough.

And that's why:

Try not to speak with your customers in different languages.

When launching a new product or marketing campaign, companies list characteristics, compare themselves with competitors, and talk about how socially responsible and reliable they are.

The problem is that no one is interested.

McKinsey published a study in which they examined 700 international inspections in 6 different sectors to understand why people buy. And their main discovery was that companies speak to their customers in different languages, (a) becoming a victim of the curse of knowledge and (b) emphasizing what is not important for customers.

The same problem applies to companies focused on direct interaction with consumers, and to products.

Most consumers don't care which Microsoft operating system (or other similar company) will be on their tablet. If he is really good. If he is fast, easy to manage and brings pleasure.

It is better to compare yourself with another competitor who does not sell his OS, but shows how customers can share experiences and joys with family members with their product.

It will be effective. And it will bring sales. And this is a great example of how your message can resonate with your consumers.

3 simple tips on how to stimulate the market

The correct message in the modern online environment plays an important role, as it contains everything from site content and blog posts to brochures, e-books, advertisements, e-mail campaigns, and yes, even messages in social networks.

Therefore, the definition of the correct message must be step # 1, before you proceed to the implementation of all these ideas.
Here are 3 tips that you can use to improve the way information is delivered to customers (message + market matching).

Council number 1. Sell ​​holes, not drill

Most customers care about the result they get from using your product. And not necessarily the product itself.
In other words, sell holes, not a drill.

Most people do not buy a drill just because it is beautiful. They buy it because they need to make holes in the wall to hang their brand new 55-inch TV.

One of my favorite examples is Lowe's Creative Ideas, which show customers how to do various projects, from small do-it-yourself ideas to overhauling a room.

They solve the problem and first of all represent the final result, and only the second - present their products as a natural way to go from point A to point B.

Council number 2. Avoid imposing

Imposing does not bring tangible results in most areas. Most consumers today are smart enough to easily recognize it.
So stop imposing your products and create a more transparent message.

Based on the first advice, the easiest way to do this is to focus on examples of consequences and outcomes.
You can achieve this by explaining your characteristics as advantages. After that, the intangible benefits must be translated into concrete results from the client’s point of view.

Council number 3. Choose an enemy

In theory, it seems that choosing a certain consumer segment and getting its attention is quite simple. In fact, it is very difficult.

The best way is (a) to determine who you are targeting, and (b) to win the commitment of these people by telling who or what you are speaking against.

In other words, you need polarization!

Abercrombie & Fitch CEO was severely criticized for his insensitive comments about who they want to see as their clients:

Every school has cool and popular children, as well as "not-very-cool" children. Honestly, we are interested in cool guys. Our ideal is a beautiful American child with a good position in society and a lot of friends. Most people can not afford our clothes, and can not. Are we exclusive? Absolutely

Incredibly gone and rude? Yes.
But the thing is ...
He's right.

You can not simultaneously stand out and match

The golden mean is dangerous. "Red Oceans" are full of competitors. Because everything (and everything) in the middle is invisible.

If you want customers to notice you and support your mission, you need to pop out of your hole a little. Every company or brand you admire, from Tesla to Apple and to The Daily Show with John Stewart, is quite clear about who (a) they are targeting, and (b) how to keep a message with these people.

Basically this is to change your message to fit the client's point of view.
It’s quite easy to rely on an ordinary, conventional, performance-based approach that everyone else uses.
But at the same time, it is the fastest way to ensure that you are ignored in your own rather busy market.

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