4. Law of Perception
"Marketing is not a battle of products, it's a battle of perceptions."
- Al Reis, co-Founder of Ries & Ries and Author
Marketers are preoccupied with research and data reassuring themselves that they have the best product, and ultimately, the best product will win. This is not always true. Study how perceptions are formed in the mind and focus your marketing programs on those perceptions.
Ex. Take a look at the three largest selling imported Japanese car brands, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. Most marketers will assume the brands are fighting for the title in quality, styling, horsepower, and price. Not true. It's about what the people think about each brand. If marketing was a battle of products, the sales in the US and Japan of Japanese automobile manufacturers would be similar. However, the US consumers look at Honda as a car manufacturer and Japanese consumers view them as a motorcycle manufacturer.
5. Law of Focus
"The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect's mind."
- Al Reis, co-Founder of Ries & Ries and Author
Stick to simple words. Ideally, single words or concepts so you can easily burn your message in their minds.
Ex. Amazon was able to coin the term "Prime" to refer to quick and premium service in their shipping, streaming, shopping and other subscription services.
The most effective words are also benefit-oriented. Such as benefit related (ex. cavity prevention), service related (ex. home delivery), demographic related (younger adults), or sales related (preferred brand).
Ex. Crest - Cavities
Mercedes - Engineering
Volvo - Safety
Dominos - Home Delivery
Pepsi Cola - Youth
6. Law of Exclusivity
Two companies should not fight over the same word in a consumer's mind. This can become a costly and inefficient battle for both brands.
Ries, Al. Trout, Jack. (1993) The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing. HarperBusiness.