IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD....WHAT MISTER ROGERS TAUGHT ME ABOUT MARKETING

by Josh Amidon

Fun Fact: Mister Rogers Neighborhood made me cry as a child (as a grown adult, it probably still does, but I won’t get into that). The creepy puppets that seemed to pop out of nowhere and suck you into their creepy puppet world still skeeves me out. With that off my chest and out in the open, I can honestly say one thing Mister Rogers said has stuck with me throughout my personal and professional life – “it’s hard not to like someone once you know their story.”   

From a business prospective, let that sink in.

Small business marketing is all about getting your customers/prospective customers to know and trust you. Few things are more powerful at helping you accomplish this than your story. Your marketing should include a peek behind the curtain at what you and your company are all about.

Tell your customers why you started your company, why your service/product is your passion, how you overcame adversity, what you do/did wrong, what your dreams for your company are, who your heroes are.

Most national marketing is a web of half-truths and exaggerated statements spun to fool the customer – imagine how far sincerity in your approach can go when you focus on building trust with your customers.

People want to connect with the companies they do business with and when they can learn what you really stand for…it’s hard not to like you.

Except for those puppets, I will never learn to like those evil puppets.