This is what marketing agencies and gurus are basically doing.

They did this for one client or five clients, whatever it is, so they say, “You need to do that too.” But there’s a problem with that approach:

Your offer is different.
Even if you’re a lawyer and you find a marketing campaign that worked for lawyers, your offer might be a little different. Some guru out there might think their strategy works for everyone, but it doesn’t.

This is why I believe questions are actually the right way to start your marketing strategy. Understanding a foundation of how marketing functions allows you to build from there. That’s what we’re going to do in this video.

I’ve done a previous video on the Four Laws of Marketing. What we’re basically doing is taking that and building it into your strategy. Think of it like physics versus engineering:

Physics is what you need to understand to build a bridge.
Engineering is how you build that bridge.

If I say, “This is how you build a bridge,” and it’s the only way, and it works best for everyone—that’s not true. Bridges come in many forms: archways, supported from above, short, long, etc. We have to abide by the laws of physics first, then apply engineering concepts. From that, we can construct a bridge that carries the load for its purpose.

Marketing is like building a bridge between you and your customers.
We’ll go through the four laws, put them together in terms of physics and engineering, and call that the Marketing Mansion. You’ll learn how to apply these laws to build a bridge between you and your customers. There are key questions to determine which activities and channels are most effective for you. And at the end, we’ll go through testing for leaks—making sure you’re not wasting your entire budget on strategies that don’t work.

The Foundation of the Marketing Mansion

Let’s start at the bottom. Imagine drawing this out on a napkin. On screen, you’re seeing stairs—like the Greek Parthenon—this is the foundation of your marketing. All of your marketing is built on building memories.

Why?
Because at any given time, of all the potential customers, 95% or more are not ready to buy today. If you’re not building memories, you’re wasting 95% of your budget.

Example:
There was an ad from Miller Light about 10 years ago. They tried to model it after successful ads from Bud Light. The problem? They modeled it too well. In surveys, many people thought the Miller Light ads were for Bud Light. Miller spent money building memories for Bud Light instead of their own brand.

How do we make sure you’re building memories for your brand?
There are two ways. (And we have a checklist in the show notes to help you walk through this process.)

Building Memories: The First Pillar

1. A Clear Story
Your story is your messaging—your ethos, your feel. For example, Red Bull’s story is “Red Bull gives you wings.” Their advertising shows cartoons where Red Bull gives you wings, in various scenarios. Your story doesn’t need to be literal, but it must be consistent, engaging, and emotionally resonant.

2. Distinctive Design
This continues the ethos visually. Red Bull’s cartoons are distinctive. Your design includes your logo, colors, fonts, and characters (like Geico’s Gecko). The combination of story and design makes your brand recognizable and memorable.

Example:

Geico’s Gecko, with its humorous feel.
State Farm’s red, All State’s blue, Liberty Mutual’s yellow. Each has staked its claim with a unique look and feel.

The goal:
Be different and distinct from competitors in look, feel, and messaging.

The Pillars of Activity

Now, imagine the mansion’s four pillars, each sitting on blocks.

The left two pillars are on one block: Maximize Availability.
The right two pillars are on another: Reach the Market.

Pillar 1: Maximize Availability

Key Question:
Where do people look for what I sell?

Tip:
Think in terms of your category, not just your current location. For example, if you sell ice cream, people might go to Walmart, Target, natural grocers, or local stores. They might also search on Google, visit conferences, or talk to coaches.

Next step:

Brainstorm where people look for your product or service.
Prioritize impact and feasibility—what’s possible now, and what will make the biggest difference?

Example:

For Google searches, the first page is often dominated by lists and directories.
Your strategy might be to get listed on those directories first, then rank for specific keywords like “SEO for lawyers” or “marketing agencies near me.”

Apple’s example:
When launching the iPhone, Apple didn’t just rely on their brand. They partnered with carriers like AT&T, sold at Best Buy, and other outlets—making it easy for customers to find their product.

Summary:

Be easy to find where your customers are looking.
Prioritize impact and feasibility.
Think long-term about how to get on the right shelves, in the right stores, or on the right platforms.

Pillar 2: Easy to Buy

Main principle:
Remove friction. Make it easy for people to buy from you.

Questions to ask:

Is it easy to schedule a call or purchase?
Do you have availability on your calendar?
Is your website modern, trustworthy, and clear?
Is your pricing transparent and competitive?

Example:
If you’re twice as expensive as competitors, why should someone buy from you?
Are your features and value clearly communicated?

Remember:

Even if you’re more expensive, you can justify it if your messaging is clear.
Make the buying process frictionless.

Moving to the Right Side: Reach the Market

Key question:
How do I get noticed by people who might buy?

Sub-questions:

Who might buy?
Where are these people now?
How do I get noticed?

1. Who Might Buy?

Tip:
Define your target audience broadly.

Example:
Harley-Davidson’s target is “biker gang tattoos, beards, leather jackets,” but only 3.5% of their revenue comes from that niche. Most Harley owners are regular people who like Harley but aren’t part of the “biker” stereotype.

Avoid overly narrow avatars:

Don’t focus only on “Elon Musk wannabes.”
You can’t target “wanting to be Elon Musk” directly via ads.
Instead, target problems or needs.

General rule:
People buy because they have a problem you solve. Look at your past customers—diverse groups often buy the same product.

Example:
Jewelry ads target men buying engagement rings.
Location, income level, and life events matter but don’t overcomplicate.

2. Where Are These People Now?

Question:
Where do your potential customers spend time?

Platforms:

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, streaming platforms, conferences, partnerships, etc.
Think broadly—your audience might be on multiple channels.

Example:

For ice cream, they’re at grocery stores, stadiums, or movie theaters.
For lawyers, they might be at legal conferences or talking to a business coach.

Sub-question:
What will get them to notice and pause?

What will make them stop scrolling, watch, or visit your booth?
Use creative hooks, humor, or valuable offers.

3. How Do You Get Noticed?

Focus:
Create ads or content that get attention.

What makes someone pause?
What makes them laugh or feel compelled to share?

Example:
A speaker at a conference invites attendees to visit his booth with a free offer.
Visuals, headlines, or offers that stand out.

The Two Main Strategies for Reach the Market:

1. Reach all users continuously

Advertising works by reaching and nudging.
Not just tracking clicks, but building awareness over time.
When you run Facebook or Google ads, your brand stays top of mind, priming future purchases.

2. All users

This is more complex.
People move in and out of the market.
Repetition helps build memories, so when they’re ready, they think of you.

Example:
Someone sees your ad once a week; over time, they remember you.
Even if they don’t buy immediately, they’re primed for future.

Testing and Validating: The Roof of the Mansion

Why test?
Because we’re often wrong, and we don’t know it. Build into your strategy a process to test and validate.

How?

Start small to minimize risk.
Once validated, go big.

Start small:

For example, run Facebook ads with $100 or $1,000 depending on your size.
Jim Collins’ Great by Choice emphasizes starting small to stay safe.

Go big:

After testing, increase your budget to scale successful channels.
For example, if $1,000/month works, double it to $2,000/month.
Important:
Don’t skip either step.
Test small, validate, then scale.

Final Summary

Foundation: Build memories with a clear story and distinctive design.
Pillars: Maximize availability, reach the market, and test/validate.
Roof: Continuously test and validate to avoid costly mistakes.

If you found this helpful, let me know in the comments. If you have questions or want other videos, tell me there. And don’t forget: you can go through this process with our Marketing Mansion Checklist in the show notes.

See you next time!