In Part 1, I explored one cat's approach to marketing (attracting sustenance). Now in Part 2, we'll consider how Kramer, my other furry guru, manages his approach to getting what he needs; and once again there are lots of parallels to marketing strategies.
As a reminder, for this exploration, consider food and attention (sustenance) as the equivalent of sales/income (sustenance). Kramer's actions and antics are his marketing strategy and tactics. I am the Customer because I have the sustenance and Kramer wants some. He really wants some.
Unlike his buddy, Norton, Kramer tends toward a more sleek and sophisticated style, but he is not af
raid to flaunt his quirks. He can be a kind of "outside the box" guy (literally, but we don't need to go there.) And even more so then Norton, Kramer is perfectly content to ignore the Customer until he needs sustenance. In fact, he sets a whole new standard on what it means to ignore the Customer.
The foundation of Kramer's marketing strategy is quid pro quo...I'll do something for you, you give me food. And he has two categories of "something" that he gives in order to gain: entertainment and gifts with intention. Here's how it starts...
In the distance the Customer hears a muffled, though still surprisingly loud, deep vocalization. It gets louder and louder until eventually Kramer appears bearing a gift. His mouth is filled with a "mouse," which he will then drop on top of whatever is in front of Customer, looking pointedly at the Customer (ok...that's me) as if to say "I'll give you this fuzzy thing that kinds of looks like a mouse, that I have carefully brought right to you so you can't possibly miss it, and you give me that mouse substitute from the can, okay? Right. Now is good. Are you moving yet? Why aren't you moving yet? Hey! I'm talking to you! Yo! Customer!!!"
Sometimes he will decide that some Customer education is in order, and he will put said "mouse" in his empty dish and look intently at me, willing me to make the connection. He will then offer further guidance, herding me in the direction where sustenance can be found (the equivalent of walking the customer to the ATM so they can get the cash).
Occasionally, Kramer will pause to try to get some perspective (typically from the top of the cabinets), before moving into phase 2.
In phase 2, he shifts into the "entertaining communication" approach. In this phase he engages in a random flurry of activity, zooming around, trying to get through any open door, rolling around on the floor, and sitting up on his haunches and bending around so he is kind of looking at you upside down (I did say he was quirky, right?). All of this activity is accompanied by non-stop communication... "sweet talking." If there are no immediate results, "sweet talk" gives way to plaintive demands that sound an awful lot like "Now!"
He also has a fall back option...if sweet talk fails...he is not afraid to flat-out beg. And he is relentless. He does not stop until he is successful in "making the sale" and receiving sustenance.
And you can't argue with his success rate. Maybe there is something to be learned here.
...and we'll look at that in Part 3. Stay tuned.
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