Marketing Like Simon Cowell (Part 2)

A few days ago, I wrote about American Idol judge, Simon Cowell and his insights in marketing and positioning a business (Part 1). We can use many of his infamous quotes as marketing lessons.

This series of Simon Cowell quotes comes from photos.extratv.warnerbros.com:

“If you’ve got a big mouth and you’re controversial, you’re going to get attention.”
This goes back to the notion that bad press is still press. You can get attention for good and bad things. Hopefully you’ll get attention for the things you do right, but if you make a mistake, don’t think no one will notice.

“It’s like you want one scoop of ice cream and you got eleven. It was almost too much.”
Don’t hit me too hard or too often. I want to be part of your brand community, but I don’t want to be inundated by your brand. Remember to think like your customer and put yourself in their shoes.

“You sound like everyone else.”
This is one of my favorites and I don’t think it needs much explaining. It means you’re boring, you don’t stand out, and you look just like, said company. I’ve actually seen three local flooring companies with the exact same website (template). Why should I choose you over them? Help me make that decision. Better yet, make me make that decision.

“The object of this competition is not to be mean to the losers, but to find a winner. The process makes you mean because you get frustrated.”
This is something you will hear from clients. After reviewing 50+ RFPs, no one stands out or seems qualified to do the job. Do your clients a favor by standing out. Tell them why you’re the best and after you win the job, prove it to them. Referrals and testimonials are the best way to get new business… and to refer more your way.

Do you think Simon Cowell would make a good marketing director? What would be some pros and cons of having Simon on your team? What about working for him?