I engaged with the participants at IYCF 2010 is Pakistan this week, telling them to Scatter, Gather, Matter. Whilst I’ll be posting a video next week to wrap up my experience of the week, I wanted to bring some understanding to what I mean by “Matter”.

Mattering is about creating platforms that enable and empower people for their lives. A platform is something that we build on top of. For instance, Facebook is a platform that we can build a social presence on. My church and the teaching we provide is a platform that people can live their lives on. Guardian’s Open API is a platform that bloggers and journalists can build their writing on.

Marketing Mattering

Smart organisations have positioned themselves like this for years. It’s nothing new, but before we didn’t really understand what it was that we were doing. It seems now that more and more service providers in particular are releasing that they must therefore market themselves as less of a service provider and more of a life enabler.

So, cue this video that I adore from Vodafone earlier this year:

This is how to market mattering – by showing how your platform enables people to live their lives in a more empowered way. Don’t focus on the platform, focus on the potential for life change. Don’t make it about the features of your platform, make it about the tangible benefits.

Your Leading Thoughts

  • How do you see the change from service provider to life enabler taking place amongst other brands?
  • How would you apply this in your market? (In order to help others learn from your application)

Archived Comments

  • http://www.tee-dp.com/ teedp

    I love this video! positive image ! Great
    I think this and Finding Nemo – show dads in positive role !

    Really important for business that we care for our customers ! Businesses are like a family – rather like Korash Sanjideh shared at our Creative Brkfst last October “The Key to a Good, Healthy Business”

    http://www.creativebrkfst.co.uk/?p=348

  • / Scott Gould

    Totally Nate – we need the positive father stuff