The important and component of Internal marketing?

How can a company like Harry's (shaving stuff) compete with marketing giants such as Gilette? Does it rely on a "viral" component which is totally unpredictable?

• Answer:

  The first thing you need to know is the similarities between Harry's and Gillette stop at being razor manufacturers. While Gillette produces a fine quality razor (I've purchased many and will probably buy Gillette again when I need new razors), their product is a commodity that 99% of the market will consider buying. Consider the people who drink Coke/Pepsi, shop at Walmart/Target, eat at McDonald's/Burger King. The vast majority of shoppers in America has been just fine with these choices. They like it, it's the same product wherever you go, so why change? But everybody has that one thing. It's a different thing for everybody, but there's at least one thing everybody does not want to compromise on. For some people it's the car they drive, the clothes they wear, or the food they eat. For Harry's customers that one thing is their razor. They want a better shave and are willing to pay a little more for it. What makes Harry's exceptional is their products don't seem to be all that expensive. Their starter sets cost more than Gillette's, but if it's a higher quality razor then why not, right? Plus, the price for Harry's razor refills actually looks cheaper than Gillette's. That's two marks for Harry's: high quality at a very reasonable price. But, it doesn't stop there. Harry's also has their "Give a Shave" program. From their website (http://www.harrys.com/give-a-shave): "For every Harry's order that's delivered, we donate one blade (or an  equivalent dollar value) to an organization that supports our mission of  helping people to look and feel great." That can resonate with a lot of people, especially the kind of person willing to pony up a little more upfront for a quality product. "So for every dollar I spend at Harry's is also like donating that same amount of money to charity? Sold!" The kind of person who would seek out a company like Harry's sees their offer as a complete win for them. They are a company that is truly remarkable in the customer's eyes. That word - remarkable - is key to the viral component of your question. Nothing about a company or product can go viral without someone wanting to remark about it. If you're looking to make something go viral it will be very hard. You need to create something that people will WANT to make viral. Virality is only as unpredictable as the thing you want to go viral is remarkable. After looking over Harry's business it's no wonder they went viral. If you'd like to learn more, I'd suggest reading Seth Godin's blog and his books. He writes in a short, easy to understand way that gets to the point and leaves you feeling like you truly learned something.