There are certain immutable laws for marketing, just like there are laws of thermodynamics and the universe at large.
Twenty-two to be precise.
In their book, “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing,” Al Ries and Jack Trout explore and outline each of these laws in distinct detail.
Let’s briefly go over each of the 22 laws.
Law #1: The Law of Leadership
Being first is better than being better.
You will have an advantage over the competition if you are the first one in the market. The law of leadership applies to any industry, product, service, or brand.
Rather than trying to convince potential customers that your product is the better choice, it is better to create a category that you can be first in.
The product that was released first is usually seen as the better product by people. Marketing is about people’s perceptions and not the products or services themselves.
Many times have you said you wished you could make a copy of something using a Xerox machine, even if the machine you’re using is not actually a Xerox? Or used Kleenex tissue paper, even if it’s a generic brand, because that’s the brand that came to mind first?
Law #2: The Law of Category
This means that if you are not the best at something, you should create a new category or standard that you can be the best at.
People are primarily interested in things that are new rather than things that are better. If there is already a lot of competition in your industry, you need to start thinking differently.
When releasing a new product or service, don’t worry about how it’s better than the competition. Instead, think about what category it falls into and if it’s the first of its kind. The goal is to always be first.
If you are the first business in a new category, you should focus on promoting the category, not the individual product. This will help you establish a lead over any future competition.
Although the first personal computer was created by IBM, the first company to sell their computers by phone was Dell. Even though Marie Curie was not the first woman scientist, she was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.
Law #3: The Law of The Mind
It is better to be the first thing that somebody thinks of than it is to be the first thing available.
After you have decided on something, how hard is it to change your mind?
The law is designed to ensure that companies are able to compete on a level playing field when it comes to marketing. Being first in the “mind” is essential for companies in terms of marketing, and this law aims to create a level playing field so that companies can compete fairly.
This law modifies the first law, asserting that being first in the market is only important if you can win over the customer’s loyalty.
Once someone has made up their mind, it will be difficult to change it, no matter how much you spend on marketing. In fact, trying to change their mind is one of the most wasteful things you can do.
A simple brand name is one way to make sure your company resonates with potential customers.
Law #4: The Law of Perception
Marketing is not a competition between products, it is a competition of how people perceive those products.
The only thing that matters in marketing is how the prospect perceives the product or service. Everything else is just an illusion. There are no “best” products or services, only the ones that are perceived as such by the customer.
If you believe that the success or failure of your marketing plan rests solely on the shoulders of your product, you are mistaken.
Marketing a product is all about how people perceive it, regardless of the actual quality or features. This perception creates reality.
Honda is a car manufacturer that is known for its high quality and reliability in the United States. However, in India, Honda is best known for its motorcycles and its car sales are nowhere near other brands. If quality was all that mattered, then Honda would have the same position in all markets.
Law #5: The Law of Focus
The most successful marketing campaigns are those that manage to get a particular word or phrase stuck in the minds of their target audience.
If you thought of IBM, you might have said “computers.” If you thought of Intel, you probably said “computer chips.”
The most important aspect of marketing is figuring out what you want your brand to be known for and making sure all your marketing efforts reflect that.
If you try to do everything, you won’t be remembered for anything.
The simpler this focus or this “word”, the better.
The law of leadership states that the large corporations who are already the leaders in their market have a word in their category. For example, FedEx owns the word “overnight.”
If you don’t hold a leadership position in your market, you need to focus on a word with a clear, benefits-based focus – no matter how complicated your product is.
Once you have your word, you must do everything you can to make sure it is successful in the market.
Law #6: The Law of Exclusivity
Your company cannot have the same word in a potential customer’s mind as another company.
The law of exclusivity states that you should not try to use a word that is already being used by someone else.
If your competition has already claimed a word and it is ingrained in the minds of potential customers, it is not worth your time or money to try and overtake it.
When Burger King tried to take over the word “fast,” they couldn’t compete with McDonald’s. FedEx couldn’t take over the word “worldwide” from their competitor DHL.
Law #7: The Law of The Ladder
The strategy you use depends on your position on the ladder.
The marketing strategy you should use depends on your position in the market.
It is not a secret that when a person is making a decision, they have a ranking system in mind.
If you pretend to be something you’re not, it can backfire since the person you’re talking to has probably already made up their mind about you.
If you’re not the top dog in your field, you need to use a different marketing strategy that plays to your strengths.
In spite of being the first in the fast-food industry, McDonald’s did not opt for the “fast” image but rather chose to go with “fresh, never frozen” to set themselves apart and compete with the bigger fast-food restaurant chains.
Law #8: The Law of Duality
In the end, every market will be dominated by two companies.
As you mature in the category, you will be able to move up the ladder, claiming a higher and higher rung. When you first start out in a new area, you may be at the bottom of the ladder with lots of people above you. As you become more experienced, you will be able to move up the ladder and be in a higher position than before.
It is the way capitalism works. There will eventually come a point where the leading companies in a market will compete for market share, rather than continuing to grow at the same rate. This is a natural occurrence in capitalism.
Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts. Google and Yahoo.
Law #9: The Law of Opposite
If you want to come in second place, your strategy depends on who is in first.
The company should turn the leader’s strength into a weakness.
The key to being a successful leader is to be different than those who have come before. Discover what it is that made them successful, and then do the opposite. This will make you stand out from the rest and prove that you are a true leader.
Law #10: The Law of Diversion
A category will eventually split into two or more categories over time.
A category begins with a single entity, but eventually breaks off into smaller segments. Leaders are hesitant to launch a new brand to cover a new category for fear of what will happen to their existing brands.
If you want to be successful in exploiting a new category, you have to be aware of the timing. If you’re too early, you might not be successful.
It’s better to be prepared and arrive early than to be late. If you want to be the first one in your prospect’s mind, you’ll have to be okay with spending time waiting for things to happen.
Law #11: The Law of Perspective
The effects of marketing take place over a period of time.
Just because something provides short-term gain doesn’t mean you should sacrifice long-term planning.
When a company holds a sale, it may see increases in its balance sheet in the short term. However, in the long run, it is actually telling its customers that the best time to buy its products is when there is a sale, which hurts profits and the bottom line in the long term.
Law #12: The Law of Line Extension
There’s a strong temptation to make the equity of the brand more evenly distributed.
The law of line extension, which states that a company should not extend its brand to new products unless there is a very strong connection between the new product and the original product, is the most violated law.
You will cause problems for yourself if you try to make everyone happy.
Line extension involves introducing a new product with a familiar brand name in order to capitalize on the success of the original product. However, this strategy is rarely successful in the long run due to intense competition.
Law #13: The Law of Sacrifice
You have to give up something in order to get something.
The law of sacrifice states that in order to be successful, you should give something up. This is the opposite of the law of line extension, which states that you should try to extend your reach as much as possible.
There are three things to sacrifice:
- Product line
- Target market
- Constant change
If you want to be successful, you should reduce the number of products you offer, not increase it.
Law #14: The Law of Attributes
For every attribute, there is an attribute that is effective in the opposite way.
Since Crest owned the cavity market, other toothpastes avoided that market and instead marketed themselves based on attributes such as taste, whitening, and breath protection.
The key to success in marketing is to have a unique selling point or attribute to focus your efforts around. Without one, you will only be able to compete on price.
Law #15: The Law of Candor
The prospect will give you a positive when you admit a negative. If you admit to something negative, the prospect will respond positively.
You have to use the law of candor with great skill and care. First, the thing you’re calling a “negative” must be seen as a negative by most people. It has to create an instant agreement in your prospect’s mind. If the negative doesn’t register quickly, your prospect will be confused and will wonder what you’re talking about. Next, you have to shift quickly to the positive. The purpose of candor isn’t to apologize. The purpose of candor is to create a benefit that will convince your prospect.
Law #16: The Law of Singularity
There is only one move that will produce substantial results in each situation.
Although history can provide some useful insights, it should not be relied on too heavily when making marketing decisions since rhe future cannot be predicted with certainty. This is especially true if you do not have access to your competitors’ plans.
Law #17: The Law of Predictability
In order to predict the future, you must first understand your competitors’ plans. Without this knowledge, you will be at a disadvantage.
If you think that everything will stay the same, you are predicting the future as much as if you think things will change. Always be prepared for the unexpected.
One strategy for dealing with an unstable world is to have a lot of flexibility within your company. When there are big changes in your industry, you need to be prepared to change quickly if you want to stay in business for the long term.
Law #18: The Law of Success
Success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure.
If you’re successful, it’s easy to become arrogant and think you’re better than everyone else. But eventually, that arrogance will lead to your downfall.
Success often leads to line extensions that can be fatal for a brand. When a brand is successful, the company assumes that the name is the primary reason for the brand’s success. So they look for other products to plaster the name on.
If you associate yourself strongly with your brand or corporate name, you’re more likely to make the mistake of line extension.
If a company is large, the chances are higher that the person in charge has become disconnected from what is happening with the people who interact directly with customers.
Law #19: The Law of Failure
Failure is to be expected and accepted.
There is a tendency for companies to try and fix things that are not working well, rather than just dropping them.
Recognizing and admitting failure early on is crucial for having a successful career. By admitting failure and doing something about it, you give yourself the opportunity to learn and improve from the experience.
Law #20: The Law of Hype
The press often paints a picture of a situation that is different from what it really is.
When a company is doing well, it doesn’t need hype. When you need hype, it usually means you’re in trouble.
Law #21: The Law of Acceleration
This is an excerpt from an article about successful education programs. The author is saying that programs that are built on fads, or temporary trends, are not likely to be successful in the long run. Programs that are built on longer-term trends, however, are more likely to be successful.
The difference is important: a fad will never become a tide. However, a trend that’s popular enough can, over time, become a tide. A fad is a fad because it’s not popular enough to be a trend. In order to become a trend, a fad has to be around for a while and get a lot of hype. Once a trend gets enough hype, it can become a tide.
Don’t get caught up in trends and when they start to die down, don’t try to revive them. A way to keep people interested in your product is to never completely satisfy the demand.
Law #22: The Law of Resources
Without enough money, an idea won’t become a reality.
Adequate resources are required for all marketing. It costs money to get into the mind of a prospect, and it may cost even more money to keep that place.
If you want your idea to become a reality, you need to invest money into it. Without financial backing, your idea is likely to remain just an idea.
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