As a kid, I used to go fishing with my dad sometimes, usually off the rocks around Sydney’s northern beaches. He was a good fisherman, often came home with dinner when others around caught nothing.
His explanation of his relative success was hard for a kid to understand, a combination of the tides, moon, time of year, the spot he picked, and some mysterious concoction brewing under the house called ‘Burley’.
Burley he told me, was a brew he varied depending on the fish he thought would be around, making it easier for them to find him, and willingly receive bait that was irresistible, but hiding a hook.
Not a bad metaphor for marketing.
Focus on the most likely target given the conditions
Go to where they might be found
Spread around something irresistible to them to attract lookers
Ensure you have the right bait when they turn up
Heat up the pan to receive the ‘incoming’.
Marketing ‘burley’ is a tricky thing to get right, so find someone with the experience and knowledge to ensure your mix works.
Image credit: Hatalina via Flikr
