When it comes to personality, the
Friends group each bring something unique to the table and marketers can learn something from each one of them.
From headstrong Monica to easy-going Joey, it is
essential to tune into the different elements that build a strong brand identity and the ultimate dream team.
media update’s Talisa Jansen van Rensburg takes some inspiration from their quirky friendship to dig a little deeper and show what you can learn from each of them.
1. Always have a plan like Monica
Remember that time
Chandler cleaned the apartment, upsetting Monica because it wasn’t up to her high standards? It’s the same with your marketing plan; you already know what you want the end result to be, so grab your audiences’ attention and
keep it by being organised and prepared for
anything.
Consumers have an
extremely short attention span, which means you need to be clear about how you want your brand to be received. And the best way to get the response you want from them is to have a clear-cut marketing plan that you
know will work. This means organising everything from your brand messages to your content, which will help you avoid any unpleasant surprises along the way.
2. Believe in yourself like Rachel
If you want to succeed, you have to believe in yourself — just like Rachel does. Working at a job she hated and eventually having the courage to enter the career space she
actually wanted is the same type of mindset you need when considering your goals.
So don’t be afraid to share those amazing ideas with your team; it might just be the key to your brand reaching new levels.
3. Be honest like Phoebe
Phoebe is incredibly honest with her friends; if she doesn’t agree with something, she’ll voice her concerns. And if she doesn’t want to do something, she’ll be the first to let everyone know.
To be like Phoebe, you need to be honest, transparent and authentic at
all times — that way, you will be able to build a strong relationship with your team and target audience.
Speaking of being honest, there is nothing more truthful than statistics and insights. That’s why it’s important to take note of what your
monthly stats are telling you to better understand your consumers and to see which of your marketing efforts are performing the best.
4. Be humorous like Chandler
One of the best ways to encourage audience engagement is a keen sense of humour. Enter Chandler Bing: a perfect example of how marketers can approach their consumers. Now, we’re not talking about being sarcastic, of course — but all of the other things that make Chandler the loving and funny character that he is.
You can incorporate humour into your marketing efforts
by making use of memes on social media, telling lighthearted stories in your advertising campaigns and by tweaking content on your online platforms. However, if your brand’s voice and personality do not allow for humour, why not just tickle your funny bone while you’re at work?
Having a sense of humour on the job encourages ideas to flow more freely. This is because when a person laughs, it “
triggers the release of endorphins — the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.” Laughing also makes you feel good, which will allow you to come up with new and creative innovations for your marketing campaigns.
5. Never give up just like Ross
Working in marketing means that you constantly need to appeal to your clients and customers to ensure their loyalty. This is where brands can learn from Ross. He pursued Rachel relentlessly, and most importantly, he never ever gave up! This is exactly the kind of attitude you need to have when trying to gain your audience's attention and build a loyal following.
This is
especially true when you’re trying a new strategy; although things might seem a bit bleak at first and you’re not seeing immediate results, give it time. If anyone ever judges you for being patient and waiting, just remind them: “
We were on a break!” — and keep on trying.
6. Be forgiving like Joey
Joey is probably the most laid back character on the show, making him quite merciful (remember when he
forgave Chandler for getting together with Kathy?). And there’s definitely something marketers can learn from this: humility and forgiveness.
As a marker, there will come a time where your ideas did not go according to plan and you should never not be too hard on yourself. Even though you feel as if you have let your team down, they will forgive you — and you should forgive yourself, too.
If a crisis strikes, the best thing to do is learn from the mistakes and focus on new ways to improve on those issues, like
having a plan in place for next time to prevent it.
Which Friends character do you relate to the most? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.