Marketing Isn't a Vending Machine

I've always had a bit of a fascination with vending machines. While I haven't visited yet, Japan is famous for its unique and creative vending machines, making it a dream destination for someone like me.

Japan has over 4 million vending machines, the most per person in the world. While the USA has more machines overall, Japan's creativity and diversity in vending machine offerings are unparalleled.

You can find vending machines that sell the usual items like food, drinks, ice cream, toys, and toiletries. But they also have more unusual things, like treasure boxes with surprise contents, umbrellas, and even edible insects. I read somewhere you can even get a date through a vending machine. Not that I’m in the market.

The magic of vending machines lies in their instant gratification. Push a button, get what you want. Simple.

Some people also treat b2b marketing like a vending machine. Sending too many cold emails, creating too much promotional content, pushing hard for your time, or asking for your contact details before giving you any useful information. Pushing buttons for instant gratification.

Most of the times this happens because there's a lot of pressure from management or clients to get more leads with a small budget. It doesn't work. Marketing is more than just pushing buttons for quick results.

Instead, focus on building relationships, understanding what customers need, and creating long-term value. Tell your management. Educate your clients.