This article was first published on the Online EU Training blog

Real marketing is not about the product or service or message you are trying to sell. It is about enlarging the frame and talking about the core idea that your product is part of. What does this mean?

A draft Durex project has done a remarkable job by not talking about their products (condoms) but about the reason why contraception is an issue. Nike does not talk about the shoes, it talks about having fun, doing sports outdoors, being part of the team. If you are the European PhotoVoltaic Industry Association (EPIA), do you talk about the technical specifications of solar panels or sell the idea of a sustainable, renewable energy source?

Customers, EU decision makers, stakeholders and citizens will make their choice when the time comes. Sometimes they will choose your competitor (or accept another industry association’s position instead of yours), but more often than not your credibility, visibility and attractivity will drive them to you.

In EU affairs, just like in commercial product marketing, your message will be heard and your idea will stick if you stop talking about yourself and starting selling the core idea you are ultimately fighting for. Rest assured, it will pay off.

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