Luna Guo on LinkedIn: OkCupid: A case study on positioning strategy (2024)

As an #equestrian, I just need to complain for a moment because WE SUCK AT MARKETING.Goodness gracious we suck! We suck at figuring out who our consumers are (no, just "people who ride horses" is not a segmentation). We suck at branding because our world is still so antiquatedly word-of-mouth. We suck at explaining why lines within the brand are different. We suck at updating our products (yes, most horse-riding equipment hasn't changed much in centuries).And when we want new innovation? Let's just add some more colors! Sparkles, or glitter! And while that is all nice and fun, if it's not adding value to consumers' lives, you're not giving them a good reason to come back and buy more, particularly if it's a product where you wouldn't need duplicates of. I see this in the equestrian world all too frequently.So let this be a lesson: Wanting more purchases from customers goes beyond just adding new products. There are many levers that can be pulled here, but if you're pulling the innovation lever, the new products should serve a purpose. And that purpose should either address a pain point or otherwise add incremental value to current or a new segment of users. Never stop the process of putting consumer needs first.Rant over, Luna out.[Attached picture of my horse dressed in new items: A bright pad that serves the purpose of making us way more visible on roads, and new boots that protect his hooves and fit his changing sizes.]--I'm Luna and I talk about #insights, #strategy, #marketing, #growth, #animals, and whatever else may pop up in my interests. Reach out to discuss projects I can help you with. Follow me for more tidbits.

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If you think Shark Tank is scary, wait until you hear about the shark belly.This week on #WhatAnimalsTeachUs, I'm talking about the sand tiger shark. These sharks have the most ruthless battleground that starts even before they come into this world. In the womb, unborn baby sharks fight it out with each other to the death until ultimately only one emerges at the end. As a result of this brutal process, reproductive rate is only about 1-2 shark pups every 2-3 years. Unsurprisingly, the sand tiger shark is critically endangered and struggles with a declining population due to human threats.Competition is good. Competition is necessary, frankly. But what we can learn from sand tiger sharks is that too much, and too fierce of competition stifles growth. The impacts of high competition within industries range from high costs to misinformation to burnout to loss of innovation--which is ironically a main reason why competition is encouraged.Instead, let's turn the focus away from competition to where we can create partnerships, build better brands, and differentiate yourself for your unique audience. In tough, crowded spaces, we don't have to live like we're in the shark belly; We can find ways to grow together.--I'm Luna and I talk about #insights, #strategy, #marketing, #growth, #animals, and whatever else may pop up in my interests. Reach out to discuss projects I can help you with. Follow me for more tidbits.

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Never will you hear me say this again: 100% or not good enough.For those of you lucky enough to be in the path of totality (or traveling to it)… if the clouds don’t obscure a view, that is… Please enlighten the rest of us.https://lnkd.in/gHZGSnAd

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I walked into my local Costco the other day. This story could go many ways, including the ending of I walked away with too many items I hadn't planned for, which might be true but that's not the story I want to tell today.I meandered into the pet section and found--unsurprisingly--large sized everything for dogs. Food, toys, beds, you name it. Which is on brand for Costco.But folks, I live in the Seattle area, where dogs outnumber kids. This is the land of doodles and apartment-friendly sized fidos. And try as I might, I couldn't find food and beds and toys sized for small dogs. A slight miss if you ask me.Moral of this story is don't forget how important localization can be. For how many small dogs exist in Seattle, Costcos in this area might be better served stocking more items for their smaller furry friends.--I'm Luna and I talk about #insights, #strategy, #marketing, #growth, #animals, and whatever else may pop up in my interests. Reach out to discuss projects I can help you with. Follow me for more tidbits.

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It's spring here in the pacific northwest! And that means more #lessonsfromnature to be learned -- this time from all the flowering plants this season. Yes that's right, flowers can teach us something about effective #advertising and provide great examples of factors that make memorable advertisem*nts:🌸 Creative: Each type of flower has unique characteristics that make it stand out from others.🌸 Captures attention: From bright colors to sweet scents, flowers dominate at capturing attention. Think about how many tulip or cherry blossom festivals exist and the crowds they attract!🌸 On brand: Plants are usually the most memorable and identifiable when they flower. Arguably, the flowers *are* often the brands for the plants.🌸 Engaging content: It's not hard for people to want to engage with flowering plants, from smelling it to wanting to purchase it.🌸 Clear message and call-to-action: To pollinators, that message is unmistakably "come pollinate!" To humans--for we are absolutely infatuated by their flowers--plants have devised up an even more genius message: "Love me, grow much more of me, and help me reach locations that I could only have dreamed of". And they have succeeded brilliantly!I'm Luna and I talk about #growth, #strategy, #marketing, #animals, #nature, and whatever else may pop up in my interests. Reach out to discuss projects I can help you with. Follow me for more tidbits and at Luna Strategy Consulting LLC for more on my work.

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What does a beetle have to do with product launches?Meet this week's animal teacher, the Australian tiger beetle--or as I like to call him, Arthropod Brock. (Note: Zero scientific recognition of this name beyond this thread here). Arthropod Brock is so aptly named because he is an ultimate athlete, running up to 120 body lengths in a second. The human equivalent would be running 480 miles an hour--well past the speed of a racecar at top speed. That makes this beetle one of the fastest animals to exist in our world.But this speed comes with a price. You see, Arthropod Brock runs so fast that his brain literally cannot keep up. During a hunt, he often needs to stop multiple times during the chase to wait for his senses to catch up so that he can regain the ability to see where he's going.Here's what we can take away from this:While it is important to be prioritizing speed in launches, it's also just as important--if not more important--to be able to stop and assess the situation occasionally before continuing to move forward. Even if you are not starting the race blind, you can easily become blinded in the race. As issues arise or new information is revealed, it's prudent to take the time to assess whether or not the current strategy is still sound or if adjustments need to be made before speeding forward again. Just launching at speed means nothing if you lose your bearings along the way determined to end up at the finish line and instead end up with an irrelevant launch.I'm Luna and I talk about#insights, #growth,#strategy,#marketing,#animals, and whatever else may pop up in my interests. Reach out to discuss projects I can help you with. Follow me for more tidbits and atLuna Strategy Consulting LLCfor more on my work.#whatanimalsteachus#lessonsfromnature

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Can we talk about how the Tesla logo looks like an IUD?Like... I get that it's meant to be modeled after a cross-section of the electric engine. I get that as an overarching theme, they wanted Tesla as a brand to represent sexiness.But we can't deny the logo's uncanny resemblance to the contraceptive device. For those who see it *cough* women *cough*, the feeling around IUDs is certainly not sexiness. Ask women out there and the majority of sentiments surrounding IUDs are likely some version of negative but fulfills a purpose; Something that is still often associated with discomfort and not uncommonly, pain.Logos represent brands, which are meant to work through evoking emotions. I get the sense that the intent of the Tesla logo was probably not to evoke feelings of discomfort.Let's take the time to understand the diverse impacts that brands can have.#diversityisgoodbusiness #dei #women #brand #marketing

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Have you ever wondered why whitetail deer have their eponymous large white tails?Their signature tails are known for shooting straight up when they dash off startled. It seems counterintuitive to throw a bright fluffy flag up when you're running away from danger, as the white tail becomes an easy target for predators to follow. Why would one want to boldly announce their whereabouts, particularly when in danger?This behavior is called flagging, and whitetail deer do it to warn others. To us, it might not make sense for the individual. But for the deer, it's a selfless act for the sake of the herd.Running a successful team or business is much like that. Putting the good of the team before your individual gains is the mark of a strong leader. Protecting the team's well-being first ensures longevity as a whole.I'm Luna and I talk about#growth,#strategy,#marketing,#animals, #nature, and whatever else may pop up in my interests. Reach out to discuss projects I can help you with. Follow me for more tidbits and at Luna Strategy Consulting LLCfor more on my work.#whatanimalsteachus#lessonsfromnature

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