I wrote this article with a little help from Dr. Quantum.  Dr. Quantum teaches us about physics, so unless you’re an astrophysicist, you will get more value out of this article if you watch this 5 minute video.

Dr. Quantum is my favorite teacher for alternate views on business subjects.  This cute video on physics has everything to do with business and marketing.   Using this video as an analogy, it’s possible to extrapolate the concepts to analyze how marketing could work on a higher level.

I’m only talking about the first half of the video and clearly my knowledge of quantum physics is limited.  But in the smallest nutshell possible, Dr. Quantum teaches us that by sending particles through a slit if a board, the particles may or may or may not go through the slit and stick to the back board.

Extrapolate… Think of these particles as the individual messages that ad campaigns or marketing tactics attempt to send.  We see these particles/messages fired rapidly and frequently at consumers.  However, now think of the consumer as the board.  After taking into account tastes, preferences, demographics, and prejudices, you’re left with a tiny target to get your message through (think of the slit in the board).

So there you have it:  a company with a product firing messages at the consumers, just crossing their fingers to get it through the slit.

This challenge is massive.  And as Dr. Quantum taught us in the video, the result (the dots on the back board) are scattered. Not even all go through.

How do we get around this challenge to get each and every firing of particles through the slit to stick on the back board?

A couple ideas..

•    Fire less. Even better?  Don’t fire.  If you’re service or product is good enough and targeted enough, your consumer will come to you.
•    Let your consumer fire at you. What do people want more than products and services?  They want solutions to their problems.  (This is the root of business).  Therefore, let your consumer talk to you, ask you, and be proactive.
•   It’s not just a numbers game. More aim + more targets does not = more results or more profits.  Yes, there is strategy involved but no, you do not need to scale uncontrollably.  Success can be had if you calculate correctly, not multiply accurately.

Even further, how do you get more bang for your buck?  Fire one -- hit or miss.  But what if you could fire one and have the particle/ad/message self destruct into multiple messages to hit multiple targets?  Just some crazy thoughts.  Who knows….