content, white papers, guides, webinars, a robust annual If done well, evangelization tactics like this not only report, and other content, we’ve become a trusted and help build the category but will help you position your Part III: credible partner in the rehab therapy space – something company as its leader. Remember: when buyers see that A 30,000 I think is mission-critical when you’re carving out a you understand the problem the best, they will assume Foot View Of new, unknown category.” you have the best solution. Heidi continued, “We also host an annual conference Execute lightning strikes The Category called Ascend that’s open to anyone in the rehab therapy community – not just WebPT members – who Here’s the bad news. Even if you do a great job of Design Process want to learn how to improve business operations, their building content that promotes your category, it’s clinic’s bottom line, and excel as a therapy professional. probably not going to be enough to get the job done. Because we’ve focused on being advocates first and There are so many things competing for your audience’s foremost for the rehab therapy profession by putting attention, that in order to get them to sit up and engage out valuable educational content, we’ve become the in a new way of thinking, you’ll need to do something third-most sought-after resource for compliance and much louder to break through all that noise. billing in rehab therapy, behind only the Centers for That’s where “lightning strikes” (a term that the Play Medicare and Medicaid Services and the American Bigger team developed) come in. Lightning strikes are Physical Therapy Association. This has created a robust high-profile, high-effort, all-department blitzes that Writing and promoting funnel of prospective customers who already know involve a lot more than simply adding dollars to a and respect the WebPT brand because of what we’ve conventional marketing campaign. The goal is to shock “a book is one of the done in terms of education and advocacy. Because we’ve the world into seeing things in a new way and to see you most strategic things established that trust when they’re ready to implement as the inevitable category king. new technology, they think of us first.” Here’s the full you can do when interview with Heidi. The most famous example of a lightning strike is you’re trying to build a Salesforce’s No Software protest. The company stages Also, consider writing a book: this seems to be de a mock protest outside the venue where Seibel System category. rigueur for B2B category designers today. It’s what we (the leading on-prem CRM company) was holding ” did at BombBomb, and it’s been a huge asset in helping its annual event. Thousands of Seibel employees, — James Carbary us spread the word about the power of video messaging customers, partners, and analysts were forced to walk (check out Rehumanize Your Business12 by Ethan past these protesters, all of whom were demanding an Beute and Steve Pacinelli). Other examples include end to software as the world knew it. 13 Conversational Marketing by David Cancel and Dave 14 Here are further points on how lightning strikes differ Gerhardt, Inbound Marketing by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, ABM is B2B by Eric Spett and Sangram from traditional marketing campaigns: 15 Vajre, and Sales Engagement by Manny Medina, Max • M ore than marketing. Unlike an ad campaign, Altschuler, and Mark Kosoglow. lightning strikes will involve departments outside James Carbary, CEO of SweetFish Media and author of marketing. For example, you could turn a major 16 product release into a lightning strike that involves of Content-Based Networking , told me “Writing and promoting a book is one of the most strategic things you product, engineering, marketing, and PR. can do when you’re trying to build a category. I decided • High intensity. By their very nature, lightning to do just that with Content-Based Networking. I strikes require a high level of concentrated effort. actually just got a text from a possible customer telling Be prepared to break up your routine and commit me that he ordered a box of my books for his entire team to making them happen. that he wants me to sign.” The Newcomer’s Guide to Category Design 26