Texas Tech Tuesday – Challenge Organizational Traditions / Assumptions

November 12th, 2008

When Michael Lewis wrote his article on Coach Leach and the Texas Tech Football program, that program was known as an offensive powerhouse that relied on sheer scoring power to outgun opponents. Its defense wasn’t mentioned in that article, and one can only guess the omission was intentional. Just look at their game results against Texas and OSU for 2005-2008:

What you can see is that up to 2007, Texas Tech continually increased it’s offensive scoring, but to mixed results – because Texas and OSU still outscored them. Texas Tech’s defense was losing these big games. So immediately following his team’s 2007’s bitter loss to OSU, Coach Leach changed defensive coordinators.

And after that, well, you can see for yourself: Texas Tech is undefeated this season and the major game-changing difference in their match-ups against Texas and OSU wasn’t the ability to score more points, but to hold those other teams’ offenses to significantly fewer goals.

So what does this have to do with Web Optimization?

In tougher times, most companies reinforce their strengths; doing what’s worked well before. But few are really willing to look at their organizational assumptions and weaknesses head-on.

In terms of web optimization for hard times, it might not be just a matter of improving website performance, it might be a matter of changing the offer. Or changing the emotional appeal behind the offer. Or the guarantees and risk-reversals that you’re using.

Roy Williams has addressed this issue over several Monday Morning Memos and I think his analysis and advice has only grown more relevant as the months have passed by:

Expect more people to be hardheaded in judging value.
Be willing to expand beyond your current comfort zone and offerings/marketing in order to reach and convert these skeptical, hard-nosed value shoppers.
Expect stories and long copy to make products and services more saleable (faster to sell and more easily sold), but test very carefully before concluding they’ll allow you to sell them at higher prices.

So what about you and your Website: are you looking beyond what you’ve always done well? What assumptions are you changing and what competitive weaknesses are you looking to shore up?

In Accountable Marketing, Customer Experience, Customer Focus, Customer Insight, Improving Conversion, Optimization Tactics, Persuasive Scenarios, Planning Methodology, ROI Marketing, Selling Process, Value, Website Optimization

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Comments (6)

Texas Tech Tuesday - Challenge Organizational Traditions / Assumptions - News: Everything-e -
November 12th, 2008
11:29 am

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SEO Expert Inc.
November 13th, 2008
1:44 am

Here at SEO Expert Inc., we are expanding beyond our roots of promoting ourselves via SEO (search engine optimization) and have recently begun using CPC (cost-per-click) marketing to try and experiment with something new.
Tertius
November 13th, 2008
11:59 am

Agreed. Testing assumptions is something you have to just start doing.

I do this naturally, still I get caught off guard every now and again.

Good to be reminded.
Fearlessly Stupid (dirt)
November 17th, 2008
12:49 pm

Interesting analogy JS … but like the giant offensive line, you still need other players to score … why not delve into how the WEB needs to be integrated into the COMPANY STRATEGY … not just the marketing plan.

And expect a nail biter in Norman this Saturday night.
Scott Salwolke
November 21st, 2008
1:35 am

Looking forward to the game this Saturday and in anticipation I’m rereading your stories. To me one of the most insightful comments is about SEO in tough economic times. To change the offer or the emotional appeal. To me emotional appeal is one of the key ingredients for successful conversions.
seo
July 2nd, 2009
8:51 am

With your assumption I might have to agree some how because there many other possible ways you can go out of trouble times. It depends on the individual who is planning and managing the campaigns.