From A-to-Zuko, Grease Is The Word To Electrify Your Marketing

This pop culture classic is iconic. And I love it in all forms, from the 1978 movie to Broadway to the live televised musical to the Dancing with the Stars theme week. Best of all, there are 8 marketing takeaways that the kids of Rydell High School will teach you. I know what you’re thinking, tell me more!

1. Frame your message for your audience.

Sandy and Danny had a unforgettable teenage-dream summer romance. While each highlighted entirely different aspects of their summer nights, their audiences were engaged with their primary messages. The retelling of their experiences would have been much less impactful if the audiences were swapped. Follow their lead and tailor your message to your audience.

2. Grease is the word.

And repetition is crucial for the success of your marketing. Grease (Is The Word) repeats the word Grease 14 times. What’s the song about? Grease. What’s the movie about? Grease. What’s this tip about? Repetition. Repetition helps people remember. Plus, your prospects don’t read your emails or letters word-for-word. And they certainly don’t spend months thinking about each marketing campaign. What seems redundant to you will build familiarity with your audiences.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask.

Marty wasn’t afraid to ask deployed Freddy to send her a souvenir, or maybe a letter. All of your marketing communications need to include a clear CTA so the audience knows what action to take next. It can feel awkward to ask, but you’re only making offers that your audience wants, right?

4. Marketing can be transformative.

The T-Birds worked hard to turn their beat up clunker into a automatic, systematic, hydromatic Greased Lightening. Your marketing can transform a product, a service, or even an entire company’s revenue. It just takes a little elbow grease.

5. There are worse things you can do.

You’re going to make a lot of mistakes in your marketing career. It’s an art, as much as it is a science, and requires a Rizzo-thick skin. But to not take the chance on an A/B test? That’s the worst thing you could do.

6. You won’t be good at every part of marketing.

Despite the fact that modern marketing job descriptions include everything from designing logos to prospect research to paid social ads, you likely won’t have experience in (or even enjoy!) every part of marketing. It’s healthy to know what parts of marketing aren’t for you and when to walk away from an opportunity. Even Frenchy had to reassess her aspirations after she flunked shampoo.

7. Get a crew.

Whether you’re a Pink Lady or a T-Bird, gather a group of people who will hold you accountable to your marketing career goals. There’s nothing like having a professional squad help you think through your ideas. The matching jackets are optional, but couldn’t hurt.

8. The goal of your marketing is the same as the outcome of Grease (sans the flying car).

You want your prospects to say, “You’re the one that I want!” Marketing may have many goals and strategies, but it’s ultimate purpose is to support sales and get your prospects to choose you.