The Invisible Bird

When was the last time you stopped to listen to a bird?

In Mazatlan there are a whole lot of bird sounds that you can hear from our front and back balcony. But one has really caught our attention. It's loud, cacophonous and unrelenting - and invisible.

My wife and I think it's some kind of parrot in an intense mating ritual. But that's just a guess as we haven't spotted this loudmouth bird yet.

Given that I'm cursed with thinking of everything in terms of marketing, I can't help but think that this loud but invisible bird has a marketing lesson to teach.

Perhaps it's that you don't really believe something is real until you see it with your own eyes.

Or maybe it's that if something squawks loud enough you'll pay attention to its message even if you don't see it.

Possibly it means that if you can hear but not see something, you become more and more interested in it...

I don't know. But what I do know is that if you have the time to listen to strange birds with intense interest you must be on vacation!

I'm trying to do as little work as possible. We take a leisurely walk on the beach most days. A little swimming. A lot of reading. Plenty of naps. Guacamole and margaritas.

So... time to get back to my vacation. The regular, more in-depth eZine will be back next week.

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What marketing lesson do you think our invisible bird has to teach us? Please share on the More Clients Blog (Extra points for funniest!)

http://www.actionplan.blogs.com

Comments

[Yvonne Finn]

As marketing plans go, this bird or bird-like noise is a perfect example of some marketers efforts, make a splashy presentation but don't reveal yourself.

[Jennifer Kuta, Toronto]

Here's the lesson:

Stop Squawking and take action otherwise you will remain invisible to your prospects and clients. If you theory is correct about this poor bird's call - invisible to mates as well!

[Signa Strom]

During the summer I drive through our small Pennsylvania city and on the block that is occupied by an old stone Episcopal church with a high spire and open vents to the church bells I too can hear the call of an invisible bird. In fact, the sound you describe is the sound that I hear and which always makes me wonder how on earth a parrot could be living in PA in a church steeple, and why it never comes out. I'm not certain what the marketing lesson would be, although I do know that I'm so curious as to what type of creature it actually is (because I can't bring myself to believe it is a parrot) I want to break in to the church and climb the bell tower to find out!

[John Levy]

A squawking bird we can't see does arouse curiosity -- because we want to know if it LOOKS like something that has a reason to squawk.

Here in Point Reyes (in the National Park), we have a herd of Tule Elk. The males are huge creatures with big flat antlers. In the spring, during mating time, the elk call out -- with a squeaky high-pitched voice. It's quite an experience of cognitive dissonance, hearing what we think is a little voice from a big creature.

The invisible squawking bird leaves us to imagine a bird that is irritated, aggressive, and/or large. What's the bird's problem, we might ask. But all of this is our human tendency to create a story around the sound.

That's the lesson. The bird needs a Marketing Action Plan if it wants to achieve its objectives!

[Bruce Elkin]

Hola, Robert,
I'm pretty sure the bird is one of those Mynah birds from Aldous Huxley's "Island", telling you to quit thinking about marketing and "Be here now! Be here now!"
Best!
Bruce

[Zoe]

GREAT update. Funny to hear about your marketing focus in life tinting your view of mundane vacation details... that no, it's not a bird squawking, but it's a greater Marketing Message. I like that you cared enough about your group to give us a mini update, but also that you cared enough about your vacation to keep it short. It's also nice to vicariously enjoy your margarita and guacamole (and bird squawking), as the rest of us mainlanders toil away in the trenches. :)

[James Kershaw Niagara Falls, ON]

Could this be some "lullaby of birdland" or is it nature's annoying radio or TV commercial keeping us on the edges of our seats until we get back to the main feature?

[Fred Schebesta]

I think the invisible bird reminds me of that etherial marketing tactic we are all trying to find and use that we think will pull in thousands of clients. When really its just invisible and the idea is just a whole lot of noise in our heads. We should really be just focusing on improving what is already working.

[Jenny Mallos]

A margarita in the hand is worth more than one invisible bird squawking in the bush!!

[Aamer]

Its gawking quality sounds like a telemarketer: loud, invisible, interrupting and interfering in your time or thoughts and trying to sell you something you don't want, as well as wanting a commitment from you to be called again and when you will buy. Now if it were a trained canary(visible in cage), or a strawberry finch giving its mating call (invisible in the wild), one may want to listen at least. One may even want to hire it, given its sweet sounds!

[Ian Reid / Australia]

The strange noises the bird makes gains our attention, the invisability captivatures our curiousity and the birds beautiful song makes us feel comfortable and at ease. Sounds like a wonderful marketing plan to me.