The Only Thing Big About Your Company Is Your Ego

There are very few examples of customers benefitting from “how big” a company is. We hear it all the time: We are the biggest engineering company in Texas, We are the largest computer manufacturer in the US, We are the biggest employer in the mid-west, Titanic: the largest ship ever built. I saw a recent Edward Jones Financial commercial that delighted in sharing how many financial advisors they had. Does that help me? Can I truly benefit from 13,000 financial advisors or do I need to know that there are a few in my area that share my beliefs about investing?

Marketing that leads with size only works if your customer benefits (on their terms) from this size. Verizon advertises that they have America’s largest 3G coverage. That, I can benefit from. While traveling I’m taking advantage of wide and hopefully reliable coverage. A Big Gulp works (bear with me) because it satisfies the needs of those people who need to drink soda by the gallon rather than the sip.

“Big” in marketing is more tied to ego than to customer benefits. We are still reminded of the banks that were “Too Big to Fail”. How did that work out for us? “Big” is associated with mass production, poor quality, lack of personalization. I can’t get emotional or feel any kind of connection with a company that leads with this message. I need more, I need a hook.

Size can matter, but only if I’ll ever need to access all of the benefits of such size. Otherwise, tell me why you matter to me and me alone. I’ll probably like that more.