There are Laws of Nature, So Why Not Laws of Marketing?

Some twenty years ago or so, I took an interest in marketing. I was raised in a family of entrepreneurs and had spent my summer breaks working for my parents and their businesses. As a result, I gained a strong interest and passion for marketing and growing businesses. One of the classic and foundational books that I made an indelible impact on me was the book, “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing ” by Al Ries and Jack Trout. Both Al Ries and Jack Trout, world-renowned marketing consultants and bestselling authors, authored some of the most important books and articles on marketing.

In the book, both authors note that you can build an impressive airplane, but it will never leave the ground if you ignore the laws of physics, especially gravity. Why then, they ask, shouldn’t there also be laws of marketing that must be followed to launch and maintain winning brands? In The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, Ries and Trout offer twenty-two innovative, immutable laws for understanding and succeeding in the international marketplace. From the Law of Leadership to The Law of the Category, to The Law of the Mind, these valuable insights stand the test of time and present a clear path to successful products. Violate them at your own risk.

The book presents foundational marketing laws, why they are important, and their interdependencies. The laws are as follows:

1. The Law of Leadership

It’s better to be first than it is to be better.

There is an opinion that the main goal of marketing is to show prospects that your product, service, or solutions are better than the competition. Al Ries and Jack Trout believe this to be a myth. As proof, they cite the first law of marketing — the law of leadership.

It is both easier and better to get into the mind first than later to try to convince everyone that your product, service, or solution is better than the one that is already the first. One of the reasons why the first brand most often retains leadership is that its name becomes generic and synonymous with the product or solution. (Think “Kleenex”, “Scotch Tape”, etc.)

2. The Law of the Category

If you can’t be first in a category, set up a new category you can be first in.

When you introduce a new product to the market, you should ask yourself the question, “What category is this new product first in?”

The authors recommend thinking in categories, rather than focusing on the brand, as prospects are not interested in which brand is better since they already have their idea about it.

But when it comes to categories, potential customers become more open to offers. Everyone is interested in what’s new. If you are the first in a new category, promote this category. (Promoting the category grows the category and consequently your product or solution as being the first in the category.)

3. The Law of the Mind

It’s better to be first in the mind than it is to be first in the marketplace.

The “Law of the Mind” complements the “Law of Leadership.” Being first in the market is important only in so far as it allows you to be the first to enter the minds of prospects. The challenge is to put a concept or idea into the minds of potential customers. It’s extremely hard to change your mind when it’s already formed.

4. The Law of Perception

Marketing is not a battle of products, it’s a battle of perception.

Perception is how we live. Objectivity is a relative concept. There is no better product or service, there is only the customer’s perception. Some people think this product/service is the best, while others don’t. Most people think that they perceive the surrounding reality more correctly than others. But this is not the case.

Consumer consciousness is very difficult to change. Even though the consumer may be very poorly versed in the issue, they are sure that they are always right. The perception that exists in the mind is most often interpreted as an immutable truth. As a result, marketing should be based on the customer’s perception, not on the product or service.

There is a concept of second-hand perception when a consumer bases their purchase decision on someone else’s perception. This can make marketing even more challenging and difficult.

5. The Law of Focus

The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect’s mind.

To achieve success, you need to master the word in the mind of a prospect. This is the “Law of Focus.” The word should be simple and focus on the advantage. The word that the leader owns is almost imperceptible.

The leader has a word that means category. The essence of marketing is to narrow the focus. You will become stronger when you narrow the limits of your efforts, but you will not achieve anything if you do everything at the same time.

6. The Law of Exclusivity

Two companies cannot own the same word in the prospect’s mind.

The “Law of Exclusivity” means you can’t use words that other companies own in marketing. You should choose a unique word for your product or service so that in the future prospects will associate you with this word and not confuse you with other brands.

If a competitor owns a word or position in the mind of a prospect, it is useless to try to get hold of the same word. In fact, it can backfire by strengthening the position of your competitors, as you prove the importance of their concept.

7. The Law of the Ladder

The strategy to use depends on which rung you occupy on the ladder.

Becoming the first in the mind of a prospect should be your primary goal. However, some strategies can be used for brands number two and number three. Not all products are the same.

For each category, there is a ladder of products in prospects' minds, with the brand name on each rung. Your marketing strategy should depend on which step you have taken. Rule: the higher the better. Before launching any marketing campaign, ask yourself the following question: Where are we on the ladder in the prospect’s mind? Then make sure that your campaign is built based on what rung you are on.

8. The Law of the Duality

In the long run, every market becomes a two-horse race.

In the beginning, any category is a ladder with many rungs. Over time, only two steps remain on it. Often there is no obvious second leader in the market. Therefore, there is a chance to compete in this stage.

You need to do this because according to the law of perception, the consumer believes that the two leading brands that are at the top are the best in their field. Whether you take the second step or not will depend on your efforts and what kind of competitors you have.

9. The Law of the Opposite

If you’re shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader.

Study carefully the business that occupies the first place in the minds of prospects and offer them the exact opposite. Don’t try to be better than a leader but try to be different. Many contenders for second place are trying to surpass the leader. Al Ries and Jack Trout believe this is a mistake, and advise businesses to position their brand as an alternative versus the same.

10. The Law of Division

Over time, a category will divide and become two or more categories.

At first, there is one category, but over time it is divided into several segments. Each segment is a separate market where there may be a leader other than the original category. Categories are divided, not combined. You won’t be able to enter a prospect’s mind first if you aren’t prepared for the category to evolve.

11. The Law of Perspective

Marketing effects take place over an extended period of time.

The long-term effects often do not coincide with the short-term effects. Therefore, it is always necessary to remember that actions aimed at short-term effects can produce quick results, but in the long run, they will only do more harm than good. The authors advise focusing on long-term effects, as they will be able to support and develop your company.

12. The Law of Line Extension

There’s an irresistible pressure to extend the equity of a brand.

Companies are very tempted to expand their product line when their brand has achieved some success. But Al Ries and Jack Trout believe that trying to become everything for everyone is a strategy that will not bring positive results. Expanding the product line will only give your company a short-term effect (leadership in its field, increasing profits), because in the future, the more products, more markets, and more alliances the company makes, the less money it earns.

13. The Law of Sacrifice

You have to give up something to get something.

The “Law of Sacrifice” is the opposite of the “Law of Line Extension.” If you want to be successful today, you must give up something. Three things can be sacrificed: the product line, the target market, and constant change. According to this law, when you are willing to make sacrifices, it will bring you success.

14. The Law of Attributes

For every attribute, there is an opposite, effective attribute.

The mistake of many companies is that they want to exceed the strengths of the leader. This is a difficult path that usually fails. It is much better to look for the opposite attribute, which will give you the opportunity to play against the leader. Therefore, to be successful, you need to have a specific idea or attribute around which you will focus your marketing efforts.

15. The Law of Candor

When you admit a negative, the prospect will give a positive.

One of the most effective ways to introduce a prospect into the mind is to first recognize the negative aspects, and only then turn them into positive ones. When a company begins its message by acknowledging a problem, people begin instinctively to open their minds. The goal of candor is to establish an advantage that will convince your prospect.

16. The Law of Singularity

In each situation, only one move will produce substantial results.

Many marketers see success as the sum of many small steps in the right direction. But, as a rule, only one bold action works in marketing. There is only one place where a competitor is vulnerable. And this is the place that should be your goal. To find a single idea or concept, marketers need to know what is happening in the market. They need to be up to date.

17. The Law of Unpredictability

Unless you write your competitor’s plans, you can’t predict the future.

We can’t predict the future, so our marketing plans based on what will happen in the future are usually incorrect. Instead of making predictions, the authors recommend tracking trends. But do not conclude how far the trend will go. Otherwise, you run the risk of making a mistake.

While tracking trends can be a useful tool, market research is more likely to add to your problems than help you. Research primarily helps in assessing the past and trying to predict the future. The way through this is to create a very agile organization. As soon as changes come to your category, you need to be prepared for those changes and adapt as quickly as possible to survive and thrive.

18. The Law of Success

Success often leads to arrogance, and arrogance to failure.

When people are successful, they become less objective. They often substitute their own judgment for what the market really needs. Success often leads to a comprehensive expansion of the product line. Companies think that the main reason for brand success is the name, and as a result immediately start looking for other products that could have the same name on them.

The brand name doesn’t make the brand famous. The brand gets famous because you made the right strategic marketing moves. You were the first to enter the prospect’s mind, you narrowed the focus, and you got the right attribute.

19. The Law of Failure

Failure is to be expected and accepted.

You need to admit your mistakes and failures, this will allow you to quickly respond to the situation and thus try to fix everything. Al Ries and Jack Trout suggest openly reviewing the organization’s plans, this will reduce the arrogance of leaders and make the right decision.

20. The Law of Hype

The situation is often the opposite of the way it appears in the press.

As a rule, information that is in the media doesn’t accurately reflect the current situation. If you want to know what will happen, look at the other pages for small articles. There is some truth in the hype, but for the most part, the hype is the hype.

21. The Law of Acceleration

Successful programs are not built on fads, they’re built on trends.

A fad is accompanied by hype. A trend is not widely covered in the press or media. The trend is almost imperceptible, but it is very strong in the long run. A fad is a short-term phenomenon that can make a profit but does not last long enough to bring the company long-term success. A company often relies on fads in its development, not realizing that they are short-term and risky.

As a result, the company is burdened with overly expanded staff, expensive production equipment, and distribution networks. When the fad ends, the company often finds itself in deep financial debt. The most profitable position in marketing belongs to those who choose a long-term trend.

22. The Law of Resources

Without adequate funding, an idea won’t get off the ground.

Marketing is a game that takes place in the mind of a prospect. To get into the mind, you need money. And you need money to stay conscious after you’ve penetrated it. You will go further and faster with a weak idea and a lot of money than with a brilliant idea without money. Ideas without money are useless. But you have to use your idea to find the money, not the marketing help. Marketing will be added later.

Key Takeaways

Despite how old the book is and its laws, “The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing ” still offers great insights into marketing and building your products, services, and brands. At the end of the book, Al Ries and Jack Trout warn that many of the laws listed above challenge the established way of life and marketing, so you will face extreme difficulties in implementing them. However, if you manage to implement them, you are more likely to succeed.

About the Author

Bray Brockbank is CMO and VP of Strategy for?Brandegy , a specialized brand and digital marketing agency for technology companies. Bray has led marketing efforts for various B2B and B2C SaaS startups and tech enterprises. He has also served as a fractional CMO for several SaaS technology companies.