If in Scripture, water is compared to the Word and the Spirit, and if water is two parts Hydrogen and one part Oxygen, and the two parts Hydrogen correspond to the two parts of the Word (Logos and Rhema), then what is the role of Oxygen (Spirit) in business, in terms of ongoing communication?
Let’s look at marketing…
Trees exhibit three forms of marketing that I’m aware of. There’s the transactional form of marketing where a tree produces a flower with pollen and nectar and shares that with a bee in exchange for a little service as it goes about pollinating the tree. Purely transactional.
The second form of marketing is informational / educational marketing which is where the tree sucks water out of the ground, pipes it up from the roots to the branches and then releases the water back into the atmosphere via a process called transpiration. It does this free of charge to serve their market area. Half of all the rain that falls in a rainforest comes from the trees themselves.
I consider it informational marketing because the water it releases is a type of the word which is information. Your marketing shouldn’t always be about your next sale. Provide value to your audience by educating them on topics relevant to your product or service.
The third form of marketing a tree does is in the release of Oxygen. Trees are the planets air filter, and they love CO2. The more, the better. They breathe in CO2 and exhale pure Oxygen. I liken Oxygen to the second attribute of water in the Bible – the Spirit.
In a natural context, Oxygen is that which gives life. In a marketing context, it is the breath of fresh air that lifts the spirits of others. You could say, it ministers life to the reader or hearer.
Think of it this way, spiritual communication is much different than sensual because the latter deals with the five senses, but the former speaks to the eternal.
When you want to inspire your marketplace with uplifting messages of life, release communication that has eternal elements to it, such as content that sparks faith, arouses hope and inspires love. Think of messages that embody Philippians 4:8 “whatever things are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy” share those things.
This is done by big companies all the time. Take a look at these three commercials. They tug at the heart and make a lasting impression. These companies spent untold millions on these commercials and did many more like them because they communicate something of a spiritual nature like love and loyalty, which their market responds to.
(The following three ads may show an unrelated ad at the start, which you can skip after 6 seconds)
Remember… Be the positive voice of inspiration in your market. Not all marketing should be transactional in nature. When you include educational and inspirational marketing as part of your overall marketing strategy, you inform and inspire your market, and they will respond favorably.
Thanks for reading and I would love to hear your comments about this article and which of these ads was your favorite. (I’m not an advocate for any of the products shown… Just using their commercials as real life examples.)
Watch for my next blog where I’ll be talking about the really big factor Paul attributed success to. Hint: It wasn’t planting and it wasn’t watering. Make sure you subscribe below so you never miss an inspiring message like this one!
I really liked the P & G ad, especially with the Olympics coming soon. Very human, very emotional. My first job out of university was with P & G, selling toothpaste and diapers in Chicago. I now try to incorporate a personal touch in the remodeling industry. That, plus God’s favor really helps!
Hi Jim… Thanks for that backstory. May God richly bless your efforts my friend!
I was crying full tears at the end of the last commercial! I sent you an email too. I really ‘understood’ this blog. Thanks for your consistent shares etc, Michael.
Hi Oberhiri… Thank you for sharing and for your beautiful email. You encouraged us greatly!
Blessings, Michael
Beautiful and powerful! Thank you for sharing this Michael!
Me too Daniel. Thank you brother!
Good evening, my favorite one was the lost dog. It tugged at my heart because I am a pet parent. Another thing, when the puppy was in a vulnerable position facing the wolf, a force of reinforcement showed up and warded off the danger. Even though the puppy made an attempt to protect himself, he was simply no match for the wolf. Sometimes, that’s the way it is in our lives. The enemy will shoot various types of arrows at us in an effort to distract, harm, or keep us off focus. However, our Heavenly Father always has a ram in the bush. He always sends reinforcement in the form of intercessors, angel’s working on our behalf and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I absolutely loved this commercial. It was very inspiring.
Good object lesson Lartyania! I loved that one too!