Honest Marketing Tips from Mister Rogers

1.) Relationship-Building Trumps Flashiness:

Mr. Rogers replaced flashiness by building an honest relationship with his viewers, by making the show constantly address "our" concerns...at least as best a television personality might do in the days of a one-way medium. Most of the time, it was him directly addressing his viewers. He took us on trips to see a few guests. And he had people stop by.

2.) Don't Promise More Intimacy than You Can Deliver:

Mr. Rogers often looked into the camera, and he said something along the lines of, "I've really enjoyed talking with you this week. I hope I have answered a few of the questions you've had. I really wish I could know each and every one of you personally, but unfortunately this television show is the only way we have to talk. If you have other questions that I haven't answered, find someone you love and who loves you in your own life and ask them." Really, is there a more perfect mindset that brands should take, online or off?

For brands that appeal to a large customer base, the company cannot have personal relationships with everyone. Social media provides a way to be more conversational, to give a venue for customer contact when they have a problem, etc. The key is to take the appropriate tone with customers, to demonstrate approachability but also be honest about the limits, lest customers be disappointed.

3.) Be Consistent in Who You Are and What People Should Expect from You:

From Fred Rogers' first show in 1968 until his last in 2001, surprisingly little changed about Fred Rogers. That's in part because his brand stood as a calm in the changing seas of culture. There were many subtle shifts in the nuances of his shows: the anxieties he addressed and the topics he covered. But Fred always found a way to address them from the standpoint that people expected from his brand. Mr. Rogers was a trusted friend we could always return to. Brands should be responsive to culture, should have their ears on the latest changes: but they should do so always remembering why audiences might come to them and respecting the audience's desires in the process.

4.) Customers' Questions Are Worth Answering:

Mr. Rogers took us seriously, asked us what our pain points were, and offered the best solution he could. Brands might be well served to do this a little more often for their customers.

5.) Brands Can Take a Stand:

Despite his calm demeanor, Mr. Rogers was known for taking a stand for what he believes in, in a way that was consistent with his public persona. Brands too often shy away from supporting something, or else--when they do--their "causes" are disjointed from the work the company does and what they stand for.

Mr. Rogers saw the value of cultivating his own brand. But he did so in a quiet and dignified way that made the tone and authenticity of his show--and his relationship with viewers--unmatched by any television property ever seen before or after. And, as I consider how many marketers likely grew up with the words of Fred Rogers guiding their way as kids, I can't help but think that we've all too often strayed away from some of those first lessons we heard as children.

Excerpts from Fast Company's expert blogger Sam Ford, 5 Marketing Lessons from Mr. Rogers, 2010.