“All Bets Are Off”
- What the bookmakers taught me about marketing
- * Why you should be sceptical about food
Rarely I get an idea for a blog from walking past a bookies! That’s exactly what happened yesterday.
I’m not much of a betting man myself. Every time I try my luck with a few pounds I end up losing and I’m not willing to continue that trend. As my dad says: “I’ve never seen a bookmakers go bust.”
They must take in so much money and with their tactical advertising it’s no surprise.
See, since I’ve taken more time to study marketing (for my business) it really opens your eyes to new things.
Take yesterday, for example, there was a popular bookmakers advertising some pretty enticing odds. Almost a “headline bet” if you will.
I do take my dad’s perspective on these things.
Anyway, the odds were something lucrative like 6–1 for Leicester to win and Jamie Vardy to score. If you’re not up on football or betting, that is tempting. Leicester being the reigning champions after all!
However, what you don’t see is the reason why these odds are so good. Often with correct score bets (meaning you guess the actual score) there is one team selected that either haven’t scored in a few games or they have a hoodoo over them when it comes to a particular team.
There are certainly no mugs to put a likely event in their shop window. Over the past few months, I’ll often clock what their headline bet is and what the actual score was.
I think I’ve seen a handful (at most) over the last hew months.
Furthermore, it’s often a lot more lucrative with the bets they give new customers (as advertised on social media).
This is very similar to the likes of food companies who hide the nasties but flaunt what’s good like “low sugar” or “less calories.”
You often need to take the opposite perspective and be cynical sometimes. As much as it may seem negative, the power that these marketing companies have is phenomenal.
When something says “no added sugar” it really could mean anything. Compared to a previous product or another brand? You should be mindful of these things when considering food shopping.
I remember sharing an image on my Instagram page a few months ago. It was something like “people who boast are hiding their own shortcomings” – that’s a similar principle. Just as biggest doesn’t mean best, loudest doesn’t mean it’s 100% true or effective.
As I mentioned in a blog last week, you should form a support network that YOU trust. Take their advice and avoid being sucked in with marketing!
Just a thought for a Monday! If you have any health or fitness questions please drop me an email – it may even feature in a blog.
This is the second week of the “No-Nonsense November” free Facebook competition!
All you need to do to enter the draw is…
> Like RYPT on Facebook
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It’s as simple as that! Good luck
(As a side note, the result was 2–1 to West Brom, Leicester’s opponents)!
