Time, Temperature and Turbulence, the 3 T’s have served me well through my years in the process equipment industry. I used it in the design of thermal oxidizers, thermal fluid heaters and applied these principles to the mixing and drying of numerous products. It was a basic set of principles that you use over and over again.
You can get a feel on how it works by just evaluating your microwave. To improve heating in the microwave, halfway through the cycle you turn the package over, turbulence. If you are on a lower power level, the food takes longer to cook, time and temperature. Even a dishwasher, frying pan, washing machine, dryer or even a carpet cleaning machine follow these basic principles of Time, Temperature and Turbulence. 
Can marketing make sense out of these principles? Certainly!
Time: Remember the old saying about frequency and being there day in and day out. This certainly has merit and is still a very important part of marketing today. When most people or even organizations finally get down to the decision making time, inking a contract or writing a check, the safest choice many times wins. Having a well established brand makes you the safest choice. What does it take to have a well established brand, TIME!
Temperature: I equate temperature to how well you address the need. Not only do you need to provide a service or product that addresses their need but you must clearly demonstrate that you do. Review a few jobs that you have lost in the past that you truly felt like you were the best solution. Typically, you will find that it was lost to a well established brand. They were the safe choice. Why? You did not identify clearly, without question, you were the best solution. Clarity – will make you HOT!
Turbulence: This is my favorite, causing a lot of agitation or maybe better said commotion about your product or service. Word of mouth, Gigantic Sales, Star Power and uniqueness are some of the ways to increase turbulence. You have to give people something to talk about! Create a stir!
These are very basic definitions but it is looking at all three of them at once that is the key. Examples:
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Lack time (Time): You will have to spend a lot of time in addressing a well defined audience and making a really hot offer!
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Lack Uniqueness (Temperature): You will need a longer time to market the product, you must be the tortoise and have some Star Power (testimonials) making you the safest choice.
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Lack Proof, Testimonials (Turbulence): You have to take the time to develop the customer’s confidence in your product. It will need to be a much more personal sale.
Time, Temperature and Turbulence works out to be nothing more than math in the engineering world. In marketing, there are many creative ideas that can be spawned using this trio as a guideline. However, it still comes down to math.
The Marketing Equation: Time x Temperature x Turbulence = Prospects
Algebraic rules:
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Equations are always in balance:
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A increase in any one will result in an increase in prospects.
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A decrease of any one will result in a decrease of prospects.
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Product of the numbers is the same, no matter the order:
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The order should not be relevant
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Any number multiplied by 0 is 0.
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If you do nothing in one area, you will get nothing.
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One multiplied by one is one.
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Staying at the status quo will keep you right there.
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Any positive number multiplied by a negative number becomes negative.
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Mistakes are really tough to overcome.
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Two negatives = A positive
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Ok, my theory is blown!
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Photo Credit: by jmv
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