Released last weekend, Spider-Man: Homecoming represents yet another reimagining of Marvel’s famed web-slinging superhero. This is now the third Hollywood reboot for the franchise in 15 years -- quite extreme even by the loose standards of comic book movies.
The challenge for these studios is in churning out the same basic product over and over again, while somehow keeping it from going stale. Salespeople can relate. Finding ways to inject life into a recurring pitch, or to portray your offering in catchy new styles, is not always easy.
But the handling of Spider-Man’s likeness in film does offer some wisdom on the art of continually reinventing oneself here in the digital age. With so much commerce and buyer research now taking place online, we all need to be web-savvy, and who better to take a cue from on that subject than Spidey?
Puns aside, the character continues to be a force at the box office, so clearly the folks managing his brand are doing something right. Let’s unmask a few takeaways from the journey of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man:
1. Change Often, Stay Hip
With each reboot, we’ve seen a new actor playing Peter Parker -- from Tobey Maguire to Andrew Garfield to Tom Holland -- and fresh casting across the board. While Spider-Man’s signature red-and-blue costume will always carry the same basic look, there have been slight tweaks in every update.
It’s all about remaining stylistically modern, something we as salespeople should aim to do. Keep up with trends, adjusting your pitches and messaging so they speak to what’s happening in your industry. Continually update social profiles. Always be adaptive to evolving industries and marketplaces.
2. Take Advantage of Tech
Drawing from a $175 million budget, Spider-Man: Homecoming features some of the latest and greatest in special effects and CGI. It won’t cost you nearly as much to incorporate the newest sales tools and tech for added efficiency and effectiveness.
For instance, Rapportive is a free plugin that displays professional data from LinkedIn directly within your Gmail interface. Sales Navigator seamlessly automates several aspects of prospecting and analytics tracking.
With all the slick digital tools available today, you don’t need to rely on tingling Spidey Senses to find opportunities.
3. Listen to the Audience
With so many different Spider-Man flicks in the past 15 years, studios have plenty of data at hand to guide their direction. By looking at box office results, critical reception, online feedback, surveys, and focus groups, filmmakers can gain a clear understanding of what is resonating and what is not. It is now common for movie companies to monitor social media in order to gauge viewer perceptions and shape casting decisions.
Today’s salesperson has no shortage of data available. Tap into it in order to determine which actions influence conversions, which messaging approaches garner more responses, and so on.
4. Boost Your Reach with Teamwork
The latest spin on Spider-Man came about through a licensing agreement between Marvel and Sony, aiming to bring the character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This star-studded brand features such blockbuster mainstays as Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, and the almighty Avengers collective. Through cross-promotion and integration with other established entities, MCU is able to build buzz around upcoming releases. For instance, Holland’s version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man was originally introduced in the 2016 hit Captain America: Civil War, generating early anticipation for the character’s first full feature.
This strategy serves as a reminder that no salesperson ought to be working on an island. Take advantage of connections and relationships that might assist your efforts. When possible, team up with other sellers in non-competing fields for mutually beneficial networking. Collaborate with your marketing department and welcome their assistance in generating and nurturing leads. Participate in online content hubs and social media channels to develop new business partners and contacts.
Assemble your own Avengers team and reach new heights.
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