Advertising That Fails To Make The Grade
December 7, 2007
By Editor- As an expert in your industry, someone who strives for perfection and high standards, perhaps you can relate to the frustration of seeing work that is sub par, or worse yet, work that blemishes the credibility of your trade.
For me, one such example is a television commercial by Burlington Coat Factory.
The creative team framed this in a “Devil Wears Prada” attempt, with a condescending boss interacting with a young employee.
The boss walks in, tosses her coat to the employee and asks, “Where are we on the fall fashion event?”
The employee begins modeling different outfits and at the end, the boss asks the employee “How do you afford all those fashions on what I pay you?”
What?
When did “update me on a corporate event” become “show me your new wardrobe”?
These are two different concepts that never do end up tying in together.
Takeaway points to consider:
1 – Run your campaign by someone who has no idea what message you’re attempting to convey to see if they understand it
2 – Don’t get so caught up in a theme that your message loses its relevance
3 – A bad campaign is NOT better than no campaign. A bad ad raises bad brand awareness. Make sure your business only puts out materials that make sense and trigger a desired response.
Pangaea and 500k Names
December 7, 2007
By Editor – If you read the October 7th edition of the Austin American-Statesman, you might have seen the story of the new Pangaea lounge that’s slated to open in Austin soon.
Both the concept and the creator, Michael Ault, are a rich marketing study.
First, Ault has taken a basic element, a nightclub, and turned it into an exclusive, posh, who’s who, brand of his own.
Second….and this is key….he has a personal phone book of 500k+ names.
Though he was born and raised in a uniquely wealthy and privileged environment that not many of us are privy to, we can learn from his techniques and apply certain principles to our own businesses for outlandish success. In the article, a leading graphic designer stated that Ault was “responsible for creating the blueprint for the modern lounge venue”.
How can you set a new standard in your own industry?
Now, back to that personal rolodex of 500k names. The article went on to state that he uses his connections to “help promote parties”. Studio 54 was mentioned, and, as a side note, according to wikipedia.com, Carmen D’Alessio, who was a former fashion PR agent, was hired to promote the opening of Studio 54. She sent 5,000 invitations to her exclusive mailing list and the most notorious club in history was born.
Can you see the POWER of a mailing list and the importance of having a personal rolodex? If the fabulously rich and wealthy grow, and use, their mailing list, how much more should everyone else?
Throwing your cards into an organizer or a desk drawer doesn’t count as a method of growing and using your mailing list! (See The Butcher, The Baker, and The Candlestick Maker for information on setting up systems)
Visit Send Out Cards to easily build relationships with your network of contacts.
Transaction Buyers vs Relationship Buyers
December 7, 2007
By Editor – Are you looking for transaction buyers or relationship buyers?
Transaction buyers are interested only in price. They have no loyalty to you or your business. If they can find it cheaper down the street, they’re gone.
Relationship buyers, on the other hand, are looking for someone they can trust. They want friendly interactions and for you & your staff to remember their name, their likes and their dislikes.
If you’ll cultivate relationships with these types of buyers, they could continue to buy from you for a lifetime.
- Treat your buyers like gold and forget about price.
- Communicate regularly
- Give them incentives for staying with you over the long haul instead of handing out desperate discounts.
- Remember their birthday and thank them often.
A Day of Dont’s
December 7, 2007
By Editor – Customer service is an essential piece of your marketing plan. I use the term “plan” loosely, as you may not have a plan. But, if you are open for business, and have customers, somebody is marketing for you…and it could be according to their own plan.
I’m sure you’ve walked out of your share of businesses and marveled at how they stay open with their staff’s stinky attitude and poor customer service. I walked into 3 different businesses recently, within about 20 minutes of each other, and discovered that this is a prevalent problem.
I am new to the area of town in which I live. I’m discovering new places to visit and to do business with. A few weeks ago, my son and I stopped to grab a sandwich in a shopping center where there were many choices.
We first went to an independently owned coffee shop. After walking in, I asked the barista how she was. She told me she’d seen better days. They had their own terminology for coffee on the menu board, so it was taking me a while to comprehend the new verbiage. With no help from the lady having a bad hair day, I ordered a tea and moved on to the next door, where there was a franchise sandwich shop.
A staff member was mopping in front of the door, so we carefully walked in, and were semi-greeting by a distracted woman who clearly wanted us to know what we wanted the second we walked in. After being rushed along, with a disinterest in helping us with our decision making process, we completed the order and walked out to leave the staff engrossed in their own conversations. They clearly had no care about us or anyone else who wasn’t in on that day’s gossip.
To get something sweet, we visited the bakery next door. The treats from the window enticed us. As we walked in, a woman got up from her chair, walked behind the cash register and waited for us to decide on something. After we asked a few questions, she put the items in the bag and rang it up. It was a dull, lifeless experience.
I wasn’t drawn in by anything other than signs and convenience. No coupon, no billboard. That aside, what would make me return?
A great experience.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get one at these places and won’t be back to any of them.
So, if good marketing didn’t get me in the door, what kind of marketing would make me return, and tell all my friends? Marketing INSIDE the doors, and that’s done through customer service.
You don’t have to have a retail location to make sure people have a good experience with you. I’ve worked with independent dealers and representatives that I won’t work with again. No matter how good your product or service is, people do business with people. Make sure your people, and you, are constantly aware of opportunities.
I haven’t read Acres of Diamonds in a while, but I just downloaded a copy of it so that I could read it again.
Many of us are in search for the field of diamonds, when it can be found right under our noses.
Always ask yourself, and your staff, where are your diamonds today?
Who REALLY Sets Demand?
December 7, 2007
By Editor – A change in seasons brings about transition on store shelves as well as the types of produce and flowers that are available.
Retailers, florists and restaurants are industries that are affected by seasonal availability, but they also set into motion our seasonal buying patterns.
How many times have you said, or heard someone else say, “They keep putting Christmas out earlier every year!”? It’s because the retailers are thinking about it well before we are.
Earlier this year, on September 14th, my mind was eons away from Christmas decorating. Then I walked into a Target store.
As I glanced down the aisle, I wondered if my son would like that really cool orange and white UT stocking this year…. Wait a minute! It’s not even close to Christmas yet and we have plenty of stockings packed away….but THAT stocking might be sold out if I wait until later in the year to get it…
So goes the seasonal retail merry-go-round.
THEY (the seller) set the demand, not us (the buyer). I didn’t walk into Target demanding a new Christmas stocking, but I left there thinking about it – in September!
What demand can you set today? If you plan a year in advance, what types of natural patterns can you capitalize on, and what types can you create?
For instance, the home-based business industry has patterns. Those in the industry usually gear up for this time of year, knowing that people naturally start ventures at the beginning of the year as part of a new resolution.
Think about the patterns in your industry. If you don’t have any, create some. Target Stores do it all the time.
Since when did buying decorations for Christmas start in September?
Ever since THEY set the pattern!
~ Advertisement ~
December 6, 2007
Before computers, I stunk at sending out my holiday cards. I had my little handwritten, dog-eared address book, but I rarely added much to it.
And updating it? Let’s see….where did I put that scrap paper that had my mother’s new address on it….
Life in the rolodex lane just didn’t work for me. Then along came computers and the internet. Over the years, I’ve been deluged with contact management options. When I started my direct sales business in 1999, it was most important for me to communicate by email. I had data everywhere. 10,000 records to be almost exact. At the time, I used cumbersome group mail and filtering software.
It was a long and arduous process, but I was determined to get this contact management thing mastered. People were precious to me and I didn’t want to lose anyone!
Over the years, I’ve probably tested over eighty contact management software solutions. I was really happy with only one but the problem was, though it was great at managing my email lists, it didn’t offer a printed solution.
The only thing I could do if I wanted to send a lot of cards or printed materials was to download the lists into Excel, do a mail merge and print labels.
How exciting was that? I spent all that time creating a beautiful mail piece, only to have to slap a generic label on it. With that level of personalization, I wondered if people would even take the time to read it.
After learning about digital print-on-demand, I made an appointment with a local printing company and took a tour. I was enamored by the concept, but I needed to find a way to capture this technology, not only for my own mailing list solution, but also for my clients.
Earlier this year, I found the answer. And this year, my holiday mailing list was up to speed and ready to go when it was time to send out cards.
Not only that, but my new system reminds me of everyone’s birthday and anniversary, so I can send personalized cards all year long. The best part is, I don’t have to write them myself – they only look like I do.
I even use this system in combination with my email newsletter program so that I can send out personalized emails.
Check it out: www.sendoutcards.com/ricci or call 512-879-9926
I know what works – and what doesn’t. I needed something quick, easy and cost effective. Maybe you do too.
Now you can stop licking envelopes and buying stamps. This might very well be the answer you’re looking for to strengthen both your personal and professional relationships. – Ricci
The Butcher, The Baker, and The Candlestick Maker
December 6, 2007
By Ricci Neer – Recently, we revamped and implemented some new systems and procedures, the most important one of which is our marketing system.Personally, we don’t move forward with a marketing system without first laying the groundwork of branding, design and materials. You can go about it the other direction, where you lay out the system, and then create materials to follow a particular pattern.What’s your system? Do you even have a system? Either way, what is the ultimate goal of your (real or desired) system? For most businesses, it’s sales. New customers, repeat business, whatever it is that ends up putting dollars from your buyers pockets into your pockets.For a complete overhaul of your internal systems, a good place to start is with the The E-Myth. I avoided this book for so long because I thought it was for people looking to launch a retail business on the internet. After talking with others, I found I wasn’t the only one!
Then, a few months ago, DJ Heckes of Exhib-it trade show marketing spoke at an El Paso eWomenNetwork event. I knew her topic was about how she sky-rocketed her business using the principles outlined in The E-Myth, so I purchased the book and read it in advance. I was pleasantly surprised.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, burnt-out, unproductive or like the weight of your business is on your shoulders, I encourage you to step back and implement some systems. Systems that allow you to take time off and know that someone else could step right in and your business not miss a beat (sounds scary doesn’t it?!)
If you have found yourself in the position of butcher, baker and candlestick maker, and don’t see how your business could ever survive without you, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of The E-Myth for some tips and ideas to get your business to the next level. - Ricci
Ricci is a consultant, speaker and trainer specializing in custom marketing, prospecting and sales systems. She can be reached at 512-879-9926
