A Good Mind

Why SEO is Not Enough

2011-12-09T13:14:00.001-08:00

All of you SEO junkies out there, pay attention. It is great that your website has made it to the first page of Google. I am very happy for you.

But high search engine rankings don't mean anything unless they generate a click through to your website.

A visit to your website doesn't mean anything unless it generates a sale or captures a sales lead.

A sales lead doesn't mean anything unless you follow it up within 72 hours, after which it is dead and gone.

My point is this: You can't focus on a single aspect of Internet marketing to the exclusion of other, equally important parts of the equation. All of them have to be working together in order to create action that matters.

Good keywords, on-site/off-site SEO and a strong AdWords campaign all lead to site visits. Valuable information and good conversion tools on your website leads to the capture of actionable data. Prompt and targeted follow up leads to an opportunity to create a customer.

Shortcuts and half measures will only cost you time, money and credibility. With 8 out of every 10 consumers using the web to search for information and resources before making a purchase, you can't afford to get it wrong.

Why Talbot's is Destined to Fail.

2011-12-02T12:04:00.001-08:00

For those of you who have no contact at all with females, Talbot's is an upscale women's clothing retailer that markets a "classic" look through stores and on-line.

Very tasteful. Very elegant. Very much in trouble in today's marketplace.

A report in today's Boston Globe cites yet another decline in third quarter sales at Talbot's, which is especially damaging leading into the critical holiday shopping season. In response to this news, Talbot's president Trudy Sullivan took the bold step of suspending all advertising immediately.

Huh? People are not coming into your stores or shopping you on-line, and your bright idea to fix the situation is to pull your head in like a turtle ducking into its shell? Sorry, Trudy, but that is not enlightened leadership. As cookie baron Wally Amos once said, "Cutting advertising to save money is like slashing your wrists to relieve high blood pressure."

If the only expense remaining to be slashed is marketing and advertising, your company is beyond saving. Call Gordon Brothers and organize the going-out-of-business sale right away.

Maybe if you had better advertising you would not be in the deep trench you currently occupy. For a retailer it is not enough to simply put a message out and hope for the best. You need immediate response to make the cash registers ring. Clearly your ad campaign has not delivered.

Obviously, advertising alone did not sink Talbot's, nor can you reasonably expect it to rescue the company. A toxic combination of changing styles, the poor economy, a confusing marketing message, and over reliance on discounting is what poisoned the well. I think Talbot's simply could not decide what it wanted to be when it grew up, and as a result you alienated loyal customers while never pulling in the younger buyers you wanted.

So go ahead and cut all the advertising. Save up that money to pay for the big, bold "Final Clearance" posters that will soon be showing up in your otherwise tastefully decorated windows. I know many well dressed women who will miss Talbot's.

Content, content, content!

2011-10-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

A new article by Mikal Belicove posted to the Entrepreneur magazine website provides a concise description of and case for "content marketing." You can read it here: http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/220587?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+entrepreneur%2Flatest+%28Entrepreneur+Update%29

Content marketing is nothing new. For more than 20 years I have been urging clients to "share what you know" through newsletters, interviews and by-line articles. Newer channels such as blogs, Twitter and LinkedIn simply make the delivery process more direct and immediate.

If you don't have content to share with your customers and prospects, it may be time to step back from "empty" marketing and reassess what you have to offer and how you can beef up the validity of your marketing message.

Speaking with Conviction

2011-07-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

Why don't we say what we mean? Speak our mind? Tell it like it is?

This clip set to the words of poet Taylor Mali (and put into type by Ronnie Bruce) is an interesting and compelling call to action. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

http://vimeo.com/3829682

Advertising Fights Crime!

2011-06-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

Why did it take the FBI 16 years to discover that advertising actually works? All the power of the country's leading criminal investigative apparatus was unable to locate Whitey Bulger, one of the most notorious crime bosses of our time. Yet a few days of television ads led to the tip that brought police right to Whitey's California door.

(All of this assumes, of course, that the FBI was REALLY looking for Mr. Bulger. The Feds may have had a great deal of incentive to keep Whitey on the "missing" list. But that is a story for another time.)

Chalk this one up as a victory for the power of an appealing advertising message!

Delta's Black Eye

2011-06-16T15:04:00.000-07:00

Delta Air Lines got caught charging active duty military personnel steep fees for checked bags that contained their "work" gear and equipment. This is wrong on a couple of levels.

(Full disclosure: I have a son in the U.S. Army who, to my knowledge, has not been subject to a Delta bag fee. But he could have been.)

First, what is going on when the U.S. military forces its personnel to schlep their combat gear around on a civilian air line? What happened to the Air Force and military flights? When I last checked we were paying north of $300 billion per year to fund the military. Not enough to keep a few planes in the air? C'mon.

But the more immediate problem is Delta's. Their gaffe was a case of somebody following the rules to the letter, at the cost of causing embarrassment for the entire company. Are the bag fees posted? Yes. Did the soldiers' bag fall under the fee rules? Yes.

Was it a good idea for Delta to shake down a soldier who was tired, dusty and desperately trying to get home after a year in the war zone? No.

After they got caught, Delta did the right thing and changed their bag fee policy for active duty military personnel. And, hopefully, squared things with those who had been charged.

I sincerely hope that Delta's slip up was a case of an overzealous manager who was afraid to break the rules. If so, Delta needs to spend a little more time training their people on presenting a good company image at all times. And that goes beyond a neat uniform and winning smile. A ticketing agent with a little intelligence and some leeway could have easily prevented the PR problem by waiving the excessive bag fee for a soldier, sailor or airman.

However, if it turns out that Delta knew about the problem and condoned it in order to make a few bucks, that would trouble me deeply. I think the military's travel planning arm should look into this incident more thoroughly. If Delta was cashing in on military travelers, the government should look to other carriers in the future.

Speed Thrills

2011-05-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

One of the influences that the explosion of social media has generated is the speed at which information is disseminated. If you are a marketer you cannot ignore this new paradigm.

Those of us old enough to remember when printed communications were a marketing staple may fondly recall that developing, producing and distributing a brochure, advertisement or direct mail piece was a process that took weeks or months. It required advanced planning and coordination, significant resources and lots of patience.

That's gone. Now you can have an idea over breakfast, craft the message by lunch, distribute in the afternoon and start measuring results before the evening meal is on the table. In fact, customers are coming to expect this sort of instant communication.

This incredible acceleration in the process is wonderful for marketers. Or is it?

With such a short cycle to work with, there is no time for consideration or deliberation. There is barely time for editing. Which means that, from time to time, the message that goes out is going to be less than compelling, misdirected, or perhaps even damaging.

Speed must not be a substitute for effectiveness. Just look at the news media professionals and politicians who rushed to announce that they had viewed the "real" photos of Osama Bin Laden after he was killed; only to find out that the photos were fake. In their rush to be first, the talking heads and eager pols allowed themselves to be duped - willingly so, it seems.

So when you get that great idea at breakfast, make sure you stand back and assess it with a critical eye. If it passes muster, take the time to craft the message so that it will be accurate, compelling and effective. Only then should it be released. It may take a little longer to enter the communications stream, but the end result should be more to your liking.

Coffee Heaven! Dunkin Donuts Coming to K-Cups

2011-02-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

My work is fueled by fear and coffee, so I was particularly excited to read about plans to make Dunkin Donuts coffee available for the Keurig home brewing system, as appeared in today's Boston Globe.

Even though I love my Keurig and invest heavily in a healthy supply of K-cups, I still find myself regularly pulling into the Dunkin Donuts drive through for a cup of the "good stuff." Now I can reduce my carbon footprint by cutting back all that driving time, while sitting back with a steaming cup of Dunkin coffee in the comfort of my own perpetually messy office.

The question is, will the Dunkin Donuts K-Cups ship complete with glazed donuts? And where can I find a supply of styrofoam cups and plastic lids?

Rhetoric, But in a Good Way

2011-01-31T17:40:00.000-08:00

I am reading a new book and, even though I am not even halfway through, I wanted to share my excitement with you. The book is "Farnsworth's Classic English Rhetoric," by Ward Farnsworth, a law professor at Boston University (http://tinyurl.com/6kt4mov).

Rhetoric has taken a lot of abuse in recent years. The term "political rhetoric" has taken on a slanderous meaning that has tainted the true meaning of the word. Merriam-Webster defines rhetoric as, "the art of speaking or writing effectively." Previous generations learned rhetoric as an important part of a liberal arts education. But the "art of rhetoric" seems to be slipping away in an age of 140 character tweets and microscopic attention spans.

Which is why I am so enjoying Farnsworth's book. I make my living with words, and have great admiration for those writers and speakers who have the ability to make words, phrases and sentences bend and dance to their desired purposes. "Classic English Rhetoric" is filled with sparkling examples of the English language at its best.

There are passages from Winston Churchill, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, William Shakespeare, Mark Twain, G.K. Chesterton -- the list goes on. Each drafted to inspire, entice and encourage action. The kind of writing that is all too rare today, but to which I constantly aspire.

I know it is not the latest Harry Potter, or Stephen King, or John Grisham. But if you get a chance to pick up a copy of "Farnsworth's Classic English Rhetoric" I think you may enjoy it as much as I am. All while learning something old that is new again.

Yellow Pages, RIP?

2011-01-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

The Seattle City Council has passed an ordinance creating a “Yellow Pages Opt-Out System.” Once put into operation, this system will give city residents the option of declining delivery of once-ubiquitous telephone directories. No more phone books crammed into the mailbox or piled at the end of the driveway.

While the aim of the ordinance may have been to reduce environmental impact and clutter, there is a much deeper message here: the people of Seattle don’t need their phone books anymore.

Remember Steve Martin’s character in The Jerk,who danced about wildly shouting, “The new phone books are here!”? We really did used to get excited when the thick yellow books were dropped off. That’s how large a part of everybody’s life the Yellow Pages were. No more.

This does not bode well for those stubborn traditionalist businesses that dedicate large chunks of their marketing budget to phone book ads. I have been in the marketing game long enough to remember ad agencies that worked exclusively on phone book campaigns.

Why do the residents of Seattle feel comfortable in rejecting this traditional part of every home’s informational system? Think about it. When was the last time you reached for a phone book to look up information on a business? The first option now is to simply Google the company or conduct an on-line search for similar providers.

I have long argued with clients who continued to sink money into Yellow Pages that the only businesses that needed to advertise there were auto glass companies, plumbers, pizza parlors and personal injury attorneys. Today, even those stalwarts are better served investing in a website with strong SEO.

As has happened with so many trends that sweep across the nation, I believe that Seattle is leading the way. I think the days are numbered for Yellow Page directories across the country. Don’t forget, Starbucks got its start in Seattle, too.

Think of Social Media as "Networking by Remote Control"

2011-01-06T11:13:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that Facebook recently surpassed Google in number of users, many business people are still reluctant to embrace social media. I believe that, for many, it is simply a case of unfamiliarity and a fear of the unknown. Others dismiss Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels as frivolous. After all, how serious could these tools be if a teenager can use them?

Let me try to frame this in a way that "slow to adapt" business professionals might understand.

Everybody knows that networking is an important part of marketing, particularly for those in professional services or sales occupations. You may not enjoy it, but you attend Chamber of Commerce meetings, participate in monthly lead sharing groups, show up for industry conferences and exhibit at trade shows; all in an attempt to connect with prospects and referral sources. You've probably developed a pretty good "30-second pitch," and always carry plenty of business cards.

Now imagine if you could do your networking from the comfort and safety of your office. If you could connect with colleagues, prospects and those all-important "key influencers" as often as you wanted. And if those connections could spread farther and faster than ever.

That's what social media allows you to do. Take LinkedIn, for example. A profile on LinkedIn is like your 30-second pitch, a brief overview of who you are, what you do, and what you are looking for. With very little effort, in the space of a few hours, you can quickly build a network of known colleagues, which can then spread farther and wider through shared connections. You've just "worked the room" with hundreds, even thousands, of people.

Facebook, Twitter and blogging offer similar possibilities, but with the added benefit of being able to share new and interesting information with your broad network of connections, all at the same time. And if you are smart about it, you'll take advantage of all social media channels and link them together, so that a new blog post instantly finds its way to all your LinkedIn connections.

Inexpensive. Instantaneous. Incredibly effective. What is not to love about social media marketing? Get with the program.

Does Blogging Work for Small and Medium Size Businesses?

2010-11-30T16:25:00.000-08:00

Aside from its value as a mental exercise and outlet for creativity, does writing a regular blog provide any value for a small or medium size business? The answer is yes.

A recent study by inbound marketing agency Hubspot (www.hubspot.com) reports that "companies that blog have far better marketing results." The study found that companies that blogged had 55% more visitors to their websites, accumulated 97% more inbound links, and had 434% more indexed web pages.

Are these important figures? Absolutely.

More visitors to a website is obviously vital, as it gives a company more opportunity to tell its story and sell its products or services.

More inbound links increases a website's visibility with search engines, helping the website move up the in the results for keyword searches.

More indexed pages also increase the chance a search engine will find and report a website.

What the Hubspot study tells us is clear: if you want your website to be a more active and contributing part of your overall marketing program, you should be blogging on a regular and consistent basis.

It does not take much to get a blog started. The first post is easy. It is the second and all subsequent blog posts that are difficult! Yet, if you think about it for just a short time, there is plenty about your business to talk about and share.

Take "Start a blog" off your "to do" list and put it onto your list of regular duties. If you need help starting or maintaining a blog, I'd be glad to help. Shoot me an email to bill@scribendi.net and we can work together to make you a blogger.

Why We Hate Political Ads

2010-10-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

With less than a week to go until election day, it is impossible to avoid the barrage of political advertising. It assaults us through our television sets and radio speakers, in our mailboxes, on our computer screens and over the telephone. And most of the messages we get are blatant “attack ads” that are misleading at best and can be downright vicious.

I hate them. You hate them. The politicians claim to hate them.

So why do attack ads continue to be the core of political advertising? I have several theories.

First, they work. Those voters who are savvy enough and involved enough in the political process can usually see right through the rhetoric and bombast. But, at the risk of sounding elitist, a large number of voters are not sophisticated enough to separate the wheat from the chaff. They register as “fact” the slams and slanders that pass for messaging. The polls reflect this, as numbers rise and fall with the waves of vile advertising.

(Don’t get me started on the pimping of the pollsters. Suffice it to say that Mark Twain was right when he said that “figures don’t lie, but liars figure.”)

Another reason attack ads remain important to candidates is that they are an easy way to avoid taking a real stand on issues. Instead of telling voters what they believe in and what they will do if elected, candidates can get away with focusing on how much worse it would be if their opponents were to win.

Attack ads are also easy to develop. Instead of crafting content that inspires the electorate, all the copywriter has to do is carefully cut and paste snippets of the opponent’s previous speeches until they paint a portrait that is sure to frighten voters to choose the “safe” candidate.

The political process, spurred by the media, has devolved into an ugly, mud-spattered wrestling match in which almost all candidates come out sullied. Don’t be taken in by this hucksterism. Take the time to dig deep and try to discover the core beliefs of the candidates on your ballot. Remember you’ll be stuck with the person you elect, at least until the next round of name calling and character assassination begins in a few years.

Ad Terms We Could Do Without

2010-10-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

Advertising, like any industry, has its own unique lingo. Since advertising is a business based on creativity, it only stands to reason that our terms are sometimes quite imaginative. Here then, is a collection of the most common advertising phraseology, with a brief translation of each.

“Can you make the logo bigger?” Roughly translated, this means “We have nothing of any importance or value to say in this ad.”

“They buried my ad.” This means “I know I spend barely enough on advertising to get a few drops of ink on the newsprint, but does that mean I can't expect to be on the front page?”

“We're the oldest/biggest/best. . .” In other words, “Our products are outdated, our pricing archaic and our customer base is rapidly being depleted by the grim reaper.”

“Service is our specialty.” What they're saying is, “You'll need our service because our products are totally unreliable.”

“It doesn't do anything for me.” Usually means, “I'm spending a fortune on this ad and I'm going to get my money's worth. Give me the Mona Lisa.”

“What we really need is some publicity.” This means “I don’t want to pay for my advertising.”

“Its just not us.” Translated: “Where's the picture of me, my family and my factory?”

“Advertising just doesn’t work for us.” This indicates that the company once ran a two-inch classified ad in a free circulation supermarket newspaper on a Friday in 1993, before leaving for a three-week vacation.

Listen to yourself carefully the next time you are working with your ad agency. If you hear any of these phrases, stop and back away. Before the agency turns and runs.

Want people to be interested? Be interesting!

2010-10-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

My clients pay me to communicate their messages in such a way as to cause individuals to respond. The first step in that process is to get people to take notice, an increasingly difficult task in our media-rich world.

Breaking through the clutter has been the marketer's assignment since the beginning of the profession. How we go about it continues to evolve.

The best advice I can give my clients is this: If you want people to be interested, you'd better be interesting.

A marketing message, no matter what the delivery method, must spark your interest, catch your eye and demand your attention. Boring does not cut it. Safe is a snooze. "Tried and true" equals "old and tired."

Turn the tables for a moment. What captures your attention? Which TV commercials do you like? What does it take to get you to turn up the radio volume in the car? How do you decide which items in the pile of today's mail get read and which get tossed? What is it about a website that gets you to go deeper than the home page?

Today you must engage the prospect immediately or lose him or her forever. Your message must be smart, memorable and resonate with something that is already "on the radar screen" of the potential customer. You can't force an idea into a closed mind, so you must find an opening that already exists.

The message must zero in on the self-interest of the individual or it will be ignored. Yet too many companies are too self-absorbed to do anything more than spout off about themselves and their own interests, which are seldom aligned with the customer's.

To be successful at attracting interest, you must succeed at being interesting. That means crafting a message that connects with the right prospects, delivered through the right channels, at the right time.

Saying More By Saying Less (continued)

2010-08-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

(Yes, I recognize the irony in "continuing" to say less! Deal with it.)

A colleague responded to my last post promoting spareness of language. He reminded me that even Ernest Hemingway struggled with editing his prose, noting, “I write one page of masterpiece to ninety-one pages of shit. I try to put the shit in the wastebasket."

Papa was being modest. He used the language well. Hemingway is also responsible for what some consider to be the greatest ad copy ever written, one that conveys a novel's worth of information and emotion in just six words: "For sale: baby shoes. Never worn."

Can you condense your marketing message into six words? Not always possible, but always a good goal.

Say More by Saying Less

2010-08-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

Thomas Jefferson was a prolific author and correspondent. His words continue to inspire us today. But he was also well aware of the power of brevity. Jefferson closed one three-page letter to a friend with an apology: "Forgive me for writing such a long letter, but I did not have time to write a shorter one."

Unfortunately, many writers today cannot keep themselves from rambling, unable or unwilling to pare their thoughts down to the essentials. Jefferson launched the world's greatest nation with a single page, the Declaration of Independence. But your local personal injury attorney needs to blast out a 3,000 word blog every week. Sad.

We should all follow the example of William Mulholland, the man responsible for developing the remarkable waterworks for the City of Los Angeles early in the last century. Mulholland was asked to speak at the dedication ceremony for a 233-mile aqueduct that brought water from the Colorado River across the desert to the city. When the first stream started to flow out from the aqueduct, Mulholland stepped up to the microphone and commemorated the momentous occasion by saying, "There it is. Take it."

Fewer and truer words were never spoken.

Futile Gestures Waste Time and Credibility

2010-06-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

In the wake of the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, a minor league baseball team in Florida has announced it will no longer conduct "BP" (a common name for batting practice) before its games. Instead the team will have "batting rehearsal," so that they won't be forced to utter the now-shunned "BP" name.

Ridiculous. Almost as silly as renaming french fries as "freedom fries" following September 11th. Or calling illegal aliens "undocumented workers."

Everybody with half a brain knows the truth behind these transparent covers. Trying to foist these whitewash jobs on the public is a waste of valuable credibility. The PR geniuses who thought up these stunts should be fired. Or at least sentenced to reading their own press releases for a month.

If you want to take advantage of a public crisis or highly visible event, take the time to do something with meaning. The Florida baseball team might have organized a community effort (in advance) to clean up local beaches that become contaminated. Such a move would certainly have more value and credibility.

Don't succumb to the temptation to cash in on public sentiment with a cheap stunt or meaningless gesture. It will only damage your public image in the long run.

Dealing with SCATs (Still Clueless About Technology)

2010-05-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

My father refused to buy our family a color television “until they get the bugs worked out.” It was the mid-1970s before I saw Disney’s “Wonderful World of Color” in color.

For a year after I got my first answering machine my mother would not leave a message. She did not want to talk to “some machine.” She wanted to talk to me.

Some (not many) of my clients did not invest in a website until well after Y2K. They wanted to see if the “fad” would pass before spending the money.

These are examples of people who I call SCATs – “Still Clueless About Technology.” Some are genuine Luddites who stoically resist all attempts to modernize their lives. But most are simply overly cautious about adapting anything new and difficult to understand.

You know at least one SCAT. Still on dial-up access with an AOL email address. Grabs the Yellow Pages when he needs to look up a phone number. Doesn’t need an iPod because her Sony Walkman is still working just fine, thank you.

With more and more of our marketing being built around using technology to reach potential customers, SCATs present a problem. The more “traditional” methods of marketing are being replaced by email campaigns, Facebook and Twitter, and web-based promotion. But how do we reach someone who does not check email, live on Bluetooth or surf the web on a regular basis?

One solution is to ignore them. SCATs are a shrinking audience as technology becomes simpler and more accessible to more people. Spend the money where it will do the most good and reach those prospects who are more likely to see and respond to a “modern” pitch.

The problem with this approach is that SCATs tend to be older and (bless their Baby Boomer hearts!) more affluent. Just because someone does not run out and purchase and iPad does not mean they can’t afford one. Or two. So leaving SCATs out of the mix risks leaving a lot of money on the table.

A better approach is to incorporate some of those “old fashioned” marketing techniques into your planning. Carve out a portion of the next email campaign and devote it toward a print mail effort targeted at the older end of your demographic. Give customers an option of receiving your company newsletter via email or in paper format. Keep spending money on AdWords, but throw some (carefully, of course) into newspaper and radio ads.

Eventually everybody will be comfortable communicating electronically, and the on-line marketing infrastructure you are building today will reach a full and receptive audience. But until that time, find space in your effort and budget to accommodate the SCATs among us.

Giving Away Knowledge Can Pay Off

2010-05-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

You know stuff. And I think you should give it away.

Knowing stuff is how you got where you are, by possessing knowledge and skills that are valuable to your company and your customers. The information you posses and how you use it is your "inventory." This is especially true if you are in a service business like law or accounting, but also applies to trades and retail.

So why give it away?

Because that is the only way potential customers will come to believe that you know what you are talking about. By "showing what you know" your customers will have the opportunity to sell themselves on your value. When they do pick up the phone to call you they will already be ready to do business with you. Half the sales job will be done in advance.

How can you give away your knowledge? It is easier than ever. Publish a blog and add content regularly. Write articles for trade journals. Publish a newsletter for clients and send it to prospects, too. Look for speaking engagements. Any chance you can find to demonstrate how good you are at what you do.

Giving away information that normally costs money may seem counterintuitive. Many people fear they will share too much and thereby negate the need for a customer to call. Trust me. Those who will contact you are the ones who recognize talent and skill and are willing to pay for it.

"Website" is Officially One Word

2010-05-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

For years I have written "web site" out as two words. Grammatically it makes sense. But it appears I am on the losing end of this battle.

The latest edition of the Associated Press Style Book -- the "bible" of spelling and grammar for journalists -- has decreed that "website" should be written as a single word. Harrumph!

Oh well, you can't win 'em all.

Now if AP can only guide us on the usage of "e-mail" vs. "email."

Are You in a Big Hurry to Market?

2010-04-07T07:18:00.000-07:00

Depending on the nature of your business, your approach to marketing may be long term, gradually building brand awareness and securing customers who will generate revenue over many months or years. Or, if your business is more transactional, you may be in a hurry to generate immediate leads that you can convert into short term sales.

How you market your products or services will depend on which situation you find yourself in. But you should be aware that "speed costs money." A need to develop sales leads in the short term will require a bigger investment and different mix of marketing techniques than a more measured approach. Speed costs money.

For example, an attorney who wants to build a base of clients who will use his or her services again and again should take the time and effort to position himself/herself as an expert, and the "preferred" lawyer. This can be done with a "show what you know" approach that includes a blog, articles, speaking engagements and other relationship-building marketing techniques. In this way, the attorney becomes a known and trusted advisor even before a client engages his/her services!

But if that same attorney wants to attract clients immediately, the marketing approach must be different. He/she needs to impact a much wider group of prospects in order to attract those who have an immediate need for legal advice. An investment in advertising (billboards, fliers, television and radio spots, web-based ads) will deliver the attorney's marketing message faster, to more people. But at a higher cost.

Which is the right approach for your business? It depends on your needs, budget and tolerance for spending. Some companies succeed on both counts, investing heavily to generate short term sales and then converting those into long term customers. Others are perfectly happy with quick sales that may or may not turn into repeat customers. Still more businesses are content to patiently build relationships that will generate a financial return over the long haul.

The only wrong approach is to do no marketing at all. Simply unlocking the doors in the morning and hoping that customers stumble in is no way to grow a business. Tell a lot of people about your business all at once, or let a few people at a time gain an appreciation of your services; but make sure you are out there and visible.

Facebook Explained

2010-03-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

Confused about what Facebook is and is not? Wondering if Facebook is a good place for your business? Here is a link to an excellent explanation of how Facebook can work for business: http://www.box.net/shared/v114cwzk00

Does Branding Still Have a Place at the Marketing Table?

2010-02-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

Many years ago, burnishing the image of a company or product was one of the most important functions of marketing. Everybody wanted their customers and prospects to think favorably of their business. And rightfully so! Being seen as a solid company or even a market leader went hand-in-hand with improved sales and stronger profits over the long term

But then came the age of promotion. Every ad, every message had to create an instant return on investment. Even if it meant diminishing or demeaning the image of the company or product being promoted. Slowly but surely, "branding" lost favor.

Need an example? Automobile manufacturers and dealers have conditioned the American public to purchase a car only when there is a "special event" in progress. They convinced us that, if we waited for a "sale" (real or fabricated) we would save big bucks. It worked so well that the occasional sales events had to be extended and expanded so that practically every day is a "special" day at your local dealer.

By relying so heavily on promotion and pricing, the automobile industry turned its products into commodities, and lost the ability to differentiate vehicles based on quality and service. The almighty "monthly lease payment" rules.

(Toyota certainly wishes they had paid more attention to branding today. It will take more than another round of "Toyotathons" to repair the damage done to the corporate image.)

There is hope. The prolonged recession has shown that promotional marketing has its limits. With discretionary money tight, consumers have been less inclined to jump at the first offer they see. Instead, we have returned to the practice of deliberation and consideration before parting with our dollars.

When buyers stop to think, the image of a company enters the equation. Instead of being dazzled by a "once in a lifetime offer," the buyer needs to be convinced that he or she is making an intelligent purchasing decision. And an important part of that decision is having confidence in the business from which we are buying.

A return to branding fits in well with the expansion of media that has come about in recent years. Instead of trying to tell a company's story in 30 seconds, the internet allows plenty of time and space to delve more deeply into the who, what, when and where of a product or service. Picky consumers can satisfy themselves that they are making a good decision before plunking down their hard-earned cash or clicking the "buy now" button on their web browser.

What about your business? Have you been paying attention to your company's image among customers and prospects? Or have you come to rely on price cutting and special deals that have reduced your value in their eyes?

Long live branding.

Tweet? Blog? E-Mail? It's Still the Message That Motivates!

2010-01-27T08:58:00.000-08:00

We are blessed with (beset by?) an amazing array of communications media in today’s modern world. You can deliver a message in traditional ways (newspaper, magazine, radio, television, billboard, direct mail), or through an assortment of web-based channels (web sites, e-mail, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.).

But beware! It is easy to get caught up in how to make contact and lose sight of what you are saying. No matter how you deliver it, the content of your message is what makes things happen.

I recently met with a prospect about starting a social media program for his company. He was skeptical, saying that he had young people on staff who could easily set up Twitter and Facebook accounts without having to pay an outside agency. Perfectly true, as most social media is free and open to all.

“But what,” I asked, “will you say?” As adept as his young staffers are with web-based media, they do not have the experience or insight into what the message should be. Nor do they have the discipline to consistently develop and deliver compelling information to fans and followers who sign up.

If you are going to use social media for marketing purposes — and I think most businesses should — you must make sure your tweets, e-mails, posts and blog entries are:

1. Consistent with your brand image,
2. Contain information of value and interest,
3. Include a call to action,
4. Are compelling enough to elicit a measurable response.

Otherwise, you’ll be just another noisemaker on the web. Remember, just because the media is free does not mean you can afford to take it lightly. Rushing into a social media program without a plan and purpose-driven message is a waste of everybody’s time, and could actually backfire with web-savvy customers.

Go back to basics and remember my “Four I’s” of advertising. Every message should have impact in the form of a strong headline, subject line or tag. It should burnish your company’s image by being well-written and (when appropriate) having an attractive layout. The message must contain information that is interesting and not self-serving. And the message should be written so as to generate inquiries, which can be easily measured.

Keep these rules in mind every time you log on to tweet or post a blog entry. They will help you make the most of the amazing power of social media.

Have You Earned the Right to Speak to Customers and Prospects?

2010-01-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

You may have heard that we recently held a special election to elect a new U.S. Senator here in my home state of Massachusetts. Because the race between Republican Scott Brown and Democrat Martha Coakley was so tight, both sides unleashed a torrent of advertising over the final few weeks leading up to election day.

Among the most annoying of the ads (and there were plenty to be annoyed with) were the seemingly endless series of “robo-dial” automated phone calls. Over the final five days of the campaign I received at least 100 phone calls from the candidates, famous supporters, not-so-famous supporters and political action groups.

As someone who had already taken the time to become an informed voter, I did not want to waste my time with these calls. I hung up quickly on 99 of the calls.

But I patiently listened to one.

That call came from my state representative. His message was not surprising, offering his support for one of the candidates. But, why, you might wonder, did I take the time to listen to this single call out of the hundred I received?

Because it came from a source that I knew and trusted. Because my local representative had been in communication with me on a regular basis over the past several years, keeping me informed of issues that were important to my town, my business and my family.

By his accumulated efforts, he had earned the right to be heard.

Have you earned that right with customers and prospects? Have you put forth the effort to start a relationship? To establish your authority and expertise? To allow the customer or prospect to become familiar and comfortable with you?

It is foolish to believe that a single communication, no matter how powerful a blast it may be, will be sufficient to motivate people to action. It takes time and consistent effort to reach a point of understanding and acceptance. And the effort must continue to maintain that tenuous relationship.

If such an effort is required in an important arena like politics, you can imagine the necessity of regular communications in the world of commerce. What have you done today to earn the right to be heard?

Make ONE New Year's Resolution: A Blog

2009-12-29T07:40:00.000-08:00

I have never been big on making New Year's resolutions, either personally or for a business. But I am going to make an exception for 2010 and urge you to get going on a blog. Here's why:

1. It's easy. While it is best to host a blog on your company's web site (see below) you can always get started with a free blog hosting service like Blogger.com or Wordpress.com. It takes very little time to set up a basic blog. You can customize the look and format later, if you want.

2. It helps SEO. "SEO" is search engine optimization, and it is the best way to grow traffic to your web site organically, without spending money advertising the site. Updating your blog (if it is hosted on your web site) on a regular basis tells the search engines that something is new and worth viewing, thus incrementally increasing search engine visibility and placement.

3. It's a great marketing tool. Sharing knowledge with your customers and prospects has always been a terrific way to brand a business and build trust. In the past we have used newsletters, white papers and published articles to accomplish this. But a blog is faster, more immediate, less expensive and is rapidly becoming an accepted - if not preferred - way of receiving communications.

If you have not already done so, make 2010 the year you enter the blogosphere. While a blog is not the path to instant riches and success, it is an increasingly important tool in communicating in the business world.

Getting Started with "Social Media"

2009-12-11T13:15:00.000-08:00

You've heard the terms "social media, "new media" or "inbound marketing." But the flurry of options has you confused. Twitter. Facebook. LinkedIn. Blogs. Ning. Where to begin? Here is some fast advice, in order of importance:

1. Web site. Make sure you have one, and make sure it is up to date. That means attractive, engaging and interactive. No more "electronic brochure."

2. Blog. Remember the rule, "If you want people to be interested, be interesting." A blog let's you share your knowledge with customers and prospects so that they begin to see you as the expert and thought leader in your field of expertise. It does not hurt that a blog can also help raise the visibility of your web presence.

3. LinkedIn. This business-oriented network is becoming increasingly popular and is a great way to make B2B contacts. But you have to work at it a little bit. Keep your profile up to day, join appropriate LinkedIn groups, and make sure your blog posts are sent to your LinkedIn profile to keep things interesting (there's that word again!).

4. Twitter. Don't "tweet" like a teenager seeking attention and approval. Use Twitter as a notification device when you have something worthwhile to convey. Like a new blog post, new product, update to your web site, etc. Include a link back for more information.

5. Facebook. The new business-oriented Facebook can become a gathering place for customers ("fans") and a way for prospects to check out your company. Set up a page for your business, or even several pages for different divisions or departments. Urge your customers to become fans and contribute their thoughts and comments. You may even want to set up an employee Facebook page for distribution of company information and feedback from employees.

6. Ning. Although not as well known, Ning may eventually grow into a more powerful community-building tool than Facebook. You can take the lead on a topic or idea by creating a Ning community and becoming a "connector" for those who have a shared interest.

7. Google AdWords. For certain products and services, a Google AdWords campaign can drive leads and prospects to your web site. Don't treat them like regular visitors! Set up a distinct and separate landing page in order to capture interest and information right away. And be ready to respond quickly. An internet lead has a short shelf life.

This is a very quick overview of ways to use some of the new media tools available. The key is to be consistent in deliver good, usable content so that you will be found, considered and contacted.

Dear Tiger Woods, Here is Some Free PR Advice

2009-11-30T08:07:00.000-08:00

Dear Tiger Woods:

First, I am glad that you were not seriously injured in your early morning car crash. At least not PHYSICALLY injured. I am afraid that the damage done to your reputation may be much more serious. And whoever is providing you with advice on how to handle this crisis should be sued for malpractice.

Here is what you need to do: 'fess up.

If there was a domestic problem that caused you to race out of your driveway (slowly, of course) in the wee hours of the morning, say so. No details are necessary, just a brief, "Elin and I had a disagreement and I went for a ride to cool off." Such an admission will help to humanize you in the eyes of the public and generate a lot of sympathy from your core audience, us guys.

If there was not a problem on the home front, step up to the microphone and say so. Go directly to the public yourself and tell them that nothing happened, end of story.

All this hiding behind your lawyers makes you look bad. Guilty. Wimpy, even.

Your golf game has always been bold and honest. Now is not the time to take a different direction with a very public part of your personal life.

And fire the PR guy.

Social Media is Not New.

2009-11-04T06:42:00.000-08:00

I attended an excellent seminar recently on social media (blogs, Twitter, on-line communities, etc., etc.). The event was sponsored by the Publicity Club of New England and presented by Lois Kelly of Beeline Labs. Lois gave the most coherent overview of a fragmented and sometimes confusing world of new technology, shifting responsibilities and frighteningly fleeting opportunities.

But what I came away with was a sense of deja vu. For, despite the amazing technology that gives us the ability to connect with so many people, the success of social media still comes down to a statement Lois made late in her presentation:

"If you want people to be interested, be interesting."

It still comes down to the story. It has always been about the story. If you don't have something worthwhile to say that provides value, and say it clearly and compellingly, it does not matter how you deliver the message - it won't be effective.

Social media is merely new channels. Capturing attention and motivating action are still the same. Having a strong story and tell it convincingly is still the core of successful marketing.

Is Your Web Site Evolving?

2009-10-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

The World Wide Web is almost 20 years old now, and many businesses (especially the "early adopters") are working on the third, fourth or fifth version of their corporate web site. Just as the web has evolved, so must your place in it change and grow.

Unfortunately, too many business "leaders" still consider their web site to be nothing more than an electronic brochure. Or, worse, a nuisance that costs too much money to build and maintain for very little payback. Chances are they are correct, as it is unlikely they have developed a well thought out web strategy as an integral part of their overall corporate planning.

But other companies have embraced the web as an exciting and all-encompassing communications tool, with all the opportunities that entails. Some have converted their entire business model to be web based, while others are using the web as a powerful marketing engine to drive leads and sales.

How about you? Is your web site something you can point to as a valuable part of your organization? Does it actively, engagingly and effectively communication your company's message? Most importantly, does your web site contribute to the profitability of your business?

If not, it is time to reevaluate your commitment. The web and the world are moving on around you. You can either get on board or get left behind.

Tyranny in Massachusetts

2009-09-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

So the Democrats in the Massachusetts House of Representatives have decided that having the Governor appoint an interim U.S. Senator to replace the late Ted Kennedy is a good idea after all. No doubt their colleagues in the state Senate will follow suit, thus bringing Massachusetts full circle: from the state that first rebelled against tyranny to the state where tyranny rules.

In case you missed it, the Democrat-dominated legislature was quick to yank the long-standing privilege of appointing interim U.S. Senator away from then-Governor Mitt Romney (a Republican) when it appeared that John Kerry might win the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. They cried "foul" when faced with the prospect of Romney appointing a fellow Republican if the seat became vacant. Better to wait for a special election, the Dems said.

But now, with a Democrat back in the Governor's office, things suddenly look different. Why wait for a special election when you are virtually guaranteed that a Democrat will replace Kennedy? This is what happens when one party is so dominant that they feel no need to actually represent the people who elect them.

How bad is it? The House of Representatives actually considered passing a law that would require Governor Deval Patrick to appoint a Democrat with his newly restored power. It was narrowly defeated.

What arrogance! But what can you expect from a group that is so secure in its position and so self-centered that it simply ignored an overwhelming statewide referendum calling for a rollback of a "temporary" tax hike enacted several years ago.

The Democrats in Massachusetts (and, indeed, across the country) feel that they know what is good for us better than we know ourselves. And they are willing to ram it down our throats. Tyranny, thy name is Massachusetts.

Recession's over? Now what?

2009-09-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

In case you have not heard, the recession is over and economic activity is on the rebound. What? Your business is not booming again? Customers are still hard to come by?

Join the club. While Wall Street may be on an upswing, it will be several months before any semblance of "normal" returns to Main Street.

But that does not mean you should sit back and wait. Just the opposite, in fact. Now is the time to launch a preemptive marketing strike aimed at recapturing lost customers and conquering new ones.

The mood of the country is definitely shifting, and tightened purse strings will surely loosen somewhat. But painful memories of the recession will linger and cause consumers (including business-to-business customers) to be more prudent and cautious. All the more reason to be aggressive with your marketing.

Putting your name, products and services in front of potential customers now will better position your company for the time when customers do start spending again. In fact, acting now will leave you a less crowded field, as timid competitors try to tiptoe through the next few months without making any impact on the market.

Be bold and loud and consistent today and you'll be the one buyers choose when they start writing checks again.

A (New) Word About Travel

2009-08-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

Taking a detour from marketing and advertising, I would like to pass along two observations about travel. More specifically, travelers.

I recently returned from a short trip to Colorado to visit my son. Part of the fun of travel is observing the people around you. Many are out of their element and on their best behavior while traveling. For others, travel brings out the worst. Here are two examples of the latter.

While waiting for a flight in Denver, my wife an I treated ourselves to ice cream. At the table next to ours was a middle aged woman, cautiously guarding her "carry on" luggage, the likes of which exceeded the baggage train of a small army. But what made this woman stand out was her advanced communications skills.

Talking into a cell phone crammed between shoulder and ear, she whined endlessly (at least for the ten minutes we sat there) about how horrible it was to fly, how late her flights were, etc., etc. At the same time, she was texting furiously on a BlackBerry. Doubtless she was enthralling some other poor slob with the same complaints in text form.

In fact, I invented a new word for what that miserable woman was doing: KVEXTING. It is a combination of kvetching and texting. Try it sometime when you have too many friends and want to drop one from your list of favorites.

The second fellow traveler who got my attention (and raised my blood pressure) was also at the Denver airport. This "queen of all air travelers," also a middle aged woman, arrived at the boarding gate in a wheelchair, being pushed by one of the airport skycaps. She painfully and slowly eased herself from the wheelchair to a seat in the waiting area, as the skycap unloaded her trunk-size duffle bag.

Initially, my heart went out to the woman. It must have been very difficult and challenging to travel when she was obviously in such pain, with limited mobility.

My opinion changed pretty dramatically when, once the skycap was out of sight, the woman hopped up and ran lightly over to the ticket counter, leaping over a couple of bags on the way. She was a faker! The woman continued to stroll around the waiting area, talking loudly on her cell phone, while waiting for the flight.

Just prior to boarding, a new skycap arrived with another wheelchair. The "queen" had summoned her chariot! Suddenly the pain and laborious movement returned. She even went so far as to tell the skycap that she could not lift her carry on bag, "Because I have a disability."

When was the last time you heard anyone with a genuine disability say, out loud, "I have a disability."??? My blood was starting to boil.

Naturally, this poor, disabled woman was allowed to board ahead of everybody else. And the flight crew, no doubt, had to help her load her carry on "trunk" into the overhead storage bin. After all, the woman had "a disability!"

There is no doubt in my mind that this woman was pretending to be disabled simply to gain an advantage over other travelers. Was she lazy? Cunning? Or simply so fabulously egotistical that she thought it was OK to use up valuable services that should have been going to those truly in need of the help?

The good news is that 99% of the people we spent our travel time with were friendly, engaging, patient and understanding. It is a shame that a few bad apples can have such a deleterious effect on the rest.

But I still like the idea of "kvexting."

Is Twitter for Twits?

2009-07-09T13:05:00.000-07:00

Do you Twitter? Should you Twitter?

The debate rages on about whether Twitter is a legitimate communications tool with staying power, or simply a passing fad that lets the ADD generation think they are having meaningful conversations with the world. The "Pet Rock" for the new millennium.

We won't know about the lasting value of Twitter for quite some time yet. But that does not mean you can afford to ignore it. Anything that exhibits such extraordinary growth (475,000 users to 19 million users in less than a year!) must have something to offer.

And, be honest, if you are 45 or older you thought this e-mail thing was just a passing fancy, too.

I believe that Twitter can be effective when used in concert with other communications tools, such as Facebook, blogs and web sites.

For example, I am big fan of blogging, as it fulfills the role once played by newsletters, only with more frequency and timeliness. (Not to mention less paper and ink and postage.) Whenever I post a new entry to the blog you are reading (www.agoodmind.blogspot.com), I alert my "followers" with a "tweet" and link to the new missive.

Similarly, every new blog entry gets posted to my Facebook page. I want as many people as possible to have access to the information I am sharing.

So Twitter is not necessarily limited to inane, voyeuristic, nihilistic updates about every waking moment in a tweeter's life. Used properly, Twitter can serve as another channel for distributing information and ideas, quickly and efficiently.

Tweet that!

A Tasty Option

2009-06-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am constantly finding new and interesting ways to use the web. OK, so maybe I am late to the party on many of them. But I still think there are some simple things that the web does so much better than anything else.

Map directions, for one. Looking up zip codes. And now, making restaurant reservations.

I recently stumbled across OpenTable, a really cool site that let's you find a restaurant and make a reservation without having to look up a phone number, get put on hold for ten minutes, then speak to a bored host or hostess who will probably get your name wrong and write down the wrong time or date.

Give OpenTable a try next time you are planning a dinner out.

Succeeding in the Long Run

2009-06-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

I am training for a marathon (again). I have run several marathons in the past, but each one is a new challenge. This one is the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC, at the end of October.

Why am I writing about it now? Because I am about to begin a 16 week training program that includes progressively longer runs and additional workouts to build my strength and endurance. It starts with a simple, easy 4 mile run and concludes with the 26.2 mile marathon.

Notice that I will not start out by running 20 miles right away. That would be foolish, as I am unprepared at this time to handle such a long run. Instead, I will gradually build up to longer distances and faster paces over 16 weeks.

There is a marketing lesson here. Do you find yourself thinking (or even saying out loud), "We need a huge sale right now." Or, "We'd better sign a big new client this month or else!"

While it is great to have lofty goals and big objectives, you can't knock them down right out of the box. Marketing is like marathon running. You need to take the smaller steps first so that you will be able to tackle the big run at the right time.

Just as my series of shorter runs performed consistently over several months will prepare me for 26.2 miles in October, your marketing effort must consist of interim objectives and smaller successes on the road to "the big one."

Strangely enough, you might find that all the "little wins" add up quickly and can even be more satisfying than completing one big sale or capturing a single large client.

Giving Away the Store

2009-06-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

For many years I have encouraged my clients to "share your knowledge" as an effective form of marketing. Tell people what you know - demonstrate your expertise - and they will be more likely to remember you when they need your services or products.

That approach to marketing is more prevalent and more effective than ever, thanks in large part to the explosion of more direct channels of distribution. Years ago the "sharing" was done on a limited basis, through articles that we managed to get published, white papers and newsletters. Now my clients share what they know through blogs, on Facebook, with self-published e-books, via e-mail blasts - there are ten times as many options today.

Still, some are still reluctant to "give away the store" by providing too much information for free. They are afraid that, by anticipating and answering questions and offering problem-solving solutions, they will obviate the need for a prospective client to hire them.

Nonsense! Sharing what you know is simply proof of expertise in advance. It allows a potential customer a glimpse into how you think, and what your area (or areas) of expertise might be. Consider this "show and tell" as an audition that could lead to a starring role.

Drug Wars Come to the Supermarket

2009-05-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

I was stunned over the weekend to see a television commercial promoting the giveaway of free antibiotics (with a prescription). Was this a government sponsored program for the underprivileged? A community health center reaching out to the uninsured?

Nope. Just Stop & Shop, the region's largest supermarket chain trying to build store traffic by using pharmaceuticals as a loss leader.

Oh what a slippery slope this is going to be. It starts with free antibiotics, a good deed done in hopes of a financial gain. But when all the other supermarkets are tossing out free penicillin, how far will the new "drug war" escalate? How soon will we see giveaways of pain killers, anti-depressant medication and narcotics? (Free Viagra is a given!)

This is a dangerous precedent being set. If supermarkets and pharmacies are allowed to give away drugs (even "mild" ones), there is nothing to stop them from ratcheting up the hype to include other, less savory items. How soon will we see a free quart of Jack Daniels with every $100 grocery purchase?

Yes, the free antibiotics is a great marketing coup. But somebody needs to bring some common sense and decency into the decision making process before our society falls further toward the "bread & circus" mentality that marked the end of the Roman empire.

Come to think of it, "Bread & Circus" was the name of a grocery chain that was absorbed by another, larger competitor. Perhaps if they offered free gladiator bouts in the produce aisle they may have been able to stay afloat.

Buy a Ford

2009-05-07T10:08:00.001-07:00

My car is just over a year old, so I am not currently in the market for a new one. But when I am, I will buy a Ford. You should, too.

Why? Because Ford deserves to be recognized and rewarded for rejecting federal bailout money and getting through its financial crisis on its own. For embracing capitalism and rejecting socialism at a time when it would have been much easier to simply take the cash.

Now Ford has announced plans to spend more than half a billion dollars to modernize production facilities in Michigan. Who spends half a billion dollars when sales are down 30 percent? A company that is looking to the future and doing something positive to make sure they get there.

Show your appreciation and admiration for an organization that gets it right. Buy a Ford.

The 40/40/20 Rule of Advertising

2009-05-06T10:36:00.001-07:00

Getting your message out to potential customers consists of three basic steps, each of which contributes toward the success of the effort. Over the years, marketing experts have been able to quantify the importance of each of the steps:

• Medium (40%): This is the channel you use to deliver the message. It may be a mailing list, media buy, e-mail list or choosing the right highway billboards. The choice of the medium (or multiple delivery methods) can count for 40% of the success of the campaign.

• Message (40%): Even if you have a foolproof method of reaching prospects, you must have a compelling message in order to generate a response. The message must resonate with what the customer wants to hear, not what you want to say. Here is where you make your case, whether it is with a special offer, sale price, or simply proof that your product or service is superior. Again, the message is important enough to account for 40% of the effort.

• Format (20%): A great delivery channel and strong message can both be wasted if the recipient ignores the attempt. That is why it is critical that your message be developed in a way that is attractive, compelling and attention-getting. If not, you are wasting your time and money on marketing that nobody will notice.

As you can see, it is the combination of all three elements that creates a cohesive, action-inducing marketing campaign. Make sure you allot sufficient resources to each of these portions of the effort in order to reap the full benefits.

Tell Your Story

2009-04-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

When people ask me what I do I often reply, "I am a storyteller." That is essentially what I do for my clients: tell their story.

You should tell your story, too. No matter what product or service you are selling, no matter what cause you are promoting, you have a story to tell about it. If you don't, then how will people know what to think about you?

Too often marketing people focus on the way they deliver their story. They anguish over how big an ad should be, which radio station to use, whether direct mail makes sense, or how to improve the search engine placement of their web site. But all of this is moot unless you have a compelling message to back it up.

Advertising legend David Ogilvy stressed the necessity of finding the "USP" (unique selling proposition) in every product, for every client. He felt it was the one thing that set a company apart from the competition, made it memorable and desirable.

What is your USP? Do you have a singular feature or service that can't be duplicated by others? Don't tell me you offer "great customer service"! That is only the starting point. You need to be able to strip down your message so that it offers an unmistakable advantage for potential customers. Then build your story around this solid core.

Blog, Blog, Blog?

2009-04-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

I was born skeptical and have perfected the art of doubt over the years. So I was naturally leery about "blogging" as a marketing tool. At first, I saw a blog as merely a narcissistic, on-line version of a private diary. And why, oh why would the world want to read that?

But I pried my mind open enough to dig deeper into blogging. And discovered that a blog holds great promise as a communications tool. But only if you use it correctly.

First rule: Keep the personal "diary" materials out. If you must share your innermost thoughts with the world, do it in a separate blog. Or self-publish your memoirs.

Second rule: Don't try to sell anything. If you are pushing a product or service, you are advertising, not blogging, and any audience you may attract will quickly disappear.

Big rule: Make sure what you blog about is interesting, helpful, curiosity arousing, insightful and worth reading. Controversial is OK, too. Think about the newspaper columnists you read on a regular basis and try to emulate them. There is almost always something in their regular column that makes you glad you took the time to read it.

Other big rule: Invite response. Feedback on your ideas makes them better. And it shows that somebody, somewhere is reading. The term is "interactivity" and it is the new face of marketing.

Now, go blog.

Why You Are Disappointed in Your Advertising

2009-03-26T07:40:00.000-07:00

You spend too much money on advertising. That's a pretty broad statement, but I'll bet 99.99% of the business people in America would agree with it (with the exception, of course, of those in the advertising and media fields).

The fact is that very most companies are disappointed with the return on investment they're receiving from advertising. "The ads aren't working," "I can't afford to keep pouring money into advertising," and "Nobody even pays attention to my ads" are just some of the statements tossed across the corporate lunch table when the subject of advertising is raised. Why such dissatisfaction with a vital part of the marketing mix?

Here are seven reasons why your advertising might not be working as hard as it should.

1. Overly ambitious expectations.
Contrary to what the good folks on Madison Avenue (and other high rent districts across the country) would have you believe, advertising will not solve the problems of the world. Too many hopeful businesses put all their faith and hopes in advertising, while ignoring basic questions such as the quality of their products and services.

Advertising can help position a product and will go a long way toward creating a desired corporate image. But advertising is not alchemy, capable of turning pig iron into gold. Set your advertising objectives reasonably. Even Sir Edmund Hilary didn't expect to reach the summit of Everest on his first attempt.

2. Misdirected creativity.
There are two ways to go wrong here. In the first, the advertiser buys into the concept that “creativity sells” and accepts a wildly off—the—wall (and wildly expensive) ad that is sure to win an award for the art director, but will bomb with the ultimate judge—the consumer.

In the second case, the advertiser retains too much control over the ads content. You can tell one of these ads from a mile away—they contain a picture of the company's president and/or factory or a boastful headline of the advertiser's size/quality/years in business.

What neither of these ad styles even consider is the person who is reading, viewing or listening to their message. Its not what you want to say that matters, but what the customer wants to hear. In order to elicit the desired response, you must know your audience and their concerns. Push the right buttons and your advertising will cut through the clutter.

3. Unimaginative media selection.
Its all too easy to fall into a media rut. Running your ads on the same network—affiliate television stations, the same top—40 radio stations, the same daily newspapers and the same trade journals merely serves to “desensitize” your target audience to your message. Your advertising media plan must be as creative and on target as your ads.

Not selling cars through your ads in the classified section? Move your message to the editorial pages, or train station posters, or highway billboards. Depositors ignoring your bank's CD ads in the newspaper? Try a regional business magazine, cable television or spot radio. The whole idea is to use the media available to “attack” your target from as many angles as possible.

4. Underfinancing - Part A.
The biggest chunk of advertising expense is invariably the media. Advertisers spends thousands—even millions!—of dollars to buy space or time. Then they turn around and nickel and dime the production of the ad that will be running. If you're going to spend all that money to deliver a message, make sure the message is worth it. Budget enough for your print ad, television commercial or radio spot so that it stands out for its quality—not for poor typesetting, shabby artwork or out—of—focus photography.

5. Underfinancing - Part B.
On the other hand, the most creative, on target, professionally produced ad in the world is useless if nobody sees it. Make sure your media budget is healthy enough to make an impact. “I ran an ad once and it didn't work” is not an acceptable excuse. Buy media with enough reach, budget an ad size that will be noticed and plan for plenty of frequency.

6. Impatience.
Rome wasn't built in a day. Unless you're giving something valuable away free, don't expect customers to line up with cash in hand an hour after your television spot ran. Good advertising has a cumulative effect. (So does bad advertising, but that's a subject for another article.) Your customers might not be ready to buy today, or tomorrow for that matter. But if you keep your name in front of them consistently, you'll be in the game when they do decide to make a purchase.

7. No support.
Advertising cannot shoulder the marketing burden all by itself. It should be a part of a more complete marketing mix, encompassing complementary public relations, promotion and sales efforts. The reward will be a whole greater than the sum of its parts—a total marketing impact that will produce the results you're now expecting from advertising alone.

The money you spend on advertising in an investment. Make sure it is money well spent. Pay attention to the details, make the financial and mental commitment necessary to advertise effectively and give it a chance to work. You're sure to see results that will turn your disappointment into delight.

Paul Harvey, RIP

2009-03-02T10:40:00.001-08:00

I was saddened to learn of the death over the weekend, at age 90, of radio legend Paul Harvey. Here was a man who lived his life the right way, and took us all along for the ride.

I was first introduced to Paul Harvey when my boss at a college co-op job forced us all to listen to his broadcasts during the lunch hour. At first I thought Paul was pretty corny, and that his enthusiasm was faked and affected. But the more I listened the more I came to understand that Paul Harvey truly enjoyed sharing his optimistic view of the world with anybody who would listen. And he was not ashamed to let us all know how much he cared. For a cynical young man, it was a revelation.

Years later, it was my turn to force my unwilling children to listen to Paul's "Rest of the Story" broadcasts. Like me, they were initially bored. But it did not take long for Paul to captivate them as he did me.

They don't make them like Paul Harvey anymore. Today's acid-tongued talk show hosts think they must be constantly on the attack in order to earn their keep. But Paul Harvey knew the secret to winning an audience was to tell a good story.

And "that's the rest of the story."

The Four "I's" of Advertising

2009-02-25T11:00:00.001-08:00

The task of your company's marketing program is to create opportunities for you to sell your products and service. A vital part of this marketing effort is an advertising component that not only supports your sales force, but actually precedes the sales effort.

An effective ad campaign produces four "I's" for your company: Interest, Image, Information and Inquiries.

1. Interest
The first job of any advertisement is to grab the attention of the audience. If an ad does not have "stopping power," it is a waste of space or time. Potential customers must have a reason to become interested before they will read or listen to your ad.

Bold graphics, intriguing headlines, informative photographs or illustrations and attractive layouts are all ways to make readers stop, look and pay attention. Ads that are thrown together with little regard to these important elements deserve the fate they receive-fading away into the background. To be sold, you must be bold.

2. Image
Your advertising is the public face of your company. Potential customers may never meet you, may never visit your gleaming offices, may not even see your delivery truck!

But, like it or not, they will form an opinion of your company through the only means available-your advertising. Obviously, the version of your company presented in your ads should be the one most likely to elicit a positive response from the audience.

Look at your advertising with a customer's eye. Is your ad sloppily produced? Crammed with copy? Run on a spotty and irregular schedule? Readers (or listeners) will notice these details. They will equate "sloppy and irregular" with your company.

On the other hand, an ad that is clever, clean and attractive will serve to show the world that you take pride in your work and your company's image. Now, which ad will "turn off" a potential customer, and which will make them sit up and take notice?

3. Information
Now that you have their attention and good will, what will you say to your potential customers? Tell them what they want to hear.

"How can your product or service save me time or money? How can it solve my problems? Why will I be better off if I buy from you? Don't sell me on features, sell me on benefits."

The key is to ignore what you see as features and concentrate on what the customer needs in the way of benefits. Deodorant makers don't sell dry underarms-they sell social acceptance. Family restaurants don't sell good tasting food-they sell convenient fun for all. Automobile manufacturers don't sell transportation-they sell excitement and status. You do not sell oil-you provide comfort, convenience and safety.

4. Inquiries
A good salesperson always "asks for the sale," a function too often overlooked in advertising. While you can seldom close the deal in the newspaper, every ad should attempt to make a connection between your company and the audience.

Ask the reader to call or write to order or to get more information. Offer free literature. Invite the customer to visit your office. Use a toll-free telephone number or postage-paid reply card to make it as easy as possible for the customer to connect with you. Get that name, address and phone number!

This is called a qualified lead. Here is someone who has taken the time and effort to express an interest in your product or service. This is a bona fide opportunity to sell. By creating an atmosphere in which a potential customer makes the first move, your chances of actually selling to this person are four time greater than if you had approached them via a "cold call."

Now follow up as if your business depended on it. Return the call, send the brochure, make the appointment. Advertising's "Four I's" have put you in an enviable position.

You Are Not a Writer

2009-02-19T07:18:00.001-08:00

"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters." -- Solomon Short

I wish that I could write like Thomas Paine. His words, distributed through pamphlets and newspaper editorials, inflamed and inspired an entire colony to create a nation. The words still resonate today.

But I am not Thomas Paine. My writing is geared toward purposes that are more “commonplace” than “Common Sense.” Still, in my own small way, my writing is effective. I am proud to say that I am an advertising copywriter. And you are not.

Please don’t think I am tooting my own horn, or trying to drum up more business. I just want to point out that writing good copy for your company’s ads, brochures, newsletters, web site or fliers is HARD WORK.

It takes years of experience to understand the nuances of crafting a headline that attracts attention. Thousands of hours of practice to create a compelling tale about your product or service that tells the whole story in just a few short sentences or paragraphs. Intimate knowledge of language and psychology to write a “call to action” that gets people to act.

Yet every day, company owners and managers who attended business school, or came up through the accounting department, or who recently climbed down off a ladder or out of a truck cab; think they can sit down and dash off a winning composition that will sell millions of their widgets to an eager public.

Do yourself a favor. By all means write down your thoughts, identify the key selling points of your product, record the reasons you think people are buying from you now. Then hand your notes over to a professional who can take these rough components and craft them into a masterpiece of brevity and persuasive language.

You may not start a revolution. But you just might see a better return on your marketing dollar.

Points of Contact, Points of Influence

2009-02-17T07:44:00.001-08:00

“You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.”

This is especially true when it comes to marketing your business. Making a good impression is the first step in promoting your company to prospects and customers alike. Letters, telephone calls, postcards, newsletters, client meetings, social events, the way your receptionist greets visitors—these and many other occasions are valuable “points of contact.”

These points of contact are also “points of influence.” Each offers an opportunity to affect the perception of your company—either positively or negatively. How your company is represented at each and every one of these points of contact plays a key role in influencing how others think of your business.

Try to make every point of contact a point of positive influence. The first step is to make sure every employee in your company understands that they represent the business at all times. That includes those parts of the day and week when they are “off the clock.” Foolish behavior and loose talk can be just as devastating to your company’s image in a social setting as in a boardroom.

Next, establish standards. A part of every job description should include standards of dress and behavior that are expected. Start with key areas that are part of every business day, such as telephone etiquette, correspondence, fax procedures and customer hospitality. These are areas where “little things” mean a lot.

Standards must also be applied to all printed materials, from business cards and letterhead, to brochures and newsletters. The printed materials that leave your office serve as silent envoys for your company. Make sure they represent you favorably. Don’t settle for “good enough.” Put your best face forward in all of your marketing and business paperwork.

Every day, you and your employees make contact with dozens, hundreds or even thousands of customers and potential customers. Making the right impact every time requires discipline, training and practice at all levels of the company. Make each opportunity count. Turn these points of contact into points of positive influence.

Ready for the Recovery?

2009-02-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

Good news! Congress has finally agreed on an outrageously expensive economic stimulus package (on top of the $800 billion of our money they have already thrown down the banking rabbit hole).

This is a sure sign that the recession is almost over and the recovery is on the way. Why? Historically, Congress has only acted after a crisis has passed. That way our political "leaders" are assured that they won't be held accountable for their actions.

So, even though credit is still tight and many companies continue to struggle, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And, if you are smart, you'll start right now to prepare your business for the better days ahead. Here are four steps to take now to position your company for the recovery:

1. Branding - Branding is not just for corporate giants anymore. If the recession has taught consumers anything it is the need to be more selective in how they spend their money. Your company had better be on the list of "good" suppliers who deliver quality and value, even before the need for your products or services arises.

2. Accessibility - I am still amazed at how many businesses make it difficult for customers to find them or get in contact. You should work to lower every hurdle between your customers and your company. If you can possibly sell on-line or take orders through your web site, do it. Pony up for that toll-free telephone number. Make sure everybody has your e-mail address and respond to questions within 24 hours.

3. Manage Your Leads - When you do get a phone call, e-mail or web inquiry, make sure you have a system in place to respond. A sales lead had a very short lifespan. Immediate acknowledgment is a must, followed up with consistent communication. It is also essential to have an internal accountability system so that leads do not fall through the cracks. Opportunities to make sales are too precious to let slide.

4. Reexamine Your Marketing - Are you still spending a ton of money in the Yellow Pages? Is your local newspaper eating up the bulk of your advertising budget? Have you ignored web-based advertising because you simply do not understand it? Conduct a full audit of how you are marketing your business and be prepared to make drastic changes. Don't continue to do something just because "we've always done that." Figure out how your customers are getting their information and make sure you are there.

The recovery is coming. It is never too soon to get ready and put yourself in a position to emerge from the recession as a stronger, more marketing-driven company. Get started today.

Understanding PR

2009-02-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

I was recently floored by an otherwise intelligent (or so I thought) business person who told me that, with the economy in its current state, his company simply cannot afford PR.

This is a person who does not understand what public relations is, or what it can do for his business. He probably thinks PR is just a way to get "free advertising." It is not.

Here is what PR is:

- Public relations is not a luxury, it is a strategy that is key to the success of your business.

- Public relations is the way to manage key messages about your company, both good and bad.

- Public relations supplies credibility for your business by connecting with important audiences through channels that are not seen as paid advertising or promotion.

- Public relations is a two-way street, providing feedback from customers, prospects and the wider market that can help you further refine products and services - IF you take the time to listen.

- Public relations is a dialogue established between your organization and the world.

So, if "free advertising" is all you are after, PR is not for you. But if you want to help manage how your company is viewed by customers, prospects and other key audiences, take PR off the "luxury" list and put it where it belongs - under "essentials."

Going On the Attack

2009-02-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

Just as “a rising tide lifts all boats,” the extended period of economic growth over the past decade has given almost all businesses a free ride toward profitability. Now, however, the tide is ebbing and many companies are struggling to remain afloat.

Unfortunately, with customers and cash pouring in so easily for so long, many business owners have forgotten how to be competitive. After all, there was plenty of business to go around – let’s all share in the good times!

Well THAT party is over. It is time now to sharpen your competitive edge and ramp up your marketing in order to capture your share of the business that is out there. Let me correct that last statement: You need to capture your share plus a healthy chunk of your competition’s share in order to survive. And that means getting lean and mean and going on the attack.

What is the first thing weak competitors do when times get tough? They cut their prices. That is the first step on the road to insolvency. Recent reports confirm that retailers and automobile manufacturers who rushed to offer steep discounts earlier this year in order to attract shoppers are now paying an even steeper price in lost profits. Plus they have now conditioned customers to expect a sale, and reinforced their behavior by rewarding customers for waiting to make a purchase. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

The right way to approach the market is by differentiating your company, its products and services. When you convince customers that what you offer is different and better than anything else, you can rise above “commodity pricing” and stand a better chance of maintaining your profit margins.

But differentiation takes an investment in marketing. You must tell customers – both old and new – how good you are and how smart it is to do business with your company. Pull no punches, and don’t worry about hurting the feelings of your competitors. Keep hammering home the benefits of choosing your company in order to attract the attention – and money – of a wider range of customers.

The Shifting Sands of PR

2009-02-02T05:52:00.000-08:00

What if you held a press conference and nobody came? Or sent out a press release that nobody read? Or wrote an article, but there was nobody left to publish it?

These three staples of "traditional" public relations are in danger of becoming extinct. As more and more people choose to get their news and information on line, newspaper and magazine circulation continues to fall. Combine this with the economic pressures that are squashing advertising revenues and the result is a newsroom that is half empty, fewer reporters and less space to publish anything but the most essential news.

What does this mean to your organization's efforts to distribute news and information? New channels must be found or developed. And the best place to look is to the very source that is leading the charge away from traditional news media: the internet.

Instead of trying to use a third party distribution point (the media), we can now take our message direct to those whom we wish to reach. It is easy to see the potential benefits: clear communication of information without interference or interpretation, and the opportunity for immediate feedback or action.

The downside is, getting information out through the internet is hard work. In the past, if you could convince and editor to run your story, it would be seen by a wide audience. This "shotgun" distribution must now be replaced by a more narrowly targeted approach. The acquisition of e-mail addresses from clients and business contacts becomes essential, as does the requirement to provide good, solid and helpful information.

Content is king. If you have good information to share, using new media such as electronic newsletters, social media groups and blogs is an excellent way to keep in touch with customers and prospects directly. But know that people are quick to spot (and reject) an obvious sales pitch. Marketing must once again become a more subtle, long term process.

The Recovery Begins Right Here

2009-01-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

If you are following the ups and downs of the stock market in order to gauge the condition of the economy, you may be looking in the wrong place. Let me tell you why.

I recently asked a client, "How's business?" "Good," was his tentative reply. But then he amended it to, "surprisingly good." It seems January has been a productive month for his company. And, while he admitted the orders were not flying in like a few years ago, he was pleased with the way things were going. Maybe even a little optimistic.

Thus, the recovery begins. Not on Wall Street, but on Main Street. If you are hoping that the infusion of billions of dollars of our money into the financial system will eventually trickle down to help you out of the doldrums, don't hold your breath. Look where the first $350 billion went - nobody knows. (Although my guess is that most of it is now in private accounts in the Cayman Islands.)

No, the strength of the U.S. economy is not centered in the money shops of New York. It is in the small machine shops, local retail stores, local banks, farms and business offices just down the street from where you are. WE will be the engine that drives the recovery, not the socialization of America.

The client also shared the fact that much of his current business is coming from repeat customers. That is always nice, but never an accident. Such support and loyalty is the result of treating customers fairly and staying in touch with them.

I have always said that the most important marketing you can do is not to prospects, but to existing customers who already know and understand you. But they can easily forget about you unless you make the effort to keep the channels of communication open.

The REAL Miracle on Pennsylvania Avenue

2009-01-20T14:20:00.000-08:00

A miracle occurred today on the west steps of the Capitol Building in Washington. But it is not the miracle you may be thinking about, or reading about ad nauseum.

Yes, it is wonderful that an African-American has been elected President of the United States. And I truly wish President Obama well. We need real leadership right now.

But the REAL miracle was evident in the people around President Obama on the dais: ex-Presidents Carter, Bush, Clinton and Bush. The miracle was that, once again, a peaceful transfer of power occurred. No riots. No bloodshed. No revolution. No palace coup.

The fact that four ex-Presidents willingly braved the cold to stand in support of the country's newest leader speaks eloquently of the depth of faith we all have in our nation and in our form of government. In other countries, the ex-President is often jailed or killed in order for the new one to take office.

Good luck, President Obama. We are ALL behind you.

Marketing Advice for Our New President

2009-01-19T08:16:00.000-08:00

The fact that Barack Obama will soon be taking the oath of office to become our new President may be proof that he needs no marketing advice from me. After all, he just completed the biggest sale of all, convincing the American public to hand over their votes.

But I urge President Obama not to abandon many of the marketing techniques that served him well during his campaign for office. Once inside The White House, he may be tempted to circle the wagons and work on his agenda in isolation, insulated from the pesky media and their clients, the people who elected him. This is exactly what Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick did, and it has cost him dearly.

Gov. Patrick, the first African-American Governor elected in the Bay State, campaigned on a platform of reform and openness, promising to free the state from the tight grip of career politicians and the corrupt "in crowd" that surrounded them. He was duly elected and sworn in.

Then, for all intents and purposes, Gov. Patrick disappeared. For the first several months of his term he was seldom seen or heard. No doubt he was busy tackling the enormous job of governing the state. But he should have let the rest of us know what he was doing. The political capital of goodwill and optimism he built up during his campaign quickly evaporated, and many people began to suspect he was "just another politician."

To his credit, Gov. Patrick has worked hard to emerge from his self-induced isolation and has been much more open and accessible as he tackles the challenges brought about by the recession. (Some of his proposals even make sense to this conservative scribe.)

President Obama can learn a lesson from this. During his campaign he was very open and available, and even seemed willing to address controversial topics. His campaign was ground breaking in its use of new media and technologies to reach out to voters.

Now that he is in office, the President needs to keep the channels of communications open, and his activities as transparent as is practical. The American people don't need a "White House wizard" pulling levers behind a curtain. Instead, we want a leader who is not afraid to show us the direction in which he is leading us.

The Miracle of Good PR

2009-01-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

Kudos to US Airways on how they handled themselves during yesterday's airliner crash in New York. First to the pilot and flight crew for their decisions and actions that saved so many lives. But also to the company who showed how a good crisis communications plan works.

What am I talking about?

Look at the clutter of all the politicians (mayor, governor, borough president) pushing each other aside to get in front of the cameras. Yet the only public comment from US Airways was delivered by a spokesman in Phoenix. Nothing from local (New York) US Airways representatives.

And that is how it should be, especially in a time of crisis. US Airways executed its crisis PR plan to perfection, with all communication funneling through a single spokesperson who was well prepared and provided enough information, but not too much. One message, cohesively delivered.

Every company should have a written crisis communications plan in place to help them deal with critical audiences (employees, customers, media, investors, regulators) in the event of a disaster or emergency. Once the goose hits the engine, it is too late to start thinking about who is going to say what, and to whom.

The World Has Not Stopped Turning

2009-01-15T12:59:00.000-08:00

So we are in the middle of a recession. (Or perhaps we are at the beginning, or nearing the end. We won't really know until it is long over.) What is clear is that fewer homes are being purchased, fewer automobiles are being sold, fewer appliances are being delivered, fewer dollars are being spent across the board.

Please note one very important word in the preceding paragraph: "fewer."

I did not write that NO houses or cars were being sold, or that NO money was being spent. The economy has certainly slowed, but it has not stopped. Business is still being conducted. But many people are acting as if they must hide in the bomb shelter until the big, bad recession goes away.

That's bull****. It is a weak excuse for not being willing to compete for business. Too many people in business today have grown fat and lazy during the last ten years of prosperity. They think that customers and sales should magically drop into their laps in ever increasing numbers.

New reality, folks. We have returned to a time when you have to earn every dollar you make. When you have to do what it takes to steal market share from your competitors, and to fight for every customer.

Some businesses remain unable or unwilling to go on the offensive. They will fail.

Those that adapt and get aggressive with their marketing and sales efforts will survive, and then REALLY make hay when the economy climbs back up.

"Tightening your belt" has two connotations. You can cinch it up to try to hide your hunger pangs. Or you can gird your loins to do battle.

Which will you choose?