30 Sep 09 What is the Least effective form of advertising?
Ask Professor Aimone:
Q- What is the least effective form of Advertising?
A- For small businesses, I don’t think that any particular tactic- be it radio, TV, websites, billboards, trade shows or newspapers is inherently wrong (ok, maybe yellow pages). What I do find the least effective form of advertising tends to be when people are trying to implement the wrong strategy. If your sole goal is to “Get your name out there” and to execute a “branding campaign” your marketing efforts will probably fail if you need results in briefer than a 2-5 year period.
There is a classic analogy of your marketing budget as a glass of water, and the goal is to fill it to overflowing. Nice analogy, and yes, when you blanket the area you do increase the chances that someone notices you. So what’s the problem I have with that analogy?
What happens to the advertising you’ve poured in if you can’t afford to fill the glass to overflowing?
How do you know before you start how big that glass you need to overfill is anyway?
When you pour advertising into the glasses, how do you know you are pouring it into the same glass?
Answers upcoming-
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Tags: advertising, Branding, braning campaings, Duct Tape Marketing, Overfilled waterglass, Professor Aimone, Randy Aimone
01 Sep 09 Your Logo vs. Your Brand
Many people believe that their logo is their brand, and that they should make it as large, prominent and flashy to stand out from the crowd as much as possible- you know- to get noticed!
And that is why many advertisements fail.
What often gets lost in the ‘branding’ process is that your brand is much more than a cute logo, or your face, or how you write your company’s name. I work with many businesses that thought that if they displayed their expensive logo as large as possible people will walk/call/E-mail them and hand them thousands of dollars and say “Wow- you’ve got a very impressive logo- I couldn’t wait to give you my money! Thank you for taking it from me!”
So I ask you- how often have YOU had that conversation with someone you decided to do business with? Heck, when is the last time you paid more than a 20% premium on the “Brand Name” with no other clear differences? My guess is, as the savvy shopper I bet you are… is a long, long time ago.
So what is a brand really- and what builds up real, bankable brand equity?
A true “Talking Logo” is what your customers think when they think about your company. Hopefully, it is what you tell them your brand means- but many brands are simply what customers perceive you as. I know many people who pay a premium to the Sony name- Not because they spent an absurd amount of money on the font they write their logo with- but because the Sony name has a reputation for “Quality, innovative electronics.” So if I have a bit more money to spend on a TV/Computer/Game Console- I might choose to have a couple more features and slightly better quality that I expect from Sony as opposed to the other choices.
A graphical logo we have to be trained to understand, and associate with your brand. This takes countless repetitions and is very expensive to pull off… but for what purpose? If your graphical logo just means you need a size larger Yellow Page ad, billboard or newspaper ad- but the larger size isn’t getting you a single extra client- is it worth it?
Instead of spending time working with a graphical logo, try this instead:
Duct Tape Mad-Libs:
I think we all remember Mad-Libs from our childhood car rides- You just need to fill in the blanks for YOUR company:
I/We ___(Action)____ to/for ______(Target Market)___________ _______(Key Benefit)__________.
So your Duct Tape Mad Lib- if you are a Florist-
We create for homes and brides, delightful scents and images.
How do you know if you’ve come up with a successful Duct Tape Mad Lib?
After you answer the question of “What do you do?” with your Mad Lib, the next question you are asked is:
“How do you do that?”
Tags: advertising, Branding, Mad Libs
23 Jul 09 KFC – How a Great Product can Outshine Mediocre Marketing
A recent Ad Age report (http://adage.com/article?article_id=137962) discusses how KFC in light of it’s recent Grilled Chicken un-think Oprah coupon blunder has actually caused Marketing Analysts to un-think their predictions of failure for the chain.
They thought telling a customer to un-think everything a brand usually stands for and go for something new and seemingly unrelated to southern home cooking was incorrect and doomed from the start. However, they now have a 3% increase in same store sales and positive numbers on repeat customers for the grilled chicken. In fact the article states that they are outperforming the entire fast food industry by 1% Why is that?
Truth is, it’s just a great product that the increasingly heath conscious and budget conscious consumer wanted. As long as KFC got the word out that this was available people were ready to try it. If you have a truly great product, even if you have some Marketing mistakes or nay-sayers, as long as you get the word out there and get people talking and walking to try the product it will succeed. However, if the product sucks and even if you have the best marketing, most likely it won’t do well for long once people catch wind of this. Always strive to come out with an awesome product/service that will not only get people talking but get people coming back. An 85% repeat rate for KFC is awesome and i hope more fast food companies start to un-think a bit and cater to this type of consumer.
Tags: advertising, AimOne Marketing, KFC, Marketing, Oprah, Sarah Lipkin
22 Jul 09 Ask Professor Aimone:
Professor Aimone,
Charlie North says the email addresses in the DCRCC directory are implicit acceptances of email. That is why they give them. GSDCC takes a tighter course: you must ask. My emails are going to be all about knowledge. Is the more appropriate answer to send an intro email with, say future topics (enticement) and a request to send future emails; or send one with ‘unsubscribe’ option (Constant Contact type)?
While Mr. North is right to some extent that a published E-mail address can be an invitation to send E-mail; proper E-mail etiquette strongly recommends that you send an introductory E-mail asking permission, or that you receive verbal permission before adding someone to your list. Remember, in this current trust-based marketing environment the last way you want to start off a lasting relationship is by being a pain in the ass. Sending unwanted, unsolicited spam= Being a pain in the ass. You might as well be cold calling.
Sending mass E-mails without a functioning unsubscribe option is very dangerous legally, and can get you in a LOT of trouble from the 2003 CAN-SPAM laws. Ergo, I see that as an absolute minimum.
The other topic I suggest careful consideration of is E-mail frequency.
At most I suggest a weekly E-mail, and at least 6 contacts a year.
How should you decide?
I’ve been playing with a rough rule of thumb that you should send no more than 4 E-mails per ‘buying cycle’. If you are a Deli with a regular clientele, you should be doing weekly E-mails as your clients may purchase from you twice a week.
On the other hand, if you are a car dealership, 6 E-mails a year is likely to be the most you should send before you run the risk of being considered Spam.
I tend to suggest to lean to the side of fewer E-mails than too many for 3 key reasons, among them being:
1) It takes less time to write fewer E-mail articles, unless you are outsourcing this (not a bad idea by the way, unless you know you are a good writer), that should be a consideration.
2) Too many E-mails can easily result in your being ignored, if not regulated to the trash, than certainly rarely opened.
3) I feel it is much better publicity for you to have your clients & prospects look forward to your messages, and it’s easier to look forward to a rare event.
20 Jul 09 The 7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success Seminar
On Thursday, August 8th at 3 PM, Randy Aimone will be conducting a seminar on the 7 Steps to Small Business Marketing Success at the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce in Poughkeepsie in their conference room.
to RSVP, please E-mail Randy at Randy@AimOneMarketing.com
Tags: Duct Tape Marketing, Marketing, Small Business Marketing
30 Jun 09 Training Your Customers to Be Loyal
My wife and I brought home a new computer desk chair from Staples the other day, and like a good husband I offered to assemble it for her. The instructions that came with the chair were so elegant, so clear, and so well-organized that I realize that Staples is one of the leaders in customer service today. They two areas I have found that they excel in are rife with customer abuse stories: the aforementioned assembly instructions, and rebate offers.
Product Assembly Instructions that Don’t Inspire Fear and Dread
We’ve all had assembly horror stories, whether it’s on Christmas Eve or when putting together new office furniture. Maybe the parts don’t match the list, or the diagrams aren’t all that clear. Sometimes they’re written in five or six languages, but the translation into yours leaves something to be desired. I’m especially wary of the ones that include a number to call for free replacement parts; experience has shown me that this means that the parts are cheap to manufacture and likely to break again. All in all, writing product assembly instructions is not given the attention that it deserves.
Putting together this Staples chair, however, was a very different experience. The instructions were a series of drawings that were very clear, and the parts were all labeled visibly. The hardware was individually wrapped, and labeled with the number of the step it would be used for. Even the spare parts were clearly labeled as such. The entire assembly took me less time than it usually takes just to inventory the parts.
Rebates Done Simply
I’ve just about given up on buying things that have rebate offers, because the instructions for getting the money back are usually incredibly complicated and filled with loopholes designed to prevent me from ever seeing the money. Not so at Staples, where the company’s own in-house rebate program can be completed online with the information printed on the receipt itself. The novelty of actually getting the money back never wears off.
Lessons from Staples’ Customer Service
Staples invests time and money into ensuring that customers don’t get frustrated after they’ve already spent their money. No business can afford to stop giving quality service after money has changed hands, because a returning customer is worth so much more than a one-shot. Not only are are customers already educated about your unique market position (right?), they are also the ones that are most likely to refer others to your door.
What client after-care can you be doing that will increase your customer retention?
Tags: customer service, Guest Post, Terence P Ward
28 Jun 09 Why Referrals Work and the Other Stuff Doesn’t
Referrals and face-to-face meetings are the preferred tactics for marketing professional services. Most professionals will tell me that the “other marketing stuff” doesn’t work, but if they can get in front of the right person, the usually close the deal.
Have you ever thought about why that is?
Here are some of the reasons meeting face to face, whether by referral or not, tends to be the most effective way for us to gain a new client:
* We are specific about who we help
* We are specific about the types of problems we solve
* We talk in plain English – not in corporate marketing mumbo-jumbo
* We tell our story – People remember and connect with people through stories
* If we are successful generating business from our local chamber or other networking groups, it is because we are consistent. We show up regularly and participate often.
* We listen to the client’s issues, show them that we understand, and explain how we help them solve their problems.
Why the other stuff doesn’t work
Many of the frustrations professionals have with traditional marketing stems from doing the opposite of what works for referrals.
* We are too general – we try to create marketing materials that appeal to everyone and end up being special to no one
* We create materials that are filled with jargon, buzzwords, nonsense, and fluff
* Rather than telling our story, we talk about “fair pricing”, “good customer service”, and “quality work” – just like everyone else
* We are not consistent. We do one mailing and stop. We don’t follow up. We fail to continue to market to our existing clients
For some reason, when we start to create “formal marketing materials” we stop talking to people and start talking at them.
Create more effective marketing materials by focusing on your potential client rather than lecturing them on how great you are.
Tags: advertising, Bill Brelsford, Guest Blogger, Referrals
23 Jun 09 Target’s On-Target Umbrella Bags
This post is written by guest blogger Terence P Ward.
Target offers branded umbrella bags free to its wet customers in Poughkeepsie, NY
While many retailers were no doubt lamenting New York’s monsoon season, Target found a way to capitalize on it by offering complimentary umbrella bags to its customers. This is a great example of how to keep a brand firmly in the hearts and minds of the people. This service has some nice benefits:
- Thoughtful. Who wouldn’t appreciate the offer to keep a little drier while shopping?
- Viral. No doubt those Target-branded umbrella bags were everywhere in the mall, gleefully trumpeting the bull’s-eye logo in every nook and cranny of the competition’s retail space. I wonder how many people went to Target because they wanted an umbrella bag too?
- Clean. Even as the umbrella bags send forth armies of loyal Target shoppers into the mall, they’re keeping Target’s floors and merchandise cleaner. The cost of the bags is more than offset by not having to mop as often.
All in all, this is a really nice example of innovative marketing that adds value, creates goodwill, and spreads brand awareness for very little upfront investment. The best marketing ideas aren’t the ones that scream for attention; rather, they can’t help but get noticed because they add value all by themselves.
So is your marketing taking into consideration what your customers actually need, like Target’s is? What separates your promotional items from mere advertising, and elevates them to objects that provide value? Do you get caught up in the romance of promotional items when you look through those catalogs, the way I do? It really can be intoxicating, imagining the company logo on a letter opener, but when’s the last time you actually saw someone using a letter opener?
Like any other aspect of marketing, make sure you can track results with promotional items. For Target the result could be seen in the mall. For a law firm I once worked for, the tracking came in the form frequent requests for more of our post-it notes (they were in bright colors and stood out among the standard yellow ones). It only makes sense to promotional items with a high perceived value – even if the items themselves are as inexpensive as a plastic umbrella bag.
Tags: Guest Post
10 Jun 09 You may need to upgrade your marketing if:
You may need to upgrade your marketing if:
This is a repost from John Jantch at www.DuctTapeMarketing.com. Simply brilliant content.
A lot of marketers get both confused and fed up with all the talk about things like new media, social media, inbound marketing, user generated content, and the age of conversation. I mean, how is a person suppose to apply all these somewhat vague and hard to pin down terms and trends. Well, there’s no denying that the world and certainly the world of marketing has changed. If you’re trying to wrap your head around what that might mean for you, here are seven very concrete ways to start viewing the evolution of your marketing strategies and practices.
1) Your marketing strategy is a sales strategy – far too many small business folks view marketing as selling. I’ve got nothing against sales, you must have them, but what you must have, before a sales presentation is ever made, is a crystal clear, very easy to understand difference. You must claim and communicate at every turn the way that your products, services, and processes are uniquely here to make some narrowly defined target market’s life better. Oh, and it can’t be boring, there must be something remarkable enough about your business or strategy that people go out of their way to tell others about it. Do that and selling not only gets easier, it gets somewhat superfluous.
2) You use mail-in rebates – OK, really this one’s kind of a pet peeve of mine, but it applies to any kind of odd or confusing issues around pricing, buying your products, contacting your company, or engaging your services. Any practice that doesn’t make sense or makes your customers jump through hoops, either because it makes your life easier or you’re intentionally trying to trick people into buying, is so last century.
3) You are the low price loser – This is the opposite of the low price leader. See, the low price leader uses technical or operational advantages to profitably thrive in competitive pricing scenarios. The low price loser simply tries to compete on price alone instead of competing on value. Value means many things, but far too often business owners undervalue or under-educate about true value and are forced to differentiate based on price. Differentiate, activate and army talkers, add value, and charge premium prices.
4) You think a blog is something created by the IT department – Blogging is the tip of the very large iceberg of content creation in the new world of marketing, but it’s still one of the easiest ways for you to play. The fact that anyone can find anything they want about any business or challenge by simply visiting a search engine means that you must be consistently producing content that allows your business to be the one they find online. Committing to producing educational content through the low-cost, easy to operate blogging software is a no-brainer for your marketing department.
5) You think lead generation is about hunting – the problem with going out and hunting down your prospects is that they have developed far too many ways to tune your messages out or simply developed a numbness to much of what they see as attempts to sell them stuff. Today’s marketers are optimizing tons of content, written word, images, audio, and video and placing it online, offline, and in outposts like LinkedIn and Business Week’s Business Exchange so that when prospects go looking, and they still are, these marketers are being found.
6) You think the only way to press coverage is pounding journalists with press releases – Well, I’m not really sure this was ever that effective, but identifying key journalists and building relationships through relevant interaction on their blog, sending industry data, and commenting on stories is a far better way to become a quoted source. Expand your view of the media to include industry blogs (some of which have larger and more focused readerships than a traditional metro Business Journal) and build relationships with these individuals. Consistently submit press releases and articles to online distribution sites such as PRWeb and Pitch Engine.
7) You think the best way to get more referrals is to ask – Sure asking for referrals is a good thing, but being more referable is a better thing. You make your organization more referable when you do something that’s remarkable, that people can’t not talk about. And, you do it by looking at every interaction with a prospect or customer as a marketing interaction. You do it by making certain that in every engagement the customer not only receives the value, but realizes that value fully. You do it by keeping your promise in a way that provides a wonderful experience.
Original at: http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2009/06/09/7-signs-your-marketing-may-need-to-evolve/
07 Jun 09 Let your brand live!!
If you read David Meerman Scott’s Blog entry HERE about 5 ways GM should re-invent themselves, he says an awful lot about why GM is dying fast. This is a follow up to that blog post.
Here is my personal, 6th rant on GM->
Let your brands live!
Lets start out with a quick question about what a brand actually is ->
A) A very hot iron that you permanently mark your cattle with
B) An identity that you are trying form in a potential consumers eyes
C) A series of random activities that have a common person or group behind them
With apologies to Richard Branson’s Virgin Group, I will definitely call C wrong. Yes, he pulled it off, however I suspect that he pulled it off despite, not because of, his company being a record label, a music store chain, an airline and the Ultimate Roller coaster. (Yes, I DO want to ride)
Answer A is the original purpose, but you are over 100 years too late in its use.
So we’ll settle on B as the most correct answer.
So your brand needs to communicate something. Some brands, like BMW’s Mini and GM’s Chinese Hummer (I still can’t get over that) let you know right away what you are getting.
But in the case of nearly all the GM brands, how many of them mean anything at all? They compete with each other directly (with identical models with remarkably small differences). A good brand tells you a bit about what you are going to get.
So what do I drive when I say I have a Chevy (or Ford, for that matter)?
A) A Cheap junker of a sedan I bought because I couldn’t afford anything else/got a great deal on it that was trashed by Consumer Reports?
B) A fun to drive sports car?
C) A Giant, durable and reliable pick-up truck (Plastic Testicles on the trailer hitch sold separately… I think)
So is that a brand anymore? Not really.
So feel free to be your brand, and for you solopreneurs out there- please do be yourself: Yes, I honestly think some people are looking for a funny, witty accountant or a lawyer who actually (occasionally) acts like a human being. If that’s your brand, and who you are- embrace it- run with it, and do not be afraid to hide it!