DentalFlak

Black Friday: Going to Hell in a Deeply-Discounted Hand Basket

2011-11-26T00:33:00.012-05:00

I was never a fan of Black Friday shopping ploys. I don't believe consumers should have to sleep in parking lots and shop during zombie prime time to save a few bucks.

This year, the Black Friday sales concept and rugby scrum shopping experience reached an all time low when many major retailers extended Black Friday by starting it on midnight or during Thanksgiving.

It's been a tough few years on everyone. Even if you are lucky enough to have job, your paycheck doesn't buy what it used to.

Understandably, many will do whatever it takes to buy as much holiday cheer for their families as possible, including sleeping on a lawn chair in a Best Buy parking lot.

On the other side of the counter, many retail employees were asked to cut their Thanksgiving short to work these new Black Friday store hours.

Most sucked it up, because jobs are hard to come by. Nobody knows this more than the legions of retail clerks who wound up wearing a brightly-colored vest and name tag after losing a job in their chosen career.

Some petitioned their employers to no avail.

There's certainly enough economic angst to go around and the result were outbreaks of violence and pandemonium that the rest of the world views with typical "stupid Americans" disdain according to this Reuters report .

In my opinion, consumers and retail employees are being played against each other and American family traditions are being caught in the cross-fire. What's more, volatile crowd situations are being artificially-created, putting shoppers at risk.

Is it really worth it? Especially when equal or better bargains are available online?

We can maintain the quality of our family life and our dignity by not buying into the Black Friday hysteria and thus forcing retailers to think of better, less degrading ways to earn our business.

Oh, and perhaps it high time we re-examine the true meaning of the holidays we are shopping for.

Trickle-Down Turkeynomics

2011-11-22T14:19:00.005-05:00

If you are able to spend Thanksgiving with your family and afford the big bird and all the trimmings, be truly thankful 'cause times are tough.

How tough? A few days ago the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean County (NJ) announced that it desperately needed 1,500 turkeys to help all the needy families in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Why so many turkeys? Several reasons come to mind:

More people are out of work - The sad simple truth.
More families are on tighter budgets and need that supermarket bonus bird that they used to donate.
Some supermarkets are limiting the free turkey to one per family, so there are fewer turkeys to donate.

A lot of companies and individuals are doing what they can. My employer Lanmark360 has been a supporter of the Food Bank of Monmouth and Ocean County for decades. We've always been able to provide a respectable amount of non-perishable food and donations for a small company, but turkey wrangling is not our forte.

Not to worry. One group of diverse independent business owners united by their membership to the Freehold NJ Network for Success has been using social media to rally other networking group members and family and friends alike to donate actual turkeys or checks for the purchase of turkeys and other food items.

Using the Bella Vista Country Club in Marlboro as a command center to collect funds and fowl, other Freehold NJ Network for Success group members are using their limousines, panel vans, or personal transportation to shuttle back and forth from the Bella Vista HQ to the Food Bank.

It's a well-oiled, good cause machine engineered by some big-hearted business owners such as Anthony Beshara, owner of the Bella Vista Country Club; Bill Algokce, owner of Bridge Financial Group; and John and Wendy Bruzzese; the owners of Synergy Events.

I've met these people and many others through my wife Debbie, who is a member of this group, and they are a genuine and generous bunch to say the least.

The last I heard, they are only a few hundred turkeys short of their goal...but we are quickly coming down the wire! Want more info on how you can help? There is a specific Facebook page set up for the cause.

If you are able to help in some way, take some time to be thankful and do your best to pay it forward.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Zombie Brand

2011-10-08T23:21:00.000-04:00

The debut of the ABC TV series "Pan Am", has introduced a new generation to Pan American World Airways, the iconic airline that revolutionized international air travel and has not flown since it's financial collapse in 1991.

Yes kids, Pan Am was a real airline. In fact, it was the largest international carrier based in the United States. It was also an innovator - one of the first airlines to upgrade its fleet to jet aircraft, the first to purchase and fly Boeing 747 jumbo jets and the first to computerize its reservation system - in 1964!

Pan Am's long running slogan was "The World's Most Experienced Airline" and even flying economy on this airline was a first class experience compared to today's Greyhound in-the-sky standards. So what the heck happened?

Talk about your deluge of bad breaks!

The 1973 fuel shortage
Increased costs and ticket prices
Reduced demand for air travel due to costs
Over-investment in new Boeing 747s
Unwise acquisition of National Airlines
Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 which awarded international routes to domestic airlines, but prevented Pan Am from gaining domestic routes
Terrorist attacks including Pan Am Flight 73 which was hijacked in Pakistan and resulted in 20 fatalities, and the infamous Flight 173 that exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland and killed 270 persons.

So now we have a TV show that has taken us back in time to reincarnate the Pan Am brand in a made for TV, idealized manner.

Still, those old enough to have flown a Pan Am Clipper must think "Those were the good old days." Those born too late must wonder, "How come air travel in the sixties didn't suck like it does today?"

All this brand equity and positive PR comes 20 years too late to save the airline, but the Pan Am name, globe logo, stewardess uniforms and other brand elements live on...or at least until the show is canceled.

September 11, 2011: Taking the Long Way Home

2011-09-11T17:04:00.012-04:00

Tuesday morning, 9/11/01 started out as a spectacular late summer day - Warm, low humidity and not a cloud in the sky.

It was the type of day that the local TV weatherman Mr. G, would proclaim as one of the 10 best days of the year.

At that time, I worked at Information Builders, the largest privately-held software company based in Manhattan. The company is based at 2 Penn Plaza, which sits atop Penn Station and is directly across from Madison Square Garden.

I commuted by bus every day and unless it was raining or snowing, I usually walked 8 blocks down town from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to my office. It was a perfect day to walk in the Big Apple...Little did I know how much walking I would do that day.

I usually alternated walking down 7th and 8th avenues and this particular morning I randomly chose 8th Avenue - a grittier, less pedestrian-congested thoroughfare than 7th Avenue, which cuts across the Garment District, but in the right lighting of a beautiful day like today, grit is transformed into character.

I walk fairly quickly, and could usually cover 8th blocks in less than 15 minutes. Before I knew it, I was hitting the steps that pass under Madison Square Garden and onto Penn Station's main concourse, where a wide variety of shops and fast food franchises are located.

At about 8:45 I made my usual stop at a corner coffee shop that was at the foot of the stairs that led up to my office building. Above the counter were two small TV sets. They were tuned to "Good Day New York," a morning news magazine that aired on the local Fox affiliate, Channel 5.

That's when I saw the breaking news that a plane had hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. I, like many other people assumed it was a small, single-engine plane gone awry - Which make no mistake, was still a shock.

There was a somber buzz in the lobby as we waited for the elevators. Within minutes, other TV, cable and radio stations were broadcasting initial reports of smoke and flames visible from about halfway up the North Tower. I overheard someone say that it wasn't a small plane, it was a commercial airliner. How could that be?

I took the elevator up to the 11th floor with some co-workers. All speculating on how serious this plane crash may actually be. When the elevator stopped and we walked through the elevator lobby and onto the office floor, we immediately found out.

There were sounds of crying, and hushed "Oh my Gods." Almost everyone was gathered in the perimeter offices that have windows that face towards lower Manhattan.

A second plane had already hit the South Tower. One of the women was hysterical, because smoke had engulfed the floor where her sister worked.

The company CEO Gerald Cohen's corner office had the most dramatic view, an almost unobstructed shot of the smoldering towers and the Statue of Liberty in the distance. Ironically, visibility that day was picture perfect.

I went to to my office which faced west onto Macy's and 34th Street and booted up my computer while dialing my home number to call my wife, who was understandably frantic. I told her I was OK and that I wasn't yet sure what was going on.

It seemed like moments after I hung up with my wife, that the reports of hijacked planes connected to acts of terrorism were broadcast and posted on the Internet. We were also told that we had to evacuate our building because it sat above a train station, which may also be a terrorist target.

Bridges and tunnels were soon closed and no traffic was allowed in or out of the city. I wasn't sure where I was evacuating to, but I grabbed some travel-sized toiletries that I had in my drawer, packed them along with my laptop into my bag, and was ready to hit the streets.

As I was getting ready to leave, Wayne and Eberly, a couple who worked in the marketing department with me were inviting colleagues to their apartment if they needed a place to stay. They lived a few blocks away from the office and I took them up on their gracious offer.

I called my wife to tell her I was evacuating and would call her as soon as I got settled.

About a half dozen of us walked a few blocks west and north I believe, towards Wayne and Eberly's place.

It was still a gorgeous day, and we walked past many people who appeared to be going about their business as if nothing had happened. I asked myself, "Can they really be unaware of what is going on?"

As an aside, there was a stiff breeze that day that not only made the warm weather more comfortable, it also blew the smoke of the smoldering towers away from Manhattan Island.

I believe to this day that if the wind had been blowing up Broadway, there would have been widespread panic far beyond the Financial District.

Before we got to the apartment, we stopped at the corner Gristede's grocery store to buy bottled water, canned goods etc. to prepare for a New York lock-down as we did not know how long it would last or whether or not food and water would soon be in short supply.

I don't remember how many flights up the apartment was or whether we took the stairs or the elevator, but when we entered, we put all the provisions on the kitchen counter and Wayne flipped the TV on. By this time, news coverage was in full gear and both towers had collapsed. Watching the replay was horrific.

I tried calling my wife to let her know where I was, but could not get a long distance connection. I then decided that I could not sit there and watch this tragedy unfold on TV and be out of contact with my wife and two young daughters (9 & 11) for who knew how long.

I told myself that I was going to get home before the girls went to sleep that night. I wasn't sure how I was going to do it, but that was my goal. I told my hosts and friends my plans and Wayne and Eberly wished me luck and said if I couldn't get out that I was welcome to come back.

First, I tried to make a few calls. Cell service was non-existent, but local land line service was still working at that time. Using a yellow page directory, I called all the rental car offices in mid-town to see if I could rent a car.

My plan was to drive uptown to Harlem, through the Bronx and onward through Westchester and White Plains and then cut across the Tapanzee Bridge to New Jersey.

This plan was contingent on the Harlem River Crossings being open, which I wasn't really sure about. Pretty dumb when I think about it now.

When I finally got a car rental place to answer the phone. I was asked, "What do you need a car for, you can't go nowhere..click."

Obviously, I needed a plan B. One of the news reports on TV said there was free ferry service from Manhattan to New Jersey, departing from areas along the West Side Highway.

I said my goodbyes, grabbed my bag and started my cross-town hike. Once again I was taken aback by how so many people that I passed on the sidewalk appeared to be oblivious by the day's events - despite the billowing smoke visible on the southern horizon.

I'm not sure how long it took me to walk to the west side, but when I finally got there it was far more crowded then what I anticipated - It was like New Year's Rockin' Eve.

I waited about a half hour before deciding that the ferries were too few and far between and the crowd was not advancing. I also imagined people being trampled when a ferry did finally arrive.

Being a person who prefers to move forward rather than stand still and hope for the best, I decided to move on. Next stop, Times Square. I could see huge plumes of smoke still rising above the rooftops

My rationale here was to reserve a hotel room close to the Port Authority so I could have a place to stay if my attempt to get home by my daughters' bed time failed. This would also enable me to jump immediately on the opportunity of bus service being restored. Plus, I didn't remember where Wayne and Eberly lived and could not call them for directions. There was no turning back

However, the Hilton and the Sheraton were not accepting new reservations. In fact, I could not get into a hotel lobby unless I proved I was a guest.

I started to double back to where I started - Down 7th Avenue towards Penn Station. There are two hotels across the street (although a bit cheesy) that perhaps would allow me to check in and enable me to get a jump on catching a train from Penn Station when they started running again.

As I walked down town I thought of another contingency plans. I would buy a bicycle and ride it or walk it across any crossing that would take me off of the island. Perhaps pedestrian traffic was being allowed over the GWB and other bridges. Shit! Why didn't I think of this when I was in Times Square near Toys R Us?

Maybe I could buy a bike at the K-Mart attached to Penn Station...Nope! Closed as part of the evacuation.

As I was approaching Penn Station, I decided that I would continue walking downtown and hang a right to Chelsea Pier. I thought I remembered a Kayak rental place in the area. Can I paddle my way to New Jersey? I think so. Could it be any harder than the white water canoeing I used to do on the Delaware River when I was in college? Maybe the Coast Guard will give me a lift.

As soon as I walked past the steps that lead down to Penn Station, two cops started pushing aside the police barricades. "Is the station open?" Yes. Trains are boarding you better get on."

New York's Finest did not have to tell me twice! I bounded down the stairs to a surprisngly crowded station. Other entrances must have been opened first and the people poured in.

I found my train and boarded - already standing room only. Many passengers were ghost-like, covered in ashes. Conversation primarily consisted of people trying to call their loved ones. There was still no cell phone service.

Within minutes, our train pulled out and headed though the concrete tube that took us under the Hudson River into New Jersey... Are we safe?

As soon as we broke into daylight, my cell phone displayed 3 bars indicating a fairly strong signal. I called my wife. "Debbie, I'm OK. I'm on a train. Meet me at Point Pleasant Station in about an hour."

"Thank God! Girls, Daddy's OK! He's on his way home!"

Brand Positioning: It's in the Companies You Keep

2011-09-04T19:56:00.002-04:00

My wife Debbie owns a photo favor business that serves the bridal industry.

As her live-in marketing director, I keep up with her industry by reading magazines and advertising supplements targeted to weddings and other catered events such as bar mitzvahs and sweet sixteen parties.

I recently came across an ad for a local banquet hall that was trying to position itself as an elegant, upscale venue for that oh so very special event.

The ad had an impressive, dramatically-lit photo of the banquet hall with fancy-schmancy centerpieces and those chair skirts that are a must-have these days.

Obviously, no bride today can tolerate the sight of naked chair legs.

Here's the ad copy: "We cater to one wedding at a time. Our goal is your complete satisfaction, by providing your guests with a special moment in time, an experience that will long be remembered. Proudly serving Miller Lite."

Nothing wrong with co-marketing with Miller Lite if you own a sports bar, but in my opinion, this really ruins the brand ambiance for the banquet facility.

For example, if you owned an upscale cigar bar, would you include the phrase "Proudly serving Tiparillos? Of course not. You would try to co-market with Cohiba, Arturo Fuente or some other Cigar Aficionado-worthy brand.

So, no matter what business you're in, if you are trying to establish and maintain a particular brand image, choose your co-marketing partners carefully.

Business Book Review: Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki

2011-03-27T20:24:00.015-04:00

Eric Clapton didn't invent blues guitar. He and his contemporaries Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, learned and borrowed from an older generation of black American musicians like Albert King and transformed Chicago Blues into a new musical genre known as Progressive British Blues.

So it is with business guru Guy Kawasaki and his latest book, Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions.

Veteran sales executives will recognize a lot of Mr. Kawasaki's prose as reminiscent of the timeless "salesmen are made not born" advice shared by Dale Carnegie in How to Win Friends and Influence People and Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich.

It must be noted that both of these "required reading" books for sales professionals were originally published in 1937 and continue to sell today. Mr Kawasaki builds upon the basic tenets of these depression-era business bibles and gives them a complete 2.0 overhaul perfect for facing the economic challenges of the new millennium.

Whereas Mr. Carnegie and Mr. Hill focused on one-one-one relationships in a day where people actually conducted business face-to-face and shook hands on each deal, Mr. Kawasaki explains how we can best use social media, e-mail, etc. to win friends, influence people, or as he says, "Enchant".

To borrow a term from my enterprise software days, the principles outlined in Enchantment are "scalable" and can be used on a personal and organizational level to achieve the following goals:

Encourage people to do business with you on a personal level
Build a cult-like following for customers, prospects and fans (think Apple or the Grateful Dead)
Attract the best talent to your company or organization
Demonstrate your value to your supervisor
Instill loyalty in your employees

Lest you think Enchantment is about slick schmoozing and phony smiles, Kawasaki makes it clear that building trust and being genuine is a prerequisite to Enchantment.

Sure it's common sense, but to be reminded of this in such a personable and all-encompassing manner and to be given a clear blueprint on how to achieve Enchantment is extremely useful for just about anyone in any business or work environment.

There's also a helpful quiz at the end of the book which will prompt you to re-read certain sections so you can gain as much insight as possible. By the way, Enchantment would also be an excellent text book for a high school or business course.

Not only because of its breezy narrative style and current references to social media etc., but because reviewing each chapter would be sure to prompt some lively class discussions. Perhaps Mr. Kawasaki would consider developing a lesson plan to accompany his book.

Mr. Kawasaki also addresses the dark side of Enchantment when he explains how to resist the persuasion of those who may not have your best interest at heart. It's like Obi-Wan Kenobi teaching you how to defend yourself against Darth Vader. May the Enchantment be with you.

Take it from a business book junkie, Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions is worth a read and keeping within arm's reach as a reference book. Available on http://www.amazon.com/.

Killing The Duck that Laid the Golden Egg

2011-03-16T19:52:00.000-04:00

In yet another example of why using celebrities in advertising campaigns is risky business, Gilbert Gottfried blew a sweet two-syllable voice-over deal.

I don't know how much Gottfried got paid, but how hard could quacking out "Aflac" be?

Maybe because it was such easy money, Gilbert didn't think of the consequences when he tweeted a stream of tasteless oneliners about Japan's tsunami tragedy.

The fact that Aflac is big in Japan didn't help Gilbert duck the pink slip.

The company claims that it insures one out of every four Japanese households and is also the largest life insurer in Japan in terms of individual insurance policies in force.

But then again, Gottfried is a shock comedian and should have never been considered to be a safe bet by Aflac.

Aren't insurance companies risk aversive and conservative?

Didn't they see him crucify Bob Saget during Saget's roast on Comedy Central? It was a high point of low blows and poor taste...and I confess I almost fell off the couch laughing.

Looking for a safe celebrity endorsement? Where's Bob Hope when you need him?

"Aflac, I gotta tell ya."

Is Technology is Killing Trust and Romance?

2011-01-23T17:18:00.003-05:00

When I was in my dating years, back when TV sets barely received three networks, breaking up with someone pretty much meant that you cut the cord of contact.

Today, the traditional "I need more space" conversation or "Dear John" letter has been replaced by a text message, a Facebook profile update and a trail of endless commentary by social network friends.

Back in the day, to call someone to ask for forgiveness or to reconsider their rash decision was not an easy task, because that call would usually ring the kitchen wall phone and Mom, the apron-wearing caller ID would pick up the receiver. This is the part where Mom would hear a click and dial tone.

Sure, there were the obsessive slow drives past the ex's house with the headlights off to see if there was someone else's car parked in the driveway - not that I ever did anything like that!

Today, it's a whole new dating game being played by a generation of cyber stalkers who think nothing of going tit for tat about the break up.

Even when the relationship is in its earliest "getting to know you" stage, the participants are constantly up each others butts, with frantic text messages that demand constant updates. Can you text d-o-o-m-e-d?

Another casualty of techno-love is the traditional boys and girls night out. It sure ain't what it used to be... "Who r u with? "What time r u coming home?""What did u order?"What time are r u coming home?"

Geez - what ever happened to trust, independence and "I'll tell you all about it the next time I see you?"

Too much information, updated too frequently and shared by too many people is creating a generation of obsessive and possessive lovers and a growing entourage of ex-suitors that can't be dodged.

Cell phones, text messaging and social media are making breaking up and staying together for that matter, harder to do.

As I tell my kids, I'm so glad I never had to deal with this nonsense.

Marketing Lessons Learned From The Wizard of Oz

2010-12-05T20:59:00.028-05:00

Last week during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, TBS aired the "Wizard of Oz" on three consecutive nights.

Not only is this classic movie one of my favorites, there's a lot of marketing wisdom dispensed during the journey down the Yellow Brick Road. For example:

Tornadoes Happen. Whether it be a missed deadline, losing a client or a product recall. "Tornadoes" will wreak havoc on your best laid plans and campaigns. Be prepared, be flexible and react quickly but rationally. Have a crisis management plan. And now more than ever, don't allow your business to become dependent on one client.

We're not in Kansas anymore! Social media has changed the way we communicate with clients, prospects and stakeholders. We've stepped out of the black and white world of one-way communication and into the Technicolor world of engagement and dialogue...Although lack of control can be scary at times.

Beware of flying monkeys. There will always be those who swoop down to pick apart your strategic plans and creative concepts. Prepare yourself with any relevant research and have notes prepared before you present your big idea. Then stand your ground and let those damn monkeys swoop.

Are you a good witch or a bad witch? In Oz, this questions means "Do you employ white hat search engine optimization tactics or black hat SEO tactics?" Hopefully, you are a good witch. Otherwise you run the risk of Google dropping a house on you...figuratively speaking of course.

A brain, a heart, the nerve. It takes all three to be an effective, well-rounded marketing professional. Especially since there's no budget to hire three more people...even if they can sing and dance.

Did I miss anything? Let me know what marketing lessons you've learned from the Wizard of Oz.

The United States of Anger

2010-11-25T00:17:00.004-05:00

It seems everyone I meet these days is ticked-off.

These are challenging times for sure and for countless Americans, fear of what may happen is being replaced by anger about what is happening or perceived to be happening.

Corporate bailouts, unemployment, partisan politics, national security threats, etc. are having a negative impact on the national frame of mind and on the American quality of life.

Let's face it, we're all bitching and moaning.

So what can we do before we drown in our own bile and The New Jersey Turnpike opens up a designated road rage lane? Can we as individuals change anything?

First of all, our world has always been a volatile planet and the United States has had "growing pains" since the original colonies were established. You want to put today into proper perspective? Study history.

Not only do we as a society fail to learn from history (that's why it always repeats itself), we rarely use it as a reference point to help keep our perspective on current events. Here are my thoughts:

I went to high school and college during late 60's and early 70's. The music was friggin' great but there were a few pesty little problems that distracted us; the Vietnam war, the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, race riots, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the The Kent State Massacre, inflation, the oil crisis, the My Lai Massacre, urban decay, Watergate.

Anyone who remembers will tell you that the mood of the country during those years sucked.

My parents grew up during the Great Depression and World War II - Talk about a double-whammy! There's a reason they are part of what is considered to be "The Greatest Generation."

Today, bad news and controversy not only travels fast, it never lets up. With the exception of employer-issued devices, we have volunteered to be wired-in 24/7.

Information overload is spiking our stress levels and fueling our anger. We need to turn off the cable news networks, the internet and our blackberries at regular intervals before the three-screen lifestyle drives us crazy.

Facebook is no substitute for face-to-face friendship. What are your 1,000 followers going to do for you when the chips are down? Tag a photo? Poke you? Ask for a pig on Farmville?

Illegal and uncontrolled immigration is a problem, but closing our borders to those seeking a better life is not the American Way.

Harnessing the desire of new arrivals to survive and succeed is what made this country great in the first place. Unless you are a member of the Sioux Nation, your ancestors crashed the party. Get over it.

Remember, as bad as you think things are, there is always someone worse off than you. Very often they are within arm's reach. Look around you. One of your neighbors or co-workers may need some help or just someone to talk to.

Maybe they've been out of work for an extended period, maybe they lost a loved one who served our country in Afghanistan...That conversation may just cause you to get over your anger and count your blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving.

It's My Blog And I'll Post When I Want To

2010-10-19T20:32:00.013-04:00

Back in 1963, the queen of suburban teenage girl angst, Leslie Gore, had a hit with a song called "It's My Party, and I'll Cry if I Want To." Allow me to paraphrase that song title to express my contrarian views on blogging.

According to the many self-proclaimed experts on the topic, a blogger should post once a day or at the very least, several times a week.

Sorry, but that doesn't work for me. Here's why:

During the course of my 10-12 hour work day, I am generating thousands of words of content in the form of press releases, feature articles, proposals, strategic briefs, status reports, and social media posts on behalf of agency clients. This is what pays the bills and takes priority over my personal blogging pusuits.
My personal blog is a hobby. Nobody tells me the minimum amount of times I must go camping or participate in my other hobbies. Wouldn't that just suck the joy out of those interests? To me, blogging is no different.
Many bloggers are self-employed consultants who feel compelled to keep their names "out there", which is understandable as I too have been a hired gun. At this point in time I am employed full-time by a full-service ad agency and my focus is on keeping the names of our clients "out there".
I blog when I am inspired to share a personal observation, opinion or marketing advice based on personal experience. I do not merely re-post press releases.

So if you follow this blog, thank you. I hope you feel that you are getting quality posts rather than a large quantity of recycled content or shameless self-promotion. I also hope you'll continue to check in from time to time.

I do respond promptly to comments, so bring em on!

MMA = Mixed Marketing Arts

2010-09-26T19:37:00.016-04:00

For the past 10 years or so, a new form of exhibition fighting has quickly grown in popularity and prominence; mixed martial arts or MMA.

MMA began as a means to pit the practitioner of one martial arts style with one who was equally accomplished in another style, to determine primarily which style was superior in real combat. For example, kick boxing vs. Taekwando.

Today, MMA has evolved into a full-contact contest that pits two well-rounded combatants, who each know a variety of martial arts forms, against each other in an octagon-shaped cage. It's more about determining the complete warrior rather than the better martial arts form.

In the octagon of the business world, the combatant who can effectively use a variety of marketing tools and tactics is best equipped to win the fight for increased brand awareness and market share. This too is MMA - mixed marketing arts.

Whether you run a large company or a private practice, it is in the best interest of your bottom line to have the ability to develop a strategy that integrates and implements a variety of marketing tactics including advertising, direct marketing, public relations, interactive marketing, etc.

For example, if your only marketing tactic is direct mail and your competition is using multi media advertising, public relations and has a killer web site that comes up on the first page of Google, you're going to the mat. 1...2....3....

Even if you have a limited budget, you need to know how and when to mix-up your tactics when you mix it up in your market. You also need to hire an employee or consultant who can put it all together for you in an objective and analytic manner.

Another bit of defensive advice is to not let media reps or other advertising vendors hijack your budget. Let me explain.

Years ago, I worked for an ad agency that had private practice clients ranging from dentists, veterinarians, optometrists, chiropractors, etc. The common denominator was the need for us to ween them from Yellow Pages advertising.

Most of these healthcare professionals were brainwashed by very aggressive Yellow Page reps into believing that they not only needed full page ads, but needed to run them in directories well beyond their service areas. "With all due respect Doctor, do you think anyone is going to drive 30 miles to your office in a state as populated as New Jersey?"

When those contracts came up for renewal, we cut back drastically on the Yellow Page advertising and reallocated the budget to newspaper, radio, web development etc. The result was a noticable increase in new patients, reactivation of dormant patients and the ability to track and evaluate which tactics were working best.

In recent years, social media has become the marketing equivalent of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that marketers are trying to grapple with (pun intended). It's new to many, it's exotic, but it seems that those who know how to use it are winning the mixed marketing arts battle.

Mixed marketing arts: Are you ready to get into the cage?

Is Social Media Going to the Dogs?

2010-09-18T17:09:00.009-04:00

Those who have been dismissing Twitter as a trivial pursuit, now have another reason to say, "I told you so!"

The Mattel Toy company recently introduced a new product named "Puppy Tweets™" which enables dogs to access Twitter and send Tweets.

According to the company's product-specific website, "Puppy Tweets™" is the electronic dog tag that sends messages to your home computer, then Tweets to you!"

The device, which sells for about $25.00, is actually a sound and motion sensor that attaches to Fido's dog collar and transmits to your computer via a USB receiver. Dog owners will also need to download software that interprets the sound and motion data and then select an archived, precreated message to send via Twitter.

Remember the Magic 8-Ball that only had about 10 answers? Same concept.

Your dog's Tweets can be sent via your Twitter account or you can set up a special account for your dog. And you know people will do that.

Will Kitty Tweets be soon to follow? My guess is not unless the collar sends a little jolt of electricity to prompt Whiskers to wake up and actually do something.

Star Date July 7th 2010: Where Are The Grups?

2010-07-07T21:51:00.014-04:00

If you were a fan of the original Star Trek TV series, you may remember the episode where Kirk and Crew beamed down to a planet of children run amok and nary a grown-up (these kids referred to adults as grups) in sight.

To make a long story short, a virus was killing the population as soon as they reached puberty and quite frankly, the dodge ball teams on this planet were getting smaller and smaller. If you want to make a short story long, click here.

This Star Trek episode frequently comes to mind when I visit my local shopping mall . Some retailers seem to have an official policy against hiring grups.

Have you been to a Hollister or Abercrombie lately? Personally, I only gift shop there with the missus and yes I get the whole youth culture thing - didn't we baby boomers invent that?

But having to wait until the cashier finishes texting her BFF before I can ask, "Is this sweatshirt on sale?" is not the epitome of customer service. And when you ask to see the manager, they call someone from the backroom who looks like their mom still drives them to work. Jeez!

To be fair, some retailers such as Home Depot and Costco still hire a fair share of adults, but the dark side to this is that most of these grups have been displaced from other careers.

Retail will always be a young person's industry but who's minding the store?Let me know if you ask yourself "Where are the grups?" the next time you go shopping.

A Reading From The Blog According to Luke?

2010-01-23T21:59:00.041-05:00

Who would've expected that 82 year-old Pope Benedict XVI would be telling priests to use the internet "astutely" by writing blogs and using new forms of communications to spread the gospel message.

Hey, I wouldn't lie about the Pope - I couldn't handle the guilt!

But seriously, in his message during the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Communications this past Saturday, the Pope said, "Priests are challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audio-visual resources, images, videos, animated features, blogs and websites which alongside traditional means, can open up broad new vistas for dialogue..."

This foward-thinking comes from a man who still writes his speeches by hand and has his assistants surf the web for him. But this is more forward-thinking than I would have ever expected.

When you come to think of it, weren't the Gospels of the apostles very blog-like?

Before You Hire a Social Media Consultant...

2010-01-03T20:41:00.003-05:00

It appears that the dental industry officially discovered social media in 2009 - Kind of like Columbus discovering America when it was already populated, but better late then never, right?

One by-product of dentistry's social media gold rush is the emergence of many self-proclaimed social media gurus, ninjas and experts who want to charge a fee to slap up a Facebook page and set up a Twitter account.

Ah, if only it were that easy. Here are some things to consider before signing up with a social media consultant:

Social media is a marketing function, and is usually best handled by social media savvy public relations professionals. What experience does your potential social media consultant have in marketing and public relations?

Social media is not a silver bullet. It should be part of a comprehensive marketing strategy and complement the other marketing tactics being used. How does your prospective social media consultant propose to integrate social media with the rest of your marketing mix? If he or she recommends eliminating most of your other marketing activities, run for your life.

Social media is not a quick fix. It may take months to engage with your target audience. You don't build relationships with the flick of a switch or the posting of a fan page.

You can't set it and forget it. It can take a couple of hours each day to monitor and participate on social media metworks and update your own corporate accounts. So who is going to do that, you or your consultant?

Where is your consultant learning about social media best practices? From other dental industry social media experts? This can be akin to attending a hillbilly wedding.

One resource I find extremely helpful is the web site http://www.socialnetdaily.com/ which covers the following topics in great detail:

Social Networking News
Social Media News
Social Marketing News
Facebook News
Twitter News
Blogging News

I also follow SocialNetDaily on Twitter and find its Tweets among the most informative that I receive.

The bottom line is that social media is real and it's here to stay - Make sure your social media consultant is as well.

Greater New York Dental Meeting: Waiting On Line for the Prizes

2009-12-01T21:24:00.013-05:00

This past Sunday, I did my annual Jersey Shore to Manhattan Island shuttle to attend the Greater New York Dental Meeting. The planets appeared to be in perfect alignment.

It was a beautiful mild day with hardly any traffic - was Will Smith filming Legend Part II?

I discovered an empty parking lot on the corner of 11th ave and 28th - 8 bucks for the whole day! Sweet!

As soon as I walked into the world's largest terrarium otherise known as the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, I realized the attendee registration lines were unreasonably long.

Unfortunately, I had to take my place at the end of the que because although I registered online months ago, I never received my badge via snail mail in advance of the meeting.

Neither did hundreds of other people waiting in this line who were grousing about the same thing. This was free online advance registration glitch #1.

Last week when I first realized that I never received my badge in the mail, I attemped once again to register online. I printed out the confirmation form with the bar code that would enable me to pick up my badge at the "express registration counter".

The only problem was that there was no express registration counter. The convention center employee actually laughed when she told me there was no such line despite what the GNYDM web site and confirmation form said - Not funny! Let's count this as free online advance registration glitch #2.

As I shuffled along the maze of velvet ropes that eventually lead to the non-express registration counter, I couldn't help overhear the woman behind me obsessing over the potential prizes she may win on the exhibit floor.

She asked the laughing convention center employee, "Is this the line for the badge they scan to win the prizes?"

At one point she was standing at my side and silly me for making eye contact. "My freind gave me her badge, but I don't want the prizes sent to her house, so I have to ait in line for my on badge." Er-r-r, that's nice.

I was saved by the door bell ring tone of her cell phone. She told the caller, "I'm waiting in line to get a badge for a dental show at Javitts. Once I get that, I'll be eligible to win prizes."

Call me suspicious, call me skeptical, but I don't think this woman had any connection whatsoever to the dental industry. In fact, I'll bet any prizes I might win on that. Let's count this as free online advance registration glitch #3.

So although the Greater New York Dental Meeting was well attended, how many of those attendees were qualified dental professionals and how many were swag-seeking stroller pushers and prize junkies?

Do you ever wonder?

Virtual Magazine Rack

2009-11-01T20:57:00.035-05:00

A new web site named Maggwire.com provides magazine publishers with a new means to distribute their content online.

Maggwire intends to apply the i-Tunes business model to magazine publishing, which you probably already know is drowning in red ink.

According to a company press release, "For the first time, magazine readers can select a topic and browse current magazine articles from a pool of more than 600 leading magazine publications.

While Maggwire Beta is currently free, the company is partnering with magazine publishers to develop Maggwire Premium, a subscriber model that will deliver premium magazine content exclusively to Maggwire users."

So what's the big deal? Magazine publishers have been putting their content online for years. Many have tried to charge for so-called premium content with few takers. Why is Maggwire.com any different?

The company's co-founder and COO, Jian Chai readily admits that virtually all digital initiatives by magazine publishers to date have been failures. The reason? "Magazines have achieved limited innovation compared to music, videos and books," explains Chai. "Now we finally have a product focused on delivering an incredible experience to readers, while helping magazine publishers and advertisers reach their goals."

The user experience will be shaped and driven by social intelligence technology. In other words, based on your reader preference history, Maggwire "learns" what you like to read and then makes recommendations accordingly.

Here's how your preference history is tabulated: As you read and rate articles with 1-5 stars, Maggwire.com builds a personalized profile of your interests. The company then uses that information to "predict" how you will rate newly-published articles.

What's more, unlike Amazon's and Apple's proprietary approach to content distribution, Maggwire is an open platform, accessible from any phone, computer or digital reader.

The amount of magazine titles available on Maggwire.com surpasses that found on traditional news stands. However, no dental publications yet

Hygienist be Heard!

2009-10-05T15:20:00.005-04:00

In case you weren't aware, Lanmark Group (my employer) is conducting an online survey for dental hygienists only.

We believe the hygienist's opinion, insight, and point-of-view are extremely valuable when it comes to product preferences, day-to-day office procedures, social media usage, career satisfaction, CE/training programs, patient communication, etc.

The survey will take about 20 minutes, but think of it as spending quality time with someone who truly values your input. So if you've ever thought to yourself "How come no one asks what the hygienist thinks?" Here's your chance to be heard.

By the way, if you take part, you'll be entered for a chance to win a Grand Prize of an Amazon Kindle™ 2 (retail value $299). You’ll also have the chance to win one of five $50 VISA gift cards...Not too shabby!

Here'e the link: http://bit.ly/EaHlT - Feel free to forward to your hygienist colleagues!

Twitter: It's In The Way That You Use It

2009-09-27T01:07:00.015-04:00

According to Newsweek writer Daniel Lyons, Twitter is “a playground for imbeciles, skeevy marketers, D-list celebrity half-wits and pathetic attention seekers." He also cites a recent report that found 40% of Twitter content to be "pointless babble."

That's harsh commentary for a micro-blogging platform that just received $55-million in venture funding, but I know what he means. There's certainly a lot of trivial content chaff surrounding the grains of useful information originating from bonafide subject experts.

But Twitter is only a few years old and many aren't quite sure what to do with the kid. Because it's free, easy to use and very portable, it's expected to gain 12.1 million registered users by the end of the year - and right now, a lot of people are simply messing around with it. This includes the legions of Oprah lemmings who signed up earlier this year after Ms. O said she uses it.

Eventually, those with nothing to say but "I'm eating corn flakes" and those tired of receiving such compelling messages from their self-absorbed friends, will get bored and drop out of the network for more interesting pusuits - such as watching Paula Abdul's replacement on American Idol.

In the meantime, Twitter will continue to attract and retain a core base of power users that frequently share truly useful information with others sharing common interests or working in the same industry.

For example, I think the majority of dental industry tweets I receive are keeping me pretty well informed. Inside information from industry insiders - what's not to like.

In his article Mr. Daniels goes on to say that “...of all the hellish things that have been spawned in the fever swamp that is the Internet, Twitter may turn out to be the most successful of them all — not in spite of its stupidity, but because of it.”

However, he also admits that some serious people, like George Stephanopoulos and Al Gore, use Twitter, and that he himself uses Twitter to link to his articles and blog posts.

He also mentions thatit was a Twitter user who posted the first photos of the US Airways plane crash on the Hudson River in January, and that the first reports of the Iranian protests broke on Twitter. Scooping CNN - That's some serious tweeting!

So when it's all said and done, the question of whether or not Twitter is relevant or irrelevant can be best explained by quoting the title of an Erin Clapton song, "It's in the Way That You Use it."

When Was The Last Time Someone Gave Your Dental Practice A Free Marketing Campaign?

2009-07-27T22:00:00.004-04:00

Did I mention that there are no strings attached?
It's true. The Dental Trade Alliance recently launched the “Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait™” Awareness Campaign to warn consumers about the risks of postponing regular dental checkups and treatment.
Therefore, the DTA with the help of my employer, Lanmark Group, has developed a strategic, fully-integrated, multi-faceted marketing campaign that is available to any and all dental practices for the taking...or download if you will.
This is slick, big-agency stuff that is beyond the budget of most dentists. Using the materials is pretty much a no-brainer in my book - Here's what I'm talking about:

Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait logo and slogan
Dedicated Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait website for dental professionals http://www.oralhealthcarecantwait.com/
A special consumer web site as well -http://www.visityourdentistnow.com/
Dental trade and print and online advertising support
Consumer print and online advertising materials
Professional and consumer public relations support
Radio public service announcements
Patient education brochures and posters
Dental practice marketing tool kit to promote “Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait” campaign in local markets
Online video for distribution via YouTube, etc.
Statement stuffers
Newsletter article
E-mail template
More items being continuously added

The Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait campaign's ultimate goal is to sustain and improve oral health in America with the grass roots marketing materials developed to move the needle on a national scale being very valuable to local dental practice marketing efforts.

You may have to pay for some printing and ad placement, but the strategy and supporting materials of this campaign are gifts to the industry, to your practice and to consumers in communities across the country. Take advantage of these gifts by bookmarking http://www.oralhealthcarecantwait.com/ and then implementing the marketing materials provided.

Twitistics

2009-07-19T21:01:00.015-04:00

With all the hype about Twitter being the next best thing since the invention of Velveeta, marketers the world over are wetting themselves as they attempt to answer to those annoying little questions asked by clients and corporate executives, such as "Who uses Twitter...and while you're at it, how do they use it and why?

Help is at hand from a Toronto-based company named Sysomos (Greek for "everything together"), which describes itself as providing business intelligence for social media. In other words, Sysomos provides analytics for social media; thus filling a critical void for any marketer tasked with integrating social media strategy and tactics within the rest of their marketing mix.

The company recently completed an extensive study to document Twitter's growth and to gain insight into how people use it. Here are a few statistical nuggets that came out of the company's analysis of information disclosed on 11.5 million Twitter accounts:

72.5% of all users joining during the first five months of 2009
85.3% of all Twitter users post less than one update/day
21% of users have never posted a Tweet
93.6% of users have less than 100 followers, while 92.4% follow less than 100 people
5% of Twitter users account for 75% of all activity
New York has the most Twitters users, followed by Los Angeles, Toronto, San Francisco and Boston; while Detroit was the fast-growing city over the first five months of 2009...You read that right - Detroit!
More than 50% of all updates are published using tools, mobile and Web-based, other than Twitter.com
TweetDeck is the most popular non-Twitter.com tool with 19.7% market share
There are more women on Twitter (53%) than men (47%)
Of the people who identify themselves as marketers, 15% follow more than 2,000 people. This compares with 0.29% of overall Twitter users who follow more than 2,000 people

The study, entitled "Inside Twitter: An In-Depth Look Inside the Twitter World" was compiled by Sysomos analysts Alex Cheng, Mark Evans, and Harshdeep Singh. The complete 29-page report is available as a free PDF download at http://www.sysomos.com/insidetwitter/. There are gobs of interesting and useful information with many corresponding charts and graphs.
If you're a marketing professional, this report can help you look and keep your pants dry in the board room.

Treat Employees Like Crap. Watch Company Go Down The Toilet.

2009-05-31T12:55:00.027-04:00

On Sunday, May 3oth, the Asbury Park Press, the dominant newspaper for the Jersey Shore area, published a feature article by business writer David P. Willis entitled "New Kid in Town."

The article examines how the family-owned, regional consumer electronics chain P.C. Richard & Son is expanding beyond its New York strong-hold into new local markets recently abandoned by the bankrupt national chain Circuit City.

The century old company, now run by a fourth generation Richard family executives, seems poised for success based on several smart retail business factors:

Extensive product selection

Emphasis on name brand merchandise

Low price guarantee

Well trained employees - Across all departments!

After sales customer support

One aspect of Mr. Willis' article that really made stop, think, and nod my head in agreement, was his mention of a seemingly small detail that I firmly believe struck the final death blow to the once mighty Circuit City.

"Circuit City's decision to lay off its most experienced sales workers in 2007 and replace them with lower-paid staff are among the reasons touted for the company's demise. Angry customers abandoned the retailer."

I remember when Circuit City first announced this policy and saying to myself, "This will be a public relations nightmare." The company did give long time employees the option of accepting a 50% pay cut, but that was a "thanks for nothing" offer.

What the Circuit City bean counters failed to take into consideration was the community relations meltdown that this policy caused.

Let's face it, even national chains are community businesses in the respect that they employ people from the surrounding community. Other than store managers, the majority of rank and file retail employees live only a few miles from the store.

If you live in the same community as a Circuit City location, the people the chain laid off were very likely to be your friends, children, spouses, etc.

This six degrees of separation ignited a negative word of mouth brush fire that helped to reduce one of the country's leading retailers to ashes.

I don't believe that average person wants to support a business that obviously screws other people - especially people they know and especially when they can easily take their business to another retailer down the road or on the Internet for that matter.

Now even if a shopper were oblivious to the announced Circuit City "employee bait and switch program" they surely noticed a lack of product knowledge on the part of the newer, lower paid employees - As the old saying goes, "They stayed away in droves."

What does this all mean to a dentist or any small business owner for that matter? First of all, your professional reputation and standing in the community depend heavily on word of mouth.

There's always going to to be a former disgruntled employee who will badmouth you at any given opportunity. However, if your business is a revolving door churning out legions of naysayers, something is definitely wrong.

Better hire a management consultant or remove yourself or your general manager from day-to-day employee contact.

Secondly, do your best to hire, train and retain the most qualified people possible in order to provide your customers with the highest level of customer service - The community will take notice and patronize your business.

Is Your Dental Office Peter Perfect?

2009-05-17T15:50:00.077-04:00

It's an overcast, drizzly Sunday afternoon at the Jersey Shore.

I've been whiling away the day by pounding on my laptop while the Style Channel's Peter Perfect marathon plays in the background.

Yeah, I know - I should probaly be watching the Yankee game or something more macho, but this show appeals to the marketer in me.

Anyway, in case you weren't aware, Peter Perfect is a business makeover program featuring Peter Ishkhans, a British-born hairstylist to the stars who is remarkably effective at reinventing and re-branding floundering small businesses of virtually any type.

He does this by combining his impeccable good taste with common sense principles of corporate branding, interior design, retail layout and employee image.

It made me think that it may be time to for Peter to visit a dental office.

Although dentistry has come a long way from the days of drill and fill, rinse and spit; many dental offices do a poor job of communicating this via their visual appearance.

Half-taped, hand-written signs, dog-eared wall paper and stained carpeting do not enhance the patient experience or the professional image of the practice.

In fact, they actually counteract and devalue the highly-aesthetic, beautifully photographed images provided by the manufacturers of tooth whitening systems, veneers and clear orthodontic aligners.

That's because a cluttered, shabby office makes it hard for patients to believe that the results shown on these slick waiting room posters are possible at the dental practice they are sitting in.

You wouldn't expect a gourmet meal from a restaurant that looks like a greasy spoon would you? And not for nothing, any doctor's office should be spotlessly clean.

But what do I know? I'm just a consumer.

Swine Flu, Pork Chops and Public Relations

2009-05-02T12:37:00.018-04:00

There's no denying that the recent swine flu outbreak is dominating the news. The media just can't get enough swine flu info and quite frankly, the public relations industry is more than happy to give it to them.

The PR machine of the National Pork Board has been working full-bore (full-boar?) to distance the swine flu virus from the ingestion of swine food products and to have the media refer to it by it's official name - the H1N1 virus.

In case you've forgotten, the National Pork Board is the same organization that gave us the "other white meat" campaign and also spearheaded the genetic re-engineering of pigs to produce a new generation of "healthy" pork chops that now have the taste and texture of shredded wheat - minus the milk.

Not only has the National Pork Board and its allies such as the American Meat Institute, and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians (Think about it, who do you think Babe, Arnold Ziffel and Gordy go to when they're sick?) have gone to great lengths to convince the public that the virus is transmitted by human-to-human contact rather than pork rinds-to-people.

As I write this blog, I have CNN on in the background and the news ticker and computer graphics are using the term H1N1 virus. The reporters are now using the name H1N1 interchangeably with the word swine flu.

Coincidence? I think not. Never underestimate the power of pork-fueled public relations.

Seriously, the National Pork Board is doing a great job in counteracting misconceptions regarding the origin of the virus, and in maintaining consumer confidence in the US food supply.