Inside B to B Marketing

Should You Trade the Trade Show for Your Own Event?

2013-10-03T11:12:00.002-05:00

This idea might be a wiener: hosting a solo exhibition or road show

We’re busy making final preparations for two big trade shows this month involving our clients. It’s exciting, because trade shows still offer a great marketing stage for manufacturing and other B2B companies.

However, advancements of the Digital Age present new opportunities to connect directly with customers at a fraction of the cost. It’s now more affordable than ever to drive the necessary publicity to host your own successful event.

Open houses, road shows and other self-styled exhibitions have distinct advantages:

Focus – Without the distractions, noise and competition of a typical trade show, you have the captive attention of your guests.
Depth – As the exclusive presenter, you have the floor, allowing for detailed presentations tailored to specific needs, rather than a quick, condensed overview at a trade show booth.
Diversity – Your company likely serves more than one market. Your event can appeal to all your customers – demonstrating the full array of products, services and expertise you offer.

Realizing these advantages, however, isn’t necessarily easy. Even more so than for a trade show, you must attract the audience to make it all worth your while. All the strategic planning, preshow promotional emails, landing pages, media kits, etc., become even more important.

For example, these events typically target a certain geographical area, making local newspapers a critical communication channel. To gain national attention, many companies have taken their shows on the road. Consider the classic Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Or General Electric Co.’s mobile truck, a great success when it launched the company’s new FlexEfficiency 60 power generation technology.

With the right preparation and publicity, starring in your own show can be a cost-effective and powerful way to interact with customers face-to-face and deliver an unforgettable brand experience.

6 SEO Results You Should Be Searching for

2013-09-13T13:38:00.000-05:00

An organic approach offers benefits well beyond increasing website traffic

Search engine optimization isn’t just about getting visitors. It’s about getting the right visitors – along with better data and a stronger competitive position.

The most successful SEO is aligned with your unique strategies, built with best practices in programming and driven by content that’s relevant to your audiences. When you take this approach, here are six key advantages.

Gaining credibility – If you’re on the first page with your subpages listed, your company and your brand command a level of respect that ads and PPC alone cannot bring (and at a lower cost, too).
Standing out – There are hundreds of millions of active websites. It can seem nearly impossible to get attention. But when your website is optimized for targeted keywords your audience uses, it can provide the differentiation you need.
Getting clicks – About 18 percent of click-throughs on Google go to the very first search result, according to a 2011 study by Slingshot SEO. The second position comes in at 10 percent, the third at 7 percent, the fourth at just under 5 – and all others at sub-2. Securing a spot at or near the top is a key way to gain a significant edge.
Increasing competitiveness – Your competitors are applying SEO practices, too. Stay ahead of them by executing in a way that’s smarter and more strategic.
Helping your customers – Search engines are unique in that they provide targeted traffic – people looking for what you offer. Support their quest by making it easy for them to find you through a search engine.
Learning and adapting – By revealing what people are searching for in your industry, SEO analytics help you uncover shifts in demand and market conditions, which can in turn help you adapt your products, services and strategies for more revenue.

Quick, Appealing, Captivating: Learn How to Create an Effective Infographic

2013-09-11T16:37:00.000-05:00

Here’s a simple truth: people process visual messages more quickly than text.

That should be all you need to know to spur you to make visual media a priority in your content marketing efforts. With the staggering amount of information available to your audiences, you need to help them absorb your message in every possible way.

However, for those who are less artistically inclined, the thought of putting together a visual presentation may be daunting.

But how about an infographic? A good infographic conveys information in a concise and aesthetically pleasing style, which helps increase retention. Plus, they can easily be built using various online tools.

This one, for example, was built with the help of Piktochart. Please absorb and enjoy these 5 tips for creating an effective infographic.

Innovate Creatively to Address the Talent Paradox in Your Organization

2013-07-10T08:53:00.000-05:00

Manufacturing is consistently seen as a key component of a strong economy and as a critical job creator. Yet according to a recent public perception survey conducted by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, many individuals don’t consider manufacturing careers highly desirable. These insights and more were shared during a recent webinar titled, “HR Management in Manufacturing: A Vital Lever for Talent-Driven Innovation.”

The war to attract and develop talent through creative innovation is a growing trend in the manufacturing industry. That trend is driven largely by difficulty in filling talent gaps, escalated turnover costs and a demand from potential employees for engaging and meaningful work.

So, how can you successfully address this talent paradox? As noted in the webinar, here are just a few actions that are already working:

Establishing partnerships with community colleges, trade organizations and industry peers
Building and monitoring social media engagement focused on recruitment
Aligning onboarding and retention strategies with what’s important to vital recruits

Other actions to consider include:

Developing a careers website dedicated to recruitment
Supporting your recruitment efforts though media relations
Hosting an open house or other special event that allows potential employees to explore your facility, ask questions and learn more

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, winning the talent game requires smart strategies, utilizing a variety of channels. Explore more about how our agency is helping clients deal with the crucial talent issue. Or check out the case study below:

Case Study (PDF): How a comprehensive program can support HR recruiting efforts

Act Globally. Think Locally.

2013-06-17T11:17:00.002-05:00

I recently returned from a two-week trip to Shanghai for the annual meeting of IPREX, a global network of communications agencies.

It was my latest in a string of opportunities to travel overseas in recent years, on account of taking on an increasing role in IPREX (I was sworn in as the new president at the meeting), as well as serving several clients with global operations.

But throughout my relatively modest travels, I’m always reminded of an important truth upon my return: I still have a lot to learn about the people and places I’ve visited.

So who can help me better understand these essential elements? Only the people who’ve lived there all their lives.

If you’re looking to succeed on international fronts, there’s simply no substitute for local expertise. You need people who not only speak the language fluently, but also truly understand the culture, the mindset and the current environment.

That’s why our partners throughout IPREX are so important to our business and our clients. In a global economy in which knowledge and speed are crucial, these relationships ensure instant access to professionals who really know how to advance success in Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Sydney and so many places in between.

No Lead Left Behind – It’s Easy to Keep Track with Today’s CRM

2013-06-07T10:00:00.000-05:00

How many times have you engaged in a conversation with a potential customer and never made contact again? Whether you lost their business card or simply forgot about them, you missed an opportunity.

Lucky for you and your team, there are powerful tools available to help you make sure you never let another one slip away. It’s now easier than ever to stay on top of leads through web-based customer relationship management (CRM) programs like Salesforce.com.

Here’s a quick primer at the two main categories of leads and how to use them.

Leads – Pretty much anyone that meets your target audience criteria. Leads are categorized by cold (people or businesses that do not know who you are) and warm (leads that have a prior relationship with you). Each can be assigned to a specific person on your sales team to increase accountability for converting this lead into revenue.

Opportunity Pipeline – Leads who recognize the need for your company’s services and have engaged in multiple conversations with your team. Keep track of the conversations in the “status update” section to gauge your progress and share notes to tailor your next message to that company’s needs. The opportunity pipeline is separated by three stages:

Prospect – Recognizes the value of your products or services and has engaged in initial, informal discussions about moving forward.
Dance – In the process of talking about specific products or projects, but yet to decide if your company is the perfect partner.
Quote – Has received a formal proposal that outlines the cost and timeline of a given project.

If you’ve never tried one of today’s online CRM tools, you’ll be surprised just how simple they are. So give it a try. There’s no reason to ever lose another lead.

No One Is Coming to Save You from the Skills Gap

2013-05-30T14:09:00.002-05:00

Your company is going to have to take the initiative. Trefoil Group’s principal, Mary Scheibel, reflected on this reality and how companies can win the talent game at the recent Society of the Plastics Industry conference in Miami.

Open almost any major manufacturing publication and you’ll see a common thread: the ever dooming skills gap. Despite the worrying, however, many mid-market manufacturers are not doing all that they can do to make themselves attractive to skilled recruits.

So how can you do a better job? Let’s break it down into three focus areas.

Differentiate your company. Why should people want to do business or work for your company? Don’t blend in with all the competitors. Tell a compelling story. Be the bold, colorful competitor that sticks out. Keep in mind that a strong brand that appeals to customers often appeals to recruits as well.

Define and drive your culture. Culture is more than a competitive advantage; it’s the number one attribute recruits value most. If you don’t have a culture that’s driven to succeed, start to build one right now. If your employees are inspired, they’ll help you win against the toughest competition.

Build a strong online presence. A recent study done by Cisco demonstrated “that 1 in 3 college students and young professionals consider the Internet to be as important as other fundamental resources like air, water, food and shelter.” Thus, the web offers one of your strongest opportunities to showcase your brand personality and engage talent.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to tackle this tough issue today. For further insights on recruiting, retaining and aligning a great workforce, you can review Mary’s presentation below.

Winning the Talent Game in an Increasingly Competitive Marketplace from Trefoil Group

Identifying Your Content Marketing Mission

2013-05-21T16:43:00.000-05:00

It’s not about what you’re saying. It’s why.

For your content marketing program to be effective, you need to start with a clear, simple mission.

That’s just one of many valuable insights shared by Joe Pulizzi (Twitter: @juntajoe), founder of the Content Marketing Institute, in a recent presentation hosted by AAF Madison.

Joe's presentation included several examples of content marketing mission statements.

Joe advises answering these three questions to help guide all your content:

Who is your target audience?
What kind of content are you delivering?
What outcome are you trying to produce for the audience?

Start with that foundation, and build compelling stories from there.

Enjoy many more content marketing tips from Joe’s presentation, posted below.

10 Steps to Content Marketing Success - AAF Madison Wisconsin from Joe Pulizzi

Honing the Elevator Pitch for Analyst Presentations, Media Interviews and More

2013-05-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

Guest post from Tom Gable, founder and CEO of San Diego IPREX partner firm, Gable PR

Whether working with a CEO who loves to spin long tales about his company and his successes, a Ph.D/M.D. who knows too much, or a startup or anyone else who is new to trying to connect with financial, media and other audiences, we’ve found a good starting point in the communications process is drafting a classic elevator pitch.

The challenge is writing short copy, especially for engineers and scientists who are used to citing published articles, case histories and other resources ad infinitum. The long approach is perfect for pitching peers and colleagues, less so for connecting with analysts, the media and non-industry audiences. Thus, the following was created by Gable PR as a starting point for honing a one to two minute pitch (also referred to as the cocktail party pitch) to grab the attention of your audience in the shortest amount of time and set the stage for next steps.

TAG LINE/SOUND BITE – The opener – an instant picture or quick summation of your positioning. What you do, what you stand for, to what effect and why it’s important. One sentence is best. Practice with people who don’t know what you do and keep honing this one sentence (two at the most) until it rings like Shakespeare.

PROBLEM, SITUATION ANALYSIS – What exists – the pain or problem you solve?

DYNAMICS AND OPPORTUNITY – Quick historical overview of how it got to this point, how the challenge has been addressed, what is the sweet spot for your company or organization (keep it to three important points, no more!).

WHAT (solving the problem) – Your company (or organization) has been working X years to plan for and develop D, E and F to solve the problem, take advantage of the market opportunity and grow and succeed over the next Y years.

OVERVIEW FROM 30,000 FEET – We have done it: the macro view, the big picture of how your great concept all comes together and grows market share, sales, traffic, profits, benefits the community, whatever – the BIG PICTURE vision of future success rather than technical details and features.

SO WHAT (benefits) – You will succeed because of the creative planning, results and ultimate value you deliver. Create a mental picture of the benefits to science, patients, customers, the world. If there is a good case history, cite the proof of principle in a sentence or two. Do it in two sentences and you get a Pulitzer Prize (plus the desired result).

THE TEAM – The team includes executives with national credentials in A, B and C. It has a combined ZZ years in the industry, has built MM, helped YY other companies or institutions grow and knows the market and how to provide an expanding array of products and services to help it succeed (make it relevant to the big picture).

THE CLOSE (call to action on the elevator) – “We have the people, the plan and the commitment to succeed in a rapidly growing new market. I can provide incredible detail that I believe will convince you to … (invest, interview, buy, etc.). How about a follow up meeting? Where would you like to meet? What else can I provide?”

Ask questions that will take it to the next step!

Corporate Social Responsibility Isn’t Just Good PR

2013-05-06T12:12:00.000-05:00

It’s also a recruiting tool. A path of professional development. And a whole lot more.

For example, I serve as the PR + Media Chair for Autism Speaks Milwaukee. We’re just coming off some big events in April for National Autism Awareness Month, most notably the fifth annual Walk Now for Autism Speaks in partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

Together, our committee of 10 young professionals gained the support of numerous corporate sponsors, participation of 25+ area businesses that support the autism community, secured media sponsors and coverage in our local market and produced awareness pieces with one of the Bucks’ most notable players – Brandon Jennings.

Events like these require a fair amount of time and energy. But I’m happy to do it, because it’s a cause that’s close to my heart. And I’m just as happy that our agency encourages me to support it. I believe many young professionals like me are looking for opportunities to give back to the community, and we gravitate toward employers that boost these efforts.

Many of my coworkers also donate time and talents to individual causes, and we participate as a team in corporate fundraising campaigns for organizations including the United Performing Arts Fund, as well.

In the process, we’re improving the communities in which we live, work and play – while also improving individual skill sets by taking on additional professional responsibilities outside the office. I see that as a win-win-win for me, my community and my employer.

What about your organization? What do you do to advance CSR?

By the way, look for these upcoming Autism Speaks events: Team Up! with Autism Speaks during the Summerfest Rock ‘n Sole Run on June 13 and Ride for Autism Speaks at the House of Harley on July 15.

Capitalizing on the New LinkedIn Company Pages

2013-01-17T13:39:00.001-06:00

If you haven’t already made LinkedIn a priority in your company’s social marketing and business development strategy, it might be time.

The network has proven itself to be a powerful lead generation tool for B2B marketing, but many aren’t using it to its full advantage.

The first step in a LinkedIn strategy is a solid foundation -- when’s the last time you visited your company page? Do you know if you have a company page?

If it’s been a while or you aren’t sure, don’t feel bad. It’s not all your fault. It’s also LinkedIn’s fault. The network has not been nearly as friendly and effective for companies as it has for individuals.

That is, until recently.

Following the lead of other more visually-appealing and interactive social networks, LinkedIn has been diligently adding new features to the company pages.

Here’s their complete guide and tutorial to the new features available.

And here’s our guide to the four features we find most valuable:

1. Add an image to your company page: á la the Facebook cover photo. Here’s a quick, effective way to showcase your unique brand personality. Use it to highlight products, client list, employee photos, markets served, etc.

2. Add your company’s featured products and services: For each of your core offers, include an image and short enticing description. Bonus: You can also link each offer to its corresponding landing page, place on your website, unique call-to-action. Talk about website traffic generation.

3. Request recommendations for each of your products and services: Build credibility by taking advantage of peer-to-peer referrals.

4. Post status updates: Include relevant and valuable information, news and articles. Integrate updates with your content marketing and social media distribution strategies. Stay organized and plan ahead, aiming for 3-5 posts per week. Bonus: you can now include photos, images and presentations.

For further exploration, you can see how we've incorporated some of this advice into the new Trefoil Group page.

Content Marketing Makes Your Integrated Strategy More Important

2013-01-08T11:38:00.000-06:00

Fearless prediction: In 2013, you’ll continue to hear a lot about content marketing.

And rightly so. In an age when audiences are increasingly likely to ignore your hard sell, content marketing is a way to hold their attention by informing and engaging them. (It’s an approach that also supports the longer sales cycle of many B2B companies.)

But like any other effective marketing tactic, creating content your customers and prospects care about takes a fair amount of effort. You want to make sure you make the most of it. That’s why an integrated strategy is more important than ever.

Here are three steps to get you started toward consistent, efficient, effective content marketing in 2013:

Involve your sales team. Ensure your content aligns with your sales initiatives and appeals to your customers’ evolving needs.
Spread the word across channels. Use and reuse – taking different angles with different audiences – in blogs, social media and more.
Create relevant landing pages. When you share free content, you can bring audiences back to properties you own to capture leads and continue the engagement.

If you’re interested, explore these other integrated marketing ideas.

4 Steps to a Better Sales & Marketing Relationship

2012-11-26T10:06:00.000-06:00

So maybe you’re investing in a new brand position. Or you’re rolling out a new ad campaign. Or launching a new website.

In any of these processes, there’s one audience you should never overlook (besides your customers): your salespeople.

Marketing and messaging, after all, is meant to set the stage for easier and more effective selling. Plus, your sales team is often the main customer touch point, making it especially important that they’re on the same page as management regarding your brand and how to portray it.

That’s why it’s essential to incorporate sales in the branding process from the very beginning. For maximum ROI – and the most consistent and rewarding experience for your customers – your people must be empowered to take advantage of all your marketing efforts daily and consistently.

Here are four steps to getting your sales team properly involved.

Kick it off. Sit down with the team to explore target customers’ situations and hot-button issues, as well as the sales team’s current use of marketing messages and materials. Find areas of improvement or confusion.
Develop messaging. Apply key elements of the brand to craft specific messaging that meets sales’ unique challenges. Fill in missing pieces and ensure consistency across all messaging.
Deploy it. Review new messages with the staff and practice use in common sales scenarios.
Follow up. Review successful sales interactions that leveraged the messaging and address evolving issues.

Equipping your sales team with consistent, brand-based messaging will create the best sales experience for both your company and your customers, ensuring better relationships and results. So what are you waiting for? Plan a sales meeting today!

Integrate to Elevate – How to Get More from Your Digital Investments

2012-10-23T12:25:00.002-05:00

Want people to see your company as the leader you know it is? Great interactive design and content can make it happen.

However, to take full advantage of what’s possible online, it pays to have a good plan. In an earlier post, we highlighted three keys to integrated digital marketing. Now, let’s take a quick look at how a few of today’s best online marketing elements can enhance your integrated strategy.

Web Video
There’s little doubt about the engagement power of video. Consider the ongoing, explosive growth of online video viewing on mobile devices, laptops, TVs and more.

Start with a brand-based strategy that adds up to more than just features or capabilities. If you’re taking a content marketing approach, make sure you’re reinforcing your expertise in a way that supports your brand.

In any case, you can get a lot more from your investment by integrating your video across multiple platforms – presentations, email, social media posts, even embedded in an online press release – to drive more awareness and leads.

Photography & Graphics
Get real. Be interesting. Those are perhaps the top two ways you should be connecting with your audiences online.

Fortunately, with original digital photography and a variety of options for creating engaging graphics, it’s never been easier. Photography keeps it real and unique. Infographics and icons make it clear and simple.

A solid strategy will help you develop the widest variety of images and graphics that best demonstrate your value proposition – whether it’s technical work, customer service or another attribute on display. Then you can stretch your initial photo shoot or graphic development investment by using images across collateral, direct marketing, PR efforts and more.

The point is – there’s a web of opportunity out there. If you make the effort to do it right, an integrated, professionally created online presence will help your company show up like a force to be reckoned with.

Crisis Communications Lessons from the Sikh Temple Shooting

2012-10-12T16:42:00.001-05:00

What started as a bright Sunday morning in August quickly turned tragic. A gunman opened fire at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wis., killing six worshippers before finally succumbing to police fire himself. Meanwhile, as Froedtert Hospital staff went into crisis mode to treat the wounded, the global media spotlight set its sights on Milwaukee…..

Crisis is integral to the emergency room, but another department also had to be at the ready – the public relations team. Due to intense global interest, the PR team immediately faced nonstop media pressure, while also balancing the concerns of the victims, their families and hospital staff.

At a recent PRSA-WI luncheon, four members of Froedtert’s PR team shared their experience, as well as lessons you can apply in any business’s crisis communications planning.

Expect the Unexpected

Though by nature, the hospital is prepared for crisis; the temple shooting brought numerous unforeseen challenges, including communication barriers with Indian family members and media, coordination with key officials including Gov. Scott Walker, and miscommunication among law enforcement, emergency response and other parties.

Even if your company isn’t in the ER business, it’s still vulnerable to a crisis – misconduct by employees, sudden resignation of the CEO, product recalls, accidents, etc. Every company should have a good crisis plan in place to lead the way toward a better day.

As highlighted at the PRSA meeting, here are six basic steps to solid crisis communications planning.

1. Identify potential crises for your business and industry.

2. Analyze your organization’s state of readiness.

3. Identify a crisis team – include employees from all areas, not just communications.

4. Designate appropriate team roles, responsibilities and processes.

5. Schedule media training for key employees.

6. Practice.

Other takeaways from the meeting:

Use all available resources and make it a team effort – You can’t handle it all on your own.
Make sure contact info is current, including emergency phone chains.
Consider a news conference to reduce the constant demands on individuals.
Keep internal leaders up to date.
Media training is absolutely critical.

While the true test of readiness won’t be measured until crisis actually strikes, it’s never too early to get started on a plan to head off unnecessary chaos when the time does come.

Improve Your Email Open Rate with these Dos and Don’ts

2012-08-23T10:46:00.003-05:00

In any web-based communication, you have seconds to capture the interest of your audience. Hundreds of messages stream through your audience’s inbox in any given week, making it critical to set yourself apart with relevant, concise writing.

Debating the must-haves of successful email copy, we came up with some helpful reminders during our most recent copywriter’s best practices meeting:

First up - The Subject Line

It better be intriguing, clear and brief. People have too much to read as it is, so make it easy for them to choose your email.

Do: strive to keep it between 30-50 characters, and never exceed 72.

Don’t: use words like free, help, buy, open, join, or similar gimmicky sales terms

Do: stress urgency – people are more likely to want to read if they have limited time to act

Don’t: use symbols like $$, or % – spam filters are sure to stop emails with these ploys

Do: use actual numbers – especially if there’s a numerical benefit

The Main Attraction - The Body Copy

This is where you ensure audiences see an immediate benefit to opening your email. What does your topic mean to the customer and why? Some things to remember here are:

Do: choose one key benefit – too many and your readers lose interest; none at all and you’re forgotten

Don’t: divert to other topics – gear all your relating material to support the one chosen benefit

Do: use bullets and numbers to increase scanability

Don’t: leave all the calls to action at the bottom

Do: write in 2^nd person – you, you, you! Help your audience relate to your message and its benefit.

So there you have it, how to make the most of email communications. Brief and to the point – just like your subject line and copy should be.

Turn the Skills Gap into a Competitive Edge

2012-08-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

The writing’s on the Web – here, here, here and here. American companies in many industries face a shortage of skilled workers. It’s perhaps the single greatest challenge facing manufacturers today.

But it isn’t a burden – it’s an opportunity. It’s time to take charge, set your business apart and bring in the talent you need to keep growing.

Start by sharing your story. Show recruits and employees what’s special about your company, why the work matters and what the future holds – for them, for your customers, for your industry, for your community.

Then make that story the foundation of a complete, ongoing recruitment and retention program that supports your HR team by reaching and resonating with vital recruits.

Components might include:

A careers website
Media relations
Social media engagement
Special events
Public-private partnerships

There’s plenty more to the success of your recruiting efforts, of course. Explore more about how our agency is helping clients deal with the crucial talent issue. Or check out the case study below:

Case Study (PDF): How a comprehensive program can support HR recruiting efforts

3 Keys to Integrated Digital Marketing

2012-08-02T19:23:00.000-05:00

You know it’s important for your company to speak with “one voice.” But with all the online platforms available today, how do you do that consistently and effectively?

Boil it down to these three essential tasks:

1. Take a comprehensive approach. Review your goals for the year and determine which online channels will help you achieve those goals.

2. For each online channel, develop a set of communication goals, strategies and tracking tailored for the medium.

3. Make your website the hub for all your efforts, defining how each of the other channels fits in that framework.

Here’s an example of how it can work. You pick a social media platform where you can reach your target audience. And via that social media platform, you continuously promote relevant content that’s hosted on your website. Your social media strategy should consider short-term goals and of-the-moment issues to increase engagement, while also allowing for the long-term, brand-building approach supported on your website.

Done right, an integrated approach creates a deeper brand experience and brings more and better sales leads to your company. In a future post, we’ll talk more about how to do that, exploring various forms of online media content and how they relate to an integrated digital marketing strategy.

You There – You Don’t Know Everything

2012-07-18T09:36:00.000-05:00

I’m not telling you this to hurt your feelings. I’m telling you because knowing that you know nothing – to paraphrase Socrates – is the only true wisdom.

When you recognize the unknown, you ask questions. And asking questions illuminates answers.

For example, ever heard of the Five Whys? It’s a technique originated by Toyota in which you get to the root of a problem by asking "why" five times. Watch a good Five Whys primer from Harvard Business Review below.

But asking questions isn’t just good problem-solving policy. It’s essential to all leadership, creativity and innovation.

The key is to continuously break free from the biases and assumptions that hold back fresh ideas. After all, you know what happens when you assume, right? (It’s the mother of all mistakes.)

That’s why, in B2B marketing just like anywhere else, it always pays to start by challenging your assumptions and asking questions, whether you’re:

Launching a product
Considering a brand extension
Starting an ad campaign
Entering a new market
Going after new customers

What’s the main objective and why? What’s the primary audience? What do they care about? How does what you’re offering make life better for them? And how do those answers fit into a single, clear message for the marketplace?

Those are just some of the questions bouncing around our office as we challenge our inner-know-it-alls and uncover new perspectives.

And now a question for you: What questions do you find helpful in your process?

To Hire a Millennial, Think Like a Millennial

2012-07-11T10:06:00.001-05:00

Earlier, we demonstrated how to create a strong employer brand to attract talent in a highly competitive marketplace. Different generations require different recruitment approaches, and with baby boomers nearing the cusp of retirement, it may be time to focus more on the dynamic, 80 million strong, Millennial generation.

Just how worried should you be about these generational changes?

Well, the Office of Employment projected that the average large company in the U.S. will lose 30-40% of its workforce due to retirement over the next 5-10 years. Yikes. Definitely time to shift your Millennial recruitment strategies into high gear.

Young Talent

Hiring young talent has many benefits:

Flexibility. You have the opportunity to shape an individual to be the best fit for your company.
Youthful perspective. Millennials bring fervor and excitement to client engagements, meetings and projects.
Innovation. This is the most educated and technology-savvy generation. They bring fresh ideas, creative thinking and the ability to see things differently.

The key to unlocking this talent pool is understanding the background and characteristics of this generation, as well as accommodating their work style and motivators.

To hire a Millennial, you need to think like a Millennial.

So here’s how we suggest you focus.

The Top Three Ways to Get on the Millennial Radar

1. Foster their interest in technology

Growing up in a digital savvy world has created the expectation of innovative websites, social media engagement, and interactive recruiting efforts. Everyone wants to be excited about the company they work for. If your website is outdated and doesn’t captivate the skilled person checking you out (believe us, they Google EVERYTHING), they won’t even bat an eye as they cross you off and move onto the next company on their list.

Do yourself a favor, update your website, get on social media, and invest in a well-designed career page that encourages applicants to get excited to work for you.

2. Participate in the community

According to a recent USA Today article, Study: Millennial generation more educated, less employed, civic trends have always risen with age, but this generation is emerging as being much more involved at an early age. Millennials care about community involvement.

To get on their radar, you need to look at the bigger picture. Figure out how to promote yourself as not only a thought leader, but also as an active member of making your community, industry, and the big picture, better.

3. Appeal to their shared characteristics when constructing recruiting communications, HR initiatives, training programs, and more.

Social - This generation is showing up as totally aware of work-life balance. They value spending time with family and friends doing things they enjoy. They want a fun work environment.
Team oriented – A recent survey of Millennial professionals, conducted by Robert Half International and Yahoo! Hot Jobs, found that over 60% of Millennials want to hear from their managers at least once a day.
Achievement oriented – Praise is something this group is accustomed to, show that you value your employees and are invested in their individual and group success.
Flexible – Technology has opened new doors and more opportunities – Millennials expect convenience. Find a way to incorporate this into your program.

The foundation of a successful business is an invested, interested employee base and Millennials want to be a part of that. Those companies that don’t change their thinking and processes to attract, hire, and retain this new generation will risk it all.

Take our advice and invest in Millennials, because by doing that you not only are investing in yourself as a company, but you’re investing in the strength of our nation.

Got Skills? How to Become a Winner in Today’s Competitive Talent Search.

2012-06-13T09:56:00.003-05:00

The good news? Manufacturing is on the upswing. The bad news? Skilled worker numbers are on the downswing. Competition from global manufacturers coupled with an outdated perception of manufacturing held by most young people has created a battlefield for good talent.

In this new reality, the company with the best talent will win the game. And clearly there will be winners and losers in this high stakes game that pits small and mid-market companies against the global giants that exist in every market. “I can’t win this battle” many of these smaller companies might say, but for those willing to think differently, Trefoil Group says “yes, you can.” And we’ll tell you how.

The most important thing your company can do is create a powerful brand. Help recruits see the story of the future and why your company and the work you do matters – to them, to your customers, your communities, your industries.

The Branding Basics -- there are many ways to create a story worth telling:

Understand what characteristics define your company – Involve everyone from your CEO to your customers and vendors to really delve into what is important. Once you know, market it.
Become a thought leader – through articles, speaking engagements and events. When prospective employees Google you, give them plenty of reading material that showcases the innovation, knowledge, and involvement of your company.
Update your recruiting – Word of mouth isn’t enough anymore. People spend so much time online that it’s critical to develop a digital presence. Develop a careers page, partner with technical colleges and join social media.
Support government and community hiring initiatives – prospective employees want to be a part of something bigger, see what you can do to help programs, such as Dream It, Do It, in your area.

Waiting for talent to seek you out is no longer adequate - Manpower Group recently released the results of its seventh-annual Talent Shortage Survey, revealing 49 percent of U.S. employers are experiencing difficulty filling mission-critical positions within their organizations.

It’s time to face this new reality and arm your company with all the necessary tools to succeed in today’s hiring market. Creating the right and differentiating employer brand could be the key to finding the perfect person for your company.

What has your company done to set itself apart from the competition? We would love to hear it.

What Are You Doing After the Show?

2012-06-11T08:32:00.000-05:00

The last trucks loaded with machinery and displays have long since pulled away from the shipping bays at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando – site of NPE 2012, North America’s largest plastics tradeshow.

But many people in plastics are still feeling the energy of the event. And as marketers, we need to keep pursuing those opportunities.

Much of the promotional work for a tradeshow occurs before and during the event. But marketing doesn’t stop when you hand off the sales leads afterward. The magnitude of the investment – often an entire year’s marketing budget – demands that you channel the show’s momentum long after your booth has been dismantled.

For example, NPE exhibitor Milacron is extending the impact of its investment with a post-show landing page. An email campaign and other vehicles are driving traffic to the site, where visitors can explore photos, videos, news coverage, machine specs and more. The page, adapted from a preshow promotional site, is proving to be a cost-effective way to keep the show’s positive vibes going.

Whether you serve up show presentations as web content or breathe new life into a show floor video, you can make a tradeshow investment live on as long as you let it.

Bottom line: Post-show marketing communications is much more than just sales lead follow-up. With marketing support, selling becomes easier, and your substantial investment generates greater returns. www.milacron.com/NPE

On Finding Our TrueCenter™

2012-05-16T09:52:00.000-05:00

Relax.

Breathe deeply.

Let all distractions fall away.

Now, ponder the big questions. Who are we? What are we doing? Why are we here?

That’s how it all started a few months back when we embarked on a branding and positioning project for our agency.

It’s a challenging and rewarding process that involves distilling a lot of complex issues down to one simple idea. After a period of intense self-reflection, research, analysis and argument, we’ve re-established our TrueCenter™, and we’re excited to be revealing the results today.

Introducing ...

Cutting through complex issues to produce decisive actions – in our case, a name change – is what we believe makes our team special. In a complicated world, we’re determined to help our clients see clearly toward achieving their goals.

Boosting Consumer Confidence in Interest-Based Advertising

2012-04-30T10:47:00.001-05:00

With the increasing use of social networks, particularly Facebook, interest-based advertising is growing rapidly. By analyzing consumers’ online conversations and consumption habits, advertisers can customize their messages to specific audiences. Done right, it increases an ad’s effectiveness and can enhance consumer satisfaction.

But we must be careful, whenever tapping into info about people’s web activity, to earn and maintain their trust (a topic that can be read in more detail here).

To that end, the Digital Advertising Alliance’s (DAA) Self-Regulatory Program – endorsed earlier this year by the White House, Department of Commerce and Federal Trade Commission – provides a good framework for improving consumer confidence and ensuring best practices. Building on the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising, the nation's largest media and marketing associations have collaborated to launch this program to give consumers a better understanding of and greater control over ads that are customized based on their online behavior.

How can you get involved?

Learn about the program by reading the principles, and find out more about the participating associations. To learn how your company can implement the principles, review the Implementation Guides.
Register to start using the Advertising Option Icon as a means for providing enhanced notice of online behavioral advertising practices. To register to use the icon, click here.
Inform consumers about data practices through clear, meaningful and prominent notices.
Register to receive information about how to be listed on the Consumer Opt-Out Page, where consumers will be able to easily opt out of receiving online behavioral advertising from some or all participating companies.
Report a complaint if you believe that you have witnessed a practice or ad that may violate the Principles. You can report the incident to either the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) or the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). Complaints may be filed by consumers, business entities or other stakeholders.

Thanks to http://www.aboutads.info for the above information on how companies can participate in the DAA’s Self-Regulatory Program.

How Tapping into Emotions Plays a Larger Role in Building Brand Trust

2012-04-17T11:34:00.014-05:00

The science of selling is changing. With the growth of social media, tapping into emotions has become an increasingly influential part of decision making. Although statistical data hasn’t gone to the wayside, consumers look to fellow purchasers for their opinions of, or experiences with, businesses, as well as goods and services. It’s these experiences and interactions that form people’s opinions and in turn, influence brand trust.

During a Southeastern Wisconsin PRSA luncheon, Eric Goering, manager of global system communications for McDonald’s, discussed the idea of brand trust, commenting, “No one wants to feel like a guinea pig. Consumers want to know that a product or service is already safe and effective.” Referencing McDonald’s new “field to fork” commercials, he continued by suggesting that the value proposition now takes a different form – facts mean less and emotions mean more.

In addition to McDonald’s new commercials, Chipotle has leveraged its new sustainable farming campaign to make that emotional connection with consumers. The commercial has been largely popular among audiences because of its honest, authentic message, which plays into consumers’ demands – products that are fresh, locally grown and nutritious, while also helping to boost the nation’s agriculture industry.

Today, the story is becoming more about these relationships, which highlight a company’s commitment to quality and consistency that drive customer decisions. In turn, those decisions are now broadcast across social networks, earning businesses positive word-of-mouth marketing that ultimately increases sales and new opportunities overtime. In the same vein, this idea should resonate with B2B companies, as true partnerships, not just one-off relationships, become critical to future success.

Have you seen good examples of companies tapping into customers’ emotions? If so, what made it compelling?