We’ve all had one. That moment of epiphany or “Aha!” we experience when we reach a level of understanding, clarity of thought, or realization–whether personal or professional, private or public, when suddenly, we “get it.”

That got me to thinking…

Marketing–or rather, the message within the marketing–should evoke plenty of “Aha!” moments, but it seldom does, and therein lies the problem.

It really doesn’t matter what your product is or does. What matters is the reaction: that deeper level guttural response generated within your audience by your message. If that doesn’t happen–and it often doesn’t–the opportunity is lost and so is your investment of time and dollars into an ineffective marketing campaign.

We hear a lot about “hot buttons” and the “wow factor,” but what is essential, is getting the response. Getting a response means that the message was received and acknowledged. Getting a “Hmmmmm” response is even better. It confirms that not only was your message received and acknowledged, but that it went deeper. It provoked an “Aha!” An, “I get it!”

Make sure your marketing message is penetrating your market. You gotta have “Hmmmmm!”

Debra D. Kujawa is president and CEO of Ki-neckted, LLC, a marketing management and public relations firm.  ”Connect” with her:  ddkujawa@ki-neckted.com

Several years ago I was working as a Realtor with a private real estate firm in Florida. While still a “rookie” agent, I was presented the opportunity of being handed a “dead” listing by one of the senior members of the firm. He had been trying—unsuccessfully—for over a year to move the century plus old house without a single offer. And now, it was mine!

With tape measure and legal pad in hand, I met with the owners as they proudly took me on a memorable tour of the property. They had been using the downstairs as a neighborhood beauty salon and had a tenant renting space towards the back for a photography studio. A “personal” photography studio which I quickly surmised from the feather boas, claw footed tub, and the pair of toy six guns hanging from the props rack…but I digress…

The attic was typically large and airy for this once proud Victorian, were it not for the six plus inches of rat poop through which I had to carefully navigate—I was of course wearing my totally professional executive black pumps [heels]. The basement was dark, damp, and I know I saw little eyes peeking out from behind the crumbling brick piers more than once.

It was a disaster. The house was priced lower than other homes in the area. It was near a busy street and who in their right mind would ever want to live here? I went back to the office, reviewed my notes, went through the file, remembered to disinfect my shoes, and then it happened.

I had an idea! For the past year, the property had been marketed as a house—residential listing. Period. But the current zoning permitted many other uses including business and light commercial. I had been too focused on the product and NOT focused on the marketing. I immediately set up a meeting with the owners and told them what I needed to do.

First, I needed to RAISE the asking price. Then I needed to reclassify the property as “commercial” NOT residential, that meant RAISING the commission as well. I explained that we had a better opportunity to market the property this way and that business owners view a property’s location as more important than condition.

They bought it. And so did a young attorney two weeks later, for the full asking price. Once we stepped back and analyzed the situation, the solution was obvious, but the critical factor was clear: it wasn’t lack of sales effort or ability which prevented the other agent from obtaining the sale; he was targeting the wrong market.

If your sales are not where should be, the problem just might be with your marketing plan, not your sales folks.
Remember, every marketing plan must have accountability; it MUST be reviewed, reworked, re-implemented continually to keep your product or service moving successfully. It’s not a question of which is more important, sales or marketing, but knowing you need BOTH.

Sales without marketing is like sailing a boat in the middle of the ocean without a map and compass. You might eventually find land, but by the time you do, it could be too late.

Market wisely…market well.

Debra D. Kujawa
President/CEO
Ki-neckted, LLC

It used to be SOP—standard operating procedure (at least in the business world), to meet face-to-face, exchange business cards, promise to “do” lunch, and then actually follow through or totally forget the encounter. Either way, options for getting and/or staying connected were often limited and “slow” at best.

In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee invented a little thing called the “World Wide Web,” and life on earth hasn’t been the same since. Only five (5) years old for that event, Harvard undergrad, Mark Zuckerberg, would later create the phenomenon of Facebook in 2004, at the grand age of 20. A year earlier, LinkedIn arrived on scene as a “business network”—however ‘linking’ could be a bit laborious with the “How-do-you-know…?” feature.

Another key player in the keeping-in-touch-category came about in 2006. Three software engineers were contemplating an instant messaging system as a simpler form of communication: Jack Dorsey (@jack), Evan Williams (@ev), and Biz Stone (@biz) created…Twitter. Add this to the mix of smart phones, laptops and iPads, and you have all the ingredients for creating a network of global proportions from anywhere, at any time.

Deciding which communication tool to use could be difficult—if you try to dissect both medium and audience: who’s listening, who’s watching…who cares? For the most part, LinkedIn is probably regarded as the least social, more business focused, among these three powerful methods, but that’s about as far as I’m willing to venture an opinion of any finite definition. Facebook and Twitter were initially touted as pure social networks. Initially. Now, I find a substantial number of my Facebook connections are business-based as are most of my Twitter pals—with the caveat of a liberal dose of situational humor and personal revelation thrown in.

So. I do what I advise all of my clients to do: recognize the value of connecting into multiple levels of networking media and map accordingly. For instance: I have connected my tweets to post on Facebook and LinkedIn—instant communication to over a thousand people in seconds. I can link thoughts, messages, invitations, photos, articles, websites…information I share with a broad or specific audience—my choice.

But the most remarkable, amazing, unbelievable thing about LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter? Is it the unlimited marketing potential? The global impact? The instant communication and community? ALL of that…PLUS…it’s all FREE. Free. No access fees, no software to buy, no monetary buy-in, nada, zip, nothing.

A goldmine for start-ups and growing businesses, the use of social media—as it has been labeled—can launch products, entice buyers, influence opinion, and do it lightning fast; penetrating global markets in seconds and do it all with a single investment of time—not money.

If you’re not utilizing “social media” for your business, you are missing out on one of the most powerful tools at your disposal. Get down to social. Become familiar with the “f,” “t,” and “in,” logos of these three powerhouses of connectivity. Come on! Follow my tweets…let’s get “linked!” I really want to be your “friend!”

Debra D. Kujawa

President/CEO

Ki-neckted, LLC

Thinking of marketing more as a process than an end result will give you deeper insight into this much misunderstood field of business. In fact, an easy although somewhat simplified model is the hamburger. So, for the purpose of illustration, please think of your favorite hamburger joint—whether it involves a crown, a clown, a cute girl with pigtails…or a local hot spot with some guys… just visualize.

One of the fundamental tenets of marketing’s first steps is to identify a specific market for your product and/or service and CONNECT to that market. Assuming that most of the population living in the United States regard the hamburger as a dietary staple once they are weaned from the bottle, I think we can safely say the market is broad demographically, but peaks in the 18-35 age range. Again, the “market” also includes “tweens,” middle and lower class families, families with hectic schedules, and the incomparable and self-proclaimed “fast food addicts” who start and end their days in somebody’s drive-thru.

Again, it’s pretty obvious how the major chains have “connected” with their markets: TV spots [mega dollars, here], some radio and print, and directly through their products which have become household names—Big Mac, Whopper, Happy Meal, Kid’s Meal, whatever the nomenclature, you get the message. In fact, not only to we “get” the message, we buy into that message over and over and over again. Why?

Because not only do the big chains identify and CONNECT with their markets, they CONTROL their markets through creative sub-marketing of toys, gifts, give-aways, and contests. These businesses also epitomize the ability to up-sell: “You want fries with that?” They’ve also learned that while consistency is good, variety helps add market share from more specific markets. For example: most successful fast food chains have substantially changed their menus to entice more “health conscious” consumers; adding broiled items, salads, lower calorie sides, and changing to zero trans fat oils. All of which information is targeted and marketed directly to the consumer.

The final element in this example? CONTINUITY. Most of us rarely pay attention to those big splashy TV advertisements anymore because after all, we’ve already become “attached”—some might venture to say “addicted”—to a particular favorite chain or local restaurant, right? Wrong. On any given evening we become a captive audience while visions of larger-than-life fast food delicacies are paraded in our midst in glorious, juicy, 1080p high-def color. Every night. Every week. Every year. Marketing does not stop when the product sells—it just shifts gears. Remember the process?

Identify, target, and CONNECT with your market to get the “buy-in.”

CONTROL your market with your product/service allowing for some evolution in design, delivery, or concept—pay attention to your market.

CONTINUE the process through direct contact with your market. Know who they are, what they think, anticipate what they need, don’t become complacent and assume that yours is the only “hamburger” in town.

Lastly, the FINAL step. In marketing, there is NO FINAL STEP. You repeat the process over and over and over for as long you have a product or service to market.

Know where I can get a good hamburger?

Market wisely…market well!

Debra D. Kujawa
President/CEO
Ki-neckted, LLC

No matter how many conversations or interviews I find myself engaged in, I am always amazed at the confusion, or better yet, the lack of understanding as to what marketing management is and does.
Okay, folks, listen up.
Marketing management is a process—sometimes multiple processes—through which messages, information, strategic plans, are created and implemented in order to promote a product, service, or business. I like to call it a road map for the sales department: it has a starting point, destinations (customer base) and most importantly, offers the best route(s) to take.
The “management” element includes every part and parcel of your company that is visible: logo, tagline, packaging, ads (ALL media including SOCIAL), Website and blogs, Internet (Twitter, groups such as LinkedIn, etc.), collaterals (promotional materials), and anything/everything referencing your business.
“Image isn’t everything; it’s the ONLY thing…” is a strong statement with a lot of validity. Branding takes this “image” and gives it both depth and purpose. The only way this can successfully occur is absolute consistency—your message must be universal across all channels. If it isn’t, you will have confusion and create instability that can be fatal to both product and company.
Coca-Cola isn’t the least expensive cola on the shelves, but based on sales volume it’s obvious that price isn’t the defining factor. Coke has successfully branded its product on a global scale—and consumers are willing to pay extra.
One of my favorite expressions is, “Just DO it!” And of course, I refer to that as my “Nike Principle.” Nike continues to communicate powerful emotions between athletes and its shoes hoping to transfer these feeling to its consumers. Based on company sales, I’d say it’s working.
So. Marketing management coordinates and drives an infinite number of decisions and actions within your business. How well your company and/or product is received or rejected, is a direct result of multiple factors:
• Logo. Does it fit? Is it everywhere?
• Brand. Is your branding message clear? Does everyone in your company embrace it? Communicate it?
• Consistency. Reproduce your logo and images consistently. All blues are not created equal. Develop standards and adhere to them.
• Tagline. Remember Goldilocks: get it “just right!” Not too long, not too short, make it relevant and meaningful. Don’t have a tagline? Get one!
• Loyalty. If you develop your brand carefully, consistently, market it thoroughly and wisely, you will create customer loyalty.
Craft and nurture your brand carefully, invest yourself so that others will want to as well. Remember: If we build it, they will come. ~ “Field of Dreams Philosophy”
Debra D. Kujawa
President/CEO
Ki-Neckted, LLC

In football, nothing brings the stadium crowd to its feet faster than watching the gazelle like moves of a great running back or the powerful arm of a skilled quarterback as he hurls a perfect spiral with pinpoint accuracy 50 yards downfield to a heavily guarded receiver.  And while we definitely recall those heart racing moments as pivotal to the game’s outcome, we tend to overlook the quick 4 and 5 yard passes along the sidelines the team used to move the ball down the field quickly—converting their first downs and conserving the clock by stepping out of bounds after each completion.

In marketing, there are times when it is wise to shift focus from long term goals to immediate or short-term opportunities—an option play , if you will. The tricky part, is timing—determining exactly when to change course, what the new/immediate goal will be, and most importantly, what it’s going to take to get there.

Case in point:  consumers and the current recession.

With limited exception, few saw this past year’s economic disaster coming.  And those who did, admittedly could not foresee the financial devastation—which many economists have likened to the Great Depression of the 1930s—producing a global impact unlike any ever seen or experienced before. Thousands of businesses—including some major corporations—closed their doors forever, putting nearly a half million workers on state unemployment rolls.

What’s this have to do with marketing?  Plenty.

Marketing is largely a numbers game.  Determine your market.  Zero in on your target.  Map your strategy.  Implement.  Track the results.  Tweak your strategy.  Implement revised strategy.  Repeat.  Review.  Revise.  And so on… Then came 2009 and the marketing world was turned upside down.

Suddenly, all of the numbers changed.  And to echo the immortal words of the late Carl Malden…“What will you do?”

In business, not unlike football, marketing options must be evaluated carefully and often times, quickly.  There’s only one opening kickoff/product launch:  several variables have to be in the correct position and at the precise moment for everything to coordinate.   If there’s a stumble or two during the initial phase and you’re unprepared or worse, unaware, you and your client/product/company, could be headed for disaster.

Strategy, while generally planned well in advance, must ALWAYS have the “if/then” option:  IF plan “A” doesn’t bring about the desired results in the time allotted, implement plan “B.”  Which means:  you MUST always have a plan “B!”  Trust me when I tell you most of American businesses are operating on plan “B” right now.  In fact, there are probably more that are much further down the alphabet.

The automotive industry in America had to quite literally scrap all of their planned marketing strategies and campaigns during the height of the recession.  We all remember the common thread of …“if you buy a vehicle and lose your job, don’t worry!  We’ll work with you!  Please continue to buy our products!” Ok.  A bit of liberal paraphrasing, but you get the picture.  Interest rates on car loans went down to zero—or practically zero— and most leases no longer require signing fees.  The plan-of-the-day has become incentives—many of which are still being implemented.

So.  How does this have anything to do with marketing a hamburger, new cell phone, or a furniture store?  Plenty.  Marketing is designed to tip the competition scales in favor of our client’s product and/or business.  It is our responsibility to immerse ourselves so totally in our markets—to ‘read’ the signals from the competition as well as the consumer so, just like the best quarterback; we can change the play to increase our chances of a more favorable outcome.  While the “Hail Mary” pass produces the dramatic hold-your-breath-moment when it’s the closing seconds of the 4th quarter and your team is behind, it still remains a last-ditch shot-in-the-dark effort, which usually doesn’t pan out.  The “Hail Mary” strategy in marketing is one that should NEVER be in your play book.

Marketing isn’t nearly so black and white as it used to be, but that’s part of the excitement as well as the satisfaction in producing campaigns and solutions that work.  Some quick reminders:

• Do your homework:  research the competition, review the plan, remember to focus
• Be flexible:  even the best plans can fail—if it doesn’t work—use your alphabet [plan “B”, etc.]
• Listen:  to the client, the market, the competition, the focus group…
• Allow yourself to be persuaded:  sometimes our ideas are so “good,” they mask important information and variables that we should consider—see “Listen” above
• Use your intuition:  creativity and intuitiveness often go hand-in-hand.  More often than not, your “gut” is on target.

Go ahead.  Create your long-term marketing strategies and goals, but remember:  always include solutions for the unexpected, un-forecasted, and unimaginable.    “Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.”  ~Pauline R. Kezer

Market wisely…market well.

Debra D. Kujawa
President
Ki-neckted, LLC

To say that marketing has evolved over the last half century is like saying Albert Einstein was just an average guy.  Like a tsunami descending upon a sleepy island paradise, the viral marketing  avenues introduced through our new central nervous system—the Internet—have completely changed the way we think and do business.  But there is a huge caveat here:  the basic principles, concepts, and message of marketing remain unchanged.  What has changed is the delivery system—the way we communicate with the customer and the public.

Less than twenty years ago, portable communication was restricted to a small portion of the population:  those who could afford car phones, then “bag” phones, radio phones and pagers.  Then “cell” technology changed the game.  Suddenly, phones and portable communication became reasonably affordable for the common masses and in the past five years or so, cell phones morphed into BlackBerrys and iPhones; giving us the ability to connect instantly practically anywhere in the world!

Satellite technology coupled with Smart phones and laptops have made doing business globally as easy as walking to the corner store.  It’s all about communication.  And communication simply delivers a message and, hopefully, elicits a response.  Back and forth.  Pretty simple concept.

In the past 25 years letters have evolved into emails; phone calls have been reduced to text messaging; and IMs and Web cams, etc., etc., the list goes on.  But no technology can, will, or should ever take the place of building customer relationships—enter marketing.

To best understand what marketing is, you need to know what marketing isn’t:

• Marketing isn’t advertising—it is so much more
• It is NOT sales—the two terms are related but very different
• Marketing isn’t about winning awards, it’s about winning business
• Marketing isn’t complicated, but it can be complex
• While solid marketing principles do not change, marketing must be flexible

Marketing determines not only who your audience is, but how best to reach them and what to say.  The message MUST be central to any marketing plan and the manner of delivery [the way the message is sent] has to be determined by the target market/audience.  Marketing is as much an art as a science—a blend of creativity and empirical methodology—balanced carefully and executed appropriately.

Are there really new rules for marketing?  I don’t think so.  New and exciting ways to get the message out and more accurate ways of tracking response and productivity? Absolutely!

The Savannah area is teaming with “growing” businesses and organizations which encompass the entire spectrum of products and services.  Most of these are financially lean with management and sales often the responsibility of the same individual.  Marketing management is often overlooked and many times lumped into sales.  Ki-neckted, llc was created to help alleviate this problem.

Ki-neckted, llc provides high quality marketing management through strategic planning and development; implementation planning; project, process, and vendor management; and leadership assistance and management. Every situation is approached individually and specifically crafted so that each marketing strategy is designed to maximize revenue and profit based on a thorough understanding of the customer base as well as current competitive position in the market.

Using traditional methods of qualitative marketing research [focus groups], quantitative marketing research [statistical surveys], experimental techniques [test markets], and observational techniques [on-site] ki-neckted, llc then creates a comprehensive marketing plan which utilizes many of the newer marketing tools including viral marketing, online media, blogs, podcasts, and social media.  These are implemented according to the plan and monitored carefully for results.

Ki-neckted, llc will connect you and your business to the people and places that will help your business succeed.  Give us a call and we’ll get started!