strategically : sound

Movin' On

2011-08-19T18:26:00.000-05:00

Many of you.....well, some of you, actually one of you asked about my blog.

I realize I haven't been posting much lately.

But I have been working. I have been putting together a new website / blog on wordpress. Check it out at www.strategicallysound.com, like it on facebook and save it to your favorites in your browser. You will be glad that you did!

I am also working on my Road To The Customer Marketing Videos. There is a page on the new site that is still under development.

The new site has a long way to go, but I am going to go ahead and start blogging there now, so come see me. (I also imported all of the old posts to the new site!)

See ya' down the road!

I Hate To Copy And Paste.....

2011-08-08T07:53:00.000-05:00

But, this is one that needs to be read by everyone!

I got this in the Monday Morning Memo by Roy H. Williams this morning. I have referenced the memo before and anyone that reads my writing knows that I consider Roy to be the best in the business when it comes to small business advertising and marketing. I strongly advise EVERYONE to subscribe at www.mondaymorningmemo.com

How Soon Will My Ads Start Working?

These are the 5 questions you must answer before you can know how soon your ads will start working:

Q. 1: What percentage of the noise made in your category – in all the different media combined - is being made by you? This is your Share of Voice.

Q. 2: What percentage of the population will actively be in the market for your product or service this week? This is your Product Purchase Cycle.

Food has a very short Product Purchase Cycle. The shorter the Product Purchase Cycle, the quicker your ad campaign will reach maximum ROI.

Cars have a medium-length Product Purchase Cycle. The average American trades cars every 180 weeks (42 months.) Consequently, 0.55 percent of us will buy or lease a car this week. (Does this mean that anyone who advertises cars is wasting 99.45 percent of his investment?)

That’s right; 180 weeks (42 months) is a medium-length product purchase cycle. What do you suppose is the Product Purchase Cycle for HVAC system replacement? Engagement rings? Furniture? Products with longer purchase cycles require more time for their ad campaigns to ramp up to their full potential. These campaigns usually show poor results during the first 90 to 150 days then begin to deliver increasingly good results until the growth curve begins to flatten out about halfway through the Purchase Cycle. If the purchase cycle is 10 years, the campaign will start slow, then generate increasingly good results until it levels off in about 5 years. You will then have to continue advertising just to maintain the market share you’ve achieved. If relevant new information is not injected into the campaign at this time, the advertiser will become frustrated and disgruntled and begin to say things like, “Our ads aren’t as good as they used to be,” or “I don’t think we’re reaching the right people.”

Q. 3: How many people will ever be in the market for this product or service? What percentage of the public will ever consider this product to be relevant? A high percentage of the public will someday need a refrigerator, furniture, HVAC system replacement and an engagement ring. The best strategy for advertisers such as these is for them to use relevance and repetition to become the provider the customer thinks of first and feels the best about.

But what about fine formal china, such as Royal Doulton at $100 per place setting and the solid silver tableware that accompanies it? What percentage of today’s public will ever be in the market for these?

Q. 4: What degree of credible urgency does your ad contain? Is there any reason for the customer to take action now? You can shorten a Product Purchase Cycle by making a strong offer that is time-limited or quantity-limited. If you create a once-in-a-lifetime offer for a product with a long purchase cycle, you’ll likely move a number of people into the market who would otherwise have purchased at a later date. If your offer is powerful and credible, you’ll see great success. But don’t take a good thing too far; the more often you do this, the less well it will work. Sadly, the success of this “urgency” technique makes it highly addictive. Almost without exception, the advertiser who makes a once-in-a-lifetime offer will choose to make a similar, once-in-a-lifetime offer within a year. Soon his "sale" ads lose all credibility and his customers will begin to ask, “When does this go on sale?” God help us. We pushed a good thing too far and we’ve trained the customer NOT to buy unless we’re promoting a massive discount.

Marketing is tricky. It almost makes you want to hit yourself in the head with a hammer sometimes, doesn’t it?

Q. 5: What is your Competitive Environment? In other words, how well are your competitors known? How good are they at what you do? Your ads are not the only ads your customer will see and hear. Is a competitor making a more powerful offer than you?

Share of Voice can be purchased.
Share of Mind must be earned.

Share of Voice is the percentage of noise in the marketplace that is yours. Share of Mind is the mental real estate you have purchased in consciousness of your customer.

Share of Voice times Relevance equals Share of Mind.

Frequent repetition of your ads will earn you a higher Share of Voice. But a big Share of Voice times zero Relevance equals zero Share of Mind and zero results.

Most advertisers talk in their ads about what the customer should care about, what they ought to care about, instead of what they actually care about.

If you remember nothing else from today’s memo, remember these two things and you’ll do well:

1. Clarity is more important than creativity.

2. Relevance is more important than repetition.

NOTE: I did NOT say that creativity and repetition don't count.

Sell on.

Roy H. Williams

The Lost Art Of Listening

2011-08-04T07:39:00.000-05:00

I mean REALLY listening.

I see it every day.

In all types of transactions.

The potential buyer talks and the seller nods his/her head.

Nodding and biding time until they can offer to sell the potential buyer what they have already decided they need. Regardless of what the potential buyer just said.

Do I need to use the square peg, round hole reference here? Nah, you get it.

No matter what business you are in, your close ratio will go up dramatically if you listen intently to what the customer really wants and show them how you have the perfect product to help them attain it.

Your customers don't always know what they need to buy. What they do know is what they hope to accomplish by making a purchase. All that you have to do is tie the two together in a neat little bundle and .......VIOLA!

Sale made. Customer happy. Seller happy.

More money in the bank.

Sounds simple.

But it only works if you REALLY listen and then EXECUTE!

We All Have A Goal

2011-07-10T09:44:00.000-05:00

Even if you don't realize it.

Make sure that everything that you do each day is helping you or your organization get there.

We are all in some form of sales. So, we should all have some sort of measurable goal. If you are not in direct sales. If you don't have a specific goal for you, I am sure that your organization does. That is also yours.

If you don't know the goal that you are responsible for helping with, find out.

Go ahead and do it. Right Now.......I'll wait.............

Welcome back. I hope you have it now.

Post it where you can see it. Everyday.

Now, what can you do TODAY to get closer to that goal?

What things do you do that get in the way? How can you eliminate them?

This next step applies if you are the owner, manager or part time employee. Ask yourself as you go thorough the day if what you are doing RIGHT NOW is the most productive that you can be towards the goal that you are responsible for.

If the answer is NO, then what has to happen to get back on track?

BTW, I like to think that the time you spend reading this counts as getting you towards goals :)

BTW2, Special thanks to Great Plains Media Colleague Hugh McPherson, GM in Cookeville, TN for helping remind me of the power of goal focus.

The Shopping Experience

2011-06-30T18:38:00.000-05:00

Are you delivering what your customers expect?

Businesses spend endless dollars on advertising to attract customers.

Not enough time and effort are spent on delivering the best customer experience.

During a meeting today with the owner of several "Five Guys Burgers And Fries" restaurants, he shared with me a program that all Five Guys locations participate in. Each store is "secret shopped" twice a week. Once during the day and once in the evening. Each store is scored on the total customer experience. From greeting to food delivery time, cleanliness, quality of the product and more. Three pages of criteria. 100 points are available. The top store in each region gets a significant bonus if they win the week. It's shared exclusively between the crew members that worked during the evaluation.

A significant portion of the franchise's advertising and marketing budget is earmarked for this program. This makes perfect sense because all of the advertising in the world is useless if you do not deliver a wonderful customer experience.

From how the phone gets answered to the follow up after the sale, how are your potential customers being treated? Are you missing opportunities to sell more to your customers that come in?

Have your business evaluated objectively.

Make any needed changes.

Watch your advertising suddenly work better and your profits improve.

Two Ways To Grow Your Revenue

2011-06-24T07:47:00.000-05:00

That's it, just two.

They are consistent no matter your business type as long as you have a product or service for sale.

1. Develop new customers
2. Sell more to your existing customers.

I am not trying to oversimplify, just show how easy it is to set a revenue growth plan.

To develop new customers, you can advertise. Just make sure that you have a solid plan and remain consistent with your message and medium. To help with budgeting, determine a goal for new customers and quantiify what a new customer is worth over the next ten years.
Where will your new customers come from?
Will they change from their current provider for you? Why?
Ask for referrals from existing customers.

To sell more to existing customers (which is the easiest way to grow), ask for add on sales or services to grow your average ticket.
Educate customers on other products and services that you offer for later.
Have a plan to make sure you stay in touch with that customer during the product life cycle.
Offer a bounce back coupon or offer.
Give your happy customers a referral bonus if they bring you new customers.
A solid advertising plan will help to reinforce all of these things and will actually help you sell more to your existing customers.

Feel free to comment and share what you do in YOUR business.

The Mastermind Group

2011-06-23T08:16:00.000-05:00

Do you have one?

I was talking with another member of the Douglas County Connection (DCC) yesterday. DCC is a group of local business owners and managers that get together each week to share ideas. During our conversation, we got into a discussion about the book "Think And Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. I have written about the book previously, but this conversation was drawn to Chapter 10.

Power Of The Mastermind – Lessons From Chapter 10: THE DRIVING FORCE – The ninth step towards riches

Napoleon Hill states:”POWER is essential for success in the accumulation of money. PLANS are inert and useless, without sufficient POWER to translate them into ACTION.”

He goes on:”POWER may be defined as ‘organized and intelligently directed KNOWLEDGE.’”
And:”POWER IS REQUIRED FOR THE ACCUMULATION OF MONEY! POWER IS NECESSARY FOR THE RETENTION OF MONEY AFTER IT HAS BEEN ACCUMULATED!”
This power is created through the coordinated effort of a mastermind group, working toward a definite end, in a spirit of harmony.

An alike designed mastermind group allows its members to tap into the power of Infinite Intelligence.

There is power in associating and sharing with a group of like minded individuals. The DCC group is a perfect example of a Mastermind Group.

Who are you surrounding yourself with? Are they adding to your group? Mastermind groups must have active participants to be effective.

You don't have to have a single group of people and it doesn't have to be a formal organization. It is the people that you trust and surround yourself with.

With a solid Mastermind group, 1 plus 1 equals 3.

If you don't have your own group, get one and see how much more powerful you get!

Make Your Points

2011-06-22T13:33:00.000-05:00

One at a time.

I edit ads for customers just about every day. The biggest flaw that I find is that most ads could and SHOULD be broken down into multiple commercials.

When creating an ad or campaign, make sure that each ad has a point. A single point. If you have multiple things to communicate, make them separate ads.

If you have a grocery store that has a pharmacy, florist and a great meat department that you want people to know about, then tell the story of each. Separately. They deserve that attention. Don't try to cram all three into one ad. You can't tell any of the stories effectively.

Look closely at your ads. Do they make one point well? If not, change it and prepare to be amazed at your return on investment. If the ads are persuasive. But that, my friends is for another day.

Are You Insane?

2011-06-17T08:52:00.000-05:00

In this context, the definition of insanity is doing the same things and expecting different results.

Even successful organizations must take a step back when things aren't going as good as you would like. The business world is changing more rapidly than ever before. The needs of businesses and their consumers are changing. Are you keeping up?

You need to know what your customers want. It is probably not what you think they want. It is almost never what you want them to want! For that matter, what they need long term is very hard to see in the heat of the moment short term.

Begin with the end in mind and craft a strategy to get from where you are to where you are going. It is not always a straight line there.

No matter where you are today though, question everything and assess if it will move you toward your end goal.

Do something different today and stop the insanity!

Radio Rising

2011-06-16T07:29:00.000-05:00

93.1% of Americans 12+ listen to the radio.*

UP 1.9 million listeners from last year.*

Many thought that radio would never make it past the launch of that new invention. The television. Records, 8 Track tapes, cassettes came next. All had their place. Radio still thrived. Have you listened to an 8 track tape lately? Have you ever even SEEN one?

I remember when CDs were going to make radio obsolete. Does anyone buy CDs now? How about music channels on cable in the early 90s? That would surely be the end of radio. Satellite Radio, Ipods, Internet radio, Pandora. In the face of all of this, radio fell to reaching a mere 92% of 12+ Americans.

Now, it is growing again.

• The largest gains came in the 18-34 adult demo. The total number of 18-34s estimated to listen to radio on a weekly basis is 66.5 million, up 350,000 from a year ago. Percentage-wise, 93.6% of 18-34s listen to radio. The teen reach is also up, gaining about 158,000 to 22.8 million, for a reach of 92%.*

• In terms of basic qualitative, radio attracts nearly 96% of adults 18+ with a college education and a household income of $75,000-plus. It also reaches 96% of adults 25-54 with a household income of $50,000-plus.*

As long as radio continues to deliver local and relevent content to its' market, radio will continue to be an unstoppable force. (Insert Joplin example here)

Radio is the last free provider of local news, sports, weather, information and entertainment.

I haven't even gotten to the part about the ability of radio to drive the local economy by educating consumers on what there options are to spend their dollars on goods and services. But that is for another day.

I would say welcome back radio, but you never left.

*RADAR 109 Survey

Go Ahead And Brag

2011-06-13T08:45:00.000-05:00

Be the expert in what you do AND be known for it.

You have been in your business for years and are really good at it. There are no questions that you can't answer. No problem you can't solve. Anyone that has ever done business with you knows this.

But, what about everyone else? People that are potential customers but have never met you or heard of you. Are you telling your story and demonstrating your expertise to these people?

Use your advertising to communicate your story. Give potential customers a taste of what you are all about and why they should choose to do business with you.

Don't assume that everyone already knows. Do you have a story that EVERYONE should know?

Tell it. Don't be shy.

"It ain't braggin if you say it and you back it up. " Kid Rock - Cocky (Clean Version)

Dear Webster's,

2011-06-10T08:30:00.000-05:00

I have a new word that I would like to submit for consideration. I will get to that in a minute.

If you search Demographic Targeting, you get page after page of definitions like this one from the Barron's Marketing Dictionary :

Population or consumer statistics regarding socioeconomic factors such as age, income, sex, occupation, education, family size, and the like. Advertisers often define their target market in terms of demographics; thus, demographics are a very important aspect of media planning in matching the media with the market. Each demographic category is broken down (by the various research companies) according to its characteristics.

This kind of targeting is all well and good and has it's place, but all of the scientific targeting in the world means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING if you don't communicate with a persuasive message that helps you accomplish your goals as a business.

I mean in reality, decisions are not made in a vacuum and if someone outside this target demographic wants your product or service, would you take their money? Of course you would.

But if your message is weak, you won't have to worry. No one in any demographic will try to buy from you.

So, to help, I am leading the fight for making Wordographic Targeting the new standard for advertising and marketing planning. Here is my initial definition for the next edition of the dictionary :

Wordographic Targeting is insuring that messages are salient and/or persuasive to potential consumers that may cross many socioeconomic factors such as age, income, sex, occupation, education, family size, etc. Wordographics insure that consumers are responding to a message that will help the advertiser accomplish their goal(s). Advertisers are often misled by traditional media planning to define their target market in terms of demographics. While much harder to measure and execute, wordographics are the most important aspect of any media planning because it matches the marketing / advertising message with the advertiser's needs and allows for real measurability in the success or failure of advertising / marketing plans.

How is YOUR wordographic targeting?

Target Your Advertising

2011-06-09T08:57:00.000-05:00

Three words most would never expect to see me write.

Why?

Because in the traditional sense of the targeting concept, it means to figure out WHO you are trying to REACH with your advertising(demographic targeting)and buy that media. Whew, this advertising stuff is hard work.

Pardon me for being blunt, but that is stupid.

As Roy H Williams, The Wizard of Ads writes, "I've never seen a business fail because they were "reaching the wrong people." But I've seen thousands fail because they were saying the wrong thing. Please hear me correctly. These catastrophic failures weren't saying the right thing badly, they were saying the wrong thing well. It's amazing how many people become "the right people" when you're saying the right thing. Believe it or not it's advertising third, customer delight second, strategy always first.

In my twenty plus years in dealing with advertising customers, I have heard so many time, "Just put something together, you are the expert." This was regarding the commercial itself. The advertiser was satisfied that they had spent all of their time helping me figure out who that message was going to reach. It never crossed their minds WHY THESE PEOPLE WOULD CARE TO HEAR THEIR COMMERCIAL.

I had the pleasure this week of hearing from a customer that has actually taken to heart the advice I had given him a few years ago. He really works on his message and leaves the scheduling up to me. This particular customer had recently hired a mechanic that is an expert in repairing Honda cars.

He wanted to make him more busy.

He came in and did a very solid commercial. Some might say well targeted. Targeted at people that needed their Honda repaired. Just days after the ad began to air, he started to get calls from "the right people".

I am pretty sure that this guy didn't ask them how old they were or how much money they made or what station they heard the ad on. Why would he care?

They had a Honda that needed repaired. He has a guy to fix it. That is the type of targeting that really count.

Stop trying to reach the right people. Target your message to talk to people that need what you have and people that know people that need what you have. I have word for this type of targeting.....stay tuned to the next blog!

Attached is the commercial that this customer used to target the customers that really count. The ones that need what he has!

Advertising......Extended

2011-06-08T10:35:00.000-05:00

It always amazes me that when someone begins an advertising campaign, they are not sure whether it is working or not. But, regularly they report that people finding them online has increased.

Very seldom does the traditional advertising get credit. "That online stuff works great!"

It is not a coincidence.

Even poor advertising increases top of mind awareness. Potential consumers recognize your name while searching your category and decide to give you a shot since they have at least heard of you before. This is especially true in most service businesses.

If you have a good campaign and consumers actively search for you, they often use online directories. (Does anyone use yellow pages any more?)

So, when you have increases from your website and other online or social media outlets, make sure that you consider that other advertising that may be responsible for increasing your top of mind awareness!

Happy Anniversary

2011-06-06T07:31:00.001-05:00

It has been just over one year since my last blog post.

Time really does fly.

Where did the year go?

It was there. In many ways, it was a long one! I just lost my desire to write. I didn't feel that it made a difference. But it did. It made a difference to me. It kept me grounded in my beliefs and fueled my passion for what I do. Hopefully I can make a difference to the reader as well. I hope you come back and check in . I will make it worth your effort.

So, where did the year go?

It doesn't really matter. All that matters is where we go from here.

Get on and buckle up, it may be a wild ride at times.

Wisdom From The Poker Tables

2010-06-03T07:19:00.003-05:00

Are You Results Oriented?

Most would proudly answer this question with a resounding, YES I AM!

I guess that's ok, but results oriented mindsets just set us up for disappointment.

For example, I am an avid on line poker player. I used to get so frustrated when I continually lost hands where I was a 60/40 favorite or better. I almost quit the game. Then, while posting my frustration on a well known poker forum one night, I was given some very solid advice.

"Stop being results oriented and be process oriented. Make the correct decisions every time and don't worry about the outcome. You can't control that. All you can do is CONTINUE doing the right things and over time, the results will come.It is all about volume."

This quote from a twenty something on line poker player hit me like a lightning bolt. He was right. These losses or "bad beats" in poker lingo do even out over time. Especially when you increase the volume of the games that you play. It is amazing that since I started following this advice, my frustration is gone and my win rate is increasing dramatically. Every loss when I made a correct decision puts me one more closer to a win.

In sales, we need to insure that we are following a solid process ENOUGH times to get past the no's and get to the yes! If you spend all of your time evaluating the results, you will spiral into a deep well of self pity and frustration. Have faith in the process and do it more. When that silly customer irrationally says no to the perfect idea, smile on the inside, knowing that you are one step closer to the customer that makes the correct decision and says YES!

Writing The Ad Is Easy

2010-04-30T07:32:00.002-05:00

If You Have A Good Strategy

I have been asked several times lately to help teach better copy writing for commercials. Truth is, I am no more than average when it come to the writing of commercials. I strive every day to be better.

What I am good at is developing a strategy. When you find a good strategy, the commercials almost write themselves.

Uncover what the goal of the advertising is and matching it with why consumers will care enough to buy. Sounds simple, huh? It should be. Much too often commercials are focused on the advertiser and not what the consumers care about. Here are a few simple questions to ask prior to writing that next commercial.

1. Why Advertise? What is the advertiser hoping to accomplish with this commercial?

2. Is there a demand for the product or service? Why?

3. Why will the consumer care about the message you are writing?

4. Who is the competition?

5. How does the advertiser compare, good and bad to the competition?

6. How will you measure the success?

7. What is the time horizon?

8. If the advertiser meets a potential customer on the street, what would they say in :60 seconds to convince them to use their product or service?

9. Can any competitors say the same things?

10. At the end of the day, what does the advertiser want to be known for? Why?

These are just a few starters that will get you on the right path to developing a solid strategy. Once these are answered, a picture should start coming into focus.

Shoot me an email if you want to discuss further. Let's get rid of bad ads, one customer at a time!

Come On In

2010-04-12T12:36:00.005-05:00

The Water's Fine

The message in church this Sunday was called "Coming To Grips With Our Power Shortage". Now, not to get religiony here, but this particular message applies to many of our lives and careers. (It was a great message and you can hear it online at www.lfmc.org)

There were several messages in the sermon, but I really want to focus on one portion. It was called How To Appropriate Power.

a. Admit Our Lack Of Power (In whatever area of our life we are struggling) Basically, admit that you need help. Without this admission, your are doomed to a life of dointg the same things over!

b. Believe In Faith in what you are doing. Just let go and do it no matter what past experience has shown and what your mind and heart says.

c. Act In Faith. Immaturity is living by our feelings. Maturity is living by our commitment. Sometimes you just have to do what you know is right and believe in the process. A perfect example is in this verse from The Book Of Joshua (3:13-16)

"When the priests who carry the Covenant Box of the Lord of all the earth put their feet in the water, the Jordan will stop flowing, and the water coming downstream will pile up in one place.".....the river was in flood...As soon as the priests stepped into the river, the water stopped flowing and piled up...and the people were able to cross near Jericho.

Point is, the step had to be taken BEFORE the water stopped flowing. That is a bit of a nervous moment. It required total belief in the process. Too much of the time, we don't believe enough belief to take the required steps to success in career or relationship. Even when we know it is the right thing to do.

Saying that you believe is one thing. Stepping into the water is truly another. Do you really believe? I mean really? Let me know if this hits home with you.

Step into the water.

Commit To It

2010-04-02T07:25:00.004-05:00

That Includes Your Marketing Plan

I see it time and time again. An advertiser launch a very solid campaign with a good message. In his or her mind is some arbitrary time line and criteria to judge it's effectiveness. They have already begun thinking what to do with their advertising dollars when this doesn't live up to what they expect.

This is complete hogwash. (i know, strong words)If the strategy is good today and the message conveys the strategy, commit to it. Without a timeline. It will work. Do not judge it based on if people say they heard or saw it, but if revenue increases. That is all that really matters.

Too many advertisers think that they should be able to determine a consumer's time of need. Nope. You can't. Just be prepared when the need arises!

Matter of fact, most advertising campaigns work exponentially better in their second or third year. Most advertisers skip out between 13 weeks and a year searching for the magic advertising elixir to solve all of their challenges overnight.

Today's picture is a good illustration. When the business started, they did not put up a tent, planning to move and set up elsewhere if this business didn't work and try something else. Don't treat advertising that way!

I'm On A Horse

2010-03-24T10:03:00.004-05:00

This weeks' Monday Morning Memo from Roy Williams. If you are not a subscriber, please get it!

Swim to Kansas

“Hello ladies. Look at your man. Now back to me. Now back at your man. Now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me. But if he stopped using lady-scented body wash and switched to Old Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down. Back up. Where are you? You’re on a boat with the man your man could smell like. What’s in your hand? Back at me. I have it. It’s an oyster with two tickets to that thing you love. Look again. The tickets are now diamonds. Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady. I’m on a horse.”

Much has been made of the new TV ad from Old Spice, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” Yes, its seamless one-shot videography and old-school stage effects are impressive and I’m certain the oyster in his hand is supposed to trigger unconscious sexual appetite, especially when its location is invaded by a massive, Old Spice cylinder that rises slowly upward.

But these are not the things that captivate us. Impressive special effects and hidden sexual triggers are everywhere, no big deal.

That script, however, is a big deal. It’s fabulous. I’m going to pause for a moment to applaud the writer of that ad.

Okay, I’m back now. (And yes, I really did quit typing and applaud.)

The magic of the Old Spice script is hidden in plain sight; imperative voice is the sound of command: “Look at your man. Now back to me.” Swim to Kansas. Walk your dog. Kick a can. Lead the imagination. Don’t be ignored. Write imperative voice.

Imperative: 1. Expressing a command or plea.

2. Having the power or authority to command or control.

3. Impossible to deter or evade; pressing.
Do it. Open with a 3-word sentence. Make the first word a verb. Prepare to be amazed.

Imperative voice gets attention.
Lift the receiver. Dial the number. Two nine five, fifty-seven hundred. Kristin will answer. Make a donation. Finish the tower. Attend a class. Go home smiling. Make big money.

The area code is 512.

I shared all this with my partners during a 2-day training session last month. Tm Miles, a brilliant ad writer with so many clients that he no longer accepts new ones – ka-ching – sent me the following email a few days later:

Subject: Short Sentences Rock!Dude,
That short, impactful sentence exercise we did last week? I used it to write lines for an ad that started Monday. We saw an immediate increase in the number of generated leads. Seriously - BANG like a gun.
Thanks for the technique.
Tim

Here’s a 10-second example:

Swim to Kansas. Forget the water. The arms of the propeller on your Piper Meridian will move you quickly, safely and in powerful style. Swim the grand ocean… of the sky.
These are the keys:1. Short sentences. Four words are okay. Three are better. Two rock.2. Open with verbs. Walk. Sing. Wiggle. Kick. Dance. Jump. Swim. Lift.3. Imperative voice. Tight. Taut. Command.

This week’s memo is short.

I’m on a horse.

Roy H. Williams

Thomas wrote the Declaration of Independence and left you this advice:
“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”- Thomas Jefferson
PS - Spoelstra! "The goal of life is to take everything that made you weird as a kid and get people to pay you money for it when you're older."- David "Swim to Kansas" Freemanscreenwriter extraordinaire and Wizard Academy adjunct faculty

The World Is Full Of Experts

2010-03-17T13:03:00.004-05:00

If You Don't Believe Me, Just Ask Them

Just because someone decides that they are in the marketing and advertising business doesn't mean they understand it or are any good at it.

It has been my experience that people that don't make it in the world of advertising sales end up working for an ad agency somewhere and all of the sudden become an expert. There is a reason they didn't make it in direct sales with customers. Don't assume they know any more in the role they now have.

Advertising agencies in general spend most of their time with demographic targeting and scheduling and very little time on the actual message strategy. This creates ad campaigns that are ineffective and the media that ran it gets thrown under the bus as not having the right audience.

I have been preparing this morning to consult with a customer that has spent tens of thousands of dollars promoting a new product.(in one of our other markets) It is not working. The agency is looking for some promotion from the radio stations to boost the sales immediately. Our staff is getting together to brainstorm on behalf of this client. Great idea, except no matter what brilliant promotion they come up with (and i am sure they will) it will not work unless the MESSAGE changes.

This is a cell phone client that is now providing a service that works with wireless internet to save your cell minutes. Seamless coverage. Really cool. After three weeks, the service is not moving. They bought plenty of commercials. No significant results. My first thought? Check the message.

Sure enough, it was weak. It sounded like every other cell phone ad on the market. It was very well produced......with absolutely no strategy.

I spent an hour researching last night to figure out what direction the commercials need to go to motivate consumers to buy a cell phone. I found out that cell phones have 90% penetration in the U.S. and 90% of those are under contract. There are not many prospects out there that do not currently have a phone. People are not going to leave a service with a contract unless they are unhappy with it.

Other concerns uncovered in the research include ease of switching, keeping their current number, call quality, reliable coverage and annual savings. Each of these could be specifically addressed in a commercial series or campaign.

We must quit trying to predict consumers' moment of need and tell them WHY to use our product and wait for WHEN they are ready. It will happen with the right strategy and a modicum of patience.

Major League Baseball Players Start Spring Training

2010-02-24T07:31:00.002-06:00

Ever Wonder Why?

Professional baseball players migrate to a warm climate in late February every year for"Spring Training". They start "Exhibition Games" in early March and do not play the first games that count until April.

That is over six weeks of practice. These are professional baseball players. Most have been playing for over 20 years. They are arguably the best in the world. Why do they need to practice for six weeks at the beginning of every season? Because they are arguably the best players in the world.

They understand the importance of executing the fundamentals in order to win.

I watched a video of the best player of our generation and reigning Most Valuable Player having a discussion with his hitting coach on some things that he thought he could do this year to get better. He is the best player in the world right now. He reported early to Spring Training.

I realized that in every business, if we do not execute our fundamentals, it makes the jobs much more difficult.

In our business, we brainstorm a strategy for a customer each morning. If the rep for that client has done their job, this meeting is easy and productive. If not, it is virtually impossible.

For example, one fundamental tool that we use is the Why Advertise Checklist. It allows us a starting point to develop solutions. If we develop solutions when we have no idea what the advertiser WANTS from their advertising, we have made our job exponentially more difficult.

It is like trying to catch a baseball with your glove on the wrong hand. It might work, but it sure is difficult.

Practice and execute your fundamentals. It's good enough for the best baseball players in the world, it should be for you!

Play Ball!

Things Aren't So Bad

2010-02-19T07:37:00.003-06:00

Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.

I heard this years ago. So many years that I don't even remember who said it. I have used it for so long, I think that I can now take it as my own. (I said that I used it, but sometimes I forget that it applies to me as well)

When you look at your current situation, work or personal, is it really that bad? Sure, business may not be as good as it could be or was. Bills at home may be piling up and you are fighting with your spouse or significant other. You don't agree with the boss at work and you can't stand your co-workers. We all face a certain amount of challenges in our life, but the most successful people take it in stride and just deal with it. Is your bad day REALLY that bad or is it just not the way you want it?

I was jolted into reality two weeks ago when one of those phone calls at 3am on a Sunday came in. It was my Sister in law. My Mother in laws' house had burned down in Columbia, MO. She was on her way to the hospital. She has been in the burn ICU since. Please pray for her full recovery.

For grandma(my Mother in law), getting better is just hurdle number one. When she gets out of the hospital, she has no home, not one outfit to wear and her beloved dog perished in the fire. She lives month to month working at Dillards and they don't pay you while you are in the hospital. Bills are still due. Is your current situation really that bad?

I would just like us all to put things into perspective and approach things in your life with a new and positive attitude. It's not easy, but it's worth it.

If This Doesn't Apply To Us, Nothing Does

2010-02-18T07:47:00.004-06:00

I had a planned topic for this morning, but when I read this, I had to pass it on. It really hit home in so many ways. Please read and comment. Thanks.

Look In the Mirror Before Firing That 'Stupid' Employee

A Message from Radio Ink Publisher Eric Rhoads

"I'll sprint into Radio Shack and grab a couple of gifts for the triplets' eighth birthday," I thought, rushing to get home.

As I entered the store, there was a man sitting at the counter, slumped over at his computer. Without looking up, he mumbled, "Let me know if you need anything." No eye contact. I was instantly turned off. I could tell my high-speed shopping experience was about to downshift into low gear.

"I'm ready to check out," I say, laying my pile of goodies on the counter. Slumpy mumbles something about "the guy in the back...." Who comes forward, a decade later, to check me out.
"Is there something wrong with my credit card?" I ask.

"No, it's this slow computer. This stupid company is to cheap to buy us new computers."

I grimace, debating whether I should bite my tongue. I can't.

"In all due respect," I said, "if I heard that one of my employees had just trashed the company to a customer, that person would not be working for me tomorrow."

He looked up, with anger in his eyes. Before he could say anything, I said, "You should be thankful you have a job. Do you have any idea how many people in this country would kill for this job and its slow computers today?"

He stammered a bit, handed me my merchandise, and mumbled something I can't repeat.
News flash: Unemployment is skyrocketing. It's bad business to share your internal frustrations with the customers. My little purchase probably paid three hours of his wages. His "stupid company" is fortunate to be in business, and upgrading computers is probably the last thing on their minds at the moment. They're thinking about survival.

OK, I'm venting. Like everyone in this economy, I'm spending less. And yet I EXPECT to be treated well when I go out of my way to spend money with any retailer. I throw nickels around like manhole covers -- and they're welcomed in other places that will treat me well.
Under no circumstances do I want to get anyone fired. I'm not that big of a jerk. Yet, as a business owner, hearing that one of my employees did this would be cause for a stern discussion. But the warning is not just to the employee. It's to the manager of that employee and, ultimately, to me.

In the case of Radio Shack, my first instinct was to call the manager, but my guess is that the manager is the problem. He or she HIRED this loser and has failed to properly train him and help him understand what good and bad customer service looks like. So if anyone should be fired, it's the manager ... or the regional manager ... or the CEO ... or the board of directors. After all, you know what they say rolls downhill.

I'll be phoning no one because I've had dozens of wonderful experiences in this Radio Shack. But if I saw a pattern, I'd call their CEO, just as I would hope my customers would call me. But they don't until someone is gone, and then they say, "I wanted to tell you what a loser that guy was, but I didn't have the heart." Frankly, I'd rather know early.

Frustrations run high in an economy like this. As managers, we have to accept the blame for all imperfections. Maybe the computers at Radio Shack are slow and the employees are frustrated. If fixing that one thing made employees feel like the company listens and empowers them to make changes, would it make a 10 percent difference in sales? It might.

Brad Anderson, the CEO at Best Buy, once told me that listening to employees and changing the order entry program made a huge difference in employee attitude and thus their sales. So maybe the managers should listen and eliminate that frustration.

But everyone is in survival mode. Maybe Radio Shack can't spend the money to fix the slow computers. Maybe the employee is slow, not the computer. One thing we all CAN do is improve our employee communication so frustrations can be on the table and so our employees know what good customer service looks like.

Have you designed and articulated the ideal customer experience? Do the people who touch customers at all levels understand what a bad customer service experience is? Do you have standards of performance for all customer touchpoints? It's one thing we can do even in this economy, and if it improves our customers' attitudes about us, it can make a difference in our business.

Eric RhoadsRadio Ink

PS: Though we can make improvements in our own businesses, you may want to share this with local retailers who can also benefit.

If I'd Only Known Then

2010-02-12T07:41:00.002-06:00

The Last Twelve Months Would've Been Easier

While having lunch with a customer yesterday, a small business owner, the conversation turned to recovering the lost business of the past year or so. It is on the horizon. We can't wait.

The most interesting part of this conversation was about how much had to change within our businesses to weather this storm. Changes to how the business is run. Changes that we never thought we could pull off when things were rolling along. (Good times mask poor performance)

He said, "If I had made the changes I did in 2009, sooner, I would have had enough money in the bank to cruise through the last year. I am so much more prepared now."

Most of these changes were in expenses. Spending we thought was needed. Staffing too many people, many that didn't have the same respect for the health of the business and the concept of honest days work for an honest days pay. The staff that is left are glad to still be working and theywork harder and smarter to prove it. That's not such a bad thing.

We both agreed that we wouldn't want to go through 2009 again, but we are stronger for it. Smarter for it. Our businesses will come through it heathier as long as we don't screw it up. We have gone through some difficult times. They are not over, but the lessons that we have learned and our ability to survive tough times have set us up to be extremely successful as the business comes back. And it will.