InSight - Keeping an Eye on Opportunity

Boomers and vacation travel: understanding and marketing to this group

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Thu, 03 Jul 2014 17:23:00 +0000

Did you know that Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) spend over $78 million on vacation travel annually? This equates to $29 billion more than Gen X (those born between 1966 and 1976), and $23 billion more than Millennials. This generation values vacation travel as their favorite leisure activity, so it’s not surprising that they were the first to study abroad, backpack to Europe, and explore other cultures diligently. As the largest travel group, Boomers will dominate the market for the next decade, making it important to win their business by targeting their specific needs and interests. Once you grab their attention and loyalty, they will readily return to their chosen destination.

In order to develop marketing strategies targeted to this group, you need to understand their priorities. Boomers have reached a stage in their lives where travel is less about family vacation with great value/pricing and more about culturally diverse experiences and exploration. Unlike Gen X who travel with their children, Boomer couples look to reconnect with their significant others and shut down from the pressures of their daily lives. Boomers are likely to book cruises and statistics show that all cruise lines (except Disney) are dominated by Boomer and older travelers accounting for more than half of all cruise travel. In order to sustain recurring bookings from Boomers, cruise lines will need to be creative and offer unique experiences catered to this market. Boomers also have an interest in making a difference and are partial to trips that involve environmentalism and “voluntourism,” which combines travel with volunteer work.

When it comes to booking their travel, this group is most likely to do all of their research and booking online. On average, a Boomer will visit four sites to research and three sites to book travel. This group is known to research the best deals, trendy travel locations, and tips and reviews from other travelers. Providing as much detail to them as you can will help you to create a long-term relationship with them.

Understanding the Boomer mentality, and specifically targeting their needs, will go a long way in your rapport with them for the next decade.

Who Doesn’t Love Farm-To-Table Catering?

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 15:19:00 +0000

Congratulations to our client, Gigi Hudson Valley (Gigi), on broadening their range of services. After 13 years of business, Gigi continues to grow throughout the Hudson Valley. Known for their farm-to-table catering, Gigi’s most recent offerings include a full-service professional event planner on staff offering boutique services from concept to execution and the “Online Gigi Marketplace.” The Online Gigi Marketplace has allowed Gigi to fulfill the ever-increasing demand for Gigi products and services to be accessed beyond the Trattoria and Hudson Valley Catering program. Click here to learn more about Gigi. After all, who doesn’t love farm-to-table catering?

Are trade shows worth the time and money?

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Thu, 22 May 2014 20:13:00 +0000

We’ve all been asked a million times, “Are trade shows worth the time, money, and soft costs/staffing.” I’m here to tell you, YES they are!

According to the NY Times, companies are holding more in-person events than in previous years, and they expect that growth to continue. The truth of the matter is that there is nothing like the good, old-fashioned in-person meeting. We’ve all fallen hostage to the convenience of email, social media, mobile marketing, and video conferencing over the years. While these modes of communication are valid, effective, time saving, and cost saving, they are better reserved for existing customers and colleagues. When it comes to making new contacts and building your business, the most impactful way to make a connection is in person.

Of course, once you’ve decided to exhibit at a trade show, you need to remember that there’s more to an event than just showing up. If you really want to get your money’s worth, here are some actionable items to add to your trade show planning:

· Proper and advance planning will save you money in the long run and enable you to take advantage of early-bird discounts, advance shipping, and lower travel costs

· Purchase the event mailing list and promote your presence in a compelling way that will drive people to your booth, i.e. a contest or giveaway

· Set goals and define a strategy

· Divide and conquer: review attendee list and assign key people to each of your staff to meet

· Send your most energetic staff and train them to diligently gather information and leads

· Ensure all leads are gathered, entered into a database, and sent a follow-up email within 24-48 hours of the event.

An event can be a great success, but you need to ensure that leads are collected and processed. Your leads are the most important part of this event. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, follow-up or stay home!

Why should you be on Pinterest?

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Thu, 22 May 2014 18:54:00 +0000

I know what you're thinking, I don't craft and I'm not getting married, so why should I be on Pinterest? The truth is, Pinterest is a viable tool for businesses that can help you position yourself as an authority in your field. People generally make a connection with photos and Pinterest is all about photos. Think about it, aren't you more apt to purchase something if you see a photo of it?

Pinterest allows you to create boards. These boards enable you to collect and share intellectual property in an organized fashion. Followers then save, comment on, like, or re-pin your posts to their own boards. If you create boards with accurate, useful, fun, and educational information, prospects and customers will visit to gain resources. It’s a perfect place to easily house articles, visual depictions of your work, blogs, and even videos.

Pinterest drives traffic to your website through direct links and places more data about your company onto the web for organic search. In addition, it helps you to expand your reach to a unique audience that you may not reach through other traditional or social media resources.

‘Info graphics’ have become a popular way to communicate information, how to's, and tips at a glance. Not sure what an infographic is? Here’s an example

And, don’t fret, there are many applications to help you easily and quickly create an infographic. Some of the more common are easel.ly, Piktochart and Venngage.

Pinterest is the fastest growing social media platform. According to www.techcrunch.com, the platform broke a record by reaching 10 million monthly unique visitors in just nine months and continues to grow. The average order placed by Pinterest shoppers is $169, the average from Facebook is $95 and the average from Twitter is $70. (richrelevance.com).

Birthday Promotions

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 20:10:00 +0000

I love this month - my birthday month. I cannot help notice which brands have been sending me emails and coupons. Some are just too great to pass up. The ones I liked the most had brand personality and ease of use for obtaining my birthday ‘gift.’

So why use Birthday Marketing? People are in a celebratory mood on their birthday so they will spend more money when they are out. People love freebies, discounts and talking about their birthday; free word-of-mouth and branding tool. "This place is so awesome; they gave me free dessert for my birthday!"

A great sushi place in NYC sent me $20 to use on my next visit. A free meal for me, how could I pass that up? Most people will be celebrating their birthday with a group, so even though my meal is covered, the rest of the group is paying full price for their meals. Haru has got birthday marketing right- luring me and my friends to spend my birthday dinner at their restaurant.

Sephora also has a great birthday gift for me — what is even better is I can choose from a few options. What I like about this is that the gift is clear and valuable, mascara and moisturizer, instead of 10% off or some other vague offer. It is a limited offer that expires two weeks after my birthday, so I need to act soon to redeem. I can get my free gift online, but I would have to purchase something to receive it. My other option is going into the store to redeem it, which is smart. They are getting me to come to the store, where I will most likely purchase other items that catch my eye. Finally, I admire the seamless redemption. The offer is preloaded onto my Sephora loyalty card, so no coupon required. When I go up to the counter, they know it is my birthday.

Personal communication goes a long way in making your customers feel valued, especially in a birthday greeting. I have definitely felt the love from some of my favorite companies this month!

Nonbelievers are warned: Television Advertising is STILL Effective

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 12:00:00 +0000

What if I told you that more than half of Americans still turn to television for current events? Are you shaking your head is disagreement? Most THINK internet is where people get their news. Here are the facts: 55% turn to TV and only 21% turn to the Internet. For now, TV reigns supreme in the news world, for all age groups. So what does this mean for marketers?

Let’s start by how the world experiences TV, because it has fundamentally changed. We no

longer watch TV as a silent partaker, rather as an active contributor. When people watch something on TV, they like sharing the experience; 32 million people in the U.S. last year tweeted about TV programming. Marketers are realizing they can join together in this new consumer behavior. The idea is not to compete with social media, but to use it so that televised shows, events, and advertising campaigns win more audience, and audience participation, with social media. The reason some commercials go viral: Companies are connecting with viewers on multiple platforms.

More and more TV ads include a call-to-action to social media or a hash tag to start conversations and seek consumer involvement — extending the story beyond the thirty-second spot. With that said, TV advertising is not dead; it is evolving into a stronger, more efficient marketing tool.

It seems I am professing my love for television advertising. It all starts with that thirty-second spot; BUT not as the sole medium for all of your advertising. I have a love for all advertising- traditional, mobile, radio, etc. I am just saying TV advertising is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Promote Your Social Media: 7 Steps You Can Do Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 13:00:00 +0000

The key is making it simple — simple, simple, simple … and easy for your consumers to follow and interact with you using social media. Here are seven tips to get started:

1. Blast an e-mail or e-newsletter using your consumer database. Make it easy for them to click and ‘Like’ you on Facebook, etc.

2. Use social media buttons and plug-ins on your website and blog.

3. Include social media links on your business cards.

4. Include social media links in your e-mail signature.

5. Include social media info on invoices and receipts.

6. Since radio spots are easy to update on a moment’s notice, update your social media CTA’s frequently so listeners are encouraged to join your different networks.

7. Add a ‘Like,’ +1, or Share button on your website’s content to enable and encourage your visitors to distribute your content with their friends.

Encourage consumers to act on your social media call to action (CTA) by inciting them; have exclusive offers or information for people who follow you in Twitter or ‘Like’ you on Facebook. Make it beneficial for consumers to follow and interact.

Traditional + Social Integration Tips

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 12:30:00 +0000

As we talked about last blog, having a balanced marketing mix of social media and traditional advertising is important to the health of your company. Bringing your audience online allows them to interact, increasing the impact of your message and branding. In order for this to work, both traditional advertising and social media channels need to work together.

Before we start with some guidelines on integration, make sure your social media channels are well put together and convey your brand’s image.

An effortless way to integrate is to include a social media call to action (CTA) on your traditional media. A successful call to actions is clear, simple, and minimal; not to overwhelm the consumer. “Visit us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter, Follow our Instagram, Add us on MySpace, Follow us on Pinterest” all on one print ad is way too much. Focus on what audience you are specifically reaching with that advertising and use a specific call to action that will truly speak to them. For example, if you are advertising in a craft magazine, a Pinterest call to action would be perfect.

Show your customers that you are the same company on social media that you are in traditional media. Place a Facebook logo in your print ad with a call-to-action such as “Like Us on Facebook for Exclusive Coupons!” Or, share your TV commercial on Twitter and other social media the same day it hits the airwaves. Make sure it is loaded on your website or YouTube channel as well. If you have a product that requires directions, how-to videos are great. You can advertise your YouTube channel on your packaging and ads to direct people for instructional videos.

In essence, social and traditional media should be used to assist each other. My advice is to consider every other aspect of the marketing mix first and to plan your social media campaign as a complement to existing communications. It is important to interlace your traditional advertising and social media to help further communicate your branding message to the consumer.

So, now that you’ve read our blog, be sure to Like us on Facebook and take a look at our work samples and how we use social media as an important tool in our marketing mix!

The Value of Traditional Advertising

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 14:59:00 +0000

Sixty two percent of consumers described online advertisements as “annoying”, while almost half said they were “invasive” (45%) and “distracting” (44%). Just a small group said online ads were “eye catching” (13 %), “clever” (12 %) or “persuasive” (8 %). One can’t help wonder, though, if all ads were created and designed well, would many of those people who found them invasive switch sides to finding them clever or persuasive? As with any advertising, if you are sending the right message to the correct audience, they will be interested.

While consumers primarily use online search for finding information, there’s still nothing like traditional advertising for creating awareness among your target market. Used cohesively, traditional and digital advertising provides you the opportunity to engage customers directly and effectively. Brands that successfully integrate both traditional and web advertising will ultimately achieve a greater return on their objective.

BBG&G understands that today's marketing landscape is multidimensional and one best traversed by employing a well-developed blend of both digital and traditional messaging. If you're interested in working with an ad team that understands how buying decisions are made, give us a call.

Congrats to Our Client!

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Congratulations to our client, Orange County Trust Company, for ranking among the top 200 community bank organizations in the U.S.! What a well-deserved accomplishment — BBG&G could not be more pleased!

American Banker, leading business management magazine, released their annual list of the top 200 community banks and thrifts in the nation. Orange County Trust attributes this grand recognition to their loyal customers, staff, shareholders and the strong support of the local community.

Read more about Orange County Trust’s acknowledgment here.

Traditional Advertising Meets Social Networking

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Where do you, as a consumer, obtain credible information? In the US, the majority of people say friends and family (word of mouth), publications in general, newspapers, and TV. If you notice, these are all traditional forms of media. While recently, all the talk has been all about social media, websites, and blogs. In this wave of ‘new’ media, I think some businesses have forgotten that traditional media is just as important. The key is to take an integrated marketing approach. Let me explain why.

When you know who you are trying to reach (your target market), you should know what shows they watch, publications they read, events they go to, websites they visit, apps they use, etc.

In order for consumers to be educated about and have a connection to your business and products you need to inform them and tell your unique story. It is important that your advertising and marketing stand out from your competition, and a story is the best way to do this. People love stories, and the best stories are told across various platforms such as TV or radio, on your website, in print, and with social media (adding photos and videos).

Word of mouth, which is considered the most credible form of advertising, is well supported by social media. Social media is essentially word of mouth in the fast lane. Facebook allows us to

show our friends what companies or brands we “like” and to share news with our followers; Linked In provides an excellent platform to spotlight particular skills and experience; Twitter allows users to share experiences (whether good or bad) in real time and for businesses to share news; and blogs provide an opportunity to write more in-depth stories and to provide a real service to consumers by sharing your expertise.

In these scenarios, social media can work together with your traditional marketing. Integrating your online/social marketing efforts to fully support your traditional marketing effort is the best use of new media. Check back next week to get more tips on how to do this.

The Business of Color

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Are you using the color wheel to your business’ advantage? Ninety percent of an assessment for trying out a product is made by color alone! We are all visual people and the colors you use in logos, packages, advertisements, website, etc, can generate strong loyalty or, in a worst case scenario, steer people clear of your product. Color is subconscious and it can help to establish brand and image without even saying a word.

Is your market male, female, youth, teen, senior, a particular ethnic group, an industry group? Colors can have different meanings depending on the culture, the industry, and your target market. For example, women tend to like blue, purple, and green. Men favor black and blue. Interestingly, both men and women dislike brown and orange so marketers may want to avoid those hues.

The Logo Company came up with a great infograph on the psychology of logo colors and what the majority of people feel about certain colors. An easy one is the color green; it is universally associated with nature and ecology and is therefore used in campaigns for medicine, science, and tourism.

The use of colors on a web page or in a mobile app can make a difference when a marketer is attempting to change certain consumer behavior. HubSpot conducted a study where consumers were prompted with an action button titled ‘Get Started Now!’ Consumers were given the option to select a green or red button. The screens with the red button had a 21% higher click rate. Red stirs excitement and passion in people and in this case something as simple as tweaking the color of a button changed consumer behavior!

Most purchasing decisions are made emotionally and then after are justified by logic. It is essential that you are aware of both the positive and negative impact and response of each color on consumer emotions. Remember, color psychology is not an exact science and there are not right or wrong colors; however, there are colors which may get a better response than others from your target market.

Simple Trade Show Tips

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 27 May 2013 15:31:00 +0000

Trade Shows are a valuable investment for your business and your performance is based the magnetism of your display, your ability to communicate quickly and effectively about your product/service, the materials you provide and most of all, your follow up. There are specific things you can do to maximize your return on this investment.

Pre Show: Invite as many people as you can! Let them know where you will be and offer various types of incentives to show up: “Make sure to stop by and pick up some free samples” or “Don’t forget to come over, say hi and enter into a drawing to win a gift certificate!” Most shows provide you with a list of people who have pre-registered or other vendors. Use this list to send direct mail or e-mails beforehand and encourage them to visit your booth.

Make sure you have a focused message going into the trade show. Talk to your staff before hand; make sure everyone is on the same page. We recommend picking just two or three key ideas that you want to get across at the show and train yourself and staff to "stay on message". For example, purely sell your new product or inform people about how eco-friendly your service is. Design your graphics, pre-show promotion, literature and show directory advertising around your message. Keep things integrated.

Show time: Make attendees intrigued by your booth, ensuring that they stop by instead of walking right on by. You don't have to spend a lot of money to make your booth visually appealing, just make sure to put your products front and center and put the people manning the booth out of the way. Think about it like this: don’t you hate having to deal with sales staff the first thing as you walk into a business? Most trade booth workers are going to be aggressive; yet people like to be left alone to look, touch and play with your product first. Make sure you acknowledge the people approaching as well as pay attention to become available once they have a question. Just let them explore on their own first.

Post Show: Naturally, since you were in touch with attendees before and during the show, it is crucial that you are in touch with them after the show as well. If you had a ‘bowl’ for people to enter their names/business cards in for a prize, use that information to reach out and send a personalized e-mail thanking them for stopping by your booth. Encourage them to ‘Like’ you on Facebook or direct them to your website. If you had a sign-in sheet, take that list and reach out to those people acknowledging that you appreciated them stopping by.

As you gain experience and improve your trade booth skills, you will achieve greater results. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at BBG&G if you need any materials, designs, posters, etc for your next trade show!

Trade Shows: Top Secrets Revealed

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:41:00 +0000

Trade shows are a top marketing channel for many businesses, yet in recent years they have become quite under-utilized. Trade show events offer businesses the opportunity to build personal relationships with consumers, which potentially lead to sales increases. And the real beauty of a trade show is that you can share your product or service with the audience face-to-face. Building new relationships, with the added bonus of having the opportunity to check out the competition.

Research shows that about 50% of trade show attendees do make a purchase within 1 year of the event. Why is this?

Some products are more easily sold with a demonstration. You are able to give live demonstrations of your products to a large audience.

You are enabling people to meet YOU and your team; you are the people behind the product. You are not crooked and not just out to get their money. You are the people, honest and hard-working, who have created a product or service based on a real need.

Finally, the greatest thing about trade shows to many — the Give-A-Ways! Promotional products abound at trade shows … pens with your logo, yard sticks, candy … you name it. But, even better, if you product is inexpensive to make, you can give a sample to every attendant. If more expensive, then have a drawing at the end of the show. Either way you are connecting with consumers. Everyone loves free things.

Attending local trade shows and events is a good way for national brands to connect with local consumers. On the other end, local brands can connect with consumers that were not reachable before. Ultimately your business, whether just starting out or an established company, will obtain new referrals, quality leads, deal closures, and valuable cross-selling opportunities.

Check back next week for tips on how to make the most of a trade show!

Storytelling within a Consumer Journey

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:29:00 +0000

I have touched upon storytelling in the past and why it is so important to all business. People are drawn to a good story and will literally pay more for something that comes with an exciting tale. What’s important to remember is that consumers are going to enter your story at different chapters along their voyage. It is crucial to connect your story of how you solve the customer’s problems at each step of their journey with your company.

First, ask yourself where the customer is in the buying cycle: Awareness, Consideration, Purchase, or After-Sale. From there, create content that is relevant to the needs, issues and requirements for each buyer stage. Buyers at each stage are interested in different types of content. For instance, a prospective buyer (awareness stage), does not need a list of cool features of your products. You need to reel him or her in with a story of why the ‘change’ from a competitor to your company is worth it. A customer that has been a solid customer of yours for years (after sale stage) hardly wants to view generic content that lists product benefits; they already know. They need engaging content to continue the story with your company.

Louis Vuitton, luxury retailer, employs the art of storytelling in a BIG way. They offer an iPad app just to tell their history and legend. It is a narrative of what made them famous: luggage and trunks. Each has a visual chronicle. The app is $16.99, which may seem like a lot to us ‘regular people’, but pales in comparison to what the brand’s devotees typically pay for the products – and, oh how it expands the consumer experience!

This app is intended for Louis Vuitton’s brand loyalists (after sale) - consumers already enthusiastic with the products. They are proud of the luggage they travel with and now they have a sense of historic luxury to go along with it. Louis Vuitton found a way to tell their story and create brand ambassadors.

This is how I see it, if your product or service seems quite similar to a competitor, your story can help your product rise above. I love the idea of storytelling because it brings products and services to life and shows consumers how your products or services can benefit them and maybe even change the way they do something. Consumers will learn to trust your company if they are involved in your story — enough trust to do business with you consistently. Storytelling and content marketing will generate new leads, drive brand awareness, create brand ambassadors, and in due course, drive sales.

International Advertising: Twitter, YouTube & Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:49:00 +0000

In my last blog on international advertising for Facebook, we touched upon various options when using Facebook for an international audience. This week, let’s talk about using Twitter, YouTube and blogging for our international audience.

Twitter: A popular option for targeting an international audience is tweeting in multiple languages. This requires creating multiple Twitter accounts to minimize confusion with readers who don't speak multiple languages — like me. Dell, for example, has Twitter feeds in English, Norwegian, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. This is not something every business has the time for, but make sure to shout out to your specific international audience, at least on occasion, to let them know they are on your mind.

YouTube: While creating your video content in various languages is a huge undertaking that may not be possible, adding subtitles to your YouTube videos is a great way to reach a larger audience on YouTube, which is the world's largest video site and the second largest search engine.

Blogging: For the most part, unless you are fluent in another language or have a translator, if you are reading my blog you are probably writing your blog in English. If this is true for your business, look at the trends and current news of your international consumers – while there are some topics that are universally interesting, geography does play a role. It is always wise to incorporate some reference to a hot topic in a blog post, so make sure that you stay up to date with current events relevant to where your audience resides. If you are using WordPress as your blogging platform, they actually have a translator plug-in that you can add. Now doesn’t that make life a little easier!

Creating content for an international audience is not drastically different from writing for those that reside in your own country, just think about the little things that appeal to them. The ultimate goal for successful international social media is to widen your audience by making it easier for them to access your content. Other than that,

Have fun! Que se diviertan! Amusez-vous! Viel Spaß! Buon divertimento! Om pret te hê! Zabavite se!

(compliments of Google Translate)

My Favorite International Advertising Blunders and Translation Mistakes

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:12:00 +0000

There are some big name companies that have made big international mistakes by simply not conducting research. Even though these mistakes make us laugh now, it was no laughing matter for the companies involved. Products sat on shelves and in warehouses due to unexpected translations. But let’s look at the bright side, giggle, and maybe learn a lesson or two from the past mistakes. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Gerber was having a lot of issues in France as the word ‘gerber’ means to vomit. Gerber is therefore not sold in France, although Gerber has a French Canadian web page attempting to explain this misunderstanding.

Coors translated its catchy campaign slogan, ‘Turn it loose’ into Spanish. It was read as ‘Suffer from diarrhea.’ Let’s just say this beverage was not a favorite in Spanish speaking countries for a while.

Budweiser's 'King of Beers' became 'Queen of Beers' in Spanish because the Spanish word for beer, 'cerveza,' has a feminine ending. Although this did not hurt sales completely, it changed the brand personality, reached a different target market, and disrupted their entire marketing plan.

The Swedish furniture giant IKEA somehow agreed upon the name ‘FARTFULL’ for one of its new desks. Although ‘Fartfull’ merely meant ‘speedy’ in Swedish, IKEA had to eventually pull this workbench from their website for obvious reasons.

In the late 1970s, Wang, an American computer company, could not understand why its British branches were refusing to use its latest motto ‘Wang Cares’. To British ears this sounds too close to ‘Wankers’ which would not really give a very positive image to any company.

The famous hair product company, Clairol, introduced into Germany the ‘Mist Stick’ curling iron. In German, ‘mist’ is slang for manure. As you can imagine, not too many people had use for the ‘manure stick’. And, while on the topic of ‘manure’ products in Germany, there was Irish Mist Liqueur and the Rolls Royce “Silver Mist” — these were some big mistunderstandings!

Translation is one of the biggest issues companies run into when advertising internationally. Make sure, before you start marketing internationally, you research the native language. In some cases (i.e. Gerber) there is just flat out no solution. In other cases a little prior research would have gone a long way!

Congrats Homewood Suites Newburgh!

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:28:00 +0000

We’d like to congratulate Kathy Russo, General Manager of Homewood Suites Newburgh, and her staff for receiving Hilton’s “Connie Pride hotel Award of Merit”. The recipients of the Connie Pride Award, are considered the most prestigious group of award winners within the Hilton organization. The purpose of these awards is to recognize hotels performing within the top ten percent of the Hilton brand, as measured in various categories. Cleanliness, condition, adherence to brand standards, staff service as indicated by customer satisfaction scores, and the quality of the hotel’s physical accommodations are all factored in to determine award winners. Homewood Suites Newburgh

International Advertising: Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:43:00 +0000

We all know international advertising comes with challenges. For small business it takes in-depth research before jumping in. When thinking about international advertising, it is important to consider your social marketing, since it is such an integral part of an overall marketing plan.

We thought we would devote a series of blogs to international advertising and social media. This week we will talk about Facebook. There are two key strategies for reaching global audiences using Facebook. The first, is creating multiple brand pages, which really makes more sense to me (although it is more work). The second, is to post updates that specifically target different audiences. This can work, and is a practical solution for smaller businesses with less time and money to devote to social media, but can get sloppy.

Multiple Brand Pages

Global brands like Nike have a main Facebook page, but also have specific country pages. Nike UK page for example. This page specifically caters to their UK consumers. They have large amounts of consumers around the globe, so this is a great way to brand. Creating multiple pages increases the localization of each page but requires more time for customization, as different logos and content are created for each page.

Targeted Updates
If having multiple pages is a bit more of a commitment than you are able to handle, you can target updates by location, demographics, and language on your main Facebook page. The advantages of having one single page are the time and cost savings, consistency, and more easily keeping your brand personality intact. Additionally, fans from around the world can, where there are no language barriers, connect around a shared passion.

Chances are you will immediately know which option is right for your business. Considering your strategy before launching is a good start.

Remember to check back next week for tips on international advertising for Twitter and YouTube!

Cell to Table: Mobile Menus

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:46:00 +0000

Online ordering from restaurants, have you tried it? This is not just trendy; it represents a technological shift to the mobile device as technology becomes more compact, agile and capable.

Pizza Hut was the first large pizza chain to launch a mobile application for online ordering (Papa John's and Domino's have quickly followed). Pizza Hut first created a mobile-optimized site where consumers can log-in to their account, order pick-up or delivery, sign-up to receive deals and download their mobile app for easier use. You can also locate the nearest location and use the click-to-call capability to get in touch with a specific location. Being a favorite of my younger son, we all have the Pizza Hut app on our phones and I used it just the other night for his birthday. It really does make ordering easy!

Large food chains are saying they are bringing in 25 percent of their sales through online and app ordering. Even the mom-and-pops restaurants are seeing dramatic sales spikes. Consumers just do not want to deal with people on the phone anymore and 60 percent of adults are more interested in home delivery than dining in the physical restaurant.

People who order meals online spend more than those ordering by phone. They can view the entire menu online and items can be added in just one ‘click’. You, as a restaurant owner, can get more orders, more money spent per order, more repeat customers; and in turn, increase your bottom line and your direct return on investment.

If jumping right into an online ordering tool or your own app seems daunting, there are other ways you can reach out to diners. There is an app that is popping up on everyone’s smartphone. It is called GrubHub and it helps people find and order food from wherever they are. Consumer’s type in their address and are prompted with restaurants that deliver to that locale as well as pick-up restaurants nearby. Check out my blog about GrubHub and all the benefits this app offers!

June

Mobile Dining with GrubHub

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 02:40:00 +0000

Every month, millions of hungry diners go online or use their GrubHub app to search for restaurants near them that offer delivery and pickup. According to GrubHub, the majority of consumers using the mobile app are young professionals. They work late and live on pickup and delivery. This crowd typically orders out one to two times during the week.

Restaurant owners say that using GrubHub has exposed them to new markets. On average, a restaurant that is listed is viewed 165x a day by hungry diners. Potential customers are searching for food on their mobile — can they find you?

By listing your restaurant on GrubHub, you can easily offer deals and coupons to lure new consumers or keep current diners coming back! Forty percent of customers want to get a deal from their beloved local restaurant regularly — and say they are more likely to order more often, if they do.

Overall, people love using this app. Consumers can directly order from their home, office, or car and easily find and select local restaurants. There is no waiting or standing in lines and no order mistakes because the customer controls the ordering process. Also, with GrubHub, consumers can see their order history and can select past orders to quickly re-order (my favorite).

While consumers are enjoying using mobile ordering, restaurants have been slow to adopt proper and effective mobile ordering capabilities. Only 35% have online ordering, while only 16% offer a way for consumers to order via mobile. From a consumer point of view, I love mobile ordering, especially GrubHub. It is just pure convenience. From a business point of view, I love it even more. It can expose your business to a wide array of new consumers that were not accessible before.

Congratulations Tim!

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:29:00 +0000

All of us at BBG&G would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our client, Tim McCausland, for his recent promotion to Senior VP and Chief Strategy Officer of Orange County Trust Company.

Tim is well-known and respected in the business community and is one of our favorite people to work with. Tim is smart, fun, and he really understands marketing. And he is also a wonderful writer!

Read the entire story here.

A Few of Our Favorite Things

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 02:13:00 +0000

February is the month of love. With all this love in the air, all of us here at BBG&G want to share with you what we love. Our team - Debbe, Gen, Peggy, Krista, Shannon and I have passion for what we do and there are things that we absolutely LOVE about our industry.

Across the board, most of us here would say Pinterest is our favorite form of social media. Looks like 15% of Americans agree. Yup, 15% of the U.S population uses Pinterest! Debbe likes Pinterest because it is fun to see all the creative activities and projects, as well as exploring places to go. Shannon, being such a visual person, says she loves Pinterest due to its form and function. It is a great way to organize all the great things you find online. “I never bookmark sites anymore, I just pin it," says Shannon.

Coming in at a close second is Facebook. Peggy loves Facebook for the ads; they are targeted and you can really reach your market. Many small businesses can reach their target audience through Facebook Ads. They are not just for big corporations. They are for small businesses too. And there is no reason why you should not capitalize on them as an additional way to use Facebook in your marketing and advertising efforts. Personally, I love Facebook for the simple fact that it provides me a way to keep in touch and stay current with my family and friends who I don't get to see on a regular basis.

Some of us love web-based marketing methods and some love more traditional marketing methods. Both Krista and I love using social media to reach consumers. I am a people person and social media provides an avenue to show who you really are – the people behind the company. Krista loves the idea of e-marketing in particular. She loves spreading ideas and being the storyteller of those ideas through blogging and e-newsletters. Looks like consumers love reading blogs as much as she loves writing them considering 128 million people in the US are blog readers. And they are worth writing too! 57% of companies with an active blog have acquired a customer from their blog. Knowing that the online world is the place most people are, Peggy loves web development. She believes it is where people receive our client’s messages.

Gen and Deb both agree that logo design is their favorite. Gen loves all kinds of typography and incorporates hand-drawn letterforms into her designs whenever she can. Shannon is passionate about photography and believes it can be an essential element of great design. She likes any type of print design and you can catch her collecting well-designed brochures, hangtags from clothing and cool coasters from bars for inspiration. When you are talking about small business marketing logos, design matters VERY much. I’m glad my team loves the design aspect so much!

Logos may be small in size, yet they are an extremely important element that contributes to the success of any social media campaign. Think about it – your customers see your Facebook, Twitter, blog, etc. on a daily basis. Your logo is on display with anything you post. They will form a perception of your company that will stay with them forever. The design of your logo is crucial.

Debbe, Gen, Peggy, Krista, Shannon and I each have our favorite things about marketing and in the end all the parts matter, and as a team we come together to create cohesive strategies for our clients.

So, what is your favorite type of social media or marketing? How does your favorite compare to ours or the crowds?

Shake and Bake: Appreciating Traditional Media

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:30:00 +0000

When strategizing marketing techniques for the future, we find ourselves often looking to the past. Elements of marketing methods from the past may often inspire us.

Today we look to Shake and Bake for some inspiration. Why was the marketing for this product so successful?

1: They really knew their market

2: They knew what their audience was looking for

Today, it is very common for husbands and wives to share responsibilities around the house when it comes to cooking and cleaning; however at the time of Shake and Bake, things were much different. It was the responsibility of the woman to prepare meals for the family and also take care of household duties. They spent most of their time in the kitchen and with the children. Knowing that moms were their audience, Shake and Bake came up with a campaign that would grab the attention of women, specifically mothers, by incorporating children and a happy husband into the equation. The product allows mothers to not only cook an amazing meal, but to do so while spending some quality time with their children and providing their hard-working husbands with a hot meal.

How can Shake and Bake make an impact on today's market? Well, things have changed drastically since the products inception. In today's market, most mothers are working just as hard as their counterparts and bringing more than just a hot meal to the table. Quick, easy and tasty should really be what they are driving home in their message. The baking aspect will also win this product points in the eyes of the consumer as people are trying to add some healthier elements to their diets. Busy people don't have time to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen, and it is hard to make a quick meal that is low in trans-fats and calories.

As times have changed, so has the market. If marketers want to stay ahead of the curve and not get left in the dust, they must constantly analyze the changing environment and all of its moving components. Refocusing your message and re-branding your product to the changing times will likely result in the success of your product and long life of your product.

The Power of Women

noreply@blogger.com (June Bisel) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:00:00 +0000

In recent years, women have held the buying power in the market, and make the majority of purchasing decisions. So, who is leading the companies that make the products women are buying for themselves and their families? Very often, it’s women. Women business leaders are at an all-time high and continued growth is expected.

As of July 2012, there were twenty Fortune 500 companies with women CEOs. Women are leading some of the largest companies in the world! This is incredible — and so empowering for small business owners like Debbe and I.

But, we should have seen it coming. In the 2008 recession, men lost their jobs in greater numbers than women because women’s skills were more flexible. In general, men tended to wait for their old jobs to come back while women have adapted to make the most of new opportunities — even going back to school. In 2012 there were 8.3 million women-owned businesses in the US. Recent blockbuster films and best-selling novels have women front and center as the heroines. These leading roles, typically played by men, are providing the cultural context and empowerment for women to take leading roles in the business world.

Now that we have talked about all the numbers, let us look into certain characteristics that are helping women become such important leaders.

The business world is now relying more on feminine traits; relationships and passion. We live in a very technology-driven world, but consumers still crave that human touch from companies. They want a relationship with businesses, and women are more adept at relationship building. Science proves women are more natural communicators and engagers, the key foundation of relationship building.

Having a strong emotional drive can be very powerful in leading a business. When women are excited and passionate about a product, a service, or company, they become extremely driven from that emotion. Men strive to hide their emotions. I am not saying that men cannot be passionate (hey, I married an Italian!), but men tend to downplay the positive benefits of emotion and passion as a force to drive innovation and growth.

The bottom line is that diversity has always been a powerful force in any company — including male-female diversity. It leads to better solutions, allows faster problem-solving, and enables companies to better identify opportunities. I think we will see the number of female business leaders continue to increase, because we need a balance of men and women leading together in business.