Dave Speakman, Marketing Technology Specialist

AlliedMarketing | The Allied Group

2011-05-17T16:50:00.000-04:00

The Top 5.5 Marketing Trends I See in 2011

2011-04-01T14:19:00.000-04:00

Reflecting a little on what the marketing landscape looked like in 2010, and what I've experienced so far in 2011, I've put together my top 5.5 marketing trends as they relate to demand and lead generation. I'm only giving you half of the last one because, well, I think you can fill in the rest. Here goes...

1. CONTENT IS KING! Maybe the singular word I used the most in 2010 and continue to in 2011. To me, all marketing efforts revolve around content. Content development, content distribution, content management, content re-purposing... For any marketing communication strategy to be successful, you simply have to have a constant supply of fresh content.

2. SOCIAL MEDIA IS HERE TO STAY. You may not agree, or you probably have your own personal "hang-ups" with it, but you're going to have to get over it. Social Media must be a part of any integrated marketing communication program.

3. ONE SIZE DOESN'T FIT ALL. Another way of saying relevance. I like to shy away from the "R" word (because it is so overused), but no two ways about it... your best prospects buy from you for different reasons. A fundamental component of marketing and sales support...if they don't look the same, if they don't smell the same, if they are saying different things, you can't speak to them all the same way.

4. INFORM & EDUCATE. Kind of relates to content, but worthy of a separate mention. Today's buyer wants to do all the research on their own. They want to be informed and they want to learn something. And they want to make their own decision on how to buy promotional products (for example). They don't want to be sold to!

5. BRAND PERSONALITY. People work with people they like. The world has gotten less formal. Be conversational. If you're marketing to college students, let them know in plain English (and visually) why they would be a great fit.

5.5 THE BASICS. No more explanation needed. Stick to them. There's no magic bullet!

The Allied Group is a Marketing Communications and Fulfillment Services company.

The 10 Most Persuasive Words in Copywriting

2011-02-22T10:45:00.005-05:00

Web design and graphic design is the style while copywriting is the substance. The words that you use are the most important factor in persuading your customers to buy from you. Here are 10 proven persuasive words:

1. FREE. No one likes paying for stuff. Everyone likes getting things for free. My mom regularly walks two miles into town armed with a coupon she cut out of the daily newspaper.

2. YOU. While humanity in general has the capacity for amazing acts of selfless generosity people are self interested when it comes to reading ads. If you're not talking about them directly then they'll find something else to do.

3. GUARANTEED. If you can guarantee something then this immediately eradicates the risk for the reader. Less risk means more willingness to buy.

4. EASY. People's lives are hectic. If you can offer them something which makes their lives easier you're onto a winner.

5. NEW. In a status obsessed society people like being one step ahead. Buying new stuff enables this to be so.

6. PROVEN. Evidence is just as crucial in copywriting as it is in court. Prove that your product or service can do what you say it can by using testimonials, reliability statistics or video testimonials. When using video testimonials use their full name, address and place of business.

7. RESULTS. People want results. Show them that you can give them the results that they need.

8. SAVE. Money? Time? Trouble? Three things that practically everyone wants to save all of the time.

9. LOVE. Can't go wrong with love. Well that's a lie. You can go badly wrong with love. But when it comes to marketing love is a word that appears time and time again.

10. FAST. When things happen quickly it gives people more time to do something else.

PS be careful using these words in email marketing as they flag up as spam. Why do they flag up as spam? Because they're highly successful words that have been used time and time again in sales campaigns.

PPS Never underestimate the power of the PS.

Article written by Chris Woodfield, a freelance Copywriter.

Top 5 Business Development Tips

2011-02-17T09:31:00.002-05:00

1. The proper mindset. Effective business development has as much to do with a mindset than it does any specific tactic. Essentially, if you view it as a one-time, single event, the likelihood of being successful and meeting your goals is slim. Effective business development and demand generation is achieved when embraced as an ongoing program or business process. Most of us have effective business process tools in place to run our businesses, but ignore the fundamental (and probably most important) act of driving new business.

2. Frequency. Regardless of your message or value proposition or all the great things you do, if you tell someone once and expect them to take action, you’re mistaken. On average, it takes 9 “touches” for a prospect to respond in some way. And that response may be something very small—like simply opening an email, or visiting a microsite or purl. Once a prospect officially becomes an inquiry, the formal nurture process can begin.

3. Patience. You probably guessed this one would be next. If you have to touch a prospect nine times in order to elicit a response and that basic response, while valuable, is far from a commitment to work together, it doesn’t take a PhD to conclude that the business development process takes time. How long? Well, depending on your industry and product/service, anywhere from 6-24 months. Typically, around 12 months.

4. Build a formal plan. Just like the need for a business plan, and a marketing plan, a formal business development plan is just as critical. The intent is to be very focused, specific and clear regarding the way new business is to be generated—philosophically, strategically and tactically. Who’s responsible, accountable and to what degree will it be measurable. It must also establish key performance indicators (KPI’s) and include protocol for how and when progress is reported.

5. Publish a goal. One that all the necessary players agree to and commit to. Clearly stated, consistently reminded and constantly referenced. Always keeping the goal top-of-mind ensures that all decisions made relative to the process are in line with achieving that goal. Obviously, the expectation is to hit that goal. But regardless of whether that happens or not, it is the adoption of all these tips that creates structure around the process and helps turn assumptions into accomplishment.

The Importance of a Good List

2010-05-06T13:46:00.001-04:00

When it comes to effective demand generation, the mailing list is often looked at as a last minute, oh-by-the-way nuisance. Whether we are sending out print or electronic communication to prospects in the hopes of stirring them to movement, we tend to go right to the magical, clever, never-seen-before “mailer”. If I’m being honest with myself, and this is a true confession, I can say I’ve been there before. A designer at heart, I was most concerned with creating that unique, award-winning piece and didn’t think much about to whom it would go. After all, that’s the fun part, right?

Well, yes, probably. But not thinking much about the recipient and just focusing on what the piece is—what it says—what it looks like, is the kiss of death in direct marketing…in any marketing! Let’s say you were in need of reliable transportation to get back and forth to work. You find a used car you like and spend all of your time looking at the condition of the interior, the paint job, the tires and the sound system…only to find out that it doesn’t run. In fact, I’ve come to realize that the part I was so concerned with for most of my career has actually taken a back seat. Now, with our experience and the types of programs we’ve built for many diverse clients, I seldom worry about the design phase at all. I know it will look great, I know it will get the attention it deserves but what I also know now is that all of that is completely irrelevant if the proper attention isn’t paid to the mailing list. In short, a solid mailing list is not only the backbone of an effective campaign, it’s the heart of your business development efforts. A good list CAN work wonders—a bad list WILL do absolutely nothing!

So how do I build a good list? Well, the short answer is: it depends. It depends on what you’re doing, where you are in that process and what your desired outcome is. You may be in a BtoB environment trying to attract new business (cold), or you may be in a BtoC environment trying to up sell/cross sell and expand your business with existing customers …and many scenarios in between.

The details and concrete next steps vary depending on what your particular situation is. But one thing is always true: start by examining the clients you’ve had success with in the past. Whether you use this information to go find more prospects, or drive appropriate messaging to current clients—these successes will be critical in determining the criteria for establishing what an ideal prospect “looks like”. What do they buy? How do they buy? What type of organization do they come from? Are there any patterns or similarities that stand out when you analyze this information? The answers to these questions not only help you determine how to craft the list, but they can also drive the tactics you will ultimately develop to “touch” your prospects.

Catch a Tiger Driving a...

2010-04-13T10:50:00.002-04:00

Fresh off the Masters and the escapades of the past 5-6 months…maybe Tiger has been on my mind. But probably not for the reason you might all be thinking. For me, it all comes down to one, simple, tell-the-world-once-and-for-all question…after all of this; does anyone actually, truly, honestly, undoubtedly believe that Tiger drives a Buick?

This is it. After the past 5-6 months, we have a little window into what he likes to do in his down time. And even though I don’t know exactly what Tiger Woods makes or what he’s worth, for illustration purposes, it’s probably not a stretch to say he’s a billionaire. Fair? So it would be accurate to say that Tiger Woods is a 33 year-old, fun-lovin’ billionaire.

Now let’s say that Tiger Woods is in the market for a new car. Being a 33 year-old, fun-lovin’ billionaire, he’s got a lot of choices. More so than you or I. But just what do you think he would be in the market for? Maybe a Mercedes, a Bentley, a Maybach, or maybe something faster and sporty, like a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. Then again, I could see something that could give him some performance and luxury like a BMW M5? If it weren’t for his contractual obligation and his sponsorship commitments, do you think a Buick would be on his list? Now that’s not to take anything away from the Buick brand. Actually, I’m kind of a car guy myself and I think Buick has done a nice job with some new models this year. But Tiger Woods driving a Buick LaCrosse? Or maybe even a Regal? Forget about an Enclave or a Lucerne…I’m just left with a concern. Is anyone believing this?

To me, for marketing to be effective, it has to be believable. Or maybe a fantasy of some sort would due. But I don’t believe that Tiger would actually choose a Buick and I don’t think anyone out there is fantasizing about Tiger driving a Buick. The problem when something isn’t believable is that it actually hurts rather than helps. Some people would just ignore it. Others would actually find it as a reason to like it less! Buick doesn’t make overt claims that they are “world-class” because, in the auto market, they aren’t. So why would they make the claim even more outrageous and insult all of our intelligence by implying they are?

As we sit here today, I guess we have learned that if Tiger is anything, he is unpredictable. But I predict this, the next time Elin picks up a 5 iron and takes a swing at his car; she has no chance of hitting a Buick emblem.

PRINT IS DEAD!

2010-01-14T17:01:00.002-05:00

Yeah that's what I said! Or is it? Well don't believe everything you read (except now). In the last 10 years, direct mail has gone from a $40 billion dollar advertising spend in 1998, to a $56.7 billion dollar advertising spend in 2008… an increase of just over 41%.[1] And while direct mail spending has begun to decline in this recession (the first such decline in over 60 years…along with declines in TV, newspaper, cable, radio and internet ad revenue), printed mail continues to generate one of the highest response rates amongst other major media. Telephone generates the highest response rate (8.55%), followed by Direct Response Television (8.14%) followed by mail (3.4%). And in most cases, telephone response rates reflect follow-up to direct mail campaigns.[2]

In addition, 71% of U.S. consumers actually respond to direct mail and 69% of consumers have expressed that Direct Mail is their preferred method of contact (versus 28% email and 3% telemarketing.)[3] 17% of the U.S. population orders merchandise or services via the mail and these consumers spend $528 billion annually in response to direct mail.[4] On average, every dollar spent on direct mail brings $11 in sales.[5]

The output of US printing manufacturing is forecast to grow at an annual compounded rate of 2 percent between 2009 and 2014. The printing industry was among 11 of 18 US manufacturing sectors that saw month-over-month growth in August 2009. Major advancements in technology (namely digital presses) have dramatically contributed to industry consolidation. And while that isn't good news for the small, family-run printer, it has paved the way for faster production, smaller order quantities with more color and a more appealing cost structure.

It’s amazes me how many people are still searching for the "magic" solution. Probably because it IS possible in this world we live. We all know there are no fairies and pixy dust, but when the perfect combination of great creative, attention-grabbing messaging, a client willing to bend the rules and stick their neck out a bit and perfect timing is achieved, magical things CAN happen. But the reality is that those magical combinations just don't come around too often. (On a side note, I’m thinking about the Marlboro Man, "Tastes Great...Less Filling", "Just Do It", Apples "1984", "Where's the Beef?"… I could go on.)

The bottom line is that it isn’t so much about which channel of media is better than another (they each have their strengths and weaknesses). The best campaigns are constructed as a multi-media approach with each medium acting as a support mechanism for the other educating your best prospects through the sales cycle and eventually turning them into customers. As the batch-blast era of direct mail moves toward a more targeted, strategic approach, a healthy mix and balanced attack to reach your targeted audience is simply the best approach. Cost-per-contact varies tremendously amongst the 10 or so major media options. And while mail certainly costs more, its revenue-per-contact still make it one of the most effective marketing tools for your buck!

[1] The Winterberry Group

[2] USPS Media Choices Today: What’s Getting Through

[3] InfoTrends/CAP Ventures

[4] USPS and DMA statistics

[5] Xerox Designing for Digital

The 10 Do’s and Don’ts of Direct Response Marketing (DRM)

2009-11-09T13:41:00.000-05:00

1. DO…understand your prospect.

Remember: It’s not about you! If you don’t understand what’s important to your prospects, how they make decisions, what their goals and expectations are and how you potentially fit into that equation, you’ll be lucky to even achieve vendor status—let alone become the partner needed to be effective.

2. DON’t…be like everyone else.

In this information age, your prospects are being bombarded and, therefore, desensitized to marketing messages. If your messaging and design does not stand out in the crowd, you’ll be left out of your prospects decision-making process.

3. DO…keep it simple.

The fundamentals of Direct Response Marketing still apply:

1. You need a good list

2. Messaging needs to be relevant to the prospect

3. Prospects need to be “touched” multiple times

4. Timing is important

5. Design and messaging need to be unique

6. You need a compelling offer

4. DON’t…look for the magic solution.

When meeting with a prospect in the early stages of qualifying and quantifying a DRM program, there is always an expectation that you are going to show up with the magic solution in your back pocket. It sounds odd saying it and probably an illogical expectation, but it’s very real. There is no such thing as a magic solution. If someone promises one, they’re lying.

5. DO…put yourself in your prospect’s shoes.

Understand that one size does not fit all. The importance of profiling and segmenting your targets into multiple buckets cannot be overstated. With technology in personalization, it is possible to customize your messaging to different prospects ensuring you are hitting the hot buttons that will motivate them to action.

6. DON’t…fall into the “we” mentality.

Traditionally, the need to tell everyone what you’re capable of has always been the objective. If you find yourselves using the word “we” more than you should, you may be “pushing” your message out rather than “pulling” your prospects in.

7. DO…your research!

If you find yourself saying “I think”, you may want to re-think your approach. While you’ll always know your business better than anyone else, often times it takes some simple research to truly get the facts. The worst outcome may simply be a validation of what you originally thought. Then, instead of saying “I think”, you’ll be able to confidently say “I know”.

8. DON’t…bury the lead.

Avoid packing a direct mailer with so many “important points” that that the impact is lost. Remember, ideal prospects are looking for a solution. They are expecting it to be simple, easy to understand and presented in meaning-rich style. Messaging should not be “stiff” or formal and good grammar should not replace good sense.

9. DO…make your messages “sticky”.

Research has found that sticky messages are:

Simple

Unexpected

Concrete

Credible

Emotional

Stories

10. DON’t…lose sight of the big picture.

While it is understood that the “funnel” approach is sound, if the funnel is filled with unqualified and unlikely-to-buy prospects, the likelihood of achieving the main goal is not good. Truly understanding your “ideal” prospect, standing out in the crowd, being simple, concrete and unexpected and incorporating new technology and tactics will enable you to attract the right prospects.

Sources: Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath

3 Recession-Proof Marketing Tips

2009-11-04T13:55:00.000-05:00

While it’s true that this economic downturn has caused more than a few businesses to tighten their belts, it has also brought to light the importance of some real marketing basics that, in many cases, could foster something that resembles an opportunity. Is it possible?

Here are 3 recession-proof Marketing tips to consider that, when times are tough, will truly solidify your position in the marketplace and help you weather the storm:

#1. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. When things are going well, it feels like we can do no wrong. Strategy goes out the window, everything we do seems to work in some way, mistakes are easily overcome and overlooked and we simply fall into bad habits. Opportunistic companies have one thing in common—they have a strong relationship with their customers. They take the time to ask, listen, understand and use this information to drive strategy and be proactive. Remember, product-centric thinking is out the window. If your customer is not the hub of your wheel...it doesn't turn!

#2. Keep it simple. Tactics and techniques come and go. Strategy doesn’t. Most of the time, a simple, proven strategy will get you the best results. Studies show that most of us read at an 8^th grade level. So be conversational with your marketing material. Avoid the buzzwords and the complicated jargon. In this informational age, features and benefits are out and education is in! The opportunity lies in educating and informing your customers and prospects on why they should do business with YOU.

#3. Have a plan. Stick to it (with a realistic dose of flexibility). It’s amazing to me how many people simply have no plan. I could go down a cliché-filled road right now, but I think you know where I’m going. Simply put, you’ll never get where you want to go without a plan. There is a tremendous opportunity for those companies that have a sound plan in place with concrete, realistic benchmarks and goals.

"Ideal" vs. "Real"

2009-08-31T14:43:00.000-04:00

Ideally, I'd be sitting on the beach, pushing sand between my toes, drinking a Corona, and watching my boys splash around and have fun. Really, I'm sitting at my desk, trying to get comfortable, wishing I hadn't had such a big lunch and wondering why it is so warm in here. I could get up and adjust the temperature, but the thermostat affects more people than just me. So I guess I'll just be uncomfortable a little while longer. But that's enough of that...let me get to my point.

How about sports? Are any of you sports fans? Well, really, no matter. You probably all know who Michael Vick is. I'm a sports fan and, I confess, I listen to a lot of sports radio. And normally I find it fun, and funny and stupid and all those things that cause you to wonder why you are listening but mostly enjoying it at the same time. I can't think of a time when I've actually changed the channel, so it must do something for me. But there have been two topics that have hit a nerve with me and have caused me to yell at the radio, want to call in and made me WANT to change the channel. Steroids in professional baseball and Michael Vick. I don't really feel like getting into the steroids thing...I'll wind up saying something I shouldn't. So, we'll stick to Michael Vick.

For those of you who don't know (and I'm no lawyer and I haven't "studied" the case...I know what I know from being a sports fan, being exposed to it on the radio and what I've read) Michael Vick was a quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. He was a very popular football player and, at one point, one of the highest paid if not the highest paid player in the league (NFL). He was caught, prosecuted and found guilty of running, funding and participating in an illegal dogfighting ring. Throughout the case, a lot of very graphic and disturbing allegations (that proved to be true) came to light including the torturing and killing of pit bulls as well as the theft of dogs to be used as fodder for training purposes. The penalty was 23 months in jail, as well as fines and opportunity loss totaling somewhere between $90 and $100 million dollars. The harshest penalty he could have received under the law.

We fast forward to Spring, 2009 and Michael Vick was released from prison after serving 18 months in Leavenworth Prison...to serve the remaining 5-months under house arrest. Now the fun starts. You see, he's only 29 years old and is pretty much in the prime of his life physically to be a professional athlete.

Now let's get one thing straight and perfectly clear. I don't condone, agree-with, support or have any desire to be involved in torturing, killing or fighting dogs. Ideally, Michael Vick would have enough common sense and people around him helping him to stay clear of this kind of activity...certainly considering his very public profile and celebrity. But in reality, he didn't.

But now this is over and done with. He has served his time, paid his price and now he is entitled to, deserves...whatever you want to call it...a 2nd chance! Why? Because that's what we do. There are so many people coming out of the woodwork now all fired up and opposed to him getting a second chance in the NFL. Calling him a murderer...saying that "if he were a school teacher, he wouldn't get a 2nd chance". Well, just to clarify a few things. He's not a murderer, he's an illegal killer and thief of dogs. And, thank god, he's not a school teacher. And, probably the biggest one of all...HE'S NOT A ROLE MODEL! He was in an ideal position to be one, but, in reality he has chosen not to be. That's his choice. The two are not mutually exclusive.

In the world, in society, in the community...in the business sector, we all have our ideals. And, ideally, things would always blend and coincide with them. But most times, they don't. The reality of the situation conflicts with our ideals. And the beauty of ideals is that they are very personal. Some are very commonly shared, and some are not. But it is not up to us to judge. Business success comes from truly understanding your client's ideals, comparing and contrasting them to reality and coming up with a realistic solution to accomplish the goal. Ideally, both sides are realistically satisfied.

Say SOMETHING, please?

2009-06-08T14:33:00.000-04:00

I looked back at a couple of my previous posts and I'm noticing a bit of a theme. Even though I am just starting this one, I know what I'm going to say. So I'm kind of including this one in that statement. It looks like the economy is on my mind. And while I guess I can understand, I'm going to have to make a conscious effort to try and come up with some "fresh" material for next time.

But let's forget about that for right now. Now it's back to gloom and doom and the apocalypse.

Over the past several months, I've listened, presented, read, observed...pretty much what I do all the time. But one thing has become very clear to me. I can tell everyone else has been too. Because all I hear about now are the same business cliches, jargon and rhetoric packaged up and spun back out and gathered and put in a different order and plastered into PowerPoints. It's almost as if everyone read the same book. For illustration purposes, I'm going to list a few here in no particular order...a complete stream of consciousness. Here goes:

• Qualified Leads

• Return-on-Investment

• It has to be measurable...

• The "V" word (value and value-add)

• Nurturing (nurture marketing, prospect nurturing)

• Conversion

• The pipeline

• The sales funnel

• Social media

• Engage

• Test, test, test

• White papers & case studies

• Multichannel

• Pay-per-click

• Strategy/Plan

Just to name a few! On their own merits, none of these are "bad" words. Maybe it's just the fact that I've heard each of them countless numbers of times over the past year and I've become indifferent to them. Maybe it's because they are either obvious, not understood, or seen/believed to be the solution themselves.

So what I'm finding is that everything I read, listen to or attend seems to be a game of Buzzword Bingo (thanks IBM) with these words, expressions and statements intertwined, re-used, re-purposed and stuffed into a box that's much to small to hold all of them. And they are used so loosely that the original intent or the definition of the word has almost become lost. But what amazes me most is looking around at everyone else. Talking to people afterward and having them all say "...wasn't that great! So informative. I got so much out of that..." and I'm wondering to myself, is it just me? But I just listened to a 45 minute presentation and the presenter never actually said anything!

President Elect-ed

2009-01-20T13:47:00.000-05:00

Well, here we are...January 20th, 2009. The day the world stands still. Captivated. Reborn. Saved maybe. While it's not my intent to be controversial, or negative, or a naysayer or rain on anyone's parade, it simply is what it is.

Let me first start by saying that I really know nothing about politics. But it became clear to me during the primaries that, for the most part, most people don't. So, I'm not ashamed to admit it or embarrassed by it. What I started to question was my "right" to vote. I know I possess it and I know why, but you could argue that if I took that right seriously, I would have done my homework. My due diligence to really make a decision based on education and information and things that are important to me rather than simply what I hear. Maybe no one wants to admit it because they think they're the only one. I don't want to ask a dumb question. But let me be the first to tell you that you're not alone. Actually, I would bet that 9 out of 10 people are in the same boat. You know it's fashionable to be a Bush "hater" now. But when you really ask people why they hate Bush, you get a lot of "...are you kidding me? He's the worst President EVER..." Why exactly is he the worst President ever? "...you know, the War. The economy. The bailouts..." What exactly about the War, or the economy or the bailouts? "I just don't like how he has handled 'stuff'..." So maybe what we're all really unhappy about is "stuff."

So what do we do now? It looks like the idea is to "change" stuff. So when you were at the polls or your neighbors cookout and you were talking about the elections, what were people saying? "I'm voting for Change." Oh, and what exactly would you like to see changed? "You know, the War, the economy...that stuff." Well what exactly about those things do you want changed? And, while you find an articulate one here and there, no one has a good answer. Don't get me wrong, change simply for the sake of change is a very good, healthy thing. Hell, I have a red car now simply because I was getting tired of black. It was time for a change. My wife and I changed our living room around recently because we were both kind of tired of looking at it the way it was. Really, it actually worked better the way it was before, but for some reason, I feel refreshed when I walk in the door now. It was simply time for a change. I tried changing my hair style recently because I just felt that I had been doing it the same way for too long. Really, just time for a change. No other grand reason or higher purpose. So, don't get me wrong, I'm on board with a change. And, I do feel that change in and of itself can have an impact.

But this brings me to my conflict. What have I actually said here? Nothing. Maybe I am hard to please or have high expectations, but I expected our country to be able to elect a person for the qualities they possess and what they bring to the position and not the color of their skin or their gender. And I realize the significance. But I knew we would get there. It's easy to stand up in front of a large crowd and deliver a message that everyone wants to hear. And it's great to be charismatic, and dynamic, and engaging, and genuine...all qualities I would expect our leader to possess. But I still haven't heard anything. It's easy to point out the flaws and wrongdoings of others and even point out how you would have handled it. But you haven't actually done anything. It's easy to point out that someone has fallen down and even identify what caused them to fall. But you haven't helped them up.

Let's cut to the chase. I voted for Obama. Why, because he seems like the type of guy that I could relate to. I liked him better than the alternative. I voted for change. And I can't say it was anything more than just that. I hope that this country is in a better place in 4 years than it is now. And I don't want to see him fail...I want him to succeed. The facts are that there are winners and losers in life. There are successes and failures. There are justices and injustices. There is fair and unfair. There is right and wrong. And sometimes it works out exactly as you hoped and planned and sometimes it doesn't. And I never want to pretend that will be any other way. But I can tell you this... In 2012, I plan on voting for "doing"!

Tough Times

2008-10-22T14:42:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that we are in the midst of a significant economic "situation". And we all struggle with how to actually define it. Some will use the "R" word, some will avoid it and flat out refuse to admit it. But does it really matter?

What really matters is what's happening. The facts are that people are scared. People are unsure and uncertain of what lies ahead. People are tightening their belts and really taking a second and third look at expenditures...what's necessary and what's nice. But isn't that just good business? Sure, when things are good you may afford to be able to experiment or try new things, but at the root of good business, isn't it about a goal/objective/plan and the necessary tasks it takes to achieve what you've set out to do? When is fiscal irresponsibility ever a good thing? When is taking your eye off the bottom line ever something to encourage? When actually did you just write out check after check, pay bill after bill without looking at what you were paying and whether or not it was correct and/or necessary? Remind me again when it was OK to have inflated operational costs, tremendous inefficiency and unsubstantiated, bloated marketing budgets? And, most of all, when was it OK to be behind the wheel of a bus with 60 passengers on board, doing 65 mph down the interstate with no particular destination in mind? Why does it take this "situation" for us to actually start asking these questions and taking that second and third look?

So what now? Well I would hope there would be changes! I would expect changes. I would demand changes. If you are experiencing any of the above, what exactly are you doing about it? Unfortunately, the gut reaction is make "cuts". I'll admit, I've gone down this road too. But remember, if you've truly been executing a plan and you've followed an "objective - task" method to achieve your goals, each cut has to be traced back to each task which should be directly linked to a particular objective. Can you afford to "cut" that which helps you Attract new business? How about the tasks that lead directly to Acquiring new business? What about the processes and procedures you've put into place that help you Retain existing business? What do you call these three aspects of business? I call them marketing.

Be careful not to make the fatal mistake that most businesses make. Go right to marketing and start cutting. Because in most cases, your cutting off the very lifeblood of your business. That's not to say that there aren't things in any of these three areas that could be streamlined, or re-examined, but that's just smart business. In these tough economic times, it's more important than ever to make smart, educated decisions and be executing a sound plan that has some "wiggle room" that allows you to stick and move. After all, isn't that what marketing is all about?

This is what I'm "supposed" to do

2008-09-18T10:26:00.001-04:00

So you get into this "blogging" thing and now you've added more pressure to your day. If you're gonna do it, then DO IT. Well I think I thought I was going to do it, but here it is almost 4 weeks since my last post and I haven't DONE IT. So is there blogging etiquette? Quality, content, frequency. Every day, every couple of days, once a week, once a month? Who really cares what I have to say anyway, right?

Maybe that's the point. When it really comes down to it, nobody really cares. But that's not a problem. And that doesn't make "them" bad. Let's face it, I am not a surgeon, and I don't carry a "beeper" and I don't get calls at all hours of the night that require my immediate attention. I don't have to wear an earpiece while I'm driving and get into long strategic conversations in the supermarket. I'm in marketing. I help people grow their businesses through marketing. And while it certainly gets stressful at times and I have to sit down and remind myself of that, the sun still rises and sets every day and no one is making life changing decisions based on my recommendations and actions. That doesn't mean I take it lightly, it's just making sure I put it in perspective for myself AND my team.

Does this mean that marketing is some irrelevant, unnecessary, afterthought of business process? Not at all. What I've come to realize over the years is good marketing is simply one part of good business. Like good business "sense" and "savvy", good decision making skills, fiscal responsibility, operational efficiency, customer service...it's rare (if at all) to find a successful company that excels in just one of these areas.

So what does this mean to us marketers? Well, basically, it's what we always knew. There is no magic bullet both in business, and in marketing. Good business involves good marketing, as well as all the above. Good business health involves a good mix of many things. One of which is a good marketing mix. Is it possible to get some great immediate results with a particular marketing campaign? Yes. But long-term success and health involves a well-thought-out strategy, a good plan and steady execution of that plan. Sprinkle in some realistic expectations and goals, some "wiggle room" and ability to adjust and tweak on the fly, some experimenting and testing as well as some tried and true tactics and some patience and you've got a roadmap to good business!

What's going on here?

2008-08-22T11:32:00.000-04:00

It hit me like a ton of bricks yesterday. I have oil heat in my home and each year I am on a payment plan that keeps me on a fixed payment for 9 months out of the year. And, typically, my oil company must do a good job estimating my usage because it usually works out correctly and we're right on the button at the end of the season.

This year, however, two things stood out. At the end of my 9 months, I got a statement from my oil company that had an outstanding balance on it. I kind of expected that considering what has been "going on". While an additional $600 at the end of the year is nothing to sneeze at, it isn't too bad and helped finalize my curiosity.

The next critical period in this process however, is the August/September period where you get your payment book and statement for the upcoming season. Again, anxious, curious, nervous etc... to find out. My thought process was this: If I was paying $270/month last year, and I wound up owing an additional $600 at the end of the season, then, essentially, I paid $337.00/month last season. This "oil crisis" has been happening for some time so I figured that this increased amount reflected this situation and I could probably expect another increase for this season. How much?

I got home from work Tuesday and, like usual, flipped through the mail from that day on the counter. Low and behold, my new payment book. I don't know about you, but it reminded me a little bit of what it was like to receive a response from the College you applied to, or maybe a credit card bill that you know you used a lot last month, but you didn't really keep track of what you purchased and you are kind of nervous to open it.

So, I saw it, I knew what it was, but I kind of avoided it and left it for last. REALLY last. Soooo last that I didn't even open it that night, I waited until the next day. Having thought about it over night, I was ready. With nervousness, anxiety and sweaty palms, I opened the package and flipped to the first payment stub. Any guesses? My NEW payment is....

$620.00/month.

And it immediately switched a gear in my head and brought it right back to marketing. Why has it been more difficult lately for so many, including us, to attract new business? Why has it seemed that actually acquiring new business...getting someone to say "Yes, let's move forward with that" has been a struggle. Why has retaining business you've been doing for years left you nervous and anxious to even answer the phone for fear of hearing "we've been giving it a lot of thought and my budget has been cut so it's not going to happen this year".

It suddenly became clear to me that there are so many external factors that are contributing to how people are running their businesses. How people are running their lives! When I sat in a meeting with a business executive that told me he is taking the train to work now instead of driving, it raised an eyebrow. When I keep seeing more and more Smart Cars on the road, both eyebrows have risen. When I got my oil bill, I hit the floor!

So marketers, it's more important now then ever to make sure that everything we do is relevant, smart, justifiable, quantifiable and simply makes sense to do. It's easy to get results when everyone's buying and has budgets. The true test is to have realistic expectations and get results for our clients when it matters most!