Marketing Magic
Latest Comments
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetExcellent suggestion, Andy! I like getting the employees involved as much as possible, especially if they have some weigh-in on marketing expenditures and focus.
Thanks for reading!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetNice job Frank! Quick, simple, discrete projects that can have outstanding impact. One thought I'd add WRT thanking your best customers -- have your three to six plugged in employees do the same. Maybe each of you takes 2 customers, etc..
Why? I think it will accomplish two things: First, it puts customers in touch with the company and *not* with the Great Man. And this is good -- it makes the company stronger and allows the customer to interact with you on more levels.
Second, it gives you more and better feedback for your bi-weekly meetings (at least at the start) when your employees are in the 'thanking' business for a little bit rather than just the serving business.
Just a thought!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetFrank, you're awesome for mentioning me, but you're even more awesome for all the sound advice.
I can't help thinking that for 2009, we're on the precipice of some pretty amazing things. The tide is shifting, and businesses have huge opportunity to make massive strides in new directions for their marketing efforts. I for one am comforted by knowing that you're advising many of them along the way.
Cheers to you, and Happy New Year, my dear friend. :)
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | Tweet@frank - You should write up your tale of UKrops... I think the community of people who follow your stuff would really benefit. Also, I can't bear to give an assignment I'm not willing to do myself -- So I wrote up five things you can do every week. Let me know what you think if you get a few minutes? http://tinyurl.com/9fs56y
@krista - Housecleaning is really good for the soul and the bottom-line I think. One thought on how to organize what to throw out is to start with a really brief statement of what you do/are about. (Resort industry right?) Then keep this in front of you as you examine every garment in the closet -- resolve to throw out everything that's not contributing to your message. Just my $0.02.
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | Tweet@Valeria - excellent suggestion to start with employees and maybe even get them actively participating in the generation of relevant and interesting content for customers. Then, once it's humming, increase the distribution. This also seems to be a good way of breaking employees into thinking about and participating in SocMed. Thanks so much for reading and commenting.
@Andy - you jaded pro, you! Excellent points! So many companies now are finding themselves on the cusp of a transformation in 2009, witting or un: Ukrops, for example. Roanoke is in trouble, and today they announced the closing of their new store in Williamsburg. A lot of these good companies have no idea where to start, except for flogging the same dead horses that have got them to this point - so my desire with them is to shake them up and make them think about new possibilities. Sadly, in *some* of those companies, the "people who can focus upon marketing" have been let go, so management is going to have to, in your very pointed and apt words, "innovate or die."
I accept your challenge for the next post! "Three things you can do today" will follow. And thanks for reading and commenting, my friend - I'm honored!
@krista - in your case, take the lift to the top of the mountain, and bury your plan in the snow! Seriously, I would think your business is going to be challenging this year as consumers are cutting back on recreational activities. Social media will offer lots of opportunities for you to gain an advantage over the other resorts competing for discretionary dollars. Thank you for reading and commenting!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetThank you for this very insightful information. I love what you said in #1 that 95 percent of what was done three years ago needs to go out the door or my second floor window! I am always looking for ways to evolve/transform my company's communication with our guests and I think it all starts with listening, like you said. Thanks!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetAll good stuff Frank and right on. But wait!!! What you've listed here is never, ever, ever going to happen in an organization that is not either a.) on the cusp of a 'transformation' (i.e., going out of business and/or getting new, enlightened leadership) or b.) well populated with people who can focus on marketing for a significant portion of their work day.
So... here's my assignment for your next post: What are three things you can do *today* to make your marketing practice incrementally better? And for bonus points: What are five specific things you can do once a week that will help nudge you closer to marketing bliss? Extra credit: How should you keep track of these laudable activities?
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetYou are very kind, Frank. Thank you. I especially like #5. My suggestion is to try a pilot with your employees. In fact, you may want to create a newsletter or something really good to share with a few internally. Incorporate a forward button and see how it spreads, when it spreads and where. If you pick some sales people in your sample and the content is really good it will be shared with customers - so consider that when you write it.
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetFrank, I share with you that movies about dogs make me cry.
Great post.
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetYes, Mack, and as you know Pa' has her Mother! Thanks for reading, and I enjoyed your post too. As much of a pain as they are to write, they are fun to read about others.
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetHeh Frank we poor guys always want to dress like slobs. We all need a Peh to help get us in gear ;) Thanks for sharing your 7 things!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | Tweet@Todd - you misunderstood man. My playing football again is about as likely as my going to see Marley and Me - which is to say resoundingly no way! Thanks for reading and commenting!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetThis is good stuff. I like seeing a little bit about the bloggers I read. A couple of comments. 1. I could so many similar things about my wife. She's awesome and is pretty much my inspiration. 2. You're a crazy man for playing football again. I will be interested in seeing what marketing lessons you learn from playing.
Todd
A willing participant in Danny Evan's "Operation"
http://www.dadgonemad.com/2008/12/operation.html
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetThat she is, Tanya! Thanks so much or reading!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetLove this, SO very real! A woman who can make a man appreciate eggplant is one amazing woman!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | Tweet@Frank and @Elizabeth, if it's not too late to comment here, I'd just like to say that I had changed my position (from what I had commented earlier) on this situation as time went on and I saw what was really happening.
I was disappointed that Motrin gave in and took down the campaign instead of engaging in a conversation first. Most major consumer brands don't move forward with a campaign without strong research to back it up.
I think this was a case of a perfect storm (the end of a International Babywearing Week, a mom who took offense and went to the local press, and a Twitter outcry). AdAge pointed out that only 0.15% of global Internet users are on Twitter...so that makes the moms a very tiny population compared to the "not-so-much" online population of moms. That said, I respect J&J;/Motrin for doing what they felt they needed to do. I just really hope that more traditional campaigns aren't subjected to this type of situation and if they are, I hope they open up a conversation before pulling anything.
Thanks!
Beth
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetDr. Wright, thanks so much for reading and the comment. Glad to have you weigh in. I TOTALLY disagree about the pigs, though. :-)
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetElizabeth, thanks for taking the time to comment. It's good to have the thoughts of someone who actually has the view from behind the scenes.
I'm obviously not a Mom, but there were a couple of objections raised that should have been a red flag - 1) wearing a baby as an accessory, and 2) the "whiny tone" of the voiceover. Both should have been caught in the post-creative disaster-check process, assuming there was one that was not moderated by an Agency employee or contractor.
As you no doubt know, humor is really tough to pull off - and Motrin clearly botched the attempt. And you're right, it probably was a "non-representative" group - vanguards of groundswells always are.
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetI completely disagree. I have worked on the Motrin account and have sat in enough qualitative research to know that a) babywearing is seen as the new thing moms are supposed to do (whether they want to do it or not) and b) it causes pain to women. I guarantee that in both qual and quant, it would be only a tiny group of women who would object. The ad accurately reflects mainstream mothers; it just doesn't reflect the small world of a small group of crunchy mothers who don't want to hear the potential negatives of babywearing because they want to spread the gospel.
This would be akin to a company marketing nipple creams to soothe the pain associated with breastfeeding - meets a real consumer need, but you'd hear from the small group of crunchy mothers who wouldn't want to have their pet cause portrayed with any negatives.
This isn't a fail on Motrin. This is a small, nonrepresentative group who got offended. Anyone who does qualitative with new mothers hears the pain of babywearing, again and again.
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | Tweet1. The pigs are smiling and dancing because its NOT Them on the BBQ pit.
2. Someone purchases on POP up ads, or they would not still use them. I am sure people are too ashamed to admit it.
3. Everyone wants to be a TV Star, you may not trust them, but each city knows they have one, what his name is and what is dealership is. Mine has a dog named Spot.
4. Many of their marketing decisions are made by the company, they simply contribute their money to make the ad happen. The same companies that keep jets when they say they will go under in 6 months are the same companies making those decisions.
5. We are all more sensitive to stereotypes that seem to include us. Why are all Blacks and Latinos dancing in food commercials? Oh, you might not have known that was a sterotype, however it is. Everyone get poked at in commercials.
6. go back to answer #4
7. Yeah, they do.
8. Its just a cultural norm
9. If the card gets ripped off, very few men will admit it and complain about it.
10. NO
11. Because they can get you traffic, however, if your sales system is screwed up because your cousin is answering your phones, it does not mean automatic sales.
12. Because the owner made it him or herself.
13. Because the owner can not afford to hire anyone, so they do it themselves.
14. Yes, if they can ID the product. They will have a good feeling about the company. Some ads are entertaining, however no one knows what they are selling, that is a problem.
15. To reach as many consumers as possible. People do not read like they used to and vocabulary recognition is a lot lower these days.
16. Customers speak with their dollars. They do not need a rep, they can tell the company when they are not happy. If you are dumb enough to spend your money with a company with poor service and products, a rep isn't going to solve your problems.
17. Cutting marketing is easier than looking internally and making your products and services more important to the customer. It looks like an instant cash influx.
18. They believe they have done the research needed.
19. Because no one in their own company can do it.
20. If their customers are not using NEW media when it comes to their products, no reason to be there either. If your customers are the Amish, new media campaign is wasted on them.
21. Because they think there is no alternative.
22. See #19
23. PR is part of marketing that should not be ignored. It can make your marketing dollars go further because it puts your company in front of customers eyeballs one more time. It can also assure customers that they made the right choice. Good PR and Good Marketing are great for business.
24. Because they can charge more for the creative than for the media buying.
25. See #19, again
26. Because being sleepy and in pain helps you make bad decisions.
27. Yes
28. Yes, especially if they are scared.
29. Yes, people buy his stuff.
30. Studies show you can sell excercise equipment without selling the dream. The dream is a great body, not your current one.
Dr. Wright
The Wright Place TV Show
www.wrightplacetv.com
www.twitter.com/drwright1
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetPolitical robo calls don't work. Research says that.
Problem? Politicians do not care. They write the laws and they exempted themselves from the laws.
We are working to change that.
Shaun Dakin
CEO
The National Political Do Not Contact Registry
StopPoliticalCalls.org
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetPolitical robo calls don't work. Research says that.
Problem? Politicians do not care. They write the laws and they exempted themselves from the laws.
We are working to change that.
Shaun Dakin
CEO
The National Political Do Not Contact Registry
StopPoliticalCalls.org
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetFrank, I really enjoyed this post and the discussion of the various perspectives. Helping people with their personal brands is a key part of my service offering but I have always chuckled at the term. We have always been a brand. Your mother was your first branding expert, she admonished you to deliver quality, leverage your value and taught you that image and reputation were your calling cards. Years later we coined a term and figured out that we could market and monetize that brand. The older I get the more I realize that my parents really did know it all!
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetRight on Frank. As Amber eluded to in one of her recent posts, you have to be able to GIVE to your community. Doing so will help show the value that you can provide to your network and help grow that along with your reputation and brand.
Reply | Original | Permalink | Share | TweetWell said. And your line-- It is a handy framework for helping people understand themselves as a business, and for making them think about WHO and WHAT they are, and what value they can add to their communities. --sums it up perfectly.
