Great News for the Advertising Dept

By Julie Hein

We’ve hired a General Sales Manager.  John Phelan joins us today.  John has an enormous amount of broadcasting and marketing knowledge.  We are so pleased to have him working with our great clients and with us.  Reach out to him if there’s anything you’d like to discuss, whether you’re a current client or someone who might be interested someday. 

Deck the Halls

By Glen Gardner
Many people think that retailers "make it or break it" at the holiday
season, but the die is cast long before and long after the presents are
open and the tree is gone. Many businesses stake too much of their
marketing punch around the holidays.

I've always thought it was much more beneficial to implement a
consistent marketing approach that can be augmented during the holiday
season, if need be. The consumer will still tend to shop at the
businesses that have made an impression over the year. It's also more
efficient to advertise when the messaging environment is less cluttered.

Price also tends to be king with impulse consumers around the holidays.
That's why it makes more sense for "value" businesses to take a more
consistent approach all year-long. If you can't offer the lowest price,
don't bother advertising price. The price shopper cares about one thing,
and that one thing is the lowest price. The box-stores are out in
full-force at the holidays using loss-leaders and heavy budgets to
entice those cheapskates. If you try to slug it out in that arena, get
ready for a holiday race to the gutter. They will eat you for lunch.

A better approach is to make every day the holidays. Remind the consumer
how you add value. Tell them for a year what makes you different and why
they should use you. Then when the holidays come around, you've given
yourself a huge present!

MARKETING TO MOMS THROUGH EMAIL

By Jeff Taylor

Current statistics show that moms control about $4 billion in annual household spending today.  One of the ways to communicate with just about any target segment these days is through email, due mainly to its low cost and high ROI potential.  If you combine your email marketing to this audience with a radio campaign the results can be very powerful.

A recent report from Forrester predicts that emails from marketers to consumers' primary inboxes will swell to an average 9,000 annually by 2014. Considering moms' hectic schedules, you wonder when these active women have time to check email.

Mediapost.com conducted research among more than 400 women with children age 12 and under living in their households, including if and when they read marketing-oriented emails and newsletters. It turns out that even the busiest moms make time to check their email accounts on a regular basis. In fact, here's what they found:

• Nearly 96% of respondents said they check email at least once a day. 
•  More than 80% of them actually look forward to checking email.
• Most important, eight in 10 moms indicated they want to receive offers and information from preferred brands via email.

Understand Their Preferences

It's clear that email is a viable vehicle for engaging moms.  However, with 50% of the respondents indicating that they are most likely to "unsubscribe" either because they don't find the information useful or interesting, or they're being inundated with emails, staying relevant is key with regard to both frequency and content. Here are a few findings that might help you with this process:

• Approximately 45% of respondents indicated they prefer to receive email correspondence from any one brand about once a week.
•  Nearly 50% of respondents said they tend to read emails with time-sensitive subject lines, such as "50% Off Today Only," first
•  Nearly 85% of respondents said they wanted to receive coupons, and approximately 78% said they preferred to receive information about sales and promotions.
•  Nearly 73% of surveyed moms indicated they might make a special trip to the store after receiving an email containing a coupon or promotion.
• More than 63% said they print coupons for brands they use or want to try so they have it for their next trip to the store.

The right offer is what will drive a desired action. Additionally, look closely at your subject lines and ensure the content speaks to your consumers' personal interest.

Event Marketing (3 of 3)

by Chris Law

In my previous two entries I discussed tips/pointers regarding event marketing.  Today I’m going to talk about two real events, one that went very well and one that didn’t.  I won’t share which was successful and which wasn’t, but I’ll bet you won’t have to think too hard to figure it out.

Event 1:  Dance Studio Open House

This dance studio contacted me looking for a marketing idea to help boost sing ups for their fall dance class schedules.  Like many businesses in the area they were struggling somewhat at attracting new customers, and their current customers were attending fewer classes, on average, than they had in previous years.

We kicked around a few ideas before settling on an open house event.  After discussing the options, we settled on an ideal time--Friday afternoon/early evening.  It was the week before lessons were to start and also the end of the first week of school for local students.  This meant we had a good chance of catching mom and daughter together in the car.  We set up a radio schedule the week leading up to the event, the studio printed flyers and posters to hang in their location and prepared and sent a mass email to their mailing list of current and former students.

Once we had a plan in place to let people know about the event, we began to plan the event details.  We decided the best strategy to boost new signups were to get current students to bring in friends.  We came up with a generous referral bonus for existing students as well as a discount package to promote multiple class sign ups.  To further encourage existing clients to come in, we set up the event similar to a student teacher conference night.  Each dance instructor was in his/her classroom and they gave free demonstrations to parents, current clients, and potential clients.  Lastly they ran promotional pricing in their retail dance shop for apparel and dance related items.

Event 2:  Restaurant Grand Opening
A restaurant contacted me on a Tuesday afternoon regarding advertising for a grand opening on Friday of that same week.  Like many new businesses, the build out was running a bit behind schedule and they were anxious to open the doors to begin generating revenue.

I was a little nervous about the short notice, but they seemed confident they would be ready to go.  We settled on a custom radio schedule within their budget to promote the event.  We also discussed other methods of promotion including sending out a mass email to customers of a previous restaurant and successful catering business.  While they saw some benefit of doing this, they ultimately decided they were too busy with putting the final touches on the restaurant itself and decided not to invest the time needed to promote the open house in any other way.

Once the date and schedule was set, we began to discuss creative ideas for the commercial itself to generate as much traffic during the event as possible.  We explored many options including free deserts, free appetizers, buy one entrée get one free, one free kid’s dinner with purchase of each adult entrée, among others.  The restaurants ownership group decided they liked those ideas but were uncomfortable with the amount of discounts.  They settled on $1 off appetizers and ½ off dessert with a purchase of two entrees, and ½ off kid’s meals.

The big night arrived and a decent crowd came with it.  The restaurant looked terrific on the outside, but behind the scenes was a different story. One of the cooks did not show up, there was a glitch with the new ordering system and computer, and one of their vendors failed to make a delivery that morning, leaving them without several key menu items.

Final Result:

One of these events went really well and partly as a result they are enjoying a solid, if not spectacular, year.  One these events went poorly and partly as a result the business is under new ownership.

The bottom line is this.  Events, when executed properly, can be an outstanding way for you to showcase your business to new and existing clients.  When executed poorly they can actually lead to, or at least hasten, a business’ failing.  If you are thinking about doing an event for your business, perhaps it makes sense to place a call to your favorite media rep.  Even if you aren’t using his/her station to advertise the event, chances are they will be willing to share their thoughts to help ensure the event itself is a success!

The Theatre of the Mind

By Jill Dennis 

I've been in advertising for 18 years and I can't tell you how many times I've had a client say, "I just need more customers through the door.  Write a commercial that will bring me traffic."  As advertising consultants we have the ability to help the client tell his or her story as convincingly as possible.  The assumption of course is that the client has a story to tell.  The public no longer pays attention to advertising that is obviously advertising.  We've become immune to many phrases, statements and tones of voice.  There are literally dozens of businesses in our market who scream "Highest quality at the lowest prices".  What does that mean?  Highest quality of what?  Lower prices than who?  And if you have the highest quality, why do you want to de-value your product by selling it at the lowest price?

Any unsubstantiated claim is nothing more than a cliche.  You must be prepared to prove what you say in every ad.  Write meaningful commercials that will be remembered when the listener has need of your product.  Do your commercials describe what is waiting for your customer?  Do the words create a series of mental pictrures?  To be effective the commercial must allow the customer to "see" themselves doing what you want them to do.  Try to see your customer's needs as they see their needs.  Look at your product through their eyes.

If your commercial can leave out the unsubstantiated claims that muddle most advertising then you'll begin to set youself apart and that should be your goal. 

"The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do." - Thomas Jefferson

Staying There

By Glen Gardner of Glen Gardner and Associates
Z102.9 and 1600 ESPN branding consultant

If you think getting there is tough, you're right, but staying there can be even harder.

The climb to establish your business as a brand is a long and hard fought process. You get there by being consistent and establishing your "mortar." That mortar is what people know you for. A common mistake many businesses make is backing off once they have actually accomplished the goal of establishing the brand.

In some cases they think, "well I've made it and now I can ease off." That line of thought can be a huge mistake. In many cases it's a fatal mistake.

Staying at the top of any market requires consistent branding messages. Once you are at the top, every competitor in your world is gunning for that market share that you worked so hard to get. If you back off, someone will step up to fill the vacuum and take your position.

The battle for mindshare never ends, unless you're out of business. So, getting there is only half the game... staying there is the other half.

Black Friday: Pent up demand will make retailers happy!

by Kellie Lala

Shopping for many women is a hobby.  For others it is the thrill of getting a bargain.  The term "Black Friday" is generally used to describe the Friday after Thanksgiving.  It is a really crazy shopping day that I generally avoid huge crowds, a early EARLY morning (some stores open at midnight or 4am) and parking lots filled to the brim. Granted, there are some amazing deals to be had if you brave all the elements but I figure that my time is worth something and I feel that sometimes the money saved doesn’t justify the hurdles.  According to a recent Chicagotribune.com article on October 21, 2010 they say that “for the past several years, Black Friday has ranked as the largest shopping day of the year, in both sales and traffic”.  Many analysts are saying that the this 2010 Black Friday will set a record.  Consumers have saved more, spent less and are more informed buyers during the past two recessionary years thus making this year the big one.  Seeing these trends, some retailers are getting a jump on Black Friday.  Sears started “Black Friday Now” sales on October 29^th.  They offer door buster deals every Friday and Saturday leading up to November 26^th.  Not a bad idea.  “IBM forecasts a 4.6% rise in consumer electronic sales” as compared to November and December 2009.  They go onto say “consumers no longer look at consumer electronics as discretionary purchases, but as necessities that make their households and offices run more smoothly”.    

What will you be doing on Black Friday this year?  Rolling over and hitting the snooze after a full day of turkey and dressing?  Standing in line at the local big box store with coffee in your frozen hands?  Running over another shopper with your cart?  Enjoying the sounds of Christmas on your stereo as you decorate your home for Christmas?   I will be doing the last one and enjoying every minute of it!  Happy Holidays!        

Watch out for advertising clutter

By Kim Peterson

This topic came to mind when working with a client.  They have advertised for years, off and on, and have never had a strong branding message.  They didn’t know who they were trying to target.  They were used to  advertising a laundry list of products and hadn’t gotten the results they expected so almost called it quits.

Just recently I was able to get them on a consistent advertising schedule.  They have been working closely with Mo, our genius who is responsible for writing and producing ads.  Each commercial that was e-mailed for approval was revised and e-mailed back with a laundry list of items to cover.  After the third rejection, Mo decided it was time we give them a visit.

This brings me to my topic…“watch out for advertising clutter”. No one is going to remember everything on your list. If you clutter the message with too much information, they will remember nothing.  It’s better to be known for something.  Focus on that one thing you are good at and stick to it.

 

My client has agreed to step back and trust Mo’s advice.  They thanked us both and couldn’t believe that someone would care enough to take the time to meet with them in person to gain a more complete understanding of their business and more specifically their branding message. 

Check back with my blog in the future to see how this advertising campaign turned out.   

Personality Types

By Julie Hein

Do you consider personality types in your communications?  A little knowledge can be a great thing in any type of relationship.  Of course, these personality surveys don’t say anything about intelligence or mental health.  They’re more about generalities—like you prefer your left hand or right. 

For extraversion vs introversion—I think it’s pretty easy to identify who is who.  Extraverts are energized by dialogue.  Introverts have to go inside themselves to be refreshed.  Extraverts make decisions by talking.  Introverts make them alone where they can think things through in peace. 

So, what to do if you’re an introvert married to an extravert?  Your spouse may chase you around the house wanted to discuss things.  After a long day or if there is a decision to be made, he/she really needs to talk.  This might drive you crazy.

What if you’re the extravert and your spouse is an introvert?  Don’t be surprised if your spouse hides from you, goes into the bathroom for extended periods, etc.  Introverts just announce things.  They’re not looking discussion--they’ve decided.  

So, what to do to extend courtesy (and increase the odds of getting the communication that you need when you need it)?

For introverts, if you tell them something new, surprising or different, give them some time to process.  Give them a warning about the topic so they have time to prepare.   Make an appointment for a later interaction. Usually, trying to close an introvert is a bad idea.  They’ve either decided or they need some time to decide.  You can give them new info – and then wait. 

For extraverts, listen to them.  Talk to them more than you think should be necessary.  Try to time your interactions for when you have energy so they can also power up.  They brainstorm, make decisions and get energy when their mouths are moving. Closing a sale with them can be fine – “hey, shouldn’t we do this now?  Let’s move forward.” That’s not pushy—that’s conversational. 

It All Begins With "You".

By Jill Dennis

According to Roy H. Williams from The Wizard of Ads:
You're writing an ad that needs to produce results.  Your ad-writing teachers have taught you to say the name of the company at least seven times in every ad.  Your experience tells you that cramming the name of the company into places where it wouldn't normally be heard will just make the ad sound like an ad. 

You've wrestled with this problem, haven't you?

The teacher who taught you to say the name of the company at least seven times is probably the same teacher who taught you to use loud noises and sound effects as attention getters and that words like "discount" and "sale" are irresistible.

I won't call this teacher a fool, but I think he'll do nicely until a real fool comes along.

The most irresistible word in the English language is "you". 

"You" engages the imagination of the listener.  It puts the action of your spot in present tense active.  Skillful use of the word "you" makes the listener a participant in your ad.

HOW MUCH DOES YOUR BRAND POSITION & PERCEPTION MATTER? CONSIDER THIS...

By Jeff Taylor

In Washington D.C. , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.  During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.  After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing.  He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.

About 4 minutes later… 
The violinist received his first dollar.  A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

 At 6 minutes…
 A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

At 10 minutes…
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.  The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time.  This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.

At 45 minutes…
 The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.  About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour…
He finished playing and silence took over.  No one noticed and no one applauded.  There was no recognition at all.

 The violinist was  Joshua Bell, noted to be one of the greatest musicians in the world .  He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.  Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.

The event was arranged by the Washington Post as an experiment in perception and priorities.  The experiment also has some very sound marketing lessons.  If your business is positioned as a premium provider, be very careful how you present your business to your customers.  If you speak about discounts and value you will confuse your customers and they will begin to ignore you.  Likewise, if you are a value and price business and you try to discuss your premium quality you will also confuse your customer.

When Joshua Bell presents his brand as a premium entertainer and prices his tickets accordingly he sells out.  When he was presented as value worthy of donations only, nobody paid attention.  Think about your brand position and marketing approach, are they consistent?

Great News for the Corridor

By Julie hein

A Forbes blog says that Cedar Rapids is expected to see employment growth of 14.2% -- which is the best in the country.  The CR economy  is expected to grow by 30% over the next three years which is also the best in the country.  Sounds like we’ve got a great thing going on here!   We knew that.

Are you poised to take advantage of this?  Better get ready!