Head to Iowa City Says Yahoo! Finance

By Miranda Manigold, Advertising Specialist & Sales Trainer

You know we love ALL  of our Corridor but a new addition to our family…an FM translator at ESPN1600!  So we now have 106.3 – the South Gym on the FM dial.  That way those of you listening to us in Johnson County (like the Iowa City area) can get your sports fix on 106.3FM!

Well this article from “The Street” on Yahoo! Finance backs us up on our reasons to grow in Iowa City and boasts IC as THE NUMBER ONE place to start over in 2012.  Luckily for most of us reading this blog we already live in the area!  We already know it is a great place to go to school, live, and work.  The last few weeks I have heard more reports of the business climate taking a turn for the “positive” in 2012 and this report confirms that for our area.  You can read the full article from “The Street” here.

Are you still looking for ideas on how to improve your business or recruitment efforts?  We can listen to what your goals are for 2012 and beyond and strategize concepts to get you there.  We are here to answer questions at any time.  Just ask!

Cars going bye bye!

By Kellie J. Lala

I think it is always a bit sad when something comes to an end.  A favorite body lotion, restaurant, gift shop (some on my missed list of late)  and now some models of cars.  According to a USA Today article on 12/20/11, there are many models that have rolled off the assembly line for the last time and will fade into automobile history after 2012.  These are just a few of the models taking their final bows and that will not be replaced by newer versions:

• BMW Active Hybrid  (many BMW’s are going electric)
• Buick Lucerne
• Cadillac DTS and STS  (new XTS will fill in here)
• Dodge Dakota  (no enough demand for small trucks)
• Ford Crown Victoria  (this made me laugh-“it’s the last, great, rear-wheel drive American really-full-size car”)
• Honda Element
• Mazda RX-8*
• Nissan Altima Hybrid
• Mitsubishi Eclipse and Endeavor

There could be more to come.  It appears that the whole line of Saab will soon be gone as well. 

Now think…..what do you miss that is no longer around?



Auto Sales on the Rise

By

Kellie J. Lala 

The “Cash for Clunkers” program in 2009 helped the auto industry crawl out from a slump.  However, it really hurt the sales months that followed as consumers had spent their dough $.  But November 2011 looks to be their best month since 2009!  GM is using the jolly old man himself-Santa Claus in its “Chevy’s Giving More” campaign, while Honda is wishing buyers “Happy Honda Days”.  I don’t know about you, but I must not be in the right family as I have never gotten a car for Christmas.  You? 

According to the New York based research group, The Consumer Board, consumer confidence surged in November by its biggest margin in 8 years.  That is good news for the struggling car industry.  Toyota and Honda had both been reporting year-to-year declines in every month this year since April.  The big domestic winner so far this year appears to be Chrysler with a 37% surge in sales over 2010. I think they have done a fab job with their Detroit commercials using popular music from Eminem.  Ford has a 10% climb and is launching a new Escape SUV in the first half of 2012.  According to VP of U.S. sales for GM, Don Johnson,  GM is looking at a 7% increase and will be poised to replace Toyota as the world’s largest automaker by vehicle sales.  When you think about where the U.S. Automakers were a while back, this is a great comeback story. 

What will be your next vehicle purchase and when? 

           

By Julie Hein, General Manager

Speak.
Slowly.

Whether it's in advertising to the world or communicating internally in your organization (or maybe even to your kids?), you're probably talking to fast.  It takes a while for things to sink in--but it's hard to respect that because you already understand the message.  You've already moved on, and you just want to put a checkmark next to something.  Well, I do at least.

But.  Slow. Down.  It helps.  There is enough chaos in the world.  Take the time to deliberately and convincingly share your message.  No check mark until you know it is received and understood well enough for others to act on it.

 

Good news for the Mom and Pop's

By Chris Law

Local retailers in the corridor might have something to cheer about this year.  According to this article in USA Today 4 in 10 local retailers reported stronger sales this year compared to last year.  The article also talks about ways local business can stand out and differentiate themselves from the national chains.  They key?  Maximize customer relationships and focus on what makes you different than the big box stores, not what makes you the same.

Black Friday Scam?

By Glen Gardner

CEO Glen Gardner and Associates/

Marketing consultant Z102.9 and 1600 ESPN
Any minute now, people will start pitching tents outside of big box
stores in an effort to save money, but they are operating under the
false premise that the Black Friday deals advertised are actually
in-stock in great numbers.

In my opinion, Black Friday has become more of a lottery or game of
chance, rather than a sale. If you read the fine-print in many of the
ads, the merchant has the right to limit quantities. Alright, they
should have the right because, in reality, quantities are always
limited. The problem is in some cases that number is as low as one or
two items per location. I wonder if the majority of people camped out in
front of Box-o-rama know that. Their chances of getting what they are
looking for probably aren't much better than the lottery in some cases.
Another trick that gets pulled-out of the big box retail hat this time
of the year is offering items that appear to be a great deal, but
aren't. In some cases they have contracted with brand-name suppliers to
produce a product that is cheaper than the standard product, but looks
identical. This is quite common in the electronics world. Potential
Black Friday electronics shoppers need to check the serial numbers and
item numbers carefully if they are comparison shopping. In some cases
the items are cheaper because features have been eliminated and specs
have been lowered.

As always, let the buyer beware and perhaps it's a better idea to shop
value rather than price. In most cases you really do get exactly what
you pay for and if it appears to be too good to be true, it probably is.
So rather than pitching a tent Thanksgiving night, go buy a lottery
ticket. They are both games of chance, but the lottery payoff is
potentially a lot bigger!
Happy holidays.

Gift giving season is right around the corner!

By Kellie Lala

Overall, holiday retail sales are expected to show a slight increase this year according to the National Retail Federation.  If you are a retailer hoping to gain a piece of that pie (hope its pumpkin), what have you done to put your best foot forward?  Have you planned specific events?  Special promotions?  Ramped up your advertising spending?  According to a recent USA Today article (11/14/11), small mom and pop like shops can try some of these tactics to lure in those precious dollars:

*Focus on personal service

*Playing up your community impact

*Tap into social media

*Share your green practices

*Offer localized merchandise

What can you do to set yourself apart?  Many smaller retailers typically lack the resources of their larger competitors.  They don’t have that edge on bulk orders, prime locations or huge marketing budgets.  But there are many ways to gain customer loyalty with any advertising budget you have with the right schedule and targeted message.  What will you be telling the shoppers this holiday season!  Falalalalalalala! 

Veterans Day

By Kellie Lala

Veterans Day is this Friday-11/11/11.  Some national companies are using cause marketing campaigns in support of the U.S. troops.  Heinz Ketchup has started to distribute specially marked 20 oz. bottles of our favorite ketchup to participating restaurants.  These specially marked bottles say “Our turn to serve” along with a QR code on the back which, when scanned with a smartphone, enables consumers to compose thank you notes to our veterans.  Through a partnership with the USO, Heinz will send a thank you postcard to a veteran or active military service member.  You can learn more about this program at the Heinz Ketchup Facebook page.  What a great way to show support to our past and present military.   This year I think the date is special-11/11/11-but I would like for all  of us to reflect on what this day means to all Americans. Will you join me in doing just that? 

God Bless America.

Dance With Who Brung You to the Party

By Glen Gardner

CEO GG&A

Many companies seem to lose their way when they stray from their core business and forget about the basics of marketing. This played out in a big way with Netflix over the past few days.

Just a few months ago the company was the darling of the business media. The company’s stock price was soaring and the company president was named Business Person of the Year by Fortune magazine. His picture probably won’t be there this year. The company announced this week they lost 800,000 subscribers over the first three quarters of the year.

So what happened? According to Yahoo Business, “Subscribers revolted and many dropped the service. The plan to split the DVD service from the on-line service tarnished a once widely respected Internet service that had already been wounded by an unpopular price increase in the summer. Mr. Hastings (company president) was forced to reverse the planned split — but not the price increase — three weeks later and apologized.”

But the damage was already done and people were flocking to the exit. As shocking as it may seem, they simply forgot to ask their customers what they thought. They further blundered by not communicating the possible benefits of the huge price increase and elimination of levels of service that their customer base truly liked.

When businesses stop listening to their customers bad things happen. When businesses stop talking to their customers even worse things happen. When they do both, 800,000 people vote with their feet.

"Clean your room, we are having company"

I don’t know how many times I heard that growing up, but it was often enough that I can close my eyes and easily hear my mom saying it in my head.  I tried every excuse in the book to no avail.

“No one is coming into my room, mom.”

“They’ve seen my room messy before.”

“It’s just grandpa and grandma”.

Eventually my mother grew tired of my procrastination and sent me to my room.  The only way I could leave is if it passed inspection.  As I look at my desk at work now (I think I see a corner over there) it’s evident she failed at making me a tidy person, but God bless her she tried.

I’ve seen a lot of messy bedrooms out and about on sales calls.  I usually don’t mind, after all how could I blame you for not getting all dressed up to meet a sales guy.  Sometimes though it does give me pause, especially if it’s at a restaurant, medical office, or some other business I expect to be clean and sterile looking.  Once in a while I visit someplace where the messy backroom has begun to work its way to the front of the house.  It usually starts small, like in the area behind the register or with a few dust bunnies in the corner, but inevitably it overtakes an entire operation.  I’m sure your excuses sound a lot like mine… 

 “I’m a retailer; no one is coming into the back room”

“They’ve seen a messy bathroom before”

“It’s just one of our regulars (or a sales guy)”

Perhaps it’s time to give that back room or rest room a good scrub?  Not only will it help you make a good impression on the odd person who might see it you also might find it better reflects the image you want your business to project, helps you work more efficiently, and ultimately makes more money.  At the very least it should help you feel proud about your product and or business.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have some cleaning of my own to do.

QR Codes: New fad or here to stay?

By Kellie Lala

We have all seen those funny little black and white boxes popping up on things.  In magazines, on websites and even on billboards (which the city of Cedar Rapids has said that the billboard companies need to ban due to potential traffic issues and problems).  What are they?  What do they do?  These goofy looking digital symbols are one more way that marketers are trying to reach that all so powerful consumer.  According to a recent article by Online Media daily (10/11/11), 28% of mobile users who have used QR codes more than once say they “usually” get something in return that made the effort worthwhile. Most consumers want to get something in return for their efforts. 

I tell advertisers, the more that you ask a consumer to do, the less likely they are to do it.  We are all going in a million different directions and one more thing on our to do list will make us crazy.  Ever feel like that?  I do and now an ad is asking me to take a picture of their silly little code?  However, 80% of 18-24 year olds (I am NOT in that demo J)  recognize them and close to 60% of 45+ (now that is me) segment do.  The Online Media article goes on to say that in order to improve consumer use of them, marketers need to target the right demographic and make sure that the reward is targeted as well.  If you don’t, QR codes will become ubiquitous and invisible to the consumer.  What do you think? 

Music makes the world go round.....

By Kellie Lala

Have you ever gone to a music festival?  Lots of great artists, fun party atmosphere and huge crowds of people!  The concert industry suffered a huge decline in 2010 but this past summer’s festival season roared back.  According to USA Today, gross revenue for the top 100 tours dropped 13% in 2009 with ticket sales 12% down.  Consumers have shown that they crave that “smorgasbord” of bands that festivals provide but the downturned economy really hurt.  I really wanted to go to the Train and Maroon Five show at the Iowa State Fair last month.  What a great show it was bound to be!  It was on a Thursday though and that does not bode well for work the next day. J

Multiple bands mean more value for the consumer.  Brand loyalty from a band’s fan base helps drive that ultimate ticket purchase.  Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California sold out in a matter of days, even though the show was months away.  Kings of Leon, Arcade Fire, Kanye West and The Strokes headlined a bill of over 150 bands.  With our arena now closed in Cedar Rapids for renovations and the addition of a new convention space, we know that we must travel to the iWireless Center in Moline or the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines to see top artists.  Treat yourself to a concert featuring your favorite band.  Go ahead, Google them right now to see where they might be playing.        

I'm Sellin' Radio Now....Who Would Have Ever Thought?

By Joe Drahozal, General Sales Manager

Who would have ever thought?  Actually, I’ve always been a big fan of both stations, way back to chasing Eliot (the late Eliot Keller was a founder of KRNA and general manager of Z102.9 and 1600 ESPN for many years) around pitching a great insurance message (blah,blah,blah), and telling him what I thought of his radio business.   Eliot was always nice to me, teaching as we ate lunch every so often.  Teaching, but not really teaching in a traditional way as far as I knew (Eliot knew that’s the best way for me to learn).  Looking back, I learned a lot.
 

Radio is magic …….it really is.  Similar to airline flight……..magic!!   Nobody really knows how it works.  You turn on the radio…and, magic!  There it is - interesting, fun, informative, relevant information and Today’s Hit Music.  How cool is it to be involved?  Very cool.  And as far as airline flight, I don’t know……thrust and drag?

So how do you use this magic to help others?  Easy – how do you do anything well?  You believe in it.  It’s that simple.  Many say it’s passion.  Is it?  I say no.   Passion is reserved for helping family, friends, and for solving difficult problems.

Believing in something and wanting to do it well is nothing more than effort and caring.  The groundwork for doing radio well was laid here 35 or so years ago, by people way smarter than me. Believe in and care about what you do, give effort – and success follows.

So, I’m now in the business of teaching others how to use the “magic” to make their businesses grow.  Let me know if I can help.

How Soon They Forget

By Glen Gardner
Z102.9 and 1600 ESPN Branding Consultant
How soon they forget. In the marketing world it's a phrase we should
never forget. It gets played out in the real world each day and it's the
greatest enemy of your business maintaining any kind of mind-share. The
good news is, it's easy to solve. The bad news is, it takes resource.

A great example would be the political circus that recently played out
at the GOP Straw Poll in Ames. Michele Bachmann came screaming out of
the Ames event after a good showing and tons of media coverage. Seems
like you couldn't turn on a radio, TV or view a website without seeing
something about her. Just several weeks later it's "Michele who?"

Rick Perry jumped in the race and he grabbed the spotlight, but now just
a few weeks later he is dropping like a stone in the polls. The public
has a very short memory and needs constant reminding that you are there,
or they WILL forget.

It's not by accident that when a political candidate runs out of
resources, the campaign is over. They know that without constant
messaging to remind the public they are there, it's over and they are
out of business. Ask Tim Pawlenty.

So what is the lesson here for your business or service? You constantly
need to remind your potential and current customers that you are there,
or they will forget about you. The roadside is littered with defunct
businesses that assumed everyone knew they were there. I wish I had a
buck for every time someone said to me, "We don't need to advertise,
we've been here so long we don't need to." Or, "We are just going to
take a break for a while, we've done so much in the past it will carry
us." Both statements are prescriptions for disaster.

Be consistent with whatever budget you have and remember, they are
programmed to forget about you.

My Kingdom for a Nap

By Julie Hein, General Manager

Cheap.

Nice.

Quick.

Pick two.  Roy Williams has said that it’s impossible to offer all three.  Good product quick = high price.  Good product cheap = some inconvenience in getting it, some time invested.  If you want cheap and quick, the quality must suffer.

My perspective on how I shop has changed.  I’ve always been busy—at one point it was grad school, yoga, golf and slight case of workaholism.  I thought I was busy, but I was a naïve fool.  Now it’s the little girl shuffle, then work, with hopefully at least 20 minutes of hubby time in there each week.  A week feels like a day.  Every night when I wash my face before bed, I stare in the mirror and wish for one more hour in the day. 

This isn’t a rant about me (sorry if it felt that way!).  It’s an example of the internal rant of most parents.  Thinking back to Roy:  Cheap, nice or quick—pick only two.  I’ll pay more for anyone who can save me time.  Find a way to make it easier.  Feel free to raise your price.  I don’t mind.  Profit all you want as long as I get another half hour to split between checking e-mail and singing “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”

The Price To Pay

By Miranda Manigold

“What’s the price?”

“You’re expensive!”

“Can you give me a deal?”

I’m sure in the years you running your business you have heard those questions and comments.  I know I have!  But here’s the truth, unless if you are THE lowest price ALWAYS (like Wal-Mart or Southwest Airlines), then don’t focus on price in your marketing campaign.  The lowest price guys, will always be the lowest price guys no matter what – that is their story and they are sticking to it!

What is your story?  If you aren’t the lowest price (which most businesses aren’t, by the way), then you have a unique story to tell.  You need to shout your VALUE through your rooftops to your potential customers and tell them what is in it for THEM.

Our staff has led many businesses through this process successfully.  You hear them on our stations daily.  But if you want more proof, just ask.  We are willing to give you a list of client references who will be happy to tell you about how we helped them discover their unique story, created a specific marketing strategy for their company, and now their businesses are getting results!

Ultimately, you choose the price to pay…What is worth more to your business in the long run?  Being the lowest price guy who gets nickel and dimed?  Or do you want loyal customers to know your worth before they walk through your door because they have already heard your story?

Possibilities

By Julie Hein

I was talking this morning with some friends about how we typically measure ourselves.  We take stock of what we’ve done by creating this long list of tasks that need to be done and things to improve.  It feels like work.  It is work.  Just looking at the list can make you feel inadequate, overwhelmed and like a failure.  What a bad place to have worked hard and still feel like nothing is done or nothing is done perfectly enough.  

Another way to get your goal setting done is to document the progress and celebrate them first.  Then create the “piling on to our success” list that exacerbates those victories.  That might feel better, eh?  Positivity, baby! Get yourself some.  You’re doing a great job running a business -- be sure you spend time honoring those victories as you make plans for more of them!  

Claim Jumping

By Glen Gardner
CEO Glen Gardner and Associates
Branding consultant to Z102.9 and 1600 ESPN

One of the most serious errors I see in marketing is the unsubstantiated claim. For some reason, many people seem to think that the consumer will buy it - hook, line and sinker. The consumer in 2011 is more connected and more educated than ever. With smartphone penetration growing each day, consumers can instantly seek more information on anything. Most of the phones now include scanners that can instantly do a web search that will yield mountains of information on almost any product, business or service. The modern consumer is very leery.

When an unsubstantiated claim is made, you are setting yourself up for failure. When the consumer hears something like "best in the world" or "world-famous," you are setting the bar very high. In most cases there are other ways to say your product or service is great.

One of the best ways is to put a customer in the ad. An honest testimonial carries much more weight than an unsubstantiated claim. It works a lot better to have a customer telling a story about their experience with your business than tripping a potential customer's sniff test reflex.

As in many facets of life, honesty in advertising truly is the best policy. Tell the truth, tell a story, deliver on your promises and your advertising dollars will go a lot further and work a lot better!

--  Glen Gardner/CEO GG&A 608-848-8502 office 608-345-5291 cell gardner.glen Skype http://www.glengardner.net/

A Rosy Holiday Retail Season?

It seems like just yesterday I was enjoying the 4^th of July holiday in Minneapolis with a brisk hike around the lake with my family and pets in tow.  Now as I look at the weather channel’s weekly forecast, and projected lows in the 30’s, it’s dawned on me that summer is over and yesterday is possibly the last time we will see 80 degrees until at least next May.  If the internal calendar says it’s fall, the business calendar says it’s the holidays.

Just in the Saint Nick of time (holy cow, is that awful) comes a somewhat rosy holiday retail sales projection by those that claim to see the future.  Analysts in this article cite solid back to school spending as a key indicator of a solid upcoming holiday spending season.  Back to back solid holiday seasons will certainly come as a relief to some corridor businesses, which might otherwise be letting national grumblings of that dreaded “double dip” cloud their outlook.

Radio and TV make a great combo

By Kellie J. Lala

We all know how powerful electronic media can be.  Sound stays in our brains forever.  How many song lyrics do you know by heart (and you did not set out to memorize them), but sing along when you hear it on the radio?  A recent test led by Arbitron and Entravision Communications showed improved audience reach on both radio and TV. Based upon the Denver, Colorado survey conducted in 2011, it showed that consumer usage patterns of television and radio complement one another.  From 6am to 4pm, radio delivers 70-80% of the combined audience and television delivers 80% from 7pm-midnight.  The survey also found that each of these powerful mediums delivers a distinct and separate consumer.  So Mr/Ms. Advertiser, what does this mean for you?  By utilizing both radio and television with recommended schedules and budgets, it can be an effective way to increase your consumer reach.  Let us help you determine the best way to maximize your dollars $$.    

FW: A Friendly Pair of Eyes

By Miranda Manigold , Advertising Specialist & Sales Trainer

Radio, newspaper, phone books, donations, promotional gear, magazines, tradeshows, television, movie theater previews, billboards, social media, internet search engines, half-price coupons, etc, etc, etc…Where are your marketing dollars spent?  There are a lot of choices and more and more pop-up every day.  In fact a lot of business I work with confess that it is overwhelming to keep up with!  The good news is that all forms of marketing can work if you are doing it correctly…but are you utilizing the forms of media that you have chosen to market your business correctly?

Companies, organizations, even individuals go to great lengths these days to let you know what their name is, where they are located, how long they have been in business, etc.  They plaster their information all over the place.  Some businesses have marketing departments while a lot of times it is in the hands of the business owners to make the marketing decisions AND continue to run the daily operation of their business.  So, what is the right way to market your business?  I did say that there is a place for all marketing and it can all work if it is done correctly, right? 

The key is what you SAY that will impact your readers, listeners, and viewers to choose YOU over your competition.

How do you choose the right thing to say?  That’s where we help!  Roy Williams says,

“When a business owner can’t figure out how to take his company to the next level, it’s usually because the stairway that will take him there is hiding behind his blind spot.

You can’t see your own blind spot because you’re on the inside, looking out. The first step of a good consultant is to be a friendly pair of eyes on the outside, looking in.

A friendly pair of eyes to help you evaluate your limiting factors.
A friendly pair of eyes to help you find the message you must shout to the world.
A friendly pair of eyes to show you the opportunity that hides behind your blind spot.” 

Click here to read more from Roy Williams article.

If you are looking for a friendly pair of eyes, we are ready to help your business grow to the next level.

10th Anniversary of 9/11

By Kellie Lala

We all remember what we were doing or where we were on that horrible day in America’s history-September 11^th, 2001.  This year marks the 10^th anniversary.  Many marketers are struggling with the best way to connect with millions of consumers who will observe the day, without being insensitive.  Let me ask you--what would you like to see from one of your favorite retailers?  Special discount?  Commemorative items free with purchase?  Moment of silence at the exact time when the planes hit the towers?

The General Motors Foundation donated funds last month to increase support around the county for the 9/11 Heroes Run.  Home Depot is working with the rock band "3 Doors Down" to kick off a “Celebration of Service Campaign” that will run through Veterans Day on November 11^th.   It supports service projects that improve homes and community centers where veterans live and receive services. 

How will you remember those close to 3000 Americans lost on September 11^th ten years ago?  The thought still brings a tear to my eye and makes me proud that I live in this great country.  God Bless America!

Looking for a bargain?

By Kellie J. Lala

I love a bargain.  Perhaps it comes from working retail for 13 years.  Perhaps it is just because I LOVE to shop.  Whatever the reason, a recent Chicago Tribune (8.10.11) article says that “outlet malls are becoming more of a routine shopping destination”.  If you ever drive into Chicago on I-88 you go past the Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora about an hour or so out of the city.  The parking lot is always full and you might drive around for some time trying to snag a space.  You will also most likely be waiting in line to pay at the more popular stores like Coach, Nike or Kate Spade.  In fact, they Simon Property Group that owns the Aurora center announced in July 2011 that they will be adding a 130,000 square foot wing to the already 4440,000 center to begin in 2012.  Yippee!  More deals to be had.  During lean economic times, consumers are looking to still dress themselves in the latest designer fashions but at a better price.  We become more focused on price.  So, instead of planning a family excursion to the outlets those stops become more frequent for bargain hunting shoppers. According to Michele Rothstein, SVP at Simon “We’ve all come out of the recession with a whole new awakening that maybe we’ve got to do things a little differently”.  Think about your shopping habits.  Have they changed over the last few years?  Have stores that you frequent market to you differently?  The world of retail has changed vastly since in managed stores.  Online shopping has virtually brought every name brand or retailer into our homes.  What have you bought lately?  Did you feel that you got a bargain?  If not, how come?  Happy shopping!     

Radio Makes People "Happy"

By Kellie J. Lala

A client of ours sent me an interesting article from England.  A new study from across the pond concluded that “listening to the radio makes people happier than watching TV or surfing the Internet”.  I knew I loved London and Princess Diana for some reason!  J  Anyway, 1000 Brits participated in the study using their smartphones to respond to questions regarding their media consumption.  Radio is a life support system for listeners.  We tell you the weather and if your child needs a coat while waiting for the bus.  We give you updates on the traffic issues on I-380.  We alert you to potentially harmful weather (we have real live people in the building 24/7/365 to do just that). 

Ask yourself-why do you listen to the radio?  The study’s participants said that the whole idea of listening to the radio was to “gain companionship and, at the same time, enjoyment”.  We all like to listen to music.  Music makes us feel good.  You select the station playing the music that best suites our tastes.  That is why there are so many different stations around-a nice variety that will serve the mass population. Radio is much like ice cream.  “You choose the station that tastes best to you-the flavor you like the best is going to give you the most enjoyment”.  Radio also supports people’s daily activities.  Getting you up in the morning, motivating and keeping you company when you are cleaning the house and a friendly voice in the car on those long road trips.  The study also said that radio is more “resilient” than ever.  Radio continues to “embrace social media and smart phone technology to interact with their listener”.  Radio has the ability to drive it’s over the air users to digital platforms thus making the advertisers happy.  In fact, go to http://www.kzia.com/ and see how you can download an app for your smart phone and Z102.9 can go wherever you take your phone.  How cool is that? 

“Radio is such an integral part of our daily lives that perhaps we’ve forgotten how it truly affects us.  A lot of new media gets the attention and buzz, but people use radio more and more every year”.  Thanks for tuning in!

(Article in the Huffington Post 7/20/11)

Social media has potential downsides too

By Chris Law

Sure social media has an upside, the biggest of which it allows us to reach our potential customers and talk about our business for free.  But with all that flow of information it certainly has a downside as well.

We’ve probably all heard stories in which information contained on someone’s social media sight landed them in hot water.  The person whose significant other saw recent pictures of them out with the ex or the new college grad that lost out on a great job because of pictures posted on their Facebook page.  Those stories are so common that there are companies springing up that make money charging others to do social media research on individuals for them.  You can read about Social Intelligence here. 

It’s important that local business owners think about the impact of social media on their business as well.  Often times the owners of local business are the face and voice of their stores.  As the face of your business it’s important to remember that you remain so, even after the doors are locked for the night or weekend.  I’m not advocating that everyone who owns a business should be a teetotaler, but you might want to think twice before tweeting about that wild night, or worse putting pictures of that wild night on your Facebook page.

I recall a prospective client financial advisor client I met early in my career at the stations.  Prior to our meeting I conducted my typical meeting research which of course included Google.  One of the first things I came across was his Facebook page which featured an image of him dispatching a beer bong while at a tailgate party. 

While an image like that might not stop me from associating socially with that individual, it certainly might give me pause if I were about to let that person assist me in planning for retirement and ultimately be in charge of thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of my hard earned dollars.  Ultimately we never did business together but I’d like to believe I helped him by giving him some things to think about when I asked about those pictures in one of our meetings.

I’m aware that Facebook allows many different levels of permissions which in theory allow some folks have access to everything while others only see what we want them too, but is it worth taking a risk that something goes wrong?  I’m not sure it is.

Do you hear the dinner bell?

By Kellie J. Lala

 

Consumers are slowly returning to dining out for their evening meal.  Since the 2007 recession, consumers had cut their “dining out” budgets in efforts to add more dollars to their families’ bottom line.  More meals eaten at home mean leaner sales for restaurants.  Nation’s Restaurant News (6/27/11) reports that dinner visits increased 2% for the first 3 months of 2011.  That continues a 3% upwards trend from the last half of 2010.  This improvement may reflect some folks going back to work and an increase in consumer confidence.  We might also like to think it is the pent-up demand that is bubbling up.  The biggest jump is in fine dining (up 5%) compared to quick service restaurants(up 1%).  How has your family eating habits changed over the last 3-4 years? Have they changed in the last few months?  For me when I ate out, I was more careful of what I ordered and maybe didn’t add that glass of wine (but I’m not whining).  Why do you dine out?  Convenience, time to bond and have conversation, too busy to cook?  All of these are valid reasons to dine out.  For me, I just don’t cook.  The only reason there is a stove in my house is that it was there when I bought it!  However I love to get a deal.  With all the coupons, punch cards and deals available be sure to see if there is a way to save at your favorite haunt.  Right now there is the Red Lobster’s $15.00 seafood feast.  Panchero’s punch card to earn a free burrito.  Taco Bell’s daily taco deal.  Whatever your stomach is growling for-feed it in an effort to “feed” our economy.  It’s dinner time somewhere!   

Radio Listening up, up and away......

By

Kellie J. Lala 

First quarter 2011 shows an average of 241.6 million listeners who are 12 plus tune in to conventional radio stations in any given week.  That figure shows an increase over 2009 of 2.1 million people (USA Today-3/22/11).  According to Arbitron’s executive VP of sales and marketing, Carol Hanley “Radio is much stronger than the general perception has been”.  How come?  When radio is challenged by satellite and web-based audio services how can radio listenership be on the rise you ask? 

Radio can shift their programming very quickly.  I hate to brag but KZIA-FM is one of a very few stations that has people in the building 24/7/365!  And-we have been doing it for over a year now!  When severe weather hits, we let our listeners know.  When Osama is taken out, we let our listeners know.  When an area sports team does good, we let our listeners know. 

Good radio is still relevant and helps you get thru the day.  Weather, school closings, traffic issues….we tell you about it and that can make your day just a little bit better.  I would say that is a good thing….how ‘bout you?

Quack Quack!

By Kellie J. Lala

Don’t let the title mislead you.  I am talking about the new Aflac duck.  He’s got a new voice and it just happens to be a radio guy!  Hurray for radio!  After an extensive month long search that auditioned over 12,500 voices including celebrities, actors, professional voice-over artists and the general public, Aflac announced the new voice for the duck is a radio station sales manager from Hugo, Minnesota.  Dan McKeague, 36, is a married father of three and submitted his voice track online. His first ad was called “Pigeon” and you can find it on Aflac’s Facebook page.  You might be wondering what happened to the previous duck’s voice.  Actor Gilbert Gottfried was fired by the huge insurance company after making offensive comments on Twitter regarding the Japan earthquake.  Aflac gets 75% of its revenue from the Japanese market. Opps! 

As the saying goes…..be careful what you say and who you say it to.  You never know who you might offend or hurt.  Social media makes that even more true.

Mother's Love Bling

By Kellie J. Lala

Mother’s Day jeweler sales improved over 2010 (according to the National Jeweler).  Even with the price of silver and gold at record highs, $37.00 an ounce and $1500.00 respectively, many retailers were pleased overall.  Some popular items for moms this year included multi-gem birthstone “mother's rings”, basic gold earrings and chains, Pandora bracelets, diamond earrings and cross pendants.  White gold is still the popular choice over other metals.  

What did you buy your mother?  I love shopping so I always go for the multi gift purchase.  My mom got an outfit, plants for spring potting, candle, restaurant gift card and a funky blue kitchen spatula.  My mom does a lot of me, in fact many of my friends say “poor Donna”.  She does enjoy being able to help me out and I am always grateful for it.  My mom is so sweet that she was telling people that “every day is Mother’s Day living next door to my daughter”.   

What a nice thing to say. 

So-the question to ask yourself, what have you done for your mother today?

 

The Lesson of the Alpine Slide

By Glen Gardner/ Z102.9, 1600 ESPN Marketing Consultant
The changing seasons are really one of the best events to market around.
It gives people a reason to shift focus and start thinking about new
products and services that the change helps usher in. It's always a good
idea to think about how your product or service can benefit from the
change in behavior.
Sometimes the benefits and course is obvious. If you own a shop that
sells ski equipment, the summer might not be the best time to sink a lot
of marketing dollars into getting people to buy ski gear, but it doesn't
mean there is no opportunity.
One of the best examples I can remember brought me back to my New
England roots about 30 years ago. There were several ski areas in
western Massachusetts and Vermont that were trying to figure out ways to
use their facilities in the summer months. They had the real estate, a
lot of vertical drop, ski lifts and ticketing facilities. It all sat
idle and rusting all summer long because there's no snow.
Then one of the areas had the bright idea to install something called an
alpine slide. The alpine slide was a removable track that could be
installed over the ski runs down the mountain. People would slide down
those tracks on a sled that had wheels, a brake and looked a lot like a
bobsled.
These things became a huge hit and allowed these ski areas to turn a
huge seasonal negative into a huge positive. People were waiting on line
to slide down the runs on what used to be deserted slopes in the summer.
Soon many ski areas featured alpine slides and a new revenue source was
born!
As the summer approaches are there ways you can reinvent and re-market
your business or service to use what Mother nature is handing us? Think
about it, the right answer could be as fun as a thrill ride!

Smartphones are on the rise.

By Kellie J. Lala

I have been pondering a smartphone purchase.  I know eventually that we will all have these amazing creatures.  Actually, according to an Online Media Daily article from 2/28/11, smartphone shipments exceeded that of computers for the 1^st time in 2010 and their revenues for mobile data service grew 23% to $55 billion (yes that is with a B).

My wise former boss (may you RIP, Eliot) said that someday, land lines will be a thing of the past and everyone will use cellular devices to communicate.  He was right...again!  Laptops are also really taking a hit when you hear companies like GE and Mercedes-Benz are giving their employees iPads instead of laptops or netbooks. 

It is hard to hop on the electronic merry go round because the horses are changing almost on a daily basis.  What’s next?  What are you looking to purchase this year?

Happy shopping! 

Fastest Growing Restaurant Brands

By Kellie Lala

We all eat.  We all like variety and choices.  According to the March 14, 2011 Nation’s Restaurant News article, 500 of the country’s largest chains had sales increases in 2010.  I think that this reflects upon the improvements in our economy and the willingness of people to spend more of their disposable dollars on eating out.  The report says that fast casual and limited-service sandwich chains are the fastest growing.  The top of that list is Five Guys Burgers and Fries (I have never heard of them-have you?) at a whopping 38% in 2010.  Other big winners with increased 2010 sales include Jimmy John’s at 22% and Chipotle Mexican Grill  at 21%.  Other chains rounding out the top 10 include:  BJ’s Restaurants, Yard House, Cheddar’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Firehouse Subs, Noodles and Co. and Panda Express.  We will be able to try the Noodles and Co. in the Corridor soon as they will be opening a new restaurant on the Coralville Strip in the next few months. The world’s two big chains, Subway and McDonald’s also showed healthy sales growth in 2010 (both big radio users I might add).  If this is any indication of our economy’s recovery, it is great news!  Even as the Government runs out of money--consumers still are spending theirs!  Bon appetite!    

       

Book Review

By Julie Hein 

I’m re-reading a great book, Marketing Outrageously, by Jon Spoelstra.  He has worked in sports management for professional sports franchises, including as general manager of the New Jersey Nets. 

                      

One thing he advocates is asking yourself and staff, “what’s it going to take to….”  Insert some wild and crazy goal.  Then make a list of what it would take, even if it seems impossible or ridiculous.  Even if it means that you need a million dollars, a bunch new hires that you can’t afford and a new office space.  Just follow the thought through.  Then take it piece by piece and figure out how to get it.  You can’t get it all unless you plan for it, accept it as reasonable, dream and plan around the possibility.  It’s not “how do we end the season with 20 wins”; it’s “how do we win the Stanley Cup?”  Won’t be easy, but nothing good is.  Instead of asking, “how do I increase 5% over 2010, think about being the best of the best.”  Aim high!

He also wants everyone in an organization to ask themselves, “what did I do to make money for my company today.”  What would that do to your company? 

It’s a great book.  Especially if you feel like jumping in with both feet. 

Quake aftershocks felt 'round the world.

By Kellie Lala

Japan’s horrific earth quake and tsunami has far reaching effects.  Not just to loved ones around the world but also on many a business.  I found the pictures and images simply amazing and upsetting.  What a horrible thing for those people.  I really didn’t stop to think about the effects that this disaster might have on business until I started to see business articles  surface.  According to Automotive News on March 21, 2011, North American auto makers, suppliers and dealers are preparing for shortages in both parts and vehicles.   What does that mean for us as consumers?  Higher prices on new cars and parts,  higher gasoline prices and limited production on certain brands and models.  Assembly plant shutdowns will mean a loss of nearly 300,000 units by months end.  All the biggies-Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Suzuki motors were shut down for at least a week after the disaster.  Japan also exports 2 million transmissions a year to the USA.  Those plants were severely damaged as well, making auto parts prices bound to rise in the months ahead.   Many analysts are afraid to make predictions on the impact of the disaster.  What we do know is that the earth quake’s ripple effects goes far beyond the human tragedy.  I pray that Japan can recover from this sooner than later.         

A Guide to Social Networking

Like it or not, social media is here to stay.  And the “like it or not” part isn’t that important.  What IS important is that your customers like it. 

Like many I walk a fine line when it comes to social media.  On one hand it has the power to reach people more quickly and impact behavior ways that would have been unimaginable just a decade ago.  Its power and potential seem limitless, and in some cases frightening (see Egypt and their Facebook Revolution). 

On the other hand some of it seems so... invasive.  Does anyone really care about what Ashton Kutcher had for breakfast?  (As of this morning more than 6.4 million people evidently do)  And Earth to Wesley Johnson, you drove me bonkers in high school physics and we haven’t spoken in 18 years.  What makes you think I want to be your Facebook friend now?  (Apologies to Wes if he’s reading this).

All that said what IS important is that our customers like and use social media.  If they are there then we need to be there to.  The question isn’t really should we be, but rather where should we be?  Wikipedia claims there are over 200 well known and reputable social networking/media sites so clearly trying to be everywhere just isn’t feasible.  Here is an article that might help you narrow down that list a bit.

Titled “Nine Social Networks Your Business Should Be Using” it does a nice job of breaking down some of the many opportunities out there.  Do I believe everyone who reads this should be using all nine?  Maybe not (there are business benefits of getting a full night sleep once in a while as well) but I think it’s a good place to start.

Cheers,
Chris

When Breaking the Rules Costs You

By Glen Garner/ Z102.9 and 1600 ESPN Brand Marketing Consultant
There are times when breaking the rules can pay some big dividends, but
there are other times when breaking the rules can really break you.
I came across a great illustration yesterday as I was doing some
research on web marketing. The "blogosphere" was a buzz with news of a
new video streaming service that went live yesterday. The company is
called Zediva (http://www.zediva.com/). The company has begun streaming movies
on the web for a buck a piece. They had done a fair amount of PR and
advertising to get the word out.
Being interested in movies and already streaming some of that content, I
figured I'd give them a try and see what all the hype was about. I
entered the web address and was promptly ushered to a screen that told
me due to heavy traffic that they hadn't anticipated, the site had
crashed and was down. I tried again this morning and was told they
wouldn't take any more registrations as is illustrated in the graphic
pictured with this post.
They broke a cardinal marketing rule. Never, ever advertise before you
are ready and can handle the traffic that those ads will generate. They
asked me to do something in their outreach through the media. I did what
I was asked and visited their web site. I was rewarded with a big zero.
I even took the request one step further and went back today and again
was rewarded with nothing. So now, I'm done with them.
What their advertising ended up doing to me was chasing me away because
they are not ready for my business, and I will question whether they
ever will be.
Advertising can do great things for businesses that have their acts
together, but for businesses that don't, it can put you out of business.
I think this is a good rule never to break. Don't invite people to the
store if you aren't ready to deliver. Are you listening Zediva?

Mobile Media Consumption on the Rise.

By Kellie Lala

Everywhere you look you see people on their phones.  More and more of those are the fancy Smartphones.  

According to comScore (2/14/2011), there are some important mobile trends that surfaced in 2010.

*Smartphone adoption increased in both the United States and Europe by over 10%. 

  Those numbers are now 27% in the US and 31% in Europe.

*Nokia is #1 in UK, Germany, Italy and Spain. 

  Samsung took the top spot in US and France. 

*36% of mobile Americans and 29% of Europeans searched the web on their device.

*In 2010, mobile users accessed a social networking site at least month via their

  mobile device. 

  

So what do all of these statistics mean to you as a business owner.  Your customers are becoming more mobile and have a tremendous amount of information at their fingertips 24/7.  Your website, advertising and social media should be up to date, full of content that your prospects and customers find of interest and your merchandise or service should remain a front runner in your industry.  That is a tall order when you work in your business every day. Where do you find the time?  You should surround yourself with experts in their field to support your efforts.  Work with these experts to build trust and have them help to support your business.  As more subscribers use their mobile device to access the web in 2011, it is essential that you stay on top of reaching these consumers.      

Concentration is the Key!

by Jill Dennis

We always think we need to be talking to ALL of the people....ALL of the time.  We think that this is the best way to grow our business....to profit.  But what if by trying to do that we accomplish nothing?  We spread ourselves too thin and our message ends up getting lost. 

According to Jim Doyle and his presentation on Upgrade Selling, he shows how to dramatically increase the results you get for your business.

Step 1.  Reach the right people.

For most businesses, the way to get more advertising results is to find more people who look like your BEST customer.  Put your advertising dollars towards attracting that CORE customer.

Step 2.  The message.

Sell what the customer BUYS.  For example, colleges aren't in the "college' business but in the "how to make your life better" or "get a job" business.  Then keep the ad as consistent as you can and for as long as you can.

Step 3.  Frequency. 
It's important to have multiple exposures in this information cluttered world.  When you spend your dollars in fewer places, it allows you to have more frequency in your advertising which will translate into better results.  Your results will go up dramatically.  Dominate fewer places - but own them!

CONCENTRATION IS THE KEY TO ALL ECONOMIC SUCCESS - Peter Drucker

People Go Where They Are Invited

By Chris Law

People go where they are invited.  Makes sense huh?  How often do you drop in on even good friend uninvited?    It's not really any different for your potential customers.  If you aren't extending an invitation chances are someone else is and the people?  They go where they are invited.  Firehouse Sub's (an East Coast based chain) realized the benefits of inviting customers to stop by during the depths of the recession.  You can read all about it here.

  

The good news is the recession is over and people are indeed spending money again.  The bad news for some local businesses is they aren't necessarily spending it in the same places they did pre-recession.  The last two years have altered buying habits of many customers and unless they are invited to make a change their habits just might become permanent.  Perhaps it's time to send an invite their way?

The Lemonade War

By Jill Dennis

So....my 5 year old son brings home a book from school.....it's a book that his entire grade school is reading together at home with their families and I thought to myself that it was probably a little early for a Kindergartner to have homework.....but I always enjoy a reason to read to my son so I was excited about it.  The book is called The Lemonade War, and it's a book that effectively combines math, economics and marketing - all equally interesting.  The book is about two siblings who are completely different who decide to have a competition of who will raise the most money with their own lemonade stands.  Evan is people smart while his sister is math smart.  Evan is good at talking to people, even grown ups, but his younger sister Jessie is not especially good at understanding people.  So when their Lemonade War begins there's no telling who will win!  As we read the book together I realized what a basic handbook it is for business ideas and busines theories.  The entire book is about how these two siblings realize that having both basic business and social skills are important to get along in business as well as life.  This book is good and GREAT for young capitalists!!

Spend and Save a Little.

By Kellie Lala 

It’s that time of year-Tax season!  According to a 2011 recent National Retail Federation survey, Americans are ready to use their tax refunds to treat themselves or their families.  What might they buy you ask?  Major purchases like a new television or furniture top the list.  However, the economy is still looming as a reminder that they just might want to save some of their tax refund for a rainy day.  Personally, I like to do a combination of the two.  I love to travel, so my refund goes to fund that passion along with putting some of my money in savings.  Look at your tax refund as “free money” and it can be used to also pay down any credit cards or debt that you may have.  My wise, former boss Eliot Keller, would always tell me that the Government had used my money interest free for the past year and now they give it back to me in the form of a tax refund.  I agreed with him 100%, however I like getting a “chunk of change” in the form of my tax refund. 

According to the National Retail Federation survey, 63.9 percent of Americans have filed their taxes by the end of this month (February) and their refunds will soon be on the way into boosting our economy.  Approximately 66% of tax payers are expecting a refund this year.  With that many Americans getting money back we can only hope that they will shop at local stores, pay for their daughter’s weddings, buy an “Imported from Detroit” new car or go see the Grand Canyon for the first time. 

How about you?  What will you do with your “free money”?  

Making Friends with Broca

By Julie Hein

I’ve never been “clubbing” in NYC, Chicago or LA or any other place for that matter.  We did our share of damage in the ped mall in Iowa City some time ago, but I’ve never been to one of those cooooooool places where they look you over before they admit you.  You know what I mean, right?  Those places in the movies that Madam Hottie gets right through, but the rest of the ordinary folk stand behind the rope, waiting.  Interesting, attractive and persuasive people (or ones passing out the bribes!) get through.  Boring, tired, ordinary people wearing last year's Manolos are ignored.  It’s up to the beefy guy in the black leather coat, evaluating at the door with a nod for the beautiful and a blank stare for the not-so-beautiful.  (author’s note:  I’ve never even seen Manolos.  I really need to get out more.)

Your brain has a similar setup.  It's called Broca's Area.  Broca is the guy who loves verbs and hates, detests, despises anything predictable.  He wears a black leather coat and turns his back on anything boring, cliché or redundant.   When you hear someone start to ramble on about themselves, this guy shuts them down.  He gives you a mental vacation where you’re standing there, eyes and ears open, but you’re not receiving any information.  He hears or sees something over-used, trite and tired and says, “get lost”—and you never even know.  He’s the gatekeeper to your brain--and no dullards will get past him. 

So, as we plan, write and produce commercials, we need to think about Broca’s area.  Roy Williams, author, marketing wiz and general good guy (please tell him I said so!), says that surprising Broca is essential in all advertising.  Make sure that your ads don’t sound like ads, that they don’t blather on about your store, your hours, your tradition, etc. Instead talk about what your customer cares about, and you'll fly right by Broca to the pre-frontal cortex.  (That's where decisions are made.)  Use strong verbs and few adjectives.  Adjectives are over-used and expected, therefore easily get on the black-ball list.  

If you want help or to chat more, give a yell.  We're here. 

Start a Revolution

By Kellie Lala

 

The breaking news of last week was Egypt’s President Mubarak’s resignation.  Headlines told of a uprising from the people, a revolution if you will.  Apparently their government is one of the most corrupt in the world and Mubarak has been in power for nearly 3 decades.  When you hear that  their court system is so corrupt that you can pay money to get your case on the court’s agenda, but then whichever side pays the most to the judge wins.  Not a very good justice system if you ask me.  Living in the U.S.A., we complain about our justice and court system.  But after hearing these horrific stories from half way around the world we need to count our blessings.  No government is perfect and we all know things could improve.  As Egypt looks to have some new constitutional amendments in place within two months, we can all watch their reform and be grateful for the freedoms that many of us take for granted.  I have always dreamed of traveling to Egypt to see the pyramids, float down the Nile River and see ancient tombs of mummies.  Perhaps someday in the future, I can fulfill my dream.  In the meantime,  what sort of revolution can you start with your life, business or service group?