New Beginnings

By Julie Hein

As we wrap up 2012, 2013 is lying ahead, all fresh and new and full of hope. 

Is there something that you should pursue, but you haven't had the time or courage?  What's keeping you awake at night?  Can you start to fix it now?  How would you feel if six months from now, everything is the same? Yeah, crappy right?  You don't have to figure out the whole plan today -- just take the first step now.  Then when the time is right, take another one. 

MLK, Jr said, "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step."  Where can you go? 

B2B Marketing Trends to Watch in 2013

By Kellie J. Lala

 

 

Did your business have the year you had planned for in 2012?  If so, congrats!  If not, what are you looking to change to have a better year in 2013?  As a 20 year radio sales veteran, I am excited about the new year and new challenges.  It is my job to help businesses grow, and I love being a part of their success.  According to a recent Radio Sales Today article (12/28/12), they are saying that digital marketing will continue to grow.  What do you do in that arena?  Social marketing, website improvement, web sales and mobile integration are all ways to increase your business’s footprint.   How will your business marry new technology with your traditional media (radio, TV, direct mail, billboards and more)?  Radio is a great way to have listeners action on your message in real time.  Direct them to your website for the call to action.  A widely known secret is a lot of web browsing and shopping occur during the work day (9am-5pm) so why not be on their radar?  I would love to share more secrets to help you grow your business in 2013.  Happy New Year and cheers to your success. 

 

 

 

 

Did You Ever Wonder?

By Julie Hein

What if...

• You doubled your prices?  What could you provide to your customers to make it worth twice as much to them?
• You took 29 minutes each day to work on the business instead of in it? 
• You committed to sending a thank you note each day -- who deserves today's?
• You smiled twice as much--would people notice and smile more too?
• Your staff could spend more of their time doing the things they're great at doing and less time doing things they're not great at?
• You asked your best customers what they love about doing business with you? 

What if?

Test Drive Anyone?

 

By Kellie J. Lala

 

According to a recent report from Automotive News (11/26/12), one in five new-car buyers did not test drive a single vehicle.  I don’t know about you but I find that rather odd.  When I shop for a car, I want to see how the vehicle fits me, how smooth the ride is and what blind spots there might be.  The report goes on to say that  more than half only test drove one vehicle.  Consumers today are savvy buyers (thanks in part to the internet) but a car is not a pair of shoes or gym shorts.  It is a big purchase and one that you will hang onto for many years to come.  As we continue to speed on the technology super highway, that area will most likely have had the most change since buying your previous vehicle.  There are so many advances each and every year that sometimes your new model becomes obsolete before your first oil change.  Automakers and dealers need to encourage consumers to “experience” the new technology firsthand as the average new-car consumer is out of the market for 6 ½ years between purchases.  Any new model catching your eye lately?  If so, take it for a spin just for fun!     

 

 

 

 

Dogs and Cats are here to stay.

By Kellie J. Lala

 

 

The dogs and cats in our lives continue to get the royal treatment even during a slow economy.  For example, look how the pet costumes have grown for Halloween over the past few years.  According to Marketing Daily’s 11/5/12 article, the pet market in the USA is worth more than $49 billion in 2012, up 15% since 2007.  Pets have many of the same needs that their human owners have with food and medical topping that list.  The strong bond that is shared by the owners and their pets provide significant marketing opportunities for manufacturers, vets and retail outlets.  Pet food makes up a whopping $18 billion followed by veterinary services. 

 

In fact, 90% of pet owners pay close attention to the health and well-being of their dog/cat to keep them healthy.  The bond between a dog owner and their companions appear to be stronger than those of cat owners (hate to get into a “cat fight” over that one) but that could be because as Americans, we own 43% dogs and 32% cats of the 64% of households having pets.  Owners also feel that their dog understands their feelings better than most people.  I have certainly heard from many friends/family members that their dog loves them each and every day no matter what has happened and is ALWAYS glad to see them. 

 

What can learn from our pets….be a good listener and always greet your friends and family

with a smile and wagging tail.    

Marketing Lesson of the Election: You Can’t Polish a Turd

By Glen Gardner/marketing consultant

Billions of dollars were spent on marketing various candidates over the past several months aimed at trying to convince voters. Now that the dust has settled, the question of how effective those billions of dollars were looms large. More than $1.5-billion was spent by outside groups on both sides trying to influence the outcome of the vote. That doesn't count the billions spent by the campaigns. Most of that money was spent on television advertising.

 

So, what did all that spending accomplish? Before the election the Democrats held the White House and Senate. Republicans held the House of Representatives. Billions later the Democrats still hold the White House and Senate. Republicans control the House. I think you get the message. Sometimes we get so involved in polls, demographics, psychographics and the like, that we forget to look at the end result. Nothing really changed!

 

Much of the money spent on television ads was wasted because some of the basic rules of marketing were violated and some assumptions were made that just aren't true.

 

Bad assumption: If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it. In this campaign many lies were repeated very often on all sides. So often and so obvious that virtually no one believed them by the time they voted. This bad assumption is proven wrong every day when you look at your email. Have you contacted that poor soul in Nigeria that just needs a couple of thousand to access a million that you can have half of? Have you given the Euro Lotto your Social Security number because you're the grand prize winner? Those lies are repeated all the time, but they just aren't believable, like many of the ads you've been subjected to. You just hit the delete button in your head.

 

Just as is the case with the email scams, these political marketers believe they can steal votes by repeating lies. Just show the opponent in black-and-white and have them moving in slow motion while an ominous voice tells you that person is responsible for everything from an early winter to the NFL ref lockout. DELETE!

 

Broken marketing rule: Make sure the product is solid before you spend money. Herein lays a very basic marketing principle that played big in the failure of all those billions of dollars. In the case of this election, the product is the candidate. If your product isn't ready for prime-time, you can save the money. If you look at many of the candidates who lost on both sides, the common thread is they were flawed. Spend all the money you want, but the majority of people won't buy a flawed product.

 

The lesson for anyone selling anything is; don't lie and don't spend a cent until your product is right.

 

As an old marketing professor of mine once said, "You can't polish a turd. It's still a turd." -->

Falalalalalalalala!

By Kellie J. Lala

 

Ok, I must admit I like the holidays. Perhaps it’s my name or that I love to shop and buy for others (and myself).  Whatever the reason, the season is sneaking up on us!  According to The Center for Media Research, 50% of consumers plan to spend the same amount during the 2012 winter holiday shopping season as they did last year.  12% plan to spend more and 54% say a total of $500 or more.  Those remaining shoppers say that with the increase in prices for food, gas and other life necessities, they are on a bit of a budget.  I must admit that I begin shopping after the holidays are over from the previous year.  I keep a running list of what I have purchased, that way I don’t double up on gifts.  This is also a great way to better budget the overall expen$e of Christmas.  I also think that consumers are savvy shoppers who compare on-line and big box prices.  Free shipping is almost expected when ordering on-line.  Recently, I was surprised that shipping for a shirt I ordered from a catalog was $12.95!  Are you kidding me?!?!?  That ate up my coupon savings and more!  

Why don’t we all make a pledge to “shop locally” this season. I know that we can’t always get everything on our list, but why don’t you try to first.  Local dollars spent help our local economy and right now there are lots of positive things happening in our community.  I hope you find everything on your Christmas list this year for those you love.   Happy shopping!

 

 

 

 

 

Branding --What Does Thinking Long Term Do for YOU?

By Julie Hein

A pal of mine, Tim Miles, had a great post on his blog today.  Tim is a Wizard of Ads Partner, so he hangs out with cool people like Roy Williams.  Tim just published a book, because he's smart.  Link to book here.  Anyway, the blog post today was great.  Maybe because he was writing in the middle of the night -- and most of the truly great ideas are waiting either in your shower or in half-awake subconscious.  Please read this and think about what branding could do for you. 

Is this heaven or an outlet mall?

By Kellie J. Lala

 

Anyone who knows me, knows I love to shop.  I also love to get something on sale.  Outlet stores and malls have certainly evolved over the years.  They have gone from overstocks and "second" merchandise to new and current season merchandise.  Contrary to popular belief, most of the goods sold in outlet stores today are new.  The days of last season’s cast offs, over-runs and past trends are virtually over.  This has come about in the past 10 years or so.  After the economy took a nose dive in 2008, the makeover of outlet stores began to rise.  In fact, outlets have been one of the fastest growing retail segments in a down economy.  Tanger’s (we have a Tanger Outlet Mall in Williamsburg that has expanded at least 3 times over the years) average shopper has a household income of $69,000.00 (which is above the nations average of $48,500.00).  Tanger is also opening new outlet malls near major cities;  Phoenix, Houston and Washington DC in order to compete with traditional malls.  Nordstrom Rack will double its stores by 2016 featuring prices 30-70% below those of Nordstrom’s.  Every woman loves to brag that she paid $300 for a $500 retail Coach bag.  The brand must equal the brand in quality and appearance in order for outlets to continue to grow.     

 

(Source:  DailyFinance.com 10/01/12)

 

 

 

 

 

The Prime Directives of Marketing Apply to All

By Glen Gardner/marketing and branding consultant

Many times when I’m engaged by a company, it’s to help figure out why a campaign isn’t working. In many cases it’s because a company or organization broke a basic marketing rule. One of those basic rules is never over-promise and under-deliver. It’s always far better to under-promise and over-deliver.

This rule has played out in a big way for Apple over the past several weeks, and it proves that even a marketing and engineering dynamo like Apple can pay a huge price when they stumble. The Guardian estimates the latest debacles involving Apple mapping technology and problems with Siri voice recognition have cost the company $30 billion in stock valuation.

Prior to the release of the iPhone 5, the Guardian reported Apple set the bar very high with the words they used to promote the new technology. “Designed by Apple from the ground up, maps gives you turn-by-turn spoken directions, interactive 3D views, and the stunning flyover feature. All of which may just make this app the most beautiful, powerful mapping service ever.”

The experience of many Apple customers has been far from the “most beautiful, powerful mapping service ever.” There have been widespread reports of glitches and mistakes that have frustrated Apple users accustomed to the buttoned-down service from Google that used to be part of the Apple offerings for iPhone.

Apple executives were quick to acknowledge the mistakes and apologize, but much of the damage had already been done and they could offer no real immediate fix. They suggested using the phone’s web browser to access Google Maps, but that doesn’t offer turn-by-turn voice nav.

The lesson to be learned is never over-promise and under-deliver. Remember, even a company as big as Apple feels the bite when they ignore the marketing basics. It could be a fatal mistake for smaller companies with fewer resources.

Another Cool Shout Out for the Creative Corridor

By Julie Hein, General Manager

Well, another mention by the national media about how cool we are around here.  Yeah, we know it's a great place to live.  This time it's the Wall Street Journal.  I'd link you to the article, but it's only for their subscribers.  The title is "Need a Loan?  Where Do You Live?" if you are a subscriber and want to find it.  Or the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance has it too.

I'll give you the Cliff Notes version here.  In Cedar Rapids, the 177th largest metropolitan area in the U.S., banks make 11% more consumer loans in 2011 than they did in 2006.  Q4 alone was 52% hirgher than the same period in 2006.

We didn't have a huge housing bubble to drop from.  We don't have a lot of fluctuation in any of our markets--housing, employment, whatever.  Auto loans and mortgages are up 38% and 18% respectively, the largest increases in the country.  Low interest rates even with below average credit scores--also a bunch of those around here.  2.9% interest on car loans?  We got that. Mortgages without closing costs or origination fees?  Those too!  Our deliquency rates are low. 

Quoting Eliot Keller, "Yay.  I love us."  We love the Corridor!

Boo!

By Kellie J. Lala 

 

Hard to believe that Halloween is truly right around the next scary corner!  I just decorated my home for Halloween over this past weekend.  According to CNBC and the National Retail Federation’s Halloween survey, a record 170 million of us will celebrate Halloween this year.  I have heard that Halloween is becoming one of the most celebrated of our annual holidays…right behind Christmas (of course).  It gives grown adults a reason to let loose and have a good time.  Spending is to be around the $8 Billion (yes, that is a B) mark which shows a growth of over 16% over 2011.  The average person will spend $79.00 on décor, costumes and candy.  I just bought a small bag of candy corn and it is a hard candy to resist. The bag is nearly gone!  Costumes continue to be the biggest spend and retailers say that they become more elaborate and require more accessories each year.  Social media is playing a bigger role in how people select their costumes.  Friends ask friends for inspiration or go to consumer sights like Pinterest for ideas.  While families with children make up a big chunk of the total spending, adults continue to be more active with their dollars around Halloween.  Don’t forget about the pets.  People continue to love on their pets and dress them up.  So what are your plans?  How will you celebrate on Wednesday,

October 31^st?  Be sure to turn to Z102.9 to hear all of the fun and spooky things that we will be doing  this year.  BOO!

 

 

 

 

 

Home Improvements Anyone?

 

By Kellie J. Lala

 

I have been wanting to paint my front door red for about a year.  Finally got it done (4 coats of paint I might add), and it looks great.  I also added some black and white tile to it and a customized saying (yet to be done).  It took a while to noodle around in my head before it became reality but the end result is awesome!  How about you?  Got any home improvement projects on your “to do” list before the cold weather hits Iowa?  According to Harvard University’s Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity; spending is expected to rise 12.2% by early 2013.  Here are some staggering numbers to wrap your mind around.  Complete home remodel: $192,724, new kitchen:  $24,766, swimming pool:  $34,190, bathroom remodel:  $10,723 and new roof:  $9,454.  The average cost of a custom-built home is $576,460.00 so a bit remodeling here and there seems a lot more affordable.  (These costs come from Remodeling Magazine).   

 

What would you like to have new in your home?  I see my home as a sanctuary and I want to happy in it when I slow down long enough to actually be home to enjoy it!  So spruce up the front porch with pumpkins and corn stalks.  Fall begins this Saturday, and it is never too soon to think about the holidays and what needs done before the relatives head over to your house.  Enjoy the change of our seasons!

 

 

 

Stayin' Alive

By Glen Gardner/ Marketing Consultant

Do you have any idea what the #5 album in the country is right now
according to Billboard? Here's a clue: It's not K$sha, Taylor Swift or
Katy Perry. According to Billboard, the fifth best-selling album in the
nation is the Bee Gees "Number Ones" at about 32,000 units.

Thinking this to be a bit odd, I dug a little deeper to find out why a
band with only one surviving member and an album released before Moses
was a kid saw a 3,000 percent sales increase in the last charting period.

It turns out the reason is a little outfit called Amazon. If there was
every any doubt that Amazon has done a great job of dominating the
retail landscape, Billboard provided a pretty good lesson last week.
Amazon priced the 2004 offering from the brothers Gibb at 99 cents for
three days during the reporting period. That accounted for virtually all
of the 3,000 percent sales increase.

Next time you consider your competition, don't forget to include Amazon.
The recent problems that electronics giant Best Buy is experiencing also
have some roots in the explosion of Amazon. It seems Best Buy has become
Amazon's showroom. Folks head out to Best Buy, touch and feel the
components they are interested in and then order them on Amazon. It will
probably result in Best Buy closing scores of stores and drastically
reducing square footage in the brick and mortar stores that remain.

To survive in this new retail landscape you have to offer your customers
much more than a commodity that they can get on Amazon. You don't want
to become an Amazon showroom. Not only do you have to offer superior
service, but you have to let the potential customer know how you are
truly different. That means a consistent marketing message aimed at
making sure you are staying alive!

Congratulations!

By Julie Hein, General Manager

The Iowa City Area Development Group and the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance just released some great news for the Creative Corridor. 

CNN Money ranked Iowa City and Cedar Rapids in their "America's Best Small Cities" list.  Iowa City also was on the list for affordable homes and Johnson County make the list of counties nationwide in the category of "where the jobs are." 

It's a nice place to live and work!  It's great when someone else notices too. 

The word on Mobile Advertising

By Kellie J. Lala 

Do you pay attention to mobile ads?  According to a recent survey by Hipcricket, 25-34 year old consumers have the most interest and interactivity with mobile ads.  70% have made a purchase and 58% say they would provide personal information in exchange for a reward or coupon.  This is twice as many than the 45-54 year old consumer.  The study goes onto say that the younger consumer thinks more positively about their favorite brands after interacting with them via their mobile device.  They even are more likely to recommend the brand to a friend.  Don’t get too excited yet….  For those who have yet to engage with a mobile ad, the reasons are varied.  43% say that the ads weren’t relevant to their interests and 39% said the ad didn’t appeal to them.  We are all going at warp speed and are time starved.  To take time to pay attention to everything that comes our way in any given a day would give us all a headache!   Don’t get me wrong, I love a coupon, bargain or a deeply discounted sale but on “my” terms.  I recently bought some lotion at a large bath and body store (you figure it out) and they asked for my email.  Sorry, I don’t want to give that out so I have delete the weekly (or more) offers they shoot over to my mailbox.  How about you?  Do you have a smart phone that is always making you an “offer”?   Is your email box filled with offers and coupons?  

Thanks for reading and if you want to engage in some way with us, give us a shout or email.  We would love to talk to you.

By Kellie J. Lala

According to an article by eMarketer, one in three online consumers will use a Tablet by 2014.  No, not a headache medicine tablet, silly, an iPad or Android tablet.  They are relatively new (2 years or so) but at the end of 2011, 33.7 million Americans were using one monthly.  That is an increase of over 158% since its first year out.  I think Apple is such an amazing company that consistently sets the bar really high.  They never stop inventing or out-doing their last invention.  Can you say that same thing about you, your business or your career?  I know, it is hard to stay fresh in an ever changing world.  I try to stay current by reading magazines, trade papers and sales articles.  I love sharing a relevant story with a prospect or client.  With our fast-paced world, we need to always be striving to be better.  What have you done to improve yourself this week?  Think about it and have a great Z day!  Thanks for stopping by.  

Silver Linings

By Glen Gardner, marketing and brand consultant

Watching and listening to the coverage of the recent heat wave and drought hitting much of the country reminded me that in many “bad” situations there are potentially good outcomes for many businesses.

As I’m writing this, the temperature here in Cedar Rapids is cracking through the 100 degree mark. I’ve seen stories about the disastrous impact of the heat on many sectors of the economy. For sure, there will be many negative impacts, from higher corn prices to farmers suffering huge losses.

There will also be winners. The point was driven home to me when I was talking with a farmer earlier in the week. She grows corn and pumpkins.  She told me the corn crop is looking really bad with the sweet corn already a total loss. She also told me the pumpkin crop was thriving and the dry weather meant there would be less labor needed to wash the pumpkins when they are harvested.

I noticed the same phenomenon when I talked to people about the flooding that plagued Cedar Rapids four years ago. There were many businesses that were destroyed or damaged, but there were others that thrived. The demolition business got a huge shot in the arm as did the construction sector that has been busy rebuilding damaged parts of the city.

I also talked with a catering company and a pizza restaurant that had their best years ever during the flooding. People needed prepared food and those companies were in a position to provide it.

So, where is the silver lining in the challenges your business faces? It takes creativity and courage, but often times there is opportunity in adversity.

AdSpeak

By Julie Hein, General Manager

Sometimes we frighten prospects or clients when we don't want their ads to sound like other ads.  We're trying to engage listeners.  Persuade them to like you, show up at your (virtual or front) door and spend some of their valuable time and money with you.  That's a tall order if you want to sound like some other guy or you try to say 30 things in 30 seconds.

Be yourself but talk to them in their own language.  One of Roy Williams partners puts it well here if you'd like a second opinion.

We're here if you need us. 

Food anyone?

By Kellie J. Lala

Boy, do we eat a lot.  A list of the 2011 largest retailers was recently released by the National Retail Federation (7/2/12).  No surprise, Wal-Mart tops the list by a huge margin.  The number 2 spot went to the largest supermarket company in the United States-Kroger. They have found some national success while still maintaining it local footprint.  They grew 9.1% from 2010.  Safeway saw a 5.6% growth and rejoined the top 10 list (first time since 2007). New programs like the mobile-driven “Just of you” helped gain more loyalty.  Whole Foods (with a new store opening this week in West Des Moines) and Aldi both enjoyed double digit growth last year.  With increase costs for food and fuel many consumers turned to club retailers and a strong desire to save time and money.  Convenience is the key with both of these commodities that

we all need to function on a daily basis. 

The 2011 largest retailers list is as follows:

1.      Wal-Mart $316B   +2.6%

2.      Kroger  $85B

3.      Target  $68B

4.      Walgreens $66B

5.      Cost-co   $64B

6.      The Home Depot  $62B

7.      CVS  $59B

8.      Lowe’s  $49B

9.      Best Buy  $37B

     10.  Safeway  $36B

What is your favorite store?  What have you cut down on since the recession ended in 2009?  Do you use grocery coupons to save $?  Happy shopping everyone!

What do you support?

By Kellie J. Lala
This is a great question to ask yourself.  What is important to you?  What do you value in life?  My belief is that the more you give of yourself or of your resources to others, the better you feel. I have done many things over the years.  I counseled at high school church camp for many years, I volunteer at Theatre Cedar Rapids and Brucemore.  I am active in my church.  One of my current passions is a primary school in Karatu, Tanzania in East Africa.  I raise much needed money to help build more classrooms, support students or buy books for the future library. 

J.C. Penney just launched a charity program on July 1^st that encourages customers to donate to a new cause each month.  How do they do that you might want to know?  They invite customers to round up their purchase to the nearest whole dollar and donate that difference to the charity partner of the month.  For July, that partner is United Service Organizations (USO) which helps America’s troops and their families. 

So, let me ask you again….what do YOU support?

Who Is Your Competitor--Think Far and Wide

By Julie Hein, General Manager

My husband stays home with our daughters.  So, that opportunity cost of lost income is the competition for the solid surface countertop store. Fill in many categories of lost revenue that we would spend if he worked outside the house:  vacation, auto, restaurants/take-out, house cleaning.  We had a choice between devoted-dad (high quality child care) and pretty counter tops.  We picked the expensive childcare.  The value was there for us.  Just like someone who buys a pool for their backyard—that might cut into their new HDTV budget.  Or buying gasoline at $3/gallon cuts into the Happy Meal budget.  In order to go on a great vacation, you drive your car one more year.  You get the picture. 

Your competitors aren’t just the obvious ones.  Your thoughts, efforts and marketing can’t all be directed toward reacting to the jerk who stole your best employee last year and runs a huge sale every July.  Look at what your potential customers are doing.  How can you best help them?  Do you need to throw out old models and systems?  Be sure you know exactly what game you’re playing—and who all the real threats are.  Think big as you consider what your customer needs from you.  Figure out the value you provide and all the true reasons that they buy from everyone in your industry and the ones that they buy from you specifically.

Skipping Marketing 101 Class Can Kill You

By Glen Gardner/Branding Consultant

Scanning my Google News feed this morning, I was struck by one of the headlines. It read, “Facebook Draws User Ire with email Switcheroo.” The story was about media giant Facebook changing the email addresses of all its users without telling anyone. The new address displayed on your Facebook page now carries a Facebook.com ending.

The reaction was swift and almost universally negative. This comes on the heels of several other blunders by Facebook, from not communicating security changes to the botched IPO several weeks ago.

No matter if you’re big or small; not communicating with your customer base can kill you. The most important part of communication in these cases is the listening part. That’s Marketing 101, and failing to do it will almost always hurt your business.

Companies as large as Facebook get it wrong as do small businesses. If Facebook asked their customers what they thought in advance of this latest news, they would have discovered it was not popular. That doesn’t mean it’s a mistake to do it, but they could have given people choice on the front-end and avoided the negative barrage. Now they have had to back-track.

After the attention-grabbing recall election in Wisconsin in June, Governor Scott Walker said something that struck a chord with me. After millions of dollars and a brutal campaign, he was asked if he would have done anything different in retrospect. He said he would have taken more time to listen, explain his positions and build consensus before taking action.

It’s Marketing 101 in both cases. Listen before you act and the result is almost always better.

Honor thy Father.

By Kellie J. Lala

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 17^th.  Do you know that the average spending this year (according to the National Retail Federation’s latest survey) will be up 10% to $117.14!  Sorry Dad, Mother’s Day spending is more in the range of $152.00.  Typical gifts include those shiny new golf clubs, the hottest electronic gadgets, a new smartphone or a new grill.  He might not be expecting the ‘royal treatment’ but he doesn’t have much of a say as his loved ones want to be sure it is a great day!  Many department stores have their shelves stocked.  Great gifts include a new shirt, tie, aftershave, cologne or even new boxers.  I love shopping at Von Maur as they will wrap and ship your gifts for free.  A great, customer focused store….not many like them left.  Remember, there are many types of dads out there:  fathers, stepfathers, husbands, sons, grandfathers, brothers and friends.  Don’t wait till the card shop only has bent cornered cards left.  Get shopping today so you can check it off your list.

Holiday Shopping

By Kellie J. Lala

Memorial Day is this weekend.  I don’t know about you but I like to think that this is the kick off to summer.  It also makes me ask “where did April and May go to?”.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I love to shop.  So when I see shopping stats it makes me pause and pay attention.  Based upon recent surveys from 2 of America’s top research groups, shoppers will approach Memorial Day as a “big” shopping weekend.  Consumers are clipping coupons and looking for sales on this typical summer kick off weekend.  Some might even call this the Black Friday of the spring!  They are saying that shopping levels this holiday weekend could exceed 35% as compared to 2011.  It is also a great time to pick up a cute new summer outfit or two while the selection is still good.  By the Fourth of July weekend, racks are getting picked over and back to school along with Fall is arriving in the stores.  So what are you waiting for?  Grab your credit cards and head to the stores!

Houston, Can You Hear Me?

By Julie Hein, General Manager

Had a rare moment when I both kids and hubby were asleep, and I didn't have any stray work to do.  Turned on Bravo.  Pre-kids, Bravo and I used to be pretty close friends.  Now, not so much.  There was a new (I think) show called Around the World in 80 Plates with Curtis Stone as one of the hosts.  I love me some Curtis.  Anyway, imagine that "The Amazing Race"  and "Top Chef" had a baby.  The teams race around the world competing at different challenges then there's a cook-off.

There was one contestant who made me think of the effectiveness of selling messages.  She was broadcasting loud and clear.  But what she was saying didn't resonate with anyone.  She only looked through her own lense, never considering that other people might also have skills or opinions or input.  She likely thought she was being persuasive and doing the best thing for the group, but she wasn't considering anyone else's desired path.  And then she was mad when everyone got frustrated because they couldn't (or didn't care to) execute her plan.

Why do people do what they do?  When they come into your space, literally or virtually, what are they wanting?  It's about them.  Not you.  And that can feel quite unnatural.  You've built this cool thing and you want to tell them about it.  Perfect!  Just do it through the filter of why they should care.

What are you doing to motivate your employees?

By Kellie J. Lala

Sometimes it is just hard to motivate ourselves, right?  Inc. Magazine published 7 tips for motivating your employees and I thought it relevant as the national unemployment is now under 8%.  You need to keep your best employees and keeping them happy is one way to do so.  Here you go.

1)       Set a Good Example

2)       Focus on Employee Happiness rather than Employee Motivation

3)      Make Sure Employees Share in the Company’s Success

4)      Create a Culture of Autonomy and Agency

5)      Encourage Worker to Voice Complaint

6)      Take on Fun Volunteer Assignments

7)      Get in Touch With Your Inner Start-up

We know that money matters to every employee, but satisfaction and happiness are right near the top as well.  As the weather is getting nicer, what fun activity can you have with your staff?  Think about it.

There's Always an UP Button

By Julie Hein

That's what Jillian Michaels says.  Once you get good at one of the moves in her DVDs, you can always add weight, do it standing on one leg or hanging from the ceiling or something.  You can always make it better.

When Hunger Games released not long ago, they had gynormous record-breaking ticket sales. Long lines, midnight showings (and the corresponding tardiness at high schools and colleges all over the country).  We all remember the same thing with the Harry Potter series, Star Wars, Twilight, etc. 

But this weekend, The Avengers, broke all those record by a long shot. 

There's always more out there.  There's always something you can do to improve, break records, and make more money helping more people. 

Hit your UP button!

What is on your wish list....

By Kellie J. Lala

If you had the money, what would you buy for yourself this month?  Fun new convertible?  New iPad?  Go on a wonderful vacation to a far off place?  According to the Consumer Electronics Association, smartphones and HDTVs are the top consumer electronics products that U.S. households plan to purchase over the next 12 months.  In fact, more than one in five (22%) households say that their next purchase is a smartphone.  I have not yet made that jump but think that I will do so within the next year (so I guess I am in that 22%).  Other notable trends include:  tablet computers are leading with the biggest growth % for 2012. Blu-ray players are seeing double digit growth along with nearly 31 million U.S. households (26%) that subscribe to video rental and streaming services.  Interesting though is that these consumers are buying electronics at a high rate but overall spending is down an average of $100.00 as they are seeking bargains, deals and deep discounts.  Consumers are waiting for that attractive declining price points.   

So, let me ask you again...what is on your wish list for 2012?  What price will push you to acquire that new toy or gadget?      

How Do We Know if it's Working?

By Glen Gardner/Branding Consultant

As a consultant working with scores of clients, one of the questions I'm
asked most often is, "How do we know if this is working?" At the root of
the question is the issue of measurement. In some cases a client wants
some external justification for making a particular media investment. In
many cases a client asks for "ratings," which I believe is one of the
worst measurement tools for a client.

In effect, ratings (for any media) are measuring something after the
fact. A much better way to measure is start your campaign with a set of
clear objectives for what you need to accomplish. These objectives need
to be realistic and measurable. Then, target the media outlets that are
the best demographic and psychographic fits to deliver those results.
The "how many" information that ratings deliver are far less important
than the "who." Most media outlets have far more bodies than you need to
deliver the desired results. The quality of those prospects is usually
far more important than how many.

Setting measurement criteria and a critical path to reach those goals is
a much more strategic and sensible way to measure effectiveness. I
believe depending on ratings is a way to justify a decision that has
already been made, rather than building a strategic plan to get from a
specific starting point to a specific end-point.

If ratings are the metric, then one could assume the goal would be to
hope for even better ratings for that media outlet in the future. I have
yet to work on a campaign that left a client happy when ratings went up
and their sales were down. There is no correlation between ratings and
results. There is a huge correlation between an outlet's ability to
influence the right demographic with the right creative message and results.

That's why it's so critical for your media partners to take the time to
figure out what you need, rather than spouting about ratings that mean a
lot to them but have little relevance to what you need to have happen.

What Are You REALLY Selling?

A confession, by Julie Hein

I color my hair.  Otherwise I would have white and fuzzy skunk-stripe, placed low enough for most to see since I am quite untall.  I affectionately call the grays "sparklies" and I've been known to hit them with a sharpie if they're prominent at an inopportune time. 

Department stores want me to buy hair dye from them.  I have bought a lot of it, around $10 at a time.  Salons want me to buy it from them and I do that now, from $50-150 dollars at a time. 

To them, I remind (and to you, I suggest that you look to the analogous element of your business) that the reason people like me buy hair dye is so:
* we look younger than we are
* we get a date or a spouse
* we keep said date/spouse
* we have more confidence
* we get a new job or promotion
* we look as good or better than our peers at the HS reunion, especially the old boyfriend's wife.

The CEO at Revlon once said that they sell HOPE.  Not lipstick, not shampoo.  Hope. That's what I'm buying.  What are you selling?  Can you see into the heart of your customer and give them what they really want? 

We're here if you want to talk. 

Easter isn't just about the eggs anymore

By Kellie J. Lala

I love Easter.  I appreciate the religious meaning as a person of faith.  I enjoy that spring brings new life and to see the grass turning from brown to a vibrant green and the flowers and plants popping their heads thru the dirt.  But what I really love….Cadbury crème filled eggs and making Easter baskets for family and friends!  According to the National Retail Federation’s (3/20/12) Easter spending survey, Americans will shell out a hopping $145.28 (on average) on everything from apparel, candy, food, cards and décor.  That is up over 10% from 2011 and total spending could reach $16.8 billion (yes that is a “B”).  The article goes on to say that even though the price at the pump is on everyone’s mind, Easter is still a holiday that people will stretch their budgets for.  Kids look forward to treats and new outfits on Easter morning, even big kids like me!  Even Easter meals average $44.34 per person.  Two out of five consumers will shop on line and over 25% will shop in specialty stores.  A now common shopping tool is the tablet and over 52% will use this device to research products and purchase gifts. 

So-what are you planning for Easter?  How many chocolate eggs will you eat before finishing your kid’s baskets? 

Hop to it now so Easter doesn’t sneak up on you on April 8^th.    

Spring Forward......

By Kellie J. Lala

This weekend we spring forward for yet another time.  I thought I’d share a bit of history about this tradition with you. It has been around since World War One and became more widely adopted in 1916.  It is the practice of turning the clock ahead as warmer weather approaches and back as it becomes colder again.  It is to give people one more hour of daylight in the evening during the warmer season of the year.  Some say it should be called “daylight shifting time” because no daylight is actually saved.  Countries in tropical climates do not observe DST and the actual months when the clock is set ahead and back differ between the northern and southern hemispheres.  The US Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandated changes to DST by extending it 3 weeks earlier in the spring and one week later in the fall. One big assumption behind this change was that it would decrease the need for artificial light sources and thus save energy.  Now…I am sure that you are now asking yourself what does mean for me?  You lose an hour of sleep.  You will find it staying lighter after you get off work at the end of the day. Perhaps your mood will improve.  Maybe you will find yourself with more energy with more daylight. I think this is a good thing. Anyway, I choose to look at my glass of ice cold lemonade as half full.  How about you?

Facebook is not a sales tool.

By Kellie J. Lala

Think social media is a cool way to make sales?  Think again.  According to a February 17, 2012 Bloomberg report, GAP, Inc., J.C. Penney Co. and Nordstrom Inc. have all opened and then closed down their storefronts on Facebook Inc.’s social networking site. There was hope that Facebook would turn into a new on-line destination, a place where people would spend their money.  But it was really trying to sell stuff to people hanging out with their friends at bars.  Facebook also fully intended to profit from retailers buying ads to drive traffic to their on-site stores.  Those numbers have yet to be seen.  Gamestop’s Ashley Sheetz VP of marketing said “we just didn’t get the return on investment we needed.  For us, it’s been a way we communicate with customers on deals, not a place to sell.”   GAP, Inc. and their sister companies Banana Republic and Old Navy have all opened and closed their Facebook sites.  They found that their customers preferred to shop their own websites.  They also saw that Facebook was just another place to shop for all the stuff that was already available on their websites.  Why manage two of the exact same thing?  How are you using Facebook and other social media tools?  Does it make sense to repeat the deals or offers from your website?  Good question!  Happy selling!

Does Your Message Deliver?

By Glen Gardner/ Marketing and Branding Consultant

As I was watching the Super Bowl the other day I couldn’t help but think about all the money that was being wasted right before my eyes. At $3.5 million for a commercial, I would have thought those who produce these messages might be more concerned about results than winning creative awards.

Many of the commercials during the game were very entertaining, but probably didn’t do much to sell anything. As a matter of fact, I had a hard time remembering any product specifically. I could remember the story line of some of the commercials, but I had a hard time connecting those story lines with any products or services.

When you design a campaign you have to be careful that you don’t get “lost” in the creative process. The commercial message still needs to sell something at some level or why bother? It can be the most entertaining 30 seconds in the universe, but that doesn’t mean it will motivate anyone to do anything.

Some of the most effective campaigns I’ve been associated with weren’t very Earth-shattering when it came to entertainment value, but they did get huge results. Because the product or service was so good and the benefit of action so evident, it didn’t require a three-ring circus. We just had to put it out there with proper frequency and the public responded.

Sometimes you just need to let your product or service be the star and leave the baby in a slingshot for someone who has a lot more money to waste than you do.

Coupon Fatigue?

By Glen Gardner, Branding and Marketing Consultant

The challenging economy has helped give birth to numerous coupon opportunities as many shoppers have been trained to always look for a “deal” before they buy. From Groupon to Living Social, people view these outlets as the latest “new” marketing tool. In reality, there’s nothing new about it at all.

The mode of delivery might be different, but it’s just a coupon and those have been around for a long time. I’ve talked with countless businesses that have been sucked into the fray and have regretted it greatly.

If you think carefully about how coupons work, over time it’s an unsustainable business model for most companies. You can’t deeply discount your product to the point where you are making next to nothing (or losing money) and hope to make it up on volume. Some businesses hope they can take a loss to attract a new, loyal customer. The only problem with that train of thought is most coupon shoppers are loyal to the lowest price, not any particular business. In many others cases you are discounting a product or service that a loyal customer may have paid full price for.

It is one of the narcotics of advertising. Once you do it you have to do more of it and at a deeper discount to keep traffic moving through the door. And much like any narcotic, it will clean you out over time.

There are times when coupons do make sense. If you need a quick traffic fix and your margins are great enough to offer a substantial short-term discount, than it can work by bringing a shot of increased traffic. For most businesses the math just doesn’t work over time.

Because the market has been so flooded with coupon offers it’s even harder to cut through with an offer of even 50% off. Coupon fatigue is a real problem with the proliferation of the practice through the economically challenged period.

Whether it’s cutting it out of a newspaper or delivered in an email, it’s still a coupon. For many businesses a more practical approach is developing a consistent “value” proposition. When you factor in the cost of the coupon and the mode of delivery a branding message that adds value to your product is cheaper and a much more sustainable business model.

One More Accolade for the Corridor

Keep on rockin'!  Cedar Rapids ranks 7th!  Click the title above to go to Kiplinger's article about the coolness of CR.

A Goal Without a Plan Is Only a Resolution

By Chris Law
Every year around the time the calendar changes millions of people make New Year’s Resolutions.  Personally I don’t make resolutions.   I prefer to make “goals”.  Resolutions seem so… spineless.  What happens if you don’t follow through on your resolutions?  Nothing really, we just wait until next January and make them again, hopefully with a bit more resolve this time.  My father has made the same New Year’s Resolution for at least the last 13 years.  Every year he resolves to finally clean the attic of all the boxes of kids' crap that accumulated while their four children grew up, and every year those boxes gather a bit more dust.

Goals are different.  With a goal you have only two options: success or failure.  There is really no other way to look at it.  This won’t come as much of a surprise, but I like success much more than failure, and therefore I’m forced to invest more into meeting a goal than I ever would a resolution.

My goal next year is to make more money.  That sounds simple enough, and it’s a very good goal, one that anyone in business for themselves should share.  Now that I have a goal the next step is to make a plan.  The late French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery once said “A goal without a plan is simply a wish”, or to fit with our theme, a resolution.  To help you with that planning part here is an article from USA Today with 12 ideas geared toward helping you make more money in 2012 than you did in 2011.