Marketing Genius from Maple Creative

Oliver's Personal Brand - a Letter to Gillian

2010-08-30T12:05:00.005-05:00

All of the cutting-edge social networking in the world pales in comparison to the effect that a thougthful, personalized one-to-one interaction can have on your personal brand. Nothing illustrates that more clearly than this wonderful, true story I’m about to share with you. To begin this story, allow me to introduce you to the characters:

Glenn is a personal friend of mine, a college classmate. We attended West Virginia University (WVU) together in the mid-1980′s.

Gillian is Glenn’s 10 year old daughter, a sixth grader.

Oliver Luck is the newly-hired athletic director at WVU. He also starred at quarterback at WVU in the early 1980′s. Oliver went on to play in the NFL. His playing days were followed by a successful career in sports management, notably with the NFL – Europe league.

Now, let’s proceed with the story. Glenn is a great father. He frequently takes his daughter and son on road trips for fun and education. He is especially fond of exposing his children, who presently reside in New Jersey, to his former “stomping grounds” in West Virginia.

Recently, Glenn and Gillian took a trip to Morgantown to visit WVU. Following this trip, his daughter was left with a question. As Glenn explained:

My daughter is convinced that she is going to WVU even though she is just going into the 6th grade. She plays pretty competitive travel softball. I pointed out to her that WVU currently does not have a softball team, and she asked why. I explained that a university-level sports team is very expensive to run and she asked me who she should talk to about the university getting a team. I told her to write a letter to the new Athletic Director, Oliver Luck. So she did… and he responded!

Who knows if she will keep playing or ever play at the college level. But I think an awful lot of Oliver Luck for taking the time to draft a very detailed response, and for him to offer her up advice on her future. Pretty cool!

Now, here’s the good part. The following is the text from a personal letter that Athletic Director Oliver Luck sent in response to Gillian:

Dear Gillian:
Thank you very much for your letter of July 22. I congratulate you for taking
the initiative to send a letter to me–that’s very impressive for a 10-year
old. Regarding your issue and women’s softball; I can tell you that I would love
to add a number of sports to the WVU Dept. of Athletics, including softball. It
would be a great step for us to be in a position to add sports like men’s and
women’s golf and men’s and women’s lacrosse as well as the sports that we
eliminated a few years ago – men’s tennis and men’s track and cross country.
I am sure that you understand the financial implications involved in
adding additional sports. We estimate that any additional sport will involve at
least $1 million in operating costs and of course there would be significant
capital costs required to build a new field, locker rooms, etc.
West Virginia University prides itself on having a financially
self-sufficient Dept. of Athletics, one of only a dozen schools in the nation to
make the claim. My predecessor, Ed Pastilong, did an incredible job of
maintaining this “fiscal independence” and I am determined to continue this
under my watch.

Gillian, as I learn more about the Dept. of Athletics and the overall
University, I will begin the process of looking at the possibility of additional
sports being added. Will we add any in the future? The short answer is I don’t
yet know. But I can tell you we will look at the possibility.
Please allow me to give you one last bit of advice, something which I have
shared with my four kids, including my oldest children who are competing in
college athletics: choose a school primarily for academics, not athletics. You
want to come out of college as prepared as you can to enter the work force
(or perhaps attend graduate school). Your academic success is going to be the
key to your success in life. Don’t get me wrong – athletics is tremendous and
you will learn a good bit about yourself as you compete in junior high and high
school. But you should always focus on your academics.

Thank you again for your letter and I hope to see you enroll at WVU in the
Class of 2022!

Sincerely,
Oliver Luck – Director of Athletics

How is Oliver Luck’s personal brand trending these days? No job is without challenges, but Mr. Luck’s reputation is certainly strong and rising, in light of this story and (presumably) many others like it. In conclusion, I will share with you the fact that Glenn distributed this letter to 200 of his friends via e-mail. Without a doubt, he and Gillian have shared this story–and sung the praises of Oliver Luck–with hundreds more.

Incidentally, I met Oliver Luck at a summer football camp at WVU in the early 1980′s; I was impressed with then–now, even more so!

This post first appeared on the Brand-Yourself Blog on August 27, 2010.

Upcoming Presentation: WV Broadcasters Association

2010-08-03T13:18:00.005-05:00

Confession time: I love presentations! Some may call it a sickness. To each his own.

The WV Broadcasters Association's annual meeting takes place this weekend. I've been asked to present to them about ways to utilize social media to engage and excite their audience.

I'm excited about the topic and the request, which signifies that our broadcasters are ready to embrace social media; they do not view it as a threat. Smart position for them to take. I hope my presentation will expose them to some best practices and give them a few new ideas to take home and implement.

Reach Beyond Your Network on West Virginia Day

2010-06-20T09:38:00.005-05:00

Continuing on this creative tradition, Jason Keeling is leading WV bloggers and social media mavens on another exciting project aimed at helping to build a better West Virginia. What better occasion than the state's 147th birthday to harness the power of social networks to do something good for the Mountain State! We've all been invited to submit a request. I look forward to seeing what everyone needs and helping out in any way I can.

So here's my request: I need to get connected to Ivanka Trump or her publicist for an opportunity / idea related to my recently published book that I co-authored with Emily Bennington. I believe our book can really fit with and fill a need on "The Celebrity Apprentice."

West Virginia Day (June 20) provides an ideal time to celebrate the Mountain State’s many unique qualities, but it also offers us the opportunity to do something for the state’s betterment.

The online community is invited to join this year’s “a Better West Virginia Network” effort, intended to help connect organizations, businesses, and individuals according to their need(s).
For the most part, everyone has some need or challenge that can be solved through networking, and the Internet is an excellent medium for publicizing such needs and generating worthwhile connections.
Maybe your nonprofit needs more volunteers. Maybe your business needs new clients and/or employees. Perhaps you need a new job. Maybe you’re looking for someone with specialized knowledge to complete a project. Perhaps your community has a specific need.
In some cases, making local connection(s) could suffice, while other instances may require help from outside of the state. Think locally, nationally, or globally, whichever applies best to your circumstances.
Here’s how to participate within the “a Better West Virginia Network.”
First, identify and describe the need(s) of your organization, business,
community, or individual circumstance.
Second, publish this information on your blog or website, and forward the link to me via email: jason(at)keelingstrategic(dot)com.
Third, return to this blog on West Virginia Day, where a list of the various submissions will be posted.
Lastly, visitors will be encouraged to peruse the compiled list and help make any connections.

Hop on over to A Better WV for full details.

Maple Marketing Campaign for Fairmont Federal Credit Union Grabs National Honors

2010-06-14T23:09:00.004-05:00

As we've stated before, it is fine to win awards within our industry. Back in the early days at Maple Creative, we would get a big boost from Crystal Awards and Addys. As time goes by, however, it seems much more gratifying when our clients win awards for marketing within their professional groups and trade associations.
Such was the case again recently when Fairmont Federal Credit Union picked up a pair of Merit Awards in the Diamond Awards Competition at the 2010 CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference in Washington, DC.

Fairmont Federal Credit Union won one Merit Award for its direct-mailer and another for its TV advertising series (campaign), both designed by Maple Creative. The direct-mail piece and the TV ad campaign were but two tactical elements in an integrated marketing campaign for FFCU's Rewards Checking. The campaign was remarkably successful during an unquestionably challenging national and local economic times. In just over a year, FFCU increased membership by 30% and increased deposits to record levels.

The keys to success were a strong service offering (Rewards Checking offered great rates and low/no fees for new members), a tightly integrated creative campaign and outstanding coordination between FFCU management and the Maple team. The awards are a nice verification of outstanding success in financial services marketing. But at Maple Creative, nothing is more gratifying than results--especially when those results are of the record-breaking magnitude that our client achieved!

Don't Let Social Networking Damage Your Personal Brand

2010-04-13T14:59:00.004-05:00

The following were actually posted by employees on social media sites from their workstations, during business hours:

“Staff meeting is over. Thanks for sucking the life out of me–again.” [Brandon]
Ummm, hello, Brandon. Are you really that unhappy? Are you aware that your message can be read as: Brandon is a reactive, whiny drama-king who lacks the gumption to leave a job that sucks?

“Just hanging out here on Facebook – waiting for them to give me something to work on.” [Allison]
Really, Allison? Did you leave your brain at home this morning? I’d suggest you will find it hidden underneath that sack of ambition, which you also forgot to bring to work today.

And this now-infamous example from NextWeb.com of a young woman who was fired by her Facebook-friend-boss:

OMG I HATE MY JOB!!! My boss is a total pervvy wanker always making me do $hit stuff just to pi$$ me off!! WANKER!!

Obviously, she forgot that she had Friend’d her boss. Do take a moment and click over to read the boss’ response, which is classic!

The stories of so-called professionals getting fired, suspended, or disciplined as a result of what they posted, Tweeted, updated, chatted, or shared on social media sites are becoming more frequent and more outrageous. An article last Fall on Mashable, citing stats from a Proofpoint study, indicate that roughly 1 out of every 8 companies (12%) have fired an employee for reasons related to social networking. The rate of occurrence has doubled in a year’s time.

This is only going to worsen as GPS/location-based apps (like Foursquare and Brightkite) that run on our iPhones and Blackberries tell the world (and our employer) where we are.
Remember: In many cases, your phones are paid for by your company so it’s not hard to imagine the following exchange in the all-too-near future--

Boss: Dave, you weren’t really attending your aunt’s funeral yesterday, now were you?

Dave: What do you mean?

Boss: Well, unless they had the funeral at Wrigley Field, it looks like you enjoyed a Cubs double-header.

Dave (now perspiring): No way. I swear.

Boss (tossing a screen print at his soon-to-be fired employee): Dave, it’s all right here on the GPS report that we get from your Blackberry. And you might want to think about turning off Foursquare when you’re playing hooky – from your next job.

Do you know your company’s social media policy? Are employees allowed to spend time on sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube while at work? Or are such practices forbidden?

We can complain about “Big Brother” policies by employers. We can cry about how it’s wrong for management to “spy” on us. But here’s what it all boils down to: when you are on company time, you are on the company dime. The employer makes the rules and, when you accept a job, you accept their rules. So don’t allow your social media activities to undermine your success. Be smart and be informed – or your next Tweet may be in search of a job!

Maple Marketing Campaign for CAMC Garners National Recogntion

2010-04-09T11:22:00.004-05:00

Our campaign for The Fertility Center at CAMC was recognized by HealthLeaders as the "Best Service Line Marketing," earning the Platinum Award (pictured at left) in the large hospital category. This is great news! We're pleased to share this honor with our client. From our view, it's fine to shine--but making our clients look good is a far greater accomplishment.

Details about the awards and the campaign are included in this story from HealthLeadersMedia.com:

There seems to be a universal formula for hospital TV ads: a reassuring voice speaking over sappy music while static stock-photo images of faux doctors and patients flash across the screen. Radio, print, and outdoor spots are cut from the same cloth. But when hospitals lighten up, the resulting advertisements are often more memorable and water cooler-worthy than their stuffy counterparts.

Of course, not all hospital ads can be lighthearted—there's a fine line between humor and bad taste. But there are some service lines—even sensitive ones—that, if handled carefully, can be advertised in an engaging, playful way.

Charleston (WV) Area Medical Center (CAMC) took a fun approach to marketing its fertility program, which I covered in the March issue of Healthcare Marketing Advisor. The ad promoting its male infertility solutions sports the tagline "strong swimmers" and features a baby wearing blue swimming goggles. The ad promoting its female infertility solutions uses "a good egg" as a tagline and features a baby crawling out of an eggshell. [Full story here]

There's antoher chapter to this story. We'll share that with you next time!

Queasy feeling?

2010-04-02T13:13:00.003-05:00

File this under the category of "reach for something new and big." I posted this essay over at Professional Studio 365, where I do some blogging alongside co-author and former Mapleonian Emily Bennington, as advice for young professionals. Once you read it, you'll see that the lessons are equally relevant for marketing professionals and business owners, too!

When is the last time you felt such pressure, such adrenaline and such anxiety that you were literally sick to your stomach? If your answer is, “Not recently and thank goodness for that,” hang on just a minute. You might want to question your response.

In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “Do one thing every day that frightens you.” I buy that. I have her slogan on my favorite coffee mug. In fact, I have taken Eleanor’s challenge and adapted it. In the words of yours truly, “Do one thing every six months that nearly makes you puke.”

My theory is that queasy can be a very good thing. If you are stretching yourself to grow and develop…if you are pushing and expanding your personal boundaries…you need to feel queasy once in a while.

To be clear, this discussion is about more than nervous apprehension. This queasy thing is far beyond a quickened pulse and sweaty palms. (Although those are cool, too.) We all feel a little nervous adrenaline from time to time: a first date, doing the scripture reading at church, an important sales presentation or a training seminar that you are leading.

By contrast, I am talking about fear, i.e. being so scared you feel like someone has dropped a couple of lead bars on your stomach. Maybe even a pronounced ringing in the ears. Nervous apprehension times 50. The queasy feeling happens when we are threatened… with failure, injury, embarrassment, ridicule or rejection.

So I ask again, when is the last time you felt queasy? For me, it was just a few days ago on the eve of the 2010 CrossFit Games VA-WV-DC Sectional Qualifier. I had entered this competition, designed to test elite athletes for the purpose of determining the fittest man and woman in the world. Let’s be clear: an elite athlete I am not. A writer? Sure. A marketing expert? You bet. Admittedly, I have always played sports, but any progress or accomplishments for me have always been hard-fought and slow in coming. Despite such personal limitations, I set a goal to compete in the games back in April 2009. It was an intentional plan to push myself and to stretch for something big.

Cut to the grocery store last Friday night. Produce aisle. Out of the blue, my field of vision gets weird, and the surroundings start to go swirly. Something in my stomach suddenly weighs 50 pounds and is pressing down unbearably on my guts. I tell my wife, “Let me have the cart. I’m either going to throw up or faint.” A minute later, as I’m shuffling along the supermarket, clutching the shopping cart for dear life, I realize that I am very afraid. The next day, I would be thrust into an intense situation, competing against guys half my age (and not just any guys – the most elite athletes in the mid-Atlantic region), doing intense activities that might cause me to fail, get hurt, or embarrass myself.

Regardless, I smile and say to myself, “Hello, queasy. I’m glad you’re back.”

When we push ourselves out of our comfort zone and strive for something new and great, we truly grow. Our confidence increases. Our mood improves. We pump our bodies full of endorphins and other positive neuro-chemicals. Most of all, we suppress our fears and erase doubts. The queasiness, of course, goes away, but the confidence remains, spilling over into the rest of our lives, boosting our performance across all our domains.

How can you make yourself queasy? You might start by focusing on conquering a fear. Take a public speaking class. Go skydiving. Show up at open mic night. Go climb a mountain. C’mon – what are you afraid of?

P.S. – I completed the CrossFit Games competition, finishing respectably in the middle of the pack. A week later, I am still sky high, full of confidence–and still smiling.

Touchpoints

2010-03-16T21:07:00.004-05:00

Tag! You've just been touched by our brand. The Marketing Genius blog is one of many touchpoints for Maple Creative. And hey- we are thrilled that you're here!

A touchpoint is any interaction that you audience has with your brand. Each touchpoint is an opportunity. It can be a great, positive experience. Conversely a touchpoint can be disappointing or harmful, serving to detract from your brand and its perceived value.

Sure, your Web site is a touchpoint. And quite obviously, your office (or store) is a touchpoint, too. Sales reps are touchpoints, no doubt.

Following are a few other touchpoints that are easy to overlook:

Invoices and billing statements - Are these confusing and intricate? are they consistent with your brand identity? do they say, "Thank you"?

Voicemail greeting - Is it dull, plain and void of emotion? or is it unique and energetic?

Sponsorship presence and community outreach - Are these helping you to touch potential clients in the right venues and at the right time?

Former employees - What are these folks saying about your company and its leadership?

Vendors and suppliers - Are you perceived as paying your bills on time? Deemed to be fair, ethical and of solid integrity? Vendors talk ... and they have tremendous reach.

Tech support line or help desk - Do these represent your business well? Do they consistently fulfill the front-end promises that you are making ... or do they tend to disappoint?

Touchpoints can work for you--or against you. The case for most businesses is that some touchpoints are winning customers, while others are turning people off. It's rarely all or none.

Take an hour or two and map all of the touchpoints for your business. Evaluate each and every one on the list. Be sure to put yourself in the customer's (or prospect's) shoes. Better yet--get some external (i.e., real live customer) feedback on each touchpoint. Figure out which touchpoints need some TLC. Then, apply the leader's touch to fix or reinvent.

You may even find that you are lacking some touchpoints. For example, one client of ours felt that they weren't converting enough sales opportunities. They believed they need to add a couple helpful marketing touchpoints on the pre-sale side of things. The goal was to warm up the prospects, so that they are more informed and more inclined to do business, prior to the first sales contact. We helped them create those additional, informative touchpoints and the success rate grew! That's the Midas touch that good marketing can deliver.

Thanks Coach Huggins! (via Dave Pray)

2010-03-15T11:53:00.004-05:00

Friend and fellow blogger Dave Pray articulated exactly what was on my mind following this weekend's huge victory at Madison Square Garden. The following post is from Dave Pray's blog:

What a remarkable game yesterday. WVU beats Georgetown and...for the first time in school history, won the Big East Basketball title. I loved the game and really the entire week. What impressed me the most about yesterday's performance was Coach Huggin's post win interview.

Coach's post game interview doesn't seem to be popping up at the moment on ESPN's website...but here is the jist of it. (1) Coach Huggins is very close to tears....and this is not coming from the head....but the heart. (2) And why he is almost crying in his words...is because the kids played their hearts out...played beyond their skill levels....and he is so happy because he is happy for the State.

And I for one am buying this. Many Division One coaches would be crying because they know their resume just got expanded and they are worth more money.

Huggins isn't looking to move. He loves West Virginia and he is inspiring these young men to play beyond their given capabilities. His ability to provide a much bigger mission is paying off and is a great example of leadership we can all learn from.

OK...he's got the X's and O's down...he is a great recruiter....he knows how to build individual skills and conditioning....yeah...and so do about 50 other D1 coaches. But he is leading these young men on a slightly higher mission....win this one for the people of West Virginia....he means it and I feel it.

Great season...great coach...great leader.

2010-02-12T06:53:00.003-05:00

In support of my upcoming book release, I've been blogging over at Professional Studio 365. Emily Bennington and I are running a fast-paced, A-to-Z series on succeeding at work. It's called the 2010 Career Challenge. I invite you to follow this series. Here's an excerpt from today's post:

Integrity is the scarcest resource in the world of business today. Yes, you
read that correctly.

Integrity is so simple–yet we all tend to muck it up with excuses,
compromises, and blame-shifting. Pair me with a person of integrity,
and we’ll outperform a team of ten feckless, shifty folks every day of the
week.

If you’re looking to ignite your career, build your integrity. Here’s
how to get started:

Get the rest of the story.

Welcome UC Career Fair Participants

2010-02-10T16:20:00.003-05:00

Welcome to all the job-seekers we met today at the University of Charleston Career Fair. Thanks for your interest in Maple Creative... and a career in the marketing profession.

We could tell you tons of boring stuff about how great we are. That's really not our style. So, instead, we've chosen to share with you this story about potholes.

This time of year, in the midst of the worst winter weather in many, many years, if you're driving at all, you have encountered some new potholes. Ever wonder how a pothole is formed? It's a bit of a mystery, really. No one has ever seen a pothole form. And they grow and expand so rapidly, defying observation. One day, no hole. The next day there's a grand new pothole large enough to engulf your entire right front tire. Perplexing.

There are two theories about how potholes form. You're about to learn both.

The first theory is embraced largely by left-brain types ... scientists, physicists, engineers and accountants. This theory attributes the formation of potholes to thermal factors. Extreme temperatures cause pavement surfaces to expand and contract. In some instances a crack occurs in the top layer of asphalt. This uneven surface is struck repeatedly by the wheels of cars and trucks as they pass by. The crack turns into a chip. More car tires strike the chip and increasingly larger chunks of asphalt are displaced. Eventually that crack is transformed into a hole. The material within the hole is easily displaced--and so the hole becomes wider and deeper. Voila--a pothole!

The second theory is more popular with creative types. This theory holds that there are brigades of tiny pothole monkeys, encamped along roadways everywhere. These monkeys reside in subterranean villages, just beneath the shoulder of the road. Natural born miscreants, these pothole monkeys have impeccable timing, which enables them to judge perfect opportunities for pothole-making. Working under the cover of darkness, when traffic is absent, they dispatch onto the road surface. Imagine a small army of tiny pothole monkeys, toting their jackhammers, picks, drills, shovels and buggies. They are incredibly well organized and efficient. In the span of about three minutes, a typical pothole monkey crew (PMC) can excavate a pothole of 74 cubic inches or more.

Which theory do you embrace?

And here's hoping that you encounter no potholes in the course of your job search and career path!

What's the relevance of potholes to marketing? one might ask. All marketing is a story, well told.

Trends in Food for 2010

2010-01-14T00:23:00.005-05:00

With the Cast Iron Cookoff coming up this weekend and having learned a great deal about Slow Food, Farm to Table and Sustainable Agriculture in my work with the Collaborative for the 21st Century this year, I have been thinking about food lately.

Recently, I sat down with Chef Dale Hawkins. We had a chat about trends in food and what to expect for this year. We recalled past trends, including chipotle, Chilean Sea Bass, tapas, Mediterranean, and the explosion of organic foods. We agreed that Comfort Food has been a very hot recent trend, marked by the rise in popularity of such dishes as meatloaf, chicken & dumplings, pigs in blankets and other "feel good foods."

With the sluggish economy and consumer desire for "slower" more natural foods, we believe that the trend toward Comfort Food will continue in 2010. We'll likely see a lighter, more healthy twist on such dishes, as Americans are wisely becoming more aware of nutrition and health. I also think that entrees with a Tuscan feel and flavor will be hot items this year.

What do you, marketing geniuses, see as trends in food for 2010?

Year End Solicitations: A Better Way

2009-12-08T22:32:00.004-05:00

This month, I've received a small stack of requests from various charitable organizations. Perhaps you have received a few too?

Let me state for the record: I am a big supporter of community service and charitable giving. This is a core value for me and for Maple Creative. Each and every Mapleonian is personally involved in one or more community service endeavors. It's well documented, and you can read all about it on our Web site.

I have no qualm with the solicitation. It is fine to ask for a year-end donation. That's all well and good. What bugs me is the manner of the solicitation. The way it's typically done is both ineffective and improper. Allow me to explain.

You send us the letter. We have not heard from you all year. In some cases, we are completely unaware of your organization and its purpose. Perhaps you obtained our address from the chamber of commerce list; who knows? The letter is lengthy--to a fault. In it, you proceed to tell us everything you can about the background and the need--both sides, single-spaced, front and back. The problem: we're all too busy to read a lengthy letter.

You enclose the envelope. It resembles a church offering envelope. You hope that we will enclose a check and mail it back to you. The problem: we lack the background and history to be motivated. We're unable to tap into any passion, because there is no relationship with your organization. Plus, many before you have asked, and we may not be able to spare the funds to write the check. There's nothing to tip the scales in your favor.

This bulk-mail, mass mailing strategy is a hit or miss exercise. I can only imagine that the odds of success are lower than 2%.

The better way.... Touchpoints.

What if you had reached out and touched us with your strategic marketing once a quarter? Perhaps you might have sent an informative 1st Quarter letter, introducing us to your organization and its mission. Then, what if you had sent us 2 or 3 more updates (maybe postcards or email messages) throughout the year, educating us about your programs and presenting specific examples of your impact? What if you had offered to stop by and get acquainted with us ... or invited us to an open house or luncheon? None of these tactics need be lavish or expensive; they could (and should) be cost-effective or bootstrap in nature. Finally, then, you justifiably sent us the letter ... the ask ... the call to action.

What if you had done most or all of those things? How might we have responded differently to your year-end solicitation?

I don't know many non-profit or charitable organizations that can sustain their expected revenues on a 2% success rate.

Avoid Mixed Messages in Your Holiday Communications

2009-12-02T16:23:00.005-05:00

Right before Thanksgiving, I received this beautiful e-card. It was adorned with a lovely seasonal photo--fall colors, a pumpkin, some squash. You've seen it.

Then, there's a beautiful message. Something to the effect of:

"Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving."

So far, so good. Thoughtful, tasteful and clever. (Yes clever. How many companies send Thanksgiving cards ... how many send Christmas cards? So, they stood out--in a good way.) Oh, if only it had ended right there.

But the card didn't stop there. As I scrolled down a bit, they proceeded to urge me to remember them for all my labor and staffing needs. Then this: "Did you know that we also offer seminars and training workshops?" Another scroll and I found yet another paragraph of sales language. "Click here for our special ..." Yada yada yada.

Is it a card... or sales literature?Are you really sending me a thoughtful message? Or are you using Thanksgiving as an excuse to hit me with your unsolicited sales pitch?

C'mon people. Employ some degree of restraint and find a measure of good taste. Admittedly, this is a pet peeve; bugs me big time. And it's a way-too-frequent faux pas. Invariably, I'll notice it around the Fourth of July ... and then again around the Thanksgiving to Christmas season.

Marketing geniuses: I urge you this holiday season to avoid such mixed messages. Keep things simple. Keep things separate. Don't mix a heartfelt wish with a sales message.

Tips for Tiger: Handling a Media Mess

2009-12-01T01:23:00.003-05:00

Unless you've been living under a rock (or you were "hiking the Appalachian Trail" over the weekend), you know that Tiger Woods is in a tight spot. Figuratively, his ball is in a deep fairway bunker, and he's lying 3 on a tough par-5 ... 255 yards out, with a tree blocking his line to the green.

Yes, something happened at 2:00 in the morning on Friday. We may never know what. Details are sketchy and the story keeps shifting. Today, Tiger released a public statement:

As you all know, I had a single-car accident earlier this week, and sustained some injuries. I have some cuts, bruising and right now I'm pretty sore. This situation is my fault, and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me. I'm human and I'm not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again. This is a private matter and I want to keep it that way. Although I understand there is curiosity, the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible. The only person responsible for the accident is me. My wife, Elin, acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble. She was the first person to help me. Any other assertion is absolutely false. This incident has been stressful and very difficult for Elin, our family and me. I appreciate all the concern and well wishes that we have received. But, I would also ask for some understanding that my family and I deserve some privacy no matter how intrusive some people can be.

There are a couple key things to note here:

1- The statement above rings hollow. It lacks contrition. Tiger is not the victim here. He's a public figure; he relinquished his privacy a long time ago. I'm not saying that's fair. It just is. Tiger is also a role model to many, especially many kids. An act like this one equates to him letting down (i.e., disappointing) his fans. He never said, "I am sorry."

2- We haven't seen him. The public cannot judge his non-verbals. We need to see video in order to be able to assess his remorse and his sincerity. Better still, we need to see Tiger with Elin at his side ... happy couple together, working through this together.

With the clear understanding that (1) rehabilitating a reputation takes time and that (2) actions speak louder than words, let's shift the focus toward the public relations strategy. What are the right tactics to use in a situation where a person has made a career-threatening mistake? I would advise my clients and anyone else to adhere to the following ABC principles:

A - Apologize
Admit your mistake and ask for forgiveness. Demonstrate that you have a contrite heart. This is done by speaking in a humble manner and expressing remorse.

B - Be genuine
Show some emotion. No one will forgive an over-rehearsed, stiff emotionless robot. Speak from the heart and use natural, appropriate hand gestures and other non-verbals. Obviously, we don't want to see a blubbering basket case, but genuineness and emotion can be very helpful. This is where television could help.

C - Compassion
Show compassion. The root of the word "passion" is "suffer." To show compassion is to demonstrate that you are suffering with the person (or parties) who were affected. The audience will identify with compassion and respond favorably to it. Perhaps no one understood this better than Bill Clinton who repeatedly emphasized: "I feel your pain." Tiger's last sentence of his statement, calling for some privacy "no matter how intrusive some people can be" simply kills any hint of compassion (for Elin or for his fans).

All in all, the majority of the positive impact, or image rehabilitation, will come in the weeks and months that follow the initial episode. Sorry ... there simply is no quick fix. If Tiger was our client, we would work with him to establish an ambitious, pro-active outreach plan to lead them through this subsequent phase. Ultimately, the key to successfully rehabilitating a reputation is consistently repeating good deeds, rightful and helpful acts, over an extended period, in a manner that reestablishes trust. Hunkering down and remaining invisible will not help to make this go away. The media is not going to let go of this story. Details will continue to emerge, and Tiger (in his defensive posture) will be plagued by such episodes as the story plays out.

ABC Tiger ... ABC!

By the way, The Huffington Post is all over this story, if you want more details and angles.

The Key to Successful Marketing in Tough Times

2009-11-11T23:32:00.003-05:00

The sluggish economy continues to present challenges. While it has improved somewhat from its 1Q09 doldrums, the weak, recessionary US economy has taken its toll on marketing budgets, marketing programs, the media (most of whom depend upon advertising revenues) and marketing firms.

In tough times like these, a marketing professional has to ensure that every marketing dollar counts. There is little or no room for guesswork or errors. Now is not the time for guesswork, marketing from the gut or reactionary decision-making.

Now is the time for every marketing organization to have a marketing plan. At Maple, we are continually surprised by the high percentage of companies that have no such plan. Just this month we sat down with an industrial company with revenues of $25M+ who has no marketing plan. They have a large and capable sales force, but they have failed to equip and empower their team of sales pros with a high-impact marketing program.

Here are 10 rock-solid reasons to implement or update your marketing plan:

1- a marketing plan ensures more effective resource allocation
2- a marketing plan prompts analysis, whereby you inevitably learn something new about your customers, your competition or your competitive position
3- a marketing plan (implemented) makes your sales force more effective by compressing the sales cycle; it gives them a better chance of opening doors and it often reduces the number of sales calls required to close deals
4- a marketing plan enables all departments and functions (production, customer service, sales and QC) to become better coordinated and to synchronize efforts... the "right hand" knows and understands what the "left hand" is doing (and why and when it's doing such things).
5- a marketing plan eliminates guess work: should we buy this advertising package ... it sounds like a good deal? Don't guess or rely on a hunches, especially when dollars are tight.
6- a marketing plan gives you a solid reason to say no to media sales reps who continually pressure you to purchase (you can say honestly and forthrightly: it's not in the plan and there's no budget for it)
7- a marketing plan causes you to create a system of goals and measurements
8- a marketing plan is a reason (and a process) for focusing your team (think broadly and add "outsiders" to the project team) on growing your business and communicating more effectively with your customers. (And how can that ever be a bad thing?)
9- a marketing plan enables you to harness the power and cost-efficiency of flighting
10-a marketing plan enables causes you to consider (i.e., to evaluate) all channels, tactics and media. Many clients express to us that they feel stuck in a rut with the same old advertising, which often involves tired tactics. I guarantee if you take the time to formulate a marketing plan, you will inject a strong does of creativity into your promotional program!

Do you have a marketing plan? If not, contact Maple. Just post a comment here. We'll be glad to help you. Over the past several months we've begun working on about a half-dozen marketing plans for clients ranging from healthcare to professional services to educational institutions. We would be delighted to work with you on yours!

The Good Fight

2009-10-18T13:25:00.003-05:00

[This is not a marketing article. It's personal, and it is a great cause. For those wondering, "What is crossfit?" you may go here for information.]

Crossfitters, by nature, are battlers. We are warriors. I have had the honor to fight alongside each of you, as we’ve battled the Filthy 50, Murph, Dr. Tabata … even Fight Gone Bad. The important part is we have battled together. We have fought—and will continue to fight—through the pain and our own limitations, physical and mental. Today, in that context, I want to tell you a story and call your attention to a different fight: "The Good Fight."

Twenty-five years ago a battle ensued. It wasn’t between countries, companies, or people. It was between my father and his brain. His brain began to fail him, in little ways at first. Ordinary, routine things we all take for granted, like counting out money after getting a haircut, driving home from work without getting lost or knowing which kitchen drawer is the silverware drawer, were suddenly difficult, puzzling or impossible. The battle had begun, and dad began to fight. Oh, how he fought!

Rewind the clock. My dad, Jerry Sherman, was a strong, proud, successful man. He owned his own insurance/real estate business in downtown Williamson, WV. Like all of us today, Jerry was getting fit and eating right… way before it was cool to do so. He quit smoking. He took walks every day. He was even counting carbs--in the late 70’s. Then he discovered golf. It became his passion, and he finally enticed my mother into taking up the game. My sister Carol and I soon became "golf orphans" on the weekend mornings. My parents’ retirement dream after all five daughters were grown, was to travel the East Coast and stop at every golf course along the way.

Stop the tape. Cut to black and drag the needle across the record. The retirement dream never became a reality. Alzheimer’s Disease started to attack my father’s brain at the age of 52, way too young. Within a few years, my father had to close his business. He could no longer drive or be left alone for fear that he would wander off or unintentionally hurt himself. By the time my father died, seventeen years later in 2002, he was bedridden. He had been unable to speak for several years and needed round-the-clock care. Sadly, he never got to know my wonderful husband or my two beautiful children. They missed out on a relationship with an amazing man, my father.

Today, Alzheimer’s Disease affects over 47,000 WV families. It is the nation’s 7th leading cause of death, and the direct and indirect healthcare costs related to Alzheimer ’s disease amount to more than $148 million each year. The Sherman family, with the help of CrossfitWV, is hosting "The Good Fight" fundraiser on Sunday, October 25 at 2 p.m. at the box. Athletes will participate in the Fight Gone Bad WOD and pledge money for each rep performed during the workout. For example, if an athlete completes 250 total reps, based upon a pledge of $.50 per rep, the amount raised will be $125. Pledge a lot… or a little: every dollar helps in "The Good Fight." Get your friends, co-workers and loved ones to sponsor you (for an agreed upon per-rep amount -- $0.25, $0.50, $1.00). Every pledge will help the caregivers and families of those affected with the disease here in our state. All proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association of WV, and in accordance with their policy a portion will also go toward Alzheimer’s research.

Please join me and my family for this worthy cause!!!

Yours in good health, Lisa Sherman Lineberg

[Anyone interested in sponsoring or participating please post a comment, and I will get in touch with you.]

Is E-Mail Overload Hurting Response Rates to Online Surveys

2009-10-12T21:40:00.003-05:00

For the past several years, we've had great success in reaching our audience with online surveys. Such surveys have been a great way to accomplish marketing research objectives including:

Testing concepts
Measuring customer satisfaction
Gauging public opinion
Improving and evaluating special events
Learning about the marketplace in general

But, alas, the world is always changing. This is especially true, I believe, in our high-tech, communication overloaded world.

Here's a recent example, which I think illustrates the situation. For the past six years, we have conducted a "reader survey" for one of our media clients. This year, the response rate was markedly lower.

2007 Survey
4,900 invitations sent via e-mail
3,000 e-mails successfully delivered (60% distribution success)
659 e-mail invitations opened (22% open rate)
363 completed surveys obtained (12% effective conversion rate)

2009 Survey
6,742 invitations sent via e-mail
3,200 e-mails successfully delivered (50% distribution success)
484 e-mail invitations opened (15% open rate)
260 completed surveys obtained (8% effective conversion rate)

Despite having a larger list, we were negatively impacted by a lower open rate and a lower conversion rate. Granted, we still had a good overall result, eclipsing industry norms. According to the information that I have studied, a 5% conversion rate is typical. However, my gut says that those 3200 invitees who received our email invitation had to wade through extremely cluttered inboxes to evaluate our message.

Tell me, marketing geniuses, what do you think? Do you receive too many online survey requests? If you send email invitations to online surveys, have you seen a drop in your open rates or conversion rates?

Moving WV Fitness (#FitWV) Closer to the Tipping Point

2009-08-08T07:13:00.004-05:00

The idea of using Tipping Point tactics to overcome obesity in West Virginia became a little closer to reality today, thanks to an insightful editorial by Dawn Miller at The Charleston Gazette.

West Virginians try to tip scales on obesity
Dawn Miller - Editorial Page Editor
The Charleston Gazette
August 7, 2009

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- If we all behave like cold germs, could we infect each other to better fitness and health?

Here is one of the most tantalizing ideas. Back on West Virginia Day, local PR guy Jason Keeling asked his blog readers to discuss solutions to the state's problems. Skip Lineberg, co-founder of Maple Creative in Charleston, chimed in with a "fragment of an idea." He posted it on Twitter:

"Let's make a Fitter West Virginia using tipping point tactics to overcome obesity."

Lineberg was inspired by Malcolm Gladwell's work on tipping point theories -- the phenomenon often seen among infectious diseases or social ills. One kid comes to school with the flu, and the next day a few more are infected. The next thing you know, half the school is home sick. Kind of like the way one day you had never heard of Twitter, and the next day it seemed to be everywhere.

Could West Virginians intentionally use this phenomenon to effect a more desirable change? Instead of giving each other the croup, could we, as Lineberg suggested on his blog, tweet our workouts, use Facebook to note fitness efforts, start conversations about the subject, support leaders who support fitness, encourage each other?

People responded, posting short notes on their workouts, hikes and meals.

As if they read our minds, or our Twitter posts, researchers at the federal Centers for Disease Control last month released "Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States." It reads as bad as it sounds, but it's full of jewels.

[Read the full article.]

Thanks, Dawn! I know the #fitwv movement just got stronger today, much like our energetic, healthy supporters get stronger every time they exercise.

[Here's more on the #FitWV conversation thread on Twitter.]

Readers, I pose the following hypothetical question: what does any of this WV fitness stuff, #fitwv and Twitter have to do with marketing? I contend that in today's marketing environment, tactics like viral marketing and online PR are not only opportune--but crucial! If we can use a zero-cost project like this one to elevate an important conversation and to affect behavior, what else might we be able to accomplish!

Love the New TV Advertisements for Ally Bank

2009-07-03T17:04:00.005-05:00

Kudos to ad agency BBH for a very nicely done campaign for Ally Bank. Perhaps you have seen the TV commercials? The one about the pony was so good that it caused me to go to the AdWeek Web site to see who created it.

The TV spots are great, but so is the positioning for the bank itself: Straightforward. In my opinion that message is right for our post-financial-meltdown times. And the payoff line in each of the advertisements is crisp and distinctive, too: "It's just the right thing to do."

The brand is also supported by a very nice, simple, clean Web presence at AllyBank.com.

Tip o' the cap to the marketing geniuses at Bartle Bogle Hegarty Ltd. for some fine work!

Pushing Fitness Toward the Tipping Point in West Virginia

2009-07-01T16:21:00.002-05:00

A couple weeks ago, in support of Jason Keeling's West Virginia Day project at A Better West Virginia, I put forth this fragment of an idea. I postulated that we could shift the perception--and even influence the behaviors--related to fitness in WV, simply (yet purposefully) by elevating the level of conversation. As the title suggests, this is all based on Malcolm Gladwell's tipping point theories.

Well, guess what ... it's working! Thanks to a core group of "Mavens" - (ref. Gladwell), this initiative (now dubbed #fitwv - read on for explanation) is taking off.

Here's what I offered for those who wanted to get on board. You too can begin, simply by doing one or more of the following:

Tweeting your workouts on Twitter ("Just had a great run along the boulevard!")
Utilizing your Facebook status update to note your fitness activities ("Heading to the gym!")
Used fitness topics as a conversation starter ("Hey, have you been to the new zip line course in the New River Gorge?")
Support fitness-minded leaders - search and follow Twitter leaders who are into fitness and health; subscribe to blogs and RSS feeds from bloggers who write about exercise, nutrition and wellness. ("Check out this great new yoga blog I found.")
Make it a personal priority--if not already--and begin advocating for fitness as a healthy lifestyle. Talking about it. Encouraging others. Inviting others to engage. ("Hey, do you play tennis. Wanna play sometime this week?")

Now, as for the #fitwv thing, I absently mindedly added a "hash tag" to my first post on Twitter about this idea. Following is my Tweet from June 20th:

Happy WV Day! Let's make a Fitter West Virginia using tipping point tactics to overcome obesity. http://tinyurl.com/nxj7y8 #abetterwv 7:53 AM Jun 20th

It caught on. Folks began using it. The neat thing about hash tags in Twitter is that they can be "sticky" - short and memorable. If you want to appreciate the power of the #fitwv hash tag, just go to search.twitter.com and type #fitwv in the search box.

Following Gladwell's theoretical model, what we need now are some fitness-minded connectors to come on board and tell a couple dozen of their friends. Once that happens, we'll shoot from 30 to 300 advocates of #fitwv lickety-split.

Frankly, I am amused and excited to see where this goes. The payoff, of course, is when this movement really causes some movement ... and that's when our little project inspires a few more West Virginians to adopt the fitness mentality and lifestyle.

Before you go, please take a minute to check out the wonderfully written related blog post by my good friend Elizabeth Damewood Gaucher over at her Esse Diem blog.

Poll: Bargain Brands

2009-06-25T14:31:00.012-05:00

I was at the store the other day picking out some items when my autopilot shut off and I became aware of the items in my basket. Crest toothpaste. Bargain mouthwash. Pantene Pro V conditioner. Bargain body lotion.

Since I used to be a faithful buyer of Scope and St. Ives, I began to wonder... How many more people are dropping name brands for store/bargain brands due to the current condition of the economy?

My curiosity pushed me to create a poll!

Online Surveys & Market Research

A Fitter West Virginia

2009-06-20T06:47:00.007-05:00

Happy West Virginia Day! Like many, I love West Virginia. So it's tragic, to me, that West Virginia is the most overweight state in the nation. (The depressing stats are at the bottom if you need a reminder.)

Hey - I want you all to feel good, look good and live good, long lives! In support of A Better West Virginia, and in honor of West Virginia day, let's create a fitter Mountain State. It may appear a daunting challenge, but we can do it if we work smart and work together!

Obesity is a complex, multi-factor health epidemic, requiring a comprehensive solution. Right? I'm not so sure. I contend that we don't have to make this so complicated.

According to theories put forth in Malcolm Gladwell's best-seller, The Tipping Point, change begins with a spark of action or a transformative idea (often from a maven) and spreads through communities via connectors and salesmen. The change builds momentum, gaining acceptance and attracting support, until it tips (i.e., becomes prevalent, becomes the new normal). He uses such examples as Paul Revere's midnight ride, the clean-up of crime and vandalism in New York City and the return of Hush Puppy shoes. Gladwell postulates that a group of perhaps as few as 150 people aligned around a cause, and constituted with a blend of salesmen, connectors and mavens, can affect bold transformations. He cites example after of example of tipping-point victories.

How might we apply "Tipping Point" techniques to make a fitter West Virginia?

What if ... 150 (or more) of the most connected, Web savvy West Virginians began talking about fitness? [If you are reading this article, there's a good chance you might be just such a person, by the way.] Consider the potential impact of weird, new ideas like these:

Tweeting your workouts on Twitter (Just had a great run along the boulevard!)

Utilizing your Facebook status update to note your fitness activities (Heading to the gym!)

Used fitness topics as a conversation starter (Hey, have you been to the new zip line course in the New River Gorge?)

Support fitness-minded leaders - search and follow Twitter leaders who are into fitness and health; subscribe to blogs and RSS feeds from bloggers who write about exercise, nutrition and wellness. (Check out this great new yoga blog I found.)

Make it a personal priority--if not already--and begin advocating for fitness as a healthy lifestyle. Talking about it. Encouraging others. Inviting others to engage. (Hey, do you play tennis. Wanna play sometime this week?)

None of this requires new systems or much extra work or time, really not even any money. I'm not urging you to join a gym or even to exercise more frequently. What I am urging you to do is to commit to elevate the conversation about fitness and to main it consistently. When you work out - put it out there across your network. Keep the conversation going. Support others. Simple and easy!

Imagine the power of 150+ visible, opinion leaders focusing on fitness! Others will take notice. It's leadership by example. It's advocacy. One by one, across social networks (both real and virtual) people will begin to think: Maybe I need to get going with this fitness thing. Behavior modeling will begin and change will occur. Powerful!

I believe that once West Virginia addresses its education and obesity challenges, everything else is easily tackled and overcome. To me, these are the two "biggies" (no pun intended). I will rely on others for educational ideas and reforms; there's already some good stuff underway.

When I turned 40 three years ago, I was 40 pounds overweight. My waist was 40 inches. My cholesterol was 240, and my blood pressure was 140-something (the top number). Not a healthy picture. Since that time, I've made some huge changes in my lifestyle with exercise, fitness and supplementation. Today, those efforts have paid off, and I will be around for many more years to enjoy my wonderful family, friends and beloved Mountain State.

While that's a happy story, it's not what's most relevant to this example. During the course of my fitness transformation, I casually, almost haphazardly began communicating about my workouts and fitness lifestyle on Facebook and Twitter--not in a zealous way, just conversational and without agenda. I did this mostly to hold myself accountable and to focus on my fitness.

This is the big surprising insight: over the past two years, I have heard from more than 30 or more people that they have been inspired and motivated by my fitness blurbs and quips. That's wonderful! Such feedback has helped me to stay focused and committed. It's an upward spiral. It's synergy. A community of enriched relationships is so powerful!

Are you ready to make this tip? I hope you'll join me!

I look forward to your comments and suggestions here or on Facebook and Twitter.

___________________________________________________________________

Here are some background stats on obesity, culled from the report "Obesity: Facts, Figures, Guidelines" - WV DHHR, 2002.

Obese West Virginians are more likely than their healthy weight counterparts to have suffered a heart attack, been diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, and/or asthma, or been limited in their activities because of back pain.

The economic costs of obesity are tremendous. The National Institutes of Health have estimated the total cost of overweight and obesity to the U.S. economy in 1995 dollars at $99.2 billion, including 39.3 million workdays lost annually to obesity-related causes.

The obesity prevalence in West Virginia has been consistently higher than that in the United States as a whole. In 1990, the West Virginia rate of adult obesity was 15.0%,
compared with a U.S. rate of 11.6%. By 2000, the state rate was 23.2%, compared
with 20.1% nationally. The obesity rate has increased in virtually all of West
Virginia’s 55 counties over the past decade.

CREO and the Copier Incident

2009-06-18T22:16:00.001-05:00

New Brand Identity for the Sci-Fi Channel

2009-06-16T12:35:00.004-05:00

On July 7th, NBC Universal will be rolling out a new brand identity for its cable television property, the Sci-Fi Channel. The new look is shown at left.

Home to such popular shows as Ghost Hunters, Primeval, Moonlight and Equilibrium, the channel has a relatively small but loyal audience. While I would love to hear from some of them to get their reactions... I'm going out on a limb and predicting that no one's going to be too fond of the new identity for the Sci-Fi brand.

First off, humans are usually fairly resistant to change. 99% of the time we'll take the old. (Thank you very much.)

Secondly, and more troubling to me, is the fact that the new logotype has no connotation of anything scientific, nothing that says science fiction. Four rather plain, very round-ish letters. In white. Blandsville.

And finally, while I'm ranting, I cannot quite come to terms with how the new brand name comes across phonetically. Does anyone hear: "Siffy" or perhaps "Sife-E?" Somewhere between the two "y's" and the lowercase "f" everything breaks down. The mini Web site that explains the new branding approach is even all jacked up.

On a positive note--and for the sake of balance--I will say that the new positioning statement is pretty good. It's an action-oriented invitation to me to imagine. I like that. With the word "Greater," they are hinting at some bigger, better things to come. That sounds good and promising, also.

Let's hope Sci-Fi, or Siffy, lives up to its promise ... and hope that the programming is better than the logo design work. Marketing geniuses and Sci-Fi brand evangelists, please tell us (post a comment) if your feelings are contrary.

Best of Marketing Genius: Repairing a Damaged Reputation

2009-06-04T19:35:00.003-05:00

Repairing a Damaged Reputation
[first published here April 2008]

Rehabilitating a damaged public image. This is one of the most popular topics that I am asked to address. From time to time, whenever controversy arises (and that seems to be more frequently, doesn't it!) the question is presented: how does one rehabilitate or repair a damaged image? How can someone rebuild his or her reputation?

It takes time to rehabilitate one's image: such a matter does not lend itself to a quick fix. Many people hope that if they say the right thing at the critical moment all will be made good. That's just not how the world works.

We, as human beings, form perceptions about other humans over time. This is the basis of reputation. If a person has made a major blunder, it equates to a big, negative hit against his or her reputation. This cannot be overcome with one press conference. No, the perfect statement at the perfect time will not wipe the slate clean. Instead, those in the audience will watch and observe, most likely in a cautious manner at first. Some will be inclined to forgive; others may become embittered permanently toward the person who made the major mistake. Over time, most people in the audience will adjust their assessments of the person in question.

So if the perfect words will not do the trick, what can rebuild a tarnished reputation? One word: actions.

As we've all heard, actions speak louder than words. Once a person has made the gargantuan gaffe, the best thing he or she can do is to consistently do good and do right. According to the laws of communication theory, 93% of the information that human beings process and learn from is related to non-verbal signals or cues. By contrast, words account for only 7% of that which we process and upon which we form perceptions. With this fact in mind, it is easy to see why actions are so much more important than words in regard to mending one's reputation.

With the clear understanding that (1) rehabilitating a reputation takes time and that (2) actions speak louder than words, let's shift the focus toward the public relations strategy. What are the right tactics to use in a situation where a person has made a career-threatening mistake?

I would advise my clients and anyone else to adhere to the following ABC principles:

A - Apologize
Admit your mistake and ask for forgiveness. Demonstrate that you have a contrite heart. This is done by speaking in a humble manner and expressing remorse.

B - Be genuine
Show some emotion. No one will forgive an over-rehearsed, stiff emotionless robot. Speak from the heart and use natural, appropriate hand gestures and other non-verbals. Obviously, we don't want to see a blubbering basket case, but genuineness and emotion can be very helpful.

C - Compassion
Show compassion. The root of the word "passion" is "suffer." To show compassion is to demonstrate that you are suffering with the person (or parties) who were affected. The audience will identify with compassion and respond favorably to it. Perhaps no one understood this better than Bill Clinton who repeatedly emphasized: "I feel your pain."

Remember that non-verbal communication is crucial. People in the audience are watching, more than listening. Therefore, the speaker's emphasis should be placed upon apologizing, being genuine and demonstrating compassion. It may be acceptable to speak briefly about one's past track record (which may have been glowing and heroic) but only in the context of remarks about future plans to atone for this incident. Specifically, the speaker may want to briefly discuss specific plans about rehabilitating himself, through counseling, clergy, medical care, training or community service, to demonstrate that he is focused on atoning for his actions and preventing future blunders.

All in all, the majority of the positive impact, or image rehabilitation, will come in the weeks and months that follow the initial episode. Sorry ... there simply is no quick fix.

Accordingly, we would work with our client to establish an ambitious, pro-active outreach plan to lead them through this subsequent phase. Ultimately, the key to successfully rehabilitating a reputation is consistently repeating good deeds, rightful and helpful acts, over an extended period, in a manner that reestablishes trust.

Best of Marketing Genius: The Five Benefits

2009-06-02T05:59:00.002-05:00

The Five Benefits
[first published here, July 2005]

In marketing we are constantly advising our clients to promote the benefits of their product or service, instead of features or functions.

"This new device has 65 Terabytes of bandwidth and a 125 gigahertz processor."

So what!

You have to tell me what that will mean to me.

Anyone attempting to promote or sell anything must drill down with his thinking until he discerns the real benefits.

What's the benefit, then? In this case I can think of two: make more money and have more time to spend with family. The device works faster so you will get work done more quickly, enabling you to shave time off your work day to devote to family. Or, you can do more work in a given time period and (ostensibly) make more money.

A PR consultant from New York City taught me that there are really only five benefits that anyone can mention. According to him, it does not matter what the product is or what industry one inhabits, we have to present our case so effectively that we tell our audience within the first ten seconds which of the five possible benefits we are offering.

There are five, period. F-I-V-E.

Are you ready for them?

Here goes:
1. Make me wealthy
2. Improve my appearance
3. Help me to be more well-liked by my family or friends
4. Make me live longer
5. Get me laid more often

Money, looks, popularity, health and sex. That's it.

Best of Marketing Genius: Duracell - Sellling the Benefit

2009-05-29T05:52:00.005-05:00

Selling the Benefit: Duracell
[first published here May 2007]

I am very impressed with the new Duracell battery advertising campaign. Have you heard it or seen it? I've caught this campaign on TV and radio. The most impressive part to me is that Duracell understands that it is not selling batteries. No, the company is selling the benefits that its batteries provide.The advertisements are a series of 30-second case studies. In each, the Duracell battery is feature in a critical application. Here are a few examples:

The SignalOne Voice Alarm - studies show that when a fire happens in the middle of the night, the most reliable method of waking a sleeping child is to have the fire alarm loudly project the sound of his mother's voice (a pre-recorded message: "honey wake up; there's a fire in the house.) The SignalOne alarm is equipped with the Duracell battery. To whom would you entrust your child's life in the event of a fire? Duracell the battery that's trusted everywhere.

Heart Monitors - in hospitals the heart monitors that are used on patients following open heart surgery are equipped with Duracell batteries. When monitoring every heartbeat matters, which brand of battery do hospitals trust? Duracell, of course.

Glucose Meters - its more than just a finger stick. It's your health. Some things are too important to take chances with. Make sure your glucose meter is equipped with a Duracell battery, the brand that is trusted everywhere.

Zoll Defibrillator - a vignette ad that alternates between a proud mother snapping photos of her son at graduation ... and a sequence in which that same boy one year prior had a heart failure during a basketball game. The same battery that enables Mom and her camera to preserve the family's memories allowed the medical team to preserve her son's life with a Zoll Portable Defibrillator, powered by Duracell batteries.

What is Duracell selling? Far from promoting batteries, Duracell is selling peace of mind. Duracell is selling the benefits of avoiding worry, living longer and improving one's health. That's smart marketing and a great ad campaign. Kudos to the marketing geniuses behind the Duracell campaign!

Meet Our Newest Team Member - CREO

2009-05-27T17:12:00.004-05:00

He's quirky. He is somewhat shy. And he is a creative powerhouse.

It is with great pride that I introduce you to CREO. He is the embodiment of creativity at Maple Creative.

To say that CREO is the newest member of our team is not totally accurate. CREO has been here all along. However, it is only recently that we have coaxed and persuaded him to go public.

CREO authorized us to release the following statement. Quoting directly:

"sdfe jiojoj fex jiokol cdsder njoi awesere njmkiol gferf. joij-fewf, dwed jkoj jioj sdfew. kop awqq njmklfreeeet vbdf bnjhn. cfde hjui serq jkioj? zasew oip dfger uiohuji ,.,,,.liuo ewfer?/?"

Okay, so CREO is a lousy typist. But the dude has huge hands... and only 8 fingers. Let's cut him a break. Allow me to translate:

"So Maple is a cool place in many respects. It is a really nice outlet for my creativity. I wonder sometimes if I am fitting in with them, though. Do they get me? And why do they leave here in the afternoon, because creativity never sleeps. Creativity lives here. Who stole my Funyuns?"

Go figure....

The guy can be a pest at times, to be sure. And talk about making a mess! But get him in on a brainstorming and the creative level just skyrockets! He's been in the State Journal and in West Virginia Executive lately. Oh, and rumor has it that he'll be showing up on YouTube and Facebook soon. We can only hope and pray that this recent "fame" doesn't go to his (freakin' huge) head.

Best of Marketing Genius: Successful Event Promotion (Pt. 2)

2009-05-26T19:35:00.005-05:00

Keys to Successful Event Promotion - Part Two
[first published here July 2006]

It is getting tougher and tougher, to get the people you want and need to come to your important event to actually attend. The problem is two-fold. People are busier. They are also being bombarded with requests to attend events. That means there's more competition for their valuable, scarce time. No matter if your event is an annual meeting or a fundraiser or an educational seminar or a sales presentation. No matter if your event is in the morning or the evening ... food or no food, you have to be lucky or smart to end up with a full room on the appointed date and time of your big event.

Oh sure, you could pay people $100 to attend ... or you could hire a celebrity or sports hero to entice people to attend. Either tactic might boost the numbers. Most of us do not have such a rich marketing treasure chest. Now, as for luck, we'll leave that to others and focus on helping you become a smarter event promoter. So here goes!

Earlier this month we introduced you to the RSVP model for event promotion. Here are more helpful insights for you:

V - Variety
To get your invitee to respond, it is no longer enough to mail him an engraved invitation. You have to communicate the information about your event through a variety of channels. Invite them by way of a mailed piece, fine. But combine that tactic with an e-mail invitation. And don't forget to use the media. Hit your invitee in her mailbox. Hit her in her inbox (e-mail). And also hit her in her newspaper and even her radio station. Yes, if you are crafty and persuasive you can get your event covered in the media. Don't expect an expose, though; a simple announcement is much more likely--and still helpful.

P - Packaging
If you want to cut through the clutter and have your invitees pay attention to your invitation and your event, you have to package it. Make it interesting. Add some sizzle. Build up anticipation for the event. Make it the don't-miss-event-of-the-year. Explain why your event is valuable and important. How can you make it more fun ... more important ... or more enticing?

Example: "Attend our annual meeting where you'll have the chance to visit with 20 of the city's most successful business owners."

Another example: one of our clients opened a new facility in one of the city's oldest hotels, a 1920's era building. We gave the grand opening a Roaring Twenties theme, complete with period props, caterers dressed in period costumes and a big band playing swing tunes. It was a smashing success, something different.

Look, there's no cookie-cutter solution. You have to be creative--and you have to know your audience. To be sure, there's a fine line between unique and cheesy; your job is to know that balance point. We're not here to give you the one answer. The point is that marketing geniuses avoid going through the same old tired, mindless tactics that no longer work.

In closing, we ask you, marketing geniuses: what have you done or seen that packed the house for a special event? Please share your stories with us.

Best of Marketing Genius: Successful Event Promotion (Pt. 1)

2009-05-21T22:32:00.002-05:00

Keys to Successful Event Promotion - Part 1
[first published here in July 2006]

In our increasingly saturated, information overload world, it's getting harder and harder to get people to attend events. It doesn't seem to matter whether it is a party, an educational seminar or a demonstration. People are busy, to be sure. It also seems that the people who we want to come to our event are getting hit with tons of other invitations from people urging them to come to their events. Not to mention the fact that our invitees are working longer hours, and they're busy parenting their active, involved kids.

So what's a marketing genius to do? Before you raise your arms in exasperation, try the 'RSVP' approach. It's the smarter way of promoting events.

R - Repetition
You have to send your message multiple times. That busy invitee may toss the first invitation. The second one might come at the wrong time ... but that third request catches her just when she has a free moment to focus. If your budget allows, plan and deploy a series of communications to promote your event. Start with a teaser, then send a "Save the Date" message. Continue with the official invitation and follow it with a news clipping about your event. Later, send a friendly reminder, followed by a blurb along the lines of "Look Who's Coming!" If you are operating on a shoe-string budget, you would be wise to send the exact same invitation two or three times, simply to ensure that it gets through. A repetitive communication series gets results. A one-shot invitation gets ignored, misplaced or trashed.

S - Simplicity
How simple can you make it for your invitee to attend your event? I mean, really, really simple. Can you make it so easy that all she has to do is show up? Ask yourself: Is the response step really necessary? Could we go with "Regrets only?" Do not require an RSVP, unless it is truly needed. If you are inviting via e-mail, make it simple for them to just click "Reply" to register. Avoid using a complicated Web form, if possible. Simplify your process; it will make things easier on you and your guests.

There you have it: the "R" and the "S" of the RSVP approach. We'll share the rest with you over the next couple of days.

Best of Marketing Genius: 4 C's of Marketing

2009-05-20T18:55:00.002-05:00

More Marketing Basics: The Four C's of Marketing
[First appeared on Marketing Genius February 2006]

We've all heard about the four P's of marketing. Now, let's take a look at another categorization system--the Four Cs. This system is newer, and in my opinion, is applicable to a wider range of marketing challenges.

The old system of four P's was created before the service/information economies were born--and thus it is best applied to the marketing of products, especially mass retail products. Now, for the 4 C's:

C - Customer
Who is your customer - or prospective customer? What are their needs? Where do they live; where do they work; and what do they do for fun? Where do they get information?

C - Competition
What competitors exist in the market space in question? And what are their strengths, weaknesses and positions?

C - Cost
What will your product (or service) cost? How does this compare? What effect will the cost of your product have on it's perceived value (or position) in the competitive marketplace? And most importantly, what are customers willing to pay?

C - Communication
How will you communicate your offering to customers? What modes of communication are available to you (or your client)? Which will be most effective ... and what will be the strategic mix of communications?

*C - Collaboration (We've added a fifth C)
Can you identify allies or partners who might be willing to help you promote your product or service? Can you share a reciprocal Website link? Is it possible to negotiate a cooperative marketing allowance or program with an organization (or company) that has complementary needs and objectives?

The 4 Ps ... the 4 Cs ... what use is all of this? These are purely and simply tools for analysis and planning. Yes, we really use them ... really think about them. And I encourage you to refer to the four C's or the four P's when you are planning your next marketing program or campaign.

Best of Marketing Genius: Behind the Scenes of Branding

2009-05-19T20:03:00.004-05:00

No doubt, you've heard such phrases as brand awareness and brand equity. If you've been visiting Marketing Genius for a while, we hope you've become familiar with other important terms such as brand positioning, brand essence and brand mission.

Recently, several of us Mapleonians reached a mutual conclusion: it is time to take you behind the scenes of the branding work we do. We feel that you are ready for it and that you've earned this special privilege.

So c'mon ... step around that stanchion, follow that rope, just beyond that black curtain. And--whoa--don't trip over that easel!

Good, you've arrived! Ready to have a look at what else goes on?

Ahh - here's the good stuff. This is what really goes on ... behind the branding.

Brandana Potential - an important measure of any brand, this determines how good (or bad) your brand logo will look on a 'doo rag (i.e., a bandana).

B.A.C. - brand alcohol content - the degree to which your brand appeals more strongly to slightly intoxicated consumers (i.e., at cocktail parties, tailgating and keggers). Not to be confused with BUI (more on that later).

Brandapalooza Index - an assessment of your brand's adaptability and potential usage on a concert T-shirt or tie dye.

Brand Stripper Name - a composite consisting of the name of your brand's first pet (typically a pet dog or cat) plus the name of the street that your brand grew up on - mine happens to be Buffy Lincoln, for the record. You must always check this before you launch any new brand.

Brangelina Factor - a predictor, used to measure the probability that your brand will become "adopted by" the Hollywood elite crowd. (Will it become trendy in LA? Is your brand logo likely to become tattooed on Angelina, for example?)

Brandy Warhol Syndrome - inevitably your brand will be given its 15 minutes of fame. Is it ready? What would Andy Warhol do with it? How would he shoot it, or paint it?

Only small doses of this powerful new knowledge are permitted. That's enough for today. We'll show you more next time.Yeah, we had fun, too. You can just find your way out of the backroom. Careful as you go, now. You might be feeling a little light-headed. It's probably just those SprayMount fumes.

[Originally published November 2007]

Great Ads #10 - We Can Solve It

2009-04-14T16:38:00.005-05:00

Whether you hug trees for a living, or chop them down, if you're able to set aside your personal feelings and allegiances, you can appreciate this great ad. This ad by The Alliance for Climate Protection was clipped from the December 2008 issue of GQ.

What makes it so great? Let's take apart the elements.

The stopper effect is very strong. First off, it is impossible to miss the gargantuan headline treatment with its nearly 2-inch tall font. Reminds me a bit of the famous "Dewey Beats Truman" headline of old. "Free us." It is a simple message in a world of increasingly complex messages.

Next, I am taken by the unusual layout. You'll notice that the page is split vertically by image (on the left) and copy block (on the right). Most print ads today are designed with an image that spans the full page. If there is separate copy block is designed into the layout, the page is usually split horizontally with the image on top and copy below. In a metaphorical sense, this vertical split almost gives a sense of demarcation ... a new era, a change, etc ... if you think about a horizontal timeline or progression of time.

The visual image is stark and unusual. How often do we see an oil tanker in an ad? The cropping of the photo and the perspective supplied by the camera angle combine to communicate the massive size of that sea-faring vessel.

Finally, take a hard look at the ad copy. It is arranged in an unusual format, almost like a poem. Short lines, all contained to one row, and repetition are used to give the copy a choppy meter and an emphatic feel. And like all great ads, there is a distinct call-to-action or response mechanism. The advertiser clearly invites and urges the reader to go to the Web site to join their cause.

No matter how green you are, we can all be a little green with envy over the creative genius of this print advertisement.

Dare to Prepare

2009-04-11T14:53:00.002-05:00

Skip asked me to reflect on my experience on making effective and winning presentations. In my first career as the Founder and President of Pray Construction Company, we procured a fair amount of work that involved either a formal presentation to a selection committee or to an important decision-maker. In that industry and I imagine most industries, work procured through negotiations was beneficial to the organization…i.e. it was more profitable and less contentious. If you allowed the market to make you into a commodity….i.e. to make the selection process all about being the low bidder…then all of the value added components of your offering were left unappreciated and unrewarded.

Here are some of the guidelines we utilized when preparing a presentation.

1) Probe…probe…probe. In other words, understand not only what was written in the solicitation but find out what was REALLY important to the owner. Money is always on the table…but so are time, your team’s experience, other owner’s experience with you and your team, value added ideas, and what problems had the owner experienced in the past. Really try and understand what is important to them.
2) Who’s on the committee? What is their experience? What’s important to them?
3) We made an attempt to do a physiological profile of the selectors. Did they want simple choices and want you to drop down to the bottom line quickly….(A “D” personality using the DICS profile)….was the relationship important…as in a strong people person…( The “I”…easy to pick out…give them a big smile and they will almost always give you a big smile back)…..or were the details important (this is the “C” …and so we always were sure to introduce the “C”’s to our engineers)…or was past dependable experience the issue…(The “S”). So, for sure, we couldn't ask the selection committee to take a test but we were sure to try and have a little bit of everything for all the types.
4) And now the killer…Rehearse…Rehearse…Rehearse. This does so many things. If you are using multi media…it shakes that all out. It is very effective in getting the bugs out. I also really like to present. That is not typical. Many people just hate it and rehearsal can provide a lot of reassurance to presenters that are inclined towards stage fright. In front of a mock audience, you can also figure out what might need more work.
5) Stay within the time limit. If the selector group is full of D types, you will win if you finish early and lose if you go 30 minutes over.
6) Know your material or bring the people with you who do….But be careful with that. I’ve had some team members that just should never present. They don’t have it. If you must bring them…rehearse them to death…as in…..say as little as possible.
7) Lastly, make the presentation about them (the owner/buyer) Please…don’t wee wee on the committee. It’s their project and that is what is important. Never forget that.

At PrayWorks, I market and sell a service known as owner’s representation. I can help owners put together effective project delivery teams and help an owner with the evaluation process. Learn more about my services at www.prayworks.com and follow my musings on my BLOG at http://209capitolstreet.blogspot.com/ . And of course there is always Twitter…follow davidpray.

Thanks for reading!

Dave Pray

Dave Pray on Facebook/Social Media

2009-04-03T09:34:00.006-05:00

Skip Lineberg is a friend of mine and Maple Creative has performed work for me and my companies. A few years ago I launched a new company, PrayWorks, and the Maple team created the name, logo, and initial web presence. Too, I subleased a small office at Maple’s headquarters, so I got to hang around the Maple team for a year or two. I am Blogger ( 209 Capitol Street ) (Skip introduced me to this world as well) and recently Skip asked me to guest BLOG on the Marketing Genius website….so here is post number 1!!!

I think BLOG posts need to be short…so my intent is to discuss Facebook. I have written about Facebook (a venue for “social media”) on my Blog so go and read my general musings. But....as a component of a marketing plan….social media is a device or forum that wants to be on your radar screen. Here’s why:

People do business with people. So, by making regular (you decide what regular means, but I think a few times a week qualifies as regular) you begin to paint a picture of whom you are for your market (i.e. “Friends”). Now these entries should likely be a combination of professional and personal musings. Perhaps you post a link to an interesting magazine article about something relevant in your industry (business) or post a sports link (personal) you think your market might like to see. You can provide very brief updates about your work day (business) and then post a very short thought about the movie you just saw (personal).

Multi-Media. Too…Facebook is not just about text….it’s a great place for photos. You know the creative types by how often (and with what) that post as their picture…Hmmmm…time for me to change up. Maybe a few project photos as well as pictures of you and your family.

Network. Reconnecting with old friends (OK…your network) I think is fundamentally a personal endeavor. However, isn’t marketing about getting a “friend” to refer you? “You really need to talk to Dave Pray”. Facebook can be all about personal entries and just simply provide your market with top of mind awareness.

How about as a recruiting tool?

Now…..one of the big knocks about Facebook is…….Who has any time?? I suggest this is simply a learning curve. Sure…there are those who obsess and just seem to live in this world…but I think most of us either keep the page up and give it a glance or, using your iPhone, just keep track of activity while you are walking down the street….but that’s another subject!

Thanks

Follow me on Twitter @davidpray

Great ads #9

2009-04-02T13:58:00.002-05:00

The other night I was watching the elite 8 and a commercial came on that was a parody of Tom Cruise's Risky Business. It had Duke's Coach K, UNC's Roy Williams and Lousiville's Rick Pitino and Bobby Knight. It was just an entertaining way for Guitar Hero to promote the new Guitar Hero Metallica. It's now on YouTube. I think it's a good way to promote the new game because it was on CBS during March Madness with well-known coaches. I know for me it made me go check out the website and see what all was going on with Guitar Hero and the new games.

Marketing and the Circus

2009-03-31T16:42:00.004-05:00

This wonderful gem was sent to me today by friend and marketing genius, J.J.:

"If the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying 'Circus Coming to the Fairground Saturday,' that's advertising. If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk him into town, that's promotion. If the elephant walks through the mayor's flowerbed, that's publicity. If you can get the mayor to laugh about it, that's public relations. And if you planned the elephant's walk, that's marketing."

source: Reader’s Digest

Now if that's not a great explanation of the science of marketing, I've never seen one! Thanks, J.J.!!!

Coming Up

2009-03-24T12:42:00.005-05:00

Just finished up a great lunch discussion with Dave Pray. We had some very good discussion about the importance of voice and genuineness in social media.

Voice - is it authentic ... is it relevant ... is it coherent? Is it your own?

We've all seen those blogs or Facebook pages or Twitter presences with an unauthentic voice. Some owner or marketing director has hired a third-party to be the mouthpiece for the company on its social media vehicles. Guess what folks: you're not fooling any of us!

As a marketing professional, I will only coach and counsel my clients on social media in order to make them effective and self-sufficient. I will not write for them. I am not the voice, because I do not have the soul, or the perspective or the nuances of language.

In the weeks ahead, we have some new things coming up! Dave Pray will be guest authoring a blog post or two here. He has some great ideas cooking!

Also, we have rejuvenated the very popular "Great Ads" series from a couple of years ago. To date, there have been eight posts in this series. Tim, Erin and Laura are working on a few new ones. I have a great ad clipped and ready to post, too. If you want to catch up on our "Great Ads" series - by all means do! Be sure to comment on your faves.

Great Ads #1 - Mack's Earplugs

Great Ads #2 - Dyson

Great Ads #3 - Target

Great Ads #4 - Clinique

Great Ads #5 - United Airlines

Great Ads #6 - Schmitt Sohne Winery

Great Ads #7 - JET Mirage Nightclub

Great Ads #8 - Canon

Great Ads #8 - Canon

2009-03-19T11:02:00.008-05:00

Advertisement from June 2004 issue of Inc.

When I saw this I could not help but to laugh! Would this really work in a real situation? Maybe not, but Canon sure does make it believable. Even if it is something that may not really keep someone out of the seat,
IT IS STILL HILARIOUS!

Canon has done a great job here bringing real life, "everyday," experiences together with a product inclusion as a comedic relief. You can see the product, you can see what it does, you can see how well it does it, and you can see how, in this scenario, it has become the bearer of the gentleman's burden. As it produces such crystal clear images that it has accomplished it's tasked goal; "Can't Sit There." Anytime you use comedy to advertise, and do it right ...
IT WORKS!

Thanks for the good advertising theme Canon, and THANKS for the laugh!

Small talk

2009-03-18T14:04:00.005-05:00

I visited the Apple Web site today to discover two words on the home page, “Small talk,” with a hand holding up a tiny silver rectangle. My initial goal flew out the window (I don’t even remember why I was visiting the Apple site to begin with.) Instead, I started to click around to find out more about this shiny new product, the newest iPod shuffle.

I already have an iPod and no need for a new one… but this little guy (and boy do I mean little) caught my attention. Not only is it the smallest music player around (the earbuds are about the same size as the shuffle itself), it also boasts the new VoiceOver feature. With the press of a button the iPod will tell you about the song you are listening to.

Sold.

I already have a fun enough time typing random phrases into text-to-speech programs… and I figure my goal will be to fill the 4GB of space with as many lengthy, foreign or oddly spelled titles as possible. (Apple claims VoiceOver will automatically select the proper language and voice for foreign titles and artists.)

I’m not one to collect tech toys, but this one really hooked me. I’m almost ashamed of myself! In 10 minutes, I went from not being in the market for a new mp3 player to pondering whether to have my name or a small quote engraved on the back of my new iPod shuffle (I chose “A witty saying proves nothing.” – Voltaire).

Apple quickly turned me from a casual browser to a customer with their innovative products, sleek design, to-the-point copy and free shipping. Now that's genius.

Meet Laura Buckalew

2009-03-17T12:21:00.004-05:00

Hey! I'm Laura Buckalew and I'm Skip's mentee from the University of Charleston's Graduate School of Business. I play volleyball and am also a member of the women's crew team at UC. I'm also pursing my undergrad degrees in business administration and sports administration.

At the beginning of the school year we were asked to pick an area of study we were interested in and marketing is one that I really wanted to learn more about. So with Nora Myers' help she figured that Skip would be a good match for me and she was right! I'm always eager to learn new things and with Skip's help, I'm learning so much about the world of marketing! I'm excited about learning more from the blog posts and the other things Skip invites me to observe and be a part of.

The Rayovac Sticker: Straightforward or Sad?

2009-03-16T22:08:00.004-05:00

Any of you with kids will understand that parents are forever purchasing batteries for toys. Recently, my wife picked up a package of D cell (flashlight) batteries for our kids' Smartcycle. (A great toy, by the way, which combines an exercise bike with video games.) When she handed me the package, I was taken aback by a bright yellow sticker (shown at right - sorry about the blurry photo). The sticker offered the following message:
Rayovac Lasts as Long as Energizer.

My first thought was, How sad for Rayovac! They've had to resort to a direct comparison with another leading brand of batteries to get consumers to buy the Rayovac brand. In essence, they are advertising for Energizer on their package. Even worse, Rayovac is not offering a benefit that exceeds Energizer; they're simply saying that the Rayovac battery is equal. [Well then, why not buy Energizer? Right?]

As a brief aside, I racked my brain for associations and mental reference points about batteries. Number one - I think of the Energizer bunny, which tells me that the Energizer battery just keeps on going ... and going ... and going. So, Energizer = long lasting. That's good. Second, I think of Duracell ... "the coppertop." And I am reminded of some of the great advertising that Duracell has done in recent years. So Duracell = functional superiority that equates to trust and peace of mind. As for Rayovac, I've got nothing. I guess I would perceive Rayovac to be a third-place brand in the battery marketplace. (That's just my perception, right or wrong.)

Conversely, I can understand Rayovac's approach. They don't have much to lose. Why not go with the straightforward message: our batteries last just as long as the other brand? To their credit, it is direct and easy to understand (whether you believe it, or not). And the bright yellow sticker with the black lettering (taking from the warning sign design schema) is impossible to miss!

Probing a bit deeper into all of this, I made my first (ever) visit to the Rayovac Web site. And I found, again to their credit, that the "Lasts Just As Long As" marketing them is integrated into the Rayovac home page. And on its Web site, Rayovac adds another phrase to the message ... an important one: "And Costs Less." So let's give credit where credit is due.

In my mind, the jury is still out on this campaign. My take on the campaign is tending toward "Sad" in recognition of the desperation feel of this marketing angle. But in the end, market share will be the real determinant of the success of this campaign. We'll keep watching ... and watching ....

Let's hear from you! What do you, fellow marketing geniuses, think about this new Rayovac strategy? Is it simply sad--or smartly straightforward?

PS - Mapleonian Erin Deegan reported a very clever marketing tactic for batteries. Duracell has packaged a free set of ear bud headphones with its 8-pack of AA batteries. Now that will influence some consumer decisions, especially those younger consumers who own mp3 players.

ALL -NATURAL or NATURAL DISASTER

2009-03-06T14:10:00.027-05:00

PepsiCo is adding three new softdrinks to its portfolio as part of the company's "refresh Everything" strategy. The lineup includes a premium all-natural cola, called Pepsi Natural, to be released this month in 10 select markets, along with limited-time throwback versions in April of Pepsi and Mountain Dew. All three products will be made with all-natural sugar, and aim to take customers in a different taste direction. Pepsi has been prepping this “natural” launch since 2006 as an answer to consumers' concerns about high fructose corn syrup.

“Pepsi Natural and the "Throwback" duo give consumersthe opportunity to refresh how they experience soft drinks,” said Frank Cooper, vp of portfolio brands, Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages, in a statement. “We’re continuing to offer a variety of products across different beverage categories, with a splash of nostalgia and entirely new experiences.”

The "Throwback" idea, I don't know if I am too crazy about it. I mean it worked for Ford when they took the Mustang back a few decades in it's look and it certainly had an appeal to buyers. This is a beverage we're talking about though. People who like and buy the product, "LIKE AND BUY" the product already. Why change the taste for a few weeks. Maybe that's why it's just for a few weeks. I don't know how I feel when PepsiCo says they're offering a line of products "with a splash of nostalgia". To me that doesn't sound refreshing or desireable to stick in my mouth. How about a blast of oldness in your mouth! No thanks! Is this what the new branding and logos were leading up to? If so, then I am way more disappointed than when I thought it was just a total brand/logo overhaul.

Now for this "Natural" thing; PepsiCo seems to be trying to re-invent a "good product" into something, not so much better, but all around different! This seems to be a plan to appeal to a whole new class and life-style of consumers. With everyone scrambling to things that are more healthy and more natural, without all of the man-made additives and preservatives, this seems like PepsiCo's contribution to a new mindset of product needs. Does this seem like a good approach? Is this too risky, will it last? Will health fanatics really pop the top on sugar filled carbonated beverages and feel good about it? I've seen many beverages similar to this around trying to hone in on people who want healthy foods and drinks. They don't usually seem to be a big hit. Will PepsiCo change it all? Will it be the trademark "Natural" soda beverage that everyone will consider, or is it just another crafty mix of words on a product that is still full of sugars, albeit "natural" sugars. And what about the branding? It seems like they have taken the new brand/logos, and rather than change them, they just threw off the bad branding on another line of products. In my opinion I think we're looking at a NATURAL DISASTER!

Creativity in Action: Minni Purl

2009-02-27T15:36:00.005-05:00

This is just plain cool! Minni Purl is a textile artist, here in Charleston, West Virginia. I've seen and loved her work, but have never met her in person. She explains her work on this project:

Check out the newest knitting project by MinniPurl on the corner of Hale and Lee Streets. The city approved the knitting on the opposite side of the sign, so it doesn't confuse rescue workers needing street directions! Minni wouldn't want to cause accidents!! xo

(That's our building in the background, by the way.) It's things like this that make me so proud to live in a creative community!

Tropicana Squeezed by Consumer Perception

2009-02-27T15:02:00.003-05:00

Last month, we commented on Tropicana's packaging redesign. Some called it "generic." In fact, we questioned if Tropicana was using its new, plainer design to attempt to reposition itself downward. Now this week, as reported in the following New York Times story, Tropicana announced that it has reversed its decision (in response to consumer reaction) and has scrapped the new packaging design.

Tropicana Discovers Some Buyers Are Passionate About Packaging
(Stuart Elliott, New York Times, Feb. 23, 2009)

IT took 24 years, but PepsiCo now has its own version of New Coke.

The PepsiCo Americas Beverages division of PepsiCo is bowing to public demand and scrapping the changes made to a flagship product, Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice. Redesigned packaging that was introduced in early January is being discontinued, executives plan to announce on Monday, and the previous version will be brought back in the next month.

Also returning will be the longtime Tropicana brand symbol, an orange from which a straw protrudes. The symbol, meant to evoke fresh taste, had been supplanted on the new packages by a glass of orange juice.
The about-face comes after consumers complained about the makeover in letters, e-mail messages and telephone calls and clamored for a return of the original look. Some of those commenting described the new packaging as “ugly” or “stupid,” and resembling “a generic bargain brand” or a “store brand.”

“Do any of these package-design people actually shop for orange juice?” the writer of one e-mail message asked rhetorically. “Because I do, and the new cartons stink.” Others described the redesign as making it more difficult to distinguish among the varieties of Tropicana or differentiate Tropicana from other orange juices.

Such attention is becoming increasingly common as interactive technologies enable consumers to rapidly convey opinions to marketers.

“You used to wait to go to the water cooler or a cocktail party to talk over something,” said Richard Laermer, chief executive at RLM Public Relations in New York. “Now, every minute is a cocktail party,” he added. “You write an e-mail and in an hour, you’ve got a fan base agreeing with you.”

That ability to share brickbats or bouquets with other consumers is important because it facilitates the formation of ad hoc groups, more likely to be listened to than individuals.

“There will always be people complaining, and always be people complaining about the complainers,” said Peter Shankman, a public relations executive who specializes in social media. “But this makes it easier to put us together.”

The phenomenon was on display last week when users of Facebook complained about changes to the Web site’s terms of service using methods that included, yes, groups on facebook.com. Facebook yielded to the protests and reverted to its original contract with users.

And in November, many consumers who used Twitter to criticize an ad for Motrin pain reliever received responses within 48 hours from the brand’s maker, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, which apologized for the ad and told them it had been withdrawn.

“Twitter is the ultimate focus group,” Mr. Shankman said. “I can post something and in a minute get feedback from 700 people around the world, giving me their real opinions.”

Neil Campbell, president at Tropicana North America in Chicago, part of PepsiCo Americas Beverages, acknowledged that consumers can communicate with marketers “more readily and more quickly” than ever. “For companies that put consumers at the center of what they do,” he said, “it’s a good thing.” It was not the volume of the outcries that led to the corporate change of heart, Mr. Campbell said, because “it was a fraction of a percent of the people who buy the product.” Rather, the criticism is being heeded because it came, Mr. Campbell said in a telephone interview on Friday, from some of “our most loyal consumers.”

“We underestimated the deep emotional bond” they had with the original packaging, he added. “Those consumers are very important to us, so we responded.” Among those who underestimated that bond was Mr. Campbell himself. In an interview last month to discuss the new packaging, he said, “The straw and orange have been there for a long time, but people have not necessarily had a huge connection to them.” Reminded of that on Friday, Mr. Campbell said: “What we didn’t get was the passion this very loyal small group of consumers have. That wasn’t something that came out in the research.”

That echoed an explanation offered in 1985 by executives of the Coca-Cola Company in response to the avalanche of complaints when they replaced the original version of Coca-Cola with New Coke: Consumers in focus groups liked the taste of New Coke, but were not told old Coke would disappear. The original version was hastily brought back as Coca-Cola Classic and New Coke eventually fizzed out. (There are, it should be noted, significant differences between the two corporate flip-flops. For instance, the Tropicana changes involved only packaging, not the formula for or taste of the beverage.)

An ad campaign for Tropicana that helped herald the redesigned cartons, also introduced last month, will continue to run, Mr. Campbell said. Print and outdoor ads that have already appeared will not be changed, he added, but future elements of the campaign — like commercials, due in March — would be updated.
Unlike the packaging, the campaign has drawn praise, particularly for including in its family imagery several photographs of fathers and children hugging. Such dad-centric images are rare in food ads. The campaign, which carries the theme “Squeeze it’s a natural,” was created by Arnell in New York, part of the Omnicom Group. Arnell also created the new version of the Tropicana packaging.

“Tropicana is doing exactly what they should be doing,” Peter Arnell, chairman and chief creative officer at Arnell, said in a separate telephone interview on Friday. “I’m incredibly surprised by the reaction,” he added, referring to the complaints about his agency’s design work, but “I’m glad Tropicana is getting this kind of attention.”

In fact, Tropicana plans to contact “everyone who called or wrote us” to express opinions, Mr. Campbell said, “and explain to them we’re making the change.”

Tropicana is among several PepsiCo brands whose packaging and logos have been recently redesigned by Arnell. The new logo the agency produced for Pepsi-Cola has been the subject of comments by ad bloggers who perceive a resemblance to the logo for the Barack Obama presidential campaign.

The bloggers have also buzzed about a document outlining the creation of the Pepsi-Cola logo, which appears to have been written by Arnell for PepsiCo executives; Mr. Arnell has declined to comment on the authenticity of the document, which is titled “Breathtaking Design Strategy” and is written in grandiose language.

One aspect of the new Tropicana packaging is being salvaged: plastic caps for the cartons, also designed by Arnell, that are shaped and colored like oranges. Those caps will be used, Mr. Campbell said, for cartons of Trop 50, a variety of Tropicana with less sugar and calories that is to be introduced soon.

During the interview last month, Mr. Campbell said that Tropicana would spend more than $35 million on the “Squeeze” campaign. Although he declined on Friday to discuss how much it would cost to scrap the new packaging and bring back the previous design, he said the amount “isn’t significant.”

Asked if he was chagrined that consumers rejected the changes he believed they wanted, Mr. Campbell replied: “I feel it’s the right thing to do, to innovate as a company. I wouldn’t want to stop innovating as a result of this. At the same time, if consumers are speaking, you have to listen.”

So, I ask you marketing geniuses: what do you think of that?

(And thanks to Maple alumna and marketing genius Emily Bennington for sending this to us.)

Marketing Missteps

2009-02-25T16:20:00.003-05:00

Two quick stories -- one is sad, the other quite funny. One truthful. One an outright lie.

First, the sad. This one comes from a local radio advertisement that I recently heard for the first time (here in Charleston, West Virginia). The advertiser is a local furniture merchant. The owner has been the voice of this brand for many, many years. In this particular spot, he's urging us to replace our old worn-out mattresses with this new brand--higher quality, more affordable and available at his store (naturally). His hook is that we can save money on this brand of mattress because "the manufacturer does not spend money on mass marketing." Oh really?!!!

Pardon me, but what the heck do you call radio advertising?Is it not a form of mass marketing? Come on, Mister Furniture Huckster -stop lying to us. I mean they actually put this on the air!

Now for the funny one. This report comes to us from Maple alumna, Marie. She and her coworker were recently placing an order for office supplies from one of the national chains. When placed on hold for a few moments, they were treated to the sweet sounds of Carly Simon singing, "Anticipation." As many of you know, the chorus goes: "It's keeping me way-ay-ay-ay-ay-i-ting." How ironic! That just cracks me up. As Marie notes, "That just struck me as hilariously wrong marketing."

Marie, I agree. But at least they were telling the truth.

The Oscars and the Economy

2009-02-23T16:52:00.006-05:00

It seems as if the economy has caught up to Hollywood!

An article in the January 19 issue of Advertising Age mentioned a bit of a discount for would-be Academy Awards advertisers. Instead of the whopping $1.7 million for a spot last year, advertisers could snag a spot for a mere $1.4 million. Not only were spots cheaper… movie advertisements were accepted for the first time.

This was a result of big boys like FedEx and General Motors dropping out of the sponsor lineup last year. ABC (and the Academy) seemed to hope allowing film ads would fill the void.

The advertising rate decrease could have a lot to do with last year’s disappointing ratings, 32 million viewers, compared to the 39.9 million in 2007. Not to mention the great writer’s strike of ‘07/’08, which canceled the Golden Globes. There has been some tension with the Screen Actors Guild as well, so advertisers may have been reluctant to drop their dough on an event that could be canceled as result of a strike.

Even the stars weren't as bright on Oscar night! Many of the "best dressed" stars were adorned in drab shades (ivory, champagne, grey, black) and minimal jewelry-- albeit their outfits still cost more than most of our homes, and they still looked fabulous!

Thoughts?

Nearly More Than

2009-02-19T16:06:00.002-05:00

Yes, I still read ad copy. Some of it is quite good. Some ... not so good.

Exhibit A-
"Over the past two years, we have helped nearly 30 clients increase ..."

Exhibit B-
"Our staff has more than 45 years of combined experience."

With respect to Exhibit A--nearly 30--is that a great number, or is it minuscule? By stretching with hyperbole to "nearly 30," it connotes a notion of inferiority. In effect, the organization is saying, "Well, we're kind of new and inexperienced. We wish we had served many more clients. But hey--30 is not so bad for a newcomer, right?" What if the copy simply said, "We have helped many clients... "?

And with respect to the other example--more than 45 years--is that relevant? Is that a sufficient base of experience? Did they consider, "Not quite 50 years?" Does the combined experience consist of one old dude with 42 years experience working with three newbies with one year apiece? And if so, how does that matter? To me, what the folks in Exhibit B are saying is, "We don't really know what you want or need, because we haven't conducted any research. Plus, we don't understand our unique selling proposition ... so we'll just add this random fact to fill up space." What if the copy simply said, "Our experienced staff ... "? What if it showed a photo of an experienced, friendly team member with a small copy block about that person's relevant experience?

Dear advertisers (and copy writers): I nearly became interested in your product, until I encountered a more than tolerable dose of hyperbole in your advertisement.

A New Face to This Place!

2009-02-17T09:58:00.004-05:00

NEWBIE BLOGGER

Hello All,

My name is Tim Oldani, and I have recently been afforded the blessed opportunity to join the Maple Team as an intern. I am a grad student at the University of Charleston Graduate School of Business. From the first time I met Skip, when he spoke to our class at the grad school, I was sold on all his ideas, insights, and visions. I don't have to tell anyone who knows Skip, that he is an extremely creative and inspiring individual. Of course, that all goes the same for the whole crew here at

Maple.

I'm new to the scene of the Marketing Genius Blog, from Maple Creative. Although I am new, I have had the opportunity to look through the Blog and all its posts as one of my current projects. This is, in the simplest of explanations, "A Very Good Thing". As a developing young business man, well student, I am always looking for tools, resources, and valuable assets, whether tangible or intangible, to reinforce my vocational and career path. The Marketing Genius Blog, I am excited to say, has taken top shelf and front tray, as a exciting new tool in my toolbox. I know I am young, and not a completely important part of the workforce yet, but I am still human capital. With that said, I would be doing my future employer an injustice not to build upon and reinforce my abilities to sharpen and develop myself. That's why I am excited and fortunate to be a part of the Maple Creative team "and Blog", and to learn from all of them!

Thanks for your brief cognitive and visual focus!

How Wordle Sees Us

2009-02-12T11:58:00.003-05:00

Thanks to blogger friend, Bob Coffield, for turning us onto Wordle. It is a clever Web application (Java based) that maps your content. Here's how our blog looks in a Wordle:

If you're having trouble viewing this, click here.

Image is the property of Wordle. http://www.wordle.net/

Thanks to the creative folks at Wordle for bringing marketing professionals this clever new tool to help us analyze content!

Tribes and CrossFit

2009-02-10T17:17:00.005-05:00

Quote from CrossFit member on "Why I am CrossFit:"

Never before have I been a part of something that has impacted my life the way that CrossFit has. I've played just about every team sport there is over the years, but I have never been a part of a more dynamic, close-knit, supportive, badass bunch of guys and gals as I am here at CrossFit! Everyone is so passionate about fitness and the CF way of life, and it truly is contagious. I am CrossFit because....When the workout is over and the reality of what I just went through sets in, I have a smile on my face. When the pain comes and I look around and see that I am not going through it alone, I have a smile on my face. When I post times and accomplish goals that I never thought possible, I have a smile on my face. In the evenings when I am dead tired, sore as hell, and the days events are going through my mind and I realize that I gave it 110% all day, I have a smile on my face!!

Sense a little passion in the above quote?!! We'll get back to how that relates in just a bit.

Several months ago I finished Seth Godin's latest book, Tribes. While I enjoyed the book and have tremendous respect for Seth's marketing views and business insights, I did not feel like this book was his best effort. It was well marketed and well packaged (love the dust jacket!), but the content left me feeling: "Okay, so .....?" And call me old school, but I prefer more narrative and not so many one-paragraph anecdotes or client stories.

Then, about a month later, something happened that shifted my thinking. I joined CrossFit.

Talk about a tribe... CrossFit is a living, breathing tribe! My CrossFit experience totally crystallized Seth's theories about tribes. Godin: "A tribe is a group of people connected to one another, connected to a leader, and connected to an idea. A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest and a way to communicate."

The idea behind CrossFit and the shared interest among its tribe members is elite fitness. Everyone at CrossFit is there to learn and train (in a very unique manner) to achieve a new found level of personal fitness. Our CrossFit tribe makes great use of a very enriched TypePad blog as its forum for communication. The workout for each day is posted on the blog late evening for the coming day. I know from experience that every member of the tribe is on the site multiple times a day. A typical day's blog post will draw a response of 15 or more comments. Today, there are thousands of CrossFit members spread across six continents.

Godin: "Tribes need leadership. Sometimes one person leads, sometimes more."

The leader of CrossFitWV is Jeremy Mullins. He's the chief of the tribe. And he gets tons of support from other chieftains, especially co-founder Dr. Dan Sticker. But it was Jeremy's vision that brought CrossFit to Charleston, West Virginia. Dr. Dan is a wonderful teacher, and I really appreciate all of the registered trainers (Corey, Brooks, Scott & others on staff, who are there to instruct, motivate, encourage and lead.) Here's the clincher: every day the chiefs do the workouts along with the rest of the tribe. They suffer and sweat and bleed along with the rest of us.

Godin: "People want growth and connection and something new. They want change."

Go back and reread the opening quote from Cameron, my good friend and a beast of a competitor who's nicknamed "The Machine."

Godin: "Tribes make our lives better. And leading a tribe is the best life of all."

If you think that's hype, just check out the following quote from Jeremy, our tribal chief:

Was there ever a better time in our lives? As kids, everything in the world was perfect. I used to wake up on a weekend to watch the early morning cartoons, have a bowl of cereal or two lol, and then I’d play all day long. It was such a simple life, but it made sense and it worked. I was doing exactly what I wanted to do. It was perfect!

Until Now.....Right now is the best time of my life. I never get bored because there are always "toys" to play with, and how we play with them changes everyday. I wake up early and get to go hang out with people who are my "family." People who I feel would do anything for me if I asked. I get to watch individuals' lives change on a daily basis. I'm the luckiest one of us all...Why? Because I get to share those 5 mins after a hard workout (you know what I'm talking about here!) with almost all of you. I am CrossFit ... because I'm doing what I love to do from morning to night!

Seth, I stand corrected. You hit the nail on the head ... as usual! Thanks for capturing the essence of something so new and distinct: the American tribe, circa 2008.

CrossFit West Virginia - never have I found such a healthy addiction. You've given me a level of fitness, confidence and toughness that I've never had (and I've always been a pretty confident son of a gun!). Thank you.

Super Bowl Ads 2009- Post-Game

2009-02-02T16:01:00.006-05:00

Finally ... a year in which the contest was more memorable than the commercials! Congratulations to the six-time world champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Yesterday evening, I solicited input on the Super Bowl ads through various social media channels. We had a blog post here yesterday asking for your reviews, plus many folks shared comments with me on Facebook and Twitter.

Relax, we are not going to tell you how or where to watch the ad replays. All marketing geniuses are way past dialed in on such matters. Instead, we'll share a quick compilation of reactions to yesterday's 62-spots-for-$206 million spectacle.

In my humble opinion, there were only two TV advertisements that caused me to shift my thinking about a product or service.

1- Audi - their ad left no doubt that Audi is back in the performance sedan category. This one had the theatrical production feel of a James Bond or Jason Bourne chase scene ... and got some adrenaline pumping (which really boosts the memorability, by the way).

2- Denny's - offered us all a free breakfast on Wednesday from 6AM to 2PM. Guarantee you there's tons of water cooler chatter about grabbing some free grub from Denny's.

Here's an ad-hoc, unscientific summary of what I heard from you and others:

Up Goes the Thumb
Teleflora - talking flowers ad succeeded in tarnishing the concept of "flowers in a box."

Bridgestone - creative use of Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head, instead of actors.

Disappointing ... to Dumb
The Go Daddy ads were "dumb, offensive and inappropriate for kids."

Budweiser ads were mediocre at best (although the Clydesdales persist)

Gatorade "G" - good get with Tiger Woods, but low-budget production ... and we cannot keep up with your perpetual shifting of product lines.

Sobe - its Lizard Lake spot was a goofy, flop. What was the message here?

Split Decisions
Cash4Gold - some felt that this ad with its repetition and celebrity endorsement (Ed McMahon, MC Hammer) was pretty effective; others hated it.

Likewise with Careerbuilder.com - opinions were split, ranging from "effective use of dark humor" to "worst ad of them all."

Cute / Funny
Folks thought that the E*Trade ads were still funny and cute (Shankapotamus!)

Many also thought the Dorito's "Power of the Crunch" spot was very entertaning.

Let's close with this concept. Advertising is and will always be subjective. We'll never have consensus on which were tops and which were flops. For now, let's just remember that the real measure of successful advertising is sales. Keep a keen eye on which, if any, of the advertisers' revenues have increased in the coming months.

Super Bowl Ads 2009 - Your Reaction

2009-02-01T17:36:00.003-05:00

In just a few minutes, they'll be kicking off Super Bowl 43 in Tampa, Florida. What a truly American spectacle.

This year, thanks to advertising rates at $3 million for a 00:30 TV commercial, NBC will enjoy a record volume of Super Bowl revenues. Their haul of $206 million is a whopping figure.

I've been studying and covering Super Bowl ads for the past nine years. While the economic and trade parameters are noteworthy, what's really important to most Americans is the entertainment value. I wonder what we'll see from the likes of these advertisers:

Budweiser - Clydesdales and otherwise
GE - my former employer
Pedigree
Coca-Cola
Go Daddy
Heineken

Finally, I wonder how much the Big Three Automakers will spend on Super Bowl ads this year? And we'll see if the recession caused advertisers to pull back on production budgets (i.e., will we see lower-quality, more cheaply produced spots)?

Please let us know what you think of today's ads. What was your favorite? Which one was the worst, in your opinion.

Another Question from the Audience: Social Networking Sites

2009-01-30T17:26:00.004-05:00

Conducting marketing training is one of my favorite activities in the spectrum of our practice here at the marketing firm of Maple Creative. At our workshops and seminars, I always collect questions from my attendees. The ones that we don't address in class often make good blog topics.
Q: Is there any reason for an organization to build their own social networking site instead of using ones that already exist?

No! Rarely can marketing questions be answered succintly. Now, here are three, straightforward reasons why no company or organization should attempt to build its own social networking site:

1- Traffic - You need it. Today, you have none. Facebook, for example, is viewed on a daily basis by 12.9% of all Internet users. It's the 5th most popular Web site on the Internet. It has many great, built-in applications (join group, events, bulletin board, chat, form sub-groups, one-to-many and one-to-one communication, etc.). Facebook has tons of traffic--and it is free! By contrast, it takes tons of investment and a great deal of time to build traffic for your new site.

2- Experience - You are late to the game. You have little to no experience. Existing sites like Twitter, MySpace and Facebook, have a deep track record. They are continually striving to improve and refine their products, based on insights gained from their experience and feedback received from users. Let the experts do the hard stuff. Adapt and customize their applications to suit your needs. To do otherwise--at this juncture--is a total waste of time and resources.

3- Convenience - Your target audience is already using certain social networking sites. They may be using several, in fact. Plus, they have 2 - 4 email accounts to visit and manage. The last thing they want is one more Web site to deal with today. Build your presence and place your social content in a convenient location--one that your customer base is already visiting. Make it easy for your customer; don't burden them with something else to worry about.

There are many other Web sites that have a social networking element (or elements). Flickr (photo sharing), YouTube (video sharing) and Del.icio.us (content tagging and sharing) are but a few. These might be a better social networking solution for your company or organization than Facebook, MySpace or Twitter. If you want some guidance on which social networking site(s) to build your effective platform upon, you have two options. You can certainly poll your audience directly to find out their preferred sites. When in doubt, ask!

You might also refer to The Groundswell, a wonderfully eye-opening and well-researched book by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff that explores the social media habits and trends in today's world. I highly recommend this book. It gives great insights about social media preferences according to demographic and psychographic factors.

Lemon-Lime

2009-01-28T17:01:00.005-05:00

Pepsi Co. has been changing a lot lately, as seen in the previous two blogs about Pepsi and Tropicana (a Pepsi-owned brand).

In October 2008, Pepsi announced it would be changing the design and identities of their key brands due to decreased sales. The new designs have been making their rounds about the blogosphere for a while, but the new packaging is just beginning to hit store shelves.

The sales drop could explain why the “new look” of these brands looks… well… cheap. It seems Pepsi is hoping the simplified cheaper-looking designs will cause consumers to grab their product before CocaCola’s expensive-looking design.

Today… Lemon-Lime!

Optometrists rejoice!

Once a sunrise on an ice-capped mountaintop, Sierra Mist is now a blur. Why they chose blurry as a design concept, I’m unsure. A commenter on the Global Package Gallery said the new design “is clever in theory, but just makes me feel like I'm going blind.”

Mtn Dew, now more x-treme

The biggest change to Mountain Dew is the name, perhaps to reach a younger audience… one that is accustomed to shortening words in this texting/instant messaging era. The new branding hasn’t hit the official Web site yet, but I look forward to seeing what they come up with.

* A sidenote… why are both of Pepsi’s lemon-lime drinks named after mountains and moisture? I can’t wait for them to unveil Appalachian Fog!

What a Nice Surprise: Top 100 Business Blogs!

2009-01-26T12:27:00.003-05:00

Earlier this month, I was notified that Marketing Genius blog was tapped for a new honor. What a nice surprise it was to be chosen by the folks at Web Design Schools Guide as one of the Top 100 blogs for small-business cost-cutting inspiration! And in a time when almost every company is tightening the belt, it is an especially nice way to be recognized. We're listed along with some great bloggers, including Seth Godin, John Jantsch (Duct Tape Marketing) and Ben & Jackie at the Church of the Customer. Check out the full list at:

Top 100 Blogs For Small-Business Cost Cutting Inspiration

"In this economy, everyone’s looking for ways to cut down, and small businesses are no exception. One of the best ways to save money in business is to examine your annual expenses and consider how you can decrease those costs. Thankfully, there are some pretty amazing resources to help you figure out new ways to do just that. Check out what we consider to be the top 100 blogs for resources and inspiration to cutting your small business costs in 2009."

Is Packaging Design Moving Down-Market?

2009-01-21T15:15:00.005-05:00

Chatting recently with colleague Andrew Carnwath about packaging design, he mentioned the new Tropicana look. His take on the new design is that it looks less expensive now (i.e., cheaper). The conversation prompted me to take a look at Tropicana--and some broader questions.

Others have shared Andrew's observation that the new design looks cheaper. As noted by the folks at Under Consideration on their "Brand New" blog: "This new packaging feels, at best, like a discount store brand with what looks like, again, at best, rights-managed stock photography if not outright royalty free."

And the folks at Brand Curve observed that the new design looks generic, stating: "I'm assuming that Tropicana didn’t mean to turn its packaging into a generic knock-off, but that’s exactly what’s happened. They’re not fooling anyone. The cheap looking 7-11-esque packaging doesn’t make me feel any better about forking over a whole lot of money so my kids can get their Vitamin C in the morning."

To its credit, Tropicana has dealt with the packaging redesign on its Web site, providing a nifty, helpful "juice finder" application. I'll give them credit for that. Tropicana explains, "We've given our products a little love - or squeeze - as we call it. It's a new look and a new energy, but when it comes to the juice, it's just the way you like it."

In times of economic recession, does it make sense for a company to position its product line(s) as more affordable? Is it smart for a company, like Tropicana (owned by Pepsi), to use a down-market design of packaging to broaden its appeal. Perhaps they were intentionally attempting to give Tropicana a more affordable, broader look and feel. Such moves could conceivably increase sales and resonate with new market segments. Conversely, a down-market move could also backfire. The old design is shown below for your reference.

So, marketing geniuses, what do you think? Was it an intentional, strategic design move? And in the general sense, do you like or dislike the new Tropicana package design?

Pepsi logo

2009-01-20T08:52:00.004-05:00

Late last year, Pepsi unveiled a new look and a new campaign, which some have said looks similar to President Obama’s highly popular campaign logo (which I blogged about several months ago HERE.)

A visit to the Pepsi “Refresh Everything” page lets visitors “speak their mind as a new president prepares to refresh the nation.” A commercial was released around New Years with the logo acting as the “O” in many words…“optimism,” “good times,” and yes, “hope.”

I wonder if Pepsi is present at the inauguration today?

Best wishes to President Obama and his family!

Bonus Hidden Logo Design:

There is a little treat when you look at the letters of the word “Pepsi.” You may have to tilt your head to see it.

(Hint: Think of the past!)

Coming Soon: New Advertising Campaign for Maple Creative

2009-01-14T00:55:00.002-05:00

Wow! I am so excited. We have a new advertising campaign in the works. And it's a doozie!

I'm not saying that because it is coming from my company. The concept was not my idea. In fact, it resulted from a recent great brainstorming session that we held at Maple Creative. Sure, we are a marketing firm. Advertising is one of our strong suits, in my opinion. But this new campaign is special.

Precursor ideas had been formulating for a couple of months, and in this recent session the "Group Genius" effect produced something that I believe is truly great. We decided to focus our 2009 ad campaign on creativity. Discussing the preliminary concepts around the brainstorming group helped us to come up with a brand-new idea, one that is better than anything any one of our talented individuals could have originated. It was inspired by many people and many discussions. That's the beauty of it.

While our new campaign is strong in the idea department, that is not enough to fuel its success. It involves a layered, multi-prong strategy. This new campaign lends itself well to print and multi-media formats. It will also adapt well to social media, such as Facebook, You Tube, blogging and Twitter. Finally, it is sure to generate buzz, with its experiential "on the street" elements.

We can't wait to show it to you. Stay tuned!

PS - The book "Group Genius" by Keith Sawyer is a very good read. I am about half way finished reading it. It is great to have an enriched understanding of the process that we utilize, nurture and treasure at Maple Creative.

Creating a Niche - Toothpaste

2009-01-11T17:04:00.004-05:00

With few, if any exceptions, every human in the developed, civilized world has his or her brand of toothpaste. What's yours?

I've been a Mentadent man for about the past 15 years. It's a happy marriage. I am not looking. And I'll bet you are not giving much, if any, thought to switching your brand of toothpaste.

Given such market conditions, how does a consumer products company sell more toothpaste?

They have to create a niche. And, out of the nothingness comes "Night Time Toothpaste."

I didn't think I needed a night time toothpaste. But Crest thought I did.

Crest didn't set out to convince me to drop my regular (i.e., daytime) brand of toothpaste. They did not attempt to out-mint or out-whiten the competition. No, they totally avoided the notion of competing along the same tired, old "battle" lines.

And indeed, that was a wise marketing decision, because I would not have switched ... and would not have done anything new. Instead, they created this new category of night time toothpaste. It's a whole new space, really.

Crest caught me off guard. I thought, Maybe I do, in fact, need a night time option. So the other day at the supermarket, I purchased a tube of Crest Night Time Toothpaste. I'm giving it a trial on the pearly white for a couple of weeks. We'll see how it goes. If just one half of one-percent of Americans do what I've done, Crest will sell a million-plus tubes of its new product. And that's a start. Those are incremental sales for Crest, in an otherwise stalemate market.

Kudos to the toothpaste marketing geniuses for creatively finding a niche and filling it!

Let's Welcome a New Blogger!

2009-01-06T23:41:00.002-05:00

Please join me in welcoming my wife, Lisa Sherman Lineberg, to the blogosphere! Lisa's new blog is part of her new wellness consulting company. I'm so excited for her in this new venture, which blends and aligns all of her expertise--exercise physiology, nutrition, supplementation--into one focused offering.

Hop on over to http://LiveLongerLookBetter.blogspot.com and take a few mintures to post a comment for her.

Experiential Marketing - a Very Creative Project

2008-12-22T12:54:00.003-05:00

From the New York Times, Dec. 2, 2008. This really inspires me to push the boundaries of traditional thinking regarding advertising. Talk about cutting through the clutter!

Hot Food, and Air, at Bus Stops
By STUART ELLIOTT

CRITICS claim that advertising is just a lot of hot air. For the next month, at certain bus stops, they will have a point.

In the latest example of a trend that is becoming increasingly popular on Madison Avenue, heated air will descend from the roofs of 10 bus shelters in Chicago, courtesy of the Stove Top brand of stuffing sold by Kraft Foods.

From Tuesday through the end of this month, Kraft is arranging for the company that builds and maintains the bus shelters, JCDecaux North America, to heat them, trying to bring to life the warm feeling that consumers get when they eat stuffing, according to Kraft.
Such “experiential marketing” is intended to entice consumers to experience products or brands tangibly rather than bombard them with pitches.

It is a response to the growing ability of consumers to ignore or avoid traditional advertising, thanks to technology like digital video recorders. Experiential marketing is also an acknowledgment that products and brands must offer alternatives to the interruptive model of peddling that has been the mainstay of advertising for more than a half-century, which disrupts what consumers want to watch, read or hear.

“Stove Top as a brand has a great equity in the area of warmth,” said Ellen Thompson, brand manager for Stove Top at Kraft Foods in Glenview, Ill. “This is an opportunity to expand into a multisensory experience.”

The 10 heated shelters, primarily in downtown Chicago locations like Michigan Avenue and State Street, will have posters that read: “Cold, provided by winter. Warmth, provided by Stove Top.” The posters will also appear on 40 other bus shelters that will not have heated roofs.

During the first three weeks of December, Kraft plans to give samples of a new variety of Stove Top, called Quick Cups, to commuters and passers-by at half of the heated shelters. “People don’t always think of Stove Top for an everyday meal,” said Jamie Mattikow, vice president for marketing in the grocery division at Kraft. “In these hard times, when people are eating more at home,” he added, there is “a great opportunity to introduce our brands to people in a new way.”

JCDecaux North America, a unit of the global outdoor-advertising specialist JCDecaux, says these will be its first bus shelter heaters in the United States. The company has installed them in other countries for other advertisers’ campaigns. Those sponsored by British Gas included simulated fireplaces.

“Advertisers are looking for new and unique ways of reaching, and reaching out to, consumers,” said Jean-Luc Decaux, co-chief executive at JCDecaux North America in New York, adding that it costs “a few thousand dollars” to equip each shelter with heat.

“It’s like a metal plate that provides almost waves of heat,” Mr. Decaux said of the equipment, which his company recently tested in Chicago. “If you step underneath the shelter, you probably won’t see it — but you can feel it.”

The campaign, which is estimated to cost Kraft more than $100,000, is a collaboration of JCDecaux North America; the Stove Top media agency, MediaVest, part of the Starcom MediaVest Group division of the Publicis Groupe; and the Stove Top creative agency, Draft FCB, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies.

The fourth quarter, when marketers are striving mightily to stimulate sales as the year ends, typically brings a wide variety of experiential marketing tactics. For example, Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest advertiser, is sponsoring a couple of projects this month in New York. One is what has become an annual sponsorship of restrooms in Times Square, on behalf of brands like Charmin toilet paper.

The other initiative is new, a so-called pop-up store in Midtown, BrandSaver Live, named after Procter’s BrandSaver coupon inserts in Sunday newspapers. At the store, consumers can sample products, receive coupons and even be made over with P.& G. beauty and hair care brands. Other pop-up stores — the term comes from their temporary existence — have been operated by marketers as disparate as Meow Mix cat food, the Suave hair care line sold by Unilever, the United States Potato Board and Wired magazine. Other brands wooing consumers with experiential efforts during the holidays in New York and other major markets include the ABC Family cable channel, Burger King, Jameson Irish whiskey, Memorex audio products, Rémy Martin Cognac and TD Bank.

The biggest risk with experiential marketing is that consumers will deem it an annoying gimmick, which could harm attempts to improve perceptions of brands or products.
There is a precedent. In December 2006, the California Milk Processor Board worked with the CBS Outdoor division of CBS to introduce scent strips on bus shelters in San Francisco. The strips, which smelled like chocolate chip cookies, were an effort to bring to life the experience of desiring a glass of milk for dunking cookies.

The campaign was abruptly ended after an outcry that the scent was inappropriate in public places and could set off allergic reactions. Mr. Mattikow of Kraft, reminded of the cookie fiasco, said, “We are confident consumers will enjoy” the heated bus shelters. Mr. Decaux had this response: “The reaction of the public was quite surprising. All it was, was the smell of a nice cookie.” Still, Mr. Decaux said, “You always have to be careful not to upset the balance between having a presence and being too intrusive.”

Referring to the Stove Top shelters, he added, “I don’t think anyone will find it’s too intrusive.”
Perhaps. After all, some like it hot, particularly on a December day in Chicago.

Tis Better to Give Than to Receive

2008-12-12T15:24:00.000-05:00

What a great, kind-hearted bunch of people! The Mapleonians pictured at left adopted a family for Christmas 2009 by way of the fine folks at the Union Mission, here in Charleston, W.Va.

Giving has always been one of our core values at Maple Creative. It feels good to know that one local family of four, down on their luck this year, will have a brighter Christmas thanks to this local "Secret Santa" program.

Pictured clockwise from lower left: Lauren Boder, Lora Franco, Clayton Ray, Carrie Bowe, Jim Nester, Marc Lewis and Justin Hylbert. Not shown are Michael Haid, Brooke Pauley, Steve Haid and Erin Deegan.

Those of you who've known us for a while will also notice that the snowflakes have returned again this year, which is another cause for celebration!

Here's one more shot of our lovable elves, hard at work (below):

Director of First Impressions? Oh, really?

2008-12-12T00:04:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, I had a meeting with a dear business colleague. It was my first visit to his office.

Upon my arrival, I was impressed by the unique, elegant design of this office space. It's one of those building that you pass by a thousand times but never enter. Seriously, I was "Wow'd."

Making my way to the rather impressive reception desk (i.e., hexagonal control center), I noticed an impossible-to-miss brass desk placard, emblazoned with the following title:

"DIRECTOR OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS."

Whoa, I thought. This outfit has it together. I was fully expecting to be blown away with a first-class greeting.

Instead, the middle-age lady seated within the impressive-yet-imposing reception hexagon had her head down. Her brain was buried in a spreadsheet. This lady never turned to greet me; her body was turned at a right angle to me. She was busy...too busy, in fact, to make eye contact with me. After an extended period of awkwardness, she said plainly, "May I help you?"

When I informed her whom I was there to see, without turning her head she buzzed my acquaintance on the intercom and shot me a sideways glance. Then, she informed me that "he would be with me in a few minutes."

Director of first impression? Sheesh! What a lame first impression.

Marketing geniuses know that if you are going to have a bold title like that one, emblazoned for all to see, you have to live up to its billing.

My take: the placard would have read, more aptly, "DIRECTOR OF LAME FIRST IMPRESSIONS."

The Twelve Days of Christmas - a Case Study in Repetition

2008-12-08T23:24:00.000-05:00

Because things have been a little crazy-busy around these parts ... and in the spirit of the Christmas season ... here's a repeat of a post worth repeating.

Still not convinced that repetition matters in communication? Okay fine. Here's proof that it does. You know that song, The Twelve Days of Christmas? My neighbor-friend called me to help her family solve a mystery. They could not recall the last several verses of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

So c'mon smartypants ... what was the gift on the eleventh day of Christmas? Don't know do you? What about the gift on the twelfth day of Christmas? It's a blank, isn't it. Hey, at least you are in good company.

Think about the song for a minute. Take it apart.

The lyric about the partridge in a pear tree is repeated 12 times. It's drilled into our brains.
Two turtle doves (repeats 11 times)
Three French hens (repeats 10 times)
Four calling birds (repeats 9 times)
FIVE ......... GOLD ........ RINGS (is repeated in dramatic fashion 8 times)

I can even remember (without cheating)-- six geese a laying; seven swans a swimming. At least I think these are correct, with respect to the actual song lyrics.

Beyond that seventh verse, things get very hazy, very fast in my memory.The reason? Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.

Every time I hear or sing (sure, go ahead and cringe now ... plug your ears) The Twelve Days of Christmas several of those verses become etched into my memory banks by way of repetition. The rest of them never make it into my memory because those verses are never repeated with enough frequency.

Does your important sales or marketing message make it into your target audience's memory bank? Do you use the power of repetition to your advantage?

I encourage you to utilize repetition to get your message (your point, your brand, your benefit) remembered. Do so, and you may just be on the receiving end of those gold rings. However, if you choose to ignore the importance of repetition, you may wind up like so many of those not-so-memorable pipers or drummers.

Now... get back to your holiday shopping!

Wake-Up Call

2008-11-21T12:51:00.000-05:00

Is there marketing genius in a wake-up call? Have you ever been WOW'd by a wake-up call? This morning, I was.

'Good morning. This is your 7AM wakeup call. Join us for breakfast in the Commonwealth Café for the best-tasting omelet you'll ever have in your life.'

This came from the automated wakeup call srvice at The Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.

Most wakeup calls consist of either No Message...or a Boring, Same-Old, Same-Old message. You know it as well as I do.

Kudos to the marketing genius at The Galt House (a very nice hotel, by the way) for creating a wakeup greeting that is unique, one that presents a tasteful offer. Why be boring and dull--ever?

All morning, that 'omelet of a lifetime' kept popping into my mind. I'll bet the cafe is selling omelets 'like hotcakes.'

More on Dry Cleaners, Poor Customer Service and Bad Attitudes

2008-11-20T23:27:00.001-05:00

This is from a local marketing genius who works for a non-profit organization in Charleston, West Virginia. She's a real pro ... experienced and savvy. She gets it. If she sees this post and chooses to identify herself that's great. We'll leave it up to her.

Recently, I have experienced a definite "the customer is always wrong" attitude ... it is day and night between businesses where people really hustle for business. In places like Chicago, there is a lot of competition and a lot of opportunity, and client service is strongly ingrained in the population. In other places, folks sometimes behave like they are in a socialist country, where there isn't any incentive to work hard because the rewards are limited. Such attitude can really hold a place back from progress and growth.

Maybe it's the lack of competition or workforce challenges, but "my give a damn's busted" is definitely the approach of many business owners and workers alike. My husband and I have experienced this with lawyers and other professionals, down to cashiers and waiters.

Here's some recent examples:

Yesterday I went to Petsmart to get some stuff for my cat. One of my items rang up $2 more than the price on the display sign. When I pointed this out to the cashier, she got huffy, accused me of switching prices and then reluctantly said, "OK, I guess I'll refund your $2." I thought this could be a "teachable moment" for the manager, so I very politely relayed my experience and pointed out that they weren't doing me any favors, because the law requires customers to be charged the correct price. She didn't get it either and got very defensive.

My husband took a very expensive pair of pants to the drycleaners. He had just got them from Kelley's and they had been worn once. When he picked them up, he took them out of the bag and noticed that the cuffs were basically shredded at the bottom and the pockets were mangled. The owner of the shop was outraged that he had the temerity to inspect them in the shop and screamed "We do excellent work" and blamed Kelley's, saying they sell crappy merchandise. When my husband said he would be happy with just a refund of the cleaning costs, the lady threatened to call the police.

I'm loathe to pick on my new hometown, and I've certainly had customer service problems in Chicago, but I hate for this region to be held back due to this defensive attitude.

Just blowing off steam.....

Okay, marketing geniuses, what do you think? Have you had similar experiences? What is that difference-maker "ingredient?"

Was Obama a Marketing Genius?

2008-11-17T22:55:00.001-05:00

Now that the political campaign dust has settled, let's take an inside look at the Barack Obama presidential campaign, from a marketing perspective. One of the fundamental aspects of a great marketing campaign is having a multi-faceted, layered marketing plan. A great marketing plan synthesizes and integrates several tactical layers. Let's take a look at what the Obama campaign implemented in the 2008 Presidential election:

1- A consistency of brand - the Obama identity, which was carried out with superb consistency (see below):

2- An effective positioning of the brand - "Hope." It struck an emotional chord. It conveyed his unique selling proposition (USP). It was available. He owned it.

3- Rich, fully developed back story, underneath it all - Obama's two books: The Audacity of Hope; Dreams from My Father. These works told the story in full detail.

4- Web - an unquestionably superb Web site

5- Grassroots engagement - how many yard signs, T-shirts and bumpers stickers did you see?

6- Earned media - 597,622 hits on Google's News search, as depicted on the Google Trends graphic below:

7- Advertising - did anyone see the Obama infomercial during election week?

8 - Social networking - the fact that Obama raised more money in the month of February 2008 than was raised ever before in any political campaign says it all. During that same month, he attended zero fundraiser events. In the words of his opposing campaign manager, "When Obama hit 1 million registered supporters on his Facebook group, we knew that the game had been changed ...that it was over," speaks volumes.

Regardless of whom you voted for, it is hard to dispute the fact that this was a genius marketing campaign. I say this in no way to diminish the man's success, his beliefs, his tactics ... or the outcome. Congratulations, President-Elect Obama!

Wal-Mart's New Brand Icon

2008-11-13T07:05:00.000-05:00

Has anyone noticed the new symbol that Wal-Mart has begun using lately? And, oh by the way, it's now Walmart, instead of Wal-Mart. They dropped the hypen.

It's that small yellowish starburst "thingy" (shown in the image at left). I'll refer to it as their brand icon. And while it does follow the old Walmart star with some degree of connection (which is good), I am not loving the design.

Instantly when I saw it, the icon reminded me of another brand. It took about 2.5 seconds for my brain to recall the resemblance.

It quickly reminded me of the Holiday Inn brand. The iconography is pretty similar. The new Walmart starburst icon suggests the old Holiday Inn icon--at least in my brain it does.

Now, I'm not saying that the two icons are identical. They're not. But if I thought it, there's bound to be 10,000 others who will have the same impression. That's not good.

When you have a budget the magnitude of Walmart's, maybe you just assume that you can erase and overcome those other-brand associations through the sheer number of impressions. It possible, but it's an expensive proposition. It would have been better to design something more unique.

Walmart will spend tens of millions to re-brand the starburst symbol in our brains, reprogramming us through visual repetitions so that some time in the future a yellowish-gold starburst object (one blogger referred to it as a "cat butt") will make us think primarily of Walmart. Gee, I can hardly wait. [sarcasm]

Are any marketing geniuses out there more excited about this than I am?

Follow-up to "The Way We Leave"

2008-11-10T14:59:00.000-05:00

Back in September, I shared my story of how I "broke up" with my drycleaner.

Drycleaner "P" (my former drycleaner) blew it. Their lack of attention to detail, caused their quality to slip. Their front-line service personnel just were not friendly enough. I deserve someone who recognizes me and knows my name--and I used to get that at Drycleaner "P."

Cut to the chase ... and here's the news: they went out of business at the end of October. It appears that I was not the only one who quit them. Meanwhile, I am perfectly happy over at Drycleaner "G." My wife just commented on how much less we are spending on drycleaning.

Marketing genius takeaway: Never lose touch with the pulse of your customers. How much do they love you today? And how do you know this?

Higher Education Online - More Great Insights from Contributor Jennifer Wood

2008-11-03T16:32:00.000-05:00

In case you missed the fabulous first part of this mini-series from Jennifer Wood, Web site and enrollment marketing coordinator for the University of Charleston, you can check it out here. Last month, Jennifer took us inside of her audience. Here, she gets into the nuts and bolts of marketing a university to prospective students. Jen is a longstanding member of the Marketing Genius family and a genius marketer in her own right. We're thrilled to have this guest contribtuion from Jen!

The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How

If you ask the important question of “How did you hear about us?” then you will have insight into how students find you. If you realize they are not finding out through electronic means, then I would say that you need to look at what strategies you’re carrying out electronically. If your web presence is lacking or difficult to find or navigate, your chances that students find out about you via electronic means is probably fairly slim. Tracking communications of who you send what to, how they receive it, how many conversions you have (applicants / deposits / registrants), you can find which tasks result in good leads and enrollment. This question can help you figure out where you should spend, cut, reallocate, etc. It’s interesting how much information and insight you can obtain through one question.

In higher education marketing, it’s now becoming evident that students are applying for college differently than before. In the “good old days”, students filled out an inquiry card or completed an online form to receive more information about the school in a follow up communication. We have seen a shift from that original process. Now students go right for the online application and avoid the other means of initial contact, at least electronically. Our web analytics show that students who complete online applications are twice as likely to be new visitors instead of returning visitors. So what does that say about our marketing strategy? How do we shift our promotional materials to accommodate that shift? Honestly, we’re still figuring that out.

As I write this blog post, I’m rethinking our electronic marketing strategy here at UC. Many times, daily operations take precedence over other marketing aspirations and get put on the back burner. I use that “excuse” all the time. My goal now is to find out what our resources are to improve our tracking system of applicants or “customers”. This of course, it will need to be an integrated effort with admissions, student life, communications, the registrar, and probably the IT department (to make appropriate changes to our systems).

So, I’d like to hear from folks out there….Anyone else experiencing this shift to “secret” or “discreet” customers? They don’t browse around first…they go right for the application or shopping cart? What is your conversion rate of these folks?

I’d love to find out how other industries are coping with this shift and how they are marketing through this new process. Not all questions in life can be answered merely by asking them. However, in marketing, many customers want to have a dialogue about their choices.

And for a bit of fun and humor on your way out, check out this really illustrative YouTube video, "Breaking Up," which shines some light on marketing dialogue.

I look forward to hearing from you with a comment here, or via e-mail:
Jennifer Wood
jenniferwood@ucwv.edu

Successful Event Promotion: Create WV 2008

2008-10-27T18:09:00.000-05:00

The picture at left, while somewhat blurry and low-res, shows one important measurement of the success of an event: a packed house!

At Maple Creative, we measure a successful event in three ways:
1- Packed house, standing room only
2- Full media coverage
3- Smiling happy client

The fellow standing on stage is our smiling, happy client, Mr. Jeff James. Jeff, who is one of the most gifted, passionate leaders I've ever known, is the chairperson of the Creative Communities Team of Vision Shared. Working with Jeff and his team of passionate volunteer leaders (change agents), made promoting the Create West Virginia 2008 Conference "an easy sell." In Jeff's words, "I feel good that the event execution has been in Maple's hands this year. It's great when things are organized. Great work by your team.

In terms of full media coverage, the state's newspaper, The Charleston Gazette, wrote two excellent stories. One was published on the 2nd day of the conference; the other, a conference recap, was featured on the front of the Sunday business section. These and many other positive stories were the result of a strategic, statewide media plan that we implemented over a four-month period from July through October. In crafting this plan, we worked carefully to create compelling storylines that provided diversity and relevance by focusing on various aspects of the conference: keynote speakers, record attendance, entertainment, venue and diversity. In such work, it is important to offset media fatigue, helping to mitigate reporters' potential burnout on event coverage. Again, in the client's words,"Really great work…I’m hard pressed to think of any event I’ve read more about since I’ve been to WV the last three years."

When we talk about full attendance and standing room only, we are not exaggerating. The goal for attendance was 300, which represented a healthy 20% increase over the 2007 event. In the end, we had over 400 participants in attendance. Despite the fact that we over-prepared, we still ran out of lanyards and name-badge holders. And on the final session of the last day, a full assembly and keynote presentation, when we expected some attrition, the venue catering staff had to set up extra tables and had to rush to prepare extra lunch plates. What a good problem to have!

In the end, this success story is one of planning & execution, teamwork & passion and the implementation of a leadership team's vision!

7-Eleven Harnessing Election Fever to Engage Customers

2008-10-22T23:22:00.000-05:00

The marketing geniuses at 7-Eleven have found a way to engage their customers this election season. It's simple and brilliant. Right now, whenever you get a cup of Joe at any 7-Eleven, you can choose an Obama (blue) cup or a McCain (red) cup. Essentially, every cup is a "vote." Naturally, the whole campaign (not a play on words, really) is supported by a nice, clean Web site. And given the fact that 7-Eleven sells one million cups of coffee a day, the promotion has the potential to generate fairly relevant, significant results. As you'll see on the Web site, they've done this before, and their previous results have tracked closely with those election outcomes. Indulge yourself and take five minutes to check out this clever concept.

Event Attendance 54% Increase

2008-10-17T17:33:00.000-05:00

Through the efforts of a hardworking team of marketing professionals and passionate volunteers, registered attendance for CreateWV 2008 Conference is up 54% above last year. We had three big media hits this week, including a Daily Mail story about our keynoter, Rob Kitchin. We'll be doing some live blogging from the event, guest writing a news story and assisting with a special satellite news feed of our interview with First Lady Gayle Manchin from the event site at Snowshoe, W.Va. Tons of excitement and tons of momentum are rolling into the Create WV Conference 2008. Man, I love my job!

For more on the strategic marketing plan for this truly special event, read on.

Marketing an Event: What's Most Effective?

2008-10-11T12:03:00.000-05:00

October is peak event season in our world. Conferences, annual meetings and grand openings abound. We are working hard and having so much fun promoting an exciting, important event. The CreateWV '08 Conference is right around the corner, Oct. 20-22.

We've had the honor of promoting this event, again for its 2nd year, working with a very talented planning team and an army of enthusiastic volunteers. The strategic, layered marketing plan, which commenced in July, includes the following tactical elements:

Earned media - press releases, Op-Eds, feature articles, newspaper tab, radio interviews
Direct mail - two postcards and an invitation brochure
Social media - blog posts, blogger carnival, Twitter presence, Facebook - event, group
Buzz / WOM accelerators - traveling art display of creative cones, "No Misoneism"
Advertising - a few targeted program/newsletter ads, banners, Facebook ads
Sales offers - early bird special, group discount program
Web site, event Web site and blog - all working in concert

The conference is almost sold out, with about 400 attendees registered. The event registration process involves a step to ask folks: How Did You Hear About CreateWV? After 100 days, we've got a good set of data to show what's working to drive such great results:

100 registrations from Direct Mail

50 registrations from Word-of-Mouth/Referral

5 registrations from Media/News

* (the other 200 didn't bother to tell us. we'll forgive them.)

What can we learn from this? In our electronic communications world, marketing messages printed on paper are still important and can be very effective.

Higher Education Online - a Guest Post

2008-10-10T16:41:00.000-05:00

Friend and marketing genius, Jennifer Wood, has graciously agreed to share her insights about marketing her "product" - the University of Charleston - via the Web to her target audience of potential student enrollees. She will be sharing a multi-part lesson with us, beginning with today's first post. Enjoy these fabulous insights!

Higher Education Online

Those three words can mean a variety of things. As a graduate student studying online, it makes me think of the research and assignments that go along with any academic program. However, it also relates to my work duties. I handle web site updates and electronic marketing for the University of Charleston. The world of technology and electronic communication is vast and for many businesses, including that of higher education, it is imperative.

My days are spent promoting the University through our Web site, Facebook events/groups, Google/Facebook ad campaigns, and researching other ways to promote the institution. We’ve recently started using Twitter and Flickr to showcase photos from events or to promote the event itself. Anyone who works in technology-related fields is aware that our world is continuously evolving. If I didn’t keep up with blogs, news articles, and attend trainings about upcoming technologies, I would be completely out of touch with the resources and mediums available to me and the University. Even with all of those resources at my fingertips, I usually rely on hearing the latest and greatest from my other marketing and tech-savvy friends through Facebook or Twitter. My network and the sharing of information mean everything to my work.

So, as an avid reader (aka “groupie”) of the Marketing Genius blog, I find a great deal of helpful information here. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some helpful hints for higher education marketers. I look forward to reading your comments and your suggestions as well.

Lesson #1: Know your audience. I know…it sounds elementary. When we’re young, we think that we will never lose touch with our youth. Truth is: we do. I overheard someone say recently, “The last thing that a student wants to receive is an email. We should send them a letter.” Ask a 17 year old how often they look at snail mail that comes to their house or if they go to the post office and you’ll realize that it is greatly less frequent than the number of times they check their email, MySpace, and/or Facebook. The comment was made by someone who has worked in higher education for longer than I’ve been alive. I do not doubt their competency. However, it can have a negative effect on enrollment and retention when you’re out of touch with your audience. When your main source of revenue is from people who are between the ages of 16-24 (give or take a few years depending on the level of nontraditional students), you need to rethink your strategies. They may utilize channels of communication that you aren’t comfortable or familiar with. Burying your head in the sand and hoping that MySpace, Twitter, Facebook and the other social networking avenues will just go away is probably not the best approach. Understanding how they communicate, how they make decisions, what they’re looking for, how they look for it….the list of things that you should know about your audience goes on and on. You can’t afford to be out of touch.

Young entrepreneurs are popping up everywhere in this age of continuous communication and technology. MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Digg, and many other websites are not only popular but they were all created by young entrepreneurs. There’s another new “kid” on the block in the world of online content and communication. In the latest COLLEGE Issue of the New York Times, Jordan Goldman is featured for the creation of a website that provides a “real” look at colleges and universities. For Unigo, Goldman’s company, you need to think: YouTube meets electronic campus tours. It is an unscripted, candid look at colleges through the students’ eyes. The content is posted by students regarding the university they attend. This provides a students’ perspective to prospective students. To be honest, I read this article and was very excited. Then the old school PR voice in my head got louder. I realized that it would be content that we can’t control. In the times of YouTube, Facebook, online blogs, and many other avenues for students to praise or ridicule their alma mater, we have to let go. If we want prospective students to see a real side of our institutions (not just the administration’s approved messages), then we have to welcome these avenues of promotion. Goldman stated in the NY Times article, “It’s just harder to look at them as the main source of information. If you’re a college student, you are as much of an expert on being a student at that college as anyone.”

Videos that I’ve watched on Unigo are shaky and many of the “videographers” (I use that term lightly) didn’t use a tripod. However, the information from the students is compelling. Students featured in impromptu video interviews state reasons behind selecting their school. Some discuss their academic selection, social interests, and other things they “love” about their school. They are also mentioning things that they wish were different and heed warnings to incoming students about things to ask or to prepare for. So, I encourage you to get your current students involved in your marketing. Find out what they are looking for, their interests, and their preferred means of communication. Most students are quick to share information on their college experience. Most of them are also very candid. Allow them to have a voice. Giving your students a voice is the most important marketing strategy for any institution.

Here are some links to check out--

NY Times - The College Issue:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/magazine/21unigo-t.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail1=y&oref=slogin

NRCCUA’s Enrollment Power Index: http://www.nrccua.org/educator/services/epi/criteria.asp

A review of college web sites with student subjects. Students rate your site based on several criteria. UC received an A- this year (for our size), which is up from last year. However, we still have much work to do. Feel free to visit our site and send me any critiques/comments.

Final Week: 9

2008-10-10T12:24:00.000-05:00

My job is to:
Select a company that you believe does a successful job in implementing integrated marketing communications. What metrics are in place for this company to measure its success from an IMC perspective?

Any takers?

And keep 'em coming on the final project topic too!!

Thanks so much everyone!

2008-10-05T09:28:00.000-05:00

Week 8

I am to select a direct marketing ad from my mailbox, a magazine or television that I don't find particularly effective. Describe the product or service being marketed as well as several aspects of the offer (e.g., price, payment terms, time limit, premium, incentive). What changes would I suggest to improve responsiveness to the offer? What changes would I recommend to improve back-end results (i.e., to generate better, more loyal customers rather than just more responses)?

Any suggestions marketing geniuses?

Who Can Solve It?

2008-10-02T19:20:00.001-05:00

You tell me.

This probably oh, so obvious hidden design element is a part of the campaign making the public aware of the climate crisis.

The message of this campaign is, "WE Can Solve It"--subheaded by "WE Can Solve the Climate Crisis".

An excerpt taken from the 'About Us' section of their webpage:
The We Campaign is a project of The Alliance for Climate Protection -- a nonprofit, nonpartisan effort founded by Nobel laureate and former Vice President Al Gore. The goal of the Alliance is to build a movement that creates the political will to solve the climate crisis -- in part through repowering America with 100 percent of its electricity from clean energy sources within 10 years. Our economy, national security, and climate can’t afford to wait.

So when you find the design element, tell me what you think...about the logo and its message.

FINALLY, you say..."not another class question"
Don't worry...I'll be back with those in no time! =]

This post brought to you by the letter C

2008-10-01T23:22:00.007-05:00

A friend pointed out this neat tidbit today...
A certain university and a certain fast-food restaurant share similar logos... can you guess which ones?

HINT: The university is playing Marshall this week, and the fast-food restaurant has tasty chicken!

Give up?

IMC Case Study

2008-10-01T12:52:00.001-05:00

So...it's still about 3 weeks away, but with 3 conferences/events that are scheduled right around that time as well...I thought I should get an early start on brainstorming for the project.

My job is to select a real-world company that has a specific marketing challenge and write a case study about it....

First I ask:
Any suggestions for companies with obvious marketing challenges--a company with enough history and information as so I can efficiently gather enough information to formulate a case study (that must include graphs, charts, data tables, web links, supporting documents, etc.)

Second I ask, from those of you who have written their own case study:
Do you have any suggestions or tips as to how to make the process of writng smoother and less-stressful [than I anticipate it to be]?

Again, thanks so much. Hope to hear from you!

Public Relations in IMC

2008-09-28T19:29:00.002-05:00

This week's discussion I am instructed to do a search for a story about a new product launch, like Coca-Cola Blak:

In addition to the story placement, what other public relations tactics were used to introduce this product? What tactics could have been used that were not?

This week, I need suggestions for a product with superior examples of public relations efforts, as well as your thoughts, opinions and answers to these questions.

Thanks again! Hope to hear from you!

W.Va. Eastern Panhandle - Creative Community Under Construction

2008-09-26T08:58:00.005-05:00

Though I have lived in Charleston, W.Va., for the past 15 years, I was born and raised in Martinsburg, a small town in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. Before I settled in Charleston, I lived all over the eastern U.S. (during my GE days). That gives me some perspective and a basis for comparing places. Let's compare the creative community aspects between the Capital Region and the Eastern Panhandle.

For the sake of background, let's define a creative community. This post, and others like it, is presented in support of the CreateWV initiative and the Vision Shared Creative Communities Team. Basically, a creative community has a significant presence of creative sectors of the economy, such as technology, science, research, design, entrepreneurs and professional arts. But importantly, in addition, creative communities are marked by outstanding educational institutions & programs, as well as interesting, rich and inviting "third places" like parks, museums, coffee shops and galleries. Thriving, prosperous creative communities also have strong, abundant and accessible technology networks and are tolerant in nature, accepting and welcoming all types of people. For more background, check out CreateWV.com and the CreateWV blog. And if you really want to embrace the concept, come to the Create WV Conference 2008, Oct. 20-22, at Snowshoe Mountain Resort.

Charleston is a creative community, without a doubt. Sure, it has room--and potential--for more creative growth. But there's a critical mass of creativity here. From FestivAll to Art Walk, and from the Clay Center to Mountain Stage, there's plenty to enjoy in terms of creative arts, fine arts and entertainment. But enough about Charleston. Several other bloggers will be touting creativity in the capital of the Mountain State.

Eastern Panhandle Snapshot
Let's shift our focus eastward by about 300 miles or five hours driving time. The state's Eastern Panhandle is a small, four-county region of some 175,000 residents. Geographically, statistically and economically, it is part of the huge and growing Baltimore-Washington, MSA. While Charleston is somewhat landlocked, the Eastern Panhandle lies in the midst of a very metropolitan, urbanized part of America. In fact, five other state capitals are a shorter driving distance than its own capital.

The differences don't end with geography. The terrain is different; the Eastern Panhandle is relatively flat. The media is different; the major TV networks broadcast from DC and Baltimore and the local newspapers rarely report on new from Charleston. The economy is different, too; there is no coal mining in the Eastern Panhandle. Instead of WVU and Marshall sports fandom, in the Panhandle the mantra is "Go Orioles!" or "Hail to the Redskins!"

By contrast, Martinsburg and the Eastern Panhandle is not as much of a creative community, at least not in a "boundary" sense. While there are not as many creative assets within the four-county panhandle, there are hundreds nearby. From the National Gallery of Art in Washington, to Wolf Trap (concerts and stage) in Northern Va., there is so much to enjoy within an hour's drive. Residents of the Eastern Panhandle cross borders and boundaries all the time. In fact, along one 30-mile stretch of I-81, you can cross four state borders. If you live in the Eastern Panhandle you move about--quite a bit--and things like county/state borders are less important. In that sense it's more cosmopolitan.

Building It Out
What could be improved? If I could construct a creative project in the Eastern Panhandle, I would "build" a few more quaint "third places"in Martinsburg ... maybe a place with coffee and music, an arts & crafts center (like the Lillstreet Guild in Chicago), a gallery for local artists and a high-tech incubator. Plus, I'd love to see some re-gentrification of some of the historic neighborhoods in downtown Martinsburg, perhaps some downtown lofts.

Special Place - Shepherdstown
One of the gems of the Eastern Pahnandle is Shepherdstown. This spring, I had the pleasure to spend a day in this quaint historic town. Shepherdstown, founded in 1734, is a college town, home to Shepherd University, a charming liberal-arts school. The core village in Shepherdstown aligns German Street. Many of its shops, storefronts and homes date back to the 1700's. Its picturesque beauty is highlighted by the stunning "New England-esque" chapel (former courthouse) and a centuries-old library. On top of all of this historic beauty is a palpable creative vibe.

On that warm day in late Spring, I spent hours at the Sweets Shop on German Street, working (on a free local WiFi network), sipping coffee, snacking and soaking up the creative vibe. Afterward, I browsed the village, visiting a couple art galleries, bookstores and the library. The combination of the foot traffic, college students, beauty, history and charm inspired me. In the true essence of a Creative Community "Third Place," I could have stayed there a very long time. It compelled me, and it draws me back. (By the way, Berkeley Springs is a real gem of a creative place, too, with a thriving art scene and Jeane Mozier's creative leadership.)

I still love my home region, the Eastern Panhandle. My friend and colleague, Sandy Sponaugle of Platinum PR, has the joy and privilege of living and working there. Her office is but a few steps around the corner from the aforementioned Sweets Shop and just across from that wonderful old library. I look forward to reading her perspective on the creative aspects of the Eastern Panhandle. Finally, thanks to Jason Keeling for organizing and shaping this blogger carnival in support of CreateWV and to Jeff James for his tireless, inclusive and skillful leadership of the Creative Communities Team and the CreateWV Conference.

Creative Blast Hits Tomorrow

2008-09-25T16:34:00.000-05:00

We're working with a dozen other marketing geniuses and social media mavens on one of the coolest, most exciting projects that I've ever done. Check back tomorrow. Don't miss it!

~Skip

P.S. - Yes, the image at left is a clue.

There may be more clues.

And even more clues, still.

Welcome, Lauren!

2008-09-20T13:47:00.000-05:00

There's a new Mapleonian in town. She's a talented young graphic artist with agency design experience and a BFA from Appalachian State University. Meet Lauren Boder.

Lauren joined our team at the beginning of September and is already contributing with crisp, creative designs that help our clients achieve results. She has not yet debuted on the Maple Web site ... but that's coming soon. Welcome aboard, Lauren!

Question from the Audience - Attracting Media Coverage

2008-09-15T11:23:00.000-05:00

From a recent speaking engagement, I received the following question from a participant:

"How do you get media to respond to press releases?"

Great question, indeed.

Right up front, let's all understand that it's not about the press release. So many folks think that the key to news coverage is having a properly formatted press release ... and blasting it out to a staggeringly large contact list. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.

First, you have to have news. Or you have to know how to package, or position, what you have to make it newsworthy. Once you've reached this point, it doesn't matter if your press release follows AP Stylebook or is scribbled on a cocktail napkin.

Is it unique?
Is it high impact?
Does it relate to world events?
Does it have relevance to an upcoming season or news cycle?
Does it relate to something that a particular station or reporter has been covering/featuring?

If you can answer "Yes" to one or more of the above, you truly have a compelling news item. Congratulations! Your job is going to be pretty easy. You may even be able to get multiple rounds of coverage. Actually, if you have real news (i.e., hard news), you won't need a press release, since the media will be calling you once the word gets out to one or two outlets ... faster than you can send out press releases.

The second crucial element to success in earned media coverage is relationship. This begins with cultivating relationships with reporters, editors, publishers and bloggers. It won't suffice to keep a transactional view of reporters. In fact, here at Maple, we treat reporters like clients. We get to know them, send them goodies and take them out for lunch or coffee. [Previous gems of wisdom on this topic here and here]

You have to know where to offer your news opportunity. So, to whom should you take your news pitch? Maybe you are working on a tougher pitch, where it's not front-page level hard news. Maybe it is a worthy and promising feature story with a nice human impact value. Which reporter might take a look at your pitch? Do you have a personal relationship with that person. If so, that can make all the difference. Let's face it, reporters are busy... way busy. If they are evaluating a story, and they have to face a significant learning curve to understand the background and relevance, it's extra work for them. If you have the relationship, you will have earned that extra time, that second look in the midst of a busy day. It might take a bit more coaxing--and perhaps a cup of coffee--but you'll get your coverage.

Marketing geniuses, that is how the earned media business works ... through brainpower, planning and relationships. Not much different than most business matters, now is it?

The New Face of Facebook

2008-09-13T01:37:00.003-05:00

Those of you who are members of Facebook may have noticed a big change recently. Facebook has switched to a new layout, aptly named "New Facebook," which has received a not-so-warm welcome from Facebook users.

Over the past couple of weeks, users were able to preview the new layout. If they decided they didn't like it, they could switch back to the old one, which is exactly what I had done. Today, I was less than thrilled to discover that "New Facebook is now the only Facebook," as were many of my friends judging by the dozens of status changes to "I hate the new Facebook," and the news feed alerting me that so-and-so just joined the Anti-New Facebook group. I had already overheard discussions about the new layout around Marshall's campus as well.

If there is one thing I've noticed from this, it's that people hate change (unless you're talking about the current presidential race). Facebook provides a feedback link, which I'm certain millions of users have used, but will they listen to the millions of users complaints?

It reminds me of when Facebook introduced the news feed and mini feed. Users were very upset over these features because of privacy concerns, and soon started calling it "Stalkerbook." Anti-news feed groups were formed and a lot of feedback was sent, but Facebook decided not to remove the features, claiming that everyone would soon get used to them. Guess what? People got used to them. I eventually decided the news feed made Facebook better, especially for learning about new groups and pages. The news feed helped connect me to several posted items, blogs, articles, pages and videos that I would have never seen had they been buried elsewhere.

Word on the street (or message boards) is that Facebook made the new layout the only layout to accommodate advertisers. I'm not sure if this is entirely the case, but it seems to make sense. I haven't noticed many ads since logging in today, but the ads I have seen are the same size, and still unusual. For example, the current ads on my page are for political dog clothing and the Lauren Conrad diet. The only difference in ads I've noticed is that they are now located on the right side of the page.

As of now, I'm not a fan of the new layout, primarily for convenience. I dislike the multiple tabs on profile pages, although I like the tabs on the home page. I wish I could reduce the amount of white or change the color scheme so the page didn't look like a Word document. I wish photos could be viewed on separate web pages instead of in a tab (so when clicking on a photo on page 8, clicking "back" would send you to page 8, not back to page 1). I know that with time I will get used to the new layout, but for now I might just see what Twitter is all about.

For those of you using Facebook, what do you think of the new layout? What changes would you make? I’m curious to see what others think!

The Way We Leave

2008-09-10T16:18:00.000-05:00

I quit my dry cleaner this month. Bolted ... dropped the deuce. Peace out.

Quietly, without drama or fanfare, I switched from Drycleaner P to Drycleaner G. I never told the folks at P that I was leaving. I seriously doubt if they have noticed. Once I had made the switch, I told three friends about my experience.

Why did I leave? And more importantly, why should you care? My behavior as a consumer was wholly typical and representative ... it's a mini case study. I left my drycleaner for the same reasons--and in the same manner--that all customer leave all service businesses.

Reason #1 - Quality.
Drycleaner P stopped being careful with my clothing. I don't have time to replace buttons, and I don't like to spend more money to buy new pants that have been nuked at 1000 deg Kelvin with old press pads. So, their quality of service plummeted.

Reason #2 - Service Personnel.
At Drycleaner P, the long-time service rep (the clerk who greets you and takes care of your pick-ups and drop-offs was friendly, polite and helpful. The person who was hired to replace her was zombie-like in her glazed over, cold, distant manner. It comes down to the leadership (in this case the owners). I want--and I deserve--friendly service from nice people. (Hey- this is West Virginia, after all.)

Most customers, when they leave ... when they decide to quit you ... do not leave in a bombastic, confrontational way. In fact, most never even tell you that they are about to leave. They just leave. And it's because of the fact that 96% of humans prefer to avoid conflict or confrontation. We simply do not like to address the unpleasant stuff, like complaining about something. Ironically, they won't tell you that they are leaving, but they will tell others (4 to 5 people on average) why they left.

What does this mean for you and your business?

From a basic business perspective, it provides a very meaningful reminder that you can never quit striving to provide the best service at a very high quality level. It is an absolute must to have the best, most capable, friendly people interacting with your customers.

Where does marketing fit in this?

Now from a marketing perspective, this story demonstrates that you have to ask your customers if they are satisfied. They will not initiate such conversations. Ask them: "How are we doing?" "What could we do better?" "Have we done anything to irritate you or anything that has inconvenienced you lately?" Marketing geniuses understand that marketing is a conversation and also a feedback loop. They know that marketing serves two masters: 1- finding customers and 2- keeping them happy.

Zappos Truly Engaged with Customers

2008-09-08T16:40:00.000-05:00

Twitter can be kind of fun. I've been on it for about a year. My lovely wife is now on it, too. And so is her sister. While we were poolside at the beach this Labor Day weekend, we were doing a bit of Twittering. One of our observations was that--now this year--the Crocs style of shoe appeared to be quite out of style. So I put out the following Tweet:

Observation from the beach::: Crocs are soooo 2006. What's the hot new beachy
footwear? @zappos? 01:43 PM
August 31, 2008 from txt

Notice the @zappos. I had a hunch that the world's leading shoe merchant might have something to say about the question.

Not more than 48 hours later, I got a reply. Not just any reply--but a reply from the CEO of Zappos. Here was his response:

i don't know if there are any new beach footwear brands this season! at
least none that i personally know of...
Zappos.com CEO -Tony / zappos
--
follow me at http://twitter.com/zappos
reply on the web at http://twitter.com/direct_messages/create/zappos

That, my friends, is one incredible example of managing your online presence and finding ways to connect with customers. Kudos to Tony and the other marketing geniuses at Zappos. We'll have more great marketing examples--of customer engagement, of creating loyalty, of inspiring raving fans--from Zappos to share in the days ahead.

Tee It Up

2008-09-04T12:39:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not going to play golf. And this has zero to do with marketing. But I am headed out to watch my Dad compete in the W.Va. Senior Open golf championship, here at Edgewood Country Club in Charleston. What a special treat! I can remember so many times, as a young man, that Dad was there to cheer me on. So now it's nice to be able to reverse those roles and return the favor. It is important to treasure and embrace life's simple blessings. This one is not to be missed!

Between vacation and the golf tourney, I have not posted many blog commentaries lately. Just wanted to give you all a heads-up. We'll be back strong in the days ahead ... many good posts percolating.

More Important than "the Six Most Important Words in Marketing?"

2008-09-02T15:07:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, I am insanely, way-overboard, sounding-like-a-broken-record, in love with the following six word phrase: "How did you hear about us?" (More about this fundamental marketing tactic .) For years I've refered to that as the six most important words in marketing.

Now, today there's something more important than that one essential markeitng question. Oh really?

So says Fred Reichheld and practitioners of a new theory called Net Promoter. They claim there is "one question that can determine your business' future."

That's quite the marketing smack talk! Yet they back it up with research, a book, training workshops and a Web site. I was curious, so I investigated.

Net Promoter - here's the deal:

1- Ask all your customers: "How likely is it that you would recommend us to a friend or colleague?" Present the recipient with a 1-10 rating scale for responding to the question.

2- Promoters are those who are highly likely to recommend you. Count those who fall into this range, (8-10 scoring range, for example). Promoters are those engaged, empowered, loyal customers who'll go out of their way to spread the good word about your company and your products.

3- Detractors are those who are are least likely to recommend you. Count those who fall into this category (perhaps 1-3 scoring range). Detractors are detrimental. They are dissatisfied, looking for new options (other than you) and are spreading bad news about your company and your products.

4- Your Net Promoter Score = (% of Promoters) minus (% of Detractors)

That's it--simple and straightforward, the Net Promoter Score system. If your business is taking care of your customers, your NPS will be high; conversely if your business has crummy service, poor quality and bad marketing, then your NPS will be low. In fact, if you have a negative NPS, the theory says that you are on your way out of business.

Measure your Net Promoter Score often. Track the results over time. While the first survey will have only anecdotal value, the change in score over time (the longitudinal data) will be truly revealing. Is your NPS increasing or decreasing? Why?

Consider the marketing power of a new paradigm ... 10 important words!

1- On the front end ask: "How did you hear about us?" Then, invest more in what's working and do more of what's working.

2- On the back side, following a sale, ask: "Would you recommend us?" Then, work like crazy, servicing customers and understanding their desires, to earn more Promoters and to prevent Detractors from arising.

Actually, once you've looked at it, these two go together quite naturally. A one-two punch, consisting of the 10 most important words in marketing. Now, let's put it all into action and go earn some Promoters!

Survey Demographics - Tip from the Pros

2008-08-27T17:10:00.000-05:00

Let's face it--good marketing professionals create and utilize a substantial number of surveys. Whether analyzing, testing or measuring impact, research results drive good planning, good strategy and effective creative. So how can we build better surveys?

Here's a tip from the pros. When you are creating your demographic questions, take advantage of a couple of subtle, but powerful formatting tactics.

1- Collecting age data
Don't construct arbitrary age brackets, such as
18 to 20
21 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 50
Etc.

Instead, align your age groupings with cohort groups, as follows:
23 years of age or younger - Millennial / Echo-boomers
24 to 31 years of age - N Generation (aka Internet Generation, Gen Y)
32 to 42 - Generation X
43 to 53 - Trailing Edge Boomers
54 to 62 - Leading Edge Boomers
63 to 80 - Postwar Cohort

In such fashion, you can build insights into your age group findings by turning to cohort theory and psychographic trends for comparison.

2- Collecting income data

Instead of formulating arbitrary income brackets such as-
$50,000 per year or less
$50k to $100k
$100k to $150k
$150k to $200k
$200k or more

Create your income brackets to align with US Census data groupings, as follows-
$34,999 per year or less
$35,000 to $49,999
$50,000 to $74,999
$75,000 to $99,999
$100,000 to $149,999
$150,000 to $199,999
$200k or more

Again, you'll have an immediate basis for comparison, a benchmark in the Census data for the particular community, metro, county or state.

Marketing geniuses, what other research/survey tips would you be willing to share? We'd love to hear from you!

The Dissapearance of Marketing Genius: Lesson #3

2008-08-23T11:39:00.000-05:00

Background: Marketing Genius (i.e., this blog) was taken down on July 13. For the ensuing eleven-day period, we lost control of the blog and our domain. During that time, an unknown party seized the blog and began running spoof ads containing links to SPAM proliferation sites, plus other nefarious, unauthorized junk. The episode was a weird, dark abyss. Thanks to the efforts of many of you (our friends, readers and supporters - the marketing genius community), the blog was returned to us on Thursday, July 24. The events associated with the loss and recovery of this blog contain lessons for all bloggers.

So - here is the second lesson: The Power of Human Action

This lesson is a simple one--but very, very important. From the point at which a human got involved in helping to remedy the situation, the whole mess was fixed in less than an hour. Google PR/Security rep Meghan Lamb sprung into action following an inquiry from a reporter. She called me at 2:00 on a Thursday afternoon ... and by 2:45 I had my blog back.

This flurry of activity, this intervention ... this one fine afternoon, followed 11 days of nothingness. Oh sure, I got an auto-reply e-mail from Google within seconds after I had filed my official online complaint. But I have to tell you, in our increasingly automated, online, self-service world (think Orbitz, Amazon and Peapod), there is nothing to replace a live human being.

Working through Blogger/Google's online service processes left me wondering and feeling worried.

Working with a Google human being, a real person, left me feeling confident, calm and satisfied.

A quick aside ... a war story, if you'll indulge me. I think it is relevant and illustrative. Back in my days working at the state economic development office, we once arranged a fast-track business registration for a Nebraska company opening up a new facility in West Virginia. (Now this was 1995, the early days of the Internet, so most of the requisite filings and registrations were still paperwork processes.) We assembled all of the representatives from every necessary agency and division in one big conference room. Tax department, workers comp, unemployment office, secretary of state, environmental permitting, just to name a few. We set the room up like a "county fair." The folks from Nebraska filled out one master form and wrote three checks. The seven state agency reps shared the information and filled out the forms for the customer. We completed it all in 41 minutes. Without human action, the normal processes would have taken at least five weeks, probably longer.

Here's your question for the day, marketing geniuses: do your business processes offer some degree of human interaction, or are they entirely automated? Are you touching your customers and prospects sufficiently with human interaction? Do you make it easy for your customers to engage with you?