Marketing & Advertising for Small Business

Playing to Win

2006-05-26T15:41:00.001-04:00

This past weekend I was in Canada as my family there was throwing my wife and I a small wedding reception. While there we visited my grandfather a few times who, though physically handicapped since WWII and wheelchair-bound for a good portion of that, has remained to this day one of the smartest and most mentally fit people I know. Though he has fell into a weaker state lately, he came out with a quote the during our last visit that set me aback.

"If you play a game to lose, you shouldn't be playing at all."

Every day of our lives whether in our personal lives or in business we climb obstacles that we fear falling from. This quote, to me, seems to represent how my grandfather lived his life. I've never once heard from him that something was impossible or that something may be too hard to accomplish. He set his goals, through determination achieved them and continued on.

Sometimes the most obvious of comments can be the most profound.

Viral Marketing Gets LOST

2006-05-15T12:01:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm a LOST junkie. Yes, I'm one of those people who come into work the next day and talk your ear off about how GENIUS the show is. I'm one of those schmucks who gets conned into surfing the web after an episode to find those creepy hidden clues.

However, peeling back the skin of ABC's LOST reveals a genius marketing engine (yes, I used the word 'genius' again). Whether you like the show, hate it or don't care either way whether Michael is really one of the 'Others' we can all learn from the efforts put forth in making the show as popular as it has become.

If you're not familiar with the show, it surrounds a group of plane crash survivors 'lost' on an island who attempt to decipher strange occurences, structures and creatures that inhabit the island. Beyond that is an overlying reason for them being on the island that remains a mystery.

However, there are so many elements that make the show interesting both on air and off. The show is saturated with symbolism, mathematical schemes, phylosophy and mysterious character connections that have been the fuel for viewer speculation. Each episode is followed by a flood of internet traffic where viewers talk about the show and attempt to decipher the new clues presented.

Having noted the massive following of LOST, creators decided to fuel the fire with their own viral campaigns. The campaign started with a web site developed as a corporate presence for the ficticious airline, Oceanic Airlines. Users found that by clicking around the site in certain combinations they were given additional clues or information pertaining to the show. This was followed by numerous other campaigns including a site for the ficitious company The Hanso Foundation and a site made by a ficticious band presented in the show, Drive Shaft.

Producers have also launched several television commercials, newspaper and magazine advertisements that look like ads for the ficticious companies featured in LOST. Recently they also released a book, "Bad Twin", which makes mention of The Hanso Foundation adding to the mystery.

Message boards, podcasts and water coolers are jam-packed with viewers discussing the intricacies of the show, LOST. In fueling the discussions, producers have found a way to keep viewers involved by empowering with the means to decipher the show's mysteries and talking.
Last week I found myself on the phone with my step-father, both of us trying to unlock clues on a web site promoted on a new television commercial for the Hanso Foundation (http://www.sublymonal.com/). Once I hung up the phone I sat back and looked at the situation. What was I doing? How did I become a marketing guinea pig? The answer is easy. They empowered me to make my experience fun and intiguing. Even as a marketing professional, I couldn't resist!

Get your LOST Viral T-Shirt at Regal Threads

Questions about this article? Email me with '4815162342' in the SUBJECT line and you could WIN A LOST T-SHIRT!

Selling Word of Mouth Advertising

2006-02-14T09:05:00.001-05:00

Imagine sitting in a restaurant or bar talking with your friend about how bad your cell phone service is. A nice gentleman sitting near you turns and joins the conversation who sympathizes with your frustration with the same company. He then tells you that he just got new service with ABC Cellular who has given him the best service he has ever encountered.

He didn’t sell you anything. He didn’t even push his agenda. He was simply expressing his experiences in normal, everyday conversation.

Normally we might take his advice and at least do some research into ABC Cellular. However, a new marketing medium is sprouting in major cities called a word-of-mouth media channel used to spread the word about a company or product through the most powerful medium of all time - word of mouth. In this new venture normal people are paid to act as agents for a company to talk about a company or product thereby spreading buzz and awareness.

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NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Could ordinary people’s buzz about products be bought and sold by agencies like so much time on TV or radio?

BzzAgent, a Boston-based firm, is betting it can, as it launches a word-of-mouth media channel through its network of 130,000 average consumers eager to chatter about a brand.

Two agency partners So far BzzAgent has two agency partners, StarcomMediaVest Group’s Reverb division and Havas’ Arnold Worldwide, which will pay “slotting fees” based on the number of agents used and the length of time the campaign lasts. Arnold will use the channel for client Hershey Co., when it launches a new product-sampling campaign, believed to be a Take Five product, next month.

Turning WOM into a medium -- as opposed to just a marketing discipline or tactic -- could do wonders for its stature, allowing agencies to buy buzz alongside traditional media buys. There’s even a rate card forthcoming this week. BzzAgent will look to join up as many as six additional agencies as partners this year.

“One advantage of this is that word-of-mouth can live on a marketing plan or a media plan,” said Jamie Tedford, senior VP-media and marketing innovation at Arnold. “It’s important that it’s not just viewed as an afterthought. There’s already a shift as marketers are planning traditional and non-traditional media side-by-side.”

'Right direction' “Even if it’s just a semantic issue, it’s a move in the right direction,“ said Peter Kim, senior analyst at Forrester Research. “If you call it a media channel, it’ll make a lot more sense to a lot of people. Like with online advertising, all this has to be integrated for it to work.”
Marketers and agencies have been giving word-of-mouth a close look over the past couple years as a way to supplement, or even replace, traditional media campaigns. BzzAgent’s network is used by a long list of major marketers from Anheuser-Busch to Volkswagen.

For BzzAgent, which recently raised almost $14 million in venture capital, the move from a promotions firm to a media channel means that it will focus on tending its agents and turn over creative considerations to the agencies it partners with. The idea is to run more campaigns, give agents a broader range of products and creative ideas to work with, and zero in on how to measure their effectiveness. It now runs about 35 campaigns concurrently.

BzzAgent campaigns work like this: Volunteer agents choose a campaign to work on and receive information about the product. After forming an opinion, the agents spread it to people they know and then produce a report on the activity. The reports are then analyzed for the client. Agents receive points in exchange for reports that they can redeem for rewards.

Lowered costs for agencies None of that system will change, but BzzAgent’s surrendering of creative and strategic responsibilities should mean lower costs for participating agencies. “It’s priced in a way that could be a profit center for agencies,” said founder-CEO Dave Balter.

As it’s giving up most of its creative control, BzzAgent is also laying out guidelines for campaigns that forbid pyramid schemes and require that agents disclose the fact they’re working as agents. The issue of disclosure has been a major one for the word-of-mouth community as agencies and marketers worry about getting entangled in shill programs.

“There’s a high barrier of entry to the types of programs we do,” said Mr. Balter, who hopes the standards established will create a point of difference as competitors inevitably crop up. “Word of mouth is a medium and the marketplace is already there.”

Source: AdAge.com

Selling Word of Mouth Advertising

2006-02-14T09:05:00.000-05:00

Source: AdAge.com

Super Bowl Ads Fumbles and Scores

2006-02-06T13:02:00.000-05:00

As usual, the Super Bowl this year featured the best and worst commercials of the year. This year's spots for which ABC received between $1.6 - $2.5 million dollars each have become almost as popular as the game itself.

As a primary game sponsor, Anheuser-Busch again came out strong with some great, heart-felt and entertaining spots as usual. Godaddy.com, the super-hero-like defender of free speech during last year's game, used their $2 million dollars to poke fun at the debacle. This ad, while not necessarily promoting the product, was a great branding effort in that it related back to last year's ad and the chatter about decency in broadcast that ensued thereafter (not to mention the Janet Jackson affair).

Unfortunately, we also had to sift through a field of bad weeds before finding these gems. I would pay to see Terry Tate, the office linebacker, re-enact his commercials for Reebok in the offices of those who created these monstrosities of not-so-special special effects and presentations of comedic blunder.

The Good - CareerBuilder
It's one thing to be funny. But it's even more important to have it relate to your product. CareerBuilder did both.
See Ad here

The Good - GoDaddy
Using social and political chatter to support the ad was Godaddy's strong point with this ad - that and tying back to last year's spot. I have to wonder how much they spend in creating DENIED ads.
See Ad here
More here (the site that got DENIED air play)
More here (Another DENIED)

The Good - Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch utilized a campaign of emotional spots featuring the loveable Clydesdale horses and threw in a funny spot here and there to change things up.
See Ad here
More here
More here
More here

The Weird But Funny - FedEx
See Ad here

The Bad - Motorola
Using effects is great. But it takes more than a computer to make it special.
See Ad here

The Bad - Cadillac
Can someone explain this spot to me? Did it have a point?
See Ad here

The Bad - Burger King
Anything featuring the King these days just scares me. Now, put him in a 40s-style dance routine and it's enough to make one go mental.
See Ad here

2005 Google Search Trends

2006-01-04T08:56:00.000-05:00

A look back at 2005 wouldn't be complete without some lists. Here are three from Google, representing some of the most popular searches in 2005.

Google.com - Top Gainers of 2005
1. Myspace
2. Ares
3. Baidu
4. wikipedia
5. orkut
6. iTunes
7. Sky News
8. World of Warcraft
9. Green Day
10. Leonardo da Vinci

Google News - Top Searches in 2005
1. Janet Jackson
2. Hurricane Katrina
3. tsunami
4. xbox 360
5. Brad Pitt
6. Michael Jackson
7. American Idol
8. Britney Spears
9. Angelina Jolie
10. Harry Potter

Froogle - Top Searches in 2005
1. ipod
2. digital camera
3. mp3 player
4. ipod mini
5. psp
6. laptop
7. xbox
8. ipod shuffle
9. computer desk
10. ipod nano

Major Disasters (click to view)

Star Wars (click to view)

Weapons of Mass Destruction (click to view)

Harry Potter (click to view)

Pop Princess Showdown (click to view)

Black Friday (click to view)

Here's a link to Google's full list of 2005 search trends (more for entertainment purposes).
Source: http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist2005.html

DVR Ratings to Debut From Nielson

2005-12-22T08:53:00.000-05:00

With the advent of DVR (digital video recorders) like TiVo and Brighthouse DVR and products of the like, advertising agencies are increasingly worried about ad dollars dropping to the floor. The new DVR systems allow viewers to skip right through commercials to continue their favorite show uninterrupted. I, for one, do exactly that. With the DVR system installed, I never see commercials anymore. It's great for me, but for the companies who paid hundreds of thousands or even millions for those spots, it's a catastrophic invention.

Ad agencies and their clients alike are scrambling to conjure up new ideas to circumvent the system. Some of the concepts include ad banners placed at the bottom of the television show throughout the broadcast and in-show branding. American Idol is a prime example of a show implementing both of these concepts. Notice the blatant mentioning of AT&T (I think they've now switched to Cingular) in addition to the logo placement when showing the 'Vote Now' phone number. In addition, the show Survivor is notorious for on-screen product placement with car give-aways and food challenges including "new, refreshing Mountain Dew Black."

Neilson Media Research has scheduled to implement a DVR ratings system on December 26, 2005. The system will be the first of its kind to track viewer behavior with DVR systems and will offer information showing whether viewers skipped ads or not. According to Neilson, the ratings will be available for viewing on December 28, 2005 on their web site.

Come on in. The water's fine.

2005-12-06T15:22:00.000-05:00

I get regular emails from readers here, but I don't see a lot of public posting. Don't forget you can comment and discuss any of the articles here by clicking on the 'COMMENT' link below the article. This blog exists for YOU! Feel free to participate and share your own experiences with all of us. We can all learn from each other and I'm sure no one will bite you (unless, of course, you like that sort of thing).

Post away!!!

Online Shopping Records Broken on Black Friday

2005-11-29T08:58:00.000-05:00

Record numbers of consumers never left their homes on Black Friday, the official start of the holiday shopping season. Instead, they poured online in far greater numbers than last year, according to research released by Nielsen/NetRatings.

Some 7.4 million unique visitors to more than 100 online retailers the day after Thanksgiving -- 29 percent more than last year’s Black Friday -- prove that the Web has become a vital component of Americans’ shopping preparations. While many shoppers headed out to the stores over the weekend, the majority first turned to the Internet to check prices and product availability, reported Heather Dougherty, senior retail analyst, Nielsen/NetRatings.

Ebay was the top online retailer over the weekend, with 9.5 million unique visitors. Next in traffic was Amazon with 4.6 million and Wal-Mart Stores, which drew 3.4 million. Target was next with 2.9 million, and BestBuy.com attracted 2.1 million. These were the top online shopping destinations last year on Black Friday as well. But there were also newcomers in this year’s top 10: Circuitcity.com, Dell and Shopzilla.com.

The fastest-growing retail category online on Black Friday was toys and video games, with a 152% week-over-week growth (daily percent change from Nov. 18 to Nov. 25). This sector was fueled by the release of the Xbox 360 and portable game consoles. Next was consumer electronics, which climbed 142%, followed by computer hardware/software with 102% growth. Among the hottest consumer electronics and computer products this year are flat-screen TVs, iPods and other MP3 players, Ms. Dougherty said.

One reason for brisk online sales is rising fuel costs that make shopping from home easier on the budget. Another reason is that online retailers have inundated consumers with special promotions this year, in what Ms. Dougherty calls “a deluge” of free shipping, sales, gifts with purchase and more. “It definitely seems far stronger than ever before,” she said. Additional growth was seen, “cyber Monday,” the Monday after Thanksgiving. “Their e-mail inboxes are filled with promotions, so it makes sense that they will at least go to sites to check them out,” she added.

The Nielsen/NetRatings Holiday eShopping Index is comprised of 100 online retailers across 10 categories, whose online traffic figures and other data are studied and released throughout the holiday season.

Source: AdAge.com

Tis the Season for Online Shopping

2005-11-22T21:54:00.000-05:00

As we all know, the holidays are the biggest time of the year for retail shopping. Retailers, especially the big dogs, open up the marketing budgets for ad spending that, in most cases, pays off big time. This coming Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is known as the biggest shopping day of the year. This day, referred to as Black Friday, is called that because it is always considered a day where the accounting books will be 'in the black' (as opposed to being in the red) which signifies a profit.

According to a new poll from Yahoo! Small Business, 83 percent of shoppers during the holidays plan on doing so online. The poll continues to show that 63 percent of those respondents plan to shop with small retailers who offer niche or specialty goods. In addition, three out of five respondents stated that it was very important to know that their favorite store had an online presence.

With over half of people polled saying that they plan on doing at least half of their gift shopping online this year, this means big business for small business this year!

A Thanks to Blog Readers

2005-11-15T18:31:00.000-05:00

With all this talk about coupon codes recently (I'm working on some coupon marketing projects at the office lately) made me think that I should offer mine up to readers of this blog.

So, here are a few from my T-Shirt site,
Regal Threads.

SAVE up to 30%! They automatically deduct from your total at checkout. So, keep me in mind for the gift-giving holidays! Feel free to pass along these coupons along. Your friends will love you for it!

Go to: www.RegalThreads.com

Save $7.50 on $50.00 (Code: HOLIDAY50)
Save $20.00 on $100.00 (Code: HOLIDAY100)
Save $37.50 on $150.00 (Code: HOLIDAY150)
Save $55.00 on $200.00 + free shipping (Code: HOLIDAY200)
Save $75.00 on $250.00 + free shipping (Code: HOLIDAY250)

Thanks for all your support!

The 'Secret' in Coupon Codes

2005-11-12T19:52:00.000-05:00

You know that funny-looking code that you enter when making a transaction online that gives you 10% off the item you're purchasing. These are secret codes that online retailers only share with special customers, partners or employees. There are many names for them, but I call them coupon codes.

The funny thing about coupon codes is that they have become a viral campaign of sorts. When one person finds a coupon code, many times, they will send it out to their friends and colleagues to also use. "Hey Betty, I just found this coupon to get 20% off at Target." Who's going to turn that down? They get passed around the web via email, message boards and coupon archiving sites such as dealhunting.com and slickdeals.net. If you haven't checked them out, you're sure to save a bunch.

If you have an online store, you should definitely look into the possibility of adding coupon codes to the checkout system. Then, you can do many things to promote this code. You can send out an email to your clients who will likely pass it on or jump on some of these archiving sites and get it out there. It will spread like a virus!

Search Engine Advertising Now Cheaper

2005-11-05T22:28:00.000-05:00

Yahoo! has made an adjustment in Yahoo! Search Marketing (or Overture), their sponsored search product that's used by many growing businesses. They've just eliminated the $20 monthly minimum fee for the pay-per-click offering. They expect the move to help boost use of the service among first-time customers who may have been wary about signing up. What's it to you? It could be a good time for entrepreneurs to try out search engine advertising without risking any big budget drains.

What is it? For those unfamiliar with search engine advertising it’s typically called Pay-Per-Click advertising (or PPC). Go to Google or Yahoo and search for something. See those search results up at the top and down the right hand side? Those are all paid listings. The advertiser is paying a small fee (starting at $0.10 on Yahoo) for each click. Each advertiser bids for positioning by the amount they are willing to spend per click. The higher the bid - the higher you ad will be positioned. This can get tricky when advertisers start competing for position.

What does this mean to small businesses? This means that business owners who have wanted to get started with search engine advertising can do so with very little investment up front. All it takes is a little time to learn the game and a little patience. I call it ‘a game’ because, if you’re like me, once you get in there and start playing with it you’ll find it to be addicting and fun playing with the numbers in order to beat out your competition without blowing your wad. If you’ve ever get caught up in a bidding war for an item you really want on Ebay you know what I mean.

The key is to test, test and re-test. Many variables come into play and will determine your return on the investment including how your ad reads, what page you are sending them do, your ad positioning and how much you are shelling out per click. It’s a lot like playing chess – it’s a tricky game but can be fun.

I recently opened a new advertising account for a t-shirt business I started (http://www.regalthreads.com: shameless plug) to test out the new Yahoo online advertising model. I started the account with no start up cost and I deposited just $30 to get started. This $30 is used to pay for your clicks. Notice the screenshot above shows my site at the top of the page! I’ll post more later on my experiences with this. So, STAY TUNED! Feel free to post comments or email me with your own experiences.

Direct Mail Hits Home for Younger Consumers

2005-10-31T22:29:00.000-05:00

Direct marketers have long known that older Americans pay attention to mailers, but "Gen X, Gen Y, and the Mail," a new study commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service, found that more than three-quarters of this generation reads and responds to mail just like their older counterparts. Gen X, born between 1965 and 1972, makes up roughly 17% of the population; Gen Y, born between 1977 and 1994, makes up about 25% of the population. Though these age groups are comfortable with e-mail and online marketing, the study found they are more likely to read and respond to printed marketing material. Among the other findings:

Young consumers say 75% of the mail they receive is valuable.
58% of Generation X and 66% of Generation Y prefer paper bills to help them manage finances.
74% of Generation X and 68% of Generation Y read the retail advertising mail they receive.
68% of Generation X and 73% of Generation Y retail direct mail readers have used mailed coupons.

Source: Entrepreneur.com

Market You. Be You.

2005-10-13T11:28:00.000-04:00

The time is coming quickly for my high school reunion which takes place next weekend. This is usually the time where one decides to crash diet, buy some slick threads and actually read one of those spam emails we all get about replica Rolex watches. Although I do love my half-classic Camaro, I even toyed with the idea of renting a 300c. I hope my Camaro is not mad at me for my momentary weakness.

Sure, we all want to be better, stronger and better looking but showing off a different side of oneself is completely detrimental to what we've built ourselves to be. This same concept applies to business as well. We all want to show off our products/services in the best light possible for optimal effect. However, there is a fine line that exists between heightening your product’s appeal and over-exaggerating its usefulness. This is called false-advertising which is not only unethical but can bring a company down in a heartbeat if brought out into the open. Many new drug companies are seeing the inside of courtrooms today for this reason.

Reunions are a time for remembrance, re-living days of the past and most importantly, networking! Although it may have been 10 years since I've seen some of these classmates I understand the power in networking and association. You may meet someone who you can benefit from, whether it be through the products they offer or information they have gained. In addition, you never know who may benefit from your products and expertise - even if he was the class bully.

Sell the Sizzle, Not The Steak

2005-10-06T14:08:00.000-04:00

No matter what form of advertising you decide to use, remember one thing: repetition is key. Be sure to run your advertisement or promotional piece regularly throughout the year. Send mailings at regular intervals to the same list of prospects – even if they have already done business with you. This builds credibility and name recognition, thereby, increasing the chances that your name will arise when someone does develop a need for your business.

Now, what message do you send? The most important thing to know is that it is far more effective to advertise the benefits of your product rather than the product itself. Consumers do not set out looking for a particular product or service. Instead, they seek out residual benefits to serve their business or personal lives. For instance, not many people go to the dentist because they are eager for a root canal. They seek out this service to fulfill future health and cosmetic needs. When shopping for a new car, most consumers are not simply seeking out transportation, but rather a means of making life easier for their family or to fulfill a personal luxury need. This should be reflected in your advertising by touting the benefits of your product to the buyer and how it will fulfill their needs.

A powerful message is one that is directed right to the heart of a need. It should invoke emotion and entice by appealing to the senses. The trick to this is packaging all of this into a quick message. In many cases, you have less than three seconds to attract viewer attention and convince them to read further. This is most true in internet, outdoor and direct mail advertising when your audience may be flying by at 60 MPH or sorting through the mail. If you have not gotten their attention during that window, the opportunity may have passed. This is another reason why repetition of advertising is so important as it gives you another chance at stopping them in their tracks.

Free Promotion Tip #1

2005-09-23T10:21:00.000-04:00

Does your business generate receipts for your customers? If so, this can be a powerful vehicle to promote or up-sell additional products and services. Print coupons or a referral message on the bottom of the receipt. Use messages like, “Half off your next order” or “FREE gift card for your referrals.” Remember, that the word ‘FREE’ is always a winner if you can afford to offer something at little or no cost. I love the idea of a free gift card for referrals because it’s a double whammy for you. First, you get return business from the old customer because people always spend more than a gift card is worth. Secondly, you get a new customer. Make them the same offer, and your business will grow exponentially.

When sending invoices, include a full page flyer thanking them for their business. Utilize this page to include a promotion for additional services or a referral bonus as mentioned previously. I suggest doing this two ways for optimal effectiveness. Make the offer look like a letter. Put it on letterhead and sign it. This makes the offer look as if it were an important notice that most people are likely to read. Another way that is no less effective is to make a full-color flyer that stands out from the invoice. Have it professionally designed and printed with an effective call to action. (I’ll cover how to create an effective ‘call to action’ in a new article very soon)

We typically shop at Albertson's grocery store. Every time we leave the store I'm handed a receipt that seems to be a mile long with great offers that you can take advantage of. Now, I'm not the kind that uses coupons but my fiancé is. She clips those things like they're going out of style and sometimes buys things we don't need simply because of the offer. This goes to show that with a powerful offer and a highly visible vehicle for delivery, even the most finicky consumer won’t be able to resist.

Feature Interview

2005-09-21T14:05:00.000-04:00

Today Shawn is featured in "Design Inspiration", an online zine spotlighting designers from around the world. See the interview at: http://designinspiration.blogspot.com/2005/09/shawn-porter.html

It's pure cooincidence that they used the same blog template as I did. Oh well... designers think alike.

The Circus is Coming!

2005-09-13T15:56:00.000-04:00

If the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying, "Circus is coming to Fairgrounds Sunday," that's Advertising. If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk him through town, that's a Promotion. If the elephant walks through the Mayor's flower bed, that's Publicity. If you can get the Mayor to laugh about it, that's Public Relations. And, if you planned the whole thing, that's Marketing! --Author Unknown

I just came across this quote that I remember hearing from my favorite of marketing instructors back in school.

Take the Hay to Where the Horses Are

2005-09-13T12:37:00.000-04:00

So, this morning I’m driving through downtown Orlando and I noticed something interesting. There is a tattoo shop I drive by every day that has been there for probably a year or so now. This morning I noticed a new business has setup shop just next door. Actually, they even share the same building. It’s a medical center offering services such as laser hair removal and microdermabrasion (I had to Google that for spelling). However, the interesting part is that amongst a list of services on their sign in big letters is ‘tattoo removal’.

After having a laugh about that I got to thinking about how smart that really is. It may seem obvious, but this is a great case of putting your business where the business is. This concept plays an integral role as a metaphor for where you need to market your business.

This reminded me of a campaign I once led for a local timeshare resale organization. This type of company helps (disgruntled) timeshare owners sell their units off. We came up with the idea of posting billboards and bus-stop posters around where the larger timeshare resorts were located. There are many that exist right at the entrance to the resort. This turned out to be a powerful campaign that still exists years later if you take a drive around the Orlando (I-drive) tourist district. Now that I’m actually working with one of those large resorts, I would love to get those taken down!

As an owner of an advertising/creative agency, myself, I get regular sales calls from a particular national magazine for creative professionals and advertising agencies. They call me about once a month in an attempt to get me to advertise in their rag. Now, why would I want to advertise to my competition? Although in some cases it may be a good political move to gain recognition within your own industry, it will do little to garner new business. I speak with many clients who initially suggest advertising in their own trade magazines. They like it because that’s what they know. Unfortunately, doing that may not get the required response.

Everyone Loves a Free Lunch

2005-09-08T15:04:00.000-04:00

Just about every restaurant I visit now has a fish bowl into which customers drop their business cards for a chance to win free lunch. Why not drop one in right? Everyone loves a free lunch! This is a great way to gain consumer attention, retention and affection.

This concept can work for any business. Think about how you can offer something to prospective customers. A discount is good, but FREE is always best if you can afford it. Even offering something up for your current clients is a great way to keep them loyal to your business.

Contests are another great way to gain attention to your business. The great thing about contests is that if the prize is good enough people will pass it along to friends and colleagues, thereby, spreading your promotion like a virus. Try to offer more than one prize. The better the odds are, the more likely people will be to sign up. Remember that all of the names you collect can be used for future promotions. If you have chosen a prize that is similar to the product or service you provide, these names will very hot leads for future business!

When determining your gift, think about how it will read. Keep in mind that the word 'free' always works best. However, it should not seem like a 'too good to be true' type of scenario. Due to the modern trend of immediate satisfaction, recent research shows that 'instant rebate' works better than the word 'discount' or 'coupon'.

Think about what your potential clients might want and be creative in how your promote it. Make it fun!

Strong Business Card Design

2005-08-31T20:57:00.000-04:00

The business card is the most powerful weapon in your arsenal. It leaves a remembrance of you and your business (good or bad) to those you have made contact with.

When having your cards designed, here is a tip I use consistently. Always use both sides. Use one side for just the logo and the other for your contact information. Normally people associate the side with the contact information on it as the 'front' of the card. I would like for you to reverse that thinking. The logo side is the most effective side for branding your name. Here's why: if you hand someone a card with the contact information up the fist thing they look for is a name (your logo gets neglected) and then have no reason to turn it over. They may not even realize it's two sided. If you hand them the card with the logo side up they are forced to see the logo which is immediately branded to their memory. In an effort to find your contact information, they must turn the card over. The key is to make your contact spend as much time with your card as possible. And by using this tip, you gain much more. Above you will see an example of my business card.

Another thing I want to stress is quality. I see a lot of glossy, four-color business cards out there that really don't do much for one's image. Sure, they're inexpensive but it's well worth a few extra dollars to have your cards professionally printed on quality paper. Many people feel that four-color is the way to go but I'm sure you would be amazed what a quality designer can do with just two. If you run the type of business where you give away tons of cards, it may be in your best interest to have two separate sets. One inexpensive set for mass mailings and one quality set used for networking and sales meetings. This would help cut the cost of doing large runs of the more expensive cards.

Psychological Properties of Color

2005-08-29T13:08:00.000-04:00

Color is a very powerful and versatile beast. When utilized properly, color can convey emotions and responses far beyond words. I’ve always found the psychological traits of color an interesting subject. Below are some properties associated with some primary colors and some interesting international and historical significances.

Blue
Often considered a safe global color, blue represents peace, stability, unity, trust, security and technology. Because of this, blue is often used in business to reflect trust.

Blue is often associated with immortality for the Chinese.
In the Jewish faith blue is attributed to holiness.
To protect themeselves against eveil, ancient Egyptian pharaohs wore blue robes.
Today, Police and other public servants of today wear blue which began in ancient Rome.

Red
Red is the first color that the human eye responds to making it virtually unignorable. It is for this reason that we use red for emergency and directional signals. The color can stimulate all kinds of senses including warmth, hunger, aggravation and passion. We associate red with love, danger, desire, speed, strength and blood.

Red is the color most commonly found in national flags.
In China red symbolizes celebration and luck and is used in many cultural ceremonies.
In India red is the color of purity.
For the ancient Romans, a red flag was a signal for battle.

Green
Most-often cited (internationally) as a favorite color, green represents environment, health, good luck, youth, vigor, generosity, fertility and jealousy. Green as the color of nature is regarded as a healing color.

Studies indicate green is not a good color choice for packaging in France or China.
In ancient Greece, green symbolized victory.
In some tropical countries green is associated with danger.
In China, green hats mean a man's wife is cheating on him.

Purple
In ancient times, purple was regarded as an extremely noble color as it was very hard (and expensive) to produce. Today the exotic color represents royalty, spirituality, ceremony, mystery, wisdom and enlightenment.

Purple robes are an emblem of authority and rank.
Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases 10 times when done in a purple light, as in the purple light of stained glass.
Purple in a child's room is said to help develop the imagination according to color theory.

Yellow
Yellow represents joy, happiness, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, gold, spirituality and friendship. Within the animal kingdom, the combination of red or black with yellow is a highly visual warning to predators to be considered lethal.

According to studies, most American's prefer yellows that are warmer in hue.
In Asia yellow is sacred, and imperial.
In India, yellow is the symbol for a merchant or farmer.

Black
The color black represents power, sophistication, formality, wealth, mystery, anonymity, and depth. Black, or the absence of light, is a versatile color as it can represent both highly positive or negative attributes depending on it's context.

The ancient Egyptians and Romans used black for mourning, as do most Europeans and Americans today.
Black is associated with sophistication and elegance.
The ancient Egyptians believed that black cats had divine powers.

White
The color white represents purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth and winter. Due to white's representation of purity we tend to associate it with good as oposed to evil.

A white flag is the universal symbol for truce.
The ancient Greeks wore white to bed to ensure pleasant dreams.
The ancient Persians believed all gods wore white.
The Egyptian pharaohs wore white crowns.

Guerilla Marketing Through Timing

2005-08-25T08:57:00.000-04:00

When the economy slows and business expenses are forced to reduction, it may seem that your advertising budget would be the easiest to cut. But cutting this will reduce or eliminate the very activities that will bring in new customers. Likewise, it is at this time that large companies start pulling their mass advertising in order to cut budgets - and advertising budgets are usually the first to go. This is the time when small businesses should pump up or at least maintain their advertising efforts while the large companies are losing audience. When high-dollar advertisers cut back on spending, advertising rates are forced to drop in order to attract small business. This window of opportunity gives small businesses a chance at advertising positions that may have previously been financially infeasible.

There are generally specific times of the year that large companies intentionally increase or decrease their advertising. The purpose is to reduce costs during slow periods of the year so that more money can be devoted to advertising budgets during more prosperous seasons. For instance, notice how department stores such as Target will saturate the marketing with advertising in August (for back to school promotions) and again before the holidays. This activity will increase advertising costs across the board during those seasons.

This is true for all industries although the seasons can be different. Being in the vacation and tourism industry our promotional seasons change not only by periods throughout the year, but also by destination. For example, summer is a peak vacation season for Orlando. But other destinations such as the Smoky Mountains or Park City peak in fall and winter.

Every industry has these time fluctuations and knowing them can give you a huge competitive advantage. The key is to use the slow periods to your advantage.

The Four P's

2005-08-23T22:04:00.000-04:00

Back in college, as with most young students, I thought quite frequently that much of what we were learning in school would never be used in the real world. The irony of this is that much of what I learned in the most basic of marketing courses keep coming up in brainstorming sessions. Just this morning, as a matter of fact, I was reminded of The Four P's while discussing strategies for the roll-out of new vacation package promotions.

It got me to thinking that sometimes we do need to go back to basics when conceiving business strategies. Many times we get hung up on promoting our products while neglecting other important factors that could affect sales.

An important strategy in maintaining a healthy balance is called The Four P's which stand for Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Allow me to break it down:

Product
Concept, development and implementation of the best product possible that will generate demand from a given target market.

Price
Determining the best possible price in order to maximize profitability while maintaining a competitive advantage.

Place (or distribution)
This refers to both the location of the sale whether it be a physical location or through virtual channels. This also refers to the distribution and delivery channels by which the customer purchases and receives the product or service.

Promotion
Promotion refers to the development and delivery of messages designed to call customers to action with regard to purchasing or following a product.

Think of every 'P' as a leg of a stool. When one leg is cut short, the stool becomes unstable. Most businesses tend to focus more on the promotion part and neglect attention to the other important areas of the business. All the promotion in the world may not make up for a badly priced, low quality product. The key is to maintain focus equally to all four legs in order to remain fully competitive in the market.