How to Use Holidays to Boost Business

This week’s Smart Marketing Move goes to Restaurant.com

Like many new websites, they are offering discounts to local restaurants. But they’ve come up with a unique and, I might add, an out-of-the-box way to spread the word about their business and the businesses that they represent.

They are giving away $40 million worth of gift certificates by Dec 31, 2010. Yes $40 million. They are calling this program Feed it Forward. These gift certificates are only in $10 increments. The only way that people will receive this $10 gift, which is free to give and free to receive, is from their friends sharing with them. This can be through email or Facebook. So think about it, that means if they reach their goal of $40 million that’s 4 million people! They are building a new customer base and gaining their emails, and it’s also creating more loyal customers because they were able to share something with their friends at no cost. That’s also more exposure for the restaurants involved.

 This is their description: Filling hearts and stomachs - Feed It Forward™ 2010. Feed It Forward™ is a free way to build community and lift people's spirits by giving the gift of $10 Restaurant.com Gift Certificates. Simply let us know who you want to give to and we'll take care of the rest. You can give up to 40 $10 Restaurant.com Gift Certificates every day through December 31. It's a great holiday gift for everyone on your list. And the best part is - it's FREE!

 

I can give away 40 $10 gift certificates to my friends and family at no cost, EVERYDAY until Dec 31^st. Wow! What a great way to get press, and for their company to grow through word of mouth. They are also all over the web, bloggers and more. They definitely get the Smart Marketing Move of the Week! 

Lesson Learned: You don’t have to give away $40 million in gift certificates to be recognized but what can your company do that creates a BIG impact for $5-$10 a customer? Think WILD and outside-the-box, trim down your idea if necessary. Keeping your customers loyal costs much less than trying to find new ones.  

Editors Note: I used my $10 gift on Wednesday and 2 other tables were using them! Talk about a boost in business this restaurant more than likely wouldn't have had otherwise!

How to Boost Marketing Message

What is the major reason a customer makes a purchase that most advertising misses?

Ask that questions of any sales, advertising, PR, Promotion and marketing person you know. You'll hear price, convenience, timing, need and more, but the answer is almost always perceived or real benefit to be received. Will it make us healthier, sexier, stronger, faster, look better and so on?

The failure in most marketing communication is a focus on features not the benefit. This should be as obvious as the nose on your face. It is commonsense. It is too rarely used.

Don't forget the benefits!

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Branding Is Important to Your Survival - Smart Marketing Move

This week’s Smart Marketing Move goes to The National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Their branding efforts have spread like wild fire and they should get some credit. What do you think of when you hear breast cancer awareness? PINK. They have done a fantastic job at making a color theirs. This is what branding is all about.

Their biggest step was the pink ribbon campaign. Here’s the background:
Ribbons have been used to express solidarity on the part of the wearer with the identified cause since the early to late 20th Century. Pink Ribbons (and the color pink) are used to express support for women (and men) who are diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
In the fall of 1991, the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons to participants in its New York City race for breast cancer survivors.[1]

The next year, Alexandra Penney, who was the editor-in-chief of Self,[2] a woman health magazine, was working on the second annual National Breast Cancer Awareness Month issue. Evelyn Lauder, who was the senior corporate vice president at Estée Lauder, was invited to be the guest editor of the NBCAM issue edition in 1992. Penney and Lauder came up with the idea to create a ribbon and to enlist the cosmetics giant to distribute it in stores in New York City. Evelyn Lauder then promised to spread the ribbons throughout the entire country, but a color for the ribbon was not yet decided upon.

Charlotte Hayley, who battled breast cancer, produced peach color ribbons. She sold them with a card saying, "The National Cancer Institute annual budget is 1.8 billion US Dollars, and only 5 percent goes for cancer prevention. Help us wake up our legislators and America by wearing this ribbon".[3] Her message spread fast. This made Penny and Evelyn Lauder interested in Hayley's concept. They offered to adapt Hayley's idea by working with her. But Hayley rejected the offer, saying that they were too commercial.
After discussing opportunities with Lauder, Hayley and their lawyers, they came up with a "new" color. The new color of the ribbon was pink and became an international symbol for breast cancer awareness.


Lesson Learned: Even though this example is on a large scale, branding is an important step you must not miss in your business. This includes your logo, business cards, website, letterhead, t-shirts, etc etc etc. Remember, a strong brand influences the buying decision and shapes the ownership experience.

Make Customers Want to Keep Your Ads - Smart Marketing Move

This week’s Smart Marketing Move goes to Campbell’s!

Everyone knows they make soup, soup is soup right? In one of their advertisements they included a recipe. Along with a picture of the final product and the product that makes the recipe, Creamy Chicken Soup.

This is a great way to move more products that might not sell as much. Most people know to use cream of mushroom in recipes but might not think of Cream of Chicken.

So nice work Campbell’s, you’ve taken your advertisement to the next level! This is now something that your customers will KEEP.

Lesson Learned: Think of a way to get your customers to KEEP your advertisement, even if it is just for a little bit. It could be a coupon that expires in 2-3 months, it could tips on your business topic, and like Campbell’s it could be a recipe.

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Differentiate Your Business From Your Competition - Smart Marketing Move

This week’s Smart Marketing Move goes to Southwest!

Last week Spirit got the Dumb Marketing Move Award and Southwest is getting their Smart Marketing Move Award because they are playing off of Spirit’s weaknesses and the changes they are implementing. This is a clear campaign of differentiation marketing.

Southwest has commercials that are boldly stating that they will never charge their customers for carry on bags or any checked bags. One commercial uses plan old facts, the other humor! They are personalizing their commercials, which is what everyone wants. Consumers don’t want corporate America, they want to know why should they use your airline, and what is it doing for me? Even if they do charge for bags on the ticket price, they are not nickel and diming you like the other airlines. Smart Move SouthWest.

Here are some of their recent commercials




Lesson Learned: Differentiating your company can be a powerful tool. Compare your company with other local and/or national companies. What are you doing better? What are you proud of? Once you’ve figured that out, tell EVERYONE.

Enhancing Your Brand with a Celebrity - Smart Marketing Move

This week’s Smart Marketing Move goes to Geico.

They’ve had a lot of good ads in the past, even one that they attempted to turn into a TV show, the cavemen. But this time they went a different direction, rather than going with a mascot like their gecko, they had a TV commercial that featured a country music star.

I don’t listen to country, so I don’t really know many or any of the stars. While I was doing laundry at the Laundromat, they had on the Country Music Awards and right before the opening segment Geico had this 30 second commercial run.





I thought that’s funny, someone who plays the fiddle, that got my attention. Then as the CMA’s started, the same guy came out and jammed out a song. I’m not sure if this part was planned, but he was wearing the same thing in the commercial as he was at the awards. Immediately, my mind went back to the Geico commercial. So Kudos Geico! You did a nice job integrating your commercial into a very large event with a very large audience and it stuck to someone who wasn’t even a fan!

Lesson Learned: Celebrities can really enhance your company or brand’s stickiness. Although Geico definitely has money to invest, think about your local celebrities on the radio or on TV. Approach them with an idea of how you want them to represent your company/brand and see your brand recognition soar!

Cross Promotion - Smart Marketing Move

This week’s Smart Marketing Move of the week goes to TWO companies, Doritos and Pepsi.

They have joined forces in radio commercials while both introducing a new sub-product. Pepsi now has Pepsi Max – Cease Fire, and Doritos now has 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burn flavors. The commercial went something along the lines of a male calling into 911 because the Doritos he just ate were so hot, so 911 instructed the gentleman to use Pepsi Cease Fire, with lime, to cool him down. It got the point across and got my curiosity. Exactly what they were going for in this commercial!

They even took the cross promotion further. They’ve included each product on their packaging. Smart! Although they are both owned by the same larger company, in consumer’s minds they are separate and that’s an even better reason to marry the two.

Lesson Learned: Cross Promotion can be a powerful source that is untapped. Even a small business can take advantage of this by partnering up with another local business where you will both benefit. Start thinking of your customers, where they shop, what they do and see if any businesses are interested in starting up a cross promotion. It could be your secret weapon.

Why do agencies and companies ignore facts?

In this case, I am referring to the baby boomer plus market. Agencies are constantly looking towards the younger crowds. Maybe in the 70's it was the younger crowds but now baby boomers are growing daily.

They are estimated to be 100 million and growing faster than the 18-34 year old group. They have more money to spend (est. $2.3 trillion) and they are 65% of the adult population! Wow.

Is it because the decision-makers at agencies are young and don’t think their parents have a life? Ignoring these facts and decisions being made on one's personal opinion or lifestyle is bad for most businesses. This is an excellent opportunity for those with open minds and the desire to think big and outside-the-box to have a major impact on their bottom line.

Responsibility Campaign Gains Ground - Smart Marketing Move

This week’s Smart Marketing Move goes to Liberty Mutual.

In an ever increasing environment of disrespect, lack of civility, and self-centered attitudes it is not only refreshing to see the Liberty Mutual Insurance's campaign built around responsibility, but highly motivating.

Responsibility is not easily defined, but Liberty Mutual expressed it very well visually in an impressive manner in their commercials. They then followed it up through efforts throughout their company even down to the grass roots where the idea touched a nerve in thousands as seen by the response the company received, unsolicited, from the public. They continue to encourage positive action by all of us. Their management not only deserves kudos, they get our: "Smart Marketing Move" Award because they proved how being smart and caring pays off.

Here's one commercial for Liberty Mutual:



Lesson Learned: Your core values as a company and a person can be reflected in your marketing. It can span from TV, radio, print, and grassroots marketing. This can turn into word of mouth marketing which is one of the most powerful sources for any company. But be careful, make sure everyone in your company is on the same page, an employee's bad attitude will make your campaign feel dishonest to customers and bad word of mouth is even worse.

Build Recognition with Billboards - Smart Marketing Move

This week’s smart marketing move goes to South of the Border for their ingenious billboard marketing.

South of the Border would be nothing if it weren’t for its billboards on I-95 South going towards Florida. I remember as a kid being excited every time I saw one. Why? Well, they counted down the miles to Florida and they were amusing!

South of the Border has one way of marketing and they do it extremely well. These billboards, are a play on words like “Pedro’s Fireworks, Does yours?” they count down the miles on every billboard and they get you excited even if you don’t know what it is! I know I was as a kid. Yes, many say this is a tourist trap, but even if it is, it doesn’t mean they are doing it wrong. They’re doing it all right. Their target audience is tourists and tourists travel on I-95 which spans the entire east coast. So their CAPTIVE target audience is traveling I-95, this is a no-brainer if you ask me! Many travel from NJ, PA and NY to drive to Florida. They have nothing else to focus on and after so many billboards kids are excited as well as parents.

It’s a good reason to stop and be a tourist. South of the Border, you’ve done it right and now it’s time we learn from you.

Lesson Learned: Know who your target audience is, learn where they are going, what they are going to do, and learn what they want to spend. South of the Border has everything from Fireworks to beer to small kitschy items. Even though they don’t tell you exactly what they offer and who they are, you know it’s a tourist area. So for your marketing, don’t be over wordy but make sure your target audience knows what your business is and why they would want to use your business. Learning about your audience can pay off big, just like it did, and still is, for South of the Border.

Law Firm's Phone Number - Smart Marketing Move

This week’s smart marketing move goes to Black and Older Law Firm.

Law firms are not generally known for the smart marketing but Black and Older did something that easily gets through the massive amounts of ads we see everyday, including their competition. It’s not their brilliant use of words on a billboard, their catchy music on a radio ad, or their off the charts website, it’s their phone number!

Everyday we are bombarded with ads and all of those ads have numbers, so how are we supposed to remember them? Even if we try it’s hard. Well, the Black and Older Law Firm secured a phone number that you won’t forget, EVER! It’s their local area code, plus 5-6-7-8-9-10. Yep that works out to a phone number! They’ve also played up the numbers even more with their catch phrase, “The Number You Can Count On 5-6-7-8-9-10”, what a smart marketing move!

Lesson Learned: Even something as simple as a phone number is just as important as any marketing you may do. Don’t forget to look at the small things, they add up to something memorable and catchy!

Courtesy in business, is it becoming a lost practice?

We all know courtesy is a major problem in the customer service arena, but lately I am hearing more and more stories of the failure of basic manners at the corporate management level.

Two recent incidents brought it to the forefront of my mind.

1 - A CEO of a NYC company requested me to contact him about discussing the possible use of a famous athlete that we represent. I did by phone and e-mail but have yet to get a response. It is understandable if he's changed his mind, but to fail to respond or communicate in any way is a sign of immaturity and lack of professionalism that is very surprising.

2 - Then second situation was another surprise because the situation was where a client referred us to an executive at a company that he felt could benefit from our services. That executive asked us to contact someone in their marketing department, which we did. Even with this VP referral that individual has failed to respond to phone calls. voice mails and e-mails. This lack of courtesy and respect seems to be on the increase. It may be tough times and people are shorthanded but too often this disregard of basic courtesy is reflected in their marketing efforts and relationships on all levels.

Never let someone else's manners affect yours. Remember what Wendell Wilkie said "The test of good manners is to be able to put up pleasantly with bad ones." Don't let lack of courtesy spread in your business or corporation!

Good Business Card Example - Smart Marketing Move

This week’s Smart Marketing Move goes to Menz’s Restaurant!

They won this award because they made a smart move with their business card. It’s not the plain ol’ card with just their name, logo, and contact info. Yes, it’s on there, but they also included more information, which is great for a person just learning of their restaurant.

First off, they are located in a town outside of a vacation town in southern NJ. So, they’re off the beaten path for tourists but they get a lot of business and their card helps! Below is their business card:

How does their business card help with business? They’ve maximized their space by making it a folding card, just that move doubled their space. They’ve even used the back, which is space that is usually wasted on most cards. All of which influences customers.

They have also included what they specialize in. Unlike the business card dumb marketing move, to view it click here, they have told everyone that they are a restaurant and bar but have also included that they serve seafood, steaks, and poultry. Now you know what type of restaurant it is and that there is something for everyone!


Finally, which I have rarely seen, they included a map and directions! What a genius idea, not all vacationers have internet to look up directions when their on vacation. Since they are offshore from vacation homes and hotels, they have included 5 of the closest tourist towns. Overall, I think Menz Restaurant and Bar made all the right moves with their business card. Take notes! Here's a Bad Business Card Design.


Lesson Learned: Maximize the space on your business card to tell others about your company. It doesn’t have to be a folded card, but don’t forget about the back of your business card. Also, tell people who you are, what you do, and how your business can help them.

Smart Marketing Move - Ready Made Magazine

This week's Smart Marketing Move goes to Ready Made Magazine.

They are a great example of consumer interaction. Ready Made is a niche magazine directed towards do-it-yourselfers. Their readership makes things, whether it is refurbishing a chair or learning to sew a button. Ready Made is not only heavily involved in social media but they also get their readers submitting project ideas.

The best part about this, they will publish your ideas, give you credit with your  name and photo in the magazine in a section called "Maker of the Month." Who wouldn't want their name in the bright lights? This not only builds loyalty from the one reader, but they will also tell their friends and family that they made it into the magazine. It gets everyone talking which is a great way to spread their brand through word of mouth. And it doesn't cost anything!

They also have a section on their website called "I made this" another little way to unite readers with their brand and another great way to show off your fun little projects. You can post a photo of what you made, put a little description and other users can comment but only if they have a user name. This also gives them a rich database of their target market. Way to go Ready Made!

Lesson Learned: Fan, Readers, and Customer interaction is key to building your brand through word of mouth. Ask yourself, how can I get my customers to comment on a project, interact with other customers, and share feedback all while giving them a little way to show off to the world? A blog might be a good place to start the conversation. Also, don't forget to start a way to gather emails from your most loyal customers. Take it from Ready Made, it works.

What is Marketing?

Marketing means many things to many people depending on the perspective at which they are viewing the role they think marketing should be fulfilling, How would you define it? Is it advertising, public relations, sales promotion, merchandising, direct mail, telemarketing, special events, customer service, social media …how should it be defined?

Marketing can be envisioned either as mosaic or a jigsaw puzzle in which many pieces have to be joined together to create a visual image that presents the full picture of the integrated strategy necessary to achieve the desired results. Theodore Levitt, the marketing guru of the 70s, from the Harvard Business School defined Marketing as --

"All the exhilarating big thins and all the troublesome little things that must be done in every nook and cranny of the entire organization in order to achieve the purpose of attracting and holding the customer.'"

Written over 40 years ago the essence of the concept is probably more accurate today, with all the tools and technology available, than ever before.

DUDE, You're Getting a Dell - Smart Move

Have you ever wanted to give your company a recognizable face? Use Dell as your guide. Dell was the first computer company to use a human face to represent their computer company. And they used him, the Dell Dude, successfully. He created a brand, he created a following, they used him consistently enough that everyone knew who he was, and they got rid of him when they needed to.

Apple is also doing this successfully today. They’re using their guy in a slightly different way, rather than the cool guy persona Dell went for they’re going towards smart, and making non-Mac users “dumb”. But back to Dell! Dell used their face to casually inform prospective buyers of all the perks of owning a Dell, not their features. Usually, when they were sold on the idea, the Dell Dude would close with the catchphrase "Dude, you're getting a Dell". (Unfortunately I couldn’t find a clip with the catchphrase). The campaign was a huge success and helped bring Dell to the forefront of the marketplace.

They marketed to the influencers, tweens and teens; in a very smart way because we all know they are not the buyers. They used teens in their commercials, their Dell Dude looked young, and he exuded the “cool factor” even if it was over the top. They used him in all of their print, all of their TV, and all of their radio. He saturated the market, which finally took hold and stuck.

Dell then, quickly fired their spokesperson. Why? He was arrested. I’m bringing this up because this was also a smart move on their account. When finding a spokesperson, your contract must be cut and dry about activities that will damage your company, because you’re putting your entire company in their hands…and now customers see him/her as YOUR COMPANY. There’s a fine line and it must be defined before your marketing campaign starts.

Lesson Learned: Hiring a spokesperson to put a face to your company is a smart move because it opens the door to communication by giving it a human touch. Like Dell focus on marketing your benefits not features, but be careful who you hire, make sure that they are reputable and will serve your company right. Also, keep in mind deceased celebrities or animated spokespersons are great too! They won't embarrass your company.

Trust the Bow Tie - Smart Marketing Move

Everyone wants to know the weather, even if they can see it right outside of their window. They want to know what’s to come, and what damage has happened from the force of past wind or rain. So what channel do you watch for the weather? Is one really better than the other? Meteorologists are all looking at the same clouds, and mostly predicting the same outcome of weather. But there is one NBC station, located in Philadelphia, which recently started thinking differently about their weather guy.

Their weather man, Glen Schwartz, always wears bow ties. Since I can remember he’s worn these ties. It’s his thing. Before it was just something quirky he did and something everyone laughed about to themselves while watching the weather; now they’re taking advantage of it. This is the perfect example of thinking differently, and out of the box. They’re using this bow tied character to create loyalty to their weather than any other broadcaster’s with one simple phrase, “Trust the Bow Tie” and a simple photo of the tie in their advertising.

The bow tie has been staring NBC 10’s marketing team in the face for years, and it’s about time they use it the way they should! Maybe this only dawned on them after Glen Schwartz was named the 79th Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) in the country, in Oct 2005. He is one of the first broadcast meteorologists in Philadelphia to earn this prestigious recognition. Whatever the case, NBC10’s marketing team in Philadelphia gets the “Smart Marketing Move” Award, Jan 1, 2010.

Lesson Learned: You might be ignoring your best asset for your marketing efforts.