Planning for 2050

No, that's not a typo. 20-50. 40 years from today. Of course I'll be 90 or dead. My oldest daughter will be 66.

This article was "tweeted" this afternoon, which is how it got my attention.

And while some of us will not be around in 40 or 50 years, there is a road that we are currently on that is taking us to the desitnation that is presented here.

So, why plan today for 2050?

You're not.

You are planning for 2010, 2015, 2020, etc. But this shows you the path that we are all taking so you can be a leader instead of a follower.

Or an innovator instead of playing catch-up.

This is from the Hispanic-Marketing.com blog:

What will the U.S. look like in 2050?

By Target Latino

U.S. Population Projections: 2005–2050

Population and Immigration

• Between 2005 and 2050, the nation’s population will increase to 438 million from 296 million, a rise of 142 million people that represents growth of 48%.

• Immigrants who arrive after 2005, and their U.S.-born descendants, account for 82% of the projected national population increase during the 2005–2050 period.

• Of the 117 additional people attributable to the effect of new immigration, 67 million will be the immigrants themselves and 50 million will be their U.S.-born children and grandchildren

• The nation’s foreign-born population, 36 million in 2005, is projected to rise to 81 million in 2050, growth of 129%.

• In 2050, nearly one in five Americans (19%) will be an immigrant, compared with one in eight now (12% in 2005).

• The foreign-born share of the nation’s population will exceed historic highs sometime between 2020 and 2025, when it reaches 15%. The historic peak share was 14.7% in 1910 and 14.8% in 1890.

• Births in the United States will play a growing role in Hispanic and Asian population growth, so a diminishing proportion of both groups will be foreign-born.

Racial and Ethnic Groups

• The Hispanic population, 42 million in 2005, will rise to 128 million in 2050, tripling in size. Latinos will be 29% of the population, compared with 14% in 2005. Latinos will account for 60% of the nation’s population growth from 2005 to 2050.

• The black population, 38 million in 2005, will grow to 59 million in 2050, a rise of 56%. In 2050, the nation’s population will be 13.4% black, compared with 12.8% in 2005.

• The Asian population, 14 million in 2005, will grow to 41 million in 2050, nearly tripling in size. In 2050, the nation’s population will be 9% Asian, compared with 5% in 2005. Most Asians in the United States were foreign born in 2005 (58%), but by 2050, fewer than half (47%) will be.

• The white, non-Hispanic population, 199 million in 2005, will grow to 207 million in 2050, a 4% increase. In 2050, 47% of the U.S. population will be non-Hispanic white, compared with 67% in 2005.

Age Groups

• The working-age population—adults ages 18 to 64—will reach 255 million in 2050, up from 186 million in 2005. This segment will grow more slowly over the projection period (37%) than the overall population. Future immigrants and their descendants will account for all growth in this group.

• Among working-age adults, the foreign-born share, 15% in 2005, will rise to 23% in 2050. The Hispanic share, 14% in 2005, will increase to 31% in 2050. The non-Hispanic white share, 68% in 2005, will decline to 45% in 2050.

• The nation’s population of children ages 17 and younger will rise to 102 million in 2050, up from 73 million in 2005. The child population will grow more slowly in future decades (39%) than will the overall population. Future immigrants and their descendants will account for all growth in this population segment.

• Among children, the share who are immigrants or who have an immigrant parent will rise to 34% in 2050 from 23% in 2005. The share of children who are Hispanic, 20% in 2005, will rise to 35% in 2050. Non-Hispanic whites, who make up 59% of today’s children, will be 40% of children in 2050.

• The nation’s elderly population— people ages 65 and older—will grow to 81 million in 2050, up from 37 million in 2005. This group will grow more rapidly than the overall population, so its share will increase to 19% in 2050, from 12% in 2005. Immigration will account for only a small part of that growth.

• The dependency ratio—the number of people of working age, compared with the number of young and elderly—will rise sharply, mainly because of growth in the elderly population. There were 59 children and elderly people per 100 adults of working age in 2005. That will rise to 72 dependents per 100 adults of working age in 2050.

Alternative Projection Scenarios

• Under a lower-immigration scenario, the total population would rise to 384 million, the foreign-born share would stabilize at 13% and the Hispanic share would go up to 26% in 2050.

• Under a higher-immigration scenario, the total population would rise to 496 million, the foreign-born share would rise to 23% and the Hispanic share would go up to 32% in 2050.

• Under a lower- or higher-immigration scenario, the dependency ratio would range from 75 dependents per 100 people of working age to 69 dependents per 100 people of working age. Both of these ratios are well above the current value of 59 dependents per 100 people of working age.

Source: Pew Research Center – 2008

Sphere: Related Content

Focus or Scatter?

Harry Hoover and his team wrote on the THINKing blog about a problem I see businesses doing all the time.

Before we get to Harry, I'll give you an example from a few years ago, when I discussed helping my insurance agent get new clients by using our radio stations.

Problem was her hands were tied by her supervisor at Farmers Insurance who said she needed to have 6 different marketing plans at once. Yeah, SIX!

The 6 she did included direct mail, small shopper news flier ads, telemarketing, a networking group, participating in the local Farmers Insurance Agent Co-op, and she was looking for one more.

Problem was she was spreading her limited funds way too thin and nothing was working to the degree that it would support her business growth. I could have helped if we consolidated and invested enough funds but her hands were tied. Today she is out of the business because of this.

Take a look at what Harry and his team say about this:

Marketing’s Magic Bullet

Posted: 06 Jan 2010 03:24 PM PST

Do you believe there is a marketing magic bullet? A lot of people do.

Hundreds of “consultants” make millions of dollars each year teaching seminars and boot camps, and selling newsletters about marketing’s magic bullet - that one simple thing you can do to fill up your register with virtually no effort on your part.

People buy this tripe because they want “simple” and “no effort” ways to move their business forward.

All those magic bullet consultants are wrong. I have the secret and I am going to share it, but you won’t be happy about it.

My marketing magic bullet: focus, discipline and consistency. Yes, my magic bullet involves some work on your part.

Focus requires you to define your audiences, learn about their behavior, and then provide relevant and believable information, communicated in an original, impactful fashion.

Discipline necessitates developing a marketing plan and implementing it aggressively. Your plan must also include a sales element. I know businesses that market and then just expect clients to flock to them with wallets in hand. Unfortunately for these businesses, it requires some effort on their part. Sorry, no passive income.

Finally, we come to consistency. This means implementing your program even after you are tired of it. And don’t change your message and marketing tactics on a whim. The race goes to the marathon man, not the sprinter.

Some other smart people agree with me. Business Coach Brent Dees says, “You can do anything, but you can’t do everything. If you focus, you can accomplish your goals.” Friend Bill Loeffler used to tell clients, “We can’t do everything. Let’s pick three marketing tactics and do them right.”

Remember: focus, discipline and consistency. Unlike those other consultants, I won’t bill you for that magic bullet. Lock and load.

Sphere: Related Content

New Ad Campaigns

from Amy:

Arnold Palmer drinks an Arnold Palmer. There are better things to eat than lipstick. Happy 2010. Let's launch!

Don't let your dryers see this ad. Reebok launched a great TV and online campaign promoting its Speedwick training apparel. The ad stars NHL phenom Sidney Crosby, his teammate Maxime Talbot and a dryer that's seen better days. Crosby takes Talbot to his hometown of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, showing off the basement where he practiced shooting pucks into a net. The pucks that missed usually hit the dryer, evident from the countless dings left behind. But it still works! Find out the brand and cross-promote. The teammates take turns shooting pucks into the dryer. The first to get 9 wins. The ad closes with Talbot leading 3-1 and directing viewers to Reebok's NHL Facebook fan page to see who wins. The long-form version of the ad contains snippets from Crosby's parents, his childhood coach and the game winner. Watch the teaser ad here and the long-form ad here. Gotham created the campaign.

I have found my new favorite ESPN "This is SportsCenter" ad. This one is up there with my 2005 fave starring Lance Armstrong as the energy supplier to ESPN Headquarters. When Armstrong stops pedaling, electricity goes off. I can't believe this 15-second nugget wasn't made sooner. The ad stars Arnold Palmer making himself an Arnold Palmer. It's that simple. Watch it here. Another SportsCenter ad stars the University of Oregon's duck mascot stuck working at his desk, while other ducks (the real kind) are floating in the water. See the ad here. Wieden + Kennedy New York created the ads.

The Ad Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched a TV spot where the world pays homage to an everyday woman who didn't get behind the wheel following a night of drinking. The Pope and Dalai Lama congratulate Rachel, and the family whose lives she saved by not driving buzzed, emerges to honor her. More than extreme to drive home this action, but maybe it's what it takes to keep buzzed drivers off the road. "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving," concludes the ad, seen here and created by Mullen.

Burt's Bees Canada created a series of traveling installations throughout Toronto and Vancouver that demonstrate how products put on the body are absorbed into the body. One display does not bode well for ladies who lick their lipstick-covered lips. A transparent "Torso" is filled with body lotion, posing the question, "How many litres of body lotion will be absorbed into your system in a lifetime?" The torso promotes Burt's Bees Body Lotions. See it here. A dinner plate contains a large block of lipstick in another installation asking passersby, "Are you hungry? How much lipstick will you eat in your lifetime?" "Baby Bottle" is an eight-foot bottle made from bottles of lotions, ointments and powders. "How much of what you put on your baby ends up in your baby," reads copy, shown here. Zig created the installation.

Breckenridge Brewery launched a quirky TV spot that takes a swipe at its larger competitor, Coors beer. A Breckenridge brewer, standing near a stream in the snow-capped Rockies, states that its Lucky U IPA beer is "brewed with real Colorado water." That's a well-placed swipe against Coors, whose packaging says it's "brewed with 100%Rocky Mountain water for a legendary taste." Our brewer then points to the stream and says: "Well, not this water. Do you know what bears do in here?" See the ad here. Cultivator Advertising & Design created the campaign and KDVR, Denver handled the media buy.

DDB Auckland created an ad that brings viewers up-close and personal news coverage from the West Bank in a spot promoting SKY TV's 5 channels of news coverage. Shootouts erupt and Molotov cocktails are thrown as those participating in the warfare read news reports. "Violence erupted in the West Bank Tuesday as Palestinians protested Israel's latest offensive," says a man before he throws a Molotov cocktail. The spot ends with: "Let the news speak for itself. Five channels of unbiased news." Watch it here. Über Content directed the spot, edited by Arcade Edit.

If you get too heated, you just might pop. The Kernel Family learned this lesson the hard way in an animated spot for Pop Secret, the brand's first ad featuring the Kernel Family. A trip to Grandma's house, which is shaped like a Pop Secret box, unearths a secret: Grandma's favorite movie is "The Dark Knight." Grandma showcases her dead-on impression of Batman, only to be challenged by her grandson. The two trade Batman quotes until Grandma pops... into a nice fluffy piece of popcorn. See the ad here, created by Goodby, Silverstein & Partners. Nathan Love, an animation studio, created the Kernel Family

Adidas Basketball launched a Web spot that pairs NBA players Derrick Rose and Kevin Garnett for a "Lesson In Style." Both players school the other on how to wear adidas. A trip down memory lane takes place for both, showing different styles of the sneaker to be worn on or off-court. There's even some good-natured trash talk, but that's expected between rivals. Watch the ad here, created by 180 Los Angeles.

Random iPhone App of the week: Electronic Arts launched Tee Shot Live, an app that allows users to track their real-life golf performance, attain round-changing golf course info and share said info with fellow golf enthusiasts around the world. Users can upload data from more than 9,000 community-maintained golf courses, track their scores and calculate handicaps. Off the golf course, users can access the EA SPORTS Tee Shot Live Web site to store stats and scorecards, organize custom groups and events and upload, review and compare golf equipment. The app costs $9.99 in the App Store.

Amy Corr is managing editor, online newsletters for MediaPost. She can be reached at amyc@mediapost.com.

Sphere: Related Content

Elevator Speeches

From RBR.com:

In this economy, there is something you absolutely must have…

… a fresh elevator pitch – you know, the statement that describes to someone who you are and what you do in 30 seconds or less. In today’s business climate, getting people interested in what you do and who you are is essential. You had better have an elevator pitch that grabs attention and makes you and your company, stand out.

A good elevator pitch will peak curiosity and entice a potential client to learn more about what you have to offer. In other words, it often changes the dynamic in the networking and selling process, so you can get in the door more quickly. A well-targeted elevator pitch will position you as someone who can help fulfill a need and the relationship goes right into how you can make that prospective client happy. A bland elevator pitch may not get you past hello.

Improving your pitch should be an indispensable exercise to ensure everyone at your company is on board with the right message. Here are some easy tips for doing a little elevator pitch spring-cleaning:

1. Be yourself – your pitch should accurately describe who you are and what you offer. It must fit you. It must come from your heart. Otherwise, it won’t be credible. If you’re an accountant, you might be able to tell someone you meet, “I’m the guy who can keep your business running like a fine tuned engine.” But, if you’re not the kind of guy who talks like that, it may sound phony. You may feel more comfortable saying something like, “I’m an accountant who specializes in helping small businesses run smoothly.”
2. Be brief – Everybody has a complicated job. But your elevator pitch is not the place to be complicated. Remember, you’re trying to make an impression that will lead to a more substantive conversation where you can get into the intricacies of what you do. Break your job down to the essentials. For example, “I package mortgages and sell them to investors.” Instead of getting into the intricacies of securitizing loans.
3. Be creative – your elevator pitch should not only peak curiosity it should be a little provocative. When you meet someone, you want to be remembered. Don’t be afraid to think creatively. Do you think people want to meet “a transactional attorney” or someone who “closes deals?”
4. Be prepared – you must be able to adapt your elevator pitch for any situation. If you offer your pitch and the person doesn’t appear interested, you must find another way of peaking their interest. If your pitch is geared towards attorneys and you’re speaking with someone who is not an attorney, you need to figure out what kinds of things would interest him.
5. Be curious – this is all about being a good interviewer and employing good listening skills. If you’re so interested in telling someone about yourself, but you’re not listening to what he or she has to say, how can you possibly come across as a person whose services they would want to consider? It’s absolutely essential to know how to ask questions that may help you understand what their needs are and then learn to listen effectively. So, you’ll be able to tell someone about what you have to offer in a way that will relate specifically to his or her business. It will send a signal to that person that you heard what they were saying and could respond to it. You certainly don’t want to come across as an interrogator, but as someone who is interested in learning more about the person with whom you’re speaking. Simple statements like, “Tell me about your business,” can often be the most effective. You’re trying to get the person with whom you’re speaking to open up a bit about what they do.

Get entire team on board
These rules apply to virtually anyone who has to sell or pitch business, which, of course, is everyone. But, it’s also an important element for companies. How does your firm sell its services to potential clients? Every member of the team needs to have the right message when going out into the marketplace. Take my company for example. At Silverman Media Group, our message is clear. We’re all about improving communication in every aspect of your business from the executive suite to marketing from sales to the mailroom.

Making the elevator pitch part of the training process is a good way to arm your team with the best way to sell your company. It will give your employees a fresh perspective on presenting themselves and the firm. That will telescope the networking process and lead to increased sales. In this economy, it’s essential that everyone is on message.

Role Play
One of the best ways to practice your pitch is to role play with the other people in your department. You could, of course, actually go out and meet new people to practice your pitch. But, it’s safer to practice with another member of your team until you’re confident about what you have to say. Although, practicing within your team can be dangerous. Especially, if you come up with a pitch that sounds good inside your bubble, but doesn’t work on the outside.

Here are a couple of examples of how you might conduct a conversation. Of course, nothing works better than actually doing it. I am condensing the conversation to make the point more quickly.

Pitch #1: Cocktail party Goal: Strike up a conversation and learn something about another person you’ve never met before. In return, give that person your elevator pitch. Be friendly, yet don’t go overboard.
Bob says: “Hi, I’m Bob. What’s your name?”
Ted says: “My name is Ted.”
Bob says: “Glad to meet you, Ted. What’s your connection to this event?”
Ted says: “Well, I never turn down an invitation for free drinks.”
Bob says: “I’ll drink to that…a man who knows how to take advantage of a situation.
What do you do for a living?”
Ted says: “I own an insurance agency.”
Bob says: “What kind of products do you offer?” (Be curious.)
Ted says: “Well, we’re a full service agency. So, we handle auto, property, life and financial products, as well.”
Bob says: “Has your business been effected by the downturn?”
Ted says: “Who hasn’t been hurt.” (Be prepared. This is an opening.)
Bob says: “Well, I’ve been able to keep many of my clients from the worst of it.” (Be a little provocative.)

Ted says: “Oh, really. What do you do?”
Bob says: “I’m no miracle worker, but I am an accountant who was able to prepare my clients early on. I helped them plan for the downturn. If you’re interested, we could set up a meeting where I can show you what I mean.” (Be creative, but not too salesy.)

Pitch #2: You see someone you’ve been trying to meet in the elevator. The goal is to get his business card.

You’re on the elevator in your building and the door opens. A real estate developer you’ve been trying to meet gets on. Elevator etiquette usually dictates no one talks or looks at other people. But, this is a golden opportunity.

Bill says: “Excuse me, Mr. Smith. I want to introduce myself. I’m Bill Barnes. I work in the building and I’ve wanted to meet you for some time now.” (Careful. You don’t want to come across as a stalker.)

Mr. Smith says: “Oh, hi.”
Bill says: “I don’t want to take up your time. I wanted to tell you what I do. I’m a real estate attorney who gets deals done. Look at the skyline. Half the cranes you see, we’re involved in those deals.” (Be brief.)
Mr. Smith says: “Hmm.”
Bill says: “Here’s my card. If you give me one of yours, I can send you something that shows our capabilities.”
(9 out of 10 times, the developer will give Bill his contact info. After all, who doesn’t want to hire an attorney who gets the deals done and can back it up?)

Fred Silverman is CEO of Silverman Media Group and honed his elevator pitch skills by selling ideas for episodic TV shows. If you’d like to improve your elevator pitch, he can be reached at (305) 302-4642, fred@silvermanmediagroup.com or take a look at www.silvermanmediagroup.com. He works with individuals, practice groups and entire firms.

Sphere: Related Content

Wednesday Night Web Thoughts

Lessons from history about this thing you are looking at right now. Call it the Internet, Call it Social Media, Call it Web 2.0, doesn't really matter.

From Mediapost yesterday:

Lessons From Early Radio
by Philip Leigh,

Much like today's Internet, radio enjoyed a high intrinsic growth rate in its early years. For example, during the Great Depression, when most industries were shrinking, radio advertising alone grew from $27 million in 1929 to $185 million in 1939 translating to a compound annual growth rate of 21%. Radio entertainment during the era included a mix of music, drama, comedy, and variety shows. However, music was considered essential.

After a brief honeymoon when musicians and composers welcomed free access to the enlarged audience that radio could provide, they soon began complaining about inadequate royalties. Since there were millions of listeners, they wanted to be paid millions of times for a single performance. Nearly all were represented by ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) which functioned as their royalty negotiator and collection agency to radio broadcasters. ASCAP increased fees by 400% over the 1930s, to a point where radio stations were paying 4% of all their ad revenues to the organization. Regrettably, neither side was satisfied.

When ASCAP proposed to double fees in 1940, radio decided to boycott. ASCAP's "content is king" hubris led them to reason that they represented all of the quality musicians and composers. They assumed that without ASCAP radio would have to turn to second-rate talent that the public would never find to be acceptable.

Originally radio responded with royalty-free compositions such as Stephen Foster songs. Soon, however, some stations started playing hillbilly music composed and performed by individuals represented by a new organization named Broadcast Music, Incorporated (BMI). ASCAP could almost be heard to laugh out loud.

In time, ASCAP would learn the proverbial wisdom, "Pride goeth before the fall." Gradually, hillbilly music evolved into country & western which itself later morphed into rock-‘n-roll. In the end ASCAP had to negotiate terms that resulted in royalty rates that were much lower than prior to the boycott. In short they had created a new competitor thereby unleashing market forces into a previously monopolistic situation controlled by them. In response, royalty rates dropped and ASCAP irrevocably lost market share.

ASCAP was so incensed at the loss of monopoly power that it initiated a series of lawsuits in the 1950s and 60s in an effort to restore the exclusivity enjoyed prior to 1941. They failed.

Most radio music during the 1930s was in the form of a live broadcast. As record discs began to move into the marketplace in the 1940s the established music industry once again reacted as though the new technology were a creation of Satan. Following ASCAP's lead, the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) prohibited its members from making recordings. They did not want records and disc jockeys replacing live performers on radio. Within a couple of years they had to accept a record label agreement setting aside a modest royalty stream from the sale of records for AFM members. Disc jockeys became a reality.

The analogies to today's Internet situation should be as obvious as cow-patties on a snow bank. The "content is king" response to the Internet from traditional media companies is in danger of leading them down the path where ASCAP mugged itself seventy years ago. Ultimately the advantages of moving content off physical media and cable and satellite systems, and onto the Web, are simply too compelling.

Consumers gain immediate on-demand access without having to wait for shows to be broadcast. Sponsors achieve infinitely superior ad targeting and accountability on the Net. Ultimately Google AdWords will have conditioned them to pay only for video ads that get watched. Even ad agencies will eventually increase revenues. Once they learn how to create ads that induce consumers to make online purchases, they'll not only be paid for ads viewed, but will also win a bounty for each online merchandise sale. Lastly, ever-more entertaining and informative content is being created for, and distributed by, the Internet.

Sphere: Related Content

BoomTime?

I'm a BabyBoomer, born in 1959.

(My 25 year old son Josh created this image of me last month).

Here's why I am important to you as a business owner, (from Mediapost):

10 Reasons To Put 'Em In Your '10 Plan

For the last two years, the Marketing Executive Networking Group has polled its members to learn about the issues on the minds of top marketers. Both surveys included questions about the "most important marketing segment." Both times Boomers topped the list. Higher than Women or Hispanics/Latinos.

We wonder, though, how many of those marketing executives even have a marketing plan that includes Boomers. Our bet: practically none.

Twenty Ten (get used to it, trust us) is going to change that. Years ago, David Wolfe, author of Ageless Marketing and one of the most visionary marketing minds out there, was asked when marketers would wake up to the older demographic. He said, "When there is pain." That is, when business softens and marketers realize more money is in the hands of the older half of the population -- the one they've been ignoring.

In the last year we think marketers have experienced enough "pain" to their bottom line to examine the opportunities of targeting Boomers, or those over 50. To help in that examination, we offer 10 reasons Boomers need to be part of your marketing plan in 2010.

1.You will build your career and legacy on their backs. (We thought we'd start with a personal reason to motivate you to keep reading.) In 2020, the marketing leaders in organizations will be the ones that figured out how to make their products or services relevant to the over-50 crowd. That's because the over-50 crowd will grow 21% in size in 10 years. The 18-49 crowd will remain the same size. We're not making this up. It's Census data.

2.They buy things. Lots of things. Overall, the over-50 crowd outspends the under-50 crowd by $400 billion. That's more than Walmart sells annually. Want some of that action?

3.They try new things. Boomers were raised in front of the TV; they are not "set in their ways." They'll buy your product if you make it relevant. So make it relevant.

4.They are easy to reach. They read newspapers. They watch TV. They listen to the radio. They are easier to target than younger generations.

5.They think they are in the middle of Middle Age. With a median age of 54, Boomers are far from being done. They don't think they will reach Old Age until age 75 or so. You have plenty of years of strong revenue from their wallets.

6.They use the Internet. They search, they shop, they buy. There may not be as many of them on social networking sites, but they are online -- just as many and just as often as younger generations. You can sell to them online.

7.They have grandkids. Some 40% of all Boomers are already grandparents. Over 55% of all grandparents alive today are Boomers. They spend money on their grandkids, practically without thinking. It's like taking candy from a grandbaby.

8.They are control freaks. They control their parents' consumption of healthcare and their kids' education. They are a sandwich generation that likes being in the center of it all. Think "ham." They like to influence everyone's purchases -- family, friends, Facebook buddies.

9.They like advertising. Sure, they are skeptical, but they are also fans of good advertising. They will respond to your effort if it speaks to them.

10.They are the future. "Old" is where the action is for the next 20 years and Boomers are the new "old." New products, businesses and industries will cater to the new "old." Will you?

Put Boomers into your 2010 plan and demonstrate you've got 2020 foresight.

Boomer Project founder/president Matt Thornhill is an authority on marketing to today's Boomer Consumer. He has appeared on NBC, CBS and CNBC, in "BusinessWeek," "Time," "Newsweek" and "The New York Times" and countless others. Matt is also the co-author of the business book "Boomer Consumer." Boomer Project is a marketing research and consulting firm and has done work for Johnson & Johnson, Lincoln Financial, Samsung, Hershey's Foods and Home Instead Senior Care. Reach him here.

Sphere: Related Content

Connecting in a Meaningful Way

From Marketing Profs:

I'd Like to Talk to the Manager

If your small business has earned a devoted cadre of loyal customers, you can assume they have a vested interest in your ongoing success. They want uninterrupted, easy access to the products or services they love—and, therefore, want your company to thrive. But have you given your customers a way to help out?

"Generic fandom is nice," notes Andy Sernovitz at the Damn! I Wish I'd Thought of That! blog. "But most people don't know what you need, or how to start." Accordingly, he says, it's important to make clear, well-defined requests: "Don't ask for generic support. Ask for a single action. Just one. (Then another. Then another.)"

As an example, Sernovitz offers this postcard from the makers of flavored salt:

"Dear Bacon Lover," begins the message. "Thank you for your purchase of J&D's bacon flavored goodness. As a fellow bacon lover, please help us in our mission to make everything taste like bacon. If our products aren't in a store near you, follow the instructions on the right."

The postcard suggests three action points from fans of J&D products:

• Place the postcard in the suggestion box at a local market.
• Speak with the store's manager about carrying favorite products.
• Feel pride for official membership in the "bacon revolution."

The Po!nt: "Your customers love you," says Sernovitz. "They want you to win." So enlist their aid by showing them exactly how they can make that happen.

Source: Damn! I Wish I'd Thought of That! Click here for the full post.

Sphere: Related Content

Words

From Craig Graber:

I hope you had as much fun and relaxation over the last two
weeks as I did. And I hope 2010 is a great year filled
with fun and prosperity for you and your family.

But now it's back to work, so let's kick the year off with
something good.

Whether you realize it or not, the words you use are always
going to dictate the lion's share of your success and
failure in selling, in business, and in your personal
relationships.

Your prospect's and buyer's response (or lack of response)
and their willingness to take action, is based almost
exclusively on the words you're using when you're speaking
to them. And little changes in what you say will make huge
differences.

Here's an example of this in a very easy to understand
scenario. Let's say you take your wife out to a party and
she gets all dressed up. She looks fantastic, absolutely
stunning.

You might say any one of these three things to her -- and
each one will prompt a different response or reaction.

For instance, you can tell her, "You look great tonight."

And she'd probably smile at you and say "Thanks."

Or, you can say something more romantic, like "You look
better than any other woman I've ever seen."

And she'd again smile and probably plant a kiss on your lips
this time.

But if you said, "Tonight... you look more beautiful than any
woman I've ever seen." If you said this... then she'd
actually feel something special inside.

That's because the words you chose made her feel special.
They were specific enough to make you more believable and
more sincere than the first two phrases, even though your
intent and real meaning was equally sincere with all three
comments.

And this is exactly what happens with your prospects when
you're in a selling situation or when you're trying to
generate leads.

No, I don't mean they want to kiss you, I mean that simple
changes in what you say cause HUGE differences in reactions
and responses.

So pay close attention to the tips I'll be giving you this
year. You want to make sure you're always choosing the
right words so whatever you're saying always gives you the
reactions you want.

Be careful what you say in 2010: always think... before... you
speak.

Now go sell something, Craig Garber


kingofcopy.com (TM) 3959 Van Dyke Road #253 Lutz, FL 33558 United States (813) 909-2214

Sphere: Related Content

Predictions & Marshmallows

By now, I am tired of all the 2009 recaps and 2010 predictions. So this is going to be a little different.

Roy H. Williams wrote this last year, you can read it now. And click on the links too:

The Secret of Success
Tiny, Reliable Indicators are Clockwork Angels

A successful consultant uses small indicators to make big decisions. If he explains his methods to data-worshippers, he sounds like an idiot. When it later turns out that he was right, the doubters claim he was lucky, saying, “You can’t possibly extrapolate that outcome from that data.”

Consider the following:

A large group of 4-year old children are led into a room, one at a time. The room is equipped with a two-way mirror. Each child is seated and given a marshmallow. “You can eat the marshmallow right now if you want. But if you wait until I come back to eat your marshmallow, I’ll give you a second marshmallow to go with it.” The giver of marshmallows then leaves the child alone in the room.

Is there anything we could learn from such a test? Could it tell us anything important about a child’s future?

One third of the children ate the marshmallow immediately.
One third held out for a short time, then ate the marshmallow.
One third waited 15 to 20 minutes until the giver of marshmallows returned with the promised, second marshmallow.

Small indicators are valuable to a savvy consultant, just as they were valuable to Walter Mischel*, a scientist at Stanford 40 years ago.

Fourteen years later, at the age of eighteen, each of the original 216 children was located. Those who didn’t eat the marshmallow scored an average of 210 points higher on the SAT (610 verbal and 652 math versus 524 verbal and 528 math.)

At age 40, the group that didn’t eat their marshmallows had more successful marriages, higher incomes, greater career satisfaction and better health than the marshmallow eaters.

The 4 year-old who eats the marshmallow is oriented toward the present.
The 4 year-old who waits is oriented toward the future.

Yes, we can learn big things from small indicators.

Six years ago I sent you a Monday Morning Memo that linked your ability to accumulate wealth to your orientation toward the future. Do you remember it?

2009 is going to be a year of upheaval.
Will you be oriented toward the future?
Or are you trapped in the present?

Before you eat that marshmallow, let’s talk.

Roy H. Williams

*Walter Mischel was a professor of psychology at Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia Universities and a past editor of Psychological Review. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2004 and became president of the Association for Psychological Science in 2007.

Sphere: Related Content

How to Reach the College Kids

From Mediapost:

This Generation's Got Radio

If an advertiser wants to target a college-educated 18-34-year-old consumer, a blockbuster new study confirms there's no better place to look than radio. Yes, radio.

Younger people remain committed to their radios, according to the recently released Nielsen white paper, "How U.S. Adults Use Radio and Other Forms of Audio." By realigning the data socio-economically instead of by medium or audio platform, the study offers an unprecedented glimpse into the media habits of various population segments.

Almost 80% of 18-34-year-olds listen to radio every day for an average of 104 minutes. Contrary to conventional wisdom, only 20% of the younger demographic sought by advertisers listen to MP3s daily; and among those who did, 82% also listen to broadcast radio for close to 100 minutes a day. It turns out this coveted demographic tends to be lighter viewers of television, while paying little attention to print and spending close to 40% less time with newspapers than the average adult.

Education and income levels also play critical roles in determining people's media habits. Individuals with a high school education or less spend significantly more time with TV than any other medium. TV dominates their media day with viewing clocking in at 7.4 hours, almost two full hours more per day than the average and accounting for an amazing 80% of their daily media consumption.

Because of this huge dose of television, those with a high school education or less tend to be lighter than average consumers of both audio and radio. The college-educated, however, are much more audio-centric, tuning into broadcast radio for close to two hours a day while viewing almost three hours a day less television than less-educated people. Those with advanced degrees are also fans of radio, with 84% tuning in daily while viewing nearly three and half hours less of television per day than those with a high school education or less.

The media habits of various income levels also vary dramatically. Households with annual income below $30,000 consume less audio and are lighter than average broadcast radio consumers with only 62% tuning to broadcast radio daily. Their use of satellite radio, other digital audio options and the Internet is also far below average. But their devotion to television is extraordinary at 478 minutes, or 8 hours, a day.

Meanwhile, households with annual incomes above $100,000 are heavy consumers of audio, listening about 30 minutes more per day with fully 84% tuning to broadcast radio daily. Listening to satellite, streaming and MP3s, as well as other digital audio options, are all above average. Households with incomes above $100,000 spend about the same amount of time with audio as with television -- 210 minutes with audio compared to 224 minutes with television.

What's more, while the upscale individuals increased their use of other digital forms of audio, it's not at the expense of radio. As with the higher educated, the affluent continue to embrace radio -- viewing other audio options as a supplement, not a substitute. It's a completely different story for television, with high-income households viewing close to two hours less television per day than the average household; and 4.25 hours less than households with annual income of $30,000 or less. This upscale segment also shuns newspapers, spending 25% less time with the paper on a typical day.

Employment also plays a key role in media consumption. The employed tend to consume more audio and radio than the norm, are more likely to be online and less likely to read a newspaper. Those who are unemployed, retired or students are extremely television-centric and lighter than average consumers of radio and audio. Similar to low-income households, they spend 90 minutes more per day with television (seven hours) than the average individual, and are one-third less likely to use the Internet. This segment is also 29% more likely to read a daily newspaper.

Viewed socio-economically, the Nielsen audio study confirms that radio remains a vital cog in today's media landscape, especially among the more affluent and higher-educated. Radio has made great strides in transforming the medium, incorporating a multi-channel mix of terrestrial radio, digital audio, mobile applications and audio streams, and we expect these efforts will serve to maintain radio's continued relevance for many years to come.

Bob McCurdy is the President of Katz Marketing Solutions, the national marketing unit of the Katz Media Group. Reach him here.

Sphere: Related Content

Become You

From Drew:

Could you become a category of one?

Posted: 03 Jan 2010 01:50 PM PST

As many of you know, there are two books I wish I had written. Steve Farber's Radical Leap and Joe Calloway's Becoming a Category of One.

Joe's book originally came out in 2003 and when I read it...I was astonished at how brilliantly he laid out the rationale for branding. So when he put out a 2nd edition in 2009 I knew it was going to be worth the re-read. I was right. I highly recommend this book. (You can buy it by clicking here)

Recently, I had a chance to chat with Joe via e-mail and ask him a few questions about the new edition. Here's what he had to say:

What prompted the update — what of significance has changed that would require you to add to the already excellent book?

It's amazing how quickly information can become outdated. Just look at the classic by Jim Collins "Good To Great." One of the "great" companies in that book - Circuit City - went from good to broke! They're out of business.

In my book, I had referenced examples like a very successful internet campaign by BMW that, a few years later, probably no one would remember, so I took that example out. A lot of the updating was of that nature - taking out dated material and replacing it with fresh examples.

When the book originally came our, Zappos.com didn't even exist. Now they're a prime example of a Category of One company.

I also added two totally new chapters. "Tiebreakers" is an entire chapter devoted to ways great companies differentiate themselves from their competitors. "The Future Category of One" is a great new chapter that's made up of what twelve thought leaders in business think it will take to be a Category of One company in the future.

How do you think social media impacts how a company can/should become a category of one? What’s your favorite example of a company harnessing social media for this purpose?

I think that the business world is still figuring out how to harness social media. It will be interesting to see how it unfolds. To this point I think that some of the most effective social media marketing is being done by companies who have customer comment sites that let customers say what they think - uncensored and unfiltered.

To create a truly honest customer feedback site builds tremendous credibility in this marketplace. Lego is a pioneer in letting customers actually have a huge say in new products, etc. through their web site. That's not social media, per se, but it's using the idea of free communication to build customer interest and loyalty.

A micro version of tremendously successful use of social media is the mobile restaurant in Los Angeles (their names escapes me) that serves Mexican-Korean food (that's not a typo) from a truck that moves around LA. They put out their next location via social media, i.e. Twitter, and people show up in droves. Here's an important lesson, though - you have to have a great product or service to start with. All the brilliant social media marketing in the world won't make up for a second rate product.

In your opinion, why don’t more companies truly brand themselves/become a category of one?

Well, to brand yourself as a Category of One company, you have to be able to deliver on that promise. Most companies will say they're "better" than the competition - but they can't prove it. It's just lip service.

To me, the ultimate Category of One company is probably Apple. They not only invent new products - they invent new categories of products. Their Apple Stores have created a whole new way of doing business in retail.

The key question is this - what are you willing and/or able to do that your competition is not willing and/or able to do? Until you can answer that - you're no Category of One.

Most of your examples are retail in nature. How do your ideas apply to the B to B sector?

The reason I use so many retail examples is that everybody is a retail customer. Everyone can relate to retail because they experience it. What's interesting is that the exact same principles apply to B2B.

The top factors in B2B buying decisions are "be easy to do business with" "understand our needs" and "be trustworthy." NO different than retail. No matter what business you're in, if you can fulfill those three customer expectations better than your competitor - you win.

Finally — if a company leader reads your book and knows they need to do some work to become a category of one company — what advice would you give them, in terms of actually getting it done?

Don't make it complicated - it's not. Take action. Assign responsibility, accountability, put a deadline on making it happen then GO. The problem isn't not knowing what to do. Everyone knows what to do. The problem is in not DOING what we know will work. Of course there's more involved, primarily having to do with building a culture and a mindset of excellence. That takes time. But there's magic in taking action. Stop thinking about it and do it.

Oh. And feel free to bring me in to help!!

Drew's Note: The FCC would like you to know that I received Joe's new edition as a free review copy and that if you click on the links to Amazon, I'll make a few pennies as an affiliate.

Sphere: Related Content

A Dozen Ways to Recharge

It's the 5th already of 2010. After today there are only 360 days left to reach your goals for the year. Less than that, when you consider the number of business days in the year.

If you are needing a kick in the pants, read this from Jill Konrath and watch a video over the next 12 days.

Inspiration for 2010: 12 Videos That Set the Right Tone for the Year Ahead

Posted: 01 Jan 2010 06:36 AM PST

I encourage you to take a look at these 12 inspirational, motivational and moving videos that were compiled by Ed Gandia on The Wealthy Freelancer.

I know at least ONE of them is just what you need to get yourself off to a great start in the upcoming year.

• Entrepreneurs Can Change the World
• It's not how good you are. It's how you communicate it.
• Lemonade Movie Trailer
• 212-The Extra Degree
• Michael Jordan "Failure" Nike Commercial
• Jimmy V on the ESPY Awards 1993
• Sailor Surprises His Son
• Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent 2009
• Scene from the movie American Beauty
• Elizabeth Gilbert: A new way to think about creativity
• Dick & Rick Hoyt on commitment, perseverance & unconditional love
• Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Some of these are my all-time favorites too. And some I've never seen. Take a look today if you have a chance.

They're INCREDIBLE! Just click here to be inspired!

Sphere: Related Content

Monday Night Focus: The Big Game

The Super Bowl has traditionally attracted lots and lots of viewers, including non-football fans due to the commercials, and the party it creates.

But one major advertiser decided to skip the game. Is this a sign of things to come?

Read the LA Times story:

latimes.com

Will Super Bowl sponsors stay in the game?

Commercial spots for the NFL championship game are nearly sold out. But the Internet is changing the advertising market.

By Meg James

January 4, 2010

With less than five weeks to go before the game, CBS has only four commercial spots left to sell during the Super Bowl broadcast -- demonstrating that advertisers once again will elbow each other to get into TV's biggest event of the year.

But will they always rush onto the field of sponsorship?

One of the NFL's biggest sponsors, PepsiCo, sent a shudder through the television industry last month when it said it was benching its soft drink ads after 23 years and tens of millions of dollars of air time during the championship games. Pepsi plans to shift its marketing budget to less costly digital venues, such as Facebook and other Internet social networking sites.

Now some network executives are nervously waiting for the next advertiser to call a timeout for such marquee TV events as the Super Bowl, Academy Awards and Grammys.

Pepsi's decision to sit out the Super Bowl, once deemed a can't-miss showcase for major advertisers, underscores how the Internet is reshaping marketing by providing companies less expensive ways to convey their messages to consumers who might be likely to buy their products.

Other longtime NFL sponsors, including beer giant Anheuser-Busch, in the coming years will reassess their strategies and commitment to spend millions for commercials that run during a single game.

No other TV event matches the size -- and attentiveness -- of the Super Bowl audience. In recent years, the annual NFL championship game has attracted more than 90 million viewers, and last year's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals grabbed a record 98.7 million viewers.

Given the huge reach, many advertisers are confident that the game will reign supreme.

"The Super Bowl has long been like the Empire State Building imposed against the Manhattan skyline," said Fran Kelly, chief executive of U.S. operations for advertising agency Arnold Worldwide, which represents such clients as Volvo, McDonald's, Hershey's and Progressive Insurance. "Now, in this fragmented media landscape, the Super Bowl is like the Empire State Building set against the Hartford skyline. It towers over everything else."

Despite a recession that has forced many advertisers to cut spending, demand for spots in the Super Bowl has held firm.

CBS appears to be ahead of NBC's progress at this time last year, when the network reduced its $3-million asking price for a 30-second spot to attract skittish advertisers. The network that broadcasts the Super Bowl allocates about 45 minutes for commercials, including about seven minutes to promote shows.

Last year, NBC raked in an estimated $213 million in revenue from ads that aired during the game, according to TNS Media Intelligence.

CBS has been charging $2.5 million to $3 million a spot for the game that airs Feb. 7, roughly the same rates as last year's, according to people familiar with the negotiations.

"The pregame is well sold, but we do have inventory that is still available," said John Bogusz, CBS' executive vice president for sports sales.

This year's game will have several longtime advertisers, including Hollywood studios promoting their upcoming movies; Coca-Cola; Doritos from Pepsi's Frito-Lay division; carmakers Hyundai, Honda and Audi; Internet job sites CareerBuilder.com and Monster.com; and Anheuser-Busch, which is buying 5 minutes to promote Budweiser and Bud Light.

"There is nothing else like it in the world of television," said Tom Peyton, senior manager for national advertising for American Honda Motor Co., which is buying one 30-second Super Bowl spot. "If you have the right product, and the right message, the Super Bowl is a terrific environment to be in."

Indeed, when it comes to the Super Bowl, advertising assumes a mutually reinforcing cycle, with the reach of a commercial extending well beyond the last play of the game. Companies use the ads to steer people to their websites and others', which in turn promote the ads, asking people to comment on and rank the commercials.

"In many ways, these are no longer traditional television advertisements. Many companies are making the Super Bowl the cornerstone of a larger marketing and public relations effort with online extensions," said Jon Swallen, senior vice president of research for TNS Media Intelligence, which tracks advertising.

Until a couple of years ago, he said, companies were secretive about their Super Bowl plans. Now they publicize their bowl ad campaigns, hoping the resulting Internet chatter will spur interest long after the game.

"They want people blogging about their ads and discussing them," Swallen said.

But for many companies, an ad's Internet afterlife has become a double-edged sword. Some have suffered backlash from critics who bash the spots if they fail to live up to high expectations. For that reason, some top companies take a pass on the Super Bowl.

During the last year, companies also have had to weigh economics. Automakers that have accepted government bailout funds and companies that have cut thousands of jobs, fearful of criticism for misplaced priorities, have been reluctant to shell out for the high-priced commercial time.

"There is less to gain in this environment for an established company to advertise in the Super Bowl," said William Baker, a marketing professor at San Diego State University. "It takes up a pretty big chunk of an advertising budget to basically reinforce their brand. But for an upstart, a company that is trying to establish itself as one of the big boys, it can be a real home run."

Take, for example, Korean automaker Hyundai, which is making a big push in the U.S.

About 18 months ago, when domestic auto companies were scaling back their ad budgets, Hyundai instead pressed the accelerator.

"We decided to attack the market and be much more aggressive, and that really paid off for us," said Joel Ewanick, vice president of marketing for Hyundai Motor America. Last year, Hyundai bought five spots in the Super Bowl and pregame show.

The strategy appears to have worked. From January through November 2009, when industry car sales were down an average of 24%, Hyundai's sales were up 6%.

Pepsi's decision to sit out this year's game allowed Hyundai to move up in the rotation because networks offer the best positions and rates to loyal sponsors. Hyundai's two commercials will run during the first half of the game. The company is also buying three spots in the last 20 minutes of the pregame show -- including in the prime position of shortly before kickoff.

"This is an aggressive buy and an appropriate level for Hyundai," Ewanick said.

Pepsi said it wanted this year to focus on digital media to get "deep consumer engagement" for its Pepsi Refresh Project, a multimillion-dollar grant program that encourages people to submit ideas to "refresh their world."

Arnold Worldwide's Kelly doesn't believe most major sponsors will throw in the towel.

"As long as the Super Bowl can reach almost 100 million Americans, there will be 20 major companies who will want to play on that stage, and three or four little guys with big ambitions who will pay to take their shots," he said.

meg.james@latimes.com

Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times

Sphere: Related Content