Saturday, March 13, 2010

Reaching Gen Y with Blogs


Last month I was part of a Social Media Panel and when asked what Social Media platform I prefer, I said:

  1. Blogs
  2. Twitter
  3. Facebook
  4. LinkedIn
  5. YouTube
I made my mark in social media by writing and editing several blogs that have gathered attention locally, nationally and internationally.

Twitter is the tool I use to interact and engage.
Facebook I use only because "everyone" is on it.
Linked In is the place for professionals to network.
YouTube is another tool that I use more regularly in support of other things I use.

But back to blogs... check this out from Mediapost:

How To Incorporate Blogs Into Your Strategy
Today there are so many resources for the consumer to research and understand a product's benefits and shortfalls -- from the manufacturer's guide to a friend's recommendation to online reviews and more.

Over the years, brands have worked hard to control their image, and critique was limited. Today, critique has free rein. Brands recognize the power of social media -- both good and bad -- but many still try to control it. This is most apparent in the advent of paid-for-endorsement by bloggers. Although consumers consider multiple sources when making their purchase decisions, it is peer-to-peer influence that carries the most weight, especially for Gen Y.

Brands need to be conscious of how they insert themselves into that conversation. Authenticity is crucial to Gen Y, and when brands pay bloggers to endorse their product, members of this generation quickly sniff it out and stamp it "fake." The credibility of the brand and the blogger are both weakened. This is not to say you shouldn't use blogs in your marketing efforts. As research shows, this is one of the most powerful tools marketers have today. Our study, "Why Y Women," showed that 42% of Gen Y women have discovered a new brand or product from a friend mentioning it in a status update, and 31% of Gen Y women have favorite blogs that they read regularly.

It is imperative for brands to understand how to leverage the right blogs in the right way. Below are some tips for adding blogs to your media mix:

  • Avoid paid bloggers: Work hard to get your brand in the hands of bloggers who are your target demographic and love your brand. Believe in your product and give bloggers the opportunity to write about it without the payment. Paid bloggers lose credibility with their audience.
  • Understand the content: Bloggers are individuals who mostly write about their thoughts and opinions. With the fragmentation of the web and so many niche sites and blogs, it is almost impossible for any marketer to read them all. However, it's critical you do your research before paying money for ad placement or promotions. Understand the voice, tone, audience and reach of the blog. Avoid ad networks where you don't know where you ad will show up.
  • Get creative: The Ford Fiesta movement is smart, on- target to Gen Y and innovative. Ford has done an excellent job of getting bloggers to creatively express themselves around its product and has expanded the campaign to include all forms of media. It is truly cross-platform and integrated.
  • Measure on engagement, not CTR: The click is dead. We all know this, but it is even more so when it comes to Gen Y. The number of people online who click display ads has dropped 50% in less than two years and only 8% of Internet users account for 85% of all clicks.

However, do not mistake lack of click-through for lack of impact. The exposure brands get on their various partner sites needs to be measured through engagement, which comes in multiple forms. Work with your vendor pre-buy to understand what measurement should look like on-site. Understanding the mechanics of the blog and what engagement means will be critical to understanding the campaign's success.

With the online landscape continuing to morph, combined with Gen Y's fickle behavior, we are learning together how to use social media and blogs to get our message heard. These are some of the tips we've been able to share with our partners this past year. What have you learned? I'd love to hear what has worked for other brands out there.


Kristine Shine is VP of PopSugar Media (www.popsugar.com), a division of Sugar, Inc., which provides content and social media for Gen Y women. She is responsible for helping marketers forge a trusting relationship with Y Women through PopSugar's sites. Kristine posts insights about Gen Y and digital marketing at http://whygeny.onsugar.com/. Follow her on Twitter @kristineshine. Reach her here.

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Music Lessons


From Lady Gaga and the Church of the Customer Blog:

Loyalty lessons from Lady Gaga

Posted: 23 Feb 2010 08:49 PM PST

There's a lot marketers can learn from artist and musician Lady Gaga.

At age 23, Lady Gaga has rocketed to global fame in less than two years. Playing piano at age 4 and New York nightclubs at 14, she recently broke Billboard's record as the first artist to have her first five singles reach number one. She's won two Grammys, and has sold 8 million albums and 15 million singles digitally worldwide. While her performance art-style stage shows and bizarre outfits have garnered much buzz, it's her loyalty marketing that may sustain her for years. Gaga is dedicated to her fans and clearly knows the elements of cultivating a community of evangelistic fans.

With that, here are my 5 lessons about building brand loyalty, Lady Gaga-style:

1. Give fans a name. Gaga doesn't like the word "fan" so she calls them her "Little Monsters," named after her album "The Fame Monster." She even tattooed "Little Monsters" on her arm and tweeted the pic to fans professing love for them. By giving the group a formal name, it gives fans a way to refer to each other. Fans feel like they are joining a special club. (Related business examples: Maker's Mark Ambassadors and Fiskar's Fiskateers.)

2. Make it about something bigger than you. During her concert tour, Gaga recites a "Manifesto of Little Monsters" (text) (video). Although a bit cryptic, most Little Monsters see it as a dedication to them, that her fans have the power to make or break her. (Related business examples: Smoque BBQ (pdf).)

3. Develop shared symbols. The official Little Monster greeting is the outstretched "monster claw" hand. As all Little Monsters know, the clawed hand is part of the choreography in the video of her song "Bad Romance." Gaga tells the story of watching a fan in Boston greet another fan with the claw hand and that's when she knew this was the Little Monster symbol. Even Oprah knows the Little Monster greeting. Shared symbols allow fans to identify each other and connect. (Related business example: LIVESTRONG yellow wristbands.)

4. Make your customers feel like rock stars. One staple of Gaga's "Monster Ball" tour is to call a fan in the audience during the show. She dials the number onstage, the fan screams out, is located and they are put up on a big screen. While the rest of audience goes bananas, she invites the fan to have a drink with her after the show. (Related business example: eBay Live Conference where attendees walk through a gauntlet of applauding eBay staff as they enter the closing gala)

5. Leverage social media. Gaga has the requisite Facebook fan page (over 5 million fans) and Twitter ID (almost 3 million followers) but it's how she uses them that drives loyalty. On Twitter, she tells fans what she is doing, such as tweeting them before she opened the Grammy Awards. She also tweeted to fans that she was buying them pizza for waiting overnight at an album signing.

Screen shot  2010-02-23 at 5.44.28 PM

Some artists are very protective of their image and prohibit recording devices during performances. Gaga doesn't allow professional photographers into her concerts but is ok with fans recording and putting videos on YouTube.

Whether Gaga will have staying power remains to be seen. Bu she is making waves in the music business and teaching plenty of people the power of fandom.

Wouldn't you like to have fans like these?

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Gatekeepers


from my email:

Daily Sales Tip: Empowering the Gatekeeper

Do not bypass gatekeepers. Build alliances. Do not come down to their level. Come up to their level. You never know with whom you are talking. For all you know, the "secretary" is the owner.

Gatekeepers' jobs are to push you away, but in the same respect it is their job to determine what might be a benefit for the company. Humanize with them. Make a joke. Have fun. Be respectful. Treat them like they are the owner.

And here's an interesting idea -- never ask for the person in charge. Assume they are the people in charge. Say you want to meet with them "and whoever else also makes the purchasing decisions." There are two reasons here:

1) Who you think is in charge and who really is could be different people. By letting them say if they are or not, you will get the real answer;

2) At the same time, by respecting them and their importance, you are separating yourself from every other sales rep who tramples upon them with disrespect as they try to reach the decision-maker.

Source: Sales consultant/author Todd Natenberg (www.toddnatenberg.com)

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Friday, March 12, 2010

Friday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Click & Read:

Automotive
by Karl Greenberg
"This year, the fact that we are adding college basketball, NCAA, March Madness and Final Four tournaments gives us a mass-reach opportunity," says a spokesperson. "Just as importantly, we know that NCAA basketball ranks really high with our target." ...Read the whole story >>
Retail
by Tanya Irwin
Online efforts include sponsored mobile apps. Diesel is participating in "editors closets" for Teen Vogue and Lucky, says Erin Smolinski, Diesel media director. In addition, the company is participating in the Teen Vogue "Haute Spot" program (pop-up shop) in Westchester this weekend. ...Read the whole story >>
Food
by Karlene Lukovitz
The home farming initiatives are being supported by PR, print ads, banner ads on gardening, women's general interest and other sites; messaging on the product boxes (which also drives consumers to the microsite), some outreach to blogs and tweeting through the Kraft Foods Twitter presence. ...Read the whole story >>
Retail
by Sarah Mahoney
While there are plenty of signs that the luxury market is bouncing back, the last two years have permanently altered America's relationship with the luxe life. Boomers perceive themselves as less affluent -- and less materialistic. While Gen Y has champagne tastes, they won't be able to back it up with real bucks for another decade or so. ...Read the whole story >>
Entertainment
by Aaron Baar
The 16 museums will use their databases to promote the kiosks and their exhibits, Civic Entertainment Group's Seth Grossbard says. CEG is also working with a number of military support organizations to promote the kiosks, which will be in the museums through Memorial Day. ...Read the whole story >>
Research
by Karl Greenberg
Marketing firm Frost & Sullivan analyzed queries made to ChaCha in the third quarter last year to discern which brands are hot and which are not. The study focused on gaming, consumer electronics (laptops), movies, apparel (jeans, shoes, and retail clothing), food and beverage, and auto. ...Read the whole story >>

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What my kids want...


Actually, I want it to...

(from Mediapost)

Build Trust In The Era Of Responsibility

As most brands know, building trust with a consumer is essential. Consider that Millennials have been raised in an era that's demonstrated there is little that can be trusted. They've learned through experience that they can't trust the economy, corporations, our security system, government or even the integrity of their sports heroes.

We are entering an unprecedented age of responsibility, and to establish trust with Millennials, brands are going to be held more accountable for their actions, their transparency and their effect on the planet. While many Americans, Gen Y especially, are becoming less brand-loyal, seeking only what best meets their needs at the moment, with the right actions and communications, brands can not only retain but also grow the trust they have with this generation.

Here are six things to consider for building trust with Millennials:

1. A strong social media presence is essential. A recent GFK study found that 45% of Millennials believe online reviews give trustworthy information on what products or services to buy and the same was true for online communities. In both cases, they were far more trusted than a company's own website. In fact, Millennials are more likely to trust information from a blog they regularly read than an email from someone they know. To build trust, brands must learn how to engage and optimize these online conversations.

2. Be transparent and act openly and responsibly. This generation wants to be respected for their smarts and their judgment. They feel they are an equal in any relationship, including the one they have with a brand. If you betray their trust, admit it and immediately correct the behavior. It's a good lesson for Toyota.

3. Invest in your brand. Gen Y is more likely than other generations to trust individual brands over a company or corporation. They prefer the familiar-even at the height of the recession, GFK found that Gen Y chose brand over price in the majority of categories studied. When it comes to trust, this can serve a brand well. For example, in the eyes of a Millennial, Scion is a separate brand and shouldn't be affected by Toyota's safety issues.

4. Acknowledge their life stages. They were all born between 1977 and 1990, but Millennials are not all in the same life stage and you will build trust by acknowledging their place in life and recognizing the critical events that encompass their sense of being. You can create experiences that recognize them as having a first home, a first career, a first spouse or a first child. Brands like Kellogg's help Gen Y moms manage their snack time nutrition with key insights that can be shared with others and State Farm's Gen Y site, nowwhat.com, illustrates life stage moments when insurance is needed.

5. Make it their own. Gen Y seeks out opportunities to personalize and customize their experiences. Enabling them to demonstrate their individuality in a meaningful way shares power with your consumer and will ultimately build trust in your brand. Puma's Mongolian Shoe BBQ, which enables consumers to design their own shoes, is a great example of this.

6. Show that you do good. This generation is more socially conscious than any other. They take a stand for causes. Trust can be built by creating natural links between a brand and a cause, and by making it effortless for Millennials to support a cause or share a message. Capital One does a nice of job of this by enabling consumers to donate their "rewards" to a charity.

In this new age of responsibility, the brands that Millennials trust will most likely be the brands that are transparent, speak to them as individuals, invite participation and generally do good things in the world.


Mike Doherty is president of Cole & Weber United. He is a marketer with more than 25 years of experience creating effective growth strategies for a diverse group of clients. Working on both the agency and client sides of the business, Mike's passion lies in helping clients find new ways to go beyond the boundaries of traditional advertising to effectively engage customers in branded experiences.

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Dealing with Difficult Customers

from Marketing Profs:

Our Friend, the Difficult Customer

You have a great product or service, and you do your best to create an exceptional customer experience. Despite your efforts, though, you encounter difficult customers with more frequency than you'd expect. What gives? In a post at the Conversation Agent blog, Valeria Maltoni suggests 10 reasons this might be happening. Here are a few:

  • Your customers resent that you're the only game in town, or one of their limited options. "You may feel you have a captive audience," she says, "but realize that it takes a special effort not to be arrogant in those [sic] circumstance, and your customers don't like the treatment."
  • You're telling your customers which questions to ask. You steer the conversation in a certain direction, but it isn't where the customer wants to go. "If you were in court," she says, "they might say you were leading the witness. Allow customers to say what they want to say. Maybe ask clarifying questions."
  • You don't follow up on feedback. If you acknowledge a customer's feedback but seem to sit on the information, it's going to create friction.

The Po!nt: No matter what you do, you'll always have to deal with difficult customers. "It's not personal," says Maltoni, "let's face it, there may not be a way of pleasing them. Does that mean you should stop trying?"

Source: Conversation Agent. Click here for the full post.

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Hands On


from SalesDog.com:

“I can feel the twinkle of his eye in his handshake.”
—Helen Keller
The Fine Art of the Handshake
by Michael Dalton Johnson
Your handshake says a lot about you. It can convey confidence, warmth, and honesty, or it can signal weakness, uncertainty, and disinterest. Whether positive or negative, your handshake sends a subtle yet powerful message... a message that is not lost on prospective buyers.
  • Avoid the power grip. A handshake should be firm, but not overly forceful. Beware of the unconscious tendency to pull the other person toward you as you shake. This can be interpreted as aggressive, and the prospect’s resistance to you will go up a notch or two.
  • Nothing wimpy. It may seem painfully obvious, but it’s amazing how many salespeople offer weak, perfunctory handshakes. This is a major turnoff to many customers. Firm and friendly always wins the day.
  • Look ‘em in the eye. As you extend your hand, establish eye contact and smile. Show some teeth! A warm and sincere greeting can make you an instant friend—and all things being equal, people prefer to buy from friends.
  • Get a grip. Never grasp the other person’s fingers. Take their entire hand completely in yours, and gently pump it two or three times.
  • What’s your body language saying? Posture is important, so stand erect, about three feet (one pace) away from the client, with your hands out of your pockets. Face the client squarely; never approach from an angle, or when the subject is engaged in conversation or otherwise distracted. Wait until you have his or her full attention before greeting and extending your hand. Click here to continue.

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Thursday, March 11, 2010

Thursday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Click & Read:

Automotive
by Karl Greenberg
One of the programs leverages GM's presence at some 30 auto shows around the country, while the other is something completely new in the category: a permanent or semi-permanent, minimally branded, brick-and-mortar facility to be called "Test Drive Studio." ...Read the whole story >>
Electronics
by Aaron Baar
The Web series is part of a larger marketing campaign designed to showcase the brand's new luxury appliances. By going with a branded entertainment series, the company is hoping to attract a more engaged audience than through traditional digital advertising. ...Read the whole story >>
Retail
by Sarah Mahoney
People are gearing up for St. Patrick's Day, and the good news is that they'll spend a little more as they flaunt their Irish side, with the National Retail Federation predicting an average outlay of $33.05, up a bit from $32.80 last year. The bad news? They probably won't be celebrating at Denny's. ...Read the whole story >>
Financial Services
by Tanya Irwin
Visa is launching its first-ever global Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football)-themed marketing campaign. Included are TV, print and out-of-home advertisements, usage promotions, experiential offers for cardholders and merchant discounts. ...Read the whole story >>
Packaged Goods
by Karl Greenberg
The company plans an integrated marketing program this spring comprising print and TV advertising, direct-to-consumer Web efforts, blogging outreach, sampling, magazine inserts, experiential marketing and public relations activities. The product is on sale now with retail price of about $3 for a box of 60 towels, per the company. ...Read the whole story >>
Food
by Karlene Lukovitz
The number one driver of growth within the retail distribution channel is Americans' interest in exploring the continually expanding varieties of international and domestic cheeses available, said Packaged Facts, "Unfortunately, this curiosity synchronized with the recession, so exploration isn't as aggressive as it could be -- but stay tuned," says Packaged Facts publisher Don Montuori. ...Read the whole story >>
LG Electronics, NCAA Set To Tip Off

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6 Mistakes You Don't want to Make



from Pat McGraw:

6 Popular Ways to Waste Marketing Dollars



I was having coffee with a business owner last week and he asked me an interesting question – he asked to to share what I thought were the 3 most common mistakes made by businesses when it comes to marketing.

I smiled and took a slow sip of coffee so I could gather my thoughts. And after a few seconds, I gave him these 6 mistakes:

Poorly defined target audience. This is the “Mother of all Problems” when it comes to marketing because if you don’t know who you are trying to reach and speak with, there is a trickle-down effect that impacts messages, offers, media and lists…

The most common problem is keeping the target too broad – you can’t be all things to all people, so focus on being the best possible solution to a need for a smaller group so you can generate responses and sell products.

Let me give you an example – your local neighborhood white tablecloth restaurant specializes in northern Italian cuisine and offers a remarkable wine list. Their target audience is NOT anyone who eats – it should be geographically targeted (ex. within 10 miles), demographically and psychographically targeted (ex. household income, owns more elite credit cards like AMEX rather than Discovery, subscribes to wine magazines).

So, if they invested marketing dollars to attract ‘anyone who eats’, the chances are they will attract too many people that can’t afford to eat at the restaurant or who don’t like northern Italian cuisine or wine.

Focus on features instead of benefits. People buy solutions to problems and airbags in your car are a feature but the safety of your family is a benefit. Unfortunately, when you aren’t sure of your target audience, you have trouble focusing on the right benefits.

For our Italian restaurant example, would you focus on the convenience of the location to their home and that only locally grown organic ingredients are used in order to deliver remarkable flavor in a healthy meal? Or would you focus on “large portion sizes”?

Weak offer. This typically follows a promotional effort that is poorly targeted because you really can’t create a valuable solution for a group of people that you can’t really describe. For example, some prospective buyers will be price sensitive, others will pay a premium for a 100% guarantee or faster access to the product (delivered to your door within 24 hours).

Again, going back to our Italian restaurant – do you think price is the issue or might it be value and experience? So would offer 20% off any meal any time? Or would you offer a romantic prix fixe five course meal that is designed for you by our chief?

Wrong media and lists. On top of having the wrong messages and offers, a poorly defined target audience typically produces a poor selection of media and lists. In other words, too many businesses aren’t reaching the most likely buyers of their products and services.

Would you be buying a full page ad for our Italian restaurant in the morning paper or would you send a small package with a personal letter from the chief and owner that invites you, our neighbor, to join us for your next meal and includes 2 small cookies baked in your kitchen?

Poor response. I know I repeat this one – but the overwhelming majority of businesses will ignore 80% of the leads generated by marketing and 60% to 80% of those ignored leads will buy the products you sell within the next 12 months.

Why? Because your sales team focuses on those that want to buy today – which accounts for about 20% of your leads – and doesn’t worry about qualified buyers that are planning to buy in the near future.

With our Italian restaurant, I would suggest failing to respond to your request for a reservation – there’s nothing more fun than calling and having no one answer so you leave a message and never get a call back.

No performance tracking. More than 50% of all businesses cannot tell how their promotional efforts worked – or failed to work. This lost opportunity to learn means they cannot learn from past failures and successes.

Marketing is about producing profitable sales and the best way to produce more is to learn what works, what doesn’t and why so you can improve over time.

So, what do you think? Did I miss anything? Get any creative juices flowing? Remember to share your thoughts, comments, similar experiences…

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New Ad Campaigns

Our weekly update from Amy:


"Eye Candy." Chandelier streetlights. A chain reaction set to music. Let's launch!


Think you can't have fun in small places? Think again. Frito Lay launched two TV spots promoting its single-serving multipacks, which compact fun into tight spots. In "Elevator," a woman drives a bumper car in small quarters. Similar to what happened to Austin Powers, this woman bumps from wall-to-wall, but has fun trying to vacate the elevator. Watch it here. A family munches on snacks as Dad struggles while "Wall Climbing." He's sweating, struggling, and barely off the ground. See it here. BBDO, Toronto created the campaign, directed by Scott Corbett of Holiday Films.

Headaches can sometimes feel like a woodpecker pecking at your skull. I really like this portrayal. Nurofen offers pain sufferers "targeted relief from pain." The ad begins with a woman with a throbbing bull's-eye on her head. Inside her noggin is a bird pecking a tree. Nurofen takes effect and targets the specific source of pain, turning the woodpecker into a happy, quiet tree resident. See it here. Mother London created the campaign, produced by Psyop, New York and Smuggler, London.

Hyundai had major ad presence throughout the Academy Awards, featuring celebrity voiceovers from Kim Basinger, Richard Dreyfuss, David Duchovny, Catherine Keener, Michael Madsen, Mandy Patinkin and Martin Sheen. Regular voiceover Jeff Bridges could not be used, since the Academy has a rule that limits the use of nominees in ads. My favorite Hyundai ad of the night was "Luxury." What better place to launch an ad about extreme excess than an awards ceremony? Luxury is made available to everyone in the ad, shown here. Police officers eat caviar, basketball is played with designer balls, lobster is served in lunchroom cafeterias, crosswalks are made from red carpets and chandelier streetlights illuminate the town. Moral of the story: since those luxuries are fantasies, you should drive a Sonata to experience lavishness. Innocean Worldwide created the campaign.

I might like OK Go's music videos better than their actual music. The band's latest video, "This Too Shall Pass," is a large chain reaction set to music, which lasts nearly four minutes. The homage to Rube Goldberg was funded by State Farm insurance, a tidbit mentioned at the conclusion of the video. Look closely, though, and you'll see State Farm's logo at the start of the video on the red toy truck. Watch it here. The end result took two days to shoot, close to 60 takes, months of planning -- and easily puts the "Truffle Shuffle" to shame. James Frost of Zoo Films directed the video, which was co-created along with OK Go and Syyn Labs.

BBC Global News launched a TV spot promoting "SuperPower," a series of programs aimed to change the way people think about the Internet. A ghostly, floating woman portrays the wealth of Internet users in the ad, seen here. She walks alongside President Obama, stands in front of a bulldozer knocking down a forest of trees, and walks into raging gunfire. "Our army is a billion strong and growing. We are the people of the Internet and together we are shaping the future of human kind," ends the ad, created by RKCR Y&R.

Sony created a video used at trade shows and in stores worldwide that plays off the brand's global brand message of "make.believe." "Eye Candy" is divided into three parts: "Birth of Color," "Explosion of Color" and "Release of Color." Eggs crack, releasing blue and pink yolk. A woman is colorized, along with trees, apples and flowers. Twirling dance outfits further bring color to life, and the video ends with a flying parrot and bursting bubbles. Watch it here. ChickINchair created the campaign, directed by Will Hyde of Superfad.

The music is upbeat and that's about it. Apple launched "Meet iPad," the debut spot promoting the April 3 iPad release date, during the Academy Awards. A user reads a book and newspaper, organizes pictures, watches a movie and sends email while "There Goes My Love" by The Blue Van plays. That's all she wrote. See the ad here. TBWA/Media Arts Lab created the campaign and handled the media buy.

How did I miss this initiative last year? When Tribune Media Group launched ChicagoNow.com, a blog network covering topics like politics, sports, fashion and sex, the company took to the streets of Chicago to spread the word. Outside a Cubs game a car was stacked in between two cars with a sign reading, "Call me crazy, but I think Chicago needs more parking." See it here. Another stunt featured strewn undergarments leading up to a steamed up car, feet in the window, and signage for the Sex and the Windy City blog, now at ChicagoNow.com. See it here. A "chalk blog" was created in Chicago's Pioneer Court using 40 eight-foot boards that encouraged passersby to jot their opinions. Print ads shown here, here and here, stayed on-theme with snippy creative addressing alleged baseball curses and famous building name-changes. Zig created the campaign.

Random iPhone App of the week: Outdoor gear and apparel retailer REI has updated its Snow Report app, adding additional features to help cold weather lovers find the best conditions for skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Users can customize the application to view up to 12 different slopes via GPS, and view trail maps and Twitter feeds for more than 200 resorts, provided by REI members and customers. And check out the company's sporting gear and apparel, while you're at it. Download the App here, created by Zumobi.


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

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Talk Less


from Art Sobczak:

The following was excerpted from Go-Givers Sell More (Portfolio 2010).

Sell More With Silence
By Bob Burg and John David Mann


The legendary architect and futurist
Buckminster ("Bucky") Fuller hit a
deep crisis in his twenties. Having
gone broke and lost his infant daughter
to meningitis, he felt his life was a
shambles.

Standing on the edge of Lake Michigan
on a bitter winter evening, about to throw
himself in, he paused to think.

His life was a mess, he reasoned, because
he had spent his years up to that point
repeating things other people had told him.

In that moment, Bucky decided to close his
mouth and not open it again until he was
sure that the words he spoke really came
from him.

For the next two years, he did not utter a
single word. When he finally did begin to
speak again, what came out was not always
easy for people to understand, but the passion
and conviction were unmistakably and unequivocally
his and nobody else's. It was only decades
later that people came to recognize that his
words also contained great genius.

What happened to Bucky is available to each
and every one of us, and it was simply this:

In his silence, he discovered his authentic self.
It was a critical turning point: it was in those
minutes of being entirely silent and fully
listening to his wife Susan that he began to
understand the laws of the Go-Giver.

You tap into your greatest value and authenticity
when you are not speaking. It's not that what
you say isn't important. That's just not where
your power lies.

The most common way inexperienced salespeople
shoot themselves in the foot is by saying too
much when they talk about their product or service.
Why do they say too much? Because they don’t
yet really trust themselves. True conviction is
best conveyed not through more words but through
fewer; it dwells behind the words.

The Bill of Rights is stated in 660 words.

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address consists of 267 words.

The Ten Commandments takes 163.

It doesn't take a lot of words to make a powerful
point. Say less; communicate more.

In conversation, often the most powerful moments
are not when you are speaking but when you pause
and make room for the other person.

Sometimes we rush to fill in those empty moments,
perhaps out of fear that the silence will feel
awkward. But it's better to let the silences be
there: silences in a conversation have a wonderful
way of coaxing deeper thoughts to the surface.
The most important words that will ever pass
between you and your prospective customers are
the words spoken by them--not by you.

What you have most to offer others, you have
to offer least of all through your words; in
greater part through what you do; but in greatest
part through who you are.



Reach a whole new level of success in 2010! Pick up a copy of Bob Burg and John David Mann's Newest Book, Go-Givers Sell More! On Sale Now

http://www.gogiverssellmore.com/

www.GoGiversSellMore.com

"Use the approach in this book and you will not only sell more, you will also live a rich and joyful life. It works!" - Spencer Johnson, M.D., #1 New York Times bestselling author of Who Moved My Cheese? and coauthor of The One Minute $alesperson

____________________________________________________

Continue Having Your Best Week Ever!

Art


QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“No person was ever honored for what he received.
He was honored for what he gave.�€
Calvin Coolidge


Contact: Art Sobczak, President, Business By Phone Inc. 13254 Stevens St.,
Omaha, NE 68137,
(402) 895-9399. Or, email:arts@businessbyphone.com

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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Wednesday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Read, click & read some more:

Automotive
by Karl Greenberg
"The philosophy is to help attendees have a better experience, whether through providing a station to charge batteries, giving them a chance to take a ride, or a ride downtown from the airport," says GM's Christopher Barger. "The idea is to contribute to what people are there to do rather than brand all over the place." ...Read the whole story >>
Food
by Karlene Lukovitz
No company received an "A." Only one -- Mars, Inc. -- received a "B+," based both on its policy of not marketing to children under 12 and having marketing policies that cover "most of the key media approaches used to reach children, with the exception of on-package marketing and most marketing in high schools," according to CSPI. ...Read the whole story >>
Electronics
by Aaron Baar
"We took a different approach to communicate our message with consumers," Sue Shim, senior vice president of Samsung's visual display division, tells Marketing Daily. "We wanted to make it more connected to consumers and more engaging in their lives." The campaign, "A New Dimension in TV," marks a bit of a departure for Samsung. ...Read the whole story >>
by Karl Greenberg
The research firm says the data suggests such programs could work again because 13% of consumers wanted to participate but could not because they misunderstood the criteria and Gen X and Millennials more often than others fell into that same category. ...Read the whole story >>
Technology
by Aaron Baar
"Even though this [campaign has] a regional focus, what we learned is that the client list that these guys have is really impressive," Jeroen Bours, president of Darling Agency (which created the campaign), tells Marketing Daily. "There's a lot of universities and important and successful hospitals in the metro areas that rely on their network. It really is the fiber of their business." ...Read the whole story >>
Packaged Goods
by Tanya Irwin
P&G will also donate one U.S. dollar to Team USA -- up to $100,000 -- for moms thanked at www.thankyoumom.com through the end of the Paralympic Winter Games, which conclude March 21. ...Read the whole story >>
Verizon Wireless, NFL Team For Mobile Effort

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Getting a Handle on the Boomers

When I turned 50 and started getting retirement center postcards, I knew someone was out of touch.

Look at this from MarketingCharts.com:

Boomers Present Marketing Challenges, Opportunities

Marketers seeking to promote products and services to the “Baby Boom” generation would do well to remember that Boomers are still vital and evolving even as they approach retirement age, according to Dr. Bob Deutsch of marketing firm Brain Sells.

Three Basic Life Structures of Boomers
Deutsch recently released a list of suggestions for how to best target the Boomer marketplace. The Baby Boom generation is classified as people born between 1946 and 1964, meaning the oldest Baby Boomers turn 65 this year. Deutsch says understanding the following three basic life structures is critical to capturing the Boomer market:

Identity – Optimism and Adaptation to Power Diminished
The developmental history of Boomers casts them as characters that possess a self-expansive nature primarily devoid of cynicism. For the most part, the Baby Boom generation embodies a vitality that makes them survivors, even if they can’t always be thrivers.

Territoriality – Space Contracts and is Re-Articulated
As Boomers age, home range will become more important, and getting settled in new spaces, such as a smaller, closer-to-town abode or a move to a warmer climate, will require adaptation to new interpersonal and larger social arrangements.

How they will develop new networks, digital and face-to-face, will provide new opportunities for marketers. The same is true for how Boomers will develop requirements for new types of mundane services, particularly in the domains of finance, healthcare, and personal care.

Time – Perceptions of Past, Present and Future
A people age their nostalgic yearnings grow, making them more receptive to advertisers and marketers use of what researchers call a “longing for positive memories of the past.” Moreover, nostalgia can make Boomers feel that not so much time has passed between then and now, making them feel young again. Nostalgia should be considered as one marketing aesthetic to attract Boomers because it telescopes time and brings it more under each individual’s own emotional orchestration.

Points to Remember When Marketing to Boomers

  • Boomers are at a time in life when they really don’t want to compromise their authenticity.
  • For Boomers, process is at least as important as the end result. They want “the ride.”
  • Boomers like to inspire others. Help them feel helpful.
  • Boomers have been around long enough to know there are few absolutes, little is black or white.
  • Accentuate personal style over rote action or blind ritual.
  • Boomers are oriented to the human dimension, that’s the only real thing. They can see the humor in most situations.
  • What Boomers really dislike is felling put upon by arbitrary power, feeling trapped, conned, boxed-in, and being thought of as one of the masses.
  • Boomers are both creative and conservative (”A beautiful garden is wild and tended”).
  • Boomers go for what gives voice to things they are thinking and feeling, but haven’t fully worked out yet.
  • Boomers respond to what stands out by its presence, not its loudness; and what shows them it really listens and, therefore, understands.

Boomer Preferences Reflect Broader Cultural Trends
Several Boomer preferences Deutsch refers to are also emblematic of the desires of the general population, according to consumer insights firm trendwatching.com.

In its recent list of Top 10 Consumer Trends for 2010, trendwatching.com identified several trends that closely match with Boomer trends. These include a need for companies to be transparent and honest about their efforts to conduct environmentally sustainable business practices and genuinely collaborate with their customers rather than try to dictate to them. In addition, consumers are increasingly using social networks as part of everyday life and respond well to products and services which have a charitable component.

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