Monday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

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Research

Brand Keys: Loyalty Now Hinges On 'Delight'

by Karlene Lukovitz

Today, the brands across all categories that are knocking the ball out of the park when it comes to customer engagement and loyalty have one critical thing in common: They "delight" customers with authentic innovation and an overall brand experience that delivers on consumers' key expectations within their product categories. ...Read the whole story >>

Bowl Buzz: VW's Pipsqueak Dark Lord Steals Show

by Sarah Mahoney

"Right now, the Darth Vader spot is leading the voting on AdBowl," Steve McKee, president of McKee Wallwork Cleveland in Albuquerque, and founder of the AdBowl, tells Marketing Daily. "It's a rare example of a commercial that is charming and thoughtful -- it's a really human spot, and people are responding to that." ...Read the whole story >>

Spirits

Herradura Looks To Leverage Its Premium Tequila

by Karl Greenberg

Ruben Aceves Vidrio says that, while the brand has been around a long time, it was only first sold in the U.S. in the 1960's in a shop in Chicago called La Preferida. The company has been focused on the sister brand, El Jimador. But Aceves Vidrio says the time is good to talk about Herradura because "there is more consumer acceptance of ultra-premium tequila and lots more competition." ...Read the whole story >>

Telecom

Virgin Mobile Looks To Lady Gaga For 'Likes'

by Aaron Baar

It is announcing Monday a contest in which 10 bloggers (nine from within 100 miles of one of the pop star's upcoming "Monster Ball Tour" stops and one international winner) will be selected as official "tour bloggers," with special VIP access to the show and the venue. ...Read the whole story >>

Food

Newman's Own Partners With VolunteerMatch

by Tanya Irwin

The alliance, "Nourish the Good," has a dedicated Web site. Registrants receive $3 off any Newman's Own product. During the month of April and in support of National Volunteer Week, which runs April 10-16, Newman's Own will provide a free product voucher for each new volunteer who commits to make a difference in 2011. ...Read the whole story >>

Research

Study: Gens X, Y Rely On Research, Less On Loyalty

by Karl Greenberg

The study, based on a Fall 2010 poll of 865 Gen X and Y consumers, looks at what happens in the "consideration phase" of the purchase path, where the web and what AMP found to be a "new/modern path" to purchase hold sway. The quantitative and qualitative study also addressed a changing view of brand loyalty. ...Read the whole story >>

Thomson Sport Gets Behind NBA Games - London

NBA Gets Simply Marvel-ous

Royal Caribbean Goes To Bowl With February Pitch

Honda CR-V Ad Takes On Changing Weather

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Teen Time

Recently there has been outrage in the advertising community over a TV show "Skins". Mediapost has more:

What Teens Think About 'Skins,' And Why Marketers Should Care

MTV's new show, "Skins," has been dominating my Twitter feed lately and creating what seems to be the largest social controversy since the Starbucks logo announcement (which likely indicates that most people will stop caring by the time this is published). I read the tweets, articles and comments, and after being inspired to find out more, I took to my favorite research tool, Crowdtap, to find out just what teens were thinking about and what that says about Skins "pushing the envelope.

I started by tapping in to a crowd of 450 teens just to see how many of them had heard of the show (78%) had heard of it) and built my line of questioning from that subsequent group. The results, as you'll see below, brought some interesting new insights into play while also reaffirming some existing ones.

#1) They didn't judge brands by where they advertise. The majority of respondents did not respond negatively to brands that advertised during the show, because they only saw it as the brands trying to reach them as an audience during a teen-targeted show.

#2) What seems controversial to older audiences is not as controversial to them. One-third of teens who had seen the show agreed that MTV's "Jersey Shore," which has now grown into a four-season show, is more controversial than "Skins."

#3) They weren't as impressionable as we tend to think. The majority of respondents who'd seen the show did not think it was an accurate depiction of teens, and 93% said that watching "Skins" did not make them want to act that way.

#4) They weren't hearing about it through social media. MTV's in social and traditional channels, but used more traditional channels to drive reach. Only 9% of respondents had heard about "Skins" through social channels (Facebook, Twitter or YouTube), with most citing TV as their source.

I wasn't completely surprised to see that the majority of teens did not find the show as controversial as everyone else does, which at the end of the day makes it seem like teens aren't as quick to react or engage, and as a result are harder to access.

David Trahan is a strategist at social marketing agency Mr Youth in New York, which was named one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Marketing Companies in the World by "Fast Company" magazine.

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$50,000

Every Tuesday at 7am, I post another chapter to the Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo. Click here to go there tomorrow.

In the meantime, here's the latest from last week:


In the "good old days" of advertising and marketing, a company would often develop a plan for the year and stick with it. That plan would include a budget for this, for that, and have expectations of growth base on doing better than last year, etc.

I still have companies that plan for things annually, which is smarter than not planning at all.

But if you don't allow for some wiggle room, you could be missing out.

Missing out on an opportunity that you were not aware of when you had your planning meeting 6 months ago.

And what happens when you say, "No, it's not in the budget"?

Someone else says, "Yes, I'll do it."

How does that add up when it is your competitor?

Here's the math:

Let's assign a value of $1000/per year to a new customer. Your numbers could be much, much higher. Let's also assume that the opportunity could have brought you 50 new customers.

You say no. That means you are saying no to inviting potential customers to spend money with you. Using the numbers above, you said no to $1000, 50 times or $50,000.

Well, you still have your original plan, so everything should be fine and dandy.

Try and ignore the fact you turned down an additional $50,000.

But that $50,000 has also been taken out of the marketplace that perhaps you were counting on in your original marketing plan.

Now instead of losing out on increasing by $50,000; you've lost $50,000 in business that you were counting on coming your way.

How rigid do you want to be?

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12+1 Tips, Day 7

Continuing through February 12th, I'm sharing with you one tip per day from a recent email I received from Jim Meisenheimer.

What's the +1?

His 13th Tip is for a program he offers, and I'm including a link to it everyday.

I have purchased Jim's materials in the past and refer to them regularly.
Here's Jim:

How To Become A
Better Sales Person

How would you like to become a better salesperson?

It's too bad the world is crowded with average and mediocre salespeople.

These average and mediocre salespeople have one thing in common. They don't change. They don't ever change.

It's like, if they've been in sales for 10 years, they have one year of experience and repeated it nine times.

There is a better way you know. All it requires is energy and effort.

7. Create a new signature file for your outgoing e-mails. Give this some serious thought and consideration. To get your creative juices flowing think about what makes you different and special.

What are some of your special qualities?

And here's the +1:

Become a Sales Trailblazer. In the first seven days of 2011, 8 professional salespeople signed up for my Sales Trailblazer Sales Training Program.

So what's the big deal? The big deal is they have committed to a 24 week training program.

The big deal is they'll bring more to the table than a salesperson who has decided not to participate in the acquisition of new selling skills.

You can be average and mediocre or be a Sales Trailblazer and become a better salesperson.

And remember, your future is determined by the choices you make today.

Jim Meisenheimer
13506 Blythefield Terrace
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
Tel: 800-266-1268
Fax: 941-907-0441
jim@meisenheimer.com
www.startsellingmore.com

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Discrimination is Required

My Sunday Seth:

Treat different customers differently

This is difficult if you also insist on treating every customer the same. Or treating every customer the best, which is a better way to describe a similar idea.

No, the only way you can treat different customers differently is if you understand that their values (and their value to you) vary. It's easier than ever to discern and test these values, and you do everyone a service when you differentiate.

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Super Bowl, Super Fans, Super Web Users?

It starts in a few hours. I'll be watching, will you?

Sports and Leisure: How Web Savvy Are Super Bowl Fans?

Super Bowl advertisers take note. A new study by The Media Audit reveals that 41.6% of U.S. adults who regularly follow the Super Bowl on TV or radio are also considered heavy Internet users, spending three or more hours in the typical day online. Furthermore, Super Bowl fans are more likely than the general population to surf popular websites and make online purchases.

According to the national study, 71% of those who regularly follow the Super Bowl have made one or more online purchase in the last year, compared to 64.6% for the general population. Furthermore, 47.5% have made five or more purchases within the past year and 26.7% have made at least twelve purchases in the past year.

The same study reveals that Super Bowl fans are more likely to visit the web pages of newspapers, TV stations, and radio stations. Among Super Bowl fans, 41.7% have made a visit in the past month to a TV network website, compared to 36.5% of the general population. As a result, Super Bowl fans are 16% more likely to visit a TV network's website. Super Bowl fans are also 16% more likely to have visited a radio station's website in the past month and 17% more likely to have visited the website of a major daily newspaper.

One in four Super Bowl fans regularly or occasionally visit an automobile website, compared to 21.9% for the general population. Among some of the more popular automotive specific websites visited are Autotrader.com and Craigslist.org. Six percent of Super Bowl fans have visited Autotrader.com in the past month, a figure that is 30% higher when compared to the general population, and 7.9% have visited Craigslist.org for automobiles, a figure that is 10% higher when compared to the general population.

(Source: The Media Audit, 01/31/11)

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12+1 Tips, Day 6

Continuing through February 12th, I'm sharing with you one tip per day from a recent email I received from Jim Meisenheimer.

What's the +1?

His 13th Tip is for a program he offers, and I'm including a link to it everyday.

I have purchased Jim's materials in the past and refer to them regularly.
Here's Jim:

How To Become A
Better Sales Person

How would you like to become a better salesperson?

It's too bad the world is crowded with average and mediocre salespeople.

These average and mediocre salespeople have one thing in common. They don't change. They don't ever change.

It's like, if they've been in sales for 10 years, they have one year of experience and repeated it nine times.

There is a better way you know. All it requires is energy and effort.

6. Dress for success. People are always judging you. They judge what you say and how you say it. People also judge your appearance. Don't let the country club casual dress influence your choice of clothing.

Expensive clothes look better, wear longer, and require less dry-cleaning. It's okay if you look like a million bucks - it really is!

And here's the +1:

Become a Sales Trailblazer. In the first seven days of 2011, 8 professional salespeople signed up for my Sales Trailblazer Sales Training Program.

So what's the big deal? The big deal is they have committed to a 24 week training program.

The big deal is they'll bring more to the table than a salesperson who has decided not to participate in the acquisition of new selling skills.

You can be average and mediocre or be a Sales Trailblazer and become a better salesperson.

And remember, your future is determined by the choices you make today.

Jim Meisenheimer
13506 Blythefield Terrace
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
Tel: 800-266-1268
Fax: 941-907-0441
jim@meisenheimer.com
www.startsellingmore.com

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Classic Ad of the Month

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Super Bowl Ad Preview - Part 5

from Amy:

Kia takes viewers on an "Epic Ride." The pen is mightier than the sword. Let's launch!

Doritos' "Crash The Super Bowl" contest has been so successful that Pepsi Max joined the fray. Just like the Pepsi Max contest, discussed yesterday, Doritos also has five user-created ad finalists. Three will make it to the big game.

It's going to be a tough choice. "Adam and Eve" takes us back to biblical times. There's a slight difference in this version: Eve is unable to tempt Adam with a piece of forbidden fruit, for he's fairly content with his bag of Doritos. Watch it here.

"Best Part" is both creepy and funny, so it has a legitimate shot at running during the big game. An office worker finishes his lunch bag of Doritos, when his co-worker remarks that he left the "best part." Yes, we're talking the cheese-stained fingers, and, yes, the creepy co-worker sucked his colleague's finger. See it here.

A father hijacks his son's "Birthday Wish" and uses it to make his fantasies come true. Birthday presents are bags of Doritos, and he gets a robot best friend and a stripper pole erected in the living room for his wife. I love how the son refers to it as a "fireman's pole." How sweet. Watch it here.

Doritos hold magical powers for a man that's "House Sitting" for his friend. The careless house sitter neglected to feed the fish, plants or clean the apartment. Sprinkling the dead fish and plant with Doritos resurrects them both. You'll never guess what happens when Grandpa's ashes are knocked over. See it here.

A man mocks his girlfriend's adorable pug in "Pug Attack." He waves Doritos at the pup through a glass door that's no match for a hungry pug. Watch it here. My favorites are "Birthday Wish," "House Sitting" and "Pug Attack." How about you?

Own a Kia Optima and be prepared to take an "Epic Ride." The vehicle is not your average mid-size sedan: what other car can make Poseidon emerge from the sea or aliens let their presence be known? The desire for Optima begins with a routine traffic stop. The cop becomes so enamored that he handcuffs the Optima owners to his police motorcycle and takes off. The car is captured by a villain in a helicopter, who directs the Optima toward a luxury yacht. That's when Poseidon emerges, and briefly takes the Optima. Aliens then beam the car into a spaceship, transporting it to their planet. The fun's over when the car goes through a black hole and lands beside a Mayan temple. See it here. David&Goliath created the ad and Initiative handled the media buy.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program is running a Super Bowl spot that will run on the American Forces Network. The ad will be shown on U.S. Military bases worldwide. This ad is the type of content shown overseas: not Audi, Budweiser or typical Super Bowl ad fare. The ad begins with an inside look at a weapon, as a voiceover details the relationship between a weapon and its owner. "My weapon is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I much master my life." The weapon isn't a gun; it's a pen. "Your vote is your greatest weapon," concludes the ad, created by Mullen. Watch it here.

Goodby, Silverstein & Partners created a batch of ads for Chevy, running throughout the big game. A honk from a man's Chevy Silverado lets him know when his son "Tommy" is in trouble. Who needs Lassie? In the ad, Tommy falls down a well, gets stuck in a cave, gets loose in a runaway hot air balloon and winds up inside the belly of a whale. See it here.

An ad for Chevy Volt chronicles important historical findings and events. In "Discovery," Ben Franklin's discovery of electricity, a family watching TV for the first time and Woodstock are compared to a power cord that charges a Chevy Volt. Watch it here.

Facebook makes an impromptu appearance in "Status," promoting the Chevy Cruze. A couple part ways following a first-date kiss. The man hops into his Cruze, and activates OnStar to check his Facebook news feed, where his date posts a complimentary status about their evening. See it here. Chevy Cruze eco is highlighted in "Misunderstanding," where a group of seniors misinterpret an ad describing Cruze's 42 miles per gallon. Watch it here.

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

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12+1 Tips, Day 5

Continuing through February 12th, I'm sharing with you one tip per day from a recent email I received from Jim Meisenheimer.

What's the +1?

His 13th Tip is for a program he offers, and I'm including a link to it everyday.

I have purchased Jim's materials in the past and refer to them regularly.
Here's Jim:

How To Become A
Better Sales Person

How would you like to become a better salesperson?

It's too bad the world is crowded with average and mediocre salespeople.

These average and mediocre salespeople have one thing in common. They don't change. They don't ever change.

It's like, if they've been in sales for 10 years, they have one year of experience and repeated it nine times.

There is a better way you know. All it requires is energy and effort.

5. Read Frank Bettger's book "How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling." I Crown this book "A selling classic." The kind of book you can read every year, I know, because I do.

It's loaded with ideas that can transform you and the way you sell.

And here's the +1:

Become a Sales Trailblazer. In the first seven days of 2011, 8 professional salespeople signed up for my Sales Trailblazer Sales Training Program.

So what's the big deal? The big deal is they have committed to a 24 week training program.

The big deal is they'll bring more to the table than a salesperson who has decided not to participate in the acquisition of new selling skills.

You can be average and mediocre or be a Sales Trailblazer and become a better salesperson.

And remember, your future is determined by the choices you make today.

Jim Meisenheimer
13506 Blythefield Terrace
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
Tel: 800-266-1268
Fax: 941-907-0441
jim@meisenheimer.com
www.startsellingmore.com

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Friday Night #Marketing News from Mediapost

Click & Read:

Food

Kraft Snacks Warm Fans Up For The Big Game

by Karlene Lukovitz

"As part of our strategy to step up our investment in our power brands, we're looking for new ways to engage with our consumers and really change the conversation," says Kraft's Dana Anderson. "What better venue to do this than the Super Bowl? During the pre-game, we have a unique opportunity to connect with people as they're preparing their menus for the big game." ...Read the whole story >>

Retail

Study: For Retail, Social Media Doesn't Work

by Sarah Mahoney

The ForeSee Results study found that more traditional marketing techniques not only generated more traffic, they also deliver better-quality customers. "Some of the most satisfied site visitors arrived at the site because of previous familiarity with a brand, promotional emails, word-of-mouth, and product review websites," it says in its report. ...Read the whole story >>

Automotive

Gentlemen Start Engines For Record Super Bowl

by Karl Greenberg

There will be a record number of carmakers -- around 10 if you include pre- and post-game affairs -- and a lot of them are extending their ads way off the gridiron with social media, teaser ads, and games this week and last designed to generate buzz and involve consumers in the buildup to "Super Ad Buy XLV." ...Read the whole story >>

Retail

Retailers Bounce Back In Brand New Year

by Sarah Mahoney

"It's been volatile and uneven since last summer or so, and we expect it to continue to be so for the rest of this year," Frank Badillo, Kantar's senior economist, tells Marketing Daily. "But spending intentions among consumers are bouncing back. That's fed by a number of things -- there is more certainty, post-election. The stock markets are recovering. And there have been some great price promotions from retailers, starting before the holiday." ...Read the whole story >>

Telecom

Verizon Sponsors Super Bowl Parties

by Tanya Irwin

"One of our goals is to create ways for people to experience FiOS services live, whether it's in a store, at an event, at one of our mall kiosks, or -- as in the case of our Game Day promotion -- at a customer's home," Foster tells Marketing Daily. ...Read the whole story >>

Sports

NHL Campaign Promos Tim Hortons Heritage Classic

by Karl Greenberg

The campaign, developed by the NHL in consultation with global advertising agency Young & Rubicam, features a 30-second ad that has a camera panning across a frozen Canadian lake, where one sees evidence that hockey games were once played. The camera pans past footprints in the snow, skate marks, and a goalie stick. ...Read the whole story >>

Telecom

AT&T Reaches Out To Business Community

by Aaron Baar

"This is the network," the television commercial begins, "a living, breathing intelligence that's helping business rethink how to do business." Visuals show packages being moved from Tokyo to New York while the voiceover speaks of inventory being "taught to learn" so that it can get products to where they're needed most. ...Read the whole story >>

Nestle, General Mills Open Cereal Innovation Center

SonoSite To Present NBA D-League All-Star Game

P&G Wants To Show St. Louis, Philly Its Plaque

Virgin Mobile Launches Facebook Portal

Starwood Hotels, Live Nation Expand Relationship

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Get Specific

from Drew:

Using personas to shift your focus to the customer

Posted: 31 Jan 2011 07:00 AM PST

If you look at most marketing copy -- it's about the "thing" -- whatever is being sold. We get features and generic benefits but our focus and the thrust of the message sits squarely on the shoulders of the product or service.

And it's no wonder. When you focus on something, you tend to write/talk about it.

Let's demonstrate.

If I asked you to write a headline for an ad selling these red shoes to the right -- what would your headline say?

(Seriously, take a couple minutes and jot a few down...play along!)

Okay, for many of you your headlines probably ran along the lines of:

• Isn't it time to get sassy?
• Give your feet some sassy for Valentine's Day
• Stop traffic without lifting a finger

Nothing wrong with those...but they are a bit generic. They be be speaking to anyone of any age, income bracket, marital status, etc.

Why? Because we don't actually know who we're talking to...other than we probably assumed it was a woman, so the copy tends to be generic. The more generic your audience (in your mind) the more generic the copy. Which forces us to focus on the "thing."

Which is why personas are so critical to your marketing success. Do you know who your business is talking to? And don't say everyone. Every business should know who their best customers are. These are the people who create the core of your customer base. Creating personas based on this customer base is critical to targeting your message. I wrote about personas and shared some examples a few years back. (click on the link to read).

Let's try the shoe example again but now I'm going to tell you about the customer. Her name is Leslie and she's 15. She's in that awkward half girl/half woman stage and she wants to grow up so badly. She's a good kid, active in school and loves to hang at the mall with her friends. She spends much of her free time texting, reading fashion magazines and watching MTV's reality shows.

I could add (and should if this was a real persona) much more depth but you get the idea. Now try your headline again.

Mine might be: Your dad is going to hate these shoes

Very specific and very much about my audience -- rather than about the product. That's what personas do. They shift our focus to the prospect rather us talking about ourselves. You can't create a love affair with a generic customer. Getting to know your personas and really seeing them as a living, breathing person

Using personas is a very helpful trick for writing stronger copy, creating content that gets shared, developing customer service programs, making your website sticky and driving sales. If you haven't developed 3-4 personas for your brand -- put it on your to do list for Q1 of 2011. It will make the rest of the Q's

P.S. If you want more info on personas, Marketing Profs is doing a webinar on February 10th specifically about the topic.

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Super Bowl Ad Preview - Part 4

Amy's Updates continue, and I'll have one more on Saturday:

Hyundai hypnotizes. Viewers create and select Pepsi Max Super Bowl ads. Let's launch!

Hyundai will run three ads during the big game, marking the automaker's fourth consecutive year as a Super Bowl advertiser. Two ads promote the 2011 Elantra and one promotes the Sonata Hybrid vehicle. The first Elantra ad, "Hypnotized," will run during the first quarter. It showcases average driving imagery, like the sound of your turn signal, the clanging of your keychain while driving, windshield wipers in use, and how hypnotic and rhythmic these actions can be. Interspersed with the pictures is the phrase: "Have we been hypnotized to believe compact cars are good enough?" Cue imagery of an elegant Elantra and Jeff Bridges' soothing voiceover. See it here.

Next up is "Deprogramming," running in the third quarter. Jeff Bridges hopes to place viewers under his spell as his voice lulls you into a trance-like state, coupled with kaleidoscopic images of compact cars, legs, gas tanks and driving sheep, a nod to an ad the brand launched during the AFC championship game,. "Compact cars don't have to be boring or feel compact," says Bridges as he brings viewers back to reality, stating," Snap out of it, man." Watch it here.

"Anachronistic City" runs in the fourth quarter and it's quite funny. Throngs of early, first-generation devices are shown: silent movies, hefty mobile phones, fat-burning techniques, televisions and cameras. Had we settled for every first-generation device that came along, the 2011 Sonata Hybrid wouldn't be here. It's not the first hybrid car by any means, but it's sleek, updated and well-equipped. It's my favorite of the trio and it does a great job at conveying its overall brand message: First doesn't always mean best. Watch the ad here. Innocean Worldwide created the campaign.

Pepsi Max is participating in the "Crash The Super Bowl" contest for the first time. We'll talk about the Doritos user-created ads tomorrow. Five Pepsi Max ads are finalists, but only three will run as Super Bowl ads. The two ads with the most votes are guaranteed to run, leaving Pepsi Max execs to choose the third spot. There's big money to be made for any ad placing in the top three of USA TODAY's Ad Meter: anywhere from $400,000 to $1 million.

The ads are good. Let's begin with "Elevator Girl." I laughed out loud at this one. A guy has a crush on a woman who lives in his building. He's not too smooth, however, but his chance with her gets better when she eyes his case of Pepsi Max. He offers her a soda, and then explains that it contains zero calories. "What are you trying to say?" she asks. "No, no, no, you're not fat," he replies. Watch it here. I hope this makes the cut.

"First Date" is the weakest of the five ads, but I can see it garnering a big game spot. Viewers hear the inner thoughts of a couple on their first date. The woman wonders if the man wants kids, if he's "the one," and how much he makes. The man's thoughts are simple: he wants to sleep with her. His thoughts change once her Pepsi Max is delivered to the table. He wants it. Her thoughts tell the man he has no chance. See it here.

A husband receives tough love from his wife in "Love Hurts." He will be punished for eating junk food and fast food, but that doesn't compare to what happens when he checks out another woman... in front of his wife. Watch it here.

A nerdy guy exacts revenge on his tormentor, thanks to a Pepsi Max "Torpedo Cooler." See it here.

"Zero Calories?" is clearly an homage to Budweiser's "Whazzup" guys; the only difference here is the drink of choice is Pepsi Max and women are saying "pshhh." Watch it here. I'm rooting for "Elevator Girl," "Love Hurts" and "Zero Calories." What are your picks?

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

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12+1 Tips, Day 4

Continuing through February 12th, I'm sharing with you one tip per day from a recent email I received from Jim Meisenheimer.

What's the +1?

His 13th Tip is for a program he offers, and I'm including a link to it everyday.

I have purchased Jim's materials in the past and refer to them regularly.
Here's Jim:

How To Become A
Better Sales Person

How would you like to become a better salesperson?

It's too bad the world is crowded with average and mediocre salespeople.

These average and mediocre salespeople have one thing in common. They don't change. They don't ever change.

It's like, if they've been in sales for 10 years, they have one year of experience and repeated it nine times.

There is a better way you know. All it requires is energy and effort.

4. Read the Wall Street Journal everyday. Now, you don't have to read the entire Wall Street Journal everyday, but you should be looking for new ideas you can use to grow your business.

Reading this newspaper will also enable you to become quite the conversationalist, which is a good thing to be if you're in sales.

And here's the +1:

Become a Sales Trailblazer. In the first seven days of 2011, 8 professional salespeople signed up for my Sales Trailblazer Sales Training Program.

So what's the big deal? The big deal is they have committed to a 24 week training program.

The big deal is they'll bring more to the table than a salesperson who has decided not to participate in the acquisition of new selling skills.

You can be average and mediocre or be a Sales Trailblazer and become a better salesperson.

And remember, your future is determined by the choices you make today.

Jim Meisenheimer
13506 Blythefield Terrace
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202
Tel: 800-266-1268
Fax: 941-907-0441
jim@meisenheimer.com
www.startsellingmore.com

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Thursday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Click and read:

Automotive

Nissan's Donut Guy Does Cartoon Work For Juke

by Karl Greenberg

Now Nissan is extending the riff with a new interactive comic book-style movie on its YouTube channel that lets people decide where the film's narrative leads. The effort, "Choose Your Adventure," has Kowalczyk again heading to the donut shop, except the viewer can choose where he goes and what choices he makes at different points in the story. ...Read the whole story >>

Financial Services

Wells Fargo Launches Retirement Site For Women

by Tanya Irwin

Information about the site will appear in lifestyle magazines such as More, O and Better Homes & Gardens. Ads will also appear on O's new iPad app. The strategy is to partner with strong brands that women already look to for advice and guidance in many areas of their life, including finances, according to a spokesman. ...Read the whole story >>

Trends

Study: Women Show Strong Personal Renewal Bent

by Karlene Lukovitz

Given female consumers' more positive overall attitude and focus on self-empowerment, physical and emotional health and making "real changes" in their lives, "marketers should reexamine the ways that they are talking to and engaging with women," stresses Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness chief strategy officer Johanna Skilling. ...Read the whole story >>

Retail

NAPA Hispanic Effort Ties Auto Parts To Pro Soccer

by Karl Greenberg

"Hispanics over-index for do-it-yourself and, perhaps more importantly for NAPA, they over-index in the automotive service technical professions," says PM Publicidad's Eduardo Perez. "Hispanics represent 12% of the working population in the U.S., but at least 17% of mechanics are Hispanic." ...Read the whole story >>

Retail

Struggling Gap Names New CMO; Taps Ogilvy

by Sarah Mahoney

The moves are part of sweeping changes at Gap Inc.'s floundering flagship, which the company hopes will "kick-start" a new marketing direction. It ditched Marka Hansen, who has been president of Gap North America, naming Art Peck, a six-year company veteran, to fill the post. ...Read the whole story >>

Sports

Super Bowl Ads: Don't Forget To Vote!

by Sarah Mahoney

Adbowl -- launched by McKee Wallwork Cleveland, a little Albuquerque-based ad agency, back in 2001 -- tracks what consumers think of the ads during the game, and has expanded its reach to include iPhone voting this year. (You can log on to its site, use the iPhone app, or the social media stream to follow results throughout the game.) ...Read the whole story >>

Hard Rock Names Brian Klein Marketing Head

Walgreens Pledges $100 Million In Health Testing

Minute Maid Pulpy Hits $1 Billion In Sales

Sealy Says Beds Aren't Just For Sleeping

New Ad Council PSA Addresses Oil Spill Distress

Lucid Absinthe Touted On L.A.-area Billboards

Yumnuts Offers Giveaway For Valentine's Day

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Another Reason Not to Ignore....

Those of us who were born before 1965.

We are the Boomers.

And we are helping our parents, Aunts & Uncles decide on how to spend their nest eggs and live comfortably.

More from Mediapost:

The Largest Target Market You've Never Thought About: How Brands Can Connect With Caregivers

There are 43 million Americans who care for elderly loved ones, according to a recent study from the National Alliance for Caregiving, AARP, and MetLife. These family caregivers, many of whom are "sandwich generation" moms busy juggling their own working and family lives, are responsible for making decisions about products and services for elderly family members. Compare this with 2 million brides and 4 million new mothers, and you can see that caregivers are a huge, and growing, market.

Research across the Caring.com community found that 80% of family caregivers discuss treatment options with their loved ones' doctors, while 79% order or pick up prescriptions and 75% purchase personal care or grocery items for their loved ones. Furthermore, 71% of caregivers manage finances for their ailing relatives. This is a "twofer" audience, since these women are also consumers of products and services for their own care. As a brand marketer, how do you connect with this massive, influential, and unique audience?

The prototypical family caregiver, according to Caring.com research, is a "Boomer" woman in her 50s who's caring for her parents. She juggles a job and the needs of her own family, often putting kids through college. She's under a lot of pressure and, according to 59% of respondents in a recent Caring.com survey, her caregiving commitments constitute the greatest stress in her life.

Before creating a campaign targeted to the caregiver demographic, brands first need to understand this group on an individual level. Caregivers may not self-identify, but they're highly connected to a larger community of other people in the same position, often using social networks to share insights, stories, and concerns with one another. Caregivers want to connect with others, and they want compassion and understanding; your first step in creating campaigns that will resonate with this demographic is to try to understand their day-to-day experience.

It's important to tailor your marketing messages, product information, and promotional offers to caregivers' unique role as decision makers and purchasers for others. Here are four tips advertisers can use to ensure that their campaigns targeting caregivers hit the mark:

• Associate your brand with a connection place. Caregivers appreciate connecting with one another for support and advice, so your brand should create, sponsor, or advertise on an online community or caregiver-focused website, where caregivers share and exchange insights.

• Simplify your message. Caregivers' time is limited, so they'll be more likely to respond to concise messages that clearly communicate your offer or service. That said, it's okay to use "storytelling" in your campaigns, as caregivers appreciate hearing about the real-life experiences of other people in their shoes. One in-home care company changed the creative in a banner ad from a bulleted list of the service's benefits to the story of a visit to a grandmother's house -- and conversion increased by 400%.

• Empower the caregiver. Boomers are natural authority questioners, and they take their role as advocates for their loved ones' medical or financial issues seriously. Your campaigns targeting caregivers should provide information and invite interaction. Allow caregivers to ask questions about your products or services online. If you want to impact the buying habits of caregivers, treat them as your brand advocates, engaging them with your message on a personal level and making it easy to share.

• Choose function over fashion. Leave the flashy content, such as video, HTML 5, and flash, to your other campaigns. Caregivers want clear information to make critical purchase decisions; they aren't looking to be entertained by your ads. If you do use rich media, make it functional -- for example, provide online checklists, buying guides, or other interactive tools caregivers can use to narrow down the product field based on the unique needs of their loved ones. And don't forget about the simple things such as making offers and info sheets printable and portable so caregivers take your messages and share them with loved ones.

The 43 million Americans who care for elderly loved ones are making important purchase decisions every day. Is your brand reaching this massive purchasing force with relevant messages, promotions, and product positioning? If not, you're leaving millions in potential revenue on the table -- and missing out on connecting not just with the current caregiver demographic but with a massive generation of future older people -- the Boomers -- who themselves will need your products one day soon.

Andy Cohen is an experienced caregiver and CEO of Caring.com. Andy's 20-year career in marketing includes leadership positions at SC Johnson Wax, Peapod, and Intuit.

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Super Bowl Ad Preview - Part 3

from Amy:

Rejoice: a Dot-commer creates a Super Bowl ad that's halfway decent. Let's launch!

I was all for this ad until the baby hit the window. Homeaway.com, a vacation rental Web site, is launching "Smush" in the third quarter of the big game. Music that sounds as if it was ripped from a James Bond film plays while the "Ministry of Detourism" takes viewers on a tour of a secret lair that saves family vacations from disastrous events. Like ricocheting your baby into a window. The secret test facility demonstrates what can go wrong when staying in hotels: having loud neighbors and rooming in cramped quarters are top vacation downers. On the other hand, renting a house gives families privacy and space. And keeps your babies on terra firma. "Why hotel when you can Homeaway," closes the ad, seen here. Vendor Inc. created the ad, directed by Rocky Morton of MJZ, with visual effects by The Mill.

Teleflora, the online flower store that delivers flowers in vases rather than cardboard boxes, gets a most-improved ad award from me. After two years, the brand has ditched the talking flowers that belittled and insulted recipients. Sorry, Don Rickles: not even your voiceover could save those ads. This year, the 30-second spot, running in the second quarter, stars Faith Hill, promoting "The Collection by Faith Hill" floral arrangements. The spot takes place in a recording studio, where Hill helps her sound tech say the perfect thing to his girlfriend on Valentine's Day. I can't post the ad until post-Super Bowl, but I can tell you the funny moment targets the male population. Fire Station created the ad, produced by Hungry Man and directed by Bryan Buckley.

Stella Artois is trickling out information about its big game commercial. "Crying Jean" stars Adrien Brody as a singer in an underground jazz club circa 1960. The ad is the latest in the brand's "She is a Thing of Beauty" campaign. Naturally, Brody sings to a group of beautiful women, but only has eyes for Stella. More on this ad when further information is released. In the meantime, viewers can go online for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of "Crying Jean." Mother London created the ad.

Volkswagen update: Wow. Judging by the number of emails I received yesterday, everyone is itching to watch "The Force." I didn't have a postable ad yesterday, but I do today. So without further ado, here are the full-length Volkswagen Super Bowl ads, entitled "The Force" and "Black Beetle." Enjoy.

Bridgestone update: There may be an ice storm hitting the East Coast, but that didn't stop my delivery of Super Bowl ads. You read that right: my DVD came today and made my morning. The bad news is that I can't post the ads until after the big game. But I will tell you this. If you reread my potential ad outcomes from Monday, they're not far off from the actual endings. I'm talking 80% accurate. Brush up so you'll be a step ahead of your Super Bowl party friends.

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

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