Wednesday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Click & Read:

Electronics

Panasonic CTO: 3D TV Is 'Chicken Or Egg' Story

by Karl Greenberg

Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, chief technology officer at Panasonic, spoke to Marketing Daily from the U.S. Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, where Panasonic is a sponsor, and is involved in 3D broadcasts of U.S. Open tennis matches. ...Read the whole story >>

Research

Marketers Plan To Increase Social Media Spend

by Tanya Irwin

The 249 CMOs of U.S. companies said they will increase their spending on social media from its current level of 7.1% of their overall marketing budget to 10.1% over the next year and to 17.5% in the next five years, dispelling the notion that social media is just a fad. ...Read the whole story >>

Food

Claussen Facebook Contest Extends 'Journey'

by Karlene Lukovitz

Claussen Pickles is building on the success of its ad campaign spoofing cold-climate explorers with a new Facebook contest offering a grand prize of a trip for two to Alaska or Iceland. The main focal point of the Kraft Food brand's "Journey to the Claussen Pickles" campaign are YouTube-hosted videos. ...Read the whole story >>

Retail

Study: CPG Brands Mi$$ Loyalty Opportunities

by Sarah Mahoney

"We know retaining customers is important, but what surprised us in this research is that the top 100 CPG brands could have grown four times faster if they had just hung on to the customers who were inclined to be loyal," says Todd Morris, EVP/ brand development for Catalina. ...Read the whole story >>

Automotive

Lexus Launches 'Engineered Amazing' Extension

by Karl Greenberg

Lexus says there will also be an online video that goes into more detail about the use of digital crash modeling using virtual test subjects, and the company is doing its first-ever iAd extension that spotlights Lexus' LFA supercar with digital games for iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone that tests users' reaction time and concentration. ...Read the whole story >>

Restaurants

Zagat: Subway, Wendy's, McD's Are Big Winners

by Karlene Lukovitz

In addition to asking respondents to rank chains on various criteria, Zagat asked them what they think about government mandates requiring fast-food/chain restaurants to display calorie counts. The results seem to have significant implications for chains. ...Read the whole story >>

Hospitality

Hotels.com Campaign Goes To Great Heights

by Aaron Baar

Hotels.com is taking its Claymation mascots (and a live-action stuntman) to the extreme to showcase the company's mobile booking application with a new multimedia marketing campaign, featuring a stuntman booking a hotel while falling through the air at 115 mph. ...Read the whole story >>

Macy's, Nordstrom, GameStop Gaining Favor Online

Cheese It: Horizon Wins Media For Kraft's M&C

Yahoo Fires Bartz: Numbers Speak Volumes

PNC Finds 20-Somethings Are Financially Fearful

Auto Sales Sluggish, But Could Be Worse

Comms Changes At General Motors

BMW Signs Big Ten Sponsorship Deal

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You Need To Understand Social Media

I see too many businesses trying to sell stuff on social media channels in the same manner they use advertising.

Wrong way Mr/Ms Business Person.

Mediapost has some insight for you:

Importance of Brand Discussions on Social Media

According to "S-Net, The Impact of Social Media," a social network study from ROI Research sponsored by Performics, 52% of respondents strongly or somewhat agree that voicing opinions on social networking sites can influence business decisions of companies/brands. The study reveals the inherent differences in why and how people use social networks among various categories.

31% of overall respondents purchase more from companies/brands that they like/follow than from brands/companies they do not. And, educational institutions, sports and entertainment top the list of most discussed categories on social networking sites.

Key industry-specific highlights for social media include:

• 74% of respondents who purchase entertainment products discuss them on social networks
• 53% follow travel companies/brands on social networking sites for coupons/discounts
• 43% follow electronics companies on social networking sites for offers to win "points" or online currency redeemable for products
• 42% discuss automobiles on social networking sites to compare prices
• 32% have made a sports-related product purchase as a result of seeing something posted on a social network

Daina Middleton, CEO of Performics, says "Customers expect, and are already participating in, a two-way dialogue... marketers (should) adopt strategies that engage them in every channel... across all platforms, devices and screens."

52% of respondents strongly or somewhat agree that voicing opinions on social networking sites can influence business decisions of companies/brands. For instance 43% who purchase alcoholic beverages discuss them on social networks and15% have purchased as a result of content on a social network.

The reasons respondents discuss these products on social networks are:

• To express satisfaction with a purchase... 36%
• To compare prices... 25%
• To give advice... 18%

The reasons for following the alcoholic beverage category are:

• They are loyal customers of the brand... 49%
• For coupons or discounts... 26%
• To identify with the brand... 23%

And, the desired brand interaction on the Network is:

• Availability of coupons... 34%
• Notification of sales or deals... 29%
• Information about contests or sweepstakes... 26%

This study reports findings, similar to those for the alcohol industry, specific to 18 different industries which include: alcoholic beverages, apparel, appliances, automotive, education, electronics, entertainment, financial services, food, healthcare/pharma, household, magazines/newspapers, non-alcoholic beverages, personal care, restaurants, sports related, telecommunications and travel.

Based on the study results, the report suggests best practices to make the most of social networks might be:

• Understand customer desire for brand interaction
• Create and adapt strategies to cater to participation expectations and desires
• Allocate resources to the most relevant and appropriate social networks
• Regularly monitor and measure social network activity

To request complimentary copies of the category reports or the summary of findings from the overall S-Net study, please visit Performics release here.

Social Media is one of the areas that we cab help you with at Cirrus ABS. Contact me at 260-255-HELP (4387) for help. You can also email me at SHoward@CirrusABS.com and visit our website for a more complete look at what we do.

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Lessons from Abe

From my email:

Daily Sales Tip: Giving 100%

There is a wonderful sales lesson in a story I found about Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln once took a sack of grain to a mill whose owner was said to be the laziest man in Illinois. Abe watched the man for a while and then finally commented, "I can eat the grain as fast as you're grinding it."

The owner of the mill grunted and said, "Indeed; and how long do you think you could keep that up?"

Abe looked at the man and replied, "Until I starve to death."

Do you know any salespeople who never give it their all? They are always looking for the short cut, the easy way, the fastest way. Well, selling is hard work. The quickest, easiest, fastest way is not always the most productive way. A short cut is not a short cut if you "cut" corners. Give it your best and watch the sales orders come in.

Source: Sales trainer/speaker Mark Bowser (www.markbowser.com, 2009)

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Tuesday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Click & read:

Food

Skinny Cow Candy Promo Taps Molly Shannon

by Karlene Lukovitz

The new engagement device playing on that theme: The brand and Shannon are "urging dictionary publishers" also to redefine candy, and are asking fans to join this "mooovement" by submitting their own definitions of Skinny Cow Candy via the brand's Facebook page. ...Read the whole story >>

Electronics

At U.S. Open Panasonic Creates 3D Content

by Karl Greenberg

The company's presence at the U.S. Open involves a consumer-facing exhibition of Panasonic 3D TVs, IP TVs, and audio equipment at the venue. Perhaps more importantly, it also involves a deal with CBS and others covering the event to shoot matches in Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadiums with Panasonic 3D cameras and equipment. ...Read the whole story >>

Retail

Lane Bryant Unleashes 'Tighter Tummy Tech'

by Sarah Mahoney

The company is celebrating the effort with a cocktail event on September 8, Fashion's Night Out, at its Fulton Street Store in Brooklyn, which is scheduled to feature the ladies from TLC's reality TV Show "Big Sexy." In addition to checking out the new line, guests will have a shot at winning $500 gift card and photo shoot with Plus Model Magazine ...Read the whole story >>

Allstate Launches NCAA Football Promo

Visit Florida Launches 'Florida Fan Game'

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4 Ways to Improve Your Email Campaigns

One of the services we provide our clients at Cirrus ABS is email marketing campaigns.

Here are some tips from MaketingProfs.com:

Four Ways to Remove Attention Barriers From Email Campaigns

"People have limited attention to spare," writes Mark Brownlow at Email Marketing Reports. "They focus on those messages perceived as deserving that attention: messages that are clearly important, personal or something they want and expect." There are, however, a number of barriers that stand between your email campaigns and your subscribers' all-important attention.

To help you remove attention barriers from your email campaigns, Brownlow offers advice like this:

Create an immediate impression of value. Avoid a standard "You've been subscribed" message on your confirmation page. Instead, fuel anticipation by touting an exclusive, email-only discount that will arrive shortly. You might even include a sample screenshot of the offer so subscribers will know what to look for.

Don't allow long periods to lapse between messages. If you send less than one email per month, you risk greater problems than losing a subscriber's rapt attention. "Once the gap between emails grows to a few months, people will start forgetting they even signed up," he notes. "Your problem moves beyond one of recognition to permission issues."

Send email when your customers are most likely to read it. While there isn't a hard-and-fast rule for sending an email, notes Brownlow, there might very well be a right day and time to send your email. Continual testing will reveal when that is.

Avoid trust-destroying tricks. Misleading subject lines may boost open rates in the short term. But in the long term, you teach your subscribers to delete your messages without reading them—or even to unsubscribe.

The Po!nt: Don't defeat yourself. Holding your subscriber's interest takes more than strong content; it takes an ongoing focus on removing attention barriers from your campaigns.

Source: Email Marketing Reports.

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Blind Spots

from my email:

Daily Sales Tip: Work On Your Weaknesses

Some salespeople work on things they're good at and don't spend enough time trying to overcome weak areas. They can only improve their strengths so much.

Even if they do improve strengths, there's a good chance no one will notice, since slight improvements are hard to spot. Strengths will take salespeople only as far as their weaknesses will allow. Be grateful for your strengths, but work on your weaknesses.

Try to do a "weakness" audit each week. What situations in selling make you uncomfortable? Where does your sales manager suggest improvements are needed? Write them down. When you improve your weaknesses, the difference will be dramatic and visible to everyone.

Source: Adapted from How To Be A Sales Superstar, by Mark Tewart

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Mobile, Mobile, & More Mobile

I want a tablet.

Yes, an iPad would be dandy, but I may consider a different brand.

And I'm not the only one: Mobile as an E-Commerce Supplement The buzz around mobile applications, mobile design and mobile advertising can distract Internet retailers from their core mission, which is to sell products.

Today's most successful e-commerce merchants, however, understand how to best use these technologies and platforms to increase revenue and deepen engagement.

The most effective way to do that is by using mobile as a supplement to an existing website's promotional efforts. Below we will explore several strategies for excelling in what has become a challenging and competitive environment.

For several years now, online retailers have anticipated and prepared for a dramatic rise in mobile commerce. Many have gone so far as to invest in elaborate applications or optimized their websites specifically for smartphone and tablet users. What the Internet retailing community has learned in the past year, however, is that consumers are still unsure about making actual purchases from their mobile devices.

Smaller screens, unfamiliar interfaces and slower load times are but a few of the obstacles facing both users and merchants. One humorous survey from Tealeaf Technology reported that most users consider mobile transactions more frustrating than going to their Department of Motor Vehicles. The same study revealed that 23 percent of mobile users have cursed at their devices while making a purchase; 11 percent have screamed at their devices and 4 percent of mobile shoppers have actually thrown their devices when things didn't go as planned.

As a result, today's retailers must remain relatively cautious with their mobile strategies. The "all-in" approach is no longer advisable, as evidenced by the fact that most merchants receive only about 2 percent of their overall revenues through sales made directly from mobile devices, according to a recent report from Forrester Research.

That percentage is sure to increase over time, making mobile a vital component to the success of every e-commerce enterprise in the future. The key is in knowing how to supplement a company's existing online presence through the implementation of a well-conceived mobile strategy.

"It's been a transition that's taken the past three to four years, and it is still very much going on," says Tom Nawara, vice president of digital marketing firm The Acquity Group. "No business should shut down its website and jump into mobile 100 percent. It is about providing customers with multichannel engagement -- testing the waters to find ways of augmenting sales through mobile."

Augmenting sales through the mobile channel -- rather than relying on sales directly from mobile shoppers -- is the best approach for merchants to take in the current environment.

Most of today's smartphone and tablet users rely on their devices for searching, browsing and gathering information, and not necessarily making purchases. Mobile consumerism is still very much a work in progress, but the convenience of finding a business' Web pages while stuck in traffic or in line at the bank is a significant draw for users.

Before investing in mobile applications that only a handful of users may utilize, business owners should ensure that their companies are readily available through mobile searches. At the very least, that will require a noticeable presence on Google and Bing -- most fundamentally creating a Google Places page that includes all of the information that a user might need. To take it a step further, business owners will want to enlist the services of comparison shopping engines, making their products and prices available to mobile shoppers in real time.

Mobile customers may not intend to make purchases directly from their smartphones, but they will very likely want to research products, compare prices or simply find a brick-and-mortar establishment. Make the process easy for them, or they will move on to the next option without hesitation.

Most retailers think of mobile as a vehicle for customers to find them, but too few consider the flip side. The mobile channel is also ideal for merchants who want to increase their visibility, and SMS or text-message marketing is an effective tactic for doing just that.

Incorporating the mobile channel into a marketing plan requires significant effort. E-commerce websites should require that an option to include mobile telephone numbers is available on each registration form, and the most successful companies know how to use that information advantageously.

The idea is not to be intrusive but accommodating. Ways of doing that may include sending out discounted deals via SMS, or conducting contests exclusive to mobile subscribers. Any tactic that invites engagement through the mobile channel is a viable strategy -- but they should not be limited to building applications or optimizing websites.

"A proper SMS program should be viewed not just as a potential way to communicate and cultivate a relationship but also as a relevant connector to other aspects of your brand experience for a customer," says Dave Lawson, director of mobile engagement at Web marketing firm Knotice. "It can include alerts, branding messages, discounts, exclusive content, etc., but it works best when it is combined with a mobile website and is relevant to the message, works in conjunction with push notifications in apps or contests, and sweepstakes to activate sponsorships or a social media presence."

If you're considering getting involved with SMS marketing, vendors to evaluate include Mobile Storm, Trumpia, SumoText and CallFire.

The mobile landscape is constantly changing, which makes strategizing all the more difficult for merchants. The best course of action is to gain an intimate knowledge of your audience before considering a mobile application or optimizing your company's website.

Both options may require a significant investment, and might not be completely necessary depending on your company’s vertical. A flashy application for the iPad can be an alluring prospect but makes little sense for a business whose core users are not yet tablet-savvy.

Customer research is an essential element in the process, the goal being to gauge your visitors' needs based on their habits. Surveys provide the best insight into user behavior, as do simple analytics and even A/B or multivariate testing.

"Try taking a look at the way your customers are interacting with your website on mobile devices and optimize for that," says Lawson. "Look at referrals from search, opens and clicks from emails, affiliate and social media paths to your site -- even QR codes. All are things that you can first quantify, then determine how valuable that type of mobile user is. You can optimize the most important pieces first with the long-tail customer types becoming fast followers."

A company's most effective mobile strategy will depend on what is determined through this research. Whether it be an app for tablet or smartphone users, a mobile-optimized upgrade to an existing website, a brand new microsite or some variation of them all, the one thing we know for sure where mobile is concerned is to proceed with a certain amount of caution and a lot of optimism.

Local.com announced recently the launch of its first integrated solution resulting from the recent Krillion and Rovion acquisitions. The dynamic, geo-targeted rich media ad units from Rovion provide real-time data from Krillion on products that are geographically local to each user, including information on current discounts, pricing, product details, store locations and in-stock availability. Local.com plans to distribute these dynamic ads across its network of 1,400 regional media publishers’ websites, as well as third-party partner networks, which will create additional reach.

(Source: Website Magazine, August, 2011)

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Labor Day

Tradtion says this is the end of summer.

Like Memorial Day is the start of summer.

But Labor Day has to do with work.

And recently I wrote about this on The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo:

Offense or Defense?

Posted: 23 Aug 2011 04:00 AM PDT

As a former employee of a group of radio stations, a few years ago I was asked to sign a non-compete agreement.

This was the second time I had to sign one of these and this time it was incredibly one sided, all in favor of my employer.

I was prohibited from working in my chosen profession for 365 days after leaving, no matter who terminated my employment.

I was not allowed to work for any broadcast or print medium within about 100 miles.

Why?

They were scared.

Scared that I would take my clients and get them to cancel their advertising and follow me to my new employer.

They were paranoid.

Paranoid that they would train salespeople only to have them take their new found knowledge and go to work for a competitor.

Scared and Paranoid are not good ways to run a business.

If these are part of your primary business culture, I suggest you stop playing defense and flip it around.

Start playing offense.

Instead of worrying about employees leaving, create an environment that they'll never want to walk away from.

Or partner with those that have good ideas and you may find your next new big "thing".

And if they really want to go, give them your blessing, you never know how building bridges instead of burning them may be beneficial.

The words of Scott Howard aka ScLoHo

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Angry Client?

Doesn't matter why they are upset as much as what you do next:

Dealing with an Angry Client
Prospects who react strongly to what you present, even with anger, are going to be more involved and passionate about your offerings.

Sometimes the best strategy is to let them vent. Anger is emotional, not logical. Often as prospects vent anger they will not give a logical reason for it.

If you listen carefully for the feeling behind the behavior, the reason may become clear. Responding to the feeling that drives the anger may get you to the heart of the matter.

Source: Adapted from Presentations That Change Minds, by Josh Gordon, president of New York-based Gordon Communication Strategies

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Measure the Right Numbers

My Sunday Seth:

Twice as much doesn't always mean twice as much

How expensive do you think it is for a fast food chain to switch to sea salt on its french fries? Even if we assert that sea salt costs twice as much as the competitor (dirt salt?), it's easy to see that the impact on the cost of making each order of fries is tiny, since salt is probably 1% of the cost of the item.

That means that upgrading a high-leverage component of your product might not have any real impact on your costs. It just feels that way to the purchasing department.

On the other side of the 'twice' coin, you might discover that you're falling behind the competition. So you spend twice as much on ads, or twice as much time on social media, or devote twice as many of your resources to a problem.

The challenge, of course, is that twice as much of your time or money is irrelevant. Who cares where you started? The correct comparison is to what the competition is investing, and how well.

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Mama is busy

Long before I entered the web world for earning a living, I knew from my previous marketing background the power of women and money.

More specifically Moms and money.

Check out this recent story from Mediapost:

Selling To The Working Mom Online

Marketers tell us moms make the healthcare decisions at home, and this is true at my house. I make our doctor appointments, visit the pharmacy, and shape our diet because I buy the groceries. I am the consumer health marketers want to reach, so marketers listen up: I'm going to tell you exactly how to reach me, the modern working mom.

I brainstormed this while pushing my son to day care: he gets a stroller ride and I get a workout. Then I talked through it with my mom on speakerphone while driving to work. You've heard it before, but it's true: working moms are master multitaskers.

My husband and I regularly compete while watching commercial-free TV shows that we download or stream from iTunes, Netflix, or Hulu: when we recognize an actor, we call out where we last saw them, and when our answers don't match, one of us inevitably challenges: "Googulate!" So I pull out my smart phone, ask Dr. Google, and it's rare that my answer isn't on the first page of results. I am an expert Googulator.

More importantly, this is how my online experiences begin: with a search. My husband may have high cholesterol, but you're not going to distract me with ads for cholesterol treatments while I'm proving that Jared Leto was indeed Jordan Catalano in "My So-Called Life" AND Angel Face in "Fight Club." You want to catch me when I'm searching for statistics (a/k/a scare tactics) that persuade my husband to eat less red meat and more oatmeal.

From Mindshare to Market Share

As technology enables us to define who sees an ad and where, the winners will be those who put products in front of the people who actually buy them. Health care is a perfect example of where the online ad market is going. Precise targeting is critical, because the market is fragmented into thousands of micro-markets with disparate needs. Health care consumers almost always bring information -- right and wrong -- from family, friends, care providers, and media, both online and off. They're motivated to buy because they are resolving issues that directly impact their quality of life. Name recognition is good, but only buy-decisions really matter.

When and Where to Reach Me

I believe that patients' online behavior breaks into two distinct phases. Initial Diagnosis is research-intensive -- researching symptoms to see if there is a problem, identifying doctors who treat it best, and vetting the treatment -- and produces a trusted network of online resources that a patient returns to throughout an illness. Ongoing Treatment is mostly vetting progress against projections and others' experience, frequently on sites devoted to the community characterized by the symptoms. These forums enable patients and their families to build relationships that frequently outlast the symptoms, and survivors often stay engaged to support new patients.

Case Studies: My Pregnancy, My Husband's Car Obsession

When I found out I was pregnant (initial diagnosis), I spent the weekend online because I didn't know what I didn't know. I spent the most time on a few sites that offered two things: 1) relevant, accurate information, and 2) a community with people like me. During my pregnancy (ongoing treatment) I often returned to those sites to research new questions because I trusted their content. I subscribed to an e-newsletter I still receive as my son turns two, and I buy gifts for friends' babies from ads or testimony on that site. More importantly, I send all my mom-to-be friends there.

And this model transcends markets. In my husband's obsession with cars, initial diagnosis would be the process of shopping for a new project (in our case, a vintage BMW). As he rebuilds it (ongoing treatment), he shops online, and starts at www.BMW2002FAQ.com. He found this site while shopping, and bought a car through a link to a partner site. Most products that significantly impact a consumer's budget or quality of life follow the same online pattern of identifying resources and revisiting them over time.

Content Remains King, but Context is Crucial

Mindshare and market share require different online strategies. Banner ads on lifestyle sites are the Goodyear Blimps of online ads: instantly recognized, but rarely affect actual tire-buying decisions. Building visibility has become more a function of budget vs. creative problem solving. Using the web to grow market share is trickier. Buying search words can reach a consumer who wants your product, but has limited retention. This is the online equivalent of putting cough drops next to the cash register. Targeted campaigns and creative ad products in credible online communities can capture customers for life. This is the online equivalent of the nurse-neighbor recommending a cold medicine when she sees your mom bring you chicken soup. And she'll likely point you to a website with good information and people like you. I'm hoping she'll tell me how to cure my husband's car obsession next, but it's a long shot.

Angie Teates is Vice President, Advertising Operations at HealthCentral.

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3 Rules

from my email:

Daily Sales Tip: Three Key Rules of Sales

Rule 1: Know more about the customer than anyone else.
Rule 2: Get closer to the customer than anyone else.
Rule 3: Emotionally connect with the customer better than anyone else.

Every great sales professional excels at following and living by all three of these rules. In a customer-driven market, which we are in and will be in for the foreseeable future, there are no substitutes for knowing more about, getting closer to, and emotionally connecting with the customer.

The Three Rules are actions that take place simultaneously, for when you know more about the customer than anyone else, you have the ability to get closer than anyone else, and you then begin to connect emotionally. Combining these three actions will give you the single greatest competitive advantage in business.

I have always remembered something taught by the great sales trainer Tom Hopkins. Hopkins always said that your first goal as a salesman is to have the customer "like you and trust you." I agree with this idea, but it's not the starting point. Having the customer like and trust you is what happens when you get closer and establish an emotional connection. The process begins with knowing more about that customer.

Source: Branding consultant/business author Joe Calloway

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Classic Ad of the Week

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Insane Email Marketing

from Pat Mcgraw:

Minor League Email Lessons

Posted: 05 Aug 2011 07:05 AM PDT

About 5-years ago, I purchased two baseball caps online. Both were minor league team caps and I purchased them from the each team’s website.

Both teams are located thousands of miles from where I live. The caps costs about $25 each, plus shipping, and they represent the one and only purchase I have ever made from either team.

Within a year, one team stopped sending me emails.

But today, I received yet another email from the other team. I get about 2-4 per month, depending on the time of year. And the content is typically pushing me to buy tickets to a game or merchandise from the store.

I haven’t unsubscribed because it’s easier to just delete the emails as they come in. I only occasionally scan them because I am hoping they might be sending me something that interests me versus pushing ticket sales and merchandise.

Anyway, here’s my point. When was the last time you cleaned your email list? Do you try to engage your readers in a conversation or do you just prefer to push your message on them over and over and over again? And, finally, what’s the definition of insanity?

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Slump Busting

from my email:

Daily Sales Tip: Breaking Out of a Slump

Slumps happen.

But the best salespeople have go-to methods that help them overcome slumps and get back to their winning ways.

Here are some methods top salespeople use to get back on track when closing doesn't come easy:

Revisit the basics
Slumps are great opportunities to revisit the fundamentals. Salespeople often find it's the little things they've gotten away from that make the difference.

Choosing one basic skill to focus on can be an effective way to center a sales presentation or pinpoint the problem.

Reconnect with buyers
Most salespeople have loyal customers who appreciate their dedication and drive.

Those customers can provide the perfect boost of confidence a salesperson needs to get back on track. It may help to focus on these loyal customers for a couple of days instead of concentrating on new accounts.

Closing some repeat business may provide welcome success after struggling out in the field for a few weeks.

Reprioritize tasks
Top salespeople often break down their responsibilities by task to see if there are any opportunities for better time management. Is there a better time or day to cold call? Are there low-impact tasks eating up a salesperson's time?

Reprioritizing gives salespeople a great chance to refocus on areas where they can have the most impact.


Source: Sales consultant/trainer Christine Corelli

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Friday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Click, read & enjoy the weekend:

Automotive

Cadillac Shows Ciel In N.Y.; Will Expand Portfolio

by Karl Greenberg

Cadillac unveiled its new concept car, the Ciel (French for "sky"), in Pebble Beach last week and this week showed the resplendent cabriolet on the rooftop of a Chelsea studio. The car, whose design was inspired by the California Coast, has a long profile that belies that fact that it is actually shorter than the DTS, which will soon go away. ...Read the whole story >>

Retail

Stores Weather A Stormy August

by Sarah Mahoney

Despite Hurricane Irene and plenty of gloomy economic headlines, back-to-school shoppers delivered good results to retailers in August. And some chains, including Costco, BJ's Wholesale Club and Limited Brands, even posted double-digit gains. ...Read the whole story >>

Travel

AAA Predicts: Americans To Drive More, Fly Less

by Tanya Irwin

AAA forecasts that 31.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this Labor Day holiday weekend and more of them are driving than flying. Airfares are on the rise, and for the first time this year, the overall number of holiday air travelers is expected to decline for a major travel holiday. ...Read the whole story >>

Financial Services

Amica Ranks Highest In Customer Satisfaction

by Tanya Irwin

Following Amica Mutual in the rankings are Auto-Owners Insurance and Erie Insurance (in a tie), Cincinnati Insurance, State Farm, and American Family, respectively. USAA, an insurance provider open only to U.S. military personnel and their families and therefore not included in the rankings, also achieves a high level of customer satisfaction. ...Read the whole story >>

Amway Becomes Detroit Red Wings Sponsor

Five Guys Again Voted Favorite QSR

Domestics, Koreans Gain In August

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Bring Home The Bacon

Ok, not really bacon.

But how about using the power of satisfied customers to bring in more?

Check out these ideas from MarketingProfs.com:

What Can Your Referral Program Learn From Roku?

"Plenty of companies have referral programs," writes Kimberly Smith, "but how many can say theirs converts at about three times the rate of other online marketing campaigns and brings in over 500 new product sales each month?" In a case study at MarketingProfs, Smith explains how Roku—which makes devices that stream Internet content to televisions—achieved these results:

Testing incentives. The company experimented with rewards that ranged from cash and gift cards to charitable contributions. But a free month of Netflix became the sole incentive when surveys revealed that 80% of Roku customers were also enthusiastic Netflix subscribers. After this switch in the referral program, registration rates skyrocketed (from 1,000 per month to 8,000), referrals doubled and product sales increased by five-fold.

Simplifying the registration process. They use a simple form that doesn't scare customers off by asking for more information than they actually need.

Offering a variety of sharing options—including email. "Social media may be the hot channel everyone's looking to for customer recommendations," notes Smith, "but Roku found that more than 70% of its program registrants chose email for referring their friends."

Using a reliable system to track referrals. This might seem too obvious to mention, but if you don't know when a referred lead makes a purchase, you can't follow through with the promised reward for the referrer.

The Po!nt: Even if you're happy with your referral program, there might be room for substantial improvement. Over a six-month period, Roku's retooled approach directly generated $230,000 in revenue.

Source: MarketingProfs.

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Opening Doors with Cost Savings

from my 2009 archives:


From Art Sobczak:

This Week's Tip:
How to Cut Their Costs and
Raise Your Sales

Greetings!

An entire special section in the Wall Street
Journal focused on businesses cutting costs.

A USA Today article discussed how
more people are opting for credit cards that
just don't give airline or other travel points,
both those that can cut mortgage payments,
or reduce their monthly interest expenses.

And as you likely have experienced, buyers
everywhere have been instructed to squeeze
their suppliers for the best deal.

Yes, a hot issue today is cutting costs.

And, any biz school student can tell you that
to increase profits, you can increase revenues,
or, you guessed it, cut costs.

Is that something you can affect?

How do you help companies or individuals
control or cut costs? (Which, in turn, increases
profits.)

How are you doing it?

Of course, before you go crazy with the
idea, it's important to understand whether
your market is interested in cutting costs.
If so, capitalize on it.

Here are some specific ways to do so.


During Conversations With People Other
Than Your Decision Maker
As I always preach, get information from
anyone and everyone before speaking with
your decision maker. So, ask questions
of admin assistants, others in your buyer's
department, or anyone for that matter:

"What are the initiatives in your division/
group/department? Cutting costs? Increasing
productivity?"


"Has there been an emphasis on cutting
spending lately?"


Then, if you learn, or know, that cost
cutting and expense control is important,
you can work that into your call strategy.
Here are ways to do so.


In Your Opening Statements
Based on what you know about your prospects
and customers, you could use words and phrases
like these. Think of how you could customize
these to to fit in what you sell and what you
could do for them.

For example, you could say,

"Ms. Prospect we help companies to ..."

...cuts the costs of...

...reduce expenses on...

...trim the fat from...

...lower the payments on...

...lessen the...

...control the costs of...

...reduce interest rates on ...

...eliminate the waste of...

...minimize the number of ...

...prevent increases in ...

...pay less for...

...get discounts on...

...increase the amount of ____ they get,
for the same price they're paying now.

...reduce spending on...

...delay increases in...

...consolidate the bills for...

...take advantage of credits for...

...reduce their debt...

Of course, there are many other ways to
communicate how you can help control costs.
Saving time is another major area. Think of
ways you can include that as well.


Questioning
In your questioning, it's important to help
understand where they're bleeding.

Then, open the wound wider.

"What's that costing you?"

"What other costs are you incurring?"

"How is that affecting overall profits?"

The language of cost is universal. It touches
a nerve. If you can affect it, and it's something
that is important to them, that's a recipe for
your sales success.


Go and Have Your Best Week Ever!

Art

Quote of the Week
"Don't bunt. Aim out of the ballpark."
David Ogilvy

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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Thursday Night Marketing News from Mediapost

Click & Read:

Financial Services

Esurance, AmEx Serve Up U.S. Open Activities

by Tanya Irwin

American Express is a top-tier sponsor. Other sponsors in that category include Chase, JP Morgan, Citizen, IBM, Mercedes-Benz and Olympus. Esurance is a tier-two sponsor and are joined by Heineken, Polo by Ralph Lauren, United Airlines and Xerox. Tier-three sponsors include Adecco, Evian, Gatorade, Grey Goose, Moet & Chandon, Nabisco, The New York Times, Nirmal Lifestyle, Panasonic, ticketexchange, Tiffany & Co., Westin and Wilson. ...Read the whole story >>

Beverages

CSPI, Cities Launch Soda-Curbing Campaign

by Karlene Lukovitz

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, the public health departments of five major cities and 110 local and national health groups are cooperating on a campaign to reduce consumption of soda and other sugary drinks. ...Read the whole story >>

Retail

Bali's 'Live Beautifully Daily' Launches

by Sarah Mahoney

Bali Intimates is kicking off the latest in its efforts to link the department-store bra brand with fundraising efforts for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, with a "Live Beautifully Daily" campaign. ...Read the whole story >>

Automotive

Ford, Zipcar Create A Unique Partnership

by Karl Greenberg

Ford and Cambridge, Mass.-based car sharing network Zipcar, Inc. have inked a two-year deal that's a first for both companies. Ford will be Zipcar's largest university vehicle partner, a partnership that involves Zipcar's programs at more than 250 U.S. campuses. ...Read the whole story >>

Research

The New Grandparent: Younger, Richer, More Giving

by Sarah Mahoney

Today's grandparents aren't the thrifty geezers most marketers think they are, according to the latest research from Metropolitan Life. The majority are working-age Baby Boomers between 45 and 64, and they're spending lavishly on everything from new trikes to college tuition. ...Read the whole story >>

Education

UTexas - Austin Ads Feature 3D Projections

by Karl Greenberg

The campaign promoting the university on the new Longhorn Network and on broadcasts of UT games features footage of a video projection on UT Tower that spotlights famous alumni and uses 3D graphics to make the building look as if it is made of spinning blocks that fit together like puzzle pieces. ...Read the whole story >>

Kellogg Expands Engagement Capabilities

Zale Sales Up; Narrows Loss

Cooper Tire Gets Behind NCAA On ABC

Faberge Eggs Hatching

Office Depot Names NASCAR Finalists

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New Ad Campaigns

from Amy at Mediapost:

The GE air show takes flight. Kia Soul hamsters shuffle on scene. Let's launch!

Talk about an appetite for destruction. Folks with a craving for Bojangles' chicken and biscuits have urges so strong that they're willing to leave friends and acquaintances in life-threatening situations without a second thought. A man with a face full of bees is left powerless once his friend buzzes off to a Bojangles restaurant. See it here. A first-time bull rider is left to fend for himself atop a raging bull. Watch it here. There's also a son left by his father to teeter between a cliff and terra firma; a hiker who unexpectedly leaves his injured friend to fend off wolves; and a magician who leaves his assistant handcuffed inside a full water tank. BooneOakley created the ads, directed by Brian Lee Hughes of SKUNK.

General Mills launched a creepy TV spot promoting its various fruit-flavored snacks. "Cocoon" takes place in a young boy's eerily empty bedroom. He sits on his bed and stares at a large, red cocoon hanging in his closet. A sticky, slippery young boy emerges from the cocoon, causing the boy on the bed to exclaim: "You look delicious." "I feel delicious," responds cocoon boy. The voiceover directs kids to a site where they can enter to win a year's supply of fruit-flavored snacks. "What would you do with yours?" Not build a cocoon, that's for sure. See the ad here, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, New York and directed by Jeff Low of Biscuit Filmworks.

Monday Night Football is almost here, and ESPN reminds fans of their only job on Monday nights: to watch football. A woman calls "Animal Control" when an unknown pest begins emerging from inside her bedroom wall. The animal control guy surveys the situation, hands the woman a large laser gun to shoot the animal with, then rushes home to watch Monday Night Football. See it here. A plumber leaves a homeowner up to his ankles in brown water and a clogged toilet, so he can make it home for MNF. "Most of this liquid will just evaporate and the floorboards can just absorb everything else," the plumber tells a mortified man. Watch it here. Wieden+Kennedy New York created the campaign.

If you're not watching football, playing football, reading about football or worrying about a football game, then you might as well be dead. So says a 60-second ad for EA SPORTS FIFA 12 video game. "Love football, Play football" stars soccer phenom Wayne Rooney and premiered Sunday during the Manchester United and Arsenal game. The ad tells the story of a football fan who truly eats, sleeps and breathes the sport. While describing his loyalty, shots from the latest version of FIFA 12 are shown. My favorite part features the game version of Rooney flicking a flock of birds away prior to kicking the ball toward a tiny goalie. The spot ends with the storyteller being carried off a soccer field on a stretcher. Look for famous faces. See the ad here, created by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam.

Sony launched two TV spots promoting its digital and video cameras. In "Take Control," a man strolls through a city during a power outage and takes watchable HD video, despite little light being available. Watch it here. A man takes scores of video footage throughout India in "Family Vacation." Later that evening at dinner, the man is able to project his footage on a wall by using the camera's built in projector. See it here. 180LA created the ads, directed by Christopher Riggert of Biscuit Filmworks and edited by Arcade Edit.

Every year, GE is a sponsor of the Osh Kosh Air Show. That being said, this year GE wanted to involve Facebook fans in their love for flight, so the company asked FB fans what they wanted to see happen each week, and then MakerBot made it happen. Watch the teaser here. One week GE asked, "What kind of planes do you want to see at our air show," and fans responded with flying saucers, planes that land on water and flying toasters. Once made, GE put the toaster plane to test and had it fly through hoops. See it here. Another week brought the question: "What kind of spaceships do you want to see at our air show," and fan drawings, a replica of the space shuttle and a rocket ship were recreated. Watch it here. Keep watching the FB page for weekly updates. Evolution Bureau created the campaign.

Volkswagen UK is bringing back the Golf Cabriolet after a nine-year hiatus. A supporting TV campaign tugs at viewers' nostalgia strings, taking them back to their childhood days. The spot shows vintage footage of kids playing in bumper cars, pedal carts and go-karts. "Remember how the cars you had most fun in never had a roof," says the ad, as a shot of the new Golf Cabriolet drives by the ocean with the top down. Watch the ad here, created by DDB UK.

The Kia Soul hamsters are back, and they're saving the world from war with their dancing skills. Set in a futuristic video game, "Share Some Soul" begins with alien robots and humanoids shooting one another. A Kia Soul appears from nowhere and the hamsters emerge and break the tension by dancing to "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO. Their moves are contagious, prompting humanoids and robots alike to drop their weapons and dance. Even the dark clouds fade away to let the sunshine in. See the ad here, created by David&Goliath.

Random iPad App of the week: AKQA created The Human Body app for the iPad. Readers can use their finger to swipe away 3D layers of body systems, zoom in to illustrations and actually feel the heart beat and lungs breathe through the iPad. The app covers 12 systems of the body and is illustrated with more than 200 images. Users can also watch four CGI movies of the key processes of the human body. The app is available for $13.99 in the App Store.

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

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Are You Listening?

from Harvey:

Harvey Mackay's Column This Week

Listen if you want to learn

By Harvey Mackay

Few things are more frustrating than having to repeat yourself because the person you are speaking to isn't listening. It wastes time -- and time, as we all know, is money.

Perhaps a little further up the annoyance scale is the exchange -- I hesitate to call it a conversation -- in which both parties are so determined to get their own points across that they have little regard for what the other is saying. When everyone is talking at the same time, or planning their next remarks instead of listening and responding, the result is never positive. It demonstrates a real lack of respect for the speaker and the message.

As I've said so many times before, we have two ears and one mouth, which I interpret as a clue that we should listen twice as much as we talk.

My friend Bob Dilenschneider, CEO of The Dilenschneider Group in New York City, who makes his living helping corporations communicate globally, is very concerned about the "lost art" of listening.

"Sadly, the current state of the nation's political discourse underscores how much has been forgotten, or neglected, about the art of listening," he wrote to me. "We feel the need to cast a light on this topic because of the rising din in public and private discourse -- and the fading prospect the decibel level will ratchet lower.

"Everyone seems to be shouting, declaiming and clamoring; few appear to be listening. The chasm between hearing and truly listening grows ever-wide. What has followed, inevitably, is anger, misunderstanding, frustration and, too often, gridlock and dysfunctional government," he says.

Bob attributes a good part of the problem to the age in which we live: "The problem is pervasive in modern society. Many of us don't listen because we're too busy talking, texting, blogging, and using Twitter and Facebook . . . Because most people have gotten used to talking without listening to their adversaries, and even their allies, this tendency to transmit rather than receive has become the hallmark of the cyber-era."

Is this a dismissal of the importance of social media? Hardly. Face it, we are all so wired in that we can hardly remember when we had to actually talk to each other. We love the freedom, the flexibility and the efficiency.

But when the result is a lost ability to effectively communicate because we can't define the tone of the communication or don't agree with the sender, our listening skills go into lockdown mode. With the competition for an audience so fierce, the messages get louder and louder. Is anyone listening?

I would submit that to get people to listen to you, you must first demonstrate that you are a good listener. Learning -- or relearning -- good listening skills starts with a few basic concepts, which Bob shared with me. With his permission, I will share them with you.

• Avoid passing judgment. I agree with Bob that we are often so eager to make our own point that we stop listening to the others' points of view. I have found that if I listen carefully, there are often many points of agreement. Even more often, I learn something new that enables me to reconsider or reinforce my opinion.
• Be patient. Bob warns against interrupting. Let the other party finish before you jump in. When you violate this rule, you run the risk of making the speaker defensive and inadvertently give permission for others to interrupt you. This to me is getting sickening on TV talk shows.
• Pay attention. How simple is this idea -- and how often is this advice ignored. Bob reminds us that noisy restaurants or street corners are tough places to hold a discussion. I would add the cell phone and other gadgets that are constant attention-grabbers to the list of distractions.
• Ask. If you are confused about what is being said, just ask for clarification. What you thought you heard may not be what the speaker meant. Allow the speaker to explain.
• Listen at different levels. Be aware of body language. Words don't always tell the whole story. Actions often do speak louder than words.

Will improved listening skills solve every problem? Of course not. But you will solve one problem right up front: establishing a level of respect that will set the tone for the rest of the discussion.

Mackay's Moral: If you want to be heard, you must know how to listen.

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