An Office is a Terrible Place From Which to View the World.

by Brad Smith

With over 30 years experience in B2B advertising, I feel pretty comfortable talking with most B2B audiences. And I consider myself a fair and impartial judge of how a certain message will be received and processed by various B2B audiences.

Did I say that, or am I just repeating what clients have told me over the years? Probably.

Which leads me to my story. We developed four conceptual ads for a new client recently, and we felt pretty good about them. All of them. But which ad would resonate best with our target audience?

We felt we knew, but we took the time to do a little investigating. We took the ads out and sat down with the owner of a company in the industry we were trying to persuade. We showed him the ad layouts and reviewed the text. We watched him react to the different ways we communicated the client’s main product benefits.

It wasn’t a sophisticated research survey. The results weren’t even projectable. But we came away confident we now knew which concept would work the hardest.

My point here is that no matter how long you’ve been doing your job, never presume to know how your markets will receive your ad. If you have the time (notice I didn’t say “if you have the budget”), leave the comfortable confines of your workspace and venture out into the real world. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you learn.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/moriza/

Branding, Bald Guys and Bluetooth

by Steve Badertscher

My colleague Brad Smith wrote a blog a little while back (Thursday, May 21 to be exact) describing an ad that made a lasting impression on him. It was about McGraw Hill Magazine's classic "Man in the Chair" ad created in the late 1950s. That particular ad has always been on my Top 10 list, as well.

That memorable "Man in the Chair" ad was brought to life -- literally -- with a live staging event at the June 2009 Conference of the Business Marketing Association (BMA). Be sure to watch the entire video as a little twist was added to demonstrate how the timeless message is still relevant in today's social media savvy world.

It's "Ugly" But I Love It

by Steve Fodor


Two things I love – fishing and great advertising.


This is another example I show people when they ask me, “What’s your idea of great advertising?”


I love this spot for Ugly Stik fishing rods. Truly, Ugly Stik lives up to its claim as “America’s most popular fishing rod.” And the positioning line they’ve stayed true to, “America’s strongest, most sensitive rod” sums up the product’s core advantage.


But what’s great about this spot? They resisted the temptation to focus on product features in a literal sense. All the benefits of durability, dependability and long lasting are implied and you, the viewer, make that connection yourself. The literal benefits are elevated into an entertaining story of how the “typical” fisherman feels about fishing. It’s empathetic, humorous and fun to watch. The folks at Ugly Stik (Shakespeare Fishing Tackle) “hook” you with emotional interest and then “reel you in” with the rational payoff (strength and sensitivity).


It would have been so easy to fall into the trap of explaining how Ugly Stiks are made, their proprietary processes and the like. I can also imagine some very trite and obvious creative executions playing on the “strong yet sensitive” positioning line. And Ugly Stiks do have some distinct product advantages (trust me…I research fishing poles). But this spot is a great example of understanding the customer in more than just demographic terms. This spot demonstrates an understanding of how the typical, recreational fisherman feels and how fishing fits into their life.


It doesn’t matter if you like to fish. And it doesn’t matter if you’re selling consumer products or industrial goods and services in the business-to-business world. No matter what, the principle of understanding your target audience as human beings first is the foundation of creating effective communications in any medium. I commend the good folks who have made the Ugly Stik brand such a strong one. Enjoy the 30-second clip.

Honesty is the Best Policy

by Steve Fodor

I was in a meeting with a new client yesterday and I had what I would call a very refreshing experience.

You never know how things are going to go with a new client. It’s sort of like being on a first date and you don’t really know the other person yet. You think to yourself, “If I say this, will I offend them? Or will they think I’m too forward?”

Well, this particular client asked me what I thought about some of their current marketing materials (Yikes…now I was on the spot. And my boss was with me, too.) Well, I gave them a very honest, respectful and professional opinion. Their materials were written in a very literal, “one-dimensional” way. They did a good job of explaining the “what,” but did not translate information into a customer benefit. They used a lot of common, over-used terms like “value” and “quality.” In other words, there was room for improvement to give this brand some personality and make it connect with customers in more meaningful ways.

I spoke my mind. I was respectful, yet honest. And I qualified everything I said with past experience and examples.

After my pontification, our new client said, with a smile on his face, “Thank you for being honest. We need someone to keep us in check.”

New clients are hard to come by, especially in today’s economy. And if you’re in the agency business, the last thing you want to do is say or do something that will sour a relationship. But honesty, respect and trust are the foundation of any good business relationship. Clients will respect you a whole lot more when you lead by example and share your knowledge in a way that is not condescending. And the more I think about it, that’s true for just about anything in life.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sivaprakash/

'Holy Schnike' -- It's Brand Equity

by Steve Fodor

It’s a long story, but I have the movie “Tommy Boy” running through my mind. Especially the line from the movie when Tommy (Chris Farley) says to a customer, “You can get a good look at a T-bone steak by sticking your head up a bull’s (rear end), but wouldn’t you rather take a butcher’s word for it?”

I’m thinking about this line from “Tommy Boy” because I’ve had yet another person comment that they can develop marketing communications as well as a proven and recognized agency (“proven” and “recognized” are the key words there). And you know what, in some cases that may be true.

I once heard that “brand equity is no different than home equity.” Brand image is the most valuable asset a company has. And, just like a home – many people’s most valuable asset – you can only go so far with “Do-It-Yourself” know-how. Sometimes you need to hire an expert. Someone with a proven track record. Someone who knows how to get it right the first time. Someone you can trust because they’ve done many other successful home improvement jobs. Because it’s more expensive to redo a job done wrong.

I see both good and bad marketing communications done in-house by companies. And I also see both good and bad creative work from a lot of agencies, too. The point is, your brand needs to be updated, maintained and presented in its most positive light. And, from my point of view, real creativity means knowing how to develop a strong message – on a budget.

You only have one chance to make a first impression. Making a good first impression and “saving a few pennies.” That reminds me of another great scene from “Tommy Boy.” Enjoy the video clip!


Tommy Boy sales training

Video Credit: video.google.com

Live For Today?

by Steve Fodor

I heard an interview on National Public Radio recently (yes, I’m a late night, talk radio junkie). Philip Delves-Broughton, an English journalist who attended Harvard Business School, was interviewed about his recent book, “What They Teach You at Harvard Business School.”

There were many interesting points discussed during the 20-minute interview. However, the most interesting point I took away was how the curriculum at Harvard, from the author’s point of view, focuses on business strategies for achieving short-term, immediate gains versus long-term, sustained performance.

Interesting, in light of where the economy is today, and why it’s that way.

It got me thinking about the value of a brand. A brand’s value is not just measured in short-term awareness and sales. It’s measured in real dollars over time. In sales that last decades, not months. In why people will pay more for your brand versus a seemingly similar product at a lower price.

I once heard a “brand” defined as, “the process of creating a constellation of values for forging a strong bond with customers to create loyalty.” Wow. To me, that sounds like investing time and energy to understand why people purchase something for reasons that go beyond price. It’s hard to resist the urge to “live for today” and focus on short-term sales and promotions. Especially in today’s economy. But, in the long run, successful brands always command higher margins. And, in return, strong brands are rewarded with greater customer loyalty, ultimately lowering the cost-per-sale and delivering a greater return on investment over time.

I wonder if they teach that at Harvard?

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/

B2B versus B2C?

by Steve Fodor

Having worked in both worlds, I get asked this question a lot: What’s different about business-to-business marketing communications versus business-to-consumer?

Well, “nothing and everything” is usually my reply.

By “everything is different,” I mean that B2B usually means shaping your selling proposition into a business case. What kind of cost savings? What kind of productivity is achieved? B2B also requires a more in-depth understanding of selling scenarios. Selling through channel members or distributors and the need for push strategies, pull strategies…or usually a combination of both. And creating B2B marketing communications, I’ve found, requires a greater understanding of a product’s technical aspects.

Business-to-consumer marketing communications are generally more life-style appeal. Personal gratification is often at the root of a B2C selling proposition. How will this product make you feel? Will this make you the “hero” to your friends and family?

What’s the same about B2B and B2C marketing communications? To be effective and memorable, both recognize that you’re speaking first to people. Industrial buyers do not stop being people with emotions between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. They still must be drawn in by an emotional appeal, and then presented a rational case for considering your product or service. The same is true when talking to private consumers.

Whether you’re marketing to housewives, product engineers, home improvement DIY folks, or chief financial officers, you need to understand how your product impacts their lives – be they private lives or professional lives. If you don’t understand how to connect with the emotional drivers, your brand will be “replaceable” when price is equal.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/glasgows/

Seeking Perfection

by Steve Badertscher

I received an e-mail from my son’s teacher the other day informing me that one of his projects was late and still needed to be turned in before the end of the grading period or there would be grave consequences. (Not grave as in the cemetery variety, although judging by his mother’s reaction to this news that was a distinct possibility.)

When I inquired as to why the project in question had landed him in this predicament, he assured me that he had completed it…he just hadn’t turned it in yet.

At the risk of sounding somewhat dad-like, the next words out of my mouth were “And why not?”

Because, he explained, he just didn’t feel it was perfect yet.

On a dad-like roll, I pulled out the old “No one is perfect…that’s why pencils have erasers” quote. Unfortunately the old quote didn’t have quite the impact I had intended as he reminded me that we were discussing a multimedia project, which is created using a mouse and a keyboard, not a pencil. (Okay, that’s why laptops have a delete key, then!)

Nevertheless, I was able to get through to him that turning in an almost perfect project and receiving a B+ was a much better alternative to turning in nothing and being given a big, fat zero. He finally saw the wisdom in that and turned the project in the very next day (and I didn’t even have to mention the mom factor in the equation). I’m also happy to report he was rewarded with an A for his efforts.

Do you find yourself facing a similar situation where seeking perfection sometimes freezes you into doing nothing? I know I do.

But maybe we just need to remind ourselves every now and then that there are some jobs in life where perfection matters, like brain surgery, bomb detonating and parachute folding...

And there are other jobs where good enough is enough, like yard mowing, grocery bagging – and blog writing.

As an agency, we always like to strive for perfection, but what we do is part craft and part science, so mistakes are going to happen. Fortunately, when we do make a mistake in advertising, nobody dies in our arms.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomsaint/

The Value of Information

by Steve Fodor

My colleague, Brad Smith, recently posted some interesting information on banner ad click-thru rates we’ve tracked for a client. Two online versions of publications were used: one a traditional, editorially focused publication, the other a tabloid “shopper” publication with minimal editorial.

Interestingly, the editorially focused online publication outperformed the “shopper” publication by as much as 15 to one on banner ad click-thrus to the client’s Web site.

I’m not going to conclude that the “shopper” publication has no value. But, rather, the value of the editorial publication is the information it provides. Information is what engages people. How do I do my job better? How can I learn more? Don’t just tell me about product features. Tell me how it fits into my life or how to do my job better.

Information – or, I should say, valuable information – is becoming more of a commodity. I read recently that Facebook usage has increased from 1.7 billion minutes to 13 billion minutes over the last year. That’s a 665 percent increase. Twitter usage has increased 3,712 percent over the last year. Nielsen Online reports time spent on social networking and blogging sites has grown at three times the rate of overall Internet growth. And these aren’t all just kids with nothing better to do. The growth from the 35 to 64 age group is double that of under 18.

With so much information out there, so many distractions and so many new media usage trends, content truly is king in today’s information-intensive world. Think about what you’re saying to customers, be it in-person, on your Web site or in your advertising. Are you increasing your perceived brand value by providing information that’s of value…or are you just adding to the clutter?

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wetwebwork/

What Kind of Trade Publication Works Best for Banner Ads?

by Brad Smith

We’ve been tracking the response rates for a client’s banner ads – electronic ads – placed on trade publication Web sites and e-newsletters. Simply put, we’re keeping track of the number of times readers “click-thru” to the client’s Web site directly from these ads.

Curiously, we have two publications in the same space that have delivered dramatically different results. One is what I call a “shopper” – a tabloid-size product-oriented magazine with minimal editorial – mostly ads and news releases. The other is the more traditional trade publication, with in-depth articles covering a broad variety of industry topics. Guess which pub has pulled the most click-thrus?

The traditional magazine’s Web site is outperforming the shopper 3:1. Their e-newsletter is out performing the shopper Web site 15:1.

Why? Good question. Both are viable, valuable assets to the media mix. However, I think the readers, who a good percentage of the time are the same people, approach these two types of trade publications with very different expectations.

The shopper is approached with an “I can find out about new products to make my job easier” mentality. That’s a quick read. Readers approach the more traditional publication with an “I can find out how to use new products and learn new ideas about my profession.” That’s a more in-depth read.

I conclude that the perceived image of the magazine is naturally extended to the electronic versions from the same source. When you’re online you are looking for information – for content – and the more in-depth, the better.

That’s my thinking as to why electronic banner advertising through the traditional magazine’s newsletter outperformed the product-oriented tabloid’s Web site. Does this conclusion stand up in your opinion?

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sepblog/

The Media is NOT the Message

by Steve Fodor

In reviewing a recent issue of Business-To-Business magazine, I was struck by the fact that just about every feature article covered how various marketers are utilizing social media in their marketing mix.

Wow, just think how much things have changed in just the last two or three years! There are so many new media venues for creating a dialogue about your brand with customers and prospects. What’s even more exciting is that these new marketing venues are still evolving.

But, then I was struck by one other article in this same issue. The title of the article, sandwiched between all the other articles explaining new uses of social media, was: “Emotional marketing triggers right response.” It was refreshing (to me, anyway) to read about how critical message tone is in marketing communications. Brands, after all, are like people. You like people because of how they act. How they treat you. Their personalities. Their shared empathy with you. And people associate themselves with brands the same way they associate with people they like and respect.

Tone in marketing communications is what expresses your brand’s personality. And though all the new and emerging social media venues can and do create more personal dialogues and relationships with customers, you must always manage the tone of your marketing communications.

All the new media options today present tremendous opportunities to reach out to more people, create new relationships and expand the reach and exposure for your brand. But regardless of how many new media options there are, or how cost-efficient they are, the media is not the message in creating brand loyalty. If your brand message lacks the right attitude or tone, more media just makes more noise.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nate/

Advertising or Public Relations?

by Steve Fodor

I’ve had the good fortune to work on both sides of the street in this debate. There always seems to be two kinds of people: Advertising and Public Relations people. PR people think advertising is a waste of money. Advertising people think PR is a substitute for not having enough advertising dollars. I even once heard someone say, “The difference between advertising and PR is that you pay for advertising and you pray for PR.”

Well, there’s some truth in that statement. With advertising, you have complete control over where and how many times your message is seen. You also have control over exactly what your message is. I don’t buy the argument that “advertising is not credible.” If you feel this way about advertising, I would suggest that you have a brand problem; not an advertising problem.

Public relations, on the other hand, does carry implied credibility because it’s the word of the media; not a paid advertiser. Public relations can change perceptions. PR can launch new products that may seem “unbelievable” if launched with advertising alone. PR can motivate public concern and participation in a cause. And, perhaps its most valuable role, PR can “manage” the public perception of your company’s brand.

There’s no “one” answer to the question of advertising or PR as a marketing strategy, though I get asked the question of “which strategy should we use” quite a lot. It’s even worse to think or say that, “we have a small budget, so we can only do PR.” Having worked on both sides of the street, I can say with experience it’s ideal to use both in your marketing mix to support a clearly defined and meaningful brand message.

There’s no one, simple answer to defining your marketing mix. But, a carpenter always has more than one tool in their tool box. A good carpenter knows which tool to use and when.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lamees-y/

Moving at the Speed of Life

by Steve Badertscher

If you're like me, everything seems to be moving at warp speed during this time of year. Softball games here, baseball games there, helping the kids cram for final exams, and an endless list of graduation parties and weddings to attend, not to mention balancing all of that with the flurry of activity at work. (Which reminds me, there's also a few blog posts waiting to be written.) It brings to mind one of my mom's favorite little sayings: "The hurrier I go, the behinder I get."


Well, I took a few minutes between all of those activities to watch this video I ran across on YouTube recently. I don't know if it helped me relax any from the current hectic pace, but it sure made me reflect on some of the reasons I feel like someone's constantly pressing the hyperspace button on the game of life. It contains some truly staggering facts and statistics that I'm sure you'll find fascinating. Enjoy!




Credit: Opening video at Radio Ink Convergence conference.

I Don't Believe Focus Groups

by Steve Fodor

I don’t believe them. And I don’t believe in them.

Quite a bold and definitive statement coming from a person that makes his living helping companies figure out their most effective marketing communications messages.

Actually, focus groups do have their place in the world of research. But not for defining marketing messages. Here’s why I say that.

Focus groups, by their nature, force rational responses. They typically last about an hour. And the respondents are asked a series of questions. Each respondent gets to comment. And around the room the moderator goes, asking each respondent to explain why they feel that way about a topic. The respondents are being asked to rationalize why they think or feel a certain way.

Though valuable for gaining perceptions into opinions, that’s not the way people respond to a marketing message.

Human beings are motivated by emotions first, then by rational thought. Biologically, it’s how the brain processes information. Scientific research has proven that emotion stimulates the mind 3,000 times faster than rational thought.

Yet, what do most marketing communications vehicles (in any medium) seem to focus on? Rational benefits. Price. Product features. The old “hammer” approach of pounding a longer list of benefits into people’s heads.

I’m not suggesting that marketing communications should be void of product features and price. But ask yourself this question: If your brand, or product, ceased to exist today, how would it affect your customers’ lives? What would they be missing in their daily lives or jobs if you were gone today? When you can answer that, you’re on the path to discovering the true emotional benefit your brand or product provides. And, ultimately, a much stronger position in customers’ minds.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/striatic/

"We Have To Get Three Quotes"

by Steve Fodor

I’ve worked on a lot of request for proposals (RFP’s) for marketing communications in my career. Our firm just completed one recently that was “typical” in the sense that they were going to “get three price quotes.”

Why is it that “three quotes” seems to be a magic number? And why approach it from a price standpoint in the first place? It seems to me that you would determine what marketing funds you have available, and then ask a qualified marketing firm…”If you were in our situation with these available marketing funds, what would you do?” That puts the emphasis on creativity, business thinking, marketing strategy and understanding how to “do more with less.” Aren’t those really more valuable for successful marketing than price alone?

Maybe it’s the general economic climate today. Even though the recession of 2008/2009 has been the worst economic downturn since 1929, brands still need to be maintained. Customer relationships need to be developed. And sales lead generation programs still need to be implemented. And even though marketing budgets have been reduced, that doesn’t mean you have to find the “least expensive quote” to work on your marketing program. You need to find the most qualified resource that knows how to make every available marketing dollar work harder…and smarter.

In the long-run, isn’t that the most cost-efficient approach?

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinkmoose/

Are the Rules of Advertising Made to be Broken?

by Brad Smith

As students of our own craft, most of us associated with the advertising industry can tell you about an ad that made a lasting impression on them. As a Certified Business Communicatior, one of my favorites is an old B-2-B McGraw-Hill Magazines ad from, I guess, the late 1950s. Which means it was made before I went to school.

It shows a picture of a grumpy old purchasing agent who says:

“I don’t know who you are.
I don’t know your company.
I don’t know your company’s products.
I don’t know what your company stands for.
I don’t know your company’s customers.
I don’t know your company’s record.
I don’t know your company’s reputation.

Now – what was it you wanted to sell me?”


MORAL: Sales start before your salesman calls – with business publication
advertising.

That’s it. The visual works with the body copy. The message couldn’t be clearer.

So what’s missing?

No headline. Everyone knows you can’t have an ad without a headline, right!

Oh yea. And the logo is in the TOP left corner, too. Can you imagine?

So just follow the number one advertising rule, and you won’t break any rules of advertising: create advertising that works.

Less Is More

by Steve Fodor

This almost always happens when reviewing initial advertising concepts. Several concepts get reviewed. There’s always one that generates an immediate reaction from the client and the account manager. You can see it on their faces and they say, “Yea…that’s the one.”

Great! They reacted to an ad they way the audience would. “Got it in the first few seconds and I had a positive reaction.” Typically, that’s about all the time the reader is going to give you to make an impression with an ad.

Then, a few days go by and the temptation to ask, “What if the ad said this, too? And what if…?” and so on. All of a sudden, the copy gets much, much longer. The headline even changes to become more literal. Now, an ad concept that evoked an immediate emotional response starts to read like a full-line product brochure.

An ad is one element in the marketing communications mix. An ad positions the appeal of your brand. It delivers that emotional impact and lets the reader make the connection themselves – without pounding a long list of features and benefits into their heads. That’s what Web sites, brochures and salespeople are for.

Less copy is often more when you want the reader to make that connection themselves in their own minds.

I read a story recently about Ernest Hemingway, my favorite author. While sitting in a bar, Hemingway was challenged by another bar patron to write a complete story in six words or less. After finishing his drink, Hemingway wrote: For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn. In six words, Hemingway told a story covering an entire life and evoked interest. Bar patrons began to beg Hemingway for more of the story. They were drawn in and wanted to know more. “Buy it when it’s published,” Hemingway said.

An ad should be so simple, yet effective at generating interest and emotions.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hooverine/

Combining Old and New Technology with Great Results

by Brad Smith

I’ve been around this business long enough to remember typesetting, typewriters, keylines, stat machines and the smell of magic markers. But what I miss the most are the old-fashioned artistic skills of the art director who used a pencil or markers to sketch out an idea and turn it into a piece of art we called a layout.

Today’s layouts are done on computer, and they look so close to the finished product that sometimes we (and our clients) forget they’re concepts. They aren’t “comps,” they’re “comp-letes.”

Have clients driven this expectation, or do we not give clients enough credit to think they can use their imagination? Frankly, I’m not sure.

But I do know we recently had a great experience combining the old technology of “pencil rough layouts” with the new technology of “GoToMeeting.”

In a sign of the current economy, we had a firm, tight ad development budget. So, as usual, we noodled through some ideas and developed copy for a few ad concepts. But instead of multiple computer comp layouts, we created pencil rough layouts. Then instead of driving to the client’s office, we presented these concepts to their marketing staff via the Internet.

The results? Travel time was eliminated. Creative and account service time was reduced. The client was involved earlier in the concept stage. Pros and cons were exchanged. Everybody was excited and enthusiastic. And a firm direction was agreed upon and then executed. Budget objectives were achieved.

The new good old ways. Maybe we’re on to something here.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mangpages/

What Are My Salespeople Saying Out In The Field?

by Steve Fodor

If you’re a sales manager with a remote sales force or selling through independent reps, you’ve probably asked yourself this question.

Think about it. You invest money (a lot, sometimes) in creating a consistent brand message. Yet, the salespeople in the field are often where the sale lives or dies. If what salespeople do and say is inconsistent with the message and image you’re trying to portray in other marketing communications, you’re defeating your own purpose.

It’s impossible to have complete control over what a sales force says while out in the field. And, as a sales manager, you don’t necessarily want to control their every word, unless micromanagement is your sole source of entertainment.

But here are two simple, “no-brainer” and low-cost ways to help get some consistency of message that you can use today.

First, give salespeople e-mail “templates.” Create e-mail templates for use in obtaining an appointment, for thanking a prospect for a first visit, for presenting a quote, and whatever scenarios you need. Create these templates as YOU would like your sales force to present your brand image.

Second, create “questions to ask” worksheets or selling guides for salespeople to use. It’s difficult to evolve to a solutions-based selling approach if salespeople only know how to ask, “Do you want to buy anything today?” What information do they need to obtain in the first sales call to make a value-based sale possible?

These two, simple things won’t fix all the issues associated with managing a remote sales force. But, they will begin to give salespeople some tools to make their sales efforts more consistent with your marketing efforts.

I’ve worked with many business-to-business clients who have remote sales forces. Simple selling tools like these seem so “obvious.” Yet I’m amazed how frequently the obvious things get overlooked.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/petesimon/

The Twouble With Twitter

by Steve Badertscher

First off, let me say that I agree with everything in Steve Fodor's blog post yesterday, especially the title (I kid, I kid). Actually I do concur with his views about Twitter as a B2B marketing tool, especially the fact that the verdict is still out. Truth be told, the "real" reason I have a little smirk on my face every time he mentions Twitter is because images from this YouTube video start running through my head. Oh, that and the fact that his cat has over 200 followers.

My Boss Thinks I'm a Twit

by Steve Fodor

Whenever I mention Twitter as a marketing venue, my boss does a little smirk and I sense apprehension on his part.

I really can’t disagree with that sense of apprehension because I share it myself. Over the brief course of the last six months or so, here’s a small sampling of what I’ve read and heard regarding Twitter as a marketing tool:

“Twitter has jumped from early adopter oddity to mainstream sensation.”

“Twitter is fast becoming a go-to tactic for business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketers.”

“As of February 2009, there are over 7 million users on Twitter, an increase of over 1,300% from a year before.”

“Over 60% of new Twitter users will drop out and cease participation in 30 days.”

What’s the verdict? I’ll give you a very definite “maybe” at this point. It’s still being defined. Some use it as a research tool. I’ve heard of some “Tweeting” at trade shows, saying “what’s going on in our booth.” Some companies let customer service representatives interact with customers via Twitter, creating new avenues for relationship building. It’s “speculative” at best to measure viewership with Twitter. And it does not tie in with search engine optimization programs as do blogging and keyword search strategies.

I’m not dismissing Twitter (hey, my cat has over 200 followers). How we use all new social media is evolving. How we define these new mediums as marketing tools is limited only to our creativity. The possibilities are endless and, I’m sure, will become even more defined and measureable over time. So keep your eyes, ears and Twitter accounts open and see what evolves over the next six months.
Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scobleizer/

Judging Marketing Creative -- The Power of the First Impression

by Brad Smith

One of the hardest things an account manager is asked to do is the same thing we turn right around and ask our clients to do – judge the agency’s creative efforts.

Take an ad, for example. At this agency the presentation of an ad is preceded with a review of the situation, the audience and the objective(s) of the ad. Given today’s market characteristics, who is the audience we want to communicate with, and what do we want them to do after reading our ad?

So we create an ad from the perspective of the audience, and then we ask our clients to put themselves in the audiences’ shoes and evaluate/judge the power of the concept and its ability to do the job we’ve all agreed upon.

And then there’s the presentation, and that magic moment of the first impression. The client sees the concept – the headline and the visual (the text is read later). Will it grab my prospect’s attention and interest? Will they get it? Is this the way my company should be portrayed?

This is an emotional judgment. Combined with an intellectual business decision. When you’re judging the creative, never forget that first impression…because it’s the first impression your prospects will likely have, too.

The tendency is to start to over analyze. To try and improve. To start the “what if we changed this” thinking.

Don’t do it. Trust your emotional instincts. Remember the power of your first impression.

It took a brave client to approve “Just Do It” as a positioning statement. Or “Got Milk?” as a campaign theme, using famous people with a white moustache as a visual. Or “Lemon” as a headline for a car manufacturer’s ad.

So how do you judge an agency’s creative concepts? How brave should you be – or have you been? Let me know what you think, and share an experience or two.


Nike "Swoosh" symbol and "Just Do It" slogan are trademarks of Nike Corporation

Stand For Something

by Steve Fodor

A colleague of mine likes to say, “If you needed to have brain surgery done, you wouldn’t go to a general practice doctor.”

The same is true when it comes to positioning your business and how you go to market. If you don’t stand for something specific and own it, or, if you try to be too broad in your positioning, you end up standing for nothing in the minds of prospects and customers.

Positioning is the discipline of making trade-offs. And I say “discipline” because it is hard to focus your marketing message and positioning. But, as Bill Cosby once said, “The surest way to fail is to try to be all things to all people.”

Defining what you do best (or the two or three things you do best and can own) requires you to take a hard look at yourself and have insight into what the unmet needs are in your category. What makes you unique? Will this motivate customers? Will this render the competition helpless? Not only is this a critical business strategy, but think about how people find information today. In many cases, their first avenue is to enter some words into Google. If you’re not presenting your information in a specific, well-defined and positioned way, you’re probably not going to be high on the search page.

Today’s consumers and buyers have way, way more choices than they did just a decade ago. If you don’t stand for something specific, own a relevant position and stand out in a unique way, you’re just another commodity. And if you’re a commodity, you’ll always be forced to compete on price. That’s not the most enjoyable position to own.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mistressf/

Do You Really Need A New Brochure?

by Steve Fodor

I read something interesting in Business-To-Business magazine recently. Over 70% of industrial buyers view white papers as the most credible source of information for their purchasing decisions. Even more, they prefer information they can download from a Web site.

At first I was surprised by this statistic. I’ve always viewed the “stand-by” full-line product brochure as a necessity for anyone selling in the B2B, industrial world. But, with a new generation of decision makers entering the work force, I guess this isn’t such a surprise.

People (be them consumers or industrial buyers) want information on their terms. In a world of commodity products, decisions are often made based on “who makes it the most convenient for me to purchase” and “who gives me a feeling of more control over my purchasing situation.”

Selling tools for today’s new generation of decision makers must be created to meet their information needs, not the seller’s. Think about all the new alternatives to the standard, printed brochure. There are DVDs, social media venues, opt-in e-mail and others that present information in a more dynamic and convenient format than a printed brochure. Not to mention that some of these options are more flexible and less costly than a printed piece.

Ultimately, it comes down to understanding the information needs of your customer. How do they use information? What is their decision-making process? Where do they go for information? What do they consider the most credible sources for information?

Understand what customers want and how they want to be communicated with. Gee, what a novel marketing concept.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gavinandrewstewart/

Working With An Ad Agency And The "Seven-Year Itch"

by Steve Fodor

I’ve always heard that an agency/client relationship is a lot like a marriage. And most marriages that fail do so, on average, in about seven years. It goes something like this.

1. Year one – the honeymoon phase.

2. Year two – you start to notice little “quirks” about each other, but it’s no big deal.

3. Year three – you begin to take each other for granted.

4. Year four – you start to ignore each other.

5. Year five – tensions grow and you begin to argue…a lot.

6. Year six – you start to realize you made a bad decision.

7. Year seven – you get the “itch” to find another partner.

When do most marriages and agency/client relationships go bad? Year three.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/50841708@N00/

The Value of a Big Idea

by Steve Fodor

People often ask me, “What’s your favorite ad of all time?” Well, I have several, but one in particular stands out.

I love this ad (at right) for Volkswagen done by Arnold Communications and DDB Worldwide in 1979. Why? It’s simple and extendable. It makes the point by letting the reader reach the conclusion themselves, not by pounding a list of benefits into the reader’s head. Even the look of the ad says “simple” and “out of the ordinary” – Volkswagen brand attributes from my point of view. And the ad is timely, and timeless. It was developed during the oil embargo in the late 1970s. But it’s just as relevant today. What more could you ask for from an ad?

Whenever I show this ad as my favorite, people look at me and say, “Give me a black marker and a piece of paper and I could do that ad in about 30 seconds. Probably could draw the picture better, too.”

The value of a big idea and creativity is priceless. It’s much more than pretty pictures and execution alone.

Spring Has Sprung (And So Should You)

by Steve Badertscher

While enjoying a cup of coffee on my patio yesterday, I really was in awe of the beauty that can be seen in all of God’s creation. It was evident in every direction I turned.

Living on a wooded lot, the first thing I noticed was that the trees are filling in and budding. My rapidly growing grass is currently a thick, lush green. Even the dandelions seem to have some redeeming qualities these days. It also seemed as if the animals have a little more pep in their step as the squirrels scurry from branch to branch and the birds serenade them with warbling reminiscent of a Disney movie soundtrack.

Beyond just recounting what a beautiful evening it was, it also reinforced that now is the perfect time to capture outdoor marketing communications visuals.

Our agency will be shooting footage over the next couple of weeks for a video we are creating to promote Marion, Ohio. This is the prime time of the year in the Midwest for capturing nature at its best. There will be a window between now and mid-June when the grass will be lush green, the skies will be crystal blue (when it’s not raining!) and most every flowering plant will be colorful and in bloom.

So if you have old photos of your facilities that need to be updated due to an expansion, now would be the time to schedule shooting new images, whether you need video or stills. Or if the most current annual report photo of your plant has a parking lot full of cars produced pre-1970, now might be a good time to remedy that for the future.

Also, if you need to update outdoor video footage for your training or product videos, shooting now while the grass isn’t brown, the trees aren’t bare or the snow isn’t flying (been there, done that) leaves a much better impression of your company.

Spring has officially sprung, and you should too. Schedule that outdoor video or photo shoot today. This current window of great scenery is something you should take full advantage of.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/booleansplit/

A (New) Case For Direct Mail

by Steve Fodor

Unless you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, you’ve experienced the explosion of e-mail and mobile marketing. It’s revolutionized marketers’ abilities to cost-efficiently communicate with more customers, create conversations and engage with a brand’s target audience.

But, to quote an old cliché, “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you see every problem as a nail.”

I still love direct mail for what it can do…and for what e-mail and mobile marketing cannot do (yet, anyway.)

Here are a few (and certainly by no means all) considerations for making direct mail part of your marketing mix:

· Recipients can take more time. How aggravating is it to open an e-mail and see that it’s a l-o-n-g one? If you have a technical or highly involved sale, direct mail can deliver a “complex” story in a more passive environment than an e-mail in-box. Adding a personalized letter with related elements (brochure, white paper, DVD, etc.) can increase readership as much as 45%.

· Credibility. Spam has made even so-called “junk” mail from the post office more credible. Privacy issues and fear of opening or responding are less prevalent with direct mail. Credibility is vital if you’re marketing a high-end/high-ticket product.

· Human beings are tactile creatures. Direct mail allows you to touch, feel and interact with the medium. Paper stocks and certain type fonts can create a “feeling,” or ambience, for your brand. Adding a dimensional feature to direct mail can elevate its perceived importance. You’re curious to see if there’s something “good” in there. This can be especially relevant if your selling proposition is based on emotional appeal. And the more senses we humans use to process information, the more likely we are to remember that information.

I could go on and on about the pros and cons of direct mail vs. e-mail. The point is, think about what you’re selling, the brand impression you need to make and what you require from a medium to deliver your message in a creative and memorable way. Let that drive your media selection. Not just cost per exposure.

Send me an e-mail if you agree.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/powerbooktrance/

What It Means To Be A "Big" Advertising Agency Brand

by Steve Fodor.

I’ve worked in the advertising business for over 20 years now. During that time, I’ve worked for big agencies in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. I’ve worked for agencies that handled major consumer brands and positioned themselves as “one-stop shops” and that have won countless creative awards.

I used to think that “bigger was always better” and you had to be in a big city to be “big-time” in advertising and marketing.

But I see the world differently today. I’ve come to realize that what you stand for is far more important than how big you are or how many accolades hang on your wall.
Twenty years ago, I never thought that I would end up working for an ad agency in, of all places, Marion, Ohio. Marion is a Midwestern manufacturing town. We’re going through some “rust belt” changes. It’s not a big city by any means. The people are nice and have humble values. And I work for a smaller agency now that does one thing: Business-to-business, industrial marketing. We’ve even been recognized six times as a “Top U.S. agency” by Business-To-Business magazine.

I guess in today’s world, it really doesn’t matter how big you are or where you’re located. It matters more that you know what you’re good at and that you make it your mission to work hard and do the best you can. It matters that you have fun at what you do, that you like the people you work with and that you share common values.

Dare I say it: Size doesn’t really matter (sorry, Viagra). What matters is that people respect you because you respect them and that you go to work every day with the intent of doing your best at what you’re good at. That’s your brand, after all.

It took me twenty years to realize that.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/a2gemma/

Spending Limits Are Like Speed Limits

by Steve Badertscher

When asking your agency to develop the most cost-effective marketing communications campaign, the most critical word in that request is cost. As we like to say around here, “We are very good at what we do, but we’re not very good at guessing.” Let me explain.

When we are asked to develop a media plan for a new marketing communications program for example, one of the most important things to establish is a realistic budget. When given a budget figure at the outset, our account manager, creative director and media planner use it as a parameter when brainstorming creative media strategies, from which they subsequently develop a formal proposal that works within that agreed upon amount to present to the client. We don’t like surprises and neither do our clients.

We approach media planning, much like the other disciplines of our business, with a “get the most bang for your buck” perspective. In other words, we spend our client’s money the way we’d spend our own…very frugally. What we all want to avoid is spending several days developing what is thought to be a very effective plan utilizing every dollar to its fullest, only to find out when presenting it to the client that they only have a fraction of the proposed budget amount to work with.

With that being said, we think the best way to approach establishing (and communicating) budget limits with your agency is to think of them as “spending limits.” And spending limits are similar to speed limits.

For example, if you want someone to travel 25 miles per hour in your neighborhood, don’t post a speed limit sign that reads 35 mph with the hope that drivers realize children live in the area and will travel 25 mph. And consequently, drivers (read: agencies) shouldn’t ignore a speed limit stating 25 mph because they would much rather be driving 35 mph to get where they’re going faster. Another thing we like to say around here is, “Say what you mean and mean what you say.”

Post the limits. Obey the limits!

It really is that simple with communicating budgets, too.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/

Position is Important in Poker -- How about B2B E-Advertising? (Part 3)

by Brad Smith

There’s an important factor to consider before placing a B2B electronic banner ad – the same factor you should consider before placing a bet in a poker game. Position.

In poker, position is king. If you’re the last to act -- the last person to make the decision to fold, call or raise -- you’re in the strongest position. By the betting choices your opponents make, every other player at the table has to communicate to you something about the value of their hand before the action gets to you. I like to play from the best position.

When placing a B2B electronic banner ad, you also have to consider position. Is your ad at the top of the electronic newsletter, in the middle or the bottom? Are you on the B2B trade publication’s Web site homepage, or on an interior “subject” page (example – the “trailer” page of a “trucking” Web site)?

Is the top the best performing position? How about a top vertical leaderboard on the side? Remember, with B2B e-advertising you can measure performance in the number of times a prospect clicked on your banner ad.

Do the positions at the top of the screen get the most attention and readership? Apparently not – in the recent campaign we’ve been tracking for one of our clients, the highest responses, in two separate markets, have been from trade publication e-newsletters – and our ad has been at the bottom or middle positions. In both cases, these ads have been positioned below the electronic “fold” so to speak. If your results have been similar or different, I’d like to hear from you.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wrote/

Do B2B Banner Ad Results Mirror the Value of the Trade Publication Host? (Part 2)

by Brad Smith

As I covered in my last blog, we recently ran some electronic banner ads for a client, not to only sell more product, but also to learn more about the effectiveness of this relatively new B2B media option. We tracked the Web site hits that came from each banner ad we ran.

And in the back of my mind, I was thinking the tracking results could shed some light on the perceived reader value of the publications involved. After all, the “content” used on a B2B magazine’s Web site or e-newsletter often comes from the magazine itself, and is often put together by the same journalists.

Here’s an example of the results in one market segment served by three magazines. The numbers evaluation – circulation to key audiences and ad rates – is fairly close on these books. The more subjective comparison is the value of the editorial to our key audiences. (And since the content is the reason our client's prospects read the magazine in the first place, you could argue this is the key criteria. And a better way to gauge media value than artificial and often nebulous ad space rates.)

Publication 1 e-newsletter – 80 hits
Publication 2 Web site – 30 hits
Publication 3 Web site and e-newsletter – 0 hits

Guess who isn’t going to be on the media schedule next year? Think this is a fair evaluation method of a trade magazine’s perceived editorial value?

Key Words: Evaluation method of a trade magazine’s perceived editorial value. Tracking website hits from banner ads, Do B2B Banner Ad Results Mirror the Value of the Trade Publication Host.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lenore-m/

A New Adage to Guide B2B Banner Ad Placement (Part 1)

by Brad Smith

Copy:
My Mom’s favorite adage is “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Well, here’s my new adage for B2B banner advertising – “It’s not what you say, it’s where you say it.”

We recently created an electronic ad campaign for a client as one of several vehicles to help introduce a revolutionary new product. Since seeing is believing, we wanted to drive traffic to the client's Web site to view a video of the product in action.

The side benefit to this was linking each electronic ad to a separate Web landing page. Of course these were actually multiple identical versions of the same page, set up solely for the purpose of measuring the hits or “click-thrus” from each banner ad.

Banner ads were placed on B2B publication Web sites and in the opt-in e-newsletters many trade publications offer. This was repeated in three different market segments.

The results of tracking after two months – of all the click-thrus received, 82% came from the e-newsletters.

Are you surprised? Are you seeing the same or different results? Let me know.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/orangeacid/

Can You Discount Price and Increase Brand Loyalty?

by Steve Fodor

That’s a balancing act marketers struggle with. Marketers struggle even more given today’s economy when discounting has become a means of survival to generate sales traffic. “If we discount, will we ever be able to raise prices (and our margins) again without sacrificing brand loyalty?”

If you’re wrestling with this question, think about this: Forget about price and think about your customer relationships. I’m of the belief that if you manage customer relationships…and your brand…responsibly, price becomes far less relevant.

I just saw something from Coldwater Creek that reaffirmed this belief. I got a mailer from Coldwater Creek announcing a discount. But instead of the usual “great deals to be had now” tone so many retailers are taking, Coldwater Creek did something different. Their mailer was a simple card with a personal message from the CEO, Dan Griesemer. The message simply said, “We know things aren’t easy. But they can get better when we all pull together. Since you’ve always been a good friend to us, we’ve just reduced many of our regular prices. Thank you.”

In that very simple and understated card, my perception of Coldwater Creek as a brand elevated to new heights. Instead of talking in terms of price, they talked in terms of empathy, understanding and like a real friend. The Coldwater Creek brand took on an even more likable personality in my mind.

I’ll miss this recession when it’s over. I’ve managed to get a lot of great buys on brands that I normally would not have considered because of price. And when the recession ends, so will my temporary relationships with those brands that chose to differentiate themselves on price rather than on brand relationships.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwp-roger/3186643427/

Increasing Your Odds of Winning New Customers

by Brad Smith

Every good poker player has a pretty good grasp of the odds. For example, if you make a bet, some of your opponents will fold. The fewer the opponents, the better your chance of winning.

A marketing example to increase your company’s or your product’s chance of winning is to create a blog (like the one you’re reading now). By doing this you are increasing the odds that potential new customers will find your Web site…and consequently learn more about the advantages your company and products have to offer.

Blogs add “content” to your site, increasing the odds that search engines will direct “word search’ inquiries to your blog/Web site.

“Content” on the Internet is exploding exponentially every day. You need more just to compete. So start a blog. Odds are you’ll have fun, too.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/strupler/

Hammer the Benefits

by Steve Badertscher

A wise advertising creative director once told me, “Nobody buys a hammer to own a hammer…they purchase a hammer to pound in nails.”

I’ve never received better advice to help shape effective advertising messages that really resonate with prospects and end-users. Simply put, it’s a great reminder to focus on benefits, not features. In other words, focus on what the product does for the end-user, not on what the product is.

For example, I love to take photos as a hobby. I particularly enjoy taking photos of sporting events, especially those involving my kids. But when I recently went shopping for a new lens, I didn’t do so with the intent of owning a zoom lens…I wanted to be able to see the grit and determination on my kids’ faces as they edge out their competitors at the finish line of their cross country races in my photos.

Likewise, my teenage son didn’t recently purchase a Jeep Wrangler so he could own a sport utility vehicle…he bought it to enjoy the “top-down, music-up” benefits when the summer weather arrives.

And clients don’t engage our agency’s services because they want to acquire beautiful brochures, advertisements and Web sites (although it is a nice added bonus)…they hire us because they want their sales to increase and the bottom line to improve. In other words, they don’t want tools, they want results.

So whether you’re responsible for crafting your company’s marketing messages or approving the messages that are created, always keep in mind the perspective of your target audience. Remember, your customers don’t want to own your product, they want the resulting benefit of what it will do for them. And once you clearly define and articulate the key benefit that is most important to them, all that’s left to do is hammer it home!

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/justinbaeder/

Generating Sales Leads In A New World

by Steve Fodor

I’ve been in business-to-business sales for about 20 years. Recently, I’ve heard and read a lot of information about cold calling as an ineffective lead generation technique.

Given that I started my sales career before voice mail, the Internet, e-mail and social media, I’ve felt that anyone saying “cold calling does not work” was just lazy. It’s hard to pick up the phone and make a 30-second pitch to someone that doesn’t know you.

Lately, though, I’ve become a convert. But let me be clear. Picking up the phone still has its place. There are just so many NEW ways to generate leads.

Even if you live in the world of industrial products and business-to-business selling, here are a few thoughts on lead generation for today’s selling environment.

1. Don’t leave voice mail if you’ve not had a prior conversation – voice mail is mostly a screening tool today. If you can’t reach that person, send them a handwritten note saying you would like to get in touch. Put your Web site on the note. Then call. Now you have something specific to call about. And, a handwritten note gets noticed in today’s e-mail world.

2. Put your sales people on YouTube – If you have a national sales force, think about the presence you could make for your brand if you had all of them on YouTube with well-produced, two-minute videos of why they enjoy selling your product and working with customers. Google and other search engines are the way people find information today. And a strong YouTube presence with the right keywords will increase your brand’s search rate. And don’t forget LinkedIn, Facebook and other popular social media venues.

3. White papers instead of collateral – Sales used to be “here’s my brochure” or “I’ll drop a brochure off.” The world continues to evolve and industrial buyers and decision makers cite that white papers and case histories are far more valuable in making decisions than the good old brochure. Think about creating white papers for your products and services. Put them on your Web site. Announce their presence with push e-mails and search engine optimization strategies. Have your sales people use white papers as “send me something” pieces instead of brochures.

4. Blogging – Again, the Internet continues to replace the phone as a sales tool. Your sales force is an incredibly valuable information asset. Counsel them on how to use blogging as a marketing and sales tool. Set them up with individual blog destinations. Not only will this aid in prospects finding you through online searches, but your sales people will be seen as valued information providers rather than commodity product purveyors.

Yes, sales and sales lead generation techniques have evolved and continue to do so. Hey, I’m an old-school person, too. But there sure are a lot more new and effective ways for generating sales leads today…in addition to good old-fashioned cold-calling.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markhillary/

Social Media -- Is It Time To Go "All In"?

by Brad Smith

Yep, I’m a poker player. My auto license plate reads PKRCHPS.

One of the most powerful plays in Texas Hold’em is the all-in move. It’s also one of the most dangerous. If you’re right, or lucky, you get to play on with more chips…more money. If you lose, you go home. Sometimes when you go for broke, that’s exactly what you achieve.

So is it a gamble to participate in the new social media?

FaceBook. LinkedIn. Twitter. Blogging. YouTube. Etc. Should you be there? Should your clients?

I view these as tools. Valuable tools that can connect you with prospects and drive increased traffic to your Web site.

But they are not the panacea or the answer to everyone’s marketing dreams. They should not receive 100% of your attention or your budget. Social media is not the silver bullet, but should be viewed as one of the many bullets in your marketing communications arsenal.

Like I said, I’m a poker player. That doesn’t mean I’m a gambler. I like poker because it’s a game where you assess and calculate the risks you take. If your chances of winning are too slim, or the rewards aren’t great enough (we call this “pot odds”), then you don’t gamble, you fold. If the potential rewards are in sight, you make an appropriate bet.

So place a bet on social media. But don’t go all in.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chaps/