Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications

So, I've got this question...

...and I'm listening.  We talk about business blogging as being a conversation with customers and clients and folks who simply have an interest.  So...let's try one out.

Listen up you web developers...I want your take on this:

We're right in the middle of building a new site for a client and I had a question posed about putting names of folks who actually run the business on the website.

The more I thought about it...the more it seems to make sense.  How often do we go to corporate websites and find NOTHING.  No humans at all.  Sure, there may be a "Contact Us" page...but a name?

What do you think?  I'm really interested. 

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations where you can fund real people just by clicking in.

Webmaster Woes.....

Yesterday I was interviewed by the Des Moines Register for an article to be published later this week.  The topic of the piece by Bill Ryberg is about Websites and in particular what makes the the type of Website we encourage our clients to use, so popular.  If your company has a Website or is considering one...you should read on.

Small business has a big advantage over large corporations because we tend to be more nimble.  We can make changes in product, marketing methods and react to customer demands in a blink of an eye.  We're fast!  With one exception: Websites.  Why?  Webmasters.  Those shadowy figures who lurk in the bowels of your company, or some outsourced company, and work their "magic".  (On their time and usually for a price.)

Here is the set up:  Let's say you want to change your Website.  Add some text, change some prices, add some product or remove the name and contact information of the recently fired Vice President of Paper Clips.  In the Webmaster World you, or somebody you ask, fills out the "Web Development Change Sheet" and carefully set out the adjustments.  The completed paperwork then goes to the "Office of the Webmaster/Wizard" where it is placed on a "Priority List".  After all...busy Webmasters have lots of changes from other small business people or other departments and you can't rush the process.  (Turning lead into gold takes time...)

Oh, I forgot.  You also have to pay the Webmaster.  If the Webmaster is NOT your direct employee the charge usually runs between $75 and $100 per hour.  At least in this market.

Any of this familiar?

What if...just imagine...what if you or the newly hired Vice President of Paper Clips had the ability to make that change or do that addition in real time? 

The scene:  You are in the meeting.  You say, "Janice, that Self Weasel Winding Torque Inducer is priced too high.  The competition is killing our online price.  Lower it by $49.95!"  Janice turns in her chair, logs onto the website and makes the change. In seconds...long before the ink on the "Web Development Change Sheet" would be dry.  Harry Potter Fantasy?  Nope.

Dynamic Web Design.

So, call us already.  We'll put you in touch with some real wizards...that allow you to have the control and the power.  We can even incorporate your Blog into your Website. 

How cool is that?

Michael P. Libbie, Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where you can always make contact with us by clicking right here.

I Bow At Their Feet...

So, have you EVER done something SO stupid and been saved from your major mess by a friend or friends?

I have...it happened today!  I am a lucky guy...

Quick post with a message about friendship and knowing the right folks...yes, even in business.

Thursday afternoon I was looking at some old files and trying to arrange them...  I gave up after a few minutes and decided that I'd not put those files where I found them...so to unclog the system I'll just delete them and clean up the site.

What I did was take down my website!  I deleted all the files with the push of a button and only was alerted when a client called and said, "Hey, how come I am forbidden from going to your site?"

I called my friends at DWebware here in Des Moines.  Matt Mann and Andy Priestley went to work and I was back up in fifteen minutes.  They had backups of everything that I had destroyed.

Bottom Line:  You can get things cheaper, you can use people and throw them away or...you can pay attention to folks you know, like and trust.  And, when the time comes...they are there for you.  Even in business...

Oh...the Power (and savings)!

A Quick Note:  I Gotta Share This!

by Michael P. Libbie, Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications

OK...so maybe I am "old school" but I have to tell our readers about this.  I own a 1999 Ford Escort ZX2.  (Who says I ain't cool?)  In this business one can not be too flashy!  Anyway, on the coldest of Iowa Days...last Friday when the temperature dipped to 11...the heater blower on this car quit working.  Nothing.  No heat, no defrost.  It was cold...but at least I could see.  Until we got an ice storm on Saturday night. 

On Sunday morning I asked my brother The Doctor what to do.  OK...so it's like asking a Four Star Chef about McDonald's...but he is much smarter than I.  He said it was a fuse.   I look, can't find a fuse that says "Heater" or "Blower".  What is a poor wretch like me to do other than stop every five blocks, pull over and scrape the windows?

Ahhhh...the Internet.  In Google I just typed in my question:  "Where is the fuse for a 1999 Ford Escort ZX2?"  Up came www.FaqFarm.com.  Lots of Q/A about the ZX2 and several that seemed like they may answer my problem.  Fifteen minutes later, armed with a "trouble light"  (Yes, I have one of those too!) I found the lose wire...sprayed some WD-40 on it and presto...a working blower motor.  Figure it saved me about $150. 

If you know about this site...great.  I really am "old school" but, perhaps there are others that don't know...until now.  Isn't technology grand?

"So, How Much Will This Cost?"

A Good Deed - A Good Measure of Costs

By Michael P. Libbie, Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications

We get asked all the time, "So, if we do a media campaign with you, how much will it cost?"  The answer always depends on what the product or service is, what media mix the client wants, what type of marketing vehicles we might recommend...the list gets pretty long.  The honest answer usually is, "We honestly don't know until we get into the project and learn more about you, your product, your core demographic, etc."

That is why I welcomed the recent article in the Des Moines Register from this past Wednesday.  Some friends of mine (see the photo above - and yes, some of them will actually admit to being friends of mine...others will deny it...something to do with Homeland Security.) got together and are offering their services to a charity, the name of which will be decided on shortly.  It is a great idea, a great way to market themselves and an excellent community service project.

We found a "nugget" in the story that current and perspective clients will appreciate.  The group plans to do branding, web development, printing of some brochures, a video or television ad, and a radio spot.  According to the story, Drew McLellan of McLellan Marketing estimated the selected charity would receive goods and services worth more than $75,000.  NOTE:  That number does not include costs for ad placement in newspapers, magazines, radio or television.  The number represents the value of creating the media plan and media projects; not taking it to the public.

We think it is insightful for some companies to read that message and understand that the costs to put together a well rounded campaign can be sizable.  Many factors can impact that number and cause it to rise or fall but the message is: "What we do in the world of advertising and marketing is only one part of the total cost of taking a product to the consumer."  Outside of development, clients must add the hard costs of buying space and time.  It's an important message.  If we can help you make sense of your advertising or marketing issues, give us a call or send us an e-mail.

THE FRIENDS:

Drew McLellan - The McLellan Marketing Group

Cari Spear - Trinity Press

Jay Brackett - Brackett Media & Event Services

Steve Mathews - Radio Garage

Mike Sansone - ConverStations