The Poll...

This past week my friend Brent Pohlman from Omaha put up a poll on LinkedIn.  The question was "How often do you update your blog?"  While it's a pretty open ended question the results were startling.  Now, remember this poll is being asked on a professional social media site so we're not talking "newbees" when it comes to SM.  And to be fair not many have taken part...but still.

How can we explain the 22% who update their blog "a few times during the year" and the 11% who don't  have a blog.  In other words, 33% don't think much about blogging as a vehicle to expand a business name, product, service....their marketing footprint.

Astounding....

There must not be much going on in their work, life, business or with their customers, consumers...the world.

What do you think?

 

"No Guts?"

Long ago I watched a video by Joel Barker tell a tale about the difference between a "pioneer" and a "settler".  Barker turned from looking at the wagon wheel ruts still seen along the Oregon Trail, faced the camera and said, "The difference between a pioneer and a settler...guts."

That statement has stuck with me for years and it was the first thing I thought of when I saw this survey from Entrepreneurs.  "What would be the best industry for starting a business right now."  In it, nearly twice as many entrepreneurs would rather sit on the sidelines than get involved in retail, travel or manufacturing.  What really caught  my eye was the "manufacturing" sector.  Only 7.8% said they would enter this industry.  But then again 20.13% said they wouldn't be starting ANY business right now. So...where are the pioneers?  And, does Asia win again?   Robert Jones always delivers thought provoking bits of information. 

So...what do you think?  "No Guts" or "Smart Thinking"?

 

 

 

Less Is MORE

Those of you who follow us know that we've long held to the idea that "Less is More" when it comes to print, electronic and visual advertising.  There is nothing worse or more of a turn off than trying to cram 45 seconds of copy in a thirty second radio or television ad.  Beyond  being silly it turns off the consumer.  And, if they don't "get it" why did you spend the money?  Same goes for print ads, blogs and even business invitations.  Stop already with all the garbage!

This week we ordered this trade show booth for our client Calcium Products.  It's 20' long and, if you count the number of words on the display you will get all the way to...SEVEN.

What is the message?  Ag yield is critical and how do you get there?  The soil!   And, we used a familiar "spokesperson".  At trade shows you have less than 2.7 seconds to make an impression and even less than that on billboards.  So this makes sense.

Critical Reality:  The display doesn't "sell" that is the job of "salespeople".  The reason we have displays is to lure folks to the facts.  So...please stop being verbose and engage your customers with people.

Thanks for reading!

Michael P. Libbie - Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications where you can keep up with us on Twitter, @MichaelLibbie or @InsightADV for our FACEBOOK account well now you know.  And...as a last resort, head to our website, www.InsightCubed.com