Reputation Marketing with Phil K. James

Google Reviews...matter. But it's difficult to get them. The usual way this works is that the business asks for a customers email. Sometimes you get it but far too often you don't.  If you do get the email that results in the business sending out a note asking for a positive review. You might get it but more than likely not because it's not "in the moment".

So, let's fix that and allow your customer to leave you a positive review moments after they have raved about the service, the food or the job.  How does that happen? Meet Phil K. James my friend and the owner of Good Milkshake Digital who for nearly 15 years has been helping businesses, mostly restaurants, with some great creative the drives customers.  Now, he has a system that allows your satisfied customer to instantly create a positive review which in turn moves you up the chain in a Google search.  How does all of this work?  Listen to our conversation from a recent segment of Insight on Business and learn. It will blow your mind...and it works.

Thanks for Listening!

The award winning Insight on Business the News Hour with Michael Libbie is the only weekday business news podcast in the Midwest. The national, regional and some local business news along with long-form business interviews can be heard Monday - Friday. You can subscribe on  PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday Noon Central on News/Talk 1540 KXEL. The Business News Hour is a production of Insight Advertising, Marketing & Communications. You can follow us on Twitter @IoB_NewsHour...and on Threads @Insight_On_Business.

Random Marketing/Advertising Thoughts

Every so often stuff happens that business people need to better understand when it comes to marketing and advertising. Here are just two items that should get you to think about your approach to consumers.

Pepsi Wins

Even in light of downward pressure on Wall Street Pepsi this week posted some impressive gains as the company posted third-quarter gains that beat expectations. Analysts had expected revenue of $16.93 billion however Pepsi turned in revenue of $17.19 billion. What does the company say contributed to the unexpected increase in revenue? Advertising. Pepsi CFO Hugh Johnson said, “The increased advertising that we have is causing consumers to shop us more aggressively, and our customers are rewarding us with that [grocery] space because they know that we can help them grow."

Yeah....advertising.

Podcasting

Remember when people said social media was a fad? Sure you do. I remember traveling around the country giving presentations about the power of social media and many times attendees came up to me and told me, in no uncertain terms, "Social Media is going to go away. It's a fad and we'll get over it."  And, to be honest there are still some folks out there who believe that...even though social media platforms continue to grow.

Now it is podcasting that some say is a fad. However, consider this piece of news: "The Interactive Advertising Bureau/PwC forecast predicts $678.7 million will be spent by advertisers on podcasts this year. And revenue will top $1 billion in the next two years." And that, my friends, comes to us from the publication Inside Radio.  So if radio is paying attention to podcasting...shouldn't your business?

Marketing and Advertising thoughts...it's what we do...every day.  And, if you want to check out our Insight on Business the News Hour podcast you can find us on your favorite podcast platforms:  Google Play, PlayerFM, Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn Radio. And you can catch The Business News Hour Week in Review each Sunday at 2pm on News/Talk 1540 KXEL.

Thanks for reading...now go sell something!

 

The Wrong Messenger?

In my presentation "Five in 24" there is a section about the three reasons people are not buying what you are selling. Yes, there are only three.

One of those reasons is that you are using the wrong messenger to communicate with your customer. It may be that your core customer is not in that communication channel or it might be that the channel is antiquated yet still around soaking money from the unsuspecting advertiser.

We see both of those issues all the time. A trendy new restaurant with a focus on young professionals advertising in a regional newspaper or a high-end jewelry store advertising on a cable channel where the viewers simply are not in their demographic.

So, how do you fix it. Better yet, how do you stop the outflow of marketing dollars that's not returning on your investment?

Well, you could ask a professional...somebody that is a trusted source of information. But, you can also do it yourself. Here are some ideas to get you pointed in the right direction:

• Know Your Customer - Seems pretty simple but not every human out there is your target customer, unless you are selling a commodity. Then you've got other issues. So learn as much as you can about your current customer. What they like, don't like. What they are buying or not buying. This takes some time and some interaction but it can be done;
• Understand Trends - The newest, hottest social media channel may not fit your current or future core customer. I've seen people spend loads of time and money chasing a trend only to, finally, learn it didn't work;
• Watch & Read - What are other successful businesses doing that are in your space? What do your association magazines and communications say about how to best reach core customers?  Spend some time thinking, really thinking and learning more about how to market successfully;
• Trust but Verify - Every media sales person who comes through your door has "the answer". But, remember, what works for one may not work for you. I once had a broadcast outlet tell me their audience was made up of thousands of people but when we went digging learned it was more like several hundred in our client's prime demographic.

Let me offer one other piece of advice, and this came from a conversation just this week. If you are a small business seeking to do business with another small business wouldn't it make sense to market in something that is directed toward small business owners?

Let's say you have an accounting firm or a office cleaning firm or a business law firm and your prime customer group is made up of other small businesses. What the heck are you doing in an advertising channel that is marketing to the masses? Doesn't make an ounce of sense.

It doesn't but, man, that sales person had a good story.

Thanks for reading...

 

 

QR Codes - Hello Again...

It may surprise you to know that the QR Code (you know that funny looking image you may have seen on products and print ads) has been around for a very long time. In fact it was developed in Japan back in 1994 to track automobile production.

Over the years we’ve used QR Codes (QR is short for “Quick Response”) for a number of our clients. Pet food clients put QR Codes on their pet food bags that points to short videos about the product, lawn and garden clients do the same. We’ve put QR Codes on shelf tags so shoppers can access short informative videos about what they are looking at.

Sadly, the QR Code fell out of use mostly because businesses that used them didn’t tell consumers what would happen when they scanned the code and, perhaps more importantly, you had to download a QR Code Reader for your smart phone. Many consumers didn’t know that or didn’t want to be bothered.

Welcome Back!

The QR Code is back and this time it’s due to the help of Apple. If you have an iPhone and you’ve downloaded the recent IOS update you can now go to your camera, point your phone at the QR Code and the camera will recognize it as such and ask you if you want to open the website in your browser. Android phones still have not made this as part of their update but that could be coming in the near future.

Now that QR Codes can be scanned without having a special app watch for more business and marketing applications. Like go ahead and check our our daily business news radio broadcast page. 

Go ahead, give it a try!

The Power of Repeating Stuff

Who doesn't like repeat customers? Who doesn't like being told...a couple of times...that you've got a great logo or uniform or...heck a great haircut? Just as much as we enjoy repeat customers and repeated complements so too should we learn that when we repeat something over and over it has real power.

In marketing and advertising it is what is called "Top of Mind Awareness". Making sure your product or service is at the top of mind when it comes to somebody buying what you are selling. In other words, "One and DONE" doesn't cut it. It takes an effort to make sure you repeat your message over and over.

Here are a couple of examples and, while they are for national brands, we think you'll get the message:

"Winston Tastes Good Like a Cigarette Should" - Winston has been out of television and radio for decades...yet we remember the tag line;

"The Champagne of Bottled Beer" - Miller used this slogan for years, abandoned it and this year brought it back...for good reason;

"A Diamond is Forever" - DeBeers debuted this way back in 1948 and they are still using it because...it works;

"Breakfast of Champions" - Who doesn't know this 1930's Wheaties slogan;

"It's the Real Thing" - CocaCola hit it out of the park with this from 1970;

"Say it With Flowers" - This will surprise you, the slogan dates back to 1917!

You get the idea... True, each one of these slogans had real dollars behind them to push the idea and the brand. Maybe your business doesn't have that sort of advertising budget but you don't need all that cash to accomplish much the same thing.

Think of your value proposition and what you bring to your customers and then put that in words. Not a bunch of words but short and sweet. We know of a law firm that has the tag line, "We get things done!" because the number one complaint among legal clients is that far too often law firms don't get things done and clients have to wait...and wait. The firm went so far as to register the slogan and they use it...everywhere.

Find your value proposition and then repeat it...often and everywhere. The goal is to have your customers hear or see those words and identify you and your unique value.

It very well could bring you…repeat customers.

The Inside Marketing Team

There are plenty of reasons big corporations...and small businesses...use an "inside marketing team" or Marketing Department. You know, the folks who work where the product or service is being delivered also do the marketing. The common reason is "They know what we do so we don't have to train them." or "Rather than have the expense of an outside marketing specialist we save the money and do it ourselves."

We get it...sort of.

But, when the stuff hits the fan because the "inside marketing team" was too close to the product or service and not connected with the consumer it can be a problem.

Don't believe me?  Ask Pepsi...

They rolled out this hideous piece linking Pepsi to calming civil unrest. But worse, they co-opted the Black Lives Matter Movement and were forced, by consumers, to pull the effort less than 24 hours after launch:

 

Ouch...

Then there is this which started this week from Nordstrom, "Muddy Jeans" for $425. Just how out of touch can a company be? Celebrating the rugged American Worker at a price...they (we) can't afford. 

Ya want some muddy jeans?  Come to Iowa...we've got the real thing.

But, on the positive side check this video clip from Heineken. 

 

While it doesn't convince me that Heineken really cares about transgender issues, feminism or climate change it's much more thought provoking than...the other two.  And, yes, it was created by an "outside agency".

So, why use an outside agency? Because we're often the folks who, perhaps, know consumers and can be much more focused on a positive outcome. Truly had Nordstrom or Pepsi come to us and asked, "So what do you think of this idea..." We would have saved them...millions in "brand hurt".

Just a thought....

 

 

 

Hire Me to Roof Your House

Often when talking about our craft of advertising and marketing people nod their head as if they understand what it is that we do. And some folks do get it. But most people don't have a real good idea of what an advertising agency does or what we create. Worse yet many business owners think they already know about marketing and advertising so getting professional help isn't necessary. "I've got this." they may say and go about their business of providing a product or service while "dabbling" in marketing/advertising.

It's sort of like hiring me to roof your house.

Make no mistake I have a house with a roof. I have seen roofers in action. I have even gone so far as to go up on the roof and clear branches and clean gutters. But, I know my limits. I'd be a lousy roofer.

Let me give you an even better example. The house next door to ours is having their roof done. The place is awash with workers stripping the old roof, setting up new plywood and stacking shingles. Busy....busy.

But wait...three years ago the house next door had a roofing job. I know because I heard and saw them struggle through three weeks of work. They were not professionals at their craft and today, a scant three years later, the homeowner is paying, yet again, to have his roof singled.

Get the idea?  My neighbor figured he could save some money and hire some kids to come over and do the job. He settled on doing it himself...cheaper and in the end it cost him thousands more.

We don't roof houses, take out gall bladders or do root canals. Our craft is creating words and images that capture the attention of consumers so they will buy more of what our clients make...or provide.

Just a reminder. 

Thanks for reading and as always we're interested in your take. 

Next up: The Danger of an In House Marketing Department (no, really)

How Much Should I Spend on Advertising/Marketing?

Some time ago I wrote about this topic and said then the answer to the question..."depends".
It depends on what you are selling, to whom you are selling and where you are selling. There are so many variables that it's difficult to answer the question without more information.

This week I read a piece authored by John Heenan who assists advertising agencies in marketing themselves. That brought to light some interesting statistics that I think you'll find interesting as you attempt to advertise/market your company B2C or B2B.

When we look at some numbers we find the percentages are all over the board. According to Heenan, "Apple spends 7% of their revenue on sales and marketing, Tempur Sealy spends 15%, Oracle spends 20%, and Salesforce spends a whopping 56%. For B2B companies the simple answer is 6%. But it’s never simple."

Notice that last line..."But it's never simple."

Heenan goes on, "According to a 2014 AMA and Duke University study, 10% is the average for B2B. Does that mean 10% is the right number for you? Not necessarily. There are many factors to consider..."  So let's break them down:

• Your Market - Who are you trying to attract to your product or service? If you are a retail business the answer may be very broad. If you are selling products or services to farmers your market gets less broad. If you are selling a service and you know the dominant decision maker your market gets less broad;
• Your Market Hangouts - Where are your people? For example over 1 million people attended the Iowa State Fair in August if you are marketing to a broad range of people maybe you should have been there. Conversely, perhaps your target market is teachers in that case you need to be where they gather for events;
• Your Current Customers - They are already coming in your door make sure they don't forget about you and continue to massage them with personal notes, calls and/or events. Just because they purchased what you are selling once doesn't mean they will be back unless you continue that relationship. Remember it costs less to keep a client than to find new clients;
• Your Cost Per Customer - What does it cost you now to land a new customer and where did they come from? Do you know or do you think you know? "Word of mouth" is a common answer as to how they heard about your product/service however that answer isn't always right...but it is the easiest. 

Those four areas will help you start to define where and who your target market is and those are the first steps before you spend one dime on advertising. Remember finding out the answers to those questions all have a cost associated with the research...don't forget to include that in your base number.

See, told you "it depends".

Ad Blocking - What it Means for Business

Hang on because those of you who are spending money on popup or banner ads on websites are in for a bit of a shock. The use of ad blocking is growing rapidly. A full 25% of internet users currently use ad blocking software and that number is expected to double in 2016. Double... Here's the story from eMarketer.

We already know that people are skipping through ads on broadcast television. We already know that people tune out ads on the radio. We already know that click-through rates on internet ads is dismal. We already know that most email marketing has a lousy click through rate IF it gets past the "Junk Mail" folder.

Why?

Because most advertising done on a local level is just plain...bad. There is no incentive to NOT block or skip or open the marketing message because...it's usually done poorly.

What to do?  Here are some solid tips to help you and your business get noticed:

Get Creative - Yes it costs money for good creative but you want your message to be seen/heard...correct? Lousy creative means lousy response. Give consumers a reason NOT to BLOCK your message. It makes no sense to spend $5,000 on an advertising campaign and spend zero on creative. It's called "burning money";

Get Social - If your marketing is not correctly using social media you are not going to be successful in reaching consumers. It takes planning and thought and work and consistency to pull off a successful social media campaign...not some "intern" who "knows the internet". Sit down and think...think about your message, your customers, where they hang out, what they want and then communicate with them...socially.

Get Busy - Reaching out to your current or potential customer requires you to know what is hot and what is not. There are, according to my good friend Mike Wagner, only three reasons why people are not buying what you are selling: 1) Wrong Product, 2) Wrong People, 3) Wrong Message.

There is help available. I know dozens of professional advertising/marketing people in the country. The question to you is...do you want the help or are you blocking this message?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worst Ad of the Week?

It's been some time since we've done a "Worst Ad of the Week" mostly because we don't like taking shots at other businesses. It's just not kind and, more than likely, many of the ads we see were not created by a professional but by somebody that "thought" they knew advertising and marketing because, after all, "I've seen plenty of commercials on television!".

But we could not let this one go by.

We seem to have a fascination with our bodily functions here.  Go ahead click on the image and spend a moment thinking about it...

I guess that is one marketing message that we'd never thought of. "Buy our vitamins or else see them in your poop!"

But you will be pleased to know that CardioTabs are available at your local HyVee...so is corn.