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The cherry on top

July 14, 2007

David Reich of My 2 cents recently tagged me for the eight things about me meme. Many months ago, there was a five things about me meme going around that I got tagged for. You have to give the blogosphere credit – we're always trying to get even better.

So….from the past, here are my first five:

I’ve crossed the threshold of Walt Disney World at least once a year since it opened in 1971.

I could be President of Venezuela (I was born down there while my parents did an overseas stint for work. )

I hung out with the movie star Ashley Judd for a weekend in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

I really dislike feet. Don’t like to look at them or touch them. Have no idea why. But, if I ever were the President of Venezuela – I would outlaw sandals.

You can find me in the TV special (now on DVD) of a very famous country music duo.

Now, for the cherry on the top….another three.

I always read the last couple chapters of a book first. Yes, even mysteries and whodunits. By 12:30 am next Friday, I will know if Harry Potter dies or not. I promise, I won't tell. I love knowing the ending and then learning from how the author weaves the truths into the story telling. This is especially fascinating in a good murder mystery.

In a previous career, I was the head of a detective agency. Okay, I was about 9 or 10. But ala Encyclopedia Brown, we were open for business and serious about our craft. I believe we solved two minor mysteries (which I am pretty sure our parents engineered) but we earned enough money to hit the DQ.

Only counting the ones that have hospitalized me….I have had about 30 kidney stones. The doctors have done every test imaginable but they can't figure out why. So I drink a lot of water and take an odd mix of pills including a seaweed supplement. Good news…the odd blend seems to be working.

How about lingerie-clad women wading through bubbles?

July 13, 2007

When Steven Singer asked himself what 21-30 year old men wanted…that was the answer he came up with — what about lingerie-clad women wading through bubbles. Hard to argue with his logic.

In fact, Singer is betting the store on it. Steven Singers Jewelers is quite the departure from traditional jewelry advertising. Their promotions include in store bubble bath parties (yes, with the aforementioned scantily-clad women), chicken wing eating contests and giveaways on Howard Stern's radio show.

Recently covered in the WSJ online, Steven Singer Jewelers is proving that you don't have to look or sound like a Harlequin novel to sell diamonds. (Our friend Derrick Daye is quoted in the article.)

He started out with the billboards "I hate Steven Singer" throughout the metro. That drove people to the website, where they read stories from men who hated Steven Singer because they had to give up their great bachelor lives and now they're married.

Unconventional? I'll say. Attention-getting? You tell me. Sales are up 15-20% annually since he adopting his advertising strategy.

Singer is perfectly content that his "boorish" campaign offends some people. He's not trying to be everything to everyone. He knows exactly who he wants in his store and he's talking their language.

Risky? Sure. Smart branding that most people would be too skittish to do? I think so.

What do you think about Singer's brand? The upside is obvious – great sales. Is there a downside?

No one has ever asked us that

July 12, 2007

That's one of the sentences I love to hear in a new business conversation.

And we hear it pretty often. Why? Do we know some secret about their business? No. Are we experts in their category? Maybe, but that's not where the questions come from.

The questions come from not worrying about the sale. And not already having the next sentence lying in wait in our brains, to drive home a point about us.

They come from listening like a detective, trying to solve a case. Following leads in the conversation and tugging at every loose end, until we unravel whole story. It comes from wanting to understand and help them grow their business, not win the account.

We ask a lot of why questions. "Why are you in a hurry to build sales all of a sudden?"

We ask a lot of what if questions. "What if we increase inquiries by 25%? How will you handle that volume increase?"

We ask a lot of questions which frankly are none of a marketing agency's business. But we do believe they are our business. We believe agencies who stop at creating solid marketing tools are missing the boat. We have to help the client anticipate what's coming next. And often that comes from understanding what has come before.

We probably don't always ask them as delicately as we should. Instead, we ask with intense curiosity and enthusiasm. It's a way we demonstrate how we're different. It's a way we add more value.

I've always believed that one characteristic early adopters have is curiosity. Most people reading blogs today are early adopters. So…how do you use your curiosity to help grow your clients business? What are one or two questions you could ask that would inspire a prospect to say "no one's ever asked us that before."

100% support for subliminal advertising

July 10, 2007

We should all become subminal advertising artists. Every single one of us.

I don't care that in 1974 the FCC issued an order saying that anyone knowingly carry subliminal ads was operating "contrary to the public interest."

I don't care that they've proven that the infamous 1957 "drink Coke" movie theater story is a urban legend.

I don't care that some people allege that the Disney animation classic The Lion King has a seen where the word SEX is written in the clouds. (Not sure who that's advertising for!)

I don't care that some people have seen the word RATS in a commercial George W. Bush ran during his campaign for President against Gore.

When a store owner makes a customer feel like they're the most important person in the room, that's subliminal advertising. When an on-line help desk staffer takes an extra three minutes to write a personal comment in a "we've fixed your problem" e-mail, when a customer service rep hops in the car to hand deliver a part that a client desperately needs…that's subliminal advertising.

When a Disney cast member whose job is sweeping up popcorn stops to give a little boy a sticker…that's subliminal advertising. When a lube drive through shop checks a worried woman's car, makes a minor repair and then refuses to charge her anything…that is subliminal advertising.

We can consciously deliver our brand through marketing messages, signage, and consistency. But all of that pales in comparison to creating a customer experience that delights and surprises someone.

That kind of subliminal advertising gets people to not only buy what you sell but to talk about their buying experience. That kind of subliminal advertising transcends loyalty and moves to love.

We should all be that kind of advertiser.

BrandingWire: Estes Park, Colorado

July 9, 2007

If you haven't had a chance to read the backgrounder, you can find it on the BrandingWire's site.

For this exercise, I am going to stay focused on the brand position and not dig into tactics of execution.

Many of the natural benefits you might gravitate to as you think about branding Estes Park, are unfortunately a duh in Colorado. The scenery is breathtaking. Just like it is in Vail and Copper Mountain. There's lots of wildlife to see in the rustic setting. Same thing is true of the Rock Mountain National Park and Winter Park.

Great fishing, hunting, and hiking. Again, duh. I'm not suggesting that their marketing materials ignore these factors but none of them can occupy the brand position. They just aren't unique enough.

As I read through the information and reflected on my own trips to the area, I noticed some of the more thorny details that make Estes Park a tough sell compared to some of the more posh ski areas like Sundance, Vail or Aspen. Unfortunately, those are also the things that make them different from the more polished tourist areas.

So I thought it might be interesting to think about how to take the negatives and use those to our branding advantage. Let's take a brief look at each.

Limited access: From October to May, Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park is closed. Many of the stores close for the winter season or only keep weekend hours. As a result, they have a very short season.

Not a lot of glitz: When something thinks Colorado resort area, we immediately conjure up a Vail or Aspen experience with their high end shops, glitzy clubs and celebrity sightings. Estes Park couldn't be further from that image with its taffy and t-shirt shops. There are a few higher end stores but the spending per visitor is much lower in EP than other mountain areas.

One of their biggest claims to fame are the horse shows that are a part of their tradition. Even these are very down to earth productions. Again, a complete lack of glitz.

2 road town: Estes Park's "main drag" is two roads that stretch out long enough for the merchants to line up along the sidewalks. It's also the main thoroughfare for the town. I can remember the first time I got to Estes Park's business district my reaction was "this is it?"

So when you combine these factors together, what do you get? I think you get a unique brand for Estes Park. This is the city that isn't "putting on the Ritz" for tourists. They are what they are – a breathtakingly beautiful area that is comfortable in their own skin. They don't need to become something different for anyone.

Estes Park. Colorado au natural.

The copy surrounding the brand promise and the user experience can celebrate the "negatives" that makes Estes Park different from the ski areas and other mountain resort towns. It's certainly already earned its reputation for being one of the most beautiful areas of the state. The wildlife literally can be seen strolling down the main drag. And the residents are already set for their role. This already how they behave and come off. The people that I met are very proud of how rustic and rugged Estes Park is. They chose it because they wanted to get away from the noise and put on glamor of places like Sundance. They like that they're different. And I think many visitors do too.

If you've been to Estes Park, how does this jive with your experience? If you haven't been there before, how do you react to this positioning?

Did you play along? What recommendation would you make to the city?

Check out what the rest of the BrandingWire posse had to say and get more high-voltage ideas at BrandingWire.com.

Olivier Blanchard
Becky Carroll
Derrick Daye
Kevin Dugan
Lewis Green
Ann Handley
Gavin Heaton
Martin Jelsema
Valeria Maltoni
Drew McLellan
Patrick Schaber
Steve Woodruff

Get a sneak peek at the Age of Conversation cover!

July 8, 2007

We're only a week away so we decided to give you a glimpse at the Age of Conversation cover. Cool, eh?

There's a little more copy on the real cover but this gives you the main idea.

Believe it or not, a few months ago Gavin & I hadn't even conceived the idea for the Age of Conversation. A glimmer of a blog post/comment, over 100 enthusiastic and smart writers and voila…the book began to take shape.

Originally, we were just going to produce an e-book but it soon became clear that there was a significant demand for paperback and hardback books as well. So…you will have your choice!

One key fact has not changed.

All proceeds from all book sales will be donated to Variety, the Children's Charity. We'll also be setting up a way for people to donate more than the of the book price, if they choose to. We'll be designating the funds to the native countries of our authors.

Read about the book's origin. Marvel at the author list. Learn about the book's dedication. Pull out your wallet and get ready to revel in some excellent writing.

Here are the particulars…

Launch date: Monday, July 16th

Formats/Prices:

Hardbacks $29.99
Paperbacks $16.95
E-book $9.99

Watch this blog (and all the other authors' blogs) for more details and a link to the Age of Conversation store on Monday, July 16th!

We hope you love this book because we've decided we're going to do it all again (new topic) next year! If you missed out on authoring a chapter, be sure to let us know if you want in for the next edition.

Special thanks to David Armano for the cover design.

BrandingWire: Play along on round #2

July 7, 2007

Last month, we launched BrandingWire with our team focusing on a local coffee shop. Each month, we focus our creative bandwidth on a particular branding challenge or topic, and collectively give our perspectives on how we’d apply best branding practices.

This Monday July 9th, we will launch July's edition. Our focus is Estes Park, Colorado. Be sure to check out each BrandingWire perspective.

My BrandingWire brethren & sisters are:

Grab the same background the BrandingWire team is working with and join in the fun.

7 lessons worth learning

July 7, 2007

Over at the Joyful Jubilant Learning blog, they have set a big, hairy, audacious goal. In honor of the day of luck (Saturday, 07/07/07) they are trying to accumulate 777 learning links.

It's simple.

Come up with 7 (or more) posts that inspired a learning moment and go over and post it in their comments section. I just posted mine and thought I'd share them with you here as well.

If you look at the posts I've chosen, you'll see that for me the posts worthy of this effort were not about "how to" but instead "why it matters" types of learning.

Hope Saved on a Laptop

This 9/11 story is a powerful reminder that waiting until tomorrow to chase our dreams may be too late. We owe it to ourselves to at least begin the journey today.

What Do You Believe In?

This grew out of a famous scene in the movie Bull Durham. The question…what do you believe in generated some remarkable answers throughout the blogosphere. The learning comes from asking yourself the question.

Want to feel good about our world?

I can't watch this YouTube video (and read the accompanying story) without tearing up. This is a story about a son's dream and a father's love which brought the dream to life.

Marketing Lessons from Walt Disney

A week's stay in Walt Disney World turns into a Master's Degree in marketing, thanks to the genius of Walt Disney.

I Wish I Had Written This
One of the finest examples of writing I have ever seen. It is absolutely brilliant and shoudl inspire every writer to reach a little deeper.

I Hail the First-Person Singular Pronoun

A very straightforward reminder of the power of word choice. And the power of the individual.

Helping College Grads Get a Job – FREE e-book

This collaboration became a stupendous e-book with professional and life lessons for recent college grads and even seasoned professionals.

You can also check out the compilation of the posts in a sorted order.

Hey customer, thanks for calling. You are fired!

July 6, 2007

Sometimes the stupidity of Corporate America stuns me.

Sprint recently sent out a batch of letters to their own customers. The gist of the letter is that these customers have called Customer Service about billing or other issues too often, so Sprint is firing them.

What I love most about this letter is the ending.

You're fired because you call too much. But if you have any questions — call us!! And does anyone else see the oxymoron of calling it the Customer CARE department?

So, if you've been looking for a way to break your Sprint contract so you can grab a new iPhone, it looks like you just need to give Sprint a call. Or 10.

If you were the VP of Marketing for Sprint and the powers that be came to you with this decision…what would you have said? If they demanded the customers be terminated, how would you have recommended it be handled?

Update: Considering this was about less than 1,000 customers, now how badly do you think they handled it?

Want to get a job in marketing?

July 5, 2007

We're looking for a few good men/women at MMG and as I endure the misery that is looking for the diamond in the rough, I decided to create a cheat sheet for our applicants. it occurred to me that if you swap out MMG for the marketing group of your choice, 99% of the advise is universal.

So, if you are a job seeker, heed my warnings. If you are a job filler, perhaps you'll find some value in offering your own version of this list to your candidates. And, of course, if you want to work with us…

Without any further ado…here's my counsel.

If I were you and I wanted to snare a job at McLellan Marketing Group, here are some of the things I would and wouldn't do.

I would:

Read the MMG website carefully, to get a sense of culture and tone.
Sign up to receive MMG's weekly e-newsletter, the Marketing Minute.
Read Drew's blog and if I really want to stand out from the pack, I would subscribe (via e-mail or RSS reader) and within a week, make an insightful, articulate comment on a post.
Ask my friends, contacts etc. if anyone knows anyone at MMG who could make an introduction.
If the timing is right, I would attend one of MMG's monthly branding breakfasts.
Be very mindful that my cover letter/resume are the biggest demonstration of whether or not I get branding & marketing. I would ask myself…if I were a product and MMG was the target audience…how would I sell me? How would I make myself different from all the other applicants?
Download and read "Giving College Grads a Fighting Chance" not because Drew had anything to do with it, but because I love to learn.
If I have a blog, I'd link to Drew's because I know he'll check to see who I am.
Know that they're going to check my MySpace, Facebook etc. pages.
If I had no relevant job experience, I would look at the job experience I did have and figure out what elements of marketing were present there.
If I didn't get the job but still think this is the place for me…I would stay engaged. I would keep reading/commenting on the blog, I would attend the branding breakfasts. I would become someone they notice/know.

I would not:

Send a cover letter or resume that even slightly reads like everyone else's.
Rely on any cover letter/resume book. I would throw those away and refer back to my marketing text books.
Under any circumstances tout my ability to work with people (or that I like them) as a strength or skill.
Send anything that a pair (or two) of fresh eyes didn't proof. A typo will get me tossed right into the "no way" pile.
Hit send or lick the envelope until I checked and double checked the spelling of the agency, the agency owner's name and anything else (like their clients) that I might reference. (see bullet point above)
Try to BS my way in. Because I should expect that MMG will smell that a mile away and ask about it until I admit that I sent the same "I believe your agency is perfect for me" cover letter to 12 agencies.
Humiliate myself. I would double check that I put the right cover letter/resume in the right envelope. I'd hate to be the one who makes that mistake.
If I really wanted to work there, I wouldn't give up. I wouldn't be a stalker, but I would keep at it. I would look for ways to help them, even before I got a job there. Because I would believe that I am going to work there eventually and begin behaving like I already do.

You don't have to do any of this. It's your job hunt, after all.

But remember, at MMG we hire as much for "culture fit" as we do for competency. We can teach you marketing. We can't teach you to be a team player. Or curious. Or passionate about our work & our clients. We're not going to force you to be someone who believes in giving back to the community.

So along with your work and academic achievements, show us that stuff. And show us that you get why that matters. Then, we have something to talk about.

Your job is pretty straight-forward. If you're smart and creative enough to sell us you, we know you can help our clients.

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