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Thanks Santa Seth!

December 24, 2006

There’s been a list that’s been flying through the blogosphere for the past week or better. I posted the story of the list’s origin and added to the flurry. It’s been building up steam since then with more good blogs getting the attention they deserve. So many voices, so many new ideas and perspectives.

Then, on Saturday, Seth Godin added his voice to the mix, but as always with Seth — with a twist. He not only posted the list, he created a plexo on Squidoo. (who says bloggers aren’t creating a whole new language?)

Bottom line, you can cast a vote for marketing blogs you enjoy. Another way of voices being heard. If you’re getting some insight and ideas from the Marketing Minute, I’d very much appreciate your vote.

Here’s all you have to do:

Go to Squidoo.
If you have an account, click here, log in and vote (see #5). If you don’t, sign up for one. (free, easy and no spam promised)
Up in the upper right corner, you’ll see "find a lens on"…enter z list in the box
In the search results, you will see The Z List by Seth Godin. Click on it.
Scroll down the list and find Drew McLellan: The Marketing Minute (or other blogs you love)
Click on the up arrow (it will turn green) and then refresh (right next to the vote count)
Watch your e-mail to confirm your squidoo account and you’re all done!

Thanks to Seth for turning up the volume on these great blogs and thanks to all of you who will take the time to go vote!

This whole "experiment" reminds all of us that blogging is a great equalizer. It allows voices of all pitches and tones to be discovered, listened to and learned from. Is your voice in the mix?

Update:

Not cool. About 24 hours after Seth tries to do a nice thing — people are doing a not so cool thing. Someone(s) gone through the squidoo list and "downgraded" a bunch of the blogs so that lots of people are in negative numbers.

You know…call me naive and idealistic — but come on. If you like someone’s blog, vote them up. If you’re not crazy about it — just leave them be. All of a sudden Mack’s fears are coming true — now it looks more like a popularity contest rather than giving some good blogs their due.

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What do you suppose is up with this?

December 24, 2006

Image via CrunchBase

Amazon is trying something new.

What do you suppose they gain by creating this new interface?
Is it something you’ll use?
How would you determine the credibility of the answers you got?
How would you reassure someone of the credibility of the answers you offered?

Hmm.

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What does your shopping style say…

December 23, 2006

…about your marketing style?

Maybe nothing. But a post by Valeria Maltoni over at Conversation Agent got me thinking. Valeria’s point is that too many people buy gifts based on what they like, not the recipient.

I think most people market that way as well. They don’t carefully consider what matters to the recipient. They just talk about the stuff that matters to them. Bottom line — they talk about themselves.

That’s like me buying my daughter a men’s sweater, because the color will go great with my eyes! Why would that excite her on Christmas morning? It wouldn’t.

But, if I am genuinely curious about her, if I get to know her likes and dislikes, if I engage her in conversation and ask her opinions — then I can get her a gift that’s right for her.

Back to marketing. Same rules apply. When we actually care enough to know them, we can talk to them about what matters. To them. To their lives.

That’s respectful marketing. That’s effective marketing. That’s the kind of marketing that too few do.

Do you? (Wow…just like Dr. Seuss but without the great illustrations!)

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How high is your water level?

December 23, 2006

People rise to expectations. Or sink to them. How high do you set the bar for your employees, peers and customers?

So often marketers create copy thinking that they have to live by the 3rd grade reading level rule. I say that’s ridiculous. Unless your product is for 3rd graders.

It’s okay to expect them to get clever. It’s okay to treat them with respect. It’s okay to expect them to make good choices.

I just learned of a company that has “employees cannot sleep while working” in their employee manual. Come on. If you have to say that in writing, you need to revise your hiring policies.

Go ahead, expect a little more and watch your boat rise with the tide.

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Give to get

December 20, 2006

Hopefully you have a passion for the work you do. It matters to you. And you honestly believe it matters to the clients you serve. It’s something you are proud to offer.

Give it away.

I could hear your collective gasp. Give away what you sell? But sampling is a golden oldie in terms of marketing tactics. The biggest buying obstacle any business has is the uncertainty of that first time. Why not leapfrog over that worry by just giving them a taste?

Many service-based businesses can’t conceive, because they don’t have a physical “thing” to offer, how they can use the sampling tactic. But, it’s easy.

Some of my learned peers in the marketing/communications field and I have decided to really explode the idea of sampling. We’re adopting a charity for the entire year. They’ll get everything from marketing counsel to video production services, web and new media coaching/services, printing, etc. We’re taking applications now. Read the Des Moines Register’s story about our marketing makeover.

If you’re a Central Iowa based non-profit, download the application and get it in! Some lucky charity is going to score over $75,000 worth of services.

Along with MMG, our partners in this experiment are:

Trinity Press
Radio Garage
Brackett Media & Event Services
Aijalon web services
Andy Lyons Photography

Hats off to these smart marketers who recognize the power of sampling. And of doing some good along the way.

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Tell me again why you don’t blog?

December 18, 2006

Dear corporate America…little one man business…and everyone in between,

You’ve heard it before. New media, blogging, YouTube, text messaging etc. etc. etc. We’ve talked about how the power is shifting from you to the consumer and how you’d better get your voice back in the conversation. Well guess what, now it’s official.

Time has named their Person of the Year. And it’s you. And me. And all the other voices out there. No doubt this will be discussed and re-discussed among the blogging community as a sort of triumphant validation for being an innovator. Interesting but not relevant for 99% of the businesses out there.

The only part of the whole discussion that you need to pay attention to is this:

How long can you afford to be silent?

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Ease into the week — brand of your youth?

December 17, 2006

I don’t know about you but Sunday nights are time for me to catch up. On my reading, on my work, on my relationships — all with an eye on Monday morning and knowing that the 180 mph pace is about to resume.

Sundays also seem to be my day for deep thoughts. I thought it might be fun to ease into the week together with a question that is sort of about branding and marketing but also has a personal element to it as well. A chance to get to know each other AND talk shop. Perfect for a Sunday night.

In the comments section of my recent post…This is your brain. This is your brain on brands there’s an interesting discussion about the emotional connection we make to brands. There’s no time when our emotions are more at the surface than when we’re kids. So here’s this week’s question:

What is the brand that best epitomizes your youth?

Mine…without a doubt, Rawlings. They made the best ball gloves. I can remember getting my first one…and oiling it with such attentive rapture. As I got older and my hand got bigger, I had to make the bittersweet move to a new glove. But soon, I loved the new one as much as the old one.

The great thing about a baseball glove is that, much like jeans, the more you use it, the more perfect it becomes. I slept with my mitt under my bed for months, molding the pocket to just how I wanted it. But it didn’t really achieve perfection for a few seasons. Then…it was (and still is) just right!

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The perfect combo gift

December 16, 2006

I was shopping tonight and came across this aisle sign.

Do you think the employees were making a commentary on holiday shopping or perhaps they didn’t bother to look at their work from the customer’s point of view?

It made me laugh. But it also made me appreciate the team at MMG who take pride in every thing they do for our clients.

Drew’s helpful holiday shopping hint: Just because they’re in the same aisle, does not mean they make a great combo gift!

Drew’s helpful employee training hint: If your employees don’t understand that they deliver your brand…you’ve got serious trouble.

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No friend of mine

December 16, 2006

We know the drill. A company wants to do a little one-to-one marketing. They determine their right audience, design their direct mail piece and buy a list.

My full name is Andrew. But really, unless you’re my mom and I’m in trouble, no one calls me that. So when I get a letter addressed to Andrew, I know its no friend of mine.

Here are the options available to the mailer (not counting the option of not sending the piece.)

They can address each letter individually, knowing that some Kathryns, Andrews, and Elizabeths are going to be on to them.

They can "guess" on nicknames. In my case, they’d guess Andy. And they’d be wrong. Kathryn could be Kate not Kathy and Elizabeth could be Betsy, not Liz. So perhaps risky business but odds are they’d be right as often as they’d be wrong. So have they reduced their risk by 50%?

They can address the envelope but not personalize the letter (just use a letter block format) and reduce the impact of potentially using the wrong name.

What do you think? Do consumers excuse the misuse of their name? Or does it make them feel less kindly towards the sender? Do you think they even notice? In a recent post, Seth Godin suggests that people thrive on seeing their name. Does that mean it really ticks them off to see it incorrect?

Salutation or irritation? That’s my question.

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Five Tips to Increase Online Book Sales

December 15, 2006

It seems like just about everyone who has written a book is pitching it on the web. Even me! Marketing sense tells us that the web needs to be part of any author’s strategy today.

Here are some easy and smart ways to juice your online sales.

Create a blog on the same topic as your book. I know I am probably preaching to the choir here, but it is worth saying. Blogging is a place where birds of a feather gather together. Gather your birds in your own nest!
On your book’s/author website (or blog) include a calendar that outlines your public appearances, book signings and presentations/readings. And provide a place for people to request an appearance too!
Post a sample chapter that can either be read or downloaded so they can get a taste of your style and how you approach the topic.
Give the buyers lots of choices. Don’t only have your book available on your site. List it on Amazon, BN.com, 800CEORead, etc. as well.
Identify some other authors who write in your same subject area. rather than seeing them as competition, make them a co-conspirator! Promote each other’s books, do some mutual giveaways and take advantage of each other’s fan base.

Rocket science? Not really. But you’d be amazed at how many authors think those books will sell themselves! If you’re an author, give a couple of these a try and let me know how they work. If you’re a reader…reward some of those authors and pick up a book or two for the holidays.

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