Marketing

How to use a survey effectively

May 23, 2007

I responded to a survey called "Media Relations in Practice" generated by PR News and recently received a "preview" of the results.

Let me share a couple of the graphs (screen shots from their website) and then make a couple points and get your feedback.

 

Some interesting results.  Apparently they will be covering the findings in more detail in an upcoming issue of PR News.  One of the charts I did not include was tied to the question "how do you track your PR efforts?" The overwhelming majority answered either Google or Yahoo.

But what interested me even more than the results was the way the survey results handled.   As a respondent, I was sent a note of thanks and a web link.  Oh yeah…and an "additional bonus for responding" a $50 off coupon for one of their products.  Good for 90 days.

Here’s what I might have done differently.

• I would have sent a web link but also offered each individual chart as a jpg (or some other format) for easier sharing.  After all, their own respondents told them how important blogs and other social media are.
• I would have solicited comments/examples to make the results come to life and used them in the upcoming article.
• I would have attached a free white paper on a related topic, based on the results received, rather than the coupon.

How about you?  Any a ha moments from the results?  How would you have handled distributing the results or thanking the participants?

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Silence kills a relationship

May 22, 2007

You know what drives me nuts?  When I am ignored, like I’m barely visible.  The silence is deafening.

We have a vendor/partner who does very good work. But they have a cultural habit that is resulting in my agency deciding to look for new vendors. They go silent.

When we run into a snag, we call or e-mail.  They say they’ll check into it.  I have no doubt that they’re doing something and trying to figure out the solution.  But we don’t hear a word.  We are left waiting.  Our client is asking for updates and we have nothing to offer.  We e-mail and e-mail or call and call, and finally we will get an update. I’m pretty sure (and yes, I have asked) that their culture says — focus on fixing the problem and then report the solution. 

I want more than that.  I want over communication.  It’s not that I don’t want them to expend most of their energy on solving the snafu, but also I need them to recognize that I’m in the dark and how uncomfortable that is.

I want a daily update that gives me something to offer our client.  I want to know what is working and what still has them stumped.  I want anything but silence.

I think one of the most damaging things we can do is ignore a client.  Because in essence, that’s what silence is. 

When your clients are in crisis (or their own perceived crisis) how do you handle it?  What do they want?  How do you know it’s what they want?  Are you guilty of keeping them in the dark?

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Your future customers are behaving very oddly

May 21, 2007

Many in the B2B world are dismissing social media as something "kids" are doing.  Or are nodding at their B2C brethren and saying it’s their problem.

Maybe today that’s sort of true.  But guess what your future customers are doing.  Yup — building a new habit of using social media. Do you suppose that’s going to just go away?

Social networks have changed the way that people interact with each other and with media, according to an April research report released by Fox Interactive Media. The research found that the 70% of Americans aged 15-34 who engage in social networking activity are doing so during the primetime hours. According to the research data, these social networkers aren’t just dabbling; they tend to use social networks more than they use other forms of communication and entertainment. According to the report, a majority of social networkers choose interacting on sites such as MySpace as their favorite activity online or offline ahead of television viewing.

Other findings:

• 40% of social networkers say they use social networking sites to learn more about brands or products, and 28% say a friend has recommended a brand or product to them.
• 69% of users say they use social networking sites to connect with existing friends and 41% say they use the sites to connect with family members.
• More than 31% of social networkers say they spend more time online in general after starting to use a social network.

Here is the question for marketers.  If the 17-34 year olds are already engaged in social media, do you suppose they’re going to unplug when they hit 35,40 or 50?

Imagine how differently we will talk to the next generation as they approach retirement.  Are you already seeing this in your work?  If your product or service targets the mature market — how does or will this affect you?

Source: Word of Mouth Marketing Association

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So how good are you when you have no budget?

May 19, 2007

I need you to put on your thinking cap with me.

Sure, it’s sexy to work on a project for Coke, Best Buy or NBC.  But let’s be honest, that gets old. 

I have something even sweeter on my desk and I’ve decided to let you in on the project.  (I know…give, give, give!)

And don’t think I’m not going to share the wealth. I’m doing this pro bono, so I can promise you that you’re going to make just as much as I do!

What is this once in a lifetime project?  Wait for it…

We’re going to create a marketing plan for a middle school!  No, not one of those swank private schools.  This is your run of the mill public middle school.  With 30 year old auditorium seats.  Having sat in them many a time, I can assure you — this is a need, not a want.

Let me give you the facts and then I would love to let you contribute some brilliant ideas to add to the plan.

The campaign:  Not a Bad Seat in the House (they love the pun of it!)
The goal: "Sell" 400 seats at $200 each.  Each buyer will get a plaque they can personalize that will go on the seat itself.
The budget:  Come on, it’s the public school system.  We can print some fliers or simple one color brochures and they would probably spring for some postage.
The work force:  A few teachers, the principal and a handful of parents, including moi — who somehow became in charge of this little project.

Oh yeah…and school is out the first week in June.  So our most immediate access to the most likely buyer is 2 weeks and counting.

So come on you brilliant marketers — toss some great ideas my way.  Let’s build the plan together so  there’s "not a bad seat in the house!"  (It sings, doesn’t it?)

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Helping college grads get a job – FREE e-book

May 18, 2007

About 6 weeks ago, I asked my readers to take pity on all the college students who were about to start their first real job hunt.  I suggested that the greatest graduation gift we could collectively offer was tough lessons learned, insights and practical tips.  "Let’s give them a fighting chance," I said.

Boy, did they bring it on!

50 pages of sage advice. All  for grads. All for free.  Get it while the getting’s good!  You have two download options.  With and without photos.  (In neither case is this going to win any design awards.  Let’s remember that I am a writer.)

3+ mg e-book with photos  Download collegegradsadvice.pdf

Tiny little 300K text only e-book Download collegegradsnophoto.pdf

Please take a minute to say thanks to the many professionals who took the time to offer a word of encouragement, a war story or an idea.  Without them, this would have been a very short book!

As always, I’m honored by their generosity. 

I apologize in advance if there are any errors. Also, if someone posted their answer on their own blog — I tried to catch them all, but if I missed you, I’m very sorry.  And without further ado — the wisdom collective:

Aaron Potts
Andy Brudtkuhl
Andy Nulman
Andy Wibbels
Ann Handley
Ann Michael
Anne Simons
Becky Carroll
Bob Glaza
C.B. Whittemore
Carolyn Manning
Chris Cree
Christine Brown
CK
Darren Barefoot
David Reich
Delaney Kirk
Derek Tutschulte
Designer Mike
Doug Karr
Doug Mitchell
Drew McLellan
Joan Schramm
Kevin Hillstrom
Lewis Green
Liz Strauss
Mario Sundar
Mark Goren
Mark True
Mary Schmidt
Nick Rice
Patrick Schaber
Paul McEnany
Phil Gerbyshak
Roberta Rosenberg
Roger von Oech
Rosa Say
Seth Godin
Sharon Sarmiento
Stephanie Weaver
Steve Miller
Steve Sisler
Terry Starbucker
Toby Bloomberg
Tony D. Clark
Valeria Maltoni

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White papers worth reading

May 16, 2007

In yesterday’s post, we discovered that readers place a very high value on white papers.  So here are a few that I think you’ll value and learn something from.

The first two come from Barry Linetsky at The Strategic Planning Group.  (just scroll down and they are right under his photo.)

Walt Disney:  Nine principles of his success
Quiznos’ Low Road

This last one is a series I wrote back in November that, if you haven’t already downloaded and enjoyed, I hope you will.

Marketing Lessons From Walt Disney

Enjoy!

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You want my name and e-mail address? What’s it going to take?

May 14, 2007

So, part of your marketing strategy is to capture contact information off your website.   You might offer a free webinar or white paper.  But what will be enticing enough for your visitors to cough up their info?  And actually give you real data?

MarketingSherpa and KnowledgeStorm did a survey to ask just those sorts of questions.  Here are some interesting stats from their research summary. You’ll be able to view all the results on KnowledgeStorm’s website in a few weeks.

What will prompt someone to register?

The golden oldie — the white paper still reigns supreme.  But case studies are close behind. Vendors are clearly more tolerant (which makes sense) than users.  But even product literature is at a respectable 45%.

Will I go by Drew McLellan or Derek Monohan?

This is the chart that fascinated me.  I’m a little embarrassed to admit this, but it has never even occurred to me to put false information into the form.  I am sure it speaks to my own  foolishness or something.  Makes you want to come try to sell me something doesn’t it?  But, it’s fascinating to study what people guard and what they’re pretty free with.  Why would someone lie more often about their title than their name?  And who cares what industry you’re in?

This chart reminded me of a very insightful post that Matt Dickman wrote in March about the impact of trying to collect too much data too fast. 

What do you think?  If you had to give your website a letter grade today — how are you doing on this stuff?  Are you offering the right mix of enticements?  Are you asking for too much or too  little information?

What could you do differently that would improve your results?

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Your starting pitcher…Drew McLellan

May 10, 2007

Did you read the title in one of those reverberating loudspeaker voices?  If not, you need to go back and re-read it that way.  I’ll wait.

That is the soundtrack of my youth.  I grew up dreaming of hearing the announcer’s voice booming my name I strode confidently to the mound.

My hero – Sandy Koufax, the preeminent pitcher of the 1960’s.  He had a fastball that could singe your eyelashes before you knew it was even out of his hand.  He had the stuff, on and off the field.  He was an ambassador for the game and a class act.

I wanted to be just like him. 

I would drift off to sleep many a night, shaking off pitch signals in my head as I imagined myself reaching my dream.

When I discovered blogging, I experienced a similar reaction to a different team – the bloggers at Marketing Profs Daily Fix.  They were articulate, smart, insightful and engaging.  I admired how confidant they were in their areas of expertise and how they could weave stories and facts together to illuminate their points of view.

I wanted to be just like them.

So I can’t tell you how humbled and elated I am to invite you over to the Daily Fix to read my inaugural post.  Now if the Fix’s Ann Handley would just get on the loudspeaker…

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Why would you take a swing at your competition?

May 10, 2007

Over at the Daily Fix, Spike Jones (a great baseball name if I ever heard one) raises the question "why would you ever call out your competitors in your ads?"

He goes on to make some valid points.

But…

All of Spike’s arguments are based on the assumption that the only audience for advertising and marketing tactics are prospects.  They’re not.

Who’s the most important customer?  Right, the one you already have.  They can either be out there, spreading your brand’s good word or they can not care enough to choose you again if the other guy is cheaper.

But when it comes to building brand loyalty and love, sometimes a little bashing goes a long way.  Comparison ads do just that. They hold up two choices and they make a clear distinction between the two.  And in doing that, sometimes they create or reinforce the building of ownership and pride in a brand.

Case in point — the Mac versus PC ads.  Do I think that those ads sway some PC owners to come over to the other side?  Sure.  But what I think they really do is get us Mac people to thrust our fist in the air and shout a little.   They reinforce our buying decision. They give us talking points so we can  go out and  spread the brand’s good word.  They make us feel smart and special.

Which means that when its time to buy another….

Smart.

And now, for your viewing pleasure.  Imagine me giving a little cheer.

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Taking the Age of Conversation and making it even better!

May 9, 2007

 

Don’t you love when someone takes a good idea and just adds value right on top of it?

Arun Rajagopal has decided to visit every Age of Conversation author’s blog and write a profile on each author.  Between the two installments, there’s just about a fourth of the authors profiled already.

Check out the series and a big thank you to Arun!  Hey Arun…don’t forget to tell us a little more about you too!

Profiles – 1
Profiles -2

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