Strategy Archives - Page 21 of 53 - McLellan Marketing Group

The more important your message, the less you should say

December 8, 2008

My daughter will be 16 next summer. Which means she sends a lot of text messages. It also means I send a lot of text messages. When in Rome…

One truth I have discovered is that even in that abbreviated medium, it’s easy to be long-winded.

For every sentence I text, her retention and response gets shorter. The briefer I am, the more attention she pays and the more importance she seems to assign to my message.

If I really want an answer to a specific question or really want her to hear me about something, I use a single sentence. Then, I get her full attention.

Boy, is there a marketing lesson in that.

The more copy you use to deliver your messages…the less important they seem. The more messages you shove into a single ad, blog post or brochure — the more likely your big message will be lost in the blur.

When it really matters….say less.

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Quiznos sponge monkeys revisited – Buzz isn’t enough

December 3, 2008

When I say Quizno’s "Spongmonkeys" odds are you know what I am talking about. Considering the short time that campaign ran, that is a very effective demonstration in the power of creating a buzz.

In case you aren’t familiar… back in 2004, Quiznos launched a campaign starring some odd sponge monkeys created in the UK. Apparently someone say the sponge monkeys, shared them with the agency (The Martin Agency) representing Quiznos and voila….buzz was born.

Here’s one of the spots, just to jog your memory. (E-mail and RSS subscribers…click on the headline to see the TV spot)

But the little creepy creatures only lived a short while before the plug was pulled on the campaign.

Why?

While the campaign had us all talking about Quiznos, it did not have us eating their food. Their sales numbers were down. The second and perhaps even more compelling reason is that the franchisees hated the campaign. Although the restaurants’ target audience is 18-34 year olds and the spots were cewated with this audience in mind — they sort of forgot about the other critical audience, their own franchisees. And most of them were over 35+ and have to live with people commenting on the campaign every single day. And the comments weren’t pretty.

Would it have smarter to do a little market research and see if anyone had an adverse reaction to coupling food with rodents? Yes. Would it have been smarter to share the campaign with the front line franchisees, that can make or break a campaign’s success? Yes.

The lesson for all of us? Buzz for buzz sake is just not enough. If the strategy isn’t sound and the key players are not on board, odds are not in your favor.

Put yourself in the Quiznos marketing director’s shoes. You’ve launched the campaign. People are reacting (both positively and negatively) with great emotion. You are getting pressured to pull the plug. What could you do to take advantage of the buzz on both sides of the fence?

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Name a medium and I’ve got a learning tool for you!

November 24, 2008

Sure, there’s a 4-day weekend coming up. At least for us Americans. You bet — lots of turkey and pumpkin pie. And football. Let’s not forget football. Or, if you prefer — shopping.

But sooner or later, your brain is going to ask for of a jump start. And I’ve got just the thing for you…no matter how you like to learn.

Special Report: Rain Today’s Face to Face Networking Guide: A Primer for Relationship Building

Rain Today is one of my favorite resources. Tons of good information, webinars, research reports and smart writing. They’re offering this free report as part of their 7-day free trial. Here’s how it works.

Sign up for their 7-day free trial.
Download the Networking Guide.
Explore all of their other resources, download all the articles, reports, etc. that you want/can.
Decide if you want to remain a member or cancel without any financial obligation.

E-book: Back to Basics by Deborah Chaddock Brown

Deborah’s e-book is a great marketing 101 primer. She asked me to review her manuscript and provide a quote for her cover. Here’s what I said:

"Deborah Chaddock Brown is a bold-faced LIAR!! She promises 30 tips to market your small business in her new book, Back to Basics.

But there have to be at least 50 of them in there! With easy to grasp examples, Deborah offers the small business owner a cornucopia of marketing tips, tricks and best of all, proven techniques for building a rock solid marketing foundation.

Read this book with pencil in hand because you’ll be taking notes in the margins as you plan your way to smarter, more effective marketing."

Software: Marketing Plan Pro by PaloAlto Software and Duct Tape Marketing

This interactive software takes the small business owner through a step-by-step process that helps them identify their target audience, key messages, forecast sales and expenses, and track your progress once you’ve completed the plan.

John Jantsch, founder of Duct Tape Marketing, has been serving the small business owner and helping them wrap their arms around marketing for a long time. His involvement with this project means you can count on receiving a quality product.

Web-based video learning: Web Video University

Through a virtual classroom online, you can learn how to craft, script and create high quality web videos to use on your website or blog.

The Web Video University course is broken down into four weekly lessons which will cover everything from content to the technical aspects like lighting and sound. Dave Kaminski walks you through all of the basics and often offers some cost-savings alternatives to going out and buying big ticket equipment.

There you have it…and if none of these trip your trigger — be sure to check out the Amazon widget in the sidebar. It’s filled with books that I highly recommend.

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The best argument for overpaying your proofreader I’ve seen in awhile

November 20, 2008

First….pay attention to the subject matter of Omniture ‘s offering.

Now look at the e-mail they sent out to solicit customers for the above webinar. How sad and scary is that?

My client who shared this with me is actually NOT known by FirstName. And the guy didn’t even sign this very important e-mail. But not to worry — she can call him at…

Note to all of us. For the love of God…have someone proof your work.

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Remember this as you walk into that next meeting…

November 13, 2008

Big egos have little ears.

~ Robert Schuller

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Are your eyes bigger than your budget?

November 11, 2008

You know that feeling you sometimes get after Thanksgiving dinner? That, "I want to lay on the floor and bemoan the second helping of turkey, stuffing and the extra roll?"

Your eyes were bigger than your stomach and you always pay the price.

The same thing happens when you’re buying media (new or traditional). You try to stretch that budget too far. Which means you take on more than your budget can comfortably handle.

One more radio station. That great buy in the trade pub. A couple more sites for the banner ad.

Push the plate back and walk away from the table. When you’re buying media, you are always better off to not overdo. Buy a good strong schedule and if you have money left over….go back and buy more of what you’ve already bought.

For a media mix to be effective, each element in the mix must be substantial enough to establish retention. Too often, people sacrifice repetition for the sake of reach.

By the way….the same logic holds true for marketing tactics. Don’t try to do too much. Better to do fewer things more often and better.

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How dumb do you think your customers are?

November 6, 2008

We give a lot of lip service to the idea of authenticity.

But come on…do we really think hotels don’t want to wash our sheets and towels every day because they care about the environment?

I’d have a much higher opinion of the hotel if they said…if we can save a few hundred thousand dollars every year by not washing unused towels and sheets — we can keep your room rates down and pay our people better.

Tell the truth. No one is fond of someone who talks to them like they’re a moron.

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Remove the irritant – Amazon attacks Wrap Rage

November 4, 2008

We hear a lot of buzz about innovation. Everyone is trying to create the next iPod.

But sometimes, the most powerful way to reward current customers and gain new one is not by inventing something new…but instead, by removing an irritant.

Amazon announced on their home page yesterday (I think) that they’re waging war on Wrap Rage. This is the frustration people experience when they try to open something they’ve bought that has been sealed as though it contained the key to Fort Knox.

In a letter from Jeff Bezos, the company announces it’s multi-year initiative to create Frustration Free Packaging from Amazon. (Read the announcement here. Click on it once to enlarge enough to actually read.)

They go on to announce that they’ve partnered with Fisher-Price to unveil this initiative with the first results of their efforts.

Bloody brilliant.

In addition to waging war on Wrap Rage (who knew it had a name?), they’ve also created a place where customers can upload videos or photos of their own wrap frustrations.

Two big takeaways for all of us:

Sometimes the most innovative thing you can do is eliminate something that’s a barrier or problem.
When you create an easier, better, faster way — shout it to the world.

What is the biggest frustration your customers experience? If you don’t know — ask them. If you do know, why not remove it?

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Want a couple free hours with a top notch business coach?

November 4, 2008

Every business owner/leader needs a sounding board. A safe place to explore ideas or get honest feedback about their own strengths and weaknesses.

I know I’ve sure needed that from time to time.

Blend that with the wisdom of The E-Myth by Michael Gerber (read about their coaching philosophy) and what do you get? E-Myth Benchmark.

And they want to give YOU two free hours of coaching. No matter where in the world you live or work.

I can (and do) personally vouch for the quality and confidentiality you’ll receive because I’ve worked with them for years. They push, pull and cajole me into seeing myself and my business from a much more objective perspective.

Here’s how you get your two free coaching hours:

Call them at 515-288-6984 or e-mail them.
Congratulate them on their name change to E-Myth Benchmark.
Ask to schedule your two free hours of coaching.

I’m not kidding….you’ll be elated at the results. They promise no hard sell and you are under no obligation to go beyond your two free hours.

By the way…they did not ask me to write about this or mention it to you. (They don’t even know I am.) I’m doing it because I know you’ll enjoy and value the experience.

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Direct mail tricks: The envelope

October 30, 2008

And the envelope says…..hopefully your direct mail envelopes are saying, "Open me!" Many marketers put a great deal of time and effort into what’s inside the envelope but completely miss the opportunity to grab the recipient’s attention long before the package gets opened. Here are some simple strategies for making the most of the envelope.

And these tips work, whether you are a business to business mailer or you’re mailing to individuals at home. The trick is to catch their interest as they stand over the waste basket, decided what to even open.

Teaser copy. Entice them to open the envelope. Say something that will leave them wondering.

Make it personal. It goes without saying that with today’s technology a personalized message is not only possible, it’s also highly effective.

Don’t fake it. We’ve all gotten those "official" looking envelopes that were not from the government, an overnight letter or a telegram. Unless it plays into your creative execution, don’t annoy your audience by being deceiving.

Hit the flip side. Don’t forget about the back of the envelope. That’s one of the most visible spots on the envelope and often the most underused.

Don’t take a chance that your mail piece will get tossed without at least having one shot at delivering your message. Make every element, including the outer envelope, work for you.

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