Strategy Archives - Page 36 of 53 - McLellan Marketing Group

No one is a demographic range: How to actually talk to people

July 27, 2007

Are you a 25-54 year old male who wants a motorcycle?

I'm pretty sure that there's never been anyone who is 25-54. Maybe 27 or 39. But not the whole range.

And yet…most marketing plans talk demographics. We describe our target audience is such broad terms that at best, they are a blur. No wonder most marketing copy (brochures, radio scripts, web sites) is vague and uninspired. If I asked you to say three things about a motorcycle that would appeal to a 25-54 year old, how in the world would you know what to say?

But, what if I said: you are talking to a 52 year old man. He's a white collar professional that just dropped his youngest off at college. His 50th birthday hit him pretty hard. He's been at the same company for 8 years and he and his wife get away for 2-3 long weekends a year and they take one family vacation a year, to the family condo time share in Boca.

This past year, he and his wife celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and he surprised her with a diamond eternity band. They like to entertain at home or go out for dinner with friends.

He likes to read thrillers and spy stories. He putters a little in the garden and plays poker twice a month with some old college buddies. He enjoys a good cigar and scotch at the poker game and is often heard saying "life is not about the destination, it is about the journey."

Now…could you come up with three things about a motorcycle that would appeal to this man? I bet your copy isn't vague any more.

Rather than trying to talk to shadows…and demographics, try creating the perfect customer. Every business has one. That doesn't mean every customer will match all the criteria, but the closer you can come, the better.

So it stands to reason, the more specifically you can talk to that target audience, the more likely you are to attract the right customers.

How do you begin to create the perfect customer? Grab a piece of paper and a pencil/pen and let's get you started.

Ready? Quickly write down the names of 3-5 of your company's best current customers.

Now, again without mental editing, list characteristics of this customer. These might include things like:

If your customers are companies:

Size of company (employees, locations, etc.)
Industry
Gross annual billings
Structure (partnership, corporation, non-profit, association, etc)
Type of work
Frequency of work
Amount of annual revenue for your company from this one
Type of day to day communication (do they need hand holding, have you ever met in person, are they a golfing buddy)
Market position (leader, #2, newcomer)
Personality of key customer contact

If your customers are individuals:

Age
Education
Daily Habits
Kind of work they do
Where they shop
What causes they are passionate about
Where in the life cycle are they
How do they dress
What kind of car do they drive
What's their leisure time look like
Attitude about work, family, life etc

Now look for trends. What do your best customers have in common? Begin to build a profile. Fill in the blanks as you can. If possible, make this multi-media. Are there colors, visuals, songs, smells etc. that you associate with this perfect customer?

Let this profile evolve over time. Tweak it as you begin to use it. If it helps, give your perfect customer a name. Aim your marketing right at that person. Write/design as though you are talking directly to them. And watch your results rise.

What do you think? If you've already done something like this, tell us about it. If you haven't yet…how might this be helpful to you?

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Bad customers, branding, chasing cool and babies

July 25, 2007

If you're looking for me today, you're going to have to look all over. It's a little like "where in the world is Carmen San Diego" but with a twist. Check out my posts on these blogs:

Marketing Profs Daily Fix: No one believes in branding more than I do. But have we gone a little too far when we hire professionals to help us brand our baby?

IowaBiz: Everyone wants to be the iPod of their industry. What gets in the way of being a company capable of creating that kind of cool?

Small Business Branding: Everyone's had a bad customer. Guess what? That's our own fault. Branding done right can help us avoid those potential customers who in the end, just aren't for us.

Come catch me if you can!

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Newsletter No no’s

July 24, 2007

Newsletters are a popular marketing tool. Done well, they can be incredibly effective. Unfortunately, most people's efforts end up in the circular file before anyone has bothered to read it. Why? Because they committed too many newsletter no no's. If you're the editor-in-chief of your company's newsletter, be mindful to avoid these mistakes. MMG's is hot off the press.

No grand plan: Your newsletter needs to have a vision. Without it, it's just a hodge-podge of articles that has no continuity. It's hard to build reader loyalty without it. Make sure you identify your key audiences and what you're trying to get them to do/know.

Too much ego: Sure, your newsletter is a sales tool. But be careful that you don't toot your own horn to the point of arrogance. Celebrate your product/service's excellence but do it with case studies or client testimonials rather than in the first person.

Not providing value: We live in a "what's in it for me" society. Your newsletter is fighting for your audience's most precious asset – their time. So make it worthwhile. Give them new information or insights so they look forward to receiving your newsletter.

Inconsistency: Hitting deadlines is tough and to let them slide. But, if you promise a quarterly or monthly newsletter, then it needs to come out on time. Every time. What do you think it says about your business if you don't keep your promise on newsletter deadlines?

Lack of interaction: Give your readers a chance to talk back. An e-mail address, a contest, a bounce back card, a URL that solicits feedback. Make it a conversation rather than a monologue.

Newsletters are a lot of work. Make sure all the effort you put into your publication pays off. Avoid these newsletter no no's and you'll have loyal readers for life.

Want to read a little more? Here are some good tips. And a few more.

What newsletter do you always welcome into your e-mail in box? What makes it a must read for you?

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Concentrate on the old this week

July 23, 2007

Current or past clients are a goldmine of potential new sales. Here are some of the advantages of selling to someone who has already bought from you:

They know who you are and trust/like you enough that they've done business with you
They are more likely to take your calls than a prospect
You'll be able to get past their gatekeeper
They've already experienced your product
They are also great referral sources
They are the source of testimonials
If they had a good experience, they will want more

Of course, if you fade away and lose touch, they will lose interest. So you want to be sure that an element of your marketing/sales plan include staying in touch with these very valuable customers.

Of course, you're going to have to talk to them differently. It's like the difference between talking to a stranger and talking to your cousin.

If you are like most businesses, you spend a disproportionate amount of your time chasing strangers and not enough time talking to old forgotten cousins.

Do you have a cousin or two that you should reach out to this week? Do you have something relevant to say?

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Do your words caress your wares?

July 21, 2007

It's human nature. When someone loves something, we are drawn to it as well. Maybe it's a borrowed esteem thing. But, when someone is that gaga over something, you just know there has to be something to it.

And that love cannot be faked. It's in their eyes. And in their words. They don't just describe the object of their affection; their words actually caress it. Let me give you an example.

The J. Peterman Company catalog is a copywriting lesson in and of itself. Each item is artfully displayed but it's the description that enraptures the would-be shopper.

Listen to how they describe an item called Floral Silk Dress.

Just a few hundred intimate friends on hand for a good cause, canapés among the rosebushes.

Castor Swilling and Mia Culp have flown in from the coast.

All the power couples have showed up – the Bagbalms, the de Kays, the Thralls, the fun-loving Audibles. There's the cream of the Beltway too, from Justice Hardly and Secretary Spinner to the indefatigable Snapper Balding.

But it's you, my dear, who carries the day….the first woman to sell one million dollars worth of raffle tickets.

You know how to dress for these things. Floral Silk Dress (No. 1865). Sleeveless, mid-calf length confection of gossamer 10mm georgette lined in silk charmeuse (satin side against your body). High Empire waist with cummerbund pleats. Decorative self-covered buttons down the front. Eight godets for sweep and flutter.

Or…the Malaguena skirt.

The impulse to flirt is inborn, which is a good thing. Social life with flirtation would be a bowl of very dull porridge.

Unfortunately, political correctness et al. has created ambivalence about flirting. Clumsiness. Confusion.

People attend courses with titles like "Get What You Want Through Flirting." They text each other across a crowded room.

May I suggest a more organic approach?

Start by putting on this skirt. The gentle motion of the silk tiers draws attention, stirs imagination. Life warms up without bursting into flames. Lines of communication tend to open naturally.

True flirtation isn't a preliminary. It's a preliminary to a preliminary. Malaguena Skirt (No. 1586), four soft, flowing angled tiers of silk georgette. Ankle-length. Easy-fitting elastic waist. Georgette lining. Inspired by a flamenco dancer's dress at Rosa de Triana in Old San Juan, just up from the city gate.

That is pure decadence. Love shimmers off every word. You get a sense of affection and a dash of reverence.

In a world of USA Today bullet point or colorful graph ads….this is remarkable. You can't love something with bullet points or a bar chart. It's just too efficient. Love isn't efficient, it is effusive.

I liken this kind of writing to cotton candy. Do we technically need it? No. But its sticky sweetness melts in our mouth and creates an experience unto itself.

Do your words caress your wares? If you don't show the love, how can you expect your customers to?

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What is the cost of being right?

July 20, 2007

The world is counting the hours until 12:01 am. Why? The final book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows goes on sale and all the questions will be answered.

So until then…everyone is holding their breath. Well, almost.

As you probably know, both the New York Times and the Baltimore Sun "legally" obtained copies of the book and issued reviews on Thursday — 48 hours before the book was to be officially released. Both reviews gave away elements of the book's plot but neither told us whether or not Harry survives. The book's author JK Rowlings is outraged that the newspapers saw fit to publish a review before the book's release.

This reminds me a bit of the Grinch sneaking the sucker out of Cindy Lou Who's chubby little fingers as she slept. As I search the web today, I'm hard pressed to find someone defending the two paper's decision to publish their reviews. The Washington Post was quick to point out that they are choosing to honor the book's embargo until Saturday at 12:01.

The New York Times and Baltimore Sun's stance is "hey, if we can get the book via legal means, we have the right to publish the review."

People have been flooding the Times and Sun with angry phone calls and e-mails. So here's my question.

Why? Imagine the editorial meeting at either paper. Why would they think the pre-embargo review would be well received? Why not just prep the review and have it ready for the Saturday morning edition or even better…release a 12:01 am edition?

In my mind…this is as much a PR issue as a news issue. If you had been around the decision-making table — what would you have recommended?

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Consistency — vital or overrated?

July 19, 2007

Brand experts, including your friends at MMG, believe that consistency in look, tone, and feel is a critical element of communicating and embedding your brand/company into the minds of the consumers. Not just in how you treat your logo, but in the bigger picture. Sales sheets, ads, website, direct mail pieces, etc, etc

But…can consistency be over-done? How rigid do you think a company should be in terms of design elements, logo usage, color pallete, etc?

And does that fine line shift depending on how recognizable your brand/company already is in the consumer group's mind?

In other words…can Nike or Apple take liberties that a lesser known company can't afford to take or doesn't it matter?

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SWOT = your annual check up

July 17, 2007

Most businesses do not create a marketing plan or do any annual "thinking" about their business. I'm not even going to begin the lecture on that. So let's assume you're one of the few who recognizes the importance of some annual planning. Part of that planning should be a SWOT analysis.

Think of a SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis as an annual check up with your physician. It’s preventative medicine. By going through the exercise, you will start with your own business and then look at the market place around you. SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. Opportunities and threats are external factors.

Your goal in doing a SWOT analysis is to capture and communicate, in a very simple format, the key issues your organization needs to keep an eye on over the next 12 months. Naturally, these become the building blocks for your marketing tactics. It’s easy to strategize on how to capitalize on your strengths, but the real marketing genius will come from neutralizing your weaknesses. In many cases, focusing on your own brand (in a later module) will help you put those into perspective. The most urgent of the quadrants is probably the opportunities. Odds are, your strengths will be with you for years. But an opportunity is here now. How do you capitalize on it while it’s still within your grasp?

Remember, the SWOT is not science. It is filled with subjectivity. Use it as a guide, rather than a verbatim mandate.

Keep these in mind:

Be as objective as possible. It’s difficult to evaluate yourself clearly. Invite others into the process.
Your SWOT is a snapshot of today. Use it to plan where you want to go tomorrow.
Be precise in your language. This is not the time for ambiguity.
Think sound bites. Words and short sentences, not paragraphs.

This is also a great team-building exercise. It will be valuable to you to hear your team’s perspective. If you’re really brave, ask some clients and trusted vendors. You will probably be surprised by at least a couple things that you hear.

What annual check ups do you use? How do you create your plan for the upcoming year?

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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?

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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."

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