Marketing Today

I'm A Marketing Technopologist. Are You One Too?

Last night, I headed over to IceBox Co-Labs for the October Social Media Club of Louisville event featuring Dave Knox, chief marketing officer at Rockfish Interactive and former brand manager at Procter & Gamble.

Knox’s presentation was titled "Brand Manager 2.0" and it focused on managing a brand and digital marketing from a big brand perspective.  He quoted the American Marketing Association when he explained that marketing has changed more over the last three to five years than in decades before that. How do we marketers survive and thrive.  Well, in five easy steps:

1. Become a marketing technopologist - this is from a WSJ article which originally coined the term that describes a person at the intersection of anthropoligist, technologist, and marketer.

2. Try purpose-inspired brand building - as Know explained many of the products that have been marketed over the last 20 years have focused on upgrading products to better, faster, cheaper, whiter, brighter, etc.  Companies that are standing out from the pack and doing the right thing include those like Nike who is "bringing inspirational innovation to every athlete" and (a favorite of mine) LEGO who is "providing fuel for children's imaginations."

3. Practice consumer collaboration - if you think about it, the most successful companies stay close to their customers.  Knox gave the example of how Starbucks is running "My Starbucks Idea" to gather feedback from their customers.

4. Facilitate conversations and community - Knox's example here was a site created by P&G called "Man of the House" that focused on the men who are shopping and taking care of kids who were not only P&G customers but who appreciated talking with other guys like themselves and who don't want want to be marketed to like the lady of the house.

5.  Get to know the everywhere shopper marketer - marketers need to understand that the "digital revolution" is all about customer empowerment.  Every product review, recommendation, piece of signage, and ad is helping customers make decisions.  To ignore that this is happening can be a waste of your marketing budget and efforts.

Special thanks to Jason Falls for organizing it and to Kix.com, the Kentucky Indiana Exchange, an online community that presents a new opportunity for growing, retaining and attracting talent in the Wired65 region for their sponsorship of the event.

 

Book Review: Delivering Happiness

I just finished reading Tony Hsieh's first book, Delivering Happiness, on my iPad.  Tony is the CEO of online shoe and clothing sore, Zappos.  It's a great book written by a man with a different perspective on business which is what makes him interesting.  

The book begins with his tales of early entrepreneurial ventures like his worm farm.  It takes him through Harvard University and his first experience with crowdsourcing at exam time.  And, it goes through his startup success that lead to running the Internet incubator that lead him to becoming the CEO of Zappos.

Zappos gained fame for growing to be > $ 1 billion in about ten years which lead to Amazon.com buying Zappos for $940 million in a stock and cash deal in June, 2009.  But, it's the core values that really set the company apart from most others.  The company culture is a competitive advantage.

Zappos' Core Values Make Them Unique (and Super Successful!)

The company publishes a "Culture Book" annually that is made up of contributions from employees. All employees that are hired for their corporate office, regardless of position, are required to undergo a 4-week customer loyalty training course, which includes at least 2 weeks of talking on the phone with customers in the call center at full salary. 

After a week of training, the new employees are offered $2,000 to leave the company immediately if they think that it's not for them. This is to make sure that employees are there because they love of the job and not the money.

As Anthony Robbins writes in the "Praise for Delivering Happiness" section, "When you focus on increasing the happiness of your employees, colleagues, vendors, and customers, you not only increase your own happiness, but you chances for success."

My Favorite Insight

Page 209 lists the "Top 10 Ways to Instill Customer Service into Your Company".  Sure, making customer service a priority for the whole company is key as is empowering your customer service reps.  But my favorite insight is #6 - "Don't hide you 1-800 number.  It's a message not just to your customers, but to your employees as well."  This just hit me as so profound because I've noticed how hard it is to find a number to call someone at a company when you have a problem.  Take for example, when I was in Quicken the other day and I accidentally deleted my checking account.  At that "Yikes!  Somebody please help me!" moment, I didn't want to read FAQs to find the answer to my problem online, I wanted to talk to somebody...and quickly!  After combing the site, I couldn't find a phone number, but I did finally find live chat and someone was able to help me quickly.  While my problem got solved, I did resent that as a Quicken customer for the last 10 years, they didn't think enough of me to make it easy for me to call them with a problem.  The Zappos folks have it right.

If you're looking for a good business book that will make you look at things a different way in your business, check out Delivering Happiness.  And, if you'd like to meet the author, go see the Delivering Happiness bus when it makes a stop in your town.  I think I'll go see it when it gets to Boston in September

Greetings from the Mayor of Blackstones of Beacon Hill...and....

Foursquare is "a service that mixes social, locative and gaming elements to encourage people explore the cities in which they live." I started using the Foursquare iPhone app in April and I've got to say, it's pretty cool.   So far, through the check-ins in my neighborhood, I'm the mayor of three places: the local gift shop, one of my favorite Italian restaurants, and the local burger joint.  I'm leaving the hardware store and the 7-11 for Nick C since he seems to be working the other half of the 'hood.

Geolocation Software is Here to Stay

For years, I've heard pitches from entrepreneurs about direct marketing to my cell phone so that as I walk through a mall I can get barraged with coupons from retailers to come inside and shop.  That always sounded like a nightmare to me.  And, something that benefited a retailer and would annoy me. 

With today's geolocation software, smart phone or Internet-connected computers can be identified in terms of a meaningful location like a street address rather then just a set of geographic coordinates.  Using programs like Foursquare becomes more like a game you can play with your friends.  And, it's finally coming around with promotions from firms like Starbucks with $1 off coupons for people who have reached mayor status (those with the most visits to a location.)

Foursquare Offers Analytics for Business

As of March of this year, check-in-based Foursquare has added analytics tools for businesses. A dashboard provides data such as total number of customer check-ins, unique visitors to the site, gender comparisons, and breakdowns by time of day.  And, of course, businesses will be able to shoot out coupons and promotions to Foursquare members as well.  Foursquare users can opt-in to how they'd like to receive this information (through Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

I'm told the cool kids don't hook up their Foursquare account through Twitter or Facebook, but prefer to share information with their Foursquare friends instead.  For security reasons, this could ensure that you're Foursquare location doesn't appear on sites like Please Rob Me who is trying to raise awareness around oversharing of information.  Instead, when you check into your local burger joint on a Friday night, you can see if any of your friends might be there too without advertising that you're not home.

When I Grow Up, I Want to Drive a Chevy Camaro

 My nephew, Stephen, is obsessed with yellow Chevy Camaros.  Here's a picture of him at the car show in New York with his model car standing next to his dream car.

Even though he doesn't have a driver's license, he's a fan of Chevy Camaro's and would be perfect in an ad to promote them.  I can see him in an ad now "When I Grow Up, I Want to Drive A Chevy Camaro."

As marketers we spend a lot of time constantly prospecting for new customers which is important to the organizations we support.  Let's not forget to keep the customer we have happy too.  They are our best ambassadors!

Thoughts on Marketing in the Massachusetts Senate Race

The January 19th election for the next Senator of Massachusetts has made the national news.  Looking at the state I've lived in for over 20 years that leans heavily to the Democratic side, I'm asking myself how in the last couple of weeks is a Republican candidate that I've barely heard of now running neck-and-neck with the  Democratic candidate the people assumed had the race all but won.

Great Marketing Begins With Understanding Your Customer

Senator Ted Kennedy loved Massachusetts.  He never took a vote for granted.  When he was elected to the Senate, the Massachusetts economy was based on clothing mills and shoes and the high-tech industry was just getting started.  There's a great blog post by Joyce Plotkin on how Ted Kennedy took the time to champion the tech community because it was important to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Kennedy understood his base.  He also understood that in Washington, while people could vehemently disagree on issues, if you could get to some common ground like your love for your country, you could find a compromise to make things happen.

Those of us who have built careers on sales and marketing know that no one is entitled to a sale from a customer.  You develop a product or service based on an understanding of what real people want.  You do your due diligence to see if there's enough of a market out there to build a business on and if there is, you go out there and try it.  By understanding what your customer needs and how they receive information, you define your own success.

Did the Democratic party in Massachusetts think they were entitled to this seat because Democrat Ted Kennedy had held it for so long?  Is that why they ran the Attorney General for the Senate seat?  Why the sudden scramble to hold on to the seat?  What does Scott Brown have that's causing such a ruckus?

I'm reading a lot of articles today on who has the best social media strategy, i.e., who's got more Twitter followers or who's got a better Facebook page.  I'm reading about mistakes made on radio talk shows about who doesn't know that Curt Schilling is a Red Sox fan.  I'm getting at least three robocalls a day encouraging me to get out and vote.  And, I'm watching Scott Brown ads on TV that talk about change followed immediately with a negative ad by the Coakley campaign.  More importantly, I'm reading the comments left by readers of articles on the campaign in the Boston Globe and the New York Times.

Tapping Into the Mood of the People

Massachusetts is an interesting place.  We've got about 9% unemployment and we're covered for health care based on state law.  People here are worried about the same things they are worried about around the country - jobs, savings accounts, paying the mortgage, and being able to provide education and opportunities for the next generation.  As long as Senator Kennedy was looking out for the interests of Massachusetts, he had the majority of the vote.  Ironically, over the last few weeks, Scott Brown seems to have done a better job of assessing what the voters in Massachusetts want in Washington than the Democrat looking to fill Senator Kennedy's seat.  I'm talking to a lot of people who don't like the negative ads, but who aren't ready to vote Republican so they are staying home on election day.  They don't care if on Massachusetts seat goes to the other party as long as they don't have to be the one who voted for it.  I think that the Scott Brown campaign figured this out a while ago.  He looks like he's having fun driving himself around Massachusetts in his pickup truck talking to voters about what they really want.  Even if he doesn't win, he's tapped into the mood of Massachusetts and he'll be a force for change going forward.

Do I Need to 'Join the Conversation' with my local Whole Foods store?

You know, not every business needs to deploy social media tactics to be effective.  Take Whole Foods as an example.  With snow falling in Boston outside and an empty refrigerator inside, I went online to do a quick search to see if the closest grocery store in walking distance to my house would be open on New Year's Day so that I could skip a trip out in the snow today.

It was easy enough to do a quick check of the Whole Foods website where I typed my zip code into the store finder which lead me to the website page for my local store.  So far, so good.  But then, it took a while to find out whether or not the store was open on New Year's Day or not.  I finally found the information in the Whole Foods Facebook feed in the bottom right corner of the web page.  It took me a long time to find the information I was looking for because of all of the other clutter on the web page.

The top right corner asked me to "join the conversation" via the Twitter feed for Whole Foods at Cambridge River Plaza. Will learning that "Nothing like a some spice to help you warm up. Korma, curry, and more-Indian Cuisine in our hot food bar tonight!" really alter my dinner plans or cause me to suddenly crave Indian food that's been sitting out warming all day?  A quick scan of the feed showed me that it's not much of a conversation when all of the tweets try and get me to buy more stuff at Whole Foods.

The lower right side of the page asked be to become a fan of the store on Facebook.  Do I want to become a fan of Whole Foods at Cambridge River Plaza on Facebook?  No, although it looks like 122 other people did.  Really, I see the folks in my neighborhood all the time.  Do I really need to join the other shoppers who are employees of Mass General Hospital, students at Suffolk University and my fellow residents of Beacon Hill in the Whole Foods on-line community?  If the community was actually a link to community good works or events of interest, it might have some value.  But, again, it looks like more promotional product pushing and not the best place to post holiday store hours.

I love marketing and using social media effectively.  But, come on.  Just slapping up a Facebook page and utilizing Twitter as a cheap way to push ads, is a real turn off.  It's hardly "joining the conversation" when Whole Foods is doing all of the talking.  I question organizations who are more interested in being able to say that they "do social media" than actually using social media tactics to communicate effectively.  We used to say that "it only takes one bad e-mail to destroy your brand."  I wonder how many bad tweets it takes to drive off your customer base.

Survey Says 96% of SMBs Focused on Email Marketing in 2010

A recent survey by Vertical Response of 831 respondents at businesses with fewer than 500 employees found that 74% plan to increase email marketing and 68% will increase their use of social media marketing.  Of particular interest is that only 4% of the respondents do not plan to use e-mail marketing in 2010.

The folks at Constant Contact, a leading provider of email marketing, event marketing, and on line surveys for small businesses with more than 300,000 customers would agree.   In fact, their senior vice president of global market development, Eric Groves, has written The Constant Contact Guide to E-Mail Marketing. I just finished reading it and, while I've been doing email marketing for at least 10 years, I learned a lot of things that I can be doing better.

Why is e-mail marketing the choice of 96% of small businesses?  According to chapter one (down-loadable for free) of Grove's book, while email marketing is an amazingly cost-effective way to reach your customers, the main advantage is that it is "simply the most effective way to stay in touch with most of your customers."  You don't need to hire me or another marketing consultant to tell you that it's hard to find new customers.  It's your returning customers who are going to spend more long term with you.  And the best way to keep them coming back is by building a relationship with them.

When you begin using email that you send to your customers containing relevant content that is of value to them, you'll see immediate return on their investment.  And, you'll have the metrics to prove it.  It's important to look professional in your communication and to be ready to respond when your customer gets back in touch with you because that's what they'll expect from you.  By constantly reviewing the results of your e-mail campaigns, you can fine tune your marketing strategy using what is working best for you.

Sesame Street Celebrates 40th Birthday Starting with the Google Homepage

Sesame Street's40th year brings Big Bird to the Google homepage today.  But, that is just part of the big birthday celebration which really takes place on November 11th and appeals to all of us who grew up with the show.

Created by Children's Television Workshop (CTW), Sesame Streetpremiered on November 10, 1969.  It combined education with entertainment on a television show that was originally developed especially for low-income families to help their children learn and prepare for school.

The show brought us the Muppets and many other lovable characters.  It spawned movies, toys, and games.  It has kept up with the times by introducing new characters like H. Ross Parrot when H. Ross Perot came onto the presidential election scene.  And, has brought the most popular actors and singers onto the show in their prime.  The show has continued to innovate while continuing to make learning fun for kids and the adults who sit down to watch the show with them.
 

What's happening on November 10th?

On November 10th, First Lady, Michelle Obama, will be on the show interacting with some talking vegetables to teach children about good nutrition and staying active.  There will also be a new DVD entitled Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days for sale as well.  To see a preview of the 40th Anniversary show, head to the Sesame Street website.  And, run a search on Google for the latest Sesame Street news from the media and bloggers.  Happy birthday, Sesame Street!

 

When Madeleine Albright Does Your Marketing For You

If you ever get a chance to hear Madeleine Albright speak, take it!  I just got to hear her at a recent Commonwealth Institute event in Boston coordinated with the publication of her new book "Read My Pins:  Stories from a Diplomat's Jewel Box." Her stories about how her jewelry collection was used to make diplomatic history during her time as Ambassador to the United Nations and Secretary of State during the Clinton administration are both funny and fascinating. 

A few lines from her book tell it best: "Before long, and without intending it, I found that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal. Former president George H. W. Bush had been known for saying "Read my lips." I began urging colleagues and reporters to "Read my pins."

Talking About Your Pins Means Big Business for Ann Hand

I was inspired by my autographed copy of Read My Pins and its more than 200 photographs combined with the wonderful stories about jewelry and it's place amongst global politics.  So, when I was in Washington, DC this week, I set out to visit the Ann Hand Jewelry store were several of the pins and diplomatic gifts featured in Albright's book are sold. One pin in particular, the Liberty Eagle, was on my acquisition list.  

The first thing I saw upon walking into the Ann Hand salon was a copy of Read My Pins cracked open to page 68 where the pin is magnified on a black velvet background.  Featured on the next page is the pin as part of a necklace worn by Madeleine Albright in a photo with President Clinton.  When I asked to purchase the pin, I was told that they had sold out right after the book came out and that they were back-ordered.  So, I placed an order.  Sure enough, while I was looking around the rest of the store, a lady walked in wanting the Liberty Eagle pin because she had just seen Madeleine Albright giving an interview about her pins on TV.

Riding the Wave with Celebrity Endorsements

Unsolicited celebrity endorsements or simple word of mouth endorsements from happy customers are one of the best ways to market your product.  You get them by a) having a great product or service, and b) attracting customers to what you're offering.  Sometimes you can help get endorsements by promoting photos of celebrities with your product or developing case studies that you publish or generating press featuring your customers and your product.  But, when you get someone like Madeleine Albright for customer because she just plain likes your jewelry and wears it proudly, you know that  you've done your job well.  The sales that roll in from a happy customer endorsement just reinforce that, so enjoy the success. 

Personally, I can't wait for my pin to arrive and here I am blogging about the Liberty Eagle and the Ann Hand shopping experience when I didn't even get to wear my purchase home.  Even worse, I'm thinking about my next trip back to the store and what I'll buy then!

Ads I Love: Knob Creek Says "Thanks for Nothing"

I had to smile last Sunday as I was reading the New York Times when I came across a full-page, full-color ad announcing that Knob Creek was out of bourbon until November.  The "Thanks for nothing." ad tells loyal fans of this premium Kentucky bourbon that demand has outstripped supply.  Because Knob Creek bourbon batches need to age for a full nine years, customers may experience a shortage when you head to the liquor store.  So, thanks for understanding.

"Thanks for nothing." Direct Mail

Accompanying the ad was a direct mail piece to press who write about drinks & spirits along with top Knob Creek loyalists who write about the brand.  They received a "mysterious shipping box" that contained an empty Knob Creek bottle and a note that read:

"For the next few months Knob Creek Bourbon is in a unique situation -- our product is so popular that we cannot keep up with customer demand. As a result, our supply will be running low over the next few months, And, in some cases, we may experience temporary stock depletion. But, instead of compromising quality to meet demand, we have chosen to let the supply run low. In deference to Booker Noe and his vision for Knob Creek, we will age all our bourbon the full 9 years. The next batch will be ready in November of this year...Again, with all the success we've had, we've still come up empty. Thanks for helping make it happen."

Turning Problem Into Opportunity

I love this campaign because it takes advantage of what most would consider a bad situation.  Nothing like letting people know in a very creative way that a) they need to stock up, and b) they might want to pre-order so they make sure to get their Knob Creek bourbon as soon as it's fully aged.  By advertising in major publications like the New York Times and sending out packages to their top brand ambassadors, they've got loyalists helping to spread the message through blogs (and there are plenty on this campaign if you do a search on Google) and in print.  Bravo!