"New Media"

Inside our industry, over the past year or so, THE topic of discussion has been how to better utilize "New Media" for our clients. You know the topic is a hot one when the concept starts bleeding over into our clients' worlds and you start hearing "What's this 'new media' all about?" So, I thought I would dedicate this month's topic to the topic of new media... what it is, examples of, and how to utilize to your advantage.

Wikipedia defines New Media as:

"a term describing media that can only be created or used with the aid of computer processing power. It is a form of media that includes some aspect of interactivity for its audience and is usually in digital form. "

So, to paraphrase...if you are using your computer to market your business, you are probably utilizing one or more forms of New Media. For simplicity sake, let's limit our scope to marketing that utilizes the Internet as the medium of choice. But, let's not just limit your New Media arsenal to your company's website. There are plenty of other tools you can use to boost your image and increase sales. Here are just a few:

1. Permission-Based Email Marketing: This newsletter is a great example. You send information to existing clients, prospects, partners on a regular basis. Much more cost-effective and eco-friendlier than traditional paper mailings. Technology allows you to monitor the readership and effectiveness of an email program. A real no-brainer for many businesses.

2. Social Networking Sites: You've heard of them before. Myspace...Facebook.... Did you know that you can use them to draw traffic to your company's website? Any time you have a website outside of your company's site pointing (linking) to your site...that's a very good thing. Why not use Myspace or Facebook to create mini-websites promoting your business? If your product appeals to young people, this is a real no-brainer.

3. Discussion Forums: This one is probably the least obvious of the bunch. I guarantee you one thing: whatever your company provides...I don't care what the product or service is...there is a discussion going on about it right now in a forum somewhere on the web. Why not take part in the discussion and be the expert? Do you think that would result in questions or hits to your website that would result in business?

4. Blogs: Blogging is huge. Anybody with a computer can start up a free site and share with the world the thoughts on their mind. Savvy marketers use Blogs to demonstrate their expertise, generate discussions, and drive traffic to their main company website. Remember, the more outside references to your main website...the better.

5. Podcasting: How's this for cool? If you have a computer and a microphone...you can have your own radio show! You get to blab and blab all about whatever is on your mind, post it on the web, and let the world listen in. Thanks to Apple and Itunes, the world of Podcasting has taken off. Great opportunity to really go in depth about your business and demonstrate your knowledge.

As you may be able to tell already, all of the above tools aren't effective if you don't have a website for prospects to visit. They read your blog, listen to your podcast, see your forum post...and you have their interest. What's the next step? Pick up the phone and call? Not likely. In order for you to be legitimate in the eyes of your prospects and clients, you need a modern, stylish, informative website. The website should be seen as the foundation of your New Media "campaign". All you do should build on the site itself.

Confused? No problem. Give us a call, and we'd be happy to help you navigate the murky New Media waters.

Perspective is Everything in Marketing

As marketing professionals, we meet with clients who want to reach out to prospective buyers and entice them to spend their hard-earned money. With that as a goal, you would think that more thought would go into actually getting inside of the prospect's mind to find out what THEY are experiencing day-to-day and how YOUR product/service can help them. Unfortunately, most businesses feel that they have it all figured out... More often than not, they are way off.

It's not what you think the client's needs and goals are...it's what the client feels, right now, that decides whether or not your product is right for them.

Let's take a hard left turn and look at this from a completely different point of view. Remember 9/11? Of course you do. Remember the sinking, awful feeling we all had when the tragedy hit NYC and later DC? What if in the midst of all that awful chaos somebody walked up to you and asked "Wanna buy a timeshare in Florida?" You'd probably ignore them, scream at them, or just stare in disbelief. But on 9/10, your perspective at the time was completely different...and you very well may have been one of hundreds of people buying a time share that day.

Okay, that was an extreme example, but let's look at it from a business perspective. Let's say you sell a special kind of widget. It's made of rare form of wood found only in South America. For years, you've been selling these widgets wholesale to dealers all over the country. What you don't know is that small portion of the dealer community is getting a lot of negative feedback from environmental groups. They want to save the trees that the wood comes from, and have been asking for versions of the widget in a cheaper kind of wood and/or plastic. Although it's a relatively small number of dealers having problems...word is spreading quickly...and orders for the fancy wood widget have gone down considerably. What to do??

If you're like most...you'll chalk up the lower demand to the economy or some other large-scale factor effecting all business. But, if you're smart...you simply call up a group of dealers and ASK them what is up. It's amazing what great things come out of a small focus group. You'll uncover things that you would have never dreamed of. You'll now see things from their own perspective.

For our make believe wood widget company, they may very well find that the environmental concerns are unfounded. A simple direct mail campaign to all of the dealers would educate them about how the wood is not a rare species, and in fact...your company has been planting two trees for every one it cuts down. The design and print of a booklet is a heck of a lot cheaper than creating a new product from scratch or dumping the business completely.

Perspective is everything. From where your clients and prospects sit, the world is a completely different place than yours. Take time to put yourself in their shoes, and it can do wonders for your marketing efforts.

The Future of Media

Who knows what the future holds for marketing and the various forms of media we use? In just the last few years, we have seen the marketing and media landscape change completely. The advent of the internet has changed the way people present their company and reach out to prospective customers...and technology will forever change the way we look at traditional media.

What's in store for us in the near future? Well, if there's one thing I have...it's an opinion...and I've been known to share it with anyone who will listen. Here is what I feel will happen to the world of marketing and media as we know it:

Newspaper: Sorry crossword puzzle fans... your old friend the newspaper is going away. Before we get all nostalgic and take to the streets in protest, toss aside emotion and think of it as what it is: a form of media meant to inform the masses about the local and world news. First, the second the information is printed on the dead tress...it's old news! I can go to cnn.com, read a story, wait five minutes, hit "refresh" and there are at least one or two new stories. The world doesn't sit still. Second, the form of distribution is ridiculously old. They kill trees, flatten it out into pulp, put ink on it, roll them up, put them in the mail and put them on your front step or at the local newsstand. For that privilege, you pay over a dollar a day. The alternative? Free news on thousands of websites and blogs..up to date... in living color...with video. Game over, newspapers!

Yellow Pages: Oh boy. This is bad. So much money is being spent on yellow page listings and advertisements...and I have no clue why. Every time one of those large books shows up at my door, it either goes in the trash or becomes a door stop. People just don't read them anymore. Sure, *somebody* does...but not enough to warrant spending any good amount of money on an ad. Instead, go for the online version. It will boost your Google ranking and drive traffic to your website. People research you on the web...not in the large yellow disaster know as the Yellow Pages.There is zero future for the paper yellow pages.

Outdoor Advertising: Now, your knee-jerk reaction may be "those old signs are going to go away!"....but not so fast. It just makes too much sense to place your message in a place where thousands and thousands of people can see it every day. Billboards and signage ain't going anywhere. BUT...they are going to change. The message will be much more dynamic. Laws will become less restrictive and motion will be incorporated. In fact, don't be surprised to see customized outdoor signage. You walk down the street and a sign on the side of the building changes and says "Hey Ralph! How do you like those new Nikes? Maybe it's time for a pair of Nike sweatpants?!" Sound far-fetched? Not really....do a search for RFID. The technology has been around forever and is being incorporated into our credit cards. Scary, yet very neat stuff.

Direct Mail: I don't really see this changing much. Email marketing is more restrictive than ever (thanks to laws like the CANSPAM act). Look for direct mail to be more customized to the recipient. Everyone in the neighborhood gets the direct mail piece, but each is a little different based on their demographics, tastes, etc. Variable Data is already used and is getting easier and cheaper to do.

Radio: Another dying breed. Hello iPod, goodbye broadcast radio. Why would I wait to hear what the radio station decides to play for me, when I can download the content and I want and send it easily to my portable player (or integrated car stereo). Look for radio to try and combat the iPod world by creating more and more unique content. Unfortunately, it'll be too little, too late.

TV: This one is along the same lines as radio. But, we are seeing the future of TV right now. Heard of the DVR? Advertisers HATE the DVR. People can easily record and very quickly skip past advertisements? Yep. Look for more product placements and advertising incorporated directly in the programming. We're already seeing more of this. It can be done seemlessly...after all, real life is one big advertisement (I say as I drink my Diet Pepsi). Along with DVR, the world of "download and enjoy at any time" has caught up with TV, as well. On Demand, Apple TV...there are many many options out there that will further tear you away from the old broadcast dinosaur.

"Brand": Important concept or annoying marketing buzzword?

Here's an all-too-common scenario:

A small business agrees to meet with a marketing expert. The business needs some help, they have goals in mind for sales, and they want to see what marketing can do to help.

Marketing expert asks a few questions, listens intently for 10 minutes, and then pulls out of his magic marketing hat an all too familiar phrase: "You need to RE-BRAND your company." Business owner's eyes get big as he thinks "Oh boy...this sounds expensive." And, he's probably right.

Let's break down exactly what the concept of "brand" is really all about. It's very simple. If you're a new business, you need to make some not-so-fundamental decisions about your business. Such as "What's the culture of our business? What image do we want to convey? Are we a fun company? Do we want to be seen as the friendly neighbor? Are we serious and all business?" The answers to these questions will go towards building your brand.

I'll give you an example to help clarify...

Apple has done a fantastic job of building on and sticking to their brand image. They're cool, hip, young, and high-quality. Everything they sell and do as a company adheres to the brand. I guarantee you that many really great product ideas have been left on the cutting-room floor because they didn't adhere to the brand. The product wasn't cool, hip, young, or high-quality enough to slap the Apple brand on it.

Brand isn't just a logo. Logo design is important, sure...and it can be a lengthy process...but slapping a new logo on your business cards doesn't constitute "re-branding" your company. It goes a lot deeper than that...and much of the work is done by your own people.

So, next time a marketing guy listens to you for 10 minutes and says that you need to "re-brand" your business...show him the door. He's thinking "new logo...new signage...new print collateral..new website" and hasn't done the legwork of really learning about your company and what your brand is really all about.

Help Out Local Businesses...Leave Your Money in Your Community

Help Out Local Businesses...Leave Your Money in Your Community

When income is down, we're tempted to go with the cheapest product/service we can buy. Often times this results in much lower quality and your dollars going to companies outside of your local community (often times, outside of our country).

As local business people, it's in my personal opinion that we all benefit by keeping as much money as possible right here in our community. Do yourself a favor and check out the website for the Louisville Independent Business Association. The association is made of a great group of local businesses that work hard to provide the best product they can right here in Louisville.

Sales are Down! Spend more on Marketing?? Not so fast.

We've all heard it before. Your sales are down..."You need to spend more on marketing!" As the head of a marketing company, I'm supposed to repeat this mantra to every business owner I meet. Guess what... I don't.

The economy is experiencing a downturn. It's not affecting all of us, but it is effecting a good portion of local businesses out there...including our clients here at Concept Media. For a good chunk of our clients, their response to the economic slump can be categorized in two ways:

1. Cut all unnecessary spending!

2. We're not getting the word out enough. Spend more on marketing!

I think the real answer is somewhere in the middle. My mantra is:

Spend less....spend SMARTER.

It is the perfect time to really look at your marketing dollars and learn the art of being more efficient and looking at the biggest "bang for the buck". If you are doing your own media buying and planning, now is the time to put your media rep's feet to the fire.

First, determine WHO you need to put your message in front of. Second, put all of your marketing dollars down on paper (what you're spending, and where). Third, of all of your marketing...what is doing the best job of hitting WHO you want to market to? Rank your media and campaigns accordingly.

Now you call your friendly local media rep and ask them, again, for the information about the readership #'s and demographics. That will tell you how much your $xxx investment is getting you. If your ad is putting you in front of 50,000 of the right prospects each month..,and they can prove it...and it costs you pennies per lead, that's a decent investment. If they can't provide you real numbers, and they're just not convincing you....Run. Yank your dollars. Now is not the time for "I just think we should do these ads...they make me feel good." Now is the time for "biggest bang for our buck".

So what, for your business, is the smartest form of marketing? That's going to vary greatly from business to business. I can recommend that you should definitely not skimp on your web presence. Getting on the web is relatively cheap, it's a dynamic form of marketing, and it's the primary form of research for many of your prospective customers. People are saving money wherever they can right now...and many are achieving that by leaving the car in the garage and sitting at home...watching TV.. with their laptop computer (like I am...right now!). See where I'm going with this? Look at it from both sides of the fence...figure out how you can benefit.

So, let's recap:

1. The economy is down.

2. It's time to market smarter.

3. The web is a cheap and smart way of marketing for many businesses.

Need help reviewing this year's marketing plan? Shoot me an email.

Marketing a Marketing Firm

As a marketing firm, we have to be experts in all areas of our industry. It's a great time to be in the industry, but it can be difficult to keep up with the latest and greatest. We have to know the web, print design, market research, PR, New Media...the list goes on and on. So, what does all this wonderful knowledge mean for our clients?

Based on their needs and goals, we may prescribe to one client a direct mail campaign and website, while another may just need a re-branding campaign and a promotional video. When you prescribe a particular strategy, we will often hear "well...then why don't YOU do this for YOUR business?!" Fair enough question...but an easy one to answer.

Simply put, we know what works for marketing firms..and what doesn't. Ever see a billboard advertising an ad agency? How about a TV commercial? Ever wonder why? Because our business is *mainly* built on two key strategies:

1. Referrals

2. Cold-Calling

The vast majority of the marketing firms out there depend mostly on referrals for generating new business, with cold-calling coming in at second. Surprising? Well, it isn't to us. We do get our stats from the industry association we belong to, but our years in business have affirmed the data.

Again, that's what works for Concept Media. It's not what's going to necessarily work for a women's clothing store, a real estate firm, or a construction company. When coming up with a marketing strategy, you ideally do your research, create a gameplan, implement, measure results...change as needed. What you do in your plan depends on your industry, your goals, your budget...YOUR needs.

Nobody cares about your business. Make them care!

There's a common theme with many of our new clients. We'll often hear "I have a great product/service...my team is great...we've spent A LOT of money getting the business to where it is, and we honestly believe we're the best there is. What we don't understand is why more people aren't buying from us! Why isn't our phone ringing off the hook? Why aren't they beating down our door? I just don't get it."

Well, it could be for a variety of reasons. Maybe you're delusional and your product isn't as good as you think. Maybe your store is in an awful location. But, if you're like most of our clients...your sales stink for one big reason: nobody cares about your and your business. I know, it sounds awful...but if I'm anything it's honest and to the point.

Let's look at the big picture. Today, people are bombarded with advertising and branding from all angles. They turn on the radio, hear an ad...pick up the paper, read an ad...turn on the TV, see more ads...go online, see more ads. Even our clothing is a walking billboard for the companies that make them. So, is it any wonder that your message might get lost in the mix? Is it any wonder that people are just a little more cynical than they were 25 years ago? With that being said there are businesses out there making decent money and getting product out the door? What are they doing differently?

First, they're giving people a reason to care about them and their business. They're doing this by a differentiating their business. They're setting themselves apart from the group and at the same time, most importantly, answering the all-too-important question: "What's in it for me?"

Smart marketers don't just drop the price and hope for the best. Smart marketers listen to their clients, find out what key factors influence their buying decision, and find a way to push that button effectively...and repeatedly.

In his book "Differentiate or Die", Jack Trout points out three key points for differentiating your business:

1. If you ignore your uniqueness and try to be everything for everybody, you quickly undermine what makes you different.

2. If you ignore changes in the market, your difference can become less important.

3. If you stay in the shadow of your larger competitions and never establish your "differentness," you will always be weak.

In short, the old-school ways of marketing your company have *some* value still, but the world is rapidly changing. You and your company have to be adept in all areas of marketing: online, print, PR, new-media, etc. The world of marketing is now, more than ever, a confusing one. As a marketing firm, we pride ourselves on knowing many aspects of the industry.

Give us a call, and we'd be happy to help you navigate through the muddy waters of marketing!