Get Noticed: Advantages

Even “Silly Mistakes” are more expensive than they used to be.

2010-04-19T16:35:00.000-04:00

In what has perhaps proven to be one of the most embarrassing typos of the year, Penguin Group publishers in Australia is set to reprint a cookbook containing the word "people" where "pepper" should have been.

Calling it "nothing more than a silly mistake," the Penguin Group head of publishing said the book that called for "freshly ground black people" versus "freshly ground black pepper" was a typographical error that should have been caught by their proofreader, but was unfortunately missed, reports AP. The problem is, that “silly mistake” could cost millions of silly dollars in reprinting, possible lawsuits and someone’s job position. And in this economy, that’s silly.

It’s frightening to think how much the cost of silly mistakes has risen in these last decades. In 1992, Dan Quayle’s spelling mistake only cost him a second term as Vice President. In January 2010, the State Department overlooked the Underwear Bomber’s VISA due to a spelling mistake, which almost cost us another plane bombing. But then, how many of us would be able to spell ‘AbdulMutallab’ correctly in a spelling bee? And then, there’s the mistaking of AIG’s name to mean the American International Group, instead of its true meaning: “Ain’t I Greedy.” That silly mistake cost us about 12 million jobs and oh, around $4 trillion.

While silly mistakes do happen in business, I’m beginning to wonder what they’ll cost us five years from now. Should we start thinking about budgeting annually for silly mistakes? Should we be thinking about applying for silly mistake insurance? Or should we simply slow down our thinking? If we did, we’d probably avoid more mistakes, along with the added cost of making them. In my company, I don’t have a silly mistake budget — for starters, I can’t afford one; and secondly, I don’t view any mistake as silly when it costs money. Hmm, maybe that’s why I’m still in business in this silly economy.

Business at the speed of trust

2010-04-14T15:57:00.000-04:00

I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve been hired by a client because of my unique perspective — only to proceed with the project and be told that I need to see (and do) things their way. And they wonder why their brand is stuck in the mud. Hmmm.

Sounds like yet another case of GO vs. EGO. Too many companies cannot pass go due to the egos of the people who are at the helm. Founders, CEOs, presidents and whatever else you want to call them are scared that if they loosen their grip on the reigns and trust someone else to steer their brand in the right direction, they’ll look bad. Ergo, their ego keeps them from doing what they spent big money to do in the first place — shift their brand into “go.”

Yet, when you look at the most enduring brands — which belong to the most resilient of companies — you need only to look at their leadership for examples
of what to do: put your trust in the right people, and let them do what they do best.

I call it “business at the speed of trust.”

In this economy, especially, CEOs are filled with skepticism about any new approach to their marketing. They love the approach one day, and shut it down the next. And the bigger their ego, the bigger their self-doubt.

My point in all this? Relax. Park your ego for a while, put your trust in the people you hire, and trust that you made the right decision. Then, let go. And when you do, you’ll be amazed at the positive effect it can have on your business, and the timeliness by which things get done.

When in doubt, take action.

2010-03-31T09:08:00.000-04:00

If there’s one thing entrepreneurs have learned to do well in this economy, it’s dance. We call it the entrepreneurial waltz, and it goes like this: One step forward, two steps back, two steps forward, one step back. And then repeat until you get that dizzying feeling that you’re not going anywhere other than around and around.

We’ve all been caught up in that dance more than once. But the longer we keep dancing, the easier it is to succumb to fear. Yes, fear — that evil feeling that stops us from moving forward. So what is fear? Well, according to Webster, it’s a distressing emotion brought on by impending danger, pain, concern or anxiety. It’s that dread of losing our business, money or property, and it can cause us to lose sight of the one thing we can’t afford to let go of — our purpose.

When we begin to fear, the first thing we seem to forget is the one reason we became entrepreneurs in the first place. Therefore, that’s the one thing we need to focus on every time fear creeps in the door. Focus on your purpose, and take action. After all, fear is nothing more than an opportunity to move forward.

I remember reading about an interview of Will Smith, who said “you gotta be motivated by fear.” He went on to say that our fear starts out as seemingly enormous, because we magnify that fear in our minds. But the second we take action upon it, it’s suddenly not as scary as we envisioned it. So here’s the most important part: we must make sure our actions are aligned with our purpose. Otherwise, any action we take can lead us further from our goal rather than toward it.

So the bigger the fear, the more massive your attack. Stop dancing around and use that energy to your advantage. And when you do, watch it melt like sugar in your coffee. Soon, you’ll be drinking fear for breakfast, and asking yourself what’s for lunch.

Oprahvangelism: The purpose-driven team behind you-know-who

2010-03-17T11:20:00.000-04:00

Q: You know you’ve made it when …__(insert your most compelling answer here)___.

A: … when Harvard Business School spends years preparing a case study on you.

For years, Harvard Business School has studied industries that have huge consumer followings. The techies, the eco-groupies, the auto afficionados -- and now, the Oprahvangelists. Apparently, Oprah’s empire has gained more followers than any computer or car company in the world. Combined.

Harvard professor Nancy Koehn presents Oprah not as a celebrity or talk-show guru, but as a case-in-point of a shift in business trends. “Consumers have always been interested in how a product or offering meets a specific need or satisfies a given want,” states Koehn.” But with the new century comes an increasing interest by consumers in looking at companies’ business practices. How they treat their employees, how they create a sense of community and justice. In other words, the company’s purpose is becoming every bit as important as the company’s product.

(Ahem. My point exactly.)

As I have stated in a number of my seminars, we’re now competing in a world where emphasis on the self (and self-promotion) is no longer enough. A company’s strength and level of satisfaction hinges on their core purpose -- on how they connect not only to a customer’s needs, but the needs of a community. The more you can connect with others, the more they become not just customers, or employees, but followers.

Oprah has been unbelievably successful at modeling leadership with a small “i,” and creating an environment where people love to work. There is little turnover, and employees truly want to come to work every day. According to HBS, you can feel the passion when her executives talk on the phone, and you can hear the vast scope of their knowledge about the business they support.

When you get a chance, check out hbs.org. For $6.95, it’s money well-spent for the Harvard case study on Oprah Winfrey, by Nancy F. Koehn, Erica Helms, Katherine Miller and Rachel Wilcox.

Oscar’s Purpose Discovery

2010-03-09T15:01:00.001-05:00

Now, don’t quote me on it — but I’m willing to bet good money that Oscar must have been through one of our Purpose Discovery workshops. Oscar (yes, that little gold naked man on a pedestal) seemed to have rediscovered his true purpose as an Academy Award statue, and went home that night with men and women who respected the power of film as a tool to convey messages with heart.

Take the first woman director ever to win an Oscar. Her statue was well deserved not because she was a woman, but because she fought so hard to make a film that paid tribute to the dangers encountered by those who have fought so hard for our country. She had a purpose to tell the story of soldiers who have a hard time returning to life-as-normal after their tours of duty. She stayed true to her purpose, and succeeded because of that.

Another woman committed to producing and starring in a film, solely because of its message of love and hope. Sandra Bullock’s acceptance speech included a special thank-you to those who take in children who need homes, regardless of the difficulties it could bring to their lives. That Oscar win had purpose written all over it.

Okay, so Jeff Bridges played a down-and-out drunk and won an Oscar for it. You can’t say it wasn’t a performance of a lifetime, though, and the man behind the role has also been a man of a higher cause long before it became so hip for celebs to be charitable. Bridges founded the End Hunger Network back in 1983, and has devoted much of his time to the organization’s purpose — to create and support media projects, programs and events to raise awareness and generate action to end U.S. child hunger.

Oscar also went home that night with two members from the film Precious, a film that was created to raise awareness of the tragedy of domestic and family abuse.
Kudos, Oscar.

I’ve got to hand it to that little gold naked guy for really getting his act together this year, and rediscovering why he took on his job in the first place — to award those whose films questioned the standards, challenged people’s perceptions, and encouraged people to create positive change for this world.

The R4 Method: Four steps for turning purpose into profits in 2010

2010-03-05T13:16:00.002-05:00

Business owners get so caught up in “go” mode, they forget that taking time off (for) their business is as critical as taking time off (from) their business.

Just as R & R is good for your own health, some serious R4 is imperative for your company. And yet, this is exactly what people neglect.

The R4 (Retreat, Review, Refuel and Repeat) Method should be an established practice in every company that takes place right at the beginning of each year — and more importantly, at the beginning of each quarter. It’s easier to work “in” your company, rather than work “on” it. But if you step back once a year and reflect on our business for a few days (ideally seven), you’ll gain valuable insight into the nuts and bolts of your company that you don’t notice on a daily basis.

So here are the four “R”s to start the year — and the decade — on a positive, profitable course:

Retreat: Take one-to-two days to retreat from your business. Recharge your mind, body and spirit, so you can focus on the next steps. Force yourself if you have to!

*Review: Now it’s time to dig! Make a numbered reflection list that includes 1. Values, 2. Vision / Mission, 3. Purpose, 4. Analyze strategies that worked, 5. Analyze strategies that didn’t work, 6. Review your **CUSTOMER SERVICE** (capitalize and star that one), and 7. Re-asses your own knowledge (are you up to date with technology? Best practices?).

* Your Review process should take at least two or three days. The further you dig into each reflection item, the better the insight you’ll have. Also, get a team of two or three to review together — be as objective as possible.

Refuel: Now that you’ve spotted the good, the bad and the ugly in your mode of operations, get set to strengthen and support your conclusions as you implement them into your business. This is an important step that will help transform employees and customers into your loyal followers.

Repeat: Take a mini-R4 retreat at the beginning of each quarter to track your reflections and results. Don’t wait another year to give your company some well-needed R4!

Who is Ben Done, and why should he be assassinated?

2010-01-11T14:26:00.001-05:00

Whenever I see a Reebok ad, I laugh. Reebok advertising is hysterical — not because their ads are funny, but because their ads are the same ads Nike ran ten years ago. Personally, I don’t blame Reebok’s agency for this. I blame that annoying jackass, Ben Done.

A while back, Dell computer ran an ad that (hmm … coincidentally?) echoed an ad previously run by Apple. Both ads promoted their new paper thin monitors, both ads featured a similar layout. Apple Computer’s glorious headline: “Where did the computer go?” Dell computer’s tawdry ripoff of a headline: “Can you find the PC?” If you see the ads side by side, it’s actually funny. But again, I don’t blame Dell’s agency. I blame Ben Done.

Whenever I see a concept that’s “been done” previously by a competitor, I see Ben Done again. Ben Done is the Satan of the marketing industry. (Yes, marketing has its very own Satan.) I hate that guy. He’s always around, tempting clients to fear originality, whispering in their ear “pssst … that idea worked for them, it’s proven effective, and if it worked for them, it will work for you …”

Time after time a client will bring with them an ad, a brochure, a logo that belongs to a competitor, or a major global brand. “This is what we want,” says the client “Look how well it worked for their company, so we think it’ll work for ours.” (Of course it worked for their company! Because it’s theirs!) And every time a client does this, I know it’s not really them talking. It’s Ben Done.

You copy their brand, and guess who’s brand you’re actually selling: Theirs! When a consumer sees that your brand looks just like the other guy, they’re going to recall that other guy, and more than likely support their brand, not yours. This is exactly what Ben Done wants. He doesn’t want you to Get Noticed, he doesn’t want you to succeed — remember, he’s the ad Satan.

Next time you feel tempted to model your brand after another brand, that’s you’re warning that you’re being possessed by Ben Done. So before your head starts spinning, put down those other ads, logos and brochures. Be courageous enough to stand apart from other brands. And tell Ben Done to go to ad hell where he belongs.

ALLOW ME TO MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE

2010-01-06T11:12:00.000-05:00

Advertising agencies are always so focused on keeping their clients “happy” — that’s where most agencies make their biggest mistake.

Now, hang on a second while I clarify: making a client happy is often confused with making the client feel comfortable. The problem is, comfort is not a term associated with growth; rather, comfort is static. It can hurt a brand’s longevity. Comfort, in my opinion, is the enemy of success.

So I ask: are you here to make your client comfortable, or are you here to make them successful?

In order to distinguish a client from their competition, we must challenge their conventional wisdom. They may think their message is unique, they may be happy with the tone and voice they’re using; but it’s that familiar tone that blends them right in with everyone else in their category — that’s when it’s time to welcome them to their discomfort zone. This is the zone of creativity, of progress.

I’ve had clients who hired me to refresh their brands. Their websites were tired, their advertising typical, their sales leveling off. Yet, when shown a fresh approach to their thinking, they immediately freak out and revert back to their old, familiar, broken-in-recliner-chair methods. My job is to keep them out of their comfort zone. It may not make them very cozy, but it will help them grow.

Often, what a client wants is an ego massage. What they need is a disruption. Disruption is the art of asking better questions, challenging conventional thinking, and overturning assumptions and prejudices that get in the way of imagining new possibilities and visionary ideas. The result is a message that turns heads, moves needles, and changes industry standards. It creates success.
And trust me, there’s nothing more comfortable than that.

A little of Mark

2009-12-29T14:04:00.000-05:00

Stressed is just 'desserts' spelled backward

2009-12-22T11:56:00.000-05:00

Invaluable business lessons we can all learn from Tigergate

Just as we’re starting to pull out of the stress of a great economic recession, Tiger Woods seems to be crashing his Escalade right into it. The number of women linked to Tigergate is getting longer than the line outside Best Buy on Black Friday, and his bank accounts are bleeding millions faster than you can say “transgressions.” Suffice to say, Tiger enjoyed plenty of dessert this past decade, and all he has to show for it now is a heap of financial stress and a violent spouse.

Sound familiar? Hey, we’ve all been there.

What I mean is, every business-owner is married to their business. And so many company owners have overextended themselves long before the housing crash — with secret splurging here, sugary perks there, and maybe a few too hefty company bonuses in between. And when businesses have to dip into their reserves to pay off all those desserts, future business opportunities (aka, marketing / ad budgets) are often compromised. In essence, owners are cheating their own company from a great future — and in the end, it’s the brand that suffers. (If you’ve noticed, Tiger has been rather absent from TV spots and print ads lately. Tisk, tisk.)

So what can we learn from the roving eye of the Tiger? ALWAYS BE TRUE TO YOUR BRAND.
No matter how many years you’ve spent building your brand, you can destroy it in an instant. In Tiger’s case, he was not being true to his brand, (possibly) from the get-go. The quality of his product was, is, and always will be unparalleled. But what he truthfully stands for couldn’t be further from his brand image. And that right there can overshadow product quality and unsell the product. Fast.

As we cut bait on 2009, I think we’ll all emerge smarter, wiser, and more honest in the coming year. Let’s go easier on the desserts, and heavier on the advertising. And if we need to post something on our fridge so we won’t forget, that visual of Tiger Woods with the missing teeth and the stitches in his forehead is a great reminder.

Purpose and the inevitably horrible, deplorable, sucky, schmucky, no-good really bad day. { or } How to stay faithful to your core values

2009-11-06T14:42:00.000-05:00

So you found your true purpose. Your “why you do what you do” that has helped your business refocus and will help your company become more profitable than ever. That was four months ago.

Now what?

Good question. It’s a question every business owner faces when the initial excitement of the Purpose Journey wears off. The newness of making purpose-based business decisions is gone, and now it’s Monday. It’s raining. Several employees called-in sick. Your server is down, your tire goes flat and … and you get the point. You’d rather just get through this day and be purpose-focused tomorrow. Welcome to what we call “Purpose-Based Reality.”

Committing to be a purpose-based company is the easy part. Carrying through with that commitment on a tactical, day-to-day basis is, well, not easy. Especially on no-good, really bad days. So what’s your fallback plan? You do have a default plan, don’t you? (Don’t you?)

And that’s where most companies fall right off track. Following your purpose is a lot like following a diet. It’s a great idea when it’s new, and the first few weeks go pretty well. You feel great – and then, you hit a plateau. That’s where the real work starts, and that’s where a lot of companies stop short. Just as they’re beginning to GET NOTICED for the positive changes they’re making, their changes lose traction, and the company backslides. That’s why you need a long-term plan.

Falling off your purpose path is not uncommon. It happens. You need a support person (or people) to help get you right back on track, and stay there. This is why it’s critical to be working with people who are just as passionate as you are about your company purpose. Set that check-and-balance system in place, and make sure your partners are just as loyal to your purpose as you are. There are days when they’ll need to get you back on focus, and vice-versa.

It also doesn’t hurt to have your core values written somewhere where you can always see them. On your dashboard, on your desk. In the foyer of your office. On your refrigerator. The easier it is to see them, the harder it is to ignore them. Even on Mondays.

If you’re still having a tough time staying focused, call me. Hey – admitting it is the first step!

Why Posh Spice is filthy stinking rich and you’re not.

2009-10-23T10:04:00.001-04:00

The economy may be tighter than the skin on Posh Beck’s face — but I’m willing to bet that just one of her botoxed brows is probably worth far more than a lot of companies can gross in a year. The Spice Girls (yes, the Spice Girls) are one of the most powerful examples of global branding to date. So what can a Spice Girl and her spice cronies teach you about branding? Follow my blogorithm and you too can brand it like (Mrs.) Beckham:

1. Find out which ‘spice’ you are.
The Spice Girls created distinct personalities that connected them with their core target market, and beyond it. So develop a personality that lets people identify with your name, and you’ll have better product recall. (Mrs. Becks took her personality as “Posh Spice” and branded herself as a fashion icon, which helped her clothing brand catapult into the mega millions. And being married
to DB also helps.)

2. Own your spice.
If your personality airs on the side of “Stingy Spice,” then chances are you’ll never reach your branding potential. It takes considerable time (and money) to validate your brand and get people
to remember you by your brand personality. The old adage “you get what you pay for” definitely applies here. (Posh shells out a heck of a lot for one dress, but that dress always lands her on
the front pages.)

3.Know what you want to achieve as a brand
According to Forbes.com, the Spice Girls reunion tour took in more than $60 million US, making it the number one income earner for concerts for 2007/2008. Not too shabby considering that the global economy was already in the shredder by then. Know what you want to be as a brand, then work with the experts to develop it.

4.Make Noise 100
You’re already at a great advantage here. Any noise you make will be superior by far to any
sound ever made by the Spice Girls.

*Results of this formula may vary, but if a working-class girl from Hertfordshire, UK can do it, so
can you.

Is your name Bubba?

2009-10-09T08:39:00.000-04:00

Years ago, I took in a friend who needed a place to stay for a month or so until his business could recover. We’ll call him Bubba. When a month or two became three or four, I said “So, are you really marketing yourself out there?” Bubba bit into his fifth slice of pizza, washed it down with a Budweiser and said no, marketing himself right now would be too expensive, and went back to sleep on my couch. Before six months became seven or eight, I threw Bubba out. After all, he was heavy, and he wasn’t my brother.

Not unlike Bubba, the recession moved in with us indefinitely, and it won’t be getting off our couches any time soon. Unlike Bubba, we can’t just kick it out. And with budgets now tighter than a gnat’s armpit, companies keep slashing their marketing costs because “marketing themselves right now would be too expensive.”

Slashing marketing budgets during a recession has a long-term negative effect. Why? Because when your advertising “noise” decreases, the sound of those still shouting “HEY, NOTICE ME!”
is that much louder. When the competition stops or reduces their advertising, that’s the perfect time for your brand’s message to be heard. If your message is one of the few messages reaching customers, the odds of success are in your favor. So take my advice — don’t be a Bubba. Let’s talk about how we can get your brand noticed right now, before the recession ends and no one even remembers you. And if you don’t take my advice, don’t even think you can take up space on my couch.

SMD's Website

2009-08-12T17:38:00.000-04:00

Check out this beautiful site we just finished: http://smdrespiratory.com. We have had many meetings with Mike Killian, their CEO, and the management team. They are truly a service-driven organization that knows their purpose and exhibits their core values in everything they do. SMD Respiratory firmly believes that someone's life will be better tomorrow because they took the time to care today. All their procedures, meetings, and marketing revolves around making the lives better for the patients they serve. (they're in the healthcare field) Hats off to a wonderful organization with strong sense of purpose, which is reflected in everything they do. Hard to find companies like that these days.

Want to be really clever? Think about it.

2009-07-21T13:43:00.001-04:00

Have you seen the new ads for Duane Reade Drugs all around the city? They're trying really really hard to be creative. And failing spectacularly in the process.

You've probably seen them. The visuals are all dark, washed-out images of New York City, with a "ha ha, I'm so funny headline" in front.

First of all, I don't think a drugstore's branding should be dark and gloomy, like something out of a Batman movie.

Second of all - who wrote those headlines? They say if you put 1000 monkey in front of 1000 typewriters, sooner of later, one of them will write Shakespeare. But long before then, they'll write Duane Reade headlines.

One headline reads, “The one place even tourists can find.” Huh?! I had to think about it. Hey - here's a free edit - "So many locations, even tourists can find them." One word longer, ten times clearer. Another headline appears on a subway poster: "The pole you're holding has a gazillion germs on it." Ooh. Really! A) Thanks for the cheap fear-mongering, and B) Why should I buy hand sanitizer from you?

Lesson #1 in advertising: Give consumers a reason to buy from you. And then be clever. Not the other way around.

If your beer tastes bad, don't call me.

2009-06-09T10:40:00.002-04:00

If you've read my column before, you've probably heard me say how important it is to get noticed.

You'll find many television commercials follow this formula really well. They'll show something absolutely bizarre or wacky that you can't help but stare at. The E*Trade commercials with the talking baby, and the cell phone spots featuring the scooter-riding girl with 6-feet long armpit hair flowing in the breeze come to mind.

It's the equivalent of saying "HEY HEY HEY HEY!!" for 25 seconds, and once you have their undivided, saying "Unlimited minutes if you sign up today."

It's a smart strategy, but it's not perfect. Yes, it's better than boring someone to death for 25 seconds. However, getting someone's attention is one thing. Closing the deal is another.

I remember a brewery in Oregon that did some spectacular creative work. Which was to be expected, for Wieden and Kennedy, the agency famous for "Just do it" did the work. The marketing caused a HUGE buzz and people flocked to buy the beer. And within 6 weeks, the brewery was out of business. Why? Because the beer tasted like camel sweat. That's why they say the quickest way to kill a product is with good advertising.

I've personally had to tell clients the equivalent of "your beer tastes like beetle saliva and our marketing might sink you."

So, my advice for today, before promoting your product or service, make sure people want to buy it in the first place. And if you need my opinion, heck, let me know. It's been a while since I've tried a halfway-decent beer.

The Marketing behind the Swine Flu

2009-05-11T11:40:00.002-04:00

Excuse me, the H1N1 flu. In case you didn’t know, our Agricultural Department has officially renamed this ailment the H1N1 flu in effort to reverse declining pork sales.

Actually, H1N1 was a compromise after a last-minute rejection of a name suggested by the National Pork Board: “The Other White-Meat” Flu.

Now that I think about it, they name and re-name sports stadiums, why can’t they do the same for news events? It would be a relatively cheap way to get your company’s name out. I can see it now.

“And in other celebrity news, Brad “We build excitement” Pitt announced he’s adopting another 18 children.”

Oops. Bad example. That’s Pontiac’s slogan, which GM is closing down shortly. Maybe had Pontiac sponsored the Somali pirates, or A-Rod’s steroid abuse, the resulting publicity would have saved the company.

Anyway, I digress. In terms of a marketing case study, the H1N1 flu has been a brilliant success: lots of hype, hours of media coverage, and relatively few casualties. If the number of casualties was equal to the media coverage, heck, they’d be 3 people left on this earth by now. And two pigs.

Not that I want H1N1 virus to be more effective. For anything that can wipe us off the face of the earth, I’d prefer the marketing to overshadow the execution.

Only 1 insect was harmed in the creation of this blog post.

2009-05-04T10:06:00.002-04:00

Today, our beloved praying mantis, Stan, who's been sitting on our home page since February, finally hit the unemployment line.

On the brighter side, our new website is up! We've spent months baking it, and it turned out nice and browned - but not too crispy. Check it out: http://www.advantages.net/

We're adding work every day, so be on the lookout for cool, new stuff!

Let me know how you like it.

Somali pirates – are they in marketing, or what?

2009-04-14T12:29:00.000-04:00

Let’s see. Two years ago the coastline of Somalia looked like what you’d expect – the coastline of a 3rd world country. Nowadays it looks like the Hamptons. For those of you on the West Coast, it’s like Bel Air.

Somali citizens have realized that holding passing ships hostage is working. The $80 million in ransoms they’ve collected over the past 2 years has raised their standard of living considerably, and I’ll guess they’re not stopping any time soon.

Heck, if I lived out there, I’d be doing the same thing. As they teach all first-year MBAs, write your business plan, and if it works, expand!

However, last week didn’t work out so well for them. For the first time in 2 years, the pirates experienced a market downturn. I’m curious to see how they adjust. I predict they’ll be out of business in 6 months, unless they change their business model.

Or, they might re-evaluate their revenue model, make some adjustments, and emerge stronger than before.

For those of you out there laughing, I think you understand the correlation I’m drawing to present economic conditions. For those of you not laughing, well, sigh.

I’m not advocating piracy. Just that many of us have realized that what has worked the last 2 years isn’t anymore. Now is the time to re-analyze our business model and revenue streams and see what’s working, and what isn’t.

After all, it doesn’t matter if you’re running a pirate operation in the Indian ocean, or a retail store on Broadway; sometimes you have to make change to stay afloat. Pun intended.

Would you wash your hands with your brand?

2009-03-30T12:18:00.000-04:00

My hands were dripping wet. I'd just finished washing them, and I was absent-mindedly drying them with a paper towel when I noticed a new bottle of hand sanitizer on the sink.

Oh cool, I thought. I love the smell of sanitizer, and since we're always out of it, I reached for it with enthusiasm.

When I looked at the bottle, I was so horrified, I dropped it on my foot. Ouch.

I then picked it off the floor, and threw it in the garbage.

Why? The label. The bottle was a PayPal promotional item which somehow found its way to our office. (We get three promo items a day. If you need a Viagra pocket flashlight, let me know).

I detest Paypal. I've had so many issues with them, and every time I deal with them, I get more annoyed, for there is not a phone number ANYWHERE on their site. They don't want you to contact them by phone. Ever. How's that for a customer service model?

Meanwhile, back at the ranch. I realized that my love for wonderful, clean hand sanitizer was completely offset by the brand that represented it. I'd rather wash my hands a second time, and have germs running all over me that have ANYTHING from Paypal touching me.

I'm sure inside that bottle was perfectly fine sanitizer. What a waste.

Today's marketing lesson? Your company can produce the most amazing product in the world, but all that goes right in the garbage if you've neglected to build your brand.

Not measuring your marketing results? You can go to hell.

2009-03-17T09:48:00.000-04:00

The other day I read an article in Crain’s saying how 26% of small businesses don’t measure marketing results whatsoever.

That reminds me of Chris, the marketing guy who died last year when a Powerpoint projector fell on his head. He was faced with the decision on where to spend eternity. They showed him heaven, which was the usual smattering of harps, clouds, angels, etc. So he asked to see Hell, and found the biggest party of his life - a DJ, dancing, and attractive people having, if you will, a Hell of a time. So, Chris naturally chose Hell. Whereas he found himself chained to a wall, and subject to the most grievous forms of torture - whips, chains, The Tennis Channel, etc.

Puzzled, he asked to speak with the man in charge. “I was promised the biggest party of my life - what happened?”

The devil replied, “Oh, yeah. That was just the marketing presentation.”

Let me just say one thing. If you feel like you’re falling for the brilliant sales presentation and winding up in hell, it’s to re-evaluate your marketing, and insist on measuring results. If your agency won’t do it, find someone who will.

And whatever you do, watch out for those heavy projectors.

How “Buy one, get one free!” kills your brand

2009-03-02T09:52:00.001-05:00

I was walking down West Broadway in Soho yesterday, and I saw one clearance sale after another. 70% off here, 90% off there.

Yes, these retailers are clearing out merchandise at minimal profits in the short term. But in the long term, they're killing their brand.

Back in the 1950’s, marketing experts proclaimed that most buying decisions were based on logic. We use logic, they explained, to purchase things like toilet paper and laundry detergent. However, we use emotions to purchase big things like new cars and homes.

So, directors of marketing took their advice and ran. Anyone with household products pushed it with claims of “New and Improved!” “Buy one, get one free!” and “Blue Light Special!”

As a result, they diluted their own brands. No one became attached to their product or service, because as soon as something cheaper or bigger came around, consumers switched. When was the last time you had the urge to shop at K-Mart?

Nowadays, we know better. Emotion is the way to create an powerful connection with your customers. (That’s why toilet paper commercials features soft lovable bears and laundry detergent commercials show sleeping babies). Branding experts today all agree, once your customer believes your brand represents what they believe, they will be loyal for a lifetime.

This knowledge is so powerful! I'd hate for it to fall in the wrong hands. So, what's the next step? Glad you asked. You need take a close look at your customers and see what emotions propel their buying decisions. Then, you need to categorize and quantity them, create a marketing message that drives them, and unify all your future communications so these emotions spur them.

In other words, you have to build a brand. Be proactive, not reactive. That's the way to build your company in the long term.

In the meantime, I'm gonna get some boots on sale - this snowstorm is killing me...

Warren Buffet - I'm offering you a job. You can start Monday.

2009-02-22T23:31:00.003-05:00

I am on my my knees right now. No, get your mind out of the gutter. What I just read made me fall off my chair. Really. Hmm.. typing from down here lets you notice different things....I need to dust off my desk...

All right. Back on my chair.

Warren Buffet just admitted what I’ve been shouting for the last, what, umpteen years! He now says that “brand is the most important factor in deciding where to invest.” Not kind of important. Not vital. The MOST IMPORTANT factor.

For all your Wall Street numbers people hyperventilating out there, Mr. Buffet did say that a company’s balance sheet was important. Yup, it's in third place, just behind management.

Mr. Buffet, you’re supposed to be the epitome of left-brained, number-crunching, where’s-my-ROI, numbers people. I know - I’ve presented proposals to them. They all recite in unison what they learned in business school. “I don’t need to brand my company. I know who we are - I need ROI for my marketing dollars.” Sound familiar? They say “Give me a spreadsheet showing itemized sales increases from your past clients, and then we’ll talk.”

Warren also added “Even in hard times, brand is the key to long-term growth.... And that’s why businesses are in trouble – while of course fixing their balance sheets and clearing out their management teams – they must also urgently invest in their brands.”

I feel like David Letterman - staring at the camera in expasparation while the studio audience snickers. Like when he interviewed Joaquim Phoenix: http://bit.ly/4ZnN6

I must say, Warren, you are now the smartest investor since the word was first added to the dictionary. I need someone sensible you to speak to my clients. I am officially offering you a job at my company. Your new title is “Spiritual Account Director.” You can start Monday. Good luck negotiating your salary with my HR people - they’re tough as nails.

If everyone around you is swimming in the recession, don't put on your bathing suit.

2009-02-18T09:15:00.003-05:00

You can have a recession party. I'm not coming. I refuse to mope around acting all despondent about the economy, just because it's the "in" thing to do. Dale Carnegie used to say it's not what happens to you, it's what you THINK of what happens to you. So, business has slowed down. So what? The piece of pie you get is only as big as what you reach for. If you don't grab it, someone else will.

Here's a few tips for you to get by this season:

Stop watching the news. The news media gravitates to stories about unhappiness and despondence like toilet paper to the bottom of your shoe (my apologies to the toilet paper entrepreneur blog). Watch a news anchor ramble about Bummerville for 2 hours straight, and jumping out the window will seem almost appealing. Turn off the TV. Play with your dog. Take your kids to a game. Do whatever it takes to get yourself in a good mood - and your business will follow.

If you're in a room with energy vampires, cover your neck. I'm going to stick my neck out here (pun intended) and say that 70% of the recession is mental. There are lots of companies doing great things in this economy - look at Zappos and Apple. I bet you their company's officers don't spend their evenings in front of CNN with a box of tissues and a gallon of ice cream.

Read a positive book. I mentioned Dale Carnegie. "How to Win Friends and Influence People." But I warn you - you'll feel like going to the office to fix things - it's that inspiring. Listen to those inspirational audio books. Anything from Zig Ziglar or Tony Robbins should get you in the mood.

Keep me posted.. Let me know what you're doing...