February 8, 2010 by westendmarketing
Standing in front of the continuous rows of peanut butter in the grocery story last week, I compared cost and quality for the best value. Much thought goes into that purchasing decision, but my idea of value most likely means something completely different to the person on aisle 10. Obviously, I want to spend as little as possible, but I also know that you get what you pay for and I’m willing to pay a bit extra for organic, nutty goodness that I consider healthier than the sugary, preservative-infused brands.
We all seem to be more value-conscious these days. But as advertisers we can’t just stick the word “value” onto our products and promotions. We need to define what that value actually is for the consumer. Is it more bubbles for the same price? Quality workmanship that you can rely on for years of stability? More time to be able to spend doing what you love? Knowing the true benefits of your product requires knowing your consumers and what they deem as value. For some it may be price, but others may make purchasing decisions based on convenience, comfort, prestige, compassion or simply brand recognition and the consistent expectation it brings with it. No matter how cheap the Jiffy brand becomes, it will never be the best value in my eyes because of the additives it contains. But then, I’m not their market. The brand I choose can charge more and still deliver a great value if the quality is high. A healthier snack — now with more nuts! That’s great value.
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February 1, 2010 by westendmarketing
With social media usage driving more email consumption, the future of email is looking brighter than ever. A Nielson report “Is Social Media Impacting How Much We Email” finds heavy social media users use email more, not less. This outcome apparently surprised these researchers as well.
The rise in smartphones is also driving more email use. With easier access to email, 43% of Blackberry users and 42% of iPhone users say they’re using email more often over the past six months, compared to fewer than 3% who are using email less often.
My inbox has become a cluttered mess, so apart from personal and client messages, the only sales messages that draw my attention are from my favorite brands or those with an interesting subject line. To keep your email program effective, you should to take full advantage of the information you have collected on your customers which allows you to personalize messages and keep them relevant. Whether it’s personal data you collect online, including profile pages and preferences, or customer history from transactions, it’s important to create messages that reflect your customers’ interests and needs. Rather than sending a mass email offering 25% off shipping, try sending your customers special promotions based on their previous purchases. Better yet, if a person tends to order frequently, send your email just prior to when he typically places an order. Do certain people on your list love to travel? Tie that back in to your sales approach. By anticipating customer needs based on previous interactions and personalizing the message to their unique preferences, you can stand apart from the inbox clutter.
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January 12, 2010 by westendmarketing
My mother always corrected my grammar while I was growing up as a child. Now, when I’m trying to decide whether “I” or “me” should be inserted into a phrase such as “That was the best dinner that Julia and I ever concocted,” I know instinctively the correct answer. Thanks, mom. While my mother relied on relentless prodding, apparently there were books with illustrations that were given or possibly hurled at other children.
I love writing. Each word is carefully chosen like a jewel that radiates its own special meaning. But the spoken word carries its own effect. Whether it’s a comforting word, a lengthy pause, or a curse at the opportune time, your words can speak volumes. Sometimes it’s knowing when not to speak, but more often it’s about being capable and competent. I think a healthy respect for language comes when there is also true enjoyment in the experience. Rather than work, it becomes play. It’s no longer a hurdle, but a window that opens up to other adventures. Here are a few thoughts on how to appreciate the pure pleasure of words:
1) Read for pure enjoyment. Whether it’s about traveling though Ireland or baking a souffle, pick up a book and escape. Read online and offline and stay curious.
2) Journal. It can be your random thoughts, your nightly dreams or your observations. Just make sure it’s not your to-do list.
3) Do a crossword puzzle. Challenge your mind and enjoy the subtle variances in the meaning of words.
4) Think before you speak. We’ve all found ourselves in trouble for saying things we wished we had not. While our words may not be written, they can still carry weight.
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December 30, 2009 by westendmarketing
My email has been brimming over the past few weeks with recaps of the past year and insight into 2010. Salon magazine captures the best viral videos of the decade, reminding me that you can do more on a treadmill than just sweat off those extra holiday pounds. The New Yorker’s quiz on the year’s bizarre political events reminded me of a few incidents worth forgetting. And according to a Marist poll, the most annoying word or phrase of 2009 was not “tweeted,” or “octomom” but “whatever.”
The past year also saw social media come into its own. Facebook grew from 100 million users in August 2008 to 350 million just one year later. Its fastest growing demographic was the 40+ crowd. Although Twitter’s growth has slowed somewhat, it is still growing by seven million new users each month.
Certainly not all status updates are newsworthy, but as information and ideas flow across the web it has altered the way we spend our time over a cup of coffee each day. Search has evolved alongside the rise of social media, with real-time Twitter newsfeeds now flowing into search results on Google and Bing. Facebook fan page updates are soon to follow on both search providers as well. Google’s introduction of their Social Search option reflects a growing appreciation of the influence of social networks. Referrals and online customer reviews make an enormous impact on purchasing decisions. For businesses, these real-time newsfeeds offer a real opportunity to respond with timely, useful content that can be picked up and shared across the Internet. This is nothing new, really. It’s just the technology that’s changed and given our words and opinions greater traction.
I purchased my first iPhone this past year and, apparently, I’m not an early adopter. The iPhone has already sold more than 57 million units worldwide, the fastest uptake in the history of technology. As smartphones become faster and less expensive, they will continue to change the marketing landscape. According to the Mobile Marketing Association, the total U.S. dollars spent on mobile marketing will grow from $1.7 billion this year to $2.16 billion in 2010. While smartphones are still a small niche, mobile is giving advertisers unique ways to reach their audience, with geo-targeting and an open platform to develop branded applications. Who doesn’t love their handy level or restaurant reviews?
With so many options for reaching out and touching someone, the art will be integrating digital media with traditional media. Consumers are blurring the boundaries of their media consumption patterns, accessing the web over their mobile devices, viewing TV online, and reading newspapers and magazine in both print and digital formats. With good planning and consistency of message, you can maximize your marketing efforts across every medium for the greatest outcomes in 2010.
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December 15, 2009 by westendmarketing
Just do it. Have it your way. Obey your thirst. Not only are these great advertising slogans because they reinforce their brands, but they direct the consumer to take action. Building your brand and your value is a critical part of every marketing strategy, especially for new companies trying to create awareness of their products and services. But when building an overall brand, there are other messages we can include to direct customers and help them take action.
Ultimately, your goal is to generate sales or modify behavior, so be sure to include a specific call to action in your marketing materials — tell your customers what you want them to do. Help them take that next step. Call now. Click-it or ticket. Go online and register today!
Don’t forget the free gift. You’ll increase your response rate by offering an incentive, such as a free gift, an upgrade or a chance to win. Keep in mind your audience so you’re offering something of real value for their response. Be sure to include a deadline as well, or advise of a price increase in the coming weeks as added incentive.
Take names, among other things. Whether they visit you online or in person, capture as much information as possible without alienating your visitors so you can continue the conversation. You can stay top of mind in far less expensive and more personalized ways once they have made the initial contact and shared some background information with you. This is also extrememly useful for tracking your best referral sources, a benefit for future ad planning.
Be obvious. If your call to action encourages shoppers to visit your webpage, be sure to include the URL (preferably a special landing page for easier tracking). It sounds obvious, but often the contact information is hidden and becomes a hurdle for your customers. Make it clear and easy to respond with a visible website, a toll-free number or a map that accompanies your address.
The best marketing draws on the strength of your brand, so be sure to remain consistent in all of your messages and stay true to the identity and expectations your brand creates. Nike wants you to just do it and feel like a winner….I imagine their direct marketing does as well.
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December 7, 2009 by westendmarketing
I could tell you that my new car isn’t using as much gas as the older model I previously owned, but much like the way I drive, the most direct route is always best. It’s far better to say that my new car saves more gas. Better still would be to say that it’s amazingly fuel-efficient. Writing should always be direct, telling the reader what is rather than what isn’t. Who wants to hear that they are less offensive when they could be called pleasant?
Keeping statements in the positive asserts authority and directs your readers, depending on where we place the focus. I work with a cosmetic surgeon who uses many new technologies in his practice, such as ultrasonic scalpels and pain pumps, to alleviate pain for his patients. Instead of promoting these advances by saying he is able to “reduce pain,” it’s much better to completely remove the word “pain” and instead say “minimize discomfort.” While it’s important not to mislead, you should focus on the benefits as much as possible.
As another example, instead of saying that a cleaner “leaves no unpleasant odor,” how about it “leaves a fresh scent.” Rather than identifying the product or service with a negative association, we can make positive connections and images in our readers’ minds. Depending on the words we choose, we can soothe the senses or repel and alarm. Lead your readers down a straight path and show them the roses along the way.
“I write as straight as I can, just as I walk as straight as I can, because that is the best way to get there.” – H.G. Wells
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November 18, 2009 by westendmarketing
I have a home office, so I’m tooling away on my computer much more than I should be each day. However, a recent study on video media usage by Ball State University’s Center for Media Design helped put a few things in perspective for me. Their new Video Consumer Mapping Study tracked how, where, how often and for how long consumers are exposed to media. They found that television remains extremely prevalent in people’s lives, with consumers spending an average of 5.9 hours in daily viewing time. The largest percentage of this usage is live TV rather than playback. What was more shocking to me, though, was the total consumer screen time during a day averaged just over 8.5 hours. That’s a lot of time spent with a digital friend.
The study categorized media into four types of screens: traditional television (including live and DVR); computer (Web use, email, instant messaging and video); mobile devices (including texting and video); and all other screens such as out-of-home advertising. Although the composition of consumers’ screen media time varied across age groups, total screen time was pretty similar overall. Younger baby boomers (ages 45-54) had the highest consumption of media with an average daily screen time of just over 9.5 hours.
My first thought is that 9.5 hours is an extremely great night’s sleep. But it’s also a tremendous amount of exposure and creates a vast opportunity to get your message out in front of an audience. The study disputed several commonly held beliefs about media activity:
* Consumers are not channel surfing to avoid ads. TV users were exposed to, on average, 72 minutes per day of TV ads and promos.
* Despite the proliferation of computers and video-capable phones, TV in home still commands the greatest amount of viewing, even among those ages 18-24.
* Even in major metro areas where commute times can be long and radio remains popular, computer usage has replaced radio as the No. 2 media activity. Radio is now third and print media is fourth.
Results from this extensive study are consistent with previous Nielson studies that have found video consumption has never been higher and that TV continues to dominate the media landscape. It’s an interesting look at how we spend our time and good news for advertisers everywhere.
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November 9, 2009 by westendmarketing
Are you giving your customers what they want online? The new 2009 FEED Report from Razorfish identifies the key to online engagement isn’t deeper dialogue — it’s all about the freebies. According to the report, “Based on our research, it’s not so much about some type of ’shared passion’ for a brand’s values. Largely, it’s about deals — pure and simple.”
Of those who follow a brand on Twitter, for example, 44% said access to exclusive deals is the main reason. And on Facebook and MySpace, 37% cited special deals as the main reason they have “friended” a brand. Just look at Starbucks, which has grown to nearly 4 million Facebook fans by offering coupons for free pastries and ice cream. Whole Foods leads brands on Twitter with more than 1.5 million followers by promoting weekly specials and shopping tips.
The report identifies customer service as the other key driver of consumer interaction in social media, with 33% friending a brand on Facebook and MySpace for that purpose, and 24% on Twitter. Comcast, Zappos and Virgin have all earned high marks for using the latter as a customer relations management (CRM) tool.
Apparently, advertising is adapting and consumers are interacting with brands more than ever before. According to the study, 77% have watched a commercial or video ad on YouTube with some frequency, 69% have read a corporate blog post with regularity; 73% have posted a product or brand review and 24% have downloaded a branded application for their mobile phone. In turn, those brand interactions are creating customers. Consumers that engage brands both online and offline are 97% more likely to purchase a product from the brand and are 96% more likely to recommend the brand to their friends. Get the full study at the Razorfish 2009 FEED Report...it’s free!
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November 3, 2009 by westendmarketing
You’re at a party bouncing from one great conversation to the next, when you spot an attractive new person in the corner and open up an exchange. He begins by telling you about his athlete’s foot and this great new product that has almost instantly rid him of the problem. You respond by suddenly realizing you left your car lights on and make a dash for the door. Most of us ease into a conversation by first making acquaintance. We may draw on the standard elevator speech with our name and occupation. In a personal setting, we’ll probably also divulge stories about the kids and spouse, possibly our favorite restaurants, sports, hobbies…you get the idea. Before we enter into a deeper level of dialogue, we have to gain familiarity and a certain amount of trust with the other person.
Now imagine you’re having this conversation with a potential customer. Instead of talking with just one person, your message may now be reaching thousands. Most may never have met you and have no first impression of your company or your products and services. While your ultimate goal may be to increase sales, it’s important to begin the conversation with an introduction. Using various methods of outreach, you create brand familiarity and gain their trust. While sales goals are no doubt important, setting goals to increase online searches of your brand, raise favorable dialogue in online forums and blogs, generate positive press coverage and add to your lead bank are equally valuable. Extend the handshake and move these potential customers into the camp of people who already know and like you. Then you can expand the conversation and talk about your miracle cure for their feet.
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October 27, 2009 by westendmarketing
I appreciate the value of good writing. As an editor, I’ve seen the good, the bad and the just plain ugly. I’ve also stretched the rules of grammar for a good headline within an ad campaign. Much of the beauty of the English language lies in its ability to change. It’s remarkably flexible and has adapted over time to include new words and interesting phrases. But I find it’s much easier to bend the rules once you actually know them. Take cooking for example. Once you know what flavors work well together, the best use of heat and the difference between a pinch and a dash, then you can begin to experiment.
Finding this fine line between bending and breaking the rules is the subject of a new book, “The Lexicographer’s Dilemma,” by Rutgers English professor Jack Lynch. Salon contributor Laura Miller offers an interesting review of the book, pointing out the two schools of thought on proper English usage. The prescriptive belief is that language experts should dictate how to read and write, while the descriptive thought leans more toward giving guidance.
Apparently Lynch agrees more with the descriptive camp, but sees value in mastering the language because it gives one access to power.
According to Miller, “To protest that the language police are only protecting the accuracy, precision and clarity of our tongue, Lynch lifts a skeptical eyebrow. Many of the most roundly deplored “debasements” of English are nevertheless perfectly comprehensible…The only truly unbreakable rules of grammar and usage are the ones that, when broken, result in a genuine failure to communicate. The rest is a form of covert class warfare, and today’s usage reproofs constitute a status-protecting thump on the head delivered by the upper middle class to uppity members of the lower middle. Thinking of the grammar wars in this light helps explain why they provoke such rage. Much as some people might detest seeing the noun “impact” used as a verb, if a lot of people say it and almost everybody understands it when it’s said, then a coup has been effected. The “verbing” of nouns (or the creation of “nerbs”) has been a flashpoint for the past four or five decades with the growth of business management lingo. Complaints about this point to a particularly American social fissure: between the cultured sensibility of the liberally educated and the can-do utilitarianism of striving MBAs.”
So how much guidance do we need? Before beginning any writing project, it’s important to think about the audience that you want to reach with your message. Obviously, the tone and word selection will vary if you’re writing for 18 to 24-year old men entering college versus Baby Boomers buying a second home. And while the language is flexible, some rules should never be broken. Laughing slyly, the story ended while she typed. Confused yet?
Posted in Business writing tips | Tagged audience, business writing, grammar | 1 Comment »
Standing in front of the continuous rows of peanut butter in the grocery story last week, I compared cost and quality for the best value. Much thought goes into that purchasing decision, but my idea of value most likely means something completely different to the person on aisle 10. Obviously, I want to spend as little as possible, but I also know that you get what you pay for and I’m willing to pay a bit extra for organic, nutty goodness that I consider healthier than the sugary, preservative-infused brands.
