Marketing Musings

What is the deal with QR codes?

2011-10-02T17:14:00.002-05:00

Lately I've been seeing these little square digital-looking blobs everywhere. QR (stands for Quick Response) codes are turning up in airports, on supermarket shelves, even on people's business cards and letterhead. My husband (an IT geek) has one on his resume, just for fun.

QR codes originated in the automotive industry. Japanese automakers started using them in manufacturing environments because they could be scanned quickly and hold more information than a 'regular' barcode can. Typical barcodes contain only numbers, while QR codes can include alphanumeric characters and non-roman characters (like Kanji).

We marketing folks (especially direct marketers) get all excited when new technology promises better data, tracking, reach - or presents some kind of new access to an audience. QR code enthusiasts are trying to do this. Unfortunately, much of the implementation falls short. Right now, QR code usage is in its infancy. Marketers are putting them out there, hoping that the cool "decoder ring" effect will bring more people to their product or brand. Since QR codes aren't 'human readable', they are counting on people having smart phones and an app that reads the codes.

It's kind of like putting something in your advertising that's written in a foreign language. If you passed by a billboard in O'hare Airport and there was an otherwise normal looking ad for Tide detergent with one line of text in, say, Klingon language. You'd be curious about that. You might even try to figure out how to translate it. But at the moment you saw it, that text was meaningless (unless of course you speak Klingon). As always, when I analyze marketing efforts, it all comes back to targeting and the consumer. So when DOES it make sense to try a QR code?

1. Your best customers and prospects are very tech savvy.
These are the people that are going to get excited about seeing a code and may actually scan it. If geeks are your best customers, QR codes might be a fun option (or possibly Klingon, too).

2. Your company image or brand is technology oriented.
As a 'keeping up with the Joneses' marketing effort, you might want to put a few codes out there. They cost virtually nothing, and for now, are pretty cool looking. But make sure you read #3.

3. You have something really cool to deliver.
It ought to be worth the consumer's while to scan your code. Include a call to action (i.e. "Scan here to get 20% off your next purchase.") Direct them (via weblink) to special content, a coupon, offer code, or some information that's not available elsewhere. They have taken the time to interact with you, so you need to thank them!

Most importantly, remember that whatever interaction you have with this customer or prospect is likely going to be on their PHONE. So keep it simple and easy to access. Image-heavy sites, huge forms to fill out, or other content that's difficult to see on a small screen will only frustrate your responders.

Want to try it out? If you're curious about how QR codes work, here's an online barcode generator that you can use to create a code like the one at the top of this post. Just type in the data you want to encode and click "generate barcode" to see it on screen.

And here's one more for those of you who are extra cool. :)

Coming out of the fog.

2010-02-16T11:34:00.004-06:00

This morning the fog is burning off of the Teton Valley & surrounding mountains outside my window. I'm working remotely at our place in Victor, Idaho. As the fog burns off, I am gaining some clarity of my own. So much of the work we've been doing lately at Allegro is about clarity.

As we work on developing on-demand marketing software applications, create websites, even write and redesign collateral materials - clarity becomes paramount. In today's marketing world, consumers are busy, skeptical, and overwhelmed. Push marketing has given way to go-out-and-find-exactly-what-you-need marketing. More than ever, we must say quickly and clearly what is great about a given product or company.

I have been working with some new recruits on writing pitches and press releases lately. Once again I remind myself - and them - that we must answer the critical inquiry: Who cares?

For any marketing communication you are crafting, I dare you to ask that question. Read what you just wrote - then say to yourself in a jaded, 14-year old's voice - SO? If you are able to answer that challenge, to quickly get your reader's attention and make a bold statement, then you have a chance at cutting through the clutter and getting some action.

Happy marketing!

Cheap, Fast, and Green - the Marketing Trifecta

2009-10-01T14:43:00.005-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about something my cousin Scott told me years ago. He is a digital illustrator and producer, and he once said, "Remember Ada, in the agency world your clients will have three objectives: Cheap, Fast, and Good. And you will ONLY ever accomplish TWO of the THREE."

Recently I started thinking about this as it relates to Green initiatives. Replace Good with Green and if you follow the logic, you can have:
• Cheap and Green, but not Fast.
• Cheap and Fast, but not Green. .... etc.

This is SO true - firms that want to quickly implement Green initiatives need to be prepared to spend the money. Firms that expect to save money by going Green need to expect that it will take time. Rushing to do things Cheap and Fast will likely sacrifice Green aspects.

Marketing managers take note! You can help manage expectations by applying the rules above. What initiatives do you have that need to address this issue? Can you break the rule and think of examples that satisfy all three?

SEO PDQ - Review of Rebecca Lieb's Book

2009-09-19T16:29:00.007-05:00

As many of you know, I'm involved in a baby products business called CuteyBaby. As an enterprise today, CuteyBaby primarily exists online, so being found in Internet searches is an important part of the marketing strategy for that business. Enter search engine optimization (SEO) - a constantly moving target that for the most part, I have outsourced in my marketing life. Lately I've been wondering what's "behind the curtain" of the great and powerful search marketers out there.

Rebecca Lieb provided me with a very timely and elegant explanation in the form of her recent book: The Truth about Search Engine Optimization (amazon link). I have followed Rebecca's writing on ClickZ and other online sources over the past several years. Frankly, I was thrilled to see she had written this particular book because so many Internet marketing "how-to" volumes seem to lack substance, and I was in need of practical advice.

First, here is my basic definition of SEO:
Working to improve where you appear (higher the better) on major search engines' (Google, Yahoo, MSN) and relevant niche sites' (i.e. Business.com) search results through ongoing, systematic online content improvement.

Here are the things I found most valuable from Lieb's book to understand and/or implement in my SEO strategy now:

1. What women want.
Research what keywords your potential customers are searching on. For example, when people search on "removable wall decals" or "cloth diapers", I would like CuteyBaby to appear in the organic results (typically left side of the page). But there may be a ton of other relevant or related search terms, too. Use a keyword search tool like Wordtracker or Trellian (both have free trials) or Google AdWords keyword suggester (always free).

2. Text is everything.
Whether it's content, titles, tags, or links - everything a search engine sees about your site is text. Write for people reading your site, but understand how it looks to a search engine, too. Flash and lots of images may look exciting to a human, but to a search engine bot, it's just fluff. Be sure to give your images titles and alt text that make sense.

3. Get organized.
Use a content management system (CMS), or at least name your pages intelligently so that URLs make sense to the reader. I use Wordpress, and will probably continue with that for at least the blogging portion of my site, if not the whole thing.

4. A rose by any other name - not so!
Page titles are absolutely critical - make sure they are appropriate and help search engines know when to show your page as a search result.

5. Make friends in high places.
Look for opportunities to link to relevant external content, and get sites to link to you as well (called reciprocal linking). This greatly improves your search rankings, especially if the sites linking to you are well traveled.

6. Write good copy.
Write (or pay someone to write) intelligent copy that contains appropriate keywords and reads well to a human, too. The more quality text content you have on your site, the better chance you will be found.

7. Buyer beware.
Know that any company promising you top ranking in the major engines for category keywords for $500 is probably selling snake oil. No one has the key to instant search success.

There are over 50 tips/truths in the book, so if you are involved in SEO strategy at all, I recommend getting it. The tips above are just what's relevant to me at this moment. Also, if you are building a site, it really helps to consider SEO when mapping out and writing content - rather than retrofitting later.

Thanks Rebecca, for a great resource.

Marketing Book Binge

2009-07-31T11:01:00.000-05:00

I must admit, I binge on information. Perhaps it all started while attending college in Iowa at Cornell College - their one-course-at-a-time system is so perfect for learning to process gobs of information very quickly. Now I find it a valuable skill in this information-rich modern world we inhabit.

Lately I've been tearing through books on social media and marketing. My most recent reads are: Twitter Power, The Twitter Revolution, The New Language of Marketing 2.0 and Guerilla Marketing. So if you are looking for the cliff's notes, or want to decide what's relevant for you to read, here's my take on those titles:

Twitter Power by Joel Comm

This book provides a step-by-step method to create follower-worthy tweets and gain attention on Twitter. It also outlines how Twitter can help as a channel for customer service, brand building, and crowdsourcing. Mr. Comm gives practical advice and encourages testing and measurement (near and dear to my heart) in social media marketing efforts. His chapters on setting up your profile & twitter page will be useful to people getting started on Twitter. More experienced folks will find this book less valuable. Most important takeaways - create a plan, measure results, and stick to it. Like many marketing efforts, building a following and converting customers takes time.

Twitter Revolution by Warren Whitlock & Deborah Micek

This was one of the early books about Twitter (back when Chris Brogan only had 8,900 followers). The authors' excitement for the medium definitely comes through. This book answers the question - "Twitter - what's all the fuss?" pretty well. I found it a little disjointed and shallow; kind of like Twitter! Most important takeaways - start a conversation, be genuine, connect with lots of people, and be open to where that takes you.

The New Language of Marketing 2.0 by Sandy Carter

A publisher sent me this book after seeing one of my reviews. Frankly, I was flattered. Once received, I found the subtitle off-putting. My first thoughts - What's with the marketing ANGELS? Is it a religious thing? An ill-chosen acronym?

It took me some time to read this book. It has about 3-4 times the content of any other marketing book I have picked up in the last few months. Kind of textbooky. BUT - I have kept it on my desk and referred to it several times due to its meatiness. There are a lot of case studies from huge companies. The author is an IBM exec. The part I liked the best was the chapter called "Fish where the fish are and use the right bait." Sounds simple, but it's so easy to forget when you are jazzed about your product or service and "like, EVERYONE could use one of these" thinking. This book is an excellent choice for anyone who does marketing for or in a large enterprise. The perspective is mainly from global firms, HQ'd in the U.S.

Guerilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson

This book is in its 4th edition. Definitely worth owning, targeted to small and mid-size business owners & marketers. I like the very hands-on approach from this author. Guerilla Marketing is focused on outreach. What you can do to get your message out there to the right audience...understanding your product and market, then communicating with them as cheaply as possible. There is not a lot about what I'd call "pull" marketing like online search and social media. But this is good, get-down-to-business and get local marketing strategy. This book is great for small to medium sized business owners that sell products or services to a niche, or local audience. Key takeaways - read chapter 7 on saving marketing money.

At the risk of lengthening an already-long blog post, I'll give my 2 cents as a marketer. Consistency is hard, but it wins. Just look at the number of abandoned Twitter accounts, or in-progress online shopping carts, or direct mail in recycle bins. Regardless of the channel you choose, you have to be consistently there - talking, listening, informing - reaching out to people who are likely to buy what you sell. Be passionate. Remind people of how your product or service will make their life better. Then tell them again.

Twitter does not make you cool.

2009-06-19T09:28:00.005-05:00

Lately I've been talking to clients, prospects, and colleagues about social media. Reading books and articles; really diving in to it. So many marketers are trying to get their brain around how to leverage this new channel. So many folks are writing articles about how social media is a game-changing paradigm shift for marketing. Here's my take: it's not.

What's really different about social media (sites like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or LinkedIn)? To some extent, you can't buy your way in. People have to WANT to listen to you - or they don't. Most any company with the cash can get lots of eyeballs with 30 seconds at Superbowl halftime. But which commercials actually realize benefit to that investment? The ones that have something interesting to SAY!

So, unless you're Ashton Kutcher, you better have a solid strategy going in to this social media world. Or your "tweets" (on any platform) will be falling on deaf ears. Here are some tips on what to put in your social media strategy:

1. Personality.
Your social media presence should have a real person (or people) attached to it. People have to care about and connect to the voice of your company.

2. Consistency.
You have to be there consistently, and be patient - it takes time to build credibility and presence in the social world. It's like dating. Don't make a marriage proposal on the first date.

3. Authenticity.
Be honest. People will instantly recognize if you're not.

4. Remarkability.
Do something that is unusual in your business - or unusual in general. Be incredibly funny, or candid, or opinionated, or generous. Then talk about it. This is the way to go "viral" and get broad-based attention.

I'm reading several books about social media marketing right now. Stay tuned to my blog for an overview of Twitter Power, The Twitter Revolution, The New Language of Marketing 2.0 and Guerilla Marketing next month.

Want marketing advice? Email me at ada@allegrolink.com - I'd love to help you.

Book review: The Big Moo by Godin

2009-05-27T10:07:00.004-05:00

What caught my eye about this little book (in the airport book store, natch) was the subtitle: "Stop Trying to be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable." This collection of ideas from 33 business and thought leaders was edited by Seth Godin. It builds on his idea of having a Purple Cow in your organization - a product/idea/way of doing things that is so unusual it cannot be ignored. buy on amazon link

There are 33 ideas in the book. I encourage you to read it for inspiration in your own business. Here are a few learnings that really struck a chord for me:

1. Name that ______.
Give something in your business/space a powerful name. Naming something brings focus and positions you as expert. (from p.17-18)

2. Stand for something or stand for nothing.
Businesses that genuinely put time, energy, and resources into a worthwhile cause will rise above the pack. (from p.19-21)

3. Eliminate your fear.
You may think you (or your company) is not creative, when what you really are is afraid. Most creativity is fostered by risk-taking and putting seemingly unrelated ideas together. Go ahead, try it! (from p.94-95)

4. Be nimble.
Access to assets or even distribution is not necessarily the way to win in this economy. Big businesses have big overhead and move slowly. If you are a smaller player, the ability to move, test, and get to market quickly gives you an edge. (from p.165)

5. You are ready.
The best time to start being remarkable is NOW! Once you focus on a path of doing something remarkable, it will enlighten and engergize you. You will wonder why you waited so long. At the end of the book (begins p.175) is a great checklist to get you moving.

The Big Moo's own Big Moo is that none of the authors were paid to contribute, AND 100% - that's right 100% - of author proceeds go directly to charity. They also encourage the sharing and even reprinting of ideas in the book. Moo, indeed!

Get out your bikini!

2009-04-16T15:22:00.011-05:00

I just returned from a wonderful family trip to Cancun, Mexico. The incredible sun, sand, and turquoise water was so inspiring and beautiful. We were a big group. My husband, daughter (18 mos), brother, sister-in-law, and sister were all on vacation together. What fun!

Last year - or maybe longer ago - my sister-in-law gave me a new bathing suit. She is somewhat of a collector (dozens of suits on hand at all times). This particular one was a green bikini. I thanked her for the gift, and promptly crammed said suit deep in a drawer. 1) it was October in Chicago 2) I had no intention of putting on a 2-piece anytime soon.

I started thinking about that suit, and I packed it on the trip to Mexico. In fact, I realized that I could not recall even one time in my adult life when I had sported a bikini. This was not one of those "tankini" type things that shows 1" of midriff. We're talking the real deal - teeny, by my standards.

As you probably guessed by now, I put that little green thing on in Cancun. I thought - why not? Just because I am neither thin nor tan, and haven't shown my bare belly since giving birth - why should this stop me? And you know what - nothing happened. No one recoiled in horror, fainted, or even pointed! Turns out, everyone must be worried about their own cellulite instead of mine. Neat!

So what on earth does this have to do with marketing, anyway? Well, Dorothy (said the cowardly lion) - sometimes when you are vulnerable, take risks, and show a little of yourself, you get unexpected benefits. I walked a little sexier, felt a bit stronger after wearing that suit. Strange, but true.

Today I talked to a prospective financial services client on the phone for a while. His firm had recently been downgraded by a major ratings agency, and they were on the defensive. Seems like the marketing approach will be "go down to the bomb shelter and wait it out," or something to that effect. So to this guy (and others in his position) I say, "Maybe you ought to whip out that bikini and see what happens?"

And call me when you're ready to show some skin.

Chris Brogan's Picnic Etiquette

2009-04-02T09:39:00.003-05:00

Just finished reading an excellent article by Chris Brogan about social media marketing, and "bringing wine to the public picnic" we know as Twitter. The picnic analogy is credited to someone at IBM, but Chris does an excellent job of expanding the idea. Read his article.

The reason I'm blogging about it is that the comments at the bottom of that article are VERY interesting! Many people agree, yah yah yah. There's some talk about authenticity in social media - an intriguing topic. But there are a number of comments saying essentially - whoa - don't give away our secrets. "you're handing out the playbook" to non-genuine scammer types... I think this is pretty funny. And frankly, wrong.

Because here's what I learned from my 17-month old daughter. If you pretend to be polite and respectful and interested in another person, you actually are! Especially when I want to yell - QUIT PLAYING WITH THE TOILET SEAT! - and instead I walk over and say "come out of the bathroom please, little one" and guide her out of the room. Then I realize that on the whole, she doesn't yell much either. Which is really really nice.

What I'm saying is that if everyone took Chris Brogan's advice and paid more attention to each other, were polite and interested, and generally kind - we'd have a fantastic Twitter picnic. Plus, all that wine!

Want to stay in touch?
Follow me on Twitter

Twittering for a cause last night

2009-04-01T09:26:00.007-05:00

For those of you who read yesterday's column about entering the room-full-of-millions-of-people called Twitter, this is an interesting continuation of the story.

What if someone you respected walked up to you in that very crowded room and asked you for 10 bucks for charity? This happened to me last night.

On Twitter I've been following Chris Brogan out of Boston. Anyone in social media knows this guy, and he's considered an expert. He has over 10,000 people "following" him, and yesterday happened to be his birthday. Last night Chris sent out an inconspicuous Tweet saying basically, "if you were wondering what to get for my birthday, give $10 at http://www.momitforward.com and let's get $1K to this charity in the next few hours" - I thought, cool!

So I went over to the site and gave $10 - then I messaged Chris to say Happy Birthday and cool idea! And then I Tweeted a message to my (much smaller group of) followers saying here's a neat charity - with the link - and I just gave $10.

Does anyone else see the power here?

I was really excited to see the MomItForward.com donation "thermometer" go up to $400, then $500, then over $1,000 within about 30 minutes on the site. Awesome.

In an ironic twist, this non-profit is involved in aid and microfinance for Moms in Africa. So that got me thinking about small sums of money that have a big impact. Here's the big idea - and it may not be a new one. What if legitimate charities had a "click to donate a buck" button on Facebook - or something like that? What if you could Paypal one dollar out of your bank account, in a single click - and do good?

I would do it. And I'd tell my friends. I bet there are thousands of people who would.

Combing through the Twitter chatter

2009-03-31T16:07:00.003-05:00

What if you walked in to a room of say, a million or so people? What would you say? What conversation would you listen to?

Here's the thing - there's no microphone, there's no powerpoint, and everyone is talking at once. There's an odd thrill to having a conversation in a room that big, where anyone might pop in and listen - or talk.

But what if that room were a virtual room - not a room at all. And what if all those people were doing different things, living their lives and just giving random updates about what they are doing, reading, eating, whatever. - Now you have Twitter.

I've spent the last week or so trying to understand the value of this stream of Tweets (the short messages people enter on Twitter). What exactly can you do with it all?

1. Open an account (it's free) - it's the first step. Decide if it is a personal/professional/corporate "you" out there. This will effect your username and bio information.

2. Start searching. Go to http://search.twitter.com and enter some terms specific to your business - see what comes up. If you find a series of terms that work well, save them as a search so you can repeat - you can even send them to an RSS reader so they'll come up for you in Google or similar site.

3. See if people are talking about your company or product. What are they saying? Here is your chance to be a fly on the wall. Forget focus groups - these are real customers and prospects.

4. Start following people that interest you - see what they have to say. Don't be afraid to "unfollow" someone, it's not a "dis" like unfriending on Facebook.

5. Find items of interest and respond to the person's post. This will likely get you a few followers who are interested in what you have to say. Be honest, answer a question, give your opinion.

Congratulations - you've entered the world of Twitter. I'll see you there.
Follow me on Twitter if you like.

Getting started with Social Media

2009-03-26T09:42:00.006-05:00

It's been a while since I did a "tips" column on the blog, and everyone seems to be talking (or tweeting) about social media (SM) these days. So I thought it would be a good time to publish some tips for companies that are getting ready to go Social.

1. Understand online personae - keep in mind that your customers may not find it appropriate to connect with you on Facebook. Perhaps following your Twitter feed or subscribing to a newsletter/blog makes more sense. People, especially in business, frequently maintain multiple online personalities. If active in social media, they understand the value of keeping personal and work, or even corporate and independent interests separate. Example: profile on LinkedIn versus Facebook

2. Go where your customers and prospects are - remember, the Internet is a searcher/buyer medium. Your strategy should include ways to "be found", rather than to reach out and find people proactively. Examples: SEO for google/yahoo, topic-driven searches, robust search-friendly online content.

3. Use humor when you can - nearly every viral campaign with outstanding results includes some element of humor. Find ways to poke fun at yourself. Examples: Blendtec's Will it Blend, and other YouTube phenomena

4. Open a channel to listen - chances are, people are talking about your product and/or company. Listen and respond to those people, or your competitors will. Examples: follow a group of customers/prospects on Twitter (passive), Salesforce.com "ideas" function (community building)

5. Devote time and resources to a social media plan. Even if it is a small scale effort, it will take attention from a marketing manager to implement and adapt. If you don't have the internal expertise, get advice or help from outside. Make sure your plan clearly articulates your objective for using social media. It will come in handy when you need to explain it to others, and helps you stay focused on why you're entering the SM space. Example: contact me (link at right) with your info and I'll email you a one-pager.

Want to hear brief but pithy commentary about the life of an agency gal on the move?
Follow me on Twitter

Marketing by type?

2009-02-23T11:03:00.008-06:00

This week I watched a film on DVD called The Women (amazon link). As the opening credits were rolling, my husband said, "are there any men in this movie?" The answer - nope. Not even one. Of course there were references to men in these characters' lives - the cheating husband, the insensitive boss, overwhelmed father, etc. This movie was made for, about, and by... women.

It made me think about targeting. Marketing to women is not a new idea. Chick flicks have been around for a long time. But this film did something interesting. It played out some individual types of women that marketers could differentiate. If I were to define the main characters as consumer groups, here is what you would get:

The powerful professional (Annette Bening):
Extremely affluent, makes her own decisions, consumes high-end products and services, travels frequently, works long hours, connected 24/7 via blackberry, unmarried urban dweller.

The wealthy suburban mom (Meg Ryan):
Married, teen or tweens at home, may or may not work outside the home, active volunteer, socially and environmentally conscious, maintains a LOT of personal relationships, makes purchase decisions for her family.

The struggling boho mom (Debra Messing):
Separated, raising several children, lives in the city, has bohemian/hippie tendencies, creative, chaotic home life, will do anything to save money.

The literary lesbian (Jada Pinkett):
Outspoken, highly educated, looking for a good time, single/dating, travels in a lot of different social circles, technically savvy.

Note: I've excluded the "hot mistress" (Eva Mendes) and other supporting characters from the list because we really don't learn much about them in the story.

From a marketing perspective, it is interesting to note that (in the film) these different types of women are closely connected, although very different. In "real life" we (perhaps erroneously) assume more similarities among social groups of women. Still, it's hard to imagine a product or service that could appeal to all of these archetypes. So all women may be created equal - but they probably don't all shop together. :)

A great book for anyone interested in Social Media - Groundswell

2009-01-19T07:04:00.008-06:00

I read this book in December and it's still on my mind. Groundswell (amazon link) by Li and Bernoff provides a framework for understanding social media (wikipedia definition). The main idea is that instead of the marketing models of the early broadcast radio and TV days - push advertising out to mass markets, get response, make money - that we must modify our approach to suit the advent of demand-driven consumerism.

The concept of the "Groundswell" is a product of our current level of connectedness via the Internet. Like word-of-mouth on steroids. This is an interesting extension of the writings of Seth Godin and Malcolm Gladwell. I'm intrigued by the idea of demand bubbling up from groups of vocal consumers - shaping products and even companies over time. This represents a fundamental change in the typical opinion of market demand (and research) for my industry. Most direct marketers will tell you "focus groups are crap" and "customers will tell you what you already know." On one point most marketers agree: the proof is in the purchase decision. But the Groundswell may very well give us a completely new way of genuinely listening and learning about the marketplace.

The most important and practical things to take away from this book are 1) doing an accurate assessment of your customers and prospects' online behaviors, 2) understanding the importance of responsiveness in Internet communications, and 3) how powerful honesty and transparency can be online.

1.) Figuring out whether your customers and prospects are active Internet users is key - you have to go where they are. Also, identifying key customers (i.e. product evangelists) who might generate online content about your products (good or bad) can be a powerful first step.

2.) Create a workflow that responds to online inquiries in a timely and logical way. Auto-responders do not count (these are merely a receipt of transaction, not a response). Respond to complaints honestly, quickly, and respectfully. You will be surprised how word "gets around" online about customer experiences.

3.) Be honest and show your customers what you are doing to improve or enhance their experience with your company. Share information and ideas using internal and external fora - yours or an existing one.

For Business-to-consumer marketers, Groundswell has particular relevance. I found the book very meaty. Even if you don't need the complex analysis and framework (thank you Harvard Business School) presented, you'll find this book worth reading.

New Gladwell Book - Outliers

2008-11-26T22:32:00.003-06:00

After seeing Malcolm Gladwell speak at a conference earlier this month, I was eagerly awaiting the release of his book, Outliers: The Story of Success (amazon link). I tore through this book in a manner of hours - Gladwell is so good at pulling the reader in with interesting anecdotes, then illuminating his observations. The style of this book is similar to previous bestsellers The Tipping Point and Blink. Outliers takes us on an examination of successful people in our modern world. It challenges the idea that we, as a culture, are "good" at finding and fostering human potential. In fact, there are so many barriers - both accidental and intentional - that it is surprising to find highly successful individuals in our society at all.

Gladwell observes that in the cases of these exceptionally successful people, there were both a set of circumstances and people in their lives that enabled their success. To some degree, he discards the notion of inate "talent" being the key to success. In fact, less "talented" people who are in an environment where they can work and be rewarded are more likely to succeed.

The big takeaway that I see (and that Gladwell highlighted in his live speech), is that in order to move forward and have a sense of fulfillment in life, people must have an opportunity to do "meaningful work." Environmental and economic barriers that prevent people from feeling that control and satisfaction will indeed prevent them from having success. Whether the meaning in their work is simple personal achievement, or part of a larger effort to improve the world - it does not matter - a person can become exceptional when they put their mind and soul into something.

The part of this book that impacted me most profoundly was the last section about educational opportunity. It made me want to go open a school - really. Untapped academic potential in the youngest members of our society, particularly in the poorer communities of the U.S., is an unbelievably rich resource. Here is an opportunity to improve the lives of young people, and ultimately the world. These are very big ideas, indeed.

An historic day.

2008-11-04T23:55:00.004-06:00

I'm writing after viewing election results for our soon-to-be 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. I am so proud to be an American this night. It is the beginning of a new era.

This afternoon I heard a speech by Malcolm Gladwell. An author I have long respected, but never actually heard speak in person. His speech focused on an unusual idea. In a nutshell, Gladwell says that primarily through ignorance and attitude, our modern culture is wasting vast amounts of human potential. Whether it be in sports or business or any area, we may think we have excellence - but in reality we are quite limited. The most interesting thing about that state of limitation being that it is partially self-imposed. It turns out we are pretty bad at creating a culture of opportunity and success for all.

The secret, Gladwell says, to unlocking the true capabilities of people, is what he calls "meaningful work". That is to say, when people work on something with their full mind and soul, they can do extraordinary things. Not because of some innate talent or lucky position - but simply because they decide to do something, and they work and work until it is done.

I love this idea. I believe it. And tonight, I saw it happen with my own eyes.

PS: Thanks to Tom for the photo of this car driving by Grant Park tonight right before Obama gave his speech.

Head in the cloud(s).

2008-11-04T01:02:00.005-06:00

This week I am in San Francisco for the Salesforce.com user conference they call Dreamforce. Over the past few years I have really seen this organization scale in amazing ways. This year's conference is focused on "cloud computing" - an idea that removes some of the burden of technical infrastructure from enterprises. This is a particularly good idea for companies that experience elastic technical demands. So if you need a lot of technological heavy lifting one day, and light use the next, it's a really good idea.

Another concept that's being highlighted is about personal connectivity. Everyone seems to be struggling to monetize social networks like Facebook - which has about 120 million users today (gasp). Salesforce.com is providing a platform for launching apps on Facebook (example: helping HR find good candidates through social networking).

So from a marketing perspective, what's right about this?

Well - since good online marketing has long been about being found, rather than trying to interrupt someone doing something else online, there's an attraction to being visible and viral in a huge ecosystem like Facebook. There are an awful lot of eyeballs there. Next, pushing repetitive yet important services (like hosting or databases) out to the "cloud" sounds like a good idea.

Now from a marketing perspective, what's missing with this?

B2B Apps on Facebook: If my Facebook page is all about my personal life (i.e. photos of my kids, my pet projects, the social organizations I like, etc.), do I really want it to cross over into my professional world (i.e. the HR application example)?

Computing in the Cloud: It has to be a good idea to start with. All the on-demand servers or platforms in the world are not going to successfully launch a flawed concept. How does the ability to launch an application quickly change the way we think about startups? Do ideas become more disposable when they are aggregated by the thousands on Starbucks customer idea page? Does the cloud complicate my life, or simplify it?

I'll be contemplating all of this tomorrow and issuing another post. One of my favorite authors, Malcolm Gladwell, is speaking tomorrow afternoon. Stay tuned.

Cornell College and Martin Luther King, Jr.

2008-10-13T11:38:00.004-05:00

Last week I was poking around at my undergrad alma mater's website - Cornell College of Mount Vernon, Iowa. I stumbled upon the record of a visit by Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1962, including the full text of his speech.

The speech is an incredible treatise on race relations circa 1962, and must have been powerful, indeed to hear in person. Even reading the text I find myself getting a little choked up.

By now perhaps you are wondering why I'm writing about this on a marketing blog. The reason is I have to sit in awe at the bold and heartfelt words of a man who was, in fact, a brilliant marketer. Having roots in ministry, of course, doesn't hurt! Martin Luther King, Jr. was selling a tough, tough product. He was moving people to question and discard an old way of thinking, to move forward and envision true equality. To love each other as human beings. To achieve a new level of communication, without violence, but stronger than steel. Best of all, MLK Jr. lets people know that there is work to be done - we have made progress, but there is still a long way to go.

This is marketing with a mission - a noble one, I think.

Some things to think about and apply:
1. Are you marketing with a mission?
2. Do you bring people together and treat them as equals?
3. Does your own passion come through in the marketing you do?

Read the speech - you'll be inspired.

A Closet Optimist

2008-08-28T20:53:00.003-05:00

Recently I've been watching a TV show (from iTunes, not broadcast) called Mad Men. It's a period drama about 60's Madison Avenue advertising exec Don Draper and the agency he runs. The ad business has changed a lot since those days - or so it would seem. Even though the show's characters are mainly cynics, the heart of each client-enthralling ad campaign is a positive message.

Imagine that - winning a client with a campaign that says something positive about the product. It seems like a simple idea, but you'd be surprised at how many pitches go on and on about the "problem" that a product resolves. This is especially true of direct mail. So many letters use scare tactics and doom & gloom. Ugh.

I notice this, because you see, I am a closet optimist. I genuinely believe that the world is basically a good place, that people are mostly good, and that there are "silver linings" to bad situations. It's not a very popular way to be. And sometimes I do need to focus on problems or challenges - but it's always with an eye toward the resolution.

So here's my practical suggestion for my fellow marketers (and optimists). Analyze your communications - are they identifying problems, or presenting the happy result of buying your product? Are your letters/brochures/emails 50% positive, 75%, more? What could increasing the amount of positive message do for the effectiveness of your materials? Hmmmm.

To Publicize Success?

2008-08-07T11:02:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I wrote about a book called "Better" by Dr. Atul Gawande. One of Dr. Gawande's stories describes the state of affairs with Cystic Fibrosis treatment centers in the U.S. Until recently, the centers did not want to publish their success rates. This left everyone in the dark as to how to improve. The fear was that patients would flock to the best treatment and leave other hospitals in the dust.

An interesting phenomenon occurred - once results of the top centers were published by a non-profit foundation, the bar was raised for all. Lower-performing centers that shared results with patients did not lose out - they kept patients by communicating a roadmap for improvement. And everyone got better treatment and improved outcomes.

The reason I bring this up is that I think many companies (even our clients) decide to keep their marketing results private. Of course public companies must disclose financial performance and other facts by law, but they usually say little about their marketing strategies and methods.

On the heels of yesterday's post, I had an interesting experience with a client (who will remain confidential). When asked if they would like a successful marketing program to be the subject of a case study at a marketing conference, the company's PR department declined. Why? Because they saw no benefit to the firm. Of all the possible reasons, this one surprised me.

Aside from free attendance to a well-known conference, this company's approach means they are missing an opportunity to:
- grow and learn professionally
- see what their competition is doing
- show confidence and increase brand strength
- attract sharp talent at the conference
- raise the bar for their industry.

While I know there are other companies that will step forward and share information about their successes, it is disappointing to see this lack of leadership from a client I thought I knew well. I suppose it will be left to the rest of us to move things forward.

I'm ready.

For Better or Worse

2008-07-29T22:21:00.006-05:00

I just finished reading a nonfiction book called Better: A surgeon's notes on performance, by Atul Gawande, a surgeon. This doctor also wrote a book called Complications in 2003, which I enjoyed very much. Dr. Gawande's narrative prose gives us insight into the issues of perseverance, competence, and conscience faced by a thoughtful physician.

The author's perspective on performance is enlightened. It helps the reader imagine how it feels to work in a profession where perfect performance is needed, yet absolute perfection is not possible. In particular, I found Gawande's commentary on evaluation and measurement quite interesting.

Many strategists point to sports teams (and athletes) as examples of how to increase performance. In competitive environments, we see individuals strive to improve and win - inspired to beat "the other guy". But this book explores another aspect of performance - striving to be better because it will help people, or because it is the right thing to do. I especially like the examples of physicians who are already recognized as "the best", but strive for constant improvement.

I read this book because I thought it was an interesting topic, not because I expected to relate it to my work, or to marketing. But I find myself drawing parallels, and learning from the text. So here are my takeaways from a marketing perspective:

1. Have compassion - for your clients, customers, and co-workers.
2. Be humble - know that you can continuously learn more and improve your work.
3. Measure your performance - choose to measure something important, and it will improve.
4. Understand that even in a large and imperfect system, one can still do the right thing.
5. Persevere - when you meet a challenge that stumps you, keep trying!

I'm going to print out the list above and tape it to the wall next to my desk for inspiration. :)

Book review: Gitomer's Little Red Book...

2008-07-11T14:21:00.004-05:00

I just finished reading Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Red Book of Selling last month. As Allegro enters into a new era of widely selling our SaaS (Software as a Service) product, FreshDM, I thought it would be good to brush up on some of the current thinking around "traditional" sales processes. Years ago, I saw Jeffrey Gitomer give a presentation at an American Cancer Society event (for major/planned giving officers) out West. His book and presentation and personality are all really LOUD. He's sort of Tony Robbins meets Glengarry Glen Ross and all expressed in a series of lists.

The best audience for this book is people who are B2B salespeople or sales managers. Since a lot of the materials I work on developing are to support these kinds of efforts, I thought there would be some valuable info for my clients as well.

Although I found the format a little "campy" and didn't agree with all of the techniques, there are several things I liked about this book. I agree with the motivational approach and how it should thread throughout your life. People who are organized, focused, and positive at home are often more successful at work. I also agree that it is absolutely key to enjoy your work and the company itself. These are important and foundational points to Gitomer's approach.

There's an area of selling that Gitomer doesn't really talk about. His book targets commissioned salespeople - people who are more successful and make more money based on their sales. But there is another layer to selling that is also applicable to many people in the marketing world. The selling of ideas. Many of my clients spend a great deal of time and effort in internal meetings. What are they doing? Well, they're selling. Convincing. Persuading. It's in the same vein.

Many of Gitomer's ideas/concepts can be adapted to this kind of situation (as well as traditional sales processes). A few high points & things that resonated for me:
- Resign your position as General Manager of the Universe.
This basically means to stay out of projects/problems that don't have anything to do with you, but really suck your time and energy.
- Get over your fears of presentation/rejection/failure
So important! In any position, we must be able to communicate to an audience, and bring forward ideas without fear. Over-engineered campaigns "by committee" rarely win.
- Give value
Especially in service businesses, we have to give value to our customers, co-workers, even ourselves. This is the reason we all get paid.

There are many more good points in the book (12 of them), talking about personal branding, networking, using humor and creativity in the sales process. In all, it's a very motivating book. I recommend it for ambitious types and anyone in sales - or if you manage/support those folks. I'll probably re-read or refer to this book in the future.

Are surveys dead?

2008-06-27T16:28:00.006-05:00

In this new landscape of user-generated content (UGC), blogs, and online fora - what is the relevance of good old-fashioned surveys? Here's how I see it:

Unsolicited comments (like blogs or posts in a forum) often tell you WHO you didn't know was important.
Because of the democratization of the web - the ease with which nearly anyone can publish an opinion (or video, for that matter) - very public rants or raves might come from unlikely or unknown sources.

Yesterday I was reading a random blog (highlighted by Blogger) of a woman who has an eco-conscious focus, but writes a couple of times a week on various topics. Her typical post is about politics or alternative energy or recycling techniques. Last week she wrote an absolute rave personal review of this mineral rock deodorant thing - I mean, she went on for 4 paragraphs about how great it is. If I were the maker of this product, I'd figure out how to engage more influential folks like this. So if they saw the post, that company may have just discovered WHO might be helping sell their product.

Surveys will usually tell you WHAT you didn't know was important.
People who care about you or your company are typically the ones that respond to a survey. In fact, you often have targeted a group of prospects or clients (or people like them) in your distribution list. But, your respondents may type in comments or respond differently than you expected. Surveys are a great way to determine how to focus on the products/services that matter to your customers.

When the company I work for, Allegro, did a survey a while back - we learned that one of our key customers depended on us primarily as a technological resource. Our opinion was that Allegro was a creative agency first, with techy stuff as a tag-along service offering. This customer really changed our perspective on the value of technology. The opinion of that client spawned a dedicated team in our company that works on and promotes an online tool called FreshDM. It has become a significant part of our business.

Structuring and sending out a survey is a great way to focus - just writing the survey will cause you to concentrate on an objective way to measure your firm's impact. By the way, I highly recommend an online tool called SurveyMonkey - I started using it on a project in biz school a few years back, and it really is great. They have free and paid versions, depending on your needs. Be sure to consider phone or offline (paper) surveys - if that's your normal mode of communication with customers & prospects.

Easy is the new black.

2008-06-23T11:13:00.005-05:00

As marketers, we are often called on to sell or inform about a product that is complicated. The complexity of, say, a technical service - or a financial instrument - or a gadget, could be what makes it really cool and desirable. We might go on and on about the key benefits, how sophisticated it is, how valuable, even how affordable. But the truth is, most people just want it to be easy.

Look at how convenience sells in the U.S.: have you bought vegetables in a little pre-packed plastic bag, just so you didn't have to wash them? Been to a drive-thru window lately? Used amazon.com's "one-click ordering" function? Looked at the freezer section in the grocery store?

In so many aspects of our lives (and our customers' lives), we are looking to save time. We want to check things off our list and be done. We will settle for something that is less tasty, less nutritious, or lower quality - just because it's fast or convenient. We'll even pay a premium for that convenience (i.e. 150% more for lettuce, or a $4 coffee at Starbucks).

What does this mean to us as marketers? Well, I think easy is the new black. It's time to take a closer look at whether we are making things as easy as possible for our customers and prospects. Here's a little checklist for you:

1. Is it easy to find you?
If I'm looking for your company or service, can I easily locate you on- and offline?

2. Is it easy to buy your product?
How many steps does it take on the phone/web/in person?
How long is your sign-up form or application?

3. Is it easy to understand why to buy your product?
Do your promotional or marketing materials simply state the key reasons to buy from the customer's perspective?

4. What are you doing to be the most "convenient" provider in your marketplace?
Check out your competition.

Take it easy,
Ada

PS: Didn't black become "the new black" because it was so darn easy? :)

What about the meatballs?

2008-06-12T08:13:00.003-05:00

So, I've been thinking a lot about the Seth Godin book (Meatball Sundae). His idea of inventing new products that take advantage of the "long tail" (lots of people who all want different things) - it's so seductive. Just come up with a unique and easily distributed product/service that you can sell at a profit, put it on a website, and get people talking. Sounds like a simple recipe. But what if you (or your client) has a ton of "meatballs" already? What if you are selling a highly regulated product, like insurance, that is difficult and expensive to reinvent?

Here are my recommendations for folks that have a lot of meatballs.

1. Be honest (with yourself and customers).
If it looks like a meatball, it probably IS a meatball. Transparency and clear communication will take you far.

2. Make some marinara.
Find a service method, packaging, distribution model, companion product, or extra perk that makes your meatball the most delicious one out there.

3. Serve on your best china.
Making customers feel special is wildly underrated. In this era of blogging and internet media, news travels fast. A good customer's experience can become a positive influence for your product, brand, and company. Add up a few good experiences, and you're in business.

Bon Appetit!

My take on: Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin

2008-06-10T09:46:00.003-05:00

I'm just finishing reading the book Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin. He's the permission marketing guy who also wrote Purple Cow and many other books. It's a really good guidebook, especially for folks who are marketing to consumers. Mr. Godin always seems to have a lot of "old school" and "new school" comparisons, and this book is no exception. He gives lots of real world examples, and I love that.

The idea of a meatball sundae - there are a lot of companies out there who have "meatballs" to sell - traditional products that are pretty good, but ordinary. Mr. Godin observes that the "old way" of just putting a TV ad out there and presenting a pretty good product to a large audience is failing. Then, he points out pitfalls in the technique of using "new marketing" (internet-driven techniques) to sell "old products". Hence the "Sundae". Some companies are trying to put hot fudge, whipped cream, and a cherry on top of a "meatball" and then wondering why the marketing techniques don't work.

Here are some key takeaways from my perspective.

the Internet has enabled and empowered consumers in a totally new way.
unique distribution and marketing channels have spawned micro-markets that can now be successful without physical locations (like T-shirt co. threadless.com microfinance co. Kiva and others)
customization is king: more than ever, consumers want choices and ways to strip away excess "features" to save money
as marketing clutter surges, interruption marketing (like TV ads and email promotions) are less viable
great service wins (by the way, service and marketing are inextricably linked)

My recommendation: if you read through the 14 key points, and use 3-4 of them, it's a very practical approach. As always, I really enjoyed Mr. Godin's insight.