Brand Sluts

Marian Salzman points out three major trends,
the growth of brand sluts,
making complex things simple,
and increased isolation
as the average person grows wealthier.* 

The third trend I find most interesting. 
Salzman points out that as people have more,
they become more paranoid
about keeping what they have. 
This drives them to withdraw from others,
seeing them as possible threats. 

What does this mean? 

More gated communities. 
More tables for two. 
Less church attendees. 

* May 2007 issue of easyJet Inflight 

The Gatekeepers

Country star Alan Jackson
had to deal with resistance
when he launched his now loved
but then controversial song
“I’ll Go On Loving You”.

He said “I knew the fans would like it
but didn’t know if we could get it
through all the red tape at the radio
to get it to the fans.” 

Every industry has gatekeepers.
These gatekeepers have to be sold on new ideas
before the innovations even have a shot
at being sold to the target market.

Betting On The Jockeys

I asked a gambler
which horse he liked for an upcoming race.
He replied that he doesn’t bet on horses,
he bets on jockeys.

You see jockeys want to get paid
and the more they win, the more they get paid
so the best jockeys pick the best horses.

And if a jockey shows up for only one race
you can be sure that he intends to win.

In every business,
there is more information provided than needed.

Cut through the noise
to focus on what is key.

Published
Categorized as General

Learning From The Competition

In Harvey Mackay’s book,
Beware The Naked Man
Who Offers You His Shirt,
he tells the story of Sam Walton
walking into the messy, disorganized
store of a competitor,
zeroing in on one area
and asking
“how come we’re not doing that?”

The competition may lag you
in sales but
there’s a reason they are
still in business.
That is because they are offering
something you aren’t.

Find out what that something is.

The Next Generation Industry Standard

Web Ink has done an analysis
of the most over used
gobbledygook words used
in press releases.

The big winner?

“Next Generation”

What does this mean to customers?

Absolutely nothing.

You only have seconds
to grab your prospect’s attention.
Don’t waste it with filler words.

And yes, industry standard
was on the list too.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Trade Magazines

How to advertise in a magazine?

It depends.

If the magazine targets
the average person,
is sold on newsstands everywhere,
and consists mostly of glossy ads,
an ad is the only way to go.

However, if it is a trade magazine
like Romance Writers Report
subscribed to and read
cover to cover
by aspiring and publishing
romance writers,
then seriously consider
the more cost effective
classified ad.
It WILL get read.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Sexy Nuns

Did that get your attention? 

I bet it did. 

The post title is a clear example of a
charged coupling 

A pairing of two opposite words,
each with high emotion.
It is a copywriting standby
and it works.

Marketing is about emotion.
Ensure that your copy has it.

Google is going to love me
for this post.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Creating Trust

Paul McCord has a great article
on How To Develop Client And Customer Trust.

One of the best ways is
to give the right advice for the client
even if that may not be the right advice
for the salesperson.

“Once the client knows that
you are willing to sacrifice
an immediate sale
for the sake of maintaining your integrity,
your reputation with that client is sealed.”

Consumer Packaged Goods companies
know this.
There’s a coveted position
of category captain
at grocery
and manufacturers compete for that honor.

The category captain leads shelf redesign
and is expected to put the needs
of the grocery store ahead of
the needs of her company.

Published
Categorized as Sales

Marlboro Fences And Coca-Cola Kids

When designing ads,
great marketers not only concentrate
on what is there,
but they also pay attention
to what isn’t.

In Marlboro ads,
there are never any fences.
Why?
Because they didn’t want to
give an impression of restricted freedom.

In Coca-Cola ads,
you should never see
a child drinking a cola.
Why?
Because it would be socially
irresponsible.

Everything,
even nothing,
sends a message.

Published
Categorized as Marketing