Join us as we explore examples of marketing excellence...and error.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Marketing this Blog with Technorati


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What is this you ask?  Its a claim tag from Technorati that I need to post in order for them to verify that I indeed have a blog.  I am doing this in an effort to drive more traffic to my blog without spending much money...in essence, this is a very low cost (read: FREE) marketing strategy.  I know that building readership is a slow endeavor; one I am willing to endure since most worthwhile marketing strategies are slow endeavors. 

Speaking of slow processes, boy do I wish I had a dollar for every small business client that has come to see me over the last 15 years needing marketing help FAST. (I'd be a 1%'er) Like oil and water, panic mode and marketing strategies don't mix.  Successful marketing is a journey, not a mad dash.  Building relationships, creating value, and communication benefits in a slow process, one that matures the longer they simmers.

But forget all that sage advice...if you have a minute and know Oprah, Ellen, or Jimmy Kimmel, mention this blog so that it finds readers FAST!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Size Matters

The secret to an effective marketing message has less to do with spending the big bucks and more to do with understanding your target market.  Regardless of your marketing budget, really good promotional strategies can be implemented if you have the right information about your potential customers and how they behave.  Daily, I remind clients and students alike about the importance of getting into the mind of prospective customers and answering the fundamental question….”Why?”  With the massive amount of choice that consumers have these days, why would they choose to buy from you?  Think about it for a minute…Difficult to answer?  My advice: Figure out how your product/service differs from other choices the customer has and then you will be on the right track to communicating to the world “why” they should give you a try.

Of course, for this differentiation strategy to work, insight into what customers want is also extremely helpful.   The picture shown above, sent in by a member of MarketingMinded (the Facebook page used in my classes at CSU, Chico) really illustrates these ideas.  The promoter of the Bigger Yard Sale not only nailed what garage sale bargain hunters want (lots of choice), but also figured out how to differentiate themselves from the other choices available.  In this case, size matters…and from the looks of it, this example of excellent marketing was accomplished on a pretty limited budget. 

                               

Thursday, October 27, 2011

A Sign of Things To Cut


Found this in my hood.  It is a prime example of a small business owner thinking they would save money by crafting their own signage.  Too bad the business owner doesn’t know that how a sign looks (perceptual benefits) communicates to potential customers as much, if not more, than the words printed on it. 
So what is this sign saying to me?  It is telling me that they don’t really care about how things look….even though they are in the business of trying to make people look good. The half-assed attempt at promotion makes me think their approach to my hair and nails will also be second rate. This sign screams “guaranteed beauty catastrophe here!”
Now, to be fair, this shop might give the best haircuts in town.  The owners might be the nicest people in the world and they might offer great service at a great price.  It’s really a bummer the sign doesn’t indicate these things at all.  With just a bit of an investment in color and design this business could easily bring in more customers who would be more confident in trying a new place for a new do.

At this point, the only cut I would allow is the sign itself. 

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Want to Stand Out? Maybe You Should Sit Down.


Part of effective marketing is about getting your potential target market to notice you.  In this case, standing out meant showing the world what it looks like to sit down.  It’s memorable because it’s completely unexpected (and funny in a sort of gross kind of way). The memorability element of this marketing effort earns them an excellent in my book.

Funny thing is, most small businesses are lacking in the kind of confidence it takes to stand out in this way. New entrepreneurs often look to other businesses for leads on how to behave so as not to give the impression that they don’t know what they are doing.  These businesses end up impersonating everyone else which makes it harder for them to succeed.  

Potential customers have quite a bit of choice these days and if your business looks different from the other choices out there, you are giving yourself a leg up. To really stand out, I do encourage my clients to look at competitive businesses but instead of trying to fit in, I suggest doing the COMPLETE OPPOSITE.  Do whatever it takes to be unique!  For instance, years ago I had a client that started a landscape maintenance business.  Rather than try to fit in with the hundreds of others offering the same service, my client had uniforms made for his crew that consisted of safari hats, shirts and shorts, and promoted his service as able to “tame your backyard jungle”. Silly? Maybe. Memorable? Yes. 

Standing out is critical…even if it means you need to sit down to do it.  

Thursday, October 13, 2011

The "E" Word





Let me state the obvious.  Marketing does not start with an “e”.  (Aren’t you happy you’re spending your time reading this?!?) However, effective marketing does begin with the letter. The reality of the situation is that for marketing to be worth the effort for an organization, it needs to work. This blog will be exploring examples of engaging excellence and examples of egregious error in an effort for our readers to find ways to be more effective and more efficient. (Did you count all those gorgeous e-words?) 
For the purposes of full disclosure, let the record show that my company is also named with an “e”…literally.  Withanee (with an “e”) Marketing has been working with small businesses, non-profit organizations, and other entrepreneurial ventures for over 15 years.  Our experience (another great “e” word) with these specific markets, our understanding of their marketing challenges, and our ability to turn challenges into champions is what sets us apart from all of the other marketing voices out there.