Sales and Marketing Blog

Seducing Prospects: Easy Ways to Woo Clients

2012-02-14T14:06:00.000-05:00

Dear Agencies, Happy Valentine's Day! If you're looking for new clients and feeling a little lonely, don't lose heart. In the spirit of the holiday, I'm sharing tips to finding your marketing match. How to make a client fall in love with you comes down to old-fashioned courtship:

1. First impressions. How you present your agency-from the first email, to the office vibe, to how your proposal looks-speaks volumes. Details matter.
2. Be Sexy, not boring! Show how you're different, fabulous and why they need you. Keep new business presentations short and savvy and under a half hour. Don't use a PowerPoint unless it's got eye candy.
3. Be genuine. Don't embellish services your agency outsources and doesn't really provide. You want them to fall in love with what your agency does best -the real you.
4. Plans are exciting. Thought-starters create intrigue. Show them a vision of what a journey with your agency might look like. Do whet their appetite (but don't give it all away so fast.)
5. Experience is a turn-on. Industry knowledge gets clients excited. Show successes with clients facing similar challenges-even if it's in a different industry. It's about your track record of success achieving similar goals.
6. Be a good date. Listen. Don't do all the talking. Clients need to be heard. Let them talk and share. You'll be wiser and be able to develop a better proposal (and have a better relationship) as a result.
7. Don't over-share. Talking negatively about ex-clients and early career horror stories creates a negative vibe. Presenting too much too soon is assumptive and can backfire.
8. Be attentive. Show you care and how much you want their business. Make them feel wanted. Always over-deliver.
9. Bear gifts. Don't go empty-handed. Leave something behind for them to remember you: a PowerPoint presentation, a brochure or case studies. You want to remain on their mind tomorrow.
10. Don't wait. Call the next day. Send a thank you note. Deliver the proposal when promised. Be responsive and keep commitments.

After you've landed them, be sure to keep the romance alive so the relationship thrives. Happy pitching!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T13:57:00.000-05:00

Are your marketing programs producing results you love? If you've lost the love for your marketing company, the passion for your team has faded or if you're unattached, don't lose heart. In the holiday spirit, I'm sharing tips to finding a marketing company You'll Love:

* Superficiality. Don't get blinded by over-rated rankings and "top" or "hottest"
agency labels. Agency awards don't always translate into the clients' goals.

* Limit the lineup. "Long Lists" risk alienating agency jewels that avoid "cattle calls" and pitch selectively.

* Money Matters. Establish a budget range upfront. Any program can be scaled and without parameters you could end up with sticker shock.

* Commitment. What's the agency's client-relationship history? Do they have lots of long-term clients or mostly project quickies?

* Chemistry clicks. It makes or breaks relationships. What is the agency's turnover rate? Meet the daily team; it's all about inner compatibility.

* Manage Expectations. What's considered a successful relationship? Establish mutual goals to ensure priorities align and you're on the same page.

* Size Matters. It's easy to get sold on (and then lost in) a big shop. Will you be a priority client, or just keep folks busy and be another phone number?

Smart planning and vetting will help you find an agency you'll love for the long-term. Contact Smarti to get the full article.

Super Bowl Advertising

2012-02-02T16:54:00.000-05:00

The Super Bowl is the mecca of the advertising industry. It’s the only time general consumers look forward to watching ads. It’s pricey; this year brands are spending approximately $3.5 million for each 30 second spot.

This year, instead of thriving on suspense and anticipation, Super Bowl advertisers on advertisers are getting more mileage for their money by pre-releasing the spots. More than half of the 50+ commercials scheduled to appear are already on line on YouTube, Facebook and the advertiser’s websites. Advertisers such as MetLife, Volkswagen and American Honda Motor have created teasers ads and longer versions with expanded content in an effort to generate excitement, conversation and buzz.

Notably, it’s the first time the Super Bowl is being presented online.

Happy Watching. Go Giants!!

Agencies Cite Social Media Somewhat Effective

2012-01-24T15:41:00.003-05:00

Social media is on the tip of every agency's tongue. But just how well is working for their clients? A recent report from Marketing Sherpa shows marketing agencies predominantly believe it's “somewhat effective” for client campaigns. What’s working? The most beneficial tactics cited were optimizing social media sites to improve search engine rankings and building relationships with online influencers. What’s not working? Advertising on social media properties is perceived as one of the weakest tactics. Social sharing buttons on emails weren’t doing so well, either. The activity that ranked highest in degree of difficulty and had the greatest level of effectives was blogger relations. Certainly, that's why agency experts are needed, and where PR agencies can shine.

Check it out by reading the MarketingSherpa’s 2011 Social Media Marketing Benchmark Report free Executive Summary (PDF)

Branding on the rise in online advertising

2012-01-06T16:52:00.000-05:00

Branding is back and may play more of a role in online advertising than in recent years. Online advertising industry has been dominated by direct response advertising and search engine marketing for the last several years. Are we in store for big changes this year?

Digiday recently issued a new report that found marketers will spend some 60% of their online budgets on brand ads this year, potentially more than direct-response ads for the first time in many years. Some analysts project a shift in growth prospects from search and other direct-response ads to branding or image ads.

Report highlights:
* 60% of marketers said they will move budgets from direct response to brand advertising
* 64% of marketers say they’ll increase online brand advertising budgets in 2012–(22% by more than 20%)
* 56% of marketers plan to increase online direct response advertising budgets (only 15% will do so by more than 20%)

Growth projections by brands for various ad channels

According to the survey, for brand advertisers to make that happen, the majority 68% said they need to see said, “Improved clarity around the actual return on brand advertising investment.”(Note, if you download the sponsored survey, you may get lots of solicitation emails.)

Marketers, direct response marketing is important to generate leads and sales. But, remember that its effective branding that differentiates and influences the sale.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T16:59:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! May 2012 bring continued success, exciting opportunities and good things to cheer...
Wishing you a very healthy, happy, and prosperous new year!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-23T15:09:00.000-05:00

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

-Max Ehrmann, Copyright 1952.

YouTube Channels Original Content

2011-10-27T18:30:00.000-04:00

Google’s YouTube is plans on reorganizing into channels announcing partnerships with major media companies and celebrities to develop original content.

They are spending more than $100 million in cash advances and plans on recouping the funds from advertising revenue. The different channels and categories will include comedy, news and food.

“YouTube is trying to become a next-generation cable provider overseeing dozens of free online ‘channels’ with professional-grade shows,” reports The Wall Street Journal.

The ultimate goal is to convince advertisers it’s a good medium and a cost effective alternative to television. The move also positions YouTube into the heart of convergence, as more TVs and cable boxes accommodate online video.

It presents a terrific new opportunity for advertisers.

Too Many Choices

2011-09-15T21:44:00.000-04:00

Too many choices are problematic. Sometimes a simple visit to a drug store can be a production. If you have to choose among 3 toothpastes or shampoos, it’s fairly easy to make a decision. Confronted with over a hundred choices can be daunting. Too many options leads to decision overload, confusion and indecision.

Agency selection can be just challenging. I’m currently working with an exciting, young company that initially started their PR agency search on their own. They met a few firms and none were quite right: one was too big and they knew they would get lost in the shuffle; the others were too small and lacked clout to really move their business. So, they hired Smarti. Their challenge was practically mission impossible: industry experience, strategic, creative thinkers with the muscle and power to drive their business—all on a very small budget.

Smarti to the rescue! The agency selection results were amazing. They met 3 highly targeted PR firms carefully selected based on industry experience, similar successes, personalities and budgets, and loved them! They were really excited and thanked me for doing such a fabulous job. I was really thrilled with the results of the search and their happiness makes my job so rewarding. Hurray.

So, I was shocked to get an email a few days later. Well, they are really not so sure about them after all... And since Smarti is so connected and knows so many firms, can they see a bunch more? (Now, they’ve met at least 7 great agencies to date.) Really?

Too big a selection is overwhelming and ultimately leads to indecision. I find the most successful business people I know are very strong decision makers. Thankfully, they ultimately agreed they had a fabulous selection and made a decision. The easiest choices come from select, solid options coupled with a need and commitment to purchase.

Smart App - Web Meetings

2011-09-07T10:51:00.001-04:00

I make a ton of calls all over the country and the world. So for a long time, I’ve been a huge fan of freeconferencecall.com Users are given the telephone number with a user ID for access into the call. Each participant pays for the cost of making the call on regular telephone lines. No computer or Internet access required.

So, I was really delighted I am to find out they have are now offering free web meetings through FreeScreenSharing.com What an interesting, free alternative to WebEx. If you need to make an online presentation, demo or webinar and, it’s worth checking out.

A Day in the Life.

2011-08-18T15:51:00.000-04:00

I meet many, many agencies. Most of the time it's very enjoyable. I love meeting interesting people, seeing cutting edge creativity, innovative techniques, break-through technologies and learning about new ways of doing things.

While certainly selective, most agencies are very interested in new business—or at least the prospect of building a relationship that could lead to new business. (That’s just smart, right?)

Agencies have different styles. I like to meet the team, get a sense of their capabilities, successes and what they do best. Sometimes agencies give a “dog and pony show” with bells and whistles, other times it’s just meaningful conversation with a stellar portfolio and proof points. I find how an agency presents their agency to me is often how they present themselves to clients.

PR agency search is underway for a really cool company and I’m making the rounds. ALL the agencies on my list had impressive client rosters, which was why I was made the meetings.

So, imagine my surprise at a recent agency meeting. I arrived on time, but was kept waiting for almost a half hour while the Big Wigs were in an internal meeting. A few kids chatted aimlessly about their personal lives; no one offered coffee. Upon the start of our meeting, I was informed they had another one starting shortly. They boasted about their A-list client roster. Expensive, they only took on smaller accounts when begged. Repeatedly. They gave the same old “why we’re different” in an under a minute spiel. (They sounded just like any other agency.) They didn’t ask any questions. One of the most impressive things about this agency was their egos. Yikes. My clients were really mellow, down to earth folks; this wasn’t going to be a personality fit.

Flip over to my next agency meeting. They were just as busy, and I was also kept waiting for about 20 minutes; but apologies were forthcoming. But everyone that worked there—juniors included—couldn’t have been nicer or more accommodating. I was put into a conference room and given coffee while I waited. The meeting had a very different “feel.” This agency had an equally impressive, A-list client roster. Successes were rattled off. Questions were asked. There was engaging conversation. I got the impression they really care about their clients.

I believe that my experience with an agency is often indicative of what will be a clients’ experience. All things being equal, it's the small things make a really big difference.

The Droids are taking over

2011-06-23T14:48:00.003-04:00

The Android operating system increased market share and retained its lead as ahead of the pack, capturing 38% of mobile market in the second quarter , according to recent reports from Nielson and comScore. Apple's iOS had @ 27%, while RIM /Blackberry slided to @ 24%, and MS Windows dropped to @ 5%.

One in three Americans own a smartphone today. Samsung leads with 25% share, followed by LG 21%, Motorola 16%, Apple 9% and RIM (Blackberry) 8%.
I’m part of the new stats, since I recently switched from a blackberry to a Droid; I love my new Samsung Epic 4G.

Search Outsourced

2011-05-23T18:31:00.000-04:00

According to SEMPO's “2011 State of Search Marketing Report," released April 13, more brands are outsourcing portions of their search marketing budget in 2011.

More than four in 10 companies (44%) conduct their SEO entirely in-house, compared with 51% last year. Thirty-eight percent conduct their paid search in-house, compared with 47% in 2010, according to the survey of more than 900 companies conducted by Econsultancy.

This reverse makes sense in the world of agency selection. Professional, top level SEM agencies can offer best practices, insights and the latest technologies and media expertise that are really tough to manage and maintain in-house.

Branding the Invisible Essence

2011-04-26T23:13:00.000-04:00

Branding is about defining core essence of a company—what makes it different from competitors and unique in the marketplace.

There always lots of talk of the logo, imagery and look and feel—what a customer sees. But what about what a customer hears? The biggest branding mistakes come from prioritizing the visual, outer layer; but it’s the content inside which differentiates one company from another.

If your prospects don’t know what you stand for, how you’re different and why they should choose your company over competitors, the logo, color palette and pretty pictures really don’t matter.

Your brand’s message takeaway should stake an ownable position that your competitors can’t claim. A unique selling proposition is vital, and is unfortunately what often gets overlooked. If you can easily swap out your competitors’ name for yours, you’ve failed the branding litmus test.

Aesthetics and presentation is like the icing on the cake that makes a brand compelling. Cakes without icing are not that enticing, but a big old plate of frosting doesn’t hold up very well, either.

Bear in mind some creative branding agencies are more design-focused and less marketing-oriented. If you’re clear on your content and messaging, a visual identity refresh may suffice. But if you’re struggling to develop a competitive positioning, copywriting is critical and should not be overlooked.

When investing in branding, consider what a customer may not see but hears is equally important and might be the branding piece you need the most.

Of course there’s only so much a marketer can do; a brand experience is created by all the touch-points a consumer has with a company, including sales and customer service. The ultimate goal is to create an integrated experience that positions the brand as the solution to a customer’s needs.

PR and Social Media: When Agencies Collide

2011-04-10T16:16:00.001-04:00

In the business of managing reputations and promoting messages among audiences, most all PR agencies are deep-seated in social media. Will they take completely take over the discipline? Right now, I don’t think so. There are few true full-service social media firms, and they have an advantage.

Many agencies continue to promote social media as “earned” media, but that’s a long-term goal and not really true. Social media has lots of hard costs involved:

Technology: Listening and monitoring technology is expensive, complex and rapidly changing all the time. Not every agency is prepared to continually invest in this area.

Media Buying: Building followers on Facebook is vastly quicker with paid ads; this requires online media buying expertise which is a completely different skill set and may even conflict with a media agency’s domain.

Creative: Creating really good, high-quality creative content such as viral videos demands a different skill set. Good production can get expensive.

Reputation Management & Customer Service: The constant monitoring and response requires dedicated resources. It’s a big time sucker but someone’s got to do it; there’s still a real cost associated with that.

The biggest challenge PR firms face is a limited budget. Typically, PR agencies work on fixed retainers with some out-of-pocket opportunistic budget. If PR is going to take over social media, budgets will need to grow significantly.

How deep a PR firm becomes ingratiated in a company’s social media activities will depend on their capabilities, the organization’s internal resources and other agency relationships.

I believe creative, advertising agencies and social media firms still have a big part to play. It’s the same old story with totally new players; the agencies will have to work together to best serve a company’s interests.

Public Relations – Traditional Power

2011-03-22T13:18:00.003-04:00

Notably, one of the most important criteria for companies hiring a PR firm these days is traditional media expertise. A socially savvy PR agency is essential, but successes with key business and trade publications have become an elevated priority. There are a few reasons I think why this will continue as trend in 2011:

Unsurpassed Reach: Traditional media still rules in terms of reach and influence. Even the most popular, widely trafficked business websites are still operated by traditional media (Wall Street Journal, NY Times, Forbes, etc). The same holds true for industry trade publications.

Credibility: The best and most widely respected writers still work for traditional media. The journalism quality found in traditional media is much higher level than all content in the bloggersphere. A feature in Forbes still carries more weight than a blog mention.

Merchandisability: A great feature article can be framed, reprinted, packaged and put into a sales kit. A print or video broadcast article also provides good content for social media seeding.

Resource Management: Social media management is very time consuming for an agency and can takes a big chunk out of the retainer. Companies are increasing their social media capabilities and have to focus a PR agency’s priorities.

A PR firm’s value is their ability to generate publicity among an organization’s target audience and influencers; efforts to over-play social and downplay traditional may backfire and may actually alienate companies seeking balanced expertise. Companies have to determine priorities, where a PR agency can add the most value and how to maximize the retainer. It will come down to finding the right balance…

The Social Media Agency Landscape

2011-03-10T16:09:00.005-05:00

Today, just about every agency “does social media” in one form or another. But there are so many different aspects, it’s like saying an agency does “creative” or “media buying”. The real question is what kind of social media services exactly?

Most all business use social media, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. But these are just tactical channels. To make it work for your business there’s needs to be an objective and strategy around it.

Are you looking to manage your brand’s online reputation and improve customer service? Gather research and customer insights? Promote key messages among audiences and influencers? Activate a fan base and drive traffic to a website or location? Different social media channels and tactics will vary accordingly, and so will the type of social media services you need from an agency.

Agencies and social media firms have different areas of expertise, ranging strategy through tactical support. Some firms just develop profiles, fans and followers, while others just tweet. PR firms come at it from a buzz monitoring, conversation and message promotion perspective. Creative agencies leverage emotional, engaging and viral creative. Seeding that content and distribution requires an entirely different expertise.

Clarify your objectives and investigate the water before you dive in. When you hear “yes, we do social media!” look carefully at how the agency approaches it and where their strengths lie to make sure their social media services aligns with your goals.

LinkedIn Ads

2011-01-26T20:06:00.001-05:00

Marketing is getting more personal. After two years of beta testing, LinkedIn officially launched their PPC advertising service last week. Formerly known as DirectAds, the platform offered the ability to target age, gender, geography and job function. Now rebranded as LinkedIn Ads, the text-advertising service expands targeting options to include job title, LinkedIn groups and actual companies. There are over 10,000 available titles to choose from, and marketers can target up to 100 titles in a campaign.

So now, LinkedIn provides the opportunity to target specific people at specific companies. That’s really getting personal. Kinda neat and scary. Apparently the ad service uses only non-personally identifiable information, and if a campaign has too restricted an audience, LinkedIn won't allow it to run. But the parameters are fuzzy and not well-defined.

I bet this is going to create quite a bit of commotion. From an advertiser’s perspective, it’s a dream. That is, if users see the ads at all. Did you notice them? I didn't.

The professional network with an impressive reach: 90 million members worldwide, 32 million in the U.S., 7.9 million business decision makers and 4.2 million corporate executives. Minimum budgets on LinkedIn start at $10 a day.

LinkedIn is preparing to go public. That sounds like it could be a good return on investment. I'm just sayin'..

Choice Overload

2011-01-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

I remember painting my apartment a few years ago and agonizing over hundreds of shades of colors. (Do you know there are over 100 shades of white?) I was wrestling with a pretty golden color and spent days studying 50 different color chips on my wall. Thankfully, my Aunt was in town and forced me to pick from 3 of them. I was eternally grateful (and ended up with a gorgeous apartment.) Too many choices can be paralyzing.

The average American supermarket now carries 48,750 items—up from 5 times the number (9,750) in 1975. Britain’s Tesco stocks 93 varieties of toothpaste and 91 different shampoos. Think about it. Do you want a moisturizer that softens, refreshes, nourishes, conditions, smoothes, rejuvenates, revitalizes, firms, lifts or has de-ageing properties? Or one that has antioxidants, vitamins or minerals, or is chemical and paraben free? Shopping can be exhausting…

Starbucks has endless ways to order a cup of coffee: different sizes (short, tall grande, etc); styles (Latte, Mocha, espresso etc), milk type (Non-fat, 2%, Soy), syrups (15 flavors), caffeination, espresso shots (single, double), whipped cream, etc. Apparently, with only one syrup the Starbucks framework offers almost 200 million variations. Add a second syrup and there are over 1.3 billion variations. There are over 15 syrups. So there are billions of variations? Wow.

I’m all about selection. Literally. (I’m in the agency selection business.) Free choice is the basis of the free market system. However, there is a point that too many options become intimidating and lead to indecision.

Studies have shown that shoppers that have limited choices buy more. Some firms have cut down and eliminated SKUs to help make decision process easier. P&G cut its product line of Head & Shoulders shampoos from 26 to 15 and increased sales by 10%. Glidden (paint) reduced its palette of wall colors from 1000 to 282. (I’d appreciate that now!)

When overwhelmed with options, sometime it’s easier not to make a choice. Even on Facebook, you have a choice to RSVP for an event: yes, no or maybe. You don’t have to make a decision at all.

So it seems like some choice and selection is good, necessary and liberating. But a staggering selection isn’t necessarily better, and can lead to anxiety, indecision and be overwhelming. I think the lesson is to have a manageable, intelligent selection. That sounds like a smart choice…

Cold "Care" Calling

2011-01-11T20:17:00.004-05:00

As a marketing and business development expert, I'm in the solutions business. I make other people money (through sales & marketing consulting or agency selection.) Effective selling is solving a potential customer's problem.

So what really drives me crazy is when salespeople so poorly try to sell me. What's more frustrating than a terrible salesperson? As a busy person, it's irritating to hearing someone fumble on the phone and struggle to make their pitch, or to receive a long, detailed email that loses me after the first sentence. It’s either because I have a short attention span, or because I understand sales, but I feel bad as I know their calls and emails will be unproductive and a waste of everyone’s time.

It always amazes me how distanced salespeople are from the marketing, and how they may be alienating prospects. Every sales call, voicemail or email should be viewed as a direct marketing message. Cold calls should always be under 30 seconds, and email pitches shouldn’t exceed 5-7 sentences.

It’s challenging and takes a lot of work. Invest the time to perfect your sales team's pitch and you’ve got a better shot at solving a prospect’s problem—and not becoming one. Care about your contacts and respect their time; it will be a much better use of your team's time, too.

As Thomas Jefferson said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” Less is more effective.

Top 10 Sites & Search Terms in 2010

2010-12-15T11:44:00.008-05:00

Social media hit critical mass and dominated search terms and websites visited in 2010. Facebook surpassed Google as the more frequently visited website of the year. Google dropped to second place, and was likely mechanism to get into Facebook accounts.

According to Experian Hitwise, “facebook”, “facebook login”, “facebook,.com and www.facebook.com” comprised 4 of the top 10 most-searched terms; youtube, craigslist, myspace, ebay, yahoo and mapquest rounded out the list.

If Facebook was a country, it would be approximately the 4th largest in the world. Reach and mass scale have been clearly established. As Facebook continues to violate the privacy of its members, it’s makes targeted advertising a marketer’s dream…

PR and Social Media

2010-11-23T20:26:00.002-05:00

PR firms are especially jazzed about social media, and leveraging technology; it's where the nexus of internet and business was a few years ago. Social media companies and PR firms are battling for media expertise and ownership.

Anyone can build a Facebook page. Building a strategy around it and developing metrics for success is a whole other ballgame.

There's so much more to social media than Twitter or a Facebook. Content development (webinars, white papers, blogs, videos, microsites, etc) are becoming increasingly strategic.

Monitoring and reacting to what's out there is equally important. Any negativity needs to be managed, and PR firms-the master spinners- are well suited to handle. PR firms are guardians of reputation management; it's a natural fit.

Some PR firms get involved in social media because it’s hot right now. The most successful ones leverage social media to achieve concrete business goals.

PR Guarantees

2010-10-26T13:44:00.003-04:00

I hear it all the time from companies just about to hire a PR firm. “What can you guarantee me?” No matter how tight the publicist may be with the journalist, there are no guarantees. Whether you handle it in-house or work with a freelance publicist or a PR agency, expecting feature coverage in desired media right away may be unrealistic, and you could likely be setting your publicist up to fail. The level of your company’s brand awareness and news worthiness will be a factor.

Unless you’re a well-known brand with “stop-the-presses” news, you’ll more likely need to entice the journalist with how your news or story fits into their plans. This requires the skill to develop and position your message, and the savvy to craft relevant story angles targeted to audiences, which will differ from business media to industry trades. Most likely, the journalists have already mapped out the pub and decided the agenda; your company may or may not be relevant. But your firm might fit in nicely with a story they are doing—months from now, which means being on top of editorial calendars matters and why PR is a long-term process.

Media tends to covers other media. So, if your company isn't widely known and hasn't been covered by analysts or the trades, media interviews need to be happen, first. Then, when there’s a relevant, you’ll have a better shot at being included. Media-trained spokesperson great at giving sound bites helps, too.

A myth I’ll debunk: the biggest agencies do not have an advantage. What they do have, is more brains and bodies—a larger team to pitch your business. If you have a vast news pipeline with lots of activity, lots of different target audiences and a huge footprint, a larger agency may be necessary. It all comes down to how much time and talent is needed to effectively pitch your company.

Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t matter how well the publicist knows the journalist; there’s no guarantee of getting an article. Leveraging the right relationships with journalists that cover your industry certainly facilitates the conversation. Contacts are useful, but virtually useless without the skills to pitch—and that comes from experience. A small and senior “A” team will get better results than a large and junior “B” team, every time. Guaranteed.

TV Still Tops

2010-10-17T14:59:00.002-04:00

Slowly, the advertising industry is recovering. Print media has clearly suffered the most. TV is emerging as the strongest medium, hands down.

According to Nielsen (research firm), in Q1 2010, the average American spent a staggering 158 hours per month in front of the tube—two hours more than last year. And he spent only 3.5 hours per month watching video on his mobile phone, and only 3 hours per month watching video on a computer. What a difference.

TV’s ability to dominate attention is still unsurpassed. Unlike the publishing industry that has lost so much revenue to the internet, the TV industry has safeguarded its business model by ensuring that some “Must-See-TV” and live events cannot be seen legally online.

Advertisers know as a branding medium, TV’s mass audience and scale is unrivaled. Consumers know it’s just more fun to enjoy high quality entertainment and your favorite show on a big screen.

Web Video – Viewer Abandonment

2010-10-07T15:23:00.000-04:00

Let’s get to the point: most people have short attention spans. Online videos are an inexpensive way to develop content. Yet, you’re still competing for an audience’s attention.

Abandonment rates are very high; your audience likely won’t last more than a minute. According to a study by Visible Measures of over seven billion viewings of 40 million videos, 44% of viewers click away after a minute. And 20% of viewers stop watching after 10 seconds.

Why is this surprise? The best TV creative (:15, 30 or: 60 spots) has to resonate and engages the viewer right away. And online, there are even more distractions… just a click away.

Most agencies don't use social media for client leads

2010-09-26T17:02:00.006-04:00

Agencies hype up social media for clients, but most don’t use it themselves to generate new business.

Nearly two in three agency leaders "rarely or never" or "never" consult social-media sites for new business leads, while just 6% use the social media sites “often” for identify potential clients, according to a survey by consultancy RSW/US. For agencies that engage social media for prospecting, LinkedIn is considered the "most productive" by 51% of agency executives, followed by newsletters, Facebook, blogs and Twitter. The majority (65%) of agencies surveyed estimated that 10% or less of their new business revenue comes from social media outreach.

Of course RSW surveyed the largest agencies and holding company-owned shops. I would think the top agencies are very visible, easy for prospects to find and therefore there’s less of a need to rely on social media for prospecting. Smaller agencies that are hungrier and need to expand awareness may use social media more actively in new business pursuits.

Further, the survey didn't address how and why the agencies use social media; I think they would find the agencies use social media differently, more for brand awareness and thought leadership, less for new biz.

Global Technology Marketers Increase Budgets in 2010

2010-09-15T16:43:00.004-04:00

Here’s some good news: according to research firm IDC’s 2010 Tech Marketing Benchmark study, global technology marketers will increase their marketing budgets by an average of 3.7% this year over last year. Based on a survey of less 87 senior technology marketers, the largest share of marketing budget will go toward events (20.2%), followed by digital marketing (19.3%), marketing support (19.0%) and traditional advertising (11.9%).

B2B Advertisers Cut Spending

2010-09-13T16:32:00.003-04:00

It’s no surprise to find top business to business advertisers spent slightly less in 2009 than the year prior. According to a BtoB analysis from research firm, kantar media, advertises spent an estimated $3.77 billion, down 2.8% from $3.88 billion in 2008. Estimates include b-to-b ad spending on television, radio print, internet and outdoor. Spending increased on internet advertising (up 25%) and television (up 5.4%). Spending was down in the other categories, print (newspaper and magazines), radio and outdoor. It’s a great time to look for media deals...

PR is More Art than Science

2010-08-26T14:40:00.004-04:00

Public Relations is certainly more art than science.

The message a company intends to portray gets lost in translation to 48% of the mainstream media, according to a recent Message Gap Analysis from Global 100 companies study conducted by PR giant Burson-Marsteller. The US showed a 45% gap between the message a company wants to portray and the message the mainstream media portrays, while Europe had a 40% gap, Latin American had 53% and Asia-Pacific had 58%.

If you want to guarantee a specific message, buy an ad; there’s no room for interpretation or any adjustments. PR relies on journalists interpreting messages and weaving them in to their stories and agenda.

All the more reason you need a PR firm that “gets you”, crafts precise messaging and aims to minimize the gap and get your desired message across.

Optimistic Marketers - AMA and Duke CMO Survey

2010-08-16T15:18:00.003-04:00

According to the August 2010 CMO Survey, conducted by the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and the American Marketing Association, Marketing executives are more optimistic about their own company’s revenue prospects than they are about the state of the overall U.S. economy.

This optimism is being translated into spending, with companies planning to increase their marketing budgets by an average of 9.2% over the next year, compared to a 1.1% percent forecast a year ago.

Spending on Internet marketing is expected to be up an average of 13.6% over the next year, spending on brand building is projected to increase by 8.3% and spending on new services is expected to rise 7.2%. All of those projections are higher than those made in the study last year. The survey also found that social media spending will grow from 9.9% of total marketing budgets to 17.7% in the next five years.

It’s encouraging to find marketers more positive about their companies’ futures, and good news for the industry.

Apps Amp’ing up

2010-07-26T15:11:00.008-04:00

Mobile applications are becoming more ubiquitous. There’s an app for just about everything, from accessing social networks, weather and tickets to finding a local store. Apple announced its store has @225,000 apps, Android proclaims 60,000 and GetJar allegedly has @72,000 apps. Most of these numbers are inflated, multi-counted and include different versions of same software. Research firms are scrambling to analyze and measure the market. Juniper research estimates revenue from mobile apps at $10 billion in 2009, rising quickly. Analysts agree it’s tough to measure the market.

GetJar’s CEO likens app development to the music business, making the analogy it takes about the same amount of time to write an application as it does to compose a song; they are sold for about the same price; there are a few big hits, many misses and most fade into oblivion. Developers seem to be reaping most of the profits.

In July, Apple launched a new advertising platform, which allows placement of ads directly within applications and creates new opportunities for advertisers. A platform war may make things complicated in the short-term. Once things settle, we will likely see apps being used as a loss leader incentive to get users to act or buy something else. For advertisers looking for a campaign giveaway, apps could become The Next Big Thing...

The Social Medium

2010-06-28T22:21:00.006-04:00

How does your company use the social medium? There are many tools in the arsenal.

There’s the social aspect of staying in touch and sharing information with colleagues and customers. “Friends” are likely people you already know and with whom you have some existing relationship. How likely are you to “friend’ a stranger? What about a shoe or a store? (Maybe; if you were a loyal customer.) A PR agency principal recently told me the majority of B2B Facebook pages have less than 100 friends. Companies that try to find new customers these ways typically fail. I believe this tactic is best suited to maintaining relationships and customer retention.

Social media is not all about a two-way dialogue. I have a client with an anti-Twitter corporate policy. While only a small fraction of their customers are dissatisfied, it’s vocal minority; engaging with them on Twitter seems to just elevate a negative conversation. We developed a social media strategy to cultivate brand awareness and find new customers through targeted content.

Social Media can be used as a powerful broadcast medium for branding and customer acquisition. Videos and applications can have a long shelf-life once underway. It’s about developing highly relevant content and getting it into the hands of your audience and key influencers.

There are different social media channels and tactics which will work better for some business than others. For some companies, lots of business is conducted through Twitter. For others? Well, you can have a successful social media strategy- without a tweet! Success depends on your objectives, resources and priorities. Do you need to manage customer relationships? Or is brand awareness the priority?

Agencies are jumping on the social media bandwagon. I’ve met very interesting ones. There are firms that create Facebook pages, manage Twitter and customer dialogue; agencies that specialize in developing viral branded content (such as videos, games and applications); others focus on distribution. Expertise varies. Be clear on your objectives before engaging in any initiative.

Making Power Points

2010-06-18T16:00:00.002-04:00

PowerPoint is one of the most poorly utilized presentation tools in a marketer’s arsenal. I’m always amazed how differences in content, delivery and style can make or break a presentation and affect the energy level in the room. A face-to-face meeting presents an opportunity to engage and connect. So why do so many presenters miss the point?

I was recently watched an agency leader present a PowerPoint laden with heavy text and data-driven charts in a tiny font– virtually impossible to see from the back of the room. Staring at the screen in the front of the room, the presenter was commenting, “it is so obvious; the data speaks for itself.” (No, it didn’t.) No one had any idea what he was talking about, and he lost points.

PowerPoint is often used as a stand-alone document to serve as a leave-behind for review afterward. It’s not meant for that purpose. If the presentation stands alone so well, then why do you need to present it? Send an email. A better leave-behind is a company brochure, printed case studies and team bios, which are all easier to replicate.

Slides are meant to be talking points, an aid or “cue card” for the presenter, and a method to point out the main takeaway for the audience.

So, if that’s the point, why do so many presenters treat the meeting like a read-along? Your audience can read too, and doesn’t need you to do it for them. Important commentary will be tuned out. If tasked with reading, they are not listening, because visual cues take priority. It’s the same reason why it’s not wise to hand your audience the presentation in advance; there’s a natural temptation to flip through and read ahead. Your goal is to captivate and hold your audience’s attention.

It’s best to limit text to a handful of words—as much as you can read in less than 5 seconds. This way, your audience’s attention will remain focused on you. Use the slides for pictures, screen shots, dramatic graphs that highlight what’s being said. Use text sparingly and you’ll see how much better you can get your point across.

Pump up your presentation skills. Your best asset in giving a presentation is YOU. Granted, some people have more charisma are just better presenters than others. Learn how to present, connect with your audience and hold their attention. But best practices and techniques can be trained; I’ve helped many people develop and deliver presentations with pizzazz.

The goal of the meeting is to get your audience interested and excited to take the next step. If achieved, they will ask for a follow-up meeting, proposal or an agreement to move forward. The purpose of PowerPoint is to get to that point.

A Missed Opportunity with Martha

2010-06-15T14:08:00.002-04:00

If you had an hour with legendary marketing maven, Martha Stewart, what would you ask her? I recently attended The Direct Marketing Association’s Digital Marketing Days Conference in conjunction with TWTRCON. I make it my job stay on top of trends and best practices, hear what's being said in the industry, meet key vendors, chat up attendees, etc. While I find the content usually (sales pitches) and lacking, I was really looking forward to the keynote from Martha Stewart. I'm a big fan. I think Martha is a fabulous marketer; she’s built an incredible empire and brilliant personal brand. She stands for and is constantly delivering value across the board in cooking, entertaining decorating and home renovating, across online, radio and TV and print platforms. Her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, was created 10 years ago; she even had the foresight to be a multi-channel brand. I was looking forward to hearing her thoughts and best practices.

Instead, I was utterly disappointed. For one hour, New York Times columnist, David Pogue, interviewed Martha on her Twitter posts and habits: how, when, where and how often she tweets. We learned that Martha has 2 million followers, spends 5 minutes a day tweeting, appreciates how much easier it is to tweet from an ipad, calls it in to a colleague when necessary, tweets drink recipes and thinks all caps is acceptable. Seriously? I looked around and found the majority of people in the room looking quizzically at each other. One thing that was useful: how she uses it as a research tool. She’ll post a questions (would this store be a good choice for product?) and within seconds, get hundreds of responses and useful feedback. (Now that’s a great idea.) The rest of the hour was silly banter. Shame on David. You couldn’t think of any better questions to ask this brilliant marketer?

Twitter is just one communication channel, and it will work better for some marketers than others; it all depends on your audience, objectives and strategy. Martha’s advice was to try it, experiment and see if works for you. I appreciated hearing her say she hears people clicking all through her office (understanding some of it is for business,) but admitted she “hopes the novelty wears off and everyone will get back to work.” My thoughts exactly.

Always Fun Branding

2010-06-01T18:18:00.002-04:00

I’m an admitted chocoholic. I’ve always been a fan of M&Ms; it's chocolate with my name—or at least an initial—on it. As a marketer (and a consumer), it’s hard not to love the M&M commercials. Have you seen the M&Ms election spots? The M&Ms characters, or rather “spokes candies,” display various political campaign styles, reflective of their different personalities: Blue is “a vote for you”; Green “works the polls”; Red is a revolutionary, etc. The “Vote for your Favorite Candidate” promotion and $50k incentive elicits consumer engagement. The website does a good job of introducing the characters, although I think there’s so much more fun they could have with it. The campaign is very funny, smart and timely. Icons are a classic way to build a brand, and Mars is a successful market leader as a result. This creative campaign is very playful, and really brings home the tagline, “Always Fun.”

Fun and Cheesy

2010-05-25T13:31:00.009-04:00

Have you seen the Cheez-It commercial? The premise is that the cheese is immature and cannot be Cheez-it material until it matures. Their slogan “At Cheez-It®, we expect a lot from our cheese. That’s why we take the time for our cheese to mature before we bake it into every cracker… at Cheez-It®, real cheese matters!” I think it’s very funny and inspired. They certainly make the point about mature cheese. My bigger question: is anyone buying Cheez-It for high-quality cheese? I don’t think so. That’s why the branding and the spot fall short. Can they make a claim and define a unique selling point on mature cheese? I think it would be a fantastic spot for a cheese company, but I don’t think it resonates so well with processed junk food. It’s entertaining and memorable, which does well for branding. It does deliver the message. I think it works, in fun and cheesy way.

The Perfect Cups Promotion

2010-05-11T19:00:00.003-04:00

Skinny Cow low-fat ice cream brand happens to be my favorite desert. It’s a staple in my fridge. I love their chocolate truffle popsicles and ice cream cones. All the more reason I was psyched to be invited to The Skinny Cow Bra and Ice Cream “Perfect Cups” event. Skinny Cow introduced and promoted their new perfectly-portioned, individual, single serve cups. The perfect tie in? The perfect cup bra promotion: a free, professional bra fitting along with a complimentary bra, courtesy of Warner’s. Apparently, the majority of women do not wear the right size. The Perfect Cup double entendre double was cleverly targeted and very well done. The event was free to participate; reservations were requested and participants were limited. There was a museum showcasing bra fashion history. I indulged in lots of delicious (and thankfully low-fat) ice cream, refreshing champagne (with lavender and ginger) and healthy nuts and veggies. I found the fitting to be enlightening, and look forward to receiving my free bra. What a terrific way to expand brand awareness for both brands. I was very impressed as a marketer. As a consumer I found it to be one of the most fun and useful, high-value swag events I’ve seen in a long time.

TV's Value

2010-04-12T14:24:00.006-04:00

Content drives consumers. With the convergence of video and the web, content is now syndicated and disseminated in many more places, and can be accessed on a variety of devices.

What you might find surprising, is that television is still a consumer’s preferred screen. Most people prefer to watch a show when it first airs. What’s better than watching your favorite show on a big screen with surround sound, on a comfy couch with a remote? It’s a more enjoyable experience than viewing the same content on a small hand-held device.

Online viewing doesn’t diminish the audience; it expands the audience. According to a Nielsen, forgetting to watch or tape a TV show episode when it aired on TV as the most common reason for watching it online, followed by catching up on current or past seasons. (For stats on TV vs. web viewing, check out Nielse Show all n)

So, how effective are the ads? According to a poll by Adweek and Harris Interactive, 37% of Americans say that TV ads are most helpful to them in making a purchase decision. Newspapers ranked second (17%), followed by internet search-engine ads (14%), radio ads trailed at 3% and lastly internet banner ads at 1%. More than a fourth of Americans reported that none of these types of ads are helpful to them in the purchase-decision-making process.

Notably, the majority of consumers surveyed (87%) pay attention to TV and radio. The same study showed almost half of Americans (46%) ignored internet banner ads, followed by internet search engine ads (17%), television ads (13%), radio ads (9%), and newspaper ads (6%). (See study here)

A strategic tool in a marketer’s arsenal, TV remains a very effective way to reach a mass audience, build brand awareness and drive sales. There’s an art and a science to developing the right media plan, targeting the right audience with the right metrics in place to make it a good return on investment.

Social Media and PR’s Similar Mentality

2010-04-07T21:35:00.003-04:00

The battle for social media is up for grabs between advertising agencies and PR firms. I believe public relations is a more natural fit. Social media is about reputation management, word of mouth, tapping into trends and current conversations that are already happening. This is public relations’ DNA.

Publicists get their clients featured in key publications by understanding stories and trends that journalists and key influencers are covering and tapping into their conversations with readers. Social media stems from a similar mentality.

Social media is an outgrowth of public relations that capitalizes on technology and new audience online communities. Connections and relationships with key influencers—those with 100,000 followers or over 1 million members—are valuable. Equally important: knowing how to cultivate those relationships.

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Social Media Business

2010-03-15T18:18:00.001-04:00

What’s hot right in the agency selection world now? Social Media.

You can’t get into social media expecting immediate lead generation. It’s like walking into a party or roomful of people. You start and participate in various conversations. Some will be more relevant than others. It’s another opportunity to build your brand. And when someone responds, it can be a lead.

Can it build business? A wine shop made $50k in sales in one day thru twitter. A building tweets, builds a huge local community and increases traffic. A fashion company follows pop culture, breaks stories and gets featured in traditional media. Companies that are most successful (including P&G) outsource it.

Specialist social media agencies have a lot to offer. It’s still so new and there are lots of specialists in different areas. It’s important to have the right strategy, content and distribution. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of the best and brightest in the space (the coolest companies!)

Certainly some PR firms, advertising agencies and internet marketing companies are doing a terrific job, too. Of course most all agencies now say they offer social media services. Be aware that posting a FB page is not a social media strategy!

And it’s not necessarily a priority for every brand. To get involved, just for the sake of it, is not a good idea. It’s not “free”; it’s still a considerable investment in time. A strategy has to be very well thought out. If you are handling it internally, you must the have time and resources in place to manage it. It’s all about reaching your target audience, building the right buzz for your brand and positively affecting your business.

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Toyota: Hiding In-House

2010-02-18T09:00:00.002-05:00

I’ve worked for a few Japanese companies. There are a lot of beautiful lessons I’ve learned about their culture: an enormous respect for relationships; valuing the process and the journey over the destination. Toyota’s recent recall woes highlight a notable flaw with their culture of keeping it all “in house.” They subscribe to a "Group Think" philosophy: Outsiders and dissenting views are thought to disrupt internal harmony. Did you know their board is 100% comprised of Japanese men? People stay at their jobs forever, mainly because leaving and “job hopping” is frowned upon. A high value is placed upon agreement, consensus and loyalty. So people end up working for the same company their whole careers, and don’t have any other experience or perspectives to bring to the table.

Where does this lead? This “no outsider” philosophy creates a stagnant environment which limits creativity and innovation. There’s no one to rock the applecart, challenge the status quo and shake things up. Outsiders (new hires or partners) bring new ways of seeing things differently, and often incite and action and get things done. It’s hard to solve a problem when you’re so close to it. You can end up like a company that “talks to itself” and doesn’t benefit from fresh thinking and new ways of doing things, which all drive innovation.

Take a lesson. Does your team cultivate new ideas and thinking? Do you welcome outside perspectives? Outsourcing allows a company to focus resources on their core competency and what they do best, and bring in expertise in strategic areas to complement and form a more effective house.

Even Toyota outsources something-small parts. Those accelerator pedals were actually supplied by American parts marker. The challenge is to outsource the right things, and bring in the right partners. The benefits are alternative perspectives and new ways of doing things, and the ability to stay on tops of trends and best practices. Just be careful who you choose, as you can sink or swim with them. Choose wisely.

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Traditional Value

2010-01-28T19:00:00.003-05:00

Social media is all about buzz, and there’s no question that social networking sites and blogs are considered vital tools in a publicist’s arsenal.

But according to a recent survey by (my alma mater), George Washington University and Cision, while journalists consider social media sites sources for research, the majority prefer traditional media when it comes to the accuracy and vetting of information. The key findings: More than 8 out of 10 print and web journalists surveyed considered traditional media outlets to be more reliable sources and perspectives, and are using PR professionals and press releases for story development more than they have in the past. PR has always been desirable for its third party credibility.

Online marketing is certainly usurping taking a larger piece of the pie, but, print and TV still have the majority share of the budget. People still listen to the radio in the car, watch TV and yes, still even read magazines.

Time, Conde Nast and Hearst announced expected ad sales to be up or flat through first quarter. That may sound lame, but it’s a very big deal, when you consider the ad revenue nose dive and hemorrhaging the publishing industry has experienced over the past 2 years. Only the strongest survive, and that includes niche publications.

The upcoming Superbowl is expected to draw over 100 million viewers, and a 30-second TV spot—slightly cheaper than last year—is still a pricey $2.5 million+. Seems insane, right? But that’s what people will be watching, guaranteed.

Smart marketers know it’s all about connecting to customers through the media they trust and consume.

Sometimes the answer is a B2B technology blog or trade magazine. Sometimes it’s an event, like the Academy Awards; some people will go in person, some will see it on TV or a webcast.

Embrace new media, but keep some of the old, one is silver and the other gold.

Learn how to drive

2010-01-22T15:24:00.005-05:00

Salespeople--especially agencies--get hung up on whether to make a formal or informal new business pitch. However, what it’s really about is informing. The bigger question they should be asking is what do clients want to hear about?

The catch is to be informing-in an informal way. An overly casual style can lead a potential client to take you less seriously. It doesn’t mean need to wear a suit and deliver a PowerPoint. What it means, it you carry yourself, articulate what you’re all about, what you’ve done for others, and what you can do for me. Command the situation. Drive!

A basic principle in sales of getting a desired action is “gentle leading.” If a doctor asks “Do you want a shot in the arm?” a likely reply is “No thanks!” How about if the Doctor said, “Now, I’m going to give you a preventative flu shot.” How would you feel then? Or, if a gym trainer asked, "Would you like to do another 2 sets?" A likely response might be, “No friggin way.” How about if it was phrased, “Now, give me another 2 sets.”

People want to be led. Or, at least see where you’re going. I won’t get into a car with anyone unless I ’m know the destination, or at least like the direction the car is going in and share a vision for the journey.

Clients want to understand the approach and what the journey would look like. Don’t over-recommend, go too far, or make any assumptions, as they can backfire. (Remember, they will always know more about their business than you do.) But, don’t be afraid to speak you mind and set a path. Lead gently, and show me the way...

Marketing Agency Selection - Video

2010-01-06T18:30:00.002-05:00

Hey, wonder what that Smarti stuff is all about? Want to virtually meet me?
Here's a new video to explain how smart agency selection works...

Holiday Cheers!

2009-12-23T12:45:00.001-05:00

As we say goodbye to 2009--a year that has left many people, businesses and industries limping into 2010--sometimes just surviving is an accomplishment. The holidays remind us what's most important. In that spirit, I'd like to share "Desiderata" (Latin for "desired things) is "an inspirational poem about attaining happiness," and the digeratian spoof, "Interneterata." In these crazy times, remember to live, love and laugh as much as you're capable.

Getting RFPs Right on Point

2009-09-21T20:03:00.000-04:00

RFPs can be useful in a marketing agency search. However, many are vague, alienate agencies and PR practitioners agree those who develop and issue RFPs need guidance. Recently cited in The Council of Public Relations Firms' The Firm Voice, "What Clients Want in RFPs," I offered agency critiques. But there's a lot clients can do to get better responses.

Agencies come in all shapes and sizes. Many may look alike, but there's a ton of difference among them. While it may be necessary to compare agency apples to apples, it's harder when there are oranges and even some pineapples in the mix, too. There's a big difference between capabilities and expertise.
Often companies make the mistake of conducting an agency search too early, knowing it can weeks or months of agency presentations. Problem is, things change. Quickly. Budgets get cut, focus shifts and you may find the agency ready to hire is not so well-suited anymore. Now, you have to the search start over and your launch is delayed.

If you must issue an RFP, consider the following best practices:

� Wait till you're ready to hire. Get management team buy-in, agree on a general scope of work, budget range and allocate the time and resources needed.

� Avoid the long list. Blanket RFPs to a "long list" of agencies risk alienating gems. It takes work to provide a thoughtful response. Smaller agencies with limited resources need to be selective about pitching. Issue to a few that you would consider hiring.

� Get the right short-list. Everyone has a network. But not necessarily the right players at the right time. Many agencies can be easily eliminated (and better targeted) without wasting everyone's time.

� Make the RFP short and savvy. Brief the agency and give them enough information to properly respond. Include the situation and reason for the pitch, agency expectations, criteria set and how and why a decision will be made.

Save and your team a lot of time and headaches and do your research, or work with a search consultancy to get the right selection and ask the right questions. Especially when teams are spread thin, time is valuable.
To read the full article (on how agencies screw up) visit
http://tinyurl.com/WhatClientsWantinRFPs

What Clients Want in RFPs

2009-08-05T16:43:00.004-04:00

When your agency is invited to respond to an RFP, do you get excited or cringe? While new business is the lifeblood of any agency, agency RFP responses drain resources and are poorly executed. I was recently cited in the PR Council’s The Firm Voice article, “What Clients Want in RFPs: Firms Can Win More New Business by Tapping Nine Hot Buttons in Proposals” and provided suggestions on how agencies can respond more effectively to an RFP.

Here are my top tips:

• Don't hold out—offer real, strategic insights. Each agency has a different approach, a different perspective on how to drive the client's business. Clients need to know yours. There's world of difference between sharing a strategic vision and giving away the store.

• Ask questions. You are not working on their account yet, so don't assume you have all the answers, or know the client's business better than they do. You don't have to have the answers—but you want to show you've thought through the issues.

• Carefully consider the case studies. Before you throw in the boilerplate, think about how relevant the case studies are to the client’s initiative. Is there any relevancy in areas such as industry, market share, and budget or brand recognition?

• Talk ROI—focus on business outcomes, not just PR outputs. Show value for the money. Be very clear about what the client is buying. For example, "What can they expect in the first 30 or 90 days? What will they get for the fee?"

• Focus on the frontline team—not figureheads. A common complaint among clients is meeting Team A, working with Team B. You can tout your management—but if possible, let the client see whom they'll be working with.

• Avoid sloppy mistakes. It happens to the top agencies in the industry. It’s embarrassing. Try having someone else who wasn’t involved in developing it proofread it last.

Marketing Stats - Weigh In

2009-07-09T17:19:00.002-04:00

Which marketing channels perform best for your business? What do you look for when hiring an agency?

I'm taking a quick survey of savvy marketers and would love your confidential (anonymous) input.

Which marketing channels perform best for your business? What do you look for when hiring an agency?

Please take this One-Minute Marketing Survey: www.tinyurl.com/SmartMarketing1Min

Results will be published and you can request a copy at the end of the survey...

Thanks for your participation!

Budgets Looking Up in 2010

2009-06-30T09:00:00.005-04:00

While many B2B marketers have slashed budgets this year due to the recession, according to B-to-B magazine's May survey of over 450 marketers, half reported their budgets will be up in 2010, with an upswing beginning in the second half of the year.

It's encouraging news for the industry. According to the study, 26% of marketers' budgets are going up in second half this year, and 53% project budget increases in 2010. Where will they be spending? As expected, 69% marketers plan increases in online spending. However, not all companies are focused exclusively on the web: 38% plan to boost spending on direct mail, 38% plan increasing budgets on events, 28% plan increases in print and 14% plan budget increases in broadcast advertising.

Even better, while 44% marketers decreased budgets this year, only 10% project budget decreases next year. I guess, when you're at the bottom spending nothing, there's no place to go but up!) About 37% marketers' expect budgets to be flat next year.

It's so great hearing good news and positive trends about marketers climbing out of the gloom. It's certainly going to take a long time. Since it was such an abnormal year with so many businesses hiding and covering their heads, it feels like Q3 may be busier than usual. We're seeing things pick up, too. More companies spending money on marketing.

What do you think? Is your company on the same page with that study? Here's your chance to impact our smart survey, which will be published. We appreciate your thoughts and opinions. Which marketing channels perform the best for your business? What do you look for when hiring an agency? Take our confidential, smart one-minute marketing survey. Weigh in and win $100. Just takes one minute!

Hiring a Freelance Web Programmer

2009-06-05T17:37:00.004-04:00

To save money, freelancers can be a good alternative. It's important to be careful whom you hire. Technology programmers can be particularly challenging, as communication is not always their core competency.

In a recent interview with Inc. magazine, I was asked about pointers on hiring freelance technology programmers. Here are a few pointers:

- Working as a freelance programmer is a whole other ball game, compared to working on a tech team, since there is no team to share the workload or the responsibility. Look at the past projects the freelancer has completed successfully from start to finish--while solo. Diligently check references. Don't be the experimental guinea pig.

- Look for the over-looked communications skills. While the freelancer may be a great coder, tech “geek speak” can be a whole other language—one that you may not speak so well. Do they put everything in writing; provide you with clear proposals that make sense.

- Always have a clear scope of work, deliverables. I suggest dividing the work into stages and tie a fee schedule to milestones.

Note, I did NOT endorse, recommend or suggest any online services mentioned in the article. Those sites have a lot of unknown entities--anyone can post a resume--so be careful.

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Smart marketers are increasing and maintaining budgets

2009-05-26T17:23:00.004-04:00

Some encouraging news for the marketing industry: Expecting to find more budgets would be cut, according to a CMO Council’s report, marketers still plan to maintain or increase marketing budgets this year. The report, “Marketing Outlook ’09” surveyed more than 650 global marketing execs in 1Q and found only 50% marketers planned to cut their budgets, while 29% planned increases and 21% planned on keeping budgets flat.

When it came to budget allocations, the largest programs were in the areas of database and direct marketing (16%), followed by literature and sales collateral (15%) trade shows and conferences (11%), print advertising (8%) online advertising )8%), search marketing (8%) and social media/viral marketing 7%. As expected, marketing programs that would see an increase were in the areas of interactive/web, search marketing and social media.

What camp is your company in? Cutting, keeping or increasing your budget? We know which half will come out on top when with the cloud clears. Research has proven that smart marketers advertise aggressively during recessions realize increased sales and profits.

It’s a good time to make the investment. There’s a lot less noise, clutter and competition, and good deals to be found. Importantly, how can your customers buy from you if they don’t know about you?

Persistence in Selling to Major Accounts

2009-05-06T16:13:00.002-04:00

I was recently on CEO Entrepreneur Magazine’s panel, “Persistence in Selling to Major Accounts” along with some other consultants and authors. The big question on the table? How to draw the line between persistent and pushy.

I shared my winning formula, which revolves around: Tell, Touch & Timing:

-Tell: Craft a winning message that will wow them. Hit the 3Ws: Who you are, What you do & Why they need you. It should be short and savvy. Keep all email pitches to seven sentences and voicemails under 10 seconds.

-Touch: Connect through different touch-points, such as voicemail and email, even snail mail. Use other marketing tactics such as direct mail, newsletters and company press clips/news to stay in touch.

-Timing: Keep all communications at least 2 weeks apart. If it’s an active pitch or “hot” deal, still keep it to no more than once a week. They know how to reach you.

My sales motto: For a good harvest, plant your seeds, sow the field and never over water!

Business is all relationships. The challenge in follow-up is to be responsive but not annoying. People do business with people they like.

Rather than pestering about a proposal, spend the few precious seconds you have with the prospect carefully and make sure you have all the facts, such as the key decision makers involved, their timing and decision making process.

Effective sales involve solving your prospect’s problem. If you can communicate your company’s product or service and how it adds value and solves their problem, you’ll get the sale.

Don’t obsess over one deal. Focus instead on building a bigger pipeline!

I'll post the video on our website as soon as it's released.

Make Cold Calls Count

2009-04-07T18:32:00.008-04:00

Yes, it’s tough business environment right now. And we’ve all got to try harder and be more effective. Are you trying to reach someone significant? When email boxes are overloaded, telephone call is quicker and more direct. (Cheap, too.) Cold calls can be an effective part of a sales strategy. So how come direct marketing principles are so often ignored?

Cold calls have always been part of our sales strategy, and it’s been an effective way to find new clients. I was recently talking to a colleague who was stunned when I told him my team leaves voicemails that get returned. His jaw dropped.

The key is to approach cold calls from a marketing perspective, and treat a voicemail as a carefully worded ad. Of course certain words flow better for some salespeople than others. I believe in different, strokes for different folks and variations are welcome, as long as it’s on message, and the delivery remains conversational. The pitch needs to be tweaked, edited and optimized regularly.

For a winning message that will WOW them, put the message in the medium and make sure the message is consistent with your brand strategy. Focus on how you're solving a problem. Tell your story in short and savvy way and keep it around 10 seconds. Be passionate, persistent and never give up. If you do it right, you will find the value in the volume.

It doesn’t cost much. But you’ll just need to make the time and effort on branding, messaging and training. The investment is worthwhile, and will make your calls count.

Key Word Power: URL Branding

2009-03-19T20:19:00.001-04:00

Words are powerful. When a colleague recently referred to my company, Smarti Solutions as “Get Smarti”, I realized how my company was being defined by a promotional URL. Of course we have the URL smartisolutions.com, but Getsmarti.com is just so much more ‘fun’ and memorable.

At the end of the day, I’m not too concerned if someone doesn’t know the official name of our company. Does it matter so much if they call us “Smarti Solutions’ or “GetSmarti” as long as they call?

Landing pages marketing tactics have always been a best practice. But, how often do companies test main home page Urls? We’re going to find out.

A few of our fave web marketing URLS include AgencyAuthority.com, AgencyShortlist.com, MarketingAgencySearch.com, AgencySearch.us and MarketingMatchmakers.net, What’s your preference?

Weigh in. Your thoughts are welcome.

Steering Sales

2009-02-24T15:45:00.001-05:00

In today's economy, customer acquisition is the name of the game for marketers. But the real question for many marketers, is how much investment of your resources and advertising dollars are wasted on leads that go nowhere.

I recently was watching an 80's movie called "Gung Ho" which was about the culture shock that occurred when a Japanese auto company took over an American auto factory. In one scene, an assembly line worker was randomly spray-painting the bottom of a car. One of the foreign executives pointed out to him that he did not need to be "all over the place." Rather, all he needed to do to the car was spray specific points to get the job done.

Here's the point--neither man was wrong in their approach, but if we want the most efficient way to get the maximum results, we need to target more carefully.

Do 1,000 leads mean a successful program? Not if they don't translate into customers, nor if your team can't handle qualifying all the prospects. Lead generation initiates the sales process, but unless you have a good system in place, your marketing efforts are wasted, opportunities are missed, resources drained and your team is all over the place.

Given the economy, most companies are challenged by shrinking budgets and smaller teams. How do you make your sales and marketing efforts more effective? Work smarter:

-Talk to the right people. Cast a smaller net. Develop a model profile of your best current customers—not necessarily your “desired” audience—and target accordingly.

-Tell them why they need you. Marketing is must. Reach out to your prospects and tell them what you do. They can’t buy from you if they don’t know about you.

-Say the right things. Messaging matters: Take a closer look at your sales and marketing message. Could you swap out your company name for your competitor? Are you articulating what makes you different, better and relevant to their problem?

-Listen to who’s talking. Train well. Are sales people on message? Is your receptionist? You’d be surprised how much business falls through the cracks.

-Track of who’s listening. Track prospects: Track all new business inquiries through website landing pages, telephone numbers, URLs or offer codes, so you can see where the prospect came from.

-Channel your conversations. Focus energy and resources to where the greatest potential will be realized. Is the deal a long shot? Or do you have a good chance and it’s worth pursuing the conversation?

Given the economy, the need for new business and long sales cycles, it's essential to keep pipeline full. Remember Pareto's Principle, the 80/20 rule: the majority of businesses get 80% of their business from 20% of their customers. As I’ve said before, you don’t need a million customers, just the right ones. The key is focus, and putting your paint in the right spots.

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Selecting a Marketing Company – Do’s and Musts:

2009-02-18T16:56:00.004-05:00

In a recent interview with B2B Magazine for the article “How to Select an agency,” I shared a few best practices and tips for hiring a marketing firm.

To find an agency you’ll love for the long-term, here’s a few Do's and Musts for fellow smarties:

-Money Matters. Establish a budget range and timing upfront, or you’ll prolong your search, spin your wheels and waste a ton of everyone’s time.

-Right-size. Clients should have an idea of the size, budget and scope of the agency’s average clients over the past 12-18 months.

-Recent Results. Is the top talent still active or laid-off and long gone? A colleague of mine is fond of saying, “A restaurant is only as good as last meal...”

-Industry experience. While industry knowledge can be valuable, breaking through the clutter counts and a fresh creative perspective can foster the Big Idea.

-Expertise. Look for a proven track record in the area with lots of examples and case studies to prove it.

-Manage Expectations. Develop a clear scope of work, deliverables and tie a fee schedule to milestones.

-Culture Counts. Their style, how they think, act, what they value and how they communicate should be aligned with your team's culture.

Be careful of agencies that are hungry and hurting, as they may misrepresent themselves in an effort to land your business to stay afloat. Some firms (particularly larger ones) make temporary changes to take on smaller clients. Make sure you have an accurate picture of their typical engagements so there's a greater chance the relationship has the potential to grow over time.

Selecting a Marketing Services Company – Don’t and Pitfalls

2009-01-28T12:48:00.004-05:00

It’s that time of year when budgets are developed and marketers begin the search for the right marketing services company to amplify their team’s capabilities and grow their business. In evaluating a marketing company, there’s a lot to consider.

Be aware of the recession rat-trap: some larger advertising agencies, PR firms and marketing companies make temporary changes and taking smaller accounts that they would never previously consider. (Yet, they are still set up and better suited to handle bigger ones.) Good deals can turn into a disaster and service will suffer if the marketing agency is taking a loss. If you want the best bang for your buck, right/smart-sizing is essential.

Here are some best practices to consider, and pitfalls to watch out for when hiring a marketing company.

Don’t:

- Always assume you need full-service agency. Look for core competencies (what’s handled in-house.) Pay for what you need. Pure-play specialty firms can offer expertise and value.

- Be the small fish in a big pond; it’s easy to get sold on—and then lost in—a big shop. Get an idea of the size, budget and scope of the agency’s average client over the past 18 months.

- Focus on “the hottest." A fabulous campaign done for somebody else doesn't necessarily mean they'll do the same for you. Is your company’s situation, challenges and budget the same? (Of course not.)

- Avoid ‘signature’ looks with creative agencies and canned "cookie-cutter" styles. Your branding should come first (not theirs.) Look for a varied portfolio; range is power.

- Fall in love for all the wrong reasons. Yes, chemistry is important, but it should not be the primary decision driver. Think rationally, and value big ideas that can drive your brand and your business.

- Issue a blanket RFP to a long list. RFPS are usually calls for a disaster and often alienate super stars that may be just the ones you need. Do your due diligence or hire a consultant (like Smarti) to help you develop the right agency short-list.

These tips will help you make the most of your time, maximize your resources and get the best return on your investment.

State of the Marketing Industry

2009-01-20T15:25:00.003-05:00

Despite all the economic doom and gloom, there is some good news for the marketing industry. We’ve been finding that over the past quarter months, businesses are holding on to their marketing partners or re-evaluating and exploring smaller agency solutions. Business to consumer marketing has taken a hit, but business-to-business marketing remains solid, with a focus on branding and positioning themselves for success in the year ahead.

In my previous blog post, Opportunity in Crisis, now is the time for marketers to reach out to customers.

Recent industry surveys prove that’s just what’s happening. According to BtoB Magazine’s 2009 Marketing Priorities and Plans Survey of over 200 marketing professionals, even though we are in a recession, nearly one-third (31%) of B-to-B marketers plan to increase their marketing budgets, 44% plan to keep budgets flat and only 25% plan to decrease their budgets. Not surprisingly, the survey also found that the primary goal for most marketers is customer acquisition (62%), followed by customer retention (20%) and brand awareness (12%).

We all know how technology today—easy web access, mobile devices and GPS—makes shopping so easy. Nielsen/NetSurvey/WebVisible research showed that 90% of the consumer transactions (movies, restaurants, apparel, etc.) initiated through online local searches was completed offline. This trend, coupled with the measurability and cost effectiveness of online marketing, makes it easy to see why industry watchers project interactive marketing to be a growth area.

eMarketer and Jupiter forecast digital media will grow 9%-15% percent in 2009. Forrester Research surveyed more than 300 interactive marketers found that 72% of expected to maintain or increase their digital budgets this year. eMarketer estimates the following growth in 2009: online video 45% search 15%, rich media 7%, display ads 7%, email 4% and lead generation 3%.

The challenges of digital technologies combined with deep audience fragmentation have hurt traditional media—newspapers, magazines, television and radio—which are expected to see more decline. According to eMarketer and other sources, newspapers, revenues will drop @ 16% in 2009; radio @ 6% and television spending will drop @ 5%, give or take a few percentage points.

Of course, to keep this in perspective we should be aware how much significantly smaller online budgets have always been in relation to traditional media. The bottom-line: How media is considered, purchased and measured is all being re-examined.

What does this mean for you? The media is hungry, and there are good deals to be found. Your competitors are probably in a worse state than your company. This all translates into less clutter and noise in the marketplace, and lower rates.

Numbers are noticeable: Things are not so bleak. Clean house, get your brand in order, re-think your marketing mix and market aggressively to increase sales.

Making Impressions

2008-12-18T10:00:00.002-05:00

The holiday party scene will see some people dressed up with the same effort they make for a big business meeting. Why? Because they want to give themselves a competitive advantage and make a good impression.

Most marketers are so heavily focused on numbers of customer impressions that they lose sight of the actual impression they’re making.

With fierce competition and fewer buying customers on the market—and a brand’s look, feel, messaging and relevancy all top-of-mind—it’s never been more important for your brand to resonate.

So how does your company dress up? What’s the first impression and customer experience through all touch-points: website, telephone, salesperson, and proposal? Do your marketing elements grab your audience’s attention or leave them confused and uninterested? Think about the image you’re putting out there.

“Shtick” for shtick’s sake doesn’t work. I know clients who tried to do something cool, creative and outrageous to generate buzz. Unfortunately, they don’t have a cool, creative or outrageous brand. The result of their efforts was confusion and a disconnect from their audience (and may have actually hurt more than helped.) That’s branding gone awry. It’s like trying to wear a fashion trend that clearly isn’t flattering. The key is to be authentic.

Here’s a good example…sometimes Google dresses up its website. Because its home page is a simple frame, the decorations work effectively. Putting lights on your website, however, would most likely be ridiculous.

I know a really edgy creative agency that lives in t-shirts, leather, sneakers, tattoos and earrings- client meeting or not. They are a creative firm, and that’s why they get hired. There are no false pretenses with them; they are authentic. It works for them, but it may not a good idea to dress like that if you’re in a hyper corporate environment.

Focus your branding efforts on drilling home the brand message and being positively memorable. Take a slower-paced holiday time to focus on branding and dressing up for a challenging new year ahead. And think about the actual impression you’re leaving...

Brand Animation

2008-12-16T17:30:00.001-05:00

I think dress and costumes say a lot about a person’s personality. Halloween is great time for many people to experiment with looks. Did your kids or you dress up?

I always have been a big fan of superheroes. Growing up, I channeled Isis and Wonder Woman. (I still think I can cross town in 3 minutes, and have to remind myself I cannot physically fly.)

In a way, I unleashed my inner geek with Smarti’s icon, Sales and Marketing SAM. The “hero” had actually been embedded in our logo for years and we merely brought him to life. Our brand is about ‘grey matter’ and seasoned folks, so our Sam has gray hair.

He personifies Smarti, puts a face (other than mine) to the brand, and helps explain our services—rescuing time-and-money strapped marketers and saving them from the perils of faulty marketing agency choices. Importantly, SAM communicates our message, stands out, demonstrates that we are a creative, innovative and fun company and is memorable.

Our personification of SAM at a recent trade show, ad:tech, wasn’t perfect, but he was very approachable. While a model in his 20s might have looked better in spandex, we needed a savvy salesman—and not an irrelevant booth babe. (We will be holding tryouts in the spring for a new live Sam ’09, so if you’re about 6’ tall salesperson with the right 6-pack, get in touch!) He did the job, stopped all visitors and created a lot of conversation. (See the video on our website.)

I was so immersed in superhero stuff for Smarti, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to wear a big S and be Super Girl for Halloween. (Yes, I still like to think I have superpowers.) And since all the other chics opted for Wonder Woman, I stood out and had a blast in the Parade.

The best costumes—and the best brands—are the ones that are original.

So, what is your company’s secret identity? What powers does your team have to help customers? Think about it and you might just find your brand message.

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KISS and Tell: Pitching Outside the Elevator:

2008-12-10T14:24:00.003-05:00

In an age of information overload, people want to get right to the point. You have seconds to grab someone's attention, or lose them completely. Fluff and flashy intros intended to dazzle are largely ignored, and likeability matters—in-person and online.

Most sales pitches and marketing materials leave potential prospects confused and overwhelmed. Is this the brand impression you really want to make?

Is it easy to understand what your company does and how it offers value to customers? Consider junior folks and influencers tasked to research products and services. If they don’t get it, it’s highly unlikely your content will make its way to the higher ups you need to reach.

My advice? KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) and Tell. Leave out the jargon and complicated language. If they want more information, they'll ask. That's where your brochure, sell sheets and white papers come in. Consider your website home page an ad, which leads us to one of the toughest challenges in advertising: writing concise and compelling copy.

Take Google ads for instance; it's tough to write an ad in about 10 words. What a fabulous exercise. For many, online advertising is an important source of leads. Now, think about the person who is developing your search engine key word ads. Is it a tech person? If new key words are identified, are they translated into sales pitches and marketing materials? You'd be surprised how far-removed the marketing and brand stewards are from the process.

Ironically, it's just the opposite when it comes to traditional advertising. Outdoor billboards are the best test. I recall situations where it’s taken weeks to get that one line of copy approved. Of course, the consideration was making it easy for prospects driving by at 60 MPH to process the ad in the blink of an eye.

The best marketing pitch is the one that enables your audience to "get it" immediately. Wherever you connect—at an event, online, in print or on a highway—if your pitch doesn’t demonstrate value and relevancy in seconds, your prospects will whiz by quickly.

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RFPS: Recipe for Pain?

2008-11-25T22:12:00.014-05:00

RFPs (Request for Proposals) are usually a call for disaster. I was recently interviewed by PR Week for the article, "Firms' Proposals Must Adjust to the Times." I mentioned that we don't recommend an RFP until we already have a finalist shortlist, since they make an agency search a “commodity” exercise at the best, and a complete waste of time at the worst – for both client and agency. What’s the reason for the pitch? How will the decision be based? There's a ton of questions that go into the process. Many agencies can be easily eliminated (or better targeted) without wasting everyone's time.

It takes an enormous amount of work to properly respond to an RFP. Some agencies-even in this climate-may not participate. Smaller or mid-size agencies with limited resources need to be super selective about whom to pitch and have to consider if they even have a decent shot at it in a sea of fierce competition.

Clients launching the process by a blanket RFP to a “long list” risk alienating some super stars that might be just the ones they need. Short and savvy RFPS will be more helpful and productive for leveling the playing field to a shortlist of viable finalists, all of whom are serious contenders.

If you must issue an RFP, consider the following best practices:
-Start with the right agency short-list
-Take the time to make the RFP short and savvy
-Only issue to firms you’ve met and are serious about hiring

Agencies need to remember that clients want thoughtful ideas for where and how you’d take their business. Don't bore them to death; rather show how and why you're valuable.

Best practices for agencies:
- Always get a meeting (or an at least a WebEx) to first see if there is a meeting of the minds.
-Don’t give a 3 hour capabilities presentation, do it in less than 30 minutes. Think shorter book, more brilliance.
-Focus on what the client is going to get for the fee. Return on investment has never been more top of mind.

To learn best practices and see the article, visit http://getsmarti.com/PR%20Week%20Clip.jpg

Laid off Launching Pad

2008-11-24T16:58:00.004-05:00

Maybe now is the time to start your own business, or go out on your own.

Some of the greatest companies started in an economic downturn. William Hewlett and David Packard joined forces in the 30s Depression and started their research, development and manufacturing in the back of a 12x18 garage, which became the birthplace of Silicon Valley. Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard during the 1975,70s recession to start Microsoft. 16 of the 30 companies that make up the Dow industrial average) were started during a recession or depression, including Procter & Gamble, McDonald's, General Electric, Johnson & Johnson, Hyatt, LexisNexis and CNN.

Start-ups aren’t easy and don’t always survive; about 60% fail before the first 5 years. Most start-ups remain small. About 60% of the USA's 5.9 million small businesses have fewer than five workers.

Business start-ups soar when the economy tanks, mostly because many laid-off workers have nothing to lose and pursue self-employment. This positively affects the economy: small businesses create 75% of new jobs.

If you’re not ready to start a business, you might want to consider freelancing opportunities. It’s an easier sell for companies, looking for spot talent reluctant to increase a payroll. Your former employer may be your first client. I know tons of highly talented, successful marketing freelancers who love the flexibility.

Check out the book, Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself from Dan Pink, contributing editor at Fast Company. This groundbreaking book on "How America's New Independent Workers Are Transforming the Way We Live" and the death of large economy will change your perspective of “career.”

I went through 4 mergers in 2 years, before I started Smart Solutions. Formerly a Vice President at top ad agency, Lowe Lintas, I was laid off in 2001, right before September 11th. While I doubt I would have had the guts to relinquish what was a perception of security to forge down the uncertain pathway of starting a new business, it ultimately proved to be incredibly more satisfying, fulfilling and lucrative.

It takes dedication, discipline and serious persistence. Most people give up too easily. Need inspiration?

Thomas Edison tried a thousand different elements to come up with the right material for a light bulb that all failed. When asked if his time had been wasted, He replied, “Hardly…I have discovered a thousand things that don't work.” Founded in 1876, General Electric is the third largest company in the world.

A broke Colonel Sanders offered his only asset—a great chicken recipe—to over a 1000 restaurants for free, in exchange for percentage of sales. Through constant rejection, he spent two years driving across the country and sleeping in his beat-up car. On his 1,009th sales visit, one restaurant finally accepted his offer. Today, KFC has over 11,000 restaurants in 80 countries.

Walt Disney was fired by Kansas City Star newspaper editor for not being creative enough. He was also turned down 302 times before he got financing for his dream of creating "The Happiest Place on Earth" All the banks thought he was crazy. Today, Disney is a global media and entertainment conglomerate.

Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel was shunned from society because she wasn’t educated or classy enough (how wildly ironic is that?) She spent years in poverty, trying to sell her original hats. She eventually got a business partner who funded her first storefront. She built Chanel in wartime, defied trends by developing "basic" clothes with comfort and elegance that women wanted and revolutionized the fashion industry.

My advice to survive and thrive?
- Be prepared to be in it for the long haul.
- Articulate a real differentiator and unique sales proposition.
- Always under-promise and over-deliver.

Most people give after making a handful of unsuccessful sales calls! Not many could survive the constant stream of rejection and struggle. A common theme in successful people is that they never give up. Do you have a dream that hasn’t been realized? Sometimes change can be a good thing. And it might just be the best thing that ever happened to you.

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Opportunity in Crisis

2008-11-19T17:18:00.010-05:00

Maybe I’m a glass half full person, but I’m not alone. The Chinese word weiji, which literally means ‘precarious moment’ contains the character elements, wei, “danger” and ji “opportunity.” The Hebrew word for crisis, mashber, means "moment of birth” or "to give new life." With our country in crisis, the election outcome? The majority voted for “Hope and Change.”

So how is your company coping with the crisis? Is your team prepared for the opportunity? In challenging times, things change. This can be a –good- thing for your business. Here’s why:

Competitors Cave: Your competitors may be more freaked out than you are, and likely doing less. Are they pulling back their advertising? Selling out? It’s a –great- time to advertise with less noise and clutter.

Hungry Marketplace: Everybody’s looking for more business. There are tons of great deals and bargains out there. (Your company could be one of them.)

Vendor Valuation: Cost cutting often means reevaluating suppliers. Allegiances lessen. Prospects you’ve been courting for years may now be more receptive. Smaller businesses have a competitive advantage.

In an economic downturn, most businesses cut costs, with marketing usually top of the list. This is a big mistake. Several documented studies showed conclusively that advertising aggressively during recessions increases sales and profits. (See www.mactech.com:16080/adsales/recession_marketing) If you cut back on marketing, you may be in a worse position when the economy rebounds. Armed with this data and guts, the savvy things to do right now are asking for a marketing budget increase, or at a minimum, maintain some level of marketing.

To survive and thrive in economic stress:

-Hold on to your current customers: Retention is key. It’s significantly less expensive to get more business from current customers than it is to acquire new ones.

-Acquire new ones: New customers are the lifeblood of any business. Scrutinize your sales pipeline: Who are your best customers? Where are you getting your lowest cost per lead? Target carefully.

-Refresh your brand: That same old pitch you’ve been using for years may not resonate today. The market, customer and competitor landscape is different. Sharpen your messaging. Crystallize your value proposition.

- Market aggressively. Customers are skittish. Marketing can show you have stability and solutions to customers’ needs. Potential customers can’t buy from you if they don’t know about you.

The reality is that most businesses get 80% of their business from 20% of their customers. I’ve never been comfortable with that premise, and thankfully Smarti’s client base is more evenly distributed. However, this business principle is your opportunity: You don’t need a million customers—just the right ones.

Consequences of Jumping the Gun

2008-10-28T18:10:00.009-04:00

Well, I'm not sure if we’re ready, but we’re curious to see who’s out there.” Yikes. Words to make me cringe. Lots of businesses start the search for a marketing agency very early on—way before they are actually ready to engage anyone. They do it because they know how long the process can be. What they don’t realize is it's jumping the gun that makes it take so long. Most clients don’t realize it’s not just about capabilities and industry experience, there’s a host of other factors that come into play.

It all seemed so easy in the beginning. Your team was already ‘networked’ and you thought you knew who to call. You spent months of sitting through long capabilities presentations, sifting through proposals, and tons of emails and calls. Then, push comes to shove and you finally get that team management buy-in and the reality that your budget is a mere fraction of what you hoped for, and focus has shifted--completely.

All of the sudden, you need a very different kind of marketing company. The agency you fell in love with is actually oh-so-wrong for your needs right now, and your reality. (And, you’ve ticked off agencies that spent considerable time preparing for the meetings, and developing all that material.)

Now, you need to start over. But after investing all that time, you make every attempt to try to salvage the relationship and work it out. Proposals and negotiations go back and forth. You get frustrated with proposals that are a fortune and way out of the ballpark and your current reality. (And the agency is annoyed that they’ve invested all this time pitching an account that is now so small they would never otherwise pursue it.)

How frustrating for everyone! No wonder this relationship is doomed to fail. Jumping the gun leads to grief; you’ll pay for it later.

It’s best to get your act together upfront. Get management buy-in first, agree on a budget range and allocate time and resources making it happen. You’ll save and your team and yourself a lot of time and headaches, and spare yourself the time of talking to companies that are not a fit. Especially when you’re spread so thin. Your time is more valuable than that.

Losing Points with PowerPoint in a New Business Pitch

2008-10-24T18:03:00.008-04:00

Most marketing agencies ask if they should do a PowerPoint presentation for a new business pitch. (Actually, most just assume.) However, even the savviest marketers are not the best presenters.

Many don’t realize how a PowerPoint can even hurt a meeting, right from the get-go. "Calvin Client, we just need a few minutes to setup…" (Calvin's focus returns to his Blackberry.) Another 10 minutes go by. "Darned internet connectivity issues! Ah, there we are. Dim the lights.” (Calvin stifles a yawn in the darkness and under cover, returns to his email.) Ironic beginning, as the point of the meeting is to develop a connection.

PowerPoints are boring and disengaging. (Yes, even yours.) Even the best multi-taskers in the room--focused and paying attention--can find it nearly impossible to listen intently to what they're hearing, while reading the screen simultaneously. Given the choice, your audience will unconsciously ignore you so they can see what’s in front of them. Wouldn’t it be better if they were focused on you?

The only reason to do a PowerPoint is for Show and Tell. If you feel you need a new business presentation (or one was requested,) use the slides for pictures, graphs, screen shots and creative stuff. Use text sparingly and you’ll see how much better you can get your point across.

If you want to show them something let it be something they can touch, such as creative boards, a book of media coverage or a novel that has "thump" power.

An initial face-to-face meeting presents an excellent opportunity to engage and connect. Save the details for a handout, case studies or a proposal—stuff they can read after the meeting. If they’re interested in working with you, they will. And you'll have their full attention.

Shake lots of hands and use hand-outs. You'll have more power, and score more points.

Suspicious About Spec Work?

2008-10-17T09:35:00.005-04:00

So, you’re in a new business pitch and client requests spec work. Just hearing the words can make you wince. It’s a tough call. Are they just fishing for ideas? Are they really going to hire a new agency? Ask yourself, how much is on the table? What’s it worth to your team? What are the chances you have of winning, and importantly, do you have the resources and time to execute?

You want to participate in the new business pitch, while maintaining your best practices. Gently point out how the brilliant work in your portfolio was based on research, strategy and solid collaboration with clients. And, it would be remiss to whip something out without putting in the due diligence needed to inspire the thinking, and they deserve your best work.

Give some ideas? Absolutely! Clients are much more interested in how you think and the direction you’d take their business than anything else. Focus on strategy, big ideas, how you think and how your team would add value to their organization. But you don’t need to give away the store, nor should you.

Going too far is risky and can backfire. Work developed without adequate research, preparation and planning has a big chance of being (way) off the mark, and not necessarily indicative of what you could do if hired. We know that great work comes from solid strategy and a beneficial brief.

If they are requesting a lot of specific spec work such as a creative campaign, ask for a project fee and treat it like one. This way, you can dedicate your team, research, strategize and create the magic.

The client will respect you for it, and gets the work. Your team gets paid. Everyone wins. And the best part? You've already started working with them...