Category Archive: marketing tips
“As we all go Jetsons the s#%t that’s gonna matter is Flintstones.” -Gary Vaynerchuk
(Photo courtesy of www.niklasmyhr.com)
Last week I was lucky enough to be a part of the Linked OC audience as business expert, Gary Vaynerchuk gave a down-to-earth and frank keynote on how technology is changing us and how businesses/brands must adapt. I had heard, through my network, that Gary had some great content, but honestly I had never read his books or even a single blog post by Gary V. Now I know first hand why he creates a buzz. What struck a chord with me was not only his confirmation the title wave of changes technology is bringing, but how it will change the face of business and society as we know it. It got me thinking not only of how we’ll adapt as businesses, but as brands.
Recent and coming advances in technology, specifically internet an mobile, are changing our lives in ways we need to prepare for. So much has changed in the last 10 or even 5 years that we sometimes forget how things like Facebook, Google and smartphones have changed the way we operate. No longer do we need to spend hours (or even days) researching at the library in those old fashioned things called books. Information is right at our finger tips, we need only remember one word: Google. Remember the days when you needed to write down your friend’s birthdays and either pick up the phone or send a card for their special day? With Facebook we don’t even need to remember our friends’ birthdays–we get a reminder and wish them well online. Ten years ago I didn’t even have a cell phone–I know tsk, tsk. Now I can simultaneously listen to navigation while driving and talking to my mom on Bluetooth. Heck I could even pull over and order a pizza and update my website all while listening to my favorite Pandora station. You get the idea: technology has and will continue to change the way we live, socialize and do business.
So the question is, is your brand ready to not only adapt to these changes, but harness them for your own good. In Gary V’s talk he pointed out the many business processes being automated. One such process is customer acquisition. Geeks and salesmen have developed it down to a science of numbers unlike anything before; which has, in effect, largely begun to oust the actual salesman himself. Gary posits that the game will change from customer acquisition to customer retention. That, as the quote that started this blog post is illustrating, bringing the human element back into your business will be the key to your success in this technology driven society. In reality, hasn’t it always been about customer retention anyway?
I agree that the human element will make a difference in the solvency of business and I think it must be translated in to branding as well. If your brand is to succeed in this new market it must not only stand on it’s own and provide real value but it must resonate with the human beings it aims to serve. In his book, “Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands,” Marty Neumeier points out a brand’s real struggle. He says “…today’s real competition–competition that’s so pervasive we can’t even see it–doesn’t come from direct or even indirect competitors. It comes from the extreme clutter of the marketplace.”
I believe it’s high time we get back to figuring out what our brand’s real values are and how to effectively reach those it can truly serve. We can and should use Facebook, Twitter and many of these new tools. But the point is HOW will we use them NOT how many followers we have on Twitter or “fans’ on Facebook. We all feel it and see it around us–the overwhelming non-stop electric networking, advertising and marketing. In all the noise we are still looking for something real, something valuable. How can you harness these great new technologies and use them well without “losing your brand’s soul”? Will you become a part of the ‘clutter’ or will you get back to providing value, standing apart and effectively standing up for your brand’s success?
Innovation is an essential characteristic of successful brands, but quality is of equal importance. How will your brand adapt? I would love to get your feedback below…
After watching the Groupon ads today I just had to write this quick blog post.
For most of us, a major highlight of the Super Bowl is the creative advertisements punctuating each break in the game. Brands and advertising agencies really put their noggins together to make sure they are getting the most bang for their buck in these astronomically expensive ad spots. But sometimes there are flubs or ads that push the limits of acceptable in order to garner mass press (remember the launch of the Godaddy Girls?). This time around one of the most talked about controversial ad campaigns was Groupon’s tactless bait-and-switch commercials.
If you haven’t seen the Groupon ads view a couple below:
We all love a good joke, but these ads were not really even funny. They are the kind of ads that a creative team may have come up with when they were still at the drawing board, but they should have never actually gone “to print.” Now this, of course, is just my opinion (well, and that of a few other people, too) but this is the point at which branding, including a set of company/brand values would have saved them from themselves.
The other day I was revisiting the book Rework and one particular concept stood out to me–an advantage of being “small”. In a chapter titled “Welcome Obscurity” the authors talk about being in the early stages of business. Specifically they say “Use this time to make mistakes without the whole world hearing about them…Keep Tweaking. Try new things.” When you’re the little guy and you haven’t built a large following yet you can test out some of your hair-brained ideas without the repercussions that a larger brand, like Groupon, will have to deal with. Groupon has really illustrated this point, we’re all going to make mistakes, but let’s try to do it when 100 million people AREN’T watching.
An article on CNN.com entitled “Groupon spends big on controversial (tasteless?) Super Bowl spots“ theorizes that dot.com startups like Groupon have acted like they were already established brands when they decided to shell out the dough for Super Bowl ad spots. Steve McKee, president of McKee Wallwork Cleveland (an ad firm) is quoted in the article as saying, “When you’re introducing a new concept to the marketplace, you have to focus more on positioning, rather than personality.” I do agree, to a certain extent that is. In this situation however I theorize that Groupon was actually acting like “too small” of a company, believing that an inside joke they found funny would resonate with the market. It may have been better to think it through a little further.
The sad thing is that Groupon apparently is actually donating a portion of their proceeds to the charitble causes it pokes fun at in their ads. Perhaps if they had actually communicated that fact the ads would not have left such a bad taste in our mouths. As for the rest of us–if your business is still “small” try a few things, but remember to always default back to your original brand values as your guide.
That’s my take on it anyway. 
What do you think? I’d love to hear your opinions on this subject.
Oh & here’s Conan’s take on the Groupon ads:
Five tips on how to build a successful brand utilizing a little common sense–
These foundations are the key factors I’ve seen come in to play time and time again when working with clients and in the observation of major world-wide brands.
1. Know who you are and what you are offering
Some of the top branding professionals have been quoted as saying that your market determines your brand. That’s all well and great, but if you don’t figure out who you are, what your values are and what benefits you offer your market may be confused by your brand.
If you want your market to appreciate your brand for what it really is/does then you need to have a deep understanding of exactly where you stand. You need to dig into the “whys” and “hows” of your brand so you can gain the 360 degree understanding that will help you communicate effectively. The best way to do this is to sit down for a “brand audit” with your top decision makers and take a honest look at:
- Who Your Company is and What it does
- What your products/services are
- Who your competition is
- Your vision, mission and values
- Your advantages
2. Get in touch with your ‘ideal market’
Take a step back from your marketing plan facts and figures on “what” your demographic is and re-familiarize yourself with WHO they are.
I recently had the opportunity (while working on my book) to interview a top marketing VP for a huge beverage brand (can’t reveal it yet, but trust me it’s one of the top brands in the world) about branding. One of the key points he made about branding success was to not spend too much time positing and researching what your target market might like, but get out there and actually find out. In other words, don’t rely solely on research to tell you how to effectively reach them.
Get in touch with who they are, what they like to do and how they live. Then get out there and listen, both to what they say and what your gut says.
3. Create a clear message (or messages) that resonates with your ideal market.
After you’ve done your research, figured out what you do and who your ideal market is, it’s time to distill it all down into a message that will really “sing” to them. A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet and pick the brain of Wende Zomnir, creative dynamo behind Urban Decay cosmetics. I remember her sage advice: your brand should be describable in three short concepts/words. It’s a busy world and chances are people won’t spend a lot of time trying to figure out what your brand is. So make it easy for them.
Start thinking…what are the top three things they simply MUST know about your brand?
4. Be consistent, Persistent and Expansive
Consistent
Imagine your favorite TV show had a new intro song, time of day that it aired and was sometimes known by a different name…it would quickly lose it’s brand value and your attention (not to mention confuse the heck out of everyone). Now think of some of the small businesses you’ve seen out there–any similarities? Consistency is key. You need to take the time to first create something great and then stick to it. Even if “singing the same tune” might get a little repetitive for you, it will help your ideal market remember you.
Your logo, colors, layout, messages and overall brand feel should be consistent, whether you’re launching a new marketing campaign or just sending an email.
Persistent
A common complaint of new bloggers or email marketers is that they posted a couple blog posts and deployed a few emails and nothing much happened. There is no “free” lunch in branding/marketing. If you want results you need to keep offering value over an extended period of time and show that your brand is worth caring about.
Think about the amount of information you are inundated with on a daily basis. Sometimes you’ll see a post or an email that you are actually interested in, but just don’t have the time to even look at. You are not alone. Provide persistent branding communication so that when your audience DOES have time they won’t want to miss what you’re sharing.
Expansive
Take time every week (or at least every month) to put your feelers out there and look for new ways to reach your audience. Times are a changin’ and there are so many new opportunities for you to engage with your ideal market. It’s all the better for you if you can get there first or do it better than your competition.
5. Adapt
No one likes to be told that they were wrong (especially me ) but in reality sometimes things will work and sometimes they won’t. So don’t be married to your ideas, be willing to allow your ideal market guide you into creating the best brand possible. It’s important to note, however, that I’m not advising you to change your values–those are the safeguard for your brand’s integrity.
One of the hallmarks of successful businesses and brands is the ability to adapt when circumstances change. If you’re stuck in your ways, you’ll just end up there–stuck. So embrace one of the only absolutes in life: change.
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The Lucky 19 Blog
Welcome to the Lucky 19 blog! I am Andrea Guevara, founder of Lucky 19 and I specialize in helping businesses decipher, plan & manage their brands through brand strategy, design & development. I hope you find lots of great info here! To get the latest posts as they arrive "hot off the press," please subscribe below. And if you have some comments/input on anything here please join in! I look forward to hearing from you.~Andrea
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