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Welcome To My Den
This is the new, improved and reincarnated Dunn's Den. This blog is about marketing, advertising, social media and the goings on in my local community; from MY VIEW!
I look forward to connecting with you!
Great news. You woke up this morning and a video produced about your brand has over 760,000 views in a 24 hour period. Twitter is a buzz about your brand, your video is being translated in every language imaginable and your brand has truly gone global. You now know what it means when a video goes viral. Congratulations are in order, right?
Wrong!!! See, the problem is this. All of the hype about your brand is negative. Yes, you read it right, negative. Neither you nor your ad agency produced the buzz. Instead, a couple of employees with a little bit of time and a $150.00 camera made the video about your brand, posted it on You Tube and the world watched.
Think it can not happen to you and your brand? Do you still think social media is a fad or something your kids do for hours on end? This is exactly what Domino’s thought until it happened to them.
Last week, Donino’s Pizza faced a truly trying time when a video was posted on You Tube showing two employees defacing its food. In a 24 hour period, the video went viral and social media sites were a buzz. With 760,000 views on You Tube, it is enough to make any marketing executive shutter.
Another case in point is Aston Martin. Someone on Twitter decided to set up an account using their name and started tweeting (sending out messages) as Aston Martin. To make a long story short, the tweets were not all good. Aston Martin found out their brand was hijacked and contacted Twitter to have the account shut down. How many tweets did Aston Martin (the hijacked brand) send out? Enough that people took notice and objected to the comments.
Bottom line: Social Media has arrived. Will it have the same look and feel next month, next year or ten years from now? No, it will not. Social Media will continue to evolve as we will. These are exciting times to be in the advertising and marketing world as the industry is being turned on its heel. Change is inevitable; how you handle it is up to you.
What is your plan to protect your brand? Do you have a process in place for what to do when your brand comes under fire? Your brand will come under fire. Will you be prepared when it does?
Take action today and put together a list of the major social media sites and actively monitor these sites. Google has some great tools that will help you to do this. Find out who you need to contact at each of these sites and what the process is to have your hijacked brand removed from the site. How can you leverage the same sites to help you in your campaign?
Here’s the marketing outrage of the year. The Port Authority of New Jersey and New York has changed the name of the new signature building at the 9/11 terrorist strike from “The Freedom Tower” to “WTC I.”
Why? Because the word “freedom” makes it hard to sell, they say. They are trying to find tenants for the 1776 foot office/monument, and its tough sledding. But the rumor has it that China has popped for about three floors. Did China insist on the change? Why should they object? Are they afraid of the word? Or of the concept?
To me, “WTC I” invokes sad memories. It makes me think of bad, past days. Dark days of heroism, grief, and, yes, terrorists. But “Freedom” is inspirational and looks forward to days of light, progress and joy.
The old Twin Towers were not a raging success. I don’t think their occupancy was ever that great; I don’t know why. Maybe the new building will have a curse on it, and be hard to rent no matter what name it bears. If I were a salesman for the project, I know I’d rather be selling freedom than a tombstone.
There will be a brief chapter in my new textbook called “Courageous Marketing.” It will cover brands that survived the recession by plowing forward. It will describe the guts of taking uncertain paths. It will honor those who are single minded, despite pressure to diversify. It will not include the chicken-hearted politically correct sycophants like the Port Authority of New Jersey and New York.
The climate these days is to decry the greedy capitalists. The ones who make profits on the backs of the needy unfortunates. But they’re the ones who take risks for freedom, the brave people who aren’t afraid to step up with pride and say, “This is what I stand for. Want a piece of it?”
Ok, ok, ok, I get it. We are in the midst of one of the biggest recessions in the last 20 plus years, according to the media. Everyday I look at my RSS feeds, my google page or the news. It is all doom and gloom. Personally, I am tired of it and believe now is the best time to be in and grow a small business. Yes, I know fear sells and yes I know media companies are in it to make money, but come on people. Give me a break. Can’t I have just a little bit of good news sprinkled in with the doom and gloom?
As someone who is participating in the American Dream via entreprenuership, I am always looking for ways to improve, stengthen and grow my business. So instead of focusing on the doom and gloom, I am focusing on the positives. The positives of a good recession for a small business owner, in my mind, are as follows:
1) Invest in your infrasturcture.
Small businesses by nature are set up to run lean and mean. We do not have access to millions and millions of dollars from ponzi/hocus pocus fianancing, so we must be practical with our resources. In good times this means sales reps don’t want to “waste their time with us” and in down times we can pick up equipment for pennies on the dollar. Now is the time to purchase the equipment you want but could never justify the cost. If you are buying used equipment, MAKE SURE you purchase a service contract. You will sleep better at night.
2) Invest in your people.
Let’s face it. The most important thing in any business is your client base. Right after that, it is your people. Now is the perfect time to not only train your people, but also recruit new employes. The recession will end and when it does, are your people better, the same or worse for the experience? How many jobs can one employee perform and are they fully trained on that new piece of equipment? Are they cross-trained in two to three other positions? What were your biggest employee headaches over the last few years? Now is the time to solve them. Recruit, recruit, recruit. The best hires I have ever made were people that took six months to a year to recruit. Now is the best time to find new employees so you do not have to make knee jerk reactions when you do have to hire. Most everyone will at least sit down for a cup of coffee and start a conversation. Call all the people who did not want to talk to you for the last two years and meet with them. You will be amazed at what you find out about a person…like are they really worth all the hype?
3) Invest in your customers.
This is THE most important thing that any small business can do. What can you do, right here right now, to strengthen a relationship with one of your customers? Find something in your business that you can use to help them. It does not necessarily have to be a product or service that is fee based. A tremendous value add you can provide is education. What is happening in your industry that will affect your customers? Take the time now to build trust and help your clients prepare for the future. Note, I did not say this is a sales call for you to peddle your wares.
4) Build NEW alliances.
Stop reading this blog, pick up the phone right now and call someone. Anyone. Build a new relationship with someone outside of your current network. You are on every social media sight known to man, so pick up the phone and put a voice to that face. The more people who know you, the easier it is for them to refer you.
This “recession” will end. What you do right now right here, today will pave the road for your success in the future.
A lot of people say that retailing, as we know it, is dead. Why go to a store when you can compare and shop on the internet, get it paid for and delivered without leaving home?
Despite its growth and acceptance, internet sales are still less than five percent of all purchases. I predict it will never reach fifteen percent? Why? Because people need to shop. They need to get out and connect with the world,
In my experience at Target I saw nine reasons why people came into our stores. Do you fit any of these?
1. They want to be in a crowd. It’s somewhere to go, to be with human beings. They can’t stand to be alone. They need sporting events, restaurants, or just walking through the city.
2. The opposite—to be alone. In other words, to be lost in a crowd. When they get stressed out they relax by shopping. Somehow they recharge their batteries there. They can still be anonymous while making human contact.
3. They want companionship. They come in pairs. “Hey, let’s get together—we can go shopping!” Some couples develop strong bonds—they are facing the world as a team.
4. They want to see what’s new. It’s a better way to be with it and not rely on what they read in the paper or see on TV.
5. They need a challenge. It’s a competitive sport. Compulsive shoppers are very competitive. They can sniff out a bargain from a hundred yards away. They bag their stuff as trophies, and come home victorious.
6. They need to pamper themselves. They need to spend in order to affirm their beauty and worth. It’s an award they bestow on their egos. It makes them feel better than a workout at the gym.
7. They need to dream. They need to see how the upper class lives. They envy wealth. Women try on stuff that there’s no way they can buy.
8. They need to brag. These are the worst kind. They have to show how smart and rich they are.
9.They need something. Duh. This applies mostly to men. Shopping is a problem for them to be solved—go out and find it, shoot it, and bring it home.
My Dad hated shopping: he waited in the car for Mom and smoked his pipe. My daughter was told by her mother, “Clean your room or I’ll make you go shop with your father!”
Of course people will switch from one reason to another, day to day. Sometimes from store to store.
But can you imagine what it would be like if there were no shopping?How else could you satisfy the basic need to be connected?
Despite reports of advertising’s imminent demise, it still does work, under the ideal circumstance.
The proof.I was comfortably vegetating on my couch watching my third NFL game of the day, when a TV commercial interrupted my peace. I sprang into action, put on my Nikes, ran to my car, and raced to the nearest place where I could buy the product that alerted me to its existence.
I completed the transaction, drove expectantly homeward, and enjoyed the satisfaction of a purchase well made.
Are you longing to know what it was that awoke my latent need or instilled the urgency of my frenetic action? Or what irresistible force overcame the immovable object?
It was Arby’s.The TV situation depicted a man who couldn’t find a living soul until he found a live one. The discoveree was stuffing his mouth and explained that everybody is at Arby’s, where they are selling five Roast Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches for five bucks. That triggered me.
Why did it work for me?
I was hungry
I could get there quickly
I am of their targeted audience—older, a roast beef lover
I was a lapsed user—-hadn’t had an Arby’s in five years
I identified with the characters. Average looking guys.
So, is this the proof that you needed that advertising can work? Yes. All you need is a product that works, the right audience, a brand that is acceptable, and an incentive. It’s obvious that timing is essential.
Technology hasn’t made advertising as we knew it passé, but it has made it tougher. Competition is fiercer, and consumer patience is thinner.
Arby’s connected with me on a late Sunday afternoon.How many commercials sped through my head, unnoticed and uncared for?
Attached is a press release from a client, Emory Johns Creek Hospital (EJCH), who just won the E-HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP AWARD.
We at Town Planner Calendar are both proud and honored to have been chosen to develop this project with Emory Johns Creek Hospital. I appreciate EJCH’s leap of faith in choosing our agency to help them in launching their first social media site. We at Town Planner Calendar are very passionate about Social Media and its limitless roles in procuring tangible results for our clients.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Johnel Reid November 18, 2008
EMORY JOHNS CREEK HOSPITAL WINS E-HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP AWARD FOR VIDEO BLOG
JOHNS CREEK, GA – Emory Johns Creek Hospital was recognized for its outstanding website at a special presentation in Orlando on November 11 during the Twelfth Annual Healthcare Internet Conference.The EJCH blog and video blog sites earned the Award of Distinction, the number one award among hospitals of 200 beds or less, in the category of Best Web 2.0/Rich Media category.“It is an honor to be recognized for our considerable efforts this past year,” said Johnel Reid, Director of Marketing for the hospital.“What began as an experiment for us, has gained momentum and produced significant results,” she added.
Emory Johns Creek Hospital’s site was chosen from among 1,100 entries by a panel of 114 judges familiar with healthcare and the Internet. “A growing number of healthcare organizations are clearly embracing the Web and emerging technologies,” says Mark Gothberg, eHealthcare Leadership Awards chairman.Gothberg notes that many organizations have invested in new sites or made significant improvements in their existing sites.“Such rich media forms as video, audio, blogs, and discussion groups are changing the landscape of Web sites,” he says.
The hospital launched its blog and video health library with the help and video production of Scott Dunn, of SONARconnects.“We know that people are changing the way they receive their news and information and we know the Internet plays a significant role,” said Reid.The team videotaped interviews with their medical staff about a variety of health related issues and then posted the videos to the Internet.“In less than four months, the 150 videos we have posted have received more than 11,000 views,” Reid said.
“Our audience can expect to see our blog continue to evolve,” said Reid.“We are finding ways to become more interactive and build relationships with our patients and the community.Healthcare marketing, at its core, is about relationships — building trust among physicians, hospitals and patients,” she said.“Traditionally, healthcare marketing has been fairly conservative.We are fortunate to have leadership that embraces this experiment ,” Reid added.“We have exciting plans for 2009 that will include improving the quality, server response and using more social media elements.”
“It’s rewarding to work with clients to help them find ways to reach their markets in new ways.The Internet is changing how people get their news, their information, even their entertainment.It is changing how people connect with each other and with the companies they choose to do business with,” said Dunn.“In the case of Emory Johns Creek, we found a way for doctors to reach their target audiences in a very personal, non-traditional way.It’s a win-win situation for everyone – the doctors get the value of knowing their messages are being heard, the audience gets the information they were looking for, and the hospital builds relationships with the communities they serve.
Emory Johns Creek Hospital is known for its state-of-the-art technology in a luxurious, hotel-like setting. Services include advanced orthopaedic surgery, joint replacement, spine surgery, 24/7 emergency care, state-of-the-art all digital imaging including a 64 slice CT, The Birth Place with Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, 24-hour anesthesiologists, intensive care, advanced cardiac care, rehabilitation services and women’s services. Emory Johns Creek Hospital is home to the Atlanta Bariatric Center, designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons.
For more information, please visit emoryjohnscreek.com. To find a physician close to where you live or work, call 678.474.8200
Are you giving away the farm when you give away some of your product? Are you giving away your secrets, and not protecting your family’s jewels?
Assuming you are a believer in your product and are proud of it, sampling is the most potent arrow in your marketing quiver.
If a picture is worth a hundred words, then a taste is worth a thousand pictures. One definition of a sample is, “A representative part from a larger whole presented for inspection as evidence of quality.” How could there be a smarter prelude to winning marketing?
Some of the greatest food chains are Wegman’s (Rochester, NY) and Whole Foods.
You can’t get out of one of their stores hungry, because the have fed you with delicious samples.And it’s hard to leave without spending a bundle.
There are many ways, other than eating, to sample your goods:
Barnes Noble wants you to read books, so they make that inviting and easy. They don’t care if you mess up their displays or spill coffee.You will ultimately buy books.
A good car dealer lets you take a car home for the weekend.
A masseuse gives you a free neck rub.
The “spritzer” in Macy’s cosmetics aisle gives you a breath of alluring air.
A financial planner or a marketing consultant gives you a free hour of advice.
A stand-up comedian starts with a chuckle, and preacher invokes hope.
It’s important to note that sampling should not be a preview of the price. It’s a demonstration of the confidence in your product. Don’t compete on price: only Wal*Mart can succeed in that game. Don’t give away too much.
Suppose that you are in a play-off with two others for a new customer, and you are each given thirty seconds.The first two gave good, succinct “elevator speeches.” Then it’s your turn. You announce your name, your brand’s main benefit, and bestow a sample.Guess who wins.
If you missed my comments to both Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts a few weeks ago, simply scroll down the page. With that, I came across this post by Starbucks which states in a nutshell that all of their locations will be closing at 5:30 p.m. on February 26th for employee training. The goal of this training: “The comprehensive educational curriculum for all U.S. store partners will provide a renewed focus on espresso standards that will help ensure the exceptional quality of every beverage. As a result, baristas will be better prepared to share their passion and knowledge with customers. Customers will be able to truly enjoy the art of espresso as Starbucks baristas demonstrate their passion to pull the perfect shot, steam milk to order, and customize their favorite beverage.”
Looks like Starbucks finally figured out that dollar coffee is not going to work after all! On a side note, if anyone needs any of those “FREE” itunes downloads, I still have a few. Let me know.
If you would like to see the press release, please click HERE.
Is it true that you are getting rid of T-Mobile in all of your stores? Could it be that you might offer FREE Internet instead of FREE itunes downloads of bands I don’t know? Could it be that you go back to focusing on coffee?
In any case, I am glad I could help and glad to see you are getting back to your Unique Selling Proposition. If you you need anything else, give me a call. You know where to find me.
