Advertising isn't dead; you're killing it.

Advertising isn't dead; you're killing it.   The world of advertising and marketing, as we know it, has been turned on its head and is suffering a slow and painful death. No longer can you get away with telling consumers that tobacco is safe, lead paint in children's toys is harmless, Airborne pills will prevent the flu and, my favorite, Extenze will increase your male member. When communication opportunities were more limited to outbound, marketers of products or services found success without achieving it. Bogus claims were easy and if they made them clever and told them often enough the public bought them. Who's to blame? The advertising firms making such claims without doing their due diligence or the product companies directing the campaign? Doesn't the ad agency bear as much responsibility to provide truthful advertising to the public? Is it purposefully done to fool the public and increase profitability? Should they be hung for attempted murder of such a vital and important industry? Perhaps this is extreme but the good news is that, regardless of advertisers claims, thanks to social media and inbound marketing, these products get outed quickly and pay the price in lost revenue. Good riddance. It's a new day. In today's world of social media and consumer connectivity, consumers can kill a bad product faster than a Duracell battery dies. Celebrities endorsing products they have no relation to may get a nanosecond of credibility but the public quickly becomes the rightful judge. Advertisers must be at the top of their game. There's zero tolerance in our new world of media. Consumers demand honesty and relevance. Bad products have short lives. President Abe said it right  "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." And the solution is... Both advertisers and their agencies must understand they are selling to an extremely educated and well connected audience. We must open our lines of communication with our customers, engage them, let them tell us what they want and need. Not what we think they need and want. On the flip side, if a mistake is made or an error occurs this same media can be used to honestly engage the customer. Admit you are aware of the problem and discuss what you're doing to correct it. Advertising is not dead, it's being reincarnated. Marketing Maestro, Larry    If you enjoyed this, please share:             Lippi & Co. Direct Response 2820 Selwyn Ave, Suite 871 Charlotte, North Carolina 28209

Stop Screaming at Me!

Stop Screaming at Me! How many of you are sick of being screamed at by advertising commercials? I mean SCREAMED AT! It's as if the advertiser can't give you a positive reason to pay attention to their message. This method of trying to get your attention is not limited to the broadcast media. Obnoxious billboards and print ads do very much the samething. The predominant focus is on trying to sell you something. Here's a lesson I learned many years ago from one of my mentors in salesmanship. Have you ever been to a social gathering and met someone who, in casual conversation just kept asking you questions about yourself? His focus was on being interested in you and what you had to say. Afterwards you probably thought, what an engaging person even though you learned little to nothing about him. That's because you felt that person was interested in you and what you had to say rather than focusing on themselves. Now, let's apply that same approach to marketing. What if instead of trying to sell a product by being loud and interruptive, you asked your customer for input? So few of the screaming ads even offer an opportunity for you to engage. Thank goodness for electronic and social media for opening the door to real interaction between the your company and its customer.  Men trust their ears less than their eyes. - Herodotus  If you rethink your marketing strategy to where you are putting providing valuable and useful information out that your customers really need and want to know, you'll begin to develop a relationship. This will allow interaction where your customer gives input, asks questions and yes, voices dissatisfaction. And you can begin to engage and interact with your customer, building trust and loyalty. The timeliness of your message is equally as important. With electronic media your message is instantaneous. You'll be able to communicate newsworthy and relevant content well in advance of periodicals other news outlets. Too often traditional advertising is wasted on viewers who have no interest in your product. You want to reach the customer that is already interested in what you have to offer. Would you try to sell Hip Hop music at a NASCAR race? Respond to this email and let me know which ads you find most obnoxious. Auto ads? Shamwow? Oxiclean? Actions speak louder than words,  Larry Lippi If you enjoyed this, please share:             Lippi & Co. Direct Response 2820 Selwyn Ave Charlotte, North Carolina 28209

Advertising, is your heart in it?

Advertising,is your heart in it? Every day your small business faces the challenge of trying to create memorable marketing and advertising with a limited budget. For large companies with unlimited budgets, the memorable challenge is easily met. Simply create entertaining ads that run everywhere, all the time. We are bombarded constantly with an endless repetition of advertising messages which results in name recognition for them when we shop. All the senses are immersed with these ads. You've seen them, from Geico, Progressive Insurance, McDonalds, etc.  Beyond the usual senses of sight and sound there is a solution that fights just as hard for share of mind.  That's the appeal to the heart. One of these ads, running currently, is a Swiffer ad by Kaplan Thaler Group featuring Lee and Morty Kaufman. The creative genius behind this ad not only demonstrated the benefits of the product in a simple way, but did it with a 90 year old couple that are so honest and believable that the ad hits you right in the heart. While viewing the ad, you can't ignore the ease of use of the duster. It cleans better and easier while keeping 90 year old Lee safer. She doesn't need to climb on a chair to dust light fixtures and tops of tall furniture. If this works for her, how easy is it for you to use? I know that I've said this many times previously, but when you can relate to your customer in terms they can understand, you've won the trust, recognition and believability war. If you can watch this ad and not relate to a parent or older relation maybe you don't have a heart. Emotional advertising is not new. Those of you old enough to remember the Mean Joe Green ad for Coca Cola, can understand the power of hitting the heart strings. Wow, how did a kid's Coke soften the heart of one of the toughest players in football? Okay, so you don't have the Coke budget Since I've been following the Swiffer ad, I've noticed that the ad has gone viral on social networks.  And that doesn't include interviews on national news programs with Lee and Morty. What's that worth. In the war for memorability can the heart beat money and the brain? You betcha! How do you add heart to your marketing? Marketing Maestro, Larry    If you enjoyed this, please share:             Lippi & Co. Direct Response 2820 Selwyn Ave, Suite 871 Charlotte, North Carolina 28209

Is measuring your marketing all it's cracked up to be?

Is measuring your marketing all it's cracked up to be?    I had a ridiculous conversation about measurable marketing with someone this week. Although it nearly made my head explode, it gave me an interesting subject for today's Sticky Note.  I recently joined an association of small business owners. As part of getting involved, it is suggested that we share some one-on-one time with each of its members. Being new, I chose to invite a guy, for coffee, who was a media rep for TV and radio. I thought we might have some commonality since we are both involved in marketing. It didn't take long before we got into what makes each of our companies tick. It was going fine while he was doing all the talking about the multitude of jobs he's had selling everything from direct mail to broadcast. When he asked what made me unique, I explained how in every marketing plan I create, a measurable response is a must. That's when the bomb fell. He said "measurable response is not all it's cracked up to be". After getting up off the floor I tried to keep my composure by using this time as a teachable moment. I asked him what made him come to this conclusion? Apparently he had lost several ad placements from companies who complained that his media hadn't delivered any acceptable results for the dollars they spent. Gee, could a return on investment be a unique concept?  How does measuring response help an advertiser? Let me count the ways it answers the following questions: Is it the right choice of media category?  Measuring here not only judges the media choice, but allows you to test the quality of your message and offers. Within that media category, is your ad placement reaching the right target? When you know what segment of the market is bringing in the bulk of the interest, then you can apportion your budget for more frequency to the smaller, more targeted audience. Is your message answering a customer need? It's great when your customers become engaged enough to open a regular dialog with you. This helps guide and direct future marketing and product decisions. Remember, even poor monetary results offer information that tells you to change what you're doing and why. Shame on my coffee mate for not understanding that advertisers deserve results. No wonder he's had so many jobs. Marketing Maestro, Larry    If you enjoyed this, please share:             Lippi & Co. Direct Response 2820 Selwyn Ave, Suite 871 Charlotte, North Carolina 28209

Who's Steering Your Ship?

Who's Steering Your Ship? Is your small business marketing suffering from too many Indians and no chief? Your website was designed by your brother and developed by your brother's friend; your graphics were created by your neighbor's cousin; your brand and logo are some clip art you found on the internet; your media plan was created by a freelance media expert; your unique selling proposition, well what's that?   Do all of these entities work together to create a successful marketing plan and singular brand message? You will need each of these components to implement a plan for your small business. However, it shouldn't be a fruit bowl toss up of "experts" each doing what they do best In a silo without someone taking a helicopter view of the overall strategy. Every textbook, business consultant, and professor will tell you that a marketing plan is required for a business to succeed. Is it possible to have a well thought out strategic marketing plan when there's seven different experts who rarely, if ever, communicate with each other. Would you run your restaurant with a kitchen full of cooks, each making their own special sauce or dish, then serving it as a meal to your customers? One plate would probably have chocolate covered gnocchi with a side of sushi. This restaurant would not be in business very long. Don't let your marketing plan fall prey to such a screwed up concoction. Your marketing plan must be well designed and thought out, reviewed frequently, and watched over with a careful eye.  The advantage to running a small business, is that your plan can be nimble and tweaked easily. You can measure different tactics and adjust quickly if one strategy  isn't performing.  Do-it-today action steps: Take a moment today to step back and take a helicopter view of your marketing strategy. Is it cohesive? Do all the parts join together well, taking your customer from an interested stranger to a loyal customer? Respond to this email and let me know about some of the challenges you have with your marketing strategy.  Your Marketing Captain, Larry P.S. We are cooking up a new website chock full of marketing tips, ecourses, and consulting opportunities that will put you on the road to successful marketing for your small business. Sign up here to be notified first.     If you enjoyed this, please share:             Lippi & Co. Direct Response 2820 Selwyn Ave, Suite 871 Charlotte, North Carolina 28209

Have you bought a product from an ad lately?

Have you bought a product from an ad lately?

My guess, you probably haven't bought a product based on an ad you've seen. Now that you're thinking about that, let me ask, why not? So many factors are at play here that my brain is exploding as to where to start.  Let's begin with your product or service. How well do you know your customer and your product? Imagine sending a door-to-door salesman out with a sample case that he is unfamiliar with to an unknown consumer. (See Sales Begin Before the Salesman Calls). I wouldn't bet on many sales. With the barrage of sales messages your customer is hit with constantly, how do you get seen and how do you get chosen? Just like with any successful endeavor, you need to start with a plan. No Plan =  No Business.

Here are 5 Steps to Building an Effective Marketing Plan:

Step 1: Know Your Customer   Define a specific target audience. This takes research. It is critical that you learn who your potential customers are. Your company will benefit by allowing for a consistent, relevant message to a smaller target audience and thereby reduce the cost of reaching them. (See Why Advertising Doesn't Work). Develop a target Demographic (age, gender, marital status, geographic location, household income, etc.)? You will want to determine their Psychographics (values, beliefs, interests etc.) Where do they shop, what publications, websites and social media outlets do they peruse?  Once you've located them interact with them on a consistent basis. Engage with them through the mediums discovered in your research. Always request feedback. The more information you can attain the more value you can add to the future development of your product and brand.

Step 2: Know Your Product I would start by asking yourself what does your company sell and why should anyone want it? Mainly what are the product or service benefits you are providing to your customer? What's in it for them? How does it solve their problem or answer a need? Develop a product personality which specifically relates to them. Think of your product as a brand which speaks to them consistently with one tone and one message. Define a unique selling proposition which clearly communicates a reason to buy from you instead of the competition. (See I Traded a Gun Fo a Stick). A definable value. Thereby making price a non-issue. Never compete on price. It becomes a race to the bottom. Someone will always be cheaper.

Step 3: Know How to Reach Your Customer   Whether you're an established business with a large advertising budget or a start up, you want to use those bucks wisely. Allow for more frequency by determining and utilizing the least expensive method of reaching your customer. Frequency is important because not everyone is viewing a given media precisely at the time your message is running. You want to be sure that a given media reaches your potential customer. Just reaching large numbers of people doesn't result in effective marketing. (See Pay Your Advertising Agency More Than They Ask). I love it when a TV sales rep tells my client that their station reaches half a million people. That's great, except that my client's audience is within 3 miles of his location. A good media plan requires as much creativity as the ad you're running. Your product may not need mass media. In fact, in certain cases, a viral approach or public relations might be in order. PR is certainly the most cost-effective and credible form of marketing. The fact that PR appears to be written by a third party, makes it more believable to the consumer. My last point here is on budget. Think of your advertising budget as an investment, not a cost. Allot a number to it for a period of time and stick to it. Advertising and its message is a building process that takes time and repetition to work.

Step 4: Knowledge is Power   Earlier in this newsletter we mentioned opening a dialog with your customer as an effective means of developing a position for your company. The more information these customers give you the easier for you to know where you are in their hearts and minds and where you need to be. Social media opens this dialog in a much more personal and informative manner than pure paid-for advertising. This form of marketing allows for a real-time dialog. Every communication vehicle should contain a call to action. How else would you be able to judge the effectiveness of your ad? That call to action may come in the form of sales, sales inquiries and information capture. Remember that even negative comments are beneficial in planning future developments of product and marketing. Oh yeah, test your message, test your media and test your products relevance.

Step 5: Know Your Competition A good starting point in attacking your competition is knowing as much as you can about them. Figure out which competitors are the most successful and why. How do they market themselves? What media do they use? Determine the market share they own. Will you take market share from them or develop a market of your own. In the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, Al Reis states that if you can't be first in a category, pick a category in which you can be first. Be inventive in developing ads that position your company against everyone else. This allows for smaller companies to compete with the big boys. Their are three types of ads to make your point against your competitors.(See You Don't Need a Bazooka to kill a Fly). The Testimonial (make sure the person giving the testimonial is credible and not just a famous celeb with no connection to your product). The Product Demonstration (show how the product works and all the benefits of using it) and the Side-by-Side comparison (this will show why your product is the better choice). You may want to conduct in-store surveys and focus group research. I would suggest using a professional to accomplish this research.

Let me conclude with a short example of commitment to understanding one's product and customer. I had an old advertising buddy who was passionate about advertising as I am. His agency picked up a grocery product account. After working a full day at his agency, he swept floors in a grocery store. All the while, he watched customer behavior and the choices they made. Perhaps even asking a few questions of shoppers. That's a committed advertising guy. Needless to say his agency is one of the most successful in the state.

The Fear and Loathing of Advertising (Part 3 of 3)

In Parts 1 & 2, (Fear and Loathing of Advertising (Part 1) (Fear and Loathing of Advertising (Part 2), I talked about fear that resulted from changes in the economy and the media. In Part 3, I'm going to discuss the failures of my own industry. Sad to say, after 45 years in this business, it doesn't surprise me that advertising agencies are often loathed. (Why Advertising Doesn't Work) Let's start with a problem that's become prevalent in today's economy:

The Proliferation of Advertising Agencies

The downsizing of larger agencies has often led employees who were let go to start their own "agencies". They may be talented graphic designers, IT people or even copywriters, but does that make them an advertising agency? Do these ambitious new "agency heads" possess a thorough understanding of marketing - or do they offer only their own, limited perspectives? Can they show you resumes of successful campaigns and explain the strategic rationales that went into them, or are their portfolios merely "cool stuff that won awards for creativity" (but not necessarily business for the clients)? (Can a Grease Monkey Build a Spaceship?)

Poor performance here can sour the most forgiving client. Is this caused by a lack of knowledge of proven advertising principles, as might be the case of a start-up agency, or is it pure laziness, sometimes displayed even by larger agencies? Good Advertising takes work.

There are agencies that prefer to dive right into developing clever creative rather than taking the time to explore the benefits of the client's offerings and how they align with their customer's needs and wants.  (Forget Madmen, Hire the Corleone Family)

Which brings me to poor performance. It would be like hiring an architect to design you a house, and rather than listening to your needs, he designs what he likes because "he's the expert." Then you come to realize, after spending lots of cash, that the house doesn't function like you wanted it to.

The same sort of thing has happened, unfortunately, to companies I've interviewed. They've hired pompous ad people who promised more than they delivered. I can't tell you how often potential clients tell me that they spent $$$ on advertising and can't tell me what they got from it. Please! No matter whom you're working with, demand a return on investment. If You Can't Measure It, Don't Buy it.

The most loathsome of all of  ad agency sins is overcharging.  I'm not sure when or why it's happened, but it is a reality. Greed certainly has played a role. Because they could get away with it, many agencies have charged exorbitant rates. They found they could charge outrageous markups and that retainers didn't have to correlate with time and materials. And their clients didn't challenge them. Then the recession hit. I think every business should be accountable for their charges and fees. Sure, surgeons don't charge by the hour, but for their knowledge and skill. Ad agencies rarely save lives. Hell, most don't even save companies! I wish that at advertising award ceremonies, the campaigns that win would be judged by what they accomplished rather that the cleverness of the approach. There, I've said it. Please don't get me wrong. There are some great agencies and ad people out there. The ones worth their salt are truly special and should be rewarded accordingly. You can find them. It means doing your homework. It's too bad there's not an Angie's List for ad people.

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