I Traded a Gun for a Stick

I TRADED A GUN FOR A STICK

Trading a gun for a stick might seem like an odd transaction to be discussing when my Sticky Notes are usually about marketing. Let's look at the complete story and the reasons why this tale is completely relevant. One Christmas when I was 10 years old, Santa brought me a brand new Davy Crockett cap gun. It was the shiniest, coolest toy I had ever received. It gleamed with authenticity and functionality. It was the cap gun every little boy wanted at the time.

After drooling over it for about a week, I finally built up the nerve to take it outside to show my young cowboy buddies. Living in the Bronx, I could conjure up 10 or more friends with little effort. Each one of my buddies was completely in awe of my new toy. Most of my companions also received some form of cowboy or Indian paraphernalia that Christmas. This, of course, quickly led to a high-energy game of Cowboys and Indians. I was the envy of the entire group, except for Little Al. You see, Little Al was small in stature, yet large in street smarts. His family was always struggling financially. As I remember, he was the only kid who would get a used bike from Santa. On this particular day, Al, who didn't have any cowboy or Indian stuff, had found in the park where we were playing a remarkable tree branch.

After he meticulously peeled away all the bark and carved a fairly convincing handle at one end, it was the coolest stick I'd ever seen.

Although the stick was silent, didn't shine and had no working parts, there was something about that stick. Al had to add the sound effects to make the stick convincing as a gun. It wasn't until after the game of Cowboys and Indians that the stick really began to show its magic. Throughout the rest of the day, Little Al's stick became a wand, a spear, a walking stick, a bat and an air guitar. On the other hand, my cap gun needed caps. Once the caps were gone, my gun was just a prop. Little Al's stick, however, was so much more. All that was needed was a bit of imagination, and Al had it. Can you guess where I am going here?

I traded my gun for that stick!

Little Al understood the benefits of offering a convincing Value Proposition. Definition of Value: the worth of something in terms of the amount of other things for which it can be exchanged or in terms of some medium of exchange. Monetary value is not always the value of something to its end user.

So, my little story now brings us around to the real message of this email. What is a Value Proposition and how do we create one for your service or product?

As a marketer, my goal is always to fashion my client's Value Proposition to fit the audience - just like my decision to trade with Little Al. The value of the stick became more and more appealing, as my needs changed throughout the day. Al recognized this and knew how to position his stick by selling its benefits. Not everyone in our gang would have been open to the trade. I was Al's perfect customer, and he knew it. After all, even then, I had an active imagination and loved creating things.

The first rule in creating a Value Proposition is understanding your customer.

This comes from securing customer feedback. Do the research. The more you know about your customer, the more likely you are to develop a message that answers his or her needs. My answer was to have a toy that I could play with all day, and didn't need caps. What you establish may not be for everyone. It should, however, resonate with your best customers.

"Things only have the value that we give them." - Moliere

The next rule is to develop a Value Proposition statement to be used as a blueprint to maintain a consistent message in all communications. In today's fast-paced, media-driven society, it's critical to deliver a message that cuts through the mustard quickly. Whether you're using traditional media methods or social or electronic media, a clear and concise Value Message will create a position for your offering in the minds of your potential and existing customers. Be sure to share the things that make you unique. Share this proposition internally with your employees as well. Don't under estimate the importance of getting employee buy in.

Everyone in your company can be a salesperson at any given time.

Most importantly, don't get caught up in selling primarily on price. The benefits of a product to a customer must transcend its cost. Does your product make the consumer more beautiful, healthier, smarter, sexier, etc.? What can be said about your product that your customer can experience? Make your customer understand what you are promising that your competition can't. The result will be a sustainable message, successful for now and into the future. Remember, your customer has many alternative products to choose from. Can you answer the question in ten words in less, customers when they ask, 'What's in it for me'? What Value Proposition will make him or her buy from you?

"Price is what you pay. Value is what you get." - Warren Buffet

So, who really made out better? It seems it was a win-win situation. Little Al and I both received the value we wanted. The cost of the trade was never an issue. Of course, my mom had a different take on all this. She made me return the stick and get my cap gun back-she just didn't get it. She wasn't Little Al's customer.

Forget Mad Men, Hire the Corleone Family

FORGET MAD MEN,

HIRE THE CORLEONE FAMILY

That's right. Who needs a mamby pamby bunch of whining ego maniacs like those at Sterling Cooper Draper & Pryce (SCD&P), on the TV show Mad Men. Are they really concerned about helping their clients, or are they more interested in satisfying their own desires? If I were choosing a group to handle my marketing, I would much prefer an organization with an understanding of how to be successful. I'm talking about the Corleone family run by Veto Corleone (The Godfather).

His style was to eliminate the competition and win over customers by "Making them an offer they can't refuse". Sometimes the offer came in the form of financial reward. Other times, it was offering the benefit of a strong and trustworthy partnerships. Perhaps this was even more of a benefit than financial reward. Corleone knew what he was selling and why people wanted it. In all cases, the Corleones used the tried and true strategies that brought success to all their endeavors. From the very beginning, Corleone understood the power of BRANDING. He had the guts and the smarts to devise a plan to eliminate his most dangerous competitor, Don Fanucci. (The Black Hand of the controlling mafia).

Corleone built a Viral Marketing campaign by directing those who questioned his strength to ask about his reputation through word-of-mouth throughout the neighborhood.

In their own way, the Corleones understood the power of Public Relations, think about the way in which the Corleone family used the press to cover Michael's killing of Solozzo (the guy who tried to have Veto eliminated) and the corrupt police captain. This news story could have been the downfall of the family. PR was and can be an important ally to the family and any company, in order to offset a serious negative.

Later, in Godfather II, Corleone's son Michael tried to reflect his family's corporate stewardship initiative, another form of PR, by giving a significant endowment to a local public university.

The Corleone brand was built on specific attributes. Keeping their ethics high, by refusing to sell that "White Powder", never refusing a favor to a friend and always making money for his partners. This organization didn't take kindly to carousing or spending money wastefully. They spent their time understanding their customers' wants and needs and researching the competition. Luca Brasi, the family hit man, although a failed initiative, was sent to infiltrate the Tattaglia family. His assignment was to gather critical information to help the Corleones position themselves.

"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer".

When the time was right, the organization focused on a Brand Extension by making a move to Vegas. Once again using a viral approach to business growth by getting Johnny Fontane to fill the casinos by utilizing his famous and popular celebrities friends. Sometimes celebrity endorsements work. The most consequential difference between the Corleones and SCD&P boils down very simply to leadership. Corleone's leadership kept the brand consistent and directed, while motivating the entire family. When you look at SCD&P, there isn't a leadership focus with all those egos getting in the way of a singular focus, both for the company and their clients. In the search to create an excellent corporate machine, Corleone eliminated the loose cannons in the organization due to their own carelessness or at the behest of the Godfather.

Of course I wouldn't really want you and your agency to "go to the mattresses" and use criminal and gangster tactics. I do, however, like looking for the marketing strategy behind successful operations. It's fun to think through all the similarities between this great movie The Godfather and the power of Branding, Research, Social Media and PR.

Leave the gun, grab the cannoli.

You Don't Need a Bazooka To Kill a Fly

YOU DON'T NEED A BAZOOKA TO KILL A FLY

Hey Mr. or Ms. Real Estate Professional! As the housing market begins to turn around in the Charlotte region, how does a realty firm like yours increase its marketing efforts effectively, yet affordably? Effective marketing, when planned properly, can be affordable. Sure, today everyone is watching every expense. It is a mistake, however, to view marketing and advertising as an expense. IT'S AN INVESTMENT.

TARGET, TARGET, TARGET The fact is, the right message at the right time to the right audience with the right offer will give you the marketing results you seek. This is precisely why we at Lippi & Co. favor direct marketing.

LET'S START WITH THE FACTS.

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO SELL? I'm not talking houses here; I'm talking about separating your services from the competition. You must think hard as to what it is that benefits your clients by working with you instead of someone else. You'll need to be real creative to increase listings, inquiries and sales. Pick an area in which you are recognized as the expert. These areas may include, but not be limited to, urban, suburban, new homes, condos, short sales, etc. Once you establish that position, own it.

IT'S A BATTLE OUT THERE.

Just like in combat, you'll need a battle plan and strategy. Plan the actions necessary to reach your objectives. If you've done the research and your plan is solid, do not deviate from it. REMAIN CONSISTENT AND ON POINT IN ALL COMMUNICATIONS. Next, develop the tactics. These should include methods necessary to get your message to your target audience. If you can cluster your audience into groups, it will make it easier and more affordable to reach them frequently. Here is where Social Media allows you to cluster your audience and get them talking amongst themselves. FREQUENCY IS KING

LET'S LURE THE AUDIENCE.

The tools you want to use are the ones that cost the least and put you in front of the lowest hanging fruit as often as possible - easy to reach and ready to be picked. By keeping your costs low you can do more. ONE AD WON'T DELIVER THE RESULTS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. Not only should you maintain multiple impressions in a particular media outlet but utilize multiple forms of media. Not everyone is reading, watching or listening at the exact time your ad is running. Please, whatever type of advertising you do allow for a response mechanism which will give you feedback from your potential client and allow you to test your advertising effectiveness. Add every inquiry and contact to a database. Your database should be built from potential customers, current customers, former customers and if possible, your competitors customers. I would suggest capturing email addresses from these groups, allowing for a less expensive form of communication via email. YOU'LL WANT TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR TARGET. Not everyone you reach will be in the market for your services at the exact time they got your message. However, if you remain diligent and consistent, you will be remembered down the road.

AND NOW FOR THE KNITTY GRITTY.

Any ad placed can be easily missed by the flick of a page or change of channel. Your ad needs to be bold enough to command attention and focused enough to generate a response. Trends may come and go, but good advertising never goes out of style. The use of a timely delivered of message will get you the results you want. Capture the customer's interest and get them to buy. REMEMBER IT AIN'T CREATIVE UNLESS IT SELLS.

Sales Begin Before Your Salesman Calls

SALES BEGIN BEFORE YOUR SALESMAN CALLS

This decades-old ad absolutely hits the mark. It was produced by McGraw Hill Magazines and was meant to entice corporate advertisers to think about the power of advertising. You may or may not consider marketing important in this economy. I'm sure you can recognize the difficulty of having your salesman face a cold, uninterested stinker of a potential customer, like this guy. If a company chooses to ignore the benefits of creating a positive brand image, they take the risk of handicapping their sales force when they are trying to make a sale.

Remember, Everyone is a Consumer.

What consumer doesn't want to do business with someone they know and respect? This is why many corporations have found success in marketing their corporation versus purely marketing their products. Customers measure Brand Equity through Brand Associations to determine who the corporation is and what they represent. Are they good stewards? How do they treat their customers and their employees? Are they community oriented? All these factors serve to increase Brand Equity and employee morale. Seeing their company name in the media builds pride among a company's workers. Ok, start from the beginning.

First and foremost you must Set a Clear Objective.

What is it you want your marketing efforts to accomplish? Analyze the task by asking who do you want to reach and what do you want them to do once you've reached them? With all the new electronic media and proven traditional media available, it is critical to choose the most effective and least expensive avenues available. In some cases pure Public Relations may suffice.

There is no one size fits all.

Social and Viral media are very affordable, but may not work to target your audience. Even if these methods reach your audience, they may not be able to stand alone without the support of more traditional tactics.

So, once you determine the task, it is necessary to Establish A Budget.

You don't want to spend more than you can afford. You can't plan the building of a house without the architect knowing the dollars available. Once your architect designs a house, if you can't afford it, he can't remove rooms and expect the structure to stand. The same holds for a marketing budget and plan. After a Budget and Media plan is developed, it's time for the fun stuff. The Creative. Number one, know who you are talking to and what they're looking for. Your potential and existing customers want to realize a benefit from doing business with you.

This benefit is known as the Value Proposition.

This message needs to be easily communicated and understood. The graphics should never get in the way of the overall message. Yes, you want your ad to be noticed, but in a good way. Stand out from the crowd by offering information that the recipient wants and needs. Most foreign firms talk features. They chest pound how they are the best in their category. In the USA it is more important to sell the benefits to the customer. Americans want to know, "What's in it for me?".

Remember, it ain't creative unless it sells.

Always, and I mean always end with a call to action which enables you to collect information. Open a dialog with your audience. The worst advertising is that which leaves a consumer without a response mechanism. How would you ever know if your advertising is working or if you've made the right media choice without feedback? If something is not working after giving it at least 3 impressions, change the message and/or the placement. After over 35 years of being in the advertising business, I can tell you it's not magic. It takes work. Research and Testing are your best friends. Just like any good friend, they will keep you from making the same mistakes over and over.

Sales begin before your salesman calls.

Take the Jekyll and Hyde Test

TAKE THE JEKYLL AND HYDE TEST

I know there are businesses out there that have a fear of working with an advertising agency. They relate the entire advertising agency industry to a schizophrenic mess. A perfect analogy is Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. As you may recall, Dr. Jekyll appeared to be a reasonable, intelligent figure, and his alter ego desired a lustful, evil life causing him to drink a personality-altering potion. Which advertising agency personality are you working with? Let's Have Some Fun.

Compare the two personalities as if they were Advertising Agencies

Dr. Jekyll

Dr. Jekyll Marketing - a well-educated and experienced firm that is not afraid to take risks. Within the group, a culture built on passion for research does exist. This passion drives the entire company to utilize every resource at its disposal to accomplish the desired goals. What a positive example for the type of company to handle your marketing efforts. The extensive research and planning performed would allow the agency to get to the very essence of human behavior in order to be successful. (Understanding their market.) After tedious testing, they will develop a big idea for their clients to attract attention and deliver a measurable response. Knowledge of the subject gives Jekyll Marketing an advantage in analyzing human behavior in order to predict and accomplish a desired outcome. Consider how this agency creates a brand. Everyone knows exactly who and what Jekyll represents and what the value proposition delivers. Basically the company knows the product, knows the audience, what the results need to be and how to get there.

Now Check Out Mr. Hyde & Co.:

Mr. Hyde

After the creation of Dr. Jekyll's potion (or New Product Launch), Hyde & Co.'s personality becomes self-indulgent and ego maniacal. I'm sure you've met the type. They pursue instant gratification, never considering the results. Doesn't this lack of concern for decisions made, based on an individual's own likes and dislikes, remind you of some advertising people? Mr. Hyde & Co. gives little consideration for results, as well as little to no strategy to get there. Perhaps a quick drink was instant gratification for a complicated issue. Check Out Mad Men. It can be construed as careless and sloppy, not to mention the times this group remains incommunicado and nowhere to be found. Hmmm, customer service. The end result is usually disastrous.

In order to avoid these pitfalls, pick the right agency. Forget Jekyll and Hyde and consider reading Robert Louis Stevenson's The Master of Ballantrae instead.

Check out Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Transformation 1932

Don't drink the potion. Call Lippi & Co. at 704.995.9966.

Why Advertising Doesn't Work?

      WHY ADVERTISING DOESN'T WORK?

That's right advertising isn't what it's cracked up to be. All advertising does not increase sales. In fact, bad advertising can actually hurt sales, "OUCH". This comes from an advertising agency professional in the business for most of my life. Bad advertising ignores Positioning, Image and Personality of the product to be advertised. It doesn't focus on one or more human needs. It was probably produced without a true understanding of the product by shortcutting the necessary amount of homework. The proper amount of research is necessary to gain consumer perceptions of the product and its advertising approach. Today, with most companies utilizing the same technology as their competition, in R&D, Production Enhancements and Leading Edge Marketing Techniques, it's imperative to identify and communicate a unique set of benefits to your current and potential customers.

Advertising is a company's salesman when the salesman's not there.

People like doing business with people they like. The poor ad fails to develop a relationship with the customer, their lifestyle and their problems. The content of an ad fails to deliver when it's more puffery than benefit focused.

The important point here is that advertising doesn't necessarily sell products but it builds a relationship between the brand and the consumer.

A successful advertising campaign establishes that relationship which makes selling easier. How a marketing message is communicated is as important as what is actually being communicated. Lazy marketers don't spend the time to find and make a meaningful promise that sells. What is it you want the consumer to believe about your product? If you ignore these basic tenets then be prepared to have your advertising fail.

The truth is good advertising is just as much hard work as it is creativity.

Work hard to concept the "BIG IDEA". Build a personal relationship with the customer. Create advertising that captures attention. The best concepts are lost if the viewer misses it with the turn of a page or the click of a remote. Many ads fail because of uninteresting copy, a hard to decipher message and layout or it's placed in the wrong media. Maintain a consistent message across all media and communication vehicles. Now that you know how to keep your advertising from failing, create a successful campaign and keep it going until it stops selling.

Can A Grease Monkey Build a Spaceship?!?

Can a grease monkey build a spaceship? 

Having a printer create a concept for your collateral or a media rep create your ads is like asking your car mechanic to fly you to the moon.

For years Lippi & Co. has developed communication strategies that are built on a methodology to sell for our clients. As an advertising professional, I am sick of the marketplace being told by printers and media reps that they can handle the creative portion for their clients primarily to sell the ad space or sell printing. If I sound a bit course here, it's only because I am so passionate about what I know needs to be done to ensure efficient and effective marketing.

The media rep, whether print, radio or TV, will tell you that they will create the ad, radio spot or TV commercial for you at no additional cost.This is providing of course, that you pay for the ad placement. Let me explain that if you hire an ad agency, yes, you would have to pay for the creative as well as pay for the placement. What the media rep doesn't tell you, however, is that the person who is creating your ad, spot or commercial, is most often NOT a marketing professional. The cost to you may not be in the form of dollars, but in the less-than-adequate messaging, poor branding, or worse - you may have been sold placement where your target audience can't find you.

With the printer who wants to handle the creative for you, your biggest concern is continuity of branding. If your print message doesn't match your website, and these differ from your radio spots, email blasts or TV commercials, how will anyone be able to connect your advertising and recognize your brand? If you strategically plan your budget, you can spend less, and appear to be everywhere. If your message is consistent, you will be building a recognizable brand as well.

Being true marketing professionals, we base our clients' marketing plans on years of research and spending the time studying the marketplace and learning about our clients' competition. This process helps our clients' position against the competition. Our media planners know how to maximize an advertising budget to deliver the most bang for the buck. Ask your media rep or printer if they're prepared to do this for you. I suspect not.