This Saturday's Video: Playing with Poop?

Ok, like most other girls, I went through my Barbie phase.  I also love cute little doggies. And I try to be environmentally responsible.  But today's video leaves me wondering, was Mattel really targeting our little brothers with this one?  Check out this commercial from Mattel featuring Barbie and her dog Tanner.  And tell me, who would this appeal to most, boys or girls?

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What's In a Brand?

Just pick up any marketing or advertising trade publication, or visit the numerous websites focusing on these industries, and you'll come across endless articles about the brand.  I've have read many definitions of what a brand is, even what it is not.  I've also found that there are as many different definitions, or interpretations of what constitutes a brand, as there are experts.  My own definition is really quite simple.  A brand is the essence of your business, represented distinctively and consistently.

Is Your Business Being Hurt By You?

Running your own business has been a lifelong dream, and you've made it a reality.  You're giving it your all, being the chief cook and bottle washer, not to mention the incredibly long hours.  But for some reason, you are not building the kind of loyal customer base that's critical for long term success.

Well, maybe you're overlooking something that customers actually notice right away. Are you running a sloppy business?  I'm not talking about things like dirty windows, or tall grass, but the finer details which help to create the all so important image of your business in a customer's mind.  Here are three areas that you can not afford to neglect:

Don't Cast a Wide Net: Targeting Just As Important for SMBs

Two of the following three statements are valid.  Do you know which one isn't? 

1. The weak economy is taking a very tough toll on SMBs.  
2. Streamlining is very important, but shouldn't include eliminating your marketing/advertising budget. 
3. In a tough economy, targeting your marketing/advertising is wasteful--you should cast a wide net. 

If you chose number 3, then you're right.  As tempting as it might be to stretch your marketing and advertising dollars by spending it any and everywhere without consideration of your target market, it's a mistake to do so.

It's of critical importance that you identify the consumers who are most likely to buy your product.  And those are the consumers who are most likely to benefit from your product or service.  If you take the approach of buying ad space in the local car club magazine because the price is very affordable, but you are selling shoes, then you're probably wasting valuable ad dollars.  Sure, you may attract a couple of people that will by a pair of shoes, but because you failed to hit your target, your return on investment will likely be negligible. 

Even larger companies can make the mistake of failing to target their marketing efforts.  Simon Dumenco writes in Advertising Age about the likely advertising miscalculations of  daily deal-maker, Groupon, which is currently hemorrhaging cash.  Which makes the point that employing a targeted approach to any marketing or advertising campaign, not only is the best way to reach those who are most likely to buy from you, but it also helps to avoid wasting precious resources on people who are not interested or ticking people off with another "pesky ad".

In a previous post on this blog, 10 Ways SMBs Can Engage Customers in a Tight Economy, in point number two, I said that you should be diversifying your marketing/advertising.  Remember, that means spreading your dollars around--some social, some traditional, etc., but not doing so without a strategy to reach your target--there is a difference.

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This Saturday's Video: Rhett and Link Strike Again!

Today's video brings together two things that I really like;  Commericals by Rhett and Link, the Commercial Kings and low-budget local commericals.  BTW, would you get your hair cut at this salon?

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10 Ways SMBs Can Engage Customers in a Tight Economy

Daily Mentions returns from it's break today.  Thanks for stopping by.

Yesterday, Bloomberg reported that more than one million self-employed Americans decided to shut the doors to their businesses due to the recession.  According to Kristin Arslen, president and chief executive officer of the Washington, D.C.-based National Association for the Self-Employed, diminishing opportunities and few customers are behind the failure of so many small businesses.  Despite the promises made by politicians, few are able to simply wait for the eventual economic turnaround.

However, according to Arlen, some small businesses are actually thriving in this anemic economy.  These are businesses that have been awarded state and federal contracts, or are in the healthcare or technology sectors.  Good for them.  But what about the majority of small businesses that don't get

This Saturday's Video

One passenger on Amtrak apparently did not like the "quiet car" restrictions.  As you'll see from the video, not only is she unwilling to abide by the rules, but she is "very well educated."  If she came to you for advice on how to repair her image after being caught on tape behaving badly, what would you recommend?



DAILY MENTIONS POSTINGS WILL RESUME ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011

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Physical Store Equalizer: Making Online Stores Pay More

Here's a question for you:  Should retailers that have brick and mortar stores pay less for the products they purchase from manufacturers than their online competitors do?  I ask this question because I recently read an article by Rafi Mohammed, a pricing strategy consultant, and author of The 1% Windfall: How Successful Companies Use Price to Profit and Grow .

Mr. Mohammed says they absolutely should. In the Harvard Business Review article, he shared an experience he had while shopping for a television set last Christmas to illustrate the point.

"I searched around online, and settled on a highly-discounted model from an Internet retailer. Before buying it, I stopped in at Sears to check its selection. A helpful sales associate came by to talk about my choice. I'd focused on brand and pixel clarity as my primary criteria. The associate explained why I should also focus on other attributes such as the refresh rate (important for fast moving images) and LED backlight (which provides brighter display and greater contrast). That brief tutorial made me rethink my purchase — and in retrospect, he saved me from buying a model I'd have regretted."

For years, we've been told that people are willing to pay premium price for great service.  But according to Mr. Mohammed, that idea may soon be a thing of the past  As it was demonstrated in his television shopping example, perhaps people want the best of both worlds.

 "It's time for a new system in which manufacturers help compensate physical retailers for the value they bring to the sales proposition. They can do that by offering brick and mortar retailers lower wholesale prices than their web counterparts. I call this discount the Physical Store Equalizer, or PSE," added Mohammed.

I think Mr. Mohammed's idea is interesting but I think it somehow goes against the grain of a free market system.  Retailers that own physical stores will do what they've always done, come up with new and better ways to attract customers.  Maybe they'll even come up with innovative ways to get information-seeking customers to commit. And what about online operations, wouldn't that penalize them for not having a physical store?  I'm not quite sure, but PSE just seems to over-reach in the quest to equal the playing field.

So what do you think about the Physical Store Equalizer theory?

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This Saturday's Video

Chances are there are lots of interesting stories that you can share about your business. Marketing your business is not always about the direct sell. Have you thought about sharing the things that your company is doing that are outside the sales channel? What about charitable and volunteer participation? Do your employees play in a league? Share your stories with the world. Invest in a digital HD video camera such as the Hero from GoPro. For less than $300 bucks you can capture all the action in high quality high def. And for another couple of hundred dollars, you can purchase a piece of stabilizing equipment to avoid those annoying jittery shots. If you want to create effects, trim scenes, add text or play with transitions and more, use video editing software, such as Cyberlink's PowerDirector 9 Deluxe (less than $50). You'll have a professional looking video that will add another dimension to your marketing efforts when you place it in your social networks.

Considering the fact that you run a small business, would it be worth your time to produce a video to showcase a non-sales activity?

Ringing Up Sales with Long-Form Advertising (Part 2)

In part one of this post (yes, I realize that it was nearly two weeks ago, and for that I apologize to you) I covered long-form advertising for television. In this post, I want to talk about using long-form advertising, or infomercials or paid programming, on radio. Having been a radio talk show host for many years, I have a special fondness for radio. I really like radio for both the intimacy and the immediacy of the medium.

The problem with most infomercials is that they come off as one big sales pitch. Of course they are, but I think that stations, both radio and television, do their advertisers a disservice by having a more-or-less "hands-off" approach to this form of advertising, which by the way, helps to shore up a station's bottom line. By "hands-off" I refer to the common practice of accepting the advertiser's cash, but doing little else in terms of production value, or anything else that might help to make the paid program successful.  I fully understand that there are legal considerations, thus the need for disclaimers, but still, stations could do so much more to help advertisers with their infomercials.

A few years back, when my nightly program was cancelled to make way for a nationally syndicated show, I was eased over to weekends and fronted a few paid programs. I decided going in that I would approach the new gig quite differently than paid programs traditionally are done. I talked with the client and told him that I had some ideas to help make his show sound better. He liked my ideas and they worked very, very well. I worked with this particular client for nearly two years. Along the way, I also worked with a couple others and each time, I approached them with my ideas, and each client enjoyed tremendous success.

I took those strategies for radio infomercials and I then developed them into a proprietary system which I use with my clients that want to produce a radio infomerical. In short, a successful radio infomercial depends on many of the same variables as a tv infomercial: the product should be something that people will want to purchase; the pitchman (or woman) must know the product thoroughly, and the pitch person doesn't necessarily have to be you.

The keys to success when doing a radio infomercial is to play to the medium's strengths; as best possible, try to create a show that is as seamless as possible from the station's format, and finally, don't hard sell, relax and talk just as you would to a friend about your product or service.

Take a listen to an infomerical that I "co-hosted" where the client was selling real estate and financial services. I selected this particular show for this post because there were some technical problems--and that's the kind of thing that can happen when doing live radio.  I think that a more organic approach actually appeals to listeners more than a highly scripted show.  Unfortunately, there's no capacity for inserting an audio file with Blogger, so, you'll have to follow the link to my website, and near the top of the page, right next to the Blogger logo is a media player, click play to listen to the infomercial.

What do you think are the pros and cons of infomercials?

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This Saturday's Video

I've discovered a very sweet treat for gummy bear lovers the world over.

Would you partake of this confectionery behemoth?

Ringing Up Sales with Long-Form Advertising (Part 1)

There are many options when it comes to advertising.  But here's one I bet you haven't thought much about, long-form advertising.  Long-form advertising, also known as an infomercial, has helped to make many entrepreneurs wildly successful.  Of course, they are still many others who have gone bust while attempting to sell a new product with an infomercial,  Personally, I like long form advertising.  It gives the advertiser a lot more time to talk about the benefits of the product. And depending on the medium, consumers can ask questions and get an immediate response.  Compared with a :30 or :60 second spot, consumers benefits more from an infomercial by having access to more information, seeing how a product works, being able to ask questions and hearing testimonials.  In terms of cost, it comes down to content vs. frequency.  I'll talk more about this in the next post or two.

However there are a couple of  non-negotiable factors that must be in place in order for an infomercial to work. First, the product or service should be something that people will want to buy.  Sounds obvious right?  Well it's not.  Do you remember the Slumber Sleeper or the Beer Burglar Alarm?  Exactly.  Next, you need a pitch person that is both knowledgeable and passionate about your product or service.  Although it's your product/service, it doesn't mean that you're the best person to front your infomercial.  You might want to consider a paid spokesperson.  This is someone you'll compensate to represent your product or service.  The late Billy Mays is a great example of a very successful paid pitchman.  He was best known for his association with OxiClean, but he also represented several other products.

If  however, you embody the passion and presence for tv, then hosting your own infomercial is the way to go.  The one person that personifies a successful television infomercial salesman is none other than Ron Popeil. In fact, I consider him to be the king of the television infomercial, a marketing/infomercial genius.  Mr. Popeil's inventions have been bought by millions, but that never would have happened without his incredible talent to sell in the long-form advertising format.  I encourage you to read his bio.  He learned a great deal at his father's knee, but Popeil mastered the art of selling in an infomercial.   Popiel took his father's inventions, the Chop-O-matic and the Veg-o-matic and made them household names.

 Popiel also introduced us to the Popeil Pocket Fisherman (I really wanted one of these),  Mr. Microphone (I really, really wanted one of these),  and the Showtime Rotisserie (not that I needed it, but I wanted to be able to just "set it and forget it").  There are about a dozen other products from his company Ronco, that Popeil has successfully sold using infomercials.



But wait...there's more. In part two of this post, we'll take a look at radio infomericals, including one in which I co-hosted.

Have you ever purchased a product that was advertised in an infomercial?

Another Way Technology is Leveling the Playing Field

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, in business, technology is really the great equalizer. Small and mid-sized businesses can compete in ways they never would have been able to just a few years ago. They can pretty sell anywhere they choose, tapping into previously unapproachable markets. If you sell soap, the Internet allows for a global client base. No longer do the mom and pops of the world have to sit back and dream about expansion. Anyone with a well-designed website that has quality shopping cart software, and the appropriate fulfillment and distribution systems can have the same web presence as a multinational corporation.

Marketing and advertising options have also greatly improved for SMBs thanks to technology. And the one device that I believe holds the most promise going forward is your cell phone. A great example is text marketing or Short Message Service (SMS). In fact, SMS marketing is one of the fastest growing marketing channels, and for good reason too. Mobile phones are everywhere; audience measures on mobiles are 9 times more accurate than the Internet, and 90 times more so than tv.

The benefits are quite significant; when a mobile user texts your business, it's to request information or participate in your offer, so that's even better than permission marketing; you can get started for well under $100; you can create promotionals that require a quick response--and get it; you can develop creative promotionals that require an action such as forwarding your text to a friend, and of course the mobility factor can greatly increase traffic into your place of business.

Are you currently using text marketing? If you haven't thought much about using text messaging in your marketing plan, then perhaps it's time to consider it. Send me your feedback.

This Saturday's Video

I'm still here, but according to California preacher Harold Camping, not for long.  Today's video features a report on Rev. Camping's prediction of the rapture, but more importantly (far more importantly) is the fact that Rev. Camping seems to see all the hoopla as a good thing to give his church more attention, and at the end of the report, you'll also see they've made arrangements to collect more money on the heals of this publicity.  So the question is, "Is any publicity really good publicity"?  Let me know what you think.

Back To Business

I'll post a new blog tomorrow.  I've just about recovered from sending two of my daughters to prom this weekend.

Thanks,

Deborah

National Small Business Week is May 16-20th

Each year, the Small Business Administration sets aside one week as National Small Business Week (NSBW) to recognize the nation's small businesses.  There are approximately 27 million small businesses in the US, and they account for the creation of between 60-80% of all new jobs.

Throughout the week, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC is where the SBA will recognize the achievements of outstanding small businesses, present speakers from government and business who will address topics such as procurement, financial assistance, social media, exporting and growth strategies.  The cost for the full conference is $550, but you can also select specific events to attend that are priced separately.  But you don't have to go to DC for the SBA's conference, you can watch a live webcast.

In just the past couple of days, I've heard radio commericals from banks offering special packages for small businesses as a promotional tie-in to NSBW.  In a web search, I also found other businesses offering special services to small business for NSBW, such as Sam's Club, which is offering a range of services and product discounts.   Any time is a good time to take advantage of a great offer, and with the economy still struggling to recover, it's good to see increased efforts to support small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy.

Will you participate in any organized events for NSBW?

Do-Not-Track Online Act of 2011

In some ways, the internet is still a new frontier. While we all know how to surf the net, the steady emergence of new technology and applications, keeps privacy advocates scrambling to find ways for consumers to maintain their anonymity (or as much as possible).

So it's no surprise that privacy advocates were elated to learn that Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) has introduced the Do-Not-Track Online Act of 2011. This is not the first federal bill of its kind (on the state level, California is considering similar legislation), but this one would allow consumers to "opt out", preventing ad companies and other networks from tracking their online activities. Chris Calabrese, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) legislative counsel, called Rockefeller's bill "a crucial civil liberty protection for the 21st century." But Do-Not-Track should not be compared with the Do-Not-Call list which prevented marketers from calling consumers. Rockefeller's bill is designed to prevent consumers from receiving targeted ads, but they will still be exposed to some ads.

If passed, the legislation would have far-reaching implications. Most notably for the online advertising industry and for mobile phone networks, both of which are key players in targeted behavioral advertising. The bill would allow for service providers to collect information needed from consumers to provide a particular service, but once that service has been provided, the information must be promptly deleted. It is likely that most consumers will welcome added online privacy protection, especially in light of the recent news that both Apple and Google were collecting data on the location of users of their respective mobile phones.

As both a consumer and member of the advertising/marketing industries I can see where both sides are coming from. However, one question that I would like answered is how will the proposed changes impact small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) that advertise online? SMBs use targeted online advertising such as Google Adwords, disproportionally more than bigger companies. If lots of people choose to opt out, what sort of impact will this have on the online advertising efforts of SMBs?

This should be interesting.

Do you support the Do-Not-Track Online Act of 2011?

Direct Mail and 2D Code, A Match Made In Heaven

I will resume posting on Daily Mentions on Thursday, September 1, 2011.

I am re-posting the following since I received feedback following the original post that 2D Code was out of the reach of small businesses. I personally reponded to those who took the time to send me an email. As I stated, 2D Code is yet another tool for marketing. Here's the post, and as always I welcome your feedback. See 'ya on the 1st.

Today, small and mid-sized businesses are approaching marketing and advertising much like large companies; they are using a multi-tiered approach. Today we'll look at direct mail. It may seem that direct mail has taken a backseat to social media, and in a way it has. Everyone's talking about social media. There are forums, seminars and webinars to help us learn new and better applications for its use. But direct mail has not been idle.

Increasingly, we're beginning to see direct mail marketing incorporating technology. Savvy marketers are embedding their brochures, envelopes, fliers and postcards. Embedded code is helping to improve cross media marketing, and can increase your direct mail campaign ROI.

If you haven't already, you can expect to start seeing tags embedded with two dimensional (2D) code being used in direct mail. Two of the most popular are QR code and Data Matrix. Both are 2D codes (as opposed to the older 1D barcodes). Data Matrix actually preceded QR code, but holds only half the number of alphanumeric characters as QR code. Data Matrix is believed to be more secure than QR code, but Data Matrix doesn't use Japanese characters (Kanji). And since the Japanese are wild over QR code (it recognizes Kanji), it has emerged as the preferred code there, and increasingly, here in the US.

2D codes can contain text, URL or other data, and is readable by a dedicated barcode scanner or a camera phone. This is an example of 2D code:

This little bitty square is beginning to change the game for direct mail. I think of it as bringing your mailer to life. For example, let's say you own a shoe store. You're planning to mail large postcards to advertise your summer shoe collection. The postcard includes a QR code that has been encoded with your website's URL. When the postcard is scanned, visitors will be directed to your website where they can see more selections. Maybe you have a discount pin number on your site that can used for your 12 hour sale. If the scan was done by a mobile phone, there's a chance that the user is in his or her car and will head over to buy. Or perhaps an aspiring recording artist hands out business cards with a QR code which when scanned will send the user to a mp3 stored online to hear his music. Just think of the possibilities.

You can create your own 2D code. There are numerous code generators (especially QR) available for free online. Just do a google search. Sometimes for a fee (and sometimes there is no fee), you can get added features such as code tracking, editing and analytics.

It's this kind of cross media marketing that is helping to level the playing field for SMBs.

How would you use 2D code in your direct mail campaign?

This Saturday's Video: What Are They Talking About?

So you don't think you're a communicator?  Think again, everyone has something to say.  These adorable twins apparently have important business to discuss.

What do you think they're talking about?

Live Chat This Saturday...You're Invited!

Join me for a live chat session this Saturday morning at 9:00 to discuss ideas about marketing and advertsing for small- to midsized businesses and non-profits. I hope you'll join me. I'll share what I know, but I'm also looking forward to hearing your ideas and gaining insight from you as well.

Thanks,

Deborah

An Advertising Opportunity that Small Businesses Shouldn't Miss: Pt. 3

So, why is Facebook the leading destination for web advertisers eventhough they have only average clickthroughs?  And why do I believe that Facebook is a great place for small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) to advertise? In a word, I think it's because of "friends."  Research (and lots of it) shows that social media and peers influence purchasing decisions.  This is a big difference between Facebook and say, Google for example.  Granted, Google is a search engine, not a social media site, but therein lies the difference.  And it's not just Google, the same can be said for AOL, Yahoo, or any of the others on the comScore Ad Matrix list. Yes, they have better clickthroughs, but if we're talking influence, then Facebook has the clear advantage.

Google has many positives.  One that immediately comes to mind is that when people put in keywords to search for something, it's for something they want, and probably sooner rather than later.  Google does a great job matching your ad with the users' search queries (of course you provide them with the info and must bid on placement order for your ad), and their tracking tool for conversions is excellent.  Google Places is also a great tool for promoting your business.

But Facebook takes targeting to entirely different level.  There are numerous targeting option available.  You can target by geographical location (and even micro target this option), birthday, age (exact or broad), sex, workplace, likes and interest (the sky's the limit here), colleges, universities, college majors, education, friends of connections, you can build a community around your business, you can add images and do much more. Plus, there's the option for people to "like" your business which can be another influencer. 

Small businesses spend approximately $12,000 on advertising, with $2,300 dedicated to online advertising according to the Borrell Associates survey, Outlook 2011: SMBs Everyody's New Best Friend.  Without question, making Facebook a part of your online buy can be a great investment.

I want to be clear, I'm not here to promote Facebook or to be unnecesarily critical of any of the other web publishers.  My purpose is to offer SMBs information that will help you accomplish your marketing and advertising goals, while maximizing your resources. 

I've had this article, Social Network Marketing: What Works? on my website for sometime, it's a short read and very relevant to this post. 

If you're using Facebook for advertising, what was your experience like?

An Advertising Opportunity that Small Businesses Shouldn't Miss: Part 2

In part 1 of this post, I mentioned that there's a shift taking place in online advertising, and that the shift can have a positive impact on the advertising and marketing efforts of small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) and non-profits.  The affordability of online ads can help you expand your advertising campaign.  I hope that if you're already using media, you have incorporated online as part of your mix.

But if you're not, for as little as $50 you can test how well online can work for you (actually, this can be done for much less, but spend at least $50 for better testing analysis).  For a small amount of money, you can start advertising online, increasing your exposure in a meaningful way.  However, it's important to note that buying media, whether tradional or new, requires a knowledge base.  In other words, there's more to it than simply buying space. Knowing the difference between CPA and CPM or various display media channels is critical to your success.   Learn as much as you can or hire a company to work with you.

But the shift in online advertising comes from the battle for market share between top web publishers.  According to data from comScore's Ad Matrix,  Facebook has emerged as the leader garnering more than 31.2 % of the 1.11 trillion display online ads in the fourth quarter of 2010.  This represents a 23.1% increase over the third quarter.  Here's the breakdown (percentages represent market share):

Facebook 31.2%, Yahoo 10.1%, Microsoft sites 4.8%, AOL 3.0%, Google sites 2.5%, Turner Digital 1.6%, Fox Interactive Media 1.1%, Glam Media 0.9%, CBS Interactive 0.8%
Viacom Digital Media 0.8%

The above data represents big players, but there many others to choose from, and in a competitive market, buyers are in the position of strength--even with so-called fixed rates.  So don't cast off this information as only being important to large advertisers.  As I mentioned in part 1, small and mid-sized business owners are quickly becoming the belles of the ball. Your small ad dollars matter in a big way.

When it's all said and done, getting conversions is the bottom line for your online campaign.  One thing that really jumps out at me about the comScore list is that although Facebook is in the number one position, their ads are known to have lower clickthroughs (that's when a visitor actually clicks on your ad and goes to your website) than the industry standard, about half (according to Webtrends).  So what's behind the popularity of Facebook for advertising?  It's really not a big mystery, but I think the answer bodes very well for SMBs.  Well take a look at this in the third and final part of this post.

Have you used online advertising before?  If so, did it work for you?  If you haven't, why not?

Daily Mentions Housekeeping

I just received a very nice email from a visitor to this blog who wanted to let me know how much he likes Daily Mentions.  However, said that he would have left his comments on the blog, but didn't because he didn't want to establish a public profile at the time. 

I  appreciate knowing this because posting was initially set to allow comments with or without a profile.  For whatever reason it didn't (probably because I'm constantly making adjustments and didn't save the option).  

But you can now comment with or without a profile.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks,

Deborah

An Advertising Opportunity that Small Businesses Shouldn't Miss: Pt. 1

Being in the business of providing marketing and advertising services to small- to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) and non-profits, I know all too well the hesitancy that many prospects have(whether they explicitly express it or not) about spending money on "those things" in a tough economy. But it's not just small businesses, large corporations are also cutting back on advertising and marketing. When reading trade publications or participating in online industry forums, it's apparent, everyone is feeling the crunch. Which also explains why many of the big agencies are now courting small businesses (which they once routinely ignored).

However, I tell propects and clients alike, that they need to advertise, because it's NOT a non-essential item. Personally, I believe when it comes to advertising, small businesses can actually use an economic downturn to their advantage. Here's why, most businesses cut back or stop advertising during a downturn. But if you continue to advertise, guess who comes to the consumer's mind first when it's time to make a purchase? Another advantage of advertising in a tightened economy is that you'll get a good deal. Most reps will be happy to negotiate with you.

But there's another reason to pony up your advertising dollar; online advertising. Online advertising is what many small businesses already use, and now a very interesting shift in the landscape is taking place. This shift, which I will discuss in my next post, should be cause for any SMB to get really excited about planning their next online campaign. But I'll give you a couple of hints, cost and customization.

I want you to watch the short video below from Borrell Associates. They're talking about their survey, 2011 Outlook: SMBs Become Everybody's New Best Friend (you can get the survey on their website, but it'll cost you). If you've never advertised online, you need to. Funny, it took a survey for the large agencies to learn what those of us who've been serving small businesses already knew, online advertising works well for small businesses AND it can be really affordable.

On a scale of 1 to 5, for small and mid-sized businesses, how important is having online advertising in the mix?

Poll Results and More

Thanks to all who participated in my poll. The question was: Would you start a business in today's economy? The results split this way: 50% responded Maybe, if I could get a loan, and 50% responded No, nobody wants to spend money.

On another note, later this week, I'll have a live chat session. It will be a discussion for anyone interested in marketing and advertising tips, and sharing their experiences in this area. So if you own a small business or a non-profit, planning to start a business, if you're promoting a product, service, book, radio show, entertainment career or whatever, we'll talk tips and strategies. Watch for the date and time. You can also subscribe to my blog and I'll send you an advance notice.

One final note, I've only had this blog for a little under a month and have gotten nearly 700 page views, which I think is fantastic, especially since this blog is primarily about marketing and advertising. However, there are no comments. I would love to hear from you. I think commenting is a great way to share ideas, discover what others are doing and a good way to brainstorm.

Help me grow this community, send a friend a link to Daily Mentions:
http://debrowemedia.blogspot.com/

Thanks,

Deborah

This Saturday's Video: Tootsie Pop circa 1970

For this Saturday afternoon's video I've selected a classic Tootsie Pop commercial. I used to get so frustrated by the owl. I wondered "why did he have to bite it, couldn't he have done like the others and simply said I don't know?" Honestly, I'm even getting a little worked now after seeing it again. Did you think it was okay for the owl to bite the kid's Tootsie Pop?

Poll: Would You Start a Business In Today's Economy?

Please take a moment and respond to the poll. It will remain open until 12:00 a.m. May 2nd. You're also invited to join me for the upcoming live chat session. Subscribe to my blog, and I'll send you an advance notice of the date and time.


The Poll is now closed. Thanks for participating.

Super Pitchman Elmer Hauldren Dies

Elmer Lynn Hauldren who was known to millions as the Empire Carpet Man, has died at the age of 89 years old. In the early 70's while working as a copywriter for Empire, Hauldren auditioned several people to represent the company as on-air spokesperson. As fate would have it, the best person for the job turned out to be Hauldren himself. A native of Evanston, IL, Hauldren helped launch the company's jingle "5-8-8 2-three hundred, Empire". Over the years, he would remain associated with the Empire commercials. However in recent years he did not appear in the spots. Instead a computerized likeness was used, though he continued to do the voice work.

In addition to his long association with Empire, Hauldren was also a member of Chordiac Arrest, a barbershop quartet with whom he made several recordings.

The decorated WWII veteran was the father of six children, 18 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Thank you Mr. Hauldren for a job well-done.

DIY TV Spots: Part II

In my last post, I provided some basic steps for a do-it-yourself television commercial. As mentioned, you have a few options if you want to take on this responsibility.

This next option for creating your own spot eliminates a few steps and can mean even greater savings. There are a few companies offering online spot creation services, the best of which I've seen so far is Spotmixer.

DIY TV Spots: Are They Really the Way to Go?

The best way to save money is to spend less. Whether it's the family budget, or the national budget, keeping a rein on spending makes sense if saving is your goal. But what about a small business, with limited resources, that wants to advertise on TELEVISION and keep costs low? First of all, good for them for not eliminating or drastically reducing the advertising budget. Ironically, many small business owners target their advertising budget when belt-tightening, despite the fact that advertising is the best tool for driving sales.

But if a company wants to run tv spots while keeping costs low, they have some options. One particular option that we'll look at today is to do it yourself. It goes without saying that just because you're frequently called on to bring your camcorder to family functions, won't guarantee that you are the best person to actually shoot your commerical. But if you decide to take on all the jobs necessary to make your commerical, be sure that you can be very objective about your work.

Here are the basic steps:

1. See what your competitors are doing. Watch for commericals for products or services that are similar to yours. See what you like or don't like. Think more about the concept, because on a small budget and running your own production (without any prior experience), you won't be able to replicate the more expensive productions. Make some calls to local advertisers and ask them how their commericals are working for them and ask for advice.

2. Plan. Establish your budget. Research costs to air your cmmercial There are many factors to consider here: Broadcast or cable tv? Will you have a 30 or 60 second spot? How often do you want your spot to run? What time of day or night? Identify your unique selling position--why propects should buy from you instead of your competition. Decide what your goal is: Is it to make people aware of your business or to promote a particular product or a sale? Or both? Be sure to include a call to action.

3. Write your script. First decide on the type of commercial you want. Will if be funny? Will there be someone on camera or will you only use still pictures or video with a voice-over. Will you be on camera or hire someone? Will you show the exterior of your business or shoot it on the premises? Write for everyday conversation is a good rule of thumb. Of course if your product or service is specialized or unique in some way then use easy to understand terminology. Don't forget to mention your website or have it (and your social media buttons) added in post production. Write and read aloud what you've written. Time your spot.

4. Produce and edit your spot. Again, you will not save money by using your camcorder--it'll cost you more because the results won't be broadcast quality. This means, you'll either have to hire a freelancer (not your brother-in-law), a production company, or use the production department of the televsion station that you'll be running your commercial on. Discuss post production with your videographer before production begins. Even if that person or company doesn't edit your commercial, get a recommendation, along with costs and be sure to check out samples of their work. Post production is not the time to leave your commercial entirely in the hands of someone else. You'll want to be in the editing suite to make decisions about what stays in and what gets left out of your commercial.

5. Buy your airtime. If you thought the first four steps were challenging, not quite. This is where the real challenge begins for the uninitiated. Your goal should be to consistently get as much airtime as possible in decent time slots. Don't buy the first thing that's offered to you. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. The television ad market is very competitive. They want cash, and you have cash, which gives you a great negotiating position. However, there are details about buying tv airtime that an experienced ad buyer would know, such as which months are cheaper to buy and the days of the month when the rates are better. Rates are even discounted per program. You can request this information from the station, and they are required by law to provide it within 72 hours. Buying time from a cable operator is actually easier and allows you to spread your money around (more channels), for less money than broadcast channels (but you should still negotiate). Just remember, you want as much saturation as you can get, therefore don't spread yourself over too many channels if it means that your commerical will only air once or twice a day per channel.

The process is not cost-free but you can save money by doing this yourself. On the other hand, today, production costs can be very reasonable so you can save time and more by hiring a company to handle everthing.

Would you rather shoot and place your own commercial or hire a company?

This Saturday's Video

Last week's video was the kind of video that's actually a good video, despite being a bad video. I can't say the same for today's selection. It's BAD! And after you watch it, you'll know why.



I've oonducted several searches for Gary's but they keep ending up at a dead end. Which is actually a relief...I'd hate to think that any small business owner would intentionally try and offend so many prospects.

Can Postal Service Win with Money-Back Guarantee?

What would you say if the company that you were considering hiring for your advertising campaign told you, "We guarantee that your campaign will be successful, or we'll refund your money?" I think you'd say, "Come on now, what's the catch?" That would be a good response. But what would you say if the U. S. Postal Service promised to refund your money if your direct mail campaign failed?

This is exactly what the Postal Service wants to do (at least for a few big spenders). According to the Associated Press, the Postal Service wants to launch a test next month called Mail Works Guarantee. Under the proposal, the Postal Service would select 16 companies that spend $250 million dollars annually on advertising, but very little of it on direct mail.

And why would this struggling agency make such an offer? Because they are missing out on a huge chunk of ad revenues. "The top advertisers in America represent $90 billion in total expenditures for media advertising," the Postal Service noted in its proposal for the test. Of that, they currently get about three percent.

Under the plan, the Postal Service will help design individual direct-mail campaigns, and each company would agree to mail between 500,000 and 1 million first-class or standard mail items at regular prices. The company and the post office would work out the goal in advance and how success would be measured, and if the results failed to reach that level, the company would be entitled to a credit of up to $250,000 for its postage expenses. The refund would not cover printing or production costs.

The 16 companies will represent a cross section of companies. These include, retail, fast food, automotive and consumer products among others, with mail ads designed to accomplish such things as improving product sales, increasing store traffic or bringing more people to web sites.

Before testing can begin, the proposal must first be approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission.

I say good for the Postal Service. They are an independent agency, which means they don't rely on taxpayer dollars, and they've been hard hit (and increasingly so) by the internet. This is thinking outside the box. Let's hope it works.

Dress Your Website for Success: Choose the Right Colors

Have ever logged onto a website and immediately thought, "This is a nice website?" Whenever I come upon a great looking website, I have high expectations that my actual experience with the company itself will be a good one. There are a number of elements that go into making a great website. From the basics, such as using the right fonts and point size, to custom features like e-commerce with FedX or UPS delivery and social media integration.

While you may not be able to add much that your web developer doesn't already know in terms of your website's functionality, you should work closely with your designer when it comes to creating the look of your website. If you're going to build your own website, be sure to get lots of feedback from others using a blind test. In my last post, I talked about the importance of choosing the right color for your personal brand. And as you may have already guessed, color is also very important in creating a website that your potential customers will find appealing.

It can be tempting to take the position that "It's my business, I'm paying for the website, so I'll choose the colors that I like for my website". Big mistake. Your website is not for you, it's for both your potential and existing customers. Remember, research shows that people make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment, or product within 90 seconds of initial viewing and that between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color alone.

Take several things into consideration when selecting the colors for your website such as the type of product or service that you offer. Are you selling high end fashion jewelry or cakes? What gender are you targeting? Will there be more men or more women, or about even? Does your market expect a company like yours to be more conservative or less conventional? Perhaps your company is a combination of things such as a high end bakery for the weight conscious? Take a long hard look at your company and your market, but careful not to use too many colors.

And don't work yourself up over this. Yes, researchers, color theorists and marketers all agree about the relationship between color and psychology, just remember, this isn't an exact science.

For lots more information on selecting the right colors for your website, read Special Report - Color Attracts: Increase Your Sales by Choosing the Right Colors by Connie Casparie. The 25-page report provides a step-by-step method for selecting the right colors, and includes a helpful chart matching types of businesses and color schemes.

What colors would be really hard for you to use or avoid on your website?

What Color Are You?

What color are you? I'm talking about your brand color. It's something that can be easily overlooked, but shouldn't be. For years, marketing professionals have applied their knowledge of the psychological effect of colors when branding for large corporations. Who doesn't know about the golden arches or Big Blue? However, I must admit that I associated the orange ball with "I-N-G", long before I even knew what ING was (just in case you still don't know, ING provides financial services).

Carefully selecting your color when branding is important whether you're branding a company, product, service, or yourself (you don't have to be a celebrity to have a personal brand). Lots of research has been conducted and shows a strong relationship between color and marketing. Research from CCICOLOR Institute for Color Research, reveals that people make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment, or product within 90 seconds of initial viewing and that between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color alone.

Color theorists have more extensive descriptions of value judgements and color, but here's my Cliffsnotes version.

WHITE – purity, peace, contentment
BLACK – boldness, seriousness, elegance
Gray or Silver – high tech, authority, practicality
GOLD – wealth, prosperity, happiness
BLUE – sanctuary, faithfulness, confidence.
RED – warmth, power, excitement
YELLOW – spiritual, happiness, warmth
GREEN – freedom, healing, tranquility
BROWN – richness, politeness, helpfulness
ORANGE – contentment, pleasure,
PINK – gentleness, romance, well being
PURPLE – royalty, spirituality, dignity

In my next post, I'll look what colors have to say about your website.

Insecure About Your Marketing Communications Strategy? Don't Be

The clients that I usually work with are small businesses and non-profits. My experience has been that when these clients are ready to spend money on advertising or marketing, they are ready. They know what they want to do, though not necessarily how they want to do it (which is why they hire a professional). About a year ago, I began noticing something that could present a new challenge--prospects and clients have become much more knowledgeable of marketing communications strategies.

For years, I've encountered clients that are very knowledgeable about leveraging traditional media, but now I'm finding that more than a few are knowledgeable about social media, mobile media, cloud based environments, apps, SEO and yes, even the importance of content. Which in and of itself is a good thing.

Naturally, when your bottom line is the bottom line, you want to make sure that every investment yields a return. You want to take advantage of opportunities to increase sales, retain existing customers, engage new ones or whatever your goal happens to be. But I suspect that some prospects are not just interested in maximizing their resources or getting the best return on their investment, but are feeling a bit like David in a world of advertising and marketing Goliath's. Mainly because there are so many strategy options, and they don't want to miss out on using them.

A good case in point is a former client from a few years ago (who I'll call Mike). Mike recently expressed an interest in working with us again. He said he really liked our work, but this time around, he wanted to expand his marketing mix. Mike is very much a hands-on guy. When we last worked together, he was involved in every aspect of his campaign. Which is great, he's a very smart guy. But during our recent conversation, Mike talked about things like "integration" and "multi-platform" marketing. And how certain he was that "having an app will bring in lots of business", and most importantly, how we needed to "do whatever they're doing now that works."

It's the "whatever they're doing now that works" that prompted a series of follow-up conversations with Mike. I needed him to know that we'd love to create a marketing strategy that compassed it all. But I also needed Mike to think more about his business, his market, his clients and his budget. My point was that what works for large corporations that are trying to reach massive numbers of consumers, or even small companies that offer very different services, won't necessarily work for his business (small and local).

I know he immediately understood, but remained unconvinced. Mike believes that his growth is directly tied to having a market communications strategy that encompasses as much technology as possible. He wants to do what industry publications, marcom bloggers and other so-called marketing gurus say must be done in order to have a successful campaign.

I don't agree. I still believe that first and foremost, successful campaigns have a few irrevocable elements. First the business owner must have extensive and realistic knowledge about their business, their brand, their market, their marketing/advertising goals and their budget. The people they hire must soberly take that information, interpret it, build upon it with research, develop strong messages, possess the knowledge to choose the appropriate channels, and the ability to measure effectiveness.

It's not that I have a problem with new media, technology or clients who know what they want. But I can see a new challenge emerging where potential clients that have been sold on the idea that they can't win without employing the latest marketing trend, will have to first be sold on the idea that successful campaigns are built on good old fashioned foundational elements.

As for Mike, he'll likely go with a company that will give him what he wants. They'll probably burn through his budget pretty quickly, but at least he'll be trendy.

This Saturday's Video

This video from Carl Hogan Automotive in Columbus, Mississippi is said to be one of the worst ever. But I beg to differ. This is one of those commericals that's so bad, it's actually quite good. If for no other reason than it's a low cost, local spot, that uses humor (self-deprecating), parody (Hee-Haw), and demonstrates creative flair with the characters' names. Do you give it thumbs up or down?

Are You Really Thinking Outside the Box?

It's Friday night, which means it's my chance to engage in a little random thinking (and just think, Friday night used to mean club night). But these days, it's how I indulge myself in a little personal luxury. This may seem like a small thing to call a luxury, but actually, it's not. Random thinking is thinking about...whatever, sans the pressure of decision-making or prioritizing. A random thought that I just had is "what does thinking outside the box really mean?'

I know what it's supposed to mean; being creative, unconventional, even fearless. But it seems that this phrase is used all the time. At work, bosses are always saying things like, "you need to think outside the box" or "around here, we think outside the box". Advertisers tell us to think outside the box and buy their products. Politicians promise to think outside the box to find solutions. It just seems that everyone is thinking outside the box, or at least they're claiming to do so.

But how much outside the box thinking are we really doing? Has the term gone from being a call to creativity to nothing more than motivation speak for employers? Or another one of Madison Avenue's successful catchphrases? Or just a people-pleasing platitude spoken on the campaign stump? Of course I'm generalizing, because there are certainly companies, both large and small that enjoy successful breakout marketing and advertising campaigns. A great example of an outside the box ad campaign is the Old Spice commerical series. It was a bold move to abandon the old captain, in favor of a sexy, semi-clothed, young man (of color). The creatives behind this ad didn't even make the product the focus of the ad. And of course their shrewd use of social media catapulted the ads into the stratosphere and atop many industry lists as being the best ad of 2010.



But success stories don't happen because of some declaration of outside the box thinking. I'm convinced that true outside the box thinking is demonstrated when we conceive new ideas, methodologies or strategies; resist fear in our planning and execution, and show true courage by being committed to them.

Just a random thought.

Turning Up the Wow Factor with This Special Invitation

It's that time of year again. Brides-to-be across the land are mailing invitations to their upcoming nuptials. Wedding invitations are not just invitations, most couples (or at least the bride-to-be) undergo a painstaking process to find that special invitation. They want invitations that say things like "elegant", "fancy", or "unique". I've been the recipient of some pretty outstanding wedding invitations--the satin ribbons, the caligraphy, the rose petals--pretty impressive stuff. Heck, my own invites weren't too shabby either.

But I've come across a video that demostrates what can only be described as the "mother of all unique wedding invitations". Invented by Karen Sandler and Mike Tarantino, a Grammy-nominated audio sound engineer,the paper record player plays a song recorded by the betrothed couple. Read more details at Kelli Anderson's blog . Sidenote: I just discovered that Mike Tarantino recorded the Oscar Meyer WeinerMobile-Girl song.



Paper Record Player from kellianderson on Vimeo.

I'll admit, the audio quality is very tinny, nearly causing my ears to bleed. But the designer has a solution to this problem. The recipients can pop the “flexi-disc” out of the wedding invitation and play it on a turntable (do they still make turntables?), where it’ll play just like any other record.

Overall, I like it. There are so many possiblities for it's use as a marketing tool. Not only would this be great for musicians and singers, but anyone hosting a special event, grand opening or a product launch can customize their invitations with a song or spoken word.

Would you use a paper record player invitation?

Engage or Ignore? How Do You Respond To Street Team Marketers?

We've all encountered street team marketers. We see them at concerts, clubs, on the street or at the mall passing out samples, performing or simply chatting up potential customers. In my previous post, I shared my favorite encounter with a street team. Granted, they were promoting a well-established brand, Oscar Mayer, one that I'm fond of, so I was more than willing to give them my time. And they really turned up the cool factor by traveling in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.

Guerilla marketing, which includes the use of street teams has grown in acceptance as an important part of the marketing mix. In fact, for some companies the use of street teams has become a real tour de force of their marketing efforts. Red Bull should immediately come mind.

But what about you? How do you respond to street teams? Do you stop to hear what they're talking about or rush to pass them by? Let me know by posting a comment.

Memory Lane

In my last post, we looked at Street Team marketing. Later in the day, I started to think about one particular Street Team event that swept me into nostalgic bliss. It was probably 20 years ago. I was out on lunch, walking across the Daley Plaza in the heart of Chicago's loop. Across the plaza, I saw an familiar vehicle parked at the curb. I knew it well, eventhough I'd never seen it in person, and the last time that I even saw it on tv, I wasn't even a teenager yet.

I got so excited that I began to double-time it, making a beeline to this iconic symbol of fun and deliciousness. As I approached the vehicle, a perky young lady from the Street Team approached me and asked if I would like special gift? Was she kidding me? Could there really be a perfectly grilled Oscar Mayer wiener steaming inside a special compartment of the Weinermobile? "Sure" I eagerly responded. And she told me to step over to the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile.

I wasn't the only one delighted to see the Weinermobile either. There were 50-60 other friendly folks who had gathered around, just as excited as I was to get close to the giant frank on wheels, and to get our prize. Funny thing, I don't think there was a child in the entire bunch, after all it was lunch time in Chicago's business district. No, this crowd was there to re-connect with a simpler time from long ago. I know this because several of us sang the popular Oscar Mayer wiener jingle without hesitation--not a care in the world.

Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener
That is what I truly want to be
'Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener
Everyone would be in love with me.


The Oscar Mayer Street Team members were real pros. They cajoled us, laughed and applauded us, extinguishing any vestige of embarassment that may have been lingering. Aa for the prize? It was even better than a smokey weiner on a bun. The Street Team members handed out official Oscar Mayer weiner whistles!

I blew a short note and quickly placed mine in my purse. I'd said it before, but this time I really meant it, "lunch time is just too short".

Taking It To the Streets: Street Team Marketing

Today, it's common to use street teams as part of the mix of a marketing campaign. But just a few years ago, the music industry was practically the only industry using street teams. Record labels would recruit fans and volunteers to help promote their artists' music at the "street level", that is to say, directly to the consumer. The street teams would be dispatched to clubs and public events to hand out fliers, hang posters and talk up the artist.

Steet team members could be easily identified by the t-shirts and hats they wore, which were provided by the record labels and usually emblazoned with the artist's name, the name of the album and the label's name. In exchange for their work, the street teams were gifted with label merchandise and music, free tickets and access to label-sponsored events. Although you couldn't pay the bills being a member of a street team, for the diehard fan, being a part of a street team was a dream come true. Today lables expect more from street teams. And they're getting more. Steet teams post on message boards, manage websites, write reviews, and call radio stations to request songs.

Street teams are now used by a wide variety of industries. They are hired to promote events, products and services; demonstrate new technology, create atmosphere, or basically anything a creative marketing or advertising plan calls for. They are also favored by small business owners and other savvy entreprenuers not only because of the wide range of prices, but they create grassroots buzz.

The growing popularity of street teams has resulted in the emergence of street team companies, and the professionalization of the street team model. When hiring a street team company, they will identify your target and assemble the right team for your project. You can expect to work with a team leader or captain who will develop a plan/strategy, an advertising buget and work with third party service providers (printers, ad agencies, etc.)--most companies will try to secure as much free advertising as possible.

Some street team companies function more like special event or advertising companies. They can produce elaborate outdoor events, light shows, they'll handle logistics, drive vehicles wrapped with your customized advertisment or digital message, you name it, all while team members are passing out your samples and talking up your company. I even know of one company whose street team members wear t-shirts embedded with small flat screen televisions promoting the client's business.

It's easy to be wowed by the many creative things that today's street teams can do. Just remember, the glitz and technology are great additions, but the most important thing is to hire people that are friendly, energetic and genuinely like working with the public.

This Saturday's Video

It's the weekend, and the way I like to spend it is relaxing (unless of course there's shopping, chauffeuring, yard work or something else around the house that needs to be done).  So I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite videos. Enjoy! ADVISORY: Contains language

Exactly Who Are You Marketing To?

It’s been said that nobody can toot your horn better than you. If you’re investing time and money in a venture that requires exposure, such as operating a business, launching a product or service, promoting a book or even brokering a radio show, then you are probably all too familiar with this axiom. 

In an ideal world, your marketing and/or advertising needs would be turned over to a team of creative professionals, dedicated to your campaign’s success.  But alas, this is the real world, so the job of building awareness is just one of the many hats that we wear. We need people to know that we exist.  We need them to know what we do, how well we do it, and why they should do business with us (or read our book, or listen to our radio show). So you launch a marketing campaign.  

Here’s where things can get a little tricky. You work hard designing all the requisite collateral; email, sales brochures and other print products,  PowerPoint presentations, web content, product data sheets and so forth. You're making sales calls, you’ve even made a few presentations, but sales remain elusive.

So what’s the problem?  Your marketing materials contain the most impressive facts about your venture:  the numerous awards…the storied history of the business…the enviable sales volume…the fact that you were the first to offer a premium brand or that the mayor shops at your store.  There’s no question about it, you have lots to boast about.  But perhaps that’s exactly the problem.  Simply put, you’re doing a great job of communicating why you’re important, but you’re not communicating why you’re important to your target.

If you’re going to spend the time and money to do your own marketing, then it’s imperative that you first conduct market research.  Without the proper insight of your customer base, it’s impossible to communicate value to that target—not your value, but what the target deems valuable.  For some it’s cost.  For others, it’s time, or perhaps it’s something else still.  But you’ll have to first gather information about your market.. Learn all you can about your target market (and your competition for that matter).  You should know who, what, when, where and most importantly why, before you launch your campaign.  It’ll be well worth your time to spend a few hours at the library or online gathering this data, conducting a few surveys and making calls.  Once you’re armed with this information, you’ll then be able to develop an effective marketing campaign.

Maximizing Your Marketing Efforts on Facebook

Facebook has become a favorite destination for anyone wishing to market a product, service, organization or even themselves.  And why not?  It's very functional.  You can post photos, videos, links and customize your page with an assortment of applications, just for starters.  If you are conducting a campaign, you can send updates--even targeting those updates by age, gender or location, set up an events calendar or engage in discussions.  With an investment of time and creative energy, you can succeed in the all important areas of branding, customer engagement, new customer acquisition, reputation management and lead generation, the very things that make a marketing, advertising or public relations campaign successful.

Thanks to a study conducted by Buddy Media, Facebook's marketing firm, we are learning more about best practices for posting on Facebook's brand pages.  Yesterday, we looked at a finding from the study which showed why customized URLs are important for extending a user's length of engagement.  Another key finding is that we should KISS our posts.  Not literally of course, but keep it short and sweet.  According to the study, posts containing 80 characters or less on average, had a 27% higher rate of engagement than those with more than 80 characters, however, these accounted for only 19% of all posts.  This can be a real challenge because we have so much to say, and of course it's all so very interesting. Perhaps one solution might be to post more often, using shorter posts.  Think Twitter, or maybe that's think micro Twitter since you can post up to 140 characters there.

Other key findings from the study:

• Thursday and Friday are peak interaction days.  The rate of engagement jumped by 18%.  More people commented and "Liked" posts on these days. (Data from Facebook reveals that there are actually certain days when we are happier and Friday appears to be that day as activity on the site jumps by 10%.  Read more about the Gross National Happiness Index.)
• Monday through Wednesday, engagement rates dropped by 3.5%, and by 18% on Saturday.
• As for the time of day, the Buddy Media study reveals that 60% of posts are made between 10:00am and 4:00 pm.  However, engagement rates are 20% higher outside of traditional work hours. "By posting within business hours, brands miss the critical opportunity to get the visibility they need for maximum engagement," according to the report. "So schedule posts to appear early in the morning or late at night. Don't publish simply because you're in front of your computer," noted the report.

Other recommendations from the report include:

• Avoid the hard sell.  Use promotional keywords like "winner" and "events" rather than the more direct terms "contest" or "coupon.
• Keywords like "how," "who," "what" and "when" are useful for driving interaction -- but "why," is not. "'Why' has both the lowest 'Like' and comment rates and may be perceived as intrusive and/or challenging,"
• Be direct in asking users for "Likes" and comments.  Place questions at the end of a post (rather than the beginning or middle) to increase the chances of getting a response. Posts ending with a question have a 15% higher engagement rate.

The bottom line:  Facebook can be a great tool for business.  But don't just rely on the site's bells and whistles, use a strategic approach to your Facebook campaign to maximize your marketing efforts.

Facebook Marketing? Full URLs vs Shortened URLs

Facebook's marketing firm, Buddy Media, conducted a study to determine the best practices for posting on the social site's brand pages.  During a two week period, Buddy Media examined the wall posts, including the "Likes" and comments on the Facebook pages of 200 of their clients.  I found one of the findings of the study to be particularly interesting.  The study found that full length URLs in posts had three times the length of engagement than those using a shorter URL.  This is interesting because URL condenser sites such as bitly and TinyURL!  or QR Code generators, allow users of Twitter and  mobile platforms to save coveted space.

So what's the reason?  "It's likely because the 'indicators' a user normally gets from reading the text in a full-length URL are missing with a shortened URL," according to the report.  So where does that leave the savvy marketer?  To get around that problem, the report suggests using a condensed URL that still includes some brand identification in the Web address instead of simply a series of numbers and letters.

For example, our web address is http://www.deborahrowemedia.com/.  But if we use a URL condenser, say bitly for example, it becomes http://bit.ly/fkgpNa.  However, if I select bitly's "Custom" feature, I get a customized shortened URL like this http://bit.lydebrowe/. 

Coming up, I'll have more results from the Buddy Media study on attracting and engaging fans on Facebook brand pages

Best Practices for Success in Social Media

It's been nearly 14 years since the first social media site appeared.  According to information experts Danah M. Boyd of UC-Berkeley and Nicole B. Ellison of Michigan State University, SixDegrees.com allowed users to create profiles and list their friends.  Today, while the list of social media networking sites continues to expand, there remains little in the way of formal social media etiquette.  That is, until now. Digital marketer Sean Rusinko has written The Social Media Constitution, which he offers as social media governance for digital marketers. Here's the preamble:

“We the People of Web 2.0, in order to form a more perfect online community, establish relevance, ensure user-friendliness, provide for fresh user-generated content, promote related web content of our peers, and secure the Blessings of inbound links to ourselves, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Social Media of the Internet.”

Rusinko's social media constitution also includes seven Articles that encompass key behavioral ethics that can be quite useful for anyone wishing to make a positive impact in new media.  Read more.