Don’t Forget Internal Marketing

No matter what the size of a company, business owners and leaders need to remember that internal marketing is just as important as external marketing. While external marketing engages new and current customers, internal marketing engages the employees of the company. Without these employees the company would not run and even if external marketing attracts new customers, who would provide the service or product they have just bought? The employees, of course.

Types of internal marketing

• Employee newsletter (electronic or hard copy)
• Intrasite
• Contests
• Podcast
• Blog
• MySpace/Friendster Pages
• Volunteer Opportunities

Does your company do something internally that is not listed her? Tell us about it! Add a comment to this post and maybe your company will be featured in a future blog post! In the upcoming weeks I will be covering the internal marketing options listed above in more detail. I will also feature any great suggestions or internal marketing options submitted by readers.

Stay tuned!

Kristie Lorette is a freelance copywriter and marketing consultant who specializes in the financial services, mortgage, real estate, event planning and non-profit industries. Kristie holds a BS in marketing, BS in multinational business and an MBA. You can learn more about Kristie and her expertise by visiting her website www.studiokwriting.com.

Word Of Mouth 101

We learned from Amy in an earlier post that word of mouth (WOM) can help companies relay job openings, “Hey, we have a job opening.” And it can also get you in the door, “Hey, I’m looking for a job.” So, we know that WOM helps to increase awareness, but can it help increase focus enough to honestly get the word out?

Awareness and focus on you and your product will carry you a long way if you have a product worth talking about. It must be interesting, engaging; grabbing the attention of the consumer for them to want to utter the product from their mouth. So, how does one make their product the it item to talk about and promote by WOM?

Well the right person to help guide you on that journey is the one man that has taken WOM marketing to a new level. Dave Balter, BzzAgent founder and CEO, has created his latest, The Word of Mouth Manual: Volume II, and not only is it self-published, but is promoted completely by WOM.

Click the link to get to the PDF version for download.

Source

Technorati Tags: Beneath the Brand,TalentZoo,Word of Mouth Marketing,BzzAgent,Dannie McClain,Brand Autopsy

Dannie McClain is a Category Manger with a New Jersey textiles company. In her spare time she also blogs on a personal blog and can be see at Simple Home Basics.

Figuring Out Teenagers

My daughter is isn’t quite a teenager just yet (only 11) but she already embodies the traits of this hard-to-reach group of potential buyers.

A recent study by OTX suggests that while teens aged 13-17 spend about 11.5 hours per day online interacting with social network sites and general browsing, the group still prefers face-face interactions with friends and shopping.

Check out these statistics:

Knowing this information might not help you execute your next campaign, but these types of insights are priceless when you are trying to develop ways to tackle this unique consumer group.

Newspapers: An unlikely helper?

An interesting survey spearheaded by Google, who commissioned Clark, Martire & Bartolomeo to conduct it, uncovered some fascinating information.

While online media keeps reporting the imminent death of newspapers, this survey found that 48% of consumers trust in a product more if, after seeing it on the internet, they see it in a newspaper advertisement. And, for products they may not be familiar with, 47% were more likely to research them by going to their direct URL after seeing them advertised in the newspaper.

I have to admit, I’m not much of a newspaper reader, but when applied to a medium I prefer, such as television, I see how this could work. TV ads that provide more graphics than information and conclude with a web address, peak my interest. I can’t help but get on the computer to find out more.

Based on this survey’s findings alone, one could argue that traditional newspaper ads are still beneficial and not the total loss being reported by today’s competition. Today’s estimated 82 million U.S. newspaper readers might agree. How can the web argue with that?

Playing the mom card

Looks like companies are again reaching into the depths of their marketing knapsacks and pulling out the old mom card again.

We all know the power moms wield in the purchasing world, and in today’s tough economic times companies are bringing the focus back to what potentially could be their biggest supporter: mom.

Disney, for example, will launch a new website specificially designed to capture a mom’s attention with its tips and advice on everything kid related.

McDonald’s is also using the power of moms to help combat its fat-influencer image. Apparently the moms will report on everything from where the company gets its food to how each item is cooked.

Moms are always a reliable marketing source. Their power is tough to ignore.

Apple’s Word of Mouth Genius

I am a huge Apple fan. I started using an iMac about 7 years ago for video and photo editing when I worked for my parents’ studio. I was captivated by the beautiful presentation, the easy to use software and of course, the coolness factor. Today, I am the only Mac user in my office — I convinced my boss to let me switch because I often work from home at night and I was tired of dragging my Dell laptop home where I already had a perfectly good MacBook to use. I share this story regularly — this is Word of Mouth.

Apple gets a ton of Word of Mouth advertising that they didn’t initiate and this Word of Mouth is helping to fuel the Apple revolution.

Case in point: the iPhone. The rumor mill is overflowing with speculation as to whether or not iPhone 2.0 is just around the corner (of course Apple has not confirmed or denied) and even more crazy are all the guesses as to what iPhone 2.0 will bring, check out this video:

These types of videos have been online for months predicting what Apple is going to announce at the upcoming WorldWide Developers Conference (next week). People can’t help but get excited about all of the rumors, regardless of how crazy they might seem.

With Web 2.0 and everyone’s ability to share things like this, WOM is a huge tool for companies to harness. The companies that will succeed using this type of marketing are already putting it to use, just like Apple-it’s all about your fans.

10 million iPhones in 2008, Apple is going to do it.

What’s Your Social Media Flavor

Lee Lefever of CommonCraft has put together another excellent video to explain something that can be complicated and confusing. Below is an excellent video that explains social media in a context that I can totally understand…ice cream.

I appreciate how they show the value to the individual as well as the company. The use of social media by brands doesn’t need to be complex and overwhelming. Give people the tools and the opportunity and they will interact with you and their brand if they are motivated to do so.

CommonCrafts product is explanation. They use video and paper to make complex ideas easy to understand. The paperworks format sets a visual stage that supports the simple explanation. You’re not distracted by special effects and fancy transitions. You can focus your attention on what they’re trying to explain.

For those curious about social media or looking for a way to explain it to your brand friends, enjoy the show and check out more from CommonCraft.

Technorati Tags: Beneath the Brand,Jamey Shiels,Lee Lefever,CommonCraft,Social Media,Branding

Living the Brand: Part IV

Just as the brand is magnified at customer touchpoints, it is also magnified on the other end—by the CEO. Whatever a leader does or says makes an impression. Look at politicians. They can get into trouble very easily by an offhand comment. Their attempts to retract a remark and re-align their affiliations and sensibilities with those that are acceptable in the eyes of the public constitute a repositioning in an attempt to re-establish their brand identity, suffering from self-inflicted wounds.

The same is true inside a company. A former boss once told me of a significant lesson she learned about management—be careful about making offhand remarks to employees. They take what you say very seriously. Position and power magnify the brand, which permeates from the top down, externally as well as internally. In an earlier post, I mentioned that the head of Abt “lives” his brand with his hybrid. He is walking—I mean driving—the talk.

And yet, in our 360-degree marketing world, there are examples of the brand experience being lived from the bottom up. This could be very powerful if the CEO uses the latest management tools to affirm the brand from within. Look at Pfizer’s CEO. Jeffrey Kindler goes on “undercover” rides with his sales reps. They don’t tell anyone who he is, so he gets treated like everyone else. Can you imagine a CEO not being treated like a CEO? A brilliant tactic. He’s probably garnering more information from this method than from his direct reports. This CEO is the incarnation of the living brand.

 

 

When Editorial and Advertising Cohabitate

So I had my second interview today for a small, local magazine. I feel it went really very well. I’m one of three final candidates and I personally know one of the other candidates. Against her, I feel my chances are quite good. I just don’t know who that other candidate is.

Anyway - today I met with three managers, among them the advertising director. I’m going for an editor position, and I must say - I was quite impressed with how integrated the Advertising Department is with Editorial.

I love seeing magazines where the ads fit so harmoniously with the editorial. For instance, reading an article in a food magazine regarding the merits of soy milk vs. goats milk vs. cows milk. Then, at the very end of the article is a grocery store’s ad. Not a generic “come to our store” ad, though. But one showcasing the wide variety of dairy products they sell.

This magazine I’m hoping to work for strives to do this in every issue. Content - both editorial and advertising - working harmoniously to create a cohesive, eye-catching product.

Oprah - the Ultimate Brand Queen

Oprah has been in the news recently (not that she isn’t always in the news for something) for a decline in her viewers. “They (whoever they is)” say that she has alienated some of her viewers with some of her actions, like supporting Obama for president. Putting all of that aside, you cannot deny that Oprah is the ultimate brand queen. Think about it.

Oprah started off as a talk show host. She had a daily talk show like many that have come before who and many that came after her. While most comparable talk shows have ended, Oprah lives on. And not only does her show live on, but she has taken it up a notch. Oprah has extended her empire to include the Oprah Book Club, O Magazine. O Home Magazine, Oprah After the Show, a slew of Oprah products that are sold in the Oprah online store and it just goes on from there.

Not only has Oprah branded herself and created a booming line of Oprah businesses, but she has also helped other companies to prosper. With the mere mention of your product or service on the Oprah show or being included in Oprah’s favorite things show, your product, service and/or company suddenly enjoys its 15 minutes of fame. If that isn’t a branding queen at her best then I do not know what is.

Do You Know the Muffin Man?

His name is Keith Johnson and he has made a Muffin Car: a cupcake-shaped runabout, which conceals a tiny electric all-terrain vehicle complete with handlebars from a Hello Kitty bicycle. You could think of Keith as a lone eccentric, toiling away in his garage, fueled by butter cream, but you’d be wrong. He’s actually one of a dozen or so people who make and race muffin cars.

And they are not alone. In fact, there are thousands of people who are now making things again. Curious, new things, with a real sense of wonder to them. These modern day inventors — half hackers and half mad scientists — have not one but two mainstream magazines: Make and Craft, and even have their own gathering: Maker Faire, where this year, you could see, among the many exhibits, a 17 foot tall robotic giraffe, a life-sized version of the game Mouse Trap, and a live performance from those makers of Mentos mayhem, Messrs Grobe and Voltz, who sent jets of Diet Coke shooting high into the air on the faire’s final afternoon.

So why am I telling you about this? Because these are people on the fringe — and that’s where ideas come from. Poke around the fringes of society and you’ll find real excitement and a real indicator of the future. All of the stuff we take for granted today, like yoga, the green movement and yes, even blogs, were all started way off in the fringes, by a small but obsessed group of people who felt they had found something new and worth pursuing.

Want to think different thoughts, find something that delights, and bring truly new ideas to your work? Then spend some time around the edges, where people lurk, and you too will know the Muffin Man.

Steven Stark is a writer and creative director who doesn’t really care for muffins, but does love donuts, particularly in the workplace. You can see his work and read some of his other musings here.

Newspaper Advertising Is Old News

As of about a month ago, I worked in the advertising business. Specifically, the newspaper advertising business. For one of the largest daily newspapers in our area.

I worked there - until I was laid off. Along with 20+ others, in various departments, throughout the building.

Needless to say, the newspaper business is not doing so well these days.

I specifically saw it in terms of the advertising. Companies and individuals are much more likely to advertise online now. Whether it be for real estate, employment opportunities, or whatever - in-print is no longer the most effective advertising avenue available.

Now, as I job hunt, I see this change in advertising in a whole new light. Flipping the pages of the newspaper - any newspaper - hardly provides me with any viable opportunities. Especially in the field I’m most interested in - writing and editing.

So I look online. And there, I’m successful. There, I’ve found plenty of positions to apply for. Via email, I’m able to get my resume and cover letter off to prospective employers in no time at all.I’m anxiously now waiting to hear on one job in particular.

In the mean time, you’ll find me at my laptop, job searching online.

Wish me luck!

A Heavenly Brief

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little while ago I found a really amazing speech called The Brief for the Sistine Chapel on the English brand planning site www.accountplanning.net.

Written by Damian O’Malley, who is now the Executive Planning Director for McCann Europe, the speech illustrated just how important a brief is to the creative process.

 

In it, Damian imagines the various briefs that Pope Julius II, or the Pope’s account man, Cardinal Alidosi may have given Michelangelo. Each is analyzed for its effectiveness and potential outcome, and the article ends with the kind of brief that has the power to inspire a Michelangelo — or a creative team — to great heights.

 

I was so taken with this that I put it into a PowerPoint presentation, tweaked a couple of words, because, well, I’m a copywriter, and added some pictures to illustrate the results.

 

When I was done I sent it off to my bosses at my agency, where it was roundly ignored! No one said making a great brief, or great advertising, was easy.

 

You can download a copy of The Brief for the Sistine Chapel PowerPoint at www.slideshare.net/stevenstark/the-brief-for-the-sistine-chapel, and may God be with you.

 

 

Steven Stark is a writer and creative director who lives for the thrill of the big idea. You can see his work and read some of his other musings at http://web.mac.com/sdstark/iWeb/Steven%20Stark/home.html

Leading With Insight

Matthew Milan at Critical Mass posted a very interesting presentation to slideshare call Leading with Insight. It is a thought provoking look on how critical it is to be insightful and use it as means to inspire and lead. The presentation gives clear instructions on how approach things in a manner that is thoughtful and creative. Can you and your brand use insight as a guiding principal to identify solutions and provide solutions that are truly amazing?

I would have liked to be in the room when this presentation was delivered.

Sharing Knowledge On The Web Is Good For…

…PR and reputation building.

Whether you are an entrepreneur or a professional, you want to build up your reputation in your field and you want to constantly promote your story. One of the best ways to do that is to share your knowledge.

Blogs are the main way that people are currently imparting their knowledge and expertise but you should also take advantage of “How To” documents, whitepapers and question/answer services like that in LinkedIn. I recently discovered two great sites to share knowledge and wanted to share them with you because they are free and can only help. Read more

Getting down to the nitty gritty for a marketing plan

I’ve been working on a plan to publicize my new book due out this fall and I have to say any campaign is all about the nitty gritty. Whether it’s my own project or projects I’ve done for others, I always pick the whole thing apart. That used to drive one of my clients crazy. “You ask SO many questions,” he’d say. The project succeeded and I saw him a year or so later. “Nobody will ever do it like you,” he told me. Funny boy.  Made me feel very good. My older daughter, shown in the photo with the puppy she adopted from a shelter, served as my imaginary purchaser. She’s perfect because she falls into the consumer group every product pusher wants to target. What surprised her: I didn’t ask her questions related to my book, although her age group is a definite potential purchaser. I wanted a general idea of what makes the purchaser in my daughter tick. “What’s your favorite product?” I asked. Read more

Tips for publicists hoping to snare free coverage for clients

Because I freelance for a number of different print and Web publications, I’m a green pasture for publicists who want to get the word out about their clients’ new products. There is at the moment a neat stack of books and presentation folders with glossy product inserts in a corner of my office. Most of these materials were unsolicited; emails were sent announcing I’d soon be receiving them. Many of the products are worthy. But out of 25 books, I may be able to place an article about one. Of a dozen products, the same rule applies. Add to that the fact I cannot ethically charge someone to do this—I only accept payment from a publication or website whose editor deems the information to be newsworthy. Otherwise, I would break a sacred rule in my profession. Paid reviews are a no-no. Are there times when a recipient who is a writer will rave about your product? How do you urge the recipient’s keyboard to engage? Read more

Can the use of stealth in social media for marketing backfire?

Not long ago I received a call from a publicist who wanted me to write about a product, luring me with the promise, “It’d pay you lots of money.” I explained that if I wrote an article for pay about the product, I’d have to (1) tell the truth about  the product once I tried it and (2) if I did this for pay from a media client,  I couldn’t accept money from the publicist or the manufacturer or distributor. That would be unethical double-dipping. We talked for awhile, and we discussed the use of social media in marketing. And that was that. But I have to confess that I am beginning to question statements and opinions I see on sites like Facebook and Digg. I watch videos on YouTube and sometimes wonder about intent.

On one message board I visit, an individual posted so many messages bashing a political party, I began to wonder if the individual wasn’t a paid political strategist. Enthusiasm for your candidate is one thing; repeating rabid posts in brainwashing style are another. Remember Lonelygirl15, how she fooled the public? Right now social media offers marketing professionals, freelancers and others a more or less uncontrolled plain. But if enough hoaxes are exposed, will that freedom shrink? Shouldn’t we think ahead to the power of the tools available to us and consider ethics? If there isn’t full disclosure, doesn’t that backfire, harming the brand in the long run once the truth outs?
 

Technorati Tags: Beneath the Brand, Kay B. Day, Talent Zoo, social media, advertising, marketing

Web’s iconic brand sizzles as Facebook founder deals with journalist at SXSWi

Guests arrived early at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin on Sunday to see journalist Sarah Lacy from BusinessWeek interview Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg stymied Lacy. He’s not exactly the type of guy who expounds at length or who unexpectedly tosses out corporate secrets. Watching part of the interview, I realized Zuckerberg and Lacy really weren’t a very good fit. Sometimes, interviewee and subject mesh like peanut butter and jelly. At the SXSWi session, these two meshed like peaches on a hot dog.

Read more

Yahoo adds ‘Buzz’ to social news media

With a user base of 500 million according to Wired, Yahoo should see its new Buzz product grow in popularity much like Digg. Yahoo Buzz, currently in beta,  aims to let users choose (“buzz up”) the stories they like; top ranked stories may make the front page.

I spent some time at Yahoo Buzz this morning, and my first reaction was positive. I like the layout much more than I like the layout at Digg. There’s a heavy emphasis on global news and entertainment, and the stories are headlined in a less subjective way. Digg is heavy on politics, and that can get a little wearisome. It’s my opinion that stories at Digg are sometimes lobbed in by organized groups, but that’s an opinion only and there’s no way I can prove it.

Yahoo Buzz presently has stories from New York magazine (one of my favorites, for the quality of writing), Salon and a couple of those gossipy political sites that spring forth like fleas on an untreated dog. It’s my opinion the new Yahoo offering will take off soundly and offer entrepreneurs, hobby bloggers, publicists  and those who work in the advertising industry yet another opportunity in social news distribution.

Technorati Tags: Beneath the Brand, Kay B. Day, Talent Zoo, Buzz, social news, advertising, marketing resources