Archive for the ‘Communication’ Category
What’s Your Brand Promise?
Tags: american marketing association, Brand Promise, corporate culture, customers, execution, expectation, greatness, Internal Communication, promise, vendor communication
Posted in Branding, Communication, Copy/Content, Creative, Customer Service, Employer Branding, Internal Communication, Marketing, Recruitment on October 20th, 2008
The American Marketing Association describes a brand as a ”name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competition.”
I like to simplify that by saying that a brand is a promise. And since it is a promise, then it must also be an expectation.
It is critical that your brand promise is clearly defined and articulated to internal and external stakeholders. Stanford professor and author Jim Collins, speaking on how to develop the brand said, “First figure out your partners, then figure out what ideas to pursue. The most important thing isn’t the market you target, the product you develop or the financing, but the founding team.”
In a down economy, buyers of products and services can’t afford to take a risk. They will stick to the brands that have kept their promise. Although noted here previously, it is worthy of repeating. A well-executed branding campaign delivers a myriad of dividends including:
Giving people permission to buy
Reinforcing preconceived notions
Establishing your promise deep in the subconscious of your audience
Helping you recruit and keep the best and brightest talent
Enabling you to charge premium pricing
Thriving during economic downturns
Easily extending into new markets
Branding is too important to leave solely to the marketing department. Branding is the delivery of your promise. It is why you worked those long hours in a garage before bringing your product to the market place. It is your vision. It is your passion. It is what gets you out of bed every morning. Whether you are the founder, partner or captain of the ship, it is critical that the team understand your vision of the brand promise.
Getting your organization to embrace, proselytize and consistently deliver your brand promise, starts at the top.
Define Your Brand Promise – According to Derrick Daye, managing partner at Brand Strategy, “the brand promise must meet three criteria in order to be effective. The promise must be unique, compelling and believable.”
Identity Must Support the Promise – Your logo, colors, tag lines, sell sheets, press releases, all must reinforce your promise.
Do Your Customers Connect - Assuming that you are targeting the correct customers and prospects, how does your promise affect them? Market research and your employees can help determine the relevance of the promise.
Internal Communication – Can your employees fully articulate the brand promise and the value to your customers? Have your new hires been fully educated on the brand promise?
Partner Communication – Do your channels understand your brand promise? And better yet, have you chosen channel partners that are aligned with your promise?
Corporate Culture - Does your corporate culture support the promise? Critical to success is that all members of an organization live the promise in thought, actions and deeds.
Measure Your Efforts - Peter Drucker said, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Internal surveys, customer benchmarking metrics and peer review, will tell you if you are moving the needle in the right direction
Top Down Execution - It’s your promise. Be sure that you align your communication and activities around your brand promise. Champion your promise with unbridled enthusiasm. You’ll find that it is a highly contagious way to ensure adoption and execution by your team
According to Collins, “focusing solely on what you can potentially do better than any other organization is the only path to greatness.” If you stay true to your brand promise, which is uniquely you, then you are not guaranteed success but you will be on the right path to earning success.
Cold Calls Create Warm Relationships
Tags: cold calling, relationships, sales, thought leader
Posted in Business Development, Communication, Customer Service, Marketing on October 6th, 2008
On those occasions when I can roust myself out of bed early enough, I enjoy a pedal through the park. A recent ride was a bit cooler than expected. I suppose that’s what started me thinking about cold calling.
It occurred to me that everyday we cold call. Whether it is a brief conversation with a stranger on the elevator, waiting for the bus, or at a conference breakout session. In each case we reach out and create a relationship.
So why is it so difficult for us to do it when charged with developing new business opportunities? Perhaps it is because we have been inundated with so many poorly executed sales calls that we feel like we’ll be viewed as just one more.
Breaking out of the pack requires an approach that is WIIFM (What’s in it for me?) focused. When you reach your prospect try keeping the following in mind.
- Before you call, have research or best practices relevant to their industry or business.
- Introduce yourself in one sentence.
- Tell them you want to schedule a 10 to 20 minute presentation regarding your research. Ask them to have their colleagues participate in the conversation. You’ll be viewed as the Thought Leader, the expert resource.
- Close the conversation by asking what date on their calendar works best for them. This approach gets you a “when” answer instead of a “no”.
- When you present, be sure you actually deliver the best practices promised in the cold call conversation. Sharing your knowledge is the first step in the relationship process and the only way you can move a prospect from cold to warm.
Erica Stritch, a business development consultant, offers these cold calling scripts in her blog. I’m passing them along to you. Thanks Erica.
Script #1
My name is John Smith and I am with Smith & Smith, we’re a (insert type of firm). We’ve been scheduling brief phone calls to introduce ourselves and share best practice information. We’d like to tell you how other (industry) companies are…
- Protecting their global shipping operations and ensuring continuous cash flow
- Achieving the best possible efficiencies by connecting all (blank) disciplines
- Using (our client’s special expertise) to create competitive differentiation and capture market share
The information will give you a framework for assessing your situation at (company name). I’m wondering if you’d like to talk with me and one of the partners here at Smith & Smith on October 23.
Script #2
My name is Jane Smith and I am with Smith & Smith – we’re a (insert type of firm). As a part of that work, we have just completed a benchmark study where (industry) firms rate over 350 major suppliers in those areas critical in deciding who they will do business with.
What we’ve been doing as a way of introducing ourselves is to share with some select suppliers survey details specific to you:
- How (company name) rates on six critical success factors
- Where your competition stands in relation to you
- What areas you can focus on that will have the greatest impact on increasing your share of wallet
That’s it. Even if you decide not to pursue this any further than this first meeting, at least you’ll have valuable intelligence as a result. What does your calendar look like next Wednesday or Thursday?
Whether it’s a chat across the fence or across the boardroom, it’s all about relationship building. Becoming a valuable partner instead of a vendor in these very competitive times will ensure that your business will prosper and endure.
I have additional research on how Thought Leadership can help meet your 2009 sales forecast. Is next Monday open on your calendar?
Boomers – The Real Segment Of Choice
Tags: boomers, Marketing, millenials, vespa motor scooters, white papers
Posted in Branding, Communication, Generational Marketing, Marketing on September 29th, 2008
There are 77 million Baby Boomers ages 41 to 59 in the United States and they are leading a generational charge of demanding more information, accountability and environmental responsibility.
Whether you are marketing products or services to the Boomer market they, like Millennials, are accessible, have a strong social network and have a passion for social issues. Unlike Millennials, they generally hold senior positions and are in a financial position to support their personal and professional brands of choice.
When Vespa Motor Scooters came puttering back into the U.S., managers at the Italian company figured their biggest customers would be twenty-something’s looking for a cheap way to get around. But execs at parent company Piaggio noticed something odd as they scootered back and forth to their Manhattan offices: The most enthusiastic sidewalk gawkers were often Boomers who remembered the candy-colored bikes from their youth. It turns out that boomers have lost none of their affection for Vespa. Better yet, now they can afford to buy top-of-the-line models with all the trimmings.
LOOK THEM IN THE EYE
Companies have traditionally used twenty-something models with dewy skin to pitch products made for middle-aged women. The rise in Botox treatments and plastic surgery notwithstanding, many consumers experiencing their first liver spots and crow’s feet are actually comfortable in their skins and pleased to see people who look like them in ads. “As you become older, you’re clearer and more comfortable about who you are,” says Lori Bitter, partner at JWT Mature Market Group, part of J. Walter Thompson Worldwide. “It’s a reality of aging. We want the message at eye level. We may not want it sugar-coated.”
I’M NOT SET IN MY WAYS
Many marketers believe that consumers’ brand preferences are locked in by age 40. Today’s Boomer crowd is just as likely, and in some cases more likely, as everyone else to try different brands within a product category. According to Yankelovich Inc., 33% of consumers older than 50 agree that it’s “risky” to buy an unfamiliar brand. That’s less than the 36% of respondents aged 16 to 34 and only a little more than the 30% of people aged 35 to 49 who agree with that notion.
In some categories, older consumers are even more willing to brand-hop than younger ones. According to a survey by Leo J. Shapiro & Associates LLC for DSN Retailing Today, 48% of shopper’s aged 50 to 59 said they would probably switch brands of consumer electronics, compared with 40% of all respondents.
REACH BOOMERS WHERE THEY ARE
Smart businesses understand that the old media -print, radio, and television-won’t be enough to reach this market. To communicate with Boomers, your business will need to evaluate and choose among a wide variety of online and offline marketing methods.
Boomer media consumption parallels their younger brethren in that it is selective, interactive and highly targeted. Boomers account for one-quarter of US Internet users. Their numbers are growing at 7-8% each year, compared with 2-3% for overall Internet user growth, according to eMarketer.
Marketers will do well if they start with little things.
- The point size of the communication. Aging eyes will spend more time with communication if they can read it without squinting.
- Product claims need to be relevant, believable and verifiable. Offer links to your website to support your claim.
- Boomers have an insatiable appetite for information. White papers, news briefs and relevant articles on lifestyle and business build interest and loyalty for your brand.
Take a close look at your collateral materials message, design and the authenticity of your offer. Then position it where Boomers live, work and play. You’ll find the results to be profitable and a customer that is loyal.
Leadership, Clarity of Message
Tags: clarity, Communication, discipline, diversity, ethics, four agreements, good to great, Leadership, motivation, values
Posted in Communication, Internal Communication, Leadership on September 26th, 2008
Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful. Honor and recognition in case of success.
If every job description was as direct as this one by explorer Ernest Shackleston in an 1890 job ad for the first Antarctic expedition there would be no issue of getting the right people on the bus and most likely in the right seats. However, contemporary business dictates that leaders possess an intuitive understanding of the human psyche and the compelling motivational issues of each member of the executive team.
Understanding the individual executives motivation of beliefs, values, interests, fears, and moral positions provide leaders the strategic insight to maximize executives skills and to ensure that they occupy the correct seat on the bus. In an article on Motivation and Leadership (Leadership.org), a person’s motivation depends upon two things:
1) The strength of certain needs.
For example, you are hungry, but you must have a task completed by a nearing deadline. If you are starving you will eat. If you are slightly hungry you will finish the task at hand.
2) The perception that taking a certain action will help satisfy those needs.
For example, you have two burning needs -The desire to complete the task and the desire to go to lunch. Your perception of how you view those two needs will determine which one takes priority. If you believe that you could be fired for not completing the task, you will probably put off lunch and complete the task. If you believe that you will not get into trouble or perhaps finish the task in time, then you will likely go to lunch.
So how do Level 5 leaders align human resources with the strategic goals of the company? Understanding the motivation of the individual is key. Additionally, there are four tactical hiring strategies.
The first is to realize that a great organization embraces diversity. This is a tremendous challenge because from the moment we are born, we learn about our environment, the world, and ourselves. Author Miguel Ruiz notes in the book The Four Agreements, “Families, friends, peers, books, teachers, idols, and others influence us on what is right and what is wrong based on what previous generations told them.” These early learning’s are deeply rooted within us and shape how we interact and how we view the contributions of people different from us. People who embrace diversity are right candidates for choice seats on the bus.
The second hiring strategy is communication. A quote attributed to Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe says, “No one would talk much in society if they knew how often they misunderstood others.” Effective communication of responsibilities and measurement metrics ensures that the right applicants will fill the job description for each given seat.
The third hiring strategy is self-discipline ¬- the self-discipline to wait, to be patient and conduct a thorough search until the right candidate is found. The second component of the self-discipline strategy is relative to the prospective executive. According to Jim Collins in Good to Great “great companies hire self-disciplined people who didn’t need to be managed”. Thus they managed the system not the people.
The fourth hiring strategy to ensure that the right people are in the right seats is to hire candidates who look beyond task and seek to find their unique contribution to the success of the company. They are not necessarily concerned with where the bus is headed today, but more with how can they keep the bus moving towards it ultimate destination.
Getting the right people in the right seats requires that a Level 5 leader be part psychologist, humorist, teacher, philosopher, and pragmatist. It requires a person who has the vision of greatness and the willingness to achieve that regardless of the time it takes to get there. Getting the right people in the right seats requires an entrepreneurial environment where executives are rewarded for risk taking within the framework of the long-term goal. Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.
Kenneth Boulding in The Image: Knowledge in Life and Society states, “Leaders carry out this process (inspiring executives) by applying their beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge and skills.” Mahatma Gandhi said, “Every moment of your life is infinitely creative and the universe is endlessly bountiful. Just put forth a clear enough request, and everything your heart desires must come to you.” For the Level 5 leader the ultimate quest for filling the seats correctly is the clarity of message.
Are Brand Ambassadors Part of Your Marketing Mix?
Tags: ambassadors, blogs, boomers, millenial, twitter
Posted in Branding, Business Development, Communication, Generational Marketing on September 22nd, 2008
The Millennial generation, born between 1979 and 2001, are the kids of Baby Boomers. There are 70+ million Millenials and they are the nation’s most racially and ethnically diverse generation. The eldest among this group turned 31 in 2008. They have strong opinions on which brands they will buy and for which employers they will work. They are going to have a huge impact on business, culture and social issues that are important to them.
Companies that want to engage this group will find the results staggering. Some 83% percent of Millennials will trust a company more if it is socially or environmentally responsible. 74% are more likely to pay attention to a company’s message when they see that it has a deep commitment to a cause. Yet the most outstanding finding is that almost 9 out of 10 Millennials will switch from one brand to another-price and quality being equal-if the second brand is associated with a good cause.
Anastasia Toomey, vice-president of Consumer Insight, a division of AMP the youth focused marketing agency noted, “Technology has given the Millennial generation complete access to what is happening around the globe. They are attuned to natural and social world-changing events and they have the knowledge and ability to support the brands and causes they believe in.”
In a New York Times article, Jack McKenzie, a senior vice-president at Frank N. Magid Associates, a market research and consulting firm, said the single largest differentiator in this generation from previous generations is their social network.
“What we’re seeing is a whole different relationship with marketing and advertising which obviously has ripple effects through the entire economy,” McKenzie added. “Reliance and trust in nontraditional sources-meaning everyday people, their friends, their networks, the network they’ve created around them-has a much greater influence on their behaviors than traditional advertising.” Thus the birth of social marketing as a discipline within the marketing mix for many brands.
Building a coalition of ambassadors or evangelists is no easy task. However, as the name ambassador or evangelist suggest, the people involved take ownership and want to see success in the brands they choose, causes they support, or the company they work for.
Brands that rely on Millenials are evolving their message strategies and cultural agenda to capitalize on the power of these evangelist and their network to proselytize the brand message across their sphere of influence. Utilizing an ambassador program provides the marketer with a virtual staff for the dissemination of brand attributes. They are a volunteer army willingly spreading your brand’s message.
One of the challenges is managing the message across the multiple media platforms of text messaging, blogs, personal websites, twitter and word-of-mouth. The communication professional must be aware that having total control of the message is impossible with ambassador programs. This is where you will find some of the risk with message management. However the speed of message delivery and access to an often times insulated target audience are two of the benefits of an ambassador program that outweigh the risk.
Words That Work
Tags: content words that work, copy, frank luntz, words
Posted in Communication, Copy/Content, Creative on September 15th, 2008
Dr. Frank Luntz is a well-known political pollster and advisor to the Republican Party. He helped author the language in the famous Republican Party, “Contract with America” and has been a news analyst for major television networks. John Stewart, host of the Daily Show, once referred to Dr. Luntz as an “amoral Yoda” because he provided politicians with messages and language that simplified highly politicized issues.
In his book, Words That Work, It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear, Luntz suggests that there are ten basic rules for communicators.
1. Use small words – The average American did not graduate from high school. “Simplicity counts” something that politicians such as Al Gore, John Kerry and Newt Gingrich could not grasp.
2. Use short sentences – be as brief as you can be, use a phrase instead of a sentence if possible and never use four words when three will do.
3. Credibility is as important as philosophy – Your words must be sincere and match reality. If they contradict accepted facts, circumstances or perceptions, they will lack impact.
4. Consistency matters – The key here is constant repetition.
5. Novelty: Offer something new – “Americans are bored,” according to Luntz, “if something doesn’t shock or surprise us we move onto something new.”
6. Sound and texture matter – The sounds and texture of the words that you choose should be as memorable as the words themselves. Snap, Crackle, and Pop conjure up an instant image of a bowl of cereal.
7. Speak aspirationally – Tell the audience what they want to hear and couch in such a way that it is encouraging the persuadee to want something better. John F. Kennedy gave one of the most aspirational speeches when he asked the American public “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
8. Visualize – Paint a vivid picture such as the M&M’s slogan Melts in your mouth. One of the most powerful words to get the audience to begin the visualization process is the use of the word “imagine.”
9. Ask a question – “Can you hear me now?” or “Got milk?”
10. Provide context and explain relevance – You must tell the audience the why of the argument before you tell them anything else is referred to as framing. It’s the economy, stupid, is an example of where the context is the message. Relevance refers to putting yourself in your audience’s position of seeing the world through their eyes.
If your message adheres to these rules, in totality if possible, there is a great possibility it will be a “home run” according to Luntz. However, the message and the media are organic and ever changing. Consequently, circumstances and word meanings change accordingly. The message must be understandable within the context of the audience’s frame of reference. Not understanding that frame of reference is why branding messages falls on deaf ears and campaigns fail to deliver on ROI.
A Smile is the Shortest Distance Between Two People.
Tags: laughter, morale, productivity, revenue, workplace
Posted in Business Development, Communication, Employer Branding, Internal Communication, Leadership on September 10th, 2008
Recession? Economic slowdown? Market correction? It doesn’t matter how you categorize the current economy. The fact remains; it is very difficult to find anyone who is enthusiastic about the current market conditions. The resulting pressure to be more productive and profitable has never been more difficult.
One often-overlooked tool to aid productivity is Humor.
A study by Dr. David Abramis at Cal State Long Beach concludes “people who have fun on the job are more creative, more productive, better decision makers and get along better with co-workers. They also have fewer absentee, late and sick days than people who aren’t having fun.”
Laughter releases endorphins that are more powerful than morphine. How much more energetic and engaged would the workplace be if everyone enjoyed a daily endorphin high?
Integrating humor in the workplace is a strategy that enhances employee morale, enhances the customer service experience and re-energizes us as individuals and as a team.
Launch a Humor-Relations Program
A humor relations program starts at the top, doesn’t require a large budget and engages everyone within the organization.
First and foremost consider the Power and Purpose of Wit.
P-Place- is this right place and setting
P-Person – Is this the right person? Humor must be appropriate to all audiences, those in the room and those not in the room. One never knows the diversity, social or historical issues of the extended family.
W-Workplace-Does this fit with workplace ethics, rules and agreements?
I-Integrity-Does it uplift the integrity of others and myself?
T – Timing-How is my timing? Both comedic and professional?
Implementation Ideas
1. Even school administrators recognize the importance of recess. Breaks/recess is a great stress reliever. It allows employees to gain a new perspective and reduces boredom of tedious task.
2. Encourage customer contact representatives to employ humor. Southwest Airlines is a continual leader in overall customer satisfaction surveys. They employ a program encouraging professional yet playful attitude by its flight attendants. Example “Thank you ladies and gentlemen for flying with SWA today. I know all of you will want to give a big applause to a very special person on board today. He is 90 years old and making his first flight. Please join me in welcoming our pilot on board.”
3. Allow pets in the office occasionally. The documentation on the therapeutic effect of pets is endless.
4. Create a funny moments email from senior level executives – it shows that they are human, vulnerable and approachable both to internal and external customers.
5. Encourage bizarre random acts of customer kindness. Encourage staff to go beyond the normal. Give them perks to give unhappy customers. Give them rewards for providing alternative solutions.
6. Encourage people to laugh. Again, who would not want an office full of endorphin filled people enhancing the customer experience?
Phase in small components of a humor campaign – then observe the changes. Slowly you’ll find ways to integrate humor specific to your organization. Happy, productive people drive revenue. And that’s something you can smile about.
