I try never to miss the "Cathy" comic strip in my Indianapolis Star.  In one of the latest, Cathy and her boyfriend are opening their mail - he's reading email on his laptop; she's sorting through dozens upon dozens of envelopes.

He: "What's all that?"                                
She: "Mail."
He: "Mail?? Who sends paper mail?"
She: "People."
He: "People?"
She: "Yes.  Unlike you in your cold electronic bubble, I get mail from people."
(He looks through some of her mail…) "This is all mail from magazine subscription departments!"

And now comes her answer that I, member of a generation thrice removed from GenY, absolutely adore: "Still way closer to an actual human than you'll get any time soon!"

Since I work as a professional ghost blogger, I've obviously been able to abandon most of my generational bias towards long, individually composed business letters and long phone conversations.  I've come into the world of electronic marketing tools.  But there's a reason (I share this in the spirit of honest self-analysis) I gravitated towards composing blogs rather than designing websites.  In a way, blogs are the humanizing factor in the online communications family. The blogs are where you meet the people running the business or professional practice.

In today's increasingly web-based business world, electronic marketing and prospecting strategies are must-haves. But, Cathy, you gotta know this: Blogs, even ghostwritten blogs, are way closer to an actual human than you get with brochures, billboards, and websites!

On the surface, I wouldn't have expected to find valuable insights about blogging in one of several professional journals I read to keep up my financial planning credentials.  But, in the June issue of Employee Benefit Advisor, I found an important piece of blogging wisdom. In his article "OMG I Have No Money - The Texting Demographic Requires New Approach", Brent Shearer points out that employees under age 27 (there are 80 million of them in the U.S.) need tailored communications to urge them to participate in retirement savings plans.

Shearer sums up the hurdle facing employers and the investment industry in words that could have been taken from a web design and blogging manual.  He notes that GenY'ers expect to accomplish their objectives in just one or two clicks.  It's important, he says, for a company's website to create "an environment of comfort for making decisions quickly".

As a professional ghost blogger, I know the statistics:  80% or more of business comes as a result of organic search. If you're a business owner or have a professional practice, that means you'll be meeting new customers and clients not because they searched for you by name, but because they used a search engine (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.)  to lead them to information on a topic.  If GenY is a big part of your target market, and if you used Search Engine Optimization strategy, providing relevant, new, frequently posted information through business blogging, your blogs could be the first step in your relationship with some new GenY clients.

SInce, as Shearer so aptly points out, GenYers make decisions quickly, those browsers are going to do one of two things - "bounce" away from your blog and keep looking for what they want, or (and this is the result you're aiming for) proceed to visit your website.  Your website is where you've arranged for that "environment of comfort for making decisions quickly".  The lesson business bloggers need to learn along with the employee benefit specialists: With a well-coordinated marketing approach, your business or practice will likely get a chance to "reach out and touch" the texting demographic.  You just won't get 'em to sit still very long while you're doing it!

This is the season when I spend time at the Indiana State Fair.  It was interesting reading, in the Indianapolis Business Journal, details of an interview with the Fair's executive director Cindy Hoye.  Hoye talked about the different ways the fair brings in revenue, everything from corporate sponsorship (think Clarian Health) to naming rights for buildings (think Pepsi Coliseum).

Since, as a professional ghost blogger, I'm part of each client's marketing team, I always have an eye out for marketing ideas.  There were two in the IBJ article that I found especially apropos for bloggers.  Describing all the facility improvements that were made for this year's fair, including a greenhouse, fishing pond, and new covered bridge, Hoye said "We've got to keep the product (referring to the fair) fresh."  Right on for blogging.  In fact, of all marketing tactics, blogs are born for "fresh" - with new, different, constantly changing content put online every day or every couple of days, blogs are far more flexible and adaptable than print pieces or even websites.

The one Indiana State Fair innovation that really caught my attention (and, apparently sponsors' attention as well) is declaring an annual theme.  Last year was the Year of Corn, which highlighted Indiana agriculture.  This year it's the Year of Trees.  (The Indiana Hardwood Lumberman's Association became a big sponsor.) Since blog posts are much more frequent than yearly, you can present material on many themes, one per post, but all relating to what you have to offer. By limiting each blog post to one central theme, you attract online searches related to that one aspect of your business, plus you keep the product (your material) fresh!

Where there's little space and little money for redeveloping urban areas, pocket parks provide a welcome solution. Small green areas with benches for sitting and swings and slides for kids, pocket parks help unify as well as beautify neighborhoods. These mini-parks are part of the Central Indiana Community Foundation's Keep Indianapolis Beautiful initiative, a wonderful example of making a little money go a long way.

My small business and professional practice ghost blogging clients are in something of the same boat, trying hard to do smart marketing on a limited budget.  Most owners enter the web world by having a site designed for their business or practice.  The website may be attractive and easy to navigate.  Still their "park" is not accessible to new customers and clients who don't know it's there!  That's where business blogs come in, and where I, as a professional ghost blogger, enter the "neighborhood".

Blogs are like pocket parks, much easier and much less expensive to create and then constantly redevelop.  People find your "pocket park" blog, not because they know the name of the company or even your own name, but because your blog content is organized around specific key words and topics.  People find the blog "right in their own neighborhood", exactly when they need it.

There is no practical way a website can change its title and its content every day or even every couple of days to match different key words searchers use.  Blogs, small and nimble, can readily adapt. Since, by definition, blogs are providing new thoughts and new information with every entry, your "pocket park" is right there, informing the potential customer or client that you have the know-how - or the products - she's seeking.

Eagle Creek Park offers far more amenities than the School 46 Pocket Park, to be sure.  But if you're far away from the big reservoir, the little park bench under a tree in the pocket park is where you'll sit for a spell.  Ideally, business blogging is just one piece of a multi-faceted business marketing and advertising plan.  But budget-conscious owners will find blogging delivers a lot of park bench for the buck!

 

Talk about a "sense" for marketing - the June 22nd issue of the Indianapolis Star, in an article about car dealers' flagging sales, singled out Colussy Chevrolet in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania.  Tim Colussy says he uses a box that sends up puffs of "new car" scent as part of his overall plan to entice buyers to visit his dealership (and to leave driving a new car).

In a sense (pun intended), that's exactly what a well-conceived business blog is out to achieve - lure internet customers to read the blog, then "enter" the website, and leave as a new customer or client.  The informally presented, relevant, and new information you provide in your blog is part of your business' overall marketing strategy.

Reading further into the article, I learned Colussy does a lot more to market his dealership than blowing scent - he's had the floors resealed and repaired, the lights brightened, added colorful displays, flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi access, workstations, and a coffee bar.

Carrying on with my comparison, your blog is just one piece of the strategizing you do with your web designer, marketing consultant, ghost blogger, managers, and employees.  It's all part of what sales trainers call your "unique selling proposition".  Your blog is a key piece of that proposition.  It's the" whiff that whets" - your potential customer's appetite for doing business with you!

 

As a professional ghost blogger, I've come to realize, I'm actually part of a big trend.  It could almost be considered a movement, the Movement Towards Delegating and Relegating. In the case of blogs, a ghost blogger develops materials for businesses.  The owners of those businesses need to use their time making and selling products or consulting, with no time left to write about what they're doing and why.

There's certainly no lack of variety in task doers in the personal arena.  In an earlier piece, Blogging Is A Concierge Service, I wrote about all the many chores concierges perform, from airport pickup to pet-sitting.  Now businesses are joining the Delegators and Relegators, outsourcing tasks ranging from computer maintenance to hiring employees.

On the surface, it would appear there are certain tasks better not delegated to others, because in some areas things need to be done in a very individualized way.  You'd think, for example, a businessperson who does a lot of traveling would want to select her own wardrobe for the trip and pack the clothes in exactly the style she prefers.  Turns out, packing and lugging suitcases is a chore many business owners would just as soon relegate to others.  A clothing butler from Flylite, a Massachusetts company, will be happy to take over the all the packing and lugging.

New Flylite customers pack their own bags - once.  The "clothing "butlers" take it from there, picking up the bags, cleaning and pressing the clothes, even polishing the shoes.  All the clothes are scanned into an online virtual closet.  Each time a trip is coming up, the traveler drags and drops the icons into the "bag" (all done with clicks of the computer mouse).  Flylite delivers the actual packed bag to any U.S. destination.  When the stay is over, the butler picks up the bags, takes care of the clothes and stores everything for the next trip.  Even golf clubs can be carted to the destination by a Flylite butler!

Interestingly, ghost-writing blogs for a business follow a similar model.  The style of the business and the target market dictate the tone for the blog posts.  The "wardrobe" (the business mission, the demographics of the target customers, the type of products or services the business offers) comes from the business and is very individualized.  The blogger then becomes a "butler", maintaining the discipline of "frequency and recency" that is so crucial to winning online rankings.
 
Your "blog butler" picks up the information about your business, "cleans, presses, and polishes" the material into finished articles, then conveniently "delivers" those directly to the Worldwide Web in the form of blog posts.  And that's how I, your friendly and oh-so-handy blog-butler "Say It For You"!  

One good rule of thumb about business blogging is to narrow down the target audience.  In Blogs And Podiums - Choose Yours Wisely, I explained that, to be an effective marketing tool for your business, your blog must to be the result of a well-planned strategy aimed at a specific segment of the market.  I advised picking one area of focus, rather than trying to tell your blog readers about everything you have to offer and about all the things you do.

Just the other day, in Speaker (the magazine I receive as a member of the National Speakers Association) there was an article by Terri Langham about the Alice Cooper rock music group.  By way of reminder for those blog readers not "into" the rocker scene, the Alice Cooper 1972 hit "School's Out" topped the charts worldwide.  The groups's tour the following year broke box office records formerly set by The Rolling Stones.  The Alice Cooper stage show was "way over the top" by anybody's standards, complete with guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, live chickens, and a real boa constrictor. 

The point Terri Langham was making about this band was that it had a signature way of doing things, a "brand", and she advises aspiring professional speakers to develop their own unique brands.  But the point I want to bring out here relates to the thought process the band members used in creating their Alice Cooper brand.  Realizing that having a male (Vince Furnier as Alice Cooper) playing the role of a witch in tattered women's clothing and makeup and holding a snake would cause social controversy, the band made a brilliant career decision.  They focused on one target audience - kids.  "If the parents hate it, the kids will love it." became the motto.

I'm no rock groupie, to be sure, but as a professional ghost blogger, I find the Alice Cooper marketing strategy "right on". Narrow down your target market.  Figure out what those people need and want that you have or that you do.  Then do everything you can to "speak" to those people through your blog. You don't care if other segments of the market hate your blog - you want your target customers to love it… all the way to your website!

By Tony Fannin, President, BeBranded.net

The big question in every marketer’s mind, how much should I spend on marketing? Then, other questions follow; What do I spend on? How much do I spend for each? How do I know what is working? Whether you are a large corporation or a small business, these questions must and need to be asked. But how do you come up with a valid number? You can depend on past spending habits, such as some large corporations do. You can set a number you can afford as is common with small businesses. Or you can approach the question a third way. Another way to set your marketing budget is to view it in two main parts.

How fast do you want to get there?

First, instead of just picking a number you can afford or depending on what you spent last year, your marketing budget should be dictated by your end-of-year goals. There is no text book formula that will work because each business is different. Each industry category is different. And each individual business or corporation’s goals are different. Your market category could be very competitive with many players in your sector or you could be facing only a few “goliaths.” Your budget size should be in balance with how much you want to achieve over the next year and in the long-term, each year’s budget should be in balance to what you want to achieve in the next 3 – 5 years. An aggressive business plan that requires you to meet a high financial goal or an awareness goal can only be accomplished with an equally aggressive marketing plan. Any cut backs in marketing spending, over time, you will see less ROI in your bottom line. For example, GEICO increased their spending by 75% over 4-years. This was twice as much as their competitors. By 2006, GEICO saw the returns they were planning on. According to J.D. Powers & Associates, GEICO stood far above the rest in new-customer acquisition. Even though they are the No. 4 player in the market, they ranked No. 1 in new-customer acquisition. They also topped the brand awareness ladder over their larger competitors.

Some depend heavily on word-of-mouth. This is a tactic that works and should be considered as a part of your overall plan. Two things to keep in mind are someone else is in control of your message and brand, not you, and second, for the most part, it takes time. You have to have the luxury to wait it out until it builds and catches on. Some depend on new media, such as web casting and interactive on-line magazines, to drive their message and brand. This is also a good tactic that works and should be in your mix. The main point to consider on this is the cost of entry into that arena and the cost to keep up. To make new media a focal point of your strategy means you must be early adapters and always be searching for the next big wave before it becomes a big wave.

It’s all or nothing

The second part is an “all or nothing” approach. Don’t look at the concept of budget as to see how much to spend on each tactic, but to see it as what tactics should be FULLY funded and what tactics you should not spend a dime. Like a lot of things in life, if you do it half-way, expect to fail. If you are going to commit your limited resources, then you need to commit to it completely. This brings up a question, “How do I know what to commit to?” This should be answered by taking a hard look at what your core brand stands for. All you do and say as a company should be in alignment with what you really stand for, your true brand position. If your true brand position as a photographer is to “capture romance” then, every marketing tactic that should be FULLY funded needs to be in alignment with romance. If your brand is “self expression” as a national apparel company, the specific tactics you invest in needs to support this concept. I’m not saying to only invest in one or two tactics. You need to still develop a comprehensive marketing plan, but the specifics that go into your plan needs to be only those things that are in harmony with your brand position. And these are the tactics that need your full commitment to realize your end-of-year goals and achieve the ROI you need.

By looking at marketing spending and budget setting differently, you can realistically align expectations and investment amount with your core brand. This will help prevent wasting money with a “shot gun” approach and will further a deeper understanding with your true audience and ultimately gain their loyalty.

It's the eve of a the first BlogIN sponsored by the Smaller Indiana social networking site. I've been a bad blogger, having posted only a few blog entries in almost four months - and this Compendium Blogware ain't cheap.

Therefore, I've also been a negligent owner of an Indianapolis web design company that focuses on Search Engine Optimization, because this blog software is intended to help with organic rankings and I've used a considerable chunk of annual marketing budget to test this software to see if it can help improve my clients organic rankings.

Anyway, I will be attending the BlogIn unconference in a few hours primarily to help inspire me to regularly contribute to this blog, and to steal a few good ideas if possible. Ultimately, I just need a regular blogging routine and the disipline to stick to it, but who has time to set that up and do it?

I intend to develop a content format, to allow readers to know what to expect, and a regular posting schedule, so readers know when to expect it. Maybe I'll hire a ghost writer. Wish me luck. I'll keep you posted.

Consumer Generated Ads: Friend or Foe?

By Tony Fannin, President, BeBranded.net

From a marketer’s point of view, what’s not to like about consumer generated ads? You get free ideas from all over the globe. They’re submitted by the very people you want to reach. And, there’s an inevitable PR halo effect that glows over the very contest which is generating new and winning concepts. Voila: Instant ad that saves on creative and production fees.

But from an advertising agency’s viewpoint, what’s to like?

First, though the ideas come free, most don’t support the overall brand messaging or fall in line with other executions across different media platforms. Second, the chosen ad tends to only reflect one voice at the expense of other interpretations. And third, the PR push you get is likely short-lived and runs the danger of overshadowing your true marketing message.

In reality only a very few Consumer Generated Ads (CGA) have worked.

Research has shown that adults 25 and under see CGAs as less trustworthy, less socially responsible, and less friendly than professionally produced ads. Those over 25 see CGAs as friendly and creative. The 25 and under crowd also sees CGAs as the marketer’s attempt at pulling the wool over their eyes by trying to be “real” much like when your dad says he’s got the “411 on your new sled.”

Here’s one CGA that backfired recently for a major consumer brand: Chevy Tahoe. The major auto maker invited ads to be made by average consumers. On a special Web site, Chevy provided soundtracks and video for users to “mix up” and then download for general viewing. But the pitch backfired when one spot slammed the SUV as a gas guzzling drain on the environment—causing more harm than good. By the time the spot was taken down, hundreds of thousands had viewed it not only on Chevy’s site but also YouTube.com.

Before you invest in CGAs, consider these points:

Look at CGAs as a dialogue, not the answer.

Allow your customers to show, tell, and sound off what they think of your brand. It also shows you how your brand interacts in their daily lives. People want to tell you what they think. Instead of filling out a generic questionnaire or survey, they can express their emotions in a way that will convey key secrets about your brand. Your goal, and the goal of your advertising agency, is to find common threads in the “conversation” that relate to the most customers—addressing their most pressing needs and desires.

Don’t let CGAs hijack your brand.

It is an easy trap to fall into. Someone creates a unique piece that is entertaining, but is a little off your brand message. Over time, this gap widens. Conflicting messages begin to surface, and before you know it—your brand has been hijacked. Having consumers interact with your brand is one thing; having them redefine it is another. Being hijacked means you’ve lost control of your company’s message.

CGAs can be part of an overall marketing strategy.

There is a place for CGAs. Be creative in incorporating them into your marketing plan. Planning how and where you will use them will let you create a unique experience for your customers and prospects. For example, CGAs can be used at an interactive display in the mall. By surrounding the environment with your agency’s crafted messages and visuals, CGAs can work into the mix to enhance the total experience of the visitor at your display.

Consumer generated ads are new and intriguing. No one really knows how to harness this newfound tactic just yet, or tap its true potential. Experimentation will be necessary. Knowing your own brand and how it may or may not fit is important. If you can turn CGA opportunities into meaningful dialogues with consumers, you will be able to gain insights and ultimately, deliver a brand your customers want.

As part of our efforts to promote my Indianapolis search engine optimization company, we've become a full-season sponsor of the BAM Racing #49 Sprint Cup car. I have already benefitted from the association with the team, beacause it is a natural fit for a company called DRIVE. What I discovered today, when the car failed to qualify for the Daytona 500, is that when you throw your support behind an underdog in the big leagues, you better be prepared for dissappointment.

Of course, the only reason I was watching the race during the middle of a work day was to see how my team did. I would never consider such a distraction otherwise. In addition to the down side of missing the show on Sunday, I discovered that during the upcoming season I won't be able to actually enjoy the races from my usual fan's perspective because of my involvement with the team.

So be sure when you commit to being a sponsor of an event or organization that you understand your perspective will immediately change as a result, and that your ability to innocently appreciate that entity as an outside observer will forver change.

We'll see how this sponsorship deal turns out as far as our marketing strategy and tactics development are concerned, but at least during the one-year evaluation period it gives me something to write about on a continual basis during the season. I guess I'll be rooting for the other underdogs during the race, including Indianapolis native John Andretti, but my thoughts will be on the #49 car making the race the following week.

If your a race fan, be sure to enter our VIP Race Weekend Sweepstakes for a chance to spend an unforgettable weekend with the #49 team in 2009.

“On top of it all!”

I love days when I feel on the same page as the best of the world. My number one client –and yes –I said #1- will soon expect to hear from me almost every day before 10:30am. I check e-mail when I wake up (before 6am) and respond if needed. Let clients know I am thinking of them, their projects, and what’s most critical in their minds. Especially, if they need to deliver important information to me –I need to let them know I am working for them and expecting to hear from them. It’s about being two steps ahead. I am growing ever more passionate about finding out what they mean by the “end of the day” 2pm, 3pm, 5pm, 8pm, or midnight and similar details. Detail, detail, detail, and finding out what makes them tick. I am enjoying learning about their expectations and adapting accordingly. I love change (because most of the time it involves fine-tuning or improving my ability to bond and relate with others). A fascinating new realization (epiphany), relationships should not be about them understanding you –they should be about you understanding them and using their styles to get your points across. Boys…think of it as self-evolution –I know you can’t and mostly don’t want to change –but consider this new idea of evolving! By learning about your client…you may be able to see exactly what they are asking for and make a better connection.

Advertising is a strategic way to market to the masses –be smart and learn about the masses. When involved in a career as a Project Manager it is helpful to learn about who you are communicating with. Pick up on their general attitude, common phrases, likes, dislikes, preferred ways of communication, family, what do they enjoy doing out of the office, what is their pain –who knew a more accurate title for this position would be “Client Analyzer & Adaptation Specialist”. Learn to love people, make them laugh, know your boundaries, develop many deep relationships, and let them get to know you! 

Turning customers from passive to passionate

In today’s world, it’s all about market connection. Consider the tools at your disposal to reach people; traditional TV and newspaper ads, podcasts and mobile marketing via cell phones, street art and product placement. With all of these tools available, why are marketers still having problems separating themselves from their competitors and not getting customers to respond?

Market connection is the key. You must connect with your customers in a real way. Customers desire an emotional connection with organizations they do business with. They want the experience to transcend beyond mere transactions. That bond keeps you from being a commodity and driven down to the lowest common denominator, which is usually price. By doing this, you can make yourself meaningful and ultimately bring value to their lives. The deeper the connection, the deeper the brand loyalty.

Emotion creates intimacy and intimacy allows for deeper connection. To do this you must be responsive to what people value and desire. No one wants to be a part of something that force feeds services or products which aren’t needed. By honestly demonstrating and communicating the true essence of your brand promise, you can offer real choices that make a difference in people’s lives.

An example is our work for a small regional bank. Growth was flat for the past three years. Competition was tough and getting tougher with the national banks moving into new territory with deep pockets. We found out why their current customers did business with them, why some didn’t do business there, and why some didn’t care where they banked.

With this information, we were able to craft a brand message that expressed the core emotion of what their bank offers. Not only were marketing and all communications efforts coordinated, but the internal staff was educated and given the reasons why the brand took this direction and how they played a critical role.

Within 18 months, the bank realized an increase of more than $22 million in new assets and deposits—all without acquiring other branches. They were also honored by peers and colleagues with various banking awards.

Customers want a reason to care. They want to be inspired, and in some small way know that you understand their daily lives and how you can make it better, easier, more enjoyable. Emotional experiences are distinguishing category leaders from the increasing look-alike, seem-alike, be-alike brands. If you give customers what they really want in an emotional, experiential way, they will reward you with their loyalty and passion.

Here’s how to make that emotional connection:

• Find out what your customers really care about.
• Define a singular, emotional brand promise.
• Every touch point must be an experience that supports your promise.
• All marketing tactics must support and make sense with your brand promise (Why would the Vogue magazine, for example, buy a sponsorship at the X Games?)
• Establish a method to translate and measure the consumer emotional insights into tangible and intangible value to your business.

Science increasingly tells us that emotion, not rational thought, is the key to consumer behavior. The more emotionally engaging the experiences you offer, the more effective your brand will be. By truly connecting with your customers, you can gain on ROI, Return On Involvement.

Businesses blame customers for not being loyal, but very few have given them a reason to be loyal. In Scott McKain’s book, “What Customers Really Want,” he describes the elements of the customer experience:

• Superior information – This is just flat out knowing more about your customers than your competitors. You know which specific customers have what individual preferences, desires, and needs.
• Systematic empathy – The ability to identify with and understand another person’s feeling or difficulties. There should be a system in place to respond to customer needs and create a positive experience for them when all is said and done.
• Obsession for the sensation – You need to prove to customers that you care more for them than their money. Turn your business into one big “customer experience”. Create a feeling of passion and excitement for your customers. This will create passion and excitement in your customers for you.

By creating market connections built on meeting emotional needs, you can create a business that will turn customer passivity into passion.