by Matina Singh | Dec 21, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Interactive
In the age of technology one really must question the effectiveness of in-store POP. In the recent POPAI’s 2012 Shopper Engagement Study, it states that the in-store decision rate has climbed from 70% in 1995 to 76% in 2012. Can’t believe it right? Although initially I had my doubts, the more I thought about it the more I got to thinking that it’s just about right. It’s not that POP is no longer valid, it’s that POP has had to evolve and keep up with technology.
First let’s take a look at your shopping habits, do you use online flyers or read online reviews before you head to the store to make a purchase? The consumer is changing, with the stores right there at their fingertips on mobile paired with in-store efforts, it gives your brand a leg up with consumers. This allows them to see, read and understand the item they want first, before making a purchase.
Is your brand focused on just in-store efforts or do you use social media, mobile shopping apps, mobile coupons and “red flag deals” type-sites to boost your consumer/product relationship.
What else is your brand focusing on? I mentioned before in-store and mobile incentives and I believe these new techniques, along with the ability to flip through an online flyer, helps a consumer make a decision on your brand. It’s quick, and with the world becoming more fast pace and people always on the go, this is a great strategy to tap into. But what if your consumer just pops into the store without that online flyer, will they simply make a decision in-store based solely on the attractiveness, clarity of a product or in-store coupons? Needless to say… when all else fails, packaging plays a huge role.
So let’s talk packaging. In order to get your product off the shelf and into their shopping cart your product packaging needs to speak to the consumer’s needs. The product package itself needs to be appealing; this is the first important feature. Ultimately it’s the only POP space a brand really owns. Read more about packaging here. Use your empathy here and put yourself in your consumer’s shoes; what kind of keywords, design, in-store and mobile incentives would grab your attention? You will need to make your brand stand out from the rest by appeal and the call-to-action. Not only does your brand need to be unique, but it must stand out from all of your competitors.
With all this said don’t forget to use social media to get customer feedback about what they like about your brand, packaging, use of color, basically what makes your brand standout from the rest because this can be a great benefit to your brand and improve ROI.
Your brand needs to be adaptable to this ever-changing world and so does your in-store, on-shelf strategy. Customers love discounts, contests and being interactive. Create in-store buzz by having an event. One that comes to mind is Oreo cookies. They gave children the chance to stack as many Oreo’s in 30s to win a prize and parents received an in-store coupon.
Ultimately, in the end what it takes is to be unique, creative with the technology that is available. Couple that with the understanding of your consumer and you’ll have a solid in-store presence to generate those consumer pick-ups… and sales!
by Jenna Elberson | Dec 18, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Social Media
I was asked the other day what a podcast was, and as much as I’m well versed in that area I went back to look up the definition and did some research so that I could better explain what a podcast is. We can’t call it radio station on the Internet anymore as more radio programs are being launch live on the Internet.
So what is a podcast?
Podcasting, or audioblogging as it was first called, arrived on the scene in the 1980s, but became hugely popular between 2002-2008. Even though it’s not as popular now it’s still a main source for talk audio shows. Podcasts can be a great source of knowledge if you’re looking for some blog ideas or to learn how to do something new in the world of marketing. Even still the main reason people still use this tool is to promote their interests and hobbies with round-table discussions. This allows for a lot of open ended discussions and unbiased opinions. This can be a great way to talk and learn about… let’s say Social Media. These Podcast discussions may provide solid strategies on any topic from communications focus to sales focus or client servicing focus. Reaching out and speaking to people that are in the same industry to have the same interests offers a wealth of ideas from like minded people! I use it as a problem solving channel… part of the process to get around an business issue that I have a hard time seeing clear of.
For all my social media need I head over to The Social Media Examiner. They usually have a weekly podcast that goes up!
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/category/podcast-episodes/
Regardless of what area of marketing you are in these can always be a great source of knowledge and it’s a fantastic source for content creation. In essence it’s also a content channel that offers up a wealth of ideas for marketing content!
If you have a blog, use it to your advantage. As with any communications channel, it’s a two say street. It is an exceptional way to express your opinions and ideas about the business and marketing arena – used effectively it is also a great tool to showcase your brand. Use it to reach out to your followers and other members of the marketing community to help and educate them on trending topics, new marketing strategies. This adds value to your community and can springboard you to being perceived as an expert.
In marketing, it’s all about the mix. The mix of channels and the way you use those channels are important. Blogging can be great fun and a chance to put your personality into your writing, but the chance to use your actual voice; emotion and enthusiasm to get your point across can be an even better addition to your brand. So how about utilizing a Podcast instead?
by Lindsay Sleightholm | Dec 17, 2012 | Advertising, Business Success, Creative, Design
Marketing and Design must work hand-in-hand. It really doesn’t matter if you have the best creative in the world; without a solid strategic plan to back it up, the message won’t see its full potential. Likewise, if the creative is overlooked for the strategic plan, the message won’t communicate what it needs to. Before delving into any advertising pursuit, a clear idea of what you’re aiming to achieve is essential. The following are some questions that many entrepreneurs have at onset for promoting their business venture.
Why do I need marketing?
Contrary to the hype you may have heard, marketing is not dead. Just like everything else, it’s evolving. What is dead is complacency. It doesn’t matter what business you’re in, if you’re standing still you’ll get left behind. By not continually reevaluating tactics and their efficacy, any business will suffer.
Today’s marketing initiatives need to be nimble. The surplus of new channels available to marketers means a greater challenge to find the best combination for each mandate. Determining that combination requires having the experience and understanding of both traditional and new marketing channels. Online marketing is crucial, but as any experienced marketer knows, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Can’t I just crowdsource design?
You can, but why would you? It will contribute no value to your business. On the surface, crowdsourced design has a certain “gloss” of something professional. But it will inevitably fall short on investment. That is, it won’t perform in the long run. And it won’t be effective communication. Similar to marketing, the creative for your communications is an integral part of your business message.
Graphic design needs to be clear. It also needs to speak clearly to a specific market segment. On top of that, it needs to be flexible. Without forethought into how the design will adapt to various media, it could end up being boxed into a corner. Any effective design solution should be able to cross platforms, channels and languages without hindering the message it’s trying to communicate.
Why do I need both marketing and design?
Marketing and design are a yin yang combination. In other words, their differences combined strengthen each other. Marketing creates the plan for the messaging while design delivers the right message. You could also say the tactics dictate the playground, while the creative shows it’s a fun place to visit.
Speaking of playgrounds, let’s use that as an example. Its marketing plan will take into account who will be using the playground, how they will interact with it and where to place the messaging. The design will address what the playground has to offer, how it will appeal to those using it and why they should check it out. Ultimately, you need to know not only where your market will hang out, but how to speak to them.
What am I investing in?
I used the term “investment” earlier. That’s what good design and marketing is. They don’t represent a cost rather an investment towards your business success. So, if you plan on communicating the benefits of your business to your market, that plan needs to be strategic. And, if you want your market to hear the right message, you need strong creative. What’s more, since you only have one opportunity to make a first impression, by all means make it professional. Effective marketing and design together equals successful communication that will produce results. You can count on it.
by Jenna Elberson | Dec 14, 2012 | Business Success
It’s that time of year again when everyone gets gathered for the Christmas holidays and here at 3H our office is decked out with purple tinsel, wreaths and a big tree full of PURPLE! Whether you celebrate the holiday festivities or not, this is the best time of year for gift giving. With all the hullabaloo (or should I say Hoopla!) over presents, it got me thinking about what I would like for Christmas. I’m always trying to find the most trendy and unique gifts for myself, even though I should be thinking of my family. It doesn’t help either being in the role that I’m in. Everyday I see posts and blogs about the latest trends in technology or coolest toys, making it hard for me to stay focused on gift giving and not gift buying for myself.
So what do you get someone who’s in the marketing field? Well I thought I’d turn this into a fun blog (hopefully) about what cool gifts to get a person in marketing.
Here is my “Marketing’s 12 Days of Christmas” gift giving list.
1. Traditional Books, Digitial Books, ebooks. Being new to marketing I crave for knowledge! Even though a book seems like too simple of a gift… often that’s the best gift. Marketers are always looking for the next trend, or how brands are built…. expanding their knowledge of marketing through books are a great way to do this.
2. Colour me Pantone. For all our designers out there. Did you know you can get their favourite Pantone colour on a iPhone case, mug, notebook, card case holder and more!
3. Hold that card! Regardless of the digital age, with digital printing being so accessible, cards are really in! The #1 thing any business person does when they meet someone is give them their cards… and that is always the first impression. It goes without saying, making sure the card you offer up needs to be pristine… what better way to protect business cards then with a cardholder. There are sooo many cool ones out there… funky, stylish, hip, humorous, conservative, design-y….
4. Say it’s me with personality! Who says writing on paper is out-dated? I know so few people are doing the writing on paper approach, but it’s that very fact that makes it a great gift. A personalized note initialized or named stationary adds a nice touch and is sure to be remembered.
5. Kitchen Design. For Graphic Designers these Photoshop Editor Magnets are way cool to have on your fridge to frame pictures. It looks just like the Photoshop layout!
6. The gift that keeps on showing up throughout the year! Besides books there’s added benefits to getting monthly marketing trends and how-tos from a magazine, like Marketing Magazine and better yet, they get to thank you every time it shows up!
7. Gadget my world! I carry my smart phone everywhere, even to bed! So if they are like me and in social media, getting a cool gadget attachment is a great option. For example, recycled speakers or if they love posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram, a camera lens attachment that allows for better optical zoom or effects like a fish eye lens.
8. Download your world.Whether it’s for movies on the iPad or songs for the iPhone, everyone is sure to love an iTunes gift card. A simple gift for pretty much anyone. This can be great to download apps that will help with time management or keeping in touch with clients.
10. Get a mini! I’m not talking about the car. Keeping connected is very important to us and the new iPad mini can be of great use. Especially when we’re on the go at conferences or on business trips.
11. Bag it! Having a stylish bag to keep laptops and important documents in is simply a “must have” when traveling to and from the office…. or any where else for that matter. Whether it’s one with lots of compartments, leather or handmade it will surely make a difference when traveling.
12. Make a statement. With the speed of business we are constantly on the go… and that increases the chances of bumping into things or worse… dropping our much loved computer on the floor. You can find tons of different sleeves… one that is just right for that “someone” special. Our computers are an extension of our persona, so having a sleeve that speaks to their personality is a bonus!
Regardless of what you get your family and friends this year enjoy the time spent with them and from the 3H family have a safe and happy holidays!
Have other gift giving suggestions? Let me know in the comments below!
by Jenna Elberson | Dec 12, 2012 | Business Success, Social Media
How often have you heard, or said yourself “Google It”. Google has changed the way we socialize, the way we interact. It has made us become a generation of immediacy. No matter where you are, or who you’re with, when conversations turn into topics that facts, figures, dates, information is required, the it’s the norm nowadays to say, “Google It”. No longer do we need to wait for the library to open its doors or call up a friend “savant”. It has become so much part of our everyday cultured and is in our everyday vocabulary… the word googling is even in the Webster’s dictionary! Needless to say, Google has fast become the ‘go to’ company for knowledge and advanced technology and with the launch of Google Glasses and Google Fibe, it has become nearly impossible to escape its vast empire.
When Google launched Google+, I thought this would be the social media site to sweep Facebook from under the rug and reign in as the new “King of Social Media”. With all of the great new features that could easily top those of Facebook’s I had no idea there would be a lack of momentum even with everyone on the “Google Fan” craze.
Suffice to say that the audience for Google+ is completely different from that of Facebook. They are loyal to their brand and what they love. When you delve into the realm of Google+ you have to pull yourself away from thinking it’s like “Facebook”. It’s not. Google+ is more people focused not brand focused. Google is trying to keep this social media platform as human as possible.
Google+ with it’s 500 million users still remains today in my humble opinion, a big contender on the social media battlefront. If your brand or business hasn’t engaged in the Google+ platform yet, there’s a lot of you’re missing out on. Here are some reasons why you should invest time into getting your brand/business on Google+.
1. The big one: Being Found. With all the searching going on, it’s important to get found. It may be self-serving but the importance of Google+ for SEO is pretty obvious…. simply because, well Google owns it! This alone should be enough of a reason for you to take advantage and be part of Google+. If you’re still not convinced, try this: if you already have a Google+ page, Google your company name and see if it comes up close enough to first search result. The advantages of this are self explanatory… for your brand and for your customers.
2. Google+ supports the use of hash tags. Recognizing the importance of trending, Google+ supports the Twitter way of classifying via hash tags. This way you can hit trending terms that are relevant for your business quicker. In our business hash tag examples would include: #marketing, #branding and #socialmedia or, #design. Like Twitter, trending topics that you participate in will see an increase in followers.
3. Carving out Communities. The Google Community allows the user to become part of a community that they are interested in and get daily posts about that topic. So for example if you have a health product, you can become a member of a Health and Wellness community and make posts that will be specific to that group of people. It’s not just your followers or fans you’re targeting too it’s a whole new spectrum of potential consumers that have defined one aspect of their psychographic profile that reflects the specific niche that is your market definition.
4. Google owns Google+. Yes, I’ve already said that, but thing about the total integration potential your business might benefit from. Starting with Gmail, Google Calendar, Google maps… all these properties are all at your fingers tips to use along with all the other Google+ features. This can be helpful and seamless when setting up an event for your company or a product launch.
5. Google Hangouts! As an avid nerd this is my favourite feature. It’s great for businesses to have a round table discuss from a far. For people who have a passion for a product, gathering them up to discuss the product and what they would like to see provides an awesome opportunity to get honest feedback and real consumer insights. A perfect example to utilize this feature would be a weekly virtual book hangout. If your brand pushes out books or your company has an ebook set up a hangout to discuss the content of the book and new book ideas. This allows you to be closer to your audience and interact with them instead of just commenting on a status they posted.
Just remember Rome wasn’t built in a day, so expecting that your growth or reach on Google+ will grown exponentially quickly isn’t realistic. Unlike Facebook you get the chance to be more interactive in new ways with your followers, help them see your brand/company is focused on THEM and you’re steadfast in working with them to help you and your brand/company improve for them. Over time your ROI will be worth the effort you put into Google+ and the attention you give to your audience as well.
by Jenna Elberson | Dec 6, 2012 | Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
I find these days that smartphones and iPads are attached to our hips. It’s as if we can’t live with out them… we breathe, we use our mobile devices.
It’s shocking to hear how many big named companies still don’t have a functional mobile site. Whether you’re in the restaurant business or running a small business, mobile is where it’s at and it’s a great way to push out weekly/monthly notifications to promote specials or the services and products your business offers.
So how can we tap into that? What are the brand benefits to a mobile device? Before answering the question, take a look at these facts…
- Nearly 4 billion people have a mobile phone. Whether it’s a smart phone, flip phone or Blackberry.
- Within 3 minutes of delivery 90% of text messages are read.
- 70% of mobile searches lead to action within one hour. It takes one month for the same percentage of desktop users to take action.
- 79% of smartphone users use their phone to help with shopping, with 74% ultimately making purchases.
- Mobile ads perform 4 to 5 times better than online ads in key metrics.
So what does this all mean? Well a very important part of any brand or business web initiative is to make sure it’s accessible. Does your company/brand have a mobile site? If yes, then your business is closer to grabbing consumer’s attention more than most of your competitors.
Let’s be honest. This can be a big win for your business and your brand just by implementing this one initiative. Here are some benefits of mobile website optimization…
- There are faster downloading speeds like 3G, 4G and now even LTE.
- You can use push notifications. These are great for promotions or news updates. In my opinion Michael’s (the craft store) take advantage of this technology extremely well.
- You can engage with users quicker with mapping functions or click and call.
- The accessibility. A mobile site can be accessed anywhere and provides a higher level of connectivity with you and your customer.
Having a mobile site is just the beginning… like any marketing initiative you will need to “work it”. You know those funky looking squares with the black zigzag design? They’re called QR codes and they’re a very popular tactic for getting users to go to a specific landing page. Placing them on pamphlets, business cards, banner ads, in store ads and more will help you garner more reach to your mobile site. Most, if not all QR code scanners are free and very easy to get. The possibilities are endless when it comes to designing, promoting and using a mobile webpage.
You will quickly come to realize that having a mobile website is very beneficial for your brand. It increases the opportunity for SEO, web advertising and provides the added bonus of cross-platform campaigning.
Brand, product or business service… remember that as businesses continue with the growth of technology, more and more people reach for a phone more often than their toothbrush.
