by Miriam Hara | Jan 24, 2014 | Business Success, Latest
Regardless of today’s speed of business, I believe one aspect has remained essentially unchanged: Client management. It can be summed up in one word: Anticipation. I know some of you will associate the idea of “anticipation” with Heinz Ketchup. However, I have always thought of “anticipation” as a key part of building and achieving strong client relationships.
Client management is a high priority in any business, rightly so. How companies manage their clients often means the difference between achieving success or experiencing failure. Although, today’s speed of business doesn’t allow for the slow, nurturing and rapport building methods of client relationship building of the past. The introduction of faster technology, coupled with a tough economic landscape has meant that to some business professionals, the definition of “client management” has changed.
Essentially, in order to achieve successful client management businesses need to be able to anticipate the needs of their clients even before they do.
What’s it like in their shoes? Yes, this is a cute way of saying that you need to put yourself in their position. Every new project that you work on with your client will provide you with a better understanding of the environment they live in day in and day out. Don’t wait for them to ask you about the results of their latest campaign or initiative, anticipate it. Your job is to make their job easier.
Think ahead. When your client makes a request, don’t just deliver what they want, give them what they will need. Go the extra mile and think about what other questions they may have as a result of their request. If you don’t know why a certain request was made, get informed. Thinking ahead saves time and makes decision making easier.
Don’t play volleyball. In other words, take the time to think first. Email has made everyone accessible at all times. It has also allowed for a sense of urgency on all business matters. If your client fires off an email with questions, don’t just shoot back an incomplete response without enough information – your client will be forced to reply back with more questions. After 15 minutes of volleying back and forth, you might end up with 9 emails composed of multiple questions and responses, all in bits and pieces. Instead, take the time to understand what the issue really is from the start.
If your client is asking about the budget for a project, don’t just send the dollar amount. You need to also include the scope and duration of the project as well as any other relevant details all in one email. If you missed the opportunity to provide all the details of a project at the start, take a step back and give this information as completely as possible.
Don’t ask, “How high?” Add value. When a client makes a request, don’t just give them what they asked for, provide context or any other relevant information that can help. Think outside the box. An agency-client relationship is about adding value by being part of the team.
Circling back to the Heinz comparative, in the 70s, Heinz ketchup bottles were glass. That meant that pouring took time and patience. Today’s quick-squeeze plastic bottles have provided us with instant gratification.
Creating a solid client management process is about anticipating the needs of your clients on a day to day basis. The fine art of anticipating involves having the patience, taking the time and being thoughtful, attentive and mindful of your clients needs.
by Belinda Lui | Jan 23, 2014 | Advertising, Latest
When companies spend $4 million on a 30-second spot during the Super Bowl — it only makes sense that they would also present teasers in the weeks leading up to the celebrated event to take place next weekend. The Super Bowl is exciting for football fans but it is equally as exciting for marketers and advertisers alike. Reinforcing the promotion of these advertisements with hashtags such as #fuelyourpleasure for Oikos Greek Yogurt ads featuring some of the cast from the hit-show Full House is only one of the ways that brands are building awareness amongst its community. You can preview some of these Super Bowl teasers on YouTube’s Ad Blitz channel.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was reportedly paid $3 million to appear in Bud Light ads during the Super Bowl. He is among many other celebrities who will make appearances in advertisements this year. While celebrity endorsements is nothing new to the advertising world, it continues to appeal to customers in ways they otherwise might not without them.
Still, Social Media is a major element in the marketing and advertising worlds today — and one method of tracking the success of an advertisement is how often a teaser video was shared, liked, or commented on. Statistics have shown that the engagement levels of Super Bowl ad teasers in 2013 more than doubled that of 2012. Talk about return on investment!
With that said, here are some of our favourite Super Bowl ads this year:
1. Volkswagen
2. Bud Light – with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Don Cheadle
3. Oikos
4. TurboTax
Oikos tapped into viewers’ nostalgia by using John Stamos, Dave Coulier, and Bob Saget as celebrity appearances. All of us who grew up watching Full House can relate to the familial support and greatness that was Uncle Jesse, humorous Uncle Joey, and the single father Danny Tanner. Great choice, Oikos!
What are some of your favourite Super Bowl ads (past or present)?
by Belinda Lui | Jan 21, 2014 | Interactive, Latest
The definition of retail space has altered over the last decade. It’s not a new trend for retailers to take their retail space and promotions to the online realm — for larger retailers, e-commerce is just a reinforcement to their physical plan-o-grams. What does this mean for smaller, more independent retailers, though? When a choice has to be made between spending hard-earned money on a physical retail space or marketing to the online world, which option would garner greater returns?
Let’s consider the pros and cons of physical retail space and e-commerce:
Physical Retail Space:
Pros: There is still a vast demographic that is not digitally savvy or prefer to do their shopping offline. Having a physical retail space will enable this demographic to continue their patronage to your brand. Customer service will still have a personal touch to it given that you would be present at the store greeting them face-to-face.
Cons: Property costs – Above and beyond paying the monthly bills of your lease or mortgage, you also need to consider the cost of storing inventory. Shelf space is also valuable real estate when you consider the return on each square footage. If an item is less visible or unappealing to customers, it takes up room from merchandise that might otherwise be more successful. Customer service is also key when you have a physical retail space.
E-Commerce:
Pros: Not only can you appeal to a much wider demographic, but you can do it at a much lower cost. Start-up costs for a fully functional e-commerce site can be hefty, but the upkeep — should you choose a relatively simple back-end management system — will be significantly less than that of a physical retail space. Your approach to servicing customers will change a bit, but the principles and client relationship management (CRM) should remain the same.
Cons: Competition is fierce in general but even more so online. You are no longer competing with retailers in your area but with brands across the globe (especially those that offer worldwide shipping). You miss out on the demographic that still prefers to shop offline or are wary of purchasing products that don’t allow for an easy return if the merchandise does not fit.
These are just a few pros and cons between physical retail space and e-commerce. Can you think of some more?
by Kristina Parker | Jan 20, 2014 | Design, Latest
If you’ve been on the internet long enough, for something a lot more sensible than cat videos and pointless Facebook updates (say for instance, for making some real money) then you’ve also- on multiple occasions- come to that moment where you’ve had to get a website for yourself. Now, getting a website that actually works wonders for your business AND manages to survive the regular spate of Google updates is no cakewalk. You need a pro to do the best for your website. Luckily, it’s easy for you to find a good web developer, but how do you get the one you can trust?
One simple test is by making him discuss things that no other web developer would want to, like these four things…
You can’t go ahead without a plan
If you’re going for anything major, you need a plan. Many business owners think of their website as a whole different entity, as opposed to considering it a major aspect of the marketing strategy. Therefore, it doesn’t really make sense for you to just put random or no content up for users to see. Web design actually varies based on its purpose. So, obviously marketing plan counts. After all, it is the one thing that gives you solid direction. A good web developer understands this, and expects you to let him in on the plan too. This will help him come up with a more relevant design, which is perfectly in line with your goals and objectives.Talk to him about your target audience and the kind of growth you expect from the website. Don’t shy away from deep discussions about your plans with the developer.
Bad content
While the whole ‘Content is King’ thing may be over-hyped, there is a reason it has become the hype. Unique, relevant and original content is what lends your site the credibility that keeps people coming back to it. If the content is bad, no masterstroke of web design is going to save it. And if your web designer/developer isn’t telling you that already, you’re pretty much being taken for a ride. Agreed that the web developer isn’t really a big expert on the subject firsthand, however, he’s seen enough of web content to be able to distinguish the good ones from the bad. Moreover, publishing the content on a website is a major part of the web design. So, the bad content will eventually translate into bad design.
You will want to change
Nothing on the internet is stable or constant. Trends are changing on a daily basis and people are constantly on the lookout for something new and fresh. As a business, you have to constantly stay on your toes, so that you’re not lost in the crowd and clutter out there. This will require you to make some changes in the future. You wouldn’t want to stay out of tune with your audience. You need to maintain your appeal. Plus, somewhere down the line, your objectives and goals will change, so will your needs. Imprisoning your website in the last century with technology that cannot be altered or changed is one of the first things a good web developer will prevent you from doing.
Demand feedback
You’re not going anywhere without this. Yes, you may have a specific vision in mind. And yes, it’s for YOUR business, but don’t forget that you are putting it out for the world to see. It’s about the users- your target audience. And it is important that your website doesn’t fall flat on its face due to lack of appeal. This is why feedback helps; it lets you know what the other side is thinking. No developer is going to let you go live with a website without getting adequate feedback first.
The secret behind the success of any collaboration is clear and open communication, and of course, great attention to detail. Stick to these, and you should be sorted. Good luck!
by Miriam Hara | Jan 19, 2014 | Advertising, Latest
The Olympic Games are quickly approaching and brands are all out there with emotive and sports related advertising . No sooner have we recovered from ringing in the new year and all the holiday season advertising, we are now being served with heart tugging emotive advertising. It goes without saying the Marketers have realized that they don’t need to be an actual Olympic sponsor to jump on the coat tails of the winter Olympic games. Brand Sponsors and non sponsors alike have realized the benefits of not only presenting brands emotively, but offering up a good dose of inspiration.
None has done the job of inspiring and bringing tears to our eyes than P&G, with its Tribute to Moms. To call this creative piece an ad, does not do justice to the concept or intent. This is not an ad: this is a tribute to the dedication and commitment of Moms all over the world. Cross culture. Cross Border. It inspires all, acknowledges all…nothing left to say, but pass the tissue please! (and let’s hope it’s a tissue from P&G!)
However, brands aren’t the only ones capitalizing on emotion and inspiration. Countries and their sports affiliates have fine-tuned the art of emotive advertising to a science.
In Canada, the Canadian Olympic Games association has launched a “We are Winter” initiative that is inspiring as it is culturally in line with Canadian thinking.
With less than a month to go for the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia to get here, the Canadian Olympic Games has launched its “We Are Winter” campaign. The Calgary Herald reported that the campaign features two 60-second and four 30-second television spots, as well as one 15-second spot.
On the olympic.ca site, the videos are engaging and beautifully executed, highlighting 17 athletes with their stories and challenges all the while, articulating their competitive sport in very human terms. At once they are emotional, inspiring and dare I say a tad patriotic. Here are a few of them.
Kaillie Humphries
Roz Groenewoud
Denny Morrison
Hope you enjoyed this Canadian inspiration. Let the Olympic Games begin!
by Belinda Lui | Jan 11, 2014 | Latest, Social Media
Business blogging, or what has now been coined as content marketing, has increasingly become a good source of networking for businesses. As I sit here, ready to write my first blog post of 2014, I am aware of how difficult it is to constantly provide valuable information that will be relevant for 3H’s target audience and potential business partners.
The 3Hhoopla Blog and content generation was our priority for the year 2013. We have achieved a visibility among peers and that was no easy task. Creating content was at the forefront of our initiatives as was leveraging that content on our Facebook Page and Twitter community…. and more specifically our LinkedIn group. This took time and effort, but well worth both.
Here are some good business blogging blockbusters that have enabled us to overcome the forever blinking cursor waiting for the start of a thought! Hope these help!
Be mindful:
Be ready to note ideas… anywhere… anytime. It used to be that you needed a pen and notepad by your bed, just in case you had a great idea. Not so today. Mobile devices and the ease of note-taking has never been easier. Be prepared and open to see anything from a conversation to a client question to an internal discussion with colleagues as material for blog content. Be prepared to also capture those thoughts somewhere…anywhere for future reference.
Develop a process:
It’s important to develop a process in which you prepare yourself to write. Writing isn’t easy for everyone… so why make it any harder? Create an environment which you will be able to get down and write with limited amount of interruption. Yes, this does sound like meditation and in fact, I do believe it is. Once you create a process and environment which you initiate a few times, your mind will be aware of the cues, making it easier for you to focus and write.
Create thought paragraphs:
When you do start writing, allow yourself to go off on tangents.I know this goes against many other recommendations: you definitely need to establish the premise of your content, however, sometimes by letting go and writing instinctively, a blog post will write itself. Create what I term to be “thought paragraphs”. Thanks to technology, it’s easy to copy and paste and juggle thought statements to develop a cohesive blog post.
Checklist your keywords:
Content creation for brands and businesses must be focused. It’s not just about writing. It’s about establishing your business, brand or product on the horizon of the internet. It’s about getting found. Establish your basic premise and focus on the keywords that speak to the basic premise of your business. List them and always go back to these words and create a list of secondary keywords that are relevant to the primary keywords. This will enable you to establish a checklist to evaluate each blog post to make sure that they build on your overall content marketing strategy.
Hopefully these tips will be handy for your business content in 2014!
