by Miriam Hara | Jul 24, 2013 | Advertising, Branding, Latest, Marketing
Sales makes money and marketing spends money. It’s usually said in a snotty way and the person saying it usually acts all superior as if they have the secret to life and anyone who doesn’t understand is low, low down on the food chain. Say what you will, those of us in the advertising and marketing business we understand what’s behind the comment. We know where the truth lies. Let’s clear up a major misconception. Marketing and the advertising it propels gets customers and clients in the door, sales closes the deal. There’s different types of marketing for different types of business. But regardless of what business you’re in, there are considerations that should be part of the equation when you decide to go the do it yourself route.
Cutting Costs: Bring marketing tactics in-house
Since sales generates money, there are times when the marketing support areas feels that they are looked upon as an expense… not an investment. Therefore, the quick and superficial analysis says…cut costs by bringing design and media planning in house. You say the media commission and you don’t have to pay agency premiums of simple design. Bright idea in theory. But not so bright in application. There are two very real impacts to this decisions.
1. In-house marketing doesn’t cut costs
Hard to believe? But time will tell. Consider this.For you accountant types out there… outsourced marketing doesn’t require vacation pay, pensions, statutory holidays, office space, computers….think of the savings!!! All kidding aside… look at it from this perspective. Chances are in house marketing creative staff are not as skilled as specialists in an outside agency. The real aspect of a design is being challenged creatively. That ceases to become an option once they have been working on the same business of over a year. An outside agency works on many business, thereby creating a natural environment of creativity and growth. It wouldn’t be fair to expect your in house marketing creative team to be as nimble. They have little exposure to other creative talents. They must rely on themselves for inspiration. Isolated, tucked away in some remote area, creativity comes hard in this type of situation. Time drags on. And no, a marketing coordinator can’t do the media strategy and planning…nor should they. There’s an artform to strategically choosing which media to go to and what the benefits and results are going to be . A handful of people can’t be experts in graphic design, copywriting, social media, web design, packaging, advertising, television, radio… do I need to go on. In house staff will give their best efforts but their efforts will take longer and they can make costly mistakes.
2. In-house marketing can cost money
Mediocrity becomes the norm. Breakthrough thinking becomes a thing on the past.This will, over time, weaken sales. Unfortunately lack of inspiration, creativity and lack of expertise will slowly destroy your brand. It’s an insidious degradation, hard to detect and even harder to understand. Sales weaken and everyone wonders why. Some will say it’s the economy, the company needs restructuring, let’s burn the sales manager but few will look at their marketing department. Take this recommendation. Rather than try to staff for a department that is a vertical business to your business, take the time to choose the right agency. Agencies provide a new perspective. An outside perspective and will stand and fight for the right solution for your business and brand. Based on expertise and experience that is vast and varied. To make sound analogies and fair business assessments to grow your business. It’s important to choose the right agency for your business. Before you bring your marketing in house find and talk to a few advertising and marketing businesses and discuss your needs.Instead of bringing your marketing in house consider outsourcing your advertising and marketing. Let’s see, you want to know if we can give you a referral? Oh yes… a company called 3H comes to mind. 🙂
by Justin James | Jul 22, 2013 | Advertising, Creative, Events, Latest, Marketing
You’ve likely heard the term “Emotional Appeal” before.
Chances are that a marketing teacher, co-worker, or boss has said that Emotional Appeal can be an effective technique to build a connection with your audience and make them interested in your product. And, well… they’re right.
Emotional Appeal can sometimes be omitted or be unremarkable in the sea of other ads competing for your attention.
A beer ad, for example, may advertise a peaceful lifestyle on the beach and happiness among good looking people. There are many other beer companies advertising along similar lines, playing on those same emotions.
However, one often overlooked form of Emotional Appeal is making a timely short term campaign. If you get hold of a trend while it is still rising, there’s a good chance that you will be able to find an angle to capture audiences’ attention. However, one of the most difficult problems when creating ads is that trends can die quickly, before the ads are all in place. For this reason, it is important to look for the underlying emotions that trend evokes.
One recent example of a ‘trend’ that’s very popular right now involves Talia Castellano. To summarize, Talia is a 13-year old girl, a cancer patient from Florida. She posted some makeup tutorial videos on YouTube and Ellen DeGeneres, the little girl’s idol, invited her onto The Ellen Show.
As soon as the show went live, Talia became an instant sensation across North America! She was trending on twitter, Google searches, YouTube, and had half a million likes on her Facebook fan-support page. The general emotion generated by her fans was pity, sadness, and inspiration for Talia’s good spirit in face of adversity.
Sadly, Talia passed away on July 16th. Ellen gave Talia a professionally shot . Only then did I realize how much potential CoverGirl had for an entire new campaign launch. The campaign revolved around what teachers and colleagues have been talking about: Emotional Appeal.
The reaction this company received from making Talia a CoverGirl was incredible. Their new Talia-inspired Facebook posts are still receiving record-breaking likes, shares, and comments on social media. Because of the giant wave of sympathy for Talia and wide-exposure of the event, CoverGirl was able to instantly gain large fan-support, which they could further capitalize on if they play on the emotions and make a Talia product line.
A product line, or just a few products with the name dedicated to the young girl, would have many fans lining up to support her memory. Even more hordes of well-wishers would support the if CoverGirl decided to donate a percentage of the proceeds to the American Cancer Society (or Canadian Cancer Society). They would be able to increase profits and good will at the same time, while supporting a worthwhile cause.
There are many similar tactics a marketer could use with their company in the future. Remember, however, that this is a short term advertising strategy. Inevitably, the story will be replaced by another over time. The key to selling trend-based Emotional Appeal is to act quickly and ride the wave. That is where a quick thinking entrepreneur or marketer could get the jump on larger, slow-to-act conglomerates.
Some insight, as well as a bit of luck, is required to get on a story that will ‘blow-up’ or ‘go viral’. It pays to have an active marketing team to keep your content and ads fresh and current. If you arrive at the station too late, you’ll miss the train.
by Lisa Wedmann | Jul 17, 2013 | Business Success, Communications, Creative, Design, Latest, Miriamisms
More Killer Tips on PowerPoint Templates and Backgrounds
This is the second time you are making a presentation to the same group. The guy yawning in the back of the room has perked up. The woman gazing at her nails looks up once or twice. At least this is an improvement. Last time she only looked at you in the beginning, after three minutes she was back to her nails.
But you notice another person that keeps looking at your slides. He looks at the slides, then he looks at his notes, then he looks at the slides again. You’re not sure what he’s doing but there is one thing you’re sure, he’s not listening to you.
What gives? You did what was important. You designed your PowerPoint presentation and you followed the formula correctly. (A recent blog I wrote Two Killer Tips for PowerPoint Presentations outlines this recommended formula.)
Is there anything else you can do to make your PowerPoint presentation more effective? Is there a way to design your PowerPoint slides to create greater interest in your presentation? Is there a way to make them look more professional? Absolutely. In addition to your personal presentation style there are many visual factors that contribute to the effectiveness of your PowerPoint presentation.
Keep Them Listening to You
No matter how animated you are and how much you engage your audience at some point during your presentation they will look at your slides. And when they look at your slides you need to make them as clear as possible so they can look quickly and get back to listening to you. How do you make your slides clear and quickly comprehensible.
Don’t let PowerPoint Templates Drive Your Content
Many businesses have a corporate PowerPoint template which you must use. In this case you don’t have any choice
But if you have flexibility to choose your own design, you may feel you should use PowerPoint templates to look professional. You are not the only who feels this way. Many people scan through the designs in PowerPoint templates to find the one they like best or if they want to be different they search on the web for that perfect PowerPoint design.
The danger with PowerPoint templates is the template starts to drive the content. It may be the size of the font, it may be the colours, it may be the format on the page. You may not be able to include charts the way you would like, insert a table or even add photos.
As you start working through the template you find you have to modify your content to fit the template. It doesn’t make sense to sacrifice the content of your presentation to fit the format of the design template.
You can change the format of the template to fit your requirements. But when you make changes to the template format the template loses its integrity since it is a departure from its design. Once the template loses integrity it degrades each time you deviate from its boundaries. Every time it is degraded you lose the cohesiveness of your presentation and the clarity of your slide.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you should never use PowerPoint templates.
When used properly, PowerPoint templates make it easy to format your material. They are consiste nt in look and feeland provide a theme to your presentation.
Three Words on PowerPoint Backgrounds
Here’s my thought on backgrounds. Don’t use them.
You might be surprised that I am taking such a hard line stance. The truth is you look like an amateur when your PowerPoint background colour is dark and your text is a colour. It is difficult to read yellow on a black background, yellow on a blue background or even worse red on a black background and your presentation is a toner hog to print.
When you think of your PowerPoint background colour think of Google or any of the search engines. The majority of the text is black on a white background. That’s what people see every day. Any other colour is a departure from the norm.
And in this case you want to be the norm. Don’t fight it. Keep your text black on a white background. Use colour sparingly.
Use PowerPoint Templates and Backgrounds with Care
PowerPoint templates and backgrounds can work for you but choose carefully. Don’t let them drive the content of your presentation. Form follows function (Louis Sullivan) function doesn’t follow form.
Remember you want that guy who keeps glancing up and down at your slides to absorb the material quickly so he can get back to focus on you.
by Justin James | Jul 17, 2013 | Creative, Latest
Wow! My second full week at 3H! In the eight days I’ve been here, I have already learned much about building a brand name, marketing, and using social media to interact with your audience. I’ve also learned how similar school and work are, and also how different they are.
First, what’s similar between School and Work?
- You are always learning. Whether its knowledge or a skill, there is always more you can learn to complete your work more efficiently and effectively.
- Punctuality is important! Both your teachers and bosses expect their charges to arrive on time.
- You work is marked! You complete a series of tasks for your supervisor, and then are graded on them; just in a different way: Instead of an “A+” it might be a “Good work, Jones. You aren’t fired… today…” Instead of report cards, there are employee evaluations, but someone is keeping track.
- It helps to know the smart kid! Whether you’re lost in the curriculum the night before the test or the boss has already explained your duty twice and you still don’t understand, the smart kid, or co-worker, can always help you pull through.
- Deadlines must be met! You must plan ahead to complete your work by the agreed-upon time or there will be repercussions.
Although the core elements of both school and work may be similar, there are defining differences between the two.
What are the differences between School and Work?
- You have more responsibility in a workplace. In school, you can have an off day and write an assignment poorly, get a “C” and move on to the next day, where hopefully you do better. At work, you disappoint both the client and the boss, which reflects poorly on the company.The boss now has to take your below-standard contributions into consideration, and may fire you as a result. The stakes are higher, and the repercussions are more serious. This is because there is money on the line with businesses.
- There’s less subject diversity! In school, you can take a variety of subjects, many which are unrelated. You can take a Spanish class, followed by marine biology, followed by health and fitness. In work, you will likely be limited to one or two fields, with very similar day-to-day tasks to complete. It’s true when they say, “Do what you love,” because you’ll be doing a lot of it!
- Asking questions: In school, when you have a question about content, even if it’s silly, you raise your hand and ask the teacher. At work, you want to ask your boss as few questions as possible, so that you seem more competent. Google is my best friend—it knows the answers and doesn’t judge by how obvious the answers are.
- Time spent: Not only is the average workday two hours longer than school, but the lunches are shorter as well. In a standard workday in Ontario, an employee is entitled to a 30 minute meal break every five hours (unpaid) and that’s all. In school, you have an hour long lunch, sometimes longer.
- Money! At school, you labor with the hopes of attending entrance to a top college or university or, better yet, to get a scholarship. At work, you are paid for your hours, and exemplary work may result in bonuses! Good thing too, since the parents are usually willing to foot the bills once school ends.
What I have learned is that it is important to put a lot of thought into my future career. Doing work is hard – but it can be challenging and even enjoyable when you do something you love.
by Lisa Wedmann | Jul 16, 2013 | Advertising, Business Success, Latest, Management, Uncategorized
He was a big man and he smoked a big cigar. He was standing beside his desk, with his back to me, smoking a cigar and looking out the window at the city skyline. His presence dominated the room.
That’s how I first saw him. That’s how I remember him. Big and in control.
It was my first day on the job and I was being given the typical meet and greet walk. He was on the third floor, the executive level. I knew it was the executive floor since there was a big sign that said “EXECUTIVE LEVEL”.
In the office marked Vice-President, I was introduced to this giant of a man. As we left and walked down the stairs, my guide turned to me and whispered, “he’s a decision maker”.
That took me by surprise. I wasn’t sure what it meant, or why it was important to me so I nodded wisely.
I soon learned how important it was to be a decision maker when I was assigned to work in his department.
He terrified me. He barked orders. I followed them.
I asked questions. He gave answers.
HE MADE IMPORTANT DECISIONS QUICKLY
As I navigated through the politics of that first job, it wasn’t long before I came to understand how lucky I was to have a boss who was a decision maker, someone who was not afraid to answer questions and make important decisions.
But once I left that first job, I also learned how rare it is to find someone who can make important decisions quickly.
This man was not afraid to make important decisions and he wasn’t afraid to make them fast. Fearless and fast, traits valued in business since he soon left his job as Vice-President to become King of the Universe.
DID HE HAVE A SECRET WEAPON FOR DECISION MAKING?
Fortune favours the brave, at least that’s the way I saw it. He was one of those brave people who don’t hesitate. It didn’t matter if the question was related to ordering lunch or business strategies. He didn’t skip a beat. He simply opened his mouth and out jumped the answer.
I often wondered how he made his decision making choices. Did he have a plan for decision making in business or was it simply intuitive?
Just recently, I met one of my co-workers from that time and as typical when old friends meet; we began to reminisce and recall our days working together. We had both worked for Mr. Big Cigar. I reflected that after years of working for and with people who were reluctant to make important decisions it was a pleasure to have worked with someone who had no fear.
IF ANYONE KNEW SHE WOULD
I asked if she had any idea how he was able to make so many good important decisions. She was his right hand and if anyone knew she would.
She laughed.
Mr. B made a lot of decisions, she told me. What many didn’t realize is that they weren’t all the best decisions. They were close to the best but they weren’t always the best. They were aligned with the goals and objectives of the business, but you couldn’t comment that each one deserved that number one recognition.
The secret she confided was that he made decisions. And because he made decisions he became the decision maker. Some were good. Some were bad. But none were in limbo.
Bad decisions will rise to the top and become visible. Good decisions will float. But no decision will sink you…. fast.
THE SECRET OF MAKING IMPORTANT BUSINESS DECISIONS
What Mr. B. understood is that any decision is better than no decision. And that’s the secret.
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Theodore Roosevelt
by Justin James | Jul 15, 2013 | Advertising, Business Success, Creative, Interactive, Latest, Social Media
In my past blog posts, I stated the reasons why companies should rethink making their YouTube commercial stream before popular videos can be viewed. I believe that video marketing can be a very effective tool. However, like other social media, it can also backfire when done incorrectly. In order to avoid the ‘hard sell’ on viewers’ ‘me time’, there are some guidelines you should follow:
Four tips on how to have a not-so-awful YouTube commercial:
1) Make the ad enjoyable. If you are going to try to bring business into the social space, then avoid the hard sell. You want to make sure that the video is, at least, mildly entertaining. Humor can turn your video from a sales pitch to entertainment, making it something people may actually watch. If you can’t make the ad funny, at least be creative with it.
2) Allow your audience to skip the ad after the first few seconds. If you’re spending money on the ad, you don’t want people to leave halfway through—you want people to watch it! But the longer you keep the viewer waiting to see their intended video, the more intolerant they will become of your ad and message. Give them the option to skip the ad should your product or service be of no interest to them. If your product or service is relevant and they are willing to watch the full ad the first time it plays, they would already know what you have to say, and would not want to watch it again.
The optimal time your ad should run before you give them the choice to stop watching is five seconds. By then, you should have already established who you are and what you offer. If they aren’t interested in that time, you’ve already lost them. Alternatively, you can give the viewer the option to skip your ad as soon as it pops up. However, most viewers will not mind a few seconds and you have a better chance of getting your message across if you set the skip option at 5 seconds.
3) Keep it concise. YouTube is not a place for long-winded infomercials, unless you put them on your own channel. As I mentioned in #2, if someone isn’t interested in your YouTube commercial within the first five seconds, they won’t change their minds after thirty. To be successful, your ad must immediately grip the viewer and make them curious. Keeping your YouTube commercial short will ensure you don’t annoy those who are not presently interested in your message.
To get a viewer hooked, bring your message across quickly and clearly. Have a call to action – to visit your YouTube channel, your Facebook, your twitter, your website – whichever space you are promoting. If they are interested in your message, they will click through for more information. Once they are on your turf, you can offer the longer commercials.
4) Choose your music carefully. Remember that your ad could be viewed several times by the same viewer. If your video begins to play and you have a song that sounds unprofessional or unpleasant, it will become increasingly annoying the more they are forced to listen to it. Choose a popular song or an instrumental version in the music genre that best suits your target demographic, or keep the soundtrack neutral. After all, no one’s ever complained about elevator music.
With these tips, you can advertise to YouTube audiences more effectively—without driving potential customers away.
