by Matina Singh | Dec 28, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Latest
When we go shopping for anything from food, clothes or cars, we have a lot of choices, at times too many choices. Do we choose a brand that’s familiar to us or do we take a chance with a new one? How do we choose from all these different brands on the retail shelf… and what do they do to set themselves a part from the rest?
With the many choices we have as consumers it’s easy to be overwhelmed – throw in the towel on our decision making process and buy the already known rather than trying something new! But even if we want to try a new product, there are so many out there, we often don’t even know where to begin. Too many of POP materials and communications at the retail level put out by brand makers talk about the feature of their product and totally forget to talk to the benefits – in short, what’s in it for the consumer. Benefit-driven communications is the best way to speak to consumers. Is the brand more efficient? Provide time-saving or cost-saving?
In-store retail merchandising and retail point-of-sale (POS) mechanisms are crucial to make a connection with the consumer to drive both impulse and trial sales. To capture the consumer’s wandering eye, brands and retailers need to constant create new and innovative point-of-purchase (POP) to grab attention where and when in counts the most: in-store. Without these attention-getting on-shelf or in-store communication pieces, many consumers often overlook new products or specials and consequently buy familiar and already trusted brands.
Brand Marketers want to make sure that their brand doesn’t get lost in all the in-store option available to consumers. Here’s a quick check list to do just that:
- Packaging: This is the most important brand POP. It is the piece that will keep on working where ever it is: on-shelf, in-store, in the pantry, in the home. It is all about originality! The brand package needs to carry the brand character, personality and voice and more importantly speak to its benefits.
- POP: Using unique visual elements and colours that speak to the brand in order to draw attention to the product provides at the retail level the necessary impact. Creating effective POP on-shelf that speaks to consumers will entice them to make the change. Using mobiles, shelf-talkers, on-shelf coupon generators, on-shelf digital messaging are only a few tactics that are available.
- End Aisle Displays/ Check Out Displays: Using these in-store tactics are an effective way of making brands stand out. While consumers wait in line or turn the aisle, the “one brand” shelving strategy definitely gets the desired effect. Couple this impact with the right benefit-driven message and brands will be sure to generate the much sought after impulse purchase.
- Floor Graphics and Floor Stands: An effective and creative way to drive consumers right to products on-shelf is using floor graphics leading the way! Of course colourful floor stands filled with products are also effective and provide a solid “real-estate” space, often away from the competitive products.
Effective POP helps snap consumers out of their routine. It engages them at the most critical purchasing moment and affects behavior to drive sales. All brand marketers must be sure to get this part right. It doesn’t matter how great an advertising campaign is… if consumers don’t find the brand on the shelf, the sale is lost. After all isn’t that what it’s all about?
by Jenna Elberson | Dec 26, 2012 | Branding, Business Success
Despite our biological complexity, human beings are surprisingly straightforward and predictable when it comes to emotional reactions. The concept of honor, feelings of goodwill and being beholden to the person or company who gives us something for free is deeply engrained in the human psyche. Smart salespeople and businesses know this and have used it for centuries to close deals.
Promotional products are all around us. When you go to TD Bank for example, a basket of free pens sits on the counter with the bank’s logo printed on the side. The bank knows that this subtle gesture makes the customer feel confident that the bank must be flush with assets. Customers will be more likely to be loyal to the bank, opening new accounts for their children and grandchildren and recommending the bank to friends.
Hugely profitable businesses like pharmaceutical companies provide outside salespeople with promotional products to increase their sales percentages. They give away items such as personalized calendars, desk accessories and coffee mugs so that when it’s time to re-order supplies, the company name and phone number is right there in plain sight.
Extensive marketing studies have proven that businesses can benefit from promotional products. Response rates improve dramatically when potential customers receive free products because the name of the company is better recalled, and a favorable opinion of the company is formed unconsciously. Investing in promotional products is a smart marketing strategy that all businesses can benefit from.
For more information on promotional products look at the informational graphic below:
This graphic was created by Magnets.com, a promotional refrigerator magnet company. Magnets.com is proud to sell items that can boost the business of small and large businesses alike. Click here to learn about Mangets.com.
by Miriam Hara | Dec 24, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Creative, Design
I will start this post by saying that this is not a jab at technology nor is it a rant on how business is being conducted today. Promise! Over the last 5 years the way business is being conducted has changed significantly, placing a strain on business relationships. Technology has made business accelerate at warp speed… resulting in many of us being strapped for time, overwhelmed and at wit’s end on how to meet expectations. We now have less time available for face-to-face meetings with clients and our vendor/partners. As emails have become the preferred way of business communications, phone calls are a thing of the past! I’m sure you’ll agree that calling anyone that actually picks up the phone, let alone a prospective client is like winning the lottery!
However, regardless of how the day-to-day business is being managed, ultimately relationships and the building of them is the key to any successful business. Through the years we at 3H, have noticed that quality time spent with clients is at a premium; it has increasingly become more difficult to get our clients and potential clients out for lunch, coffee or even a drink after work. That left us with the challenge of how to nurture and cultivate our relationships with our clients and even some potential clients.
Our approach was really a simply one, and one that was very natural – at least for me. You see I love birthdays. Actually, I love celebrating birthdays (I must admit I love celebrating my birthday most of all!). So every year for the last few years, an annual mandate for the 3H creative and design team is to develop, create and design a birthday card theme that would be carried throughout the year. These cards never go unnoticed. In fact, many who are on the receiving end of our birthday cards are quite touched by the thoughtfulness and are surprised that we remembered them on their birthday.
The irony doesn’t escape me either! A birthday card sent by mail is really a very traditional and low tech approach in business relationship building…. but I must say, it has garnered strong relationships for us. It has been the perfect blend of marketing, design and sales! The cards are all created and designed by the 3H creative team, allowing us to showcase our design and conceptual services. Our cards, of course, are very branded – all are purple and titanium. This not only builds the recognition of the 3H brand… it also illustrates to clients that we are effective brand builders.
Some of the concepts we’ve tackled were: Colorology, Destiny Number, Name Letter Profile, Birth Date numerology. Last year the 3H birthday card featured the Celtic Leaf Profile. The cards we send out are all created and designed by the 3H creative team. Each card is personalized. You can see these on our Pinterest Birthday Board. Feel free to download them and read about your Celtic Leaf Profile. It’s really quite accurate!
I’ll like to end this post by another heartfelt, low-tech message: Happy Holidays to one and all!
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 christine | Nov 22, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
The Social Media skills now required to maintain a good social media reputation has evolved. Most of us (businesses and brands) have our social listening strategy in place, writing content and posting on our social media accounts. So…how is it going? Are you monitoring your accounts, interacting with your followers on each account? If you are, good. We all know that it’s imperative to listen to what your customers have to say… as this will keep your brand honest and transparent.
Does your social media strategy include the necessary social media skills?
Being proactive in your social media accounts has never been more important. With the daily launches of new social media blogs and sites, keeping on top of your brand’s social calendar takes time and resources. Don’t lose faith! These efforts can and will be reap Brand rewards in the end. Engagement with your customers is imperative to keep the “stickiness” on your sites and also loyalty and trust with your brand. More importantly understanding and knowing how to handling both positive and negative feedback properly can be indeed a powerful tool to gain loyalty from your target audience and enhancing their experience with your brand. Keep in mind these steps below to become socially proactive:
1. Proactive and engagement on your social accounts should be your primary measurement of how your brand is doing. Keep an active conversation with your customers, so when and if a problem arises you can respond quickly with a solution
2. Respond Quickly to all Social Media Feedback, especially negative.
3. Don’t script your response. Be human and sensitive… an actual “real” live sensitive caring person (customized responses will go a long way to creating a supportive community online).
4. Support your response with detailed information; again give qualified information to help turn the negative experience into a resolved, positive experience. (We all remember being on the other end of those endless customer automated phone messages…that keep telling us to press the next sequence of number’s to get help, but in the end, it feels like we are on a never ending carousel spinning round and round, and in the end we hang up out of frustration or just get lost in a loop of unhelpful automated annoying computer generated voices.) We want our customers to feel that someone is actually listening and with a positive timely response your customers will probably post a very sincere thank you back and become a loyal customer in the end.
5. Dedicated customer service email and resources are a must. In support to #3, you have to specifically set up for your social media accounts. This will help garner a great customer support service within your social media communities. You should allow for a dedicated resource for these platforms to monitor what’s being talked about online and also join in on the conversation to build strong relationships and provide positive customer experiences.
6. Be Honest and Transparent…this will go a long way for validating that yes we all make mistakes, but lets work together to fix it and make it better by actually listening to what your customers are saying.
7. Be Empathic, stay objective. Look at it from the consumers point of view, have all your facts and as said earlier try to resolve as quickly as possible.
Now to make it all work! Now that you have your social listening strategy, resources, and your social customer service in place you need to add some tools to help you get the edge on your competition by taking charge of your social media and your online presence. You can start with some free resources and or customized packages. No tools work the same, so do your research. This is just a small sampling of links below to get you started:
RSS Feeds, Google Alerts, Track Tweets, Comments and Discussions on fan boards, etc, and Netvibes
Want to know more about social media? Download Social Media Understood here.
Please feel free to add comments, tips, and suggestions; I always like to hear how other people adapt new strategies to their social accounts. And remember be Proactive!
When we go shopping for anything from food, clothes or cars, we have a lot of choices, at times too many choices. Do we choose a brand that’s familiar to us or do we take a chance with a new one? How do we choose from all these different brands on the retail shelf… and what do they do to set themselves a part from the rest?
