The Marketing Value of The Super Bowl...Commercial

The value of advertising on the Super Bowl continues to have a "long tail".

Even a week after the game many people were still discussing and writing about the ads as if they were critiquing a new movie or play on Broadway.

It can be argued that the public relations aspect of an ad on Super Sunday is without peer in the marketing arena.

Many companies offer sneak peeks of their productions in advance of the game. They appear online drumming-up thousands of views to the advertiser's website, Facebook page, YouTube channel etc.

The TV networks also jump in offering a few ad teasers on their morning shows. Then those tidbits show-up on their own social media pages, thank you very much.

Come game time as many viewers seemed to be glued in to the commercials as they are to the on-field activity.

"Oh here's the one about the Budweiser Clydesdale," or "Look it's the old people about Taco Bell," or "Did you get that one about the farmer?"

The next day all the TV networks are talking about the commercials. The pundits liked this one and that one or couldn't figure out what the hamburger chain was trying to accomplish with their spot.

The print media also hands out its list of hits and misses. Some newspapers even offer viewer scores and tabulated feedback.

Nearly every trade publication jumps on the bandwagon with their own ideas of what worked and what did not.

The ads of course are not inexpensive to produce and companies will use them on other programs to maintain the brand and keep the message resonating.

Case in point, last night on The Grammys' telecast. Watching the show my wife yelled out, "Hey there's the ad with the old people and Taco Bell, it's a riot."

Right then I knew Taco Bell had scored their own version of a golden gramophone after an earlier touchdown. They wagged the marketing tail with results that keep crunching away.

Lessons Learned from BMA Marketing Summit

It is time to go mobile with your branding.

That was the key take-away at the Business Marketing Association Summit recently held in St. Louis.

A speaker from Google said B2B marketers need to position their brand for the growing use of mobile devices in the marketplace.

Google research indicates search on mobile devices, including tablets, has increased greatly during the past year and nearly one in four purchases is now taking place on a mobile phone.

He said marketers should consider creating specially designed websites strictly for mobile use.

Their reserach indicated 71% of decision makers will consider multiple brands prior to a purchase.

This includes dedicating two weeks or more to study vendors and suppliers.

He said purchasers will conduct five or more online searches and they want to search where and when it’s convenient for them, whether that is in the office, at home, at an airport, or at any remote location. Thus the need for more mobile branding.

The speaker said video is also growing as a marketing tool.

Twenty nine per cent of buyers will watch videos to learn more about a company and its products. It is a growing trend and he urged B2B marketers to add video to their game plan.

Do you have a mobile branding strategy for 2013?

Document Technology Companies Need A Branding Strategy Now More Than Ever

Differentiating document technology firms is becoming more difficult. Multi-function devices, copiers and printers all seem to do the same thing, no matter the manufacturer.

Many of these firms are now employing managed print services, office architecture, specialized software and other products to separate themselves from the pack.

Becoming the leader in their market, however, takes more than good salespeople. Firms need to have service people, tech people and customer service staff who are all on-board as part of the marketing team.

Putting the right marketing structure in place leads to better customer service, more cross-sell opportunities, more leads, more revenue, and an outstanding return on investment.

Docu-Tech companies should pursue various branding opportunities. This can include a public relations campaign which focuses not only on highlighting the company but also key employees.

Article entries can be written for press but also for purposes of blogging. The goal is to differentiate key staff members as thought leaders and segment experts.

Community awareness programs should be conducted to showcase the firm in a different light and build connections with charitable boards and local leaders.

Special events can be created that also separates one firm from the rest of the marketplace.

In an era when multi-national corporations are purchasing local competitors one can still outflank their shotgun approach with a strategically targeted local campaign.

An experienced public relations or marketing firm can be a great partner that helps elevate a docu-tech business to the next level.

For additional ideas visit http://www.solomonturner.com/doctechpr.html

5 Ways to Improve Your Group Presentation

Delivering a presentation to a group or business organization is a great way to build your brand and enhance your reputation as a thought leader.

To make the most of these opportunities here are five things to consider so you can avoid "Death by Powerpoint".

1. Establish a goal. Determine what type of result you would like to generate from the presentation. Is your goal to simply build brand awareness? Is it to connect with new potential customers? Perhaps you are just passionate about the subject matter and wish to inform as many people as possible about your point of view. You can adjust your talk accordingly depending upon the outcome you desire.

2. Research the audience.
Is your audience going to be CEOs or Presidents of organizations or down-the-line staff? Will the audience skew older or younger or somewhere in between? A more experienced and educated audience will demand something new and different in the information you present, something they have not heard before. A younger audience may be more interested in the "grass roots" of your information and how it impacts their job and their career.

3. Determine which tools you will need to tell your story.
Depending on the length of your talk you should adjust your tools in line with the audience. Perhaps you can deliver a solid presentation with a few Powerpoint slides, but don't overdo it. A marker and easel can be used separately for emphasis depending upon the size of the group. Video and audio can also be used especially when connecting with a younger audience.

4. Engage the audience.
Entertain the group by involving them in the conversation. Ask questions, encourage feedback, role play with a volunteer or simply walk through the audience as you speak. Your presentation should be entertaining as well as informative.

5. Practice, practice, practice.
Unless you are an extremely skilled speaker you will need to practice your presentation. This should be done well in advance of your talk and again the night before you are scheduled to speak. Work on speech patterns and voice inflection. Perform a dry run through with a colleague or family member. Show-up early for your talk and make sure all equipment is working properly.

As someone once said, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Lessons Learned From The Pitch

The Pitch on AMC should be must see TV for anyone involved in advertising, marketing and/or public relations.

Each week two ad agencies square off in a shoot out to land a piece of business with a major corporation.

The agencies visit the company's headquarters, do their research and form their pitch, all within a 7 day time span. Then they have to present their campaign to the potential client.

The corporations offering up a piece of their advertising pies are no small players. These are big time national businesses like Subway and Waste Management.

Cameras follow the entire process. Like most reality shows they do side stories of some of the personalities involved. AMC keeps the pace of the show moving briskly.

A recent episode indicated how important it is to listen to the needs of the client.

One business told the two competing agencies not to use their corporate holding company name, or even part of it, in their campaign. Yet one agency was going to use it anyway before the client stopped them on a mid-week phone call discussion.

The same competiting agencies were also told to create a campaign that got the phone to ring with potential customers.

Once again the agency that was going to use the corporate name also failed on this strategy. Their final commercial was excellent but played more on the heartstrings than it did on direct response.

Needless to say the other agency got the direct marketing aspect of the campaign correctly and nailed the business.

Those of us involved in making these type of pitches on a national or local basis need to be better listeners than talkers.

Failing to do so may not only cost you some business, it can make you look arrogant and unprofessional, especially on network TV

The PR Name Game

What's in a name?

If you are in business perhaps everything.

Prior to the Internet most new companies created their corporate brand based on the founders' names or some term which hopefully described their business in a few words.

This worked well in the old economy where competition was less intense and sales were made as much on a "who you know" rather than "what you know" basis.

But the world has changed. The backbone of the new economy is all digital. It is also international in scope.

Sales leads are coming from Google and other search engines. They can also flow from other social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Most businesses realize that having a strong online presence is important to their growth and success. Yet some fail to realize that customers still need to find them, by name.

For example, unless you reside in a small town, a brand like the Smith-Jones Law Firm just won't make the cut. How in the world is someone going to find you on a Google search unless they go about 40 pages deep or you spend thousands of dollars on search engine optimization and marketing.

Even if Mr. Smith meets someone at a networking event and the prospect loses Smith's business card, imagine how long it would take that person to find the Smith-Jones firm on a search. Too many companies and people named Smith and Jones out there.

The same is true for companies who try to let you know what they do in their brand name. "Advanced Electronics Equipment" let's you know that the company sells some type of electronics equipment but where will that rank on a Google search.

Check out how many companies have "advanced", "electronics", and "equipment" as part of their name. Far too many for you to make a dent on a search list.

A better approach is to use a name no one else in your market sector can claim. One that can at least be found easily on an electronic search. A name that stands out from the crowd.

Brands like Amazon, Facebook, Starbucks, Zappos, and Zynga really didn't mean anything until they were launched and became popular (ok there was the Amazon River etc). Yet they are easily found and stand out from a crowded field.

Imagine if Starbucks had gone with The Howard Schultz Coffee Company as its name. The company may still be successful but it would not have the same panache or hipness.

A business can do the same in its own market. Instead of using the same old standards like "Gold Home Realty" or "Acme Plumbing & Associates" companies might try to develop a one or two word brand that separates them from their competitors.

The goal is to create the name before you incorporate and launch, not afterwards.

Research is not that difficult. Perform some electronic search and see if anyone is close to your brand name or has the first name of your company as part of theirs.

If you are in St. Louis, MO, home of the Gateway Arch, how many companies are named "Gateway" this and that or "Archway". That is not a good choice for your company.

If you use the same name or part of a name of a large Fortune 500 company chances are you could be a little difficult to find as well.

Companies are better off creating a brand that could be a little difficult to connect with its product offerings at the inception but will pay dividends long term.

Provided your company does good work and builds a good reputation, customers will find you. Especially if they can locate you on an electronic search.

What's Your Awards Strategy?

Creating an awards strategy can be a valuable piece of the public relations campaign.

It can be a big boost to helping companies build their brand, build awareness and connect certain messages with targeted audiences.

While most larger businesses understand the value of an awards strategy, a number of small and medium sized firms fail to pursue these golden PR nuggets. They either do not grasp the concept, do not allocate the time to professionally fill out forms, or simply do not make it a key part of their marketing efforts.

Winning an award or multiple awards can produce a great number of benefits both outside and inside an organization.

First, it enables you to connect with clients and prospects that you won the award. It "reinforces" current customers that they are doing business with a sound and reliable company. It informs prospective customers that you are a serious and well thought of organization. Someone they should consider as a business partner.

Second, it serves as a great PR and sales tool. Savvy businesses will create a campaign based on winning the award. They will create a news release or news releases based on the award win. They will send those releases to area and national publications and generate valuable coverage.

The business can also create a social media campaign and highlight the award on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. They can post it on their website, blog about the award, and make it part of their email newsletter.

Third, the award has great value within the organization. If several employees took the time and effort to help garner the prize they can be recognized at a company or department meeting. Those employees can be featured in the company's newsletter and highlighted in a poster or flyer in meeting places around the building. The award can be showcased in the main office lobby where everyone can view it. All employees will have another reason to feel confident about their work and their contributions to the success of the company.

Certainly many awards have a questionable feel. Some appear to be purchased and not earned. Yet many are of high quality and granted only to companies that meet certain criteria and survive a rigourous judging process. Businesses need to do a little investigating and determine the key value of each honor.

Organizations who actively pursue key awards can receive the kind of industry recognition that produces great public relations value both internally and externally.