Make Your Mark

Lately, my life has been one hectic moment after another. I feel like one of those cartoon characters with a black cloud following! All kidding aside, as a busy working mom of 2, ANYTHING, I mean truly anything that disrupts my schedule wreaks havoc. And what matters the most during these times as I am having my car towed to a repair shop while out of town or as I am running thru Walgreens to get photos printed at 12midnight for my son’s school project the next day, is customer service. I’ll give you a few examples. Tow Truck driver lady- Thank you for trying to fix my car even though you would have lost out on your towing fee if it did crank. A quick side note- Found her using YP Mobile- tow trucks and picked one closest to me. Gentlemen at Pep Boys- Thank you for whittling down a part to rig my car just enough that I could drive home and wait til Monday when the dealership opened. Harris Teeter- I know you charge a little more than some but I don’t care. Thank you for keeping your stores clean, for helping me get my kids & groceries in the car and for giving them free cookies. Holiday Inn- Thanks for making me feel special when I check in and for shuttling me around when I was careless. I stop and shop based on experiences; not based on the name that’s above the door.

Sadly, I am sure we can all think of examples of bad customer service and have probably altered our own buying habits based on those. Earning a customer’s business just by advertising alone doesn’t exist anymore. Advertising speeds up the inevitable. If you have a good business, it will grow. Bad customer service or a bad product will result in people coming in and then leaving unhappy and telling people about their bad experience. That will put you out of business faster. If you truly want to earn a customer, then advertise, and then provide them with good customer service once they get there. It takes time to train your employees properly but it is quite simply the most important thing that you can do as a business owner. Teach them to be helpful, knowledgeable and just plain nice to the people that come in your door. Make sure they try to learn as much as they can about the items in your store or about the services you provide. Even though every transaction isn’t a “big ticket” sale, the interaction during it could cause that customer to come back to you for a lifetime. Harris Teeter- here I come!

Gayle Brown -ViaMark Wilmington

Last night during the first game of ESPN’s Monday Night Football double header, color analyst Ron “Jaws” Jaworski dropped the “S-bomb” on live TV. For me, it was interesting not for its shock value, but for how quickly his faux pas was deemed newsworthy.

After I rewound my DVR quite a few times and finally stopped laughing, I decided to experiment. I typed “Ron Jaworski’s comment on MNF” into Google – there were already three entries about the comment! And this just literally 5 minutes after it had been made.  When using the same search phrase on Google less than 24 hours later,  there were then over 200 related stories – including stories from USA Today, New York Daily News, The Washington Post – just to name a few.

I was once told, “You can’t outrun technology.” (sorry I forgot who told me). Nothing today is off limits from technology. If a movie, a TV show, or a song doesn’t work; people will know it quickly.

This also trickles down into experiences. If a customer has a bad one, you better believe they’ll be telling their friends via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, emails and texts. They might even blog about it or put up a video. If you’re lucky they may even do it when the experience is good. I find myself constantly cautioning advertisers about claims. If they make claims in their ads they better be able to back them up.

Sure there was some shock value to Mr. Jaworski’s comment and that is a lesson in itself for businesses. So think about everything your business name is associated with and how it is presented by you and every employee. Really learn what kind of experience your customers are having. This “Jaws” incident is a good example of how one word can spark conversation. And all it takes is a little “s&%t” to help spread it! So decide what kind of headlines you want – good or bad – and make them happen.

Chris Hoffman
Viamark Advertising – Asheville, NC

MRM is a consulting company that works with media companies to help them integrate their on air programming with online initiatives.

Mark Ramsey of Mark Ramsey Media (MRM) recently blogged about Groupon. It’s an interesting read and we have found that it is spot on in terms of what kind of response you get and who it’s best suited for.

We often have clients ask us about Groupon (or other couponing sources) or ask us to initiate a Groupon campaign. Our response is usually “buyer beware”. Sometimes it hurts more than it helps.

If you are considering using Groupon, read this.

There is a place for it, but it has to be a part of a bigger plan and your media consultant will know if (or how) it should be a part of your plan.

One of our vendors said something the other day that has really stuck with me- Social Media is all about getting it the way you want it….
Since then, I have spoken to a dozen people about their own usage of social media. Not surprisingly, everyone is different in the way they want it, regardless of age/sex/gender. Some are social media junkies, others are new to it and still a little weary of branching out. I personally spend more time on twitter, rarely visit Facebook, and occasionally dabble on LinkedIn. I browse generally later in the evening from my iPhone while my husband watches sports. An important note here- my iPhone is an accessory with me everywhere I go. It has become the key to communicating with me.
Of all the social media outlets, Twitter for me, is the most interesting. It’s my new form of window-shopping. As a busy working mom of two young children, actually going to the store to browse leisurely rarely happens anymore. My favorite posts are those that contain a click thru with items I can view. Tweets such as- The Top 10 Skincare Products of 2011 or Find your Perfect Jean- are always sure to get me. I have never actually purchased anything while online twitter browsing but I have certainly gone to the store and bought an item I read about in a tweet.
Getting it the way I want it extends to paying bills online. I also want to be able to research a company online, before deciding to do business with them. I am certainly not alone here.
So what does all this mean? Everyone is different in their likes and how they want it. The needs of a 38-year-old working mom are going to be different than that of a 22-year-old single person. However, now, more than ever, is the time to tidy up your online presence. A poor online presence can hurt a sale before the business owner has any idea that customer was “in the funnel”. A company with out of date information appears lazy to me. If the site has a contact us button and it takes 2 days to get a reply, major red flag.
Ask yourself, are you where your customers are? Are you accessible to your potential customers? Are you providing them with conveniences and service that make them want to come back for more? Be flexible in the ways you allow your customers to interact with you. Ask them questions and then be sure to pay attention to their responses. You don’t have to be the most ‘social’ one out there, just make sure you show up ready to play.

Author: Gayle Brown
Viamark Wilmington

For me personally, the word traditional conjures up other words I’m really not comfortable with. Words like conformity, cliché, normal, etc. Since I can remember, and much to my Mothers’ chagrin, I have found myself searching out the more non-traditional way of doing most things. The hardship of non-traditional means taking a path not often traveled, but that is also the beauty. Going places few have seen, experiencing things others only dream about and reaping the rewards those experiences bring with them. Sure, those things can be exciting but for the wrong personality type they can bring a lot discomfort. Conversely, the word traditional often means safety and comfort to those who have no desire to explore new boundaries. And chances are your personality will be drawn to one side or the other. And just as an added bonus, a person may be traditional in one area and non-traditional in another – so now you’re really confused!

In our world of marketing, we see this split personality play out with local businesses every day. On one hand, savvy business owners look for non-traditional ways to run their business so they stand out from their competitors. Or, maybe they were even lucky enough to stumble upon a completely new idea or service to offer the public. They search for innovative ways to do business so people remember them. And people remember them because the experience is unique and non-traditional. It surprises them and rewards their palate with a new taste. On the other hand, when it comes to telling their story through marketing – the same savvy business owner suddenly develops a split personality and becomes traditional. They do this because they fear being TOO different and gravitate to what’s safe and comfortable.  Unfortunately, a safe and comfortable approach surprises no one, and goes unnoticed.  It doesn’t stimulate curiosity or wake up the senses. Yes, it’s much easier to be traditional and say all the cliché yadda-yadda stuff that every other business is saying, but why would you want to? Didn’t you go into business for yourself because you felt you had a better or different way of doing things? Why not be different in how you tell people about what you do? Even personalities that are 100% traditional in most every aspect are going to be affected by a non-traditional message. They might not like it, but they will remember it.  So I say go non-traditional. At Viamark we are – and it works! Plus, what was traditional 10 years ago may not be today, so be willing to change. Your message is the most important part of any campaign. Can you afford to blend into the crowd? I bet not. Follow Mr. Frosts’ advice and take The Road Not Taken – it made all the difference for him and my guess is the scenery is much better.

Chris Hoffman
Viamark Advertising – Asheville, NC

I have a confession to make. I have an unhealthy addiction to my Blackberry. Whatever happened to “it can wait”, and “nothing is that important”? Did the advent of instant connection mean I had to play along…ALL the time? When did I give in to the very thing I rail against? Truth is I am RUDE! So, here and now, let me apologize to anyone I have “discounted, interrupted, or marginalized” because my vibrating buddy wanted my immediate attention…and got it. I’m like a kid every time this thing tickles my side… “Ohhhhhh! It must be an electronic present!! Hold that thought, I must open it right now!!” Stop your life, so I can download mine! Oh, look, another email from Expedia?! I’m sorry, what were you saying? I have learned that It CAN wait….and rarely is ANYTHING that important!
The only group of people worse than me are those self righteous souls who condemn you for your lack of electronic etiquette, but who will “step away” or ”have to take this call”, because their situation is far more important than yours.
So, here’s what I’m doing: I put my phone on silent when I am at dinner, or in a client meeting, and I turn it off at night. I mean, how important is an email at 2 AM, really? Yes, I have been awakened, rolled over, and read a meaningless email at 2 in the morning. It’s a sickness!
How about you my friend? Are you that different from me, really? Maybe you’re worse than I? Ohhh yes! I do delight in those addicts who simply cannot breath without their electronic addiction. My name is Misery, and you are my welcomed guest! So, pull up a chair, expose your device, and let’s ignore each other while we text the night away. Did you bring your charger?
Better yet, let’s put these gizmos down, and open up a bottle of Vino, and share in some authentic social media.
You really should Google this winery!
Cheers! – Mark Storie

I recently found an article put out on CNNMoney.com in January pointing out all the benefits of marketing to a 50+ demo.   The first baby boomers turned 65 in January of this year.  Imagine that!  The Baby Boomers are officially Senior Citizens.  Yes, many advertisers market to the “young, mobile, switchable younger demographics”. However, there are some great points in here about the power that the 50+ demo has and the impact these people can make on a bottom line. Some of these points include:

• The median age of ALL adults 18 or older is 50
• The average American buys 12-13 cars in a lifetime. 7 of them are bought after age 50. And, the average ticket is higher then too. 
• Over the next 10 years the 18-49 segment will grow by 10%, the 50+ segment will grow by 20%.
• Some studies have shown that baby boomers are less brand loyal than younger people.

Take this to our world, marketing local businesses with limited budgets. We have a lot of power at our disposal when marketing to the 50+ demo. It’s safe to assume that there are also some advantages to marketing in that world:

• If national buyers are buying up the 18-49 inventory, that leaves some surplus inventory on the 50+ programs and stations, allowing for some better rate negoations while still delivering GRP’s.
• If these people really aren’t as brand loyal as once thought, then we can switch them to our clients.
• Facebook, Twitter and Social Media, while not foreign to this audience, are not as highly used as with the 18-30 year olds.  This puts less pressure on our client to succeed in this sometimes foreign world (as small business owners)

Interesting reading from a new perspective.  http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/02/news/boomer_birthday/index.htm

scan this with your smartphone

OK, so we are not programmers or computer geeks, and wouldn’t normally blog about a highly technical product.  But…we are marketing people, so we get excited when something comes on the scene that can make a BIG impact on how we market our clients, and ourselves.  Enter QR Codes.  Ever heard of them?  You’ve probably seen these around, a little black and white matrix.  QR stands for quick response, and it generates exactly that.  They are matrix barcodes that can hold data for websites, personal URLs, contact cards, even instructions.  You simply scan the code with a smartphone and  are instantly linked to the information the QR Code holds.  For example, scan our QR Code above, and you are instantly linked to our website.  A QR Code reader can be downloaded free in less than a minute to any smartphone.  

Consider the applications!

A simple scan can link customers to a website, a commercial on youtube, a text message, a contact card, an RSS feed, a calendar event, a page to buy tickets for an event, or to make a donation to a cause, I could go on for days!  And, best of all, they are 100% trackable.  Gone are the days of clients trying to direct customers to websites with slashes and dashes in the URL!  Who can remember those addresses?  With one click the client gets the customer to exactly the page they want, and can track response with 100% accuracy.

The technology isn’t new, but it’s in the infancy stages for market-wide use.  The more people who learn about QR Codes and start scanning them, the faster we can start using them to market our clients faster, better, and more effeciently.  Spread the word!

Did You Know?

Videos are 53 times more likely than text pages to appear on the first page of search results – Forrester Research

Adding video to email marketing boosts customer’s interaction by as much as 200% – 300% – Ogilvy

It’s time to add video to your website!

• Bring your website to life
• Improve your SEO, increase your ranking in on-line search
• Add a video greeting or a personal introduction
• Post real-life customer testimonials on your site
• It’s like Free TV!  Post videos to social media sites and gain thousands of impressions for free.
• Promote extended products or services in more detail on your website without being limited by text, pictures, or time
• A true 24-hour sales rep working for you
• Increase time spent on your website, and pages viewed through video content.
• Spread the word virally  

Why should Viamark Advertising produce your web video content? 

• We’re not just a production company, we’re a branding company.
• We uncover your untold story and establish your brand.  Anyone can produce a video, but Viamark Advertising has been producing high quality, award winning, effective branding campaigns for over 15 years. 
• We will help integrate your web messaging through all customer contact points, to make your marketing synergistic.

Let us bring your website up to date and watch your traffic and sales soar!  Contact your nearest Viamark office for information.  www.Viamark.com 

The Associated Press (AP) released some figures recapping the 2010 Holiday shopping season this week. Here are a few highlights:

• The holiday shopping season was the best since 2006, as a strong November more than offset spending that tapered off in late December. “The overall season was good, but the strength came from the beginning of the season,” said Michael P. Niemira, chief economist at International Council of Shopping Centers.
• From Oct. 31-Jan. 1, revenue at stores open at least a year rose 3.8 percent over last year, according to an index compiled by the International Council of Shopping Centers. That’s the biggest increase since 2006, when the measurement rose 4.4 percent.
• Early holiday discounts, which started in late October, drove big sales early in the season but also had shoppers finishing more gift-buying before December. A lull early in December and a blizzard Dec. 26 in the Northeast also took bites out of sales.
• December’s smaller increases underscore the challenges retailers face in getting shoppers back in the malls in the coming months when there are no holidays giving them reasons to spend.
• Analysts say that the holiday 2010 season also marked the time that spending in many categories returned to pre-recession levels. Online spending, as well as spending on groceries, auto parts and clothing, are now above the pre-recession peak, according to MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse, which tracks all transactions including cash.
• Jewelry, home furnishings and luxury goods are still below peaks, according to the data service.
• Overall, department stores fared better than mall clothing chains.