September 2011

Room2Breathe

While I am no expert in the area of Food & Wine, even I know good wine needs time to breathe. A steak fresh off of the grill needs a few moments to settle before being served.

In our busy lives that same space can be most helpful in planning for growth, creating an idea or developing a strategy. It is a part of the normal flow of thinking and in turn a part of every successful organization's culture.

The concept also applies to print advertising. Internally you wrestle with the knowledge you need lots of white space in your ad and the need to shove every possible feature and benefit into what you are selling. It truly is a battle - in this case for space. The purpose of a print ad is to either generate response or to build awareness. In either situation you need to get the attention of the reader.

That is generally best done through space and copy.

Application4You

Resist the temptation to put another selling feature into your advertisement.

Use some of that white space to create compelling and engaging copy - pull the reader in. Let people who are reading get a break - for a moment - from the information. Then you can communicate a few simple concepts, sales or ideas to them. All the statistics in the world say we are daily overwhelmed by information - use thatinformation to your organization's benefit.

Keep it simple - and clean.

August 2011

Trying2Take Over

Things have been interesting in the Middle East this year. That’s an understatement.

Like many of you, I have been following the activity over there and watching what happens. Back in the spring Facebook was an integral part of the Egyptian revolution as we witnessed a government in place for decades crumble in days.

Just last week rebels in Libya moved into Tripoli.

What was their first move? They marched right in and took over the state run television station. A lot of media can have a big impact, but even in Libya nothing moves public opinion and communicates with the masses quite like television. It’s the reason those rebels went there first.

Application4You

Most of my clients use a mix of media and communications.

Public relations, direct mail, social media, email blasts, radio, the web, mobile messaging, outdoor, newspaper, SEO, magazines and even telemarketing can all be successful tools and help you move your image and product. When you need to rapidly establish a brand or product or “win the battle of the mind” with current or prospective clients, nothing moves people like television.

Many organizations are intimidated by the language or production process involved with TV. We can help. If you think you’d like to review your overall marketing plan or want to consider including TV in 2012, let’s start the conversation.

July 2011

What2Promote

The concept of social media marketing, web site marketing, or even that very first and most simple step of building a web site should start with an even more basic question.

Do I really need a web site?

If you can answer that question in the affirmative, the next important one is "What do I hope to accomplish with my web site?"

It seems sometimes too many companies and organizations are doing "hip" and "cool" new media for the simple purpose of being hip and cool. There doesn't seem to be a vision or a purpose. Like any other business decision a company makes, that's a bad reason to do a good thing.

There Must Be a Reason4It

Recently I saw a TV commercial directing the viewer to a web site for toilet paper. Yes, toilet paper. My daughter and I laughed out loud when we were instructed to "check it out online".

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Seriously?

Check out the copy above..."Charmin wants to make going to the bathroom more enjoyable." It's actually kind of funny really.

This is a classic case of a company being told by their advertising people "all current advertising need to have accompanying web sites and Facebook pages". Your's may not.

If you want someone to take a fresh, strategic look at what you are advertising and where you are advertsing it, simply click on the the contact information below or visit my website and begin a conversation.

June 2011

Remember2Check

‍The topics I write about generally percolate for a week or two before they make it to print.

This month, I was all set.  Ready to share what was on my mind as usual --- until I saw the following piece in Sports Illustrated.  It was a classic case of two well meaning departments not cross checking the master calendar.

“The Huntsville Stars hosted Pleasures Ladies Night (sponsored by a sex toy store) and the North-Central Alabama Girl Scouts sleepover at the same game last week.”

Check4Yourself

‍We all make mistakes.

Before you put your marketing calendar to rest and before that promotional schedule is printed, it’s a wise idea to check with other departments.  It’s an even smarter idea to check the piece one last time yourself.  While it may be an intern’s calendar project or something done by someone else in your office, there’s a good chance if you are in the decision process (or at the top of it), the ultimate responsibility is yours.

If you think these things only happen with small or local companies, think again.  Shortly after I went to work for an NBC affiliate a piece came out from the television network that highlighted an upcoming special sports presentation.  It was titled, “Ray Charles on Ice”.  That presents some interesting mental images.  Someone in New York had clearly not proof-read that piece before it was distributed either…

Minimize your exposure – have good cross checkers and proof readers.  Communicate.  Then check it yourself – the way my Mother and Father taught me to do it is still the best.  Read it backwards.

Proof your work.

May 2011

Focus2FinishWe would talk about it. 

My managers and I would meet to decide where to shine the flashlight.  Everyone, no matter their performance level, has a limited capacity.  The concept almost always played out as expected – what you as a manager focus on determines where the team will put its attention.  Where you direct your efforts, the team will follow.

It’s why it is so important to regularly decide where your energy should go.

Time4ChangeDecide what needs your focus then use accountability and a sustained gaze to drive the necessary change.  If you are in a sales or fundraising operation --- a good manager needs to know when to push forward, when to praise a high performer, and when to ease up on the team.  If you are in operations or production, it’s important you constantly monitor where the break downs are happening and how your focus can correct the process.

Your people will do what you drive them to accomplish.  Otherwise they aren’t the right people for you.

Too often as leaders we get sidetracked on unimportant or insignificant things – instead practice focusing your efforts and in turn helping your team see where they need to go and on what they need to concentrate. 

True change and definable results will follow.

April 2011

Time2Do It 

They pile up.

Sometimes it gets to the point where the pile can get so large you simply have to do something about it.  Sometimes it’s just one big item.  You know what I’m talking about.  It’s those things you just don’t really want to do – the very things that eat away at you, cause you to wake up at 4am, or stop you from quickly falling asleep at night.  The brain space occupied drags you down and distracts you from doing what you want to do, what you need to do, and what you love.

Those things – those rotten things you have to get done, but put off doing.

Now It’s Time4You to Change 

Credit should go to Stan Joplin – he was the Men’s Basketball Coach at the University of Toledo and I had known him when we both worked with Tom Izzo’s staff at Michigan State University.  Coach Joplin agreed to address my sales team at WTVG and he shared something I have tried for years to put into practice – something that has stayed with me for about ten years now.  He said, “Do the hard things first”.  It sounds easy enough and it is simple, but it’s actually far from easy.

If you continue to put something off, simply start tomorrow with it being the first thing on your list and (here’s the hard part) do it.  Tough phone call?  Make it.  Hard conversation?  Have it.  Uncomfortable email?  Proof it and send it.  Do it early in the day and get the rest of your day going…it really does work in a very practical way and it will work for you and your organization.

Clear the deck.

B2C Enterprises is an award winning advertising and marketing agency.  If you’d like to talk about how we can help you tackle a hard-to-solve problem, see some samples, or be removed from this distribution list, simply call 540.986.8766 (new number).