Black Friday, Why All the Rush?

This has been in our head for a while...your training is almost done; you’ve practiced on a blocking dummy, done agility drills with the guru at the gym and planned your attack accordingly. Black Friday is here people, LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Not since 1986, you remember the year when you waited in line for three days to get a shot at the front row Bon Jovi tickets, have you been in this tip top physical condition. It’s Black Friday and nothing is going to get between you and a chance at one of two (uptight lawyer voice: supplies limited, no rain checks...see stores for details) flat screen televisions your local big box store is offering on a nation-wide basis. You even went to the extreme of buying that pseudo Spiderman-like outfit that will allow you to slip through the crowds on your way to the prize...bobsled team members are envious of your uniform...that’s how fast it will make you. You even cut back on your turkey consumption on Thursday, thinking the slightest hint of turkey coma will take away your edge. You spend a couple of minutes explaining to your seven year old why you are dressed up as a superhero on Thanksgiving night, kiss the family goodbye and motor off to the local retailer to measure up the competition.

Or maybe you could stay home and do some homework where you could find the best deal ANY day of the year, no? Sure it’s fun to go out and find a deal, but the best deals come when you are educated on what you are buying. A TV, a car, airtime for your latest campaign or any other situation where a transaction takes place...the more prepared you are, the better off you will be.

Plain and simple, if you scramble for a deal, you will get a scrambled deal in return. How can you prevent this as a small business owner, a consumer or someone in charge of a multimillion dollar budget, be prepared. Find out the facts, find out when THEY are desperate to move inventory, define what goals you want to accomplish through the purchase, set aside some of your budget for great deals that come up, find out what the vendor will give you in addition to what you are looking to buy and don’t buy just on price unless everything else is equal and it doesn’t make your use of their service less effective for YOUR situation. If you are prepared both for the vendor and with your goals defined before you buy, you will come out better for it in the end.

Now go return that silly outfit so your kids don’t need therapy when they are older.

Like we said...this has been in our head for a while...did it get in yours?

Brand Promise or Overdone Promotion/Offer...Which One Do You Have?

This has been in our head for a while...is your brand promise, and not everyone has one, a true brand promise or maybe an overdone promotion/offer/statement of fact in hiding?

There are many definitions of a brand promise and many arguments come about when trying to create one, it’s a very personal thing that people quickly become very passionate about. Our definition of a brand promise is a brief statement of what you can deliver to the customer on a consistent basis time, after time, after time, after time, after time, after time...you get the point. That brief statement also has to be something that you and your staff have to live, breathe and work through on a daily basis. If you can’t, well then it’s probably time to go back to the drawing board to find another one. Oh yeah, and the target customer has to find it believable, if they don’t believe, they won’t show up to buy. There are many other points to argue and pick at, points are the type to be debated by those you trust to run your branding process or in a spirited debate at a local watering hole. Trust us; we’re not done talking about brands promises yet kids, not even close (aka, more posts to come).

So really, this brand promise you have, does it go like any of these:

• Nobody Beats Our Prices, Nobody
• Rebuttal: Well, I’m Mr. Nobody...come shop at my store.

• Service, Selection and the Best Pricing
• Rebuttal: Great, who are you again? That’s what the other people said too...are you owned by the same people?

• Where There’s Always a Sale
• Rebuttal: Really, then why did I find it at your competitor for cheaper and NOT on sale?

• The #1 Rated In Customer Satisfaction in 2008
• Rebuttal: According to who and based on what Skippy?

Strong huh? Could you get your team pumped up about these statements? Could you pitch these statements to a client with a straight face if you were the agency tasked with the assignment? No, no and no is what we hope you are saying right now.

Point being, will those get some people in the door, sure they will. Will you be memorable or just get clumped in with all the other competitors in your already crowded category?

What can you do then...well you can come up with that brand promise we talked about and build some brand equity silly! Can you afford to out spend the competition? Can you afford to let people chunk you in with the others? Can you afford not to be different?

Didn’t think so.

Like we said...this has been in our head for a while...did it get in yours?

Internal Marketing, Done Any Lately?

This has been in our head for a while...what is your internal marketing plan with those you are depending on at your place of business?

Sure you might be at the top of your game, but what internal inspiration pieces have you put in place to keep yourself AND your team up there? Or better yet, maybe you’re at a company that is struggling in the current economy, what internal marketing have you done to inspire those around you to put the blinders on and give their best at what you hired them to do?

We know what you’re thinking, “That sounds expensive and I don’t have ANY extra right now to fund this type of thing,” right? Well anything can be expensive (depends how you do it), but can you afford to not have everyone giving their very best right now Skippy...didn’t think so. We’re not here to say you should go out and hire a top dollar guru or scare them into a Jonestown like Kool-Aid fest, but what we are saying is turn up the internal marketing machine to give them a little inspiration.

Here are some affordable internal marketing plan ideas that can do just that, they might not be ideal for every situation, but you’re smart enough...adjust them to fit your situation.

Ø Have a Contest

o No, were not talking the one where you have that wild snake oil salesman look in your eye, a real honest to goodness contest that everyone can benefit from. One that increases quality, one that forces them to think or one that gets you some new business. Competition brings out the best in most people; anyone who tells you different is lying.

Ø Read a Book as a Group

o Go to www.half.com (psssttt....they’re cheaper there Scrooge) and pick out a business book you can read as a group. Doing this will do three things, get you talking as a group, get them closer as a group and maybe even coming up with ways to produce more revenue for your company.

Ø Ask Them What They Want to Learn

o Instead of giving them a raise, ask them if there is a class or seminar they would like to go to AND then pay for it in full. Not only does it show you care, but it gets you a more knowledgeable employee that will produce higher results for your organization.

Ø Create a New Product or Offering That Will Get Them Excited

o Call us crazy, but why don’t you get a little innovative and create something new that your company can talk with customers about. This one could go hand and hand with the first one, killing two birds with one stone. Nothing perks customer’s ears more than a new idea that would help them grow their business.

Everyone always worries about marketing to the outside; it’s the nature of running a business. Trust us, if you do a little on the inside also, you’ll see the outside get that much better

Like we said...this has been in our head for a while...did it get in yours?

Like how we think? Want to learn more? Visit our site at www.onthebraincreative.com or via email at getinourhead@onthebraincreative.com.

When was the last time you ________________?

This has been in our head for a while...

...the little game we like to call: When was the last time you ___________?

Here are the directions:
1-get your mind out of the gutter, this isn’t some online form of the Newlywed or Match Game you knucklehead
2-anyone can play, doesn’t matter the role you are in, serving into customers should be a universal role for everyone, right?
3-be as genuine as you can, like the Brutal Facts chapter in Good to Great by Jim Collins

When was the last time you looked at how your organization markets itself to the outside world? Most places of revenue generation...pretty much any business existing these days...yes, we know you 503Cs have your little corner of the world and have your own agendas (or ways to file your taxes), but you’re still asking for someone to scratch you a check at the end of the day, right? In an economy like this, regardless of your business nature or classification, everyone is getting that raised eyebrow look when you ask for an amount of money over $14.99 (cue The Rock with his raised eyebrow look). So, the big question is how are you positioning your place of business as different or a place that they feel safe parking their money at? When was the last time you studied what you bring to the table over your competition? Fun game, isn’t it...just like that visit to the dentist last week.

When was the last time you looked at how you generate legit leads for business? Face facts people, it’s not as easy as running out and buying cable, radio, print and TV anymore...if you haven’t played this edition of the when was the last time you game lately, it’s time. Depending on the size of your ad budget, these mediums are still an important part of your mix, but your lead generation alarm clock is screaming and the “Buy More Spots and Place More Ads” snooze button is broke.

Our point being, you do what you are comfortable with, we are creatures of habit and habits are hard to break. Don’t have a cow, run out and change everything in an instant...that doesn’t work either. We’re just saying, give it a look and seek advice (hint: maybe call us) on how you should balance things out to where you’re getting more people sending you checks for your product or service and you’re getting a higher level of ROI on the money you spend attracting customers to your business.

We recommend playing the game once a quarter. If you’re the daring type, do it once a month for the first quarter because you’re sure to find many things you’ll want to adjust.

Like we said...this has been in our head for a while...did it get in yours?

Cost vs. Value, Don't Pay for Things Twice

This has been in our head for a while...

...the topic of price and the concept of value when providing a product or service to a potential or current customer. Does the lowest price always beat out spending more to benefit you in the long run?

The first words in our heads are it depends.

We’re not saying we don’t like a good bargain and to be honest when doing a media buy for our client’s the vendors we work with might say we are talking out of both sides of our mouths...in our minds these are two totally different things. The areas we are talking about are more mission critical items that are going to drive that valuable revenue towards your bottom line, put good business practices in place and build your brand. Sure, you might be able to get that project done for a VERY low price point if you off shore the project or give it to someone’s “go to person”, but we’ll bet you are going to find yourself re-spending that capital/time/effort again in six to 12 months with another vendor, fixing what you paid the first company to do in the first place.

The number one question we get when we start talking about working on a project for someone is “How much is this going to cost us?” Our answer every time will be it depends...because it really does. It depends on a number of factors or questions that you should be asked about when discussing a project with a potential service provider.

Think about the last time you looked into using someone to help with a branding, marketing or advertising project and whether or not they asked you some of these questions:

1. Budget aside, what do you want the end result to be?
2. Months after delivery of the project, what will make you label this a success?
3. What’s your current image and do you want it adjusted to something else?
4. What are the key characteristics of the customer that produces the most profit?
5. What are the key characteristics of the customer you don’t want to attract?
6. How are you incorporating social media into this project?
7. What kind of growth plans need to be factored into the ideas we bring to you?
8. What’s your current portfolio or mix and what works best for you right now?
9. What does your competition consistently deliver that your company doesn’t?
10. What do you consistently deliver that your competition doesn’t?

If they aren’t asking you at least half of these questions...and no, they don’t have to be in those exact words Mr./Mrs. Smarty...you might want to get a second opinion. If they don’t do this due diligence, the suggested solution they bring you will place your brand directly on a pseudo foundation with the strength of an ice cream sandwich on an Arizona sidewalk at high noon in August.

Can you afford to do this with your precious budgets? You know the answer to that one.

Like we said...this has been in our head for a while...did it get in yours?

What's for Lunch?

This has been in our head for a while...

...if the economy is SOOOOOOOOO dead, why are we all going out to lunch every day? Not that we aren’t just as much guilty of this (going out to lunch too much) as the next person or group, but why does it take at least 5 minutes to find a parking spot, 10 minutes to get to the order taker and another 10 to get the goods? It’s all the people before you in the line!

Sure it’s much worse in specific parts of the country and we’re not trying to reduce the seriousness of the state of the economy at all. We do think that if your establishment (or the customer you sell services or a product to) is one of the lucky ones to have a line going almost or totally out the door or even a semi full dining room, that you should get in these people’s heads even MORE.

How, why and what’s the long term goal?

How?
-Get your beverage distributor is to declare one day a month the “Free Drink Day”.
-Have a staff member offering free samples off a platter that contains an item that you make a ton of margin on or maybe it’s a new or overlooked menu choice that needs some exposure.
-Encourage customers to get their punch card filled out (this has to be communicated by everyone and everything at the eatery), because they get the 10th one for free, but also get entered into a monthly drawing for a $50 gift card to be used ONLY at your business

Why?
-Why “Free Drink Day”, well because, it creates a buzz and gives you something to talk about in your advertising messages and it’s relatively inexpensive to do
-Why samples, well because, if it’s done in a way that the germ-o-phobes will be comfortable with...who doesn’t want a little taste while they are hungry and in line, right? Not only that, but they might just start buying that product you make a ton of margin on or that product that isn’t moving so well.
-Why the punch card drawing, because, it gets them through the door at least 5-10 times per month and they have that chance to win...people love to gamble and can only be redeemed at YOUR place.

Long Term Goal?
-To get them to come back again and again and again. Some restaurants, because of the quality of their food or atmosphere or uniqueness, can get away with this, but those places are SOOOOOOO rare or people find a suitable replacement if they don’t want to put up with it any more. Treat them like kings or queens when they are spending like peasants and you will have the keys to the castle (their wallet) in good and bad times.

And you’re also probably wondering, “What the (insert your favorite curse or wake up dummy word here) does this have to do with me, I sell cars or advertising space or scuba equipment?” You’re right, your business is different, but when was the last time you invited a customer into your dealership to wash/clean their car they bought from you for free, when was the last time you sent an article out to your client on the latest trends in the advertising world with a 10 free spots gift or when was the last time you invited a customer to throw on the fins for an hour on a slow night in your practice pool?

Like we said...this has been in our head for a while...did it get in yours?

Class Action Santa

This has been in our head for a while...

...ah, the fall season is here, football, the kids are back in school and the march towards all those great holidays is in full swing. Speaking of that, we realize this challenging economy is a dog eat dog world of getting to what little money consumers are spending first, but why aren’t the typical fall holidays filing some sort of law suit against ol’ Saint Nick and his giant corporation?

We ask because while ringing up our purchases on a recent shopping trip to the nearest Home Depot, we noticed the clashing of bright red and orange out of the corner of our eye. Who else could it be, but a 12 foot Santa Clause waiting to be checked off some poor sap’s Honey Do List. Last time we looked the baseball playoffs haven’t even gotten through the first round and the residents of Minneapolis aren’t plugging their cars in yet.

Wouldn’t you think that a group of plastic Jack O’ Lanterns, the assistant regional manager of costume sales from Party City, some very distant relatives of Christopher Columbus, a lobbyist from a large mall ownership group and a couple of former Navy Seals could get with Jackie Childs from Seinfeld or maybe Matlock to partner up on a class action suit against the Jolly One? His complete disregard for the other holiday’s selling cycles is pretty ridiculous, don’t you think?

What a site that trial would be, the plaintiff side of the courtroom over crowded with this motley crew of holiday celebrations, Matlock ringing his hands to ease the nervous tension in his already scattered mind. Then on the other side, knowing his high dollar team of corporate litigators have cooked the perfect jury to give him a victory, sits the bearded one. The only nervousness he has is how many units of the 12 foot Santa have moved so far today...he gave them a heck of a volume discount in exchange for putting them up before October 15^th. Santa is VERY aware that volume is the key to profitability this season and also because Mrs. Clause has been eyeing that new AWD Lexus that parks on its own and that ain’t cheap. In the end, Santa’s legal team not only wins the case, but also recruits Matlock to give them that more grandfatherly image for future claims made against him by other holiday groups.

What can we learn from this in regards to marketing?

Holiday seasons are about getting together with family, no matter what your beliefs; we’re not looking for a debate on religion here. We do want to ask if you have any control over promotions at your company that you hold of on the Christmas push until the day after Halloween...you’ll have 54.5 days left, plenty of time.

Get creative, talk with your customers, talk with your sales and marketing staffs...heck, give us a call...there are MUCH better ideas to increase revenue in early October.

Like we said...this has been in our head for a while...did it get in yours?

PS-Happy Holidays, www.onthebraincreative.com