From Seth G: “On buying unmeasurable media”

Posted by John Park on Oct 28th, 2010
2010
Oct 28

This is an especially well written piece from Seth.  Food for thought as you plan for 2011.

On buying unmeasurable media


Should you invest in TV, radio, billboards and other media where you can’t measure whether your ad works? Is an ad in New York magazine worth 1,000 times as much as a text link on Google? If you’re doing the comparison directly, that’s how much extra you’re paying if you’re only measuring direct web visits…

One school of thought is to measure everything. If you can’t measure it, don’t do it. This is the direct marketer method and there’s no doubt it can work.

There’s another thought, though: Most businesses (including your competitors) are afraid of big investments in unmeasurable media. Therefore, if you have the resources and the guts, it’s a home run waiting to be hit.

Ralph Lauren is a billion dollar brand. Totally unmeasurable. So are Revlon, LVMH, Donald Trump, Anderson Windows, Lady Gaga and hundreds of other mass market brands.

There are two things you should never do:

1)  Try to measure unmeasurable media and use that to make decisions. You’ll get it wrong. Sure, some sophisticated marketers get good hints from their measurements, but it’s still an art, not a science.

2)  Compromise on your investment. Small investments in unmeasurable media almost always fail. Go big or stay home.

And if you’re selling unmeasurable media? Don’t try to sell to people who are obsessed with measuring. You’ll waste your time and annoy the prospect at the same time.


 

Got Slogan? Why you shouldn’t ripoff another successful brand or slogan.

Posted by John Park on Oct 12th, 2010
2010
Oct 12

milk mustache

 
If I see one more “Got Milk?” ripoff, I might very well lose it!
 
I was at the airport last week and sure enough a lady in front of me was wearing a shirt that said “Got Hog?”.  The shirt had a picture of a Harley Davidson motorcycle on it.  Never mind that Harley Davidson probably didn’t approve this shirt but it made me think about why a successful slogan should not be copied or ripped off.
 
When a brand or a slogan becomes wildly successful, it eventually becomes an identifier for what it is representing.  The slogan becomes inherently affiliated and it becomes one with the product.  If you can achieve this, you’ve succeeded as a marketer.
 
Every time we hear “Got Whatever?”, what we all first think about is milk.  In fact, we might even go far as to picture a milk commercial or a print ad.  The “whatever” that is being promoted becomes a secondary thought.  Why would you want your product to be a secondary thought?
 
So, my message… BE ORIGINAL and wipe that milk mustache off your face.
 
 


Until Next Time…



Bookmark and Share

Being Busy Does Not Excuse Poor Service

Posted by John Park on Jul 11th, 2010
2010
Jul 11

 
Why do businesses want you to excuse them for poor service when they are busy?  Is this okay for the customers?
 
Restaurants are notorious for this business practice.  When they get busy, they ask you to wait longer for just about everything including a table, a server, food, the check, water, drinks, etc.  The terrible part of this business approach is that they know when they will be busy.  In certain industry segments in the retail consumer arena, the businesses know when they will be more busier than usual–down to the exact shift.  The expected busy day may include a special holiday like “Mother’s Day” or a self-imposed busy day like “Black Friday.”
 
Are they conditioning consumers to stay away on busy days because of an expectation of poor service and an overall unpleasant experience?  How many people do you know who will stay away at any cost when they expect a place of business to be busy?  With the prevalence of review sites like Yelp and retailers losing to online e-commerce web sites, business owners can’t expect consumers to just “deal with it” anymore.
 
What if on your busiest day, you gave all who’ve come an amazing and pleasant experience?  How many unpaid ambassadors would you create?
 
Being busy does not excuse poor service.
 
This is just another area where “business as usual” is no longer accepted.  Just ask AOL what happened when they didn’t take care of their customers when they were busy.
 
 
 
Until Next Time…
 
 
 
 

You only get out of something what you put in to it.

Posted by John Park on May 15th, 2010
2010
May 15

 
It has been a few months since my last post.  To my loyal subscribers, my sincerest apologies.  Like many business owners, I have been deeply entrenched in the fight against current economic conditions.  The good news is I believe we are winning.  I hope this is the case for you as well.
 
Today, I wanted to write about a saying I’ve lived by most of my adult life.  Strangely enough, the first place I ever came across this statement was when I was pledging a fraternity during college.
 
This statement that has become a lifestyle for me is “You only get out of something what you put in to it”.
 
It’s a simple theory but I often find myself at an advantage over others because I am able and wiling to embrace this saying as a way to take on any task or situation.  The saying can be applied anywhere including in business, parenting, physical well being and yes even in love or relationships.
 
In this economy, business owners and employees are being tested like never before on this very important and somewhat philosophical approach.
 
As business owners, what are you willing to put in to save and grow your company?  Are you willing to make cold calls?  Are you wiling to go door to door?  Are you willing to spend money to make money?  Are you willing to sacrifice your weekends?  Are you willing to work late?  Are you willing to come down from your ivory tower and take on any task necessary to get the job done?
 
Where are your limits during these times?
 
Whether you are an owner, manager or just starting your business career, what you “WANT” ultimately is not a natural right as some might have you believe.  What you “OBTAIN” is a direct result of what you put in to it.
 
 
 
 

A “Failure to Commit” To Business Strategies

Posted by John Park on Dec 13th, 2009
2009
Dec 13

 
 
After working with both large corporations and small businesses, there are a number of distinct differences I have noted when it comes to executing marketing strategies.
 
One glaring example is what I call the “Failure to Commit.”  Smaller companies have a very difficult time coming up with a marketing plan and sticking to it.  And as a result, each plan which sounded brilliant in the conference room when conceived, never gets an opportunity to come to fruition.  When a plan doesn’t deliver almost immediate sales results, it is put to death and a new plan is put in place at the next marketing meeting.  It’s the ultimate in stopping short of the goal in a business environment.
 
Why does this happen in small business?
 
It’s the owner.  Because finances at a smaller company are tied closely to the owner’s personal finances, it makes him or her react emotionally rather than logically.  To put it simply, when they see money going out the door and they don’t see short term sales returns, they get scared.  And when they are scared, they start questioning themselves as well as everything or everyone around them.  When this perfect storm occurs, they also place very little value on mid-to-long term goals and the step-by-step building which is required for marketing value is brought to a screeching halt.
 
Over time, marketing strategies tend to look like a zigzag of failed attempts instead of any tangible or measurable business trends.  The irony in all of this is that small businesses will probably spend more money over time because every new attempt requires an infusion of cash.
 
In a corporate environment, this emotional factor is absent because the decision makers in marketing are focusing on the plan only and have no personal finances attached to their decisions.  And as a result, they are able to objectively see a strategy through and commit to the value it has promised to deliver.  This of course doesn’t mean that each plan is wildly successful.  It just means that they stick to it long enough to get an answer–one way or the other.
 
As you plan your marketing strategies and budgets for 2010, think about your level of commitment.  Do you have a problem with commitment?  You might have a “Failure to Commit” issue.
 
I hear often “I’ve built this company over 20 years and we’re successful as a small business.  We just need your help getting to the “Next Level.”
 
Commitment to your plans and avoiding the zigzag is at the CORE of getting to that NEXT LEVEL.



Until Next Time…



Bookmark and Share

« Prev - Next »

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner




Yahoo! Small Business

iContact.com - Email Marketing Service

Business.com PPC

 Subscribe to Biz Crusader




Yahoo! Search Marketing




Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape