When making a significant purchase, consumers are always seeking validation of their choices from others.  But this is hardly something new.
Prior to the advent of the social web, you would have had to rely on advice from knowledgeable friends, or consulted trade magazines. But now, social media allows consumers to tap into feedback from others who have already tried your offering.
This should send an important message to marketers: Don’t forget about the needs of your existing customers after they have purchased a product because they are influencing the decisions of others who are considering it.
shepâ‹…herd – a person who protects, guides, or watches over a person or group of people.
As I was thinking about my role with our clients in social media and other services, the word “shepherd” jumped out at me. My job is to protect, guide and watch over our clients… whether it’s with social media or any other area of services we offer to our clients.
If the opportunity at hand is not a good move for the client, I say no.
So, there you have it. I am officially a Social Media Shepherd for our clients, a Direct Mail Shepherd… okay, you get the idea.
McDonald’s or Macaroni Grill? Sonic or Chili’s? Kohl’s or Wal-Mart? Macy’s or K-Mart?
Decisions we make every day are determined by our influences… peer pressure; advertising; needs; wants, image; etc. But, somehow we manage to figure out where to eat and where to shop. And if it doesn’t fit we take it back.
Social media: Who should I hire? Should I do it myself? What tools and platforms should I use? How much should I spend? In the words of one of my favorite brands: Just Do It
Don’t just “try” social media, though. Be determined that it will work for your brand… just find the right fit.
If the social media package you try on first doesn’t fit, take it back and find another.
McGraw-Hill Research conducted a study of U.S. recessions from 1980-1985. Out of the 600 business-to-business companies analyzed, the ones who continued to advertise during the 1981-1982 recession hit a 256-percent growth by 1985 over their competitors that eliminated or decreased spending.
In a recession, the first dollars that a company usually cuts come from the advertising budget. Advertising in a recession is actually a smart business move to grow your business now and for the future.
Brand relationships are hard work… especially in this competitive economy.
That means you can’t just let your brand sit around on the couch all day eating snacks and watching movies.
Shape up! Get up on that metaphorical treadmill and keep your brand in shape by keeping up with the latest marketing trends and embracing the new wave of social media. It’s time to embrace ideas that will keep your brand near and dear to the hearts and minds of your prospects.
Please… if you don’t get help with your brand at YourAdTeam, get help somewhere.
Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead. It’s discomfort that creates the leverage that makes leadership worthwhile and valuable.
In other words, if everyone could do it, they would, and it wouldn’t be worth much.
It’s uncomfortable to stand up in front of strangers.
It’s uncomfortable to propose an idea that might fail.
It’s uncomfortable to challenge the status quo.
It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to settle.
When you identify the discomfort, you’ve found the place where a leader is needed.
If you’re not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it’s almost certain you’re not reaching your potential as a leader.
Direct mail is one of the most important tools that local campaigns use to reach voters effectively and affordably. To make your mail pieces succeed, you have to plan your campaign and design your mail to be effective.
Grab The Voters’ Attention
Remember, your mail piece is competing not only with every other campaign direct mail piece, but with catalogs, bills and business advertisements that clutters up a mailbox. To avoid being dumped in the trash with the latest supermarket circular, your mailing needs to stand out.
Use graphics that are unexpected and headlines that grab voters’ attention. Use sub-headings appropriately throughout the piece to further entice the reader to read more.
Visuals Tell a Story
Your text is important (especially for the press who read your piece), but the most important parts for the voters are the visuals. Use powerful graphics and pictures. Make the direct mail piece easy to read by using “white space” around the text. And don’t overdo the amount of text in your direct mail piece.
Standard is Boring
Be careful about using the traditional political colors and canned logos. You need a political direct mail expert to help create a direct mail piece that will get noticed. Keep it simple. Keep it professional. Keep it targeted.
In the last seven days, Bradley and I have been in two meetings where we have heard the same concerns from large corporate (potential) clients:
“We love our ad agency, but we don’t always need every department at the agency touching every project we need completed. With every touch comes a higher price tag.
We need a smaller agency who can fill the gap by providing excellent service and products in a shorter amount of time and more cost effectively.”
YourAdTeam slogan since 1997, “Corporate experience without the corporate overhead.”
Everything we do online is becoming integrated into a unified platform that can drive traffic, generate leads and sales, and encourage high-value interactions with the target market.
It’s time to integrate all the elements of search, social media and Web site technology to create more value, connection, and engagement. That includes things that help turn online investments into long-term connections with consumers, such as Facebook fan pages, Twitter followers and blogging.
It’s time to get consumers to spread the word about your brand.
