Internet Marketing Blog | Jesse Kanclerz | Rochester, NY » Marketing Strategy

Is Your Marketing Foundation Solid?

Jesse — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:15:54 +0000

You don’t see contractors build a house from the roof to the foundation. So why would you do the same with your marketing? When tactics drive strategy you end up with an unstable and backward result.

Picture credit Pointclickhome.com

The Mountains Of Holland

Jesse — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:45:32 +0000

You need to increase sales. It’s time to don your marketing cap and analyze the situation. The team cooks up some great ideas. We’ll catch the viral marketing buzz, put a few ads on YouTube and watch the views and revenues soar. How about a sponsorship with the Rays, I hear they’re hot right now.

These and many of your other choices miss the obvious. How about creating an unforgettable customer service experience like Zappos or Tivo. Or improving the usability and persuasive elements of your website through scientific method and continual testing. Neither are flash in the pan events, they require effort to implement but are definitely more defensible strategies to employ.

You should always focus on and address the prominent issues, especially in these uncertain economic times. The next time you’re thinking about beginning a glitzy marketing campaign, stop for a moment and remember, there are no mountains in Holland.

White Lightening Marketing

Jesse — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:44:28 +0000

Are you settling for sour mash when you could be having whiskey?

Stephen Colbert expressed an interesting analogy while discussing his comedic profession.

We often discuss satire as distillery. You have an enormous amount of material, and you have to distill it to a syrup by the end of the day. So much of it is a hewing process, chipping away at things that aren’t the point or aren’t the story or aren’t the intention. Really it’s that last couple of drops you’re distilling that makes all the difference. It isn’t that hard to get a ton of corn into a gallon of sour mash, but to get that gallon of sour mash down to that one shot of pure whiskey takes patience as well as discipline and focus.

This quote struck a chord for me, how about you? I especially like the part about only doing things that are related to the point you’re trying to make. The title of Master Distiller is earned by the actions not taken as much as by the smart decisions that lead to a quality spirit. Likewise, crafting unique customer experiences rather than settling for commonplace means making a concerted effort in the choices you make.

And these choices are heavily influenced by data. There is no shortage of numbers, however there is all too often a lack of actionable insights from analysis of data. Or when the analysis is valid, there’s a failure to act on it correctly. This begs the question, how can we make better decisions with the information we have?

Since it’s late I’m going to let this question keep stewing in the pot. I’m thinking one part involves having clear objectives. Afterall, what good is a map if you don’t know where you’re going?

Another is having well thought out segmentation logic, specifically giving more weight to behavior (the best predictor of future actions) and personas rather than relying largely on faceless demographics. Sure a distiller relies on pH levels, but he still cracks open each individual barrel to taste it’s contents. Do you know your customers individual flavors? Segmenting by behavior will get you to that point.

Feel free to add to my muddled thoughts in the comments section.

Photo credit Dapper Lad Cycle

Top Ten Marketing Mistakes

Jesse — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 11:00:58 +0000

Equating volume with profit. Thus targeting your marketing to the largest audience, but also the one with the narrowest margin, and least loyalty.
Assume people already know what differentiates your product or service from the competition. Or worse yet, defining your unique selling proposition in terms of ‘best in class’, ’superior customer service’, or ‘ISO 9000 quality standards.’ In the 21st century these attributes are expected, instead use a story to demonstrate how you deliver on the promise without explicitly stating the obvious.
Begin discussions with senior executives at the tactical level. For instance, we should begin a blog because everyone else is doing it, instead of, we need to become transparent with stakeholders and find a way to generate qualitative feedback from customers.
Assume that marketing is creative and therefore not accountable. Failing to do extensive tracking and analysis of all marketing programs, increasing spending with initiatives that deliver ROI, while reevaluating ones that do not.
Confusing marketing with advertising. Resulting in failure to review the entire customer experience for opportunities to delight. Every touch point, whether it be parking, store layout, the swift resolution of a customer service call, etc, is a way to improve word of mouth and lessen reliance on advertising.
Thinking of marketing as a one-way monologue instead of a multiple way communication/interaction with your customers and other stakeholders.
Not knowing your customers, or having an ideal customer profile. Being clueless as to their values, and how they engage with your brand.
Not taking an integrated approach to communications. Thinking marketing, advertising, and public relations are independent, when really inter-related. Each one has benefits and limitations, but should be focused on accomplishing the same end goal.
Forgetting to sync the marketing plan to your organization’s goals, vision, mission and purpose.
Limiting yourself to a list of only 10 mistakes. You will likely make hundreds of mis-steps on your journey, your biggest mistake will be failing to learn from them.

Thanks to all the bright minds on LinkedIn, who helped me put together this list. Feel free to add your own top marketing mistakes in the comments section.

Purposeful Marketing

Jesse — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:43:52 +0000

Photo credit, Mortsan When grounded by strategy, marketing is effective. When strategy is driven by purpose, that is articulated by a vision, with an action oriented mission, then your organization, or brand will be more human, and radiate personality. That is how to give your marketing efforts a potency rivaling that of a poison arrow frog.

You won’t find purpose in a dense text book, or on dusty chalk boards. It is a essential philosopical endeavor, that sets out to provide meaning, and direction, by answering open-ended questions.

What is your organizations reason for existing?

What common thread of passion is held by our people?

What fuels your motivation?

The answers set the basis for values that executives, managers and employees will use in their every day decisions. After that soul searching journey you will have the foundation for building a distinctive company.

Contractor Integrates Social Media With Strategy

Jesse — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:17:16 +0000

The Duct Tape Marketing blog has an inspiring podcast about Brown Lures, a company using social media in the low-tech fishing industry to sell their products. It’s a must listen for anyone in the plumbing, contracting or lawyering trades.

Even so, I bet there’s a lot of nay sayers who doubt the value of this new media. For those of you who fall in this category, let me ask you two questions:

Are you looking for a better way to build relationships with your customers? Yes.
Is your personality an important ingredient in attracting and retaining customers? Yes.

Then consider social media. When you strip away the technological jargon it’s simply about putting yourself out there, with the goal of creating a meaningful, two way dialogue with your customers. You’re already doing this when you talk to a person over the phone or in person. Social media allows you to present your voice in the word of mouth conversations people are already having about your business online.

The real power of the medium is evident when it’s coupled with a clearly differentiated company, in an industry that has been slow to adopt the technology. Case in point, Greenwerks, a Chicago based contractor.

Greenwerks niche is green design, construction and retrofitting. To enhance their position as an eco-conscious the company website includes a blog providing examples of how the company minimizes their carbon footprint, in addition to presenting simple ways for you to lead an environmentally friendly life. The strategy is augmented with traditional avenues such as email marketing, attending green trade shows and events. Far from just presenting themselves as an environmentally conscious, the people at Greenwerks run their business true to that purpose. A crucial part of the mix, social media allows Greenwerks to lay bare their consistent actions, showing their authentic self and influencing the creation of a ‘green’ meme (association) tagged to their business.

Compared to other “green” contractors, Greenwerks has a well defined position that places it well ahead on the curve of eco-responsible companies.

I wonder if they drive bio-diesel trucks to work?

Update 5/24/08: I just learned that Greenwerks is going to be featured on Discovery Channel’s Renovation Nation. Filming began this month. Congradulations to Chris Campbell and everyone from Greenwerks! You can view their audition video here.

Reinventing The Oreo

Jesse — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:22:50 +0000

Two choices.

Error on the side of caution and tradition, content to tweak existing products and services.

or…

Be bold, reshaping and creating things that are completely new.

Each has its rightful place. The tough part is figuring out which to choose. Congratulations Kraft, on knowing when to take the bold path.

Authenticity in Consistent Actions

Jesse — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 01:22:24 +0000

Ted Mininni wrote a great post, Just Say ‘No’ to Tobacco, about an upscale grocery store chain, Andronico, which announced it will stop selling tobacco products this week. For people living in Rochester, NY this has a familiar ring, Wegmans already announced in early January that it would stop selling tobacco on February 10.

Not a surprising move by either company, in fact the decision is just one in a series of consistent actions each has taken to support a company value – improving the health and wellness of adults. For instance, Andronico has undertaken the following health initiatives:

A sustainable fish program

Offering free range eggs

Improved energy efficiency

Local sourcing of foods

Programs that support good health and good eating

When a company professes it values improving the health of customers, the statement better be backed up with consistent supporting actions. Otherwise the claim rings false and the consumers’ whom you’re targeting will see through the bogus pretenses.

Both Andronico and Wegmans have demonstrated authenticity in their consistent actions.