Marketing Wisdom Archives - Page 34 of 38

YOU SAY TOMATO, I SAY POMEGRANATE

October 27, 2010 by Scott Flood

In a recent post, I talked about organizations that believe their preferred way of doing things represented the industry standards. In a similar vein, I’ve done work for companies that have their own lexicons — even style guides spelling out exactly how things should be worded.

For example, I used to do a lot of work for some divisions of Amoco Oil (since absorbed by BP). Among the no-nos in their style guide was that you couldn’t refer to their primary product as gas. Even though the average consumer may say, “I need to buy gas” and go to the gas station to pump ten gallons of gas into his gas tank, any materials produced by Amoco were required to reference “gasoline.”

IS YOUR STANDARD REALLY STANDARD?

October 20, 2010 by Scott Flood

Before starting my own business, I worked for five different ad agencies. As part of my job at each, I had occasion to write a variety of scripts — for everything from radio commercials to TV spots to presentations and training videos. Each of those agencies expected scripts to be set up a certain way, and most presented that way as “the industry standard that everyone uses.”

Yep, you guessed it. All five formats were very different.

SOMETIMES, INSIDERS DON’T HAVE THE INFORMATION

October 6, 2010 by Scott Flood

There are many reasons that companies will try to handle their marketing communications needs in-house. Sometimes, budget is the primary driver, but more often, there’s a belief that nobody in the outside world could ever understand the company as well as its employees.

That’s probably true, and it’s exactly why an outsider offers you a significant advantage.

IT MAY NOT BE NEWS TO YOU, BUT …

September 29, 2010 by Scott Flood

Don’t you love when the discount-store cashier turns to you and mumbles, “haveaniceday”? There’s not much sincerity in her delivery of that familiar line, but you cut her some slack. After all, you reason, the poor woman has probably said that line 150 times today.

Doesn’t matter. You see, you’re hearing it from her for the first time today, and she should deliver it with that in mind. There’s a lesson in there for companies, organizations, and anyone who has to market the same thing day in and day out. No matter how many times you may hear yourself saying the same thing, it’s the first time your audience has heard it.

REPEATING YOURSELF ISN’T A BAD HABIT

September 21, 2010 by Scott Flood

I’ve noticed that many companies exhibit an unusual paranoia about repetition. Once they mention something in an ad, a brochure, or on a website, they don’t think they should mention it again. I’ll often hear them react to a recommendation by saying “we promoted that already” or “we already told our customers that.”

The same thing often happens when they’re reviewing copy for a website. “We’ve already mention this on another page, so we shouldn’t repeat it here.” Okay, why not? “Because we don’t want to repeat something we’ve already said.” Again, why not?

HOW TO ALWAYS HAVE NEWSLETTER CONTENT

September 15, 2010 by Scott Flood

One of the many lessons I learned during my ad agency days was the importance of a good “swipe” file. Never heard the term? It’s simply a file (or box) where you threw ads, articles, brochures – anything you liked or thought was particularly effective. When you were given a tough assignment, you’d sift through the swipe file, and often, what you saw would trigger a new idea or a new direction.

I continue to use a couple types of swipe files. If your organization published a newsletter, one of them can help you ensure that you have a steady stream of content.

HAVE NO FEAR OF THE HUMAN TOUCH

September 8, 2010 by Scott Flood

It’s often been said that people don’t do business with companies – they do business with other people. Even if we do choose to patronize a particular company, our experience is shaped by the people representing that company. From the sales rep who handles your account to the cashier at the grocery store, all of those folks contribute to your impressions and satisfaction.

But when it comes to marketing messages and communications tools, many companies work very hard to dehumanize everything they do. They excise every personal touch and little insight. They file away at anything that could be seen as a human emotion or imperfection. After all, something from a business must be completely businesslike, right?

ELEPHANT? I DIDN’T SEE NO ELEPHANT

September 1, 2010 by Scott Flood

You didn’t see it? It’s right there. Right over there. You have to be able to see it! For criminy sakes, it’s an elephant! It’s huge! Are you telling me that I’m the only one who sees it? No, I’m the only one who’s willing to admit that it’s there.

You’ve probably heard the “elephant in the room” expression used before. Typically it comes up when the family is gathered for a special event, and everyone pretends that they don’t notice that Uncle Leonard is snockered again, or that Cousin Louise is wailing loudly in the corner. There are those nervous glances at one another, but if we all keep pretending, maybe nobody else will notice, either.

OUT-OF-TOWN AND CLOSE-TO-HOME

August 25, 2010 by Scott Flood

In my last post, I bemoaned the out-of-town printer that misspelled “Fishers” as “Fishus” on a pizza ad. Some would suggest that mistakes like that are proof that out-of-town service providers just can’t be as accurate as local folks. But an ad I created for a Louisiana bank back in my ad agency days proves that an out-of-towner who takes a little extra time and makes some extra effort can create a convincing local message.

The bank was opening a branch in Lafayette, a city in which they had never done business. Management didn’t want to be seen as the giant outsider coming to town, even though that’s exactly what they were.