Friday Thoughts

Optical Illusions Create Memorable Marketing

Looking for a little creative inspiration to spice up your marketing efforts? 

The whole Mighty Optical Illusions website is pretty fascinating, but particularly their attention-getting ads and billboards sections. You may not be advertising on billboards, but certainly you can get some good ideas for thinking “out of the box” and getting creative with your marketing.  Optical illusions create memorable marketing! 

If you want to see more pictures like this one:

Go visit Billboard Optical Illusions  pages on the Mighty Optical Illusions site:

http://www.moillusions.com/2006/12/deceiving-billboard-ads-part-i.html

http://www.moillusions.com/2008/05/deceiving-billboard-ads-part-ii.html

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Want to be a Channel Marketing Champion?

VARs, Systems Integrators, Solutions Providers, IT Consultants, and their Channel Partners should enjoy a good laugh watching this video.  

It’s Friday.  You deserve it!

When I grow up, I want to be a CRN Channel Champion…

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It’s Midnight Friday Night, and I’m Still Working.

It’s been an exhausting, exciting, seemingly endless week, and I admit I have fallen behind.  Please forgive me, my dear clients and precious prospects, I promise I will make it up to you.  I’m not sure that you even noticed, but I did. 

I could tell you all the “hiccups” that happened coming back after my week out of the office, how late I worked or how hard I tried, but the details aren’t that interesting.  In the end I just couldn’t get everything accomplished that I felt needed to be done.

I share my story with you because I’m sure there are times when you had to play catch-up from a trip, missed deadlines, made a mistake, or had to deal with unforeseen problems that set you back.  My “Inner Adrianne” is very harsh - she wants me to be perfect 100% of the time.  But apparently that’s not realistic.  So how did I handle it this week?  Were there things I could have done better?  You decide. This is what I did (to the best of my ability).

1. Prioritize. Marketing is not brain surgery, but there are times when missing a deadline can have a big negative impact. When everything seems both urgent and important, get it all out on paper. A master schedule helps you filter your must-do-right-away (pay bills) from your must-do-but-next-week-will-have-to-do (finish case study) to nice-to-do (write blog post).

2. Let a few things slide. My desk looks like a tornado hit it, my email has been pecked through to pick out the important messages only, and I’ve run my kids through Subway three times this week. But everyone has been fed, the bills are paid, and the rest can be cleaned up this weekend. Right?

3. Put clients first. My email newsletter system decided it didn’t want to play with Skype, so it retaliated by sending out emails with gobblety-gook code. (Thank you Carol Stewart for alerting me to the problem!) Instead of doing follow up with all the people I met at recent speaking engagements, I’ve been spending my time fixing the newsletters. I remind myself that I will have ample time to work with new clients, as soon as I catch up from being out of the office and dealing with these administrative hassles, but I owe my first allegiance to my customers.

4. Be Honest. By 4:00 on Thursday I was exhausted and I still had a long night ahead of me. (I was scheduled to speak at the Orange County Entrepreneurs Center meeting at 7:00 p.m.) Rather than pushing forward to teach a client social media marketing strategy, I just told him straight out that I was not on my A-game, and suggested we reschedule for Monday. It turned out the reschedule was better for him, and he appreciated that my intention was to give him his money’s worth of great advice.

5. Communicate. Before missing a deadline or a meeting, let people know you need a time extension. Sometimes you’re working with an artificial deadline anyway - and will get yourself all tied up in knots about something that’s unimportant to the client. (Thanks Diane Gasal for reminding me of that!) Sometimes the deadline is important, and you can work with the client to find another way to accomplish the objective. Just don’t let yourself think you can “squeeze it in” - that’s foolishness. (And believe me, I’ve been a fool at times.)

6. Seize the Moment. Some opportunities only knock once. This week I was interviewed by Referral Key for their radio show. http://www.referralkey.com/business-networking/blog/ and I was honored to be the guest speaker for the Orange County Entrepreneur’s Center. Some moments just can’t be Tivo’ed.

7. Apologize. I was late to two client meetings this week. I wanted to unwind the clock so badly, but all I could do was sincerely apologize. Sorry guys! Thanks for being so nice about it!! 

8. Breathe. It’s true that “the hurriedier I go, the behinder I get.” Sometimes just 10 deep breaths or time to walk the dog is all I need to replenish my spirit, and re-boot my brain.

9. Give 100%, then give yourself a break. I always give my best, but sometimes my best at that moment is not “my best.” Even Babe Ruth couldn’t hit it out of the ballpark every day.

Professional services are never “perfect” - they’re relationships that need to balanced and nurtured - like all relationships.  Most of us are 100 times harder on ourselves than we are on others.  I know I had moments of greatness this week, and moments of great stress.  I’m lucky to work with such good clients.  Thank you for letting me be human.  I’ll gladly return the favor - anytime.

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Why is social media marketing so important to businesses?

I thought this YouTube video did a great job of showing the disconnect between advertisers and consumers - and how social media marketing can bridge the gap.  Businesses large and small need to COMMUNICATE with their audience not just throw information at them, hoping something will stick.  Enjoy!

I think social media marketing is an extremely cost effective way for small businesses to attract and retain customers.  So…what did you think?

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Are you changing the right piece?

I was sitting and watching TV with my husband last night and one of the Volkswagen “autobahn for all” sales event commercials came on. We have a DVR so it is rare for us to watch the commercials, but I am actually entertained by the Volkswagen ones. They are clever, well put together and keep my attention. Unfortunately, my husband informed me (he works for VW) that they are going to be changing from their clever advertisements to a more ‘industry standard’. That means good buy unique messaging and hello car specifications and boring statistics.

Now, we all know that marketing is more than just a pretty graphic and a creative tagline. But, sometimes having something a little creative can help! It differentiates your messaging, and makes people think a little more. The problem is - marketing teams often get sick of their own advertisement before the message actually gets a chance to work. A company will test out a new message, and after a few tries, will give up if it is unsuccessful. This is the case for Volkswagen. They are not seeing the results from the advertisement immediately, so they are blaming it on the images and the messaging in the ad. So they are changing their messaging. But, are they changing the right thing?!? I think not.

I think they are forgetting the basic formula for any marketing campaign:
40% of the success is based on the target market/audience/list that you send it to
40% of the success is the offer that you are giving (see “Fishing without bait” for ideas of good offers)
10-20% of the success of a marketing piece is actually the creative/message

Volkswagen is looking at the 10-20% and making it the 80%. They assume that it isn’t working - so it must be the creative. What about the fact that you only see a Volkswagen ad once in a while vs Honda who bombards you every commercial break! Or what about their offer? There is no call to action - it just ends!

Now I know that this is a very high level example and that 99.9% of our audience will never run a television ad, but the message still holds. Before you discard your marketing piece because the first couple touches haven’t worked - take a look at ALL aspects. Are you targeting the right people? Do you have the right offer? Then look at the creative.

What do you think of the Volkswagen ads? Is there another company that you think has great ads?

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Orange County Marketing Agency introduces a new small business marketing website

Orange County Marketing Agency, Tornado Marketing, introduces a new small
business marketing website Tornado-Tools.com

Self-Service Marketing Website for Small Businesses

ORANGE COUNTY, CA – July 18, 2008 – Orange County marketing agency, Tornado Marketing, recently launched a website advising small businesses on which marketing tools are most effective for small businesses. The ‘Tornado Tools’ website, www.tornado-tools.com, gives small businesses (one to five employees) the advice and tools they need to create systematic, effective marketing programs. The website provides a combination between free advice, links to great small business marketing tools websites and one-to-many seminars.

Adrianne Machina, Chief Velocity Officer of Tornado Marketing, says, “I talk to so entrepreneurs who really need our help - but they really can’t afford to hire a marketing consultant – at least not yet! When your money is still very hard-earned, and it seems like everyone has a hand in your pocket, you want someone to help separate the hype from the helpful. This site was designed for the do-it-yourself small business owner who needs the inside scoop of where to find good, reliable, affordable marketing resources.”

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Farewell, Bill Gates!

Let me be the first (ha ha) to say, ”Congratulations, Bill.  Happy Retirement!”  

As a small business owner, I am so grateful to have my laptop, loaded with Windows Vista, Microsoft Office 2007 and all those great products that help my business run smoothly.  Thanks to Bill Gates’s vision and drive, I can work from anywhere in the world. 

Today, the news will be filled with stories about Bill’s next projects, but have you seen “Bill Gates’s Last Day in the Office” video? It’s worth watching twice for sure!   Enjoy this Friday laugh!!! 

http://tornadomktg.com/blog/bill-gates-retirement-video

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A lighthearted look at marketing

Every once in a while, I think we all need to take a step back from the day to day, and have a laugh. Marketing is one of the most powerful tools we have in our business, which is why it is so easy to make jokes about!

 I found this joke on JibJab.com, with thanks to the submitter, ZenoPA 
*And please remember, this is all in lighthearted fun, I don’t mean to offend anyone of the Catholic faith*

Jim Perdue, CEO of Perdue Farms, is famous for promoting Chicken as a meal choice. Recently he took a trip to Rome for an audience with the Pope.

“Your holiness”, Mr. Perdue started, “I was wondering if you could do me a favor?”

“And what would that be my son?”, asked the Pope.

“If I was to donate $10 million to the Catholic Church, would you be able to do something for me?”, Mr. Perdue replied.

“Exactly what would you like me to do?”, asked the Pope.

“Well you know the Lord’s prayer, where it says ‘give us our daily bread’, could you change the prayer so it says ‘give us our daily chicken’ “?, asked Mr. Perdue.

The Pope looked agast, “Why Mr. Perdue, that prayer has been a tradition of the Church for centuries. It would be very difficult to change the prayer and remain credible with our congregation around the world.”

“What if I donated $100 million to the church?”, replied Mr. Perdue.

“Hmmm, that’s very generous”, said the Pope, “Let me think about that. I’ll bring it up to the ecumenical council which meets in a couple of weeks. I’ll let you know what we decide.”

Two weeks later, during the meeting of the ecumenical council, the Pope rose to address the audience. “I have good news”, he began. “Mr. Perdue has generously agreed to donate $100 million to the church!”. The news was met with a great deal of applause. The Pope continued, “The bad news, if we take the money, we will lose the Wonder Bread account.”

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Lucky Marketing

On a day that is surrounded in superstition, I found myself wondering if I really believe in good luck or bad luck. In my personal life, Friday the 13th’s have always been fairly lucky for me - but are they really lucky, or are they just a normal day that I feel luckier because it’s supposed to be bad luck? Then again, what is luck really? Technically, luck is whatever you think it is or whatever you want it to be. The definition i found isn’t even conclusive on what luck actually is! 

(…now the business connection…)

So often, we hear people say that businesses are doing well because they are lucky (it couldn’t be the hours upon hours they spend working on making it successful?!?). Or we hear that their marketing campaign failed because it was bad luck (really? It wasn’t the un-motivating offer you provided?). So, this begs the question: Can a website be lucky? Or a marketing campaign? Or anything else in the business world, really be lucky?

I have to answer a resounding no. Just as I don’t really believe that Friday the 13th is either lucky or unlucky, I don’t believe that any business has an inherent luck, or lack thereof. Results that a business (or a person) sees in their marketing (or life) is a direct response from the work and effort they put in. Go make your own ‘luck’ and you’ll be amazed at how ‘lucky’ you feel!

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Small Business Networking and Wine-tasing

I need some help from my friends and readers:

We are putting together a meetup for a business networking group, and one of the possible days and times is a Saturday evening event. We are trying to determine whether it is realistic to believe that people would attend.
Would you attend?
If we did a wine-tasting in addition at the event would that change your answer?

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