The Economy Sucks. My Marketing Sings

I usually don't comment on the economy. I'm not an expert. And when it comes to stocks, I can't help but hear my dad whispering in my ear ... "hold it." That may not be advice that applies on the street today however I'm still holding on. If Warren Buffet's buying, I'm not selling. I hope it pans out.

But onto more immediate matters and those I have expertise in: marketing and branding. 

I'm seeing that companies (both small businesses and our clients) have a huge choice to make. Hunker down and worry – or move forward boldly. Hide – or forge into marketing and brand building as never before. I favor the latter. 

After 9/11, my design firm was hit hard. I restructured and never looked back. It was a good decision. My brand was somewhat known and it held up even when I moved from design to the broader spectrum of marketing, where I felt I could have greater impact.

The classic example of Coca Cola always comes up (not that I'm a soda drinker) but if CC were to lose all its production facilities, it could rebuild. If it lost all brand recognition, it would not survive.

It's ironic that many small companies bet the ranch on tangibles (office furniture, computers) without investing in their brands. They say they can't afford it.  

I'm all for infrastructure. The computers must work efficiently and the office must look good. That's basic. It's actually all part of your brand . . . employee satisfaction, efficiency and the customer experience. Your brand is infrastructure too – how the world views you, how they experience you.

Differentiate or Die

The truth is you can't afford not to invest in marketing. It's a lesson I learned in the many years of working with Fortune 500s. They spend big time on marketing as we know. You can't cross the street without being bombarded by marketing messages. And they get a huge return on investment.

I'm expanding my marketing right now and I know several of my clients will also. As a result, I'm confident we'll weather the storms. We'll be there when the ranks thin out. And when the upturn comes, we'll be in a great position to mine for gold.

I hope you plan to join me. Be visible. It's a great time for marketing!

Tell us how you plan to survive the economic winds of change.

NY Enterprise Report

Some of you may not know Rob Levin's excellent publication "The New York Enterprise Report." It is free to qualified small business owners and provides information, columns, articles and case studies in print and online formats.

I have been a contributor. To see my articles online go to:  

www.nyreport.com

Use the search for ReportLinks

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The first article speaks to how your employees can build your brand and the second to how your employees pose risks and can take your business down.

Polar opposites: it wasn't exactly planned that way but now that I see them together ....

Welcoming your comments.

Calling All Association Executives

I will be speaking on Monday, September 29th at 12 noon at the New York Society of Association Executives (NYSAE). We will be discussing Web 2.0 and how nonprofit organizations can take advantage of the new online tools including social networking. 

For a description and to register, type this link in your browser:

www. nysaenet.org 

Go to events and then to monthly luncheons. 

Hope to see you there!

Anna

Marketing During Hard Times

Just returned from a week at "The World's Greatest Marketing Seminar" in Los Angeles. What a wow! 

Incredible to see how top marketers are using technologies, new and old, to become wealthy. I'm personally excited by teleseminars, home shopping TV, membership sites, nonprofit and corporate partnerships, video, and combining SEO tools with your brand. I will be studying these techniques in depth with the masters so I can use in them my own business and channel them to my clients. This isn't MBA learning. It's today's frontier in business.

One finding that reinforces my mission is that entrepreneurs spend 25% of energy on products/services, 65% on operations and 10% on marketing. Not helpful when the going is tough. For a winning ticket, spend 25% on products/services, 10% on operations and 65% on marketing.  

The bottom line: show up for your business. Stay fresh. Find new systems to automate marketing and make marketing a daily habit.  

Practical Strategies for Managing Risk

Hi Everyone, 

I'm teaching a class at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in the Creative Enterprise Ownership Division, open to all. 

You are invited to join me.

4 sessions: October 15, 22,29, November 5

6:20 pm - 9:10 pm.  $135.

Practical Strategies for Managing Risk

Entrepreneurs face constant challenges ranging from competition, market trends, technology, finance and management to the political/economic landscape. To succeed, we need to adapt and grow, solve problems quickly, juggle multiple priorities, and satisfy customer demands. Explore ways to turn problems into opportunities through innovative approaches to launching and operating a business today. We examine the warning signs and learn fail-safe factors to help business thrive.

Visit FIT and search for CEO 029

Breville and I Mix It Up: What Can We Learn From A Blender?

For those who read my last posting (see the entry below), I did get my blender set up immediately due to urgent need. The instructions were simple and readable. No, I'm not being paid by Breville to say all this, honest. I'm just impressed by this innovative Australian company. The blender works great and I've had the best smoothies ever. But I couldn't toss the box because I love the marketing message printed on its side, so here it is.

Breville

Counter thinking.

Breville was founded on a simple philosophy.

Make products that people will use.

And enjoy using. Every day. If possible.

Don't make art.

Don't make showpieces.

Make things better.

Listen to what people say when they like them.

And what they say when they don't.

This thinking led to the first juicer to juice whole fruit.

The first espresso machine that extracted more

crema from every bean.

The first blender that turned ice, into, well, snow.

And an impressive collection of international design awards.

Over 70 years.

More than 200 products.

90 patents.

And a nagging feeling that we can still do better.

We call it Counter Thinking.

Don't you just love it? Real dialogue. Real products. Good design.

Wow! Can't we all use some of this in our business?

Bed, Bath & Beyond – Service With A Smile

My blender broke last week.

If you don't feel that's earth-shattering news, I completely understand. But let me explain. Some time ago my nutritionist, Dana Reed, recommended a protein shake. At first I resisted but now I'm completely addicted to the perfect shake every morning. So in my world a blender breakdown is a crisis. 

It wasn't long ago that I purchased this blender but apparently the appliance wasn't up to my daily smoothie drill and suffered from burnout. Heartbroken, I went to dispose of it (yes, I grow attached to shiny, inanimate objects) when I remembered I had purchased it at Bed, Bath & Beyond. 

I trotted down to BB&B, all set to complain about my appliance's short life span. I handed over my machine and the online printout showing the blender's price, noting I didn't have the receipt. No matter – with no questions asked, the customer service rep printed out a credit for $149.99 plus tax. Why would you shop anywhere else with phenomenal customer service like that? Yay! Why can't every store be like Bed, Bath & Beyond?

Triumphantly, I sped to the blender section. Now, what to buy? Common sense dictated not the same brand – although I was fond of its stainless steel look. Why hadn't I read the reviews?

I had a well-known brand in my cart when I noticed the Breville. Its simple, solid design seduced me. After all, I'm a designer at heart (before I became a marketer, I owned a graphic design firm). The Breville was impressive – not just the appliance – but the packaging too. Of course, it was the priciest one $199.99. Isn't that the price of a washing machine in the suburbs? I'm so high maintenance. 

I commandeered a salesperson to explain the different machines' features. I was in love. Needless to say, the Breville and I went home together. I also bought a Breville immersion blender for all the soups I will make. Besides I had 20% off BB&B coupons. Shopping is fun! Now the part I hate most – set up. 

PS: What can a small business owner learn from this story? Here's the golden nugget. I will patronize the business that makes my life easy. I will buy from the people who give me added value, not just coupons (they were a nice bonus) but more important, unconditional guarantees. BB&B reduced the risk of buying – and I bought twice as much. 

They showed me that they value me as a customer. They are not just transactional – for the moment. They are supportive of the relationship. This is a long-term strategy. 

They were also "nice". Wouldn't your rather do business with people who are "nice"? That's good customer service. And it's rare today so people who apply these rules stand apart. Ask yourself, how can I make my clients' transactions more comfortable? How can I reduce their risk so they are more likely to buy? Think about what's in it for them and then add more. Create an irresistible offer and watch how people respond.