Today marked the launch of the national Do Not Call Registry in Canada, which as many marketers know is a speedbump in your overall marketing mix and a wee bit of a pain in the ass. But i'm sure more than a few are chuckling to themselves as the government drops the ball again on this one and is completely overwhelmed by the number of calls/hits going on their website (note to self: probably shouldn't be laughing at the fact that so many people are rushing to sign up). But I mean come on, there is some humour in the typical dropping of the ball and lack of preparation. It's not quite to the level of FEMA, but have some kind of a disaster response in place CRTC!
And I think the most ironic thing is that all marketers work to get this kind of a reaction to a campaign they are doing and this campaign is an anti-marketing initiative. Congratulations CRTC, a job well done. Now enjoy the rewards of angered people who were angered already and thus filling their name out to not receive marketing again.
Out of this comes an interesting thought though...what happens if your marketing campaign all of a sudden hits a home-run?
Are you prepared for the onslaught? Do you have the right people in place? Will your website crash?
It's important to have a disaster response (for lack of a better term) in place in case you do get flooded. Nothing turns a customer off more than when they want to learn more about you and get a "Cannot display website" result.
Say goodbye to that sale.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Organize me please
Everyday we get bombarded with thousands of messages, while at the same time we are trying to get our errands, work, hobbies done. With so many things being processed by our brains it's no wonder we don't forget more of the little things that need to be done. This is where your electronic calendar comes in handy and why a lot of people find Outlook/other software so valuable. Combine that with a mobile device that can download this information and you have less chance of forgetting those important smaller things such as "Pay off Credit Card", "Send Shirley Birthday card", etc.
Is there an opportunity for marketers/companies to further utilize this powerful tool? I would say so.
As a member of the BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association I am sent emails advertising upcoming webcasts. When I sign-up for one of these webcasts, 2 minutes later I get a confirmation email with a meeting request that puts the date into my calendar. Perfect. Two weeks later when I am scrambling about my office and no doubt have forgot about the informative webcast, ta-da! A reminder comes up. It's just like Ron Popeil used to say "Set it and Forget it". Granted that was for some kind of a rotisserie cooker, but a great slogan none-the-less.
So why aren't more companies taking advantage of these electronic planners to increase focus from prospects? Here are some examples I thought of that i'd like to see.
1. Television Shows - When Fox spends millions of dollars creating Fringe and then promoting it, they want people to show up for their premieres right? Well since there are now about 3000 channels to choose from and 100 new shows happening each night, why not give people the option of accepting a meeting request to watch this new show if they visit the website. So when 9pm on that Tuesday evening rolls around and you have no idea what is on...ta-da! Your calendar reminds you that this new show you were interested in is premiering.
2. Dentist/Doctor/Auto Repair - Would it be that hard to implement a system that used email to send out confirmations for all of your appointments such as these? I realize that most of these businesses would have their own appointment scheduling software, but there must be some way to work it so they can kick out electronic attendance reminders.
3. Vacations - When you receive a confirmation email from Expedia after booking a two-week holiday with your Gramma in Rappahannock County wouldn't it be a nice touch for them to include a calendar placement that tells you your flight details on the days you fly out and return?
Seems like these type of things should be rather simple and incredibly handy for your customers, but not enough companies are taking advantage of them.....which means i'm gonna keep forgetting to send Shirley a birthday card while taking my car in for servicing before my dentist appointment.
Is there an opportunity for marketers/companies to further utilize this powerful tool? I would say so.
As a member of the BC Chapter of the American Marketing Association I am sent emails advertising upcoming webcasts. When I sign-up for one of these webcasts, 2 minutes later I get a confirmation email with a meeting request that puts the date into my calendar. Perfect. Two weeks later when I am scrambling about my office and no doubt have forgot about the informative webcast, ta-da! A reminder comes up. It's just like Ron Popeil used to say "Set it and Forget it". Granted that was for some kind of a rotisserie cooker, but a great slogan none-the-less.
So why aren't more companies taking advantage of these electronic planners to increase focus from prospects? Here are some examples I thought of that i'd like to see.
1. Television Shows - When Fox spends millions of dollars creating Fringe and then promoting it, they want people to show up for their premieres right? Well since there are now about 3000 channels to choose from and 100 new shows happening each night, why not give people the option of accepting a meeting request to watch this new show if they visit the website. So when 9pm on that Tuesday evening rolls around and you have no idea what is on...ta-da! Your calendar reminds you that this new show you were interested in is premiering.
2. Dentist/Doctor/Auto Repair - Would it be that hard to implement a system that used email to send out confirmations for all of your appointments such as these? I realize that most of these businesses would have their own appointment scheduling software, but there must be some way to work it so they can kick out electronic attendance reminders.
3. Vacations - When you receive a confirmation email from Expedia after booking a two-week holiday with your Gramma in Rappahannock County wouldn't it be a nice touch for them to include a calendar placement that tells you your flight details on the days you fly out and return?
Seems like these type of things should be rather simple and incredibly handy for your customers, but not enough companies are taking advantage of them.....which means i'm gonna keep forgetting to send Shirley a birthday card while taking my car in for servicing before my dentist appointment.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
TWEET! 2 Minutes for Greed
Let me preface this post by saying I am a huge hockey fan and have been my whole life. I have played the game since I was 6 years old and I hold season tickets to the Vancouver Canucks, my local National Hockey League team. Needless to say, I am a devout hockey lover.
Well, the NHL needs to change things. They have no business plan except make as much money as possible, as quickly as possible. Which in the long run is not going to pay off for them. Let me backtrack before I go off on a big rant here. It was announced today that the NHL signed a contract to air games in Asia........huh?
No offense or anything but maybe you should spend some money on growing the game in North America before you charge all over the globe. I believe the term is walk before you run, or perhaps baby steps. The NHL was greedy enough to expand to such non-hockey markets as North Carolina, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Nashville, and Columbus. None of these towns have turned into hockey markets, shocking I know. So the game is obviously not being picked up in one of the largest markets in the world, which also happens to have cities like Detroit, New York, and Minnesota that are in love with their hockey teams and have great knowledge of the game. So why not walk before you run NHL? Why not build the game in the U.S. before you charge all over the world? Why not work on what should be a more welcome audience open to the concept of hockey than one in China, which doesn't really have any exposure to the game? Build a nice core following, you already have one in Canada and part of the states, you should have an easier time working on the hesitant areas of the U.S.
No there is nothing wrong behind making money, in fact it is encouraged. But you have to set aside the greed and realize that by building your base, it makes expansion a lot better and you have more evangelists and product lovers to spread the word. The NHL in my opinion just has no concept of what it is doing. It is like a hungry hippo just trying to grab as many little bags of money as it can before everything implodes on it.....and unfortunately it will, it's inevitable at this pace.
Well, the NHL needs to change things. They have no business plan except make as much money as possible, as quickly as possible. Which in the long run is not going to pay off for them. Let me backtrack before I go off on a big rant here. It was announced today that the NHL signed a contract to air games in Asia........huh?
No offense or anything but maybe you should spend some money on growing the game in North America before you charge all over the globe. I believe the term is walk before you run, or perhaps baby steps. The NHL was greedy enough to expand to such non-hockey markets as North Carolina, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Nashville, and Columbus. None of these towns have turned into hockey markets, shocking I know. So the game is obviously not being picked up in one of the largest markets in the world, which also happens to have cities like Detroit, New York, and Minnesota that are in love with their hockey teams and have great knowledge of the game. So why not walk before you run NHL? Why not build the game in the U.S. before you charge all over the world? Why not work on what should be a more welcome audience open to the concept of hockey than one in China, which doesn't really have any exposure to the game? Build a nice core following, you already have one in Canada and part of the states, you should have an easier time working on the hesitant areas of the U.S.
No there is nothing wrong behind making money, in fact it is encouraged. But you have to set aside the greed and realize that by building your base, it makes expansion a lot better and you have more evangelists and product lovers to spread the word. The NHL in my opinion just has no concept of what it is doing. It is like a hungry hippo just trying to grab as many little bags of money as it can before everything implodes on it.....and unfortunately it will, it's inevitable at this pace.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Writer's Block...or just Lazy Brain
Why can I not think of a new blog posting? It's just the same old thoughts that keep coming up in my head. Writer's block? I have no imagination? No creativity????.........
Nope, my brain is just lazy according to an article from Fast Company Magazine.
"The brain is fundamentally a lazy piece of meat. It doesn't want to waste energy. That's why there is a striking lack of imagination in most people's visualization of a beach sunset. It's an iconic image, so your brain simply takes the path of least resistance and reactivates neurons that have been optimized to process this sort of scene."
So thats great. Now I have to work out to stay in shape and somehow find the time to work out my brain also! Sheesh it is never ending. But according to the article the more you experiment and enjoy new experiences the more workout your brain undergoes because it has to process all this crazy, out of place stuff. So that is why social networks, and reading blogs, and heck even travelling and experiencing new things is so important for marketers and other creative types. It allows you to exercise your brain. Now I think i've stumbled onto a way to expense a trip to Thailand.
Nope, my brain is just lazy according to an article from Fast Company Magazine.
"The brain is fundamentally a lazy piece of meat. It doesn't want to waste energy. That's why there is a striking lack of imagination in most people's visualization of a beach sunset. It's an iconic image, so your brain simply takes the path of least resistance and reactivates neurons that have been optimized to process this sort of scene."
So thats great. Now I have to work out to stay in shape and somehow find the time to work out my brain also! Sheesh it is never ending. But according to the article the more you experiment and enjoy new experiences the more workout your brain undergoes because it has to process all this crazy, out of place stuff. So that is why social networks, and reading blogs, and heck even travelling and experiencing new things is so important for marketers and other creative types. It allows you to exercise your brain. Now I think i've stumbled onto a way to expense a trip to Thailand.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Viral Via Music
One of the most underrated aspects for videos is the musical selection. You find that perfect song and combine it with amazing production and creative and you have an instant hit, heck the production/creative don't even have to be that good. Take the Free Hug's Campaign for example. It's also win/win for the musician(s) because they get exposure to new audiences from their song being forwarded as the video goes viral (I mean come on, who doesn't type 3 lyrics from a song in google and hit search everyday).
I have recently seen the roll out of a 100% New Zealand ad campaign and they found the perfect music to accompany a wonderful commercial. I would never have gone to the website or thought twice about the commercial if they hadn't used this song, which I couldn't get out of my head (and i've even traveled to New Zealand and know how amazing it is). The use of the song to connect with the viewers helps carry them to the magical place that is exhibited throughout the ad.
If you are trying to create a viral video, finding a great song that is not necessarily well known yet, is a great way to go viral. Or, find something that matches the tone, feel, and rhythm of the rest of the video and works perfectly in harmony with it. And if you are a band trying to make it, I suggest you have a creative person in your group that can make a cool video to attach your music to. Then watch the sleazy record label guys come running.
Here are some other videos that employed this technique:
Apple does this better than anyone: Did you know who Yael Naim was or Feist before these ads?
Telus has caught the buzz recently, but use well established bands like White Snake
Heineken, i've never heard of Chris Knox but i'm sure he got a lot more hits after people tracked him down from this ad.
This is a commercial for Swedish Berries, I was actually trying to track down this song for a long time.....until I learned it was a jingle just for the commercial. Well lo and behold there was so much interest for it, they turned it into an entire song!
I have recently seen the roll out of a 100% New Zealand ad campaign and they found the perfect music to accompany a wonderful commercial. I would never have gone to the website or thought twice about the commercial if they hadn't used this song, which I couldn't get out of my head (and i've even traveled to New Zealand and know how amazing it is). The use of the song to connect with the viewers helps carry them to the magical place that is exhibited throughout the ad.
If you are trying to create a viral video, finding a great song that is not necessarily well known yet, is a great way to go viral. Or, find something that matches the tone, feel, and rhythm of the rest of the video and works perfectly in harmony with it. And if you are a band trying to make it, I suggest you have a creative person in your group that can make a cool video to attach your music to. Then watch the sleazy record label guys come running.
Here are some other videos that employed this technique:
Apple does this better than anyone: Did you know who Yael Naim was or Feist before these ads?
Telus has caught the buzz recently, but use well established bands like White Snake
Heineken, i've never heard of Chris Knox but i'm sure he got a lot more hits after people tracked him down from this ad.
This is a commercial for Swedish Berries, I was actually trying to track down this song for a long time.....until I learned it was a jingle just for the commercial. Well lo and behold there was so much interest for it, they turned it into an entire song!
Creating communities
Two things are on my mind right now...
1. The Real Estate market (leisure related)
2. Social networking (work related)
The concept behind residential real estate is essentially "joining a community" and the concept behind social networking (as Mitch Joel likes to tell us) is "building a community" and he says it can't be bought...... but when you are selling a community, aren't you essentially buying one too?
I have been looking at some of the new residential developments throughout my area lately and it struck me, why not have a virtual neighbourhood while your development is being built? People are buying condos in these massive buildings 2 years or more before completion date. Why not reduce the buyer's remorse through a little community building? Get people excited about where they have just sunk a major wad of cash. Let people get to know their neighbours and interact with them. Won't this be a great way to create a good feeling about those that have purchased in the building, and maybe, just maybe they will tell their friends about it.......and the community will grow.
Maybe its been done before, but I haven't seen it anywhere i've been. Seems pretty simple to me.
1. The Real Estate market (leisure related)
2. Social networking (work related)
The concept behind residential real estate is essentially "joining a community" and the concept behind social networking (as Mitch Joel likes to tell us) is "building a community" and he says it can't be bought...... but when you are selling a community, aren't you essentially buying one too?
I have been looking at some of the new residential developments throughout my area lately and it struck me, why not have a virtual neighbourhood while your development is being built? People are buying condos in these massive buildings 2 years or more before completion date. Why not reduce the buyer's remorse through a little community building? Get people excited about where they have just sunk a major wad of cash. Let people get to know their neighbours and interact with them. Won't this be a great way to create a good feeling about those that have purchased in the building, and maybe, just maybe they will tell their friends about it.......and the community will grow.
Maybe its been done before, but I haven't seen it anywhere i've been. Seems pretty simple to me.
The best thing since.....
Well maybe this blog isn't the best thing since sliced bread, but hidden in the blog will be some ideas that possibly are. My head always seems to be full of them....with no outlet, well now I have found somewhere to dump them all. Hopefully people enjoy the random thoughts and ideas that pour unfiltered from my brain and maybe this current of ramblings has some nuggets of uber-genius (personally I think they all are) flowing through it. For too long these wonderful little lightbulbs have been burning and then slowly finding their way into that little lightbulb graveyard in the netherworld. Well, No longer! I am a marketing guy and therefore see the world in a slightly different hue, i'm constantly analyzing the purpose behind advertising campaigns and ranking and critiquing them, finding niches, seeing "TBAs" in the world that need something to fill them. So let's uncrank the floodgates and see what comes pouring out.
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