One of the most interesting facets of marketing and communications of late is when a weak or even a failing organization decides to hitch all of its growth potential to MarCom. This is somewhat ironic because it represents a variation on the theme I last spoke about where MarCom is seen as simply a foot soldier, expected to do nothing more than carry out orders and do as told. But let me be clear that this represents just a different variation of the same, terrible mix I spoke about last time.
In some organizations, senior managers are in love with marketing and communications. Of course, while we would love to have that happen, it is not always what it's cracked up to be. While I am a tireless and relentless advocate that marketing is the best way to build brand, it can not be the sole part of the organization out there delivering the organizations message. Also, marketing needs to be used in such a way so that the return on investment it can provide can be maximized.
One trap which needs to be avoided at all costs is the temptation to use marketing and communications as vanity tools. There is an old builder's maxim that says one should know the soil before laying the foundation. That is very true when it comes to marketing and communications. In my own experience I have told many managers that PR does not stand for press release.
So the point here in summary is that as marketing and communications professional we need to do all we can to build and protect the brand. If you look around the organization, there is very no one else who is really equipped or capable to do so. While the risk of having nothing done is both real and great, the risk of having harm come to the brand by individuals who think they know how to manage it, but really don't, is even greater. Marketing and communications people need to be that person who is there to build, render aid but also defend the brand, all depending on what the situation calls for.
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Using Marketing to Lead the Way to Better Times
All we need to do is to turn on the TV and see that the recession is lingering and how poorly we are all doing. Yet a quick look at corporate earnings tells us that companies are booking record earnings and profits. This seems to be a disconnect in this aspect and it makes me wonder what the heck is going on. While one answer to this question is certainly cost-cutting and keeping costs low, the other aspect is just as clear, there is zero marketing going on. People are being fed a message that feeds upon itself and discourages people to make any decisions that may help boost the economy.
Let me address the issue of cost-cutting first. Tom Peters is attributed as saying either "you can't grow by shrinking," or "you can't grow by cutting costs." What ever the correct statement is, the sentiment is true. If you think strategically and invest in market growth and market your product appropriately, you product will take root in the market place and revenue and, if managed intelligently, profit will follow.
The other mentality is that of the C-level. As usual they see no benefit in marketing and choose not to market their way to prosperity. Instead they choose to entrench and try to survive, not realizing that a downturn or recession has been shown to be an exceptional opportunity to seize advantage in the marketplace. It is telling that Apple, Google, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble have all increased marketing spending by at least 10% during the past few years. As a result, they have increased market share and have successfully launched new products.
It can't be said that only consumer companies have been successful doing this. The marketing arms of a number of tech companies such as TI have done great things and are reaping vast rewards. Sadly, these companies seem to be an exception and not the rule. Most companies are taking on a bunker mentality and live in fear of tomorrow which in a sense means they are tying their own noose and will be completely unprepared to take advantaged of a new burst when the economy resumes humming.
The conclusion that can be drawn here is that some companies are choosing to take the lead and market their products to their customers. These companies are the ones who will be uniquely positioned as the next wave of market leaders and some may continue brand leadership, others may sit on their hands, focus exclusively on the near term and lose any market advantage. Investment in marketing and communications will result in brand leadership and market growth if not now then in the future. The question is if you are an entrepreneur and see marketing as an investment with low to moderate risk or if you're completely risk adverse and are willing to sacrifice future growth for short term satisfaction.
Let me address the issue of cost-cutting first. Tom Peters is attributed as saying either "you can't grow by shrinking," or "you can't grow by cutting costs." What ever the correct statement is, the sentiment is true. If you think strategically and invest in market growth and market your product appropriately, you product will take root in the market place and revenue and, if managed intelligently, profit will follow.
The other mentality is that of the C-level. As usual they see no benefit in marketing and choose not to market their way to prosperity. Instead they choose to entrench and try to survive, not realizing that a downturn or recession has been shown to be an exceptional opportunity to seize advantage in the marketplace. It is telling that Apple, Google, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble have all increased marketing spending by at least 10% during the past few years. As a result, they have increased market share and have successfully launched new products.
It can't be said that only consumer companies have been successful doing this. The marketing arms of a number of tech companies such as TI have done great things and are reaping vast rewards. Sadly, these companies seem to be an exception and not the rule. Most companies are taking on a bunker mentality and live in fear of tomorrow which in a sense means they are tying their own noose and will be completely unprepared to take advantaged of a new burst when the economy resumes humming.
The conclusion that can be drawn here is that some companies are choosing to take the lead and market their products to their customers. These companies are the ones who will be uniquely positioned as the next wave of market leaders and some may continue brand leadership, others may sit on their hands, focus exclusively on the near term and lose any market advantage. Investment in marketing and communications will result in brand leadership and market growth if not now then in the future. The question is if you are an entrepreneur and see marketing as an investment with low to moderate risk or if you're completely risk adverse and are willing to sacrifice future growth for short term satisfaction.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Driving down the highway that is marketing and branding
I am sure we all have stories about seeing crazy things on the highway. Be it people talking on their cell phones, shaving or even reading while driving at break neck speeds. This past weekend, while driving to a cook out, I was forced to pass a woman who was driving 45mph in the left lane because she was busy texting and apparently fixing her hair. Of course I thought two things. First, this woman is an accident waiting to happen but secondly and more importantly it represents a good analogy of what is going on in marketing, communications and branding today.
For one thing marketing is be driven at breakneck speed and is often to expected to arrive at locations in an unreasonable amount of time while not getting a speeding ticket. In words that will ring true to all marketing people, do it fast, do it right, do it under budget and make no mistakes. What is also true for all marketing people is that, much like cars, the universe they operated in is changing. For a long time the automobile was a sanctuary. For better or for worse it was an area where a person could not be reached.
Marketing used to be a relatively easy to understand format. It used to be archaic and very traditional, with a long established means of doing things. It's scope was very limited and it was seen as highly tactical. There was very little change in its scope for a great many years.
Both areas have seen tremendous changes during the pasts several years. For cars there is now cell phones, GPS, satellite radio and so much more which change how we operate in the car. For marketing, the changes are even greater. Marketing people have evolved from being the helmsman who steers the large slow moving vessels to the captain of the craft running viscous white water.
As for the highway itself, we see that some people take to driving it different ways just like a true highway. For example, some people take to the driveway and drive really slow, others drive like lunatics. Others take it slow and steady. This is to be expected because just as drivers are unique and approach the highways different organizations approach marketing different.
What's ironic is that many organizations are like a lot of drivers in the good old days and approach marketing the way they approached driving. That is to say they don't plan and often get lost along the way. In these pre Garmin or Tom Tom days people had to look for gas stations or other locations to find their way. A great deal of organizations drive down that highway with no idea where they are going or how they are going to get there. Sometimes they drive down the highway very fast assuming speed is progress or sometimes they stay in the right lane assuming that slow and steady will win the race, yet fail to notice all the competitors blowing by them.
The moral to the story is that driving on the modern highway is a great analogy for doing marketing, communications and branding in the modern age. You need to have the right tools to get the job done (a well maintained car,good radio, etc.) you need to know where you want to go and how to get there. You need to stay focused on the road and not get distracted by small and inconsequential items. Lastly, you need to be aware of your surroundings and judge your progress by your own goals, not by what is going on around you.
For one thing marketing is be driven at breakneck speed and is often to expected to arrive at locations in an unreasonable amount of time while not getting a speeding ticket. In words that will ring true to all marketing people, do it fast, do it right, do it under budget and make no mistakes. What is also true for all marketing people is that, much like cars, the universe they operated in is changing. For a long time the automobile was a sanctuary. For better or for worse it was an area where a person could not be reached.
Marketing used to be a relatively easy to understand format. It used to be archaic and very traditional, with a long established means of doing things. It's scope was very limited and it was seen as highly tactical. There was very little change in its scope for a great many years.
Both areas have seen tremendous changes during the pasts several years. For cars there is now cell phones, GPS, satellite radio and so much more which change how we operate in the car. For marketing, the changes are even greater. Marketing people have evolved from being the helmsman who steers the large slow moving vessels to the captain of the craft running viscous white water.
As for the highway itself, we see that some people take to driving it different ways just like a true highway. For example, some people take to the driveway and drive really slow, others drive like lunatics. Others take it slow and steady. This is to be expected because just as drivers are unique and approach the highways different organizations approach marketing different.
What's ironic is that many organizations are like a lot of drivers in the good old days and approach marketing the way they approached driving. That is to say they don't plan and often get lost along the way. In these pre Garmin or Tom Tom days people had to look for gas stations or other locations to find their way. A great deal of organizations drive down that highway with no idea where they are going or how they are going to get there. Sometimes they drive down the highway very fast assuming speed is progress or sometimes they stay in the right lane assuming that slow and steady will win the race, yet fail to notice all the competitors blowing by them.
The moral to the story is that driving on the modern highway is a great analogy for doing marketing, communications and branding in the modern age. You need to have the right tools to get the job done (a well maintained car,good radio, etc.) you need to know where you want to go and how to get there. You need to stay focused on the road and not get distracted by small and inconsequential items. Lastly, you need to be aware of your surroundings and judge your progress by your own goals, not by what is going on around you.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
The deadliest communications four letter word :PLAN
Last time I was talking about the need to speed things up and kick into high gear. Now is the time when I say, well we also need to slow down a bit. Are these contradictory? Now absolutely not and let me explain.
Execution is unquestionably essential to the development of a proper brand. It is often where the wheels come off the wagon and many well designed plans fall down, never to be heard from again. Execution is the time when we have to deliver. But let's step back a minute and look at what needs to be done before execution. By that, I am referring to that terrible word and something a lot of C-level's don't like to see and that is plan.
Especially in the area of communications senior executives seem to have the notion that it is simply a matter of throwing a switch and all will start running like clock work and that is all there is too it. As one CEO said to me once, "Communications should be as easy as order from a drive through." Needless to say he h ad no idea of how powerful communications was as a tool and how it could benefit his organization.
Now there is one big, enormous down side to planning and that is that it requires organizations to look three to six months out. It requires vision and it requires waiting. For a world class communications plan to work there is a need to plan out several months in advance just as there is in every category.
I laugh sometimes because my account and finance friends spend a long time working on various financial models and try to determine different scenarios which will show what cash flow will be in 3 months or 6 months or what ever time period. The same holds true for IT managers who have to plan several months in advance for upgrades and patches and security tests. As we can see planning is an essential and intelligent aspect of the organizational growth process.
Yet the communications department is expected to produce stuff on rapid turn around, more often than not to suit the temporary needs of senior management. Ironically, this is the most visible forum for the organization and unlike IT or, to a lesser degree finance, this will be seen by external audiences who will be making decisions based on what they see.
One thing we need to do as communications professionals in order to strengthen our position within the organization is to develop strong planning methods and then to stick with them. We need to do this so that we can develop a cohesive and far-reaching planning strategy but most importantly we need to do this so we can develop a system to measure and evaluate our progress. The use of planning and strategy and more importantly our resolute defense of the need to do this will ultimately benefit the organization and its brand and ultimately refocus senior leadership on the role of communications as a strategic tool and asset and one that needs to be nurtured and grown.
Execution is unquestionably essential to the development of a proper brand. It is often where the wheels come off the wagon and many well designed plans fall down, never to be heard from again. Execution is the time when we have to deliver. But let's step back a minute and look at what needs to be done before execution. By that, I am referring to that terrible word and something a lot of C-level's don't like to see and that is plan.
Especially in the area of communications senior executives seem to have the notion that it is simply a matter of throwing a switch and all will start running like clock work and that is all there is too it. As one CEO said to me once, "Communications should be as easy as order from a drive through." Needless to say he h ad no idea of how powerful communications was as a tool and how it could benefit his organization.
Now there is one big, enormous down side to planning and that is that it requires organizations to look three to six months out. It requires vision and it requires waiting. For a world class communications plan to work there is a need to plan out several months in advance just as there is in every category.
I laugh sometimes because my account and finance friends spend a long time working on various financial models and try to determine different scenarios which will show what cash flow will be in 3 months or 6 months or what ever time period. The same holds true for IT managers who have to plan several months in advance for upgrades and patches and security tests. As we can see planning is an essential and intelligent aspect of the organizational growth process.
Yet the communications department is expected to produce stuff on rapid turn around, more often than not to suit the temporary needs of senior management. Ironically, this is the most visible forum for the organization and unlike IT or, to a lesser degree finance, this will be seen by external audiences who will be making decisions based on what they see.
One thing we need to do as communications professionals in order to strengthen our position within the organization is to develop strong planning methods and then to stick with them. We need to do this so that we can develop a cohesive and far-reaching planning strategy but most importantly we need to do this so we can develop a system to measure and evaluate our progress. The use of planning and strategy and more importantly our resolute defense of the need to do this will ultimately benefit the organization and its brand and ultimately refocus senior leadership on the role of communications as a strategic tool and asset and one that needs to be nurtured and grown.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Sprinting to the finish line.
Now that Labor Day is behind us we start heading into the time of year when the days grow shorter and the leaves change color and the thermometer drops. In many respects this is my favorite time of year because the air is so fresh and refined that it makes the work process so much more enjoyable. It also is the time of year when we can focus on what is coming up and begin our sprint to the finish line.
Ideally, the summer was spent planning for this sprint. That was of course, in between fantasies of vacations. The fall sprint should be focused on bringing target audiences back into focus and get yourself onto the radar of major stakeholders. This is really the time of year when marketing budgets are being established and major purchasing decisions are generally being reached. This is the time of year when planning turns into execution.
Given that a lot of plans are being made for 2011 we need to make the most of this time of year. This is a great time of year to engage social media and bring your customers and potential customers in at a new level so they can see you as a more concrete partner in their business. It is also a time to use the more traditional methods and try to engage media partners in a business relationship that will result in the previously mentioned complete market penetration. Lastly, it is the time to stop being the wallflower and become the player in the industry you thought you should be all along.
The final third of the year is when you should really shift into high gear. It is the time of year when marketing and communications need to demonstrate what we can really do for the organization and how our skill and success means the organization can and will be successful. It is when our planning and drive will lead to success in the market. Of course if it is not done with the right balance of strategy, execution and team work than we will fall short and the blemish to marketing will be impossible to erase.
Ideally, the summer was spent planning for this sprint. That was of course, in between fantasies of vacations. The fall sprint should be focused on bringing target audiences back into focus and get yourself onto the radar of major stakeholders. This is really the time of year when marketing budgets are being established and major purchasing decisions are generally being reached. This is the time of year when planning turns into execution.
Given that a lot of plans are being made for 2011 we need to make the most of this time of year. This is a great time of year to engage social media and bring your customers and potential customers in at a new level so they can see you as a more concrete partner in their business. It is also a time to use the more traditional methods and try to engage media partners in a business relationship that will result in the previously mentioned complete market penetration. Lastly, it is the time to stop being the wallflower and become the player in the industry you thought you should be all along.
The final third of the year is when you should really shift into high gear. It is the time of year when marketing and communications need to demonstrate what we can really do for the organization and how our skill and success means the organization can and will be successful. It is when our planning and drive will lead to success in the market. Of course if it is not done with the right balance of strategy, execution and team work than we will fall short and the blemish to marketing will be impossible to erase.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Some goals for 2010
For those who don't know me, I have never been a big fan of resolutions. I personally consider them jokes and something that people make, fully knowing that they do not intend to achieve them. That being said, I am a very big fan of goals and believe that every person and organization needs to have goals in order to succeed and most importantly, the goals need to be something that can not only be achieved, but will result in a stronger person and organization.
So what can we set as goals for the individual in 2010? Well there are always the personal goals such as losing weight, quitting smoking, exercising more and so on. Let me say that each of these are excellent ideas but we should be doing them anyway. These are life choices and really not what I had in mind. Rather, I would suggest we all try and find a way to improve ourselves professionally in the coming year. There are a number of ways we can do this. Some of which include:
Education-The world is changing faster than ever before. I find myself amazed that my 12 year old nephew can often explain things to me that I have never heard of before. I thought my parents were bad for not using one of those old answering machines with the tape that needed to be replaced every six months or so. Now I am in fear I may be reaching that level of technology illiteracy. Even social media presents an interesting obstacle for most professional who have been in the industry for more than 10 years. It is a fascinating world that is always changing and we need to make sure we keep up with the changes or risk being left behind.
So the first goal for 2010 should be to educate your self on the latest breakthroughs in technology. While I write mostly for marketing and communications people, this goes for anyone in any field. Either you learn when the train leaves the station or you're left on the platform.
Network-Everybody knows that networking is important to success in today's hyper-competitive job market place. Sadly, one of the inverse or negative results of social media is we believe we can sit back at the key board and meet people that way. Let me be crystal clear in my own opinion. Social media is not networking. In order to network you need to be out and meeting people and learning more about them and engaging them in conversation.
There is a big difference between between knowing someone and being a friend with someone. Your friend is someone who brings a smile to your face as you recall a funny story or a great conversation you had with them. They are someone you know right away is intelligent and whom you can assess nearly immediately their strengths and weaknesses.
Persevere-It is easy to say things are too hard and move on to something different. Speaking as a former hiring manager, if I was looking at two people and one person had better technical skills than the next, but the latter had stuck to their guns through thick and thin my first instinct would be to go with the one who persevered. There is a lot to be said for people who have passion and love what they do and don't see it as simply a pay check. These are people whom you can count on when times are tough to provide you with solid advice.
Having said that, you need to be sure you are not sticking to someone who for lack of a better word is the typical cockroach. Every organization has one. They survive ironically not because they are good at what they do, but because they spend as much time on self-promotion as helping the organization succeed. Fortunately I have found two sure-fire ways of warding off these people. Much like cockroaches and vampires, they hate direct sunlight. Ask them one or both of two questions, tell me about your greatest personal failure? When did you help the organization succeed but let someone else receive the credit.
Stay optimistic-This is one of those things that will be easier said than done! Being optimistic in tough times is extremely difficult but equally important. Discouragement can result in mistakes and missed opportunities. Remember that every opportunity is a gift and by opening it, we can achieve great things.
Go for it-I know HR people will hate me for saying this, but if there is a job you think you are qualified for then go for it. What is the worst that can happen? They can say no which as well know is more likely in this day and age. But if you do your homework, and prepare a well thought out appeal and present yourself as the problem solver they all need you will be surprised at how strong the positive response is.
This is only a partial list of my own goals for 2010. I am sure once I post this I will think of several more. But the important thing I believe is that we need to focus on what is going to happen, what we can contribute and most importantly why we are needed. To quote the Kink's "The past is gone and ain't coming back no more." Focus on what you can bring to the market and pretty soon you will be bringing them to it!
So what can we set as goals for the individual in 2010? Well there are always the personal goals such as losing weight, quitting smoking, exercising more and so on. Let me say that each of these are excellent ideas but we should be doing them anyway. These are life choices and really not what I had in mind. Rather, I would suggest we all try and find a way to improve ourselves professionally in the coming year. There are a number of ways we can do this. Some of which include:
Education-The world is changing faster than ever before. I find myself amazed that my 12 year old nephew can often explain things to me that I have never heard of before. I thought my parents were bad for not using one of those old answering machines with the tape that needed to be replaced every six months or so. Now I am in fear I may be reaching that level of technology illiteracy. Even social media presents an interesting obstacle for most professional who have been in the industry for more than 10 years. It is a fascinating world that is always changing and we need to make sure we keep up with the changes or risk being left behind.
So the first goal for 2010 should be to educate your self on the latest breakthroughs in technology. While I write mostly for marketing and communications people, this goes for anyone in any field. Either you learn when the train leaves the station or you're left on the platform.
Network-Everybody knows that networking is important to success in today's hyper-competitive job market place. Sadly, one of the inverse or negative results of social media is we believe we can sit back at the key board and meet people that way. Let me be crystal clear in my own opinion. Social media is not networking. In order to network you need to be out and meeting people and learning more about them and engaging them in conversation.
There is a big difference between between knowing someone and being a friend with someone. Your friend is someone who brings a smile to your face as you recall a funny story or a great conversation you had with them. They are someone you know right away is intelligent and whom you can assess nearly immediately their strengths and weaknesses.
Persevere-It is easy to say things are too hard and move on to something different. Speaking as a former hiring manager, if I was looking at two people and one person had better technical skills than the next, but the latter had stuck to their guns through thick and thin my first instinct would be to go with the one who persevered. There is a lot to be said for people who have passion and love what they do and don't see it as simply a pay check. These are people whom you can count on when times are tough to provide you with solid advice.
Having said that, you need to be sure you are not sticking to someone who for lack of a better word is the typical cockroach. Every organization has one. They survive ironically not because they are good at what they do, but because they spend as much time on self-promotion as helping the organization succeed. Fortunately I have found two sure-fire ways of warding off these people. Much like cockroaches and vampires, they hate direct sunlight. Ask them one or both of two questions, tell me about your greatest personal failure? When did you help the organization succeed but let someone else receive the credit.
Stay optimistic-This is one of those things that will be easier said than done! Being optimistic in tough times is extremely difficult but equally important. Discouragement can result in mistakes and missed opportunities. Remember that every opportunity is a gift and by opening it, we can achieve great things.
Go for it-I know HR people will hate me for saying this, but if there is a job you think you are qualified for then go for it. What is the worst that can happen? They can say no which as well know is more likely in this day and age. But if you do your homework, and prepare a well thought out appeal and present yourself as the problem solver they all need you will be surprised at how strong the positive response is.
This is only a partial list of my own goals for 2010. I am sure once I post this I will think of several more. But the important thing I believe is that we need to focus on what is going to happen, what we can contribute and most importantly why we are needed. To quote the Kink's "The past is gone and ain't coming back no more." Focus on what you can bring to the market and pretty soon you will be bringing them to it!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Start off right when it comes to marketing
Funny thing about marketing, we are often called upon to deliver results without being given a chance to do the actual ground work to support the demands placed on us. I like to put myself into another profession and wonder, would we say to an architect that it's OK to design half the building because we want the plans done by 4 or to a farmer, hey, we want crops by June even though we only planted in May.
Of course, the big issue is that marketing has become far to compliant when it comes to dealing with the expectations raised by senior executives. All to often we wish to be the ideal of the team player and meet or exceed any demand regardless of how realistic it is. What the situation calls for, but where marketing and communications people fail to come through, is in providing and honest and fair assessment of what we can do and when we can do it. It is far better to be honest and say this will take until next Friday to do right rather than say when do you want it.
By releasing the ability to start off right in the marketing program, we are automatically in the hole. The marketing team has sacrificed the ability to become an effective team and has established that its role within the organization is to supplicate to any demand that is placed upon it. The legitimacy of marketing as a contributor to the success of the organization is virtually negated.
By establishing itself as an independent entity within the organization, capable of standing on its own and providing legitimate input to the success of the organization. By standing up immediately and expecting to be counted along with sales, finance, HR and the other departments within the organization, marketing garners a seat at the table and becomes a value added team to the group and not an expense to be corralled. The latter course, as we all know, leads to disastrous results for the long-term success of the organization.
Of course, the big issue is that marketing has become far to compliant when it comes to dealing with the expectations raised by senior executives. All to often we wish to be the ideal of the team player and meet or exceed any demand regardless of how realistic it is. What the situation calls for, but where marketing and communications people fail to come through, is in providing and honest and fair assessment of what we can do and when we can do it. It is far better to be honest and say this will take until next Friday to do right rather than say when do you want it.
By releasing the ability to start off right in the marketing program, we are automatically in the hole. The marketing team has sacrificed the ability to become an effective team and has established that its role within the organization is to supplicate to any demand that is placed upon it. The legitimacy of marketing as a contributor to the success of the organization is virtually negated.
By establishing itself as an independent entity within the organization, capable of standing on its own and providing legitimate input to the success of the organization. By standing up immediately and expecting to be counted along with sales, finance, HR and the other departments within the organization, marketing garners a seat at the table and becomes a value added team to the group and not an expense to be corralled. The latter course, as we all know, leads to disastrous results for the long-term success of the organization.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Why activity is often the worst thing in a PR campaign
I have had the chance to speak to a lot of marketing and PR people of late and one thing I have noticed is that there is a lot of pride taken by smaller and less well informed individuals that they have achieved regular interviews with the news media. In most cases they are like a kid with their first credit card and only see what they can buy. The don't realize that sooner or later, the bill is going to come due!
I have seen so many companies run a laundry list of all the big names publications who have supposedly covered their organizations. I still laugh when I think of the start up CEO who actually took offense when I disagreed with him and said that publications want interesting stories and aren't really interested in the cult of the CEO. He felt that business was personality driven.
No the sad but true fact is that as far as business publications are concerned, hard news is what sells. As a result, going out for a lot of "puff" pieces that do not clearly communicate to your market, who you are, what you do and why that matters are of no good. Many organizations invest vast sums of money and time in trying to get covered by big and prestigious publications like the Wall Street Journal for example and all they end up with is a waste of both time and money.
The smartest course of action is what I call the sniper's route. In the military, they train every soldier in how to care for and fire their weapon. However they take time to see who is the best sharp shooter in the bunch and then train that person even further and turn them into a sniper. Of the many elements of their training, one of the most important is how to identify the best target from a sea of possibilities. One of the great sayings among snipers is that any sniper can hit the target, but only the great ones can select it!
So picking targets for your PR campaign is one of the most essential elements to its successful execution. Trying to bring in a large number of busy bee results or picking some publication without a clear line drawn from story to customer to sale is the needless type of PR activity that is all too common among PR agencies today. Clients need to realize that it is up to them to go to the agency with marching orders and to expect in return results based on your expectations. Otherwise, you will see a bunch of busy work that in the long term, six months or more, will result in no net gain of sales.
I have seen so many companies run a laundry list of all the big names publications who have supposedly covered their organizations. I still laugh when I think of the start up CEO who actually took offense when I disagreed with him and said that publications want interesting stories and aren't really interested in the cult of the CEO. He felt that business was personality driven.
No the sad but true fact is that as far as business publications are concerned, hard news is what sells. As a result, going out for a lot of "puff" pieces that do not clearly communicate to your market, who you are, what you do and why that matters are of no good. Many organizations invest vast sums of money and time in trying to get covered by big and prestigious publications like the Wall Street Journal for example and all they end up with is a waste of both time and money.
The smartest course of action is what I call the sniper's route. In the military, they train every soldier in how to care for and fire their weapon. However they take time to see who is the best sharp shooter in the bunch and then train that person even further and turn them into a sniper. Of the many elements of their training, one of the most important is how to identify the best target from a sea of possibilities. One of the great sayings among snipers is that any sniper can hit the target, but only the great ones can select it!
So picking targets for your PR campaign is one of the most essential elements to its successful execution. Trying to bring in a large number of busy bee results or picking some publication without a clear line drawn from story to customer to sale is the needless type of PR activity that is all too common among PR agencies today. Clients need to realize that it is up to them to go to the agency with marching orders and to expect in return results based on your expectations. Otherwise, you will see a bunch of busy work that in the long term, six months or more, will result in no net gain of sales.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Keeping the message inside the box!
We are all familiar with the tired old cliche of "thinking outside the box." Well there is one area where we need to stay within the box and just as we were told when young, to color inside of the lines. This comes with the development and execution of the corporate message.
More often than not the corporate message is an afterthought when the brand is developed. I have seen, and been depressed by, other marketing professionals who will focus on minor details such as what shade of a color to use. Cardinal Red versus Vermilion is one argument I can remember going on for hours. These people think that all of these components will subtly influence the target audience and the result will be greater sales. Sadly, this is not the case and a marketing plan that does not revolve around a strong message is almost guaranteed to fail.
A strong message leaves the targeted consumer with a clear idea of what the end result of the purchase of their product will be. Who can forget Coca-Cola with the "Pause the Refreshes" or McDonald's saying "You Deserve a Break Today." I can remember buying services from a vendor who were more or less equal in all aspects such as price and ease of use. What ended up being the decision maker for me was a very direct marketing message. The winner said, "We help you do your job better." That was a very direct message to me that told me my life could be a lot easier if I used them.
Of course the hardest part of keeping the message in the box is that higher ups will always want to tinker with it. As many of my dear readers know, one of the most lamentable occurrences in business has been the emergence of the shortsighted mindset which only sees from one quarter to another. Great American companies tend to become that way not because they manage earnings better, but due to the fact they have a vision which extends beyond one quarter and a deep seated faith in what the organization is doing.
In addition, a good CEO listens to their smart marketing person who will tell them that changing a marketing message is similar to painting a house. You check on the damage, you make repairs along the way and maybe every ten to 15 years you do a complete overhaul in the message. In this day and age you have to fight to keep the CEO or some other senior executive from changing the message every quarter out of fear they are not meeting next quarter's numbers or even worse, out of boredom with the current message.
The corporate message is what helps influence your customers. It is something you need to keep an eye on for threats and the need to change but you also need to keep a spare eye on the number of elements who would like to change it for the simple sake of change. The message should always reinforce the mission and by doing that you're ultimately helping to sell more product.
More often than not the corporate message is an afterthought when the brand is developed. I have seen, and been depressed by, other marketing professionals who will focus on minor details such as what shade of a color to use. Cardinal Red versus Vermilion is one argument I can remember going on for hours. These people think that all of these components will subtly influence the target audience and the result will be greater sales. Sadly, this is not the case and a marketing plan that does not revolve around a strong message is almost guaranteed to fail.
A strong message leaves the targeted consumer with a clear idea of what the end result of the purchase of their product will be. Who can forget Coca-Cola with the "Pause the Refreshes" or McDonald's saying "You Deserve a Break Today." I can remember buying services from a vendor who were more or less equal in all aspects such as price and ease of use. What ended up being the decision maker for me was a very direct marketing message. The winner said, "We help you do your job better." That was a very direct message to me that told me my life could be a lot easier if I used them.
Of course the hardest part of keeping the message in the box is that higher ups will always want to tinker with it. As many of my dear readers know, one of the most lamentable occurrences in business has been the emergence of the shortsighted mindset which only sees from one quarter to another. Great American companies tend to become that way not because they manage earnings better, but due to the fact they have a vision which extends beyond one quarter and a deep seated faith in what the organization is doing.
In addition, a good CEO listens to their smart marketing person who will tell them that changing a marketing message is similar to painting a house. You check on the damage, you make repairs along the way and maybe every ten to 15 years you do a complete overhaul in the message. In this day and age you have to fight to keep the CEO or some other senior executive from changing the message every quarter out of fear they are not meeting next quarter's numbers or even worse, out of boredom with the current message.
The corporate message is what helps influence your customers. It is something you need to keep an eye on for threats and the need to change but you also need to keep a spare eye on the number of elements who would like to change it for the simple sake of change. The message should always reinforce the mission and by doing that you're ultimately helping to sell more product.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Is your brand dying because you are trying to save it?
There is an old back yard gardeners adage that the one that kills a garden above all else is over attentiveness. Some people obsess over the slightest details regarding their gardens and as a result the garden suffers. The same can be said about brands, in some environments the corporate senior executive be it a division head or a CEO can be so focused on saving the brand that they may end up being blind to the fact they are in turn killing that which they are trying to save.
I have seen with my own eyes many otherwise strong, or relatively strong brands, which are hacked to pieces because someone higher up believes the brand is in some type of danger. Either from competition or complacency but in danger non-the-less. What is both sad and ironic is that when these people take drastic and, often unnecessary steps, to fix the problem the result is greater loss and more disruption. This reinforces the first impression that they were right about the need for drastic change and results in more change.
This second wave of change is often unneeded and even more destructive than the first wave was. More importantly it results in both customers and employees questioning the future of the brand and if management really has solved a problem or is fighting some type of hydra where two problems will emerge for each one fixed.
Obviously a brand needs to be nurtured like any plant in a garden. It needs the right materials to grow on and most importantly needs patience to reach full maturity. A farmer does not go into his or her field and pull tiny corn stalks out of the ground. Rather, they wait until the product is primed for market and that is the philosophy that today's senior executives would be smart to take as their example.
A brand will succeed if given the right amount of care and devotion. You need to take the appropriate steps and consult with the right experts to ensure both brand survival and long-term health. But you also need to let the brand grow on its own accord and be careful not to smother the brand with over attentiveness. Make sure that your cure is not worse than the illness in question.
I have seen with my own eyes many otherwise strong, or relatively strong brands, which are hacked to pieces because someone higher up believes the brand is in some type of danger. Either from competition or complacency but in danger non-the-less. What is both sad and ironic is that when these people take drastic and, often unnecessary steps, to fix the problem the result is greater loss and more disruption. This reinforces the first impression that they were right about the need for drastic change and results in more change.
This second wave of change is often unneeded and even more destructive than the first wave was. More importantly it results in both customers and employees questioning the future of the brand and if management really has solved a problem or is fighting some type of hydra where two problems will emerge for each one fixed.
Obviously a brand needs to be nurtured like any plant in a garden. It needs the right materials to grow on and most importantly needs patience to reach full maturity. A farmer does not go into his or her field and pull tiny corn stalks out of the ground. Rather, they wait until the product is primed for market and that is the philosophy that today's senior executives would be smart to take as their example.
A brand will succeed if given the right amount of care and devotion. You need to take the appropriate steps and consult with the right experts to ensure both brand survival and long-term health. But you also need to let the brand grow on its own accord and be careful not to smother the brand with over attentiveness. Make sure that your cure is not worse than the illness in question.
Monday, September 14, 2009
How to test your start up brand?
Building a brand is something that takes time, patience and, of course, money. To use the old adage, "Rome was not built in a day." That is certainly relevant when it comes to building ones brand. Start up companies today are faced with the dilemma that they need to build to build a recognizable brand as soon as possible and get it to market even quicker so they can establish themselves and begin to generate revenue.
So with any product the question becomes how do you test a brand especially if it is one that hasn't seen the light of day yet? Certainly if you are Microsoft or Coca-Cola you can conduct focus groups and have test audiences to try out your product and see how it works. A new start up has maybe a half dozen individuals to share the information with and, assuming they have a new concept, need to be discrete in who they inform regarding the product.
To that end it is very difficult for a start up company to test its product and get a sense of its brand. Still, it can be done if appropriate measures are taken to protect the brand. First of all, you do have the option of selecting a small group to serve as your control and use them to test the product or concept. By doing this, you are bringing in people you believe you can trust. They need not be people you know personally but they should be screened for reliability and you should be comfortable with who you are working with.
You can also work with organizations and do a blind test. These organizations bring in people and serve as your focus group and tell you what they like about your concept and what they do not like. They are blind in every sense of the word and have no idea what your product is and in many cases may have no idea about your market. While you benefit from feedback, you are getting this feedback from an ill-informed group who may not fully understand the nuances of your brand concept.
Lastly, you can try and run your own research so that you need not work with a pay-to-play organization. This is very dangerous as you do run the risk of exposing your brand to a public audience before it is ready. There have been many incidents where companies tested products before they were ready and the bad press leaked out as most bad press does and ended up causing the type of attention that most companies would prefer to avoid!
Testing your brand before launching it is a sensible and intelligent means of not only determining the brand concepts and strengths but also in easing the product into a position before its target audiences. Sensible precautions and reasonable planning will allow you to test your brand and either adjust the concept before releasing it to the public or, in a worst case scenario, go back to the drawing board. Either way using a control group as a sounding board allows you to build a stronger brand and one more in tune with what your target audience is looking for.
So with any product the question becomes how do you test a brand especially if it is one that hasn't seen the light of day yet? Certainly if you are Microsoft or Coca-Cola you can conduct focus groups and have test audiences to try out your product and see how it works. A new start up has maybe a half dozen individuals to share the information with and, assuming they have a new concept, need to be discrete in who they inform regarding the product.
To that end it is very difficult for a start up company to test its product and get a sense of its brand. Still, it can be done if appropriate measures are taken to protect the brand. First of all, you do have the option of selecting a small group to serve as your control and use them to test the product or concept. By doing this, you are bringing in people you believe you can trust. They need not be people you know personally but they should be screened for reliability and you should be comfortable with who you are working with.
You can also work with organizations and do a blind test. These organizations bring in people and serve as your focus group and tell you what they like about your concept and what they do not like. They are blind in every sense of the word and have no idea what your product is and in many cases may have no idea about your market. While you benefit from feedback, you are getting this feedback from an ill-informed group who may not fully understand the nuances of your brand concept.
Lastly, you can try and run your own research so that you need not work with a pay-to-play organization. This is very dangerous as you do run the risk of exposing your brand to a public audience before it is ready. There have been many incidents where companies tested products before they were ready and the bad press leaked out as most bad press does and ended up causing the type of attention that most companies would prefer to avoid!
Testing your brand before launching it is a sensible and intelligent means of not only determining the brand concepts and strengths but also in easing the product into a position before its target audiences. Sensible precautions and reasonable planning will allow you to test your brand and either adjust the concept before releasing it to the public or, in a worst case scenario, go back to the drawing board. Either way using a control group as a sounding board allows you to build a stronger brand and one more in tune with what your target audience is looking for.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Protecting the brand from internal interlopers
The organization's brand is one thing that people cant help but offer input on how to improve. In some regards, managing a brand is similar to managing a sports team. You have every person around you offering you what they consider to be essential input regarding how to run the brand. When something goes wrong, as it is bound to do, these people will see you as the person responsible since you did not follow their advice. Even if there advice was completely ridiculous and silly the arm chair brand managers out there believe that their advice was difference between success and failure.
Another key aspect for brand managers in protecting their brand is to resist the urge to react to events which have already occurred. There is an old expression that goes "you can't drive a car by looking in the rear view mirror." That is ever so true in marketing and communications. But still many non-marketing people will come up and argue that such and such an event has occurred and we need to make adjustments based on it. Now I can not argue in all cases not to make the changes, but there are times when you need to review if the change is being made based on fear or some other type of knee-jerk reaction.
If there is the need to make a change, first off, make sure that the need is solid and dead on. Don't be afraid to say no and to push back on those pushing for change. Remember, you are the guardian of the brand so it is ultimately your responsibility. Review suggestions for change with an open and careful mind. Also, remember that protecting the brand does not mean keeping it away from any changes. If someone were to argue for a particular course of action look at what they are saying and feel free to cherry pick the parts you think might work from those parts you think are not useful.
Lastly, set the ground rules for any changes to the brand. Don't forget that as a marketing and communications person it falls to you to protect the brand. Put the onus onto the person suggestion the change to educate you as to why the change is necessary. Also, keep the participants in any brand change to a bare minimum . There is no need to have a grand meeting involving everyone from the CEO on down to the person who empties the waste baskets. You and the person suggesting change are the parties to the exchange. I would recommend limiting the meeting to just that. From there you can form a solid relationship which allows for two way conversation that will build a strong brand rather than a massive hodgepodge which tries to make everyone happy and leaves no one happy.
Another key aspect for brand managers in protecting their brand is to resist the urge to react to events which have already occurred. There is an old expression that goes "you can't drive a car by looking in the rear view mirror." That is ever so true in marketing and communications. But still many non-marketing people will come up and argue that such and such an event has occurred and we need to make adjustments based on it. Now I can not argue in all cases not to make the changes, but there are times when you need to review if the change is being made based on fear or some other type of knee-jerk reaction.
If there is the need to make a change, first off, make sure that the need is solid and dead on. Don't be afraid to say no and to push back on those pushing for change. Remember, you are the guardian of the brand so it is ultimately your responsibility. Review suggestions for change with an open and careful mind. Also, remember that protecting the brand does not mean keeping it away from any changes. If someone were to argue for a particular course of action look at what they are saying and feel free to cherry pick the parts you think might work from those parts you think are not useful.
Lastly, set the ground rules for any changes to the brand. Don't forget that as a marketing and communications person it falls to you to protect the brand. Put the onus onto the person suggestion the change to educate you as to why the change is necessary. Also, keep the participants in any brand change to a bare minimum . There is no need to have a grand meeting involving everyone from the CEO on down to the person who empties the waste baskets. You and the person suggesting change are the parties to the exchange. I would recommend limiting the meeting to just that. From there you can form a solid relationship which allows for two way conversation that will build a strong brand rather than a massive hodgepodge which tries to make everyone happy and leaves no one happy.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Using communcations to plan for growth.
Many organizations are driven by the idea that they are bringing a revolutionary new product to market and that once the world sees how great their product is, they will stop what ever they are doing and rush to buy it. Sadly, this model hardly ever is the case and in many cases, the world is growing more cynical and sees a new product with wary and cynical eyes.
I also hear a lot of people admiring what Apple does with the IPhone and saying what great buzz they have created. I have to be honest and say that I cringe when ever I hear the word buzz. For one thing, "buzz" has never sold a single product. The pet rock had buzz, so did New Coke and Crystal Pepsi and neither is remember today. What sets the IPhone apart from its market is the fact that it offers a unique and interesting product that differs from the rest of the market. It is quite evident that Apple did their homework here and included key target customers in the development of the product from the beginning and then designed a marketing and communications program around it.
The lesson we can draw from Apple is that when we are designing a product, we should build the marketing and communications plan along with the product. We should also design the communications plan to anticipate the changes in the market so that we can quickly react and adjust our programs in anticipation of the minor alterations that will be required during the life cycle of the product to ensure that we do not fall behind our target audience. Remember, the market will continue to shape itself and unless you move along with it you will be left high and dry.
A good communications plan is one that not only designs what we say to our target audiences, but it helps us to grow within the marketplace and helps shape future growth. Communications can serve the organization much in the same way the coal tender does on a steam locomotive. We provide the fuel that drives the engine. In addition, communications has the role of keeping abreast of market conditions and is superbly positioned to anticipate and react to any potential problems that may arise.
Communications professionals should be positioning themselves within the organization as the primary agents to drive an agenda of growth. By doing so, they can not only increase their influence with the organization, they can ensure that the process is done correctly and that the brand , marketing's ultimate tool, is both protected and enhanced. Communications is uniquely positioned by virtue of their expertise and unique understanding of the branding process to contribute to substantial and sustained growth within the organization.
I also hear a lot of people admiring what Apple does with the IPhone and saying what great buzz they have created. I have to be honest and say that I cringe when ever I hear the word buzz. For one thing, "buzz" has never sold a single product. The pet rock had buzz, so did New Coke and Crystal Pepsi and neither is remember today. What sets the IPhone apart from its market is the fact that it offers a unique and interesting product that differs from the rest of the market. It is quite evident that Apple did their homework here and included key target customers in the development of the product from the beginning and then designed a marketing and communications program around it.
The lesson we can draw from Apple is that when we are designing a product, we should build the marketing and communications plan along with the product. We should also design the communications plan to anticipate the changes in the market so that we can quickly react and adjust our programs in anticipation of the minor alterations that will be required during the life cycle of the product to ensure that we do not fall behind our target audience. Remember, the market will continue to shape itself and unless you move along with it you will be left high and dry.
A good communications plan is one that not only designs what we say to our target audiences, but it helps us to grow within the marketplace and helps shape future growth. Communications can serve the organization much in the same way the coal tender does on a steam locomotive. We provide the fuel that drives the engine. In addition, communications has the role of keeping abreast of market conditions and is superbly positioned to anticipate and react to any potential problems that may arise.
Communications professionals should be positioning themselves within the organization as the primary agents to drive an agenda of growth. By doing so, they can not only increase their influence with the organization, they can ensure that the process is done correctly and that the brand , marketing's ultimate tool, is both protected and enhanced. Communications is uniquely positioned by virtue of their expertise and unique understanding of the branding process to contribute to substantial and sustained growth within the organization.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
How to stay focused in a rapidly changing world!
Today's world is certainly changing at a faster and faster pace. Of course, a study of American history shows you that one of our common themes is the idea that we are, for the most part, living in times of break neck change and need to slow down. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Still, we are living in times of rapid change. Thanks to market conditions and technologies, it seems products are out of date almost as soon as they hit the market. Shelf lives of more than a year for a technology product seems absurd. So how does marketing help build a brand, while facing a market that is constantly moving?
This type of dilemma reminds me of one of my favorite comic book when I was a kid, Spiderman. Of course Spiderman had a lot of enemies but the one that always fascinated me was the Sand Man. He could change his shape almost at will and at times could be either strong as a block of cement or as fine as sand on a beach. The properties one finds in real sand. Naturally Spiderman has his share of battles with the Sandman and defeats him by realizing that any strength can become a weakness and any threat an opportunity.
More importantly, from a tactical perspective he learned to anticipate what his opponent might do next and react appropriately. I think that is a key lesson for all marketing people to do. We are the people whose job is to be on top of things and try and see what might happen in the next week, month, year and so on. A great deal of ink was spilled regarding the supposed technical leadership and management skills of the Japanese in the late 1980's and early 90's. What happened was that the media saw only the positives and did not see the negatives of the Japanese model.
I remember an article from Business Week written just after Bill Clinton became president. It basically said that Japan was not as good as what everyone thought because its culture smothered innovation and new ideas. There were howls of protest about the article but time as shown it to be correct.
So back to the question at hand, how does one stay focused in this rapidly changing world. I believe the first way to do so is to know your market and most important, know your customer. Second, be a step ahead of the competition. That may sound like a cliche but not only is it true, it is also pretty easy to do. It goes back to the first rule of know your customer. The third rule that I will use for now is to have one person responsible for marketing and put all aspects of marketing growth into their hands. This will allow for controlled responsible growth and allow you to keep others, who don't have the same level of knowledge from fouling things up terribly.
Keep in mind that staying focused in a rapidly changing world is both your greatest threat and greatest opportunity. It should be taken with great concern and handled by the person you most trust with the success of your organization.
Still, we are living in times of rapid change. Thanks to market conditions and technologies, it seems products are out of date almost as soon as they hit the market. Shelf lives of more than a year for a technology product seems absurd. So how does marketing help build a brand, while facing a market that is constantly moving?
This type of dilemma reminds me of one of my favorite comic book when I was a kid, Spiderman. Of course Spiderman had a lot of enemies but the one that always fascinated me was the Sand Man. He could change his shape almost at will and at times could be either strong as a block of cement or as fine as sand on a beach. The properties one finds in real sand. Naturally Spiderman has his share of battles with the Sandman and defeats him by realizing that any strength can become a weakness and any threat an opportunity.
More importantly, from a tactical perspective he learned to anticipate what his opponent might do next and react appropriately. I think that is a key lesson for all marketing people to do. We are the people whose job is to be on top of things and try and see what might happen in the next week, month, year and so on. A great deal of ink was spilled regarding the supposed technical leadership and management skills of the Japanese in the late 1980's and early 90's. What happened was that the media saw only the positives and did not see the negatives of the Japanese model.
I remember an article from Business Week written just after Bill Clinton became president. It basically said that Japan was not as good as what everyone thought because its culture smothered innovation and new ideas. There were howls of protest about the article but time as shown it to be correct.
So back to the question at hand, how does one stay focused in this rapidly changing world. I believe the first way to do so is to know your market and most important, know your customer. Second, be a step ahead of the competition. That may sound like a cliche but not only is it true, it is also pretty easy to do. It goes back to the first rule of know your customer. The third rule that I will use for now is to have one person responsible for marketing and put all aspects of marketing growth into their hands. This will allow for controlled responsible growth and allow you to keep others, who don't have the same level of knowledge from fouling things up terribly.
Keep in mind that staying focused in a rapidly changing world is both your greatest threat and greatest opportunity. It should be taken with great concern and handled by the person you most trust with the success of your organization.
Monday, August 31, 2009
The Limits of Public Relations
I remember a funny story I heard a few years back. A man tried to sue a certain auto manufacturer claiming their product was unsafe. When there was a bit of discovery done it had turned out that the man had crashed the auto and was upset that while the airbags had deployed, they had not prevented damage to his car. He claimed that everything he read about airbags spoke about how safe they are and that this resulted in him driving less-than-safely due to the fact he believed the airbag would somehow envelop his entire auto.
I always like this story because I think it does a good job of illustrating the limits of public relations. PR as we know has never had a really firm definition like accounting, nor has it had a strong oversight board like the American Medical Association or the various state bar associations. I think the best way to initiate a discussion like this is to say that PR does have limits and is not a magic cure all that will solve any problems. I will list a very few limits of public relations here but be assured that I will not list them all because that would simply be impossible.
One great limit of public relations and the one I see most often used in publicly traded companies is the idea that PR exists to "goose" a stock price or somehow make a company more palatable for sales. Very simply put, PR does not sell your product. Public relations exists to disseminate truthful and wholly accurate news about the organization. One term I despise is the term "spin," because it is not the role of PR to take information and try and paint it in an inaccurate light. I fully acknowledge that is what often times happens but in doing so you weaken your brand and the organization.
Another great limit of public relations is the concept of damage control. Without a doubt one of our greatest contributions as public relations professionals is in the area of crisis management, we can not be called on to turn lemons to lemonade as a matter of course. Still many organizations make decisions that they know put the brand and the organization at risk with the belief that the PR team can come in and simply clean up what ever may go wrong. That amazingly shortsighted viewpoint is what often results in organizations being forced to deal with crisis that, had they consulted with PR earlier in the cycle, could have been greatly avoided. It is much easier to put out a fire when it is a small flame than if the entire structure is consumed.
The last limit of PR is one that I hope will fade away as a result of the recent market crash. That is the concept of using PR to boost the ego of senior executives. All to often, PR people have been called on to write materials that are essentially irrelevant to the organization but do have the executive in question look like the king of the world. If you take a look at the organizations that have failed, going all the way back to Enron and beyond, you will see organizations who saw PR as a means of protecting them from any pesky questions they don't to deal with. Again, senior executives seem to think that PR exists to dance around like a puppet on a string. It is the role of the PR person to drive the process and as such we can not be expected to jump in and do the biding of a senior executive who feels they are being neglected . Our first opportunity is always to the brand and the organization.
In conclusion, I would say that PR can accomplish amazing things and that there are very few things we can not do. That is not to say however that our boundaries are limitless. Some of the limits on public relations, must be places by PR practitioners themselves because we are in charge of protecting the brand and it is our job to make sure the organization pays heed to correct means of messaging and message delivery. One may argue that if a PR person tries to express limits on public relations that they will be replaced. I can not discount that theory except by saying the following. If you want the best PR people you have to listen to what they say, and the best PR people are telling you that there are limits on PR that you must pay heed to if you wish to succeed.
I always like this story because I think it does a good job of illustrating the limits of public relations. PR as we know has never had a really firm definition like accounting, nor has it had a strong oversight board like the American Medical Association or the various state bar associations. I think the best way to initiate a discussion like this is to say that PR does have limits and is not a magic cure all that will solve any problems. I will list a very few limits of public relations here but be assured that I will not list them all because that would simply be impossible.
One great limit of public relations and the one I see most often used in publicly traded companies is the idea that PR exists to "goose" a stock price or somehow make a company more palatable for sales. Very simply put, PR does not sell your product. Public relations exists to disseminate truthful and wholly accurate news about the organization. One term I despise is the term "spin," because it is not the role of PR to take information and try and paint it in an inaccurate light. I fully acknowledge that is what often times happens but in doing so you weaken your brand and the organization.
Another great limit of public relations is the concept of damage control. Without a doubt one of our greatest contributions as public relations professionals is in the area of crisis management, we can not be called on to turn lemons to lemonade as a matter of course. Still many organizations make decisions that they know put the brand and the organization at risk with the belief that the PR team can come in and simply clean up what ever may go wrong. That amazingly shortsighted viewpoint is what often results in organizations being forced to deal with crisis that, had they consulted with PR earlier in the cycle, could have been greatly avoided. It is much easier to put out a fire when it is a small flame than if the entire structure is consumed.
The last limit of PR is one that I hope will fade away as a result of the recent market crash. That is the concept of using PR to boost the ego of senior executives. All to often, PR people have been called on to write materials that are essentially irrelevant to the organization but do have the executive in question look like the king of the world. If you take a look at the organizations that have failed, going all the way back to Enron and beyond, you will see organizations who saw PR as a means of protecting them from any pesky questions they don't to deal with. Again, senior executives seem to think that PR exists to dance around like a puppet on a string. It is the role of the PR person to drive the process and as such we can not be expected to jump in and do the biding of a senior executive who feels they are being neglected . Our first opportunity is always to the brand and the organization.
In conclusion, I would say that PR can accomplish amazing things and that there are very few things we can not do. That is not to say however that our boundaries are limitless. Some of the limits on public relations, must be places by PR practitioners themselves because we are in charge of protecting the brand and it is our job to make sure the organization pays heed to correct means of messaging and message delivery. One may argue that if a PR person tries to express limits on public relations that they will be replaced. I can not discount that theory except by saying the following. If you want the best PR people you have to listen to what they say, and the best PR people are telling you that there are limits on PR that you must pay heed to if you wish to succeed.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
How do I market my product? Part IV
There is a story that I like to quote a lot to clients and to friends and that is about how in the late 19th century the head of the United States Patent Office recommended that the office be closed as everything that could possibly be invented, had already had. Fortunately cooler heads prevailed. But as we all know, there are hundreds if not thousands of new products coming onto the market on a regular basis. The simple law of numbers tells us that most of these products will fade into obscurity and never become anything.
So how do you avoid having your product become one of the vast majority. Well for one thing, use your messaging to accomplish this. If there is one thing I find amazing, it is how many entrepreneurs believe that the benefits of their product or service is so self evident that no explanation is required. That is not only arrogant but it is stupid. Let me tell you that if think the benefits of your product are so obvious you will not see the bus that hits you and destroys your product.
First and foremost it is essential that you state clearly what they benefits are for your product and what they mean for your target audience. Look at Netflix for example. When they emerged they had a very simple statement of benefit. They mail you movies that you have selected, you can keep them as long as you want and when you send them back, after watching them of course, you get the next movie on your list. No trips to the video store, no late fees, very easy to grasp. What is more important is that Netflix did a fantastic job of telling you why they were better than the competition on the market and why you subscribe to their service. Now they have changed their market and knocked Blockbuster back on their heels.
Secondly, you need to understand what you want your product to say to the target audience. To be honest if you decide to say that you are offering a revolutionary product that will change the world then you had also better get out the no-doze because that is the lame reasoning of every product that can not decide how to brand themselves. You need to offer your target market a declarative statement that clearly evokes what you will do. For example, "we will make better butter because we will refine the manufacturing process and make it sweeter, softer and longer lasting in hot weather." Not, "we are revolutionizing butter."
Third, say something you can believe in. There is nothing more annoying than a startup who this week claims to be this one week and then the next week decides they are something else. When you tell the market you don't know what you are you destroy any faith in your product. Also, you send a clear signal of confusion and a lack of an articulate focus to your customer.
Last, make sure marketing is in the drivers seat when it comes to articulating the product. Other groups, especially senior management will be inclined to offer reams of suggestions which they will naturally want to see followed. However it is essential that you keep control of the marketing process within marketing. Input is always welcome of course, but marketing tends to go astray when dozens of executives stick their noses in. Please pardon the cliche but too many chefs spoil the pot.
There are many ways to differentiate your product and some of it may result in trial and error. Don't be afraid to tinker but make sure that you know what you want to say before you want to say it. Form your ideas and hit the market with a developed and well thought out plan and you will succeed.
So how do you avoid having your product become one of the vast majority. Well for one thing, use your messaging to accomplish this. If there is one thing I find amazing, it is how many entrepreneurs believe that the benefits of their product or service is so self evident that no explanation is required. That is not only arrogant but it is stupid. Let me tell you that if think the benefits of your product are so obvious you will not see the bus that hits you and destroys your product.
First and foremost it is essential that you state clearly what they benefits are for your product and what they mean for your target audience. Look at Netflix for example. When they emerged they had a very simple statement of benefit. They mail you movies that you have selected, you can keep them as long as you want and when you send them back, after watching them of course, you get the next movie on your list. No trips to the video store, no late fees, very easy to grasp. What is more important is that Netflix did a fantastic job of telling you why they were better than the competition on the market and why you subscribe to their service. Now they have changed their market and knocked Blockbuster back on their heels.
Secondly, you need to understand what you want your product to say to the target audience. To be honest if you decide to say that you are offering a revolutionary product that will change the world then you had also better get out the no-doze because that is the lame reasoning of every product that can not decide how to brand themselves. You need to offer your target market a declarative statement that clearly evokes what you will do. For example, "we will make better butter because we will refine the manufacturing process and make it sweeter, softer and longer lasting in hot weather." Not, "we are revolutionizing butter."
Third, say something you can believe in. There is nothing more annoying than a startup who this week claims to be this one week and then the next week decides they are something else. When you tell the market you don't know what you are you destroy any faith in your product. Also, you send a clear signal of confusion and a lack of an articulate focus to your customer.
Last, make sure marketing is in the drivers seat when it comes to articulating the product. Other groups, especially senior management will be inclined to offer reams of suggestions which they will naturally want to see followed. However it is essential that you keep control of the marketing process within marketing. Input is always welcome of course, but marketing tends to go astray when dozens of executives stick their noses in. Please pardon the cliche but too many chefs spoil the pot.
There are many ways to differentiate your product and some of it may result in trial and error. Don't be afraid to tinker but make sure that you know what you want to say before you want to say it. Form your ideas and hit the market with a developed and well thought out plan and you will succeed.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
How do I market my product? Part III
OK, so we have set up a web site and we have further developed the brand identity by working on some of the marketing materials. Now we have to move into a more critical step, because it is responsible for influencing market leaders and key decision makers. This step requires the establishment of a solid media and analyst relations programs. This is in some ways a very difficult situation because you will find many people who believe they are qualified to tell you what to do but who in fact have no clue.
Let me begin by telling saying what should be at the very bottom of your list. Do not even think of writing press releases. All too often, senior executives who enjoy seeing themselves talk, will push out a press release that says nothing and is simply nothing but white noise in the field. I always recommend that the term "press release" be banned from organizational lexicon. Instead substitute news release in its place. While this may seem like splitting hairs there is a key difference, press releases don't necessarily have any news value in them. In a news release you are searching for the news value of the story and thus you have something that may be of interest to the news media.
Positive and mutually beneficial relationships with the news media are essential to the well being of your organization. The primary way to stand up and differentiate yourself from the crowd is by being featured in a strong news article in a well respected media outlet. Some PR agencies tend to go for the low hanging fruit of mere mentions or background information. This is a sure road to failure. Don't be afraid to go after the big dogs in your field. Yes you may not get coverage to start, but by having the combination of persistence and a good story, you will eventually receive coverage proportional to how effective you pitch and how interesting your story is.
The other key aspect to consider is analyst relations. To be honest, you can not succeed without having some independent third party review of your products These independent analyst can provide you with two valuable sources of information. First of all, they can provide you with an outsiders view of your product as well as your strategy and give you an opportunity to make course corrections before heading to marketing. Secondly, if you are able to secure an agreement, they can provide you with a valuable independent resource that will affirm the benefits of your product and/or service. This is something that will be of tremendous benefit when you are speaking to both news media as well as potential customers.
Lastly, there is a key component to the success of a good PR program that can not be understated. You will not succeed by playing it safe and by going along the path of least resistance. The news media is interested in exciting new players and someone who demands to be viewed seriously and wants their story told is someone who will stand out. Many people will not wish to leave their comfort zones and many will say don't go there because the result will be nothing. The only way the result will be nothing is by lack of trying. Demand of yourself and of any vendors you hire that they achieve results from unlikely sources. By doing that, your product will be exposed to a wide and diverse group and you will be able to differentiate yourself.
Tomorrow: How to differentiate your self in a crowded field.
Let me begin by telling saying what should be at the very bottom of your list. Do not even think of writing press releases. All too often, senior executives who enjoy seeing themselves talk, will push out a press release that says nothing and is simply nothing but white noise in the field. I always recommend that the term "press release" be banned from organizational lexicon. Instead substitute news release in its place. While this may seem like splitting hairs there is a key difference, press releases don't necessarily have any news value in them. In a news release you are searching for the news value of the story and thus you have something that may be of interest to the news media.
Positive and mutually beneficial relationships with the news media are essential to the well being of your organization. The primary way to stand up and differentiate yourself from the crowd is by being featured in a strong news article in a well respected media outlet. Some PR agencies tend to go for the low hanging fruit of mere mentions or background information. This is a sure road to failure. Don't be afraid to go after the big dogs in your field. Yes you may not get coverage to start, but by having the combination of persistence and a good story, you will eventually receive coverage proportional to how effective you pitch and how interesting your story is.
The other key aspect to consider is analyst relations. To be honest, you can not succeed without having some independent third party review of your products These independent analyst can provide you with two valuable sources of information. First of all, they can provide you with an outsiders view of your product as well as your strategy and give you an opportunity to make course corrections before heading to marketing. Secondly, if you are able to secure an agreement, they can provide you with a valuable independent resource that will affirm the benefits of your product and/or service. This is something that will be of tremendous benefit when you are speaking to both news media as well as potential customers.
Lastly, there is a key component to the success of a good PR program that can not be understated. You will not succeed by playing it safe and by going along the path of least resistance. The news media is interested in exciting new players and someone who demands to be viewed seriously and wants their story told is someone who will stand out. Many people will not wish to leave their comfort zones and many will say don't go there because the result will be nothing. The only way the result will be nothing is by lack of trying. Demand of yourself and of any vendors you hire that they achieve results from unlikely sources. By doing that, your product will be exposed to a wide and diverse group and you will be able to differentiate yourself.
Tomorrow: How to differentiate your self in a crowded field.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Protecting the brand from one incident. involving staff.
Building a brand is often like building a house of matches. It takes a great deal of time to construct, but one small act is all it may take to destroy and it obviously can be destroyed much quicker than it can be built. In many cases it is possible that it can not be rebuilt.
I have been watching the news that came out yesterday about David Ortiz and his being named supposedly as an abuser of performance enhancing drugs. I should say supposedly as this list comes from a report which was to have been kept secret and nothing has been officially verified as of this writing. Obviously for David Ortiz this is a huge blow as he is both a tremendous performer as well as the type of positive personality you don't see all that often in sports.
Still as a marketing professional I have to think about how this effects the corporate entity, that being the Boston Red Sox. In many cases the acts of one individual should and normally do have an impact on the organization either positive or negative. Given the large role that David Ortiz played in winning two world series for the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 and the near mythic role he assume in 2004 you have to be very concerned if you are the Red Sox.
First of all, I have to assume the Red Sox have some type of crises plan in place for these types of situations. I believe that every organization needs to have a crises plan in place for the possible missteps of employees, especially the critical and publicly visible ones. I believe that the Red Sox issued a statement of support for Ortiz and that in my opinion was a very smart move. They recognized his accomplishments and while supporting him, did not offer him a free pass from any misdeeds he may have committed.
Some companies do not have this option. If you recall a few years back when Boeing hired the procurement General for the U.S. Air Force it was found out that this was a quid pro qo. Boeing realized that in order to protect themselves legally and ensure the survival of their brand, immediate action was needed. They not only fired the woman they just hired, they fired the man who hired her. As it turned out, both were later tried and found guilty of fraud which, thanks to their quick action, Boeing was able to avoid being caught up in the whole mess.
The message here is that you need to have plans in place that protect your brand from the possible mistakes or failings of your staff. The first job of a marketing, communications or PR person is to protect the brand. We are the brand's secret service protection and it's our lives for the brand. I would strongly recommend having a plan in place and I would also strongly recommend that you remember there are people involved here. While it may seem easy and convenient to throw them under the bus doing so may make it look like you are trying to save your own skin and scapegoating these people to cover your own self. Remember, there are 99 ways to go wrong and one way to go right so be wary!
I have been watching the news that came out yesterday about David Ortiz and his being named supposedly as an abuser of performance enhancing drugs. I should say supposedly as this list comes from a report which was to have been kept secret and nothing has been officially verified as of this writing. Obviously for David Ortiz this is a huge blow as he is both a tremendous performer as well as the type of positive personality you don't see all that often in sports.
Still as a marketing professional I have to think about how this effects the corporate entity, that being the Boston Red Sox. In many cases the acts of one individual should and normally do have an impact on the organization either positive or negative. Given the large role that David Ortiz played in winning two world series for the Red Sox in 2004 and 2007 and the near mythic role he assume in 2004 you have to be very concerned if you are the Red Sox.
First of all, I have to assume the Red Sox have some type of crises plan in place for these types of situations. I believe that every organization needs to have a crises plan in place for the possible missteps of employees, especially the critical and publicly visible ones. I believe that the Red Sox issued a statement of support for Ortiz and that in my opinion was a very smart move. They recognized his accomplishments and while supporting him, did not offer him a free pass from any misdeeds he may have committed.
Some companies do not have this option. If you recall a few years back when Boeing hired the procurement General for the U.S. Air Force it was found out that this was a quid pro qo. Boeing realized that in order to protect themselves legally and ensure the survival of their brand, immediate action was needed. They not only fired the woman they just hired, they fired the man who hired her. As it turned out, both were later tried and found guilty of fraud which, thanks to their quick action, Boeing was able to avoid being caught up in the whole mess.
The message here is that you need to have plans in place that protect your brand from the possible mistakes or failings of your staff. The first job of a marketing, communications or PR person is to protect the brand. We are the brand's secret service protection and it's our lives for the brand. I would strongly recommend having a plan in place and I would also strongly recommend that you remember there are people involved here. While it may seem easy and convenient to throw them under the bus doing so may make it look like you are trying to save your own skin and scapegoating these people to cover your own self. Remember, there are 99 ways to go wrong and one way to go right so be wary!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Here comes the rain again!
All together let's sing that mid-1980's song by the Eurythmics. It is amazing that despite the rain during the past week we somehow remain in a drought or below rainfall expectations whatever the meteorological term would be.
I have been giving some thought this weekend to the idea of what to name my company. Surprisingly, this is much more difficult than one would think. One the one hand you would like to have a name that tells what you do, but on the other hand you need to have a solid marketing program behind what you do that will sell your product or service. For example, Amazon.com works much better than, buy your books using a computer and have them shipped to your home. Of course, I can't help but smile when I see Stop & Shop. As far as a name goes, that one does the best job of simply stating what the company's purpose is.
Another Red Sox win does help to make an otherwise yucky Sunday morning more palatable. Winning ugly is still winning and when the Yankees lose so much the better! The lead is now three games and looking very good but of course as all life long Red Sox fans know, the Sox never look strong than what they do in June. If World Series were decided in June the Red Sox and not the Yankees would have 26, maybe 30 plus World Championships!
Now I will admit to seeing a kids moving and enjoying it tremendously. I saw Wall-E on DVD the other night and was surprised that I found myself sucked in by the story and while I had expected something cheesy and sugary, instead it was quite warm and inspirational.
Oh by way of retraction, I believe I said that Cuckoo Clark Rockefeller should have had the book thrown at him. What happened is the wrong book was thrown. He should have had War & Peace thrown not some little kiddie book!
I have been giving some thought this weekend to the idea of what to name my company. Surprisingly, this is much more difficult than one would think. One the one hand you would like to have a name that tells what you do, but on the other hand you need to have a solid marketing program behind what you do that will sell your product or service. For example, Amazon.com works much better than, buy your books using a computer and have them shipped to your home. Of course, I can't help but smile when I see Stop & Shop. As far as a name goes, that one does the best job of simply stating what the company's purpose is.
Another Red Sox win does help to make an otherwise yucky Sunday morning more palatable. Winning ugly is still winning and when the Yankees lose so much the better! The lead is now three games and looking very good but of course as all life long Red Sox fans know, the Sox never look strong than what they do in June. If World Series were decided in June the Red Sox and not the Yankees would have 26, maybe 30 plus World Championships!
Now I will admit to seeing a kids moving and enjoying it tremendously. I saw Wall-E on DVD the other night and was surprised that I found myself sucked in by the story and while I had expected something cheesy and sugary, instead it was quite warm and inspirational.
Oh by way of retraction, I believe I said that Cuckoo Clark Rockefeller should have had the book thrown at him. What happened is the wrong book was thrown. He should have had War & Peace thrown not some little kiddie book!
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