Archive for December, 2011

December 27th, 2011

Time to make that New Year’s Resolution!

Marketing Resolutions vs. Personal Resolutions

We hope everyone has enjoyed their holiday season thus far!  With New Year’s Eve quickly approaching, what are your plans for the upcoming year?  Want to lose weight? Want to learn something new and exciting, or maybe go out on a limb and quit smoking? Or maybe you want to create a new approach for marketing for your company?  Keith Levy of Anheuser-Busch  has a great approach for a marketing resolution.  This year, he and his company are committed to “find the next Facebook or Twitter phenomenon … making sure we’re in the places our consumers are increasingly headed and being there in an authentic way.” Use some discipline to get through the next few months– most people say they are going to do something, and forget all about their resolution by the end of January.

If you really want to create a goal and stick with it, start by using a few of these tips.

1. Action speaks louder than words:

If you say you are going to do something, do it! Make some progress on your goal within the first week.  I remember reading an article once that said if you have enough motivation to get through the first three days of something, after that it becomes a real goal that is achievable and maintainable.

2. Make a list.

So you want to lose weight, huh?  Well what are some things that can help you accomplish that?  Go to the gym– or for some of you, sign up for a gym, and then actually GO!  Stop eating late night snacks– that means no munching at a minimum of three hours before bed.  Eat after you exercise– it’s when you metabolism is at its highest!  But keep in mind that your heart rate must be increased for at least thirty minutes for a minimum good workout.

Want to start saving money?  Make a list of unnecessary things that you buy each week- they can really add up!  Is it necessary to go by that coffee shop every morning before work?  Well, maybe, but it’s cheaper to brew your own.  Don’t buy impulsively–spend some amount of time justifying every purchase.  Making lists to go along with your goal will make your goals more realistic and attainable in the long run.

 

3.Do your part.  Whether you want to start a book club, or find more creative outlets for your kids to take part it– make sure you are doing your part.  Watch your carbon footprint–it can help save you money, resources, and most importantly our planet.

Okay, okay, we’ll stop preaching now– good luck with your resolutions and Happy New Year!

P.S. We were curious to see what others in the marketing world had to say about their New Year’s Resolutions– take a look!  Our favorite resolution is from Andy England of MillerCoors: “To sell more beer.”

By: Heather Via

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December 20th, 2011

Last minute shopping for Christmas?

Check out our list of cool and unusual gifts!

I think we all know that one person who is incredibly hard to shop for.  They already have everything, they don’t know what they want, or what they do want, you can’t afford.  We understand.   Here at Addison Clark Online we have been doing a little shopping around ourselves.  We can’t give everyone Eggnog and Bourbon for Christmas (Andrew), so here are a few ideas to make you the coolest gift-giver person ever.  For more ideas, check out this sweet website)

 

1. NFL Team Logo M&M’s:  Have a friend who is a huge fan of an NFL team?  Get them some personalized NFL M&M’s for Christmas, it could end up being their new good luck charm!  Maybe Jeff and Heather should have looked into some Philadelphia Eagles M&M’s at the beginning of the season…

2. Nose Shower Gel Dispenser:  Hehehe, this is probably my favorite.  Just squeeze the nose and shower gel comes right out of the nostril.  The rubber nose attaches to a flat surface with suction cups, providing you with a gross and funny outcome every time you shower.  Why wouldn’t you want one of these?

3. Get their name spelled out in custom art: This could be a cool one for your friend’s kid.  Not sure what toys he/she already has?  Not sure what they even want at their age?  Eh, give them something to decorate their room.  Or maybe someone you know just got married?  This could be a cool piece for them to hang over the mantle.  Each letter is represented in black and white custom art, and comes already matted and framed.  Very unique and quite stylish, if I do say so myself.

4.Gadget Charger for the car:  This thing is so cool!  It charges up to three devices at once, and sits in your coffee holder in the shape of a coffee cup.   What a clever design for a power inverter– and only $49.95!

5. Clocky:  Good luck.  Not a morning person?  Clocky gives you one chance to wake up in the morning–want to stay in bed?  Think twice.  Clocky will jump off of your nightstand, and roll around your room looking for a place to hide, with the alarm blasting.  You can adjust it to give you one more snooze before it runs away- but after that, it’s going to run away. I don’t think I would recommend getting this for yourself, and probably not even for someone you live with (unless you want a good laugh, or a punch to the face, depending on if they are a morning person or not)… but maybe for someone you don’t like…

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December 13th, 2011

Social Media and the Holidays= $$$

With the holidays coming up, internet sales are going to increase dramatically.  As people search for the perfect gift for their friends and family, this is the perfect time to take advantage of all of this consumer excitement.  Promoting your business towards the end of the year can help you meet those sales goals that you may have missed in months past.  Offering holiday specials are one way to drive more customers in, but social media can give you the boost to let more potential customers know about your product in a quicker fashion.

You want your business’s name to stick in consumer’s minds, and one way to do that is to frequently update your Facebook and Twitter accounts.  For instance, many companies might offer special deals to those who “like” their Facebook page, or for those who comment on a specific status.  Being creative and flexible with your strategy will set you apart from the rest; staying in contact with your customer’s will enable you to create relationships that will last long after the holiday season.   Make sure to keep your client’s informed about new products and special discounts, and you are bound to make an impression on them that will drive them back to your business.  Check out these tips from Sam Cannon of the E-commerce Times.  (Click here to see the full article).

1. Use Location-Based Apps

Brands that are already active on Twitter and Facebook will have the most success leveraging social campaigns over the holidays due to their built-in fan base and followers, but brand marketers should not overlook the opportunities that exist within location-based applications such as Foursquare, Gowalla and even Facebook’s new “Deals” feature.

Many retailers are already generating revenue by posting daily offers that can be redeemed locally. Adding location-based promotions is an effective way to drive in-store traffic and creates another touch point for consumer engagement.

2. Give the ‘Wish List’ a Makeover

Finding that perfect gift for someone can be a challenge, and shoppers oftentimes will turn to gift cards as a last resort. As an alternative, consider a new twist on the “wish list” feature on most leading e-commerce sites.

The first step is to make the experience of building the wish list more engaging for the user. For example, instead of calling it a wish list, get creative. If your target audience is made up of music fans, launch a poster or album cover creator — something that will resonate with consumers and be seen as less of a chore to assemble.

The most important element here, however, is making the wish list easy to share across Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites. Enable individual items to be shared with Facebook friends for feedback or one-off “wishes.”

3. Create Custom Shopping Experiences Online

Some of the most effective retail marketing campaigns are those that create truly personal connections with consumers. Great examples are those digital experiences that enable shoppers to try things on virtually — clothes, hairstyles, makeup — making the consumer part of the brand.

In order to maximize these experiences, take them a couple steps further. After a consumer interacts with the promotion, give them the tools they need to easily share their experience with friends in their social networks so they can join the fun too. Don’t forget an enticing follow-up offer to seal the deal — a promotional code, coupon or other offer that will turn these branded experiences into sales.

4. Use Social Media Channels to Promote Time-Sensitive Deals

Retailers have been extremely successful using social media to broadcast time-sensitive deals as a way to reward their loyal customer base.

Post-holiday, these deal feeds are a great way to clear out the inevitable stack of returned merchandise. So, consider using your brand’s Twitter feed (or creating a new one) as an auction mechanism for the post-holiday returns.

5. Be as Clear as Holiday Crystal

It goes without saying that retailers should try to make the holiday shopping experience as stress-free as possible. So when using social media channels to communicate with your customers, be sure to clearly articulate the value.

Be clear about what role each of your social community efforts is supposed to play — both internally and with your fans and followers. If it’s to answer gift questions, then do that only. If there is another effort to address availability of gifts, make sure your team understands that.

Anticipate that if you create the impression or expectation that your social environment can help with holiday shopping, then customer expectations for you to deliver on that promise will likely be higher than at almost any other time of the year.

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December 6th, 2011

Social Media Crisis: What will you do when it happens to you?

Reverse Social Marketing: Crisis Management

Much of the social media world is still being figured out.  The best approach to understanding how exactly this works is knowing that what you are dealing with is two-way communication.  We are past the days of brochures and billboards, comment cards and customer complaint files.  The future of social media holds the possibilities of websites, blogs, and real-time updates, but that comes with the horror of complaints being filed right on your website for all to see– and it all boils down to how you react. So what should you do if you get a bad review? Let’s say someone came to your Facebook and posted a bad review on your wall on how bad your customer service is, or someone with a huge following on twitter made a tweet about how much they dislike your company?  How do you respond? Addison Clark Online would like to offer a few tips on how to handle public relations when things go wrong.

1.  Do not point fingers.

Blaming someone else will make you look bad; no matter if it is your fault, your brother’s fault, or completely out of your hands, do not do it!  It is YOUR company, so regardless of the issue, the best way to handle this crisis is to take responsibility and own up.  Take for instance the case of Johnson and Johnson when their Tylenol bottles were tampered with. (For more info. check out this site).  In short, seven people were found dead after taking extra-strength Tylenol.  The bottles had been tampered with and deadly cyanide had been inserted into the pills.   Instead of pointing fingers and blaming the person(s) who had done the tampering, Johnson and Johnson assumed responsibility and removed the product off of the shelves in a massive recall.  The public’s safety came first, and J&J risked their own profit to ensure that no one else would be hurt by their product.  Their reputation was saved and they have continued to prosper since this tragic incident.

2.  Silence is your enemy!

Some people think they if they do not respond to a bad review, it will go away– wrong!  In a world where media is available at the click of a button, videos can go viral within an hour.  Let’s analyze the Domino’s pizza crisis where two of their employees put up a “fake” video of them mishandling food, including putting cheese up their nose and violating multiple health-code standards.  (Check out this article).  The video spread fast, and resulted in the two employees being charged with felonies and being fired.  But what about the reputation of the company?  They faced millions of appalled customers, and a multimedia frenzy was quickly backing them into a corner.  It took Domino’s pizza a few days to respond, and even then, their apologies seemed a bit phony and they kept repeating that the video was supposedly a joke.  Maybe if they had responded immediately, the video could have been removed, as well as the two employees, and Domino’s could have saved their reputation by appearing more sincere and concerned about their customers.  Instead, they are still working to recover from this abomination.

3. Have a Crisis team ready at all times!

A crisis does not always have to be considered a bad thing.  This past Spring, VCU  put their name on the map as their Men’s Basketball team entered the Final Four.  Nationwide, people were wondering who the Rams are.  VCU had to go into crisis mode;  this was an event that could help them potentially reach an entirely new audience, so why not use it to their benefit?  Commercials had to be made by advertising departments, centering on VCU basketball and al l of the great things that the school is known for.  Let’s be serious, some of the first few commercials weren’t all that great.  The school’s website also took a hit.  VCU’s website received over 11 million hits that Sunday night after beating Kansas, and donations hit over $250,000.  VCU’s crisis team definitely had to be prepared to work around the clock!  Having a plan for a crisis never hurt anyone– it’s inevitable that a crisis will happen(whether it be good or bad), but being prepared will be your best defense.

By: Heather Via

Posted in General Thoughts | 1 Comment »