Don't Shoot The Messenger

When the results of our advertising efforts disappoint us, often times we blame the medium we have chosen to deliver our message. It's been my observation that the radio, TV, on-line, outdoor, direct-mail or whatever we've utilized has done just what it was designed to do. The problem lies with our unskillful, or unplanned use of it. A more lengthy discussion of this point can be found at "Another Urban Legend Foiled".

Here, I want us to consider "social media" as these are loosely referred to when talking about Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and the like. These more recently-developed on-line communication tools have empowered the population with unprecedented control. The problem remains, as with all media, how best to apply each one and in concert. We must also ask how these are best used in coordination with other media.

The good news is, there are not as many rules for social media as there are for traditional media. These are still emerging and like any virgin territory, this process is guided by those in power. But this time, those in power are those who comprise the populace of users. While certainly, the purveyors of the service still hold title to the "land" and have control over the general structure, it's much more like the fence around the school yard that defines the area but allows you to do what you will with the space.

Unlike the days when a generation ago we all sat around glowing television sets and waited for the three networks to tell us how it was going to be, now, we decide that with every interaction, every posting, every key stroke. It truly is revolutionary. Of course some people want to apply the rules of the prior to this new environment, but it doesn't work.

An example of this is illustrated in the comments I received from a friend who told me that someone else had complained to him about me promoting one of our clients by inviting my Facebook friends to patronize the client's restaurant. "He's just doing that to profit his own business" this person complained. Right. Of course I did. What this person doesn't understand is the position any of us, and all of us occupy within this medium: we are the programmers. We are the network. We decide. And my decision to invite my friends is no different than one of the television networks inviting its viewers to patronize one of its advertisers. As to credibility, my position as a Facebook user, is much more vulnerable than a TV broadcaster. It's my personal reputation that's on the line and that of my company. So, to me, this encourages a greater degree of socially responsible behavior. I can't hide behind a corporate veil or assume some third-party immunity. The forces of free-market enterprise will continue to be in play. If my attempts are unsuccessful, I will have to modify or suffer loss.

As we go forward through this unexplored opportunity for communication, I suggest we all relax and try to enjoy the ride. We will continue to discover ways to make it work even more efficiently and effectively. We will continue to invent unique applications that can be incorporated into our "play". This may be bad news for those who are stuck in a traditional frame of mind, but for the rest of us, it is the most exciting time of our marketing and advertising lives.

Up Your Sales

"The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails."

-- John Maxwell The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

Some years ago, my sons and I set off with a group of other dads and their sons for a wilderness adventure. The idea was to travel to a remote area, rent some canoes and spend the next three days in the wilderness of the West Florida panhandle, camping and canoing our way down the Blackcreek river. (I have to tell you that these kind of stories are full of parallel for me, so in the interest of your time and attention, I will spare you all of that and cut to the chase.)

One of these dads was my good friend Marvin. He had made the trip with two of his three sons, Justin and Jordan. And, to appreciate his significance in this tale, you need to know that Marvin is man of great precision. He plans his next move carefully and then executes that move accurately. What makes this particularly meaningful here is that he does all of this without hesitation. He adjusts quickly to the conditions in front of him, moment by moment. This ability has served him well in business and, I might add, has made him a formidable opponent in racket ball.

Upon this ocassion of our wilderness adventure, the difference in approach was remarkably clear. The rest of us dads did our best to negotiate the rocks, the shallows and the submerged logs that challenged us at every turn. Some of us did ok. A few got stuck and others flipped over more than once. Eventually, we all made it to our destination. But then, there was Marvin. True to his nature, he carefully selected each move, executed flawlessly and seemed to glide past the rest of us as we each struggled in our own way.

By now you see where I am going with this and I won't presume to suggest that you have not already thought of how you need to adjust your marketing and sales plans to better negotiate the shifting conditions of our current economy. What I am suggesting is that you keep an eye on emerging technologies and marketing tools that can help you make these adjustments. After all, the companies that are responsible for this innovation too are subject to these same conditions and are looking for novel solutions and new methodologies.

One example is Text Marketing. With the increasing reliance of mobile phone users on text messaging, this emerging communication tool is reaching new heights in efficiency, economy of scale and engagement. Recipients are getting alerted to special menu items, stock prices, MLS listing information, free seminars and weather forcasts. For our part, ALCOM has introduced TextMarket.com to provide our clients with this resource. It has already proven to be quite useful by increasing sales for one restaurant that notifies its VIP Club members of mid-week specials. They are adding significant sales each week with no incremental cost. At a time when ad costs have been prohibitive, Text Marketing is providing a remarkable solution.

Over the next hill

All of us are faced with a down market and an up supply no matter what we're selling. The last two decades of expansion, mobilization, radical technologies, the personalization of merchandising and a more sophisticated buying culture have brought us to an unprecedented level of product and service provision.
We offer one another more choices, faster delivery, more flexible terms and a depth of options unparalleled in our history. Look within your own industry. From law to consumer goods, have you ever witnessed the proliferation of specialization and innovation?
With our shelves, and warehouses full of consumer choices, consumers find themselves unable to buy. Restricted credit, limited cash, diminished equities, and the agony of a terribly uncertain future add up to consumer frustration. Just as the abundance of innovation has arrived, we are kept from acquiring it.
Sales professionals are trained to help buyers get pasted their objections by directing them to the ultimate core benefit of the product or service they are offering. But how do we satisfy an objection that is the size and nature of the culture within which we all live. The answer is, we have to redefine the problem.
We must see that our problem is not our problem. Our problem is that we think our problem is our problem and we must change that thought. We must focus on what is ahead; where our buyers will be within the next three to five years. Like being at the bottom of a big hill we are about to climb, we must focus on what we imagine is waiting for us just beyond.
As an example, our company now offers SMS text messaging to our clients who want to create a special relationship channel with their customers. One of these clients is a realtor who looks at those people now between twenty-five and thirty years old and knows that they are the next first-time home buyers. He also knows that they rely on text messaging, Facebook and web sites to stay connected and make buying decisions. He is looking beyond the current down market. We are helping capture these new buyers and prepare for what lies ahead.
Yes, we have a mountain of opportunity in front of us. As you adjust costs and inventories to maintain balance in the current culture, select marketing tools like these that will position you to make that climb