Auto industry slowly starting to market more towards women consumers

Business guru Tom Peters has been championing the importance of marketing to women for years. Even in areas where men dominate like electronics and automotive, the decision is made or heavily influenced by women. Yet, marketing dollars are often centered around attracting men.

The Wall Street Journal this week reported on how the automotive industry is starting to change, albeit slowly. The good news is more and more research and marketing focus is being directed towards the sex that spends and / or influences the money; women.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/car-sellers-refine-pitch-to-women-1408575175

This is such an important topic to discuss with sales reps that handle automotive accounts, as well as creative types that help shape the marketing message for these accounts. Most importantly I believe, this is a topic that needs to be a part of a future conversation with the customer. 

That talk with the customer is important because of the subject matter; they really need to recognize that marketing to women is a financially beneficial decision. That talk is also important because it shows you care about the customer! I sent this to every sales rep I work with that handles automotive, asking them to have this important conversation. I'm also hopeful to see some slight changes in ad copy and content focus in their advertising in the near future.

Three minute video that can re energize your staff into providing top quality customer service

I made several members of my staff cry this morning. No yelling, no berating involved, just a moving message that had everyone pausing to reflect.

Customer service is not a new topic for training, that's for sure. Yet the level of customer service seems to continue to drop with businesses. We all have horror stories about how we've been abused by companies who clearly have given up trying to provide top of the line customer service. Certain brands evoke laughter when you bring up even having to call their customer support line (Comcast...Sprint....Bank of America just to name a few).

A long time ago, I figured out that the key to sales success was very simple. Two simple statements could sum up what sales was all about: solutions to problems and good feelings. Solving the problems of a customer is very customized, but providing good feelings should be universal.

Little things can make a big difference, and this video illustrates that very clearly. This video is not new, but it is very timely even today. I saw this at a training session last night. I had seen it years before but had lost track of the video. Want to make a difference with your customers? Use this as a basis for your outlook.

http://vimeo.com/89319413

Relaunched Foursquare app tracks users even when closed

The push to get data from consumers is never ending. I'm more than willing to give some data to gain discounts, insider knowledge and more. But I want to be the one making the decision of when to give my info and when not.

There is technology being used on a trial basis which scans data on shoppers phones when they are in a store. They are able to see what website you've visited, what cookies are on your web browser. To me, this is an invasion of my privacy.

Yesterday, I found out that the newly launched Foursquare app was now tracking users location even when the app is closed. Last night, I deleted the app from my phone.

Foursquare is an app that I've used for several years, with the understanding that I give them some of my shopping info. In turn, I received a few discounts from merchants that were partnering with the start up social media company.

Foursquare is getting away from the gamification of check ins, and is now trying to be like Yelp!, and a resource for consumers looking for details on a business. This seems like a logical step in their business plan, but an over step in my estimation in how to treat users.

Read the full details about their new business plan and location tracking at:  http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/08/06/foursquare-now-tracks-users-even-when-the-app-is-closed/?mod=e2fb

Consistent marketing and advertising messages is the key to long term success for businesses

Back in the 1980's, Ronald Reagan said that if your neighbor was laid off, it was a recession and if you were laid off it was a depression. Technically, we are currently in neither but it is very safe to say that the economics remain very difficult, and down right depressing in some markets.

When times are tough, I always think it is important to make sure you are taking care of the fundamentals in business. Make sure those basic are working at their best is just a way in my opinion to do a reality check on the operation. This includes a review of your marketing strategy and advertising buys.

Even in tough times, a marketing department must keep its eye on gaining market share and customers. As the markets start to grow, if you've gained market share in tough times you'll have more sales and more profits. While called many things within many organizations, most media companies try to work on creating top of mind awareness programs to help solve this marketing problem.

TOMA as it is often called is simply about creating a campaign that builds brand recognition. When someone asks about a brand of bottled water, the consumer answers Dasani, Aquafina, Ice Mountain or whatever. The basic of a TOMA program is simply consistency in messaging.

I always use McDonald's as the greatest example of consistency. Lord knows, my son knew the golden arches and the message from the company at an early age. But they kept buying the media and sending the message so that whenever my son is asked what he wants for dinner, he replies McDonalds. This is still true today, with my son now 17 years old. Though on occasion he will ask for Red Lobster!

I came across an article by Red Barrett, Director of Digital Sales for The Sun Sentinel, a Tribune Publishing Company. While her take was very much a south Florida take and discusses snow-birds, who are only in her market from late fall to early spring, I think it is very applicable to all markets. I've already shared it with my staff, and think it might be worth sharing to others.

http://touch.sun-sentinel.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-80926035/

Her remarks remind me of a frequent saying of Mark Cuban. In a book he wrote, he always reminded himself and the reader that your competitors is out there right now, trying to steal your customers and put you out of business. 

Creative marketing message from Nike well done in preparation for tonight's baseball all-star game

Creating a powerful marketing message that is produced in such a way that evokes emotion is as difficult as talking a round bat and hitting a round baseball coming at you at 100 mph. There are many more marketing fails that successes, especially that score on such a high level.

Each year, that statement is proven out by the various flops of advertising in the Super Bowl broadcast. Tonight, you can see an extremely well down message during the Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Kudos to Nike for their Derek Jeter tribute ad. The :60 spot is very well done; understated and graceful and yet creates a heartwarming association between the view regardless of the team you support, Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees and of course, Nike.

You can get a sneak peak of it today before the game tonight:  http://youtu.be/OqTQ5d5gDJw

As a Boston Red Sox fan, I've rooted against Jeter his entire career. I do have great respect for him and his ability though. This commercial appeals to all, including people like me that have rooted against him. That proves to me that this is a powerful message.

Upcoming vote by the FCC regarding online video might cost marketers money

An upcoming vote by the FCC is one that many marketing people will want to pay close attention to, as it might put a wrinkle in online video production and costs. This Friday, the Federal Communications Commission is voting whether to require online video to include closed captioning.

Closed captioning is already required for full length video, but there is a movement to expand that requirement. The panel will vote this Friday on the proposal to amend the existing rule, making video clips that have already appeared on TV be required to include captions.

This expansion would involved additional costs to web publishers. Sticking to only clips that have appeared on TV prior places a burden only on those that have broadcast outlets, though you always have to wonder if this is just the first step and eventually requirements might be made for all video.

Full details on the FCC plans can be found at:  http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/07/05/fcc-eyes-changes-to-online-video-clips-businesses-say-dont-underestimate/

Searching for alternatives to paywalls for newspaper websites

Whether a newspaper should or should not have a pay wall on their website is a hotly debated topic in certain circles. One thing that is clear to me is that one size clearly does not fit all; especially in the newspaper business.

For every success you read about, and there are plenty:  http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/top-stories/222073/how-two-small-family-owned-newspapers-in-vermont-had-success-with-a-paywall/

You hear about a failure:  http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/the_dallas_morning_news_drops.php

What is clear is that newspapers are seeing a short term increase in revenue from the charges generated from the pay wall on websites, and that cannot be discounted. First and foremost, newspapers are a business run for a profit, and I cannot fault anyone who is trying to add to the bottom line of their organization.

The concern of capping the amount of content that is given away is that it does open up an avenue for competition. In small towns, it means someone (often times a laid off newspaper employee) can start up their own community portal providing local content for free. Since this site doesn't have many of the legacy costs of the newspaper, they can survive and maybe even thrive off the advertising revenue generated.  In larger communities where local TV stations and radio stations with newsrooms can fill the gap for the audience once they've hit their limit at the local newspaper.

As an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox, I will occasionally find myself at the Boston Globe for a story. In the past, they have offered one day passes to their content, sponsored by a local realtor or another advertiser. I always thought that was a unique way to show value for your content and yet still have it accessible to the audience.

Today, I stumbled across another unique approach for showing value for the content and keeping it available. While doing exhaustive research on a beer concoction called a "Schlabst", the newspaper website herald-review.com only showed me a preview of the story. To read the rest, the reader had to complete a simple survey on an advertiser. In this case, it was for Verizon Wireless.

Newspapers need to examine the positives and negatives about a paywall. No doubt in my mind, it does make sense; especially for those in highly isolated markets or that provide exceptionally unique content. But the higher the risk of competition, the more organizations need to look at alternatives.