10 Marketing Resolutions Every Company Should Make in 2010

 

Well, here it is, practically the middle of January, and your New Year's resolutions may have already taken a beating. (Chocolate cake, anyone?) If you're searching for a way--any way--to make good on at least one set of resolutions, try making some that you have a powerful incentive to keep-resolutions for your business.

1. Make 2010 the year you and your company master the art of social media and mobile marketing. Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and iPhone apps can be powerful ways to reach your audience--as long as you have good indications that your audience exists on each. If you're not yet active in social media, don't dive in headfirst. Figure out why you want to be on each site, and what distinct strategies and goals you have for each.* Another element to consider: whether you'll have the time and resources to devote to these, long-term. Not every company and brand needs an iPhone app. Where will you get the most bang for your social-media buck?
* May we recommend: "Going Social: 12 Key Things You Must Consider When Developing a Social Media Program for Your Business, Brands, or Clients"?

2. A corollary of #1: If you're using multi-channel marketing, make sure the content is varied and compelling on each channel. Die-hard fans will follow you to the ends of the earth (or at least to both Twitter and Facebook), but no one wants to read Twitter updates that end in "#fb." Determine who your target audiences are for each site and offer them solutions that fit their needs. United Airlines, for example, interacts with customers regularly on Twitter via special offers and air-travel advice--but United doesn't seem to have figured out what it's doing on Facebook: despite having over 13,000 fans, the company has not posted anything since setting up the fan page.

3. Social media listening. So you're on Facebook and Twitter, updating, retweeting, interacting, and generally being a rock star. Congratulations. Guess what? If you plan to treat your online activity as more than an echo chamber, you're also going to need to listen to how people respond to what you're putting out there. Monitoring what people are saying (tweeting, blogging) about your company, and tracking your company's reputation online, can be critical in positioning your business and its brands. You can do this via real-time search results from Twitter (now featured alongside Google search results), or--if you need more complex feedback--via a web-based application like Scout Labs. (Previously on CVMonologues: "Have You Searched Your Brand Recently?")

4. Online video. Take a good look at whether online video could offer a significant return on your marketing investment. One advantage? It's cheap. A Flip cam and basic editing software aren't going to break your budget. (Bloggers, take note.) Hip publishing house HarperStudio issues each of its authors a Flipcam and sends them off into the frozen tundra of the writing life with the expectation that the authors will send back video epistles chronicling their progress on that 80,000-word novel. For HarperStudio, this decision was a marketing bonanza. Whether you're an author, yacht manufacturer, or power-broker CEO, giving your customers a behind-the-scenes look at the creative processes at the heart of your business can be a serious (not to mention fun) way of connecting. Sites like Viddler and Vimeo offer a good idea of what you can accomplish.

5. Switching from website front-end matters to back-end ones: vow to take a hard look at your web analytics. Dig into yours to see what works. What content encourages visitors to visit--and linger--on your site? Which sites drive the most traffic to yours? (What's that? You don't have any web analytics, you say? Get thee to Google.)

6. Make sure your website encourages interaction with visitors--and that you're set up to support that interaction. Is your site the 2010 online equivalent of your great-aunt's living room, complete with plastic-covered lampshades? Does it say, "Look, but don't touch"? (If you're interested in changing your site from a brochure-style presentation to one that generates visits, have we got a blog post for you.)

7. Trim down. (Not you, your company.) When building a brand strategy, companies often throw everything at the wall to see what sticks. While this may work if you have endless funds and infinite hours in a day, you're probably better off honing the strongest and most cost-effective aspects of your strategy.

8. Put yourself in your customer's shoes. Since nearly every company has a presence online, the only way to distinguish your brand is through its quality (and let's assume yours is top-notch) and--perhaps more importantly--the way you treat people interested in it. Put in writing your commitment to customer service, and live it. There's a reason why the first five pages of hundreds of Google results for Zappos are full of adoring prose.

9. But that's not enough--you've got to be authentic in every interaction with customers. Could the last five people who interacted with your product or service identify what your company stands for? If not, it's time to close the gap between what you say you are, and how customers perceive you.

10. Become a trusted source of recommendations. Customers expect you to recommend your own product, of course, but demonstrating your awareness of the market can also be advantageous. Maybe the question to ask is not "How can I help my customer buy my product/service?," but "How can I help my customer?"

There you have it: 10 ways your company can kick off 2010 in smart-marketing style. Put one of these on the calendar for the next 10 business days and at the end of two weeks, you'll have formulated a clear set of online strategies that will help your business strengthen its relationships with customers and clients. Let us know what worked best for you...and, hey, are you going to eat the rest of that slice of cake?

Triathlons and Twitter: How One Small Business Is Using Social Media to Build Its Audience One Tweet at a Time

Around here we find our frequent conversations about social media ending with, "Hey, it's not rocket science." I know many people like to make it seem as though what we do is incredibly esoteric and that only the most experienced, knowledgeable person could even begin to think about undertaking it, but when it comes to social media, that's just not true. Yes, it's true that it takes a lot of work and that any brand needs a coherent strategy and that your company needs to be on board to make it happen, but do you really need a ton of expertise to master it? I'm not going to lie... No.

(Obviously, once companies get bigger and have more brand capital, social media interaction does become more complicated. They need nuanced strategies for different audiences, and they really do need an agency that has social media expertise to put it all together for them. It's simply not a wise use of resources to commit their internal team to figuring out social media when those people might not even be interested and there are agencies that do it better. Take us, for instance. :) )

When it comes to small businesses and start-ups, social media can be a really powerful tool, especially if it's undertaken by those at the center of the company. Sure, everyone talks about this, but I know from firsthand experience that smaller business owners often don't really believe that they could find a voice and an audience in blogging or on Facebook, Twitter or other online communities, which is just not the case.

The reality is that small businesses have two really key things going for them: 1. Their senior decision makers also tend to be the people doing a lot of the in-the-trenches work, so it's easy for them to decide on a strategy/voice and implement that. There's no bureaucracy, no approval process, no figuring out who's going to write updates or blog posts. 2. They've got passion. Who starts a business who doesn't have a love for or interest in some aspect of what they do and the community? That means they know their target audience really well, that they can offer specialized expertise and insights, and create content that is meaningful and effective. They also know who the influencers in the community are, what people are buzzing about, and all the other things that make it clear that they are members of the community too.

All of which brings me to Paul Bashforth (that's him looking all studly and triathlete-y during a real, live race), who, along with three friends, started a niche clothing brand for triathletes, True Motion. He and his partners currently hold regular jobs while they start their business, so they don't have a ton of time or money to commit to marketing and advertising. But from early on, Paul recognized that good content could set his company apart, and he's become a real convert to the power of social media. He also knows how important audience generation is (which inspired him to email Gretel's recent post on the topic to his partners. He's not sure if they've read it, but he's hoping it will get them all on the same page.)

After some free drinks (for me) and free consulting* (for him) the night before last, he has embarked on a campaign to really learn and use Twitter. He's retweeting, linking to relevant posts related to the trialthlete community, and referencing other Twitter users who are in the community. He's got his own handle (@truemotionpaul) and a company presence (@truemotiontri). On his personal account, he tweets about anything and everything (triathlons, yes, but also family, work, life and other normal stuff -- he is a normal human being after all), while on the company one, he's started carving out a niche with clothing/gear-related tweets, as well as general commentary on the goings on at True Motion. Literally, within days he's seen his followers increase and has started truly building his audience.

And why not? He's an obsessive athlete who loves triathlons. (Not to mention, he's the only man I know with whom I can swap stories about cleanly-shaved legs.) He and his brand are genuine community supporters and enthusiasts, and in joining the online conversation, he's steadily building brand awareness and loyalty.

*As much as I hate giving away free consulting, a promise of free drinks is usually enough to twist my arm. That is, as long as I get to choose the place!

Selling Yourself with Great Content: The Lost (Did It Ever Exist?!) Art of the Cover Letter

A short long post on the art of content in a medium not often associated with artfulness: the cover letter.

We're currently doing some hiring here at Channel V, and we put out the call for applicants. Our job listing, if we do say so ourselves, was informative, funny, accessible...you know, our usual voice. Yes, we work hard, but we also like people who have great senses of humor, are open-minded and curious, more than a little irreverent, and generally like to have fun with words (since words are our business).

To give you a sense of what I mean, an excerpt:

You're known for your common sense and your ability to figure stuff out. You write easily, often and well. You're understatedly interesting and curious. You get your work done and like to feel appreciated, but don't need endless gold stars for validation. You play well with others but kind of hate the phrase "team player" since it reminds you of your junior high school gym teacher. You really like people but your sardonic genius is sometimes misunderstood.

So what exactly would you do at Channel V Media? Everything. But in a good way. We're not looking for a copy-making coffee runner. We want someone who hits the ground running, with an intuitive and practiced understanding of social media (communities, blogs, social networks, etc.). We'll ask you to help us with strategy and branding ideas, but also to do the daily work of writing website and other online copy, reaching out to reporters and bloggers, and of researching anything that might come our way. To keep up with the latest news and blogs and use that information to shape your opinions and ideas....

Interested in joining the Channel V Media team? We offer a creative work environment, a sun-filled office, a great location in Manhattan, and plenty of lowbrow humor.

We thought it captured us, our personalities, the tone around the office. It might not be a fit for everyone, but if it speaks to you, well, then, you'd probably do fine here.

So common sense (at least to my way of thinking) would dictate, send a cover letter that has some color of its own.

Ahh...common sense...in such short supply. Or at the very least, young job seekers have been so brow-beaten into believing that they should send sterile, formulaic cover letters, that they are unwilling to trust their own instincts and common sense.

That's our sense, at least. Both Gretel and I cop to falling into that trap ourselves. Way back when I was casting about for jobs at earlier times in my career, everywhere I turned I got the message, whatever you do, do not inject too much personality into a cover letter. No one wants to hear that. So I checked my natural voice, and went for that I-am-a-robot-with-good-credentials tone. And I didn't always hear back from the places I wanted to work. But whenever I did have an interview, it almost always went really well. Even if I didn't always want the job. Foot in the door, I could charm, but unseen, I was a dud.

Those letters didn't work for me, they didn't work for Gretel, and they're not working for us as employers now.

What gives? What's with the conformist-cover-letter scare tactics? Where is everyone getting the message that they need to hide their true selves? It's like some Kurt Vonnegut, Harrison Bergeron-world of cover letters: everyone strive for mediocrity so no one stands out, for better or for worse.

So guess what, job seekers? A word of advice from people whose job it is to think about what readers and audiences want and how to engage: Write the cover letter for the kind of job you want. If you really want to work for us, do the research-don't just read our job listing (though it holds a treasure trove of clues about who we are)-go to our blog, our website, check out what we've got going on. It will pretty quickly become clear that we work a certain way. We're professional, but we've got other stuff going on. Write cover letter accordingly. Be irreverent, show your personality. But write well, proofread, know how to communicate professionally. That's how we roll, so you'll be showing us you're a good fit.

And I'm pretty sure I can safely say the same for most small to medium-sized companies (where your resume isn't getting filtered through HR, but is going right to the decision makers ). If the company you want to work for is sterile and impersonal, write that kind of letter. If it's a bring-your-dog-to-work kind of office, let them know you like that. Take a chance. Not a I'm-so-Tara-Reid, you-never-know-what-kind-of-crazy-stunts-I-might-pull kind of chance, but a I'm-a-person-with-interests-and-personality chance. Real people are reading your cover letter and real people would rather interview other real people.

Seriously, try it. You might be surprised.

New e-Book: "GOING SOCIAL..." Developing a Social Media Program for Your Business, Your brand or Your Clients

 

 

We're just as sick of reading about social media as everyone else out there, but despite all of the available literature, we can't help but notice that people are still in need of some serious coaching in this space...

In our new (and free) e-book—GOING SOCIAL... 12 key things you must consider when developing a social media program for your business, your brand, or your clients—we set out to answer the following question once and for all:

What's so difficult about social media anyway?

The short answer? The "social" part...

Look strictly at the traditional offerings of the different types of marketing agencies out there, and it's quickly apparent that it's more than hierarchy and bureaucracy making it difficult for traditional marketing agencies (or even in-house marketing departments) to roll out their "social media programs." It's the fact that they have to reorganize and learn new skills in order to offer something they've never offered before.

In this glorious e-book, you will learn:

Why bad social media happens to good brands

What it takes to get noticed

The unique functions of social media

Where social media falls in the traditional marketing mix

The difference between a social media campaign and a social media program

And, as promised, 12 things you must consider when creating a social media program for your brand, company or clients:

1. Audience Identification
2. Platform Development & Design
3. Brand Campaign Integration
4. Content Creation/Coordination
5. Goal Mapping
6. Brand Identity/Purity
7. Audience Generation
8. Social Media Listening
9. Community & Social Responsibility
10. Internal/External Community Engagement & Response
11. Brand Advocacy
12. Customer Service

Did we mention that it's glorious? Also, beautifully designed and accessible. Ahem.

Download Now!

4 Steps to Brand Recovery: Regaining Consumer Loyalty after a Brand Crisis

Last week, I sat down to chat with a friend who I hadn't spoken to in nearly a year. The friendship didn't end well--there were complications to say the least--but he reached out to make amends, explain things, and start over. A few years ago, I may have rebuffed these attempts at reconciliation, but in the name of maturity and personal growth, I decided to hear him out. At the very least, I thought, I may get something useful out of the chat.

I did: a blog post.

As we treaded carefully through the steps of explanation, forgiveness, and some finger pointing, I realized that the art of forgiving and forgetting in personal relationships is really no different than returning to a product after an incident (like when I threw up a tuna sandwich from Miami Subs), or a much-needed break (yes, you can OD on Honey Bunches of Oats). And because brands have to survive the occasional maelstroms of bad press and social media turmoil that can turn thousands, if not millions, of brand loyalists away, there must be a system in place that allows them to win their once-loyal followers back.

The most recent disgusting and gag-worthy example of a brand loyalty test comes in the form of the YouTube video from two Domino's employees. We all saw it, or at least heard about it. One Domino's employee in North Carolina prepped sandwiches and pizza for delivery while putting cheese up his nose, mucus on the sandwiches, and rubbing other food all over his body, especially on his naughty bits. The other employee recorded and narrated the scene. Domino's was blindsided and a company spokesman said that, "Even people who've been with us as loyal customers for 10, 15, 20 years...are second-guessing their relationship with Domino's, and that's not fair." Fair? Probably not, but the cringe factor alone is enough to make a person think twice before chowing down on a MeatZZA Feast.

So what can companies do to minimize the time consumers stay away? A lot.

Provide a place for them to vent (or rave) about you
First, as a preventive measure, tried-and-true brands (ahem, Motrin) must establish their own social media presence if they are going to have any chance at combating this type of fallout. Consumers need a place to both laud and lambaste a brand, and if the company can provide the forum, they have a better chance at controlling (some of) the message. Gretel explained how large companies can integrate social media into their traditional marketing campaigns here, so I won't retread her fantastically-written steps. Read it for yourself. I promise you'll learn something.

Admit it
A primary step in the road to recovery for just about anything is admitting that there's a problem. Doing so quickly and maturely goes a long way in making things right. Companies, even more likely to want to save face, may not admit wrongdoing or missteps right off the bat. Amazon's "glitch" on a Sunday in April 2009 rendered gay-themed books unranked and therefore unsearchable and unavailable. The company took two days to address the issue, and in the meantime, the "#amazonfail" tag on Twitter was among the most popular topics on the site. Affected authors started a petition to boycott Amazon and as of Monday afternoon, they had over 18,000 signatures. Not good.

The big lessons here are that consumers never sleep, and if social media has made the spread of good news fast, it's made the spread of bad news even faster. Companies should have people on staff--newbies, interns, outside agencies, whoever--who are in the trenches listening to what's being said about the company. The sooner a company learns about a problem, the sooner it can admit it and take steps to fix it.

Just a tip: Get creative. Sure, a video is easy to produce and broadcast, but a boring corporate video response probably won't help much unless it's just as dramatic and gossip-worthy as the offense that prompted it.

Say "I'm Sorry" and Mean It
JetBlue's screw up in 2007 seems like ages ago, but I don't think that most of the passengers who were stranded on runways for 11 hours are rushing back to the airline for free Terra Blues any time soon. Still, JetBlue's quick action, public apology, and genuine regret over the incident helped them back-pedal just enough to win the JD Power & Associates Award for #1 Customer Satisfaction for the airline industry that year. Crazy, right?

This worked because the genuineness did not only come in the form of words, but actions. The company established a Passenger Bill of Rights that was retroactive to the date of the screw up, spent an estimated $20-30 million to appease the thousands of angry customers, and pledged to revamp its plans and backup plans so that nothing like it ever happens again. If you're going to say, "I'm sorry," show it, don't just say it.

Revamp your image (for real)-and make it stick
Like that crazy high school friend who is now reformed, a company known for a murky or unappealing past should take special care when revamping its weak image, lest it seem disingenuous. Simply keeping the status quo is not acceptable, nor is becoming something you're not. Instead, become the company your customers want you to be. The aforementioned JetBlue fiasco was as big as it was because they were expected to be number one in customer service-the company had built itself around that ideal. To fix it, JetBlue had to go above and beyond where they were before.

Though it seems a little old school now, let's go back to when Target stores rebranded from Kmart status to what it is today: Tarj-ay. Knowing that a fancy ad campaign can't sustain a company that has little to offer, Target took special care to differentiate itself from its competitors. By cutting expenses, the company was able to offer high-quality merchandise at low margins, rather than low prices on cheap merchandise. It worked. Target stores tend to attract younger, more educated, and more affluent customers than its competitors and even though its newer advertisements focus on low prices (the "Hello/Good Buy" ad comes to mind), the quality of Target stores still stands out. Because the company had the goods to back it up, Target morphed its humdrum discount store image into a shining example of smart, trendy shopping on a budget.

So that's it. It sounds easier than it really is, but take the lessons of Domino's, Motrin, Amazon, JetBlue, and Target to heart. There are ways to get yourself (or your company) out of a tough situation--by being aware of it, coming clean, apologizing, and truly reforming--but you better be sincere about it.

And as for my personal experiences: no, I will probably not ever eat from Miami Subs again, I'll likely OD again on Honey Bunches of Oats at some point in the near future, and my friend and I seem to be on the road to recovery.

Got Talent?

International jetsetter that I am (cough, cough), I was in London last weekend. I stayed with a friend who lives there so I had the pleasure of being privy to his British television preferences. In this case, that means Britain's Got Talent. (Which might be better called, Britain's Got Talent?, as in, the title is pronounced with an uplifted, wishful intonation rather than as a statement of fact.) The big excitement of the two episodes (two of the five semi-final episodes) was the much-celebrated Susan Boyle, who was back for her second performance after her dark-horse, come-from-behind showing in round one.

 

 

Susan Boyle. For the past few weeks she has been the darling of the media and of the public. You probably know the story:  awkward spinster who lives with her cats (hey, don't knock it till you try it...) gets up in front of the camera and an unforgiving audience. People snicker and assume she has no talent because, apparently, the vast majority of people are pretty much shallow. She opens her mouth and sings and turns out to have some talent. OMG! People all over the world -- those who, one can only assume, have never read a book, taken anything away from religion, seen Shrek, or simply existed in the world -- are forced to admit that someone who looks like a frightful mess can still actually have other stuff going on.

Let the YouTube → Social Media → Oprah effect begin.

Next up? The backlash.

Really, it was inevitable. Because underneath it all, Susan Boyle is not particularly talented. Yes, she has a very nice voice, but so do lots of people you know. And once you get over the fact that something attractive can come from something unattractive, you arrive at a very simple conclusion: Susan Boyle is unremarkable.

So what lesson does that hold for all of us? Well, that the public can be fickle, cruel, generous, momentarily smitten, whatever, but while people get momentarily excited about something that shakes them out of their normal routines or expectations, in the end, they generally recognize a product or person for what it really is. (Well, maybe except in politics. Hello? Sarah Palin...) In the end, Susan Boyle is a not particularly attractive person with a nice-but-not-great talent who is very socially awkward and hard to love.

And let that, marketers, be a lesson to you. Sure, the public prefers good-looking people to unattractive ones; the talented to the untalented; the socially adept to the socially inept -- all of which should be taken into consideration when creating your awesome video or a cool Facebook application or some game on your site that earns raves from advertisers and gamers alike. You might even create something that goes "viral" and gets a ton of "buzz." I'm happy for you, really. But if you're going to create so much superficial hype, you'd better have the substance to back it all up when the sparkle fades. Because people are still always going to come back to the reality of your product.

While people's standards of quality and likeability inevitably vary, there are certain standards that are always going to hold a lot more sway than others. Like is this product well made?  Is your service making my life easier?   Does this seem like an honest, informed company?  Is Susan Boyle's voice really any more remarkable than mine when I sang that Rihanna song in the shower this morning?  What you produce may not be sexy or glamorous, but if it's made well, it's going to drive loyalty that's worth a lot more than any insta-celebrity.

So use social media, embrace the Internet, get out there and give people cool stuff, but know that it's not magic. It's not a flash-in-the-pan, get-in-get-out campaign that will -- poof! -- generate lots of new customers for your company who are going to stick around for the rest of their lives. Nope. That still comes the hard way -- by being truly exceptional.

 

Technorati Profile

Technocrat Takes on a Whole New Meaning...

I know that everyone on the planet is talking about the new White House website, and no doubt Gretel-who of late has been reveling in her role as the Cubicle Critic (not to be confused with our client Gordon Plutsky, aka "the Cubicle Comedian")- is going to be incredibly disappointed with me for jumping on the bandwagon, but I can't help it. I love it.

First of all, it's pretty. Yes, I know, looks aren't everything, but they definitely sweeten the deal. And the new White House site has clean, easy-to-navigate design that is accessible but still presidential. Just like our new president. Clever...

Better yet, it's loaded with information. Not cluttered with information, but filled with clearly organized, easy-to-find content that explains everything you need to know about the new administration and its policies. There's no equivocating--I'm not left to guess where the new Obama administration stands on policy-nope, it's all up there.

Want to know what Obama thinks about foreign policy? Immigration? Women's issues? No need to scrounge around online to dig up answers from long-ago speeches or an obscure NYT article, it's all there.

Looking to brush up on your administration cabinet members so you can kill next time you're drinking your way through pub trivia? Look no further...

There's video, there are press briefings, there's...the list goes on. And, last but not least, there's the blog. Yup, the White House has a blog. Sure, odds are good that President Obama won't be sitting around in his pajamas drinking Mountain Dew and eating Cheetos blogging about the latest happenings in the Oval Office, but someone on his staff will be.

How novel. Instead of being late technology adopters, the new White House is leading by example. Yes, make yourself available to the people you want to reach. Yes, offer lots of informative content so that people want to visit your site regularly. Yes, build a loyal audience through authenticity and transparency. There is no more effective way to connect with people in the digital age, and President Obama and his staff are taking advantage.

With this morning's news that Obama will also be able to keep his trusty BlackBerry, it seems clear that the new president is determined to lead for the 21st century.

Having “45 Years of Experience” is Not the New Black

The downfall of seemingly every traditional industry, an entire political party, religion and, not to mention, conventional wisdom has got me thinking: Why is change such a scary concept to some people? Also, how much experience is too much experience?

Sure, the spirit of change is upon us in a big way-today is the first day of Obama's presidency-but Americans' symbolic vote for change was spurred by a bigger phenomenon and shifting ideals, not the catalyst thereof. Put differently, things have already changed, which is why we not only need a president who accepts this reality, but also one who will work to perpetuate it. That's politics, though-let's talk business.

What really spurred this mini-rant is a website I visited a couple months ago. The site was for a consulting company, the founder of which boasted her 45 years of experience and overall know-how. And judging from the site, she really did have 45 years of experience...or at least, hadn't done anything new in 45 years. She had the hyperbole down: "expert," "nationally-recognized," "tried and tested," "premiere something-or-other," etc. Her bio was easily three printed pages long and she offered nothing to visitors in the way of thought leadership. After 45 years on the job (or just on Earth for that matter), you'd think she'd realize that talking about herself incessantly isn't very flattering.

As I was looking at the site, I blurted out to Kate, "The only thing that '45 years of experience' says to me is that you're stuck in your ways and have probably acquired some pretty bad habits along the way. Old dog. No new tricks."

It might be a harsh assessment but her material was stale and reeked of aversion to change. Okay, clearly, it's not a one-size-fits-all assessment either because there are older companies-though I can't think of one right now-that are giving their younger counterparts a run for their money when it comes to keeping up with the needs of an ever-changing society. Either way, the business conversation has changed drastically in the last few years. Or, maybe the change is that there actually is a conversation-a two-way dialogue rather than a one-way sales pitch. Whereas people once thought it necessary to boast their years and years of experience (or-bonus!-their company's "collective" experience, a number calculated by adding up the working years of everyone in the company), they're now opting for letting wisdom speak for itself, reaching audiences on their terms, and thought leadership.

So as this new approach proliferates across the web, it's actually kind of fun to compare sites within any given industry and see who's got the memo and who hasn't. (I have the perfect example here, too, but I just can't go there-the site in question is that of one of our client's competitors. Fortunately, comparing the two is night and day.)

As small business owners, our selling point is never going to be our "20 years of experience," but more so our work, our knowledge and our openness to new ways of doing business.

Why “Truth in Advertising” Eludes Some People

Formerly titled: Random things I thought about while hanging out in Indianapolis with my parents for the holidays...

"Truth in advertising" is somewhat of an outdated phrase considering that advertising itself is in purgatory. Authenticity, loyalty and compassion have largely replaced old-fashioned manipulation tactics, but to those who grew up with traditional advertising, cynicism still mars their relationship with anything even slightly promotional.

In other words: many people are so conditioned not to believe the messages out there, that even in the face of honesty and transparency, they respond with hostility and doubt.

Here's a real life example:

My dad works in foreclosures (which is, for obvious reasons, a really hot market right now). Considering he gets all of his new properties directly from the bank or the courthouse, the last thing he's ever looking for is a new client. What this means for my dad-a man who thrives on tasteless humor, who loves to shock people with his severe political incorrectness, and who doesn't abide to other people's opinions of what's appropriate*-is that he gets to have fun with his property listings, all in the name of self-amusement.

Everyone knows that the best comedians use "reality" as their muse. So, being a pretty comedy-savvy guy, my dad approaches the writing of his property listings from a similar angle: he tells the truth. The interesting thing about this, though, is that people don't seem to get it. Below are a few of his recent listings, each followed by a response he got from a confused real estate agent. Remember, these are just listings-not direct solicitations to anyone in particular.

Property Description: Here's one for the diehard investor who's willing to love the unlovable. She's a wallflower, for sure, and waiting to be asked to dance. Buy low, make some moolah, and thank me later. Room sizes are estimated. Property will be sold as-is. The garage is nothing to get excited about. It will probably respond best to a bulldozer, but the house is a project that can result in an increase in your bank account.

Realtor Response: "If you tell people the house is ugly, they're not going to be interested."

 

Property Description: Nice older home on 5 acres, plus detached garage with two auto doors. One door is suitable for an RV. There is enough room to park about six cars. You could also use it for just a couple cars and then make the guests sleep in the extra space. Make them clean the workshop while they're out there-that'll teach them to overstay their welcome. The house is in average condition. You could move right in. You missed swimming season, but there is an in-ground pool. Enjoy country peace and quiet, but very close to Lebanon and Indy. Room sizes estimated. Sold as-is.

Realtor Response: "Are you serious about making guests sleep in the garage?? That's just mean."

 

Property Description: Large home on beautiful wooded lot in premium neighborhood. No major repairs required. Some minor repairs and updating will help. There are rooms everywhere. In face, I lost an assistant in here. If you find her, please send her back to the office. Room sizes are estimated; property will be sold as-is. The floorplan gives you the opportunity for privacy, home office, or a workshop. Great for entertaining and large family dinners (I like turkey).

Realtor Response: "My client is looking for a house that doesn't need any work."

 

Property Description: Nice little bungalow with a detached garage. Has A/C, updated kitchen and bathroom. Room sizes are estimated. There's very little work to do here. Just a little basic TLC and then move on in. Life in Lebanon is just like West Palm Beach-OK, I'm lying but life here is a lot cheaper and the neighbors are nice. Property will be sold as-is. Master bedroom has a nice sitting room attached to it-perfect for nursery or office. Or, when your husband snores like a warthog, you can make him sleep in there.

Realtor Response: "Why would you even bother comparing Lebanon, IN to Florida? Buyers are just going to be reminded of how crappy their new town is."

Property Description: Fully-fenced yard for kids, pets, in-laws or used car lots. The neighbors will hate you but you might pick up a few extra bucks. Corner lot. The house only needs cosmetic improvements. I didn't see anything major to do here. Room sizes are estimated. Property will be sold as-is.

Realtor Response: "I don't think I'll be recommending my clients keep their kids in the backyard, thanks."

*Anyone who knows me knows that I lack the proverbial filter from brain to mouth. Now they might understand where this trait came from.

Knowing your audience is pretty doggone important...

Exhibit A: The guy sitting next to me at the airport right now.

He's trying to pick up the girl he's sitting next to (note: it's 7:49
a.m. so he better have some pretty compelling content for this
tactic to work).

Let's listen on as he woos his unsuspecting victim, err, "customer":

Red Sox versus Yankees

• As it turns out, the lad is a Red Sox fan
• I think it's safe to say that 98% of women don't care...closer to 99% this early in the morning
• Furthermore, I do believe them is fighting words in NYC.
• 
  Sean Penn, Saddam Hussein and Hugo Chavez
• Something about Sean Penn living with Saddam for 30 days.
• 
  [She just checked her watch]
  
  He flirted with the airline attendant to get a good seat
• Translation: In case you didn't notice, I'm kind of a big deal.
• 
  "My dad has been living the good life for the last 25 years."
• Proof? "He hasn't laid a finger around the house--hasn't touched a dish for a quarter century. Mom does all that."
• Clearly this guy is a huge proponent for women's empowerment
• 
  Firefighters are the ones always calling on cops
• Hmmm, I wonder which one he is.
• 
  [She just looked the other way and yawned]
  
  Story about the time some utility company finally started paying attention to him because they over-reimbursed him for something.
• "Funny how they have time for me when their mess up means money lost for them"
• I'm going to have to agree with the guy here, but at 8 a.m., who really cares? Certainly not the girl he's talking to.
• 
  [Oh snap, now she's utilizing the age-old "maybe if I don't respond to anything he says, he'll stop talking" method]
  
  Their flight was just called. Sigh of relief (hers; mine)
  
  I'm pretty sure she's dreading the thought of being seated next to him, and I have a funny feeling he's going to try to swap seats with her neighbor if she's not.