Rules of Twitter
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Understanding how to use Twitter to enhance your middle market brand is easier when you know the rules of the game.
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Small Is the New Big
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The Harvard Business School seems to be buying into what Concentric has been professing. Now, this economy and the near future are actually moments when smaller brands can break out. There is opportunity all around - and a new generation of brands and companies will emerge.
Small Is the New Big
Big companies used to win out over small ones because of their experience, impressive client lists, and seeming permanence. We trusted big business because it was big, but the economic crisis has changed that. Small companies are now winning the confidence and the business of recession customers. No matter the size of your company, restore customer trust by doing what small companies do well:
- Be available. Customers of small companies don't need to holler "agent" into a phone to talk to a real person. Make it easy for customers to find you and react quickly to requests and demands.
- Keep your promises. It goes without saying, but always follow through on what you say you're going to do.
- Grow sustainably. Consumer confidence is shaken and customers want to know that businesses are going to be around no matter what the economic situation. Assure customers you are acting in a financially responsible and sustainable way.
Use a Technographics Profile to Optimize Your Interactive Marketing
Interactive spending continues to rise and with all that money moving online it can be difficult to know where it is best spent. Many companies approach social media focused on deploying technologies -– blogs, podcasts, forums, etc. But have you considered what technology your target audience is most willing to embrace? Enter the Technographics Profile.
read more…Questions to Ask When Hiring a PR Firm
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No matter how large or small your company, it’s important to surround yourself with experts. For most brands, those experts include accountants, lawyers and marketers. When you’re about to hire a marketing firm, specifically a PR firm, it’s important to ask the right questions before making a hiring decision. I recommend taking a look at two to three firms and asking the candidates 10 questions:
read more…Tailored Franchise Opportunities Keep Red Mango in the Black – Very Black
Red Mango, the fastest-growing retailer of authentic nonfat frozen yogurt in the country, was debuted in 2002 in South Korea. It serves uniquely delicious frozen yogurt that is all-natural, nonfat, gluten-free and packed with beneficial live and active probiotic cultures.
Arriving in the U.S. only two years ago, this brand has a great story to share to middle market brands willing to listen. The Red Mango franchise operation has exploded with success and record expansion rates in a downturned economy. Development deals with existing and new franchisees will result in some 128 new Red Mango stores to be added to the franchise network over several years.
read more…Anticipation…Making Me Waaaaait to Spend
In an economic downturn, it figures that consumers are going to cut back. But an interesting trend in contrast to previous downturns is that a large proportion of consumers were already cutting back in anticipation of their income declining. This finding was just one of many interesting insights Booz & Company discovered in their in-depth survey of 1,000 households conducted in September of 2008.
read more…Rules of Research Are Not Majority Rules
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Everyone in marketing knows good research can help to build a brand. But what so many fail to realize is that not all research is good. Many marketers set out to test a theory. Essentially, they’re looking to see how many people they can get to agree with one of their hypotheses. Asking consumers to pick a favorite in a vacuum is dangerous. That is using research, like David Ogilvy once wrote, “as a drunkard uses a lamp post for support, rather than for illumination.”
Misusing research is a waste of a brand’s dollars. If you’re a middle market brand, you don’t have single dollar to waste.
read more…Funny at First…Then a Little Disturbing
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I grew up with Sir Mix-a-Lot blasting on the "boom box" and I have to admit when I saw Burger Kings "I Like Square Butts" commercial, I laughed my @$$ off. Then my daughter walked in the room and said, "daddy look, Sponge Bob." Luckily the commercial was over and she went about her day and forgot all about it. Then later that night I saw it again and realized what they're selling with this commercial – a freaking Kids Meal! This commercial would have been funny if it was for a new square burger and aired on late night TV, but to be selling a Kids Meals is totally inappropriate.
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