OK, so the economy sucks, and we've all lost a good amount of money in our investment portfolios. And yet, a whole lot of television commercials, billboards, print ads and radio spots are hounding us about "re-balancing our portfolios."
It got me thinking. Shouldn't smart marketers also consider re-balancing their marketing budgets as a result of these trying economic times?
Just because you've ALWAYS done something one way doesn't mean you need to go on repeating the same thing over and over. Remember Einstein's definition of insanity -- doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
If you want to change your marketing results, it just may be time to re-balance your marketing portfolio.
Several new and existing clients have come to us recently asking us to take a look at their overall marketing expenditures. In every case we were able to point out a large number of wasted expenditures -- primarily advertising buys that remain on schedules because they've "always been there," or because "the ad rep buys me a bottle of Maker's Mark every Christmas."
But the world has changed. Unless you are confident that ALL of your marketing and communication expenditures are delivering a real return on your investment (and not just another cost headed straight to the wrong side of the balance sheet), it's probably time to change your way of thinking too.
In flush times, it's easy to just continue doing what you've always done, because, well, we were all making good money, right? And what "worked" from a marketing standpoint wasn't nearly as critical as it is now, during the "Great Recession."
Posted by John Lonsdorf
President
R&J Public Relations
www.RandJpr.com
Friday, April 24, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Riding the Social Media Wave
The wave of social media options is very real and connected. Why would you blog... unless your insights might change the thoughts and patterns of behaviors, generating traffic to your offering.
Why would you need a podcast... unless you are a speaker and your off the cuff presentations go undocumented. Why would you want to tweet... unless your prospective customers are identifying themselves with quick keywords showing their need. Why do you need a youtube video... unless your sincerity and knowledge, whit and humor transcend the attention-span of an over-saturated audience. People like the spontaneity, accessibility and control of the Web. the ability to click where they want... surfing in a seemingly random pattern.
...But we know the truth about the Internet. True randomness evaporates under the crush of data-driven marketing and user pattern identifiers. If you doubt that randomness is gone, think about the google of yesteryear. When you used to be able to search something and get various papers, and expert opinions from academia, researchers, and government resources. Now, paid placement exerts its muscle, racking up the first 500,000 organic returned searches. (Oh, it's not 'paid' as in, 'I bought an ad'... but certainly paid to an individual or firm that specializes in ranking.)
You might think, in reading this, that I object. Not a chance. For every media that becomes commercialized, my work evolves. My company's offerings are adapted to meet the constantly evolving needs of marketers for strategy, design and technology combinations that accurately convey their offerings to their audiences. Marketing plans are more diverse, integrated, and results-driven. In a very short time, marketers have changed from asking, "How do I get a Content Management System (CMS) for my Website?" to asking "How can my CMS drive my mobile, print and eNewsletter promotions?"
Social media marketing supports sales basics. Like, trust, use. It takes the giant funnel of people and, based on data, drives the connections to the ones who might use your product or service. the creativity, language and design allow an individual to like the offer (or the person). The virtual connections and validity of network can demonstrate a foundation on which transactional trust can exist. The online user is lulled into thinking they ever had a choice which way the current was headed... Truly strategic marketers have taken this into consideration. Money once spent on prime time advertising has been diverted to virtual currents.
I'm certain the next wave is rapidly approaching.
Wendy Flanagan
Co-President
Murray
http://www.murraymedia.com
908-362-8174 x111
Why would you need a podcast... unless you are a speaker and your off the cuff presentations go undocumented. Why would you want to tweet... unless your prospective customers are identifying themselves with quick keywords showing their need. Why do you need a youtube video... unless your sincerity and knowledge, whit and humor transcend the attention-span of an over-saturated audience. People like the spontaneity, accessibility and control of the Web. the ability to click where they want... surfing in a seemingly random pattern.
...But we know the truth about the Internet. True randomness evaporates under the crush of data-driven marketing and user pattern identifiers. If you doubt that randomness is gone, think about the google of yesteryear. When you used to be able to search something and get various papers, and expert opinions from academia, researchers, and government resources. Now, paid placement exerts its muscle, racking up the first 500,000 organic returned searches. (Oh, it's not 'paid' as in, 'I bought an ad'... but certainly paid to an individual or firm that specializes in ranking.)
You might think, in reading this, that I object. Not a chance. For every media that becomes commercialized, my work evolves. My company's offerings are adapted to meet the constantly evolving needs of marketers for strategy, design and technology combinations that accurately convey their offerings to their audiences. Marketing plans are more diverse, integrated, and results-driven. In a very short time, marketers have changed from asking, "How do I get a Content Management System (CMS) for my Website?" to asking "How can my CMS drive my mobile, print and eNewsletter promotions?"
Social media marketing supports sales basics. Like, trust, use. It takes the giant funnel of people and, based on data, drives the connections to the ones who might use your product or service. the creativity, language and design allow an individual to like the offer (or the person). The virtual connections and validity of network can demonstrate a foundation on which transactional trust can exist. The online user is lulled into thinking they ever had a choice which way the current was headed... Truly strategic marketers have taken this into consideration. Money once spent on prime time advertising has been diverted to virtual currents.
I'm certain the next wave is rapidly approaching.
Wendy Flanagan
Co-President
Murray
http://www.murraymedia.com
908-362-8174 x111
Ad agency increases client base using Social Media
Here's another interesting article by the same guy as my last post. In this article he writes about a small ad agency in Lafayette, LA which is increasing their client base by leaps and bounds using social media. They are not going on pitch meetings, but are fielding calls from all over the country due to their expertise in leveraging social media.
Check it out. Interesting case study.
Check it out. Interesting case study.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Social Media Impacts Ad Agency New Business
Here's an article that had a name and subject that jumped off the page as my first post for the Ad Club Blog-an article about Social Media and Advertising. It's an article by Michael Glass from his Blog "Fuel lines-fueling ad agency new business."
Fuel Lines
This is a guy I follow on Twitter-and today he twittered this article. So, thanks to me, you don't have to follow him or figure out Twitter to get the benefit of this work-just take a look at his article.
As you can see if you go to his page he has a lot to say about how social media and advertising are changing together. He compares how social media marketing and "traditional marketing" gain a prospects attention, control the message, and how important measurement and ROI are in the new scheme of things. I found this little article to be a good start if you're wondering what's happening to ad agencies as a result of social media marketing.
Chuck B.
Fuel Lines
This is a guy I follow on Twitter-and today he twittered this article. So, thanks to me, you don't have to follow him or figure out Twitter to get the benefit of this work-just take a look at his article.
As you can see if you go to his page he has a lot to say about how social media and advertising are changing together. He compares how social media marketing and "traditional marketing" gain a prospects attention, control the message, and how important measurement and ROI are in the new scheme of things. I found this little article to be a good start if you're wondering what's happening to ad agencies as a result of social media marketing.
Chuck B.
Monday, February 23, 2009
A Reputation is a Terrible Thing to Waste
Ted Pincus, founder of The Financial Relations Board, as well as a finance professor at DePaul University and a business columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, recently published a paper on the deepening financial mess. It appeared on the O'Dwyer's PR website. While Pincus doesn't offer much hope for a quick fix by the Obama administration, he does conclude with a cautionary tale for anyone considering cutting their marketing budgets to save money in the short-term.
Pincus writes:
Sure times are tough. But if you want to be ready to blast out of the gate when the inevitable economic revival comes, make sure you keep your good reputation intact.
And remember the words of Warren Buffet who once famously said, "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."
Pincus writes:
"I sense that the short-sightedness of old has been replaced by a new recognition that a reputation — the most prized asset of all in the long run — cannot be turned on and off with the flick of a budget, and can only be protected by the one specialist who knows how to achieve sustainability."
Sure times are tough. But if you want to be ready to blast out of the gate when the inevitable economic revival comes, make sure you keep your good reputation intact.
And remember the words of Warren Buffet who once famously said, "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently."
Thursday, January 1, 2009
NJAdClub President's Message
’Tis the Season. Not just the holiday season, but the season of New Beginnings, for making resolutions and planning the future. These are exciting times we are living in, no matter on what side of the fence one resides. Certainly, the market made this past year a turbulent one that we’re happy to leave behind. Yet most people, I think, sense anticipation in the air for a brighter future on many fronts. And NJAd Club folks did have some terrific moments: winning Jersey Awards and celebrating three new inductees into the New Jersey Advertising Hall of Fame!
Permit me to remain philosophical for just a few more lines as I think it is important to realize that whatever times we live through, these are our finite times, and we have a responsibility to ourselves, our families and perhaps God and country too, to make the best out of every moment.
So what does all that have to do with NJAdClub? Simple. This is one of the best organizations and “group of people” providing support and the means to make the best out of all things. Our varied programs, including Wake-Up Call Workshops and Smartalk events, help members and other guests experiment with the latest industry know-how, sharpening new tools for being the best at our jobs. Through our educational outreach efforts, such as the Advertising/MSU Career Day, we help up-and-coming young professionals discover what advertising and marketing is all about, a mentoring event that satisfies our need to give back. Then there are our Marcom networking events (summer and winter), where we mix and mingle with new colleagues and longtime acquaintances. Without such a support network, I don’t think anyone can function successfully. Maintaining a network is a lifelong and enjoyable process — an NJAdClub specialty.
Best of all, organizations such as ours provide the stage so we can accomplish things that are infinitely bigger than our everyday jobs and lives. Pause with me now to remember such giants in our club who are no longer with us, in particular Lew Kraut and Pat Tesman. There are many others, individuals who really believed in this club and what it stood for and helped make it what it is today. We are all better for knowing them.
Looking ahead to 2009, there are, without exaggeration, exciting plans in the works, which I think will make a memorable year for NJAdClub — such as redesigning our website to expand our influence in the NJ advertising community and beyond. And you can be a part of this excitement! Without you, without our members, strategic partners and sponsors, we could not do all that we do. So thank you for your continued support and for your time, our most precious commodity. Happy Holidays to all — those celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or just the New Year! However we celebrate, be sure to share the good cheer! ’Tis the Season.
Michael Schumacher
NJAdClub President
Marketing Communications Manager
The Newark Museum
Permit me to remain philosophical for just a few more lines as I think it is important to realize that whatever times we live through, these are our finite times, and we have a responsibility to ourselves, our families and perhaps God and country too, to make the best out of every moment.
So what does all that have to do with NJAdClub? Simple. This is one of the best organizations and “group of people” providing support and the means to make the best out of all things. Our varied programs, including Wake-Up Call Workshops and Smartalk events, help members and other guests experiment with the latest industry know-how, sharpening new tools for being the best at our jobs. Through our educational outreach efforts, such as the Advertising/MSU Career Day, we help up-and-coming young professionals discover what advertising and marketing is all about, a mentoring event that satisfies our need to give back. Then there are our Marcom networking events (summer and winter), where we mix and mingle with new colleagues and longtime acquaintances. Without such a support network, I don’t think anyone can function successfully. Maintaining a network is a lifelong and enjoyable process — an NJAdClub specialty.
Best of all, organizations such as ours provide the stage so we can accomplish things that are infinitely bigger than our everyday jobs and lives. Pause with me now to remember such giants in our club who are no longer with us, in particular Lew Kraut and Pat Tesman. There are many others, individuals who really believed in this club and what it stood for and helped make it what it is today. We are all better for knowing them.
Looking ahead to 2009, there are, without exaggeration, exciting plans in the works, which I think will make a memorable year for NJAdClub — such as redesigning our website to expand our influence in the NJ advertising community and beyond. And you can be a part of this excitement! Without you, without our members, strategic partners and sponsors, we could not do all that we do. So thank you for your continued support and for your time, our most precious commodity. Happy Holidays to all — those celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or just the New Year! However we celebrate, be sure to share the good cheer! ’Tis the Season.
Michael Schumacher
NJAdClub President
Marketing Communications Manager
The Newark Museum
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
2009 - Agency Activity Bolsters NJAdClub
While all industry reigned in activity to close out 2008, the NJAdClub has bolstered its activities and extended its reach to all New Jersey Agencies large and small. The robust hub of NJ business supports a wealth of various agency models and suppliers: advertising, industry specialists, interactive, graphic, media, broadcast and more.
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