• - Nothing remains static in our world, and companies that have not fine-tuned their products and services to meet the needs of the customer, may face a shocking, short-term future.
• - Are you offering everything you can to reflect your customers’ needs for extra convenience and value? Can your product and service adapt to methods that will differentiate you from others, like “same-day delivery?” Can you offer “three-hour service?”
• - Can you look ahead and project what’s “next” for your customers? How do you take what you’re doing now and kick it up a notch?
• - Strategic Forecasting – Playing to win for the future is a necessary element in business planning.

How To Get Sales Leads From Twitter

• - While the world is in a Facebook frenzy, Twitter is quickly becoming a player in generating sales leads for companies. It takes some patience to dig through the thousands of innocuous posts, but the “gold” is there. There are many tools available that search through tweets and allow you to drill down to a specific topic or even a specific geographic location.
• - How do you do it? Test drive a variety of Twitter search programs to find the one you are most comfortable with. Our favorites are TweetDeck, HootSuite and Monitter.
• - Each program allows you to select various keyword phrases and see who’s tweeting about that phrase. Select a phrase that’s relevant to your business category and then tweet that person back. That conversation could be the start of a big sale!
• - Also, try out some of the Twitter alert services. Programs like Tweet Beep will send you alerts whenever someone tweets about a specific phrase that you have pre-selected.
• - When people are tweeting about a topic or category in which you have an expertise, you’ve got a great chance to jump in on the conversation. And, what could be the biggest benefit of all, there’s no gatekeeper to screen you!

The 60-Second Close: One Quarter Down, Three More To Go

• - The first quarter is over. What’s the score? Are you winning and can you hold onto the lead? Are you behind? If so, what’s it going to take to gain that lead?
• - There are three more quarters to go in the game of Business 2010. Unlike football, in business there are no timeouts. No instant replays. No room for errors. If you’re looking for a winning play, let our team join yours. Call us. We can show you how to get there…faster than ever.

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60 Second Impact – April 2010

• We’ve been saying this for the past three years, but now all evidence points to 2010 being the year that mobile marketing finally takes its rightful place as one of the emerging platforms in building brand awareness and sales.
• And why shouldn’t it? More and more people are using their smartphones for texting, receiving and responding to e-mail, watching TV shows, searching for local businesses and products, and getting their news. Many research companies are predicting that within three years, mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most popular method for accessing the Internet.
• What does this mean for you? A crash course in mobile marketing! But before you recklessly jump in, know that mobile marketing – like social
  media – may not be right for everyone. Mobile marketing programs are great for retailers, restaurants and any industry that wants to drive people to their business or Web site. And your Web site will play an important role in this because it will have to be optimized for easy cell phone navigation and small screen viewing.
• There is a lot to learn about mobile marketing. If you want a jump start on getting “mobilized,” let us know.

Have We Missed The Boat On The Real Secret To Successful Marketing?

• Although it may be impressive to read that companies are re-allocating budgets to the marketing effort “du jour,” believing that a specific online or offline program has now become the golden road to riches, the truth is that nothing is going to work without one specific ingredient.
• That ingredient is content. Without great content, your marketing efforts – including print ads, TV and radio commercials, direct mail, billboards, Web sites, blogs and tweets – won’t work. Your content must be interesting, powerful, useful, informative, newsworthy and targeted in order to be effective.
• Before you decide to do anything, ask yourself: “What interesting and relevant information can I regularly communicate to my target audiences over the long term?”

The 60-Second Close: Our “Fast Forward” Strategy

• Two exciting things are going to happen this year, and probably more sooner than later, that could affect your marketing:
  Apple, Inc. may drop its exclusivity with AT&T, which means the iPhone may become available to all wireless carriers. If this occurs, iPhone sales will increase from 15 million to 25 million phones per year, making it more important than ever to get involved in mobile marketing.
• There will be a shakeout and a re-definition of social media as businesses finally grasp the bottom line realities of being part of this medium. Businesses will ask tough questions to determine social media’s worthiness and its contribution to the bottom line.
• As an advertising, marketing and communications firm, our top responsibility is to keep our clients thinking “fast forward.” Without a “fast forward” strategy, growth slowly grinds to a halt.
• If you’re ready to shift gears to “fast forward,” call us. We can get you there … faster than ever.

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60 Second Impact – February 2010

• So little time and money is spent on understanding the most important element of marketing — what customers really want.  If we understood what customers want and what kind of in-store experience would encourage more purchases, then stores would have a better chance at selling more and retaining customers longer.

• The one person in the world who has a handle on customer in-store behavior is Paco Underhill, author of the best selling books, Call of the Mall and Why We Buy.

• Underhill examines what customers actually do in a store, from arriving in the parking lot to entering the facility.  He observes and records every motion and action as if he were observing an endangered species in the jungle.

• At a recent speech to a group of retailers in Toronto, he said, “What surprises me after 25 years is how little most merchants know about what happens on the floor.”

• No matter what your business category is, if it deals with people, reading both of these books will stimulate your thinking and give you guaranteed ways to increase your sales.

The Importance of Writing A Plan: One Key to Success

• I’m sure you have heard the saying, “Failing to plan is like planning to fail.”  Most people don’t like to write a plan for two simple reasons – it’s hard work and one doesn’t know what to write.  There is also the image that a plan has to be a 150-page binder, when in fact it doesn’t.
  

• Southwest Airlines was planned out on a cocktail napkin.  It doesn’t matter how big or small your plan is as long as you’re able to take your thoughts and put them in writing on a piece of paper.  And by the way, this is just paper – your plan is not etched in granite; it can change at any time, or any day.

• The true fact is this – if you can’t write a plan that says what you want, you can’t communicate it.  And if you can’t communicate it to others, then you’ll never get what you planned for.

The 60-Second Close: A Year to Forget or a Year to Remember?

• We’ll take the politician’s stance and say that it’s been both a year to forget and a year to remember.  It’s also been a year to learn.  Importantly, this year ends with the realization that everything old is new again.  And that’s the mantra for 2010.

• Although many people get caught up in the new techno-tools of advertising, if you don’t maintain the old-fashioned mom-and-pop philosophy of doing business, it will be difficult to achieve success.

• This is both the new and old reality of marketing.  January is a new chapter and the first paragraph is about new dreams.  If you’d like help achieving those dreams, then call us. We can get you there … faster than ever.

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60 Second Impact – December 2009

• Before the year ends, Google is expected to roll out a major search algorithm update called Caffeine.  This update will include an increase in indexed Web pages and a more comprehensive search results page.

• Many companies, possibly even your own, are concerned that the update could affect their Web sites that currently rank in the all-important top 10.

The easiest way to find out how Caffeine might affect your site’s ranking is by examining your site’s results from the current Google version and then comparing them to the Caffeine version at: http://www2.sandbox.google.com.

2. The Next Big Thing in Marketing: Human Trust

• Tired of hearing about how the next big killer application is going to turn your business into a gold mine and make life easier for you?  Yes, we all know that mass media habits have changed and that we’re now a wired society, dependent on our computers and smartphones for information.  But that doesn’t necessarily mean that something new equates to something better for your business.

• As we become mesmerized by and inundated with new technologies, we tend to forget about the one deciding factor when purchasing a service or product from one company over another: human trust.
• A stroke on a keyboard, an e-mail or a tweet will never replace the experience of meeting someone, shaking a hand and engaging in a conversation.  When that happens, there’s trust and with trust comes customer loyalty.

• As the holidays approach, we urge you to try the next big thing in marketing – human trust.

3. The 60-Second Close: Getting Out of Survival Mode and Ready for 2010

• Last fall, we started to see signs that the economy was going to unravel – and quickly it did.  A year later, you have survived what was probably the toughest business time of your life.  But it’s time to look forward.  With a new year around the corner, what are your plans for 2010?  How will they differ from the past year?

• Here’s our recommendation: While some of your competitors are still reeling and downsizing, now is the best time to make plans to increase your market share.

• If you’re ready to get out of survival mode and develop a plan that will increase your sales to the levels you’ve always dreamed of, then call us.  We can get you there … faster than ever.

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60 Second Impact – November 2009

• Take a fresh look at your store, your product or your service and visualize it as a magazine.  If you were bookstore browsing, would you select “your magazine” from all of the others on the rack?
  
• When a consumer selects your particular store or product over your competitor, the selection criteria and rationale is similar to why one magazine is selected over another.
  
• Does your store or product fit these same selection criteria?
  

1. Front Cover: Attractive, colorful, bright and clean.  Does it stand out from the rest?  Is the name memorable?  Does the overall look of the cover want to make you go inside the publication?
2. Table of Contents: Can you find what you like?  Can you get a sense of the organization of the magazine?  Can you get an idea of what’s inside?
3. Letter from the Publisher: The owner introduces him/herself to you and welcomes you to the magazine with a little background and behind-the-scenes tidbits of the issue.  You feel comfortable knowing the publisher by name.
4. Letters to the Editor: You are invited to communicate openly with those who put the magazine together.  The magazine is interested in what you have to say and you are encouraged to send in your feedback.
5. Articles: Are the stories clear, concise and easy to read?  Are they easy to find?  Do they entertain you?  Are some stories controversial and create a buzz?  Are the stories within your specific spectrum of interests?
6. Overall Value: Was the magazine worth reading?  Did you get your money’s worth?  Why was it a good decision to purchase this magazine?  Does it have staying power and positive word of mouth? Will you subscribe?

2. The Next Big Thing? Differentiation by Storytelling

• The next big thing may just be getting back to the basics of treating your customers like royalty and giving them a reason to come back.
• Is it a wonder that with all the price and product advertising you see and hear, that consumers can’t distinguish one department store from another, or even one car dealership from another?
• The most effective way to differentiate your business from the crowd of competitors in your category is to manufacture a memory.  Customers remember stories better than prices.
• Let us help you develop your story – one that customers can remember you by and differentiate you from the others.  Putting all the technology aside, this just may be the biggest thing yet for your business.

3. Strategic Forecasting: Re-Positioning to Reflect a Changing Customer

• Nothing remains static in our world, and those companies that have not fine-tuned their products and services to meet the needs of the customer may face a shocking, short-term future.
• Are you offering everything you can to reflect your customers’ needs for extra convenience and value?  Can your product and service adapt to methods that will differentiate you from others, like “same-day delivery?”  Can you offer “three-hour service?”
• Can you look ahead and project what’s “next” for your customers?  How do you take what you’re doing now and kick it up a notch?
• Strategic Forecasting – playing to win for the future is a necessary element in business planning

The 60-Second Close: Breaking Out of a Tie and Busting Loose

• It’s a given that just to open your doors every day, you have to excel at the basics of doing business.  This means that the performance level of each company, over a period of time, may be the same or vary by a miniscule amount.
• When all similar companies are on the same level playing field, the customer has no choice but to make purchase selections based on deep discounting, which hurts your margins.
• When you can differentiate yourself and offer something new or better, customers are willing to overlook price, and choose your product or service over your competition.  Differentiation is the almighty tiebreaker.
• If you need help breaking the tie and busting loose from the pack, then call us.

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60 Second Impact – October 2009

• We’ve all been through a lot since the beginning of the year.  Nothing but bad news.  Some companies have had to go through the exercises of refinancing, re-grouping, re-thinking and even re-innovating.  For many, it was the first real “recession and depression” experience they’ve lived through.

• Here are three “take-aways” from this experience, which have hopefully made your business better than it was before:

1. Creativity as a Necessity: Changes in the economy have forced businesses to be creative about how they increase their sales, and in many cases they have focused their efforts toward their current customers.  For many companies, it was “back-to-basics” with an emphasis on the “mom and pop” customer service of the old days.
2. Differentiation as a Necessity: Businesses understood that in order to be memorable in the customers’ minds they had to be famous or known for something.  It became better to focus on a specific strength rather than try to be everything to everyone.
3. Customer Conversations as a Necessity: As social media exploded onto the landscape, replacing the one-way communication of traditional media, businesses realized what customers were saying about them could dramatically influence their success or failure.

2. The New Yellow Pages: Why Your Business Should Be On Yelp

• According to the Yelp Business Owner’s Guide, (http://www.yelp.com/business), over 25 million people visited Yelp to read reviews of local business in August of 2009. Yelp can direct people making targeted searches to your business.

• For businesses that treat their customers right, this is a great tool to quickly create positive buzz.  Owners can access “Yelp for Business Owners” to communicate with customers (think: responding to negative reviews), announce special offers, and get e-mail alerts for new reviews.

• Your business customers are increasingly turning from print to online business listings (http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Yellow-Pages-Association-825649.html).  Shouldn’t you be reaching out to their communities online and engaging them there?  Yelp reviews are available on iPhone, Blackberry and Web capable phones.  Yelp also makes their database of business listings and reviews available for other services to enhance their content.

3. What Is Augmented Reality?

• Augmented reality supplements a location or object by overlaying data onto 3-D environments.  As Web capable mobile phones become equipped with cameras and GPS systems, users will be able to aim their phone around and see information about businesses and other locations overlaid onto the video on their screens.

• Google Android phones have already seen the release of augmented reality software and Yelp’s iPhone app was the first to implement it on the iTunes App Store (http://mashable.com/2009/08/27/yelp-augmented-reality/).

• In an interview with CNN, Blair MacIntyre, an associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said he imagines a future where augmented reality will move from mobile phones to futuristic sunglasses (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/08/05/augmented.reality.phone.apps/index.html).

4. The 60-Second Close: Ready For The Rebound

• This month starts the symbolic 2009 home stretch.  Will there be a rebound between now and the holidays?  We’re going to be optimistic with a resounding “yes!”  Our agency’s clients will experience a rebound because we’ve kept them in top shape throughout the summer months.
• Is your business ready for the home stretch rebound?  If not, then call us.  We can get you there … faster than ever.

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60 Second Impact – September 2009

1. Is Your Marketing Strategy Culturally Relevant

• According to the 2009 “Social Technographics Profile” published by Forrester Research, over 80% of U.S. online adults are engaged in some form of social media. Over three years, that number has jumped an astounding 59%. If your marketing strategy has not evolved to meet this cultural change, you may be falling behind your competition.

2. The Right Questions To Ask

• Participating in social media just for the sake of participating is a waste of your time and money. Strategy is key for success in social media. There are four attributes that your brand must value in order to be successful in marketing via social media. Before you begin, ask yourself “Can we do the following with our brand?”
  • Be Honest – Learn everything that you can about the reputation of your business and brand. You brand is not defined by what you say; it is defined by what your customers say about you. Customers are not a target audience – they are now participants in your marketing. Speak with a voice that is consistent with your brand, and let your personality flow through.
  • Be Relevant  – Treat people with respect. Social media is not for public relations, it is for personal relations. Consumers now choose the marketing to which they want to be exposed. Do not try to force your message into a conversation where it does not fit. Look for opportunities and join the conversation when opportunities naturally arise.
  • Be Amazing – Create amazing goods and services. If your are not special, you will be invisible on the social Web. Have a voice people value, and give people a reason to want to know what you have to say.
  • Be Generous – Focus on the needs of your customers and the community that surrounds your brand. Share insight, information and benefits.

3. The 60-Second Close: How To Harness The Power Of The People

• Marketing your company isn’t just about advertising with traditional media or on Web sites.  Marketing your company starts with your people.  They are the best ambassadors of corporate goodwill.  But they can make or break your company in a flash.  We can help you identify the weak links that can lead to embarrassing situations.

• The power is in the hands of the people – your customers.  We can show you how to harness that power to your advantage and increase your sales and profits.  Ready to start?  Call us.  We can get you there … faster than ever.

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60 Second Impact – August 2009

• You have to pinch yourself to believe it – the year that started in severe economic turmoil is now half over.  Now it’s time to ask the most important business question of the year: “What do you have to do the rest of this year to reach your profit goals?”

• If you don’t have profit goals, your company has nothing to strive for and is just driving aimlessly.  Establish your profit goals now and make the appropriate plans to achieve them.

2. On The Road And Online…The New Advertising Landscape

• Did you know that the number of consumers who seek local information on a mobile device grew 51% from March 2008 to March 2009?  The point at which these consumers are searching is the point of transaction.  If you understand the marketing funnel, then you know this is your most valuable prospect.

• What social marketing was to 2007, mobile marketing is to 2009.  The wave of adoption has matured and is ready to crest.  With that in mind, we suggest your business take these strategic steps:
  • Audit your Web site to ensure that it is “mobile friendly.”  Roughly 50% of mobile users abandon a site because it is too difficult to find what they are looking for.
  • Add mobile advertising to your marketing strategy so that you can capitalize on this thirst for local and mobile information.

3. The 60-Second Close: Mobilizing To Stay Ahead Of The Curve

• As an advertising agency, it’s our job to keep you well ahead of the curve and prepare you for what’s next.  We urge you to consider mobile users as a potential customer base that is growing rapidly.

• Consequently, now is the time to start “mobilizing” your Web site – developing a version of your current site that’s smartphone friendly.  Not sure where to start? We can help you get there … faster than ever.

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60 Second Impact – July 2009

• As companies transition from this tough economy to the stability of business basics, it’s time to re-think and re-innovate your marketing.

• Whether you’re in the business-to-business or business-to-consumer sectors, “personal connection-oriented marketing” still works. Although it’s a throwback to the old days of “Mom and Pop” marketing, it has made Nordstrom a success – even in this economy.

• Make sure you add “human touch-points” to your sales-building plan. These include a genuine smile and honest conversation, a thank-you note and a post-sale phone call.

• Make “personal connection-oriented marketing” your competitive edge. Very few companies are taking this approach, believing that shaking a hand and having a conversation takes too much time and is simply old-fashioned.

• How effective is the personal connection? After all these years, through good times and tough times, this strategy still works for Nordstrom and no matter what business sector you’re in, it will work for you.

2. Want A Better Ranking On Google?  Here’s How A Blog Can Help

• Having a difficult time securing a strong ranking on Google for your prime search phrases? Getting your company’s Web site into the top range of the search results is a difficult and daunting task, especially if having a strong Internet presence is a critical part of your marketing plan.

• The best solution to this problem is a company blog. A blog can enhance your search engine rankings simply because Google looks at blogs differently than it looks at Web sites. Google views blogs as being extremely relevant in terms of the content.

• In addition, Google likes frequent copy changes. A blog with frequent postings gets spidered more often than a static Web site. Ultimately, the more frequently you blog and the more relevant your posts are to your company’s expertise, the more often Google will visit your blog and believe that it is important enough for users to see it, thus giving it a much stronger consideration for a higher placement in the search results.

3. Surprise!  Advertising Is Not Dead

• Contrary to what the pundits have been spouting for the past decade, advertising is not dead. In fact, it is more alive and popular than ever.

• While there have been changes and course corrections in some of the more traditional media, the popularity of advertising is evident on countless new mediums. Witness advertising on the different transit systems, billboards, escalators, grocery carts, gasoline pumps, T-shirts, pizza boxes, grocery receipts, bus shelters, park benches, buildings, movie theaters, airline boarding passes, washrooms, baseball stadiums and, of course, everything related to the Internet.

• So, is advertising dead? Certainly not. It’s just that the venues to reach different targeted groups – your customers – have changed and multiplied.

4. The 60-Second Close: When Did Marketing A Business Get So Complex?

• There’s no doubt that your “daddy’s same old marketing plan” won’t grow today’s business. The Internet and an influx of new and non-traditional mediums have made life a little more complex and much more interesting.

• Need help separating it all out? Need help determining what will work best to reach your target customer? Let us know. We can help you get there … faster than ever.

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60 Second Impact – May 2009

• No matter what business sector you’re in – business-to-business or business-to-consumer – it’s hard to escape the news – and hype – about social media. Is it the next marketing gold rush? No, it’s just another element that may or may not fit into your sales-building marketing plan.
• Social media is simply defined as being social with people by utilizing online tools or sites that allow interaction. The interaction may be through conversations, photos or videos. You can also interact with others through blogs, polls, forums, ratings and reviews, testimonials, discussion boards and online events.
• There’s a good chance you’ve already participated in social media in one form or another. There’s also a chance that your company, your service or your product has already been talked about in various forums.
• It’s important to understand that social media is not an advertising campaign but rather a series of conversations with people who have the same interests as you or may be interested in what you have to say. They may even be your potential customers.

2. Social Media is Not Just about Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn

• Although Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are the social media platforms you hear about the most, there are countless other channels available to you based on specialized interests and specific industries. Consider them the specialized “cable channels” of social media.
• One of the important elements of social media is finding a group that is made up of your potential customers or those who have the same interests as you. In his book, “Social Media Is A Cocktail Party,” Jim Tobin uses the analogy that social media is like a cocktail party but cautions you that “not every cocktail party is a must-attend.” Once you decide which parties to attend, you then want to get comfortable at the party and be social. And with that, you’re now on your way to “doing” social media.

3. Five Reasons Why Participation in Social Media May be Right for You

1. Your competitors may already be participating in social media through blogs LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. Each tool has its own “search” function, so you can find this information immediately.
2. Your vendors and manufacturers may be using it. If so, you want to be there as well.
3. Your customers are participating. Each one is a publisher, writing blogs and reviews and participating in discussion groups.
4. Participation in groups can increase interest in your company’s service or product and lead to more Web site traffic.
5. Social media puts a human face on what could otherwise be an impersonal company.

4. The 60-Second Close: Ready To Join The Social Media Party?

• We could have easily written many more pages on social media, but we wanted to give you an “appetizer” on what it’s really all about. Now that you know, are you ready to get your feet wet? There’s a lot to consider before jumping in, such as a discussion on your objectives, your commitment and your content.
• Is social media right for you? Should it be part of your marketing plan? Are you ready to start a blog or a video of your product? Let us know. We can help you get there … faster than ever.

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60 Second Impact – April 2009