4. February 2012 by Frank Goad.

I’ve been working with a client on an Internet advertising proposal. They sent me a note and said, “We have a new client that works on websites and seo’s (sic). I am sure you understand.” I do, but not sure they do and I wonder, do you? Let me explain it a bit so that you can make more money from your site.

First let me say: SEO is NOT advertising - not even close. SEO, or search engine optimization, is important - no doubt about that. It’s function is to make your website attractive to the “crawlers” (also called “robots” or “spiders”) that the search engines like Google send out daily to examine every website they can find. Crawlers send bits of programming code back to the search engine that details the content of the sites they find, yours included.

If you sell blue handled shelf stretchers and someone enters “shelf stretchers” in a search box and hits Enter, the search engine’s servers kick into gear. They look through their lists of data to find every website with those two words in their keywords and page’s text. If they enter “red handled shelf stretcher,” you’re now pushed down the list because you sell blue ones. The more times they see those words in your web, the higher your “relevancy” ranking. This is where SEO comes in. By entering the right keywords, you get picked more in the lists of sites the search engines display.

If keywords were the only thing Google and others use to rank websites, then SEO might be enough. The fact is it’s only one small part of the relevancy formula. One big thing that makes a difference is … money. Despite how democratic the web might seem, filthy lucre is the biggest determining factor, and that’s where advertising comes in. Higher rankings mean you get closer to the Holy Grail of being first in non-paid advertising.

Postscript:  From when I first posted this, they are now out of business. Sometimes I hate it when I’m right. In the end, a balanced approach across all types of media (if they apply) still gives the best results; also, hire a pro (and, yes, I am a pro).

Posted in Google, Social Media, Yahoo, YouTube, blogging, blogs, FrankyGee3, Frank Goad, Frank, Advertising, The Long Tail, business, Frank Communications, building business, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

1. February 2012 by Frank Goad.

Video is about the most powerful tool on the web. YouTube has upgraded its looks and layout and has added more business-friendly features. Your YouTube or Vimeo channel can be your best marketing and advertising tool. In another post, I’ll talk about do-it-yourself video (cameras, mics, etc.), but today’s post (and a couple more in the future) is about the very basics of content.

First, remember to talk with your customers and prospects, not “at” them. Offer them information they can use in their everyday lives. If all you do is throw sales pitches out on the Web, you’ll soon be avoided, and then forgotten. Every business today must learn to help people understand why your product or service is important. If you help them understand that without resorting to a hard sell, they’ll respect you and be interested. Be an adviser, a purveyor of useful info, not a sales person.

Let’s say you sell fire extinguishers - the need for one in the home or office is obvious. What folks should also know is how to prevent fires or when to abandon that nice extinguisher and head for the door. Talk about advances in alarms and new fire-retardant fabrics. Do stories on new government regulations that might impact how they do their business, or force them to replace things to meet new fire safety codes. If you love your business, you’ll have much information to pass along in a video.

While you might be good at “winging it,” script what you want to say. Don’t get flowery or try to be profound, tell them what they should know simply and pleasantly. Put a computer monitor directly under the camera’s lens and put your script in PowerPoint. Use only the top third of the screen for your PowerPoint and have someone change the slides for you. Be sure to stand back about fifteen feet so that your script reading is less noticeable. If you’re close they’ll see your eyes looking under the lens, but standing back farther reduces that effect. Keep your shot from the waist up because close-ups can be dangerous unless you’re Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie.

Who should be on camera? You might be a great talent on video, or you might be bad, but at least give it a shot. If someone says, “Gee, you really ought to think about getting some help with that,” take it graciously. Not everyone is suited for doing video. Park your ego at the door because the last thing you want is a poor delivery distracting people from the message. The same goes for your family - just because little Sally or Johnny are really cute and smart, that doesn’t mean they or any other family member should be on the video. The main thing is to get folks to take you seriously and listen to the message, not be distracted by the person delivering it.

Keep the message to three minutes or less. Just about anyone will watch a three-minute video IF it’s interesting. If you can say it in two minutes, all the better. Add a short intro with your logo and a little music; at the end put contact info, your website and so on. Buy some royalty-free music online because using a popular song will get you a call from a lawyer and maybe more than that. You can buy nice music for as little as $5 for a song to use as your theme music; maybe less. Use the music at the open and close of the video.

This is barely the tip of the iceberg. Remember that the purpose is to let folks know you know what you’re doing, and to build rapport with them.  In part II of this series, we’ll talk about how to let folks know you have something for them to watch. I’ve put a link to one of the videos I’ve done so that you can see what I’m talking about. These were done in a small space with a decent camera and a couple of lights - very inexpensive, but still effective enough that Capella University picked it up for their online marketing classes. Cheers!

Positioning: A Core Element of Your Brand  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VmCx8Ic7qw&list=UUxvxQU1n03Fh301TbAzgxRQ&index=16&feature=plcp

Please subscribe to this blog - it’s easy. Scroll down the left side of the page, at the bottom of the lists, there’s a box titled, “Meta.” Click where it says, “Entries,” and it’ll open a window to choose how you want to receive notices (email, etc.). Thanks!!!!!

Or, how about some Facebook – please Like my page: Frank Communications Lexington

Also, there are videos on my YouTube channel, Franky Gee Lex, or at Business Lexington’s Channel, Smiley Pete TV, where I’ve got about 35 or so videos, many with folks I’ve interviewed.

Oh, yes, there’s my LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and Quora. There are more, but that’s enough. Thanks!!

Posted in YouTube, Video, Sales, Video Production, Google, Social Media, Advertising, Public relations, business, relationships, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

15. December 2011 by Frank Goad.

My answering machine let me know I got a call after I left last night (it’s very considerate like that). It was from “Ashley” who claims to be “… the data service provider in (my) area for Google, Yahoo and Bing … ” and that she has ” … industry openings in my area.” Of course, I need to call quickly or they’ll disappear. Oh my! I’d better jump on that. … Not.

First, it was obviously a robo call because of the stutter-start where her name was repeated twice in exactly the same way, complete with recording noises. But that’s the least insidious thing about this.

Google, Yahoo and Bing don’t have a “data service provider” (?) in my area - especially for advertising - and that is a bogus claim anyway because no one agent officially handles all three search engine companies’ advertising sales. They are competitors and in no mood to share sales. This isn’t like a car dealer who can offer multiple manufacturer’s products; search engine companies don’t sell franchises. You can become certified as an expert with their products and services, but not a franchisee.

Next, she promised ” … front page placement on all three.” That’s pretty much what the search engines promise, too, and on every other page behind it when you buy from them due to their rotation system. If she could promise that on every search without having to put a huge bid figure on my ads, then I’d be interested.

To do that requires a gigantic ad budget and probably the use of black hat techniques that, if the search engine company finds out are being employed (and they usually do - they’re way smarter than 90% of the black hat folks out there), they ban you from advertising and often scrub other valuable accounts like Google Places or Yahoo Local and often delete your account. That means whatever progress you’d made on the web with search rankings is set back; sometimes, folks find themselves back at ground zero. In reality, you can place the ads yourself very easily and certainly without the markup “Ashley” is going to tack on to your bill, should you be crazy enough to use them. Worse, they might well be trolling for credit card numbers, ready to blow up your credit.

In the end, though, buying advertising without a strategy gives results that are far below what you could get if you have a strategy. Search engine ads are only one small part of the territory you have to cover these days. Knowing which things are most likely to work for you and how to employ them the right way is where I come in. Be assured, though, this isn’t an ad for me (well, maybe a little) but, instead, a plea for you to approach advertising in a planned way. The results are much better and you’ll get a far higher return from your investment.

I’ve placed a call to “Ashley” and went into “her” voice mail. I’m betting she won’t be the one calling back. I’ll continue this saga should anyone call back. I have a lot of questions for these folks and have every suspicion they’re completely bogus. Stay tuned, crime fighters!

Posted in Google, fraud, Yahoo, Bing, black hat, Internet crime, scams, building business, business, search, search engines, cyber security, Advertising | Print | No Comments »

12. September 2011 by Frank Goad.

Even though I’m starting a social media and marketing school (www.facebooklexington.com), social media isn’t the be-all and end-all. You’ll notice it’s a social media AND marketing school, because too many people are giving seminars on social media, but they’re not really telling you how to use it to its best effect. Some are treating it like it’s all you need, and that’s the real fallacy – social media is only one part of your marketing and should be part of an overall strategy. Some question whether it should be in the mix at all.

There is some discussion among the marketing mavens in the uppermost floors of skyscrapers in the world’s major cities, and the discussion centers on whether social media is worth it. Some major companies are not seeing the returns they expected on huge expenditures in social media. For instance, despite going viral, there is reason to believe that the Old Spice Man videos didn’t help sales; coupons and in-store promotions did. It could be argued that it bought mind share, but how do you know?

I believe it has to do with the fact that social media misses the mark for many folks. Why? Two big reasons:

A. Not enough people are doing social media right. What’s most important is not the number of friends, how often you post, how many people see your post, and so on. It’s how many people give you their money.
B.  People are throwing time and resources at it (which equals money - it’s not free like people tell you) without a real strategy. That is a recipe for waste and disappointment. When you post, are you leading up to something? Are you finding ways to tie your posts to your products or services?

The foremost question is, are you promoting your brand?

I love this quote from Johnathan Salem Baskin: “Brands don’t exist, at least not like rocks or tax returns. Brands are ideas that have no external existence or legitimacy apart from the creative agency of human experience. Brands aren’t things but rather conclusions, and therefore have no voice, reputation, attributes, or actions that aren’t the result of somebody doing something (or something happening to them).”

My main definition of brand is this: A brand is the promise of continued delightful experiences based on a history of delightful experiences. If you’ve read this blog, you know that I rave over the service and food at Bella Notte (go there and you’ll understand). The number one reason I do is, I’m delighted every time I’m there without fail. Do your customers have that unwavering loyalty? Do they post to FourSquare, Facebook, Twitter, Scoville, Yelp, etc., etc., etc.? Eating at Bella Notte here in Lexington compels me to tell the world … on social media. In one sense, it’s not what you post, it’s what everyone else posts for you.

Is social media a fad? No, it’s a constantly morphing electronic entity that has roots running back to the 80s. First it was dial up service and bulletin boards; now it’s social media on a variety of devices (even refrigerators) and who knows what tomorrow. Be ready to change.

In the end, social media is a way to measure sentiment and gauge your performance. You have to “prime the well” (a saying lost on many who use social media because they’re too young) and create conversations, then find ways to listen closely. You need to make it part of all your marketing. It needs a plan, goals, measurements and ways to judge the ROI. Don’t think it’s free because that will really cost you.

If you want help making it the most it can be with the least “wasted motion,” give us a call. It does work, if you know how.

Frank Communications Lexington, 859-335-8742, our Website (click here), our Facebook page

Posted in Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, Social Media, 2011, building business, Advertising, advertisers, The Long Tail, business relationships, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

24. August 2011 by Frank Goad.

I find there are three kinds of questions that my clients ask: A. Those of piercing insight; B. Those of curiosity or the need for more info, and; C. Those that tax any form of belief.

A. I love, love, love getting the A-types. They make my job so much easier and the clients see much better results. Sometimes they occur when a concept I’m explaining lights up inside their head and they see the big(ger) picture; other times, they happen when they take what they’re given and come up with something entirely new. These questions (or observations) are a bit rare and usually come when I’ve been working with someone for awhile.

B. These make up the majority of questions that I get and occur during the discovery and strategy portions of our relationship. Given that Frank Communication’s modus operandi is pretty comprehensive (we look at the whole company/picture, not just a small aspect), and that we ask a LOT of questions, clients don’t always see the connections we’re working toward. As we spend time together, they see what’s going on and get excited, and then the questions come: “Hey, what if …?”, “That sounds like something I saw last week – did you see … ?”, or “Ohh, I get it … does this mean we’ve been … ?” These are exciting because these questions lead to an A question if they’re going to happen.

C. The incredible ones in this category aren’t what you might think: They usually don’t come from ignorance but, instead, come from misinformation. They can start with “Well, I’ve got a friend who said X, so don’t you think we should … ?”, or,  ”Yeah, well, I heard about X and heard about someone who tried it and X happened – shouldn’t we try that?”, or a variation of those.

C-type questions are understandable, though, because so much has changed about advertising and marketing in the last six years, and some changes are a bit drastic. Folks are often taking advice from people who are shooting in the dark (often at their foot), or they’re reading books written by someone who’s really persuasive but ill-suited to be giving advice, or who is simply giving bad advice. Sometimes it’s because folks are desperately confused and grabbing at straws or, even more bewildering and touchy, a good friend tried something that worked for them, but which doesn’t work so well for my client for one or more reasons (timing, content, budget, etc.).

When I get C-type questions, I’m glad because that means we’re making progress. It often happens that when folks have a bad experience, although they might be wary, they now have a base of information that helps them make sense of what will help.

The most important thing is to keep asking questions. Sure, sometimes the questions sound dumb, but that’s okay because that’s how we learn, and the more we learn the better off we are. A, B or C, it doesn’t matter because you’ll probably only have to ask any of them once.

Posted in Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, Intelligence, question, Frank Communications, Success, Advertising, advertisers, Frank, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

13. June 2011 by Frank Goad.

 Time and again, clients ask me, “What should I do?” While many think I’m being a smarta**, my response is, “What do you think you should do?” 

This isn’t a flippant answer but, instead, a serious question. Most people know more about what to do than they think and, like many things, need some training. Moreover, they need to learn how to think about what they communicate to their customers. Part of my job is helping people hone in on what their customers hear from them that keeps them coming back. Businesses often have a very hard time answering that question because they’ve been doing what comes naturally and not analyzing what those things are.

You talk to customers all the time and have a good idea what they want, like, need and, conversely, don’t want, like or need. Time has taught you to largely think like them and tailor your business in order to cater to them. You work hard to “walk in their shoes” and anticipate their next desire. You develop a relationship with them and use what you learned from them with the next new customers. 

On the other hand, learning how to create a motivating advertising or marketing campaign, write ad or brochure copy in a way that speaks directly to them, or even see through their eyes takes time; often a long time. The truth is, some folks never learn, and that doesn’t make them any less of a business person, it simply means that it’s not their strength. As we all know, dealing with someone one-on-one is totally different than trying to persuade people you can’t talk with personally through ads, brochures and so on.

It’s like my mechanic - he doesn’t want to do ads anymore than I want to do his job all the time. He’s an excellent mechanic and has spent decades learning the tricks of the trade. His experience lets him solve mechanical problems in a heartbeat, whereas I’d spend a lot of time researching the problem. On the other hand, he named me “Old Golden Tongue” and calls me when he has to write an important letter or put an ad somewhere. “I understand cars,” he says, “but people are a bit harder for me.” 

My point is, you know your business and I know mine (which is communications, advertising and marketing). As a another good friend of mine says - who, by the way, is an awesome accountant but a really lousy writer - “We’re all smart, just in different ways, and the trick is to find someone who’s smart in ways that make you look better.” Give me a call and let’s see if I can help you.

Frank Goad, Pres.
Frank Communications Lexington
For information, email: fcl.info@frankcomlex.com
www.frankcomlex.com
859-335-8742  

Posted in creativity, Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, writing, building business, Advertising, Frank, The Long Tail, relationships, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

1. June 2011 by Frank Goad.

Your Website And Smart “Spiders”

Not too long ago, to keep your search engine rankings for your website up there, you merely had to put some content up and add a few links or a video. Not so much anymore because the spiders have been getting smarter with every passing month.

First, let’s assume you don’t know what a spider (or bot) is in search engine terms. Google, Yahoo, Bing (Microsoft) and all other search engines send out little programs that, in effect, roam the web and “crawl” over every single website they can find all over the world, and then send info on what they find back “home.” How many web pages is that?

Hold on to your hat: Google has indexed over 40 Billion web pages (not sites, but all website pages). Your site is in there, too. Google will re-index all those pages every 30-90 days, too, so, yes, you are being watched … sort of. How do they do it?

First, Google has over 1,000,000 servers! Mind boggling, and they can find anything on them almost instantly so that you can have it when you do a search. Millions of spiders are coursing over pages and sending a constant stream of info back to the servers where every jot and tittle is cataloged and made ready for search.

As if this wasn’t enough, the spiders are getting smarter every day. One of the things they “measure” is relevancy, which is based on (among other things): The sources you quote; whether it looks, sounds or “smells” like another article (meaning it might be nothing more than a copy); how reliable your sources are (popular? oft quoted?), and; how many sources you have used. Bewildered? Discouraged?

Well, don’t be. It simply means that, when you put articles and content up there, you write shorter pieces on which you do more synthesis. Having longer articles isn’t always better because the spiders are looking “into” your pieces and judging the relevancy and originality. Step up your creativity a bit, cast a bit wider net for sources and you might wind up better than before.

Posted in search engines, search, Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, writing, Branding, convent, Advertising, Frank, The Long Tail, building business, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

13. January 2011 by Frank Goad.

You just got a coupon in the mail - wow! 50% off! You rush to the store and score a killer deal on a new whatsit by Whosis Electronics – you’ve wanted that one for months. Basking in the warm glow of zero buyer’s remorse, you decide to go back and look for other items in your mental shopping list.

Next visit, you see sale items, but discounts are a paltry 10% or 15%. After 50%, all the prices seem too high, and there’s the rub: Your expectations were set based on your first purchase.

This can become a trap and, worse, a habitual way of doing business. I’m going to talk about Kohl’s and, to be sure, I shop there often and like their stores. I’ve noticed they always seem to have (guesstimate here) roughly 50%-70% of their merch on sale. It makes me skip regular priced merch and, worse, think their retail prices are artificially high so that any sale item seems to be a bargain. They seem addicted to sales with crazy discounts.

I see companies having 50% off sales. If you’re in an inventory or tax crisis, sure, it makes sense. Short of a crisis, it devalues your image and overall value in the customer’s eyes. They ask, “If you can discount 50%, then are your regular prices too high?” It also makes customers wait to see what your next sale is going to be if they are loyal; if they’re not, they’re going to shop you to death.

So, what about Groupon, which so many people are saying is the next wave? Well, ask yourself this: When I buy, do I look for value or the cheapest price. You might say, “That depends on the item or service,” and indeed it does. But go one step further and ask: Which builds real, true value in the customer’s eyes, coupons or being the best at what we do? Obviously, the latter.

Your competition might be discounting like crazy, and that means they might be addicted to coupons. They’re trying to make up lost margin in volume, but that’s a plan with diminishing returns (and that’s a whole other post for later). Sure, every now and then, coupons are a good idea, but be very, very frugal. Build value with customers first, then discounts seem like a reward, not a desperate move.

Posted in Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, building business, business, Advertising, Frank, damage, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

28. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

Definition: “Delight - To take or give great pleasure or joy.”  You often hear companies being told to “Delight your customers.” You definitely should do that, but let’s go over the definition of “delight” as it is a bit overblown in some of the things I’ve been reading, especially in light of the definition I use and how it relates to brands and marketing.

Going over the top with offers and special deals is for the 20% of your customers in the 80/20 rule (80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers). Most folks don’t have the time or resources to lavish great attention on every customer, much less get employees to really care enough to do it (the last paragraph address this).

My personal definition of a brand is, “A brand is a promise of repeated delightful experiences based on a history of delightful experiences.” Given that the customer owns your brand, and you or your clients do not, it’s up to them to decide what’s delightful or not.

There are so many times when we go to see, buy or do something and the experience falls short of what is promised in ads. Consistently good results for our investment of time and/or money makes us happy - delighted, if you will - because being disappointed is so common. Getting what we feel is fair value for our time and money is delightful.

Customers should be delighted every time they do business with you or your client; i.e., they should be quite pleased or feel a bit of joy. Coke and McDonald’s delight customers with every purchase. How so? Well, water, bread and lunch meat will satisfy hunger and thirst but, on a hot, dusty, day, a cold Coke is (say it with me) delightful. When you’re pressed for time, a hot, grilled chicken sandwich on a whole grain bun with lettuce, tomato and mayo is a damn sight better than a pack of cheese crackers from a gas station, especially if an ice cold Coke is served with it. If I’m really, really hungry and an hour from anywhere that sells food, finding a pack of cheese crackers is - you guessed it - delightful. I’m not overjoyed by my discovery (unless it’s my first meal in days), but I am delighted.

Let’s say I own a junk yard and a person calls me looking for a part after calling five other yards. I have the part and they’re delighted, and I was simply doing was my job. That puts me at the top of their list for next time. When they call again - and I’ll likely be the first call after being their part savior before - and I don’t have the part, I offer to locate it for them, and that makes them happy. To go one further (and keep the business), I offer to get it sent to my store, they’re delighted and, again, I’m just doing what I do. Even junk yards can delight customers.

I’m delighted when:

• I can help my clients set higher marketing and advertising standards

• We educate all  their employees about the value and importance of those standards and how their contributions help everyone (”A rising tide lifts all boats”)

• We put systems and rewards in place to ensure that measurable goals are achieved and perpetuated

• They make excellent internal and external communications about their products, services and company the rule

Why am I delighted and not overjoyed? Because what I described is my job as a marketer. I’m overjoyed when they come back and have added ten, twenty or thirty percent to what I set out. Now, THAT’S some serious, overwhelming, tear-jerking joy! 

Posted in retail, Branding, building business, Success, delight, FrankyGee3, Frank Goad, Frank Communications, business relationships, business, advertisers, responsibilities, Advertising, Frank, "The Frankifesto", training, business plan, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

24. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

Mission statements should be living documents, and Wendy’s is one of the best I’ve ever seen. A person could adopt theirs as their own and do well in life. Mission statements are important and, when done thoughtfully and thoroughly, can keep a company moving forward. I like Wendy’s in particular because it’s concise and uses easily understandable language. Nothing fancy, just good, old-fashioned operating principles that point straight ahead.

While many mission statements are full of lofty, often obtuse language, the one below is simple and unmistakable. The one we had at Lexmark was over-the-top and laden with too many points. A mission statement’s main points should be easily remembered and get to the very deepest core of what is important. It should serve as a guiding light to everyone in the organization, and to your customers as an assurance that your goal is to take care of them.

Wendy’s Mission Statement, “What We Believe,” is a list of simple, easy-to-remember guidelines that serve as an internal mission statement and an external customer service goal. Any company or person that follows this mission statement will have friends and customers for life.

* QUALITY IS OUR RECIPE - We don’t cut corners on our products, service, or employees.

* TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT - Be genuine and kind and lend each other a helping hand.

* DO THE RIGHT THING - Honesty and integrity are rules we live by.

* PROFIT MEANS GROWTH - Teamwork is the key to our success.

* GIVE BACK - Make your community better every day. 

Posted in retail, building business, leadership, Frank Communications, FrankyGee3, Frank Goad, business relationships, relationships, Frank, responsibilities, "The Frankifesto", business plan, business, Advertising | Print | No Comments »

14. December 2010 by Frank Goad.

 For anyone who says Facebook is evil, or that LinkedIn is nothing but a time-suck, you might want to think again. “Trend spotter” Marian Salzman, in her latest work, “11 Trends for 2011,” points out something about social media you might want to consider when making your advertising and marketing plans for next year.

“People around the world are losing faith. Many Americans, for example, have lost trust in their politicians, their institutions, heir media and the direction of the nation. To compensate because they haven’t lost trust in self-reliance and faith in echnology), they are looking to their networks, turbocharged by omputers and the Internet.The Network Effect is making good n its promise. …

“With almost 2 billion Internet users worldwide (including 239 million in the U.S., 51 million in the U.K., 45 million in France, 81 million in India and a whopping 420 million in China), there’s a virtually unlimited supply of people out there who can meet anyone’s networking needs—whether it’s old friends, new buddies, lovers, advocates, employers, partners, suppliers, fellow enthusiasts, fellow sufferers, co-religionists or people to just
hang out with. There’s a new sense of unlimited possible partners for anything from recovery to marriage.

“As world citizens continue to embrace social media—from Facebook,Twitter and LinkedIn to Orkut, QQ and Copains ’avant—they are realizing that keyboards and mobile devices can also facilitate real conversations and mediate real human connections. (Although, in a related aside, we’ve been witnessing an interesting decline in people’s personas on social media— from an authentic expression of self to a measured, calculated
projection of values—with attendant societal implications both online and off.*) The more niche the passion, the more social the match experience. And as time goes by, the interactions will build into rich, detailed connections and an ongoing sense of ambient awareness—true connectedness to a wider network of
people. ”

*I believe it’s because people are smarter and realize that, once you post something online, it’s there forever, like it or not.

Posted in Web development, Branding, building business, writing, retail, FrankyGee3, Frank Goad, Frank Communications, business relationships, relationships, PR, Frank, Advertising, Public relations, The Long Tail, business, self-employment, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

23. November 2010 by Frank Goad.

Consistency and brevity are critical factors in getting lodged deeply into your customer’s minds. Finding one thing that says, “This is me,” and using it every time is a major part of getting remembered. We all remember what IBM, UPS, FBI and GM stand for. Here are some tips on creating that same sort of brief, memorable image for yourself. Before we start, though, what I’m describing will probably need the help of a good graphic artist. No matter how simple it is, if it’s executed well, it will do wonders over time; if done poorly, it will disappoint.

Here’s an example: A. What did your husband or wife wear yesterday?; B. What did they wear one week ago today? You might answer A, but few can answer B. What was the UPS guy wearing yesterday and one week ago? Everyone gets that one, and that’s the power of simplicity and consistency. UPS has used “Brown” to multiply their marketing dollars by ensuring that many folks will think of UPS if someone says “brown.” Your goal is to find something very, very simple in previous ads, brochures and other marketing things to create something that identifies you and you alone. An easy place to start is picking a certain color and using it everywhere as UPS has. Paint your trucks or your offices and building with that color.

Next, couple that with a very simple figure to create a sort of icon. UPS has the shield and IBM has the shutter-looking logo. Start by looking at the tools of your trade. If you are you a plumber, then maybe a pipe wrench held in a hand is a good icon. Pick something and get a graphic artist to make a simplified visual representation of it – the simpler the better. It might take a few tries, but sooner or later, you’ll find something that “speaks to you.”

For instance, about twenty years ago, I designed the logo for Central Kentucky Research Associates. It is simply one line for the profile of a face which looks into a microscope that is only two lines – three lines total. You can see it today on the building that houses their offices on Richmond Road.

Next, look at your customers and figure out what description fits most of them. That is to say, are they business customers or consumers? Are they old, middle-aged or young? Do they live in the city or the country? What is their income? If you’ve never done this, it’s very, very important to know this because it helps focus on customers that bring you the most business, and helps you frame your efforts in ways that speak to them. What it does, though, is help you determine the style. If your products appeal to young folks, then do something light hearted. Older folks might appreciate something solid, like the column of a building.

This can also be combined to create a statement. Using the hand holding a pipe wrench example, perhaps you use the word “TRUST” under it. This makes a very simple statement: “We’re the plumber you can trust.” After a while, you can use the icon or the word separately, but go slowly on that. You have to be sure they know it well first. When they do, it becomes a visual shorthand for your company’s name. We all know UPS means United Parcel Service, but we prefer UPS because it’s short, convenient and memorable.

Here’s today’s question: What is the shorthand for you or your company or brand?

Posted in Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, Branding, building business, Advertising, Frank, UPS, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

26. October 2010 by Frank Goad.

“Dwell time” is an oft overlooked but highly valuable time your customer spends considering your company. It’s defined as the time a customer spends with you in the absence of buying or being assisted with a sale. It’s when they’re browsing, waiting to talk with someone or simply killing time because someone else is involved with you or your personnel. 

Believe it or not, you want to increase your customer’s dwell time, but you want to guide them in it. You have the power to make it enjoyable and entertaining with some attention to detail. For instance, do you have a showroom? Is it clean and well organized? Is the lighting appropriate for the displays? Are there comfortable chairs? Can they get a drink of water or a cup of coffee? Are the merchandise displays laid out in a way that encourages customers to leisurely browse? Does it provide a positive sensory experience?

If you don’t have a showroom, then you must make the main contact point as friendly, inviting and engaging as possible. If it’s a brochure, is it small and packed tightly to save money? If so, you probably cost yourself more money than you could ever save because, if customers won’t read it, you don’t get sales. The most inviting print pieces have plenty of open space (white space, negative space, etc.). If a page is too busy or crowded, the reader’s brain quickly passes it by because it causes mental or emotional confusion or conflict. Packing as much as possible in to persuade them can actually do the opposite. In design terms, less is more.

Is their first contact a product sample? This is where the “first impressions last” rule must be considered. If possible, make a sample its own little presentation. Rather than have only the product be what they see, use a printed bag or box with a picture, the name and a some basic information on the back – keep it very simple. This does two things: A. It makes it seem like a present (and not just extra stock), plus it’s a bit like unwrapping one, and; B. It helps ensure that they remember your product’s name and image. Yes, this does cost more, but the emotional experience helps build your brand more strongly in their mind and gets them to dwell on your product longer. When you might have only one shot and you can’t be there to talk about it, it better be good.

If you have a showroom, look at the lighting. The human eye is drawn to the brightest thing within its field of vision. You want display areas well lit, and you also want to have the room light lower than the highlights on your displays. This creates attractive zones for the eyes, highlights the products and helps the customer’s brain focus on what you want them to see. Again, if your showroom is crowded, simplify it because people like a feeling of space and room (Americans are particularly needful of this).

Take the way Apple does its stores. They are somewhat Spartan, clean-looking and they use spotlights to bring out their electronics – you almost have to look at their products if only because there are so few distractions. How do you know it works? They can barely keep product in their stores – do you have that problem? Another example is large retail chains like Macy’s. Look at their ceilings and notice how many spotlights they use. They know that lighting leads people where they want them to go by creating attractive visual zones.

If you have e-commerce on your site, it’s a natural tendency to try to tell folks everything all at once, but that’s not how we learn, or buy. If they linger on the site, they are more likely to buy because they’ve had a pleasant experience. So, keep your home page uncluttered and provide lots of navigation clues so that they can always tell where they are and how they got there - the first sign of confusion means they’ll likely bolt. Do usability testing on your site (or as you’re building it – don’t wait until the end as that’s too late) by putting a customer in a chair, put a video camera on the screen and see where they go. Are they going where you want them to? Where do they linger? After you’ve done a few of these, you’ll have a very good idea whether or not your design is working.

So, dwell for a time on your spaces and see where you would dwell.

Frank Goad is president of Frank Communications, a marketing and advertising consulting firm specializing in helping small- and medium-sized businesses grow and prosper. www.frankcomlex.com, 859-619-5050

Posted in Displays, Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, retail, Branding, Frank, business plan, business relationships, building business, Advertising | Print | No Comments »

19. August 2010 by Frank Goad.

This week’s webisode features Barry Bronson, part II. Barry is a career veteran of public relations, marketing and journalism. Much of his work has centered on the automotive industry and its suppliers. He was P.R. director at Valvoline and ran their racing sponsorship program for NASCAR, drag racing and other racing segments. He’s colorful and knowledgeable. See him here: “Avoid P.R. pitfalls – think it through.” Once you’ve seen it, please leave a comment.

Posted in Frank Communications, Frank Goad, FrankyGee3, Branding, Public relations, Advertising, Frank, Marketing | Print | No Comments »

10. June 2010 by Frank Goad.

No one can do it all.

The title says it all. The good news is that you don’t have to worry about getting everyone on earth to come and peruse your site. The bad news is that you do have get the people who spend money with you to come to it, and that takes money. Sounds like you’re still at square one, doesn’t it? Let’s talk about this for a minute.

Remember this: The Internet isn’t free if you’re trying to get customers. If you are a customer looking to buy, then it costs less – yes, your customers pay, too. They have to pay for access (cable, wireless, etc.), buy a computer, pay for anti-virus software (you don’t need it if you don’t connect) and, above all, they “spend” their most precious commodity - time - looking for information, products and services. If you want them to visit your site, make it worth their time and money whenever they “stop by.” Always remember that a website is not a brochure and it needs updating often to offer real value.

The Internet is an advertising medium and advertising costs money. In the beginning it was a communications tool for computer scientists and geeky folk. Now it’s the backbone of international commerce and consumer choice. Just as you pay for brochures and magazine ads, you have to pay for Internet advertising. How so? Google AdWords, site construction, consulting on building traffic, and so on, all cost time and money. Even if you do it yourself, it’s not free. What do you make per hour? Every bit of time you spend building a website is an hour you’re not earning money.

Like any advertising, there are ways to keep the costs down, but you still pay and that’s the real point: Not investing properly in your Internet “properties” shows a poor return on whatever you spend. Consider these two scenarios:

A. Let’s say you spend $5,000 to get a really cool website built by your hotshot nephew. He’s been to tech school and can make it do some amazing stuff. Your site looks like a playground in a monitor. You launch it and, by using free Google Webmaster Tools, you find out hardly anyone is coming to it, and those who do barely hang around. There can be many reasons but, for this story, let’s go with the assumption your nephew is not trained in graphic design or visual communication techniques and knows less about advertising copy writing. Your website is the equivalent of a child’s picture book that’s really interesting at first, but soon loses its appeal. A major function of your site is to be an advertisement (and usually a cash register, too), and if function follows form or technique, you’ll likely be disappointed.

B. Let’s say you spend $500 to get a site built and, even though “it ain’t pretty,” the traffic is good … at first. You check the Google tools and see that you are way off your peak visits and dropping. You remember that you haven’t put any new content up since you posted the site. People have seen it and have moved on. Fresh content keeps them coming back. That’s why the major networks like CBS, CNN, The New York Times and myriad other sites do well - they keep fresh content coming. Even if it’s just a new weekly coupon, your loyal customers will keep checking.

These days, there are four groups that you really need to consider if you’re creating a new site or getting ready to revamp your current site:

1. Coders: Technical folks who build your site and make it work and connect. Websites are programs that display their results graphically.

2. Designers: If they’re good they guide visitor’s eyes where you want them to go. From my (long and sometimes bloody) experience, many designers aren’t good coders and vice versa (I’m going to get hate mail on that - sorry, but it’s true). A designer is trained in visual communication that’s art and graphics based, an important skill that isn’t inherent to web coding.

3. Search engine optimization (SEO) experts: Most coders say they know SEO, and some do, but it’s a sophisticated discipline that’s more like statistical research and psychological profiling. It’s darn near a black art at times, but there’s a real craft to doing it well and a marketing background is a real plus.

4. Content providers: You still need folks to write persuasive copy and figure out what people want. Your site is a lot like a magazine in that you want folks to read what’s there, look at the pictures and come back every “issue” through subscriptions. You might say, “We do videos.” Who writes your script? Whether read or spoken, it requires special skills to be compelling.

Are there people who do all these well? Sure, but they’re rare and their rates make many folks gasp. My strong suits are numbers two (design), and four (content creation). I provide content including advertising copy, strategy, graphic/art direction, feedback measurement systems and creative campaigns. I also am very well versed in visual communication, meaning I know how to guide the eye around the page to make sure they “get” the most important things.

I’m okay at search engine optimization issues but don’t hesitate to get help because it is critical to getting a great return on your investment and eyeballs on your site. How am I at coding and actually constructing a website? Lousy and I have no desire to do it because, well, I do other things much better.

Can you do all these things? Probably not, so be honest with yourself, move some money around in your advertising budget and get folks who know how to do these things. Remember that it’s an investment, not an expense. Given that around 97% of people go the Internet first to find products and services, it’s just smart business to do it right and ensure that they think of your site as a reliable place to go.

Posted in Branding, Web development, Frank Communications, Frank Goad, building business, relationships, advertisers, Frank, FedEx, business, Advertising | Print | No Comments »