More Smart Marketing

I was thinking....“WHAT IF…”

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:09:00 +0000

Maybe the time for these ideas has come. Or maybe not.

WHAT IF we had no limits?

I was watching the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebrations on TV. Everyone was wearing top hats that had a huge NIVEA logo on them. They were being interviewed under a NIVEA banner and were only interrupted by a few NIVEA commercials. I thought “Geez, do we need to commercialize this public event? This is a time of hope, a time of inspiration, etc, etc, etc.”

CAN’T BEAT ‘EM? JOIN EM!

But maybe I was jealous that I had not thought of the top hat deal myself. Why not expand the use of marketing in other public venues and areas? Maybe there’s a way to make it a win-win situation for consumers, clients and community. Then something dangerous happened. I started thinking “WHAT IF….”

POLICE PLUGGING BUSINESSES

WHAT IF we sold advertising space on the outside of police cars? City budgets are maxed out, but we want to see police cars patrolling the streets, right? So the ad revenue could pay for a bigger force and all new Tasers.

WHAT IF Highway Patrol officers handed out coupons for $5.00 off KFC chicken when they gave out tickets? Then, even if you had to pay a $75 fine, you could console yourself with a bucket of fried or grilled chicken?

WHAT IF Drug Task Force undercover agents delivered pizza? Imagine how easy it would be to spot marijuana smokers. It may be profiling, but if somebody orders five mushroom pizzas, you gotta be suspicious. When the narc squad delivers the pizza, they’ll see or smell “probable cause” and arrest the customer (after they pay for the pizza, of course).

WHAT IF we put ads for bail bond companies INSIDE police cars? They can be attached to the back of the cage that separates arrested suspects from the officer in the front. Talk about targeted marketing!

AMBULANCE ADVERTISING

WHAT IF we sold ad space on the inside roofs of EMT vehicles? Why make lawyers chase ambulances? Imagine lying on the stretcher after some idiot came through a stop sign and hit your car. You look up at the ceiling of the ambulance and you see the 800 number for Elk & Elk! Perfect!

RESTROOM RESEARCH

WHAT IF we used stalls in public bathrooms to collect research? Public toilets were not always free, and I don’t think we should charge now — but what if you were required to enter a valid email address on a touch-pad keyboard before you could enter the stall? While sitting there, perhaps you could text answers to a quick survey about the quality of toilet paper.

FUNNY MONEY

WHAT IF we allowed companies to advertise ON currency? I’m talking about Wonder Bread on the back of one dollar bills…Frank’s Hot Sauce on a five…tax preparer services on the back of a ten (“Send less of these to Uncle Sam when you use H+R Block”). The revenue could help pay down the deficit by 2090…or ’91 at the latest.

LIMIT: YOUR IMAGINATION

You can see the possibilities now, can’t you? All it takes is a little imagination.

By the way…are you using reading glasses to view this article? WHAT IF I could reduce the cost of your glasses with a small see-through sticker on the lens that is sponsored by Farris Marketing?

Now you’re starting to catch on!

Stay tuned and stay smart.

The Biggest Trends of the Past Decade and One to Watch in the Next

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:27:00 +0000

2000–2009 BROUGHT BIG CHANGES

Every decade has events and developments that have significant impact on society in general and business specifically. Who would have thought that after the “dot-com” boom of the ’90s, this decade would bring even bigger changes?

DECLINE OF NEWSPAPERS

Rarely has an industry seen such a multi-front attack. Aside from news aggregation sites and “citizen journalism,” newspapers had to try to deal with the decline of their biggest, yet least obvious source of revenue: classified advertising. Free classifieds on sites like Craigslist.org mortally wounded many newspapers. Papers need a new business model.

iTUNES

Goodbye Walkman, hello iPod. The devices, introduced in 2001 at the beginning of Apple’s comeback, were only part of it. Making buying music online easy through iTunes changed the way we rock forever.

SMART PHONES

Blackberry phones made it easy to get emails and text messages and business documents. They earned the name “Crackberry” because many of us (including me) display withdrawal symptoms if the little demon is not in their hands 24/7.

iPHONE

Steve Jobs took smart phones to a whole new level in 2007. Apple gave us an entirely new niche of smart phones that blended music, video and a huge choice of applications (“There’s an app for that”).

SATELLITE TV & DVRs

Satellite bit off as much as 26% of the cable TV market. Meanwhile, DVRs made skipping commercials even easier — a blow to TV advertisers.

MORE TV CHANNELS/REALITY TV

Further splitting the TV advertising market was the addition of many more channels and shows. The upside is you can target groups such as “foodies,” who watch the food shows. The downside is more reality shows like the “Cops” knock-off “Steven Seagal Lawman.” Ugh.

SOCIAL MEDIA/WEB VIDEO

When Google bought YouTube in 2006, it was about bringing TV to the internet. We now make video a staple of almost every website we build. But I can’t say enough about what an impact social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have made. Farris Marketing has a presence on all three, and blogs also. Doing the same for our clients, we have extended the footprint of so many of their websites, while increasing customer service and bringing prospecting to new levels.

“SOCIAL-PROFITS”

When a former community organizer became president, the nation finally recognized the importance of non-profit organizations. We used to just look at the direct benefits to the people they helped, but now we look at the economic impact and value they bring to a community. Now we refer to non-profits as “social-profit” organizations.

NEXT DECADE: RENEWABLE ENERGY

The dot-com boom will look like a burp compared to what this industry will bring the world and its economy. Every big company and big investor is lining up to get involved — with good reason.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Simply put: Embrace it...because there’s more coming. People are communicating in new ways. Marketing and advertising to your customers must follow this change. You must try these new and different media and know how to mix them in with traditional media. You must know how to tune your message to a market that now CHOOSES which messages it wants to receive and how it receives them.

GET PRO HELP

We strongly suggest you get professional help, because it can save you the expense of a trial-and-error process. In fact, call Farris — no marketing firm our size has as much experience and success with messaging and using new media.

GET GOING NOW

Don’t wait. Use these new trends to your advantage and be part of the big stories of the next decade.

Stay tuned and stay smart.

Why 2009 Was a Good Year

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:39:00 +0000

No, I’m not drinking. Well, coffee...but not alcohol. I know 2009 was a brutal year for most consumers, investors, businesses and nonprofit organizations from a financial perspective. But some things happened that still qualify it as a “good year” in my book.

As the song by Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews says: “It'd be easy to add up all the pain…And all the dreams you sat and watched go up in flames…But not me, I'm alive…And today, you know, that's good enough for me…Today's the first day of the rest of my life, and I'm alive and well.”

So I thought I should list some of the good things about 2009 (in no special order) so we can go into the new year with a better perspective.

GOOD THINGS ABOUT 2009

• If your business survived, it’s probably because you got leaner and smarter. You’re probably doing the basic fiscal management and Smart Marketing things you should have been doing when business was booming. You can take the lessons learned this year and apply them in good times and do even better. You’ll probably grow rapidly as the economy improves if you keep up the fiscal and marketing improvements you’ve made.

• Former Forum Health CEO Buzz Pishkur served as an example to us all by turning down $9,000 a week in “hush money” from creditors who wanted him to stay silent as they dismantled a community treasure.

•We Kept the Light On at the Public Libraries of Youngstown & Mahoning County.

Dedicated visionaries still exist in our Valley…Carlton Sears, Larry Molinterno, Richard Roller and Rev. David Sherrard to name just a few.

•The Canfield Fair came back strong. Working with Farris, they used social media like website TV, Twitter and YouTube for the first time — and got more than 8,000 fans on Facebook!

• A local company, Northern States Metals, is making a huge splash in the international renewable energy market with a product called Solar FlexRack.

• The Business Journal began a cool daily business newscast with Stacia Erdos.

• Todd Franko has given The Vindicator a friendly personality again, for the first time since Esther Hamilton retired.

People will soon realize that ONE HEALTH Ohio and Dr. Ron Dwinnells are demonstrating REAL healthcare reform while Congress is still debating it. They’ve been successfully providing high-quality medical and dental services to uninsured and under-insured patients for years — and they’re growing.

• Poland and Boardman high schools played football games with Cardinal Mooney, and the only people who acted childish were adults and sportswriters. The kids shook hands after the game and remain good friends.

• Nick Dionisio, a retired teacher, gave this advice to people living with cancer: “Do not count each of the minutes you have left; instead make each minute count.”

• Bruce Beard, one of the Valley’s most successful financial advisors, spoke recently. I was in the audience. Of course, he saw a lot of wealth disappear over the last 15 months. But instead of being bitter, he was still thankful and humbled. He reminded us that we must never forget that “Your next breath is a gift.” He repeated for a totally silent and stunned crowd, “Your next breath is a gift.”

I think of those words every day. And I like to add, “Everything else is a bonus.” Maybe that’s why I believe 2009 was a good year.

Stay tuned and stay smart.

What High School Football Can Teach You About Marketing

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:55:00 +0000

I was cold, muddy and tired as I stood on the sideline next to Don Bucci, the head coach of our football team. He surveyed the situation; it was 3rd down with 4 yards to go.
Then, in the ear hole of my helmet, he said, "Sweep right." I ran in and told the quarterback. He called the play, we ran it and got the first down. Then I came out to get the next play.
There were no radio helmets in 1971. Even the NFL didn’t have them. So plays were brought into the huddle by an expendable player like me — a guard on the offensive line.
DO WHAT WORKS
We had over 20 basic plays in our playbook, but 80 percent of the time we ran four: Power to Ted Bell, Sweep to Ted Bell, Belly to Steve Komara, or Iso to Ted Bell.
Once in a while, Coach would call a pass play and I’d start to run in. Then he’d yank me back by my shoulder pads and say, “Make that Belly Right on Two.” I’d be thinking, “Yeah, big surprise.”
But with those four plays, we went undefeated and won the championship. Coach stuck with what works — and you should too. Is it TV, radio, direct mail? Whatever works, stick with it. The right play can win the game.
TRY SOMETHING NEW
That year we tried something new. We kicked a field goal — the first ever in our history. It worked! So we did it several more times that year. What can you do that’s new? Online advertising? Social media? Try it…it just might work.
MOTIVATION
Our coach was famous for his pre-game speeches. We were so fired up coming out of the locker room, we almost hurt ourselves getting to the field. But that fire kept us going in tough situations. You may not be a strong orator, but you can inspire employees with encouraging and positive words.
RESEARCH
Game films and scouting opponents are givens in football. Why don’t you take one afternoon each month and scout your competitors? Look at their websites, clients and sales materials.
TEST
The first offensive series we ran were always meant to test our opponents’ strength. The other team knew what plays we were going to run. But our coach wanted to see which plays would work against them. So he tested them. If they worked, we ran them again and again. If not, you rarely saw that play again. How do you test and measure your marketing efforts?
BRANDING
Wearing a letterman jacket was a source of pride. If you went to another team’s games, you were instantly identified and proud to be recognized. Is your brand that strong? Would people wear your logo?
REWARD
We received stickers that went on our helmets when we made a good play. They didn’t cost much, but they were highly valued by players. What do you give customers as a reward for returning and buying?
Apply these lessons from high school football to your marketing. You’ll win a lot more than games.
Stay tuned and stay smart.

The Power of Negative Thinking

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:46:00 +0000

Show ’em the down side — and sell more

WE DON'T LIKE CHANGE

Most humans avoid change. We only change when we must. When we do change, we change as little as possible.
For example, let’s say you love pizza and wings. But every pair of pants you own is so tight you can tell if a dime in your back pocket is heads or tails. So you cut back to 12 wings instead of 24 and buy a size 38 with the “comfort-stretch waist.”

FEAR IS THE BEST MOTIVATOR
By “best,” I mean the most EFFECTIVE in moving us do something. Even though you cut back to 12 wings instead of 24, your doctor informs you that you’re a perfect candidate for a heart attack. Fearing that negative consequence, you suddenly realize you CAN be satisfied with soup and a salad.

DO NEGATIVE ADS WORK?
Negative ads have a bad rep. But that’s because they’re too often done the wrong way. As Bertram DeSouza pointed out in a recent column, when right-wingers tried to tie Obama to Bin Laden because of his Muslim-sounding middle name, it backfired. Why? Because few believed it.

THE BULL METER
Any claim, whether positive or negative, has to first be believable to work. It has to pass the bull meter. It also needs two other qualities. Positive or negative offers must a) be truthful — fact, not bragging; and b) be important to buyers.

COMPARISON SELLING
Aren’t negative ads really just “COMPARISON” marketing? You’re first showing the problem, and then the solution your product offers vs. your competitor’s — or no purchase at all.

WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO LOSE?
And that last factor needs to be emphasized. Too often we’re so busy talking about the benefits of buying our product that we forget to point out what customers have to lose if they don’t buy it.
Sounds funny I know, but your biggest competitor is not one of your competitors — it’s INACTION.

THE SILENT COMPETITOR
So sometimes you must show what could happen if things continue as is with no change. Show how life is without your product or service. Point out the consequences of NOT hiring you.
Just make sure your claim is true, important to prospects — and believable. Use the power of negative thinking the right way, and you could experience some very positive outcomes!

Stay tuned and stay smart!

Which Dog Catches the Rabbit?

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:00:00 +0000

FOCUS can be your most effective marketing tool

Former head coach Sam Rutigliano was asked why his Kardiac Kids were one of the most successful Browns teams ever — even though they didn’t have the most skilled players. I heard him tell this story at the Valley Impact Awards.

BLUE CHASES A RABBIT
Sam said, “My dog Blue spotted a rabbit and took off after it. He was right on its tail. As other neighborhood dogs saw the chase in progress, they got excited and joined in — but they had to follow Blue.

OTHERS JOIN IN, THEN DROP OUT
“Soon there were 10 or 15 dogs chasing that rabbit,” Sam continued. “But one by one, they all slowed down and dropped out of the chase. Soon it was just Ol’ Blue again chasing the rabbit, and it wasn’t long before he caught it.

WHY JUST BLUE?
“Blue was the oldest and maybe the weakest of the bunch…so why did the other dogs drop out instead of him?” Sam wondered. “BECAUSE THE OTHER DOGS COULD NOT SEE THE RABBIT. They forgot WHAT they were chasing and WHY. They lost interest because they lost focus. Blue caught the rabbit because he was the only dog that could SEE the rabbit throughout the chase. He had FOCUS. And focus combined with passion is a winning combination.”

SCHEDULE FOCUS SESSIONS
Once a week at Farris Marketing, we have a meeting called “Brand Camp.” We don’t discuss clients or cases. We discuss Farris — WHAT we’re doing, and WHY we’re doing it. It’s where we make sure we can all see the rabbit. It’s where we focus, and combine that focus with passion and energy.

MAKE SURE YOU CAN SEE THE RABBIT
We teach our clients to stop once a week or so, like we do, and look at their core purpose. Then we ask them to remind themselves WHY they do it. Then, and only then, can we help them work on HOW it’s done.

BETTER VIEW = BETTER ROI
Not surprisingly, clients that are focused find it much easier to perform marketing-related tasks and get a much better Return On Investment.

MAKE SURE YOUR CUSTOMER SEES IT TOO
To improve sales, your marketing should make the rabbit (the prize, the reward, the purpose for doing business with you) very visible. The benefits of catching the rabbit (buying your product) need to be clear, and they need to be seen often to keep customers motivated.

DON’T BLOCK THE VIEW
When you try to stick two, three or four benefits into one advertisement, you’re blocking the view of the rabbit. Keep it simple. Keep the energy level up. Demonstrate your passion. And your focus will be rewarded with better response to all marketing efforts.

KEEP THE RABBIT IN SIGHT FOR ALL
Make sure your purpose, your passion and what you do best is clear to your board, staff, customers and the community. If it’s a credible goal, it will be welcomed and accepted by all.

WHICH DOG CATCHES THE RABBIT?
The first dog — the one that can see it. Make sure you always keep the rabbit in sight, and that first dog will always be you.
Stay tuned and stay smart.##

Zen and the Art of Lawn Maintenance

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:37:00 +0000

TO FIND ANSWERS, SEEK ACTION

In the past few weeks, we’ve worked on some challenging projects at Farris — helping people make tough decisions and get their messages out.
An Austintown healthcare pioneer retired from a business he had built and loved. In doing so, six beloved employees had to be laid off. A former hospital CEO was close to witnessing a turnaround, when he was forced out by Wall Street bankers who felt he was blocking their plans to cash out of the Valley healthcare market.
On the flip side, we’ve been having a lot of fun helping market high-demand products in the solar energy field. We’ve had the chance to help local non-profit organizations get their messages out. We’re working on exciting levy issues and helping clients sell lighting products on the internet.

CRAZY PLACE
Our business is happy, sad, exciting and challenging — all at once. In one day we can go through more emotions than a therapist sees all week. So how do we keep sane? And under all this stress, how do we come up with breakthrough ideas for clients?
Everyone is different, but for me when I need answers I seek an action; when I need peace, I seek a place.

THE BIG IDEA
When I need an answer I have to move around. I can’t sit in front of a computer and think about it. I put the problem in my mind then go to the gym and lift weights, go to Mill Creek Park and ride my bike, or just cut the grass.

ZEN WITH A TORO
That’s right, cut the grass. I’ve used a lawn service since I was first married. But then not long ago, I realized there was something relaxing about cutting those neat rows of fresh-smelling grass. I find Zen with my 6.5 hp Toro.

I love putting my ball cap on backwards, putting my iPod in my ears and singing “Rock and Roll Pain Train” along with Kid Rock as I watch those green pillars fall. My family claims I also get some fiendish thrill from embarrassing them by singing loudly on the front lawn as our neighbors stare and laugh.

Later, when I am in the shower, without especially thinking about it, the answer to the problem often comes to me. Days later, if the client asks where I got the idea, I simply reply, “research” — with a wink.

BOOKS GIVE ME A BREAK
When I feel stressed or agitated, I often head for the Library or a bookstore. There is something about being around books that has always made me feel better. It calms me down and helps me focus — even if I don’t read the books! It may sound funny, but it works for me.

IDEAS COME WHEN U ARE RELAXED
I believe most of the ideas and answers already exist in our brains. We can’t force them out, but we can let them reveal themselves when we are relaxed and provide a healthy atmosphere for them.

GRASS AND GAS
I know it sounds crazy, but the great marketing idea you got from Farris might have started with a Personal Pace mower and a can of gas.
Stay tuned and stay smart!

Can a Community Create a New Brand?

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:22:00 +0000

BOARDMAN RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO TRY
“A Nice Place to Call Home” proclaim the signs entering Boardman Township.

“A traffic nightmare,” proclaim some holiday shoppers.

“You must have a location there,” say most retailers.

“The Valley’s new center of healthcare,” say medical experts.

So which is it? What captures the image of Boardman? What should it be? What’s the difference?

HOW BOARDMAN STARTED
When Boardman was founded in the late 1780s by Elijah Boardman, it was primarily an agricultural community. Around the turn of the century, a railroad line led to Southern Park, a horse racing facility on Washington Boulevard. Thus the area was an early draw for Youngstown urbanites.

WHAT HAPPENED
Around 1950, the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, one of the greatest steelmakers in the country, built a unique suburban campus for its headquarters and remained there until 1980. But it was Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. who made the biggest impact on the area. He built one of the nation’s first strip plazas in 1950, followed by an amazing modern shopping mall in 1970. Boardman became the place to live, shop, eat, do business in and more. But 30 years after the retail and housing explosion, we’ve lost our identity.

WHAT’S NEXT?
Sparked by Trustee Larry Moliterno, a group of Boardman residents, business owners, school officials and others began meeting. They’re undertaking an independent, grassroots effort to establish a quality Boardman Brand, and then ensure the township lives up to the image that brand will portray.

WHY DO IT?
Boardman residents want to keep the quality of life they have — and improve on it. That means attracting and keeping home buyers, as well as business and professional services. They want to build community PRIDE. And they want the regional recognition they deserve for the considerable economic impact Boardman residents and businesses contribute to the Valley. Boardman needs to look at what makes it special and different. It must communicate that in every message that is sent out. More importantly, once a consensus is reached, it must have “buy-in” by its own residents before it promotes that message to others.

FARRIS SUGGESTS RESEARCH FIRST
Farris Marketing is providing pro bono research services through its online research platform ValleyOpinion.com. The Boardman Branding committee will be using the site to gather real-time survey answers from recent home buyers in Boardman, as well as the opinions of those living outside of the township. The online research will be supplemented by interviews with real estate experts, bankers and business owners.

DEVELOPING GOALS AND MESSAGES
Once all the research is in, the committee will be setting goals and getting even more input from area civic groups, churches and neighborhood organizations. Then timelines, major messages and budgets will be developed — along with a donation campaign to help fund the effort.

WHAT IT IS — AND IS NOT
This is an effort by Boardman SUPPORTERS. No one will turn a blind eye toward what is wrong with the township, but our focus is going to be on promoting what is right with it. Negative, “anti-everything” people can start their own group.This is not a government-run program. Though an elected official had the idea and got it started, it’s the stakeholders — homeowners, seniors, businesses and civic groups — who are running with it.

CAN IT BE DONE?
Yes! Ask residents of Plantation, Florida or Louisville, Kentucky — communities that started branding efforts in the past few years. Or check out LaQuinta, California, which began its successful program almost 10 years ago.

OTHER IDEAS
Why not a Boardman Chamber of Commerce? How about a commerce coalition with similar local suburbs? How about an ongoing marketing committee?

JUST THE START
Once the results of the research start coming in, more and more information will be released; we’re developing an informational blog as I write this. Visit BrandingBoardman.org for updates. I’m not sure what Elijah Boardman would think about this branding effort — but then again, he created the brand name.

Stay tuned and stay smart.

For Breakthrough Ideas that deliver Bottom-Line Results contact Farris Marketing

Marketing During the Meltdown

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:10:00 +0000

It’s quiet. Chilly. And still kind of dark. Most of the Valley is still asleep. But I’m at Mill Creek Park sipping the last of my wonderful hot coffee and getting ready to run one of the trails around the lake.

I know the next 10 or 12 hours will be full of meetings and calls and clients. But the next 40 minutes are mine.

When I get close to the end of my run, I start to say the Serenity Prayer...out loud. Part of the reason I say it out loud is that I hate to hear myself gasping and wheezing for air.

But it’s also because I know that at least once during the coming day, I’ll be looking into the eyes of a desperate small business person whose business has dropped to half of what it was before the recession.

I need the wisdom to know what I can help them change and what I cannot. And I need the courage to tell them the truth.

NO SILVER BULLETS

The truth is, there are no silver bullets. I can’t give you a slogan that will suddenly have customers lining up at your door. You can’t come up with a special sale that will reverse the economy, and you can’t completely change the products or services you offer.

SOME SILVER LININGS

But this recession has helped some business owners realize that they must get back to the basics, focus on making sure they supply what customers want, and improve communications with their customers.

In fact, many clients tell me that they have a better company now than they did a year ago. Volume may be lower, but customer satisfaction is higher. They’re selling what customers want, and they’ve built a community of loyal followers — not just nameless, faceless customers.

ANSWER THREE KEY QUESTIONS

We’ve helped a lot of firms stay afloat by starting with three key questions: What are you best at? What are you passionate about? And what does the marketplace want and have the money to purchase? Where these answers intersect is where you focus most of your resources.

KEEP CORE VALUES

Your product or service probably still has value, so stick with it. You’re probably best at doing something. So stick with that. Keep the core values of being fair, and passing up a free dollar to earn an honest one. Deliver a quality product or service.

ADAPT MEDIA TO CULTURE

In days past, you could set a media schedule on TV, radio and newspaper and forget about it for the year. Those days are over. You may have to revise your media choices and your schedules every month now — and that may not be a bad thing.

And now you know there are other places to reach customers besides traditional media. We’ve been using social media marketing to help many of our clients build the kind of relationships with customers they’ve always wanted.

STIMULATE THE SYSTEM

If your core values and offering are solid and you’ve adapted your media, then pick up the pace. Do it more often, and make it a habit — a regular habit. Like a morning run in Mill Creek Park, it can make your whole life better.

Stay tuned and stay smart.

Photo Credit kfwahoo

How the 163-Year-Old Canfield Fair Is Connecting With Young People

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:09:00 +0000

“I remember when my friend ate 30 caramel apples at the Fair.” said Matt Baird. “Has to be a record.” Well, that would have been a sight to see (OK, at least until the friend got sick) — but it took place many years ago, and the only people who saw it were right there at the time.

NOW EVERYONE CAN BE THERE

If that “record-setting” event took place at the 2009 Canfield Fair, Matt could have taken a picture or video with his cell phone and sent it to the Fair’s website. Then it could have been viewed by thousands of viewers on Flickr, YouTube and Facebook.

The Fair might have even sent out a Tweet to let its followers know they should look for the video or photo. Yes, the Canfield Fair is on Twitter. What’s going on?

TRADITION EXTENDED WITH NEW MEDIA

There are not many events that are more steeped in tradition than the Canfield Fair, but the Fair’s Board of Directors wanted to keep those traditions expanding among the younger generations. Their first step, as Farris recommended, was a survey — an ONLINE survey, taken this spring.

The Fair received hundreds of responses, with many great comments and lots of support. The best things about the Fair? The vast majority of responses listed family, friends, fun and food. Many mentioned planning family and friend reunions around the fair. And the food was mentioned over and over.

MESSAGE IMPORTANT/MEDIA CRITICAL

What survey respondents said was important, but the medium they used to say it was even more important. Additional research showed that most of the Fair’s audience can be, and wants to be, reached ONLINE. A surprising percentage of online responses came from people over 70. And many of the younger audience connect with other events like concerts online via social media. So why not the Fair?

ePOWER WORKS FOR THE FAIR

The Fair may have an exhibit of steam-powered tractors on the Fairgrounds, but it knows the advantages of ePower as well. It’s been using eCommerce for years to sell concert tickets and gate passes.

Farris is working with the Fair to help it use other ePower assets. The first edition of its new eNewsletter (The Rooster Report) went out last month. And the new website we created for the fair (www.CanfieldFair.com) features eVideos as well.

SOCIAL MEDIA ADDED TO MIX

To connect with the younger generation, we created Flickr, YouTube and Facebook pages for the Fair. There’s not much on them now, but visitors are being asked to send their personal photos, videos and “Fair Stories” in so everyone can view them during and long after the Fair. eVideo inter-views shot during the Fair will be posted on YouTube within hours.

YOUR ORGANIZATION CAN CONNECT TOO

The Fair is smart to be using ePower and social media to connect with current and future customers. They’re communicating the way their customers want them to communicate, and creating an “online community” of fans.

You can connect with your company’s or organization’s fans, too. You don’t have to eat 30 caramel apples and put the video on YouTube. But then again, if you want to try for 31….

Stay tuned and stay smart.

Connect with your customer base with ePower.

Call 330-782-8061 or email: consult@farrismarketing.com today!

Accelerate Your Business with ePower

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:32:00 +0000

YOU NEED SOMETHING NEW

Let’s face it, we all do. You have the same website for years and even if you update it, so what? If you want people coming back and buying pro-ducts or services from you, you have to give them a reason to come back. You also have to understand what people like to see and use the most.

THREE THINGS THAT WORK

After several years of study, trial and testing, I can tell you there are 3 basic new tools that will add “ePower” to your website and can accelerate your business. At Farris we do all of them for some clients and one or two for many clients. We help clients pick and choose which are best for their business.

E-NEWSLETTERS

Yes, they have been around for many years but they have rarely been done right. We have found the perfect combination of infor-mation, entertainment and sales to elicit response and keep people opting in and asking for more. Ask me for a sample of the recent e-newsletter we did for the Canfield Fair (The Rooster Report). It was a hit and thousands have opted in. That’s not chicken feed.

E-VIDEO

Wow, so many new uses and

new options for this media. Using special servers that are much better than YouTube, you can broadcast demonstrations, testimonials, statements and much more in high quality and simply have us add a module to your existing website. The videos you see on the BusinessJournalDaily.com website are examples of this. We’ve also been using them for Frequently Asked Questions and more for other clients. And for testimonials for clients like Industry Needs You.

What makes eVideo more cost effective? Farris shoots and edits these 20-sec to 3-minute videos ourselves and has them uploaded to your site as fast as the next day. It’s professionally shot, though not studio quality. However, they are a LOT more economical to do — in fact, many clients do 2 or 3 at a time. Call me for more details.

E-COMMERCE

This may not be for everyone but more and more sites are adding e-commerce to sell what they once thought they could only sell in their stores or on eBay. It’s now easier than ever to set up and operate an e-commerce website. Again we can give you more details.

ePower BOTTOM LINE

These new tools are affordable, easier and faster to get started and they attract business. They are exciting and fun. They showcase your products and services. And they can make a real difference in the response to your website. You owe it to yourself to at least get some more info about it. I believe it’s the best thing since the internet.

Stay tuned and stay smart.

Find out how to use ePower solutions to accelerate your business.

Call 330-782-8061 or email: consult@farrismarketing.com today!

Partnership Marketing Minimizes Risk, Maximizes Reward

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:18:00 +0000

MARKETING TO SIMILAR MARKETS?

Go to a home and garden show, and you’ll see landscaping firms right next to window replacement companies. Go to a church festival and you’ll see sausage sandwich trailers next to ice cream trailers. Go to the mall and...well, you get the idea.

These are examples of businesses with different products and services but similar clientele. Companies at a home and garden show are looking for prospects who want to improve their home. Festival vendors cater to people who want some fun and tasty food.

It’s much easier and much less expensive for companies to participate in these events at a single location, rather than trying to attract customers to their business alone. By renting booth or trailer space, they keep overhead down and get advertising and promotion at a fraction of the cost they would pay on their own.

USE THE SAME CONCEPT

You can use this concept to attract customers (new business) while saving time and money. But you don’t need an event, a large venue and dozens of other businesses to use this concept to benefit you.

It’s called Partnership Marketing, and you can do it by partnering with just one or two other firms. For example, a fitness center can partner with a doctor or physical therapist. A jewelry store can partner with a women’s clothing store. An insurance firm can hook up with realtors and car dealers.

WHAT’S THE PLAN?

There are a few ways to use your partnership. You could go together on a unique ad, mailer or promotion. By splitting advertising costs, you’ll get your message out to a larger group of prospects than you could afford to reach on your own.

You could offer discounts and sample services to the customers of your partner. For example, a physical therapist might station a staffer in the gym one day a month. The staffer offers free on-site body fat analyses, with the results written on her business card. (A discount or free consultation would appeal to a gym rat like me.)

Likewise, a physical therapist or doctor could send out information about the gym in monthly billing statements, or keep the gym’s literature in the waiting room. The gym could offer a discount to the doctor’s patients.

OTHER ADVANTAGES

Satisfied customers will take the association of your business and another as an “implied endorsement.” If they like your firm, they’ll assume the other company that is promoting with you is also a good organization.

You’re also saving your customers time by helping them find a needed service — and you’ll probably save them money, too.

EVERY ONE CAN DO IT

Business-to-business firms, healthcare and service companies…almost any kind of firm can partner with another that targets similar audiences. Use your imagination, pick a partner, stretch your marketing dollars and increase business too. That’s Smart Marketing.

Stay tuned and Stay Smart.

Should You “Go Green” With Your Marketing?

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:01:00 +0000

Green, like hope, is not a good marketing strategy (yet).
Joe Bananas and I were staying at a hotel near Chicago. We’d just come back from a golf outing reunion with our high school football team. Neither of us golf, so we played demolition derby with the golf carts while our teammates got in 18 holes. We came back to the room to shower and get dressed for the night out. (Note to spouse: Honey, the library is open real late there.)
Joe came out of the hotel room bathroom with a towel and a little plastic sign. “They want us to re-use towels to help save the environment!” he says. “I care about trees, but, I’m not using a towel after you use it.”
“Dude,” I say (I often revert to 70s phrases when with my old high school buds), “they want you to re-use your own towel…not mine.” “Oh,” he says — though I’m not sure he believed me because he stuck two clean towels under his bed.
GREEN NOT A HABIT YET
Joe’s not alone. Studies show only about one-third of guests re-use towels when asked to “help save the environment.” Consumers’ concern for the environment is trumped by self-interest.
GREEN DISADVANTAGES
Searching for the “next big thing,” many marketers try to create products or services that are “more green.” Sometimes these efforts are developed because the business owner has a concern for the environment. But too often the motivation is to tap in to what is seen as a lucrative market.
But when applying green aspects to existing products, you’ll find you’re attracting a niche market — niche as in “small.” Large numbers of people are NOT willing to spend more money or do more work to get a green product or service.
Worse, it creates doubt about performance. Besides the higher cost, why don’t more people buy small or hybrid cars? They worry the car won’t be as fast or powerful. They worry it won’t have a good resale value.
Does a “green” paint cover as well as a regular paint? Does a “green” bleach clean as well? Maybe, but doubt sends consumers back to the regular version.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If you want to sell green products or services now, here are tactics that can work:
Social Pressure. When hotels say, "Join your fellow guests in saving the environment,” the rate of towel re-use goes up.
Proven Performance. Label your package with some test data showing that it is equally effective as (or more effective than) the traditional product.
Endorsements. Will the local chapter of the Sierra Club or Garden Club or other environmental group endorse your efforts, products and services?
Manage Expectations. Going green is great. Just don’t expect it to be anything but niche results at first.
The bottom line is, green is a good direction. But don’t expect something to fly off the shelf just because it’s green. It has to be as good as or better than the traditional product.
Stay tuned and stay smart. ##

How to Sell Snowballs to Eskimos

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:26:00 +0000

It was 1985. My sales territory was the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta in western Alaska, along the Kuskokwim River. The Yupik people — commonly referred to as Eskimos — were my prospects.

For centuries, they had built igloos with square blocks of ice, formed with crude wooden boxes. I was selling a new plastic mold that allowed the igloo builder to scoop up snow and plunk it down without splinters. One unique feature was that the mold shaped the snow into a ball instead of a square block.

That’s right, I was selling snowballs to Eskimos.

NIGHTMARE ON MARKET STREET

OK, my snowball sales career may only have been a reality in the nightmares I have after a frustrating day. But it stems from a line I hear from lots of business owners: “I feel like I’m selling snowballs to Eskimos,” they say. They feel like they’re stuck selling a product or service nobody wants.

What do you do in that situation? The obvious answer would be to get a different product or service — or at least improve the ones you have. But that’s not always possible, at least not immediately. So while you work toward that, consider the following strategy.

EXISTING CUSTOMERS

Go back to them. Why did they buy? They are the best prospects to buy again, so put a lot of effort into this relationship and make them ongoing offers for replacements, and also for referrals. Get input on how to improve the product or service.

FIND/TARGET WHAT SELLS

What part or style or model does sell? Is it the high end? The low end? The colors? The delivered version? Search it out and define that market. Then target those parts of your product and service that sell, and focus your efforts and budget on those aspects for now.

ADD SOMETHING

Can’t sell tickets to your sports team’s games? Package them with things kids want — movie passes, baseball gloves, toys, etc. Buy the add-ons at a good price and include them at your cost. Get sponsors for these special events.

REPOSITION

Are you selling snowballs, or are you selling a fresh look for the igloo? Is it the green alternative? Can you reposition your product or service to serve a commercial market or group of buyers? Can you create new ways to use your product? (That snowball maker makes a great planter!)

MAKE IT EASY/REWARDING

Financing is not easy to come by today. But how about good old fashioned layaway? Can a customer earn points to get money off gas, a free video game or other products? Rewards have been around since the 1800s. They change a little (remember Green Stamps?), but the concept is the same and still works.

THE FIX

Ultimately you may need to improve your product or service...but until then, you CAN sell your product and service if you try these suggestions.

Meanwhile, do you think I can sell these snowball makers on eBay?

Stay tuned and stay smart.

100 Million Idol Votes = 1 Marketing Champion

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Sun, 24 May 2009 20:46:00 +0000

American Idol uses the proven strategy of getting customers.
Me and Joe Bananas were sitting in a booth at the MVR restaurant, eating some stuffed hot peppers and waiting for our pasta dinners. The TVs on the walls usually carry sports only, but this night, American Idol was on about half the screens.
Suddenly, we noticed about 10 female customers searching their purses for their cell phones. “What’s going on?” asked Joe. “They calling 911?” “No,” I replied. “Something more important – they’re texting in a vote for an American Idol contestant.”
Joe got a puzzled look on his face and would have made a comment, but the waitress delivered our spicy bowties and the only sound you heard for the next 15 minutes from either of us was chewing and the occasional belch.
THE WINNER
As you probably know, 100 million votes were sent in by text to help choose the winner of the contest. But the show itself was the big winner. Scoring a marketing and PR coup that would be hard to top.
BIG NEWS
The next day, every newspaper had the show on the front page. Radio hosts talked about it, every news broadcast mentioned it and it was online everywhere.
In my book, this makes Idol a Marketing Champion. Remember, TV shows and networks “sell” ratings to companies that pay to advertise during their shows. If I show can increase ratings, it can increase revenue. Idol not only got ratings, it added value by showing it can get millions of people INVOLVED.
 INVOLVEMENT IS KEY
The lesson is as old as advertising itself. If you get someone’s attention with an ad for 10 or 15 seconds, you’ve made progress. You made an impression. You may get them to act or remember your brand.
But if you can get them to send in a form for a contest drawing or call an 800 number for free info, you may have their attention 10 or 15 minutes. That improves your branding and positioning and your chances for getting a sale.
WEBSITES WORK WELL FOR THIS
A good website will also help you involve prospects and customers. That’s why so many have surveys online. Radio stations use surveys. Office Max let’s you “Elf Yourself” at Christmas.
MORE TIME = MORE BUSINESS
The more time a person spends with your brand, the more likely he or she is to make a purchase. Remember that. It was true 50 years ago. It is true today. The only difference is the media used to facilitate their participation.
That’s why, at my agency, we try to keep customers involved with clients. Social media, such as YouTube, Facebook and Flickr, can be great venues for this. But you can create involvement many ways.
We put surveys on client’s websites, we urge there customers to upload videos and photos to special sections of our clients’ websites. In the last two years we have developed dozens of ways to create that old-time involvement using new media. It’s an old idea that works even better than before.
Get your customers vote by getting them involved. Remember, their votes mean business for you.
Stay tuned and stay smart.##

Marketing: What Works for You

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Fri, 08 May 2009 17:17:00 +0000

OUR CUSTOMERS ARE DIFFERENT
“They don’t respond to the same things other people do,” said my new client Henry. Henry’s firm sells maintenance services to malls and industrial plants. “How are they different?” I asked. “They’re a different breed,” he replied, as if mall managers were misunderstood loners. To be polite, I gave him an understanding nod and said, “I see.”
But after 27 years as a consultant, I can tell you that mall managers, plant managers, doctors, lawyers, first-time moms and even empty-nesters all respond to similar marketing techniques.
The message may be different. The media choices may be different. But there are several key guidelines that are common to all successful marketers. And…what works for them will work for you.
WHAT WORKS; 10 Guidelines
1) Know your audience. Don’t assume you know what they want and need. Ask them on a regular basis. Learn what media they use most, and what made them buy from you. The more you know, the more you’ll grow.
2) Create a strong brand and position. Start by deciding what image you want to have in people’s minds. Then work everything around that — including your company name, logo and tagline. But make sure the customer experience matches the expectation your position promises.
3. Focus on the offer. After your brand is solid, make an offer that’s hard to resist. Ask yourself: would you respond to this offer? Remember, a position tells people why they should always buy from you. The offer tells people why they should buy now.
4. Avoid selling on just price. Instead, show people how much they need your product — even if it’s recreational. Make it ESSENTIAL in people’s minds, and price becomes less important.
5. Make response very easy. Put a “Buy Now,” “Contact,” and “Request a Quote” link on every page of your website. Put your phone number and website address all over every ad, TV spot and company vehicle.
6. Be consistent. Consider the entire campaign, and make sure every piece looks the same and has the same message and offers.
7. Do enough to make an impact. The response from an ad will never justify the investment unless you reach enough prospects several times.
8. Don’t advertise to your competitors. Ads that give your competitors a shot rarely click with consumers. They may make http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifyou feel good, but they don’t generate sales.
9. Keep connected to your customers. Use newsletters, mailing lists, contests, blogs and events. Your best source of new business is existing customers.
10. Use experienced experts. Consultants come in all shapes and sizes, but nothing is more important than actual experience. Make sure they have a track record of success. If they do, they can be a great investment.
Stay Tuned and Stay Smart.

The Best Media for Your Message: You

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:34:00 +0000

I was in the office on a cold February afternoon. My mind was mush. That’s worse than the oatmeal consistency it usually has. I needed inspiration and motivation.
So as usual, I made popcorn. No, not that microwave bag crap. REAL popcorn, MAN-style popcorn with oil and salt (but no butter ’cause I gotta watch my figure).

POP GOES THE EGO
I was taking a ginormous bowl of PC back to my office. I stuffed a giant handful into my mouth and I walked through our reception area. A salesperson was conversing with Malia, our office manager. “I thought I smelled popcorn!” the salesperson exclaimed. “What a great idea for an afternoon snack.” Clearly, she appreciates fine dining.
‘’Aaankk Ooooo,” I said — trying to talk with my mouth full. I finished chewing and repeated my “thank you” and offered her some. For the next five minutes, she and Malia and I talked about ways to make popcorn. Eventually, my popcorn pal introduced herself and told me she was just dropping off info about a new copier her company sells.

WE BOUGHT; SO DO OTHERS
The copier she was selling now sits in our production room — we bought it. That’s right, we made a major purchase from a salesperson who made a cold call — an IN-PERSON cold call. There was no billboard, direct mail or TV bringing me her firm’s message. No email blast, YouTube or Twitter.
That got me thinking, and I investigated some of the major purchases we’ve made and our major suppliers. Many originated with cold calls.
Cold calls can still be effective — even in this day of “internet everything.” Many of my associates have bought from people who started the relationship with a cold call.

IT STARTED WITH MARKETING
Now don’t get me wrong — most of these suppliers have great marketing, and we recognized their brands and products. But often the “tipping point” was the act of them walking in and eventually bumping into a decision-maker. Or they convinced Malia, the Queen of Gatekeepers, to recommend them to a partner in our firm.

WE DO IT
At Farris, we keep business cards, sample materials and a laptop with us when we go out for meetings. If we get a chance before a meeting, we stop in the next-closest office to our meeting. We strike up a conversation and introduce ourselves. No pressure.

DO IT RIGHT
Use “People Media” like traditional media. Create awareness first, and gather some information. Start to build a relationship and inform, then eventually ask for a meeting and a chance to make a proposal. Take little steps and be friendly, but be persistent.

THE MOST SOCIAL MEDIA
There is nothing more social than visiting with people. And your cold calls should be a “visit.” Occasionally, set aside your big marketing efforts and go visit some prospects. Who knows…they may be making popcorn!

Stay Tuned and Stay Smart
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Marketing for Non-Profit Organizations

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 21:42:00 +0000

…and what can businesses learn from them.
Marketing is the art and science of selling. So why does a non-profit organization need marketing? After all, in many cases a non-profit is giving away its services, not charging for them.
Non-profits use marketing to:
…INFORM THE USER of their services. Many times the target audience is not aware a service is available. Users may need to be convinced of the value or why they might need it. They may need to know when or where or how to obtain it.
…INFORM THE PUBLIC, because when the public is aware of the work they do, non-profits receive warmer welcomes from neighbors, more favorable press coverage, and more opportunities for grants, volunteers and other resources.
…ASK FOR DONATIONS by giving individuals, foundations and corporations a compelling reason to donate money — which the non-profit, in turn, gives away in some form or another. Think that’s easy? It’s not.
…COMPETE with many other worthy non-profits for donation dollars, resources and volunteers. Meanwhile, all non-profits must compete with complacency. It’s easier for the public to do nothing than donate time or money to a non-profit.
EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT US
Farris Marketing has worked with more than 30 non-profit organizations. You may have seen our work for The Rescue Mission, The Public Library, MYCAP or Voices for Children. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We’ve helped non-profits create awareness and raise funds for everything from autism to animal safety. Experience has showed us what works…and what doesn’t.
WHAT BUSINESSES CAN LEARN
…HIGH PERFORMANCE. Some non-profits aren’t guaranteed funding next month, let alone next year. So they must perform at high levels every day. They give it all they have, day in and day out. That gets noticed.
…SELL WITH EMOTION. Non-profits know how to do this (at least the successful ones do). They don’t just ask for a donation…they MOVE the audience with real-life examples.
…PROBLEM/SOLUTION. Successful non-profits present the problem and the solution (sound familiar?). And they show examples of how your donation has resulted in success — or at least progress.
…IN TOUCH. Non-profits know the value of a good list. They keep in contact with individuals and firms that support them. Newsletters, meetings and committees keep people involved and dollars coming in.
A LEAD TO FOLLOW
One way to get better at marketing your business is to learn from successful non-profits. Then thank them for the lessons by making a donation.
Stay Tuned and Stay Smart.

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Letter to a First-Time Business Owner

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:23:00 +0000

FOREWORD: Recently, my eldest son, George Phillip Farris went into business for himself. George and his new bride Jennifer returned from their honeymoon and used their wedding gift funds to buy a used septic tank truck and start an environmentally-friendly portable bathroom business. I'm sure that my wife and Jennifer's mother were thinking, "Hmmm, that could have went toward a down payment on a house." But George and Jenn knew that what they were looking for wasn't available working 9 to 5 for anyone — including (or maybe especially) me. They wanted more than financial security. They wanted personal freedom and job satisfaction and a chance to accomplish something on their own. My son did not ask for advice or help when he started his business. In fact, it wasn't until after he had his Federal tax ID number and his LLC all set up that he told me the news. I've given him a few tips here and there and I thought a lot about what basic advice I would give him about being a first time business owner. And that's what inspired me to write the following letter to all first time new business owners.

Dear Business Owner:
Are you excited? Of course you are. Are you full of energy? I hope so... you're gonna need it. Is your spouse a supporting and patient person? He or she better be - because you may be spending more time with your business than with them.
I DID IT AND YOU CAN
I started my first business when I still had a full-time job at a grocery store. I was 21-years old. My partner and I started a photography business. It was a blast. And having the cushion of steady income from another source made it a lot less stressful. The hours were tough because after 40-50 hours at my regular job, I still had another 20 or so to put in with my business. I got involved in other ventures, went to part time and then finally quit my job when I was 29. I remember that I was so nervous and worried about feeding my young family that I would run miles and miles each evening just so I could sleep.
AMERICA IS YOUR BEST SHOT
America is truly a land of opportunity for entrepreneurs. It's easier to start a business here than anywhere in the world . But even in America you can fail if you don't follow some basics.
RESEARCH
Is there a need for your product or service? Will the market support it? What can you offer that others do not? How are you going to get business?
PREPARE
Many small business owners think they are prepared when they have their accounting set up, have stock for their store and have a flashy new name to print on their business cards. I'm sorry, but the most important aspect of starting a new business is getting and sustaining SALES. It's called MARKETING. You must be able to sell and have funds to help you sell. People do not flock to you just because you opened a store. If you opened your store in the middle of the mall with built in traffic - you might have a shot. But even then, you need to make sure the people walking by know you are open.
The lack of marketing is the number one reason businesses fail. Make sure you have a marketing budget - or some system for ongoing sales effort - and then prepare to spend DOUBLE the time or money you think you need.
EXPECTATIONS
Most new business owners see themselves succeeding in an average of two years. They figure they will work like crazy for the first 2-3 years then kick back a little. I've been in business for 30 years and I can't say I am kicked back. Once you climb one hill, there is another you want to climb. And sometimes you lose your footing and need to start again at the bottom of your first hill. If you are a business owner, it will get under your skin and in your blood. It will dominate your life, but you don't have to let it ruin your life or your family's life. I never missed a football game, a school play or other key event with my kids. I did cut a few vacations short, while making sure my spouse and kids stayed and enjoyed their time. That I regret. I should have stayed with them. A few years later I realized it was better to take shorter but more frequent trips with the family which we all enjoyed. And if your spouse is not in business with you, it could be lonely for both of you. I would always come home for dinner and stay with the kids until bed time. Then trudge back to the office (laptops and home computers were rare) to work from 10pm until 1 or 2am. That was not fun, but sometimes that is the reality.
CUSTOMERS
Everyone wants to have a great relationship with customers. You try your best. You agonize over what went wrong when you lose one. You are upset that a customer or client treats you poorly. But customers/clients are people and people are not perfect. Sometimes the best thing to do when you have a really difficult customer or client is to get a NEW customer or client. Move on. No one account or one customer is worth your sanity or peace of mind. Just check your own motives. Keep your side of the street clean and if you are doing everything right, don't fret about losing or leaving a customer.
WATCH WHAT YOU SPEND
One of great things about having your own business is that your earning potential is higher than a lot of jobs. But so is your loss potential. Instead of buying 3 BMWs in one day (ahem... who would do that?), buy one luxury American car and stash the rest of the cash. When things are going well it's easy to think that things will ALWAYS go well. But business has ups and downs and you need to spend like you are always going to be in the middle. Then you won't be caught short when you need to reinvest in your business or another opportunity.
WHAT IF YOU FAIL?
Even if you fail at your first attempt to start and run a business, you can take the lessons you learn and start again. I've seen many people learn from their mistakes and bounce back from misfortune. This again is another benefit of living and doing business in America.
WHAT IF YOU SUCCEED?
Don't let success change your thinking or hard working habits. Don't start preaching. And don't assume your success in your business translates into success in other businesses. Do you think you can run a restaurant because you are good at selling medical equipment? Success in a small business can cause the owner disconnect from his or her customers. Keep seeking to understand your customer's needs and wants. Ask them on a regular basis.
ALWAYS SEEK TO SERVE
If you keep an attitude of service you will be much more likely to become and stay successful. Every CEO should be seen as the honorary head of the customer service department. Be the customer's advocate. Keep making their lives better and they will make your life better.
Good luck on your new venture. Enjoy your new business. And God Bless your efforts.
Sincerely,
George F. Farris

Stay Tuned and Stay Smart.

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Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Bad Writing

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:21:00 +0000

The letter I received from Anthem must have been written by the legal department. It was very tough to understand. READ MORE

Three Marketers Worth Watching

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:08:00 +0000

DO AS THESE FIRMS DO, AND YOU'LL DO ALL RIGHT
Marketing is the art and science of selling. You may be selling a product, a service, an idea, the benefits of a nonprofit organization — or your own employment. Some people are better at marketing than others, and those are the ones that rise to the top. Here are some examples of local companies that understand marketing — and their success proves it.

BAIRD BROTHERS FINE HARDWOODS (read more) Keeps the customer informed.

THOM DUMA FINE JEWELERS (read more) Stays focused on message of quality,

EVERGREEN SEPTIC this firm recognized and aggressively filled a need that others over looked (read more).

Do as these firms do, and you'll do all right.

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WHAT CAN YOU BLOG ABOUT?

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 21:05:00 +0000

YOU WANT TO BLOG but what can you write about that people will want to read? You are now a publisher. You want to people to read your publication, so follow
these DO'S AND DON'TS FOR BUSINESS AND NON-PROFIT BLOGS
DO GIVE ADVICE
Give good solid UNBIASED advice...
How to buy the product or services you sell.
What are the steps the buying or selecting process.
What type of results should a buyer expect.
What unexpected situations can come up?
Best times to buy or sell.
How to specify for a quote of your product.
The areas are unlimited but ask prospects and customers what they would like
to read about. READ MORE CLICK HERE
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IF TRUMP BLOGS, YOU CAN BLOG.

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:51:00 +0000

Yes, the Donald Blogs. So how hard can it be?

One of my guilty pleasures is watching Celebrity Apprentice. During the first show this season, Trump’s blog (aka web log) was promoted. One entry was titled “Trump’s Economic Survival Tips.” Some of The Donald’s "valuable" tips:
- Pay attention to...news and finance coverage....
- Absorb, assess, and then act.
- When a tsunami hits, there’s no time for procrastination.
- Realize that fear is the exact opposite of faith.

I'm not sure how any of those pearls help you survive, but who am I to argue with a billionaire?

NOT EVERY BLOG IS GOOD
Like every application in marketing communications, blogging is done better by some than others. Even Trump's blog has value to some of his fans. But I'm willing to bet you can blog better than Trump.

BLOGS CAN HELP YOU
Blogs are a great way to communicate with customers. Customers can ask questions and make suggestions. Happy customers will leave testimonials. Blogs expand your footprint on the internet. If your blog is linked to your website, it makes it easier for your site to be found. And blogging provides a limited, but inexpensive way to promote cultivate new prospects.

BECOME AN EXPERT
Your blog can help position you as an expert in your field. Writing a blog can keep you sharp. It forces you to pay attention to what’s going on and what your customers are interested in. Business services can give some free professional advice. Pizza shops can offer recipes and gather feedback. Jewelry stores can answer questions about diamonds and estate items.

WHAT TO BLOG ABOUT
Every business has something to write about.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH BLOGS? (CLICK HERE TO READ)
OR write to consult@farrismarketing.com and tell me a little about your business. I'll suggest some topics.

GET STARTED NOW
As The Donald says,“When a tsunami hits, there’s no time for procrastination.” (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Stay Tuned and Stay Smart.##
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GET OUT OF MY FACEBOOK ...until you understand Social Media Marketing

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:40:00 +0000

I was on the phone with a client. And she had a complaint. At my suggestion, she and other key communicators in her company set up Facebook profiles. And my firm, Farris Marketing, had already set up
a Facebook page for her firm.
But in the middle of the discussion, she suddenly blurted out, “You know, my daughter won’t allow me in her Facebook profile. It was like she was saying ‘get out of my room.’ I thought it would be cool to be one of her friends.”
Hmmm…how do you tell a client that the words “cool” and “mother” are rarely used in the same sentence by young people?
THE TIME IS NOW
The term Social Media Marketing scares a lot of people. The unknown usually does. But blogs, YouTube, Facebook and dozens of other social media outlets are anything but unknown to the millions of people who use them. If you’re a marketer of any service — even business-to-business — the time is now to get on the bandwagon.
TV spots are being zapped by digital video recorders, and newspapers are folding around the country for lack of circulation. Yet internet advertising continues to rise and is expected to surpass newspaper, magazine and radio advertising by 2011. Why? Because that’s where the customers are.
Seventy-five percent of Americans are now online. Sixty-two percent of U.S. consumers read consumer-generated reviews. Most teenagers and many adults spend three to ten times as much time online as they do watching TV or using any other media.
DON’T DUMP YOUR ADS
Social Media Marketing is not a fad. It’s a trend, and one you should get involved with now. It’s much less expensive than traditional media or even internet advertising.
But don’t stop your TV, radio and newspaper advertising. It may cost more, but it gets more response and faster. The return on social media marketing is long-term and more difficult to track. But it’s time to reassess your media mix and allocate a larger portion to internet advertising and social media plans.
Even if your business or nonprofit is strictly focused on the local market, there is plenty you can do with social media.
WHAT’S A WIKI
...and where’s YOUR space on MySpace? All this stuff to know may seems a little overwhelming. And it can be — unless you stay focused on doing the first things first. There are so many choices and so many ways to go — where do you start? Here are two ways you can get your Social Media Marketing plan underway.
LEARN MORE AND DO IT YOURSELF
Learn the lingo and get info that will help you start on your Social Media Marketing. I’ve posted a glossary of Social Media terms and other important info at www.FarrisMarketing.com/socialmedia. I will also email it to you upon request.
CONSIDER HELP FROM THE PROS
Contact Farris Marketing if you want to get a leg up on your competitors and get started on a plan and budget for Social Media Marketing. Send an email to consult@farrismarketing.com, or call and ask for Chuck Rudge. There is NO COST for the initial consultation.
Stay Tuned and Stay Smart.
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THE MARKETING PARADOX or The Day a Dog Beat Hai Karate and a Hot Car.

CONSULT@farrismarketing.com (George F. Farris) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 01:49:00 +0000

ONE SUMMER NIGHT in my 16th year, my best friend Joe Bananas persuaded his older brother to lend him his classic Plymouth Road Runner. It was orange with black racing stripes and had a big engine. Joe put his dog in the back seat and we headed over to Market Street to cruise.
We looked cool in our ride and sounded cool with the music blaring and the engine roaring. Add in a shared bottle of Hai Karate* cologne (Hai Karate…be careful how you use it!), and we were ladies’ men on the prowl. Oh yeah!
Before long, two young ladies from the west side (“West Side is the Best Side”) pulled up next to our car at a red light and smiled at us. For the next several blocks we “car dated” until we finally asked them to meet us at the Black Cow in Boardman.
After we parked at the Cow, the girls came over to get a closer look at the car and talk with us...or so we thought. What they really wanted to do was pet the attractive collie that had her head out the rear side window the whole time. “Ohhhh, she looks just like Lassie,” said the object of my lust.
THE PARADOX
Our most effective “social marketing” tool was not the car, our cologne or even our incredible good looks — it was the dog. We would have used the dog from the beginning if we had known that’s what worked.
Likewise, you may not be using your most effective marketing message — simply because you don’t know what that is. Hence the paradox: you would use the most compelling offer — but you haven’t yet discovered it.
Dozens of business owners have told us what messages they believe are best. But often, they’re using a message that is important to them, not the customer. You need to research your customers and your market to be sure you constantly deliver the message prospects are most likely to respond to. ASK customers and prospects what is important. Test it. And keep following that process. Because the best message can change over time.
YOU CAN DO IT
In this economy, you must get better at marketing your service or product to survive. Focus on the customer experience, developing the most effective message and communicating it well. And remember that part of the message is the media you choose, so choose them with care. Ask, test and ask again.
Make sure you use the dog instead of the car, if that’s what works for your business or organization.
LET ME HEAR FROM YOU
Like this column? Hate it? Have a suggestion? Write to consult@FarrisMarketing.com
AN OFFER FROM FARRIS
So this is our unabashed pitch: we’ve learned that many people are afraid that a marketing consultant will be costly. So we’re offering a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION. Learn how you can uncover and use your most effective marketing message.
Call 330-782-8061 or write consult@farrismarketing.com
Stay tuned and stay smart. ##
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