Once a Day Marketing: October 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Slideshare Your PowerPoint to Create Brand Awareness (Action Wednesday/Promotion)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Action Wednesday and I’m going to have you do something that is very simple. I want you to find an existing PowerPoint about your company and use it to create awareness for your business or product.

You may not have heard of slideshare.net; it is very similar to You Tube and is a place where you can post PowerPoint presentations. There are approximately 60 million unique visitors to slideshare every month. When I did a key word search on “branding” I found almost 400,000 related posts. Leveraging slideshare is an opportunity to create awareness for your brand.

Take a look at your computer and see if you have an existing power points that does a good job of telling the story about your brand. If not, you may be able to update it or create a new one. It can be on any subject that potential customers would search and should relate back to your business.

When you post your PowerPoint on slideshare.net, ensure that you include your contact information. When potential customers see your slides they may give you a call.

Using slideshare is yet another component of inbound marketing. I’ve talked a lot about the power of inbound marketing and how it works for you 24/7 to create exposure for your brand and also to generate valid leads. For Action Wednesday I highly recommend that you consider adding PowerPoint about your brand, company or product to slideshare.net.

That concludes Action Wednesday. Join us tomorrow for Recon Thursday. To discuss an online or onsite service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Marketing Ecosystem: Experiential (Strategic Tuesday/Promotion)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Strategic Tuesday and we’re concluding our series on the marketing ecosystem, looking today at Experiential marketing. You can find more information about the marketing ecosystem by looking at Mullen’s Chart online.

Experiential marketing is a great way to share your brand with your customers. They get to roll up their sleeves and really dive in to what your product or service is all about. There are six nodes we are going to discuss next.

Festivals - New Mexico is host to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. As a sponsor, it would be a great experience to allow one of your customers to ride in a hot air balloon

Arts - These are events where your customers have the opportunity to look at art work close up, taste your food or try on jewelry and clothing.

Tours and attractions - National Parks do a great job of enhancing their brand by letting visitors hike trails, climb mountains and become immersed in the natural beauty.

Sports - The San Francisco just won the World Series of baseball. I’m sure they are planning to invite all their fans to the stadium for a celebration.

Cause marketing – Encourage donors to visit. A good example would be for a local food bank to invite donors to participate in giving food back to those in need.

Organizations – A community park organization may provide an opportunity for members of the community to work together to clean up the park and make it better for the entire community.

Experiential marketing is one of my favorite ways to engage my customers. You are able to be creative in what you offer and make a favorable impression about your brand on the customer. It is also a chance to build relationships as you move forward in the future.

That concludes Strategic Tuesday. Join us tomorrow for Action Wednesday. To discuss an online or onsite service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Study Shows Way to Boost Online Purchases Up to 357% (Digital Friday/Price)

Hello there, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Digital Friday and I am going to share with you a story I saw on NBCNews.com that I think is quite fascinating for all you digital marketers.

Online companies spent $17 Billion last year picking up the cost of customer returns. That sounds like a tremendous expense, however, a new study indicates adopting Zappos’ model of free return shipping, no matter what the reason, can increase customer spending for an online business up to 357%.

A Washington and Lee University study looked at two online retail companies over a period of 49 months. Upon moving to the free return shipping model, one company experienced an average spend per customer increase of $620 over two years and the other $2,500.

In another study conducted by the Journal of Marketing, when a company required customers to pay the cost of shipping returns of merchandise, purchases could fall 74% to even 100%.

In this time of cost cutting that every company seems to be doing, it seems contrary to offer to your customer return of their merchandise at absolutely no cost to them. However, what the trends are revealing is that you may have the opportunity to increase purchases dramatically.

That concludes Digital Friday. Join us next week for Smart Monday. To discuss an online or face to face service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

5 Steps of Consumer Adoption (Smart Monday/Process)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Smart Monday and we're looking again at Philip Kotler's work, specifically reveiwing the adoption process of consumers.

Kotler is assisting us to understand the minds of consumers as they consider buying new products, in particular how they react to being exposed to new ideas. There are five stages to this process: awareness, interest, evaluation, trial and adoption.

Let's take a look at each one of the five stages. During the awareness phase, consumers have to somehow become aware of the product; that's what marketing is all about. As you advertise, then they become interested and seek product information.

Next is evaluation when potential customers obtain and review information about the product and determine if they want to try it. Today the internet is widely used as a means to gather information related to new products.

In the trial stage, that is what customer actually do. They try the product to see if they like it.

If they do then they move into the adoption phase and become regular buyers of the product or service.

Your goal as a marketer is to facilitate the adoption process for your customers. It will be different for every kind of product. Consumer may be more likely to try an inexpensive product. For more expensive products the evaluation step before the trial will be longer.

Also, consider individual customers. Every customer is different. Some are early adopters and others wait for everyone else to buy it, then they try it once it’s been proven to be a product. These customers are often referred to as laggards.

When you create your marketing plan ensure you understand these stages of adoption and develop an advertising campaign with customer behavior in mind.

That concludes Smart Monday. Join us tomorrow for Strategic Tuesday. To discuss an online or onsite service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Newsweek Going All Digital (Digital Friday/Positioning)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Digital Friday and I'm wondering if you've heard the news about Newsweek magazine. It makes for a fascinating blog today.

Newsweek is a highly recognized brand and has been in existence since 1933, competing with Time Magazine to see who could create that cover that everyone would be looking for. Newsweek just announced that, beginning in 2013, the magazine will no longer be printed, it will only be distributed through digital channels.

Newsweek cites high production and distribution costs as causing the demise of print. However, I also believe the business model is changing. Consumers seeking information expect immediate results and we are able to obtain that digitally. As in the case of Newsweek magazine, print may not longer be viable for many publications, impacting other printed material in the future as well.

We're not going to debate whether or not Newsweek survives, I certainly hope it does. Their shift away from printed magazines demonstrates that computers, tablets, smart phones and the ability to connect to information instantly is changing how we seek out that content.

So the question for you is what space are you in with your product? Is it something like a Newsweek that may encounter challenges because you aren't delivering the product digitally? If so, consider whether or not you are able to revamp and enhance your product so it has a digital component.

As you look out over the competitive landscape there will be companies in your market that are experiencing difficulties because they are too traditional. This may provide you with an opportunity to introduce a digital product, capture additional market share and establish yours as a brand dominant.

That concludes Digital Friday. Join us next week for Smart Monday. To discuss an online or onsite service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Does Your Logo Tell a Story? (Recon Thursday/Physical Evidence)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Recon Thursday where I introduce subjects that may be of interest to you. This week I am sharing a blog by Ray Vellest who talks about hidden meanings in logos.

Today more than ever logos are truly important in our branding because they are a visual queue. As we view websites and other content on smaller and smaller devices such as smart phones, that logo may be the only thing that triggers a potential customer to recall your brand.

As we’ve discussed in previous blogs, your logo needs to memorable, distinctive and, if possible, tell a story related to your business. According to Ray Vellest’s blog, it could include a hidden meaning as well.

In Ray’s blog he cites some great examples of hidden meanings in very recognizable logos. The first is FedEx. If you look closely, you will see an arrow formed by the E and the x. In Baskin-Robbins ice cream logo, the font and color allow the B and the R to also depict the number 31, which relates to 31 flavors.

Then he mentions Sun Microsystems. Their logo is comprised of numerous shapes that look like a “U”. Upon closer examination, no matter which direction you look in it spells out s-u-n for Sun Microsystems.

When you look at the Amazon logo you will readily spot the smile underneath the word Amazon, but have you noticed it is also an arrow pointing from A to Z. Vellest included the Tour de France logo as well. Close attention will reveal a cyclist riding a bike within the logo.

Lastly he talks about Toblerone which is a chocolate company. Their logo is a mountain. But when you look carefully into the mountain you will also see a bear. These are all clever examples of hidden messages within logos.

Adding a hidden meaning to your logo is a great addition but is not required. Focus on making the logo memorable and distinctive and perhaps tell a story. The new Once a Day Marketing™ logo is a checkmark. The story behind it is to remind you to tick marked the fact that you did your marketing today. As you revise your logo in the future consider how you can create a story or hidden message as well.

That concludes Recon Thursday. Join us tomorrow for Digital Friday. To discuss an online or onsite service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Refine Your Product to Enhance Customer Experience (Action Wednesday/Product)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Action Wednesday and our 200^th blog. I’m refining my product to enhance your experience and want you to think about improving your product and enhancing your customer’s experience as well.

If you regularly follow Once a Day Marketing™ you know I am a big fan of the 7Ps of Marketing. The first P is Product. For Action Wednesday I want you to consider how you can improve your product, even a little bit, between now and the end of the year. Differentiate a little bit more now and get ready for next year too.

The daily video blog is a major component of Once a Day Marketing™ offerings. I have been working behind the scenes to improve this product and enhance your experience. You can look forward to upgraded picture and audio quality in our video blogs in the very near future. I will also employ new editing techniques and graphics to make the content more visually appealing.

Additionally, we are designing and building a new Once a Day Marketing™ website to enhance your experience in accessing our blogs and resources.

For Action Wednesday your assignment is to consider how you can improve your product and make your customer experience more enjoyable. You will also be strengthening your brand in the mind of your customer.

Once you make the improvements, let your customers know. One of the largest branding companies in the world is Procter & Gamble (P&G). When you look at their packaging I'm sure you've often noticed “New and Improved” on their labels. Believe me this works, so ensure you share your improvements with your customers.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Marketing Rule of 27: A Must for Success (Strategic Tuesday/Process)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Strategic Tuesday and we’re going to look at a fascinating study conducted about 10 years ago on the marketing Rule of 27.

Have you ever wondered how much advertisement you have to place before there are enough impressions absorbed by your potential customers to make your brand finally stick? Well that is what the marketing Rule of 27 is all about.

The study found to gain just one good impression in the mind of your customer you have to place an ad three different times.

Another part of the study that was really interesting indicated that to be able to really lock the brand into the mind of your customer, they have to receive that good impression nine times. When you do the math, nine times three equals 27 and that is where the name marketing Rule of 27 comes from.

What this means to you from an advertising perspective is that you have to ensure your message is generated 27 times so it will resonate with your potential customers. Review your marketing landscape and identify the opportunities you have and determine the reach and frequency you will obtain with those scare marketing dollars. Develop a plan that will allow your brand to sink into the minds of your potential customers.

There really is no one hit wonder; this is an ongoing, consistent process of reach and frequency over a period of time.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Brand Building: Reach, Frequency & Consistency (Smart Monday/Promotion)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Smart Monday where we provide education about all things branding and marketing. We are going to look at three key concepts that are very important to understand when building your brand.

In planning to deliver your compelling marketing message to potential customers, it is essential to understand who you are targeting, how often you will share your message and why consistency is crucial.

The first idea I want you to consider is reach. It’s important to know whether or not you are talking to the largest number of people in your targeted market and how many potential customers are really hearing your message.

The second concept is frequency. How often are you sharing your message with the target audience?

Third is the element of consistency. You should be sharing the same message over and over so that it will stick in the minds of your customers.

Reach, frequency and consistency are critical concepts. You should be selective in targeting because you don’t have to reach everyone, not everybody is your potential customer. . Once you have identified the target audience, then it’s important to determine how your message will be distributed to those potential customers in your market area.

When determining frequency, ensure that you share the message enough so that it will eventually stick in the minds of your customers.

Lastly, we will talk about consistency. Have you heard the slogan “You’re in Good Hands with Allstate”? They have been using that message for a very long time; it is relevant and will resonate with customers when they are looking for insurance. Evaluate your business and identify how you can accomplish the same thing when you are sharing your compelling marketing message.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Cultivating Relationships: Connect with New Contacts (Recon Thursday/People)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. You’ve been working hard all year to develop relationships and now it’s time to solidify those ties and that is what we are going to talk about today.

With the end of the year approaching, this is a good time to review the new connections that you have been compiling during the course of the year. I want you to make a list and prioritize who is a real possibility for future work or opportunities. Then plan to reconnect with them before the end of the year.

Using your prioritized list, decide the best direction to take to reconnect with these individuals. Determine whether to use e-mail, a phone call or maybe even a hand written note which I’ve talked about in the past. In your communication, remind them how you met and have a specific call to action such as discussing potential business, partnering or just to connect and firm up that relationship.

This recon work and then reaching out to your new connections may pay off for you. It will keep you on top of their mind and will enhance and build on the relationship. Who knows? It may even lead to business for your company before the end of the year.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Design Your Inbound Marketing Campaign (Action Wednesday/Process)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Action Wednesday where we provide motivation for you to follow through on execution of your marketing plan. Today I would like you to consider designing an inbound marketing campaign.

I’ve talked a lot about inbound marketing and how important it is to a successful marketing and branding campaign. It builds brand presence in your local market and perhaps all over the world. It allows you do develop business relationships via the internet and it does provide lead flow.

Inbound marketing is a significant element to search engine optimization; enabling customers and potential customers to find you more easily through Google and other search tools. Keep in mind that your competition may have already launched their inbound strategy or certainly are planning to in the near term.

There are several factors to consider when developing an inbound marketing campaign. First, create the content you will share. Next, determine which platform(s) to use such as YouTube, twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest or one of the many others. Lastly, be clever and consistent as you roll out your inbound marketing campaign.

Take action and begin designing your inbound marketing campaign today. Start small and plan to launch it in the near future. Also, ensure you are monitoring the results generated from your efforts.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Marketing Ecosystem: Direct Marketing (Strategic Tuesday/Promotion)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. It’s Strategic Tuesday and today we’re sharing the eighth part in our series of marketing ecosystems; specifically looking at direct marketing.

Direct marketing has probably been around since the early days of the United States Postal Service. The goal is to communicate straight to your customers or potential customers and obtain a response to a specific call to action. Using this methodology you are able to measure results and evaluate how well your direct marketing campaign performed.

The following are the five components of direct marketing:

Direct mail - Catalogues via mail or inserts in credit card bills containing ads to entice customers to buy

Print - Includes reply cards and printed material requesting customers to call a 800 number

Telemarketing - Inbound or outbound to sell or up-sell a product or service to a customer or potential customer

Radio - On air ads enticing potential customers to call or, perhaps literally drive to a retail location

Direct response television – This category includes infomercials, still one of the more powerful ways to engage a customer and drive action by that customer

Direct marketing is definitely a proven component of the marketing ecosystem. Consider whether or not it will work for you. If you do implement it, be sure to track your results. Have fun and experiment with the different possibilities I just discussed.

Monday, October 15, 2012

USP: Unique Selling Proposition ( Smart Monday/Promotion)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Smart Monday and we’re going to talk about something that has been around since 1960 when it was first introduced, and that’s USP or Unique Selling Proposition.

Jack Trout is one of the foremost marketing experts in the world and he authored a book called “Differentiate or Die.” In it, Trout says there are two types of companies. One that feels they are better than the competition and another that feels they are the same as the competition.

He goes on to say that neither one understands that you have to be different and he harkens back to a principle that was developed by Rosser Reeves back in 1960 called the Unique Selling Proposition or USP.

According to Reeves there are three components to the USP. First you must make a proposition to your customers that when they buy your product they will get a specific benefit.

Second, that your product is truly unique and your competition does not offer the same product or service.

And third, that the proposition must be strong enough to motivate your customers to buy your product. Just because you can offer it doesn’t mean they will necessarily want to buy it.

Why is understanding USP so imperative to the success of your marketing and ultimately the success of your organization? First, competition is global, not just in your neighborhood any longer. Second, your potential customers are bombarded by advertisements every single day. In fact the last statistic I heard is they are hit by 5,000 ads per day.

If you can determine your USP you are going to have a distinct advantage over your competition. And, as Jack Trout said: Differentiate or die.

Friday, October 12, 2012

LinkedIn Notifications: Great New Networking Tool (Digital Friday/People)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Digital Friday and I am going to share with you an exciting new feature that LinkedIn has added to its already great networking tool.

As I have said many times, it is very important to cultivate relationships through social media channels. And as you expand your presence online and start contributing more content, it is sometimes challenging to follow up on all the responses you receive. LinkedIn has added a new feature called Notifications and that is what I am going to talk about next.

On the LinkedIn home page you will see a small flag at the top, and a red number next to it as well. That flag/number indicates notifications of responses to your postings are available. These are being provided by LinkedIn in real time. Notification may include a Like of one of your comments, a new comment on one of your posting or it may be that someone has accepted an invitation to join your network or your group.

The most exciting aspect is that now, in one place, there is a dropdown dialogue box informing you of all the recent interactions that you have had.

The Notification feature from LinkedIn allows you to instantly know who is interacting with you and enables you to respond promptly and continue to develop relationships by cultivating interactions. This is a great tool to enhance your networking capabilities.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Strategic Brand Analysis: Self-Evaluation (Recon Thursday/Process)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Recon Thursday and we are concluding our series using David Akers model to develop strategic brand analysis.

In our first two installments we discussed customers and competitors. The final segment covers self-analysis. It is very important to understand your own brand to develop a complete strategic brand analysis.

There are five components to the self analysis. The first is existing brand image. How do customers perceive you and the benefits they receive from your product? Next is your brand heritage. Where did you come from, how did you originate, and why are you in business.

Third is strengths and weaknesses. What does your company do well and what do you want to improve on in the future? Four is the soul of your brand evidenced by the values of the brand and the vision you have for your company going forward.

Last are links to other brands within your company or organization. No brand is an island; each should have individual identity but all be working together to accomplish a common goal.

It’s very clear why you need to perform self-analysis and when you combine that with your customer and competitor analysis you will be in a very good position to develop your own strategic brand planning to increase brand awareness, enhance your brand and capture more market share in the future.

That concludes Recon Thursday. Join us tomorrow for Digital Friday. To discuss an online or face-to-face service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Free Offers Still Excite Customers (Action Wednesday/Promotion)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Action Wednesday and we are talking about a powerful marketing word and that word is “Free”.

After years of so many different companies marketing their message, the word “free” in promotions and advertising still drives action by customers and potential customers. Giving away something will get their attention. The premium doesn’t have to be large and you don’t have to give away your product, you are just giving away an enticement so customers will be curious about your product or service.

Let’s take a look at a few examples of how “free” is used to promote businesses. Some companies offer a thank-you gift to existing customers. On their next visit to your location and you might give them a coffee cup with your logo on it as a thank you. That cup will sit on their desk and remind them of you throughout the week.

A nearby bank branch gives customers free popcorn on Fridays. After completing their transaction they walk out with a bag of popcorn. Customers feel good and remember the brand as well.

Another situation where you may offer an incentive is when you would like to obtain customer information via your website. You could provide free access to your newsletter in exchange for the data you are seeking (e-mail address, etc.).

A local brochure rack company offering take-one literature containing information for local tourist attractions shared with me that the work “free” really does drive traffic. For instance, one restaurant may offer “free soda” with a lunch purchase. You’d be surprised at how many more people will stop by that restaurant than the one next door that isn’t offering anything free.

For Action Wednesday I want you to consider giving away a premium to your existing customers or potential new customers. Design something that will drive traffic and interest in your business, create curiosity and make your customers smile when they think about your company.

That concludes Action Wednesday. Join us tomorrow for Recon Thursday. To discuss an online or face to face service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Marketing Ecosystem: Mobile Devices (Strategic Tuesday/Promotion)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. It’s Strategic Tuesday and today we are going to look at the seventh part in our series about the marketing ecosystem, in particular mobile devices.

On Digital Friday I have done several blogs on the growth of mobile devices. Currently there are 700,000 iPhone apps available, that’s a lot of applications. From a marketing perspective, when you are determining how to communicate your message you should be considering mobile devices. This category includes smart phones, tablets, MP3 players and game consoles.

First are smart phones and tablets. You are able to use ring tones, coupons and conduct e-commerce. The sky is the limit when it comes to delivering your message via tables and smart phones. On MP3 players, videos, music and pod casts can deliver your advertisements.

Lastly, we’ll discuss game consoles. Game consoles are typically used by a younger audience. If your product is geared to a younger audience, consider designing a clever way to get your promotion into games.

Given the popularity and the growth of mobile devices, incorporating this channel into your marketing portfolio warrants serious attention by you and your marketing team. As you move forward, continue to watch for what types of opportunities may be on the horizon because there are sure to be new trends coming.

Of the nine marketing ecosystem nodes, I think mobile devices may even start to eclipse some of the other nodes, rendering them less popular or possibly even obsolete. Keep thinking about ways to put mobile devices to work for you.

That concludes Strategic Tuesday. Join us tomorrow for Action Wednesday. To discuss an online or face to face service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Branding in Non-Mature and Mature Markets (Smart Monday/Positioning)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today is Smart Monday and we’re going to take a quick look at what I call “non-mature” and “mature” markets and why this is important for you to understand when you are developing your brand strategy.

Let’s start by defining non-mature vs. mature markets. A non-mature market is where there is no clear category leader. No top-of-mind, no mindshare that any one particular brand is commanding in that market.

In a mature market there might be several category leaders. For example, if I asked you to name a top cola which one do you think of? Coke, Pepsi probably come to mind first and maybe RC Cola, a distant third. Those are all category brand leaders in a mature market.

There are various branding strategies you can leverage depending on whether or not you are in a non-mature or mature market. In a non-mature market there is an opportunity to capture mindshare. You can begin branding your product and letting consumers know your name, where you are located, and what your business is all about. You can also educate potential customers to ensure they clearly understand the overt benefits associated with your products verses your competition.

In a mature market you should continue branding to maintain top of mind. There are going to be new companies trying to capture marketshare from you so if you aren’t branding and reminding your customers you’re out there your competitors will begin taking away some of that marketshare.

I would like to make a distinction between non-mature and mature because it may relate specifically to you. Let’s say you’re an entrepreneur opening a new pizza parlor. Your first thought might be that you are in a very mature market. And, yes, if you are trying to come into town and compete against Domino’s and Pizza Hut that could be the case. But if you’re opening a pizza parlor on the far end of town in a new residential development where there is not a lot of commercial development, your market may only be that smaller area. That would be a non-mature market and very important to educate your customers about where you are what you do. In this case, your differentiator is close proximity to the new neighborhood and you want residents to find you when they are hungry.

That concludes Smart Monday. Join us tomorrow for Strategic Tuesday. To discuss an online or face to face service engagement and enhance the marketing and branding for your organization, contact James Glover: (505) 501-1330 or onceadaymarketing@gmail.com. I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™ and we’ll see you next time.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Hulu and Subway: Fresh Approach to Web TV (Digital Friday/Product)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. It’s Digital Friday and my inspiration for today’s blog comes from an article I read recently in Daily Variety magazine.

Most of you have probably heard of hulu.com, which is a website allowing on demand streaming of movies and television programming. Initially hulu only offered content from other providers. With the acceleration of the digital convergence, hulu is now creating their own programming and employing very clever strategies that I think are going to turn the industry on its head.

Recently, hulu produced a comedy series called the 4 to 9ers about high school age young people who work in a mall. In particular they work in a Subway sandwich restaurant. This approach is not just product placement like a can of Coke on a table. What is truly interesting is that the series is being underwritten by Subway and the set is a Subway restaurant.

This is an innovative approach by both hulu and Subway. Clearly the advertiser, Subway, sees the value of positioning its product and brand in a program targeted to a younger audience. It is a very smart strategy for both hulu and Subway and I believe we will see more of this type of advertising in the future.

When Apple Computers was founded, Steve Jobs licensed the rights to the name Apple from the Beatles. At that time the Beatles didn’t think the computer was going to be involved in the music industry. Of course we now know that Apple is a big part of the music industry.

I think there is a parallel to be drawn with what hulu is doing. Originally their content came from a TV industry provider. Now they are producing content that may become so popular they will be able sell it to a television network.

This convergence is real and advertisers like Subway are positioning themselves to take advantage of opportunities as they arise in new, growing trends.