Best Social Metrics to Monitor (Knowledge)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are looking at the best metrics to monitor to determine the success of your social media campaign.

The recent Business Insider study "Debunking the Myth of Social ROI" shows that dollar-value ROI metrics such as revenue per customer, sales levels, and profits per customer, are losing favor with social marketers.

Brands deploying outbound marketing are discovering that social media isn't usually a direct means to sales. Therefore, monitoring financial returns is not proving to be a good way to determine the success of the social media efforts.

According to the study, new metrics are emerging to track audience building, brand awareness and customer relations. It's becoming clear that social media is a strong tool to help build a brand.

The outbound marketing efforts at Once a Day Marketing the past two years directly align with the Business Insider findings. Through social media we have created a strong Internet presence for our brand, developed great online business relationships and bolstered the strength and stature of our brand.

We now view social media as a permanent fixture of our overall branding strategy. As you implement your marketing plan be sure to include social media tactics and then monitor how it builds reach, engagement and sentiment for your brand over time.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

© 2014 Once a Day Marketing™.  All rights reserved.

Branding the Rock Band Heart (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: Ben Smith Drummer with Heart

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. On our radio show Ask Those Branding Guys, we discussed the branding of rock and roll hall of fame band Heart.

Joining us on air was Ben Smith, drummer with the legendary band Heart for the past 16 years and also founder of the Ben Smith Drum Experience, a corporate team building event.

Ben shared how much he enjoys performing with Ann and Nancy Wilson, founders of Heart and the pride he felt for the band's recent introduction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also highlighted Heart's appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors where Ann Wilson sang "Stairway to Heaven" in front of honorees Led Zeppelin. The YouTube video of that moment has accumulated almost 11 million views.

Ben noted that Ann and Nancy Wilson pay close attention to managing the Heart brand. The sisters have a great grasp of marketing and business process. The Heart brand reflects their passion for performing and playing together as a group. They also work diligently on improving the Heart product, including producing new songs and enhancing their concert-goers experience.

Smith is also developing his own personal brand, Ben Smith Drummer. His website and social media channels emphasize the Ben Smith Drummer moniker. To enhance his brand, Ben has developed a specialized product called the Ben Smith Drum Experience that provides team building for corporation and organizations. With the brandline "Fun That's Team Building," his unique team building experience unites large groups through rhythm, rock & roll and a whole lot of fun.

Ben added that the biggest challenges for artists is staying focused. He recommends that creative individuals focus on finishing an important project before starting the next one. Sound advice from a guy with heart.

Enjoy the podcast.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

© 2014 Once a Day Marketing™.  All rights reserved.

Customer Moments and User Generated Content (Strategy)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are looking at a way to enhance your brand and business by empowering your followers to share their customer moments through User Generated Content.

In previous Once a Day Marketing blogs we've discussed the growth of smart phones with cameras, the popularity of "selfies," and how positive visual cues favorably impact a brand. Leading brands are using these trends to create more reach and engagement by enabling clientele to post photos and videos highlighting positive customer moments. This approach is called User Generated Content or UGC.

For example, Bon Appetit is encouraging followers to use Instagram and Twitter #roastboast to share pictures of their favorite meat roasts. Bon Appetit is using these posts to inspire future recipe ideas in their magazine and feature the top content on the Bon Appetit website.

What a great strategy for both the brand and its patrons. Bon Appetit receives innovate roast ideas from followers, along with user generated content they can post on their website. If selected, customers get global recognition from this gourmet publication.

UGC is here to stay and will continue to grow in the future. UGC gets followers actively engaged with your brand and creates strong endorsements that will drive more fans, reach and engagement.

What can you do to encourage followers to share customer moments through user generated content? UGC is something to think seriously about. I'm Jim Glover, that branding guy for Once a Day Marketing and be sure to brand strong in 2014.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

© 2014 Once a Day Marketing™.  All rights reserved.

Branding an Exciting Fund Raising Effort (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: $50,000 Dream Wedding

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™.  On our radio show Ask Those Branding Guys, we discussed an innovative way to raise money for a non-profit.

Joining us on air were Sandra and Robert Rivera, Executive Producers of $50,000 New Mexico Dream Wedding Giveaway.  Dream Wedding Giveaway is an event benefitting UNM Children’s Hospital and raises money through raffle ticket sales and a contest were 20 finalist couples create their own clever ways of fundraising in a chance to win a dream wedding. To date, Dream Wedding has raised over $85,000 

for its cause.

Sandra shared that sponsors cover all of the numerous aspects of the wedding and couples vying for the top prize are judged by the amount they raise, creativity and referrals to sponsors.  The event is promoted through wedding magazines, television and radio commercials as well as social media including Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram.

Glover asked if Sandra and Robert have looked into best practices around scalability and the opportunity to engage donors to promote the cause, perhaps through having more than one winner.

Robert noted that geography is challenge.  Dream Wedding is open to contestants across the state although most of the sponsors are in Albuquerque; where participants need to be to compete and meet sponsors.  Glover suggested the potential to add sponsors in other New Mexico cities and holding competitions by region.

Communication regarding launch of a new website is the current key branding concern.  In conjunction with the launch of the new site, Glover indicated an effective means of maintaining integrity of the brand would be to provide support and fundraising tools for contestants on the website to ensure a cohesive, consistent message is being presented to contributors.

Enjoy the podcast.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

© 2014 Once a Day Marketing™.  All rights reserved.

Tesla: Innovating Place and Process (Tactics)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™.  Today we are looking at Tesla Motors and how the company is reinventing the car buying experience.

There is already a lot of buzz about what Tesla is doing to take on the traditional automobile industry with its premium electric vehicles.  They understand the importance of being unique in the market and offering a compelling product to their customers.

They also understand all aspects of the 7Ps of Marketing, especially Place and Process, and are dramatically changing how we are able to find and purchase their cars.

Tesla enables car buyers to evaluate their electric vehicles in malls across America, with their "galleries" perhaps next to Macy's or the Gap.  You stroll in, get a chance to see the model, and have your questions answered about what makes a Tesla unique.

It's interesting to note that you can't buy the car at this location.  You have to go online to schedule a test drive or order the vehicle.  Tesla is upsetting the place and process of the traditional automobile buying experience and customers are responding favorably to this approach.

Major auto dealers are up in arms, leading the charge to stop this new paradigm.  Laws are surfacing in many states to prevent Tesla’s innovative sales approach.  Rather than embracing the change, the industry is fighting to prevent it.

What if horse owners back in the early 1900's prevented Ford's Model T and the assembly line process.  Or the pony express prevented the launch of the telegraph.  Believe it or not, the dairy industry tried to prevent the introduction of margarine into the USA by establishing the "anti-margarine laws."

I predict that Tesla's process will prevail and become part of the car-buying norm.  Innovation is America's middle name and I don't see that changing anytime soon.  The lesson for your brand, innovate and disrupt whenever possible.  Lead don't follow.  And if your competition happens to be taking the lead through innovation, jump on board and make it better.

Remember it's all about what good for your customers, not what's good for you.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

© 2014 Once a Day Marketing™.  All rights reserved.

Enhancing Your Brand With Technology (Knowledge)

Listen to our featured Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: NM Tech Council Eric Renz-Whitmore

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™.  On our radio show Ask Those Branding Guys, we discussed how embracing technology can enhance all aspects of your brand.

Joining us on air was Eric Renz-Whitmore, Community Director of the New Mexico Tech Council.  NM Tech Council is a trade association whose purpose is to connect business to technology resources and advance growth through communication, sharing trends and in-person events.

 Although technology can mean various things depending on who you ask, Eric defines it as tools and how we use them, especially information, and can encompass anything from your car telling you it needs an oil change through monitoring the number of views on your website and everything in between.  Glover added that technology is a top Google ad word along with innovation and entrepreneurship; demonstrating strong consumer interest.

Local companies doing exciting things in the technology arena include Intel’s work with data warehouses and NewsCastic, a company redefining local news.  Eric went on to say that tech is important to the State brand in NM and being thought of as the place for tech should be a long term goal.  NM already has numerous technology based concerns including two national labs, the bio sciences center, Spaceport America and the Very Large Array.

Eric stressed that using technology/social media platforms is an essential channel to promote your brand.  A key element of using new channels is to monitor the metrics and ensuring you are able to determine the impact to sales (positive or negative).

Emerging tech trends include wearable technology such as Google Glass.  These advances allow businesses to interact with customers on a personal level; sharing coupons they may find relevant or even greeting them with an artificial intelligence Avatar to enhance their shopping experience.

Glover summed up that the critical take away from the discussion of technology is for each of you to consider how you can use it to enhance all facets of your brand.  You know your competition is!

Enjoy the podcast.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

© 2014 Once a Day Marketing™.  All rights reserved.

Milk Life: Shaking Up Milk Sales (Strategy)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™.  Today we are looking at the recent retirement of the ad campaign "got milk?" in favor of the new "Milk Life."

For the past 20 years, the American dairy industry has promoted "got milk?" in its effort to keep milk top of mind as a mainstream beverage.  Unfortunately, as popular and well-known as the slogan is, milk sales have declined.

In an attempt to reinvigorate falling sales, American milk companies have launched a new $50 million dollar campaign called "Milk Life."  They are attempting to reposition milk as an energy and protein drink, rather than a beverage that is sexy and good for you.

It will be interesting to see if this dramatic shift to the campaign enhances consumer perception of milk and drives more buying behavior.  Only time will tell.

I cite this example for you to consider the effectiveness of your own advertising campaigns.  It's important to give a promotion the necessary time to work its way into the minds of your targeted customers.  This does not happen overnight.  Monitor your efforts to see if you are generating both recognition and recall for your brand.

If the sales needle is moving in a positive direction, stick with the campaign.  If, after a concerted effort, sales are still slow or declining then you might considered developing a new campaign like the milk industry.  Remember they gave it 20 years before shifting gears.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MST) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

© 2014 Once a Day Marketing™.  All rights reserved.

Great Design Enhances a Brand (Knowledge)

Listen to our featured Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: Graphic Design with Dave Garner

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™.  On our radio show Those Branding Guys, we discussed how important it is that customer encounters with your brand are visually appealing and send the message you want to convey.

Joining us on air was Graphic Designer Dave Garner, whose background in marketing and advertising lead him to launch his own company 17 years ago.  Visual cues about your company and brand are essential for customers to understand your message.  Garner shared that he starts the design process by first understanding what the client’s brand is all about and translating that into great visuals that have an emotional impact.

A company’s logo has generally been thought of as an extension of the brand.  Extensive use in the current digital environment, in apps and on small devices, has now made it a key identifier of the brand.  Garner stated that now more than ever it is essential to remember that less is more and focus on creating designs that will draw in the customer.

According to Garner, common errors businesses make when they are working on design elements is not aligning to what the business does and desiring a graphic that does not tell the appropriate story.  Dave’s number one tip to enhance your company’s visuals impact is to reach out to a third party and request input around what the current physical evidence says to them.  If it does not align with the image you want, make enhancements accordingly.

Glover reminded us that establishing visual prompts for your customers reaches beyond logo or advertising designs.  The appearance of a store front, signage, etc. should be clear, inviting and informative as well as convey what your business is about.  Leverage the 7Ps of marketing to review where visual cues may require enhancement.

Enjoy the podcast.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MST) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

© 2014 Once a Day Marketing™.  All rights reserved.

Do Customers Love Your Brand? (Strategy)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™.  Today we are asking you to consider whether or not your customers love your brand.

The Beatles once sang "All you need is love."  This is certainly true when it comes to brands.  If customers love a brand they will be loyal, seek it out repeatedly over the competition and tell their friends all about it.

Starbucks, Disney and In-N-Out Burger are three brands that feel the love from their customers.  Starbucks customers lineup to purchase that next brewed coffee, latte or Mocha Frappuccino.

Disney fans are setting attendance records at Disney theme parks despite increase in ticket prices and a slow economy.

In-N-Out Burger lovers will use Google maps to plan routes that pass by the restaurant just so they can grab a Double Double, chocolate shake and fries.

Does this brand love happen by accident?  Not on your life.  Starbucks, Disney and In-N-Out Burger work hard to create a memorable and rewarding experience for each and every customer.  They understand the importance of enhancing all aspects of the 7Ps of Marketing.

Now back to my original question.  Do your customers love your brand?  Whether the answer is yes or no, there is always room to make your brand better.  Each enhancement you create using the 7Ps of Marketing will make it a bit easier for your customers to love your brand.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact James Glover at (505) 501-1330 or email glover@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MST) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

© 2014 Once a Day Marketing™.  All rights reserved.