Once a Day Marketing: April 2016

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Branding The Running Hub Retail Store (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: The Running Hub

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. On our radio show Ask Those Branding Guys, we discussed branding and marketing of a niche retailer in Santa.

Joining us on the show was John Lumley owner of The Running Hub, a retailer specializing in foot ware and apparel for runners. Lumley bought The Running Hub in 2004 after closing a great career as Director of Athletics at NM Highlands University. He has been an avid runner since 1972 and a life-long shoe enthusiast; that passion carries over into his customer service at The Running Hub.

To differentiate themselves, The Running Hub focuses on delivering outstanding service. Their well trained staff share expertise with customers to find the shoe that is the best solution for each customer’s situation.

Lumley purchased a going concern because he didn’t want to start a business from scratch. He was fortunate to find The Running Hub, it was perfect for his background and interests. About 50% of the store’s business is referral and the other half is walk-in.

The running specialty industry has separated from running stores in general and had been one of the fastest growing segments of the industry although it has leveled off recently.

The Running Hub has recently moved to a new location in the same shopping development. The main purpose of the move was to obtain increased space. However, the new location has much more foot traffic and Lumley is seeing many new customers visiting the store.

Lumley regularly advertises with the Premium Shopping Guide and RSVP direct mail. When customers return the coupons/cards it enables tracking to determine the results of ads; both channels are experiencing similar results. Community outreach is also part of the marketing mix; The Running Hub provides prizes for races, discounts for student athletes and partners with local organizations with a running-related mission.

Lumley’s tip for those seeking to start a business: whether creating a start-up or buying and existing concern, ensure you have a good handle on expenses. Also, use a point of sale system to help you track sales and gather customer e-mails so you can follow-up.

Enjoy the show.

Once a Day Marketing™ inspires clients to brand bold. 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.

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Ask Good Questions to Improve Your Brand (Knowledge)

Hello, I’m Marianne Tenenbaum, Branding Strategist, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are focusing on how asking good questions may improve your brand.

From a branding and marketing perspective, many businesses continue doing what they always do because it is requires less effort and may have worked well in the past. To keep the brand and marketing approach fresh, every business owner should formulate good, thoughtful questions about the performance of their brand. These may be difficult to answer, however, may yield interesting information.

Start with the most foundational elements of your brand:

Are sales meeting our expectations? If not, why?
What is the profile of our ideal customer?
What is the profile of our actual customer base?
Do our products meet the needs of our customers?
Does our marketing target the right customer segment(s)?
Is our marketing message relevant and resonating with our market?
Are we distributing our marketing message via the most impactful channels?
Do we have opportunities to move into new markets?

If you are able to answer questions like these about your business, use the data to update your business and marketing plans to drive growth.

If you are not able to readily answer this type of question, take a step back and consider how you can measure the most relevant attributes so you are able to assess the status of your brand.

The better the questions you ask and answer about your business, the more you enhance your ability to make informed decisions that will drive your branding and marketing forward.

Once a Day Marketing™ inspires clients to brand bold. Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com. Contact Marianne Tenenbaum at (505) 699-7849 or email mten@onceadaymarketing.com. Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

Friday, April 22, 2016

Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: Shel Horowitz and Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. On our radio show Ask Those Branding Guys, we discussed branding and marketing with a focus on being green.

Joining us on the show Horowitz, author and founder of Green & Profitable. His interest in being green started with the first Earth Day in 1970. Shel began to blend green with business when a large housing development was about to move into his area and he launched a successful campaign as an activist to stop the project.

Shel shared that being green and/or a social enterprise is growing exponentially in popularity and is almost main stream. Many companies including giants such as General Motors, Toyota and Walmart are joining the green movement. In some cases it may be an effort to reduce costs or generate revenue, however, it is resulting is big strides for adoption of green practices. Any business can take small steps to move in a green direction, every change will have an impact on our planet.

Green fact - every hour more solar energy comes to earth than all the energy humanity uses in a year. Solar powered housing drives conservation which leads to efficiency and abundance. Shel believes we should study nature to learn valuable lessons regarding storing energy and purifying salt water.

When it comes to marketing, there are different levels of green consumers. Some will buy a green product if it is next to something they already purchase, others will seek the best green products and, at the other end of the continuum, there are those consumers who will never buy green. Companies should create messaging for the different green customer segments.

Shel’s tip for businesses: think bold and act bold. To start your green journey, change your mindset and believe that you can do this. Look for the release of Shel's new book Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World.

Enjoy the show.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Branding the Meow Wolf Art Project (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: Meow Wolf Santa Fe New Mexico

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. On our radio show Ask Those Branding Guys, we discussed branding and marketing of Santa Fe’s newest interactive art experience.

Joining us on the show was Vince Kadlubek, CEO and Co-Founder of Meow Wolf. Meow Wolf is an arts production company creating multimedia experiences that immerse visitors in their storytelling. The first permanent installation, House of Eternal Return, opened last month to rave reviews. Meow Wolf’s goal is to have people to say they don’t know how to describe Meow Wolf – you just have to see it for yourself.

Meow Wolf was founded in 2008 as a place to express a different aesthetic than other forums in Santa Fe. Their members create a place where they are free to express their fringe artwork. The company has numerous layers of chaos and order that are complementary of one another. They are flexible and authentic and that is what makes the product unique. In addition to the House of Eternal Return, Meow Wolf has a large music space, Fancy Town, which is also generating buzz.

When it comes to branding Meow Wolf is selling their uniqueness and the interactive experience. Visitors create their own experiences by walking through the exhibit; every path is unique both in the order they view it in and how they interpret what they see. Since opening in March, 35,000 visitors have been through House of Eternal Return.

As a business with a for-profit model, Meow Wolf does charge admission. They are targeting as wide an audience as possible across all ages and socio-economic groups. Vince shared that art doesn’t have to be a public initiative. His mission is to defy boredom and provide something new and different for audiences.

Meow Wolf marketing is been focused in social media, where their audience is. The Meow Wolf approach is share authentic posts to engage fans and followers and avoid a hard sell. Among the marketing challenges for Meow Wolf, Vince noted they will be relying on tourist to sustain their business model. They plan to focus on this market and generate good reviews.

Enjoy the show.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Branding vs. Advertising Defined (Knowledge)

Hello, I’m Marianne Tenenbaum, Branding Strategist, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are discussing the difference between branding strategy and advertising for your company.

At Once a Day Marketing we focus on creating bold branding strategy for our clients. We know that a brand is simply everything; it resides in the mind of customers based on the experiences and impressions associated with a brand; and can be influenced but not controlled. Brand strategy begins with identifying the essence of a company and developing a brand that is true to this nature.

To create a successful brand it's imperative for our team to have a thorough understanding of virtually every aspect of a client's company including operations, manufacturing, marketing, sales, etc. This knowledge enables us to achieve an authentic brand position that is unique, compelling and believable.

A company’s brand architecture (how brands within the company's portfolio relate to each other), customer perceptions regarding brand benefits and how that brand relates to competitors are all vital aspects to consider. We assess positioning, brand promise, functional and emotional benefits, etc. This work is then used to create compelling messaging that will be relevant and resonate with target customers.

Advertising is the process of sharing this messaging through the marketing ecosystem of traditional and social media channels. With the myriad of ways consumers are now exposed to marketing messaging it's a full time job for an advertiser or advertising agency to understand these channels and design cost-effective campaigns to reach a target audience.

It may be very difficult for an advertising agency to have a full grasp on all aspects of branding if their primary business is creation and placement of your marketing message. When you are ready to build a new brand or update an existing brand, be sure that you work with a branding expert who understands the nuances of branding and will provide you with the research, analysis and guidance you need for a successful positioning and branding strategy. This becomes the foundation for the development and implementation of a successful advertising plan.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Keys to Reaching Your Target Audience (Strategy)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are looking at three key concepts to understand in developing your marketing message that will be remembered by your target audience.

As you plan how to deliver your compelling marketing message to potential customers, it is essential to consider reach, frequency and consistency:

Reach is the population of potential audience that will be exposed to your message
Frequency is how often you share your message with the target audience
Consistency is sharing the same message over and over so that it will stick in the minds of potential customers

Reach, frequency and consistency are critical concepts. Reach allows you to be selective in advertising because you want your message to be relevant and resonate with the right audience. It’s very important to remember that not everyone is a potential customer; don’t waste valuable resources targeting the wrong prospects. Once you have identified the target audience(s), determine how your message will be distributed to those potential customers in your market area.

When it comes to frequency, ensure that you share the message often enough so it will stick with potential customers and your brand becomes top of mind when they are thinking of buying the kind of products or services you offer.

Have you heard the slogan “You’re in Good Hands with Allstate”? This insurance company has been using this message for a very long time. It is relevant and maintains mindshare with customers when they are looking for insurance. Evaluate your advertising and identify how you can accomplish the same consistency when you are sharing your marketing message.

Once a Day Marketing™ inspires clients to brand bold.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 (MT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.