Once a Day Marketing: August 2016

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Responding to Evolving Markets (Strategy)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are taking a look at product innovation to expand into new markets.

Businesses often find themselves in a position where demand for their product is declining due to economic circumstance, social trends and/or consumer preferences. For example, a car-maker manufacturing heavy duty trucks in a market place where many drivers want better gas mileage or, one of the world's top beer makers producing great dark beer while today's imbibers are gravitating toward craft and fusion brews.

At the same time, there are hundreds of entrepreneurs recognizing unfilled consumer needs and starting new businesses to provide those missing products and services.

When one of these situations arises at your company, do you know what your business would do?

Consider product innovation that allows expansion into new markets.

To solve the situations above, companies have to be creative; Ford launched an F-150 truck with an aluminum body for lighter weight and improved gas mileage. Guinness released American Blonde Lager, manufactured in the USA, a big, grand, different tasting beer. Lastly, Frolick Dogs in Alexandria, VA is a canine sports club designed to keep dogs fit, filling a need for customers that didn’t have time to walk their dogs.

I applaud these efforts of thinking creatively to design or re-design products to address customer needs as markets evolve. Companies sometimes have to take risks with new or updated products to keep their brand relevant otherwise they would be left behind as new enterprises emerge to fill voids in the market.

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.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

New Tour Company Finds Niche in New Mexico (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: Turquoise Tours in 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 with a new tour company.

Joining us on the show was Lindsay Mapes – owner of Turquoise Tours based in Taos, New Mexico. Founded in 2016, Turquoise Tours was initially focused on various types of day tours such as walking and culinary offerings. After their first summer, the business concept is changing rapidly. Turquoise Tours began offering mountain biking treks as an ancillary service; however, these tours are now a significant driver of revenue. Lindsay is updating her strategic plan and will expand Taos outdoor adventure tours.

Mountain biking is a sport where there is strong demand for guides and this customer is willing to pay for services such as shuttles to and from the biking trails. It is also an area that is a core competency of Lindsay’s and she is familiar with reaching the mountain biker adventure tourist market. Turquoise Tours currently caters to strong intermediate and advanced riders. 2017 will see expanded offerings to include less strenuous locales for families and older tourists as well as road cycling.

Differentiators for Turquoise Tours include a new, clean brand-wrapped van, paying close attention to details which provide great customer experiences and being unique in Taos; at the moment there are no competitors in this niche.

To get her message out, at first Lindsay concentrated very heavily on local marketing such as radio, a billboard, etc. The goal was to drive referrals from locals. Lindsay is now working on social media advertising and to boost online reviews.

In 2017 Turquoise Tours will be expanding into Gallup, New Mexico and offering cultural immersion experiences along with outdoor adventures!

Enjoy the show.

Once a Day Marketing™ inspires clients to brand bold. 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, August 21, 2016

Reach Target Audience with Proximity Marketing (Strategy)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are taking a look at proximity marketing.

For those of you not familiar with the concept, proximity marketing is the wireless distribution of advertising information at a specific location or within certain boundaries. As mobile phones and other technology proliferate, more and more potential customers can be reached in this manner. It is also possible to target a certain time of day and/or a select group of devices within the location. Beacons are one of the popular tools to distribute your advertising message.

A recent article on Search Engine Watch shared these facts about beacons:

In-store retail sales influenced by beacon-triggered messaging in 2015 and 2016 was $4.1 Billion
$40 Billion increase is estimated for 2016
Men are more likely than women to purchased based on this personalized advertising
59% of retailers using proximity marketing feel customers are more engaged in the store
24% of retailers using beacons saw an increase in offer redemption

For retailers, proximity marketing means they will know exactly who is frequenting their business. Using this "hyperlocal" marketing approach, retailers can push personalized, friendly messages that welcome shoppers and include offers that will resonate with customers based on interests, preferences and previous shopping behavior.

Per Search Engine Watch 42% of companies are already using proximity marketing. My recommendation is to spend some time researching proximity marketing. If it is becoming an important marketing tactic for Macy's, Levi's, Kraft and Coca-Cola it just might favorably impact your brand and related sales as well.

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Hospitality Program Stresses Customer Service (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: Santa Fe Community College Hospitality and Tourism

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. On our radio show Ask Those Branding Guys, we discussed the importance of customer service for your brand.

Joining us on the show was Katherine Fox Ehlert – Director of the Hospitality and Tourism Program at Santa Fe Community College. Katherine is heading up this new program at SFCC focused on providing education in the area of Hospitality.

Tourism is a large part of the New Mexico economy and there was a gap in degree programs being offered by colleges in Northern New Mexico that provided well rounded candidates to fill jobs in New Mexico hotels and restaurants. In 2015, SFCC launched a program in partnership with New Mexico State University to address that missing component.

The program is training students to fill management, supervisory and director roles in hospitality and tourism here in the state. Students are able to earn and Associates degree at SFCC and move seamlessly to NMSU to complete a bachelor’s degree and built a long term career.

Customer service is one of the key components in providing outstanding customer experiences. In today’s environment, there are so many avenues for customers to share opinions; hotels and restaurants have a tremendous opportunity to provide great service and keep those comments positive.

Great service doesn’t happen by accident. Service excellence should be part of the corporate culture and management must take the lead to educate, empower and provide the tools for their team regarding how to engage customers and make a great impression on them during every step in the process.

Katherine’s advice for those who would like to improve customer service at their business – personalization is essential – remember the customer’s name and call them by name when you are interacting with them.

Enjoy the show.

Monday, August 15, 2016

Enhance Your Brand’s Communication (Knowledge)

Hello, I’m Marianne Tenenbaum, Branding Strategist, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are focusing on how to enhance presentations to make information easier for people to absorb.

Presenting information on slides, electronic communications and even on paper is how you share information about your company, brand, products or services. However, not all communications are created equal. It’s very important from a branding perspective for you to ensure anything you present internally or to customers is aligned to social trends as well as artistically appealing. All the materials you share become a visual cue and a reflection on your brand.

Social Trends:

People are distracted in seconds
A large percentage of readers only skim content
It takes a fraction of a second to make a first impression
Image boost engagement
Verbal intelligence is declining while visual intelligence in increasing
Visual communication is growing dramatically

In addition to keeping the social trends top of mind, here are a few ideas we recommend you consider when you are preparing your next communication to enhance retention of the information:

Know your audience
Create compelling content that aligns with their interests
Express ideas in graphical images
Content should be visually appealing

Lastly, for in-person presentations, integrate such things as audio, video or links to the internet. All of these elements will make your presentation much more engaging for your audience.

Benefits associated with thoughtfully preparing communication based on customer needs include audience appreciation, positive reflection on your brand and creation of favorable impressions in the minds of the audience.

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.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

True Branding for New Mexico (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: New Mexico True Branding

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 the State of New Mexico.

Joining us on the show was Rebecca Latham, New Mexico Cabinet Secretary for Tourism. Rebecca talked about the New Mexico True advertising campaign which shares all the great things about the state. The NM brandline is Adventure That Fees the Soul which sets New Mexico apart from our neighboring states who are not able to offer the great art & culture component.

True came out of focus groups data indicating that there was a misconception of what New Mexico was like. The campaign started with True / False questions describing the amazing attributes of the state. Now True campaign is telling the rest of the country and the world about all the great things New Mexico has to offer. 2015 resulted in the fourth year of record breaking tourism growth. Over 91K New Mexicans are employed in the $6.1 billion hospitality industry, 68K of these as a direct result of tourism spending.

The Tourism Department partners with 50 communities around the state to tell their own True stories while keeping their own unique identity at the same time. The Tourism Department is also continuously working on new offerings under the True umbrella to keep the brand top of mind including New Mexico True product certification and the exciting New Mexico True Fest, their first signature event, coming up Labor Day weekend at Expo New Mexico in Albuquerque.

The Tourism Department uses different message in various markets. In the drive market, the focus is on luring those targets to New Mexico. In the fly market, where people are less aware of what NM has to offer, awareness campaigns are used. Within the state, the tourism department shares stories that will make residents proud; the goal is to remind residents why they should vacation in NM and keep tourist dollars here.

Rebecca shared that it has been very exciting to see how the #NewMexicoTrue Instagram campaign allows followers to share what New Mexico True means to them. The Tourism Department is leveraging all this great social media awareness to promote the State Parks in the Find Your New Mexico True State Park campaign.

Rebecca’s tip for anyone who wants to improve their branding and marketing – the one fundamental thing she always goes back to is research. Use data to objectively determine where you stand and hire experts to help you develop a strategy around how to promote your brand and stay true to yourself.

Enjoy the show.

Monday, August 8, 2016

Share Your Brand's Purpose with Customers (Strategy)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, That Branding Guy, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are talking about ensuring customers know why you are in business.

Companies generally have a mission and vision statement that are shared internally so management, employees and any other stakeholders know the purpose and values of the company and how they guides planning and drive business decisions. Frequently, mission, vision and why a company is in business are far removed from customers.

Recently I visited an establishment that very clearly displayed to customers their purpose for being in business. Firestone Complete Auto Care center proudly displays this message on their door for all customers to see:

Our Purpose

To be the most trusted provider of automotive care in every neighborhood we serve.

This message clearly states the Firestone brand promise and sets expectations with customers.

Let your customers know the purpose behind your business. Just remember, when you make that brand promise, you have to deliver.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Nonprofit Cooking Up a Great Brand (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: Cooking with Kids

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 local organization.

Joining us on the show were Lynn Walters, Anna Farrier and Cheryl Alters Jamison, retiring and incoming Executive Directors and Member of the Advisory Board, respectively, of Cooking with Kids. Cooking with Kids educates and empowers children and families to make healthy food choices through hands-on learning with fresh, affordable foods from diverse cultural traditions.

Cooking with Kids has been getting kids excited about food and cooking for 20 years. Lynn founded the organization to fill the gap in experiential programs for kids that would satisfy their curiosity and provide fun, hands on experiences with cooking, great food and healthy eating. There is an added benefit that kids in the program take their new-found knowledge home and educate parents as well.

Cooking with Kids partners with Santa Fe schools to delivery programs locally; their curriculum is used across the state and across the country a well. They partner with the City of Santa Fe, local chefs, restaurants & grocery stores and other members of the community to drive their vision forward. These resources are more critical than ever to accomplishing the mission of the organization.

Cooking with Kids is launching a new book – The Cooking with Kids Cookbook. Due out in the Fall, this is their first book and will be a fund-raiser for the organization. The idea and material are drawn from the successful CWK curriculum and enhances the cooking experience with kids and their families.

To raise awareness for the book, CWK is working with University of New Mexico Press for publicity; they will be holding book signings and hosting benefits too. Glover suggested soliciting user generated content from kids and families and sharing those experiences with others as a means of promotion.

In light of the success of the Cooking with Kids program nationwide, Glover suggested that a crowd funding campaign may be an excellent mechanism to generate additional support.

Cheryl shared their branding tip for other organizations publishing a book. Weigh the pros and cons of self- publishing vs. a publishing house. When you choose a publisher, ensure you select one that aligns with your subject and will lend credibility to your brand.

Enjoy the show.

Monday, August 1, 2016

Measure Marketing Campaign Results to Drive Success (Knowledge)

Hello, I’m Marianne Tenenbaum, Branding Strategist, for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we are focusing on measuring results of marketing campaigns.
A popular maxim in process improvement says if something isn’t measured, it can’t be improved. This applies to marketing efforts as well. How are you determining the success of your marketing campaigns? Do you judge results by how you feel? Are you looking at sales improvement or something else?

If you aren’t measuring results with meaningful data you may not have sufficient insight into how campaigns and channels are performing compared to expectations. As you are developing your next advertising campaign, whether using a traditional or social media channel, establish goals for a few simple statistics such as increased customer social media engagement, response rate, increase in traffic, number of items sold or gross sales that make sense for your business/product.

When the campaign launches, ensure there is a process in place to gather data for each goal you selected on a daily, weekly or other basis. Begin assessing the performance of the advertising at the close of the campaign and compare that data to the goals you established.

As you continue to measure, you will accumulate fact based information that will enable you to direct your marketing to leverage the strategies that are driving the best results.

Learn more about establishing your goals. Watch our Once a Day Marketing video: SMART Goals