Once a Day Marketing: February 2017

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Marketing 101: the 7Ps of Marketing - PEOPLE (Knowledge)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, "That Branding Guy" for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we’re sharing Part V in our series on the fundamentals of marketing using the 7Ps with a discussion of People.

When you really think about it, are customers buying your product or are they buying into the people in your organization who represent that product? There’s an argument both ways.

Staffing your organizations with the right people can be a huge asset with respect to the enhancement of your brand. Conversely, your brand can be severely diminished if you have people in your organization who are not representing your products or company values correctly.

As brand ambassadors, every person in your organization is a reflection on the brand. It's critical that your team members understand how important their role is and what you expect of them when they are interacting with and/or can be seen by customers.

Hiring the best people is key. Continuous customer service training will also create a company culture where employees understand how to represent the brand in a positive manner and provide a great customer experience.

Relationship marketing is another way to build a brand through your employees. Referred to as people 2 people marketing or P2P, the personal interactions by you and your team members with individual customers, vendors and partners create meaningful connections and lasting impressions that elevate the strength and stature of your brand.

Watch our Once a Day Marketing™ video to learn more: People Make Your Brand

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 at11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Constructing a Home Builders Association Brand (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: Santa Fe Area Homebuilders Association

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 Home Builders Association.

Joining us on-air was Kim Shanahan – Executive Officer of the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association (SFAHBA). With 450 members, they are the second largest home owners’ association in New Mexico. The mission of the SFAHBA is to assist members to develop their businesses through networking, education, research, information and advocacy at the local and state level. SFAHBA is focused on green building and sustainable development in the community.

The SFAHBA would like to be perceived as a resource for new comers to the community, providing advice and direction regarding building their dream home. Shanahan interviews people seeking information to understand their needs and desires so he is able to provide meaningful recommendations. Glover suggested Kim should call himself the Construction Concierge.

To get the message out about the brand, Kim networks with peers such as the Santa Fe Association of Realtors and Chambers of Commerce to ensure they understand the services the SFAHBA has to offer and can pass that information on to interested individuals.

The Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association also partners with Homewise, provider of affordable housing, and financial institutions to encourage loans for building speculative homes, this would provide available inventory for buyers that don’t want to wait two years to design and build a custom home.

The Sana Fe Area Home Builders Association has numerous events throughout the year to showcase member offerings including the Home Show and the Parade of Homes. The Home Show, coming up in March, is geared toward local residents interested in making improvements to the homes.The Parade of Homes, held in August to take advantage of Santa Fe’s high season, features about 25 new homes and allows visitors to explore the Sana Fe Style homes and the craftsmanship of each individual builder in a wide range of prices.

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.

Monday, February 13, 2017

Marketing 101: the 7Ps of Marketing - PRODUCT (Knowledge)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, "That Branding Guy" for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we’re sharing Part IV in our series on the fundamentals of marketing using the 7Ps with a discussion of Product.

When you are creating product strategy, put yourself in the mind of your target audience. The customers and potential customers you are trying to reach will appreciate your product and brand if you deliver faster, better cheaper.

Faster – Delivering the product to the customer more quickly. When someone wants your product and you are able to put it into their hands immediately it results in a great customer experience.

Better – Statements like “new” and “improved” are used in marketing across a broad array of products and services. Consider how to make your product new, improved or perceived as better in the minds of your customers.

Cheaper - There are two elements to consider, reducing the price or adding more perceived value to customers for the same dollar. We prefer the second approach because competing on price alone usually doesn't bode well for the success of the brand.

Faster, better cheaper will allow you to enhance your brand and drive more sales. Seek out opportunities to deliver faster and make your product better or cheaper. You might use profit margins as a selection criteria as to which tactic you will pursue first. Once you have accomplished the initial strategy, look at implementing additional changes and, over time, you will improve all three elements of your product.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Branding The Ranch House Restaurant (Strategy)

Listen to our featured Ask Those Branding Guys radio show podcast: Branding The Ranch House Restaurant

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 popular Santa Fe restaurant.

Joining us on-air was Josh Baum, owner of The Ranch House restaurant serving a wide variety of American cuisine including their famous barbecue. Josh was a sous chef here in Santa Fe prior to opening his first restaurant, Josh’s Barbecue, departing from his fine dining background.

As Josh’s Barbecue grew, rather than expanding Josh decided to create a new concept. His desire was to be a local hub serving BBQ, salads and Mexican food to attract a wide array of diners. The restaurants offerings evolved in response to guest preferences into the menu customers enjoy today.

Josh selected the south side location for a variety of reasons including space to accommodate the size of the facility, area growth, freeway access and visibility from busy Cerrillos Road. When The Ranch House was under construction, Josh kept the ownership a bit of a secret creating buzz in the community prior to announcing the move of Josh’s Barbecue.

The Ranch House uses a variety of marketing channels to get their message out. They use print advertising in publications such as Local Flavor and The Santa Fe Reporter and have recently started radio ads. Josh recorded his own voiceover for the commercial and he is very pleased with the response received from people who recognize his voice and with traffic results as well. The personal touch is making a connection with his customers.

On the social media side, The Ranch House is using Facebook to promote daily specials and upcoming events. They have used Facebook to offer discounts during slow months, however, they generally don’t use coupons and discounts to drive traffic.

Social media sites such as Yelp! and Trip Advisor are touting The Ranch House as a place that is packed with locals and their online presence is growing. These positive reviews are enticing more visitors to try The Ranch House which aligns nicely with Josh’s newest strategy: targeting visitors in addition to their loyal local following.

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, February 5, 2017

Marketing 101: the 7Ps of Marketing PRICE (Knowledge)

Hello, I’m Jim Glover, "That Branding Guy" for Once a Day Marketing™. Today we’re sharing Part III in our series on the fundamentals of marketing using the 7Ps with a discussion of Price.

A strong value proposition means that customers feel they receive a good value in exchange for their hard earned dollars. Value proposition may include how your product makes the customer feel, what is included in the offer or a product performance guarantee.

To win and maintain a solid customer base, it makes more sense for a business to create a strong value proposition. This is what you want your customers to think about when they recall your brand to purchase your products or services. Work hard to ensure your value proposition is desired by your customers and also differentiates you from your competition. If customers don't know what makes your offerings different then you might only be able to compete on price but this is never a successful pricing strategy.

The proliferation of coupons and product discounts has created a coupon culture among consumers. This is a pitfall for small businesses when they rely on coupons as a means of driving traffic. Extensive use of coupons may create an expectation on the part of customers for a discounted price and they will hold out for your next coupon offering.

If you find your business is relying too much on coupons and discounts to bring customers in, review your offerings and how they are positioned. Ensure your products have perceived value in the minds of your customers and focus your messaging to reinforce these customer benefits.