Is This The Year To Turn Your Marketing Budget Upside Down?

In a word: Yes.

A new survey was just released saying that ad dollars being put into “social media” is still trending up while print is trending down. The real question is “Why aren’t marketers turning their entire budget upside down and rethinking every dollar?”

Below is a chart of how analysts are saying advertising budgets will be spent in 2010.

To this we offer commentary — on how to maximize these expenditures. Even better; we suggest adding or replacing some of these with more focused customer outreach.

Survey says: Bennett says: Highest and Best Use
#1 Television Tell a story, engage the audience, tie to web site
#2 Newspapers Use only for editorial advantage and very specific needs
#3 Internet Use as a format for solutions, problem solving and interaction
#4 Magazines Magazines are perfect for visuals and in-depth story telling
#5 Outdoor Tie to web and mobile communications, use digital, less is more

What’s missing?- Communicating with former and current customers – too much of the ad budget goes to acquisition of new customers. Much more cost effective to treat current customers better and regain former customers.
- Open sincere dialogue with customers – internet, mail, blogs and phone – true two-way communications and world class customer service
- Events – allow customers to get to know your product, service and people
- Alternative marketing – every product and service has a distinct audience and each can be reached in a unique way. Sidewalk graphics? Personalized postcards? Affinity groups?
- Tie sales and rewards at every level – in a future column I’ll share with you how some organizations are having success by replacing advertising budgets with customer loyalty programs and employee rewards.

One-size-fits-all marketing has never worked and there has never been a better time to rethink your marketing mix. It may take more thinking time upfront, but will be more fulfilling and save significant dollars in the long term.

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Have You Ever?

Not long ago an advertising agency owner revealed that he really didn’t know what a public relations professional did all day.
“You write press releases right? And send to the media? What else?”

There doesn’t seem to be an easy way to describe what we do everyday as publicists and marketers, sometimes it’s just easier to say “we manage the brand” and “we do whatever it takes to impact sales and make an organization succeed”.

And sometimes — it is about the list below – the “other” category of accomplishments of this agency (and so many other marketing professionals) that truly make a difference for our clients. We believe in the power of advertising, but know it only becomes cost effective when integrated with other ways to reach the consumer.

have you ever?
bought an ad on a movie screen
placed a product in a movie
built a whole ad campaign around church bulletins
developed an app for a brand
sent a journalist a gimmick
broken a Guinness World Record
sent a letter to the editor
bought radio time for advertorial
partnered with a media giant to do an event
hired a celebrity to send a message
hidden an Easter egg
held a shareholder meeting for a public company
had a client booked on the Today Show or Jay Leno
used only photographs to send a message
did a presentation without saying a word
conducted an event backward
done sidewalk moments
started a trend
tied billboard to mobile
combined two totally different products for a new use
conducted a survey for the resulting news value
created an event with a series of 3 invitations to assure maximum response
chose a distinct phone number for a campaign
used a costume character as an ambassador
lobbied Congress
achieved DOT signage on an interstate highway – and it wasn’t a billboard
tied to a local artist for an entire ad and collateral campaign
brought in an interior designer to redo an office to tie to the brand
done a fashion shoot on site
partnered with a national brand for a client, at no cost
used a grassroots tactic to blast a message simultaneously
established a nationally recognized day
based an entire campaign on events after midnight
built a campaign from the perspective of a historical figure
written a weekly column
sponsored a nationally televised game show
put a gift in the Academy Awards bags
built a photo backdrop full of logos and client images
sent a postcard with scented ink
created a media kit with sound
created a blog to promote a product and used personalities to link friends
won an award by asking for online votes
produced a Superbowl commercial to take a company public
closed down parts of EPCOT to produce those 5 Superbowl commercials

I’ve been thinking about sending this list to the ad guy. “Here is a list of all the things we have done for our clients that rarely included one cent of paid advertising.”
Instead I am sharing it here with you. We call it marketing, our clients call it powerful and we’re just glad they are the kind of clients who understand there is a very big world beyond paid advertising.

A RENEWED SENSE OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE – THRIVE AND SURVIVE

The only reason to take a closer look at this post is learn how to use marketing to impact your sales. This year and for years to come – this is a new time and calls for taking a new look at your options, your time, your budget and where you want to go. And put it all together with a generous dose of common sense.

In this blog I’ll offer how our agency approaches a new client’s business and what choices all businesses have for surviving and maybe even thriving.

Marketing is not only critical to the revenue and profit of a company – but can renew your sense of why you got into business in the first place. The to-do list that is marketing can stimulate a renewed sense of what is possible with your business.

Last week I had a business owner tell me he was paying $1200 a month for SEO, just yesterday another told me he spent $10,000 a month in advertising and yet another female entrepreneur said she had no idea what her options were these days, and after years of steady growth her sales were slipping.

What was important about these statements was “the rest of the story”. The owner paying for SEO wasn’t totally certain what those letters stood for; the executive spending thousands in advertising wasn’t aware he could negotiate for far more from the publications he was advertising in and didn’t know how much was the “right” amount to spend and the entrepreneur who didn’t know what to do was like too many others.

For each of them we had good news, and a few solid recommendations – there are still many ways to reach your customers, and some of them are very low cost.

Sometimes it’s about a new way of thinking using the new tools available, and sometimes it’s about doing things “the old fashioned” way. It never fails that a meld of both is the most cost effective, brings high return and includes a large dose of common sense.

At Bennett & Company all clients start with a half day meeting to review what’s important to the business, its leaders, their customers and the future. It’s a fun half-day that includes Play-Doh (to put our guests at ease and open up the communications), focused discussions, serious questions (like what keeps you awake at night?) and multiple ah-ha moments where the future starts to look bright.

The team here spends the next few days distilling the insight from the meeting and conducting a communications audit of all the things this client and their competitors have tried to sell their products or services. We analyze what worked, what didn’t and why? Then we augment with a report that identifies what might have been missing and what techniques other industries have tried that worked well. (The huge benefit of an agency is the 40,000 foot high view of what other industries are doing and what is successful in the marketplace.)

All of these come together in a custom-built plan-of-action, including a timeline, list of expectations and budget options – designed for the current needs of each client and their unique opportunities and challenges.

We always include a section called “carpe diem” to allow for the unexpected opportunities that appear when a positive marketing campaign gets going.

There are few things more rewarding than watching a client’s business thrive. After all in this unpredictable global economy surviving is job #1, but thriving is what gives us all a reason to get out of bed each day – and do it with a sense of belief that the future is full of possibilities.

The perfect symbol for what’s next: ;

Recently I saw an ad for The Purpose Prize, funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies and the John Templeton Foundation. It is a $750,000 prize to invest in people over 60 who are changing the world. Finally! I have grown quite weary of all the negative dialogue about “boomers” and wondered when our generation might use our sheer strength, and collective intelligence, to change the way some think of us and the whole aging process.

Here are just some of the things I predict just might become fads:
- Gray hair is the new blonde
- Wrinkles are beautiful, so are age spots
- Slow movement is seen as smart
- Experience is priceless
- Typefaces over 12 pt are in style
- and yes – having an encore is the new “retirement”

See that symbol in the headline? It’s the old-fashioned semi-colon and I am impressed with the perfection of its use. ; Encore Careers, the ad goes on to say that the purpose of the organization and the prize money, is to celebrate and advance the work of people over 60 who are using their experience to take on society’s biggest challenges in new and innovative ways. Bravo, bravo, bravo – and thank you! Intrigued? The website is www.Encore.org.

So what is your ;?

Defining Marketing – not so easy

It’s a great time to be in business – calls are coming in, clients are happy and being a publicist is once again in demand. The problem is where to find great new members of our team? Over the years I have heard others say that building a team is far more difficult than building client business. Right now it’s not really about finding smart people; it’s about the job description! Just what is marketing in today’s environment? An advertising agency friend of mine and I have a lively debate about “the middle ground” of marketing. Is social media best left to advertising pros or PR experts? Who really is in charge of the message these days? Many will quickly say that social media belongs to the younger generation, but those of us over 40 know that representing a brand is a tricky place to be and often not a good place for someone beginning their career. I just read a great book, Groundswell, and they tell a story of a 70 year old professional who is managing the social networking for a top car manufacturer. Now that is interesting! Is marketing then “everything” and it is not only vital to business but will truly take a team to manage? I hope so, putting smart people together for a well considered outcome will always be the way to go. Now back to that job description!

As we get close to Grandparent’s Day 2009 …

In 1978 President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation declaring the Sunday after Labor Day as the official day to celebrate Grandparents.

As the then Director of Communications for the National Restaurant Association this was a stellar opportunity to give diners just one more reason to dine out. You may not realize that after individual birthdays, the #1 day to dine out each year is Mother’s Day. Our mission was to promote this new observance, National Grandparents Day and assure we helped restaurateurs fill their restaurants and offer their customers another great reason to dine with the family; dine out that is.

Partnering with FTD and the Hallmark marketing teams we did just that. I never walk by a Hallmark store without thinking about how smart their marketing was then and is now.

Sometimes it is not about huge campaigns to get your message across, sometimes it’s just about making something special.

As we move forward with this new economic climate, try to add “something special” to your message and watch where it takes you. Possibly decades from now you too will see something you began today still be resonating with consumers in the future.
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Recently I read an article about two very smart women who have started a Boot Camp for Retirement. Is that brilliant? Retirement puts your life in reverse; instead of saving money you are now suppose to withdraw. Instead of having a full plate of things to do you are suppose to relax. This boot camp helps people know exactly what they are getting into when they retire.

I wish Marcia Tillotson and Joy Kenefick great success and don’t be surprised if someday I call on them to learn the important lessons of this next stage of life.
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Icebergs as Inspiration

As I write this it is 95 degrees, sunny and humid in Florida, exactly as it should be in July. But last week was another story for me – I was in Twillingate, Newfoundland in the northern region of Canada, specifically in parts known as “iceberg alley”. To say it was awesome would be an understatement. Let me paint a verbal picture for you here: grey skies, craggy grey/brown rocks, dark water and in the middle of it all a “family of icebergs” that are a blue that I am at a loss for words to describe to you. Imagine the bluest eyes you have ever seen and now think of them as luminescent and you’ll come close to understanding how mesmerizing an iceberg can be.

It struck me, that this iceberg, as far as it had traveled and as beautiful as it was in the midst of a foggy day was a symbol of how just one thing can make a huge difference. The townspeople were all out in their jackets and boots, along with the tourists who had driven hours north to see what had been rumored as one of the largest icebergs ever seen in the harbor. It was worth the drive I can tell you!

The thoughts of a recession, falling stock prices and a dim future outlook all receded as we looked at this spectacular chunk of nature. In a grey world, one sparkle or one spark can change the attitudes of a group of people in an instant.

They say that icebergs include very large masses below the water level – thus what we saw was literally the tip of an iceberg.

Could it be that if there are glimmers of good news emerging around the world about economies and positive trends that we all may be looking at the tip of the iceberg of our own? One where what we see through the grey mist is beautiful and though we cannot see the whole, we surely know it is there and worth the trip.

Smiley Faces – an icon for our times

We’re all feeling the gloom, some personally through home or job loss, most of us are feeling it in hundreds of little ways from increased concerns about the potential loss of our own homes or jobs; to the daily drive by empty store fronts and concerns about those who lost their livelihood when these stores closed.

Yet there really is hope in this “Great Recession” – I’m seeing a shout out for the good stuff – are you? Recent talk at our office was about last week’s reality show winners and how they exemplified “people next door” and how we are seeing more balance in the news and the Internet between good news and bad.

Our clients too have moved beyond the “what we don’t want to say” messaging to the “let’s focus on this good thing” mentality; and it’s working well with sales inching up every week.

I have a prediction – this summer of 2009 will be a quiet period of regrouping, stablizing and mapping out what’s next. This September will be a dynamic time with new ideas, innovation and creativity making the headlines.

In May car dealers are closing, by September there will be a new model of dealer coming out alongside the 2010 model cars … In May we are seeing a prediction of less far away summer vacations, by September we will hear talk of how families spent meaningful time together in June, July and August near home, but are planning trips to fun new destinations for the holidays or 2010. … In May we are still holding our breath with worry of what might be coming next, in September the exhale will begin.

Today’s New York Times (yes I am a big fan) has a large graphic of a yellow smiley face with the headline: Back by Popular Demand.

Accountability – thank goodness it’s back

Good Morning from Miami – I’ve had 6 meetings in 3 days coupled with hours in my car with time to think and begin this day knowing one thing for sure – even a financial mess like we are in now brings good things.

Marketing is about communicating and compelling – only by knowing the current climate of the consumer, specifically your target audience, can you be successful. Sometimes it’s also about our own actions.

It’s really about accountability isn’t it? Whether it’s the people who are receiving AIG bonuses or those giving it to them – we all want to know “who” and “why” this happened. When marketing a product or service, it’s not going to be an option going forward; we must present honesty and transparency.

It’s been too long since we the people have demanded information – we want to know who is doing what, why and what happens next.

Surely we should have been asking these questions all along, but that would have meant we would own a bit of the responsibility too. Possibly we were all having too good a time to pay attention.

On the other side is our own personal accountability. Most of us are questioning our own actions. Did we really need to have that designer shirt? Eat out so often or drive such a large vehicle?

I have friends who are saying this new economy gives them an excuse to say no, clients who are taking creative new looks at marketing and seeing businesses putting an emphasis on customer service. Doesn’t this mean our world is getting back to basics – you know, being good to one another, saying thank you and being accountable?

Every change brings opportunity. And though there are so many who are in dire straits, we should all do something for those less lucky than we are and be accountable for our neighbors.

I’ve heard several say it feels like they just got off a gerbil wheel and they are relieved. Let’s take this opportunity to be accountable for our world – do something significantly positive today, for someone else.

Is it New or is it Just A Great Idea Coming Back?

Lately I find myself saying “we did that 25 years ago”!

I’m happy to report that the topics that make me say that are the things I always felt good about as a marketer; Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR as it is known.

Community relations, special events for a cause, public service, giving back…. are all now part of what we do as an agency, and as individuals, and what we will be doing much more of in 2009.

Years ago, a vast amount of our time as marketers was spent on establishing a client’s brand through “good deeds”. Remember how frequently you saw public service announcements to tell you to buckle up, turn off the lights, not be a liter bug or asking “do you know where your children are?”.

We all want to spend our money with a company that cares. Wikipedia gives a great definition of how this CSR – is also being measured through systems called Social Accounting.

” Taking responsibility for its impact on society means in the first instance that a company accounts for its actions. Social accounting, a concept describing the communication of social and environmental effects of a company’s economic actions to particular interest groups within society and to society at large, is thus an important element of CSR.”

What is old is new again, “doing good” is now known as CSR and there is even a way to measure it! Maybe this old idea is just getting a whole lot better.

Go forth, do good things yourself and shop at retailers who give back.