Blogging About Burgers? A Lesson In Social Marketing...

Last week's post on what we could learn about marketing from wine labels, was a great hit - thanks for all of your comments and feedback. So I thought I'd continue on with our food theme as it seems to be a popular topic for marketers AND food critics.

This week, I'd like to get us all thinking about burgers!  That's right, big juicy hamburgers with the works.  Now you might be asking, "What do burgers have to do with marketing?"  My answer, EVERYTHING!  As you know, marketing today is about much more than the traditional 4 p's (product, place, price, and promotion).  It's about social media, community, and focusing on what you love.  Add the power of social networks and the fact that individuals can easily contribute to the larger discussion via blogs, mobile devices, and so on, and you have a new marketing landscape.

The Straight Beef!

A couple of weeks ago I was at a reception and met Scott Blumenthal.  Scott's a really bright guy and told me about a project he's been working on with John McManus and Michael Marino.  They've created a blog to talk about and review hamburgers.  Each post is filled with insightful information about the burger joints they frequent and provides an honest review of the hamburgers they've eaten.  The blog also contains some eye opening stats like how many burgers (and whole cows) these guys have consumed over a lifetime - 1,066 to be exact.  

My first time visiting the blog, The Straight Beef, I got really excited about what I found.  I like a good burger just like the next guy, but the marketing implications were staring me in the face.  Not only is the content of the blog entertaining, but it invites the community at large to participate in the discussion.  Have you had a burger today?  Did you think it was particularly good or bad?  Leave a comment or email the burger guys directly at burger.reviews@gmail.com.  Now this is marketing!!!

Burger Vendors Beware

If you're a restaurant or roadside stand, there's no hiding.  Social media marketing is continuing to gain momentum and is the way that we, as consumers, will get more and more of our information.  The products we want to buy, the services we want to learn more about - conversations are happening about them all over the Internet and we can easily participate or sit back and learn from the experiences of others before we make a buying decision.  This is true for almost anything, even hamburgers.

I think that Scott and his blog partners have really hit on an essential marketing theme.  That theme is to use media like blogging to share what you know and build a community around your passion.  These essential elements can build a following and get everyone talking about a particular product or service.  Do you know what people are saying about your brand? your products? If not, you should.  Be part of the discussion and consumers will get to know you and associate positive feelings towards your brand.

I've think I've spoken more about burgers in this post than I have in a year.  However, being reminded about how easy it is to be part of a larger social marketing community, even if it is about hamburgers, makes me want to talk about them much more often! Don't underestimate the effect that this type of information (a review) can have on your products.  People are reading.. and writing!

Be sure to rate your next burger at The Straight Beef blog. I'm always searching for a better burger!

Marketing Lessons From a Good Bottle of Wine

I look for good marketing no matter where I happen to be.  The other day I heard someone on the radio talking about wine bottles and the marketing connection.  That definitely got my attention as wine labels have so little room for copy that a number of marketing strategies must be at play to influence a purchase.

So what sells wine?  I think there are a few things that move someone through a purchase decision process in the wine market.  I'm no wine expert and quite honestly know little about "good wine" but can certainly tell you what marketing strategies encourage consumers to make that buying decision.

The label. Okay, so we all know that the label is important.  The color, the shape, the imagery.  All of these components have an impact on purchase decisions.  Each color used gives a hint to what consumers might find in the bottle.  Are the colors harsh?  Do they say, "I'm bitter" or are the colors unique and creative, giving potential buyers a sense of newness and being different?

The shape and size of the bottle.  The size of the bottle and overall packaging gives a good deal of information about what you might find inside as well.  Is the bottle traditional in shape?  Is is tall or short?  Each of these nuances must be congruent with other marketing factors to create a story worthy of pursuit.

The price.  Much like a Cadillac, many people buy on price.  Why?  Because price can give you an understanding of value.  Two wines side by side.  They look similar and are of the same size.  However, one has a price of $8.99 and the other $24.95.  Which one is better?  Price may give you the impression that the second, more expensive bottle is "better"... but is it really?

Recommendation.  Does the wine fit the occasion? Has it been recommended by someone in the store or someone you know who told you that you had to try that particular brand, vintage, etc.?  In the wine game, recommendations are a critical aspect of the purchase.

So there you have it.  Some factors that influence wine purchasing.  Are you a wine connoisseur?  If you are, what influences your buying decision?  You may add in some additional factors like, "..all Napa Valley wines are good so this one must be good as well".  This is the final aspect of buying wine (and similar products) and that is your personal experience.  Nothing can replace experience as a driving factor in making buying decisions. 

The next time you're in the market for a bottle of wine, notice what drives your purchase. Enjoy and bottoms up!!!

Marketing Lessons From A Cereal Box...

This morning I took a few minutes to read the cereal box sitting on the table in front of me. Although I'm an eggs and toast kind of guy, a good bowl of cereal hits the spot now and again. After reading the promotional copy before me, I realized just how good it was from a marketing perspective - Concise, meaningful, and relevant!  It's amazing what you can find on a cereal box!

Maybe it's time you took a look at your web site or print copy

When I was in grad school, I spent a lot of time learning about direct marketing and what separates good copy from bad.  As an author, I often struggle with the written word as writing a book (SEO Made Simple) is different than writing a direct mail piece or even website copy.  I learned a lesson a long time ago that came back to me while I was reading my box of Rice Krispies.  When writing copy, ask yourself "who cares?" after each sentence you write.

That's right, "who cares?"  After writing each line of copy, I was taught to ask the question who cares?  If you actually try this exercise you'll find that a number of your sentences are without personalization, are too vague, or simply hold no value for the reader.  After writing each line of copy ask "who cares?"  If you can answer using the copy just written, you're on your way to more effective copy writing.

WIFFM

The other aspect of marketing copy that makes a real difference is the old acronym of "What's in it for me?"  Is your copy directed at your audience?  I was at a sales meeting this past week and presented to three similar groups. However, each group had their area of specialty and focus.  When asked to present to each group, I found myself asking, "Why should they care about the information I'm presenting?".  When I realized that the presentation wasn't ideal for groups 2 and 3, I found myself up late one night making changes to the presentation.

If what you have to say isn't relevant, it will be ignored.  Your copy needs to reflect the mindset and focus of your target audience. It's best to get feedback from those you're targeting and continually work to improve your understanding of their needs, environment, and ultimately the messages they resonate with.

What You'll Discover On Your Cereal Box 

The next time you read your cereal box, you'll discover that with very limited space, and few words, good copywriters make you feel the value and benefit of what you have in your cereal bowl.  I've learned over the years that great copywriting is hard to find.  Bu then again, I never really stopped to read my cereal box.  I suppose great copywriting was there all along.  Enjoy your breakfast!

This Is Getting Personal...

I just read a great comment from someone about personalized messaging. As you know, I'm a big proponent of GETTING PERSONAL. When communicating to your prospects, how personal are you getting?

Now you might say that you deliver very personalized communication. This could be in the form of emails or direct marketing pieces that address your customers or prospects by name. But in today's marketing environment, you need to do better. Addressing someone by name is simply a starting point. If you want to be effective, go deeper.

A great example is a recent communication I received from the college I graduated from. I could tell from the envelope and wasn't at all disappointed when I ripped it open. "Dear former student" it read. Come on! They didn't even have the decency to call me by my name. So of course, it went immediately into the trash. But it got me thinking...

Here is an establishment that knows a lot about me: my name, birthday, the courses I took in school, my fraternity, how many on campus parking tickets I got, etc. Yet they have failed to leverage that information from the perspective of getting my attention or giving me a reason to support their cause - very disappointing.

As a marketing person, I pride myself on not only gathering information about prospects and customers, but using that information to create a meaningful experience for them. If the letter addressed me by name and referenced personal information, it would dramatically improve my interest. "Dear Michael, we know it's been X amount of years since you graduated, but a lot has changed. The marketing program here has been expanded..." OK. Now you've got my attention.

Personalization is your friend. Even if you're sending thousands of emails or direct marketing pieces out to your audience, make it personal. Not only should you be using the information you've collected, but focusing on messaging that addresses the fundamental needs of your prospects. We'll discuss more advanced messaging strategies in later posts, but for now, remember to get personal!

Marketing In The Year 2010

This new year, I couldn't help but ask myself the question, "How is marketing going to be different this year?" I mean, every year pretty much starts out the same but something is bound to happen to jazz things up. Do not call lists, do not fax lists, Twitter. The reality is that anything can happen!

Here are just a few of my predictions for the new year. I probably should consult with the Popcorn report or something that is based on legitimate research, but here's what I think the new year will bring.

1. New social media. Marketers have been struggling to make social media work from a marketing perspective. Even if I have a thousand "Fans" or ten thousand "Followers", what does it really mean? Not only will marketers do a better job of utilizing social media to market their products, but I believe we'll see new innovation in this area as well.

2. Mobile marketing. The concept of mobile marketing has been around for a long time. But with last year's introduction of cell phones that have full browser capabilities, everyone is connected all the time. This spells opportunity in the area of mobile marketing and real time promotions. I'm not sure what it will look like by year's end but I do know that it will be a focus in 2010.

3. An emphasis on organic search. As Google becomes even more dominant (maybe the government will step in this year) and pay-per-click costs continue to escalate, companies will be spending more of their marketing dollars on organic search and proper web design. Having to depend on PPC marketing to generate revenue is still a key ingredient in everyone's marketing budget but so will search engine optimization.

4. Analytics are king. This year, even marketers who have resisted adopting the latest and greatest analytics will succumb. As a mentor once told me, "In God we trust, all others bring data." We have access to more information than ever before and with free analytic programs like Google Analytics, there's no longer an excuse for being unable to identify your best lead sources.

5. More for less. Consumers are going to continue wanting more for less. As a result, marketers must focus on perceived value. Although the tendency may be to discount early and often, creating lasting value is what consumers want and will respond to.

2010 is going to be a great ride. Just like last year, marketers will continue to evolve their methods and effectiveness. We have more tools at our disposal than ever before and the prospects for a happy new year look very, very good!