Monthly Archives: March 2011

Best You Can Be

Being the Best That You Can Be

I can’t read statistics without smiling.
I once scanned the websites of four different health-related charities like the Cancer Society and the Diabetes Association.  Each claimed the disease they were trying to cure was the number one cause of death.  When I added up the percentages of their claims, these four diseases alone caused more than 600% of deaths.  (I guess no one falls victim to accidents, natural causes or the other ailments I didn’t scan) 
The point is, everyone has research which ‘proves’ they are number one at something.
I recently read statistics from the Ad Specialty Institute (the promotional product people’s equivalent to our RAB or TVB) that claimed, among other things:
– Promotional products generate a cost-per-thousand impressionof $0.004   compared to $0.033 for magazines and $0.019 for TV
– 84% of consumers remember advertisers based upon a free ad specialty product they received.
– 62% of those surveyed have done business with an advertiser after receiving a promotional product.
The study contained many more ‘statistics’ about the power of promotional products, but I think you get the point.
According to a study conducted by my company, ENS Media Inc., the average independent business owner is approached by 16 vendors like you, every week claiming to be the most cost-effective way to increase their sales.
Sales people in fields from promotional products to newspaper, customer relations management software to coupon envelopes, from signage companies to yellow pages, and from billboards to sales trainers are showing your prospects statistics which ‘prove’ their products are the best choice to increase sales.
To varying degrees, each alternative your clients have to choose from, really could be their best choice.  But they can’t afford to buy all 16 every week!
SO, here is the question. Which companies win amidst all of these claims and statistics?
The answer is unequivocally, ‘the companies with most convincing sales people!’
The media companies which employ the most credible, consistent and convincing sales practices are those which take the confusion out of media buying and make the advertisers’ decisions easy.
Are your salespeople the most credible, consistent and convincing in your market? Could they be even better?
 
P.S. If your answer is ‘no’ or ‘I’m not sure’ let’s talk about how we might be able to help. There is always room for improvement.  
 

Beware of Futurists

Beware of Futurists

 
          I love attending conventions which feature futurists as keynote speakers. They are always entertaining, thought-provoking and even exhilarating when you consider the possibilities they espouse.
          But they’re seldom right!
          In the late seventies I attended a cable convention at which a futurist predicted grocery stores would disappear within ten years. He talked about the technology which already existed to shop virtually on your TV, strolling the aisles from the comfort of your living room, placing your order with the click of a button and having it delivered to your doorstep within the hour.
          It was an exciting presentation to say the least. But alas, the last time I checked, people are still going to the grocery store 30 years after that prediction. 
          I once attended a seminar where I purchased a tape of Faith Popcorn (what a great promotional name!), making predictions about the future. It was exciting stuff, so I put that tape in a time capsule at my home and listened to itten years later. When I opened my capsule, I discovered that less than 5% of her predictions had become reality.
          I have since done the same thing with a number of futurists…..reviewed their material years after their predictions, and none of them ever beat Faith’s record of 5% success.
          But I still love to hear these fantasies, and I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to attend a futurist’s presentation to do so. It’s a great opportunity to take your focus off of the problems of the past and consider the possibilities of the future.
          Just remember that market acceptance of technology does not keep pace with technology. The first FM radio license was granted in 1937, yet 35 years later, less than 25% of the cars on the road had an FM radio.
          And it wasn’t that long ago that people who claimed to predict the future were burned at the stake as witches.

          Technology is being accepted much more rapidly with each ensuing decade, but the futurists’ predictions seldom reflect reality. Knowing this, I still encourage you to consider their theories as a way of broadening your horizons and opening your mind to new ways of doing things. Just don’t rely on their predictions as the foundation for your business plan. 

Bloggrs Bashing Radio

Bloggers Bashing Radio

         I regularly Google topics like ‘radio advertising tips’ or ‘marketing trends’ to broaden my knowledge and learn new marketing tactics.
You would be shocked to learn what some of the alleged ‘experts’ are saying online about radio advertising.
Many of these sites are obviously administered by computer-geeks and wanna-be gurus who write about our media out of sheer ignorance.
Yesterday, during one such search, I found a site that claimed to offer “Streetwise Advertising Tips.”
Here is some of what they had to say about radio.
  • “What you should typically expect through negotiation is half of the published rate.”
  • “A Boston station which typically sold morning drive spots for $150 sold me a package deal for $10.”
  • “Don’t believe radio sales people for a minute.”
  • “They skip client’s ads on a regular basis.”
Another site I found, which claimed to objectively overview all media, did not distinguish between radio and TV, and simply said, “Broadcast is too expensive for most small or new businesses to consider.”   Of course, they claimed blogging to be the best marketing tool on earth.
The sad reality is a lot of small businesses count on the internet as their research tool and they cannot decipher the difference between the quacks and the legitimate sites.
Now, more than ever, we need to quit beating up our fellow broadcasters.     (the geeks do that quite well already).
You need to educate your market about radio’s strengths and where you fit in a successful advertising strategy.
 
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