Posted by Rahna on December 11, 2008 under Consumer Engagement, Consumer Research, Strategy, Uncategorized | 
I read an interesting article by Morgan Steward on Email Insider that commented and compared two different panels hosted by two Email Insider Summits (one in May and one in December). The panel from May provided insights into how college students use email and the one in December highlighted  moms usage. The writer provides a synopsis of the differences between the two target groups that should be noted by marketers…basically, college kids (who have the luxury of time) are looking for interactivity, connectedness, and engagement, while time-starved moms are looking for facts, structure and streamlined communications. Steward surmises, “Seems to me that in all the conversations we have about being relevant or about the influence of social media on email, we need to acknowledge that there is a fork in the road. Moms’ use of email (and the Web in general) is incredibly utilitarian, while students use of the Internet is incredibly interactive.â€
Here was my response: Marketers need to remember that e-mail is simply another medium, another way to deliver their message. The differences shown between college kids and moms is merely indicative of the multitudinous ways that the medium is used. The visual is not a fork in the road…the image that comes to my mind resembles the myriad computer cables that snake under the floor of the stock exchange! There are as many ways to use e-mail as there are consumer groups that use the medium.  Just think of the television. Most providers offer over 600 channels from which to choose…not two. Marketers need to look at their messages and find out how best to convey their message to their audiences, on HGTV, ESPN or Nickelodeon, in fifteen second spots or thirty minute infomercials. Email, just like television, is just the medium.  The marketer’s job, AS ALWAYS, is to understand their consumer–their media consumption habits and desires so that they can deliver their message in the most impactful, compelling manner possible.
At the end of the article, Steward re-poses a good question posed by someone at the Email Insider Summit: “Have we even really scratched the surface?â€
If you are involved in email marketing, evaluate your data. Email stats can be tracked in order to give you information…for free! What messages or offers are getting response? What patterns can you find that can help you further segment your lists? In short, what can you do to understand your consumer?
Posted by Rahna on December 4, 2008 under Uncategorized |
Today, I talked with a client who wanted to hire me as a sounding board for development of his marketing plan for the coming year. He has a basic plan, but would like to “test†the ideas and strengthen the thinking to make sure the plan is supercharged. It’s a smart idea. He’s a marketing department of one, and realizes the power of the old adage that “two heads are better than one.â€Â
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How many times do we forget to bring others into our process, to seek help and advice from others? Brainstorming works because the collective consciousness of many ideas, building one on top of another, brings a richness that one person alone cannot bring. Mastermind teams are used in all areas of business, and I highly encourage them!
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Who can you bring on that will enhance your thinking and stretch the boundaries of your brain?Â
Posted by Rahna on November 27, 2008 under Uncategorized |
Today is the wonderful day of Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for the client’s “problems” I’ve been able to shed light on. I am blessed to have such a supportive cirlce of friends and family to share my ideas, my excitement, my interests and my challenges with. I consider myself so fortunate to have mentors and colleagues that stimulate new creativity and perspective on so many aspects of my life.Â
 I hope that you, too, have tons to be thankful for. Be grateful, grateful, grateful for all the opportunities you have to let your unique skills bless your world. Think of all the business challenges that you encounter as opportunities to scale the wall and enjoy the view from the top! The creativity you express in your daily life impacts others in ways you cannot even imagine. You are truly blessed!
Posted by Rahna on September 15, 2008 under Uncategorized |
There are some who have not taken me up on the offer of a Social Media Audit for their businesses. I understand that you are not sure whether this information would REALLY be relevant. I can tell you that in 98% of the industries selling products or services today,  it would be.Â
How do I know this?
Because I have seen the results given for other clients—actionable, usable information that can drive marketing decisions.
But don’t take my word for it; look at what others are saying. Ad Age today had an article about how social media is changing the face of research. http://adage.com/article?article_id=130964
The article talks about conversations taking place with the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) that “signal a shift in paradigms, and most likely budgets, away from surveys and toward mining insights from blogs, social networks, consumer comments to websites and more, said Joel Rubinson, chief research officer of the ARF.â€
I don’t believe traditional research will go away, but I do believe savvy marketers need to know about, and take advantage of, all the research options available to them.
And the other 2%?
You will notice that I say that 98% of companies should be using Social Media Audits as a research tool….What about the other 2%? Well, I say that because there are a few companies that probably don’t have that much conversation going on on-line. If your consumer base is not computer-savvy and not inclined to on-line networking and discussion, you won’t find rich enough information to guide you in decision-making….but that is a small percentage of people out there!
Posted by Rahna on September 8, 2008 under Uncategorized |
Tonight I am speaking at the first meeting of the inaugural meeting of the National Association for Small Business Owners. Â This is an organization that is dedicated to giving small business owners the resources and the education they need to grow their businesses. Â
Everyone knows how important it is to network; finding the right people that can help you with your needs. Everyone needs a place where they can go and talk to others who have worked out some of the challenges that they are struggling with. Â
If you’re a small business owner in the CT area, I strongly encourage you to join this terrific organization. The key benefits for you are:Â
- Opportunities for highly targeted business to business advertising
- Strong networking marketing opportunities
- Profit-generating  education
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They offer tele-seminars, free reports, lots of information on all the different aspects of small business ownership, from legal to accounting, to marketing to website management, to dealing with employees. Â Â
As a matter of fact, on September 23rd, I’ll be conducting a seminar called the “Top 10 Secrets to  Digital Branding,†followed by a three-hour class on Digital Marketing.  The one hour tele-seminar airs September 23rd and the three hour course is October 10th.  If you’re a member of the Small Business Owners Association, your admission to the teleseminar is free.  Non-members can come for a small fee.  Â
If you want to join, click here to find out all the great benefits and sign up right away.
Posted by Rahna on August 18, 2008 under Uncategorized |
I usually don’t slam a lot of negatives on this blog, but honestly, I just have to express my opinion about the McDonald’s chicken sandwich advertising during the Olympics. Ugh. The ads feature athletes announcing early a.m. times (5:30 am, 6 am, 6:30 am), the implication being that you need to get up early in the morning to reach perfection. The huuuuuuuge, implausible stretch that McDonalds makes is that this is when you need to get up in the morning to get their fabulous new chicken sandwich. Please.
I’m not a health nut by any stretch of the imagination, but even as an avid marketer, this commercial crosses the line of ethics. Having athletes make this endorsement, complete with ‘bite and smile’ shots, is so disappointing.  Â
Advertisers need to take ethical stands in the work they do, because (if you are anything like me), your work is a natural extension of your life. Choose wisely, because your work matters. It makes an impact in the world. Make sure it’s a positive impact.Â
Okay, I’ll get down off my soapbox now. I’m interested in what you think? Do you agree? Let me know.
Posted by Rahna on August 14, 2008 under Uncategorized |
Have you heard about ChaCha?  There is an 800 number you can call (800-2ChaCha) or text a message to 242242 to ask any web-searchable question and within minutes, they will send you a text message answer for free.  The call goes somewhere in Indiana, where the question is farmed out to a team of 10K people (“Guidesâ€) waiting for you to ask a question. Â
The Guides definitely have a sense of humor, too, as I know of some college kids who are asking outrageous questions like, “Who would win in a battle of superheroes?†or “Which would be better, to have nails instead of hair on your legs or have fire come out in your nose when you say the word “theâ€?† Â
I have not thought of any ridiculous questions to ask but I did find it helpful when I needed to quickly find the best subway train to take in order to get to a meeting in downtown NYC. Â How they are going to make money is still in development (deals with cell phone carriers, etc), but it will be interesting to see how it unfolds. Â Their intent is to keep it free of charge for consumers.Â
Let me know about your ChaCha experience. Â You can find out more about ChaCha-ing at ChaCha.com.
Posted by Rahna on July 31, 2008 under Uncategorized |
I am just finishing reading The Mary Kay Way by Mary Kay Ash. I like to read, especially books about the titans of American Business. Mary Kay Ash was one of America’s premier women entrepreneurs and this book, originally released in 1984, has been re-released in the celebration of the company’s 45th Anniversary. Â
In the book, she discusses timeless principles from leadership that are good for everyone to remember. Here are a few things that stood out to me:Â
1.   Golden Rule Leadership Mary Kay is certainly well-known for running her business in a manner that ensures you should treat other people the way you would want to be treated.Â
2.   People are the lifeline of your business.She understood that her independent sales force was the reason that the company did well.  She treated them well, compensated them for a job well done and provided lots of incentives that rewarded excellence.Â
3.   The invisible sign.She felt that everyone has an invisible sign hanging from her/his neck saying, “Make me feel important.†The world would be a lot better place if everybody remembered that. Â
4.   Praise people to success. Talking about the good that everyone has done and encouraging ways for them to adjust unproductive behavior is much more powerful than berating and belittling people. “Recognition is one of the most powerful of all motivating techniques,†she said. Â
5.   Enthusiasm moves mountains. As a passionate marketer, this one spoke to me. Â
6.   Nothing happens until somebody sells something. This is a critical piece for everyone to understand. Â
I highly recommend the book and hope you get a lot of good out of it, too.Â
Posted by Rahna on June 20, 2008 under Uncategorized |
Is there anything low-tech that you are doing right now? Â Anybody who reads my newsletter as well as my blog knows that I am a big proponent of all of the changes and opportunities that have been developed because of the surge of digital penetration and variety of Web 2.0 executions available to a marketer today. Â
But I don’t want to forget the tried and true. I was working with a client, reading about the results from the sampling that they did at a movie screening college. As I look at the photos and saw a lot of kids engaged with the brand, I was reminded of how sometimes, it is the low-tech options that can be really good and that can do a lot for you. Door hangers, windshield flyers, branded premiums, and “Tupperwareâ€-type parties are all still very viable. Are there any low-tech opportunities that you are passing by or turning your nose up at because it doesn’t seem “sexy†enough, because it is not on the “cutting edge of coolâ€? Don’t pass up on an opportunity just because it is not high-tech. In addition, maybe there are ways to make it high-tech, to tie it to all of the new media that is available. Maybe you do a postering campaign or a billboard campaign that has been around forever. So you add text messaging. Maybe you offer a printed piece of paper but you direct your consumers to a website where they can get free downloads. The possibilities are endless.  Just make sure you are not high-tech snob.   Â
Posted by Rahna on June 5, 2008 under Uncategorized |
I gave a talk today on Building Brands and Brand Ambassadors to a group of executives in the financial services industry. The main thrust of my talk was to talk about the importance of marketing fundamentals and how savvy marketers are finding new ways to communicate their brand messages.Â
The interesting thing about this presentation was the reaction that most participants had. Â
None of the people in the room had ever heard of Twitter. Â
These were not ancient executives on their way out. These were people on the top of their game, in charge of new product development, in charge of managing their brands. Â
I talked to them about the availability of “social media audits†and the strategy of hiring brand ambassadors to communicate your brand message in the digital world. These executives were unaware that you could hire people to do such things.Â
So, for those of you who are selling services in the digital world, your message is not getting out there enough. Â
For those of you who are managing brands and are not factoring in the role of social media as a research tool, as a marketing tool, as an overall communication tool, you are missing the boat. Â
In short, there is lots of opportunity, endless opportunity for both buyers and sellers of such services.Â
