Hi,
Every market has a No.1 (Leader) and a No.2 (Challenger). While a Leader need only defend, a challenger must attack. Challengers who take on the leader with a full frontal attack so run out of soldiers (budget). But Challengers more often by-pass the Leader's frontlines to attack on its flanks, on a weak spot, hoping to cause disarray in the ranks. Qantas was attacked by Virgin Blue and Impulse on price. Qantas - like a good leader - knew it need only defend its share by meeting the challenge with a blocking move. Hence JetStar. This gives Qantas a slice of the emerging budget airline market (built by Virgin and Impulse) and gave these intruders someone to fight with, to exhaust their resources. Flanking attacks explain the landscape of the Australian luxury car market. Mercedes was the category leader: it held the position "luxury motoring" based on its 'engineered like no other car'. BMW attacked Benz's stodgy handling and sluggish acceleration by adopting the 'driving experience' position - appealing to a younger market. Lexus attacked both on price and the 'ownership experience' (a lifestyle benefits program). Benz responded with a range of low end product to meet BMW in the younger market, and an expanded range of sporty models. Both blocking moves.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Marketing warfare 2
Hi,
Carl Von Clausewitz was a Prussian general who fought Napoleon and wrote the bible of military strategy that forms the basis for military education today, a book called "On War". In it he teaches that the greatest tactic of all is defence. Defence is the tactic most appropriate for the dominant force in a battle. The numerically superior force needs only block the advances of the challenger until they exhaust their energies and run away. Lesson: Market leaders should defend. Challengers should attack. Leaders who attack look like challengers. Leaders don't acknowledge that challengers exist. They don't mention them in ads - the don't do comparative ads. They just know that if they meet the challenger's challenge they won't lose much share. Who is the market leader? Who is challenger? The answer is hidden in the ground the battle is fought over - the mind of the customer. Which brand has highest unaided awareness? This will, in most cases, be market share leader
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Carl Von Clausewitz was a Prussian general who fought Napoleon and wrote the bible of military strategy that forms the basis for military education today, a book called "On War". In it he teaches that the greatest tactic of all is defence. Defence is the tactic most appropriate for the dominant force in a battle. The numerically superior force needs only block the advances of the challenger until they exhaust their energies and run away. Lesson: Market leaders should defend. Challengers should attack. Leaders who attack look like challengers. Leaders don't acknowledge that challengers exist. They don't mention them in ads - the don't do comparative ads. They just know that if they meet the challenger's challenge they won't lose much share. Who is the market leader? Who is challenger? The answer is hidden in the ground the battle is fought over - the mind of the customer. Which brand has highest unaided awareness? This will, in most cases, be market share leader
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Marketing warfare
Hi,
If you haven't already read it, grab a copy of Marketing Warfare by Trout and Ries. It is the easiest way to get a grip on grand strategy for marketers that I ever saw. The parallels between warfare and marketing are uncanny. We use the same language - campaign, tactic, strategy, attack, defend, etc. Military strategy is all about positioning your forces to outmanoeuvre the enemy. And in the final analysis, it is about brute strength - firepower. In most cases - all things being equal - "God is always on the side of the big battalions" (Voltaire) It stands to reason. If 10,000 soldiers are fighting 5,000 soldiers in an open field and they are killing each other at the same rate, there will be 5,000 left on one side and none on the other. LESSON: Never attack a bigger competitor front on.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email responses
Angelo,
I am loving your pieces here on Warfare. It is inspiring me.
Fred
...........
Michael,
I started receiving your daily emails a couple of months ago -
great idea and your thoughts have definetly given me some new ideas.
Being that you are a marketing guru, thought I would throw my current
challenge and a few questions your way....
Customer Service Week is coming up in October (October 2-6), and a
designated group of us have to come with some ways to engage head office
and branches across SA & VIC in celebrating/promoting customer service
week.
There is a golf day planned and our company will offer a round of
golf/dinner to 4 of our employees. I need to come up with a way for
employees to win this prize.
We came up with the idea of nominating peers..."Tell us who you think
provides superior customer service and if you enter you win a
voucher"....but we have done this in the past with limited success.
Any suggestions or ideas of what we could to to get people to
compete/get involved for this prize, keeping customer service as a
theme?
Any ideas on how to engage employees throughout the week and keep
customer service at top of mind (although really, it should be at top of
mind ALL THE TIME!).
I recently read Ries' The Origin of Brands - great read!!! I will have
to check out your recommendation of Marketing Warfare.
Cheers,
Adrian
....
Adrian,
This thought flashed into my mind while reading your request:
Give the prize to the member of staff who can contribute the most revealing customer insight.This is rewarding several important behaviours:
Listening actively to customers.
Engaging customers in conversation.
Thinking deeply about their emotional life.
Your organisation gains the following:
A bunch of customer insights to share among your customer relations people and communications executives.
A message to your staff that customer intimacy is important.
A message to your staff that customer knowledge is important.
I believe the most powerful activity you can engage in is one that reveals customers as human beings that staff can empathise with.
Michael
If you haven't already read it, grab a copy of Marketing Warfare by Trout and Ries. It is the easiest way to get a grip on grand strategy for marketers that I ever saw. The parallels between warfare and marketing are uncanny. We use the same language - campaign, tactic, strategy, attack, defend, etc. Military strategy is all about positioning your forces to outmanoeuvre the enemy. And in the final analysis, it is about brute strength - firepower. In most cases - all things being equal - "God is always on the side of the big battalions" (Voltaire) It stands to reason. If 10,000 soldiers are fighting 5,000 soldiers in an open field and they are killing each other at the same rate, there will be 5,000 left on one side and none on the other. LESSON: Never attack a bigger competitor front on.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email responses
Angelo,
I am loving your pieces here on Warfare. It is inspiring me.
Fred
...........
Michael,
I started receiving your daily emails a couple of months ago -
great idea and your thoughts have definetly given me some new ideas.
Being that you are a marketing guru, thought I would throw my current
challenge and a few questions your way....
Customer Service Week is coming up in October (October 2-6), and a
designated group of us have to come with some ways to engage head office
and branches across SA & VIC in celebrating/promoting customer service
week.
There is a golf day planned and our company will offer a round of
golf/dinner to 4 of our employees. I need to come up with a way for
employees to win this prize.
We came up with the idea of nominating peers..."Tell us who you think
provides superior customer service and if you enter you win a
voucher"....but we have done this in the past with limited success.
Any suggestions or ideas of what we could to to get people to
compete/get involved for this prize, keeping customer service as a
theme?
Any ideas on how to engage employees throughout the week and keep
customer service at top of mind (although really, it should be at top of
mind ALL THE TIME!).
I recently read Ries' The Origin of Brands - great read!!! I will have
to check out your recommendation of Marketing Warfare.
Cheers,
Adrian
....
Adrian,
This thought flashed into my mind while reading your request:
Give the prize to the member of staff who can contribute the most revealing customer insight.This is rewarding several important behaviours:
Listening actively to customers.
Engaging customers in conversation.
Thinking deeply about their emotional life.
Your organisation gains the following:
A bunch of customer insights to share among your customer relations people and communications executives.
A message to your staff that customer intimacy is important.
A message to your staff that customer knowledge is important.
I believe the most powerful activity you can engage in is one that reveals customers as human beings that staff can empathise with.
Michael
Own a word
Hi,
Positioning takes place in the mind. The mind works to sort through and simplify information coming in. It helps to secure a position in the mind if you can 'own' a word, said Jack Trout and Al Ries in 1981. Own the word so that when it is said, your brand comes to mind. What brand comes to mind when you see the word 'cola'? 'Flying'? 'Feeling'? Coke owns the category.
There can be a downside. Toyota gives each of its models a single word - called its 'one word equity' - that it can grow into. Hilux is "Unbreakable" and no one would question the vehicle's toughness. As a Hilux owner, I can say the tough positioning is unbreakable. But too narrow a positioning can also expose a brand to attack. "Uncomfortable" is another word Hilux could own, especially in the minds of owners with "Hilux back". When I asked a local farmer why he drove another make, he said "I spend so much time in it, and my back's dodgy already."
Lesson: choose a word that is flexible.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Positioning takes place in the mind. The mind works to sort through and simplify information coming in. It helps to secure a position in the mind if you can 'own' a word, said Jack Trout and Al Ries in 1981. Own the word so that when it is said, your brand comes to mind. What brand comes to mind when you see the word 'cola'? 'Flying'? 'Feeling'? Coke owns the category.
There can be a downside. Toyota gives each of its models a single word - called its 'one word equity' - that it can grow into. Hilux is "Unbreakable" and no one would question the vehicle's toughness. As a Hilux owner, I can say the tough positioning is unbreakable. But too narrow a positioning can also expose a brand to attack. "Uncomfortable" is another word Hilux could own, especially in the minds of owners with "Hilux back". When I asked a local farmer why he drove another make, he said "I spend so much time in it, and my back's dodgy already."
Lesson: choose a word that is flexible.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
First in…
Hi,
When I was getting into marketing I spent hours in the Library at UNSW going through back issues of old US magazines such as Sales & Marketing Management and Industrial Marketing. In a 1969 isssue of the latter I found an article called 'Positioning' by Jack Trout and Al Ries that blew my mind (in a 1969 kind of way). They were the first people in my experience who turned the telescope around and looked at marketing from the correct viewpoint - from the consumer's point of view. They said positioning (a term they introduced) took place inside the head of the consumer. Not on the blueprint of the marketing manager. They said the consumer's mind was like a series of filing cabinets, the drawers of which were product categories, and the files stored in little league ladders, from first to seventh or so. They said the first brand into the mind becomes the first or number 1 brand for awareness, recall, and usually preference and market share. Startling in 1984 when I read it and bought their first book, Positioning. I recommend that book and their next one, Marketing Warfare.
(BTW, if you can't be first in in your category, create your own category.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email responses:
However, it's very often that the ones that make the most money, are the ones that are not first to market. The first-to-market spend alot to create the category. Smart guys willfollow with a unique variation on the theme and clean up in the massmarket. Early adopter market is not as big as we all think. It might get more press, but probably less profit.
Jeff
When I was getting into marketing I spent hours in the Library at UNSW going through back issues of old US magazines such as Sales & Marketing Management and Industrial Marketing. In a 1969 isssue of the latter I found an article called 'Positioning' by Jack Trout and Al Ries that blew my mind (in a 1969 kind of way). They were the first people in my experience who turned the telescope around and looked at marketing from the correct viewpoint - from the consumer's point of view. They said positioning (a term they introduced) took place inside the head of the consumer. Not on the blueprint of the marketing manager. They said the consumer's mind was like a series of filing cabinets, the drawers of which were product categories, and the files stored in little league ladders, from first to seventh or so. They said the first brand into the mind becomes the first or number 1 brand for awareness, recall, and usually preference and market share. Startling in 1984 when I read it and bought their first book, Positioning. I recommend that book and their next one, Marketing Warfare.
(BTW, if you can't be first in in your category, create your own category.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email responses:
However, it's very often that the ones that make the most money, are the ones that are not first to market. The first-to-market spend alot to create the category. Smart guys willfollow with a unique variation on the theme and clean up in the massmarket. Early adopter market is not as big as we all think. It might get more press, but probably less profit.
Jeff
Walk a mile in my Hushpuppies
Hi,
I am often surprised by the low levels of 'consumer consciousness' among marketing people. IE. The ability to step into the consumer's shoes and take them for a walk through a piece of communication or a sales proposition or a buying environment. I guess when you spend most of your time down among the details of product specifications and entangled in corporate politics it's hard to step outside and assume someone else's persona and point of view. It's not a skill we are born with - the Dalai Lama says that empathy is something we should aspire to. I believe it is the essence of the marketing mindset - Theodore Levitt called it the Marketing Imagination. The ease with which you can slip into your customer's hushpuppies is a key indicator of your marketing skills. Why? Because if every aspect of a marketing organisation and its operations are planned from the consumer's point of view, you can't fail. The distance between your reality and theirs is the gap that your organisation must bridge if it is to achieve its goals.
The accuracy of your imagination - how well you know the internal reality of that other person - will determine how close to success you can come.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
email responses
That must be why I love watching people, especially children play with toys - and parents scolding "no dont touch that!"- trying to teach them you cant just do what you like with other peoples property. But interacting and playing is human nature, and so is our sense of novelty.
www.whatif.co.uk has the same sort of outlook in that they actually bring in the person/people (3D consumer insights) to gather insights. one of their best examples was for a skin cleanser- they went to Taronga zoo and interviewed animal cleaners and asked what they do when they go home eg. shower wise
They would definately be using cleaning products- not some glamourous showpony going to the races every month with a feather hat and diamond encrusted mobile phone... sorry- got a little carried away....
Jo
I am often surprised by the low levels of 'consumer consciousness' among marketing people. IE. The ability to step into the consumer's shoes and take them for a walk through a piece of communication or a sales proposition or a buying environment. I guess when you spend most of your time down among the details of product specifications and entangled in corporate politics it's hard to step outside and assume someone else's persona and point of view. It's not a skill we are born with - the Dalai Lama says that empathy is something we should aspire to. I believe it is the essence of the marketing mindset - Theodore Levitt called it the Marketing Imagination. The ease with which you can slip into your customer's hushpuppies is a key indicator of your marketing skills. Why? Because if every aspect of a marketing organisation and its operations are planned from the consumer's point of view, you can't fail. The distance between your reality and theirs is the gap that your organisation must bridge if it is to achieve its goals.
The accuracy of your imagination - how well you know the internal reality of that other person - will determine how close to success you can come.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
email responses
That must be why I love watching people, especially children play with toys - and parents scolding "no dont touch that!"- trying to teach them you cant just do what you like with other peoples property. But interacting and playing is human nature, and so is our sense of novelty.
www.whatif.co.uk
They would definately be using cleaning products- not some glamourous showpony going to the races every month with a feather hat and diamond encrusted mobile phone... sorry- got a little carried away....
Jo
Content is King!
Hi,
The future is finally here. For 20 years people have been predicting the demise of free to air television as the heavyweight champion of the media. Yesterday PBL announced that the Nine Network saw profits slump dramatically, while all its other businesses - even old fashioned magazines - are on the up. Free to air tv has been losing the important 17 to 21 segment for years. Podcasting, Youtube and other Internet services are eating up this audience. But there are other reasons. The channels have gone cheap on drama, replacing it with reality tv that has almost run out of steam. Then there's the Eddie factor. He is slashing costs at Nine, 'boning' presenters and looking for even cheaper programming. Here's where the old media can learn a lesson from the new media. Lesson: It's all about content. Eyeballs follow interest. It's not about old or new media. Harry Potter and The DaVinci Code proved the oldest medium in history - the book - could pull a decent crowd with a decent story. Why is the Australian film industry dying today? Because it has failed to deliver on content. Stories. Scripts. Simple.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email responses:
Hi Michael,
Here's a page that demonstrates the importance of content rather
effectively (if crudely):
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=owned
Enjoy!
Dylan
..........
Well Put.
Jeff
The future is finally here. For 20 years people have been predicting the demise of free to air television as the heavyweight champion of the media. Yesterday PBL announced that the Nine Network saw profits slump dramatically, while all its other businesses - even old fashioned magazines - are on the up. Free to air tv has been losing the important 17 to 21 segment for years. Podcasting, Youtube and other Internet services are eating up this audience. But there are other reasons. The channels have gone cheap on drama, replacing it with reality tv that has almost run out of steam. Then there's the Eddie factor. He is slashing costs at Nine, 'boning' presenters and looking for even cheaper programming. Here's where the old media can learn a lesson from the new media. Lesson: It's all about content. Eyeballs follow interest. It's not about old or new media. Harry Potter and The DaVinci Code proved the oldest medium in history - the book - could pull a decent crowd with a decent story. Why is the Australian film industry dying today? Because it has failed to deliver on content. Stories. Scripts. Simple.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email responses:
Hi Michael,
Here's a page that demonstrates the importance of content rather
effectively (if crudely):
http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=owned
Enjoy!
Dylan
..........
Well Put.
Jeff
Expensive advice
Hi,
AWB's strategy for 'managing' the crisis it faces over the charges that it bribed Saddam Hussein to sell wheat to Iraq is an object lesson in how NOT to act when caught red-handed breaking the rules. First deny everything. Then seek to justify your behaviour by saying 'everyone does it', 'it's standard practice in those markets'. Then defy authorities as they seek to drag the evidence out of you. Seek injunctions to deny the enquiry access to your documents. Drag the process out, proving your guilt and making a public spectacle of your refusal to admit it.
AWB hired a New York spin doctor to give them advice, then failed to take it. He advised them to come clean up front. Over-apologise. Take their medicine and move on. The media would have a one-off field day, then it would be history.
At $700 per hour it's expensive advice if you don't take it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
AWB's strategy for 'managing' the crisis it faces over the charges that it bribed Saddam Hussein to sell wheat to Iraq is an object lesson in how NOT to act when caught red-handed breaking the rules. First deny everything. Then seek to justify your behaviour by saying 'everyone does it', 'it's standard practice in those markets'. Then defy authorities as they seek to drag the evidence out of you. Seek injunctions to deny the enquiry access to your documents. Drag the process out, proving your guilt and making a public spectacle of your refusal to admit it.
AWB hired a New York spin doctor to give them advice, then failed to take it. He advised them to come clean up front. Over-apologise. Take their medicine and move on. The media would have a one-off field day, then it would be history.
At $700 per hour it's expensive advice if you don't take it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Picking a Publicist
Hi,
Denise asked me to recommend a PR agency. I couldn't. But I was able to offer the following advice:
.....
I wouldn't recommend anyone in particular because the agency that is just right for you is a very personal choice. But I can give you a strategy for finding and selecting a good PR supplier.
First identify the media outlets in which you want coverage. Then identify the writers and editors and producers and presenters you would like to take an interest in your company. Then contact them asking for their advice. Ask them to identify for you a PR operative they like dealing with. (Personal relationships are so important in that business.) The person they nominate will have won their trust and will therefore have good access (the most important thing they can offer you). Then, from that list, you will have people working with big PR firms, some in smaller firms, and a couple of solo operators. You should select the size of operation according to the size of your budget, your needs, and your own company - aiming to be big enough on the PR firm's client roster to be important to them. But most important is effectiveness - a combination of creativity, diligence and contacts. That can only be assessed by case studies. And speak with the firm's existing clients.
If you pick a dud after all that, I'll be amazed.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Denise asked me to recommend a PR agency. I couldn't. But I was able to offer the following advice:
.....
I wouldn't recommend anyone in particular because the agency that is just right for you is a very personal choice. But I can give you a strategy for finding and selecting a good PR supplier.
First identify the media outlets in which you want coverage. Then identify the writers and editors and producers and presenters you would like to take an interest in your company. Then contact them asking for their advice. Ask them to identify for you a PR operative they like dealing with. (Personal relationships are so important in that business.) The person they nominate will have won their trust and will therefore have good access (the most important thing they can offer you). Then, from that list, you will have people working with big PR firms, some in smaller firms, and a couple of solo operators. You should select the size of operation according to the size of your budget, your needs, and your own company - aiming to be big enough on the PR firm's client roster to be important to them. But most important is effectiveness - a combination of creativity, diligence and contacts. That can only be assessed by case studies. And speak with the firm's existing clients.
If you pick a dud after all that, I'll be amazed.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Ladies and Gentlemen
Hi,
I remember the Ritz Carlton in Macquarie Street, when it was still the Ritz Carlton, and I remember one of its general managers (an American whose name escapes me - Tom Collins?) who told me that the Ritz Carlton taught its staff to think of themselves as 'ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen'. A nice, genteel positioning.
How important is a person's understanding of their role in a service organisation? What a difference this makes.
"My role is to make money for the company."
"My role is to make customers happy."
"My role is to see that no one breaks the rules."
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
I remember the Ritz Carlton in Macquarie Street, when it was still the Ritz Carlton, and I remember one of its general managers (an American whose name escapes me - Tom Collins?) who told me that the Ritz Carlton taught its staff to think of themselves as 'ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen'. A nice, genteel positioning.
How important is a person's understanding of their role in a service organisation? What a difference this makes.
"My role is to make money for the company."
"My role is to make customers happy."
"My role is to see that no one breaks the rules."
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Platinum Man!
Hi,
Who queues anymore? If I gotta queue, I'm not going. What's so good about being in a crowd? Let me drive in under the stadium and take the lift up to the box or I'm staying home. I'm sorry, I'm just that kind of guy. Platinum Man! (If only.) My point is: no matter what you are selling, there's a market for a Platinum version. (It used to be a Gold version, but that's inflation.) In every category and every market there is a significant segment of consumers willing to... No, demanding to pay a premium for an enhanced version of your offering. They need it to satisfy their urge to separate themselves from the herd (physically, socially, emotionally, whatever.) So don't deny them. There's margin in it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Who queues anymore? If I gotta queue, I'm not going. What's so good about being in a crowd? Let me drive in under the stadium and take the lift up to the box or I'm staying home. I'm sorry, I'm just that kind of guy. Platinum Man! (If only.) My point is: no matter what you are selling, there's a market for a Platinum version. (It used to be a Gold version, but that's inflation.) In every category and every market there is a significant segment of consumers willing to... No, demanding to pay a premium for an enhanced version of your offering. They need it to satisfy their urge to separate themselves from the herd (physically, socially, emotionally, whatever.) So don't deny them. There's margin in it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Society on speed
Hi,
Remember when you would heat food up in the oven, and wait 20 to 30 minutes for hot food? Now 3 minutes in the microwave passes like an eternity. Why? Because as, Einstein discovered, time is relative. As we get used to faster and faster Internet speeds, we're not gonna wait for 20 seconds while a page loads. More bandwidth! Fewer bytes! The mobile phone has taught us we can have it all, now... Expectation Inflation is infectious. It spreads from category to category. If I don't have to wait for this, why should I wait for that? I don't care if it tastes like cardboard and strangles my heart, give it to me fast!
You can speed time up. Edward de Bono once saved a company a fortune by adjusting people's sense of time while waiting for a lift. The lifts were too slow and faster lifts were too expensive. De Bono installed mirrors in the area, and people would check themselves out, passing the time without noticing. (Hard on the ugly ones.) Southwest Airlines would hire buskers off the street to play in departure lounges when they had long delays due to weather.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email response:
Perhaps in this hustle and bustle world, the only alone time one has is
waiting for your food. And even then this alone time you have to pay for
the pleasure.
Luan
.......
Mike,
Money is a major factor when it comes down to service...
A number of years ago, I like many of our esteemed countrymen worked at
McDonalds. I remember there were so many times when customers would
launch into fits or rage because their $1.75 Cheeseburger took 2 minutes
longer than the promised waiting time of one minute. Here were grown men
and women berating 15 year olds because they didn't have time to wait
for their fast food.
I guess this comes down to your expectations theory. McDonalds is
renowned the world over as "fast food" and when it's not fast, it must
be the little punk kids fault.
However the same person probably wouldn't bat an eyelid when waiting for
their $38 porterhouse steak hits the 20 minute mark.
Luan
...........
I love that example of Edward de bono. Hes the one with 6 hats right?
While I embrace technology whole heartedly- it has made me incredibly
impatient (whilst naturally have incredibly impatient parents who want me to
get a post grad degree now, have kids now, get married now, may as well plan
my funeral now too) - and this creates stress for others.
We are living in such a contradictory world, where we are trying to save and
maintain culture and tradition in some things-yet revolutionise so many
other things. This is possibly why the Western world is so in love with
Japan, which strives to do both in appreciating culture/history and yet
speeds on technology. Also several sister city relationships with japan
assist this Western appreciation.
I hope in the future more people in Australia appreciate/understand other
Asian cultures, which are not marketed as well as Japan is. We are all never
rude, just ignorant of other cultures/sub cultures, within which others act
in - thereby perceiving others as rude. It is only when we purposely act
rude within our own culture'- that we are rude'.
I love your blog.
Jo
Remember when you would heat food up in the oven, and wait 20 to 30 minutes for hot food? Now 3 minutes in the microwave passes like an eternity. Why? Because as, Einstein discovered, time is relative. As we get used to faster and faster Internet speeds, we're not gonna wait for 20 seconds while a page loads. More bandwidth! Fewer bytes! The mobile phone has taught us we can have it all, now... Expectation Inflation is infectious. It spreads from category to category. If I don't have to wait for this, why should I wait for that? I don't care if it tastes like cardboard and strangles my heart, give it to me fast!
You can speed time up. Edward de Bono once saved a company a fortune by adjusting people's sense of time while waiting for a lift. The lifts were too slow and faster lifts were too expensive. De Bono installed mirrors in the area, and people would check themselves out, passing the time without noticing. (Hard on the ugly ones.) Southwest Airlines would hire buskers off the street to play in departure lounges when they had long delays due to weather.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email response:
Perhaps in this hustle and bustle world, the only alone time one has is
waiting for your food. And even then this alone time you have to pay for
the pleasure.
Luan
.......
Mike,
Money is a major factor when it comes down to service...
A number of years ago, I like many of our esteemed countrymen worked at
McDonalds. I remember there were so many times when customers would
launch into fits or rage because their $1.75 Cheeseburger took 2 minutes
longer than the promised waiting time of one minute. Here were grown men
and women berating 15 year olds because they didn't have time to wait
for their fast food.
I guess this comes down to your expectations theory. McDonalds is
renowned the world over as "fast food" and when it's not fast, it must
be the little punk kids fault.
However the same person probably wouldn't bat an eyelid when waiting for
their $38 porterhouse steak hits the 20 minute mark.
Luan
...........
I love that example of Edward de bono. Hes the one with 6 hats right?
While I embrace technology whole heartedly- it has made me incredibly
impatient (whilst naturally have incredibly impatient parents who want me to
get a post grad degree now, have kids now, get married now, may as well plan
my funeral now too) - and this creates stress for others.
We are living in such a contradictory world, where we are trying to save and
maintain culture and tradition in some things-yet revolutionise so many
other things. This is possibly why the Western world is so in love with
Japan, which strives to do both in appreciating culture/history and yet
speeds on technology. Also several sister city relationships with japan
assist this Western appreciation.
I hope in the future more people in Australia appreciate/understand other
Asian cultures, which are not marketed as well as Japan is. We are all never
rude, just ignorant of other cultures/sub cultures, within which others act
in - thereby perceiving others as rude. It is only when we purposely act
rude within our own culture'- that we are rude'.
I love your blog.
Jo
Expectation Inflation
Hi,
Do you remember those lame slogans that people used to peddle about "Excellence"? Like "Excellence is a race without a finish line." Excellence emerged at the same time as the Customer Service Revolution and I think of both each time I encounter bad service. In the pre-Excellence days, bad service was expected and hardly raised an eyebrow. But now we have higher expectations. Today we encounter better general levels of service. But at the same time we are more likely to be upset by bad service. We are suffering from "Expectation Inflation" - which means consumers grow harder and harder to please as you increase your levels of service. A pretty dilemma.
Expectation Inflation affects your operation whenever you offer benefits to customers. I have been a Lexus owner for 6 years. I have enjoyed the highest levels of service available in Australia - until my last service when they failed to bleed the rear brakes and I was driving on outback roads pumping the brakes to slow down. It forced me to make a special trip back to the city to have it rectified. When it was returned, the service person refused to take my assurance that we routinely pay by invoice and insisted on a credit card for a $78 bill. (The original faulty service - for $1200+ - was invoiced.) And no apology for the original service failure. Very unLexus. The brand set the bar - and my expectations - so high when it was launched in 1990.
I used to be an Advocate. Now, what can I say?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Do you remember those lame slogans that people used to peddle about "Excellence"? Like "Excellence is a race without a finish line." Excellence emerged at the same time as the Customer Service Revolution and I think of both each time I encounter bad service. In the pre-Excellence days, bad service was expected and hardly raised an eyebrow. But now we have higher expectations. Today we encounter better general levels of service. But at the same time we are more likely to be upset by bad service. We are suffering from "Expectation Inflation" - which means consumers grow harder and harder to please as you increase your levels of service. A pretty dilemma.
Expectation Inflation affects your operation whenever you offer benefits to customers. I have been a Lexus owner for 6 years. I have enjoyed the highest levels of service available in Australia - until my last service when they failed to bleed the rear brakes and I was driving on outback roads pumping the brakes to slow down. It forced me to make a special trip back to the city to have it rectified. When it was returned, the service person refused to take my assurance that we routinely pay by invoice and insisted on a credit card for a $78 bill. (The original faulty service - for $1200+ - was invoiced.) And no apology for the original service failure. Very unLexus. The brand set the bar - and my expectations - so high when it was launched in 1990.
I used to be an Advocate. Now, what can I say?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Feedback? No thanks!
Hi,
I have just completed an exercise helping a client structure and manage a pitch by 8 agencies for his business. He has offered the 7 unsuccessful agencies a debrief so that they can improve. My bet for how many of them will take it up: 0%. Naturally they don't want to dwell on a failure. But how else can you learn?
For all his faults (and I never did work out what went wrong) Bob Ansett of Budget Rent-A-Car (it was the '80's, you had to be there) got the service proposition right. He actively fished for complaints from customers so he could discover areas where he could get a competitive advantage. He lapped up complaints.
Be like Bob. Face the music. It hurts. But when you learn from it, you grow.
BTW, I saw Bob in town a few months ago (for the opening of some swank hotel. I guess they were short on tall, greying Americans.) He deserves a place in the Australian Marketing Hall of Fame for his work in almost single-handedly evangelising the customer service ethic in Australia. Our new service economy and our long tourism boom couldn't have happened without that. "Australian Customer Service" used to be an oxymoron. (Look it up.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email responses:
Michael,
People at work might think it's a bit strange I ask for feedback all the
time, as I want to improve, learn, develop, become more efficient - so next
time I can tackle it faster/smarter.
Constructive criticism is great- but so often it is delivered to the person
in such a manner that it is not perceived as constructive. Then emotions set
in, and before you know it- staff retention drops a few percent.
Jo
..........
Of course the reverse also applies....on a number of occasions I've been asked to prop on some media training or PR only to find that my hour or two of work has gone into a black hole. Sometimes I suspect that I'm only there to make up the numbers so that the person they really want looks OK.
More to the point: as a trainer I think that quality feedback is hard to get, but it's also hard to give good quality feedback. And once you've been given bad (say, inappropriate rather than negative) feedback it can put you off being interested in it again.
Bob
........
Hey -
As any decent rock guitarist knows, feedback can be your friend.
When used properly, it can help get you from here to there with much
more drama and authority than if you didn't have it.
Just ask Pete Townshend!
Cheers.
Jeff
I have just completed an exercise helping a client structure and manage a pitch by 8 agencies for his business. He has offered the 7 unsuccessful agencies a debrief so that they can improve. My bet for how many of them will take it up: 0%. Naturally they don't want to dwell on a failure. But how else can you learn?
For all his faults (and I never did work out what went wrong) Bob Ansett of Budget Rent-A-Car (it was the '80's, you had to be there) got the service proposition right. He actively fished for complaints from customers so he could discover areas where he could get a competitive advantage. He lapped up complaints.
Be like Bob. Face the music. It hurts. But when you learn from it, you grow.
BTW, I saw Bob in town a few months ago (for the opening of some swank hotel. I guess they were short on tall, greying Americans.) He deserves a place in the Australian Marketing Hall of Fame for his work in almost single-handedly evangelising the customer service ethic in Australia. Our new service economy and our long tourism boom couldn't have happened without that. "Australian Customer Service" used to be an oxymoron. (Look it up.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email responses:
Michael,
People at work might think it's a bit strange I ask for feedback all the
time, as I want to improve, learn, develop, become more efficient - so next
time I can tackle it faster/smarter.
Constructive criticism is great- but so often it is delivered to the person
in such a manner that it is not perceived as constructive. Then emotions set
in, and before you know it- staff retention drops a few percent.
Jo
..........
Of course the reverse also applies....on a number of occasions I've been asked to prop on some media training or PR only to find that my hour or two of work has gone into a black hole. Sometimes I suspect that I'm only there to make up the numbers so that the person they really want looks OK.
More to the point: as a trainer I think that quality feedback is hard to get, but it's also hard to give good quality feedback. And once you've been given bad (say, inappropriate rather than negative) feedback it can put you off being interested in it again.
Bob
........
Hey -
As any decent rock guitarist knows, feedback can be your friend.
When used properly, it can help get you from here to there with much
more drama and authority than if you didn't have it.
Just ask Pete Townshend!
Cheers.
Jeff
When you are the problem...
Hi,
What do you do when you are the problem? I know of two cases in which the most senior marketing executive is the blockage to progress. Both lead dysfunctional teams that are divided into warring camps. Both organisations are struggling to meet their objectives. In one case - an agency - it's new business hit rate is dismal. Getting in the door, but failing at the presentation, led by the boss. ("He comes across as a used car salesman," said one prospective client.) The other guy is so out of touch with the principles of team building that he alienates his younger colleagues by making pronouncements as if they were law, refusing to share the evidence he says he has for his position (leading to suspicion that there is none).
More than any other corporate function, marketing is about team and team is about leadership. A leader needs a healthy ego to take on the job. But you also need a good dose of self critique daily because staff worried about their job security aren't going to deliver it. It takes a high degree of emotional intelligence to judge your own performance objectively and accept a negative report.
It's lonely at the top. A leader needs a feedback loop: a mentor who is close enough to the business to detect the subterranean rumblings, but far enough away to be able to see the whole picture. Someone you can trust to give you the bad news.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email response:
Hi Michael,
I have just signed up for your daily 'thoughts' and I love them! They are always useful and relevant. Yesterday's thought I found particularly interesting...
I am currently working in an organisation which has great potential but I feel is being managed in the exact way you describe below - divide, conquer and burn people out in the process. Do you have any practical advice (short of leaving the company) to deal with managers like those in your email? Pointing out problems with the current system and coming up with alternatives doesn't seem to be working.
Thanks
Nat
...........
Michael
Totally agree about Bob Ansett - great thought for the day.
Cheers
Shaun
..........
Hi Michael,
Great to hear someone revering Bob Ansett, I had the please of working for him for many years and miss his entrepreneurial leadership and zealous dedication to the customer. Having worked all over the world and for many different companies and management styles I must say Bobs code of marketing conduct still guides my personnel beliefs. I recall fondly one of his catch cries (possibly a quote from another inspirational person) "do the ordinary things extraordinary well" !
PS I read with interest your 57deadly marketing mistakes, I was delighted to read something objective and 'real" that mirrors many of my own thoughts! I applaude you for your passion!
Viva BOB viva Kiely
Christopher
What do you do when you are the problem? I know of two cases in which the most senior marketing executive is the blockage to progress. Both lead dysfunctional teams that are divided into warring camps. Both organisations are struggling to meet their objectives. In one case - an agency - it's new business hit rate is dismal. Getting in the door, but failing at the presentation, led by the boss. ("He comes across as a used car salesman," said one prospective client.) The other guy is so out of touch with the principles of team building that he alienates his younger colleagues by making pronouncements as if they were law, refusing to share the evidence he says he has for his position (leading to suspicion that there is none).
More than any other corporate function, marketing is about team and team is about leadership. A leader needs a healthy ego to take on the job. But you also need a good dose of self critique daily because staff worried about their job security aren't going to deliver it. It takes a high degree of emotional intelligence to judge your own performance objectively and accept a negative report.
It's lonely at the top. A leader needs a feedback loop: a mentor who is close enough to the business to detect the subterranean rumblings, but far enough away to be able to see the whole picture. Someone you can trust to give you the bad news.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email response:
Hi Michael,
I have just signed up for your daily 'thoughts' and I love them! They are always useful and relevant. Yesterday's thought I found particularly interesting...
I am currently working in an organisation which has great potential but I feel is being managed in the exact way you describe below - divide, conquer and burn people out in the process. Do you have any practical advice (short of leaving the company) to deal with managers like those in your email? Pointing out problems with the current system and coming up with alternatives doesn't seem to be working.
Thanks
Nat
...........
Michael
Totally agree about Bob Ansett - great thought for the day.
Cheers
Shaun
..........
Hi Michael,
Great to hear someone revering Bob Ansett, I had the please of working for him for many years and miss his entrepreneurial leadership and zealous dedication to the customer. Having worked all over the world and for many different companies and management styles I must say Bobs code of marketing conduct still guides my personnel beliefs. I recall fondly one of his catch cries (possibly a quote from another inspirational person) "do the ordinary things extraordinary well" !
PS I read with interest your 57deadly marketing mistakes, I was delighted to read something objective and 'real" that mirrors many of my own thoughts! I applaude you for your passion!
Viva BOB viva Kiely
Christopher
DIY PR?
Hi,
One of your fellow "subscribers" to this service submitted an interesting question (below). You may find the response interesting (further below).
...........
Michael,
In your experience did you have meetings with journalists and editors or
did you leave that up to PR types who work this channel? My thoughts are that if I were to have a regular discussion with them our company will get more editorial opportunities. We had a PR company working for us but we ended the relationship as we could not quantify the return. We now do our own when we have a decent enough story that we think will get press.
Reason I ask is that we have sales people calling us all the time
wanting to sell ad space (bless them!) but I think that we get better
mileage from editorial which does not cost us anything.
Richard
.....
Richard,
First, separate advertising and publicity in your mind. They are separate activities with different functions. Second, publicity is not free. It costs time and resources and money. Third, it is possible to quantify the value of press coverage. You assign a figure to the coverage relative to the same presence in advertising dollars (with a formula you can get from a competent PR type). Fourth, maintaining your own media contacts is a good strategy. 1. It frees you from dependence on PR types. (I used to be one. I know what they're like.) 2. It shortens the chain of communication, speeds things up, and can make journalists and editors more interested. 3. It can ensure that your message gets through undiluted. 4. It can save $$$. But downsides are: 1. It takes time when you should be playing other roles in the marketing function, reducing your effectiveness overall. 2. You may have skills in this area, but your successor may not. You leave and your company loses part of its marketing systems. 3. You may think you're good at it, but your performance might be sub-optimal (and nobody's willing to tell you). 4. Unless you have had training and/or experience in the function, you may not have the essential 'creative' side - the ability to see or invent news angles (or reasons for coverage) that editors need. 5. You might not get the access to journos/editors that a professional publicist can. (Not being as rat cunning.) 6. A lot of PR work is simply "grunt" - calling a list of people to confirm attendance at an event, etc. This can tie up internal resources and disrupt operations. Perhaps you could fashion a hybrid system, building your own contacts and working them, but taking advice from a mentoring senior professional pr operator as you go and using them for special projects.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
One of your fellow "subscribers" to this service submitted an interesting question (below). You may find the response interesting (further below).
...........
Michael,
In your experience did you have meetings with journalists and editors or
did you leave that up to PR types who work this channel? My thoughts are that if I were to have a regular discussion with them our company will get more editorial opportunities. We had a PR company working for us but we ended the relationship as we could not quantify the return. We now do our own when we have a decent enough story that we think will get press.
Reason I ask is that we have sales people calling us all the time
wanting to sell ad space (bless them!) but I think that we get better
mileage from editorial which does not cost us anything.
Richard
.....
Richard,
First, separate advertising and publicity in your mind. They are separate activities with different functions. Second, publicity is not free. It costs time and resources and money. Third, it is possible to quantify the value of press coverage. You assign a figure to the coverage relative to the same presence in advertising dollars (with a formula you can get from a competent PR type). Fourth, maintaining your own media contacts is a good strategy. 1. It frees you from dependence on PR types. (I used to be one. I know what they're like.) 2. It shortens the chain of communication, speeds things up, and can make journalists and editors more interested. 3. It can ensure that your message gets through undiluted. 4. It can save $$$. But downsides are: 1. It takes time when you should be playing other roles in the marketing function, reducing your effectiveness overall. 2. You may have skills in this area, but your successor may not. You leave and your company loses part of its marketing systems. 3. You may think you're good at it, but your performance might be sub-optimal (and nobody's willing to tell you). 4. Unless you have had training and/or experience in the function, you may not have the essential 'creative' side - the ability to see or invent news angles (or reasons for coverage) that editors need. 5. You might not get the access to journos/editors that a professional publicist can. (Not being as rat cunning.) 6. A lot of PR work is simply "grunt" - calling a list of people to confirm attendance at an event, etc. This can tie up internal resources and disrupt operations. Perhaps you could fashion a hybrid system, building your own contacts and working them, but taking advice from a mentoring senior professional pr operator as you go and using them for special projects.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Curse me with a blessing
Hi,
Confucious, when asked for a blessing that could contain a curse, hidden within its folds like a dagger, responded: "May you live in interesting times." We live in such times. Old securities are swept away. Living conditions are shifting. The world is in crisis at so many levels. But Confucious would tell you that the Chinese script for the word "crisis" is made of two characters, one representing 'danger' and one representing 'opportunity'. Instability creates opportunity. Every silver lining has to have a black cloud. The Industrial Revolution, which made our modern consumer society possible, was itself made possible by the Black Death, the plague which killed a third of the population of Europe. This disaster in turn made possible the agricultural surpluses which were converted into capital and invested in steam engine technology and factory production models. Shakespeare wrote: "Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so." The lesson: look for the silver lining, and patent it, secure distribution for it, promote it and sell truckloads of it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email response:
Mike,
Just wanted to let you know your thoughts of the days are brilliant.
Been receiving them for a couple of months now some are very useful, and
even the unuseful ones are good refreshers.
Keep on truckin
Luan
Confucious, when asked for a blessing that could contain a curse, hidden within its folds like a dagger, responded: "May you live in interesting times." We live in such times. Old securities are swept away. Living conditions are shifting. The world is in crisis at so many levels. But Confucious would tell you that the Chinese script for the word "crisis" is made of two characters, one representing 'danger' and one representing 'opportunity'. Instability creates opportunity. Every silver lining has to have a black cloud. The Industrial Revolution, which made our modern consumer society possible, was itself made possible by the Black Death, the plague which killed a third of the population of Europe. This disaster in turn made possible the agricultural surpluses which were converted into capital and invested in steam engine technology and factory production models. Shakespeare wrote: "Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so." The lesson: look for the silver lining, and patent it, secure distribution for it, promote it and sell truckloads of it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email response:
Mike,
Just wanted to let you know your thoughts of the days are brilliant.
Been receiving them for a couple of months now some are very useful, and
even the unuseful ones are good refreshers.
Keep on truckin
Luan
Tell me lies, sell me the truth
Hi,
This is not about politics. This is about marketing. The Australian public prefer as their leader a PM who they believe tells lies over his deputy who they believe tells the truth, according to a recent survey reported in the media. (Uh-oh...) Forty percent of Australian journalists say they can’t report the truth, according to a recent survey published on crikey.com. They have to shape their reports to suit their media company’s interests. The only organizations required by law to tell the truth are marketing companies. “Marketing” is a synonym for ‘rip off’, ‘rort’ and ‘con job’ in Australia. Yet if politicians and journalists were subject to the same regulatory regime, they’d have little to say. The Lesson: each one of us decides the price of truth and either pays it or is paid it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email response:
Thanks for the daily thought Michael, always gets the brain ticking over of
a morning.
Your piece puts me to mind of many arguments I've had over the years that
touch on your theme, but mainly conjures up something I once heard the
comedian Alexei Sayle say to an audience - 'I tell the truth and you laugh,
a politician lies and you elect them'.
Cheers
David
This is not about politics. This is about marketing. The Australian public prefer as their leader a PM who they believe tells lies over his deputy who they believe tells the truth, according to a recent survey reported in the media. (Uh-oh...) Forty percent of Australian journalists say they can’t report the truth, according to a recent survey published on crikey.com. They have to shape their reports to suit their media company’s interests. The only organizations required by law to tell the truth are marketing companies. “Marketing” is a synonym for ‘rip off’, ‘rort’ and ‘con job’ in Australia. Yet if politicians and journalists were subject to the same regulatory regime, they’d have little to say. The Lesson: each one of us decides the price of truth and either pays it or is paid it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Email response:
Thanks for the daily thought Michael, always gets the brain ticking over of
a morning.
Your piece puts me to mind of many arguments I've had over the years that
touch on your theme, but mainly conjures up something I once heard the
comedian Alexei Sayle say to an audience - 'I tell the truth and you laugh,
a politician lies and you elect them'.
Cheers
David
Make me famous!
Hi,
I go through an interesting process coming up with these 'Thoughts". Occasionally something will come up in my daily work with agencies and clients. Yesterday an agency asked me to help them formulate a "Mission Statement". I think the statement that came out of the process should be adopted by all agencies:
"Our mission is to make our clients famous."
That's it. All other statements to this effect are merely derivative. What does the individual marketing executive want, in the final analysis? Not just successful campaigns and high ROI and profits. They want to be recognised as the author of that success. They ultimately want to be heroes and rewarded as such. Career progress, esteem of colleagues, industry profile, and a feeling of having achieved a new level of personal growth - arriving at a new self-image, breathing the pure exhilarating air of success. The agency shouldn't try to take all the glory. (But they all do. Fools.) Reflected glory is all any agency can afford or deserves.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
I go through an interesting process coming up with these 'Thoughts". Occasionally something will come up in my daily work with agencies and clients. Yesterday an agency asked me to help them formulate a "Mission Statement". I think the statement that came out of the process should be adopted by all agencies:
"Our mission is to make our clients famous."
That's it. All other statements to this effect are merely derivative. What does the individual marketing executive want, in the final analysis? Not just successful campaigns and high ROI and profits. They want to be recognised as the author of that success. They ultimately want to be heroes and rewarded as such. Career progress, esteem of colleagues, industry profile, and a feeling of having achieved a new level of personal growth - arriving at a new self-image, breathing the pure exhilarating air of success. The agency shouldn't try to take all the glory. (But they all do. Fools.) Reflected glory is all any agency can afford or deserves.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
The War of the Flea
Hi,
There was a book written in the 1970s called 'The War of The Flea' about guerilla warfare of the type waged by the Vietnamese against the Americans and by the Iraqis and the Afghans and the Palestinians and the list goes on. Why the flea? Because there's and old story about a flea that could drive an elephant insane and send it packing. The little guy uses unconventional tactics to disrupt and eventually deter a much larger opponent. This is the strategy Richard Branson employs. Pick on a big, lumbering, self-indulgent market leader and harass his columns, set fire to his tents and destroy his baggage while his main force is arrayed in its splendor on the main battlefield. The guerilla decides where and when to engage the enemy, usually when they least expect it. He uses low cost weaponry. Branson's use of publicity stunts is a means of creating his own low cost media (eg. His law suits against British Airways, his round the world balloon flights, Sherman tanks down NY's Broadway announcing Virgin Cola's attack on Coke, etc.). Guerilla warriors use brain against brawn.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
There was a book written in the 1970s called 'The War of The Flea' about guerilla warfare of the type waged by the Vietnamese against the Americans and by the Iraqis and the Afghans and the Palestinians and the list goes on. Why the flea? Because there's and old story about a flea that could drive an elephant insane and send it packing. The little guy uses unconventional tactics to disrupt and eventually deter a much larger opponent. This is the strategy Richard Branson employs. Pick on a big, lumbering, self-indulgent market leader and harass his columns, set fire to his tents and destroy his baggage while his main force is arrayed in its splendor on the main battlefield. The guerilla decides where and when to engage the enemy, usually when they least expect it. He uses low cost weaponry. Branson's use of publicity stunts is a means of creating his own low cost media (eg. His law suits against British Airways, his round the world balloon flights, Sherman tanks down NY's Broadway announcing Virgin Cola's attack on Coke, etc.). Guerilla warriors use brain against brawn.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Marketing by walking around
Hi,
Who is your best prospect? Can you describe them? Can you say, without looking, what shoes they are likely to wear? Most companies don't know this fundamentally important piece of information. So you cannot afford expensive market research. There are alternatives. One is "marketing by walking around." At DJs, Brian Walsh - the man who ushered in "there's no other store like David Jones" - insisted that senior management man the tills for several hours per week, serving customers. American Express have been known to use senior management as telephonists when contacting large numbers of cardmembers by phone. Brian Walsh was able to spot a DJ's shopper walking down the street. Can you spot your prospects at 100 yards?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Who is your best prospect? Can you describe them? Can you say, without looking, what shoes they are likely to wear? Most companies don't know this fundamentally important piece of information. So you cannot afford expensive market research. There are alternatives. One is "marketing by walking around." At DJs, Brian Walsh - the man who ushered in "there's no other store like David Jones" - insisted that senior management man the tills for several hours per week, serving customers. American Express have been known to use senior management as telephonists when contacting large numbers of cardmembers by phone. Brian Walsh was able to spot a DJ's shopper walking down the street. Can you spot your prospects at 100 yards?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Are you in marketing?
Hi,
10 years ago Brandweek magazine offered the following seven tell-tale signs that a company is not marketing:
1. Sales are driven by price.
2. There is no other way of differentiating the offering from the competition.
3. A steady stream of disconnected sales gimmicks is used.
4. There is no unified plan for communicating the company's message to customers, the trade and the public.
5. Most sales leads come from the sale staff. Marketing exists to create a selling environment and generate prospects.
6. Longtime customers say "I didn't know you did that."
7. There is no customer or prospect database which can be used for marketing.
Now, are you in marketing? The key is having a plan and a program which aims to build equity in your business via growing customer relationships.
Every tactic you employ should in some way promote your move in that direction.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
10 years ago Brandweek magazine offered the following seven tell-tale signs that a company is not marketing:
1. Sales are driven by price.
2. There is no other way of differentiating the offering from the competition.
3. A steady stream of disconnected sales gimmicks is used.
4. There is no unified plan for communicating the company's message to customers, the trade and the public.
5. Most sales leads come from the sale staff. Marketing exists to create a selling environment and generate prospects.
6. Longtime customers say "I didn't know you did that."
7. There is no customer or prospect database which can be used for marketing.
Now, are you in marketing? The key is having a plan and a program which aims to build equity in your business via growing customer relationships.
Every tactic you employ should in some way promote your move in that direction.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
"Follow Me, Boys"
Hi,
The earliest form of ambient advertising was discovered in the ruins of Pompeii. A prostitute had 'stamps' made of the soles of her sandles which pressed into the dust of the streets of the city the words "Follow Me, Boys" wherever she went. The fresher the message, the nearer she was to be found. Lesson: Guerilla marketing makes a lot out of a little. Where are your sandals?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
The earliest form of ambient advertising was discovered in the ruins of Pompeii. A prostitute had 'stamps' made of the soles of her sandles which pressed into the dust of the streets of the city the words "Follow Me, Boys" wherever she went. The fresher the message, the nearer she was to be found. Lesson: Guerilla marketing makes a lot out of a little. Where are your sandals?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Lead with your balls and get kicked
Hi,
The brainiacs at the ACTU got a clobbering by John Howard when he was able to "reveal" that the people appearing in the ad campaign against the Government's labour laws were not telling the truth. Greg Combet took a public kick in the balls when his failure to investigate the stories of his "talent" left the campaign open to a devastating attack. The Honorable John Howard was able to discredit the campaign by exploiting the smallest of discrepancies and accepting the employers' word in each case, not even consulting the employees concerned. The Office of Workplace Services concluded that none of the workers in the campaign had been sacked illegally. It said a worker who claimed to have been sacked via text message had previously been advised twice by telephone that her assignment had ended. And it found that a worker who was not paid redundancy did not have that provision in his work contract. The Government wins the encounter, even though the PM is saying it's alright to sack someone by telephone and to force workers onto contracts with no redundancy provisions. Lesson: don't give your competitor a free kick.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
The brainiacs at the ACTU got a clobbering by John Howard when he was able to "reveal" that the people appearing in the ad campaign against the Government's labour laws were not telling the truth. Greg Combet took a public kick in the balls when his failure to investigate the stories of his "talent" left the campaign open to a devastating attack. The Honorable John Howard was able to discredit the campaign by exploiting the smallest of discrepancies and accepting the employers' word in each case, not even consulting the employees concerned. The Office of Workplace Services concluded that none of the workers in the campaign had been sacked illegally. It said a worker who claimed to have been sacked via text message had previously been advised twice by telephone that her assignment had ended. And it found that a worker who was not paid redundancy did not have that provision in his work contract. The Government wins the encounter, even though the PM is saying it's alright to sack someone by telephone and to force workers onto contracts with no redundancy provisions. Lesson: don't give your competitor a free kick.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Naming babies and brnads
Hi,
Choosing a name for a baby or a brand is a left brain/right brain thing. Emotion and Intellect. On the one hand it's a little bit practical - we first developed names for each other so we could tell each other apart from the others and talk about you behind your back (literally). Otherwise conversations would be cumbersome. "Go and tell that caveman with the beard and the club to come and help us kill the sabre tooth tiger." "Which one?" "The one who smells like he needs a bath." "But we all smell like that..." SO a name is for differentiation. (If you want a little differentiation - to say 'we're in the category, but we're the same as everyone else' - choose a name like all the others - the way pharmaceutical companies do: Zanadec,Zabadec, Zordec, Zordex, etc. If you want a lot of differentiation, call your son Sue and your airline Virgin.) On the other hand, choosing a name is a little bit creative - the name expresses some of the emotion and colour and personality of the child or brand. When it is to have emotional associations you have to think of the following: what are they? Do they fit the tone and manner statement attached to the Brand Positioning Strategy? (What? You don't have one? Better get one quick!) The name... What does it sound like when you say it? What does it look like on paper? On a business card? Does everything about it fit the image you want to portray? Because a name is forever...
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Choosing a name for a baby or a brand is a left brain/right brain thing. Emotion and Intellect. On the one hand it's a little bit practical - we first developed names for each other so we could tell each other apart from the others and talk about you behind your back (literally). Otherwise conversations would be cumbersome. "Go and tell that caveman with the beard and the club to come and help us kill the sabre tooth tiger." "Which one?" "The one who smells like he needs a bath." "But we all smell like that..." SO a name is for differentiation. (If you want a little differentiation - to say 'we're in the category, but we're the same as everyone else' - choose a name like all the others - the way pharmaceutical companies do: Zanadec,Zabadec, Zordec, Zordex, etc. If you want a lot of differentiation, call your son Sue and your airline Virgin.) On the other hand, choosing a name is a little bit creative - the name expresses some of the emotion and colour and personality of the child or brand. When it is to have emotional associations you have to think of the following: what are they? Do they fit the tone and manner statement attached to the Brand Positioning Strategy? (What? You don't have one? Better get one quick!) The name... What does it sound like when you say it? What does it look like on paper? On a business card? Does everything about it fit the image you want to portray? Because a name is forever...
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
I'm Fantastic!
Hi,
I always wanted to call one of my kids "Fantastic". Fantastic Kiely. Now there's a name to live up to. Everyday they'd have to be Fantastic. "And who might you be, sonny?" "I'm Fantastic, Sir." A name is something you have to live up to.
Other babies' names I'll never get to assign to my children: Fabulous, Special, Loveable, Always Right, and Wow!
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
I always wanted to call one of my kids "Fantastic". Fantastic Kiely. Now there's a name to live up to. Everyday they'd have to be Fantastic. "And who might you be, sonny?" "I'm Fantastic, Sir." A name is something you have to live up to.
Other babies' names I'll never get to assign to my children: Fabulous, Special, Loveable, Always Right, and Wow!
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Thursday, July 27, 2006
#@%&+?ƒ the Rules of Naming Brands
Hi,
I'm currently embroiled in an argument with an old style ad guy about naming a new company and product. He says we can't call the product a name that describes what it is. "It's against the rules!" he intones. Whose rules?
What about "Coca-Cola" for a cola drink originally made from cocoa when it was named. IBM was "International Business Machines" when it was launched. They were selling adding machines in many countries. "Microsoft" was a software company that aimed to focus on micro computers (later known as desktops and now laptops, etc.)
Here's a good reason to call your product a name that says what it is: your name is your most potent advertising vehicle. It will be seen by many people who won't know you. It will appear in phone listings and directories, on packages and boxes, on trucks, and in many other non-advertising surfaces. Places it has to be. It is your cheapest advertisement.
Old style ad guys think the world still burns old style ad budgets to build brands. That dream burst with the dot com bubble.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
I'm currently embroiled in an argument with an old style ad guy about naming a new company and product. He says we can't call the product a name that describes what it is. "It's against the rules!" he intones. Whose rules?
What about "Coca-Cola" for a cola drink originally made from cocoa when it was named. IBM was "International Business Machines" when it was launched. They were selling adding machines in many countries. "Microsoft" was a software company that aimed to focus on micro computers (later known as desktops and now laptops, etc.)
Here's a good reason to call your product a name that says what it is: your name is your most potent advertising vehicle. It will be seen by many people who won't know you. It will appear in phone listings and directories, on packages and boxes, on trucks, and in many other non-advertising surfaces. Places it has to be. It is your cheapest advertisement.
Old style ad guys think the world still burns old style ad budgets to build brands. That dream burst with the dot com bubble.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
The Rules of Creating Brand Names
Hi,
Sometime in your career you are going to face the challenge of creating or signing off on a new name for a product, company, or whatever. Very few people are skilled in this field. There are a lot of blowhards who will try to bluff you into thinking they know how to do it. But there is only one rule with naming: There are no rules.
Look at the names of the world’s leading brands, aka. Business Week and Interbrand’s "100 Best Global Brands": Coca-Cola, Microsoft, IBM, GE, Intel, Nokia, Disney, McDonald’s, Toyota and Marlboro. These brands make up the world’s "top ten" by value. See any patterns there, any 'best practice' re names? No? No. There is none. There are family names, like Disney and McDonald’s; initials, like IBM and GE; semi-descriptive and "associative" names, like Microsoft and Intel; and abstract names, like Nokia and Marlboro.
In fact, 46 of the 100 brands are named after their founders. There's not a lot of strategy in that. SO next time someone says, "You can't call a product that, it's against the rules...", just say: "I follow Kiely's Rule which says I can call it any damn thing I like."
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Sometime in your career you are going to face the challenge of creating or signing off on a new name for a product, company, or whatever. Very few people are skilled in this field. There are a lot of blowhards who will try to bluff you into thinking they know how to do it. But there is only one rule with naming: There are no rules.
Look at the names of the world’s leading brands, aka. Business Week and Interbrand’s "100 Best Global Brands": Coca-Cola, Microsoft, IBM, GE, Intel, Nokia, Disney, McDonald’s, Toyota and Marlboro. These brands make up the world’s "top ten" by value. See any patterns there, any 'best practice' re names? No? No. There is none. There are family names, like Disney and McDonald’s; initials, like IBM and GE; semi-descriptive and "associative" names, like Microsoft and Intel; and abstract names, like Nokia and Marlboro.
In fact, 46 of the 100 brands are named after their founders. There's not a lot of strategy in that. SO next time someone says, "You can't call a product that, it's against the rules...", just say: "I follow Kiely's Rule which says I can call it any damn thing I like."
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Crisis? What Crisis? 3
Hi,
You can plan for product tampering or any one of a thousand events just by playing 'what if' games.
Pepsi overcame a product tampering charge when it was able to prove the syringes weren't introduced to their cans during the production process. It had video surveillance of its entire production process. Smart.
The consumers who reported finding the syringes were eventually charged with criminal offences.
What if...
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
You can plan for product tampering or any one of a thousand events just by playing 'what if' games.
Pepsi overcame a product tampering charge when it was able to prove the syringes weren't introduced to their cans during the production process. It had video surveillance of its entire production process. Smart.
The consumers who reported finding the syringes were eventually charged with criminal offences.
What if...
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Crisis? What Crisis? 2
Hi,
Crisis management plans are fairly easy to put together.
Step 1. Appoint a Crisis Management team. They meet as soon as the crisis is detected.
Step 2. Decide who the single spokesperson/media point of contact will be (to avoid conflicting messages getting out).
Step 3. Map out your Rapid Response Plan under which, simultaneously, these things will happen:
A.) Inform the media of your company's policies in this area and that a statement about this incident will be forthcoming shortly.
B.) Investigate the situation.*
C.) Inform the staff and remind them of the Crisis Management Procedures which they would have been exposed to during staff training and induction.
D.) Formulate your response and 'fess up. Don't try to sandbag the media or spin your way out of it.
E.) Keep all stakeholders informed - shareholders, regulators, suppliers, customers, community, etc.
F.) Act quickly to protect the public - ie. In the case of product contamination, order a complete recall, regardless of proof of how extensive the problem might be. It proves you care.
*When this takes time, keep the media informed, unless you are involved in a police investigation (such as in a product tampering/extortion case).
Preparing for product tampering.... More tomorrow.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Crisis management plans are fairly easy to put together.
Step 1. Appoint a Crisis Management team. They meet as soon as the crisis is detected.
Step 2. Decide who the single spokesperson/media point of contact will be (to avoid conflicting messages getting out).
Step 3. Map out your Rapid Response Plan under which, simultaneously, these things will happen:
A.) Inform the media of your company's policies in this area and that a statement about this incident will be forthcoming shortly.
B.) Investigate the situation.*
C.) Inform the staff and remind them of the Crisis Management Procedures which they would have been exposed to during staff training and induction.
D.) Formulate your response and 'fess up. Don't try to sandbag the media or spin your way out of it.
E.) Keep all stakeholders informed - shareholders, regulators, suppliers, customers, community, etc.
F.) Act quickly to protect the public - ie. In the case of product contamination, order a complete recall, regardless of proof of how extensive the problem might be. It proves you care.
*When this takes time, keep the media informed, unless you are involved in a police investigation (such as in a product tampering/extortion case).
Preparing for product tampering.... More tomorrow.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Crisis? What Crisis?
Hi,
You are interrupted at lunch by a phone call from someone at work saying the switchboard is melting down due to a barrage of calls from journalists wanting to speak to someone about the fact that your company was named in a court case as having engaged in illegal activity. Your financial director has resigned and left the building. No one has heard from your operations manager all day. "What should I say to them?" says your receptionist.
You simply say: 'Activate the Crisis Management Plan.' The what? A Crisis Management Plan is what protects you from reacting to unexpected catastrophic events like a rabbit caught in a spotlight. Every organisation should have one as part of their risk management strategy. (The what?)
More tomorrow... (Fingers crossed nothing happens until then.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
You are interrupted at lunch by a phone call from someone at work saying the switchboard is melting down due to a barrage of calls from journalists wanting to speak to someone about the fact that your company was named in a court case as having engaged in illegal activity. Your financial director has resigned and left the building. No one has heard from your operations manager all day. "What should I say to them?" says your receptionist.
You simply say: 'Activate the Crisis Management Plan.' The what? A Crisis Management Plan is what protects you from reacting to unexpected catastrophic events like a rabbit caught in a spotlight. Every organisation should have one as part of their risk management strategy. (The what?)
More tomorrow... (Fingers crossed nothing happens until then.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
How's your press area?
Hi,
Professional operations - that are taken seriously by the media - have comprehensive "press areas" on their websites which cater to journalists. Latest press releases (plus archives), speeches, a full array of photographs of product and key people, product specifications, even video. Plus contact details.
You'll be surprised who'll go there - prospective clients, people looking to join you, regulators, etc. Not just journalists. Your press area is full of facts and is easily digested.
It surprises me a.) how many corporate websites don't have press areas and b.) how many that do keep non-journalists out by password protecting them.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Professional operations - that are taken seriously by the media - have comprehensive "press areas" on their websites which cater to journalists. Latest press releases (plus archives), speeches, a full array of photographs of product and key people, product specifications, even video. Plus contact details.
You'll be surprised who'll go there - prospective clients, people looking to join you, regulators, etc. Not just journalists. Your press area is full of facts and is easily digested.
It surprises me a.) how many corporate websites don't have press areas and b.) how many that do keep non-journalists out by password protecting them.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Caught in the spotlight?
Hi,
When I was conducting a brand audit for Macquarie Bank prior to developing the Bank's brand positioning, I made a fascinating discovery. The Bank has a simple method for alerting its executives to behaviour which is potentially dangerous to the Bank's good name. It suggests that the executives speak and act as though their words and actions could appear on the front page of the Financial Review... Because they could do just that.
Try applying the "Front Page of the Fin Review" Test to your daily activity.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
When I was conducting a brand audit for Macquarie Bank prior to developing the Bank's brand positioning, I made a fascinating discovery. The Bank has a simple method for alerting its executives to behaviour which is potentially dangerous to the Bank's good name. It suggests that the executives speak and act as though their words and actions could appear on the front page of the Financial Review... Because they could do just that.
Try applying the "Front Page of the Fin Review" Test to your daily activity.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
I "Watergated" John Singleton
Hi,
Larrikin Millionaire Adman John Singleton uses 'fruity' language in his everyday life and doesn't stop when being interviewed by journalists. He especially used the famous f---- word when I interviewed him for a cover story when I edited Marketing Magazine. Other journalists would edit out the word, but - as I wanted to give the reader the full "Singleton" experience - I left them in. When he opened the magazine for the first time at the luncheon where he spoke to launch the issue, he exclaimed: "You bastard, you Watergated me!" He invented the verb which, for young readers, refers to President Richard Nixon's habit of secretly recording every discussion that took place in the Oval Office at the White House. These tapes were played in the judicial enquiry into the break in to the Democratic campaign headquarters and the theft of documents that eventually saw the President leave office in disgrace. The tapes revealed that the President was a cussin' SOB.
The lesson? Assume the tape is rolling whenever you speak to a journalist. Assume every word you say could appear on the front page of the Australian Financial Review. Don't rely on any special understanding with a journalist. I've been Watergated myself. Treat a journalist as you would a snake. Cautiously.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Larrikin Millionaire Adman John Singleton uses 'fruity' language in his everyday life and doesn't stop when being interviewed by journalists. He especially used the famous f---- word when I interviewed him for a cover story when I edited Marketing Magazine. Other journalists would edit out the word, but - as I wanted to give the reader the full "Singleton" experience - I left them in. When he opened the magazine for the first time at the luncheon where he spoke to launch the issue, he exclaimed: "You bastard, you Watergated me!" He invented the verb which, for young readers, refers to President Richard Nixon's habit of secretly recording every discussion that took place in the Oval Office at the White House. These tapes were played in the judicial enquiry into the break in to the Democratic campaign headquarters and the theft of documents that eventually saw the President leave office in disgrace. The tapes revealed that the President was a cussin' SOB.
The lesson? Assume the tape is rolling whenever you speak to a journalist. Assume every word you say could appear on the front page of the Australian Financial Review. Don't rely on any special understanding with a journalist. I've been Watergated myself. Treat a journalist as you would a snake. Cautiously.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Scratching backs
My friend Robyn Henderson teaches networking skills. (More about that in a later post*.) She says the best way to start a two-way relationship with a good business contact is to send them some business... Simple. Direct. Compelling.
The same goes for editors or producers of media outlets. Send them story ideas. Not just glamour pieces on you or your product or your client. Real hard stories.
Analyse the outlet. What content do they use. Brainstorm some story suggestions. Some of them can involve you. You'll be helping them do the hardest part of their job. And you'll be noticed... And valued... And listened to. '
'Isn't that what you want?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
The same goes for editors or producers of media outlets. Send them story ideas. Not just glamour pieces on you or your product or your client. Real hard stories.
Analyse the outlet. What content do they use. Brainstorm some story suggestions. Some of them can involve you. You'll be helping them do the hardest part of their job. And you'll be noticed... And valued... And listened to. '
'Isn't that what you want?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Saturday, July 15, 2006
"I was abducted by aliens!"
... And that's why I missed Friday's "Thought". Anyway they didn't make me have sex with anyone on the flying saucer.
Many popular (read: trashy) publications and programs have headlines like the one above... And your press release and your product story has to compete with that. A good publicist does the editor's job for them. They think like an editor. They think: "How can I spin this story to appeal to this readership? Could aliens abduct my client?"
Most failed attempts to get coverage in the media fail for one of two reasons:
1. There is insufficient excitement in the product story.
2. There is no attempt to make the story relevant to the audience.
Most press releases I have received in my 20+ years are as exciting and enticing as cold cabbage.
Read your company's press releases. What are they like? Do they excite you?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Many popular (read: trashy) publications and programs have headlines like the one above... And your press release and your product story has to compete with that. A good publicist does the editor's job for them. They think like an editor. They think: "How can I spin this story to appeal to this readership? Could aliens abduct my client?"
Most failed attempts to get coverage in the media fail for one of two reasons:
1. There is insufficient excitement in the product story.
2. There is no attempt to make the story relevant to the audience.
Most press releases I have received in my 20+ years are as exciting and enticing as cold cabbage.
Read your company's press releases. What are they like? Do they excite you?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Bad PR passes like a storm in a tea cup
Hi,
Zinedine Zidane delivered the most dramatic moment of the World Cup when he headbutted Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the solar plexus.
What do you do when the boss has a brain explosion? Macquarie Bank's Nicholas Moore described Alan Jones as just a radio announcer in the early stages of the Sydney Airport debacle. Now Nicholas was probably MD Allan Moss's successor-elect. But he singlehandedly forced the share price into a vortex. Good luck, Nicholas.
John Brogden was the next Premier of NSW (he'd have smashed Iemma) until he had a bad night and foolishly resigned over a silly comment about Premier Carr's wife. (Come back John. You're a politician, not a priest.)
If you or your boss ever make the mistake of being honest about your feelings, in public, remember the words of Winston Churchill: "Never never never never resign." Nothing is as bad as it seems. People have short memories. It's tomorrow's fish and chips paper. There'll be a new scandal in the headlines soon. Tough it out. Give an explanation, apologise, but don't be silly about it. Your supporters want you to be strong for them. Live to fight another day.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Zinedine Zidane delivered the most dramatic moment of the World Cup when he headbutted Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the solar plexus.
What do you do when the boss has a brain explosion? Macquarie Bank's Nicholas Moore described Alan Jones as just a radio announcer in the early stages of the Sydney Airport debacle. Now Nicholas was probably MD Allan Moss's successor-elect. But he singlehandedly forced the share price into a vortex. Good luck, Nicholas.
John Brogden was the next Premier of NSW (he'd have smashed Iemma) until he had a bad night and foolishly resigned over a silly comment about Premier Carr's wife. (Come back John. You're a politician, not a priest.)
If you or your boss ever make the mistake of being honest about your feelings, in public, remember the words of Winston Churchill: "Never never never never resign." Nothing is as bad as it seems. People have short memories. It's tomorrow's fish and chips paper. There'll be a new scandal in the headlines soon. Tough it out. Give an explanation, apologise, but don't be silly about it. Your supporters want you to be strong for them. Live to fight another day.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
PR Lessons from John and Peter, ex-buddies
Hi,
PR is not about covering up because the truth will always surface.
PM John Howard projects an image of honesty. In fact, he is not truthful. Remember the 'never ever GST'? 'Children overboard'? Despite all his skills, the truth has surfaced about John Howard. Peter Costello has revealed it in a king hit attempt to knock Howard out of the top job. Howard cannot suggest Ian McLauchlan is lying. He attended the 1994 meeting as Howard's witness and took notes. Costello sought only to make one point about Howard. Howard,in return, made one point about Costello. The Prime Ministership is not something to be bartered.* Anyone who thinks otherwise is guilty of "hubris and arrogance." Bingo. The truth about Peter Costello. Howard's counterpunch. What makes a government under Costello unelectable? His arrogance. Another lesson in PR from our leaders: choose your target well. Peter Costello is playing to anyone who'll listen, hoping we'll all turn away from a man who's word can't be trusted. Howard is playing to the 100 parliamentarians who elect the PM and whose continued seat in Government depends on the electability of the PM. Guess who'll win?
Cheers!
Michael
PS. One of our fellow readers wrote me to say this was just a storm in a tea cup. How many politicians cnca you fit inside as tea cup?
PR is not about covering up because the truth will always surface.
PM John Howard projects an image of honesty. In fact, he is not truthful. Remember the 'never ever GST'? 'Children overboard'? Despite all his skills, the truth has surfaced about John Howard. Peter Costello has revealed it in a king hit attempt to knock Howard out of the top job. Howard cannot suggest Ian McLauchlan is lying. He attended the 1994 meeting as Howard's witness and took notes. Costello sought only to make one point about Howard. Howard,in return, made one point about Costello. The Prime Ministership is not something to be bartered.* Anyone who thinks otherwise is guilty of "hubris and arrogance." Bingo. The truth about Peter Costello. Howard's counterpunch. What makes a government under Costello unelectable? His arrogance. Another lesson in PR from our leaders: choose your target well. Peter Costello is playing to anyone who'll listen, hoping we'll all turn away from a man who's word can't be trusted. Howard is playing to the 100 parliamentarians who elect the PM and whose continued seat in Government depends on the electability of the PM. Guess who'll win?
Cheers!
Michael
PS. One of our fellow readers wrote me to say this was just a storm in a tea cup. How many politicians cnca you fit inside as tea cup?
Monday, July 10, 2006
PR for ROI
Hi,
Public Relations started as Press Relations and that's what it does best. Publicity. Several years ago the PR industry claimed 70%-80% of everything that appears in the media is placed there by PR agencies.
Don't waste your time trying to run your own PR - get a professional. They'll be at it all the time whereas you'll be distracted.
Publicity isn't 'free ink'. Nothing's free. But it's better value for money than advertising. (Let's face it, anything's better value for money than advertising.)
Cheers!
Public Relations started as Press Relations and that's what it does best. Publicity. Several years ago the PR industry claimed 70%-80% of everything that appears in the media is placed there by PR agencies.
Don't waste your time trying to run your own PR - get a professional. They'll be at it all the time whereas you'll be distracted.
Publicity isn't 'free ink'. Nothing's free. But it's better value for money than advertising. (Let's face it, anything's better value for money than advertising.)
Cheers!
Friday, July 07, 2006
How public are your relations?
Hi,
Every individual, company or institution has public relations. Not everyone has MANAGED public relations. Channel 9's Eddie Maguire, for instance, appears to not have access to professional PR advice. Because if he did he'd be less likely to act like a boofhead in public, such as describing the reaction to his crisis-inducing management of the once great television network as 'harassment' and warning the people criticising him that "I have a long memory." This statement is all the public needs to confirm the image of Eddie as a graceless bullyboy who in every likelihood did say he was going to 'bone' Jessica Rowe (to 'bone' apparently meaning to dismiss or fire, at Channel 9 - very male/macho imagery, revealing of the PBL culture). He denies saying it. A CEO who thinks he can manage a crisis without professional guidance, shooting from the lip and believing in his infallibility, will soon end up ending up. Especially in listed companies, where the sharemarket can vote with its feet any minute of the trading day. Kerry Packer was able to run his own PR and win because, underneath the brutal shell was a great strategic mind. But Eddie's no Kerry.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Every individual, company or institution has public relations. Not everyone has MANAGED public relations. Channel 9's Eddie Maguire, for instance, appears to not have access to professional PR advice. Because if he did he'd be less likely to act like a boofhead in public, such as describing the reaction to his crisis-inducing management of the once great television network as 'harassment' and warning the people criticising him that "I have a long memory." This statement is all the public needs to confirm the image of Eddie as a graceless bullyboy who in every likelihood did say he was going to 'bone' Jessica Rowe (to 'bone' apparently meaning to dismiss or fire, at Channel 9 - very male/macho imagery, revealing of the PBL culture). He denies saying it. A CEO who thinks he can manage a crisis without professional guidance, shooting from the lip and believing in his infallibility, will soon end up ending up. Especially in listed companies, where the sharemarket can vote with its feet any minute of the trading day. Kerry Packer was able to run his own PR and win because, underneath the brutal shell was a great strategic mind. But Eddie's no Kerry.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Feed the word of mouth monster everyday
Hi,
You've identified your Influentials, you've run your product sampling campaign, the word is out and sales are ramping up. What next?
Was it just a one night stand? Or shouldn't you recognise the relationship and treat your new 'insiders' as true insiders? Backstage tours of your operation, special invitations to special events, insider briefings, etc.
You know they're talkers with power. Give them something to talk about. Continually.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
You've identified your Influentials, you've run your product sampling campaign, the word is out and sales are ramping up. What next?
Was it just a one night stand? Or shouldn't you recognise the relationship and treat your new 'insiders' as true insiders? Backstage tours of your operation, special invitations to special events, insider briefings, etc.
You know they're talkers with power. Give them something to talk about. Continually.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Getting outa hand
Hi,
How depressing is the thought that armies of "Influentials" are being recruited and incentivised to behave like AMWAY distributors - but without the disclosure. How will I know if my best friend isn't a "sleeper" - programmed by General Motors or General Mills or Generals from the Pentagon to recommend their patrons' product or point of view? Shades of Orwell's 1984. Has your lover been infected with the Nescafe virus?
What about the potential for "Reverse Influentials"? Jerks who go around spruiking a product and pissing people off? Or "Guerilla Influentials"? Social/Category/Industry trend setters paid to badmouth a competitor?
This Word of Mouth thing could get outa hand!
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
How depressing is the thought that armies of "Influentials" are being recruited and incentivised to behave like AMWAY distributors - but without the disclosure. How will I know if my best friend isn't a "sleeper" - programmed by General Motors or General Mills or Generals from the Pentagon to recommend their patrons' product or point of view? Shades of Orwell's 1984. Has your lover been infected with the Nescafe virus?
What about the potential for "Reverse Influentials"? Jerks who go around spruiking a product and pissing people off? Or "Guerilla Influentials"? Social/Category/Industry trend setters paid to badmouth a competitor?
This Word of Mouth thing could get outa hand!
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
"The Credibility League Ladder"
Hi.
I call the following "The Credibility League Ladder"
1. Personal experience
2. Friend’s recommendation
3. Stranger’s recommendation
4. News report
5. Expert opinion
6. Company newsletter
7. Direct mail
8. Advertising
9. Sales person
Which end is most credible and which is least?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
I call the following "The Credibility League Ladder"
1. Personal experience
2. Friend’s recommendation
3. Stranger’s recommendation
4. News report
5. Expert opinion
6. Company newsletter
7. Direct mail
8. Advertising
9. Sales person
Which end is most credible and which is least?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Monday, July 03, 2006
Just ask...
Hi,
Word of Mouth "nodes" are easy to find. Just ask. You can use a 'sociometric
method' - ie. Map the networks by asking the members of a community who they
ask for recommendations. You can use a 'self designating method' - ie.
Identify nodes by asking people if they are one. "During the past 6 months,
have you told anyone about a new product, etc?" "Compared to your circle of
friends are you more likely to be asked advice about (XYZ) or less
likely..?" "When you and your friends discuss new ideas about (XYZ) do you
mainly listen or try to convince them of your ideas?"
Clunky but serviceable.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Word of Mouth "nodes" are easy to find. Just ask. You can use a 'sociometric
method' - ie. Map the networks by asking the members of a community who they
ask for recommendations. You can use a 'self designating method' - ie.
Identify nodes by asking people if they are one. "During the past 6 months,
have you told anyone about a new product, etc?" "Compared to your circle of
friends are you more likely to be asked advice about (XYZ) or less
likely..?" "When you and your friends discuss new ideas about (XYZ) do you
mainly listen or try to convince them of your ideas?"
Clunky but serviceable.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Friday, June 30, 2006
It's not a crime
Hi,
I met a man in Brisbane years ago. His father was mentioned in a Royal Commission as an organised criminal. (Not an efficient lawbreaker, but a member of an organised crime syndicate.) His name was Tony. Same as his father. Tony Jr was in the night club business legit. He was too smart for the crime business.
He told me a story. He opened a new night club in Brisbane, in the Valley. Didn't spend a cent on advertising, but the queues to get in on the first night of business stretched right around the block.
How did he do it? Well, Smart Tony (Big Tony's son) threw the best private party Brisbane had ever seen, two nights in a row before the opening night. And guess who was invited? Hairdressers. All the hip and happening hairdressers in Brisbane. They had a ball. And guess what they were talking about for days afterwards to those hip and happening girls trapped under their hairdryers? That's right: Smart Tony's new club.
And where do boys go? Where the girls gogo.
(This stuff is priceless. Tell your friends or they'll hate you.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
I met a man in Brisbane years ago. His father was mentioned in a Royal Commission as an organised criminal. (Not an efficient lawbreaker, but a member of an organised crime syndicate.) His name was Tony. Same as his father. Tony Jr was in the night club business legit. He was too smart for the crime business.
He told me a story. He opened a new night club in Brisbane, in the Valley. Didn't spend a cent on advertising, but the queues to get in on the first night of business stretched right around the block.
How did he do it? Well, Smart Tony (Big Tony's son) threw the best private party Brisbane had ever seen, two nights in a row before the opening night. And guess who was invited? Hairdressers. All the hip and happening hairdressers in Brisbane. They had a ball. And guess what they were talking about for days afterwards to those hip and happening girls trapped under their hairdryers? That's right: Smart Tony's new club.
And where do boys go? Where the girls gogo.
(This stuff is priceless. Tell your friends or they'll hate you.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Finding "Influentials"
Good morning,
Now we know that a small group of people within any community are word of mouth "nodes". Some call them 'influentials'.
Next challenge is to find them. There are three types of 'nodes' or 'network hubs': 1. 'Mavens' 2. 'Connectors' 3. 'Salespeople'
Mavens are information junkies. Connectors are highly connected socially and in business. Salespeople can't help selling their friends on the latest piece of 'the new' they have acquired.
A 'network hub' is usually a combination of all three.
How do you find them? They visit expos and trade shows. They volunteer for information, eg. sign up for updates. They subscribe to specialist magazines and websites. They join test panels and pilot schemes. They put up their hands for beta versions of product. They sign up for webinars. They go to networking functions. They are journalists and editors and event organisers and association executives and politicians and community organisations leaders and volunteers and church leaders...
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Now we know that a small group of people within any community are word of mouth "nodes". Some call them 'influentials'.
Next challenge is to find them. There are three types of 'nodes' or 'network hubs': 1. 'Mavens' 2. 'Connectors' 3. 'Salespeople'
Mavens are information junkies. Connectors are highly connected socially and in business. Salespeople can't help selling their friends on the latest piece of 'the new' they have acquired.
A 'network hub' is usually a combination of all three.
How do you find them? They visit expos and trade shows. They volunteer for information, eg. sign up for updates. They subscribe to specialist magazines and websites. They join test panels and pilot schemes. They put up their hands for beta versions of product. They sign up for webinars. They go to networking functions. They are journalists and editors and event organisers and association executives and politicians and community organisations leaders and volunteers and church leaders...
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
The networked consumer
Hi,
One-to-one marketing is an old paradigm because it fails to account for social context. The average funeral has around 200 mourners. This means the average person knows around that many people well enough for them to bother turning up to say goodbye.
Humans are hardwired with 'social channel capacity', says British anthropologist. Our brains have a capacity to maintain 10-15 'intimate' relationships, 150 or so 'social' relationships, and between 500 and 1500 'acquaintances'.
So each individual you engage is actually the centre of a network. How does this change your perspective?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
One-to-one marketing is an old paradigm because it fails to account for social context. The average funeral has around 200 mourners. This means the average person knows around that many people well enough for them to bother turning up to say goodbye.
Humans are hardwired with 'social channel capacity', says British anthropologist. Our brains have a capacity to maintain 10-15 'intimate' relationships, 150 or so 'social' relationships, and between 500 and 1500 'acquaintances'.
So each individual you engage is actually the centre of a network. How does this change your perspective?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Not all mouths are valuable
Hi,
Remember Pareto's Principle - the 80:20 Rule?
It applies to word of mouth. Not everyone feels confident enough of their opinions to want to share them with others.
In fact, it is less than 20%, according to experts in the area who put it closer to 10%-15%.
Now that makes word of mouth marketing manageable.
So now we have Kiely's WOM Rule No. 1 - target talkers. (Rule No.2 - give them something to talk about. Rule No. 3 - encourage them to talk about it. Rule No. 4 - keep your ear to the ground.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Remember Pareto's Principle - the 80:20 Rule?
It applies to word of mouth. Not everyone feels confident enough of their opinions to want to share them with others.
In fact, it is less than 20%, according to experts in the area who put it closer to 10%-15%.
Now that makes word of mouth marketing manageable.
So now we have Kiely's WOM Rule No. 1 - target talkers. (Rule No.2 - give them something to talk about. Rule No. 3 - encourage them to talk about it. Rule No. 4 - keep your ear to the ground.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Low trust drives word of mouth
Hi,
The reason Word Of Mouth is gaining traction in the marketing community is because marketers need more credible channels of communication, having polluted the others with spin and bulldust. People are less likely to trust companies now than ever before. US figures reveal the percentage of consumers who consider information from companies is believable hovers at 18% for automotive companies, 16% for insurance companies.
Who do people trust more than companies? Each other.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
The reason Word Of Mouth is gaining traction in the marketing community is because marketers need more credible channels of communication, having polluted the others with spin and bulldust. People are less likely to trust companies now than ever before. US figures reveal the percentage of consumers who consider information from companies is believable hovers at 18% for automotive companies, 16% for insurance companies.
Who do people trust more than companies? Each other.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Infectious ideas
Hi,
Malcolm Gladwell in The Tipping Point talks of ideas spreading through society like an infectious disease. New ideas are like germs. Some of them reach critical mass and become epidemic. Some of them fizzle out and die.
Some products are more 'word of mouth worthy' than others. They include exciting entertainment products like books and movies, naturally innovative products such as new web tools, 'personal experience' products like hotels and airlines, complex products such as software and medical innovations, expensive products such as IT and electronics, and observable products such as fashion, cars, and cell phones (wearable technology).
If you need to be convinced, here is a selection of the evidence for word of mouth (WOM) that I have collected over the years:
65% of Palm Pilot buyers heard about it via WOM.
Friends and relatives are the No. 1 source for information about destinations, flights, hotel, etc., according to the American Travel Industry Association.
57% of one Californian car dealer’s customers heard about it by WOM.
70% of Americans rely on WOM when choosing doctors.
53% of US moviegoers rely on WOM recommendations.
In fact, movies live or die via early reports from friends and rels. It used to be that a dog of a movie could survive a week or so and make some money before the word of mouth tide came in. But now the 'dogs' die overnight in the US as viewers send text messages to their friends to give a bad movie the thumbs down while they watch it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Malcolm Gladwell in The Tipping Point talks of ideas spreading through society like an infectious disease. New ideas are like germs. Some of them reach critical mass and become epidemic. Some of them fizzle out and die.
Some products are more 'word of mouth worthy' than others. They include exciting entertainment products like books and movies, naturally innovative products such as new web tools, 'personal experience' products like hotels and airlines, complex products such as software and medical innovations, expensive products such as IT and electronics, and observable products such as fashion, cars, and cell phones (wearable technology).
If you need to be convinced, here is a selection of the evidence for word of mouth (WOM) that I have collected over the years:
65% of Palm Pilot buyers heard about it via WOM.
Friends and relatives are the No. 1 source for information about destinations, flights, hotel, etc., according to the American Travel Industry Association.
57% of one Californian car dealer’s customers heard about it by WOM.
70% of Americans rely on WOM when choosing doctors.
53% of US moviegoers rely on WOM recommendations.
In fact, movies live or die via early reports from friends and rels. It used to be that a dog of a movie could survive a week or so and make some money before the word of mouth tide came in. But now the 'dogs' die overnight in the US as viewers send text messages to their friends to give a bad movie the thumbs down while they watch it.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Will word of mouth work for you?
Hi,
Some categories are naturals for word of mouth. In fact, some have word of mouth built into them. Movies. Sports. Fashion. Pop music. These fields fuelled by and live or "the new". News is central to their essence. They are disposable. They have a use by date. Their uptake is nearly 100% driven by word of mouth. IT products come to life because geeks can't stop talking to each other about them. Some famous brands have been pure WOM, including Palm Pilot (very visible public usage), Walkman (ditto), HotMail (pass-it-on built in), Viagra (news for some), and Starbucks (a place to talk).
In fact a brand that relies on something as old-fashioned as advertising to launch it is as old-fashioned as advertising.
Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape, said: “The myth is that brands get built by advertising. The evidence is exactly the opposite. Brands get reinforced by advertising, but they get built by grassroots adoption and word of mouth. That was true of Amazon, AOL and Yahoo.”
The new medium is social networks and you must learn how to use them if you are to remain relevant.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Some categories are naturals for word of mouth. In fact, some have word of mouth built into them. Movies. Sports. Fashion. Pop music. These fields fuelled by and live or "the new". News is central to their essence. They are disposable. They have a use by date. Their uptake is nearly 100% driven by word of mouth. IT products come to life because geeks can't stop talking to each other about them. Some famous brands have been pure WOM, including Palm Pilot (very visible public usage), Walkman (ditto), HotMail (pass-it-on built in), Viagra (news for some), and Starbucks (a place to talk).
In fact a brand that relies on something as old-fashioned as advertising to launch it is as old-fashioned as advertising.
Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape, said: “The myth is that brands get built by advertising. The evidence is exactly the opposite. Brands get reinforced by advertising, but they get built by grassroots adoption and word of mouth. That was true of Amazon, AOL and Yahoo.”
The new medium is social networks and you must learn how to use them if you are to remain relevant.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Running off at the mouth
Hi,
In 1984, when I was looking for a first computer to buy, my friend Andrew showed me his 128k Apple Macintosh. I was captivated. It was so easy. I bought a 512k "Fat Mac". I took it to work in an multinational ad agency and, when the boss saw I could turn out presentable documents, they got all the copywriters Macs and "restructured" the typing pool who took the copywriters' typewritten copy and retyped it into a Wang word processor. When the President of the company from New York visited and saw our system, the company adopted it worldwide. Apple made millions and my friend Andrew never saw a cent for it. But he made the sale.
Word of mouth is the best advertising. People have been saying that ever since I can remember. But it's only recently that word of mouth has become a discipline and a channel of communication.
I collect data on word of mouth. In every case when it is measured fairly, it outperforms any other communications channel, including television. Word of mouth is powerful because it spreads rapidly, gets into places other media can't, carries with it the credibility of a personal endorsement.
But here's the rub. While every organisation doesn't have advertising, everyone has word of mouth. Because people talk. Word gets around. You can manage word of mouth, or you can let it manage you.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
In 1984, when I was looking for a first computer to buy, my friend Andrew showed me his 128k Apple Macintosh. I was captivated. It was so easy. I bought a 512k "Fat Mac". I took it to work in an multinational ad agency and, when the boss saw I could turn out presentable documents, they got all the copywriters Macs and "restructured" the typing pool who took the copywriters' typewritten copy and retyped it into a Wang word processor. When the President of the company from New York visited and saw our system, the company adopted it worldwide. Apple made millions and my friend Andrew never saw a cent for it. But he made the sale.
Word of mouth is the best advertising. People have been saying that ever since I can remember. But it's only recently that word of mouth has become a discipline and a channel of communication.
I collect data on word of mouth. In every case when it is measured fairly, it outperforms any other communications channel, including television. Word of mouth is powerful because it spreads rapidly, gets into places other media can't, carries with it the credibility of a personal endorsement.
But here's the rub. While every organisation doesn't have advertising, everyone has word of mouth. Because people talk. Word gets around. You can manage word of mouth, or you can let it manage you.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
A short, personal note
Hi,
One of the most effective mail pieces I have ever seen was created by my ex-partner Barry Groom. A postcard from Cannes, with handwriting in blue, including crossed-out mistakes, from Steve Visard, was sent to members of the Screen Producers' Association to goose numbers attending the annual conference. It had humour and personality, and the impact of 'faux' personalisation which wasn't hard to see through. But a personal post card is the first thing you look at when collecting your mail. Short. Personal. Usually from someone close.
The conference had its attendance records broken.
Do you see the theatre and dramatic potential of direct mail?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
One of the most effective mail pieces I have ever seen was created by my ex-partner Barry Groom. A postcard from Cannes, with handwriting in blue, including crossed-out mistakes, from Steve Visard, was sent to members of the Screen Producers' Association to goose numbers attending the annual conference. It had humour and personality, and the impact of 'faux' personalisation which wasn't hard to see through. But a personal post card is the first thing you look at when collecting your mail. Short. Personal. Usually from someone close.
The conference had its attendance records broken.
Do you see the theatre and dramatic potential of direct mail?
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Direct mail doesn't work
Hi,
Direct mail doesn't work if... IF...
1. You send it to the wrong people.
2. You don't have a compelling proposition to deliver.
3. You don't spend enough on compelling creative.
4. You don't compare the cost per sale arising from mail with that achieved by other channels.
Targeting will account for around 60% of the outcome of your mailing campaign. The Offer you deliver will account for around 30% of your outcome. And the creative around 10%.
(By the way, all these principles apply online as well as offline.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Direct mail doesn't work if... IF...
1. You send it to the wrong people.
2. You don't have a compelling proposition to deliver.
3. You don't spend enough on compelling creative.
4. You don't compare the cost per sale arising from mail with that achieved by other channels.
Targeting will account for around 60% of the outcome of your mailing campaign. The Offer you deliver will account for around 30% of your outcome. And the creative around 10%.
(By the way, all these principles apply online as well as offline.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Why such a small list?
I promised to tell you why we chose to only mail 550 company directors to launch the Park Hyatt Sydney. They were mainly Sydney based as well.
We did our homework and at the time the cross-board membership in Australia's top echelon companies was so strong - everyone sitting on everyone else's board - that we calculated we could hit 2000 boards by targetting 550 directors. As the senior corporate traveller (inbound) was our core target, we felt the local senior corporates would WOM (word of mouth) them for us. And they did. The Hyatt opened at 75% occupancy during the "Recession We Had To Have" - ahead of the Regent's suite levels in both occupancy and rack rate. Unheard of.
The night we were assembling the mail pieces - at a total cost of $120 per impact - I took the client (Willi Martin) aside and confessed to him that I didn't think it was going to work. (What ad agency would do that?) I'd spent his budget on 550 people. And I was afraid it wouldn't work.
"Oh, it will work, Michael," he said in his melodic Swiss-German accent.
"I know it will work.".... And willi was right. Three mail bags full... And an award from the US direct marketing association (who cares?)
(For those who have joined us in the last few days - and new members are coming in at a dozen a day - I reproduce the episode below.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
We did our homework and at the time the cross-board membership in Australia's top echelon companies was so strong - everyone sitting on everyone else's board - that we calculated we could hit 2000 boards by targetting 550 directors. As the senior corporate traveller (inbound) was our core target, we felt the local senior corporates would WOM (word of mouth) them for us. And they did. The Hyatt opened at 75% occupancy during the "Recession We Had To Have" - ahead of the Regent's suite levels in both occupancy and rack rate. Unheard of.
The night we were assembling the mail pieces - at a total cost of $120 per impact - I took the client (Willi Martin) aside and confessed to him that I didn't think it was going to work. (What ad agency would do that?) I'd spent his budget on 550 people. And I was afraid it wouldn't work.
"Oh, it will work, Michael," he said in his melodic Swiss-German accent.
"I know it will work.".... And willi was right. Three mail bags full... And an award from the US direct marketing association (who cares?)
(For those who have joined us in the last few days - and new members are coming in at a dozen a day - I reproduce the episode below.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
"Send 'em one white sock"
Hi,
Direct mail pioneer Stan Rapp wrote a book called "Send 'em one white sock", the title referring to a mail campaign conducted in Australia. Single socks were sent out to prospects with the promise of a matching sock if they responded. This is yet another talent of old fashioned mail: you can send objects.
And objects can carry so much meaning. I achieved a 55% response to a mailing which launched The Park Hyatt, Sydney, aimed at 550 company directors of Australia's 200 largest companies. That mailpack - which cost $60/unit - included a slide viewer and 10 slides, a walkman-style audiocassette player with a 10 minute audio tour of the hotel, and a blank cassette on which they could dictate their answers to a survey. The survey results appeared in Australian Business magazine (a competitor of BRW) was launching a body we invented called The Australian Business Leaders' Forum. The surveys and reports were arranged through a partnership with the magazine which became a co-sponsor of the Forum. The surveys became quarterly. Members were rewarded with 2 free nights at this spectacular new hotel on Sydney Harbour, just beneath the Harbour Bridge.
This is why were went to such lengths. We had a 6 star hotel beneath a suspended railway bridge. How could we demonstrate the silence behind the double-glazed doors leading out onto the balconies looking over the bustling waterway? They had to hear it to believe it. Hence the cassette, etc.
The intrigue and interest of the various objects appealed to the child in our prospect.
Why such a small number of recipients? Tell you tomorrow...
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Direct mail pioneer Stan Rapp wrote a book called "Send 'em one white sock", the title referring to a mail campaign conducted in Australia. Single socks were sent out to prospects with the promise of a matching sock if they responded. This is yet another talent of old fashioned mail: you can send objects.
And objects can carry so much meaning. I achieved a 55% response to a mailing which launched The Park Hyatt, Sydney, aimed at 550 company directors of Australia's 200 largest companies. That mailpack - which cost $60/unit - included a slide viewer and 10 slides, a walkman-style audiocassette player with a 10 minute audio tour of the hotel, and a blank cassette on which they could dictate their answers to a survey. The survey results appeared in Australian Business magazine (a competitor of BRW) was launching a body we invented called The Australian Business Leaders' Forum. The surveys and reports were arranged through a partnership with the magazine which became a co-sponsor of the Forum. The surveys became quarterly. Members were rewarded with 2 free nights at this spectacular new hotel on Sydney Harbour, just beneath the Harbour Bridge.
This is why were went to such lengths. We had a 6 star hotel beneath a suspended railway bridge. How could we demonstrate the silence behind the double-glazed doors leading out onto the balconies looking over the bustling waterway? They had to hear it to believe it. Hence the cassette, etc.
The intrigue and interest of the various objects appealed to the child in our prospect.
Why such a small number of recipients? Tell you tomorrow...
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Happy Birthday Yr Maj
Hi,
Today is the Queen's Birthday. Well, it's not really Her Majesty's real birthday. It's the official day set aside in Australia - once called "The Land of the Long Weekend" - to celebrate. Largely nothing of a 'birthday' nature occurs in Australia on this day. In fact the Queen hands out the gifts in the form of 'gongs' - Orders of Australia, remnants of the knighthoods and damehoods the British Monarch used to bestow on her grateful subjects her in the colonies. They are handed out to a few high profile achievers to boost the publicity value of the gongs, but mainly they are bestowed on elderly members of the community who have done good works.
Every community has decaying remnants of the past that pass unnoticed. They can be very useful in a marketing calendar. Throw a Queens' Birthday Sale. Give away photos of the Queen and copies of the words of the National Anthem and little Australian flags with every purchase. SO what if it appeals only to monarchists. It creates energy around your outlets. No one else is likely to do it, and you can bet at least half the population would lie to celebrate the holiday by going shopping.
Another event-related strategy could involve our organisation announcing its own community service awards. No one could complain about that, and the publicity a local level would be positive.
Every social institution can be used to develop marketing ideas.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Today is the Queen's Birthday. Well, it's not really Her Majesty's real birthday. It's the official day set aside in Australia - once called "The Land of the Long Weekend" - to celebrate. Largely nothing of a 'birthday' nature occurs in Australia on this day. In fact the Queen hands out the gifts in the form of 'gongs' - Orders of Australia, remnants of the knighthoods and damehoods the British Monarch used to bestow on her grateful subjects her in the colonies. They are handed out to a few high profile achievers to boost the publicity value of the gongs, but mainly they are bestowed on elderly members of the community who have done good works.
Every community has decaying remnants of the past that pass unnoticed. They can be very useful in a marketing calendar. Throw a Queens' Birthday Sale. Give away photos of the Queen and copies of the words of the National Anthem and little Australian flags with every purchase. SO what if it appeals only to monarchists. It creates energy around your outlets. No one else is likely to do it, and you can bet at least half the population would lie to celebrate the holiday by going shopping.
Another event-related strategy could involve our organisation announcing its own community service awards. No one could complain about that, and the publicity a local level would be positive.
Every social institution can be used to develop marketing ideas.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
You got mail
Hi,
I can remember when direct mail was sexy and new. (I'm that old.) Now email and the Internet and all that jazz is centre stage... Now mail might be as old as Adam and Eve, but so is sex and that still has its uses.
Snail mail has one unique capability that no other medium can equal - it can deliver tactile experiences, objects, into the hands of your prospect. Unfortunately this talent is rarely used.
Rich media email cannot have the same impact on the sense of touch and smell that snail mail can deliver. Email can deliver sight and sound. Snail mail can deliver sight and sound and smell and touch.
As such, snail mail can deliver far more emotional impact. Think of an invitation delivered by both channels. The tactile dimension of the snail mail piece - simple by the choice of paper stock and inks - can say more about the event than all the words.
More on this next week.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
I can remember when direct mail was sexy and new. (I'm that old.) Now email and the Internet and all that jazz is centre stage... Now mail might be as old as Adam and Eve, but so is sex and that still has its uses.
Snail mail has one unique capability that no other medium can equal - it can deliver tactile experiences, objects, into the hands of your prospect. Unfortunately this talent is rarely used.
Rich media email cannot have the same impact on the sense of touch and smell that snail mail can deliver. Email can deliver sight and sound. Snail mail can deliver sight and sound and smell and touch.
As such, snail mail can deliver far more emotional impact. Think of an invitation delivered by both channels. The tactile dimension of the snail mail piece - simple by the choice of paper stock and inks - can say more about the event than all the words.
More on this next week.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
"I am dying"
"I am dying"
This was the headline of the best ad I have ever seen in a newspaper. It appeared up the back in an evening tabloid called The Mirror. No more than 10 centimetres by 2 columns. It had the headline in large capitals and wavy line around the borders. But it wasn't the border or the typesetting that made it stand out like dogs. It was the words.
"I am dying" Who's not going to look at that. Someone is telling us their tragic story. We love tragedy. That's what we buy the newspaper for, to see what terrible thing has happened to some poor victim today...
But wait. When we read the copy underneath the headline, we find it's talking about us.
"So are you. So is everyone reading this advertisement. If you have any money left after a lifetime of paying taxes and bills, don't let it end up in the pocket of an expensive undertaker. Tear this ad out and hand it to the most sensible member of your family.
"Labor Funerals
(Phone number)"
The perfect ad. It starts with 'news'. Then it includes you in the story. As an individual. Then as part of a larger group so you don't feel alone. Then it hits a nerve - a lifetime paying taxes and bills. Everyone is chained to that wheel*
Finally the call to action. Always tell the reader what to do. Make the decision on appropriate action for them.
This is an elegant solution. Not one word more than is needed. No puns or creativity. Just body punches, one after another.
Amen.
Michael Kiely
*Except Kerry Packer. You can bet he didn't have to use Labor Funerals, because The Prime Minister decided that, after a lifetime of watching the Big Fella avoiding taxes, the taxpayer could foot the bill for his funeral - $80,000. That's a good reason to go into mourning.)
This was the headline of the best ad I have ever seen in a newspaper. It appeared up the back in an evening tabloid called The Mirror. No more than 10 centimetres by 2 columns. It had the headline in large capitals and wavy line around the borders. But it wasn't the border or the typesetting that made it stand out like dogs. It was the words.
"I am dying" Who's not going to look at that. Someone is telling us their tragic story. We love tragedy. That's what we buy the newspaper for, to see what terrible thing has happened to some poor victim today...
But wait. When we read the copy underneath the headline, we find it's talking about us.
"So are you. So is everyone reading this advertisement. If you have any money left after a lifetime of paying taxes and bills, don't let it end up in the pocket of an expensive undertaker. Tear this ad out and hand it to the most sensible member of your family.
"Labor Funerals
(Phone number)"
The perfect ad. It starts with 'news'. Then it includes you in the story. As an individual. Then as part of a larger group so you don't feel alone. Then it hits a nerve - a lifetime paying taxes and bills. Everyone is chained to that wheel*
Finally the call to action. Always tell the reader what to do. Make the decision on appropriate action for them.
This is an elegant solution. Not one word more than is needed. No puns or creativity. Just body punches, one after another.
Amen.
Michael Kiely
*Except Kerry Packer. You can bet he didn't have to use Labor Funerals, because The Prime Minister decided that, after a lifetime of watching the Big Fella avoiding taxes, the taxpayer could foot the bill for his funeral - $80,000. That's a good reason to go into mourning.)
Use news
Hi,
Last thoughts about newspapers:
When you advertise in a news environment, it helps if what you've got to say is "news". Newspapers were first used for announcements. Make your ad an announcement. It's what people are looking for.
David Ogilvy tells the story of a time way back when he looked in the 'paper and saw the most excruciatingly bad ad. It simply read "H. Smith & Co. has time available of its screw-making machine".
DO rang the guy and told him: "That's not how you advertise. You should focus on the benefits of the product for the user."
"Mate," came the reply. "There's so much demand for those damn screw-making machines I only have to say we've got some time available and they come running!"
The power of announcement.
(Tomorrow I will tell you about the best advertisement I ever saw in a newspaper. Pure gold, and no bigger than 4 postage stamps.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Last thoughts about newspapers:
When you advertise in a news environment, it helps if what you've got to say is "news". Newspapers were first used for announcements. Make your ad an announcement. It's what people are looking for.
David Ogilvy tells the story of a time way back when he looked in the 'paper and saw the most excruciatingly bad ad. It simply read "H. Smith & Co. has time available of its screw-making machine".
DO rang the guy and told him: "That's not how you advertise. You should focus on the benefits of the product for the user."
"Mate," came the reply. "There's so much demand for those damn screw-making machines I only have to say we've got some time available and they come running!"
The power of announcement.
(Tomorrow I will tell you about the best advertisement I ever saw in a newspaper. Pure gold, and no bigger than 4 postage stamps.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Powerful print points
Hi,
They might not be hip and happening (more like hip-replacement). But newspapers are cool if you think successful communications is cool. Newspapers represent the end point of the survival of the fittest in all things to do with how humans in the western world like to have pages designed for reading. Newspapers which have defied the "Rules of Reading Gravity" (as codified by Colin Wheildon in "Communicating or just making Pretty Shapes") have failed to survive. Editors know what people want on the page to gain access to the information within. Advertising designers often don't or don't care, thinking that by breaking the rules they will attract more readers and therefore help their clients achieve their communications goals. WRONG.
For instance, why are the headlines in the articles (the things the readers by the papers for) always above the copy when headlines in ads often appear below the copy? Why is body text in articles set in 10+ point serif fonts when advertising designers prefer tiny san serif fonts? (Serifs are the little lumps at the ends of some letters like with Times Roman. Univers is sans serif.) Why do all photos in the newspapers always have a caption to explain what is going on in the picture? Advertisers don't bother with them. But then the punters don't vote with their coins everyday for the advertisers. They vote for the articles. And they've trained the editors and designers of the newspapers how they went to receive information.
There are a lot more secrets to communications success hidden in newspapers. Just look at what their designers do everyday, with boring repetition, and ask yourself, "Why?"
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
They might not be hip and happening (more like hip-replacement). But newspapers are cool if you think successful communications is cool. Newspapers represent the end point of the survival of the fittest in all things to do with how humans in the western world like to have pages designed for reading. Newspapers which have defied the "Rules of Reading Gravity" (as codified by Colin Wheildon in "Communicating or just making Pretty Shapes") have failed to survive. Editors know what people want on the page to gain access to the information within. Advertising designers often don't or don't care, thinking that by breaking the rules they will attract more readers and therefore help their clients achieve their communications goals. WRONG.
For instance, why are the headlines in the articles (the things the readers by the papers for) always above the copy when headlines in ads often appear below the copy? Why is body text in articles set in 10+ point serif fonts when advertising designers prefer tiny san serif fonts? (Serifs are the little lumps at the ends of some letters like with Times Roman. Univers is sans serif.) Why do all photos in the newspapers always have a caption to explain what is going on in the picture? Advertisers don't bother with them. But then the punters don't vote with their coins everyday for the advertisers. They vote for the articles. And they've trained the editors and designers of the newspapers how they went to receive information.
There are a lot more secrets to communications success hidden in newspapers. Just look at what their designers do everyday, with boring repetition, and ask yourself, "Why?"
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Read all about it
Hi,
News. The best advertising is news. News captures attention because it's new. Consumers live for "the new", the latest thing. The original news media was a tomtom drum. Then came the town crier. But shortly after him came the newspaper. And it's till with us today.
Why would such old technology survive in today's hyped-up, hooked-up world? One word: convenience. You can take it anywhere. You can change the screen size in a second merely by folding it. It's always easy to tell where you are and go from section to section without getting lost. There's no download time. (It's still faster to find a phone number in the phone book than online.) It allows the reader to view short summaries and drill down to longer items. It delivers a balanced diet of entertainment, news and important information. It is edited for you by the best in the business. It is written by skilled writers (unlike the crap that appears online sometimes).
It can't beat radio for immediacy or television for movement or the Internet for diversity. But newspapers have a special place in our society that defies explanation. Perhaps it's the only medium you can wrap things up in and throw them away.
Whatever it is, don't underestimate the power of the press.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
News. The best advertising is news. News captures attention because it's new. Consumers live for "the new", the latest thing. The original news media was a tomtom drum. Then came the town crier. But shortly after him came the newspaper. And it's till with us today.
Why would such old technology survive in today's hyped-up, hooked-up world? One word: convenience. You can take it anywhere. You can change the screen size in a second merely by folding it. It's always easy to tell where you are and go from section to section without getting lost. There's no download time. (It's still faster to find a phone number in the phone book than online.) It allows the reader to view short summaries and drill down to longer items. It delivers a balanced diet of entertainment, news and important information. It is edited for you by the best in the business. It is written by skilled writers (unlike the crap that appears online sometimes).
It can't beat radio for immediacy or television for movement or the Internet for diversity. But newspapers have a special place in our society that defies explanation. Perhaps it's the only medium you can wrap things up in and throw them away.
Whatever it is, don't underestimate the power of the press.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
In your face outdoors
Hi,
Outdoor can be shotgun. But it can also be very contextual. Jon Maxim provides the following examples of outdoor used with sniper-like accuracy.
"Outdoor is an interesting one from a DM position.
My example of outdoor as a 'directional', response driven medium is
McDonalds.
How often have you been on a long trip, driving to (say) Canberra. A poster
says '145km to Maccas', and you think "Yeah, I can wait...!"
I also remember going to the Volkswagen headquarters in Sydney. Arriving
early, I parked my bum in a bus shelter to have a cigarette. I looked up,
and there was a poster saying 'Welcome to Volkswagen's Australian
headquarters'.
Singleton's also use the bus shelters outside their offices to showcase
their latest campaigns.
Finally, I remember a story about a client who wanted 10 new customers. They
had $100k to spend.
So they bought billboards opposite the offices of the ten clients they
wanted. Imagine the power of 'Michael Kiely: we want your business' in your
face for a month!"
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Outdoor can be shotgun. But it can also be very contextual. Jon Maxim provides the following examples of outdoor used with sniper-like accuracy.
"Outdoor is an interesting one from a DM position.
My example of outdoor as a 'directional', response driven medium is
McDonalds.
How often have you been on a long trip, driving to (say) Canberra. A poster
says '145km to Maccas', and you think "Yeah, I can wait...!"
I also remember going to the Volkswagen headquarters in Sydney. Arriving
early, I parked my bum in a bus shelter to have a cigarette. I looked up,
and there was a poster saying 'Welcome to Volkswagen's Australian
headquarters'.
Singleton's also use the bus shelters outside their offices to showcase
their latest campaigns.
Finally, I remember a story about a client who wanted 10 new customers. They
had $100k to spend.
So they bought billboards opposite the offices of the ten clients they
wanted. Imagine the power of 'Michael Kiely: we want your business' in your
face for a month!"
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Snipers outdoors
Hi,
You'd imagine that putting a few billboards and posters up around the place would be a pretty haphazard way to target particular consumer groups. But it is actually finely tuned. Outdoor advertising companies learned to do their homework in the bad old days when it was considered the leftover medium - outdoor and direct mail got what was leftover from the budget after tv, print and radio (a little leftover itself) took their slices. Outdoor companies researched who travelled where and when until they can now deliver targets with as much accuracy as television (that's not saying much), pritn or radio. You can buy shopping centre catchments. You can buy commuter routes. This is why you see so much FMCG advertising outdoors. It's almost the only way to get your message in front of shoppers, that category having been exploded by the discovery that men can emerge from a supermarket with a trolley of groceries as easily as women can, (though it takes a little longer and they forget important things and buy rubbish at times).
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
You'd imagine that putting a few billboards and posters up around the place would be a pretty haphazard way to target particular consumer groups. But it is actually finely tuned. Outdoor advertising companies learned to do their homework in the bad old days when it was considered the leftover medium - outdoor and direct mail got what was leftover from the budget after tv, print and radio (a little leftover itself) took their slices. Outdoor companies researched who travelled where and when until they can now deliver targets with as much accuracy as television (that's not saying much), pritn or radio. You can buy shopping centre catchments. You can buy commuter routes. This is why you see so much FMCG advertising outdoors. It's almost the only way to get your message in front of shoppers, that category having been exploded by the discovery that men can emerge from a supermarket with a trolley of groceries as easily as women can, (though it takes a little longer and they forget important things and buy rubbish at times).
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
The great outdoors
Hi,
Before television arrived in 1956, radio was king. But there was only one mass medium: the newspaper. Especially the evening newspaper. There were usually 2 tabloids. Every bloke going home from work would have the paper under his arm, read the headlines and the sports on the tram, then hand it to the wife who'd read the woman's page and look at the specials in the retailers' ads. The eyeballs were all in the same place.
TV destroyed the evening paper. From 2 papers to 3 channels (commercial) wasn't too much fragmentation and mass advertising made mass marketing possible. Eyeballs in the same place.
Then came cable TV and the internet, DVDs and the resurgence of cinema. Television got the wobbles as the mass audience fragmented. Eyeballs going everywhere. Advertisers saw the writing on the wall.
The only place all the eyeballs can be trapped now is outdoors. Everyone has to go outdoors at sometime. Outdoor advertising is the last mass medium. That's why every static and moving surface - even the moon - will eventually have an ad on it.
-
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Before television arrived in 1956, radio was king. But there was only one mass medium: the newspaper. Especially the evening newspaper. There were usually 2 tabloids. Every bloke going home from work would have the paper under his arm, read the headlines and the sports on the tram, then hand it to the wife who'd read the woman's page and look at the specials in the retailers' ads. The eyeballs were all in the same place.
TV destroyed the evening paper. From 2 papers to 3 channels (commercial) wasn't too much fragmentation and mass advertising made mass marketing possible. Eyeballs in the same place.
Then came cable TV and the internet, DVDs and the resurgence of cinema. Television got the wobbles as the mass audience fragmented. Eyeballs going everywhere. Advertisers saw the writing on the wall.
The only place all the eyeballs can be trapped now is outdoors. Everyone has to go outdoors at sometime. Outdoor advertising is the last mass medium. That's why every static and moving surface - even the moon - will eventually have an ad on it.
-
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
RAdio is hands on
Hi,
Radio is a hands on medium. IE> the listener has usually got their hands full of something (steering wheel, vacuum cleaner, computer keyboard, etc.) while listening. This means it's not the best direct response medium. Listeners have to put down what they are using and find a pen to write down a number. Inconvenience blocks response.
But there are situations where it can work:
Callers in cars (using hands-free, of course) can respond easily.
New digital radios will allow telephone numbers to be displayed and recalled.
Some stations in the UK run an "If you missed that number..." service on the hour, repeating advertisers' numbers from the preceding hour.
Apart from straight retail, radio is a great way to boost response via other media. EG. by directing listeners to the Yellow Pages or a website (web site names can be more memorable than telephone numbers) or to an ad in the day's newspaper. Or even to a television commercial later that night. (The channels promote their programs on drivetime radio. Why not flag your new commercial to boost viewing? You spent millions making it, a few hundred promoting it is peanuts.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Radio is a hands on medium. IE> the listener has usually got their hands full of something (steering wheel, vacuum cleaner, computer keyboard, etc.) while listening. This means it's not the best direct response medium. Listeners have to put down what they are using and find a pen to write down a number. Inconvenience blocks response.
But there are situations where it can work:
Callers in cars (using hands-free, of course) can respond easily.
New digital radios will allow telephone numbers to be displayed and recalled.
Some stations in the UK run an "If you missed that number..." service on the hour, repeating advertisers' numbers from the preceding hour.
Apart from straight retail, radio is a great way to boost response via other media. EG. by directing listeners to the Yellow Pages or a website (web site names can be more memorable than telephone numbers) or to an ad in the day's newspaper. Or even to a television commercial later that night. (The channels promote their programs on drivetime radio. Why not flag your new commercial to boost viewing? You spent millions making it, a few hundred promoting it is peanuts.)
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Radioactivity ideas
And another thing about radio is that it can create community.
Hugh Mackay described talkback radio as the 'electronic neighbourhood'. Listen to late late night talkback and you'll hear callers referring to to other listeners and regular callers - a community of insomniacs.
Here's an idea that I gave to Toyota some timeå ago which they didn't action but which you might adapt::
Select the lowest rating talk station in your catchment. Select its lowest rating time (within reason) and offer to buy an hour or two for twice what they would make as ad revenue for that time (Peanuts).
Run your own talkback session for your customers and users of your product. Advertise it in the media and have some product boffins availabel to answer qquestions.
Pretty soon you'll have a lot of customers (and prospective customers tuning in.... A community forming around your product.
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Hugh Mackay described talkback radio as the 'electronic neighbourhood'. Listen to late late night talkback and you'll hear callers referring to to other listeners and regular callers - a community of insomniacs.
Here's an idea that I gave to Toyota some timeå ago which they didn't action but which you might adapt::
Select the lowest rating talk station in your catchment. Select its lowest rating time (within reason) and offer to buy an hour or two for twice what they would make as ad revenue for that time (Peanuts).
Run your own talkback session for your customers and users of your product. Advertise it in the media and have some product boffins availabel to answer qquestions.
Pretty soon you'll have a lot of customers (and prospective customers tuning in.... A community forming around your product.
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
My buddy on the radio
Hi,
Radio has another strength: it is a personal medium. People have very close relationships with their radio stations. Your choice of station is very personal - and says a lot about you. People consider the radio a companion.
This is why people like Allan Jones and others become tribal leaders. Hitler used radio heavily while establishing his Nazi regime because he recognised that it reached down into the soul of the listener.
Few advertisers exploit this personal dimension.
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Radio has another strength: it is a personal medium. People have very close relationships with their radio stations. Your choice of station is very personal - and says a lot about you. People consider the radio a companion.
This is why people like Allan Jones and others become tribal leaders. Hitler used radio heavily while establishing his Nazi regime because he recognised that it reached down into the soul of the listener.
Few advertisers exploit this personal dimension.
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Radio sux
Hi,
(Said with feeling) Radio is a creative wasteland, a garbage dump of commercial messages that bark at the listener like rabid dogs. (SFX: 2 Doberman dogs barking) It's tin pan alley tonality derives from its peculiar power to promote retail events. (Carnival sounds) It's immediate, in the car and the kitchen, 'do it now' messaging make it ideal for retailers.
It is also cheap to produce which accounts for the cheapness of the product. Most of it is made by the stations themselves. (SFX: Slops being poured into a bucket) So the industry is responsible for the aural stench coming out of your radio. (Voice: "Phew!")
Radio has great potential as a creative medium. In the 1930s, Orson Welles caused mass panic across America when he put to air a dramatisation of HG Well's "War of the Worlds" which convinced the nation that Martians were invading. (SFX: Dramatic music, sounds of screaming crowds fleeing) He was able to be so realistic because of a mechanism called "Theatre of the Mind". This is a peculiarity of the imagination that enables it to paint vivid pictures based on sounds alone. The Goons Show is an example. With cheap sound effects, one can take the listener - via their imagination - into fantasmagorical worlds, painting any scene or action you want, each one tailored by the individual's imagination to that individual. (SFX: Sound of massive car accident in surround sound. Followed by sounds of harps and choirs. Male V/O: "Welcome to Heaven")
Television leaves nothing to the imagination. It's harder to write for radio than it is for TV.
The British are best in the world at this stuff. Contact Commercial Radio Australia and ask to hear the latest British radio awards reel.
(SFX: Carnival sounds, brass band. Male V/O: "That's right folks, don't touch that dial....") One advantage of entering the radio arena with a half decent commercial - yours will stick out like dogs amid the putrid dross going to air at present. (SFX: Sound of couple making love.) OK, That's enough of that... (SFX: Blind being drawn down)
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
(Said with feeling) Radio is a creative wasteland, a garbage dump of commercial messages that bark at the listener like rabid dogs. (SFX: 2 Doberman dogs barking) It's tin pan alley tonality derives from its peculiar power to promote retail events. (Carnival sounds) It's immediate, in the car and the kitchen, 'do it now' messaging make it ideal for retailers.
It is also cheap to produce which accounts for the cheapness of the product. Most of it is made by the stations themselves. (SFX: Slops being poured into a bucket) So the industry is responsible for the aural stench coming out of your radio. (Voice: "Phew!")
Radio has great potential as a creative medium. In the 1930s, Orson Welles caused mass panic across America when he put to air a dramatisation of HG Well's "War of the Worlds" which convinced the nation that Martians were invading. (SFX: Dramatic music, sounds of screaming crowds fleeing) He was able to be so realistic because of a mechanism called "Theatre of the Mind". This is a peculiarity of the imagination that enables it to paint vivid pictures based on sounds alone. The Goons Show is an example. With cheap sound effects, one can take the listener - via their imagination - into fantasmagorical worlds, painting any scene or action you want, each one tailored by the individual's imagination to that individual. (SFX: Sound of massive car accident in surround sound. Followed by sounds of harps and choirs. Male V/O: "Welcome to Heaven")
Television leaves nothing to the imagination. It's harder to write for radio than it is for TV.
The British are best in the world at this stuff. Contact Commercial Radio Australia and ask to hear the latest British radio awards reel.
(SFX: Carnival sounds, brass band. Male V/O: "That's right folks, don't touch that dial....") One advantage of entering the radio arena with a half decent commercial - yours will stick out like dogs amid the putrid dross going to air at present. (SFX: Sound of couple making love.) OK, That's enough of that... (SFX: Blind being drawn down)
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
SHOW ME SHOW ME SHOW ME
Hi,
I've seen it so many times. A limited budget. Choosing a media mix. Use most of the money for television "because that will give us the biggest bang for your buck"/"nothing is more powerful than television" (are they still saying that?) But media should be selected for what it is good for?
Awareness? TV is (or was) good for this, but it's reach is declining (free to air). While moving pictures with sound has proven best for evoking emotion, TV is also very good for demonstrating the product in use.
I've often wondered why car companies don't run infomercials in fringe time, to demonstrate all the technowizardry they are so proud of (and which is impressive and generates word of mouth). TV is perfect for a visual tour.
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
I've seen it so many times. A limited budget. Choosing a media mix. Use most of the money for television "because that will give us the biggest bang for your buck"/"nothing is more powerful than television" (are they still saying that?) But media should be selected for what it is good for?
Awareness? TV is (or was) good for this, but it's reach is declining (free to air). While moving pictures with sound has proven best for evoking emotion, TV is also very good for demonstrating the product in use.
I've often wondered why car companies don't run infomercials in fringe time, to demonstrate all the technowizardry they are so proud of (and which is impressive and generates word of mouth). TV is perfect for a visual tour.
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Bettermousetrapitis
Happy Monday! (Or Sunday, depending on your timezone.)
On the last three occasions that I took briefs from clients, they all presented with with symptoms of Bettermousetrapitis. They had all these technical reasons why their product was superior, but they were bewildered why the market chose to favour someone else.
It's hard when you work so hard on a product, and you're with it all day, hard not to get blinded by the data.
Most decisions to purchase are based on emotion. The buyer may speak rationally about the process - listing technical details as reasons for their decision. But they are simply covering up the fact that self image or insecurity or any one of a thousands variants of these two basics are driving their decision.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
On the last three occasions that I took briefs from clients, they all presented with with symptoms of Bettermousetrapitis. They had all these technical reasons why their product was superior, but they were bewildered why the market chose to favour someone else.
It's hard when you work so hard on a product, and you're with it all day, hard not to get blinded by the data.
Most decisions to purchase are based on emotion. The buyer may speak rationally about the process - listing technical details as reasons for their decision. But they are simply covering up the fact that self image or insecurity or any one of a thousands variants of these two basics are driving their decision.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Video vampires
Hi,
You've got a new brand to launch. You need cut through. Someone suggests you use a celebrity to get some 'borrowed interest' behind your quest for attention.
WRONG!
Only well established brands should flirt with celebrity spokespersons. Why? Because the audience will remember the star, not the brand. The star 'vampires' the attention.
You pay them big bucks to promote themselves.
Using a star is a sign of laziness in any agency that recommends it. It says "Dear Client, your product is so boring we can't get excited about it, so we want you to pay a small fortune to add interest, cos we don't have any."
RULE #1: Make the brand the star!
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
You've got a new brand to launch. You need cut through. Someone suggests you use a celebrity to get some 'borrowed interest' behind your quest for attention.
WRONG!
Only well established brands should flirt with celebrity spokespersons. Why? Because the audience will remember the star, not the brand. The star 'vampires' the attention.
You pay them big bucks to promote themselves.
Using a star is a sign of laziness in any agency that recommends it. It says "Dear Client, your product is so boring we can't get excited about it, so we want you to pay a small fortune to add interest, cos we don't have any."
RULE #1: Make the brand the star!
--
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
They're on your side
Hi,
When you are sitting in a room watching a speaker about to start giving a presentation, do you think, "I hate this person. I am going to hate their presentation." Or do you look forward hopefully to the presentation, hoping the speaker will be good?
Unless you're a particularly bloody-minded individual, you'll be hoping the speaker is good.
So when you get up to speak remember that. The audience is on your side. They want you to be good. They'll laugh at anything slightly amusing. They want to be entertained. The last thing they want is to be BORED...
They're on your side.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
When you are sitting in a room watching a speaker about to start giving a presentation, do you think, "I hate this person. I am going to hate their presentation." Or do you look forward hopefully to the presentation, hoping the speaker will be good?
Unless you're a particularly bloody-minded individual, you'll be hoping the speaker is good.
So when you get up to speak remember that. The audience is on your side. They want you to be good. They'll laugh at anything slightly amusing. They want to be entertained. The last thing they want is to be BORED...
They're on your side.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
The room is yours
Hi,
When you are presenting remember you are the boss. You are the ringmaster. You are Jerry Springer and it's your show. Don't hide behind the lectern. Do even stay trapped on the dias.
Get down among the people. Look them in the eye. (Check the microphone won't cause feedback before the show begins.)
Walk back and forward in front of your slides. Point. Gesticulate. Wave.
Walk to the back of the room. Escort latecomers in and help them find a chair.
Own the room. It's yours.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
When you are presenting remember you are the boss. You are the ringmaster. You are Jerry Springer and it's your show. Don't hide behind the lectern. Do even stay trapped on the dias.
Get down among the people. Look them in the eye. (Check the microphone won't cause feedback before the show begins.)
Walk back and forward in front of your slides. Point. Gesticulate. Wave.
Walk to the back of the room. Escort latecomers in and help them find a chair.
Own the room. It's yours.
Cheers!
Michael Kiely
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Promise the world and deliver Tasmania
I realised at 2.52am on Tuesday morning that I had forgotten to send you my thought of the day for Monday. I apologise for that.
But my failure has spawned my thought for the day for Tuesday:
An advertisement is a promise made to the consumer about their experience with the product or service.
Does your organisation promise the world, then deliver Tasmania? (No disrespect to Tasmania, but it is not the world.)
You don't have to use ads to make promises - we make promises in all sorts of ways everyday. In marketing literature. In sales presentations.
Customers remember them, even if you don't.
Always try to deliver a baker's dozen. Deliver more than you promise. It delights customers and they remember it.
But my failure has spawned my thought for the day for Tuesday:
An advertisement is a promise made to the consumer about their experience with the product or service.
Does your organisation promise the world, then deliver Tasmania? (No disrespect to Tasmania, but it is not the world.)
You don't have to use ads to make promises - we make promises in all sorts of ways everyday. In marketing literature. In sales presentations.
Customers remember them, even if you don't.
Always try to deliver a baker's dozen. Deliver more than you promise. It delights customers and they remember it.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Manipulated in the supermarket
Ever wondered why the milk, bread and meat sections of the supermarket are always down the back of the store?
That's right - to get you to walk past all the other stuff to get to the essentials.
The point of sale people used to claim (I don't know that they still do) that 80% of purchase decisions are made in store and on impulse. If they are only half right, those shelves are seductive.
Make a habit of thinking about the sales environment when you are in one, like a well-organised retail outlet. You will learn a lot about creating the sales infrastructure. (More things to look for in our next 'thought'.
That's right - to get you to walk past all the other stuff to get to the essentials.
The point of sale people used to claim (I don't know that they still do) that 80% of purchase decisions are made in store and on impulse. If they are only half right, those shelves are seductive.
Make a habit of thinking about the sales environment when you are in one, like a well-organised retail outlet. You will learn a lot about creating the sales infrastructure. (More things to look for in our next 'thought'.
Where ends mean big beginnings
They're called 'Goldola Ends'. They used to be rounded like the prow of a boat but they can be any shape. They're the stacks of product ("pile 'em high") at the end of supermarket aisles.
And they are hot!
Anything in a goldola end instantly becomes desirable. It seems that consumers believe they're getting a good deal - like some sort of 'discount barrel' effect. Yet see how neglected the real discount barrel is.
Could it be a case of body language? I remember some research into sales promotion graphics from the 80s which found that people react to the appearance of a sale, whether the discounts are genuine or not. Big gaudy 'sale' signs evince the same reactions from consumers, no matter the substance of the savings.
Go figure.
And they are hot!
Anything in a goldola end instantly becomes desirable. It seems that consumers believe they're getting a good deal - like some sort of 'discount barrel' effect. Yet see how neglected the real discount barrel is.
Could it be a case of body language? I remember some research into sales promotion graphics from the 80s which found that people react to the appearance of a sale, whether the discounts are genuine or not. Big gaudy 'sale' signs evince the same reactions from consumers, no matter the substance of the savings.
Go figure.
Hot spots
Continuing my meandering on merchandising:
Merchandising planners decide carefully where products appear of the shelves because some spots sell more than others.
There's an old saying in the retail trade: "Eye height is buying height."
It means that on a 7 level shelf arrangement, shelves 4 and 5 will move more product because the shopper can see the product without peering down or stretching their necks upwards. The amount of product moved by these two shelves is extraordinary. These are called the primary hotspots in the store.
Supermarkets don't use their top shelves for different product brands or variants. They use them to store more of the same product that appears on the primary hotspots.
Naturally there is competition for this space. Supermarkets actually charge brand owners for he privilege of being there. They charge 'slotting fees'. It's valuable real estate, so they charge like a wounded bull.
What is the marketing principle behind hotspots, do you think?
I think it is convenience, that universal consumer standard. Life is hard enough without having to peer down or strain upwards (really)...
Merchandising planners decide carefully where products appear of the shelves because some spots sell more than others.
There's an old saying in the retail trade: "Eye height is buying height."
It means that on a 7 level shelf arrangement, shelves 4 and 5 will move more product because the shopper can see the product without peering down or stretching their necks upwards. The amount of product moved by these two shelves is extraordinary. These are called the primary hotspots in the store.
Supermarkets don't use their top shelves for different product brands or variants. They use them to store more of the same product that appears on the primary hotspots.
Naturally there is competition for this space. Supermarkets actually charge brand owners for he privilege of being there. They charge 'slotting fees'. It's valuable real estate, so they charge like a wounded bull.
What is the marketing principle behind hotspots, do you think?
I think it is convenience, that universal consumer standard. Life is hard enough without having to peer down or strain upwards (really)...
Pile 'em high, watch 'em fly
In the supermarket on the weekend I found myself in the lemming-crush that forms when consumers are deprived of a shopping day - 24 hours hanging out for a visit to the mall.
It got me thinking about the way our surroundings are designed to sell stuff. The people who run them know exactly where to place the product to entice you to pick it up. They have learned a bunch of things which I will share with you over the next few days.
First thing they learned was "Pile em high, watch em fly." Pile product up - it doesn't matter what it is - near the front of the store and it literally flies out the door. Why, we can only speculate. I learned this while doing a consultancy for the NSW liquour traders several years ago. They were wanting to move into the world of modern "merchandising", so I took them there.
Why do they fly when you pile em high?
Body language.
It looks like there's a good deal going. It may not be a good deal, but people don't have their analytical mind fully functional while out shopping.
The best fruit shops, fish shops, car retailers, etc. all know - a lot of product draws the buyers.
Do you have a lot of product piled up near your 'front door'?
Cheers!
It got me thinking about the way our surroundings are designed to sell stuff. The people who run them know exactly where to place the product to entice you to pick it up. They have learned a bunch of things which I will share with you over the next few days.
First thing they learned was "Pile em high, watch em fly." Pile product up - it doesn't matter what it is - near the front of the store and it literally flies out the door. Why, we can only speculate. I learned this while doing a consultancy for the NSW liquour traders several years ago. They were wanting to move into the world of modern "merchandising", so I took them there.
Why do they fly when you pile em high?
Body language.
It looks like there's a good deal going. It may not be a good deal, but people don't have their analytical mind fully functional while out shopping.
The best fruit shops, fish shops, car retailers, etc. all know - a lot of product draws the buyers.
Do you have a lot of product piled up near your 'front door'?
Cheers!
Silence is golden 2
Hi,
Yesterday I told you to SHUT UP when you delivered the punchline in a sales presentation (ie. Asked for the order).
Today I'm telling you to SHUT UP when the prospect says "Yes". Stop selling when you've made the sale.
A lot of sales people fall in love with the sound of their own voice - especially when the prospect has given them a round of applause with a big "Yes". They continue in the same vein, enjoying themselves.
But prospects who say "Yes" will very soon be subject to "post purchase remorse", afraid they might have made a mistake. It's time to reassure them they have made the right choice. Stop making promises and start delivering on them.
The more you rave on, the more likely the prospect will find an escape hatch.
So once you've made the sale, Shut up!
Yesterday I told you to SHUT UP when you delivered the punchline in a sales presentation (ie. Asked for the order).
Today I'm telling you to SHUT UP when the prospect says "Yes". Stop selling when you've made the sale.
A lot of sales people fall in love with the sound of their own voice - especially when the prospect has given them a round of applause with a big "Yes". They continue in the same vein, enjoying themselves.
But prospects who say "Yes" will very soon be subject to "post purchase remorse", afraid they might have made a mistake. It's time to reassure them they have made the right choice. Stop making promises and start delivering on them.
The more you rave on, the more likely the prospect will find an escape hatch.
So once you've made the sale, Shut up!
Silence is golden
Hello,
Sometimes it's what you don't say that secures the sale.
When you've delivered your pitch, said all you set out to say, and asked for the order... SHUT UP AND WAIT FOR A RESPONSE.
If you talk some more, you lose. You break the moment of drama that your presentation has been leading twoards. You let the pressure down; give the prospect a break in the traffic to scurry away, with a 'we'll think about it.."
You simply must resist keeping on selling when it's their turn to speak.
Remember: SHUT UP.
(Tomorrow: How to talk yourself out of a sale.)
Sometimes it's what you don't say that secures the sale.
When you've delivered your pitch, said all you set out to say, and asked for the order... SHUT UP AND WAIT FOR A RESPONSE.
If you talk some more, you lose. You break the moment of drama that your presentation has been leading twoards. You let the pressure down; give the prospect a break in the traffic to scurry away, with a 'we'll think about it.."
You simply must resist keeping on selling when it's their turn to speak.
Remember: SHUT UP.
(Tomorrow: How to talk yourself out of a sale.)
MAke it easy
There is one constant in the onward march of consumerism: convenience.
People will inconvenience themselves to get greater convenience. Spend hours in the car, battling traffic and looking for a park, to get to a store to buy a device that will save time and effort.
Labour saving devices. We'll buy any amount of stuff to save making an effort. Then we buy a gym membership so we can pay to make an effort.
How does your product make life easier for buyers?
How could you change it to offer more convenience?
People will inconvenience themselves to get greater convenience. Spend hours in the car, battling traffic and looking for a park, to get to a store to buy a device that will save time and effort.
Labour saving devices. We'll buy any amount of stuff to save making an effort. Then we buy a gym membership so we can pay to make an effort.
How does your product make life easier for buyers?
How could you change it to offer more convenience?
The secret radio station
Everyone you meet has an invisible set of headphones on and they're tuned into the same radio station - WIIFM*.
*What's In It For Me?
Even if they are charity donors.
I was once dining with a famous psychologist (so phamous I can't remember his name) and asked him if there was any evidence in the scientific literature that altruism exists. He said "No".
All behaviour that appears to be altruistic is rewarding the ego rather than denying it.
No one cares about your brand or your product unless they do something for them.
*What's In It For Me?
Even if they are charity donors.
I was once dining with a famous psychologist (so phamous I can't remember his name) and asked him if there was any evidence in the scientific literature that altruism exists. He said "No".
All behaviour that appears to be altruistic is rewarding the ego rather than denying it.
No one cares about your brand or your product unless they do something for them.
"Make me feel important"
Mary Kay Black, who has the dubious honour of founding the Mary Kay Cosmetics direct sales/network marketing empire, once gave the following advice to her 'girls':
Treat everyone you meet as though they all wore a placard around their necks which read: "Make Me Feel Important"...
Treat everyone you meet as though they all wore a placard around their necks which read: "Make Me Feel Important"...
A lesson from Lenin
"Ceaselessly explain" said VI Lenin, the Father of the Russian Revolution.
Whatever you thought of the Soviets, the achievement of turning one of the world's largest and most conservative countries on its head was amazing.
While there was a fair bit of rifle butt and gulag involved in convincing the Russian people to follow Marx, there is a lesson for marketers in Lenin's words.
You should bore yourself with your message because you are ceaslessly explaining. Your technical superiority, your advantages over the competition - only by ceaselessly explaining will you get your point across.
This is because people aren't likely to be as enthusiastic about your marketing communications as you are. They have their minds on something else. Unless you are monotonously explaining your story, you won't be there when they eventually decide to pay some attention.
Whatever you thought of the Soviets, the achievement of turning one of the world's largest and most conservative countries on its head was amazing.
While there was a fair bit of rifle butt and gulag involved in convincing the Russian people to follow Marx, there is a lesson for marketers in Lenin's words.
You should bore yourself with your message because you are ceaslessly explaining. Your technical superiority, your advantages over the competition - only by ceaselessly explaining will you get your point across.
This is because people aren't likely to be as enthusiastic about your marketing communications as you are. They have their minds on something else. Unless you are monotonously explaining your story, you won't be there when they eventually decide to pay some attention.
Is it a boy or a girl?
Hi,
We have a guest columnist today: DM tyro Douglas Nichol sent me the following observation after yesterday's thought "Don't forget my heart":
.....
Michael,
Re "Don't forget my heart":
Men tend to be left brain thinkers and want the facts and little else. Australian society is becoming more feminized and the danger is we forget how to sell to men.
This has been tested in the UK charity Help the Aged, who traditionally had taken the classical right brain emotional approach to donor acquisition regardless of gender. They rewrote this direct mail piece to be an extreme left brain fact driven communication. When this was mailed to men it generated an 85% improvement in response rate-which as you know in Charity DM is a windfall! Interestingly when this pack was mailed to women there was only a 15% decrease in the response rate.
Cheers
DN
Douglas Nicol
We have a guest columnist today: DM tyro Douglas Nichol sent me the following observation after yesterday's thought "Don't forget my heart":
.....
Michael,
Re "Don't forget my heart":
Men tend to be left brain thinkers and want the facts and little else. Australian society is becoming more feminized and the danger is we forget how to sell to men.
This has been tested in the UK charity Help the Aged, who traditionally had taken the classical right brain emotional approach to donor acquisition regardless of gender. They rewrote this direct mail piece to be an extreme left brain fact driven communication. When this was mailed to men it generated an 85% improvement in response rate-which as you know in Charity DM is a windfall! Interestingly when this pack was mailed to women there was only a 15% decrease in the response rate.
Cheers
DN
Douglas Nicol
Don't forget my heart
On the last three occasions that I took briefs from clients, they all presented with with symptoms of Bettermousetrapitis. They had all these technical reasons why their product was superior, but they were bewildered why the market chose to favour someone else.
It's hard when you work so hard on a product, and you're with it all day, hard not to get blinded by the data. (Thank God clients can't see the emotional reality of the market dynamics surrounding their offering - or there'd be no need for marketing consultants.)
Most decisions to purchase are based on emotion. The buyer may speak rationally about the process - listing technical details as reasons for their decision. But they are simply covering up the fact that self image or insecurity or any one of a thousands variants of these two basics are driving their decision.
So, Client, what are the emotional dimensions that drive decisions in your category? And how do you measure up on them? A little less time talking technical data and a little more time 'romancing the brand' will see you back in the hunt.
It's hard when you work so hard on a product, and you're with it all day, hard not to get blinded by the data. (Thank God clients can't see the emotional reality of the market dynamics surrounding their offering - or there'd be no need for marketing consultants.)
Most decisions to purchase are based on emotion. The buyer may speak rationally about the process - listing technical details as reasons for their decision. But they are simply covering up the fact that self image or insecurity or any one of a thousands variants of these two basics are driving their decision.
So, Client, what are the emotional dimensions that drive decisions in your category? And how do you measure up on them? A little less time talking technical data and a little more time 'romancing the brand' will see you back in the hunt.
Lust and fear
There are only two fundamental drivers of human behaviour:
1. Lust for gain
2. Fear of loss
Direct marketers know - because every direct response campaign is an experiment with measurable outcomes - that people will do more to prevent a perceived lost than they will to gain something.
Express your proposition in terms of the potential losses it avoids - 'hidden costs" is a good thing to calculate - and you'll sell more than if you simply recite the benefits buyers will enjoy.
1. Lust for gain
2. Fear of loss
Direct marketers know - because every direct response campaign is an experiment with measurable outcomes - that people will do more to prevent a perceived lost than they will to gain something.
Express your proposition in terms of the potential losses it avoids - 'hidden costs" is a good thing to calculate - and you'll sell more than if you simply recite the benefits buyers will enjoy.
Focus for results
My friend Dan Byrnes gets 40,000 hits per month to his website.
Here's how he does it: "All I can tell you quickly is that the way to get
good strong sets of hits is to do a website so good on a topic, that
finally with the assistance of Google, via keywords etc, the website
begins to own the topic."
Laser-like focus is his secret.
Check it out at www.danbyrnes.com.au
Here's how he does it: "All I can tell you quickly is that the way to get
good strong sets of hits is to do a website so good on a topic, that
finally with the assistance of Google, via keywords etc, the website
begins to own the topic."
Laser-like focus is his secret.
Check it out at www.danbyrnes.com.au
Late, not great
The only thing I want to be late for is my funeral, but Laggards would be late for anything.
The Laggards:
(1) not opinion leaders,
(2) isolated,
(3) look to the past,
(4) suspicious of innovations,
(5) long decision process, and
(6) limited resources.
If you're fishing in this pond, good luck. Just know they are there, wearing their cardis and drinking chardi...
The Laggards:
(1) not opinion leaders,
(2) isolated,
(3) look to the past,
(4) suspicious of innovations,
(5) long decision process, and
(6) limited resources.
If you're fishing in this pond, good luck. Just know they are there, wearing their cardis and drinking chardi...
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