Have you wondered what those little black and white boxes are on ads these days? Quick Response codes, more commonly known as QR codes, are barcodes that consumers scan with their smartphone to immediately direct them to a web page or a carefully targeted landing page. By leveraging advancements in technology and the popularity of smartphones, QR codes are bridging the gap between offline and online advertising.

QR Code Tips
To be an effective tool, the QR code destination must be compatible for mobile viewing. A common issue today is that companies jump on the QR code band-wagon without understanding the true dynamics of mobile marketing. The QR code must be a convenient and appealing method for users to get more information. There also needs to be a clearly defined incentive to scan the QR code. QR codes should never be used as a stand-alone tool as its purpose within a mobile marketing strategy is to connect the online and offline mediums, provide additional information and incite immediate consumer engagement.

QR Codes in Action
OLAA client St. Francis Medical Center launched a three-month integrated advertising campaign in late June. The campaign promotes the hospital’s Family Life Center and brands the “Sweet Beginnings” experience that St. Francis offers to new mothers and their babies.  Mobile marketing is a key component of the advertising strategy. The campaign includes a QR code as part of the call to action which leads to a mobile website that introduces “moms on the go” to “Sweet Beginnings” with a unique online experience that differs from the hospital’s main website. The mobile site creates an additional benefit to the user by offering a new and convenient means of accessing information. The mobile site also offers moms the option of viewing in English or Spanish.

The mobile site is promoted via a QR code, which can be found on mall banners and print ads. Traffic is also driven to the mobile site through radio and text campaigns. A mobile strategy utilizing a QR code was implemented for this campaign due to the relevancy with the target audience of young mothers. The incentive to use the QR code is clearly defined with a label of “For Moms on the Go,” which reinforces that the destination is optimized for mobile and relays that the site provides key information for expecting moms.

The QR code is synced with Google analytics, which allows for tracking and quantitative results, such as the number of scans the QR code has received. As the campaign moves forward, St. Francis is receiving a positive response and is making a powerful impact on Sweet Beginnings patients.

Want to see how these little boxes can make a big impact on your business? Contact Orange Label today.

When recruitment efforts are needed to build your team, whether for one position or several, there are many job boards and posting opportunities available. But how do you know which resources will attract the right talent? And how do you know whether your recruiting efforts will make an impact in the market? An integrated approach ensures that your recruiting activities are targeted, reach the top candidates across multiple platforms and result in qualified new employees.

Understanding the value of an integrated advertising strategy, Seton Medical Center recently launched a 3-month integrated recruiting campaign to expand their highly skilled nursing team. The focal point of the campaign is a minisite that clearly communicates the advantages of joining Seton’s nursing team. The site includes a message from the Chief Nursing Executive, quotes from real Seton nurses, information about benefits, and most importantly, the mission and values under which the team operates. Potential candidates that visit the site are able to connect with the Seton nursing community and see how their contributions at Seton make a difference, for patients and for the hospital as a whole. For those that are interested in applying, the site directs them to the careers page on the main Seton website where the individual starts the application process.

Traffic is driven to Seton’s nursing minisite through several media vehicles including local and out of market radio schedules, targeted PPC campaigns, behavioral and geo-targeted ads on Facebook and Linkedin, banner advertising on highly visited industry-specific websites and through direct mail. By leveraging a consistent message across multiple media platforms, Seton is clearly relaying what their nursing team stands for and is making a powerful impact on potential candidates. A larger audience is also reached, ensuring that the right talent applies and is selected. In addition, the RN recruitment campaign builds on the hospital’s existing brand presence, showing all constituencies that the hospital is growing and building an amazing medical team.

Want to learn how an integrated approach can maximize your recruiting activities? Contact Orange Label today.

Orange Label Art + Advertising is committed to the success of our clients. We believe that it is our purpose to empower our clients such that they lead their marketplace and experience a growing demand for their product or service. To us, this defines a THRIVING BRAND LEADER…

 Orange Label client, Saint Louise Regional Hospital is dedicated to delivering quality, compassionate health care to South Santa Clara County, now and in the future. With this commitment to the local community, Saint Louise Regional Hospital truly embodies their positioning statement – Your Neighbor for Life. To communicate their mission and build brand awareness, Saint Louise recently launched an integrated advertising campaign.

 The Saint Louise “Neighbor for Life” campaign includes a media mix of radio, print and online, and focuses on 6 key service lines over an 8 month marketing calendar. Promoted over a 4 week period, each service line features a physician or staff member of the Saint Louise team, representing both the individual and high level commitment to the local community.

 “Saint Louise Regional Hospital’s ‘Neighbor for Life’ campaign furthers their commitment to growing with the community. Their dedication to advanced, quality care is combined with a passion for serving members of their community, and demonstrates their role as a THRIVING BRAND LEADER.”

- Michelle Torr,  Junior Integrated Advertising Executive

When used correctly, radio can be one of the most effective advertising vehicles available. Why you ask? Sit back, relax and let us explain how radio can be used to produce powerful results for your company.

“Theater of the Mind”- One of the top attributes of radio is its ability to produce what is commonly referred to as the “Theater of the Mind.” Let us explain… One of the most interesting things about sound is just how much it can convey. Sound can evoke emotions and images in the listeners’ minds. For advertisers, this means that the listeners’ mind can take a well-produced radio commercial and create a favorable image suited to their individual taste.  

Radio is Intrusive- We understand that the word “intrusive” may seem harsh, but don’t let it scare you. You want your advertising to “intrude” into peoples’ lives in order to be noticed. Due to the nature of its portability, radio is considered one of the most intrusive mediums. Radio can influence listeners while they are living their busy lives. Radio is also a form of entertainment, meaning that the majority of listeners are not only choosing to listen to radio, but are also “actively” listening and are therefore engaged.

Targeted- Radio presents the ability to target audiences based on geographic, demographic and psychographic listener characteristics. Made possible by Arbitron Inc., an international media research firm that measures the network and local market radio audiences, advertisers can obtain qualitative and quantitative information regarding listeners. This data allows advertisers to effectively reach the listeners that will benefit from their message. Oh and don’t worry, they aren’t enlisting spies, this information is freely given.

Direct Response Medium- Direct response advertising is the communication of a message that elicits action. Contrary to branding ads which serve to drive market awareness, direct response ads provide a specific call-to-action, typically in the form of either a phone number or URL.  Results of the commercial can be tracked in terms of calls, orders, customers, leads, sales, revenue and profits generated from the airing of those ads.  

Facebook Advertising is a hot topic and a tactic that is on the radar of many businesses, large and small. With 750 million members, and 225 million in the U.S. alone, it is undeniable that there is a large audience to reach. It may be true that there are plenty of fish in the figurative Facebook “Sea”, but the question is, are Facebook Ads right for you?

For those of you who may be unfamiliar, let us give you the lay-of-the-land. Facebook Ads appear in the middle-to-lower portion of the right-hand column of user-pages throughout Facebook’s network. Ads are eligible to appear on several types of pages including Apps, Photos, Groups, Walls, Profiles, Friends and the Homepage (News Feed). Static in nature, uniform in structure and centrally located, Facebook Ads are relatively neat and boast an organized layout. The Facebook Ad template contains up to six components, which are specified by the advertiser, including ad headline, text, image, page “likes” and destination link.

There is a high level of attraction to the Facebook Ad model, and for good reason. With its straight-forward and user-friendly set-up, a campaign could be created in seconds (make sure you have your Facebook business page established first). Besides the easy setup, the real attention-grabber is the ability to target ads by location, age, interest, etc., ensuring you are reaching your target demographic and captivating your audiences in a unique online environment. Your next question, is it expensive? Ads can either be based on a PPC (pay-per-click) model, meaning that you only pay when your ad is clicked by a user OR on a CPM (cost-per-thousand) model, meaning that you pay for per thousand impressions. Regardless, you set your budget at the onset of the campaign and you have the ability to modify or shut off the campaign whenever you’d like. Lastly, Facebook ads offer comprehensive analytics to assist in tracking and measuring the effectives of your campaign through data on the number of clicks and connections, frequency, reach, bid price and total spend.      

Common campaign objectives can include the following:

-  Build Brand Awareness: Reach an extensive audience and target your key demographic

-  Drive Sales: Offer discounts, deals or giveaways to stimulate sales activity

-  Expand Fan Base: Encourage users to “like” your page by offering benefits for engaging

If you are looking to increase your exposure through a targeted, measureable and cost-effective strategy, we encourage you to consider a Facebook Ad campaign for your business. From our experience, we have seen the response to be well worth the investment…

1. With a campaign goal of increasing its Facebook fan base, Orange Label client Greenwell Farms nearly doubled their new “Likes” in the first two weeks of running their campaign with a modest daily budget.
2. Orange Label client, Recovery Now TV had an objective of increasing their website traffic through their Facebook Ad campaign. After running a brief Facebook ad campaign, the client decided to pause the campaign and found that their normally consistent website traffic dropped off by 18%. This was largely due to the decrease in traffic from Facebook.

The kids may be starting to go back to school, but summer isn’t over quite yet!  And when thinking about summer, fun activities such as picnics, parties, beach bonfires and BBQs come to mind. Imagine if you could bring the sizzle of summer to your events, while conducting engaging and productive interactions that produce real results… Whether you are looking to host an internal meeting, presentation, conference, seminar or sales event, we have some ideas for events, big or small, that will make a splash!

 Be Creative With  a Theme

Depending on your audience and event objectives, there is an opportunity to generate excitement, while providing meaningful content, through use of a creative theme. For your next event consider a theme that will excite your guests and in turn command a positive turnout. For example, if hosting an open house event consider a “Treasure Hunt” theme and offer exciting “booty” (prizes).  

 Location, Location, Location!

 This rule doesn’t only apply to real estate. When planning an out-of-office event, be creative in choosing the location and/or venue. It doesn’t have to be too far outside the box to be unexpected. For example, instead of taking your most valuable customers to dinner, consider treating them to an “Appreciation Event” that consists of a day at the horse races, or organize a sunset harbor cruise.

 What’s In It For Me?

 When hosting an event of any kind,  it is important to consider what we call the “what’s in it for me?” factor. Most individuals will hesitate to attend or participate in an event unless they perceive that they will gain something from the interaction, whether it is tangible or intangible such as knowledge gained, skills acquired or prizes and gifts that will be offered. We recommend identifying the benefits and incentives that your event will provide and communicate this in your messaging.

  Spreading the Word

 There are several ways to promote your event and depending on the size, some are more effective than others. One traditional method of informing potential guests is through invitations and flyers, which are cost-effective and targeted. If your event is scalable and you are looking to extend a broad reach, consider a radio, print or digital campaign. Regardless of event size, social media is a way to reach those who are interested in hearing what you have to say. For large events, consider creating your own event Facebook page. For smaller events, use social media as a way to connect with those you wish to target. Remember, when promoting your next event, it is critical to be compelling and to highlight the benefits of participating.

As consumers are increasingly relying on their smartphones to seek out information, having a presence on the mobile web has become an important element in a comprehensive web strategy. Orange Label client, Recovery Now TV strives to be the leader in their industry in the digital realm and as a response to this shift, recently launched an integrated mobile campaign.
 
To engage with a mobile audience, Orange Label launched Recovery Now TV’s  optimized mobile website this month that detects when users are visiting from any smart phone. This enhanced website includes key features such as treatment-related videos, an informational blog, links to treatment centers and contact information with a click-to-call phone number, in a streamlined design that is easy to navigate from a small screen. A cost-effective mobile PPC campaign was launched in conjunction with the site, to drive activity and generate leads.

The inclusion of a mobile campaign has already proven to be a valuable addition to Recovery Now TV’s digital strategy (created by Orange Label Art + Advertising), as the launch has already resulted in facility admissions.

Ron Gardenhire for Coordinated Business Systems

Incorporating a celebrity spokesperson in an advertising campaign is a powerful way to engage with your audience. When using a celebrity spokesperson it is important to position them in ways that will get attention. Coordinated Business Systems has featured Ron Gardenhire, the Minnesota Twins manager in their radio commercials going on 5 years. In 2010 and continuing in 2011 Ron and the President of Coordinated, Jim Oricchio have been highlighted in humor-oriented messages. The outcomes of have been:

1. More “talk” in the marketplace about Coordinated

2. Greater Brand Awareness for Coordinated

3. Faster recognition of the “Solutions” offered by Coordinated

Click the links below to listen to the Coordinated Business Systems Radio Commercials featuring Ron Gardenhire:

Document Management Radio Commercial

SmartPrint Radio Commercial

ProActive Managed IT Services Radio Commercial

To learn more about Orange Label’s radio advertising services, contact us today.

We recently posted about using milestones to leverage an Integrated Advertising Campaign and featured Starbucks’ new logo in celebration of their 40th Anniversary as a prime example. As a follow up to that post, we are featuring an example of an execution strategy for the business-to-business category. 

Orange Label client, Martin Whalen Office Solutions celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2011 and they are using it as a cornerstone for their marketing activity. Using this milestone anniversary as an opportunity to leverage Martin Whalen’s longevity, and position Martin Whalen as a leader in Office Technology, Orange Label developed an Integrated Advertising Platform that includes result-driven campaigns supported by a year-long calendar of events, promotions, advertising and PR.

To kick-off the campaign, Martin Whalen recently launched its 75 Year Anniversary Office Technology Upgrade Sweepstakes. Promoted through radio advertising, customized landing pages and salesmarketing handouts, the sweepstakes features Chicago Cubs and White Sox ticket giveaways. In addition, three grand prize winners will each be presented with a $7,500 office technology upgrade for their business.

Benefits of this promotional strategy include the opportunity to:

• Reach a focused and relevant target demographic
• Generate qualified leads
• Increase brand exposure
• Support local businesses
• Position Martin Whalen as a thriving brand leader 

This year marked Starbuck’s 40th Anniversary, and like some companies, they’ve used the milestone as an opportunity to bring new life to their brand. This milestone marks the fourth refresh of the Starbuck’s brand in the past 40 years. One consistent element that has remained is the Siren, a mythological figure who represents the romance and creativity that inspired the founders of Starbucks 40 years ago. While the jury is still out about the new logo, one thing rings true, they’ve created a real “buzz” around their identity. To read more about the refreshed new logo and brand, visit www.starbucks.com/preview.

When the opportunity presents itself, Orange Label Art + Advertising will leverage client’s milestones to launch integrated campaigns much like Starbucks did with their refreshed logo strategy. Integrated campaigns leverage several different media vehicles to deliver the marketing message. When consumers are reached multiple ways, such as with traditional and digital forms of media, the marketing messages and brand are reinforced. Whether it’s through a refreshed logo, sweepstakes promotion, open house or media campaign theme, leveraging company milestones is a great way for a brand to stay top of mind with current customers, prospects and their community.

O’Connor Hospital’s New Advertising Campaign:  “My O’Connor Story”

It is Orange Label’s observation that, “your customers are often your best copy writers.” Authentic and candid customer comments can be one of the most relatable sources for messages you can communicate to your target market. Orange Label clients throughout the years have leveraged their own customers into powerful and integrated advertising campaigns – sharing engaging messages of success and customer benefits.

For this reason, we are excited to announce the launch of a new advertising campaign for client, O’Connor Hospital – located in San Jose, CA. The advertising campaign: “My O’Connor Story”, features real people and real stories. The campaign consists of service-line specific stories with real patient experiences. Each five week campaign will be supported by an integrated mix of local print, radio and online. In addition, O’Connor Hospital will be launching a campaign specific landing page that will show case all of the O’Connor stories. Visitors to the page will be able to browse through the featured stories and view the print ad creative for each.

“My O’Connor Story” adds a unique “realness” to O’Connor Hospital’s advertising that powerfully connects to the hospital’s positioning, It’s the Way We Care. The first story to kick-off the campaign promotes O’Connor Hospital’s Wound Care Clinic – sharing a local resident’s heart-warming story of overcoming her struggles with a diabetic wound and how the Wound Care team was able to heal her wound. With the power of the patient’s words, the story highlights the real patient benefit with O’Connor Care and tells the story of why the patient states, “I have my freedom back.”   (See link to image of “My O’Connor Wound Care Story” at the bottom of the post)

“It was so inspiring to meet the O’Connor Hospital patients and listen to their stories of how O’Connor Care made a difference in their lives. The stories that will be shared this year through the “My O’Connor Story” campaign are touching, motivating and attention-grabbing… I am excited to see how these stories will encourage others to make O’Connor Hospital part of their “story” of health and healing,” said, Integrated Advertising Supervisor.

My O’Connor Wound Care Story

Orange Label recently launched Greenwell Farms Social Media presence. It included a revamped Blog, Facebook page, Twitter and YouTube. Please be sure to go check it out.

Dont forget to purchase $75 or more of some 100% Kona Coffee this month to get free shipping!

Just when you thought that you finally understood the term “web 2.0”, people are now talking about “web 3.0”. Other than just trying to confuse you more, the idea behind web 3.0 doesn’t take you away from the ever so outdated 2.0 level.

As the technology grows and web 3.0 develops more into a form, we will start to see more web intelligence by semantic search queries and more relevant search data returned to us based on our history of searches. Browsers and search engines will be more understanding of what our tastes are and ultimately become more accurate. Returning personalized search results, not random data.

How would this work? Intelligent data can be gathered from traditional web 2.0 applications, user generated content and other information sharing sources to feed a 3.0 pipeline. Having the technology to understand your decisions and actions might help you make your decisions. HowStuffWorks.com demonstrated the following example:

“Instead of multiple searches, you might type a complex sentence or two in your Web 3.0 browser, and the Web will do the rest. In our example, you could type “I want to see a funny movie and then eat at a good Mexican restaurant. What are my options?” The Web 3.0 browser will analyze your response, search the Internet for all possible answers, and then organize the results for you.”

Below are some  slideshows that do a great job describing how these concepts work. Check them out!

Taking it to the next level…
Could your business or lifestyle use 3.0? What advances do you see happening in how the Advertising and Marketing world operate?

San Jose, CA based O’Connor Hospital is celebrating their 120th Anniversary. To promote this milestone, a unique logo was developed and it has become the focal point of an aggressive local print and mall banner campaign. The logo was also used to recognize the 120 years at The Spirit of O’Connor Gala in October to raise funds for O’Connor’s Imaging Services department.

The strategy of promoting O’Connor Hospital’s 120th Anniversary has generated strong market pressure and further enhanced the core identity of “It’s The Way We Care”.

Click Here for Samples

People often ask me, “How can Twitter help my business” or “I dont understand how people can leverage twitter for my business”.

I came across these two articles last week to show people how other companies are using the 140 character social platform.

The following links were included in our monthly newsletter – If you would like to receive our newsletter please sign up on our blog (www.olaablog.com) or on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/orangelabeladvertising)

Twitter 360 App Gives Tweets Some Augmented Reality Love | Technomix | Fast Company:

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-eaton/technomix/twitter-360-app-gives-tweets-get-some-augmented-reality-love?1261010505

@Mommy: Get Me Twoddler so I Can Twitter You at Work #babytweetstoo | Technomix | Fast Company:

http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/kit-eaton/technomix/mommy-get-me-twoddler-so-i-can-twitter-you-work-babytweetstoo?1261010511

What is your product or service? If you had a unlimited budget how would you leverage Titter for your business?

Donnellon McCarthy
Orange Label Art + Advertising built its foundation on long-term client relations. However, even by these standards, the 25 year relationship with Donnellon McCarthy, a Cincinnati-based office technology dealership, is remarkable and extremely newsworthy in the advertising industry. Even though they are b2b, we’ve used business-to-consumer advertising strategies with morning drive radio as the backbone of a strategy that has also included marketing materials from corporate brochures to delivering truck and vehicles wraps.

During the twenty-five year relationship, Donnellon McCarthy has remained independent in spite of two very significant roll-ups in the copier/office technology industry. They have passed the baton from one generation to the next, transitioned from selling analog to digital technology, experienced significant organic growth and expanded geographically to have a marketing area that includes Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

At the Vistage Economic Summit recently, Economist Alan Beaulieu, president of the Institute for Trend Research in New Hampshire cited several tips for business owners as the economy comes out of the recession, one being “Ramp up on Marketing and Advertising.” Read all the tips below!

Tips for business owners

Economist Alan Beaulieu says business owners should take action as the economy comes out of recession:
• The beginning of 2010 will be a golden time to expand: equipment and real estate will be inexpensive, interest rates low.
• Borrow as much money as possible because future interest rates will rise.
• Hire the exceptional talent that will be available through 2010.
• Cease activities that don’t create profit; eliminate unprofitable products.
• Ramp up marketing and advertising.
• Look for ways to sell in western Canada, Brazil and Australia. These countries are positioned for strong future growth. Russia and China are not positioned for growth.
• Define and tout your competitive advantage.
• Lead with optimism. Be the chief cheerleader.

List cited from The Orange County Register, October 2, 2009

Now that football season is back, I started thinking about the Superbowl and advertising. So for any of you that would like to reflect on the past seasons commercials, I posted a link to Advertising Age’s list of the 2009 Superbowl advertisements:

http://adage.com/article?article_id=134136

Enjoy!

Brand is behavior. It is not just what you do, but what you do and how people react, or as learned in the OC Ad Federation Event: How to Create and Market My Personal Brand, it is the “emotional aftertaste.” There is a vast difference in what you claim and how you fulfill the expectations you set. I guess at the end of the day, it is not the perception you have of your self that matters, but the perceptions others have of you. Remember to be consistent and keep it real!

I am proud to announce that another one of our clients has already exceeded their sales goal as a result of our radio campaign we produced for them. We targeted the hispanic community in Austin, Texas and used our “direct response” formula in driving leads with copy and media strategy. The goal was to increase occupancy in their modular home parks, specifically getting down to 20 openings (from 60) by mid September. It is only September 1st and they are down to 16 openings! Great work!

Coke will soon be releasing a new way to pour soda. Over a hundred different ways actually. The new machines have all the flavors your used to as well as new ones that are not available in retail stores. As seen in these videos below taken from consumerist.com a Coke rep. demonstrates the functions of this marvel machine. For now the machines are only being tested in Atlanta and San Diego.

How will Pepsi come back at them?

How well do you know your sports trivia?

We deal with many clients who support their favorite NFL teams by buying media in sports arenas and other marketing promotions.

Any ideas to what or where the Vomitory is without looking it up?

As we have recently announced, our blog is now iPhone friendly. Stop by more often and let us know what your thoughts are. Add us to your home screen! See below for help adding our icon.

1. Go to www.orangelabeladvertising.com/blog from your iPhone browser.

2. Take a look around and read out articles – Make sure to tap the “+” icon to add us to your home screen.

3. Tap “Add to Home Screen”

4. Add a Name if you like. When you are finished choose “Add” at the top left.

5. There you go…We are on your homescreen! Enjoy. Hope to see you soon.

Yesterday (7/16), OLAA member Megan Guerra and I attended the Los Angeles Times’ Online Advertising and Social Media Seminar. The Seminar included a great panel of speakers including: Facebook, Ning, LA Times interactive and Passenger. The panel provided interesting insight, thoughts and recommendations around the world of social media and what it can provide for your business. 

Megan and I felt that one of the biggest take aways worth sharing with you, was the panel’s thoughts on how to best manage your social media presence: 
Be Social With Your Social Media Followers.

Social medial is growing rapidly as more and more people are becoming connected online. For companies, social media provides a way to gain feedback from your customers and your target audience(s). Now many may argue that for a company/brand, this open environment for “feedback” is dangerous, because you are giving people the opportunity to voice the good and the bad.

And it’s the BAD that is feared…

As the panel explained, the worst thing to do is to not be social! In other words, don’t open a social media account and ignore it! So be sure to stay relevant and active with your social media – give your followers a reason to check your Blog, Facbook, Twitter and so on. And most importantly, remember to listen to your followers and be sure to respond (so they know you are listening)!

How to manage feedback…

If your followers’ feedback is good, be happy, it is a FREE customer testimonial! Be sure to respond with a thank you or what have you.

And advice for if it is bad…don’t panic, don’t press delete! Instead, explain your take on the feedback, answer the concern, provide rationale, etc – by responding, you are letting your social media network (your customers) know that you are listening, that you DO care and that their opinion does matter.

So, for those who are in fear or unsure about joining the world of social media, consider the above and remember that staying in communication is key with all business efforts, and now a days, this includes Social Media.

Some Social Media Tips That Will Keep You “Social”:

Take advantage of the FREE network that social media provides and consider ideas such as:

                  –      run a campaign or special offer  (incentive for followers)

                  -      run a survey (gain feedback)

                  -     send messages/exciting news to your followers (acts a  free email blast)

Without a surprise – Google plans to launch another ground breaking platform this year that some developers are saying will be “life changing”. We have so many different opportunities for communication through our day-to-day life that it’s difficult to keep up with changes. Google has developed a new communication platform that will challenge all forms of digital communication we use today; Google Wave
In the video below, API developers demonstrate how email is similar to “snail mail”. Back and forth communication (send and receive) is the nature of its communication. Google Wave however, takes the waiting out of such messages. Live chats become merged into email, with data exchange, private messaging, timeline playback, and multiple group session and document creation. From this video the opportunities seem endless. Check it out…

Are you excited? How will you use it at work, home, or school?

Check out Google’s landing page: http://wave.google.com/

Everyone has been talking about tweeting, twittering, peeping, and who knows what other jargon that can be linked to Twitter.com. However, after reading a recent article from Robert Strohmeyer, I would like to share some of his thoughts (and my opinion) on twitter and what to make of it.

In his article called “Twitter Quitters”, he explains the saga of “hemorrhaging” twitter users. Over 60 percent of new Twitter users quit after just a week or two of joining Twitter; sometimes it takes over a year for people to return and have a moment of “ah-ha”. Why? Robert explains that some people just don’t get it. You’re average “I’m sitting in line at subway” or “its Friday…whahoo” tweets just don’t cut it. People want to read solid material that’s worthy of feedback and following [on twitter]. He also states that if you’re going to tweet infrequently, don’t bother. People are not interested in seeing your “rubbish” for a full month. Thus, why there is a high turn-over rate. Additionally, perhaps with all the buzz, people just have too high of expectations and don’t see them without some effort.

So how do you tweet effectively? Twitter is simple. Use its simplicity for business concepts…but casually. Engage in tweets and follow people who are relevant to your industry. Go on….try it! Follow as many people as you can. As Robert explains, don’t worry if you choose not to follow someone because they have too much rubbish. Twitter relationships are only a “one-click affair”. You will find the news you need and are interested in, give it time.

How else? Follow people you actually know. Keeping up with a network of business people that you work side by side with (or not) will inform you about something that’s actually important. Keeping up to date in your industry doesn’t always mean you have to call and small talk what is going on with vendors and merchants, however following a business partners tweets can keep a subconscious about what that person is up to.

Twitter, like blogging, is a social tool. It shouldn’t be used to “self-promote”. Continue to use it as a tool for communication, updates, and “non-bragging”, and you will find yourself indulged in a plethora of information that could generate or point to business leads.

I remember when Facebook launched and at the time, Facebook was only for college students – and to all of us who immediately joined, Facebook was the greatest thing since sliced bread! It was a new way for us to stay in-tune with the “happening” of friends from all over. However, at the time, I don’t know how many of us viewed our Facebook activity as social networking…it was just Facebook: new, fun, easy, entertaining and addicting!

Since Facebook the social networking world has truly exploded and the opportunities are endless! More and more websites have surfaced and with this evolution, the term of Social Networking has taken on a whole new meaning. Social Networking is no longer just for pleasure and fun, but it has also built a professional presence for companies as well.

From a business standpoint, a lot of people are asking “Why would I have a Social Networking presence for my company?” Well it is exactly that, presence! Web presence is like gold these days. Social Networking not only adds to your overall online presence, but it also: helps drive traffic to your website, builds brand awareness, gets people “talking” about you online and shows you, your employees, your customers and your competitors that you are keeping up with the online world.

However, this “online presence” may be foreign to some and not as important to others (though it should be), so what if I were to say that it can increase revenue?! It’s true…  One of our retail clients recently ran a “Mother’s Day Special” ONLINE Sale. The sale was promoted via email blasts and social networking mentioning: their BLOG and Facebook.

It was a 5-day sale and the test was to see how well their consumers responded to an “online-only” special. After sending out only 2 email blasts and promoting via social networking – their online sale got picked up by a OC Register Blogger– who posted the promotion on the OC Register BLOG. Suddenly, sales were coming in referencing the OC Register BLOG post. In the end, the sale was a success – and there is no doubt in my mind that this client will continue to offer online promotions.

Here at Orange Label, we were able to recognize the value of being connected and we have made the leap into the Social Networking: BLOG, Facebook , Myspace and Twitter. If you are reading this BLOG, it is fair to assume that you are connected to the online world – but is your company? Social Networking keeps people connected, its fun and its easy – - and I don’t know about you, but I hate to be out of the loop!

If you are ready to make this Social Networking Leap, here is a great article for reference: http://www.chrisbrogan.com/social-media-and-social-network-starting-points/

I recently attended an Advanced Google Adwords seminar and was blown away, and somewhat overwhelmed, by how many opportunities are now available to advertisers through this platform. As a leader in our agency of new business, I personally have administered our Google account for five years. What once was a “part-time” manageable tool to drive leads is now much more complex and requires full-time attention. We are now dedicating a full-time resource to this process to keep up with the ever changing “secrets” to increasing the effectiveness of our campaigns. For example, I learned that there are over 100 factors that can affect the quality score, which will affect your cost per click and ad placement. A high quality score will allow you to pay less than competitors for a higher ad rank. Knowing the “secrets” to quality score can give you the competitive edge needed in your industry at a lower overall investment. Knowing the quality score component when administering your campaign is only one piece of the puzzle – I suggest hiring a Certified Google Adwords Professional to take your account over if you are currently doing it on your own. Give Orange Label a call and we can help!

In my last article, I began a discussion on a “back-to-basics” marketing approach. Making sure that you and your team are really good at the blocking and tackling is far more productive than sitting around and trying to come up with a clever marketing approach. Technology has certainly brought us different ways to communicate messages, but the fundamentals still apply. Technology has also brought more sizzle to marketing messages and has sped up their delivery but it really has not done a lot to make a bad message good.

In the 1990s, there were several copier dealers that thought they could fool the marketplace by advertising “Free Copiers.” They figured that a gimmicky approach would generate leads. Once the call came in, they would at the very last be vendors of consideration, and with a slick salesperson doing some pencil selling and some quick explaining, they might get the deal. Great new marketing strategy? No. In fact, it is one of the oldest and most basic strategies in the history of marketing. Less than a year ago, I received a free Gillette razor in the mail. I liked it, so now I pay $18.50 for an eight-pack of replacement blades.

Many of the Free Copier ads showed up as e-mail blasts or fax blasts, which was thought to be a brilliant use of technology by some. Both mediums are highly targetable and extremely intrusive, which is both good and bad. Telemarketing and direct mail are also highly targetable, but you can refuse a telephone call or throw away and envelope before opening it. You can do the same with e-mails and faxes, but not before glancing at it to confirm it is junk or spam. It is almost like when you were a kid and another kid said, Made you look….”

So why did some office technology dealers find success with this strategy even though the message insulted prospects’ intelligence and the delivery intruded on their space? Because they used the basic marketing principles. They kept the message simple, used the greatest word in advertising – free – to get attention and created the perception that they were the best value in the market without advertising price. The ones I saw also adhered to the basics in delivering the message because they were done with frequency and consistency. Every Monday morning, I would walk in and there would be several fax blast advertising Free Copiers. Same message, same medium, same time. Basic marketing at its best.

Most of my clients do not want to be pioneers and I don’t blame them. Pioneers had a much higher attrition rate crossing the United States than we do today, regardless of the transportation method. “What’s working well for your clients?” or “I don’t want to reinvent the wheel” are statements I hear very often from clients, especially the new ones. A more recent example of the pioneer spirit was the dot-com industry. It also served as an example by reminding us there are no shortcuts.

Those who have used the Internet to enhance existing channels of distribution have a much better chance of success. Those who tried to change channels of distribution failed, except for a few like Amazon.com, and that is only because they were one of the first and spent hundreds of millions of dollars on radio campaigns. A number of the later entries were banking on their Web sites producing advertising revenue, assuming that intrusive pop-ups, banner ads, etc., combined with all the database information collected, would provide instantaneous advertising success. It didn’t happen, because much like e-mail and fax blasts discussed earlier, the ads are not only intrusive, but annoying. Plus users have conditioned themselves to focus and the content and tune out the advertising message.

The Internet will play a huge role in the marketing of your business, but not as an advertising vehicle. Most of my readers have a website, but it is probably something you have been telling yourself you will get around to upgrading (when you have the time and money) before the competition does.

Yellow Pages advertising for office technology dealers has one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel. Yellow Pages was valuable when prospects didn’t know one dealer or manufacturer from another. Now that the industry is more mature, prospects know the players from their advertising, word of mouth or personal experience. They may still look in the copier section but it is only to find your telephone number, not to judge the viability of your company.
The Internet is where prospect now “let their fingers do the walking” to search for information and vendors. It will not be long before they expect to purchase low-ticket items using the technology at their fingertips. You need to spend time figuring out how to get prospects/customers to your site, then make sure they stay there. It is just like inviting them to your office for an in-house demo or to put your best foot forward and give them the impression that you are a first-class operation that has it entire act together.

Yellow Pages salespeople used to tell smaller dealers that a full-page ad was their chance to out do the “big guys” for an entire year. A classy, informative website can achieve the same result. Do not forget a basic marketing principle that less is more. Just because you are paying someone does not mean you have to cram information all over your home page. The beauty of a website is it is almost limitless in providing information. Make it easy to navigate and use your marketing savvy to attract prospects to certain pages.

Good, effective advertising does not require a brain surgeon or rocket scientist, just good old-fashioned execution. Think of your advertising as the Green Bay Packers of the 1960s. Everyone knew the power sweep was coming, but the Packers’ execution was so good they could not be stopped. Don’t worry about your competitors’ advertising. Just concern yourself with your own execution and they cannot stop you.

by Ian Crockett, President of Orange Label Art + Advertising

One pitfall of writing a marketing column is always trying to come up with the next great marketing idea, then attempting to communicate it to your readers. The reason I say it is pitfall is because there really are no great new marketing ideas. But there sure are plenty of great old marketing ideas and there are a number of businesses that take these old ideas and execute them exceptionally. Business speakers talk about adhering to the basics or rallying behind a “Back-to-Basics” theme. I once played sports for a coach who had learned under John Wooden at UCLA. Wooden’s philosophy was always practicing the basics. He would never scout other teams or put in special plays or defenses for a certain opponent. His opponents needed to practice to play against his team, not the other way around. In fact, like Wooden’s teams, we were never allowed to watch other teams play for fear we would pick up bad habits or concentrate on something that was meaningless.

Therefore, this month, we are going to discuss, the basics of advertising. What media should you be using to promote your business and what should the message be? Do you reach as many prospects and customers as possible or do you reach fewer with a higher frequency? What is a responsible budget?

To answer these questions, I am going to work backwards and discuss budget first. Some businesses do not believe advertising is necessary, but I am going to make the assumption that anyone reading a column on marketing believes in advertising. In many industries, a responsible budget is between two and three percent of projected sales. In other words, if you believe you can do $5 millions in total sales next year, you should budget between $100,000 and $150,000 for advertising. Which end of the budget spectrum is correct for your business depends on several factors. How aggressive are your growth plans? If you are currently at $4 millions and want to get to $5 millions, you should be closer to the three percent number. If you are currently at $4.8 millions and want to get to $5 millions nest year, you should be closer to the two percent figure. You should be closer to three percent if your business is in the first five year of existence or if you are in a large market. If your business is mature or you are in a small market with lower advertising costs, you can get away with a smaller percentage of gross annual sales.

The next basic is around the message and I will keep it brief since volumes have been written about “Big Ideas” or “Unique Selling Propositions.” The key here is to be consistent with your message and keep it simple. Also, tie your message into how to make money. If, for example, you are a copier dealer, you probably do not want to advertise copiers. Everyone sells copiers and most have the same bells and whistles. Dealers make money on the service, so you should advertise how your service or service programs differentiate you. Labels are good for communicating differentiation. Plus, they provide the salespeople something tangible to sell.

Your slogan is another way of communicating with prospects and customers. Do not make it too cute unless cute or clever captures the flavor of your company. In most business-to-business interactions, cute is inappropriate. Your slogan, as with your overall message, needs to reflect the personality of the company. If your environment is starched white shirts and businesslike, humor or corn will not work. If you have a raucous, fun environment, do not make the advertising too serious. In either case, make sure it is polished. Polish equates to the professionalism of an organization.

Reach versus frequency is one of the oldest arguments in marketing. Anyone who has read my articles for any length of time or heard me speak is familiar with my three buildings analogy. If you have three buildings, do you want your salespeople visiting every office in all three buildings once or visiting each office in one building three times? In the office technology industry, the correct answer is the latter, since not too many sales are made based on one call. (If I had a team of Girl Scouts selling cookies, I would answer differently since nobody can refuse the greatest sales force ever established.)

Selecting the correct media can be a challenge because everything sounds so good, especially when there is a gifted salesperson attached to it. And the truth is just about any medium will work if given a chance. Once again, the flip side is also true. Nothing will work if you do not give enough time. Following is a brief review of four advertising options and how to make them work effectively.

Television
There are two versions of commercial television these days, with a third potentially on the way. Broadcast television, which includes affiliates (CBS, NBC, ABC), is primarily a reach medium due to cost. The most favorable programming for my readers is new-related and this is the bread and butter for the local stations. Cost in the Top 50 markets in the United States can go over $1,000 per 30-second spot. You are depending on a huge impact from a few spots and that is very difficult. Cable television rates are a lot more affordable and you can generally cherry pick the good cable systems in your marketing area. The downside is there are no ratings, so you buy programming on hunches. Of course, some of those hunches can be pretty good. If you want men 35 to 54 year of age, buy ESPN, CNN or the Golf Channel. If you want women 25 to 49 years of age, buy Lifetime, USA or the Discovery Channel. The potential for television is around point of purchase. Imagine television sets everywhere you go and not just in Blockbusters and 7-Elevens. Vendors are encouraged to purchase time and create demand while the potential customer is right there in the store. Wal-mart is already involved in this medium in an effort to generate more revenue from its suppliers.

Radio
Radio has always a favorite of mine because you can communicate a very emotional, value-added story and generate frequency very affordably. Although with the government allowing multiple ownership in markets, advertisers are paying the price with large corporations like Clear Channel and Infinity dictating prices. Soon, they will be dictating programming and news content and we all know where that could lead. (I apologize if I digressed into a political agenda).

Billboards
Billboards, like television, can create a larger-than-life image. My belief is it is a great secondary medium. If you are already doing other media correctly, billboards can add to your message. But is is tough to communicate an emotional, value added message with a board. but, like I said earlier, any medium will work if given enough time. If you stay with billboards years after years and have a consistent message, you will be successful.

Print
Business journals, trade magazines and newspapers are targeted at an male demographic. The problem is it is tough to generate frequency because business journals are weekly, trade magazines are monthly and newspapers make so much money from car dealers and department stores that it is very costly to have a consistent presence.

This is a very brief overview. In my next article, I will continue this “Looks at the Basics.” I will discuss direct mail, telemarketing, Internet advertising, Yellow Pages and other non-traditional advertising. In the meantime, make sure that your budget is in line with the parameters, have a message that is consistent and separates you from the pack, and do not get too impatient with how you are spending the dollars. As a former president once said, “Stay the course.”

by Ian Crockett, President of Orange Label Art + Advertising

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ABOUT ORANGE LABEL ART + ADVERTISING

Orange Label Art + Advertising, formerly Hunter Barth Advertising, is one of Orange County’s longest-standing privately held advertising agencies. Founded in 1972, the agency currently represents clients from across the United States, in a broad range of specialties. The agency principals are Wes Phillips, Ian Crockett and Rochelle Reiter. Key differentiators for the company include its ‘Orange Exploration’ approach to fact-finding, powerful ‘View from the Field’ research technique, and ‘The Juice’ different-and-better client branding method. For more information about Orange Label Art + Advertising, visit Orange Label Art + Advertising.com