Posts Tagged Orange Label Art + Advertising
Equipping Your Sales Team to Drive Growth During a Tough Economy
Posted by Web Admin in News, OLAA Team Member, Sales Marketing on November 1st, 2011
11.01.2011 | Rochelle Reiter and Wes Phillips, Agency Principals, Orange Label Art + Advertising. Article originally featured in the November issue of Smart Business, Orange County.
There’s an old saying that nothing can happen until a sale is made. Certainly sales is not the only area of business that needs to be addressed while working toward building profits, but because of the urgency of today’s economic times, sales are top of mind for CEOs everywhere.
“If you’re trying to make an immediate impact in your company and build momentum toward growth, sales is a perfect place to begin,” says Wes Phillips, Orange Label Art + Advertising.
Smart Business asked Phillips and Rochelle Reiter, agency principals at Orange Label Art + Advertising, to clarify who is responsible for what when a company’s sales are on the line, and how those roles can best prepare their organization for success.
What are the CEO’s responsibilities in regard to sales?
The CEO has a responsibility to 1) drive profit and build value as it relates to the sales function – to ensure the right team is in place and supply support so there can be strong sales at higher margins; 2) ensure that the existing customer base is immune to the activities of competitors; 3) put systems in place for managing ongoing sales to the existing base; and 4) create a selling environment that combats commodity selling.
The first and fourth areas are the places where CEOs can make a difference right now.
How can a CEO evaluate and maximize the sales team’s activities?
The quickest way is to go on a sales call and let the salesperson do all the talking. Listen to what they are saying not only from a content standpoint, but also in terms of delivery. Is he or she confident? How are objections addressed? Spend a full day or week in the field to get a sense of what is going on in the market and what the reps are doing and how it’s resonating, and then go back and retool or refine the script. You may even identify things about the product itself that need improvement.
When you return to the office, consider what is ‘working’ in the field. Define what ‘working’ means, and then create SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely) goals with and for the team. Put the goals in place and measure them on an ongoing basis. Even if the salespeople are engaged, there may be a gap between what they are achieving and what the objectives are. So be sure the goals are clear and that you’ve communicated them to the entire team.
How can the CEO ensure that the sales team is equipped with the most effective tools and materials?
The first step is to ask them what they need. It might be more traditional tools such as brochures or one-page fliers. Or it might be digital tools, such as e-newsletters — anything that can promote constant contact with customers and prospects. They might need a better database to draw from and for following up with prospect. Maybe they need to be better backed with a solid brand identity, better sales support, or advertising and marketing.
When asked what they need, salespeople will almost always say ‘lower prices.’ That is to be expected, but it’s rarely the thing to be managed first. Keep the focus on what you can do to keep leads warm and how you can equip the team to make contact last longer.
What is the role of the VP of sales or head of the sales department?
It’s up to the CEO to give accountability standards to the VP of sales, who is then responsible for developing the tactics. This person collaborates with salespeople and monitors their activity; identifies and addresses any performance gaps; ensures that salespeople are matched up with the appropriate accounts; ensures the efficiency of the farming cycle and works to improve it; works to increase the number of leads within the existing budget and the number of conversions; identifies purchase and buying trends in the market; and consistently interviews for new salespeople to ensure that the pipeline of talent is never empty.
The VP of sales is also responsible for training, recognition, and keeping the team motivated and productive. He or she should create an environment that is encouraging and that defines and rewards success.
What is the best way to shift the culture toward cultivating sales or new business?
Share new business with the entire team. Celebrate successes. Recognize areas for improvement. Hold brainstorming sessions across departments and ask for ideas to generate sales. Develop incentive programs — not just for salespeople, but for all employees. Make sure the team is generating new sales from the existing base and that your customers know everything you offer. Look at the systems in place in every department and identify ways to streamline them so they don’t get in the way of making sales.
Make it easy to buy from you. The net result will be happier, more loyal customers and your salespeople will have more time to sell.
Thriving Brand Leaders Spotlight
Posted by Web Admin in OLAA Team Member, Thriving Brand Leaders on October 25th, 2011
Orange Label Art + Advertising is comprised of an integrated team of THRIVING BRAND LEADERS. Each and every team member embodies specific expertise in the advertising world, in conjunction with the ability to comprehensively understand the goals and objectives of each client…
Thriving Brand Leaders Spotlight:
Alyse Vultee, OLAA Integrated Advertising Supervisor
While studying at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Alyse followed her passion for creativity and majored in Graphic Communication. Little did she know how relevant and meaningful her comprehensive “Learn by Doing” studies of advertising, business, design and print management would play into her role at Orange Label. As an Integrated Advertising Supervisor and Thriving Brand Leader, Alyse ensures that each client’s brand and strategic messaging is present and consistent in all advertising and marketing efforts… in a meaningful and result-oriented manner. With a wide-range of responsibilities, each and every day is different, and it is this multi-facetted and diverse activity that keeps Alyse motivated and excited.
Outside of the daily duties, what Alyse loves most about advertising and branding, is that it’s anywhere and everywhere. Not only is this inspiring, it is also extremely motivating and reminds Alyse to think “outside the box.”
“Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.” ~ Albert Einstein
WIIFM Of The Month: Are You Scaring Off Your Customers?
Posted by Web Admin in Newsletter, Sales Marketing on October 25th, 2011
You don’t have to be dressed in scary costumes to frighten your customers. Your sales marketing practices may be doing it for you! Find out if you’re sending your customers running the opposite direction…
Is there a ghost on the end of your customer service line? When your customers call are they able to quickly reach the intended contact or are they faced with continuous ringing, a ghost on the other end of the line? If using an advanced phone system, is it user-friendly or a maze of automated options? The bottom line is, if it’s difficult for your customers to reach you, it may be the death of your relationship. Make it easy on them and eliminate the hassle.
Trick or Treat – How does your customer feel after opening the door? Do your customers consider it a treat to work with you? Or, are they feeling duped by your product or service? Not sure? How about asking them. One of the most effective methods of determining how your customers view their experience with your company, product or service is to request their opinion first hand. You may be spooked by the feedback you gain, but remember to listen and make adjustments accordingly.
Is your call-to-action as sweet as a pillowcase of Halloween candy? Is your call-to-action sweet enough to entice your customers and initiate action? Your advertising and marketing message must be compelling and relevant or it may go unnoticed. How will you know whether your message is sweet enough? Tracking the response of all initiatives will determine the effectiveness of your message. If the response is lacking, it is important to revisit the message and adjust it to ensure that it is relevant and resonates with customers.
Are your marketing materials covered in cobwebs? When was the last time you refreshed your marketing materials? Has it been so long that they’re gathering cobwebs? To be considered relevant by your customers, its best to look the part. It’s important that your sales team is equipped with the proper tools, digital and collateral, to aid in the sales process. Often times sales tools lack the TLC they deserve; however, it is important to remember that they play an important role in your sales marketing efforts.
Monthly Favs- Regular French Fries vs. Sweet Potato Fries
Posted by Web Admin in Newsletter on August 31st, 2011
We love fries. It’s hard not to. We were recently faced with the following question: Which do you like better, regular french fries or sweet potato fries?
Here at Orange Label the vote was close, but by majority rule we determined a winner. We challenge you to ask the question to yourself.
Let us know what you think here on our blog or on our Facebook page. We can’t wait to hear your fav!
Thriving Brand Leaders Spotlight
Posted by Web Admin in Advertising, Design, Newsletter, OLAA Team Member, Thriving Brand Leaders on August 31st, 2011
Orange Label Art + Advertising is comprised of an integrated team of THRIVING BRAND LEADERS. Each and every team member embodies specific expertise in the advertising world, in conjunction with the ability to comprehensively understand the goals and objectives of each client.
Thriving Brand Leaders Spotlight: Sheri Audette, OLAA Graphic Designer
Sheri Audette grew up in the frozen tundra, Alaska. Finding her passion for design at a young age in painting, fashion and interior design from her mother—design was without a doubt the direction she would pursue. Sheri attended the Art Institute of Seattle, studying Visual Communications with a focus in Advertising + Graphic Design. Today she deeply involves herself in latest technology and design, staying well-versed in trends, style and the accelerated motion of subcultures.
Over the course of Sheri’s’ design career she has excelled in a variety of disciplines, including brand identity, brand strategy, print and web design, for an array of industries. Her work has been recognized by publications and industry organizations nationwide. Sheri loves the problem-solving aspect of design. Being able to understand and visualize what makes great design—as much as the heart + soul behind it.
Outside of work you can find Sheri juggling her many passions of collecting fonts, cooking, painting, exploring new places, dumpster diving for old wood and playing at the dog beach with her daughter and their Australian Shepherd, Marley.
“Everything we see, touch, hear, smell & taste is designed.
Design rules the world—bad design destroys it.”
Is Facebook Advertising Right For You?
Posted by Web Admin in Advertising, Media, Online, Social Networking on August 31st, 2011
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…
- 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.
- 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.
OLAA Grows with New Design Talent
Posted by Web Admin in Design, New Business, News, Press Releases on August 24th, 2011
Orange Label Art + Advertising has recently grown their integrated advertising creative team to support recent account acquisitions. In addition to its already eclectic talent pool, Orange Label welcomes Sheri Audette, Graphic Designer.
Sheri Audette, graduate of the Art Institute of Seattle, where she studied Visual Communications with a focus in Advertising and Graphic Design, has joined Orange Label’s creative department. With previous agency and freelance design experience, Sheri is well-versed in a variety of disciplines including brand identity, brand strategy, print design and web design for an array of industries—her work has been recognized by publications & industry organizations, nationwide. Sheri brings a diverse perspective to the team and thrives in the problem-solving aspect of design—being able to understand and visualize what makes great design—as much as the heart and soul behind it.
“We are thrilled to have added our newest member Sheri Audette to the OLAA team. As a Senior Graphic Designer, Sheri has exceptional design sense and is skilled in everything from typography to illustration. Sheri has an eye for timeless art and is constantly looking at the right stuff. Well seasoned in advertising and marketing, Sheri brings a wealth of experience and resourcefulness to the Orange Label team,” stated Cade Garrett, Art Director.
Since announcing the new Orange Label Art + Advertising (OLAA) brand in March of 2007, Orange Label has experienced remarkable growth in the Orange County advertising community. This growth has resulted in the addition of several new clients and new extensions of client activity, including several re-brand launches, ample ad campaigns and an increase in digital initiatives.
Business Events That Make a Splash!
Posted by Web Admin in Events, Marketing Strategy, Media, Newsletter, Social Networking on August 12th, 2011
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.
Mobile Gets Results for Recovery Now
Posted by Rochelle Reiter in Branding, Marketing Strategy, Media, Mobile, News, Search Engine Marketing, Videos on July 15th, 2011
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.
OLAA February Client Spotlight
Posted by Web Admin in Branding, Newsletter on February 16th, 2011
Applied Imaging Thrives with New Services
In today’s rapidly changing economy where budgets often get pinched and industries demand change, finding a business that can adapt to those changes, has the capacity to expand, and still provide superior service to their customers is uncommon. Applied Imaging, Orange Label client since 2005, has had the opportunity to thrive during this tough economy as well as offer new services that enhance their superior product offerings.
Applied Imaging is an Office Technology dealer that provides Managed Print Services and Document Management located in Grand Rapids Michigan. Early in 2011, Applied Imaging will be officially launching the addition of a Managed IT Services division. In addition to their new services, Applied will also be expanding from the Western Michigan region into Detroit by the end of 2011. Their growth will be accompanied by the addition of a new and dynamic website, a landing page strategy, print marketing sales materials and a aggressive radio campaign. Orange Label Art + Advertising has strategically helped create all of the marketing initiatives to ensure the marketing messages are powerfully integrated.
