Corporateinklings

Thank You for Caffeinating: campaign converts java junkies

I’m suspicious of folks who give up caffeine (and I happen to work with some). “I was addicted,” they explain.

Yeah. And?

Hi, my name’s Rachel and I’m a caffeine addict. 4 years and counting, thankyouverymuch. You may have spotted me at Kenmore station weekdays at 8am, waiting for the 57 and clutching my steaming travel mug like it’s a rope and I’m Indiana Jones in a pit of snakes. And have you seen the design on my Twitter page?

I’m just one of the many who rely on their daily cup of Joe to prevent them from becoming walking zombies.

With a dedicated market of die-hard customers, it makes perfect sense that java industry giants are battling tooth and nail for the title of Coffee King. And the up-and-coming contender might surprise you: McDonald’s.

While Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts vie for #1, Mickey D’s is putting $100 million into a marketing campaign convincing consumers that the Golden Arches have the best brew in town. And it’s working:
“McDonald's gains ground from rivals with marketing blitz of McCafé brand”

I work in B2B, not B2C – and our clients are innovative tech companies, not retail moguls – but this story is a good reminder of the power of a strong message – over and over. Starbucks and Dunkin need to step up their game, because someone’s betting $100M that coffee-drinkers should get their fix at the same place they buy their Big Macs.

 - Posted by Rachel Round

Bread and Circuses, Redux

 What did the Roman Empire do when it was in decline, to help the people still feel good about being Romans?  They staged massive events that took people’s minds off the reality that they were starving and the Gauls were breathing down their necks.  

Fast forward 2000 years – Michael Jackson dies. Instead of mock naval battles in the Coliseum, we have a media circus.

Don’t get me wrong.  Michael’s death is a sad, sad tale of an immense talent lost, no doubt. But honestly, in the scheme of what’s happening – GM to lay off 4,000 white collar workers by Q4; fall housing prices still dragging down the economy; D&B reports 100,000+ business failures since last year, I have to ask:  does it really deserve front page coverage in the Wall Street Journal and 5 minutes on NPR?

Sure People and ET should wax poetic for the next month about Michael and all he meant to anyone who grew up under his spell….but the WSJ and NPR.  Seriously.

What’s happened to the 4^th estate? The independent voice that’s supposed to keep us all honest and aware of what’s really important?  Not to shine the spotlight on distractions that take our focus off the issues that impact our daily lives, families and communities.  Like debt that’ll choke a horse and unemployment that’s straining resources everywhere.

Lemme know if you hear the circus train, too.

- By Susan Bassett

Experts Don’t Ask Questions – Right?

We’re supposed to solve problems, right? Isn’t that what ‘knowledge-workers’ do?

But here’s the rub:  Every time we think we have to come up with the ‘right’ answer, we miss an enormous opportunity – to ask the right question.  Shoot – any question.  Like ‘what are you trying to accomplish with this?’ Or, ‘What are your customers/colleagues/boss saying about this? Or, ‘Have you thought about____?’

It’s a delusion, self-defeating trap to think that you have the answers.  It’s also incredibly arrogant and a waste of time, because the best thing you can hope for is that you’re right. Big deal. More likely, you set up a one-sided guessing game, and at the same time, expectations that somehow, you’ll do it all yourself. Get it wrong and you’re --- well – wrong.  How good is that?

I’ve found that we have to teach people to ask questions. That it’s OK – actually, essential – to ask questions. To admit you don’t know. To see what the other person thinks. It doesn’t matter who that ‘other’ person is. Sometimes, it’s our clients. Sometimes, it’s a reporter.  Or our own team.

Just assuming you’re right is like shooting darts blindfolded. Something’s bound to go wrong – and the clean-up costs a lot more than the time it takes  to get everyone on the same page.

It’s not easy – especially in a world where e-mails are followed two minutes later  with phone calls that start “did you get my e-mail?” We all know about 'relationships’ that seem more like  credit card transactions – it’s no wonder that  asking someone to stop, and actually talk, can seem out of the question.

So, the next time you find yourself self-censoring, because you think you’ll look stupid, think again. Odds are at least 50-50 that you’ve thought of something they haven’t. Your idea might even be better.

   - Posted by Amy Bermar

Thank You? Who Cares…

Is the thank-you note archaic? Meaningless?

It’s a lousy job market, guaranteed. And the Millennials out there looking for work, as a whole, are terrific, creative, serious, dedicated, worried about achieving, committed to work-life balance, connected to doing-good in this work, suspicious of corporate hype, parentally over-managed, informal, and perhaps impatient.

But for some reason, a lot of them don’t know about thank you notes. Maybe they don’t realize the interview is a sales pitch, and they’re the one selling. Call me old, archaic and meaningless, but I taught my kids (squalling, refusing, rebelling but ultimately relenting) to do them. It’s pretty simple formula, actually: If someone does something for you – let ’em know you noticed.

So here’s my advice. If you’re a candidate – and if you really want to work here – write a note.

It’s called preserving your options.  And even when things seem informal, someone always notices.

   - Posted by Amy Bermar

Converting Social Media Pessimists?

When it comes to selling B2B technology, we’ve heard everyone – including our clients – debate whether social media’s worth the time, effort and ultimately, money.  Many remain on the fence, but those dipping their toes are becoming believers, because they’re seeing industry influencers, customers, prospects and partners become more engaged.

Perhaps some new stats will sway the naysayers?

Granted – the data comes from Google – which clearly has much to gain from moving everyone online, but it’s real data – collected from 500 executives at companies with sales of $1B or higher.

Most interesting:

·         73% of C-suite execs are using the Internet daily

·         64% conduct six or more business-related searches per day

·         20% prefer watching video over reading text – and 1.5 million business searches happen daily on YouTube

Think it’s time to launch that video you’ve been dragging your heels on?

Perhaps not as surprising, Google also surveyed SMBs and found that SMB owners frequently tap social media – with roughly 50% using blogs, wikis, Twitter and other social media sites for business.

The bottom line:  If you’re not already using social media tools to reach your buyers…it’s definitely time.

  - Posted by Corinne Federici

 

Customer Care? US Airways Could Care Less…

Goodbye US Airways! You’ve been dumped – my son is “breaking up” and calling it quits. Here’s what you lost: one customer’s loyalty – and the thousands of dollars that goes with it…                     

It sounds stupid, but like most fights, it began with the small stuff: No online check-in, because someone on your team thought he was a terrorist. (The TSA didn’t agree, but that didn’t matter.) Then, you socked him for $150 to change a ticket and get onto a half-empty flight. Call to complain? Well, he tried. And the poor schnook on the other end of the line knew how to read the script – but not the customer: “Thank you for calling USAirways is there anything else we can help you with today?”

Cue United. More mistakes, like a 4-hour delay. This time, though, there’s an apology – and a real fix: $150 off a next flight. That’s pretty good. But they upped it – with two more options: 20 percent off economy plus for the year, 7,000 bonus miles. Sometimes, what people crave is the illusion of choice.

What did it cost? Not much – especially if the seats are empty anyhow. More interesting to see what United got: A new customer, with loyalty cemented. For now.

- Posted by Nina Gill

Being Switzerland...

Recently, I realized a dream. (OK, so maybe my dreams aren’t all that exciting.)  The thrill: I sat down with the new crop of industry analysts to talk about how they can engage with vendors. Yep, that’s right. They invited me to share insights and tips on how to make the most of relationships with vendors.

 How many times have I talked a client into NOT cancelling their contract because an analyst hasn’t covered them, won’t endorse them, refuses to share e-mail addresses of target end users with them?

I tell them: It takes time; you need to invest in the conversation outside the briefing; you need to listen and occasionally heed their advice, and always tell them when you do.  But this? This was a full 180° shift – now analysts are interested in hearing the other side of the story?  It was as if Obama’s message of empathy broke through in B2B. 

What did I tell them? It’s pretty simple, actually – despite the $35,000 renewals at stake.  Vendors have what you want. You have what they want. And quite honestly, you can both win. Figure out what the vendor – those talking heads who book you every hour on the hour – is motivated by. Be honest about what you can and can’t do. Invite their opinions. Give up something – insight, critique or an opportunity.  Disagree freely, and when you do, but share your reasoning. Take good care of any contacts they share.

Hmmm. Almost word-for-word what I counsel clients. A common ground, found. Will it matter? Who knows.  But finally I can tell my clients that at least one analyst firm is raising up a whole new team of players willing to listen – and that, my friends, is the key to conversations that actually work, and hopefully, pay off.

- By Susan Bassett

Grand Slams in Marketing: Does Your Website Help You Knock It Out of the Park?

While watching baseball at home and creating a website design recommendation for a freelance journalist looking to attract opportunities, my mind wandered for a bit. Suddenly it hit me – websites as marketing tools and baseball have a common theme. The goal for both is to win – whether we’re talking about a new job or a grand slam.   

Think of it this way. You are the batter. Your prospect is the pitcher. Pitchers are cagey and have lots of ways to strike you out (curveball, slider, change-up), they are quick and their action is targeted. Before going up to bat, you need to size up the pitcher. In the case of prospects – know what they want, what they need and how they are likely to react to your presence “at the plate”, i.e. your website.

Here are some tips to improve your performance at every ‘at bat’:

1. Have a clear, customer-centric message:  Your homepage must quickly spell out the business value you deliver.

2. Make contact information highly visible: Prospects deserve a quick and easy way to get more information from you. .

3. Create a call to action:  Engage visitors with a reason/incentive (an offer).

4. Optimize load time:  Flashy graphics and scripts are cool and groovy, but time is money and slow loads turn a prospect off faster than an automated customer service line.

5. Design for all Screen Resolutions and Browsers. Test, test and test again so that your site doesn’t shut any prospect out.  

6. Speed conversion: Landing page design with testimonials and a simple contact information form.

Follow these rules of the game to increase the chances of converting prospects to customers. And as all good baseball players know – practice makes perfect.  

   - Posted by Michael Flint

      Founder, Metropolis Creative

Michael Flint is a professional graphic designer, comic book enthusiast, twitterer, softball coach and beer brewer.  He founded Metropolis Creative in 1999.  Metropolis solves web, graphic brand, marketing and print design solutions . Michael has directed projects that include website design, direct mail, print collateral and branding initiatives for Emerson College, the World Society for the Protection of Animals, Intuit, Equity Office, Holly Cleaners and The Medical Foundation. Michael's speaking engagements include The Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Mass Health Data Consortium, and he's taught print and web design courses at Northeastern University and Bentley College. He has a BFA in Graphic Design from Rochester Institute of Technology and has won numerous graphic design awards.

Will the Real Murderer Please Stand Up?

  Someone is asleep on the copy desk at the NY Times – or maybe they’re looking for a new job. On Tuesday, they ran the courtroom story – and photo – of a bouncer accused of murdering a college student. The photo, which also ran in the Boston Globe, shows two men, both cleaned up, in suits. Both  paying attention. One’s black, one’s white. So who’s the lawyer? Who knows – the Times doesn’t say. It’s as if we should know. Or assume.

But go online, and it’s a different story: the caption has links, and identities are suddenly clear. So maybe the editors get a hall pass on this one. But there were still 1 million dead-wood readers left to draw their own conclusions.

   - Posted by Amy Bermar

CEO: Cooking Skills Required

“All of this authority is packed into a diminutive woman with large glasses who does not drive, type or cook…”

That’s what the NY Times had to say about Margaret Chan, the director general of the World Health Organization – who happens to be the single-most-powerful person charged with combating health epidemics. It did acknowledge that she may be among the most qualified people in the world to lead the global response to the threat of a pandemic flu.

Even if she can’t cook.

Ugh. The 1970s may have been fat and happy for newspapers, but they are over.  When pubs are this out of touch – maybe they deserve to be replaced.

   - Posted by Amy Bermar