The subject of “cloud” computing has come up several times in Canyon Communications’ meetings with our B2B clients. Occasionally we get quizzical looks when we mention “cloud” customer relationship management (CRM), human resources (HR) and accounting apps.
So where is this “cloud” and how does all of this work? I recently received a link from SalesForce.com, a cloud-based CRM application. I think this video does a good job of explaining cloud computing, showing how it works and detailing its advantages.
And, by the way, the tagline for SalesForce is, “Success. Not software®.” You’ll find out why it’s a good one when you watch the short video.
Canyon Communications and our sister company, Loop Demand Gen, both use cloud applications. Has your company used these types of programs? What is your experience with them?
Tomorrow, March 6, St. Joseph the Worker, one of the non-profit clients we work with, is having its 12th annual Hike for the Homeless. This ½-, two- or six-mile hike is a great way to get outside and enjoy the fabulous Arizona weather while directly supporting a wonderful local non-profit organization.
While I love supporting non-profits, I also believe that helping these organizations is a great way to increase awareness of your business and build relationships. Doing non-profit work or sponsoring events allows you to connect with other sponsors. And guess what? Each one of those sponsors might have a need for your products or services one day. By doing charity work alongside them and networking with them, they are likely to remember your name when searching for a company to work with or purchase from.
Beyond that, companies enjoy working with other companies that share similar values. Offering your services to non-profit organizations allows you to connect with other companies that value non-profit work as much as you do.
Do you think supporting organizations you’re passionate about can be rewarding in more than one way? And, if you love hiking, I’ll be hiking tomorrow with more than 1,000 other Valley residents to support St. Joseph the Worker. Come join me!
Recently, while flying my favorite airline and reading my favorite in-flight magazine I came across an article in which the chairman/president/CEO shared what he LUVed about his company. As I read, I found many similarities between his sentiments and my own for Canyon, so I was inspired to share the four things I LUV most (and you will too).
LUV is going the extra mile for customers. If you’re not already a client of Canyon, give us a chance to show you our exceptional client service. We pride ourselves on not only providing excellent service but also partnering and getting to know our clients on a personal level. I feel so strongly about this, I’ve previously blogged about it.
LUV is letting bags fly free. While we can’t control your bags, we have special differentiators that separate us from our competition. Find out more here.
LUV is having fun. Having fun is something we’re highly skilled at. Grilled cheese-athons, themed Halloween parties, baseball games and tailgates. How does this benefit our clients? Because when people have fun and truly LUV their jobs, it shows in their work.
These are just four reasons I LUV being a Canyonite. And, since I LUV giving things away, be the first to comment on this post and we’ll make you customized luggage tags for your next trip.
I hear it every day: trade shows are dead; people can’t afford to attend trade shows these days; exhibiting at trade shows is a waste. For the most part, I agree. Attendance at trade shows is down, people are reallocating marketing resources to virtual events, and companies are scaling back trade show sponsorships. However, I think that maximizing your trade show presence can still be an effective tool to reach decision-makers.
I recently attended the Golf Industry Show to support several of our green industry clients. One was launching a new auspicious product into the golf industry, and I think they fully maximized their trade show activities with pre-show communications, print advertisements, giveaways, a microsite, product collateral, a Flash-based demo, media conferences and even a live presenter in the booth. It all paid off in the form of trade media coverage, more than 100 new sales leads, high awareness levels and excitement about the product. I don’t think they could have generated as much interest in the product without the trade show as a focal point.
In addition, there are numerous ancillary benefits of attending trade shows. Sometimes it’s the only time you see industry partners and trade media, plus it’s an opportunity to meet face-to-face with your best customers and continue to cultivate those relationships.
Have you scaled back or eliminated trade shows from your marketing mix? Have you tried virtual trade shows or resorted to ‘unconventional’ trade show tactics such as outboarding?
For many B2B marketers, a lot of emphasis is placed on making the company logo a visual extension of the brand. Consistently applying your logo to all your marketing helps to build visual brand identification, but few marketers think about what characteristics of the brand exist beyond the logo. I’m talking about brand personality and personas.
Many marketers understand what brand personality is, but not many take the time to define a set of personas for the organization, or use them when developing marketing communications strategies. Well-known companies have brand personas that stem from inherent attributes of what their brands have been historically, and what they need to be in order to meet the expectations of their customers. For example, Harley Davidson’s persona is free, independent, rugged, American, laid-back and powerful. Jack In The Box’s persona is uncommon, sarcastic and funny.
Defining brand personas can have many practical uses for your marketing program. Here are few ways brand personas can help your next campaign:
Personas give people a reason to like your brand and products.
They help define your brand as hip, strong, young, cocky or any characteristic that will help you connect with target audiences.
Brand personality contributes to the style and tone of your creative.
Those character attributes can be parlayed into social media marketing by guiding your company’s ‘voice’ on twitter and other social media tools.
What personas exist for your brand? Want some fun tips on how to get started?
