By Nancy Landl
February 25th, 2010
How many objects do you have on your desk right now that are promo items with your company’s or another company’s brand? Within sight, I have a Post-it® holder, pen, calendar, notebook, calculator and foam finger (don’t ask).
My conclusion is that promo items actually get used and they perform as daily reminders of your company, product or service—but only if they’re useful to the recipient. So here are four ways to get your item in front of your customers daily:
- Choose something that relates to what you do. Put simply; if you’re a CPA, give a calculator—but try to find one that is unique.
- Select an item that they’ll use, even if it costs a little more—ditch the stress ball in favor of Post-it notes.
- Keep in mind that “brand” matters. Don’t give a fake Leatherman® because it costs less. You’re a first-class company, so go first class with your promotional gifts.
- Try to find an item that’s new and different and be the first to give your customers one. Example: This WD-40 pen. It’s bound to get you the right kind of attention and you’ll be remembered each time it’s used (which will be often).
What items have you given customers that were especially well-received? What items have you received that you use on a daily basis?
By Emily Butler
February 23rd, 2010
Today, I discovered Pro PR Tips, a blog written by CNET’s WebWare writer Rafe Needleman. The blog sparked his book published a few months ago called Pro PR Tips: Public Relations Advice from a Jaded Journalist that I’ll be getting a copy of this week.
Needleman posted 100 tips in 100 days and now updates when events warrant them (translation: when a PR pro does something stupid, Needleman will post about it).
Today’s “Tip #138: If I want trapeze artists, I’ll go to the circus” served as a great reminder and made me chuckle a bit. I mean, who hasn’t been in a planning meeting when something ridiculous that has nothing to do with what the media really want is forced into fruition.
My takeaway: you don’t have to spend a lot of money on fanfare to garner media interest in your announcement. More b2b PR folks need to keep this in mind when you’re planning your next press conference. In today’s economy, your PR budget is better spent somewhere other than the flying circus.
So, I’m hooked on Pro PR Tips. I was sucked into reading about half of the tips Needleman posted. Some of the tips are kind of elementary, if you’ve been in the PR biz for a while, but they’re still worthwhile reminders. If you have a few minutes, an interest in PR and want to laugh, check it out.
By Nancy Landl
February 18th, 2010
So, tell me which word—“we” or “you”—makes a stronger statement in B2B advertising, web copy or direct mail? That’s right; “you” is the best approach for drawing your customers to your message. That’s who is being addressed and that’s who will ultimately buy your product. So, give all your headlines and copy the “you” treatment for maximum effectiveness.
A few strong “you” headlines:
IBM: “What if your supply chain saw what you needed before you did?” Two “yous” and a “your” in a question.
Panasonic Toughbook: “In your world, your computer should be your fortress.” Packs three “yours” in a short, punchy headline.
Scottrade: “No one has more vested interest in you, than you.” Two “you” references in an intriguing statement.
Compare those with these national advertisers’ much weaker “we” statements:
“We turn business problems into wireless solutions.” Huh? What’s in it for me?
“We speak car. And apparently quite well.” If you’re trying to impress me…
Do you have any great “you” headlines to share?
By Adam Garcia
February 17th, 2010
In design there is always a risk in deciding what imagery to use in your advertising. I stumbled upon this flickr page that poses the question, “what if we went in another direction?” The site showcases a wide range of “re-worked” movie posters from the past.
Coming from an art background, it was like a breath of fresh air to see a more risky approach that still holds true to the content but that is presented in a new and fresh way. I feel that B2B advertising can gain from this theory as well. Instead of always sticking to what others do, why not push the envelope and do what no one else is doing? Get that creative edge and really stand out.
What do you think? Is breaking apart from the pack too risky? What other examples really stand out to you?
By Emily Butler
February 16th, 2010
This weekend, I visited my parents in Vegas. While my daughter was entertained by Grandma and Grandpa, I settled in to a routine that I’d long forgotten—I read an actual hard copy of the Wall Street Journal. With newsprint dotting my fingers, I read cover to cover.
I usually get my news online and it just isn’t the same. When I got to the Opinion section and this article by Bill Wyman, “What Newspapers Can Learn From Craigslist,” I couldn’t help but think there was some cosmic alignment at this particular moment.
Wyman opines that newspapers need to put readers first and get rid of the unwanted navigation elements, like multiple links to different sections of the site. Instead, newspapers should take a page from Craigslist, which has been criticized for its simplicity. Craigslist gives users exactly what they want and puts very little on the site that isn’t useful to them.
I think Wyman’s right. It’s high-time newspapers think about online readers and what we want. I’d be thrilled to get to the editorial without the other garbage crowding my screen.
All marketers could really do a better job of this. Sometimes, we’re too caught up on what we want to put on the page, rather than what the user wants or needs from it.
Maybe I’m wrong. Could newspapers be making the online experience so miserable that we‘re driven to pick up a hard copy? After all, I flipped through my parents’ copy of the WSJ over a cup of Verona this weekend, and today I’m a returned subscriber.
