For businesses, churches, and most organizations, the challenge of finding target market people to share your message has always been challenging. In 2009, it’s a problem compounded by the fact that even when you find them, figuring out how to break through the clutter and the noise seems insurmountable. Between websites, blogs, texts, emails, FaceBook, Twitter, radio, TV, and over 200 other social media platforms, organizations are crying out for help…”Where do we even start?”

The good news is, your target audience is crying for help too! They’re not over-communicated, they’re over-messaged, over-noised, over-interrupted, and over-loaded.

Let me help you by comforting you with a premise that won’t steer you wrong, if your organization embraces it, and sticks to it as a foundational measuring stick for “should we buy that ad” or “should we jump on that social media tool.” In fact, it’s comforting to know that this premise has remained constant for about 2000 years, despite shifts in consumer spending, technology, and other 21st century changes. Here it is:

At their core, consumers are people. People want authentic relationships, and they want to connect, and they want to be led (not pushed, not coerced, not managed) towards a vision and a decision that makes their life better. I’ve taught this premise at workshops, as a definition of marketing you won’t find in textbooks at college, but that is reality:

Marketing = building an authentic relationship, connecting with people, and leading them to a decision. Whether it’s a relationship with God, wearing Nike’s, donating to the Red Cross, or watching Barney, the formula doesn’t change…”How can we build an authentic relationship with them, help them feel connected to me, and lead them to a decision and a vision for something better than their current circumstances and surroundings?”

Sounds too simple to be true, I know. It’s so easy to grasp, but so tempting to stray away from.

by Lydia Dishman

Marketing professionals will tell you that building customer loyalty needs to be part of an overall brand strategy. They’ll also tell you that dedication will come more easily to a company who practices what they preach. So when an established advertising/marketing firm puts itself through the little exercise they like to call “re-branding,” it says a lot about their belief in their work.

“This is what we do for our clients,” said Jackson-Dawson Marketing Solutions founder and Chairman Larry Jackson, who quickly added, “The service will remain the same. We are not trying to become something we were not before,” he said.

And with that, President and CEO Darrell Jackson unveiled two poster boards to reveal the new name -Jackson Marketing Group- complete with a new logo, and a companion one for their burgeoning Jackson Motorsports Group at their offices on Wednesday.

Indeed the second largest agency in terms of staff, in all of South Carolina, Jackson Marketing Group (JMG) is sticking with their current business strategy, according to its founder. Citing his prior experience working for with Wilding, a division of Bell-Howell, in Detroit, Jackson said that agency did about 85 percent of their business with Ford Motor Company, a number which “scared him to death.”

So when he partnered with Sam Dawson, their intent was to diversify, not only their client base, but their services as well. This Jackson says, has served them well, especially in the current economic conditions and even with two industries, travel and automotive, in the tank.

Darrell Jackson chimed in to assert, “We’ve stayed strong,” and noted that though there has been a shift from traditional services to web design and events, the privately-held company has had better than expected revenues this year.

With a broad menu of services, JMG has found creative solutions to slashed travel budgets. “We’re seeing a lot more, small, regional meetings and webinars,” said Darrell Jackson. No doubt. Represented as different colored circles on the wheel of their new logo, JMG offers strategic planning, interactive media, advertising, public relations, motorsports, event management, video production, fulfillment, warehousing and call center services.

Currently enjoying this host of integrated services are heavy-hitting clients such as BMW Manufacturing Co., Bloom and Food Lion Grocery Stores, Blue Bird School Buses, Clemson University, Greenville Hospital System, Milliken & Company, Oldcastle Architectural Products, and The Palmetto Bank among others.

At a local coffee shop this morning, I ordered my normal black eye (coffee with 2 shots of espresso), demonstrating the willingness to pay more for added value. The friendly employee punched the order in and said, “Is that it?” Like a compliant child, I said, “yes ma’am.”

Upselling 101: In life, conversations have an unstated “flow” to them. We’re conditioned not to go against the grain, not to rock the boat, not to argue. Ask me if that’s it, and you make it easy to follow the comfortable flow to “yup”. Some retailers train employees to ask, “what else can I get for you today?” Better, but you still asked me to think, identify my problem, and be creative enough to match my need with one of your solutions.

Stick with me…there’s a marketing term called “Mapping”. Companies map a new product based on what customers are used to getting. For instance: We’re launching a new business magazine, we mapped it after those that business people are used to reading. Similar size, paper stock, # pages as widely accepted mags like Inc and Fast Company. Fast Food restaurants do it too: Numbered meals, Packaged as 3-4 products into a simple choice consumers are used to making. 2 windows, 60 seconds.

By nature, Americans eat out because it’s easy, it’s convenient and requires little thinking, so mapping your customer experience with what we expect is a good way to build your revenue model.

Problems come when you allow consumers to decide on the experience by saying “is that it.” Successful retailers make small but intentional adjustments to the expected mapping trail. They ask questions after you buy coffee, like, “Have you tried our scones? Wow, they’re incredible. What’s your favorite flavor? You gotta try a sample of this…see what you think.”

Most restauranteurs & wait staff have all fallen into the lazy, industry-overused default of, “Hey! (corny smile, chuckle)…did you save room for dessert?” Newsflash: Americans are overweight and embarrassed by it. And people don’t “save room”, they order meals that fill them up, for the price they pay! That question is the easiest one for us to maintain our pride and say “nope. I don’t indulge. No thanks.” Loss of sale.

Words are so powerful. How about breaking the mold? Remember, I’m eating out because I’m tired and I want to be treated well. How about, “OK guys, here’s our dessert tray. Instead of you having to decide, pick the 4 you think are your favorites. I’m gonna bring you 4 forks and 4 bite-sizes for you to get a taste of what your missing for tonight or next time! No charge.”

Regardless of your industry, the point is this…different results require breaking the expected flow, doing something different. Product quality & service are  important. But words are the most powerful thing your employees have. Ask yourself when the last time was that you spent time crafting HOW they said things, instead of just WHAT they said. If you’re in retail/restaurants, consider incenting employees for per-ticket increase for a month after a week of training. Digging deeper with your existing customers means long term stability. Give your customers more than 1 reason to come back. Make no mistake…the power of words will take you a lot further than you think.

Action Item for Leaders: Spend an hour this week listening to how your employees interact with customers, and listen for the missed opportunities.

Just watched my congressman on YouTube speak about both the dangers and the opportunities in the marketplace. He made reference to how a 1% change in energy usage would open up a $100 billion market for Greenville’s GE. He presented the opportunity against the backdrop of the danger of foreign oil dependence.

Though his speech had global geopolitical significance, the underlying principle is just as profound for small and medium businesses: everyday we face both danger and opportunity. What we choose to give preeminence to shapes our future.

By giving preeminence to the danger we see in the marketplace, we choose a path shrouded in fear—we fear that sales will dry up, so we react to the perceived danger by reducing or eliminating our marketing investments. (Those of us at the boarders of Generation X might recall the classic Pogo cartoon: “We have meet the enemy and he is us.”) Our response to fear often brings about the very thing we sought to avoid.

By giving preeminence to opportunity, we’ll see more possibilities. We’ll see that other firms are giving preeminence to danger. They’re retreating and entrenching. Like a turtle seeking shelter, they’re withdrawing into the perceived safety of their shell. (To mix a metaphor, when they do, don’t they become sitting ducks?) While others are retreating, there’s an opportunity for you to advance.

You can seize the opportunity to expand your presence in your marketplace. You can get closer to your existing customers, understand them more fully, understand the real problems you’re helping them solve, and they’ll help connect you with more people just like them.

Congressman Inglis spoke about the 1% worth $100 billion. What would an extra 1% increase in new customers per month be worth to you, not today, but when the economy does return?

Today there’s a danger of giving in to “the recession” and missing the opportunity to get more customers. The economy is bad; the opportunities are real. Which one will you give preeminence: danger or opportunity?

C. Dan Joyner shares his philosophies, experiences, and the obstacles he overcame in building his company into a successful billion dollar organization. Mr. Joyner is the president and founder of Prudential C. Dan Joyner Co., REALTORS, the largest real estate company in the Upstate with 12 offices and more than 400 agents.

In a challenging economy where wallets are tighter and people are traveling less, social media applications are a new means for artists to connect with the masses.  As an artist consultant and creative coach, I am advising my clients to spend some time plugged in each day to stay connected with an ever expanding online network. Social media applications can be used as an important marketing tool, but using them the right way can make the difference between wasting large chunks of your time, or actually growing your business.

-Block off some time.
It’s incredibly easy to spend all day on the computer playing, believe me! An important first step in taking charge of your technological advancement is blocking off some time each day to log on and connect, but don’t forget to log out or your creativity could tank.

-Get connected.
This may sound ridiculous, but there are actually artists who haven’t gone beyond sending emails online.  Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, Etsy, StumbleUpon, Technorati, and blog sites open up a wealth of opportunity for targeted, immediate, personal connection with your mailing list, venues, buyers, friends, and family. There are more social media sites than I can list in this article. Explore some of these options and find two or three applications that work best for you.

-Brand yourself.
Your 1” profile image is your first impression. Whether you choose a picture of yourself or a piece of your work, make the most of it and let it say something about who you are.
What can your picture do for you?  Choose your screen name wisely, as well.  Now might be the time to launch a studio name, or to find a catchy screen name that defines you to run consistently throughout your online applications.

-Expand your network.
Your online network should expand way beyond your friends and family.  Artists have an entire online community at their fingertips: other artists, critics, gallery owners, journalists, media, venue owners, event planners, organization directors, retail shops and museum staff. Who is in your circle?

-Post it!
“What are you doing?”  As artists, our lives and craft are tightly tangled, but try to observe a 50/50 rule when posting to your networking sites. 50% business/arts related posts and 50% personal posts.  Your audience needs to connect with you on a personal level, but aside from family and friends, no one really cares that you are drinking coffee or that your mother just called. Think hard and post wisely. Let people know what’s going on in your local art scene, or turn people on to the inspiring musician you just discovered.   Most importantly, status updates are a great way to let people know where to find your work.  Posting a link to your online gallery, Etsy shop or Ebay store gives your network a direct link to your work.

Social Media shouldn’t be scary.  Reach out and connect with people. Expand your network globally and join the revolution that is transforming the way we do business.

Posted by Nichole Livengood, artist consultant and creative coach for Art To Profit. Find out more information at: http://www.arttoprofit.com

There’s a new paradigm developing in the world of marketing. Educators routinely use an expression that fits the emerging paradigm: “We can send a message around the world, but getting it that last quarter inch into the student’s mind is the hardest part.”

In today’s over-messaged (not over-communicated, but that’s for another post) world, people look to other people, people they know and trust, to filter out the noise. Blogger John Bell created a graphic that will give you insight into the components of the Personal Message Shield™.

For your marketing messages to penetrate the personal shield (that last quarter inch into the mind/heart), you’ll need to make them more than “user-friendly.” You’ll need to make them friend-friendly: easy to pass along and worth passing along.

(Want to know where friends are gathering to talk about business? Visit the Business Black Box calendar of events often to make sure you don’t miss the conversation.)

You can get through my personal message shield by connecting with me on Twitter and on Facebook.

It took us several years as a company to analyze what components make up a successful brand and how our natural senses play into that success strategy. After we brandscaped our office (see the first article for explanation), the next task was to tackle the other senses.

We appointed one our associates to the position of First Impressions Coordinator. Her job was to oversee every touch process that a client experienced as they come into our office. She has analyzed every step, from the front door to the back wall, that a client takes when in our office. What do they see? What do they hear? What do they experience? What smells will they associate with our company? What impression will they have when they leave? And, most importantly, what will they tell others about us?

Sound plays a huge part in marketing. Music releases certain chemical reactions in the brain which drives our responses. 

Not many people know this but national companies pay big dollars to sound technicians for their expertise. Studies have concluded that certain music and sounds create responses in the human brain. These studies have shown that slower, more melodic music will cause shoppers to slow their pace through certain areas of the store and allow them to focus on multiple products. Other music such as fast-paced rock or highly evolved cinematic scores will speed the customer towards quick, impulse decisions or fast buys.

Have you ever stopped to analyze the importance of this when you’re at your favorite restaurant? Some restaurants promote more of a social atmosphere with top 40 hits and plenty of noise while others promote a more peaceful atmosphere for fine dining. You’ll notice that restaurants who have no music tend to have a lot less traffic (of course, the food helps!).

The atmosphere of any business goes a long way toward gaining customer approval and what’s called the “return factor” (how people gauge their future interaction with your business). Stop and analyze your own company. Don’t just think about music. Think about what other sounds are being heard. Can your customers hear conversations, phone calls, equipment, etc? It matters. It really does.

Sound sparks conversation. What conversations are you creating? Think about it.

Our 5 natural senses play a vital role in marketing in today’s world. Your emphasis here can make or break your business. Focussing solely on one or a few doesn’t cut it. It takes all 5 to be successful and I’m going to tell you how.

Today, I’m going to deal with SIGHT. 

I remember some time last year walking into the foyer of a potential client’s office for a meeting. (I won’t reveal who the business was but let’s just say that, at the time, they had a very reputable standing in the community.) We pulled into the parking lot, got out of the car and proceeded to what we thought was the front door, a traditional glass storefront with metal framing, fingerprint laced, and locked. Just inside the glass was an old couch covered with a dirty, crinkled yellow sheet. We quickly realized that what we thought was the front door was actually the side door and on the side of the building, tucked in an alleyway, was the “front” door.

We entered into the building into a small, uninviting lobby (if you could call it that!) and was greeted immediately by a plant that teetered on the edge of oblivion, halfway between the undead and the scorching heat of hell itself. Scary. To our left was a cutout window where the receptionist at some point had worked, along with a pile of papers the size of Mt. Everest.

And there it was, the ultimate symbol of all busy office spaces, laying on the precipice of the wooden paneling–the silver bell. With a slap of the wrist, the sound called out to those too busy to notice that the door had just opened…”DING.” Within a few seconds, this large wooden contraption swung open from the far wall and we were greeted by an assistant who told to have a seat, and they would be with us shortly. My business associate and I smiled back at her and nodded.

We turned to inspect a few of the items that were on the small end table behind us while we waited. On it were a few magazines (some recent, some dated a few years back!) and several awards that the company had proudly displayed to show their customers what amazing things they had accomplished. I picked one up to look at the placard and first had to wipe the dust away to even read what it said. (It took a few passes of the finger before I could make it out. Yuck.)

After that wonderful experience, I figured I would give up the pursuit to collect more dirt on my hands for a more noble option of sitting and doing nothing else with my time. I sat back in one of the chairs provided and immediately sank into a deep crevice. Now, by deep crevice I don’t mean the kind of deep crevice that invites us to take a nap on a really comfortable couch. I mean the kind of deep crevice that causes suffocation if you don’t get someone’s help to pull you out quickly. Evidently, these chairs were made prior to the invention of springs. And, to top it all off, looming over us was one of those 12 inch convex mirrored discs that made me feel as if I was at the circus in one of those crazy fun houses with the silly mirrors.

Wow…all of this within the span of about 3 or 4 minutes.

Several years ago, when I began working at my company, the office space was terrible. The people were incredible but the space left much to be desired. The money we spent driving to client meetings (because we were so ashamed of our office!) was incredible. We had to rely solely on our reputation and ability to impress our clients with what we said to make a business deal. Then one day we made the decision that something needed to be done. We took a step back and asked ourselves, “What does our potential client see?”, and, “What does our space communicate about us, our company and our brand?”

We radically changed our office environment (Brandscape) and immediately began reaping the benefits of our decision. Not only were saving a ton of money on gas, but the clients who had been to our office were now walking, talking advertisements for us. It wasn’t so much, “Hey…you gotta check out their office!” as much as it is, “Wow. Those people know what they’re doing! You’ve got to do business with them.”

My point is this–your face-to-face confrontation with your potential customers is rarely ever their first impression of you. It’s sometimes, their last impression. For many business owners, WHAT you do is most important to you, not WHERE you do it. But, where you do your business is of extreme importance to your customers. There were about 30 impressions that influenced me when I visited this office BEFORE I ever shook the client’s hand. And to this day, that God-forsaken plant made more of an impression on me than the client. Before you add more people or services, consider partnering with someone that can analyze your space from a customers perspective and help to establish those impressions of your brand to make your customers a proponent of your business. We call this brandscaping. What your customer sees and experiences with your brand can go a long way towards making them a friend or foe of you and your business. Think about it.