BrandMuscle Rss www.brandmuscle.com Company Blog Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:52:13 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The Proliferation of Digital Media Creates Unique Challenges and Opportunities for Local Marketing http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=808 Three particular trends we see dominating marketing communications today: 1. Large, national advertising campaigns are being replaced by activities that are locally focused This trend is being driven by media fragmentation and an increase in consumers who want to connect one-on-one with brands and support businesses that will boost their own local economies. 2. Significant shift in spending from traditional forms of media to digital Local businesses are embracing email and other forms of online marketing (microsites and landing pages, paid search, banner advertising, and now SMS) because they deliver a relatively low-cost way to reach consumers quickly via smartphones and mobile devices. 3. Considerable shift from mass production of marketing materials to advertising on-demand Economic challenges have forced marketers to re-analyze expenditures to ensure every dollar invested is generating the best possible return. While long-run printing still has valid applications, many have found that recent advancements in digital printing is allowing for cost-effective production of more personalized and effective pieces while reducing the cost and waste associated with warehousing materials that quickly become outdated. Digital media further accelerates the shift to personalized one-to-one communications. Web-based local marketing automation solutions like BrandMuscle’s make it possible for corporate marketers to support brand-compliant local customization and deployment of marketing campaigns by local affiliates to address geographic, demographic and local competitive considerations. From customizing a print ad to delivering an email containing a link to a personalized landing page, BrandMuscle’s solution provides a cost-effective way for marketers to ensure global brand compliance, improve operational efficiency, and increase speed-to-market. While having the right technology in place is critical to executing local marketing in a decentralized environment, it’s equally important to provide ongoing professional support to ensure local affiliates adopt and use the solution vigorously. While ease of use remains a key consideration, BrandMuscle also provides tactical and strategic local marketing support to both the corporate marketer and local affiliate to achieve optimal ROI. A key challenge many local affiliates face is understanding what types of advertising or campaigns will work best for their businesses and limited budgets. BrandMuscle addresses this by providing an option for local affiliates to work one-on-one with local media planning and buying specialists who can make recommendations and execute more strategic buys that will generate favorable returns. As Donovan Neale-May, Executive Director of the CMO Council notes, “Localization is the name of the game for national brands with significant field, channel or network marketing organizations.” With today’s consumer driving the conversation, marketers are forced to rethink their messaging and how it’s delivered to increase relevancy and speed-to-market. Local marketing automation platforms deliver a way for brands to centralize the origination of localized content while providing significant cost savings, global brand compliance and increased participation, interest and enthusiasm by the field to drive channel, and field sales performance. As new forms of media emerge and are tested with favorable results by corporate marketing organizations, it becomes even more critical to leverage technology that allows the brand to quickly scale high-performing tactics across sales channels to secure a competitive advantage. Click here to download the full report from the CMO council.]]> 2012-01-16 18:19:58 What's in Store for Google+ in 2012? http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=806 BrightEdge Technology, over three-quarters of the nation’s Top 100 brands have created a Google+ page as of December 19, 2011. This is a 16 percent increase from a month ago, when only 61 percent were using Google+. In today’s market, there is a lot of grey area in determining how important it is for a business to have a Google+ page, or how to gauge the success of your Facebook page. The way that B2C and B2B companies use social media is very different. So how do you measure the impact that these outlets have on your business? As an early adopter of Google+, we see the value of using this channel as a way to engage with our customers, our end-users, our employees and our prospects through different ways. Being able to have different circles allows us to interact with our groups regarding topics and discussions that are important to them. Not to mention that Google + optimizes your SEO. Google uses the content posted on your Google + page to run algorithms that determine where you fall in Google’s search results. To optimize your page and make sure you that you receive the traffic you’re looking for, there are several things that you can do.
  • Keywords – use specific keywords in your profile that will trigger you to appear in common search results
  • Include links – links to your website or reputable outside sources can all increase your optimization
  • Add photos – the more content you can post, the better
  • Add and share comments – detailed and relevant content helps you boost your search score. Google wants to feature businesses that post new, relevant and interesting content that features a lot of interaction including other’s comments and shared posts
  • Make time – Making sure your Google + page is fully optimized will take time. As more people begin to use this channel, your results will be sure to beat your competition
Have you already created a Google+ page, either for yourself or for your business? Tell us about your experience and where you think the future of social media is headed!]]> 2011-12-29 12:06:03 Decoding the Code: Maximizing the Benefits of QR Codes http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=801 3 different scanners. Not every QR Code generator follows the same requirements or development standard. If your code does not work on some scanners, there are a number of free QR code generators that are compatible with different formats. 3. Keep it Simple Send your user directly to the site that you want them to reach without any additional clicking. They won’t know where to go if you don’t take them there directly. Additionally, the site that the code links to should be mobile friendly. Most people will scan the QR code using a smartphone. Websites that are not mobile friendly are difficult to read and even might throw errors. 4. Use the Right Media Type Codes placed on materials like billboards do not typically give the customer enough time to scan it since they are quickly driving by. Not to mention, this can be a dangerous situation. Recognize what obstacles the user might face when deciding on where to place a QR code. For example, QR codes placed on subways can reach a lot of people but when the train is underground, there might not be a telephone or wireless signal available, defeating the purpose of the ad. 5. Integrate Your QR Code in Your Marketing Campaign Use your QR code across media channels to establish consistency and brand awareness. In standard advertising, we know seeing a message multiple times resonates more with a customer than only seeing it once. Do the same with your QR Codes. 6. Create a Custom Design Only If Needed Custom created QR codes grab the user’s attention and builds curiosity about what they are scanning. Codes can have different colors or have a small image placed in them. While there can be a small margin of error in the design that will still allow the code to work, it can be tricky to create a custom design. Really, custom designs should only be used if the campaign really needs that little something extra. For most campaigns, regular codes will do just fine. 7. Find Out Any Limitations with Your Link Some QR code generators create codes that will expire after a given time period. Finding out if there is an expiration date is important in case you will be using the code for a long-term campaign. Also, make sure that the link will not be changing after a given period. You certainly do not want to advertise a QR code that won’t work. 8. Create a Code Based on Appropriate Size QR codes can be created in different sizes depending on the material type that it will be used on. Since QR codes are built on a series of modules – the tiny dots you see – the larger the QR code, the more modules generated. Best practice is to create a smaller code upfront if it will be used in a smaller space. Shrinking a large QR code down could make it more difficult for a scanner to read. If you are using a QR code on multiple documents for one campaign, you will still want to create separate codes for each material. This way, they all link to the same campaign but you can identify which media types were most popular. See our next tip! 9. Measure Your Results Creating and using your QR code are just the first steps. Measuring how well your QR code campaign worked is necessary to understand how effective it was and to help in strategic planning of future campaigns. If you use a QR code on multiple mediums, you can identify which material provided the best results so you can spend your dollars focused on those outlets rather than ones that didn’t work as well. There are a number of websites that provide free QR code tracking so you can monitor your hits throughout your campaign. Some sites even output the QR code and tracking URL at the same time. 10. Use Social Media to Your Advantage Using QR codes to link to your Facebook or Twitter page make it easy for your customers or fans to leave comments, “like” your posts and see what other customers are saying. Every organization wants recommendations direct from their consumers – why not make it as easy as possible for your users to access these pages and give you free publicity. Bonus Tip! Get creative. QR codes can be used in a variety of ways, as long as there is a purpose behind it. Check out these links below to start getting creative ideas of how YOU can use QR codes in your business. And, be sure to let us know what creative ways you are using your QR codes! http://mashable.com/2011/11/10/j-c-penney-qr-codes/ http://mashable.com/2011/04/26/qr-code-resume/ http://mashable.com/2010/07/12/social-media-business-cards/]]> 2011-12-13 17:59:42 Growth in Local Digital Ad Revenue to Reach $37.9 Billion by 2015 http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=792 ClickZ and Mashable found that local digital ad sales are projected to increase by 62 percent by 2015: that’s total revenue of $37.9 billion from digital alone! Further, local ad revenues from digital media will increase by 35.4 percent and social media spending will reach $8.3 billion. How will you be using your local marketing dollars in 2012 and beyond? The increase in digital spend is being seen across both small, local businesses and larger organizations with distributed networks across the country. For the small dealer, digital is a low cost alternative to expensive media buys. Want to create your own social network and gain fans? Create a free Facebook page or start a Twitter account in just a few clicks. There is virtually no cost to using these tools but the return that can be generated by being accessible, providing updated information that customers want (or might not even know that they want) creates a digital world of endless possibilities. With unstable economic conditions still an issue today, marketers are taking a more targeted approach to how marketing dollars are being used. Understanding how best to reach your audience and doing it through channels that work for them can give you the results you’re looking for. BrandMuscle’s BrandBuilderDigital® platform creates a streamlined marketing automation system for organizations with distributed networks of dealers, franchisees, agents and sales reps. From creating a flash banner to building a custom landing page or microsite, BrandBuilderDigital® provides a comprehensive solution to maintain brand guidelines and global brand compliance while giving local providers the flexibility they need to run their business. The anticipated growth that the industry will see with digital media means that it’s going to become more competitive and companies will need to be even more creative in how they reach customers. Check out BrandMuscle’s suite of local products here!]]> 2011-11-18 17:45:52 New Report Gives Insight into Marketing for the Future http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=785 Bringing 20/20 Foresight to Marketing,” highlights tactics that some of the country’s most innovative marketers use to remain at the forefront of the industry. One of the biggest challenges facing today’s marketer is the overwhelming number of channels available for communication. In addition to television, print and radio, there is now social media, SMS messaging, location-based services like FourSquare and flash sales sites like Groupon. According to 78 percent of the marketers surveyed, there is greater scrutiny today than there was a year ago on figuring out which channels are getting results and which aren’t. Today, marketers don’t just need to know about the latest tools, they need to know how each tool can deliver a message that speaks to the consumer while fitting into the company’s overall marketing goal. To keep up with all of today’s channels, marketing leaders are drawing from a larger pool of data than ever before. According to the report, the best marketers inform their decisions by analyzing everything from online behavior like search, social media and mobile use to offline behavior like in-store decisions, customer service feedback and historical data. These marketing leaders don’t wait for a year of data to pile up; they make decisions in real time. According to the study, only 9 percent of respondents tracked and adjusted their campaigns in real time. Among companies that classified their marketing as “world class,” however, 27 percent tracked performance in real time and 39 percent adjusted campaigns based on real-time data. Staying competitive in this rapidly changing marketing environment requires strategic planning and investment in tools that successfully deliver your message to the right audience through the right channels. For companies with a strong network of retailers, agents, dealers, distributors, etc., the biggest challenge is making sure that your local marketing adheres to corporate standards while maintaining marketing’s best practices. BrandMuscle makes it very simple and easy for your marketers and sales force on the local level to automate tasks like ad customization to keep your brand consistent across channels, while allowing for sophisticated analysis. Through BrandMuscle, marketers can create, measure and adjust advertising on a local level in real time, creating a powerful one-to-one personalized message. Your messages can quickly be updated through both print and digital platforms, making sure your customers are up-to-date on product changes and new offers. BrandMucle’s suite of marketing software helps you to identify and target the right advertising tactics to ultimately increase your sales and further drive your business. Learn more by requesting a customized product demo.]]> 2011-10-19 14:49:28 BrandMuscle, Inc. Wins Award for Making Digital Marketing More Accessible to Dealers, Franchisees and Sales Agents http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=778 Company Named ExactTarget’s “Embedded Partner of the Year” at “Connections ’11, the World’s Largest Gathering of Interactive Marketers”  Cleveland, Ohio (September 30, 2011) – ExactTarget, a leading global provider of on-demand email marketing and interactive marketing solutions, recently presented BrandMuscle its “2011 Embedded Partner of the Year” award at the company’s annual user conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. The award recognizes BrandMuscle’s innovation in digital marketing and in creating a seamless brand experience for companies that rely on a decentralized network of dealers, franchisees and sales agents to deliver relevant marketing and advertising to local markets on behalf of their company’s brands.  Using BrandMuscle’s web-based BrandBuilder® software, corporate marketers enable local dealers, franchisees and sales agents to create and deliver brand compliant, corporate-approved, advertising and one-to-one communications using standardized templates. As an ExactTarget Embedded Partner, BrandMuscle has layered the robust delivery, hosting and analytics features of ExactTarget’s platform for email, landing pages, microsites and SMS text messaging into the BrandBuilder® product. This integration is transparent to users of the BrandBuilder® product and allows BrandMuscle to deliver a unified, consistent and exceptionally user-friendly interface for the customization of all media types.  “Corporate marketers are capitalizing on the benefits of interactive marketing channels from a national and international standpoint. Our integration with ExactTarget makes it possible for them to scale top performing digital media campaigns across their decentralized sales and marketing organizations, right down to the local level,” states Clarke Smith, BrandMuscle’s Vice President of Product Development, Sales & Marketing.  “With a few clicks of the mouse, a franchisee, dealer or sales agent can create his or her own email campaign or microsite without worrying about misrepresenting the corporate brand because we’ve limited their customization capabilities to include only options that corporate marketing has pre-approved. We’re also able to give corporate marketers insight into what’s occurring at the local level, something they would have little control over otherwise.”  Within one week of launching BrandMuscle’s microsites solution for one of the nation’s largest providers of wireless voice, messaging and data services, the company’s sales agents created more than 400 customized microsites to deliver customized, up-to-the-minute rate plan and discount information to employees of some of the largest corporations in the U.S. The program has delivered a steady stream of new activations and exceeded the company’s annual goal for number of microsites created.  “We were thrilled with the instant adoption by our client’s sales agents,” states Philip Alexander, BrandMuscle President & CEO. “It validates ease-of-use and more importantly, the impact our product has on driving sales.” Learn more about BrandMuscle and its suite of local marketing customization software and services by visiting http://www.BrandMuscle.com or by calling the company at (866) 464-4342.  About BrandMuscle BrandMuscle is a leading provider of web-based local marketing Software as a Service (SaaS) and unparalleled end-user support for companies with decentralized sales and marketing channels. Using the company’s proprietary, Adobe InDesign-based software BrandBuilder®, marketers can empower field-level customization and execution of personalized advertising and marketing campaigns to optimize their local sales and marketing performance. Founded in 2000, BrandMuscle is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio with a regional service office in Los Angeles, California. BrandMuscle clients include many of the nation’s most recognizable brands including Allstate Insurance, Chase Bank, BMW of North America LLC, DIRECTV, Hunter Douglas and T-Mobile.  About ExactTarget ExactTarget is a leading global provider of on-demand email marketing and interactive marketing solutions. Supported by collaborative global services teams, ExactTarget’s technology integrates with more sales and marketing information systems than any other in the industry. ExactTarget powers permission-based multichannel communications for thousands of organizations around the world including Expedia.com, Best Buy, Papa John’s, CareerBuilder.com, Gannett Co., Inc., The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, The Home Depot and Wellpoint, Inc. For more information, visit www.exacttarget.com.  Media Contact: Lori M. Alba Director of Marketing (216) 454-2047 lalba@BrandMuscle.com]]> 2011-09-30 10:52:51 6 Easy Ways to Increase Adoption of Your Online Local Marketing Tool http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=766 Implementing an online local marketing automation solution that enables your field organization to customize ads and marketing collateral in a few clicks is major achievement in maximizing your marketing ROI. Here are a few simple ways you can ensure the technology you've implemented is adopted and used passionately by your field organization. 1. Keep Your Creative Fresh Continually adding new creative onto the site keeps visits to your online marketing tool exciting for your users. If you plan to launch a new national campaign, notify your account executive at BrandMuscle to work with you to make new materials available for local customization. Don’t forget to share information about national campaigns (print, radio or TV) with your local users so they can enjoy the lift by complementing what you’re doing in their local markets! 2. Give Users Plenty of Options In the world of local marketing, one size does not fit all. Offer a variety of media types and sizes for your users to select from. With a wide variety of options available, local users will more inclined to visit your online marketing tool each time they need materials. Users should have the ability to access templates for ads that come in a variety of media types, shapes and orientations that fit their budgets. If they don’t find what they’re looking for, it's possible they might try creating something on their own, risking brand integrity and legal compliance. 3. Solicit Feedback Often times, the best enhancements come from the users themselves! Make it easy for your users to share their ideas by incorporating a survey or feedback form onto your site year-round. This helps foster a sense of ownership and allows us to work more closely with you to make ongoing improvements your users are excited about. 4. Provide Ongoing Education It’s likely your user base grows and changes daily. Do you have a program in place to inform new users about your online marketing tool? In addition to pre-recorded online training sessions your users can access at any time, consider working with your BrandMuscle account executive to set up quarterly live training sessions to educate new users or to introduce new functionality to your entire user base. 5. Reward Your Best Marketers Host a sweepstakes or contest that encourages local users and/or regional marketing managers to participate in local marketing activities. Several BrandMuscle clients have great success stories to tell thanks to some friendly competition between regions or individual locations. One client entered each local user who built an ad on the site into a drawing to win an iPad and another rewarded its regional marketing manager with a cash bonus for the most ads built in a quarter. 6. Don’t Forget to Market to Your Users Are you using every opportunity to remind local users about the importance of using your online marketing tool and sharing success stories? Some of the best practices we’ve seen/heard include customizing voicemail greetings and on hold messaging systems with a quick reminder about how to access the online marketing tool. Corporate and regional marketers have also customized the email signature lines they use for field communications to include a line or two reminding users about the tool or latest campaign. And of course, don’t forget to promote the tool at corporate events and training sessions, on your company intranet site, in company newsletters and in email blast communications you send to the field.]]> 2011-07-14 00:15:31 Google+ and the Potential for Local Marketing http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=756 Google+, Google’s foray into the world of social media. Users have given rave reviews to features like Hangouts that allow group video chats and Circles that help keep professional and personal relationships separate. Unfortunately for local marketers, Google is being very careful about whom they let into Google+, and right now, they’ve closed the door to businesses. According to Google+ Project Manager Christian Oestlien, a team is working to customize Google+ for businesses, and something will be available later this year. Right now, companies can apply to be included in a small beta test for Google+ for businesses. You can apply for the experiment here. Even if you aren’t included in the initial test group, you’ll have the option of being updated as soon as a solution becomes available. Here are a few reasons to start brainstorming ways to use Google+ in local marketing:
  • Integration with other Google properties – In an interview with Advertising Age, Oestlien said, “Ultimately we want to use Google+ across every Google property.” This means that you’ll potentially be able to use Google+ to increase the effectiveness of everything from your pay-per-click ads to your Google Places page. You should be able to use the power of Google Analytics to track your social outreach in ways that haven’t yet been possible.
  • Group video chats – Early adopters like Ford have already taken advantage of the Hangouts feature to have face-to-face chats with their customers. These video chats can be a powerful tool for connecting on a personal level and offering everything from customer service to local announcements.
  • Competition is fierce – Oestlien told Advertising Age that Google was overwhelmed by how quickly businesses like Ford and MTV responded to the new product. While marketers were slow to respond to sites like Facebook and Twitter when they were first introduced, they are much savvier about the power of social media today. If you want to break through the noise, it is important to innovate early in the game.
Will you sign up for the Google+ business test? How do you think it will benefit your local marketing? Let us know in the comments section below.]]> 2011-07-11 21:10:49 Marketing Spending Is Up. Will It Deliver Positive Results? http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=734 biannual survey  of nearly 3,800 chief marketing officers at Fortune 100, Forbes Top 200 and CMO Club companies. Some of the highlights of the survey include:
  • CMOs rated the US economy as a 63 on a scale of 0-100, up from a 56 in August.
  • CMOs expect to hire 50 percent more marketing professionals in 2011.
  • Social media ad spending is expected to increase from 6 percent of the marketing budget in 2010 to 18 percent over the next 5 years. Traditional advertising spend is also expected to increase by 2 percent.
So optimism is up, hiring is on the rise and marketing departments anticipate spending more.  The question for many of today’s companies isn’t “Where are the resources?” instead, it’s “How are we going to make the best use of the resources we have?” If you’re investing more money in marketing this year, here are three important questions to ask yourself: 1.    Are you delivering a targeted message?   The rise in social media marketing is just one sign of the trend toward more personalized marketing. The benefits of personalization and locally relevant messaging can be achieved across digital and traditional media channels. Investments in local ad customization software solutions like BrandMuscle’s allow you to cost-effectively version ads for the smallest segments of your audience, delivering a message that’s powerful, timely and relevant, resulting in a higher return on your marketing investment. 2.    Are you hiring with a purpose?  Are you one of the CMOs who are planning to add resources in 2011? While adding to your staff can be a great way to increase your capabilities, first make sure you’re doing all you can with the resources you already have. Do you find that you’re wasting a lot of time versioning ads for all your different markets? Is your team responding to a lot of one-off requests from the field? Are staff members so inundated with tactical work that they have little time to focus on long-term strategy? If you’d like make your marketing operations as efficient as possible, take the time to explore BrandMuscle’s solutions for localizing ads and purchasing local media. You may find yourself doing more with less and possibly even save hundreds of thousands of dollars each year that you could invest into things that actually drive sales like buying more media and advertising. 3.    How quickly are you getting your message out?  As a marketing professional, you already know how important it is to deliver your message as soon as possible to remain relevant in today’s culture. Examine your marketing process. How streamlined is it? Ad builder solutions like BrandMuscle’s can save you valuable days, weeks and months by empowering your local stakeholders to create their own localized marketing. They’ll be able to take a piece of creative, plug in the right options for their market, and have an approved ad delivered in a matter of minutes, not weeks. As the economy improves, most marketers will eventually find more money in their budgets. Make those dollars count by considering BrandMuscle’s local ad builder solutions. Request your personalized demo today.]]> 2011-06-29 13:24:08 ExactTarget to Feature BrandMuscle in Weekly Twitter Chat on Localizing Digital Marketing #NexusCafe http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=743 2011-06-28 11:58:26 BrandMuscle, Inc. Recognized for Outstanding Growth and Philanthropic Excellence http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=726 Company Receives Two Awards at the 2011 Crain's Leading EDGE Awards Ceremony Cleveland, Ohio, June 21, 2011 – BrandMuscle, Inc., a leading provider of local ad customization software and services, was one of several prominent Northeast Ohio companies honored recently at The 2011 Crain’s Leading EDGE Awards at Cleveland State University.  In its fifth year, this prestigious award was created by The Entrepreneurs EDGE to recognize value-creating, middle-market companies in the Northeast Ohio region. Recipients of the award were identified for their value creation in the regional economy, based on their EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) added to taxable employee compensation. Last year, BrandMuscle achieved its largest, single-year increase in new client acquisitions and grew its staff by over seven percent. In addition to receiving the Crain’s Leading EDGE award for the third consecutive year, BrandMuscle was selected as the recipient of the Richard Shatten Civic Distinction Award. This award recognizes a Leading EDGE honored company that demonstrates a strong love for the region by giving back to the community. “There are a number of ways to measure a company’s success,” states Philip Alexander, president and CEO of BrandMuscle, Inc. “This award is especially important to us because it exemplifies the culture at BrandMuscle, something I believe is one of our most valuable assets.” Each year, BrandMuscle employees collaborate to organize dozens of civic involvement opportunities for their peers. These activities have included food drives to benefit the Cleveland Foodbank, preparing and serving meals at the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland, participating in cleanup events at Beech Brook, a facility for at-risk children, collecting shoes for Soles4Souls and prom dresses for area high schools, among many others. “Our employees are deeply passionate about making a difference in the community and I’m both proud and honored to accept this award on their behalf,” concludes Alexander. Learn more about BrandMuscle and its suite of local ad customization software and services by visiting www.BrandMuscle.com or by calling the company at (866) 464-4342. About BrandMuscle, Inc. BrandMuscle, Inc. is a leading provider of marketing software and services for national brand advertisers with strong distributed or local marketing programs. Through the use of BrandMuscle’s BrandBuilder® software, marketers can empower field-level customization and execution of advertising and marketing campaigns to optimize local marketing performance. Founded in 2000, BrandMuscle is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio with a regional service office in Los Angeles, California. BrandMuscle clients include many of the nation’s most recognizable brands including Allstate Insurance®, Chase Bank, BMW of North America LLC®, DIRECTV®, Hunter Douglas®, and T-Mobile®. About The Entrepreneurs EDGE The Entrepreneurs EDGE, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, provides services, programs, education, civic and networking opportunities to mid-market companies in Northeast Ohio to help them grow in value. For more information about EDGE and its programs and services, contact Pam Schwaller at pam@edgef.org or visit www.edgef.org.

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]]> 2011-06-21 16:23:47 Is a Daily Deal Right for Your Local Business? http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=712 Forbes magazine called Groupon the fastest-growing company in history. In anticipation of its initial public offering, the Wall Street Journal reported that Groupon could try to raise $1 billion, putting its valuation at around $20 billion.   Groupon’s skyrocketing growth has led to a number of copycat daily deal websites that all promise a swarm of new customers to any business willing to use their services. This blog post is not intended to be negative towards either Groupon or Living Social – in fact, they are both good businesses and can deliver positive results for local businesses that strategically approach this form of advertising. Before your business dives into the world of daily deals, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of this type of marketing.  A Few of the Pros Instant exposure Expanding to a new city? Introducing a product line? You’ll be hard-pressed to find a quicker way to make a large splash than a daily deal. If you’re running a daily deal to introduce new customers to your product or service, make sure you have the capabilities to handle a large influx of new business. You should also give customers an incentive to come back and do business with you again. Moving slower moving merchandise Rather than take a loss on merchandise that didn’t sell as well as you thought it would or that you could not promote effectively with traditional advertising, consider a daily deal to clear it from your shelves. Whether you’re selling tickets to a less known concert or a service that you’ve heavily invested in, the broad reach and steep discounts of daily deals could help you recoup some of your loss by moving product off your shelves. Building revenue For low or fixed-cost services or to utilize excess capacity, daily deals can be a great way to get more customers in the door and boost revenue. If you can still make a profit even when you’re making less than 25 percent of what you’d usually make from a customer, a daily deal may be right for you.  A Few of the Cons Attracting the wrong customers Daily deals hold the most appeal for “bargain hunters” who might not be in your typical target audience. Often, these customers are not likely to spend extra money at your establishment or turn into loyal repeat customers. If your deal only attracts bargain hunters, you might lose money in the long run, especially if it negatively impacts services or product availability for your regular non-deal prone customer. Think carefully about your offer and how you can best convert these “bargain hunters” into long-term “brand fans” once they enter your store. Hurting your brand While daily deals can generate plenty of quick interest, they can also do long-term damage to your brand. After customers get a great deal on your product, they might hesitate to pay full price for it down the road. Also, if the influx of new business is more than your company can handle, the poor customer service you’ll provide can leave a bad taste in customers’ mouths. Take care of this problem by knowing your limitations and capping the deal at a number you can comfortably handle. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Eliminating profits To post a deal, you’ll have to offer a discount, sometimes as much as 50 percent off or more, plus split some of the revenue with the daily deal provider. This often leaves little room for profit. And while many business owners believe they’ll make up for the loss in repeat sales, they’re often disappointed in the percentage of daily deal customers who return. Also take into consideration the number of loyal repeat customers who would have paid full price for your product today, but instead snatched up an unbelievable deal. Do the math and carefully consider the offer you’ll provide, the quantity and how the deal might impact existing customers. Consider offering a deal with greater upsell potential. For instance, instead of offering $20 worth of merchandise for $10, consider offering a discount on one product or service that customers are likely to purchase in combination with other coordinating products/services at full price. Before you sign a contract with a daily deal site, make sure you understand how the program will work and put together clear goals for the promotion. In the right situations, a daily deal might be exactly what your business needs but it should be considered as part of your overall local marketing strategy. And if you do decide a daily deal is right for you and test the waters, do your best to track and measure the campaigns success so you can improve your results next time. Have you participated in a daily deal or are you planning to? Please feel free to share your experiences.]]> 2011-06-17 17:22:28 How Effective is Your Local Marketing? Find Out! http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=701 Localize to Optimize In today's digitally-connected world, statistical information is readily available for just about everything a marketer could ever need to make informed decisions about their marketing strategy and spend. But what about local marketing? Smart brands, are developing local marketing campaigns to drive what is often national messaging into local communities and markets, building more valuable relationships with consumers and differentiating themselves from the competition. For companies selling through branch offices, company stores, partners, agents, franchisees, dealer networks and indirect distribution channels, localized marketing programs are essential to customer engagement and business performance. But what are leading marketers doing to optimize their local marketing efforts and how are they doing it? BrandMuscle partnered with the CMO Council to find out. How well have you embraced localized marketing practices and to what degree is this furthering customer acquisition, cultivation and retention? By spending just a few minutes taking this audit from the CMO Council, you can assess your level of proficiency and contribute to best practice thinking that will benefit thousands of marketing leaders and students worldwide. All contributions will be kept confidential and full reports – complete with insights of local marketing experts from brands such as DIRECTV, AAMCO, Best Buy, Coca-Cola and many others – will be made available to all survey participants. With your help, this report will identify how localization strategies impact marketing and channel sales effectiveness. Click here to take the audit]]> 2011-04-12 23:06:24 Ten Creative Ways to Use QR Codes in Local Marketing http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=692 within food. Marketers have embraced these codes because of the possibilities they offer. When scanned with an equipped smartphone, QR codes can establish an exciting link between the real world and the online one. Despite the popularity of QR codes, it is easy to be skeptical of their effectiveness. After all, they often come across as more of a gimmick than a viable marketing strategy. Before you dismiss QR codes, take a close look at their effectiveness in local marketing. The following are ten creative ways local businesses are using QR codes to increase engagement, establish customer loyalty and get new leads.

 1. Restaurants – Start including a few links to recipes and facts about your food right on the menu. You can also improve the effectiveness of your direct mail pieces by including a QR code that allows diners to make an online reservation in a matter of seconds. Put QR codes onto key tags so customers can quickly check for daily specials, events and coupons. 2. Manufacturers – If your company manufactures consumer products, consider including how-to and troubleshooting instructional videos into the user manual through QR codes. A QR code can also link to up-to-date information on local retailers who carry replacement parts and related products. 3. Retailers –QR codes allow you to incorporate coupons into more marketing than ever, including outdoor advertising, television commercials and magazine ads. 4. Media – Everybody loves free stuff. Put QR codes in print ads, in-store signage out and even hard-to-find places for free previews, downloads and exclusive content. Use QR codes in your television commercials for an interactive experience. 5. Realtors – Many realtors have found their “For Sale” signs to be perfect for QR codes. These codes link to video tours, realtor contact information and open house schedules. 6. Auto Dealers – Auto dealers can use QR codes in print ads to allow consumers to customize their dream vehicle before they ever walk into a dealership. 7. Grocery Stores – Grocers that sell locally grown produce can use QR codes to show consumers where the produce was grown and talk more about organic food. They can also use these codes for recipes, coupons and dinner suggestions. 8. Financial Services – Users can scan QR codes for quick personalized quotes on everything from auto insurance to local mortgage rates. 9. Hotel – Improve customer loyalty through exclusive package deals for consumers who make their reservation through a QR code. 10. Non-Profit – While most people would like to donate more of their time and money to non-profits, they often let other things get in the way before their good intentions can turn into action. Charities can help push people toward action through QR codes on signage, direct mailers and outdoor ads. Now, when the charity is still top-of-mind, people can scan the QR code and donate their time or money directly through their phone. Is your business making creative use of QR codes? Share your story in the comments section below.]]> 2011-04-06 17:00:49 Why Consumers Unfriend, Unlike or Unfollow Brands - Webinar http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=680 The Audience Has Spoken. Companies spend a lot of time and money encouraging consumers to become SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS - but the marketing relationships you build through email, Facebook & Twitter are more complicated than you might think. This webinar is your chance to learn: - How and why consumers engage-and disengage-with brands online - Strategies for maximizing the unique strengths of Email, Facebook, and Twitter - The classic mistakes marketers make with Email, Facebook, and Twitter PLUS - exclusive, unreleased infographics from our latest SUBSCRIBERS, FANS & FOLLOWERS consumer survey The SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS research series is a groundbreaking body of work that sets aside theories, assumptions, and widely-held beliefs to find out the truth about how consumers engage-and disengage-with brands across Email, Facebook, and Twitter. Find out what your SUBSCRIBERS, FANS, & FOLLOWERS really think - register today!]]> 2011-03-01 22:25:53 MINIs Latest Local Marketing Campaign Serves Up Warm Smiles in Chicago http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=665 Hats off to MINI and GoGORILLA Media for daring to think outside the box when it comes to local marketing! The pair recently partnered to promote the new Countryman, a much anticipated 4-door, all-wheel-drive vehicle, in Chicago, IL. Representatives donned jetpacks (backpacks designed for dispensing hot chocolate) and delighted chilly pedestrians with cups of hot chocolate and information about the new Countryman. BrandMuscle had the pleasure of lending a hand with creative for the jetpacks and cups. ]]> 2010-12-28 18:12:14 Transitons Optical Marketing Tool Voted Product Introduction of the Decade http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=483 As part of First Vision Media Group’s 10th anniversary celebration, they conducted a survey asking readers of Vision Care Product News (eyecare professionals, manufacturers and distributors) to identify what they considered to be the product or brand introductions that made the most significant impact on the optical industry and/or their practices in the past decade. The Transitions Optical Marketing Tool (known as the TOM tool) not only took first place in the E-Tech category but also placed first on the Top 10 Products Overall list with a staggering 65% of the vote! So why was the TOM tool voted “#1 Product Introduction of the Decade” by eyecare professionals? It drove revenue for their businesses!
  • In a 2010 study of patients, Transitions Optical found that more than half (56%) of patients who purchased Transitions lenses indicated that point-of-sale materials led them to choose or ask their eyecare professional about the product.

  • In the same study, nine out of 10 patients also said that those eyecare professionals influenced their lens purchase decision.
Transitions Optical, manufacturer of the #1 eyecare professional-recommended photochromic lenses worldwide has been a BrandMuscle client since 2003. Using BrandMuscle’s BrandBuilder® solution, Transitions empowers its sales channel (eyecare professionals around the globe) to easily create and deliver newspaper ads, brochures, counter cards, flyers, invitations, job stuffers, postcards and e-mails. You can learn more about BrandMuscle’s distributed marketing solutions for manufacturers by visiting http://www.brandmuscle.com/solutions/manufacturing.php.  ]]> 2010-12-16 14:56:24 The Triangle Offense of Digital Direct Marketing http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=328 Join ExactTarget and BrandMuscle for a useful and informative webinar to learn how smart marketers use Email, Social, and Mobile media to engage and retain customers. To succeed in selling to today’s hyper-social and connected customer, marketers must maximize every touch-point to “ignite” the conversation, create interest and give people a reason to buy.  In this session, Joel Book of ExactTarget will show how smart marketers are using Email – in combination with Social Media and Mobile – to attract potential new customers, aid the product evaluation and buying process and support the selling and customer retention efforts of retail partners and field sales managers. Joel Book is a Principal in ExactTarget’s Marketing Research and Education Group, and has more than 30 years of experience helping clients plan and execute database marketing programs for customer development and retention. In 2009, Book was named one of the 50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management. ExactTarget is a leading provider of on-demand software that is used for personalized marketing and customer service communications. More than 7,500 companies, associations, and brands like Careerbuilder.com, Expedia.com, USA Today, The Home Depot, and Papa John’s use ExactTarget to deliver relevant and timely information to customers. What You Will Learn:
  • Why Email has become the linchpin of successful customer engagement strategies
  • How to use Email + Social Media to attract new customers and accelerate marketing ROI
  • How to use Email + CRM to shorten the buying cycle and improve sales force productivity
  • How to use Email + Mobile to acquire new email subscribers




    • ]]>     2010-11-19 14:01:07     Measure & Test: Using call tracking to improve your local advertising http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=129 Successful marketers will tell you that the two most important things you can do when putting together your media plan are: Measure the effectiveness of your current advertising Test new forms of advertising By continually measuring and testing new forms of advertising, you can increase the effectiveness of your next media plan by retiring advertising that has stopped working and integrating new advertising channels as they increase in effectiveness. While it’s relatively easy for local marketers to track the number of sales transactions resulting from their advertising, it’s just as important to track the number of leads your ad generated. If your sales cycle is long, this type of information [over time] will prove beneficial in making future sales predictions and determining when to run your advertising. Similarly, if your ad generates a high volume of calls (leads) but those calls don’t convert into sales transaction, you can narrow in on the problem; whether it’s the creative or the offer, and make modifications to future advertising. Measuring the number of leads generated by your advertising isn’t that difficult. A simple and inexpensive way to do this is by utilizing a call tracking service. A call tracking service will assign a unique toll-free or local telephone number for each source of advertising or marketing campaign you wish to monitor. Simply use this telephone number on your advertisement and the call tracking service can record the number of callers who dialed into that specific number. Most call tracking services will capture the caller’s telephone number and location and in some instances even the caller’s name, address and demographics. At BrandMuscle, we use call tracking data to analyze how local media performs on its own as well as in conjunction with other forms of media. By taking the total cost of advertising and dividing it by the number of leads generated, you can easily determine your cost per lead. Additionally, you can use your average close ratio or actual sales data to estimate the number of unique calls it took to register a transaction. Knowing the cost per lead and cost per sale of current advertising efforts allows you to make more effective advertising decisions in the future. By collecting this local intelligence for our clients, BrandMuscle can review results at a national level and make “Best Practices” recommendations for adoption in other markets. What methods have you used to successfully track lead generation at the local level? Let us know. Author: Ruth Allen, New Media Specialist at BrandMuscle Inc.]]> 2010-11-08 15:01:26 Video quality must improve to be vital to brands http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=116 In the past year, the number of unique U.S. online video viewers has increased by more than 14 percent, according to a recent report by The Nielsen Company. However, who is watching the videos and the reasons people are watching them play a large role in whether or not brand marketers consider video a viable component of their marketing strategies. YouTube remains the leader in the total number of video streams, but the majority of the videos are low-quality, random renditions of non-common events – think funny homemade videos, stupid pet tricks or a night at the karaoke bar. The fear of looking “cheesy,” coupled with the expense of producing a high-quality video, is enough to send any marketing manager running the other way. For marketers to seriously consider video as a vital promotional strategy, the quality must improve, and in order for that to happen, production costs will have to be more in-line with the average-size company’s marketing budget. Larger companies, such as Avaya® (an enterprise communication systems company) has been utilizing video effectively for some time. Check out the company’s latest Web banners. As production costs fall into line, more brand marketers likely will jump into the video stream. Are you using video as part of your brand marketing strategy? Let us know!]]> 2009-12-31 15:31:38 Blogging benefits local dealers, agents and franchisees http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=109 In fact, a recent study conducted by HubSpot revealed that “companies that blog have far better marketing results.” According to the study, the average company that blogs has:
    • 55% more visitors
    • 97% more inbound links
    • 434% more indexed pages
    In addition, a blog leads to higher search engine ratings due to the ongoing addition of fresh content. So what do all those statistics mean to you? Basically, more potential customers will be able to find you, which hopefully will result in more qualified leads and conversions. In laypersons’ terms, a local blog gives you the opportunity to showcase your industry knowledge and affiliations and to convey your personality. It also can be a way to encourage discussion about your corporate brand. Ongoing discussions can garner the attention of both customers and potential business partners, or centers-of-influence, which can lead to increased revenue for your dealership, agency or franchise. If you’re convinced that blogging is for you, you’re probably saying “It’s easier said than done.” The good news is that you already may be half-way there. Many companies have pre-designed, pre-branded Web pages, linked from the corporate Web site, that allow dealers, agents or franchisees to plug-in customized information, such as photos, information on special promotions and events and local or regional policies. Some pages may even have built-in bulletin boards or blogs. If that’s the case you just need to start adding content. If your company does not have a system in place to get you started, it’s important to check with your corporate management team before starting any Web site or blog to make sure you maintain brand consistency and meet all corporate guidelines. Straying from the corporate brand can cause confusion and potential loss of customers. Another way to gain credibility and visibility for your business is to blog on the corporate blog, if available, or become a guest blogger on industry and association blogs in your region. Before long, you’ll be part of the blogging brigade. Do you blog? Let us know.]]>     2009-08-20 16:03:47     SEM and e-mail: Like Kleenex® to the marketing world http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=98 According to a recent survey from the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), BtoB Magazine and 'mktg', marketers are relying heavily on these methods when it comes to their marketing mix:
    • 65% of marketers are using SEM
    • 59% are focusing efforts on their own Web sites
    • 55% are concentrating on SEO
    • 45% are still including e-mail marketing as a major part of their marketing plans
    So where does that leave all the new social media marketing (SMM) tactics? Two-thirds of those surveyed currently are using some form of SMM marketing – 66% compared to just 20% in 2007. The most popular tactics, in order, are Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn. However, whether your company is a business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) company likely affects which tactics are at the top of your list. For example, B2B companies are more likely to use LinkedIn, Twitter and webinars. B2C companies likely put more stake in mobile, Facebook and SEM. Across the board, the reasons more companies haven’t fully embraced SMM center on marketers’ inability to prove return-on-investment and concerns about how much of role SMM should play in the marketing mix. Although many marketers may up the ante with respect to SMM in 2010, the study shows that the majority of marketing dollars will be spent on company Web sites, SEM and online display advertising. Is your company following the above trends? Let us know.]]>     2009-08-19 12:25:05     Social media – another way to schmooze http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=92 Not to sound out-of-the-loop, many marketers are quick to say, “We’re building a social media strategy.” However, with the number of social media communities, bookmarking sites and tracking tools springing up every day – not to mention limited marketing resources – it likely is impossible to build a social-media-centered strategy. In fact, a recent post on the techno//marketer blog advised against jumping directly to "seven dirty words" when planning a digital marketing strategy: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, LinkedIn, Flickr and Ning. Instead of thinking about social media as a strategy, think of it as a prime schmoozing opportunity. Remember the days of picking up the phone just to say hello to a “warm” prospect or business partner in order to bolster the relationship? How about attending an after-hours function and trying to strike-up conversation with someone in your industry that you’ve been dying to meet? What are those nuggets of information you can use to spark conversation – and to help foster ongoing communication in the future? This is the essence of social media. Where social media excels is in helping you reach new heights when integrated with your regular marketing campaign strategies. So instead of stressing about how to build a campaign around social media, think about how aspects of social media can strengthen and expand your tried-and-true efforts.]]> 2009-08-11 17:50:39 Newspapers must nail their niche http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=84 Twitter about print still being a viable marketing channel for the pizza industry, many in the magazine and newspaper business believe niche markets will make it possible for newspapers to not only survive but also flourish. Lute Harmon Sr., chairman of Inside Business, shared his thoughts on the matter, based on years of experience in the industry, in a recent issue of the publication. In his opinion, “Newspapers have an important role to play in the media mix, and there will be more, not less, in the years to come.” In marketing, it has long been known that companies have to deliver messages through various mediums to appeal to individuals’ preferred method of receiving information. While those who have grown up in the digital age are comfortable receiving information via the Internet or through mobile technology, there always will be individuals (even some “techies”) that still delight at the thought of spending a Sunday morning reading the local paper and clipping coupons for the week ahead, or flipping through the pages of a glossy magazine or trade publication while kicking back on the patio or relaxing on the couch. According to Harmon, targeting will be the key to newspapers’ success. “Newspapers of the future will be targeted and branded for smaller groups of people with common interests,” he said. Click here to read the full article. So the newspapers of the future may look a little different, but there’s still nothing like a fresh paper waiting in the driveway, the smell of newsprint right off the presses or the familiar crumple as you flip through the pages ready to be engrossed in a “good read.”]]> 2009-08-06 09:19:13 Maintain Consistency - Even When Re-Branding http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=76 If simply updating your brand to reflect your company, you want to be sure to maintain important elements of the brand in order to keep current clients from feeling confused or alienated. If going for a complete overhaul of the brand, it’s important to roll out everything all at once in order to create a new identity and avoid brand confusion. Following an acquisition, banks often roll out a new name, logo, policies, forms, etc. in stages, market by market. While this often makes sense for the banking institution, clients can become confused, not knowing when new changes or policies will take effect in their market. Re-branding should involve key elements of your company’s marketing and communication portfolio, including your logo and tag line, your Web presence, sales/marketing collateral, messaging, marketing campaigns, social media and public relations strategies. As The Marketing Spot pointed out, throughout the process, it’s important to remember that “branding is really about discovery. You need to be in tune with your customers.” You can accomplish that by talking to your current clients as well, as those in the pipeline, to find out what they really want and how your brand can best serve them. In summary, you should align your brand with your clients’ expectations, while “never relinquishing control of your brand to anyone else, especially not your customers.” To learn more about branding, check out The Marketing Spot’s presentation, “The Brand Promise.”]]> 2009-08-04 12:10:10 Set the table – Digital Citizens and Tourists are both invited http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=65 A recent post on the HubSpot blog likened it to scholar Marc Prensky’s terminology, describing “digital natives” as “people born into the digital age and indigenous to new networked technologies” and “digital immigrants” as “people who had to adopt these technologies." If you fall into the first category, you were raised on the Internet, understand the elements that create effective Web sites, and are very comfortable receiving information or advertisements via e-mail, Web banners and search engine results. If you fall into the latter category, you’re just now trying to harness the multitude of digital options available and define the relevance of each option as it pertains to your individual personal and business needs. Then just when you think you’re finally starting to get it, something new pops up and you suddenly feel overwhelmed. Regardless of the category in which you see yourself, it’s important to remember that you bring valuable insight and tools to the table. Digital technology was built on strong advertising and marketing foundations – before the digital revolution. Technology has pushed those foundations farther, making it possible to target and reach more individuals and groups than ever before. As proven in many intercultural communication studies, there is much to be learned and shared when the “natives” and the “immigrants” sit down at the table together. In our industry, imagine the possibilities that exist and the results that can be achieved when strong foundations are mixed with digital technologies in an effort to discover new ways to send messages, reach people in their most comfortable surroundings and deliver messages that hold meaning for specific groups of individuals. Let the party begin!]]> 2009-07-29 16:36:55 Doing good for more than goodness’ sake http://10.1.3.164/blog/blog.php?p=43 However, how does a potential client or business partner really know if a company is truly committed to making the world – or its community – a better place? Is all the hub-bub real or simply an illusion? In her blog, Jennifer Rice, founder and chief strategist of Fruitful Strategy, defines it as “mindful business.” She says, “Mindful businesses tightly integrate a social perspective into their current business models. This is about being, not just doing.” Companies like BrandMuscle go beyond the “adopt-a-nonprofit” idea to actually weave a social responsibility role into every aspect of the company. This strategy starts at the top with the CEO and upper-management team playing active roles in the community, and is reinforced through the company’s HR policies, committees, company events and even employees’ extracurricular activities. For more information on how BrandMuscle gives back, visit Our Culture page. Of course, when social responsibility is a part of a company’s culture, the company benefits as well as the community. “Corporate leaders contend that social responsibility, in a sense, has become a key ingredient to financial prosperity,” said Matthew Kirdahy in his Talk Soup column on Forbes.com. While time and effort must be invested, it pays off in the long run. “The end result is a stronger brand, as many executives will preach, and that translates to dollars and cents,” said Kirdahy. According to Rice, the “beliefs and actions of mindful companies attract like-minded, passionate customers and employees.” In BrandMuscle’s case, we have found this to be true. Judy Dunn, on TheMarketingSpot, had some great tips on how companies can begin giving back.]]> 2010-02-12 09:54:38