The “Clog” – A Marketing Tips and Trends Blog from Cole Creative

Is YouTube Killing TV?

February 3rd, 2012

With videos of dancing babies and basketball trick-shots, YouTube may not seem like a place for serious marketers. Yet recent research shows that online videos have had enormous success business-wise, and more marketers are ramping up their digital budgets, while taking money away from TV advertising.

The sheer numbers alone are astonishing, as reported by Social Media Today in an article entitled, “YouTube Killed the TV Star Why Online Video Marketing is Essential for Marketeres in 2012.”

In 2011, users watched videos more than one trillion times on YouTube! More importantly, 85% of people in senior decision-making roles report watching more videos than they did a year ago, and 65% will visit the company’s site after seeing their video.

One of the best examples of online success is Old Spice, which created a campaign of comical videos. In six months, the commercial was viewed over 1.4 billion times, leading to a 107% return on investment.

There are all types of videos you can make—funny, educational, or dramatic. The important thing is to build a web presence with video to engage consumers. Even if it seems like your videos will be lost in the sea of information, if you target your audience and proactively market your videos, odds are you’ll make a web impact.

With videos of dancing babies and basketball trick-shots, YouTube may not seem

like a place for serious marketers. Yet recent research shows that online videos have

had enormous success business-wise, and more marketers are ramping up their

digital budgets, while taking money away from TV advertising.

The sheer numbers alone are astonishing, as reported by Social Media Today in

an article entitled, “YouTube Killed the TV Star: Why Online Video Marketing is

Essential for Marketers in 2012. “(http://socialmediatoday.com/mlewis1/434009/

youtube-killed-tv-star-why-online-video-marketing-essential-marketers-2012).

In 2011, users watched more than one trillion times videos on YouTube! More

importantly, 85% of people in senior decision-making roles report watching more

videos than they did a year ago, and 65% will visit the company’s site after seeing

their video.

One of the best examples of online success is Old Spice, which created a campaign

of comical videos. In six months, the commercial was viewed over 1.4 billion times,

leading to a 107% return on investment.

There are all types of videos you can make—funny, educational, or dramatic. The

important thing is to build a web presence with video to engage consumers. Even

if it seems like your videos will be lost in the sea of information, if you target your

audience and proactively market your videos, odds are you’ll make a web impact.

Posted in Marketing, Video Marketing, Video Production

It’s All in the Wording

January 24th, 2012

Read this blog post and double your sales! Don’t lose money, read this blog post!

Which of these taglines sounds more appealing? The answer depends on the customer. According to Neuromarketing, there are two types of consumers—promotion-minded and prevention-minded. Those in favor of promotion respond better to ads that focus on what can be gained, while those who are prevention-oriented respond better to the threat of losing something.

For example, Visa has used the slogan “It’s everywhere you want to be” whereas American Express used “Don’t Leave Home Without It.” So Visa’s use of promotion probably attracted more optimistic people who take chances, while risk-adverse people would be more likely to choose AMEX.

Every tagline can be flipped to appeal to either base, so it’s important to try to know your audience. If you own a store you could promote a “Buy One Get One Free” offer, or you could advertise a “50% Off Two Items” special. Even though it’s the same deal, the first ad is promotion because people want to gain the second item, while the other is prevention because the people don’t want to pay full price.

The study shows that correctly targeted taglines can nearly double the price people are willing to pay for something, so there’s a vested interest in trying to figure out if your audience likes promotion or prevention.

Posted in Marketing

The Personal Touch and the Bottom Line

January 10th, 2012

It’s no secret that a happy worker is a productive worker, but many companies seem to ignore the tremendous value of having a caring, tight-knit office.

Paul Spiegelman, CEO of Beryl Companies, says he has created a positive company culture that involves hugs and cards – activities that he feels contribute to the company’s success. Employees who know that they’re valued for more than their contribution to the bottom line are more loyal and dedicated. Spiegelman’s comments appeared on Inc.com.

Spiegelman suggests sending handwritten notes for special occasions or condolences, rather than just an email to an employee. Small personal touches like these can make a big impact, he feels, because it shows the other person they’re worth your time. And when it’s a serious matter, spend one-on-one time with the person to show your support when they need it the most.

Bottom line: treat your employees like family and you will be rewarded emotionally and maybe even financially.

Posted in Cole Creative

Eat well. Exercise. Ignore that !@#$ idiot down the hall.

December 29th, 2011

Just about everyone intends to make the New Year better than the last – an effort that has grown more challenging for businesses in this sluggish economy. Want some motivational tips and guidance for achieving more success in 2012? Here are 14 quick tips from Geoffrey James, as reported in Inc.com.

Some of James’ most useful ideas are actually the most obvious — yet rarely practiced. For example:

Take better care of your body. If you’re not eating well and not getting enough sleep, just making it through the work day can be a challenge. Tweaking the daily routine to include a bit of exercise or cutting out some sweets will help you focus on work instead of how you’re feeling.
Avoid negative people. You know who they are, and you know that they wear you down. If it’s someone who eats lunch with you, try taking walks at lunch. Or, if it’s someone at a neighboring cubicle who just couldn’t be more annoying, pop on a pair of headphones.
Associate with positive people. Those who share similar goals as you will motivate you to work hard and make this year even better. (PS: Positive people will help build your immunity to the dreaded “negative” forces.)
Make bold resolutions. Instead of saying, “I’ll try to increase business,” be more specific. A statement such as, “I’ll increase sales by 10%” gives you a concrete goal and will keep you on track throughout the year.

Happy New Year from all of us at Cole! Have a fantastic 2012!

Posted in Blogs, Clog, Cole Creative, Marketing

Cash or Credit? How you pay affects how you buy.

November 23rd, 2011

Recent research reported in Neuromarketing indicates that how you pay for a product – cash or credit – affects how you view the product.

When a customer uses a credit card, he or she is more likely to consider the features and advantages of the product, whereas cash customers focus more on the price.

For example, if a person goes to furniture store looking for a couch and wants to pay cash, price incentives such as free delivery can help seal the deal. If the buyer wants to use a credit card, pointing out beneficial qualities such as the durability of leather may help the shopper justify a higher cost.

While it’s not always possible to predict what payment method someone will use, if your customer base primarily uses one or the other, consider implementing these tactics to increase your cash…or credit.

Posted in Blogs, Clog, Cole Creative, Direct Mail, Marketing, Sales Tools

Google offers Mobile MoJo with GoMO

November 10th, 2011

All companies understand the importance of having a website. But with the rise of mobile browsing, businesses need to make sure that their websites function effectively across all devices. To help, Google has introduced a new initiative, GoMO, that provides an online array of free tools to help people optimize their websites for mobile devices.

As Google cites, more people will use their phones than PCs to browse the web by 2013, and consumers expect mobile sites to work as well as desktop sites. This means that factors such as loading times, video playback, and readability all need to be considered when building a mobile site.

For example, the Apple iPhone doesn’t play flash video, so what may be a great introduction on a laptop will end up as non-functioning content on a phone that frustrates the user. A GoMo study indicates that if users have a bad experience on your mobile site, 57% wouldn’t recommend your business — even worse, 40% will turn to a competitor’s site.

One useful feature on GoMo is the ability to test how your site works on a mobile device. Simply enter your site’s URL and answer a few questions and you’ll get a performance review. Once you identify what needs improvement, GoMo offers up a list of vendors — both full-service and DIY — that can ramp up your site’s mobile functionality.

Smartphones are quickly becoming one of the top ways consumers decide on and actually make purchases, so don’t let a poor mobile site make your sales suffer.

Posted in Blogs, Clog, Cole Creative, Web, iPhone

Man’s Best Co-Worker? Pets help boost business.

November 4th, 2011

Everyone knows that pets make great additions to families, but did you know that Fido can also help your business?

That’s right! A survey by Milo, an online local shopping network, found that bringing your pet to work increases sales, customer satisfaction, and loyalty. And this de facto marketing tool has the strongest effect on other pet owners. For example, 33% of pet owners are more likely to spend time in a store that allows four-legged friends, and 31% spread the word about these types of stores. Even better, about a quarter of respondents said they would spend $15 more.

Personal connections are key for small businesses, and having a pet around could be the perfect way to break the ice with customers. Plus, it can be fun for other employees and boost morale. That’s why we have Hibou here at Cole.