Archives for brand touchpoints

This is Your Brand on Pinterest

August 2, 2012

How Building Products Brands Can Benefit from Pinterest 

If you went to your CEO and said, “I want to allocate time to a website that is primarily used by furniture restoration geeks and women designing their dream wedding,” what kind of response would you expect?

Now, if you went to that same CEO and said, “I want to investigate a new social platform that’s driving more referrals than Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube combined,” how do you think that would go over? (Jesse Noyes, Eloqua)

You know the old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words?” That’s the power of Pinterest. It’s the epitome of that expression. On a daily basis over 20 million people use Pinterest to discover, share and get inspired by people with similar interests. Marketing Profs recently reported, “Pinterest is arguably the hottest social media site on the Internet—user traffic to the online social catalog has skyrocketed since mid-2011—but the website also boasts strong audience engagement, retention, and virality among its core demographic.”

So, how can a brand in the building products industry benefit from Pinterest?

Let’s take a closer look. The Huffington Post recently published an infographic with these amazing Pinterest user insights:

  1. Pinterest users spend an average of almost 16 minutes on the site per visit (12.1 for Facebook).
  2. 50% of Pinterest users have children.
  3. Almost 70% of Pinterest users are female.
  4. 97% of Pinterest’s Facebook fans are women.
  5. As of January 2012, Pinterest had received just under 12 million unique visits.
  6. Pinterest receives almost 1.5 million visitors each day.
  7. Pinterest provides more referral traffic to other sites than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn combined.

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Your customers aren’t even on Pinterest yet, or are they?
Take a minute, go to Pinterest and do a search for contractors (hold on to your hat). Wow, there are so many. You’re in disbelief. You’ve been talking about reaching out to architects and designers too, to drive awareness and sales through that segment. Guess how many of them you can listen to, follow and talk to on Pinterest? I’ll give you a hint….it’s a number with at least 5 zeros. Bazinga!

So, how does all this relate to you and your brand?
In order to be interesting to decision-makers, you need to be interested in what they like and why they like it. 97% of users on Pinterest are women. Research shows that they make the majority of purchasing decisions. They are on Pinterest for an average of 15 minutes a day. Looking for ideas. Researching products. Making purchasing decisions. Sharing their finds and opinions with everyone. Word-of-mouth is a powerful byproduct!

Your Brand on Pinterest
There are so many reasons for your brand to become Pinteresting, but what’s the real value? Can it help you leverage your brands position in the marketplace? The answer is yes! Start with these:

  1. Interact with specific audience segments more intimately
  2. Garner awareness and participation through conversation and visual stimulation
  3. Showcase new products
  4. Idea Gallery – “How To’s” for using products creatively and more efficiently
  5. User Gallery – Customers showcase success stories
  6. Drive traffic to your site
  7. Influence purchasing decisions

Pre-pinning Strategy
Before deciding whether Pinterest is right for you, consider four things:

  1. What marketing goal can it influence?
  2. How do we measure the results?
  3. Who will manage it?
  4. What added value does it provide to our current marketing mix?

Pinterest may be new, but it’s no novelty. Your brand can benefit from becoming Pinteresting. Happy pinning! Here’s to making your presence felt!

P.S. Don’t look now, but more opportunities are just around the corner. Manteresting is in beta…I’ll keep you posted!

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Allison DeFord POSTED BY: Allison DeFord| Leave a comment

Pinterest Packs a Retail Punch!

June 7, 2012

Pinteresting 

Two of the most common challenges you’re facing right now are ONE how to engage consumers better and TWO how to engage architects and designers. Even though many of you are in the BtoB space, you can certainly take advantage of engaging consumers and specifiers earlier in the buying cycle. Someone is going to drive them there— that someone can be you. 

Consider these recent consumer statistics as reported by MultiChannel Merchant:

  1. Nearly two out of five (38%) online consumers follow retailers through one or more social networking sites.
  2. Four in 10 (43%) said they are looking for product information and 36% want to post/read comments about merchandise or services. 
  3. Three in 10 consumers who follow retailers via social media say they are looking for information about events (34%), current trends and ideas (31%), or photos and videos (30%), such as “how-to’s” and styling ideas, as well as expert opinions (27%).
  4. Online consumers in the U.S. already follow an average of 9.3 retail companies on Pinterest, compared to the average 6.9 retailers they follow on Facebook and the 8.5 retailers they track via Twitter.

I am asked daily, “With Facebook and Twitter and Google+, should we also have a presence on Pinterest?” My answer is YES. Pinterest is an obvious choice for ANY retailer interested in driving sales – especially in light of the phenomenal growth that Pinterest has experienced just this year alone. 

The sheer number of people flocking to it, spending time on it, and the referral traffic generated from it are reasons enough for brands to be involved with it. Historically advertising has focused on “words” and “information” to sell products to customers. Pinterest is different AND revolutionary because it is 100% visual. (not to mention FREE) You know the old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words!”

Pinteresting Statistics

+ Average of 1.36 million users daily

+ The majority of visitors are females 25-34

+ 28% have a household income of $100k+

+ 15.8 minutes is the average time spent on Pinterest, ahead of Facebook and Twitter

+ 11,716,000 unique visitors in January 2012

+ Shoppers referred by Pinterest are 10% more likely to make a purchase than visitors who arrive from other social networks. They’ll also spend 10% more on average. (Wayfair)

The opportunity for connecting with your audience comes with linking each image back to your website, or to a landing page designed specifically to showcase a specific line, product or project. Imagine what you could say with images and idea “boards” of all the things you can do with the products you carry. The possibilities are limitless. And, the best part, it’s all trackable.

Brings to mind a question from a book I’m reading right now: Are you doing the most with what you’ve got? You’ve got a way to pack a real visual punch! Show consumers and specifiers what they can do with your products on Pinterest! 

Here’s to making your presence felt!

Allison DeFord POSTED BY: Allison DeFord| Leave a comment

How Design is Helping Building Materials Companies Thrive

September 23, 2011

 

Awhile back, I was talking to Festool Marketing VP Michael Williams and asked him what is the driving force behind the company’s growth. His answer, “We design tools that will have an impact on our customers lives. We have a common vision.” This resonates in Festools credo as well:

“At Festool, we design our power tools…
To solve problems.
For the way work happens.
With your comfort in mind.
To save time.
For quality, reliability and flawless execution.
For healthier environments.
To work together.

A key word in Williams’ answer is DESIGN. In a sea of “quality” and “solutions” and “customer service”, here is just one example of a company in the building products industry that’s leveraging design to gain critical advantage over their competition. But isn’t design just about logos and annual reports and websites? True, these communication tools are an important part of your brandhood, however, there is something much bigger at work here.

In the wake of Steve Jobs resignation  from Apple, there are lessons to be learned. He wasn’t trained as a designer or engineer, but was a user of technology himself. He was a visionary. As Jobs told Inc. magazine in 1989, “You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try and give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new.” It isn’t necessarily about market research anymore. It’s about prolific thinking. It’s about focusing on the customer at all times and staying true to your brand truth. Design plays a major role in everything from marketing and advertising to production processes and supply chain.

“From GM to 3M, in boardrooms
and on Wall Street, in Silicon Valley
and on Madison Avenue,
design matters more than ever.
-Linda Tischler, Fast Company

A perfect example of this is the 99-year old quietly creative innovator, 3M. Why would a $27 billion dollar giant, best known for it’s notes, tape and sponges, have any need to hire a 26-year old designer from Milan? They were already successful. What would design ad to the mix? Sales, that’s what. From the redesign of their mini-projector to his new line of tape dispensers , Mauro Porcino has had a profound impact on 3M’s bottom line. Think “double”.

Fast Company reported this month, “In an economy with fewer ad dollars to go around—U.S. advertising fell 14% in 2009 and recovered only 5.4% last year—brand equity is at a premium.” So, do you spend millions on brand awareness or take a step back and design a better experience. I believe in starting with the experience. People ask me all the time, “So, I have X to spend on advertising…what should we spend it on?” My answer is always the same. “Slow down and take look around you before you start throwing money at a billboard campaign or hosting a golf tournament.” What’s worked in the past? What’s currently in play? How do customers feel about your brand? Where do they go? What are they talking about? What would serve them? When was the last time you walked through your buying process “like a customer?” If all that’s in order then let’s take a look at the customer touch points and design a strategy. There’s no faster way to erode brand equity than to throw a bunch of money at brand awareness only to have customers irritated or disappointed once they respond.

What’s Working Well

At one time Festool had a monster marketing budget and sold many things to many people. This worked well for a long time, but they knew it could be better. By aligning sales, marketing and upper management, the Festool team speaks the same language now. They know exactly who their customers are and what drives them. They also know who their customers aren’t. No more selling all things to all people. Design is driven by design. Festool took a step back to design a better approach. To have a better understanding of customers needs and desires. Their attention to detail is second to none. Their system of tools is not only extremely efficient, but beautifully designed—not to mention highly coveted by building professionals and enthusiasts alike.

Design Matters

You don’t have to be Apple or Nike to realize good design matters. From marketing strategy and product design to photography and messaging—company’s in the building products industry are thriving on design. What used to be considered an after-thought or “something your nephew could do” is now at the center of what’s driving corporate America. Finding an edge is becoming harder. As Farenheit 212′s Mark Payne notes, “Design is differentiation made visible, visceral, and experiential. Creativity and innovation are emerging as disciplines because we have no other choice.” Design, in other words, can be the critical competitive advantage.

Is design a part of your current brandhood? Why or why not?
I want to know.

Here’s to creating a sensation, my friends.

Allison DeFord POSTED BY: Allison DeFord| Leave a comment

10 Ways to Create a Sensation Around Your Brand
Part 10

January 20, 2011

CREATE FANS


A Strategy For Putting Ideas into Action
Deciding which tools and techniques make the most sense for your company, who’ll implement them, how and when to do it requires a strategy. Or as we like to call it, a play book.

[This can seem daunting if you’re a brand in a crowded market with multiple competitors, few meaningful points of difference and too few viable positions. If that’s the case, look for new product or service offerings that create marketable points of difference.

Are you currently a CATEGORY OF ONE brand? Build on a strength you already have, such as creativity and innovation, and instead of “selling tools to the construction industry” you’re the brand that’s “reinventing building.” This can then be translated into a tagline, marketing campaign and a guiding force in strategic business decisions.

Four Steps to a (Sensational) Brand Strategy

1 | DEFINE YOUR BRAND
Conduct a brand audit, an assessment of the current state of your brand. The primary goal is to learn, through surveys, personal interviews and website/blog conversations, how customers and prospects feel about your brand today.

Define your brand’s personality. Bold and brawny? Fun and friendly? Honest and hard-working? Smart and sensible? (If your first thought is bland and boring, or you’re just not satisfied with your current brandhood, decide which traits you’d like your brand to embody and work to make them a reality.)

Be the customer. Define your primary and secondary audience members and give each group a persona—Joe Customer, if you will. Literally create a page for each in your brand strategy document, complete with representative photo and profile of likes, dislikes, behaviors and patterns. You’ll be surprised how often you’ll mull an idea and wonder what would Joe think?

Create a positioning statement. Simply put, your brand does what for whom to support the why.

2 | CREATE A BRAND MAP
First, identify all points of contact with Joe Customer. Most B2B’s have at least 100 points of contact, many that have become dormant. Include the points you’re already taking advantage of (you advertise in an industry journal he subscribes to) and others you could be, per the profile you developed (he fans your competitors on Facebook, but you’ve yet to set up an account). Determine the best ways to connect, and develop a plan for integrating your brand.

As you move to Step 3, take a moment to review the first nine installments in our e-series via the links at right. They’re chock full of ideas and how-tos for making your brand the one to follow.

3 | SET GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Sales goals are always a top priority, however, our concern here is brand awareness. The corresponding objective: To maximize the recognition of, and sustained interest in, your brand via communication touchpoints. (And ultimately, convert more prospects into repeat customers.)

Specific goals depend on the marketing tools you have in place and the results of Steps 1 and 2. Your goals might be to increase website traffic, page views or search rankings…grow your e-newsletter subscriber list (or its frequency)…boost your following in social media…or simply to put more product samples into hands at the next trade show.

4 | DEVELOP A STYLE GUIDE
The key to any brand strategy is consistency (visual and literal) and this is the bible for maintaining it across all platforms. Basic components include rules for logo size, color and placement, as well as guidelines for using taglines and other brand messaging.

Whether your style guide is five pages or 500, make sure it’s comprehensive, current and most important, consistently used.

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Some of you may still be wondering why a B2B brand in the building products industry needs a brand strategy. Isn’t selling quality products and offering great customer service enough to set you apart as the leader?

We get that question a lot, and the answer is NO. Your competitors are saying the exact same thing that you are.
So who stands out? Who’s garnering the loyal fans?

Even if you’re a big fish in a little pond, confident in your brandhood, it’s critically important to solidify your brand promise and work to grow your following.

How are you winning over your fans? I’d love to hear from you.

Here’s to creating a sensation! Let’s get started.

Allison DeFord, Trailblazer
allison@felteverywhere.com

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10 Ways to Create a Sensation Around Your Brand – Part 3

June 18, 2010

CREATE EXCITEMENT -
Make your brand
the life of the party!

“It’s just moulding,” a client once said to us. “How can you depict moulding in a way that’s exciting?” We get those questions a lot, and my first thought is this: at some point, 20 or 30 years ago, one could have said it’s just coffee. Or, it’s just a phone. Think of the exciting brands built around those simple, everyday things we once took for granted—and now can’t live without.

Do your customers feel a sense of enthusiasm and assurance every time they read about, hear about or engage with your brand? You can create excitement around your brand and make it the life of the industry party—but you’ve got to do more than just “show up.”
Here’s how:

Dress to kill.

You wouldn’t arrive at a festive party wearing your blandest outfit. Your brand shouldn’t either. Think of your brand’s identity as the first thing people see. Well-tailored implies class. Bold is hard to forget. Make sure your logo and identity system are making the right impression.

Make a grand entrance.

Announce your arrival with the brand equivalent of trumpets sounding. Prior to a tradeshow or industry event, generate some buzz via email blasts or social media channels like Facebook® and Twitter®. Offer incentives such as a cool t-shirt or water bottle (branded with your dressed-to-kill logo) or give away something fabulous like an iPad. Once at the show, they’ll be looking for you instead of the other way around.

Strike up conversations.

People are most interested in themselves. Get to know your customers well by creating an online community like Festool’s Owners Group Forum. This forum not only gives Festool owners a place to share ideas and experiences, it gives the company firsthand access to opinions and customer profiles they might not otherwise get. Concurrently, they’re conversing on Facebook® and Twitter®. Festool also keeps their audience informed each month through eNews.

Mingle.

Don’t linger with the same people for the entire party. Talk to different customer segments uniquely. They each speak their own language, and response can be far greater when you talk to them one-on-one. WindsorOne™ is doing this right. Their sponsorship of the Katz Roadshow is an example of a national manufacturer gaining targeted exposure at both the dealer and consumer levels. They have different messaging in place to converse with architects and homeowners too, using multiple mediums effectively to create brand excitement.

Be confident.

Confidence is inviting and exciting! You’re an industry expert; don’t hesitate to hand out knowledge and know-how for free. Consider regularly publishing white papers about current issues and trends, and post them on your website. Share product knowledge and effective selling techniques. Arm your audience with your tools and enthusiasm. And don’t worry if writing isn’t your forte. That’s what copywriters are for, and good ones are worth every penny.

Wear a lampshade.

While “wearing a lampshade” at a party traditionally signals that someone has been over-served, it does make for a memorable moment. You can create your own moments at trade shows and in-store demos and events. A memorable theme, giveaway or presentation generates excitement around your brand and gets people talking.

Change it up.

Remember to take note of how your party experience went. Tweaking and repeating is essential for maximum impact. By consistently “changing it up” from quarter to quarter, year to year, you create excitement. Customers will perceive that something’s always happening at your company and with your product lines. You’ll be the happenin’ brand they expect to see at every party.

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Here’s to creating a sensation! Let’s get started.

Allison DeFord, Trailblazer
allison@felteverywhere.com


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