Archives for communication

Say Something New Inside a Fortune Cookie

October 27, 2011

5 Ways to Become a Star at Your Next Trade Show

So what do fortune cookies have to do with trade shows for building products? Nothing, really. But as a totally unexpected medium for your brand message—part of your overall show strategy—they’re a fun and inexpensive way to pull prospects into your booth and start a conversation.

But this post isn’t about fortune cookies. It’s about making the most of your 2012 trade show investment.

I know you’ve probably had some pretty successful shows in the past. You’re not new to this. But how are you measuring just how successful the shows have been? Are you taking advantage of all the leads you’re acquiring? Are they qualified leads? What’s your ROI (Return on Influence)? If you aren’t sure, you’re not alone.

After more than 20 years of working with clients in the building products industry, I’ve seen a disconnect that often stems from treating trade shows as individual events rather than integrating them into the overall brand-communications strategy.

Now, with the economic pitfalls that have paralyzed this industry, I know trade show exhibition has been put on the back burner for many of you. It still stands to reason, though, that the sheer power of trade shows to cost-effectively connect with hundreds—even thousands—of customers and prospects makes them an important way to showcase your brand.

Taking the time to strategize before embarking on your 2012 trade show program—and, in particular, pre- and post-show communication—is the most effective approach. Here are 5 ways you can effectively maintain brand consistency and reach brand stardom at your next trade show:

1. Stakeholders and Strategy
Kind of sounds like a Milton Bradley® game, doesn’t it? Get together with all key stakeholders and your creative team well in advance of the show to discuss overall strategy. Your creative team can help you formulate the best way to let your brand shine. Discuss the core messages you want to convey and how you can bring them to life.

These planning meetings should yield a succinct strategy for connecting with attendees before, during and after the show. The strategy will address how you will achieve your goals, influence exhibit design, and act as a script for your next blockbuster show.

2. Booths in the Zone
In a recent Marketing Profs article Stephanie Janard interviewed industry expert Les LaMotte, founder and CEO of Xtra Lite Displays (www.xtralite.com). According to Les, the key to maximizing booth traffic is to make sure the booth commands attention at several distances, starting with about 30 feet away. Your booth needs something eye-grabbing that attendees can spot from that distance. “Side wing” displays that catch attention from several aisles are also a good option.

The Big 3
1 The Memory Zone—about 15 feet away.

2 The Sensory Zone—close enough to interact with booth materials and demos.

3 The Data Zone—as much a state of mind as a particular proximity, the Data Zone is where booth visitors are looking for evidence that your product or service will solve their problems.

3. Loud and Clear
Competition at trade shows is fierce, and many companies think creating an exhibit with a “wow” factor is the ticket to generating traffic. Although you certainly want your exhibit to be visually effective, it’s critical to make sure the brand doesn’t get diluted in the process.

Instead, focus on creating clear, concise messages that support your brand attributes and resonate with the target audience. Start with words on paper. Seriously. You should be able to express your core message in one sentence. Once that’s established, building on it visually becomes easier and ultimately more effective.

4. Social Bee
Engaging socially with attendees prior to and during the show can have an extremely positive impact on attendance and participation. It isn’t, however, something you should use as a one-off campaign communication. It should be part of your overall marketing efforts. Social media isn’t a solution. It’s a tool. A way to become more intimate with your audience.

You can use social media tools to create curiosity and anticipation prior to a show. It’s a vehicle for being human. Let’s face it—your company isn’t about a tool or a widget. It’s ultimately about people who make something for people. I recommend having a point person to be your social voice. Make someone responsible for monitoring the conversation. This person can also blog about the sensational things that are happening during the show and stay connected with attendees long after the show is over.

5. After Glow
Everybody’s all excited and gung-ho during the show—preparation, dinners, drinks, enthusiastic conversations. But what happens after the show? Here’s where the ball gets dropped—little or no follow-through with the new “show” friends you’ve made. Capitalize on everything you’ve worked so hard for. Follow up with a thank-you letter. Ask them to stay in touch by subscribing to your e-newsletter. Socialize with them via Twitter and Facebook.

Measuring your effectiveness is also paramount. Utilizing a toll-free “trade show” number is a great way to track response. You can also capture important information via an online survey. Find out what resonated with them most. Coded response cards are another way to glean information and connect post-show.

Need help mapping out your trade show strategy?
Download our free Guide to Trade Show Stardom for Building Products Professionals.

What’s your trade show track record? Any big hits or misses? I’d love to hear from you. Here’s to creating a sensation and saying something new!

Allison DeFord POSTED BY: Allison DeFord| 1 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

Thinking of scrapping your catalog? Think again.

September 8, 2011

Do you actually know why you use a catalog to sell your products? It’s a visual representation of all of your products in one place, right?! It’s easy for sales people to distribute and for customers to order from. It’s your product playground.

That’s what Benjamin Franklin thought when he created the first catalog in 1744 to sell scientific and academic books. Another catalog pioneer you are familiar with (unless you are under 40) is Aaron Montgomery Ward, who produced his first catalogue for his Montgomery Ward mail order business in 1872. (Or, as it was affectionately known to many in Iowa, as “Monkey” Wards) His first catalogue was a single sheet of paper with a price list, 8 by 12 inches, showing the merchandise for sale and ordering instructions. Montgomery Ward identified a market of merchant-wary farmers in the Midwest. Within two decades, his single-page list of products grew into a 540-page illustrated book selling over 20,000 items. And I know you’re familiar with the ever-popular Hammacher Schlemmer catalog, established by Alfred Hammacher in New York City in 1848. Offering mechanic’s tools and builder’s hardware, its first catalogue was published in 1881.

Do you think any of these innovators could ever imagine that some day they could also sell all of their products online? Well, probably not, since that word wasn’t even invented yet. How they would marvel at this idea of selling off a computer. Would they abandon their printed “Wish” books and just offer their wares electronically? Wouldn’t that be cheaper?

With the growth of online “everything” some of you may be considering scrapping your printed catalog and putting it all online. Take a look at some fascinating statistics on print and catalogs, provided recently by our friends at the USPS:

“More than 12 billion catalogs were mailed in 2010.” (that’s billion with a b)

“55.6% of respondents found catalogs “useful”, while only 21.5% found catalogs “interesting”. (Useful, meaning worth using)

“52.4% of consumers read direct mail from merchants. More than 53% found merchant mail “useful” and nearly 17% responded to offers.”

These numbers are telling. People still read. Customers like a tangible catalog. They find them useful, not wasteful. The benefit now is that you can have it all. You can offer customers that meaty printed book they love and also offer even more information about those same products on your website. Databases allow you to manage, layer and tier this information like never before. In real time. You can be more succinct and brief in print and layer the more elaborate details online. The catalog helps drive traffic to your site and to direct sales. A creative catalog can inspire and motivate. It can inform and excite. The combination of print and online, for customers, is like having their cake and eating it too. They get your current product info and images all laid out in an easy-to-read book they keep at their desk, or under their pillow. They can also go to your site and search anything and everything for more in-depth information, images and even video. It’s like “Candyland” for them.

Scrap your catalog in favor of a line of oragami childrens toys? I don’t think so.

No way. Not now. And give up the 1-2 punch?! I know some of you have been doing the same book the same way for years. It feels comfortable. You don’t think you have the budget to consider changing it. How about saving some money? Ever thought of printing a smaller book and release it seasonally instead of once every year or two or even three? Think Hammacher Schlemmer. Highlight your most popular products and new products and send them to the website for the whole kit and kaboodle. The content is always fresh and more timely and you spend less on a smaller book. Your price book can be the “big kahuna” of detailed pricing and info, but the seasonal catalog becomes more of a show piece. Attention-getting. Inspirational. Vehicle that drives customers to the site, to make the call, to want more.

Believe me, if your competitors have scrapped their books or if they aren’t staying current this is the perfect time to gain the upper hand. Make your move. Offer customers something different. Instead of scrapping your catalog, consider a face-lift and a little lipo. (think Suzanne Sommers, not Joan Rivers) Make sure it works in tandem with your online and social marketing vehicles. Think of it as the 1-2-3 punch. Customers won’t know what hit ‘em, but it’ll sure feel good.

Have you scrapped your print catalog? Are you already moving full speed ahead with the 1-2-3? What’s your opinion? I’m all ears.

 

 

Allison DeFord POSTED BY: Allison DeFord| 1 Comment

10 Ways to Create a Sensation Around Your Brand: Part 5

August 19, 2010

CREATE LOYALTY -
Keep ‘em coming back for more!

 

We all know it costs more to acquire new customers than to retain existing ones. So going out of your way to keep your customers happy—putting the sprinkles on the cupcake—is just good business.

The key is knowing what those sprinkles should be, and communicating them to everyone in your organization.

A good way to look for sprinkle opportunities is to pretend you’re a first-time customer and mentally (and in some cases, physically) walk yourself through every touch point with your brand. At each touch point, ask yourself two questions:

1. What steps are we taking to make this the best possible experience for the customer?
2. Are those steps obvious to the customer?

If they’re unaware of all the things you’re doing then you’re losing sprinkle points. Which brings us to the first of what we’ll call The Five C’s of Brand Loyalty:

COMMUNICATION.

Use every print and online tool at your disposal to let customers know what you’re doing. Not just new product introductions or special offers—tell them the little things, too. Give those little things a prominent mention in your catalog, on your website, in the order confirmation e-mail … wherever your customers will see it.

CONSISTENCY.

Bad customer experiences are like bad meals in restaurants; they spring to mind immediately when the next purchasing decision rolls around. Provide good service consistently (at every touch point), and make it known. If you can boast a 98% fill rate or sky-high scores on satisfaction surveys, do it! Wherever it makes sense.

CREATIVITY.

Brands with a loyal following are usually known for being resourceful, for finding new solutions to problems, new products to fill a need. Make creativity and innovation a priority, then reflect it in your logo/identity, marketing materials, sales collateral, website and every other brand communication. In other words, look the part.

COMMUNITY.

Brand-loyal customers like to feel they’re part of a group—peers in the industry who “get it” and value the experience your brand delivers. Achieve that sense of connectedness through online user groups, customer appreciation events, social media, or by simply including testimonials (particularly those from respected industry figures) in your brand communications.

CARE.

Show customers your loyalty by reacting quickly to problems, acknowledging birthdays and anniversaries, calling personally to make sure issues are resolved, or thanking them for their business. Small gestures can have a big impact.

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Remember, creating brand loyalty is a company-wide endeavor. Make sure everyone—from sales and marketing to accounting and order fulfillment—understands their role in making customers happy.

So happy that whenever a need arises, they instinctively think of you.

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

Allison DeFord, Trailblazer
allison@felteverywhere.com

Allison DeFord POSTED BY: Allison DeFord| 1 Comment

10 Ways to Create a Sensation Around Your Brand – Part 2

May 20, 2010

CREATE CURIOSITY -
Never Be Boring

 

A common assumption in B2B marketing—particularly so in the building products industry—is that because you’re reaching out to abusiness instead of a consumer, you don’t need to be “creative.” Or different. And certainly not fun.

Just inform the target audience that you’ve been in business for 50 years, you have what they need, your prices are fair—and the orders will come. Right?

Not in today’s competitive, cinch-this-belt-any-tighter-and-I’ll-stop-breathing market. The simple truth: Boring brands don’t spring to mind first when there’s a need. The ones that do have interesting things to say, and do so in a way that resonates. They’re perceived as dynamic, relevant and authoritative.

So how do you become the interesting brand? So interesting that customers and prospects are curious to see what you’ll say or do next?

For starters, say and do things regularly.

Introduce new products. Issue special offers or discounts (a different one each month?). Hold product demos in your trade show booth. And communicate with your target audience about what you’re doing at least once a month—via e-mail, snail mail, social media or blog. In other words, get on their radar and stay there.

Shift to customer-centered advertising.

Instead of talking about the company behind the product, focus on the benefit to the customer. And be thematic. We created an ad campaign for Würth USA, depicting product benefits—the sharpness of a blade, the speed of a degreaser and the accuracy of a fastener—in an unexpected way. (see the campaign.) The ads still honored Würth USA’s 40-year history in the maintenance and repair industry, but the primary focus was on the product and the user. The campaign increased brand awareness in the U.S. by 14% in the first year.

Leave a popcorn trail of information.

Be THE source for useful information about the building products you sell: Create lists of top sellers in specific product categories. Survey your customers about a hot topic and share the results. Produce a video or slide show demonstrating how to use a new product. Identify the greenest products in your line and show applications for them.

Dispense this information via your e-newsletter or blog or social media channels, then archive it on your website in an organized way that’s easy to navigate. Soon you’ll have a library of information your customers want and need—one they’ll return to again and again.

Give it a name.

Introducing a new product? Don’t just identify it: urethane resin flexible mouldings. Give it an identity: Valuflex™. (Incidentally, this moulding from EL & EL Wood Products was used by a contractor in my own home, and I love the results. Would I have remembered “urethane resin flexible moulding” and mentioned it here? Probably not.)

Products aren’t the only nameable aspects of your brand. Instead of “July’s Special Offer,” try something like “July’s Things-You-Can’t- Live-Without Sales Event.” Your blog, e-newsletter, and the online library mentioned above could also benefit from memorable, brand-centric names.

Use social media to leak the story.

Remember that new product you’re about to introduce? The one with the intriguing and memorable name? Pique curiosity before the launch with a teaserly Tweet such as: “Coming June 1st … the most innovative accessory yet for fine cabinetry and furniture manufacturers.” Closer to launch, post photos of the product on your Facebook page. Use LinkedIn to conduct a poll related to the product, then share the results.

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Social media is an easy and effective tool for communicating with customers and prospects. If you’re not yet taking advantage of these tools—and you haven’t yet created a strategy to apply them to your business—we can help. Look for your copy of “Social Marketing 2.0 – Advanced Tips for Building Products Professionals” to arrive via regular mail later this month.

Remember, there are people like you and me behind those businesses you’re marketing to—people who respond to brand messages on an intellectual and emotional level. Keep them interested (read: curious) and they’ll keep you top of mind.

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

Allison DeFord, Trailblazer
allison@felteverywhere.com

Allison DeFord POSTED BY: Allison DeFord| 1 Comment