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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

Small in size. Big on design.

September 30, 2011

Ever consider the amazing power of being The Only?


Only is such a small word, but so big on meaning. Think about it. You’re the only one in your brand category who does X. Like Apple or Starbucks. Being unlike any other. You’re The Only.

My buddy, Curt Cuscino from HypeLife Brands, wrote an article recently about being The Only. Although our area’s of expertise are very different (youth lifestyle vs. building products) our thoughts on being The Only are exactly the same.

This is the question we asked ourselves several months ago when our long-time client, EL&EL Wood Products came to us and said they wanted a pocket guide. What is a pocket guide, you ask. It’s all their moulding profiles laid out in one book that’s small enough to fit in your back pocket. Do any of their competitors have a pocket guide? Why, yes they do. Our task then was to create not just a pocket guide, but something that fit The Only category.

We didn’t just create a pocket guide. We built
“The Little Black Book of Mouldings”.

Felt succeeded in a big way. We didn’t just create a pocket guide. We built “The Little Black Book”, of mouldings that is. You know, the kind your dad used to have before he fell in love with your mom. That cool little book he filled with conquests and numbers and ratings, oh my. Didn’t Fonzi have a Little Black Book too? He had to have a way to keep up with all those beauties. Now, nobody else in building products has a Little Black Book, but EL&EL. It’s The Only one.

Hot off the presses and basking in the afterglow of a design-gasm, we’re proud to share with you the one, The Only, “Little Black Book of Mouldings.” Try and contain yourselves, please. There’s enough to go around.

Is your brand The Only? What do you have that nobody else has?

Allison DeFord POSTED BY: Allison DeFord| 2 Comments

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 1

April 15, 2010


CREATE AWARENESS 

 

Think about your favorite brands—the coffee you crave each morning, the car company you trust, the shipping service you rely on for overnight deliveries.

What do those brands mean to you? Why are you loyal to them? Chances are it’s because (a) you feel you know them, and (b) you’ve consistently had good experiences with them, or you know others who have.

Now think about your own company brand, and how it’s perceived by your customers and prospects. What mental image do they associate with your brand? What qualities? If you aren’t sure, it’s time to focus your attention on creating awareness. And you can do it inexpensively. Here’s how:

Be Consistent

Whether you’ve been in business for five years or fifty, a clear and consistent message is essential for building brand familiarity. That means identifying the uniqueness that sets you apart from your competitors and communicating it effectively at every touchpoint. Always!

A good way to test the consistency of your messaging is to conduct a communications audit. First gather samples of all the printed materials associated with your brand—ads, brochures, flyers, catalogs, sales presentations, even business cards and letterhead—and print screen captures of your website, online advertising and e-newsletters. Spread them all out on the conference table and ask yourself:

Do the pieces have a similar look and feel?
Your customers should recognize at-a-glance your brand’s visual characteristics—on every communication you send. (That consistency should extend to your signage, tradeshow displays and outdoor advertising as well.)

Are we differentiating ourselves from competitors?
Your uniqueness should be obvious to customers and prospects alike. Aim for clear, simple and concise messaging, so they know who you are and what you stand for.

Make your audit even more valuable by doing the same with competitors’ marketing materials. If you see too many similarities among the brands, you may need to sharpen your message or rethink your brand’s uniqueness.

Understand Your Target Audience

Specifically, make sure you understand what they want, need and value so you can better focus your branding efforts. Services such as Survey Monkey make it easy to query different segments of your market to discover how best to relate to them. You can send surveys for FREE to a list of 500 or less. While rebranding DeFord Designs, we surveyed current clients and made some surprising discoveries about what they value most. This knowledge has been instrumental in changing our processes to deliver the kind of service clients really want. A few tips for conducting an effective survey:

  • Craft well-written questions for your survey
  • Create specific lists of employees, customers and vendors
  • Call ahead of time; let them know the survey’s coming
  • Review the results with an open mind
  • Use the info to revise your marketing strategy

Live Up to Your Brand Promise

This goes without saying, particularly when it comes to existing customers. But consider also your prospects, whose perceptions are based on both your brand messaging and the real-life experiences of industry colleagues who’ve done business with you.

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Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool, but one you have little control over. Make sure everyone in your organization understands your brand’s uniqueness and the message you’re trying to convey. Stress the importance of consistently delivering a good customer experience, so you’re not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.

Remember, YOU CAN understand your target audience, live up to your brand promise and be consistent without breaking the bank. These steps are inexpensive and extremely effective in creating brand awareness.

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

Allison DeFord, Trailblazer
allison@felteverywhere.com

Allison DeFord POSTED BY: Allison DeFord| 1 Comment