Welcome to this fortnight's edition of Brand
Stand. In this edition, we look at the impact of multiple touch points, give
workshop updates and introduce you to our newest speaker, comic hoaxer
and winner of the 2011 keynote speaker of the year from the National Speakers
Association of Australia.
Your
Brand 
I used to work at advertising agency Ogilvy &
Mather, and one of the key philosophies we were encouraged to adopt from
founder David Ogilvy was that of multiple touch points to be front of mind with
our target audience.
You see, an interested buyer might have many
interactions with your brand before they buy from you, depending on where
they’re at in the buying cycle. Some might buy straight away. But for the most
part, they’re going to want at least a couple of points of contact or
interaction with your brand before they buy. There’s many reasons why, but one
of the biggest is trust. Same goes for existing customers deciding whether to
buy from you again.
Many car companies do this. You’ll see an ad on a
billboard, then on TV, hear one for the car on radio and then read an ad (and
an insert) in a paper or magazine. You’ve been targeted. You’ve been touched.
You’ve also ‘experienced’ the brand and their product in many ways, some which
will resonate with you more than others, and at different times.
Okay, so perhaps we don't have BMW's budget right
now. But whether we're promoting a product or service in a business large or
small, we can gain focus, time, energy and money by taking a strategic approach
to our touch points.
With social media, email, digital, video, print,
networking, events, telemarketing (the list goes on), we've got more channels
to do this with than eve. The key is to use the right channels for our market,
our business, our brand. To save money avoid the risk of diluting our
efforts (and our message) we need to take these account these factors:
1. Where
does the target market spend their time? Facebook or LinkedIn? In their office or on the road? Then you know
where you’re best spending your efforts.
2. How do
they like to be reached? Over the
phone, skype, email ,
social media or text? It will most likely be a combination of these and each
campaign you create will have its own strategy. You might start with a mention
of a product in a newsletter, follow it up with a direct email to your target
market for that product, then send them sample in the mail and a week later
follow the sample up with a phone call. Each touch point is more meaningful and
direct than the last, so the time they hear your voice on the phone you’re not
going in cold. You’ve earned the right to sell.
3. What
cues are they giving you? If they’re
texting you, chances are they want one back. Someone recently bought a product
by text with her credit card details. Not something I’d recommend for your
card’s security, and trust was earned after calls, emails and interacting
through Facebook page over time.
4. Is
there a better time to contact them? If
you're making marketing calls choose your times for peak contact. For
executives first thing in the mornings are often good, as are the end of the
day. If you’re target market is stay at home Mums or Dads, then the middle of
the day might be better once the kids are at school. Saves you time, and both
you and your buyer frustration. You're also much more likely to make
sales.
5. Give
quality with every touch point. Not
every touch point needs to be lengthy or time consuming. Often a deft touch at
the right time (the one that suits them – then you), is the one that works
best.
Be resourceful with your touch points. That is,
mix your digital (online) marketing with print, phone and face to face. And be
personal too. That is, allow them to get to know you and your brand a little
more each time. (I’m not saying over share here, no matter what size your brand).
Avoid falling in love with one particular medium (eg only giving video), and beware of diluting your
marketing efforts too. Have a clear strategy to create memorable cut through
with your market.
Your
People
Secrets of Successful Marketing
Following 'Secrets of Successful Marketing' at
Business Enterprise Centre in
Paramatta,
I'm happy to give another of these on March 14 in Sydney
CBD.
The workshops are sponsored by
BEC, so you receive three hours of
training for $75.
An ideal workshop for those of you new to your
business or established business owners looking for cost-effective, high impact
marketing strategies to hone,
maximise
or kick start your marketing.
Phil Preston and I are holding the pilot program
on
presentability tomorrow.
There's been an enthusiastic response from diverse
organisations, and we'll give you an update for
exciting developments for the program in future editions of Brand Stand.
Your
Event
The
boutique bureau side of
MCME is
making some great headway. We've had national broadcast interest in one of our
presenters. In addition our group of specialist speakers, entertainers and
MCs are growing.
So it's now with great pleasure I introduce you to
Rodney Marks, Australia's (
mis)leading
corporate comedian. He is a corporate impostor, a comic hoaxer in a business
suit. His comedy is usually in the form of fake keynote speeches at business
events, conferences and meetings. He is a perpetrator of Hoaxes and
Jokeses. Rodney is an all-round
corporate entertainer and performs as a comedy MC at awards nights and
conventions.
Rodney is a corporate comedian who creates and
presents joke-name double-talking characters. He has performed throughout
Australia, and has had over 30 international tours, to England, Mauritius,
India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu and the United States. He has been
a comic hoaxer, comedy MC and a stand-up comedian for a generation.
He won the 2011 Keynote Speaker of the Year award
from the National Speakers Association of Australia.
Give your brand experience
