Tag Archives: marketing

Why I Feel Sorry for the Kardashians

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you have to admit that the Kardashian clan is a media, marketing and merchandising powerhouse. So brand extensions are a natural fit… until an disaster erupts like the recent Kardashian sweatshop scandal with allegations about the use of sweatshop and child labor to produce some of their branded product lines.

Haven’t we heard this story before with brands and celebs such as Nike and Kathie Lee Gifford? Same story, different day.

Here’s the problem… and why I feel sorry for the K-clan. If you’ve done any reading on foreign labor issues in the apparel industry, you’ll soon learn that it’s an absolute muddy mess. The factory that you may have contracted with may also have contracted with a not-so-up-and-up inspector to cover up unacceptable labor practices. Want an in-depth look at the global apparel markets and manufacturing that will just blow your mind? Check out this book…

Click here for The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power and Politics of World Trade (Amazon, but not affiliate, link)

The labor practices that the United States and other fair trade countries take for granted are just not the norm outside our borders.

While I don’t know their situation, I would be willing to bet that the Kardashians have an army of advisors working for them on marketing, merchandising, public relations and legal issues. It is unlikely that Kim, her mom, and stylin’ sisters personally inked deals with these less than honorable foreign companies and “bad people.” While I am for fair trade, I am also for fair reporting and fair dealing. The investigation into these allegations is now going on. And until all of these allegations can be confirmed, I will cut the family some slack and abide by another cherished value in our country: innocent until proven guilty. As well, I’m sure their advisory army will have some explaining to do.

I had to chuckle at the statement from one of the labor groups mentioned in the articles that said the Kardashians were making their products in China to make more profit… yep, them and the world’s large multinational corporations. Just to give you an idea of how much is produced in Asia and other low labor cost regions, let’s look at the promotional product industry as an example. My scan of the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) product database, one of the promo industry’s largest, revealed that only about 10% of all products were identified as made in the USA. Only 10%! (With that limited selection, you can see why we opened up the USAandUnionMadePromoShop.com to accommodate our clients who demand USA made.)

Click here to shop for Made in the USA promotional products at USAandUnionMadePromoShop.com

With so many contributors to most supply chains, the possibility of a dishonorable link anywhere along the line is a reality. So what should our friends the Kardashians do to help assure that this doesn’t happen again… and what can YOU do to protect your brand from an incident like this with your promotional products? First, I would suggest sticking with made in the USA products. And while the following article was written primarily for nonprofit groups, the suggestions apply to any company or organization that wants to live true to its values.

On a related note, things are changing in the China labor arena. According to a Wearables magazine article (November/December 2011) on “Rethinking Sourcing,” Chinese workers are striking for better wages and leaving the factories for better jobs. Hmm… looks like they’ve got the collective bargaining bug.

Got some advice for the K-fam or for fellow marketers on sourcing issues? Share with us in Comments below.

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Promotional Products | Avoiding the Arts and Crafts Trap

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Paint Splash graphic I am so lucky to work with some very creative clients and graphic designers. They come up with some incredible ideas for promotional products. Always helps me stretch in terms of sourcing and finding solutions. However, their creativity can sometimes lead to unproductive and profit-stealing ideas.

Here’s what sometimes happens. They have an inspiration for a giveaway that is a perfect tie-in with a theme or company image. They propose the idea to their companies or clients and get buy-in. That’s when they call me as a promotional products distributor. Unfortunately, the products they often envision don’t exist. Let the sourcing begin!

At that point, I usually have to do an extensive database search to find something close. But whatever I find just doesn’t quite meet their artistic visions. The search continues. After coming up short, they now have to go back to their companies or clients and offer something completely different. More time wasted and potentially unhappy clients and bosses. And I feel awful for not being able to turn someone’s dream into reality.

Let’s look at a few examples to illustrate.

I’ve had requests for custom figurines from a few clients. Very, very cool idea! And an idea that would have tremendous impact. Are custom figures possible? Sure. However, unless you are a very large corporation, the investment in design and mold fees make this idea unworkable. I usually get requests like this from organizations that need maybe 50-500 of the items to use for their very best clients and prospects. For this type of item to make sense, you usually need to be looking at a quantity of 10,000 to 100,000 or more. Plus, if the item even has the possibility of being considered a toy, it now must pass safety inspections (particularly for lead) which can run into the hundreds. On top of this, add the time it takes for custom manufacturing, often overseas. Try months.

Reaching a dead end for the custom figures, the client or designer sometimes looks to buying a similar item from retail and doctoring it up as a promotional product. Custom handmade labels, paint, strings, bows, glue… it becomes an arts and crafts project. Plus, there usually is a scramble to find the necessary quantity in retail. A treasure hunt of local stores ensues.

Need to see this in action? Take a look at some winning self-promotion campaigns in the graphic design magazines. Arts and crafts extravaganzas! (I have seen these manifestations in real life, too.) Imagine how many hours and dollars are poured into these projects that could have been spent more productively, such as in networking or other sales producing activities. Even worse is that if they’re using these promotions for themselves, chances are they are suggesting similar, time and money consuming ideas for their clients.

Sometimes it’s not the item that’s the problem. It’s the decoration. Most common problem is with T-shirts. “Wow, wouldn’t it be cool if we could have the imprint running around the neckline, along the shoulder, down the sleeve, and then from the front to the back?” Cool? Yes. However, some of these “cool” decorating schemes require special handling and may not even be possible on standard decorating equipment. As well, some ideas would require decorating prior to construction. Again, only a huge quantity might make this viable.

So how can you avoid the arts and crafts trap in buying promotional products?

Get Your Promotional Products Distributor Involved Early – As a marketing or graphic design pro, your distributor can be a great friend. Partner up with a distributor who is marketing oriented and is a member of one of the major promotional product associations such as the Advertising Specialty Institute. Members have access to thousands of items and sources. Let him know what you’re thinking about before offering an idea to your client. This will avoid disappointment for all and save time in getting to a viable solution.
Understand the Limitations of Imprinting – Your distributor can provide you with the imprinting specs (area available, locations, etc.) for promotional items of interest. He can provide guidance and information on available imprinting processes so you can choose what’s best for the project and the product.
Realize that Time is Money – Every minute you spend crafting a whiz-bang, one-off type promotion is one minute you need to bill or write off. Clients and bosses are paying you to be a marketing or design expert, not a piecework worker. And if you outsource the crafting, the cost of the promotion can increase dramatically.

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Click Here to Buy Promotional Products at PromoWithPurposeShop.com

How the University of Twitter Taught Me to Market My Company

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Here’s a guest post from my dear Twitter friend, Jenise Fryatt, of Icon Presentations. Enjoy!

For 20 years our company relied on word of mouth to get business but when the recession hit, we needed to develop a marketing strategy. I don’t have a marketing or advertising degree nor the budget to hire someone to do that for me. But I’d been playing around on Twitter and started to realize it might be of use in our situation.

As I watched what was being tweeted, I began to learn that social media marketing was decidedly DIFFERENT from the kind of marketing I grew up with. Doing things the old way (ie blasting superlative-laced messages as often as possible to the widest audience possible) would put you in danger of being unfollowed, blocked or even banned on any social media site.

From the viewpoint of a message receiver, I really appreciated being protected from the inundation of promotional pleas. (I recycle 3/4 of the snail mail I get, unopened.) But as a message sender, I realized I needed to learn to speak a new marketing language.

As I played around on Twitter, my fascination with information and my love of learning began to kick in and I found myself sharing what I was learning through links in my tweets. Useful things I learned right away included:

* How to write punchy tweets that get people to click on links

* How to quickly find useful information to share

* How to find the best people to follow

* All about retweets and how to get them

* How to use hashtags

* The importance of thanking people

* How important it is to help others on social media

I became slightly obsessed with finding, managing and sharing this information because I enjoyed it and because I knew that everytime I tweeted something useful, my reputation grew.

When I began to realize that social media marketing is all about building individual relationships (something I’d been doing my whole life) I made a concerted effort to have a conversation with at least one person on Twitter every day. And in no time the conversations began to grow naturally.

Then it came time to finally publish my own blog and I was VERY intimidated by the thought of writing for industry professionals. Nevertheless, when I pushed myself to do it I discovered that I had friends on Twitter who would support me. They commented on my posts, retweeted links to my posts and encouraged me every step of the way.

I continue to learn new things everyday on Twitter. Lately I’ve been focusing on optimizing my website and developing a strategy for offline networking. Again Twitter has been there to lead the way and educate me at my own pace. And my Twitter friends continue to spur me to new heights in a field of endeavor that I hadn’t even heard of a year ago.

Business is much better now, but we won’t be going back to our old no-marketing ways. There are just too many possibilities with social media marketing. And, anyway, now I am truly hooked.

About the Author:

Jenise Fryatt is Co-Owner and Marketing Director of Icon Presentations, audio visual for events located in the Palm Springs area of Southern California. Her blog, Sound ‘n Sight offers information on the events industry with an audio visual and social media bent. She is married with two teenagers (one now attends college in Canada) and has a background that includes print & broadcast journalism, PR, theater production and acting.

Promotional Products | Cure for the Common T-Shirt

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Another event, another T-shirt. T-shirts continue to be one of the top selling promotional products year after year. They’re walking billboards that are appreciated and used. But yet they can get somewhat ho-hum after a while. So I’d like to introduce you to the cure for the common T-shirt…

View Promotional Products – Cure for the Common T-Shirt on YouTube

The shirts are available in hundreds of shapes and custom shapes are available. You can customize the full color inserts and your custom imprint is included on the T-shirt, too. What an awesome multi-impression way to reinforce your brand and image!

Heads up: One of the issues that does come up with these shirts is that the wrinkles may not completely come out upon immediately opening. They usually relax after first couple washes.

Update May 2011: We’ve just added hundreds of shapes of compressed T-shirts to our BrandingWear Collection on PromoWithPurposeShop.com. We’re sure to have one that fits your logo!

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Advertising: Why Dopey Employees Waste Your Ad Dollars

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In my blog post Social Media: Ahead of the Curve But Leaving Your Customers Behind?, you were introduced to my hydronic and marketing guru and friend, Dan Holohan of HeatingHelp.com. On his site, he has lots of articles on marketing and advertising. Sure, many of them relate to the boiler industry, but most have universal appeal.

I love this one which shows why dopey employees waste your ad dollars.

DOPEY EMPLOYEES
All the marketing in the world can’t get you around one properly placed, dopey employee. That person can take all your hopes and dreams for your business and flush them down the toilet with a single remark. And you see it every day. You just have to pay attention.Consider Budweiser, America’s macro-brewer. They spend who knows how much on advertising, going over the top each year with the Super Bowl, and then there are all those billboards, magazine ads, TV spots, and all sorts of promotions. I can’t even imagine the amount of marketing people they must have working on all of this.Recently, they came out with this new beer that they call Budweiser Select. Provocative name, don’t you think? Makes you want to learn more about it, doesn’t it? What’s so special about this product? What makes it select? Here’s how the Anheuser-Busch folks describe it on their website:

“Budweiser Select is ‘a new kind of beer’ brewed for a crisp taste that finishes clean. Budweiser Select was developed using two-row and roasted specialty malts for a rich color. A blend of aromatic domestic and imported hops provides the perfect balance and flavor. With its selective ingredients and distinctive brewing process, Budweiser Select delivers a crisp taste that finishes clean with only 3.1 grams of carbohydrates, 99 calories and 4.3 percent alcohol by volume per 12 ounce serving.”

I have no idea what a two-row malt is, but I’m willing to accept that it must be cool because America’s macro-brewer came up with it. What we have here is beer that still packs a wallop, for fat guys and gals on the Atkins diet.

Now I have to tell you about an experience The Lovely Marianne and I recently had in a fancy restaurant out on the east end of the Isle of Long. We were having lunch when a party of six fat guys plopped themselves down at the next table. The waitress, a young woman named, Tara, went over to take their order. Here’s how the conversation went.

“Hi, my name is Tara and I’ll be your server. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Sure,” one of the guys said. “What’s this Budweiser Select?” He pointed and squinted at the menu.

“I don’t know,” said Tara. “It’s just Bud, I think.” So cute.

“Okay,” the guy said, “then just bring me a Bud.”

And there you have it. Probably a zillion dollars worth of Budweiser Select marketing and advertising right down the toilet. How come? Because no one bothered to explain to Tara what the product is, and how it might benefit the customer. Parts is parts.

Last month I was at the airport, waiting to pick up my daughter, Erin, from an early morning flight. There’s a T.G.I. Fridays at this airport and they serve coffee and buns from a counter to sleepy-eyed people like me. I was getting myself a cup of joe, and there were several people waiting in line behind me. A young guy in a dirty uniform enters from the back room. The woman who is talking my order says to him. “Did you figure out what that was?”

“Uh, huh,” he says.

“What was it?”

“It’s dirty oil,” he says.

“Really! That’s so disgusting,” she says.

“I know,” he says, “and it’s everywhere.”

“Did you get it all cleaned up?”

“I did as much as I could, but it’s still pretty messed up back there,” he says. “I don’t think I can get it done by the time they come in.”

“How are they supposed to do lunch with all that mess back there,” she said.

He shrugs. So cute.

I will remember this for years, and I’ll never order food at that Fridays. Or maybe any other Fridays. I have a choice.

Or how about this? You’re driving down the road with your spouse, looking for a place to eat. You see a restaurant and it looks interesting, but then you spot one of those portable signs out front, the kind you tow with a car. It reads, Wanted – Waitress, Cook, Busboy, Dishwasher.

Really makes you want to stop there for a meal, doesn’t it? We actually saw this the other day. All the marketing in the world can’t get around an owner who’s trying to save a buck on a classified ad.

And how about this for dopey? I went to a tradeshow last May. Five manufacturers recognized me and grabbed me into their booths as I wandered the aisles. They each had a new product that they thought was wonderful, and after listening to their pitch I had to agree; this stuff was pretty interesting.

When I got back home I decided to mention the products on HeatingHelp.com. Thousands of people visit this site each day, and most of them are pretty sharp. They like to hear about new products and bright ideas. So I went to the websites of the five manufacturers, looking for the new products they had shown me at the tradeshow so that I could tell the heating world. Trouble was, not one of those five manufacturers had their new product featured on their website. They were so excited at the tradeshow, but apparently not excited enough to show it on the Internet.

So I didn’t mention any of them because I had nothing to reference. Lost opportunity for them, and I wondered who was in charge of getting this stuff online before the tradeshow? I wondered because if no one is in charge then it all stops right there. And all the marketing in the world can’t get you around this. We’re all using the Internet nowadays, and if it’s not up there then it’s not out there.

How about your business? Are your salespeople getting the training they need to tell the difference between a Bud and a Bud Select (or the heating equivalent)? And if there’s a mess in the “kitchen” at your place, are your people discussing the problem in front of your customers? What a turn off that is.

How about when you need help. Are you hanging a sign on your building, or posting your needs where potential customers can see them? Suppose you were your own customer. Wouldn’t that sign make you feel like you’re going to have to wait for service? Even if only for a little while? Why would you do that to yourself?

Training – it can never stop in this business.

“Hi. I saw an article in the newspaper about this new type of heating system. What do you know about it?”

“Uh, a little bit, I guess. What do you want to know”

“What makes it better?”

“Gosh, I really don’t know. Nobody told me about it. You want me to see if I can get you something on it. You can read up about it yourself. I really don’t have the time to get into it myself right now.”

“Nah, that’s okay. Don’t bother. I was just curious.”

“Okay.”

All it takes is one properly placed, dopey employee to mess up your business. Got one?

Click Here to Get More Marketing Wit & Wisdom (RSS feed available) from Dan Holohan

Successful Tradeshow Promotions: “Wired” Giveaway Reels ‘Em Into Your Booth

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Looking for a memorable tradeshow giveaway that customers are sure to keep? Then check this out…

Click Here to Watch Demo on YouTube

These designs are created to stand up on their own. Perfect for desktop or to display anywhere. Think about the possibilities where and when you could use this type of giveaway:

Tradeshows
Fundraisers
Wedding Favors
Parties
Graduations
Christmas/Hanukkah/New Year’s
Grand Openings/Open Houses
Place Card Favors

I was introduced to Dave Maskin by one of my favorite Twitter “tweeple,” Brad Shorr of Straight North (@bradshorr and @StraightNorth on Twitter). Brad knows I’m always looking for great ideas, especially as they relate to shows and events. And here’s what Dave Schneider of APMHC had to say about using Dave as an “booth magnet” in his booth:

I hired Dave to be our “Booth Magnet” at the North American Material Handling Show in Cleveland (NA 2010) to represent the Association of Professional Material Handling Consultants (APMHC). The association had operated trade show booths in the past with poor results. This year we set out to do it right – and DAVE MASKIN, THE WIRE MAN was the “secret sauce” for the show’s traditional high traffic day.

And boy – DID HE WORK! Our little 10X10 booth was at time packed inside – and the aisle plugged on the outside. We collected 3 times more leads that day than we did for the other three days *combined*! Except for a single “boys room” break Dave was in our booth from 10AM to show close at 5PM making wire names and attracting a crowd. Each member of our association was thrilled with the results. I am still getting comments about our booth a week after the show. There was a sketch artist in the booth next to ours and our traffic *crushed* her efforts.

As Dave worked and the crowd grew waiting for their turn our team could engage the attendees in conversation and learn more about their needs. We made quality contacts – not only potential clients but also new members – a “double bagger” of a day!

That’s a ringing endorsement!

Plus, Dave only uses 100% recycled aluminum for these wire designs. Perfect for events concerned about green issues.

Though Dave is based in the New York area, he is available for tradeshows throughout the country and can ship custom orders, too.

Click Here to Email Request for Quote to Have Dave “The Wire Man” at Your Next Tradeshow or to Order WireNames

Restaurant Promotions: 2 Who Got it Right

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Ted's Montana Grill Branded Dining Check Promotions Over this past week, I’ve been to two restaurants who were mindful of The Number One Promotional Product Mistake Restaurants Make of not providing a branded pen when asking a guest to sign the dining check. Who are they?

Ted’s Montana Grill, Schaumburg, Illinois

Alberto’s Restaurant in the Holiday Inn, Carol Stream, Illinois (a fellow member of mine in the Carol Stream Chamber of Commerce)

Congratulations to them for making a commitment to their restaurant’s marketing and branding efforts!

Even though this seems like a small thing, all the small things add up to your overall brand. Little stuff counts.

Seen some bizarre pens showing up in your dining check folder because the restaurant won’t buy their own? Comment below. Always gives me a good laugh.

Sales Strategies | Why You Have No Competition

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Comparing Apples to Oranges Someone in one of the industries I serve was concerned about the possibility of a competitor locating nearby. While I could understand the concern since both companies serve the same industry, selling essentially the same products, in my mind, they are not even close competitors. Why?

If you looked at these two companies, the one is very focused on selling parts, accessories, and gear, essentially a retail-like selling environment. Conversely, the other company focuses on building a network of dealers. Sure, these dealers buy and use the same products. But the dealers go for inventory buys. They’re not buying one of anything; they’re buying by the truckload. Dealers also expect a great deal of customer support in terms of sales force attention and incentive programs. Two completely different sales strategies.

The scenario got me thinking. Do any of us really have any competition?

Let’s go back to the situation above. The company that was concerned about their competitor moving in must believe that both companies are completely identical and that their customers believe that, too. Wrong! Customers have a pigeonhole for every vendor they deal with. They are keenly aware of what differentiates you from other companies in your field, even if you are not so aware.

Read Business Competitive Advantage: A Handbook for Small Business Owners, Entrepreneurs and Consultants

Another related point is that if you believe that you are on equal footing with all your competitors and view them as a threat, then you must also believe that all customers are alike, too. This is also not true. You may not want or may not be able to properly serve your competitor’s customers.

To stop worrying about competitors in your same industry and sell on what makes you and your company unique, ask yourself these questions:

Forget About the Product – Yes, there are companies that sell completely unique or custom products which give them a market advantage. But in the majority of industries there are a lot of people selling the exact same products. What do you do differently? Greater convenience? Paperless transactions? You send them cakes on their birthdays? You have easily identifiable vehicles?
Determine Your Ideal Customers and What Makes Them Unique – On the flip side, what are the distinguishing attributes of your customers versus your competitors? Do they all love baseball? Are they family-owned or publicly held? Are their staffs primarily made up of female or male workers? This may also trigger some ideas about what might work in the way of promotions for these folks.
Remember That It’s All About Relationships - It is difficult to unseat an incumbent vendor. People buy from people they like. And if you’re worried that a competitor may move into the area and swipe your customers, you better start thinking about why it would be easy for them to do so. Obviously, you have some work to do in the relationship department.

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Marketing Video versus Marketing With Video | Why You Need to Do Both

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So I’m meeting with my fellow presenters for the upcoming iConnect “Basics of Social Media” seminar and I have the brilliant idea that we should do a little video intro to help promote the event. Whip out my Flip video camera. I’m sure my pal Scott Kolbe, of Sikich Marketing & Design Services, was absolutely cringing. His on-staff (and my favorite!) videographer/photographer, Matt Stout, would have been able to put together a fabulous video promo. But would it have been worth the cost and effort? Probably not for this purpose. Are there times when the cost is justified? Yes.

What we, as marketers, need to realize is that there is a difference between a “marketing video” and “marketing with video.” It’s not exactly the same thing. And in today’s social media arena, you will need to do both.

So let’s make the distinction between the two terms. A “marketing video” is a professionally produced video segment that you will need for your website and other electronic communications. It is the official animated face of you and your organization. Here is an example of a professionally produced marketing video that was created by Matt Stout and friends at Sikich Marketing & Design Services:

As you can see, the transitions are smooth, lighting is perfect, multiple shooting perspectives are used, it includes title slides, sound is excellent, and an entire marketing story unfolds in less than two minutes. That two minutes took about a hour or so of shooting time, plus I don’t know how many hours of production time. Add to that the dollar cost of professional video shooting and production which can be at least $1,000 or more (sometimes way more!) per minute of final edited video.

Contrast this with a quick video I took at the Friends of DuPage Animal Care & Control Wine & Chocolate fundraiser earlier this year with my Flip video camera…

I had little control over lighting, sound, and surroundings which were very close quarters, but yet it tells a story. This is “marketing with video” and the value comes from the “I was there factor,” giving it an authentic “news” appeal that social media demands.

So how do you decide when to use what?

If you are using the video for a website, tradeshow presentation, etc. that will be shown over and over again or for a long period of time, invest in a professionally produced video. You will have more control over your message and the effect it will have on your audiences.
If you have a very sophisticated audience that expects polished video, you really should consider going pro.
If you are using the video to relay what is happening right now, particularly for use with social media, a Flip video shoot would be just fine. It will add a layer of authenticity to it that helps build trust in social media venues. Social media superstar Gary Vaynerchuk, author of Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time Cash In on Your Passion, is a master of this video blogging (vlogging) and it helped him become the multi-millionaire he is today. Check out Gary’s vlogs at WineLibraryTV.com. You’ll see what I mean, especially the early years! His genuine personality shines through, even in the later, more sophisticated episodes.
If you are using the video to promote a product, service, or event with a short time horizon and that may not have a high potential ROI, consider a quick, homegrown video. I shoot some new product announcements with my webcam. Promotional product suppliers usually do not provide financial support for distributors, like me, to produce advertising or marketing like this. But on the plus side, it gives it that “just announced” news feel. Click here to see one of my latest product promos for a text messaging + promotional product program.

I love my Flip video camera for quick on-the-scene shooting, but it does have some serious limitations, especially with sound. Click here to see my full Flip video review.

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Tag Archives: marketing

Why I Feel Sorry for the Kardashians

Promotional Products | Avoiding the Arts and Crafts Trap

Promotional Products | Cure for the Common T-Shirt

Advertising: Why Dopey Employees Waste Your Ad Dollars

Successful Tradeshow Promotions: “Wired” Giveaway Reels ‘Em Into Your Booth

Restaurant Promotions: 2 Who Got it Right

Sales Strategies | Why You Have No Competition