Have you seen any Political Ads yet?

I am completely kidding about that title.  Unless you have been on a retreat for the past few months or on a media cleanse ( i love that, that is a thing.  People stop all technology consumption to cleanse) you have seen political ads, and heard political ads.

If you live in New England you have  seen a ton of primary ads, especially on television.  Why is this? New Hampshire is an important primary state,  so we are seeing all candidates trying to win votes for the primary.  These ads are candidate focused, both positive and negative.

Lowest rate 

During the political window of time which is 45 days prior to the primary and 60 days prior to the general election, media outlets must provide the lowest rate on their station to candidates wanting to advertising.  Bottom line, those stations aren’t making as much money on those ads as you may think, but they do ok-not to worry.  

Reasonable access

The Communications Act requires licensees of commercial stations to provide federal candidates with “reasonable access” to a broadcast station. So, stations may not turn away candidates running for federal offices (President, Senate, House of Representatives) and must provide them with some access in all dayparts. Stations may decline to carry ads for local and state races (e.g., city council or county clerk) because candidates for those races have no statutory right to reasonable access. Access for significant non-federal races (e.g., governor) should be considered under the general public interest standard, however. Bottom line, a station can’t deny federal advertising, stations are regulated   by the FCC ( federal communications commission )after all.  But stations can elect not to take smaller races. 

Equal Opportunity

Generally, whenever there is a candidate  on a station, the appearance creates an equal opportunity for the candidate’s opponent to “use” the station for the same amount of time to reach a similarly sized audience.  For example, a candidate’s appearance as a host or an anchor of a news program would be considered a “use” and any legally-qualified opponent of the candidate may assert an equal opportunity right to appear on the station. Bottom line, everything needs to be “even Steven”. 

 

Beyond a natural curiosity about how some of the political advertising works,  why do you care? If you are a small to medium size business owner looking to adverting you need to be careful how you spend your money. Over time, there is some listener and viewer fatigue.  People begin to zone out on the political ads.  You don’t want your valuable message to get lumped into those commercials.

Here are some suggestions on how to smartly spend your money to avoid the Political Landmines.

If you like to use television, you may want to  stay away from local broadcast channels during those windows unless you have a large budget. Instead, try local cable and utilize non news channels.  While all channels on broadcast and cable networks will be targeted-to reach the most amount of households possible, there seems to be an abundance of political marketing on what I would call more “serious channels”, and  channels targeting older voting adults.

Local radio is always a good resource for your marketing dollars.  When trying to avoid the political wave, advertise on music radio stations vs talk or news stations for the same reasons listed above for television.

Depending on your business, perhaps local or regional magazine’s would be a good option during this time of year.  Magazines are typically not a political candidates top choice, the creative can be difficult to change on the fly. However, for your business a fresh glossy photo spread might bring in new customers.

 

To be clear I am not advising you to stop advertising during the political times. I am merely offering some suggestions and things to think about, I want you to feel good about where you are spending your money.  Advertising works, all advertising mediums work, all it takes is the right message reaching the right audience.  I hope this was helpful- don’t forget to vote!

 

 

There’s a new kid in town, just when we got used to the Millennials.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Generation Z.  I guess it was time to get back to the letter system.  This is a generation most people aren’t thinking much about yet, unless you are raising one or have a babysitting business.  But here is what we need to know about this up and coming generation in regards of marketing.

These individuals were born between 1993-2010, this group grew up swiping and tapping. They have not known life without a smartphone.  This mobile connectivity has already shaped society, imagine the group that only knows a mobile world.  While much of this generation is still learning and shaping their own views, already a portion of this group is in the workforce.

Here is what we are learning about teens and 20-23 year old’s of Generation Z:

Altruistic: They have seen world chaos, so they take solace in giving back. They like brands that give and support things they believe in. They also like to volunteer, is this the generation that will save the world?

Diverse: This group will be the most racially and sexually diverse generation. These culture influences will effect all areas of consumerism.  From new menu items at Mc Donald’s,  to the new line of barbies, there will be a continuous wave of multicultural influences in the future.

Entrepreneurial: A generation that has seen successful people working from home, the rise of  “Insta-lebrity” ( I just created that, a person who is famous for being on Instagram and makes money from it) and influences from their older peers, those Millenniums. Generation Z believes in being their own boss.  A study conducted by Northwestern University found that 42% of Gen Z expect to work for themselves.  Currently only 11% of Americans are self employed.

What can you do to get ready for these consumers.

Some thoughts:

Are you stocking a diverse line of goods to attract the Gen Z tastes?

Do you have a charity you support? Let Gen Z know about it and how they can help too.

Automate as much of the experience as possible. Appointments on line, or quick pick up?

Is your website up to date website, are  you using current social postings to attract Gen Z to your business?  A mobile generation will find you online first.

I’m looking forward to seeing the influence this new brave generation has for us.

Welcome lil Z!

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to 2016-what’s your dream?

 

Over the holidays, work life slows a bit and allows for some relaxation and reflection. I was watching the movie, Pretty Woman and after the romantic end scene you see and hear the guy on the street corner. Do you remember ? He’s shouting to passer bys ” what’s your dream?”  And that got me thinking.

A new year is a great time to make short and long term plans, refine what didn’t work last year, set new goals… It’s all good stuff. Important. Key to it all, really think about it, write it down, put an action plan to it and as Nike says. Just Do It!

Over the holidays I paid careful attention to the customer service I received. Pleased at times, disappointed at times and in all cases just wanting to be appreciated, helped and thanked for the money I was spending.

That leads me to Sawhill’s #1 2016 goal. Customer Service. I pride myself on taking exceptional care of my clients. So I am challenging myself to do more and be even better. I will share real examples throughout the year of this.

Sawhill’s #2 2016 goal. Creativity. What unique marketing programs can I develop. How can I help brand my clients business in new, innovative ways that make them and their customers say WOW.

Sawhill’s #3 2016 goal. Be visible and available. Life moves so fast. Technology and connectivity has made it both harder and easier to do all the things you want to do. Working in Boston,  we battle; busy schedules, weather, epic traffic and so on. My goal is to better plan my days and weeks so I am there for my clients. To have the time to be with them and help them solve thier problems.

When making your own goals. Keep it real. Be honest with yourself. If the goals are to help and effect others, make sure they do. The time and thought you take today can set you up for a great 2016.
Let’s do this, let’s make 2016 a great year. We can do it!

Happy THANKS GIVING

In honor of Thanksgiving, let’s talk about those two words.  THANKS and GIVING.  Exactly how are you THANKING your clients and customers on a regular basis? What are you GIVING them that your competition isn’t or can’t?

Whatever your business, I am willing to bet you are seeing more competition, more challenges and more things that keep you up at night. Now more than ever, its important to say thank you and show your thanks to your loyal customers and clients.  The people who continue to do business with you, who are helping you grow every month and every year.

If you were raised properly and are over the age of 30, your mother, father or grandparent pushed you to write thank you notes for all the gifts you received as a child.  Sure it was a drag, “Dear Aunt Martha, thank you for the bunny pajamas, I have already worn them to sleep in.  They are very soft. Thank you.  Love Alison” BUT-It’s important, on the most basic level you are showing your appreciation to Aunt Martha who took her time and money; to get you something you would hopefully like.  This basic art has changed, evolved and is forgotten too many times.  Sawhill Rule #1 – Always say thank you.

Depending on your business a thank you may vary, from a hand written note, my personal favorite, to an email, or small gift.  The point is to recognize the time and money given to YOUR BUSINESS.  I could go on for paragraphs about this, I had a fairly strict upbringing when it came to manners.  In the event, this does not come naturally or perhaps you just need some fresh ideas here are:  6 Simple  Thank You Ideas you can do TODAY to say thank you to your clients, business partners, vendors and customers.

#1 Say thank you with a hand written note. No one does it anymore, it will stand out. A true hand written note shows your clients you took the time to sit down and think about them.  You appreciate them. So, do it for every sale, every opportunity to appreciate what they invest in your business.

#2 A thank you email, a sad runner up to the hand written note in my opinion but it does allow you to do some cool things.  Attach a video of you saying thank you.  Attach a link to a coupon for their next purchase, create a cute animated gif that is appropriate to what you do .

#3 Give your customers a small gift at the time of purchase.  When a good customer spends over X or commits to X+1, give them something small in the moment as a thank you to make them feel like a VIP.  Perhaps a sample product that your suppliers gave you or a value appropriate gift that you have purchased. The gift should compliment the purchase, not make them say ” What the?”. Auto supply stores could give away an ice scraper, not a pair of earrings.

#4 Create premium items with your business name on them.  People love stuff.  If you don’t believe me, come work a booth at a trade show or expo. Choose something that is a good representation  of your business. Dentist- free toothbrush, Car dealer- key chain, Hair Dresser-purse mirror or brush.  These small thank you will be used often and will remind them of the positive experience they had with you and your team.

#5 A thank you the customer receives outside of a purchase or interaction with you but instead focuses on them.  A restaurant sends a birthday card with a gift certificate for a free meal to celebrate your birthday.  Those customers will be blown away you know their birthday?  And will probably go there for the free Birthday meal and bring 8 friends. This takes a little more work, building a data base of information about your customers.   You can also pull good information from social media, Facebook has birthdays-who doesn’t like a Birthday.

#6 Is your business active with social media? Do you have an engaged community of followers and fans? If so, then thank your clients and fans through social media.  Publicly say to the social media community that you appreciate this person or that person.  A general post ” hey thanks everyone”is fine, but not special.  We want people to feel appreciated and connected, so they stay active with  your business.  Post a picture of them, write a nice note thanking them for their business or inspiration.  Don’t forget to tag them in it.  I had this done to me recently and I was so excited, I shared it with my groups and continue to talk up the business and have brought them several new clients (smart of them to do that to me, huh?) . I am now acting like a sales machine for THEM- by passionately telling all my friends and contacts the nice thing they did.  All the did was recognize me- simple and POWERFUL!

 

THANKS GIVING- two simple words that remind us to be thankful for the people in our lives and to give generously to them.  I hope these tips inspire you to Thank your clients and customers today and more often. A little goes a long way- try it today and see.  I would love to hear your personal experiences as you try this for your business.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Labels and media terms-let’s break it down- part one

For a long time I have been interested in the generational studies. This started in college when I was a Political Science Major at the University of Rhode Island.  This interest and understanding has spilled into my marketing world. In marketing articles, and “buzz word bingo” we hear a lot about Baby Boomers and Millennials.  Most major brands are super focused on woo-ing Millennials- thinking that they are the “holy grail” of consumers.  There are many parody’s about the Millennials, I am including one that not only makes me chuckle but brings to light some of the attitudes this generation has on work and life. You can find many more parody’s on You Tube about all the groups.

 

 

Here is a simple break down of the major consumer groups:

Traditionalist are born between 1900-1945

Celebrity Icons: Bob Dole, Elizabeth Taylor

Key Experiences:  WWII, raised by parents of the Great Depression, radio babies

Some attributes about this group: Strong work ethic, trusts hierarchy, values loyalty

Baby Boomers are born between 1946-1964

Celebrity Icons: Bill Clinton, Meryl Streep

Key Experiences: Civil Rights, Vietnam War, Space Travel

Some Attributes about this group: Highest divorce rate and second marriage, team oriented, extremely loyal to their children

Generation X are born between 1965-1980

Celebrity Icons: Barak Obama, Jennifer Lopez

Key Experiences: Energy Crisis, first generation of latchkey kids,  end of the cold war

Some Attributes about this group: Independent, diverse, high degree of brand loyalty

Millennials are born between 1981-2000

Celebrity Icons: Ashton Kutcher, Serena Williams

Key Experiences:Digital Media, terrorist attacks, AIDS

Some Attributes about this group: First generation with schedules as children,  global community, likes personal attention

Understanding how each generation was raised and what they experienced can be very helpful when figuring out how to attract each of these groups into your business.  What will be interesting to a baby boomer could be a turn off to a millennial.  National brands spend millions of dollars on research to understand the likes and buying habits of each group. You can find many published articles and studies on this if you believe you need to fine tune your marketing to a particular group. And I will share more on each group in future postings.

How can you use this today for your business? First ask yourself-What does my average customer look like? Who am I trying to attract?  What group do they best fall into-then, do some additional research on that generation.  Does your message appeal to them?

Here is an example: If your business is trying to attract Millennials, in your marketing message emphasize your social and digital strengths or how you make them feel special. If your business is looking to attract Baby Boomers, perhaps themes of the American Dream, would be effective. Every product, business and campaign is unique; take  the time to work with a marketing professional to help you fine tune your branding and messaging and see better results.

In future postings I will share more examples and details on reaching each of these unique generations. I hope this was a helpful peek into the generational philosophy to your marketing. Thank you for reading, viewing and sharing this information.

How can you promote your business for free?

If you are a new business or a small business,  you are looking for ways to start marketing and promoting your business for free.

Things that may go through your head ” I want to just test the market first before I go big”, ” my trading area is so small it’s going to be referrals” or ” I just spent my life savings getting this off the ground I don’t have much coming in yet”.

Not to fear– you already have the most important and effective advertising medium….YOU! No one is more knowledgeable or passionate about your business than you.

Let’s use what you have and get started.
Here are three things you can do this week to increase the exposure for your business that is free (or almost free).* side note- these ideas will require your time, focus and attention and in some cases,  your product or service.

#1 Social Media 

Is your business properly represented on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope? Do that first.  Social media has become a very powerful tool for communication, referrals and promotion. We will spend more time on each of these and their benefits in upcoming posts.  However, for today make sure you have all the basic business information correctly listed. Name, web address, street address,  current photo’s of staff, merchandise or events.  Social media channels give you an opportunity to build a relationship and have regular communication with people who are interested in your business.  Get on line and start that conversation!

#2 Charity and Community Involvement

This is a great way to support the organizations and groups that are important to you, while gaining exposure for your business.  Offer to provide prizes for a raffle event,  Donate your time at an event, and wear your company gear. If your business has the space, invite them to have an event in your business.  By donating your time and services you are not only doing a good thing for an organization you care about but you are showcasing your business to like minded people AKA- potential new customers.

If the event or organization is large enough,  it might be worth reaching out to local media outlets for a PSA.  A PSA is a public service announcement.  All media outlets are obligated to promote and support community events, sending them a PSA doesn’t guarantee free press or free air time. However, if they have an interest in the event and the space,  you might get free advertising. Below is a basic guideline to writing a PSA, be sure to have all the important pieces of information included but be brief.  Now who gets it? Here is a sample list of titles:  email your PSA  to: Public service director, program director, editor, community relationships manager.

How to Write a PSA Script

1. Capture the attention of your audience by making the ad relevant to them at the beginning of the announcement. Ask questions or make brief points that will help the audience identify with the cause of your organization or event. For example, “Have you ever known anyone who has been the victim of a drunk driving accident? A friend, a relative, an old high school acquaintance?”
2. List the essential information listeners or viewers need to know. Think about who should attend or get involved, what it’s about, where it’s happening or where the business is located, when and why. Give directions or a point of reference for an event location. For example, “located next to Wal-Mart on the strip.”
3. Use emotion to encourage the audience to get involved. Choose words that describe how the audience, or those benefiting from the charitable event, will feel as a result of their participation. For example, “Your decision to quit smoking won’t only leave you feeling free and in control, but your family will benefit from having you in their lives for many more years.”
4. Call the audience to action. Do you want them to make a monetary contribution, attend an event or volunteer their time? Maybe you want the audience to quit smoking or teach their children to look both ways before crossing the street. Make it clear what you expect the audience to do after listening to your message.
5. Include contact information, such as a name and phone number, or a website address where people can get more information. Repeat information that’s difficult to remember, such as the phone number or website address.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/how_4927633_write-psa-script.html

And finally

#3 Networking

You are the most enthusiastic person to talk about your business- go talk to people.  Tell everyone you meet-spread the word.  There are formal organizations you can join like a  BNI group.  These are groups of businesses, usually grouped by geography. They meet regularly to share leads, ideas and support each other.  Some groups do ask for a joining fee, but you will have the opportunity to formally and informally talk about your business on several occasions.

You can find more information on http://www.bni.com/

I wish you luck and success with your business. I hope these tips have given you some good ideas. Get started today to see new customers tomorrow!

If you have any specific questions, you can email me here.  Thanks for stopping by and spending time with me.

Where to start? What’s your USP?

Many businesses that are new to advertising, wonder- where do i start? There are so many exciting things to think about but first we need to focus. Let’s get clear about what your business is, what makes you unique and memorable.  What is your USP? A USP is your “Unique Selling Proposition” this is the thing you are known for the most or that distinguishes you from your competitor.  People can have a USP, and every business should know what there’s is.

A great book for small business owners to read is The 33 Ruthless Rules of Local Advertising. Michael Corbett and Dave Stilli have taken a complicated process and broken down all the steps you need to understand and build your advertising plan.  I will be sharing many of these elements throughout this series but in my own way, so I wanted to share this book with everyone to use as a tool.  In The 33 Ruthless Rules of Local Advertising, they review USP in Rule 9.  The specific examples provided will help give you more ideas.

How do I get started? Make a list of all the things that are great about your business.  Then make a list of all  the great things about your competitors.  You need to be HONEST, and really look at this with a critical, consumer eye, not the rose colored glasses of a proud business owner.  Its hard, I get it. Maybe ask for help from a partner or close friend.

Now notice the things that are different.  Your USP is starting to form.  What one thing do you have on your list, that you do better or different, something that is so special and unique its the #1 on the list.  Let’s start with that as your first USP. We can have a few depending on your business type but you need to start with the most important.  What is the ONE  thing you would tell people about your business.

Next we need to make sure that your ONE thing isn’t generic. Can anyone claim that? For example- good customer service or discount prices is vague. Consumers today have become numb to these phrases, its white noise to them.  If that is TRULY your USP you will need to be clever in your positioning of that statement to make it sound unique. An example would be: Teresa’s Boutique, where you are OUR local celebrity and we treat you like royalty.  That is a creative way to say we have great customer service. What people will remember is, “Hey I get treated like a celebrity when I go there”, and I like that.

USP- Unique Selling Proposition. A simple focus tool to help you find your lead story.  Focus on what you do best. Be you. Be Great.  Tell people that and invite them to your business.

http://www.the33rules.com/

New Adventures: Start where you are, use what you have

Good morning, I am awkwardly excited to start sharing something new.  I say, awkwardly, because I have never done anything like this before and its hard to watch yourself on video.  However, I have been doing a lot studying, reading and listening  to podcasts lately,  on how can I share  what I know and the experience I have gained. I love what I do and I could talk for hours about all the amazing people I have met, the businesses I have helped and the things I have learned.  The internet gives us this wonderful platform to share what we know.  I am starting a video series to share different topics relating to marketing, media, and sales.  I will be sharing practical advice in plain language to give people simple ideas to try.  I love to help people and I always try to lead with kindness, This first video is just a simple introduction about me, who I am , where I am , what I am going to be doing, and what I sound like.

I promise you two things: my video’s will get better, this is my first one EVER and I will give free, simple, ideas. Thank you for watching, sharing and commenting.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/vYFQvGKd2BY“>http://

New Adventures: Start where you are, use what you have

Good morning, I am awkwardly excited to start sharing something new.  I say, awkwardly, because I have never done anything like this before and its hard to watch yourself on video.  However, I have been doing a lot studying, reading and listening  to podcasts lately,  on how can I share  what I know and the experience I have gained. I love what I do and I could talk for hours about all the amazing people I have met, the businesses I have helped and the things I have learned.  The internet gives us this wonderful platform to share what we know.  I am starting a video series to share different topics relating to marketing, media, and sales.  I will be sharing practical advice in plain language to give people simple ideas to try.  I love to help people and I always try to lead with kindness, This first video is just a simple introduction about me, who I am , where I am , what I am going to be doing, and what I sound like.

I promise you two things: my video’s will get better, this is my first one EVER and I will give free, simple, ideas. Thank you for watching, sharing and commenting.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/vYFQvGKd2BY“>http://

Word of mouth advertising works best, have a Radio personality do the talking for your business

RADIO ENDORSEMENTS

Radio endorsements are a form of native advertising. Instead of (or sometimes in addition to) a pre-recorded radio ad played during commercial breaks, the on-air personality gives an endorsement of the advertiser’s product or business, tying in real-life experiences with your brand.

The home improvement industry is often more brand agnostic than other consumer markets. Large box stores can sometimes be viewed as interchangeable. Bags of mulch, sheets of plywood — most people don’t care too much about where they buy these things. Partly, they are right to feel this way. Construction materials are often standardized: a 2×4 will be more or less the same anywhere you buy it.

Partly, they don’t know why they should choose one business over the other. The logic of some construction materials being standardized affects their perception of all of a home improvement store’s offerings, and this causes a small amount of cognitive dissonance. People feel that there must be a reason to choose one business over the other, but they don’t know what it is. They may not fully understand how the home improvement industry works, and this includes everything from supply stores to contractors to repair companies.

Feeling confused, consumers long for someone to help them make their purchasing decision. But research shows that these feelings may make them less susceptible to traditional forms of advertising. But a radio endorsement is different — it is viewed as a more trustworthy source of information.

LISTENERS TRUST PERSONALITIES

In a survey, a majority of regular radio listeners stated that they felt that radio hosts are “like a friend who can be trusted.” Despite knowing they are hearing a paid ad, when it’s delivered by an on-air personality they trust, indecisive consumers are more willing to let their guard down, and more thoughtfully consider their message of the endorsement.

This is because they expect their host not to be unscrupulous in their endorsements. As such, you should never use a radio endorsement to deliver a dishonest message. Of course, you shouldn’t ever do that period, but since listeners place more trust in what their on-air personality says, they’ll have greater expectations about the quality of your business.

LISTEN TO YOUR PERSONALITIES

It’s a good idea to always let on-air personalities test your product or service before asking them to make an endorsement. Then listen to their feedback. These people understand their audience better than anyone, so they’re sure to have some quality insight into how a business should be endorsed.

It’s also good to take into account what kind of audience you are trying to reach. For example, if you’re business is preparing to run a campaign on building out a custom BBQ area and outdoor entertaining space, running an endorsement on a show with a higher income and/or male skewing audience might make sense.

As one of the many choices available to advertisers, there is a time and place for radio endorsements. Make sure you have a goal set before beginning your campaign, and use the advice in this article, and your next endorsement is sure to be successful.