If you haven’t heard, it’s our 10th anniversary. I’m pretty excited about it; a little because that’s a nice milestone and I’m proud of our work, and a lot because it gives us a very good reason to host a big bash party (of which you’re invited so get in your R.S.V.P.). However, I happen to be thinking about all of the things we could have done had we planned a bit better for the big year. So learn a little from my mistakes and take some advice: make time to plan for yourself and your business.
One of the things I was thinking would have been fun to include in a 10 year marketing activity was a microsite. Oh the fun we could have had. We were brainstorming today on some crazy, outlandish goals for the next 10 years (loved Clay’s idea of rebranding the White House seal…cracks me up) and we could have shared such fun via a microsite. Then my brain hopped to wondering: Do people really know how to utilize a microsite? I think we all get it’s a site (hence the name) but maybe not exactly it’s purpose or potential. I’ve come up with eight ways off the top of my head to get you started on how you can intertwine a great microsite presence to your marketing mix.
A Special Offer – You want to create a site that hosts your special offer. The special offer does not live on your home site and no one knows about it unless you drive them to or they find this special offer microsite.
Speaking Spanish – Want to branch out to a specific culture or group? Speak their language! We were recently talking to the International Center of Indianapolis and it made me think of all the global families that find their home here in our communities. What if we welcomed them, initially, via an entry point that was all known and comfortable to them?
Social – If you’re a social networking maniac and involved with more than a dozen social media sites, maybe it’s time to make your own social site.
Anniversary – note above. This would fit under the short-lived microsite type, but, it would have been relevant, had a great purpose and provided some history and facts that would have helped our clients and prospects learn a bit more about us.
Expertise – if you’re an expert in your area but you’re lost in the corproate world shuffle, get yourself a microsite. Your niche can win some SEO battles and help put you on the map a little faster when someone google’s your name.
Campaign – If you’re running a special campaign or fundraiser type tactic, great use of a microsite!
Product – this makes total sense if you’re selling a unique or special product, or, if you’re trying to education an audience. Help visitors learn what it is, what it does and how to get it.
Co-Branding – if you’re partnering with someone or want to jointly do something as two brands, a microsite may be your best bet.
I’m sure there are other great uses, but these quickly came to mind based on what’s going on in our world right now and what may be the most relevant to our subscribers. Please share your microsite thoughts in our comments.
I’m excited to say Clay has been at work again. This time, his brilliance is taking shape in a new portfolio page. We’re adding in work you have yet to see! Even better, we talk about the marketing results each has had on our client’s business. We’re looking forward to sharing this new feature with you. Here’s a sneak peek!
It’s time for Mr. Canfield to step down as my favorite book (The Success Principles). He has held the title crown for a couple years now, so it is time.
Getting Realby 37 Signals is a simple read, which is the point, as the book’s subtitle is: The smarter, faster, easier way to build a successful web application. While this book does all that, it does more too. The smarter, simple, faster, easier way they approach web work has many lessons that can be placed in to your world. It’s also such a quick read, I’ll probably read and reread this one a few times.
It’s funny how things are applicable at different times in your life. I typically don’t pick up web books, but this is one of Clay’s top reads, so I wanted to read his top read. He’s a super sharp dude, so why wouldn’t I want to know what he knows? More than that, though, the book was great for me to read because it helps us work smarter as a team, and, I know a lot more about where he is coming from when we approach a web project. Just this week, a client wanted to have a few websites for their business. This could have been a very OK thing for that company, however, my main point, of course from the thoughts of this book, were that making three sites only lead to additional sites to MANAGE. Most clients don’t want to add to their work load on purpose, nor leave open an opportunity to cause error by forgetting to change information in one place but not in the other two. It was timely, and spot on advice for this situation.
There are many other lessons I’m sure I’ll share in future situations, but for now, take my advice and read this book. It’s more than simple advice for web work. It’s great advice for business.
The 2009 Companies to Watch was another great evening with 50 of Indiana’s best companies in the spotlight. We are honored to be part of this event with our client, Indiana Small Business Development Center. Our role in this event is branding, advertising, web banners, e-mail, signage, and helping with logistics. Enjoy the gallery of images from the evening.
We have had a lot of conversations of late about helping companies know what they sell. To know your audience and how they buy, you need to know what they are buying. This helps you know how to sell. Ask yourself this question: “What does our company sell?” and gather answers from everyone, even your clients if you can. Any surprising answers? I’ll give you a hint on the direction; it’s probably not a product or service.
Let’s take a company example in Vera Bradley. (I was disappointed in their message on their website but I’ll stay focused to the task for now) They are running a print campaign, in some national publications even a full spread, that says ‘Make life more colorful’ with a very colorful image of a youngish woman in a hot air balloon holding one of their newer fabric backpacks. The name of the pack and the price are small and insignificant to the ad. The ad is selling a lifestyle. It’s selling add some flavor to your life by adding color. Be rich with color and exude the beauty and wonder that this woman and hot air balloon are doing for you right now. It has very little to do with that backpack. Vera Bradley knows their audience has a certain lifestyle and approach to life that makes their product, i.e. handbags and such, part of that life. If they wanted to just move some product they could have lots of thumbnail shots of each new bag with a price under it and their website.
Let’s also talk about that price. The backpack was $92. If the whole ad would have been about the product with the price, in today’s economy, that may give some people sticker shock. We all know a solid backpack can be found for much less than $92. Selling the lifestyle makes the price less glaring and less painful. While some would not like to admit it, there is a price tag for certain lifestyles. Vera Bradley knows this and is banking on knowing which category their audience is in and their appropriate price tag.
Now on to their website. This is where I was disappointed. No mention of color in my world, even, (even!) lack of colorful imagery on their site. The people on the homepage were much younger than the woman in the ad, which can go OK or terribly wrong depending on the audience you’re starting with. They didn’t bring the campaign home and speak to me once I went to their site to make a purchase. This is sad. This would be the part I would suggesting making sure you don’t repeat and tie in the right online message to your offline world.
Between working on client projects and writing blog posts, I’m still hard at work on the new Silver Square website. There’s an early preview of what the home page will look like over at our Get Back On the Road Blog. A business owner asked about how they should evaluate web designers when they are planning a redesign of their site. One of the final tips in the post is to look at the designer’s site, so it only seemed natural to include a peek at where our site is headed.
Head over to that site and take a look at the new direction we’re going. While you’re there, don’t forget to ask your marketing questions. You’ll get practical answers from the Silver Square team. Tell your friends.
One little, tiny thing that is an often overlooked marketing tool is the e-mail signature. This is something that hundreds (or maybe even more) business people see each day. Make that an opportunity that works for your business. Here are some ideas to consider:
Link to LinkedIn.If you’re keeping your LinkedIn profile udpated (which you should be) chances are you have a recommendation or two in your profile. If you don’t have any recommendations, read my advice on building that portion of your profile. This allows indivdiuals to view your recommendations, see your credentials and learn more about you.
Invite people to follow you on Twitter. Depending on how you use Twitter, it may make sense to invite people to follow you and keep updated on what you’re doing. Growing an audience that wants to know more about you is never a bad thing.
Help push traffic to a website or cause. Use a link to your website to help push traffic there. Enhance the potential of someone using this link by using a catchy phrase or adding a visual image that may add to curiosity.
Be professional. Make sure your business signature propels the look, feel, tone and mission of your business. It wouldn’t make sense to build your brand in all other areas only to have a horrible signature line that devalued the rest of your efforts.
Share your location. I still go to the e-mail to find location and phone information for those I’m trying to reach. This is a common practice that you may want to consider making a communications standard in your company.
The example below hits on these topics and a couple others. If you want to have everyone follow you on each of the social media outlets you’re frequenting, use smaller icons or visuals that still mesh with your business brand and serve your connection needs. Don’t go too overboard and add lots of info, but do rotate or update your signature from time to time to keep it fresh and keep it working as a marketing tool.
My dad and I have always been super close. He was laid off from General Motors when I was very young, so he was Mr. Mom (and I think it’s safe to say Mr. Mom in the mid 70′s wasn’t all that hip, none of my friends’ dads stayed at home with them!). However, I like that Dad stayed home with me. We had some great times and many of the memories that come to mind first are from that period of time. We met my mom each day for lunch at 11:30 at the Time Out, a good ole joint servering burgers and fries, and I would order a vanilla coke and french fries every day. They were those thick, ripply fries and I would put one strip of ketchup with those squirt ketchup bottles on each and every fry. Good thing my eating habits have adjusted!
Another favorite memory during this time was painting TV towers. Yes, we had and used TV towers back then, especially in rural Indiana, which is where I grew up (Winchester, IN, to be exact). My dad would get crafty on what kind of jobs he could find to do; ones in which showing up with an energetic kid wouldn’t seem so odd. Looking back I’m sure he and my mom would discuss what to do, but when I was younger I just thought, wow, Dad’s come up with something new and fun for us to do today! TV towers, sparkly silver paint, yeah, that sounds fun! So off we would go. We did this for weeks. I have no idea how long we made a business of painting TV towers. I remember driving around, whether we were working or not, and calling out to Dad just where I saw a tower that needed painting and probably what we should charge for it. Then, we simply would go to that house, knock on the door, and ask if they wanted their TV tower painted. Curb appeal a la 70s style!
Wow, I found an image online - these are JUST like the ones we climbed and painted.
There’s no doubt this experience had and continues to shape who I am today. While I’m not knocking on doors and asking to paint TV towers, I’m still looking for avenues to help others, make things pretty and feel good about the work I’ve done at the end of the day. In fact, there are even days where I’ll call Mom and tell her the events of the day, just like I did back then. Thanks Dad for the wonderful memories, and even better lessons!
In honor of Dad’s everywhere, we’ve gathered a list of sayings from our Twitter and Facebook activites – here are the top 10…
Why would you complain about something that just needs to get done – just do it
You put the emPHAsis on the wrong sylABle.
The grass is NOT always greener on the other side
Don’t make me come up there! (or my dad would say… don’t make me stop this car)
You can’t change the spots on a leopard
Never say “can’t”
If it were easy, everyone would do it (or just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you are doing it)
Smile & Move is a site devoted to making the world a better place. That seems like one hefty goal, but their approach makes it easy. It begins with you. YOU smile and move through life with the five action steps outlined on their site. I like the site because I feel, on most days, I too am smiling and moving and helping make the world a better place.
The movie gets to the real flavor of their message, so watch it and get started! (it’s 3 minutes)
While attending a networking event for Alpha Chicks last night at Houlihan’s, I was pleasantly surprised and enjoying their new branding. They have purposely set out to reach a younger, hipper crowd due to their updated logo, decor, menu selection and nightly specials.
Flight of martini's from Houlihan's; 3 for $9
Let’s start with the specials – as they WERE special. Half price bottles of wine, flights of martinis and half price ‘snackage’ is pretty nice within itself. However, the delivery of these specials made them an extra treat. The flights of martinis were from ANY of the martinis available. Select the fancy chocolate one, get the sugar rim sweet one, they were all part of the deal. They didn’t offer something from a limited menu or trick you in to thinking it all applied. Then, they delivered the flights of martinis in full style. Everyone around our table (and those of us at the table who partook in something other than the martinis) wanted what they had. It’s instant jealousy.
The appetizer delivery was amazing too. Fancy modern plates and extras really made a punch and took your little snackage up a notch on the fun scale. The taste was there too; nothing was missing.
Houlihan's new logo
The new branding made this all come together consistently. The identity itself is clean, fresh and modern. I like how the ‘H’ is a little off skew. The logo launched the theme for the rest of the decor and menu design. It all fit together in a modern fit of functionality and style. The outdoor patio was one of the best I’ve experienced. It is in the Castleton Mall parking lot, but you know what, I rarely noticed this after our crowd showed up, the drinks arrived and the night began. The brilliant red adirondack chairs and bright yellow umbrellas paired with dark black steel and hearty brown woods made you feel like you were on someone’s back porch, not a public restaurant.
Well done Houlihan’s. You have upgraded your brand significantly and you paired all your elements of the entire experience well. This is a great model of how it should be done.
