http://www.cxo.com.au/people/531725/qa-mellissah-smith-ceo-marketing-eye/
Sunday, November 29, 2009
CXO Magazine Interviews Mellissah Smith, CEO, Marketing Eye
http://www.cxo.com.au/people/531725/qa-mellissah-smith-ceo-marketing-eye/
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
SMALL BUSINESSES DEVELOP STRATEGIC MARKETING PLANS FOR JUST $299
Strategic Marketing, once touted as just for large corporations, is now being applied to businesses across all levels and of all sizes. Becoming increasingly more affordable and less standardiSed, strategic marketing has been heralded as the most important element of the marketing mix for many businesses that are looking for sales acquisition and growth. Without it, marketing activities remain unmeasured and lack appropriate ROI.
What has emerged is a need for businesses of any size to develop strategic marketing plans based on their overall business strategy with key performance indicators ranked according to desired ROI calculators.
There are many reasons to engage in strategic marketing rather than adhoc marketing initiatives that have no set deliverables or KPI’s and are not aligned to the overall business strategy.
It’s like closing your eye’s and hoping that your marketing dollar lands where you want it to at that particular time and produces the results to keep going. The ‘blind-folded’ approach is well known in small business as many companies feel that hiring a marketing consultancy is too expensive and that they are not quite ready to hire a marketing manager in terms of commitment to a fulltime resource and affordability of $100k+ salaries.
The basis of strategic marketing is being able to:
(1) Articulate specific business goals,
(2) Succinctly define target audience or key customers,
(3) Develop campaigns to support core business goals, and
(4) Maximize ROI.
The issue arises for small business owners when ascertaining how they can operate with much more limited resources than their larger counterparts if in fact a marketing strategy actually works. The answer is that small businesses can if their marketing strategy addresses the specific growth and retention needs that are unique to the business.
Global corporations use strategic marketing to communicate initiatives and messaging across the entire company. A small business can use strategic marketing to help shape growth, develop advertising campaigns, public relations, client retention, customer acquisition and manage resources. Implementing strategic marketing into business practices can help business owners target key customers, effectively allocate resources, and improve business processes with more quality results at a lower implementation cost of both monetary and personnel resources.
With the growing trend of freelance consultants and small, highly specialised marketing consulting firms, small businesses are now able to contract a marketing professional to develop a strategic marketing plan and help implement the necessary business structure.
Affordability is key for small businesses when looking at outsourcing their marketing strategy development, but let’s face it, who can afford not to have this in place?
Marketing Eye is helping 10 businesses develop their own marketing strategies with the guidance of a marketing manager who has worked with over 200 companies on developing marketing programs.
All businesses have to do is register to be part of this day of strategic marketing on http://www.marketingeye.com.au/menew/eventform.html and for a small fee that is affordable to every business from a startup, you will walk away with a strategic marketing plan.
Mellissah Smith is the founder of 4 businesses and works as the Chief Executive Officer of Marketing Eye Pty Ltd. Marketing Eye has helped over 200 companies develop marketing programs aimed at growth, expansion and customer retention. A strategic marketing plan is integral to achieving these goals and 10 lucky companies will have the opportunity to explore their businesses in details and develop a strategic marketing plan with the guidance of Marketing Eye.
What has emerged is a need for businesses of any size to develop strategic marketing plans based on their overall business strategy with key performance indicators ranked according to desired ROI calculators.
There are many reasons to engage in strategic marketing rather than adhoc marketing initiatives that have no set deliverables or KPI’s and are not aligned to the overall business strategy.
It’s like closing your eye’s and hoping that your marketing dollar lands where you want it to at that particular time and produces the results to keep going. The ‘blind-folded’ approach is well known in small business as many companies feel that hiring a marketing consultancy is too expensive and that they are not quite ready to hire a marketing manager in terms of commitment to a fulltime resource and affordability of $100k+ salaries.
The basis of strategic marketing is being able to:
(1) Articulate specific business goals,
(2) Succinctly define target audience or key customers,
(3) Develop campaigns to support core business goals, and
(4) Maximize ROI.
The issue arises for small business owners when ascertaining how they can operate with much more limited resources than their larger counterparts if in fact a marketing strategy actually works. The answer is that small businesses can if their marketing strategy addresses the specific growth and retention needs that are unique to the business.
Global corporations use strategic marketing to communicate initiatives and messaging across the entire company. A small business can use strategic marketing to help shape growth, develop advertising campaigns, public relations, client retention, customer acquisition and manage resources. Implementing strategic marketing into business practices can help business owners target key customers, effectively allocate resources, and improve business processes with more quality results at a lower implementation cost of both monetary and personnel resources.
With the growing trend of freelance consultants and small, highly specialised marketing consulting firms, small businesses are now able to contract a marketing professional to develop a strategic marketing plan and help implement the necessary business structure.
Affordability is key for small businesses when looking at outsourcing their marketing strategy development, but let’s face it, who can afford not to have this in place?
Marketing Eye is helping 10 businesses develop their own marketing strategies with the guidance of a marketing manager who has worked with over 200 companies on developing marketing programs.
All businesses have to do is register to be part of this day of strategic marketing on http://www.marketingeye.com.au/menew/eventform.html and for a small fee that is affordable to every business from a startup, you will walk away with a strategic marketing plan.
Mellissah Smith is the founder of 4 businesses and works as the Chief Executive Officer of Marketing Eye Pty Ltd. Marketing Eye has helped over 200 companies develop marketing programs aimed at growth, expansion and customer retention. A strategic marketing plan is integral to achieving these goals and 10 lucky companies will have the opportunity to explore their businesses in details and develop a strategic marketing plan with the guidance of Marketing Eye.
Monday, November 23, 2009
The Power of Customer Demands
Having just received information pertaining to a client of Marketing Eye's that had a section on their website whereby visitors could lobby to have their local shop store a particular beer, I was surprised by the number of people who are loyal to a brand. To actually go into your local bottleshop and demand they stock a particular beer brand so you can buy it - is one hell of a loyal customer.
The search around Australia for an effen great bloke has been interesting to say the least. We all know an effen great bloke and fortunately the competition takes exactly 32 seconds to complete (I timed it!).
The good news is that the bottleshop in question, listened to their customers after repeated requests from a number of customers and will now stock the beer.
Great job!
It's Australia's last opportunity to find an effen great bloke, so if you know one, enter him in the competition.
Women are welcome!
www.effengreatbloke.com.au
The search around Australia for an effen great bloke has been interesting to say the least. We all know an effen great bloke and fortunately the competition takes exactly 32 seconds to complete (I timed it!).
The good news is that the bottleshop in question, listened to their customers after repeated requests from a number of customers and will now stock the beer.
Great job!
It's Australia's last opportunity to find an effen great bloke, so if you know one, enter him in the competition.
Women are welcome!
www.effengreatbloke.com.au
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Don't Discard Twitter for B2B Marketing
Marketing Eye is always the last to market ourselves, but having put together some 'hairy audacious goals' for 2010, we are looking at every possible avenue to market our business to small to medium sized businesses.
There are so many ways to market a small business in the b2b environment and so the choice is limitless however, when you have limited budget and not alot of time, it's integral that the marketing platforms that you use are in fact the best 'bang for your buck' and the least amount of effort.
To me, unless you are doing consumer based marketing, Twitter can be very time consuming.
With writing ongoing tweets, finding people to follow and to follow you, replying to direct messages and in general keeping up to date with what's going on - it's pretty time consuming.
What really is twitter? Wikipedia does an apt definition that is easy to understand
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter)and most people don't need to look too much further than this to understand exactly what twitter is.
Last Friday, I did an experiment. Time limit on twitter was 2 hours from start to finish and I had to achieve something - anything - that was relevant to my lead generation requirements.
So I found a few people who had twitter accounts that had a similar demographic to Marketing Eye and followed people following them. A tongue twister - I know! 200 in total were followed for the sake of this experiment.
I then wrote a few tweets about marketing including some interesting marketing stories that I found online.
Additionally, I added a few personal tweets - to ensure that the tweet followers got to know me as well. "Hugh Grant is coming to Australia on 22 December to promote his new movie". I am a huge fan of Hugh Grant and desperately want to play a round of golf with him. I am hopeless and he is really good. Almost at a level of being a professional! Needless to say, it would be one long round all in my favour!
THE RESPONSE
Within a couple of hours, I received direct tweets;
- From a journalist wanting to write a story on me
- A small business wanting to know more about Marketing Eye's marketing services
- An individual wanting a website that is cost effective
- Reconnection with an old client
- 100 extra people who are relevant following my tweets!To me, this is an amazing response! 2 hours work and no added costs other than time -and this was my result.
To all those people who slam twitter as a waste of time, think again!
IF YOUR TARGET MARKET IS B2B, HERE'S SOME TIPS:
1. Set up a twitter account immediately
2. Tweet about relevant topics, opinions and offers your business has
3. Follow people who are relevant to your business
4. Find people who have the same demographic as your client base and go through their list and follow their followers
5. Make sure you respond to all direct messages
6. Make sure you thank people who are following you. It's the first touch point of many to come
7. If someone following you is relevant to your business, follow them back
8. Don't waste time on Twitter. Use this time as a direct marketing effort to engage your audience, communicate your unique selling proposition and position you as an industry leader
9. Add the odd personal tweet so people get to know you
10. Make sure your Twitter account is giving your business a ROI.
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consulting firm for small to medium sized businesses in Australia. All Marketing Eye consultants are trained on web 2.0 to ensure that if your business can benefit from social networks, then you are leveraging this medium.
Find out more on Marketing Eye's new website www.marketingeye.com.au
There are so many ways to market a small business in the b2b environment and so the choice is limitless however, when you have limited budget and not alot of time, it's integral that the marketing platforms that you use are in fact the best 'bang for your buck' and the least amount of effort.
To me, unless you are doing consumer based marketing, Twitter can be very time consuming.
With writing ongoing tweets, finding people to follow and to follow you, replying to direct messages and in general keeping up to date with what's going on - it's pretty time consuming.
What really is twitter? Wikipedia does an apt definition that is easy to understand
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter)and most people don't need to look too much further than this to understand exactly what twitter is.
Last Friday, I did an experiment. Time limit on twitter was 2 hours from start to finish and I had to achieve something - anything - that was relevant to my lead generation requirements.
So I found a few people who had twitter accounts that had a similar demographic to Marketing Eye and followed people following them. A tongue twister - I know! 200 in total were followed for the sake of this experiment.
I then wrote a few tweets about marketing including some interesting marketing stories that I found online.
Additionally, I added a few personal tweets - to ensure that the tweet followers got to know me as well. "Hugh Grant is coming to Australia on 22 December to promote his new movie". I am a huge fan of Hugh Grant and desperately want to play a round of golf with him. I am hopeless and he is really good. Almost at a level of being a professional! Needless to say, it would be one long round all in my favour!
THE RESPONSE
Within a couple of hours, I received direct tweets;
- From a journalist wanting to write a story on me
- A small business wanting to know more about Marketing Eye's marketing services
- An individual wanting a website that is cost effective
- Reconnection with an old client
- 100 extra people who are relevant following my tweets!To me, this is an amazing response! 2 hours work and no added costs other than time -and this was my result.
To all those people who slam twitter as a waste of time, think again!
IF YOUR TARGET MARKET IS B2B, HERE'S SOME TIPS:
1. Set up a twitter account immediately
2. Tweet about relevant topics, opinions and offers your business has
3. Follow people who are relevant to your business
4. Find people who have the same demographic as your client base and go through their list and follow their followers
5. Make sure you respond to all direct messages
6. Make sure you thank people who are following you. It's the first touch point of many to come
7. If someone following you is relevant to your business, follow them back
8. Don't waste time on Twitter. Use this time as a direct marketing effort to engage your audience, communicate your unique selling proposition and position you as an industry leader
9. Add the odd personal tweet so people get to know you
10. Make sure your Twitter account is giving your business a ROI.
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consulting firm for small to medium sized businesses in Australia. All Marketing Eye consultants are trained on web 2.0 to ensure that if your business can benefit from social networks, then you are leveraging this medium.
Find out more on Marketing Eye's new website www.marketingeye.com.au
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Small Business Marketing
Small Business Marketing
What typifies a small business varies from country to country but there are almost 2 million in Australia if you incorporate sole operators and consultants in the mix - or at least so they tell me.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006 figures), 71% are born in Australia, 68% are male, and a staggering 58% are aged between 30 and 50 years. Important statistics if you are thinking about marketing to them, let me assure you.
Given the economic climate over the past 18 months, I imagine that there are a lot of small business operators that aren’t too busy at all and in that lies a problem.
What do you do when times are tough, there aren’t many clients that are out there or at least ones that are finding you and you need to make a living?
Starving isn't an option, and there are no jobs available to get back into the workforce.
No matter how small you are, many of the strategies used by larger organizations to go to market, create sales opportunities and promote a brand, can still be achieved by a small business for little or no cost.
That is of course, if you don’t count time as a cost, which for the record - I do!
No matter what you sell, or service you provide to your customers, there are a series of proven, effective growth strategies you can apply to your business - many right away, and many with little to no cost to implement - that can immediately have an impact on customer growth, loyalty, frequency and revenue.
It’s about having access to the information and using it in a way that is effective.
Many of the small businesses that come to Marketing Eye are ready to take that leap and create opportunities for sales, growth for their brand and engagement of their customers more frequently.
Some however, don’t understand the idea of marketing and what it can do for their business. They don’t take into account who is their target audience and what they need to hear, see and feel to make the decision that the small business wants them to make.
They do ‘marketing’ according to what ‘they’ like, not taking into consideration their target audience.
Profiling who your client is and what they look like is imperative to strategic marketing. Look at who has bought your services or products before and ask them why. Did they do it because of your relationship, the read about you on the internet, searched google for relevant services or products or heard about your brand through word of mouth. Whatever the reason, you need to know to ensure better use of your marketing dollars.
Marketing Eye can offer small businesses a ‘marketing eye’, key marketing strategies and coaching tools to help get your business focused on what's most important to drive sales & marketing success.
These include:
• Coaching: Marketing Eye will work with you personally to understand your business better, develop business goals, and to create and help you implement a successful marketing plan that helps you grow your business. We treat your business like it's our own, and work hard to help you achieve the results that you have been looking for.
• Customer Acquisition: Need more leads to your business? More appointments? More visitors to your Web site? Marketing Eye can help.
• Customer Loyalty & Frequency: When new customers make their first purchase, that should be just the beginning of a long, mutually-beneficial and profitable relationship. We'll make sure you have the tools, products and strategy in place to turn new and current customers into frequent visitors, regular customers and brand ambassadors.
• Business Development & Product Strategy: What else will your customers buy? How can you increase your share of wallet with current customers, and open ourself up to new revenue from even more customers? Marketing Eye will help you ask the right answers to give you a blueprint for where to take your business.
To learn more about using Marketing Eye to accelerate the success and revenue of your small business call 1300 300 080 today.
If you are a small business and are in desperate need of marketing, but can't see how you are able to afford it, why not consider Marketing Eye's Leasing Plan? For just 17.95 per day, you can have a Marketing Eye in your business.
And if you just need a beer to think about it, why not enter www.effengreatbloke.com.au to win a year's supply of beer for you and a friend.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Not Interested in Customer Service or Feedback?
I had the most unusual experience today with Prism Colour in Melbourne which is run by a guy (who I have never met) by the name of Greg McHenry.
As a marketing company, our job is to ensure that our clients printing goals are achieved in terms of quality and timely delivery.
Firstly, Prism Colour delivered brochures for our client 4 days late after sending it 2 days late to the wrong address. The right details were quoted on by them to the right address, but instead they sent to a local address. Completely their error and their production guys confirmed that they would correct the error at no charge to the client.
Secondly, I have to say when it finally arrived (too late for the purpose it was intended for), I looked at them and thought they looked cheap and that the printing was perhaps not as good as I would expect. However, I did say that I would check it off with our production department to confirm that the job was as I had thought.
Their sales guy that annoyingly just pops in when he feels like it to the office (obviously hasn't heard that he needs to make an appointment) came in a week later and asked if I liked the job. I told him my thoughts but said regardless we are happy to pay for it, but may not use them for that type of job again.
He then rung up and asked if he could have the name of a friend who owns a marketing company so that they could 'sell' their services into them.
I said that I could not do that as I wanted to be sure that if I recommended someone that they would be getting a quality job and delivered when they say it will be delivered.
Now, all of this is fine other than the invoice error whereby they tried to charge us for two deliveries until...
I speak to this guy Greg McHenry who was incredibly rude, spoke over me and certainly had more than a bee in his bonnet.
Rude, Rude, Rude.
I sat their dumbfounded by just how rude and arrogant this man was to a 'customer' who hasn't queried paying (other than for the transport cost) and who may have used them for areas that they had proven to be good at.
Not all companies are good at everything. Certainly I would have 20 or so friends who own marketing companies and their biggest issue is consistent quality with printers.
Consistency is companies like Worldwide Printing, Half Price Printing, Green Printing... all pretty much consistent.
Now, if a company said that to me, knowing that there is no issue with paying but it was just feedback, I would say that I would look into it and then if I believed that it was quality, I would then give them examples of similar jobs. Easy and good customer service.
No, this company has no idea about customer service and certainly isn't interested in customer feedback and repeat business.
Well, you have now lost a customer and certainly won't be recommended by me!
It doesn't take much to provide good customer service and in most cases, people are reasonable. Maybe I should send him a few customer service books to read up on... might be helpful to their business.
As a marketing company, our job is to ensure that our clients printing goals are achieved in terms of quality and timely delivery.
Firstly, Prism Colour delivered brochures for our client 4 days late after sending it 2 days late to the wrong address. The right details were quoted on by them to the right address, but instead they sent to a local address. Completely their error and their production guys confirmed that they would correct the error at no charge to the client.
Secondly, I have to say when it finally arrived (too late for the purpose it was intended for), I looked at them and thought they looked cheap and that the printing was perhaps not as good as I would expect. However, I did say that I would check it off with our production department to confirm that the job was as I had thought.
Their sales guy that annoyingly just pops in when he feels like it to the office (obviously hasn't heard that he needs to make an appointment) came in a week later and asked if I liked the job. I told him my thoughts but said regardless we are happy to pay for it, but may not use them for that type of job again.
He then rung up and asked if he could have the name of a friend who owns a marketing company so that they could 'sell' their services into them.
I said that I could not do that as I wanted to be sure that if I recommended someone that they would be getting a quality job and delivered when they say it will be delivered.
Now, all of this is fine other than the invoice error whereby they tried to charge us for two deliveries until...
I speak to this guy Greg McHenry who was incredibly rude, spoke over me and certainly had more than a bee in his bonnet.
Rude, Rude, Rude.
I sat their dumbfounded by just how rude and arrogant this man was to a 'customer' who hasn't queried paying (other than for the transport cost) and who may have used them for areas that they had proven to be good at.
Not all companies are good at everything. Certainly I would have 20 or so friends who own marketing companies and their biggest issue is consistent quality with printers.
Consistency is companies like Worldwide Printing, Half Price Printing, Green Printing... all pretty much consistent.
Now, if a company said that to me, knowing that there is no issue with paying but it was just feedback, I would say that I would look into it and then if I believed that it was quality, I would then give them examples of similar jobs. Easy and good customer service.
No, this company has no idea about customer service and certainly isn't interested in customer feedback and repeat business.
Well, you have now lost a customer and certainly won't be recommended by me!
It doesn't take much to provide good customer service and in most cases, people are reasonable. Maybe I should send him a few customer service books to read up on... might be helpful to their business.
Great Blokes Come Last?
There is much debate amongst my colleagues, friends and clients on what is an 'effen great bloke' because through Marketing Eye's promotion of effen Beer, we have all been absorbed with the entries that have been rolling in for the competition.
Everyone has their own idea of what an effen great bloke is and I am sure by December 1, 2009, all of Australia will know what the general consensus is on the topic.
Whilst we all have an opinion, the reality is that there is no right or wrong answer. Afterall, it's just an opinion.
Ask around your office and find out what each person in your office thinks about what an effen great bloke is. Then log onto www.effengreatbloke.com.au and enter. I am keen to hear what you have to say.
For your efforts, you may just win a year's supply of beer for you and a mate.
It doesn't matter if you are a woman or a man. We all drink beer and if you don't, it's always handy to have beer in the fridge for when someone comes to visit and particularly if you are thinking about having a Xmas Party.
Mellissah Smith
Marketing Eye
Marketing Eye promotes brands we believe in. effen is a great tasting beer that is smooth and reminds me of a quality Belgium beer. Recently, it won an award in Melbourne for the best Lager at the Micro Brewery Showcase. Now the many thousands attending this event can't all be wrong - right?
Everyone has their own idea of what an effen great bloke is and I am sure by December 1, 2009, all of Australia will know what the general consensus is on the topic.
Whilst we all have an opinion, the reality is that there is no right or wrong answer. Afterall, it's just an opinion.
Ask around your office and find out what each person in your office thinks about what an effen great bloke is. Then log onto www.effengreatbloke.com.au and enter. I am keen to hear what you have to say.
For your efforts, you may just win a year's supply of beer for you and a mate.
It doesn't matter if you are a woman or a man. We all drink beer and if you don't, it's always handy to have beer in the fridge for when someone comes to visit and particularly if you are thinking about having a Xmas Party.
Mellissah Smith
Marketing Eye
Marketing Eye promotes brands we believe in. effen is a great tasting beer that is smooth and reminds me of a quality Belgium beer. Recently, it won an award in Melbourne for the best Lager at the Micro Brewery Showcase. Now the many thousands attending this event can't all be wrong - right?
Sunday, November 8, 2009
THE DEATH OF A PUBLICIST
Whilst we all espouse to work with companies that have the same ethics, culture, and key set of values - it doesn't always happen that way for a variety of reasons.
Firstly, when times are busy, we don't always do the due diligence that we should on clients and take them on board because it means more revenue and hopefully more profits, rather than a good fit.
Secondly, often we take things on face value and when someone needs your services and you believe you can help them, it appears on face value to be a 'no brainer'.
And last, but not least, no matter how hard we try to be ahead of the game and how often we hear people try to fool us, it still happens. No-one, no matter how many knocks they have had, seems to be immune.
A couple of weeks ago, I met with a company that I really thought we could make a difference to. They needed PR and marketing, but in the first instance, wanted to get some good press for undisclosed reasons.
I met with them and was somewhat enthusiastic about what Marketing Eye could do. Afterall, improving people's brands through the media and through our marketing efforts is what we do best.
After a secondary meeting and after Marketing Eye's services were engaged, I was introduced to the newly appointed CEO, and have to say I was disappointed. Very disappointed.
Not only did she lack the 'oomph' of any CEO I have previously worked with, but there was a real issue with being misleading. Now, when you are dealing with media, this type of thing is something they see all the time and it doesn't take them long to work it out. When they do, its disaster for any publicist.
I was dismayed after reminding the new CEO of what she said either on the phone or in person minutes ago and how the story kept changing, but she was completely unnerved and kept going and going. All taped I might add because I was meant to be getting content.
Other than a few body language indicators like scratching of her nose and pulling of her ear - if I didn't have such a good memory, I would have let it just go by.
Ultimately, it is important that the product or service you market, is something that you wholeheartedly believe in.
It has to be something you can proudly talk about to journalists and stand by through good and bad press.
However, if the product or service is not quite right to start off with, you're typically the wrong person/company to be representing it.
Honesty is important to me in business, in friendship and as a key value of each and every employee that Marketing Eye employs.
We have built a successful company where this has never been compromised.
Years ago, I worked with a dodgy property developer (or marketeer) who I didn't have a clue about their dealings. We achieved remarkable good press for the owner in all the key editorials - The Australian, BRW etc and they were particularly focused on press about wealth creation and their 'new found toys', so I had an overwhelmed client and was giving myself some pats on the back for every win.
I thought this was all ego centric to be getting so much press about how rich this guy was and how many toys he had but at the time, there were a few of those around doing the same things, so I put it down to 'new money'.
Then one fatal day, a journalist did their research to find that this person was not what they seemed.
They rung me and told me the facts and I was completely shocked.
I then rung the client and said that I could no longer represent them. They were taking none of that and threatened me with big muscly men. My youth at the time made this more amusing than scary, but I suppose in hindsight, I should have taken it a tad more seriously.
Whilst I was pondering what to do (and at the time was only 27 years old might I add), the journalist rung me (who was a Murdoch employee) and said that he and his family had just been threatened. I was mortified! I apologised profusely over and over again for introducing them, of which the journalist was ever so nice. I then basically crawled under a rock swearing that I would never deal with anyone that I have not done due diligence with again and if my gut instinct said 'no' it was 'no!'.
Nevertheless back to my current story, I made a decision immediately that I could not represent this company with a CEO that couldn't get their story straight. I had a conversation with her later in the week and advised her as much.
It's these valuable lessons we learn in business that ensures that there is no 'death of a publicist' trying to promote the wrong brand for the wrong reasons.
The Marketing Eye brand is as much impacted by the quality service we provide as the clients we keep. It is important that we work with businesses that are aligned to our key values and that see honesty as being important.
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that specialises in helping small to medium sized businesses grow through marketing.
Firstly, when times are busy, we don't always do the due diligence that we should on clients and take them on board because it means more revenue and hopefully more profits, rather than a good fit.
Secondly, often we take things on face value and when someone needs your services and you believe you can help them, it appears on face value to be a 'no brainer'.
And last, but not least, no matter how hard we try to be ahead of the game and how often we hear people try to fool us, it still happens. No-one, no matter how many knocks they have had, seems to be immune.
A couple of weeks ago, I met with a company that I really thought we could make a difference to. They needed PR and marketing, but in the first instance, wanted to get some good press for undisclosed reasons.
I met with them and was somewhat enthusiastic about what Marketing Eye could do. Afterall, improving people's brands through the media and through our marketing efforts is what we do best.
After a secondary meeting and after Marketing Eye's services were engaged, I was introduced to the newly appointed CEO, and have to say I was disappointed. Very disappointed.
Not only did she lack the 'oomph' of any CEO I have previously worked with, but there was a real issue with being misleading. Now, when you are dealing with media, this type of thing is something they see all the time and it doesn't take them long to work it out. When they do, its disaster for any publicist.
I was dismayed after reminding the new CEO of what she said either on the phone or in person minutes ago and how the story kept changing, but she was completely unnerved and kept going and going. All taped I might add because I was meant to be getting content.
Other than a few body language indicators like scratching of her nose and pulling of her ear - if I didn't have such a good memory, I would have let it just go by.
Ultimately, it is important that the product or service you market, is something that you wholeheartedly believe in.
It has to be something you can proudly talk about to journalists and stand by through good and bad press.
However, if the product or service is not quite right to start off with, you're typically the wrong person/company to be representing it.
Honesty is important to me in business, in friendship and as a key value of each and every employee that Marketing Eye employs.
We have built a successful company where this has never been compromised.
Years ago, I worked with a dodgy property developer (or marketeer) who I didn't have a clue about their dealings. We achieved remarkable good press for the owner in all the key editorials - The Australian, BRW etc and they were particularly focused on press about wealth creation and their 'new found toys', so I had an overwhelmed client and was giving myself some pats on the back for every win.
I thought this was all ego centric to be getting so much press about how rich this guy was and how many toys he had but at the time, there were a few of those around doing the same things, so I put it down to 'new money'.
Then one fatal day, a journalist did their research to find that this person was not what they seemed.
They rung me and told me the facts and I was completely shocked.
I then rung the client and said that I could no longer represent them. They were taking none of that and threatened me with big muscly men. My youth at the time made this more amusing than scary, but I suppose in hindsight, I should have taken it a tad more seriously.
Whilst I was pondering what to do (and at the time was only 27 years old might I add), the journalist rung me (who was a Murdoch employee) and said that he and his family had just been threatened. I was mortified! I apologised profusely over and over again for introducing them, of which the journalist was ever so nice. I then basically crawled under a rock swearing that I would never deal with anyone that I have not done due diligence with again and if my gut instinct said 'no' it was 'no!'.
Nevertheless back to my current story, I made a decision immediately that I could not represent this company with a CEO that couldn't get their story straight. I had a conversation with her later in the week and advised her as much.
It's these valuable lessons we learn in business that ensures that there is no 'death of a publicist' trying to promote the wrong brand for the wrong reasons.
The Marketing Eye brand is as much impacted by the quality service we provide as the clients we keep. It is important that we work with businesses that are aligned to our key values and that see honesty as being important.
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that specialises in helping small to medium sized businesses grow through marketing.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
IS THERE A NEW LOOK LIBERAL PARTY?
Last night I was invited to attend a dinner for a up and coming politician that has just won pre-selection in the seat of Kooyong.
Joshua Frydenberg is a Director, Melbourne Corporate Finance for German bank, Deutsche Bank. He is giving up his high profile and incredibly successful career for public service. His motive - to make a difference.
After listening to Joshua talk about his vision, what he thinks of the current political climate and in general, his thoughts on the world, it struck me that this is no normal wanna be Politician.
Here we have a smart, articulate and driven man who really wants to make a difference. He isn't misled in thinking that any of the Political parties are perfect, but he is committed to a significant pay cut and a future in door knocking and campaigning for what he believes to be the best direction and policies for the Australian public and for now, the people in the seat of Kooyong.
I am impressed as was the 18 people who were at this dinner that introduced Joshua Frydenberg to some young and energetic business people.
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that helps businesses grow through marketing. 1300 300 080
Joshua Frydenberg is a Director, Melbourne Corporate Finance for German bank, Deutsche Bank. He is giving up his high profile and incredibly successful career for public service. His motive - to make a difference.
After listening to Joshua talk about his vision, what he thinks of the current political climate and in general, his thoughts on the world, it struck me that this is no normal wanna be Politician.
Here we have a smart, articulate and driven man who really wants to make a difference. He isn't misled in thinking that any of the Political parties are perfect, but he is committed to a significant pay cut and a future in door knocking and campaigning for what he believes to be the best direction and policies for the Australian public and for now, the people in the seat of Kooyong.
I am impressed as was the 18 people who were at this dinner that introduced Joshua Frydenberg to some young and energetic business people.
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that helps businesses grow through marketing. 1300 300 080
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
THE RACE THAT STOPS A NATION
A last minute decision to attend the 'race that stops a nation' reminded me why gossip magazines sell so well and how gen-y is absorbed with the idea of celebrity, so much more than I remember my generation ever being.
Melbourne Cup is recognised as one of the top racing carnivals in the world. It's well branded and attracts every celebrity and their hanger-on in abundance.
Typically, I am not a gambler and putting a bet on a horse is to me, an uneducated gamble that usually ends in me donating my hard earned cash to Tabcorp. So, it is with great trepidation that I chose to put money on a horse, but in the spirit of Melbourne Cup and so that I am not the odd one out, I put a few dollars on a couple of horses that didn't win.
I asked a good friend of mine (Mad Punter!) who to tip and generally speaking, he is pretty good. Not on this particular day to my dismay. I bet of horse 20, 1, 3, and 4. I never knew their names - just their numbers, but like everyone else who joined me in the Lavazza marquee in the Birdcage on Melbourne Cup Day, I jumped up and down as the horses raced and for a second thought one of my horses may come in.
Unfortunately, it didn't, so I had to console myself with champagne courtesy of Lavazza and a boogie or two on the dance floor.
Lavazza has long been known as the place to be during the Spring Racing Carnival. It is full of celebrities and who's who of society, in which the owner, the Valmorbida's are very acquainted with.
The food, the champagne and the entertainment is second to none. There is no more prized invitation than this high profile Lavazza branded marquee - and I have to say, I was very pleased about being there, out of the weather and enjoying a few good tunes.
Michael Klim and his lovely wife Lindy were there. As were Good Charlotte and a few Idols. A carefully sectioned off area gave the celebrities some reprieve from the hordes of people wanting a photograph or a signed autograph. Yes, even celebrities were asking other celebrities of their photo to my astonishment.
Lindy then showed off her DJ skills and belted out some tunes that had the entire marquee on the dance floor going off. John Valmorbida then put on a few old tunes that he was obviously partial to with 60's music not causing too much of a stir but in fact keeping the invited guests very entertained and producing some very high pitched vocals.
Other than the inconvenience of not being able to go to the restrooms without having to wait in line, I have to say Melbourne Cup was thoroughly enjoyable. And yes, I will now go out and buy George Clooney's Coffee machine from Lavazza. Not only was their hospitality exceptional, my brand association with this company acknowledges that they are very hip and happening - and definately a brand that I want to be associated with.
As for the celebrities, I am not one to care about what job one person has over another, so it doesn't really affect me but I have to say, I can't believe how many people where falling over themselves to get to Good Charlotte. What is that about? I know they sing a few good songs, but please, embarrassing yourselves and interrupting people from their conversations for a photograph or autograph is bad manners. Have these people not learnt how to be polite?
Maybe I just don't understand celebrity but typically, the people in question were gen-y, and they had no qualms about elbowing people out of the road for a photo of someone they got to stand next to for only a few seconds.
Melbourne Cup did stop a nation but Lavazza ensured it rocked on!
www.marketingeye.com.au
Marketing Eye is a leading national marketing consultancy firm that helps companies grow.
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