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.

The A-List

On Friday 21st August 2009, The Armani Dinner for the STC Foundation event was held at the Sydney Theatre Company to raise much needed funds for the Foundation.

Having been to this event previously, I knew what to expect. The event and the companies associated with it belong to a brand group. This brand group is what I call the A-List group of companies.

They are brands that are all leaders in their fields in terms of quality, people, community and brand association. They do not sponsor something that doesn't fit directly into their brand paradigm and they don't let their brand be bastardised will-nilly with every event or opportunity that crosses their path.

People want to be associated with their brands. They want to belong, want to be invited and want to have some association in which to leverage their own personal brands.

The two brands that host the event are Armani and the Sydney Theatre Company. Armani is a globally dominant iconic fashion label only the mega wealthy, fashionable and deliciously sophisticated care to wear.

Sydney Theatre Company has over the years been the number one theatre group in Australia but was catapulted into another stratosphere when Oscar Winner and internationally recognised actress Cate Blanchett and her charismatic husband became the Artistic Directors.

Cate as we all know is one of the most loved actresses of our generation and is known as the Meryl Streep of modern times. She is in blockbusters and in low budget films and is known for her integrity as an actress and person.

Her husband Andrew Upton is well regarded, very talented and incredibly intelligent. He has vision, creativity and the love of a superstar. What more can one ask for?

Giorgio Armani is an icon. I can't say more than that in fear that the words are not expressed as highly as I would like them to be, so I won't try.

Together Armani and STC put on a yearly event and have done so for the past 3 years to raise funds. There are no B-Grade celebrities in sight like many events that invite celebrities just to have them there.

In the room there are business leaders, cultural experts, creatives, talented actors and singers. Each and every one of these people have something to contribute to the community and to the people around them.

As I looked around, I felt incredibly privileged to have been an invited guest at such an event.

There was Pink who incredibly generously donated her money to the tune of $42k along with her musical talents to sing a song for a donation of over $30k. She was beautiful, fun and looked like she really had a good time with the people who were there.

There were the Packers, Joel Edgerton, Mathew Newton and a host of other equally impressive and talented people.

People talked freely with each other on subjects such as child poverty and of course the arts. Not so much about fashion as one would expect although I couldn't help myself but lead into a conversation about how much of a fan I am of Mr Armani.

We had a delightful young actress at our table, who was a shining example of the people that STC nurture. One day I am sure we will see her on the silver screen. She kindly complemented all the actors who performed that night and clearly is someone who is not only an actress but a good person with no airs or graces.

Companies represented in the room were not just any company, but ones that are aware of the benefits of arts to the community and are generous in their donations to the cause.

I can't ever see this event exploding into one that has 1000's of attendees. It is intimate, private and professional.

I can't help but admire how well it was all orchestrated from the time of arrival to the hilarious MC's, Cate and Andrew's entertaining and meaningful speeches, Justin Millers brilliant auctioning skills (who else knows every name in the room and can coerce anyone into giving a generous donation through his charming and often cheeky demeanour) and the ensemble of talented actors that work for STC.

They even had an office band, who had only practiced their set that day. Oh, my gosh! I could have sat and watched them all day. They were brilliant.

The food was fabulous, the entertainment, simply the best and the company was intelligent, purposeful and genuine.

I do hope to be invited next year and thank both Armani and STC for the good they do for our community.

www.marketingeye.com.au

Saying No To A Prospect

How many times in business have you wished you never took on a new client? They were a bad fit, they weren't on the same page, they didn't have the same code of ethics or perhaps they had unrealistic expectations. Everyone at some stage has experienced a situation where a client or potential client is not a good fit for their organisation.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with a very enthusiastic couple who own a small printing company on the outskirts of Melbourne. They, like many small businesses, want to grow their business.

They come armed with a new website, which in many ways is quite good, and in another, needs quite a bit of work.

What many small businesses don't realise is that if you are ready to engage a marketing manager in your business, then its time to let them do what they do best. By all means, check out their references and make sure they have the skills to make a difference to your business, but ultimately, you are investing in their skill of marketing.

I can say with confidence, that I have spent the past 18 years in marketing and I am across every area of the marketing mix. Within minutes, I can tell a client information that will aid them in achieving their marketing goals.

The two people who headed this company that had called Marketing Eye after viewing our company website, were ambitious, proud and had taken a few steps in which to improve their business. They had hired a business coach, a web developer (or online guru as they repeated over and over again) and now were interviewing marketing companies.

In addition, according to the owner he had many years of experience in senior marketing roles with some large Australian companies and come armed with a marketing degree.

As they explained their business and their hairy audacious goals (think Verne Harnish)it became apparent that they were a long way off hiring a marketing company. They needed more than a business coach too.

In business, its important that when you are communicating what you do, you are considering the audience you are communicating to. That what information you are telling them, is in fact relevant.

In addition, if you are about to hire a marketing company, then don't say you are a marketing guru - because that has trouble written all over it. Why, because micro management in marketing will kill even the best campaign and if you are hiring a agency, then don't hire them if you don't think they can do the job.

Also, be realistic. Hairy audacious goals are good and business coaches love it! But when they have no basis, and no leg work has been done - save it for a later date.

I too am an entrepreneur and I get very excited when I come up with a good idea, but I know that telling the world every time I have a good idea has bad written all over it.

Sure, when I was in my twenties I had not been banged over the head enough and freely told people my dreams for my career and business, but after a permanent 'googie egg' mounted on the top of my head, I finally realised for it to go down, I had to think before I spoke.

When you meet with a new client or a new service provider - think about how you want to position your company, what you want them to think about your brand and what you actually want them to gain from the meeting.

Time is valuable. Yours and theirs. Don't waste it on information that is not directly integral to the outcome of the meeting.

Even if you think that your idea that you want to share is the only one of its type in the world - think it - don't say it. The amount of entrepreneurs that are proven wrong every day with this comment is very high.

I meet with hundreds of business owners each year and so often they think that their business is the only one of its type or that they in fact do not have any competitors.

Whilst companies may not do it exactly how you do, the reality is that we all have competitors, and to compete we need to understand this reality.

Enthusiasm is good and contagious - but think about your audience and what you want them to take away from your meeting.

Yesterday, I sent an email to a prospect who I had met with hours earlier and said thank you but unfortunately our businesses are not able to work together.

It didn't feel good. After all, it is the GFC and turning back business seems ludicrous, but sometimes it costs more to take on a new client that doesn't fit.

Our brand is worth more than that and ultimately, every client we work with, we want to make a difference to their business. Our expertise in marketing is where we can add value to any organisation and if there are external factors that would influence this value-adding proposition - it is time to say no.

www.marketingeye.com.au

Living the dream - I mean brand

I have a good friend who always talks about 'living the dream'. He arrives at a friends house, they go "what have you been up to?", he replies "Living the dream". Actually, you can pretty much ask him anything and the reply is always the same. Go figure.

What is living the dream anyway? Sipping pina coladas in the Whitsundays? Surfing in Hawaii? Living in the South of France? Having so much money, you are sleeping in it?

To me 'living the dream' is quite simple. Living life, enjoying what you do and being proud of what you achieve day-in, day-out. If these things are aligned, I pretty much wake up in the morning, excited about starting the day.

I have to say I am pretty happy with my 'lot' but a majority of my awake time, Monday to Friday, is not so much about living the dream but about 'living the brand'. The Marketing Eye brand. And I have to say, it's paying dividends in so many ways.

The more I engage the brand, the culture of the organisation and the realisation that as a Marketing Eye I can achieve what many people think they can't - I get excited and I embrace every single particle of the brand and it lives in me and the people that I touch.

I can make not only my brand come alive, but others. Companies who aren't sure about what exactly they should be doing to increase their brand awareness, get staff buy-in to their brands, create sales opportunities and promote their companies.

The ability to connect to your brand, particularly in today's market, and align your brand to customers and employees, culture and reputation, behaviours and differentiation, promises and reality - will help your company stand out from the crowd and ignite belief in everyone your brand touches.

Branded businesses are about people. Find out what motivates your employees whether it be career progression, job satisfaction or money, and develop an employee proposition that will work for your company.

Once staff are treated in an on-brand way, they are more likely to respond positively.

It's the cheapest form of marketing you will find.

www.marketingeye.com.au

Kelly Slater - The Brand

I have to declare, I am a wannabe surfer. I say wannabe because I don't go out and give it a go nearly as much as I should for someone who really wants to be able to surf some big waves.

I am clearly the amateur that is thrilled every time I catch a wave and ride it. Actually, thrilled is an understatement. I am jumping out of my pants every single time I catch a wave and stay on the board longer than 3 seconds.

The reason I am so eager to surf is that when I go out and watch people surf, they don't have a care in the world. All they think about is catching the next wave (and of course, making sure that there are no shark fins hanging around given the media over the last couple of months reporting so many shark attacks).

I want to be just like that.

With the Quicksilver Pro on at Rainbow Bay at the moment, I ventured down to join some friends to watch the pro's in action.

I wasn't disappointed. I saw Joel Parkinson put in a few great heats, even though he did not make the cut.

Then I saw the man everyone has been talking about. Yes, I have read gossip magazines that picture him with Cameron Diaz, Pam Anderson (what was he thinking?), Giselle to name a few. I have also watched him a couple of times on television and until recently thought was quite a hot looking man.

Well, nothing prepared me for seeing him live at the Quicksilver Pro. As he walked down the beach, about 500 people followed him just hoping for a glimpse. Kids raced into the water and tried to swim up to him and he politely acknowledged them with some high 5's and words of wisdom.

He is the waters version of a rock star. The 5000 strong crowd could not get enough of him. They were mesmerised by the sporting great who has won 9 world titles, more so than any other person.

Why I am writing about Kelly Slater is simple. He is a human brand that has an insane following. Insane!

I have been to every major sporting event that has hit Australian shores and yet I have never seen such a dedicated group of followers for just one man.

Now, he is not only on a mission to win his 10th world title, but also to sell a few boards through brand Kelly Slater.

Riding a radically short five foot four inch board even though he is going for the big ASP World Tour 10th win is a marketers dream. I bet after the weekend there was a sell-out of radically short boards because let's face it, every surfer wants to be just like Kelly Slater.

What a legend!

www.marketingeye.com.au

$10 per day websites - To discount or not?

Brainstorming ways to generate more sales in the current economic times is a daily ritual for those who work at Marketing Eye. Our last quarter was still strong, but could have been better - like everyone else in the consulting game.

The latest, or more precisely, today's great idea is $10 per day websites over 12 months interest free. Now I personally have a problem with this, as it's the same product that we give clients who pay $8,000 for a website and they have to pay upfront.

Whilst we offer small to medium sized businesses a Marketing Manager for $24,000 per year*, we don't normally discount and this is more than 50% off the normal price.

We say, 'everybody needs a marketing eye, but not everyone has one' and we feel the same way about websites. Everybody needs one but not everyone has one or at least, has one that people see.

For us, it's like the first entry into marketing your business successfully after developing your brand.

We are not alone when it comes to discounting in the area of professional services. According to Raintoday.com, discounting is the norm.

61.4% of professional services firms report that they discount their fees from their internally standard or externally published rate or fee structure.
38.6% report they do not ever discount.

Marketing Eye does not discount its fee structure at all, but areas that are add-on's, we regularly review on a client-by-client basis. The reason being is that if the company we work with doesn't have a good brand, has a bad website, or doesn't understand the value of public relations, sometimes we have to lead the way and show them the benefits by actually giving it to them at a price that is too good to refuse. If they don't have these things, how can we market their businesses?

Should companies be discounting in the current climate?

To trial this promotion, we are focusing on companies in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Townsville, Rockhampton and Cairns.