The Buzzard, Blue Heron and Eagle

WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS NETWORKING BIRD ARE YOU?

In mid-October, I once again had the pleasure of escaping to a week-long bass fishing trip to Kentucky Lake. It's a time to get away with a group of about 10 guys to spend 8-10 hours a day trying to outsmart large mouth, small mouth, and other species of bass on one of the largest lakes in the United States. One afternoon while fishing back in a bay called "Byrd", I was enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. Occasionally, I would hear fish jump, a squirrel scamper through the leaves or the rapid fire sound of a woodpecker as he bore through tree bark in search of insect morsels. It was here in Byrd that I began to notice the various birds. Among them were an American Eagle, a flock of buzzards, and a lone Blue Heron that was wading by the bank. These birds reminded me of the business networkers that I often encounter on a weekly basis.

The buzzards were circling about 150 yards off shore to the southeast about 200 feet in the air. There was I guess what you would call a "flock" of about 18 buzzards circling something on the forest floor below that was either dead or dying. To me, they represented the group of business networkers that probably don't get much out of the whole networking experience. You know them. They are the business owner that waits until he or she is really hungry. They show up out of nowhere hoping to pick clean the carcasses of victims. They circle, circle, circle...and then SWOOP! They are in to grab a piece of flesh. Then...all is quiet. They're on to their next meal only to return to the area some other day when there's a meal to be had.

The Blue Heron, on the other hand, looks rather prehistoric as it wades quietly in the shallows on the north bank waiting for hours until an unsuspecting shad or bluegill swims by. They are always there, just sort of hanging out. They never risk venturing into deeper waters where the bigger fish live - they're just content hanging around the fringe. They don't make a sound or say too much. But, when they do have something to say, it's usually fast and forgettable. They don't really bother anybody but they don't do a whole lot to contribute to their surroundings. And, when they are up against the rocks (or rip-rap as we anglers call it), they simply blend in and are hard to spot. They don't really stand out.

Then, there is the Eagle. It's a majestic bird. It's wingspan is immense as it swoops down within about 50 feet over my boat for a closer look. It's an awesome site. It doesn't flap its wings. It just glides effortlessly. It catches an up-current and soars to great heights to join two other eagles about 300 yards to the northeast. There are other birds following the eagles' flight patterns. There are gulls and even pelicans that ride the tails of the eagles and seem to watch with the same amazement and intensity as me and my fishing partner. They are leaders with great vision. They contribute to their natural culture. They give and take in their environment.

I looked at the buzzards for only a minute and thought, "these are ugly birds that serve no purpose except to survive." I quickly look away from them without a second thought.

The Blue Heron is amusing. I watched it periodically just to see if it was going to do anything special. But after a while, I forgot about it and it eventually flew away.

But the eagles - I looked up to them for a long while - totally captivated. They are such a rare and beautiful bird. They have that intense, reassuring gaze. It's hard not to watch them and think, "If I was a bird, I'd want to be an eagle." They have great vision and grace.

There are times in my business life where I've been a buzzard or a Blue Heron. And, on a rare occasion, I've strived to be an eagle. But, at this stage in my life I've realized that to forge the positive and trusting relationships, I need to aspire to exude eagle-like qualities. I've got to spread my wings wider and focus intently on the tasks at hand. I need to be more of a leader. In business networking, that means serving others, providing referrals, and participating on a regular basis.

Think about yourself and the people who attend your business networking meetings. If you are a buzzard, you're probably not getting many referrals. Why? Because if we can't count on you to attend meetings on a regular basis and be a contributor and leader, we probably can't count on you to manage the referrals we provide...and we're most likely not going to do business with you. If you are a Blue Heron, you'll probably get a few leads here and there, but you probably won't be with the group long as you'll bore us to tears and you'll get bored waiting for business.

But if you are an eagle, people will look up to you. They'll follow you and want to do business with you because of the leadership qualities you display. You're going to be there in the future, just like those same eagles will be there when I visit Byrd on Kentucky Lake again next year. It's their environment. It's where they roost. It's where they lead.

What kind of networking bird are you?

To learn how to leverage your business networking opportunities, contact me today at 317.696.6734 or visit www.btkmarketing.com.

Seven Words That You Cant Say in Business

No, these aren't the same seven swear words that the late comedian George Carlin spewed out back in the 1970s. But, if you utter these words, you're probably on the verge of become another tick mark in the book of failed businesses.

So, what seven words could be the dagger of death to your business?

"We really don't have a marketing budget."

Count 'em. Seven. These are seven words that I hear at least once every single working day. Oh, and they can be readily interchanged with these seven words...

"We cut our budget to save expenses."

Channeling Cramer
Aaaaggggghhhhhhh! Don't you get it, people! Marketing is not an "expense" - it's an "investment"...a freakin' investment. I am jumping up an down at my desk right now, sleeves rolled up, voice an octave higher and eyes bulging from my skull just like Jim Cramer in on of his CNBC Mad Money tirades. Where are my buttons, buzzers and horns?

It doesn't matter who said it, it's true.
Advertising pioneer David Ogilvy, 20th century Czech playwright Milan Kundera, and Peter Drucker, the father of modern management, are all credited with saying..

“Business has only two functions - marketing and innovation."

If all three of them said it at some point in their accomplished lives, then they are all genius. If you have a business and you are not marketing it...why on earth would you even want to be in business.

The World's Oldest Profession
Many people believe that prostitution is the world's oldest profession. Others say that it's sales. I say it's marketing. It has to be. Here's why...

For arguments sake, let's examine the prostitution theory. Around the beginning of time, some young (or maybe old) lady said to herself, "Hey, I've got something to offer men." But, she saw her reflection in the water and said, "Wow! My hair is a mess. My face is dirty. My clothes are torn. And I stink." So, she ponders how to make herself more desirable. Maybe she goes to a girl friend or another man in her tribe and says, "So, I'm thinking about selling my "assets" in exchange for some dinosaur meet. What do you think I should do to become more desirable?" She actually does some marketing research. She takes their advice and cleans herself up, puts on a new animal cloth, and rubs some fragrant flowers on her skin. She adds some sizzle to the steak, so to speak. Then, she goes about prospecting and selling. Word quickly spreads throughout the land and she has more business than she knows what do with.

She certainly was innovative and she had a marketing strategy. Today, business owners still need to take a close look at their products and services and make them attractive to prospective clients.

Tough Choices Today
I've learned some very hard lessons as an entrepreneur. Each time I've started a business, I've gotten smarter and wiser. I know how easy it is to get caught up in the "business facade". We want others to believe we are successful by how our businesses appear to them. We need a nice office. We need the best equipment. We need employees. Right? Wrong!

I've had to make some tough choices with my own business. Do I work from my home or do I rent an office? Do I hire an assistant or just work longer hours? Do I hire sales people or handle the marketing and sales myself? Right now, I stay

If you have an innovative product or service to offer, you need to focus your resources (both time and money) on marketing. Without a strategic marketing plan or marketing budget, your business can't grow. I can use the gardening analogy about planting the seed, adding fertilizer, sunlight and water...but you don't need to hear that same ol' story again.

It's time to stop being the nice employer. This is YOUR business. You may have to let people go. You may have to move to a smaller office. You may need to temporarily freeze wages or cut salaries. You owe it to yourself and your employees to take necessary measures today so that you will be in business tomorrow. I've been there. I know it's not easy. But, it's what we as business owners need to do if we are to survive.

Planning and Budgeting Time
As we head into October, it's time to start planning and budgeting for 2009. It's no secret that our economy sucks and the cost of doing business is on the rise. More and more businesses are going to start filling the pinch. If your want to separate your business from the competition and position itself for growth, you need to allocate money to marketing and advertising

You are going to ask, "How much should I budget?" My answer is "as much as it takes." That could be a little or it could be a lot. If you budget a little, you'll grow a little. If you budget a lot, you'll grow a lot.

If you have $15,000 to market your business...you should be able to generate $15,001 in revenue. Would you be happy if your mutual fund returned five or ten percent? Of course you would. You need to view your investment in marketing with that same perspective. Yes, it does take money to make money.

I had a discussion the other day with a client who was lamenting over the number of clients who were "flaking out" on him. I asked him what percentage of "no shows" he had for appointments and what his closure rate was. I explained to him that his numbers weren't much different from mine...or from any other business. It's a numbers game. If you get one new customer or client for every 100 touches and you need 20 clients to be at 100 percent capacity, then you need to market your message to 2,000 new prospects. It's that simple. You know your numbers, figure it out! Or, better yet, let me help you figure it out.

Do Your Prospects Look Ahead for You?
The fact is, you need to be on the minds of your prospective customers at the exact moment they need to make a purchasing decision. It's like when I'm driving down the highway on vacation and everyone in the car starts getting hungry. We start looking ahead for a billboard, highway sign or the "Golden Arches" themselves, appearing over the tree tops. It's got to be like that for your business. You want people to start thinking about your products and services when they are on the road to making a decision.

That's why you need to stop using those seven words, "I really don't have a marketing budget." Replace them with these 18 words...

"I am willing to invest marketing dollars to grow my business for the benefit of myself and employees."

Once you make that commitment, you'll soon realize what Ogilvy, Kundera and Drucker meant.

To learn more about how BTK & Associates can help you with your marketing plan and budget for 2009, visit www.btkmarketing.com or call 317.696.6734 today!

Network or Multi-Level Marketing . . . Is it time?

To most people, any mention of Network Marketing or MLM (Multi-Level-Marketing) sends them running for cover. It's like garlic to a vampire; they don't want it near them -no how, no way. But, maybe in today's economy, it's time to add small doses of garlic to our financial diet.

I've tried them. Amway, Excel and a few others that I can't even remember. But that was years ago. I tapped into my friends, neighbors, co-workers and relatives; brow beating them until they either ex-communicated me or ultimately gave in to, as they called it, another "pyramid scheme". I swore off ever getting involved in another MLM opportunity...until now.

PLEASE READ THE REST OF THIS POSTING BEFORE YOU TELL ME I'M CRAZY!

After all, only the people that get in early make all of the money. The people at the bottom are left with closets-full of "product" such as soap, make-up, vitamins or long distance calling cards. Am I right? I've read the propaganda. I've been to the conventions. I've seen the countless pictures of a select few with the mongo huge houses, luxury cars, exotic vacations and unfathomable residual checks. They hypnotize and mesmerize us into staking our claim to that elusive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It's another cult. It's big rallies with everyone but us up there on stage receiving those big payouts. I know I felt inadequate, got discouraged and eventually gave up.

But, that was all before the Internet really took hold and gave the MLM industry a powerful marketing tool.

MLM has changed in a BIG WAY!

TRADITIONAL BUSINESS MODEL?
Let's step back for a moment and look at the traditional business. As an entrepreneur, I have what I think is a great idea for a business. I invest thousands of dollars in product development, product testing, office space, utilities, employees, taxes, insurance, marketing, advertising and more. Then, I work my ass off prospecting and convincing others that they need my product or service. I pay my sales people (if I can afford them), to sell. Most importantly, I am gambling that my satisfied clients, without any incentive to do so, will tell others about my business and I will be able to convert them into clients. Those new clients will tell two people, who will tell two people, who will...you get the point. I'm hoping that word spreads about my business so far and wide that I...

...Wait a cotton pickin' minute! Doesn't that smell of multi-level marketing? People...tell people who... tell more people. Hmmm.

But something doesn't make sense. I'm spending my life savings or paying to use a bank's money, hoping to someday turn a profit without giving my clients an incentive, beyond maybe an occasional gift card, to help my business grow ? It's no wonder that about 80 percent of all new businesses fail within the first two years - and their owners find themselves in financial ruin.

The MLM Model
So, let's take another look at the MLM (also called Referral Marketing) way of doing business. I can buy in to a company that's already spent millions of dollars on product development and marketing. My initial investment is usually less than $100. Then, I agree to purchase a product or service that I'm either already using, or should be using because it offers a financial or health benefit. I now just buy it from myself at half the cost rather than buying it from a store at a huge markup. I make back my investment almost instantly. It's starting to make sense.

But wait, there's more good news. I can work out of my home and take advantage of the numerous tax breaks enjoyed by home-based businesses. I don't need to dress up, so now I've saved hundreds of dollars that I spend annually on business attire. So, I now instantly own a profitable business. And if I'm worried about how fast my MLM business will take to produce actual income...I can still work my full-time job. Sweet!

Next, I learn how to market my MLM business without cramming it down people's throats. I work the numbers and eventually peak their curiosity enough to get them to look at the opportunity. If they agree to start their own MLM business, then I get paid a commission on the product they purchase...as does the people above me. That's good ol' profit sharing...just like the big oil companies.

THE MIS-CONCEPTION
HALT! This is where most people get hung up. "You mean someone else is going to make money if I buy the product? That's not fair!"

So, "genius", what happens when you buy something from Wal-mart? You pay for a product, plus the cost of marketing, insurance, payroll, and more. And, you just aren't paying Wal-mart - you are paying the manufacturer, warehouse and distributor - all the way up the line. Wait...here's something else that you don't realize. When you tell your neighbor, friend, relative or co-worker about that great new toothpaste, laundry detergent, nutritional supplement or make-up, guess who's NOT getting paid? YOU! You just became a free advertisement! You DON'T get a paycheck. Now, THAT'S NOT FAIR!

TIME TO RECONSIDER?
This past couple of weeks, I've really started thinking about my own financial situation. I've started looking at MLM opportunities. Yes, that's opportunities - plural. There are no pie-in-the-sky expectations of reaching millionaire status in 60 days. But, let's just say that in addition to my current business, BTK & Associates, I conservatively generate $10,000 the first year and that doubles each year thereafter. In five years, that's $160,000. In 10 years, when I retire at age 55, that's a little more than $5,000,000 (a five with six zeroes behind it) per year.

NOW COMES THE I-FACTOR
The "I" is for Internet. Back in the day, once I had worked my way through my Rolodex, I was done, tapped out. I maybe showed "The Plan" to fifteen of my 200 or so contacts. But with the Internet, more and more companies are using MLM business models to a sell product while creating millionaires in their wake. The number of people now generating residual income is staggering. People are adding other people they don't even know to their "downlines" via the Internet nearly every day.

WANT TO JOIN ME AND MY FAMILY IN BELIZE?
I consider myself to be pretty darn good at marketing and sales. I know some pretty average people who, in less than a year, are generating $100,000 with little effort and time. And there are so many LEGITIMATE MLM and "affiliate" opportunities available, that, unless you are a recluse, you can't not succeed.

If you would like to learn how you can generate additional residual income for you and your family, email me at brian@btkmarketing.com. I'll even help you set up your first business that doesn't even require an investment on your part but will generate a 30 percent residual income the first year!

I promise that if you join me now, we will all vacation together in Belize in January of 2009. See you there!

Michael Phelps Teaches Golden Marketing Lesson from Beijing

(Photo by Donald Miralle, Getty Images)

As the world watches Michael Phelps collect gold medallions and shatter world records at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, I had one of those "Aha!" moments as he was collecting his 10th Olympic medal on Monday night, August 11, 2008.

Michael Phelps followed the same superstitious ritual he has gone through prior to each swimming event the past several years. He listened to his Rap music, removed his ear buds, took off his jacket, climbed up on the block and flapped his arms like a gigantic bald eagle about to swoop down on an unsuspecting meal.

But it was how he managed this particular race, just like all the others, that gave me a take-away that I can immediately apply to my business as well as my clients'.

Tense Moments
Phelps left the block, effortlessly motored himself under water and suddenly emerged on the surface somewhere in the middle of the pack. As we watched, my wife stated what I was thinking, "He's not leading. The guy in lane one is." Right on cue, as if he heard my wife and millions of other viewers gasp in unison, the announcer reassured. "Oh, but he knows exactly where he his and where his competitors are."

Aha! That's it. Here is a guy not only swimming to be the most-decorated Olympian in history, but he's also teaching a valuable marketing lesson at the same time. Phelp's course syllabus might read something like:

Do you know where your competition is? You've worked too
hard to let your competitions take the lead and increase it's market share. In this course you'll
learn how to monitor your competition, get to know their strengths and weakness, and implement both a proactive and reactive marketing strategy to help you reach for the gold in your business and personal lives.

Practical Application
I am currently working on a competitive intelligence project for a client in. Like Michael Phelps, this business has been working hard for the past twenty years is truly a champion in its industry. But, a sagging economy combined with some emerging technological challenges has put a recent drag on the business. My client wants to know where the competitors are. Where do they excel? Where do they fall short? What are the opportunities and threats that can help or hurt their business? Are we truly a leader or is someone else threatening our existence? These are all valid and important questions for any business to ask every single day.

Michael Phelps teaches us that you don't necessarily need to pull up and look at your competitors. He keeps kicking and pulling water with each stroke. He's focused. Most importantly, he keeps his head down and concentrates on the task at hand. But, he is instinctively aware of his competition. He's done his homework and due diligence. He's watched endless hours of video on each competitor and himself and he's replayed his races time and time again inside his head.

Game On
In your business, you need to keep your head down and move forward. But, equally as important, you need to understand your competition and environment. Review their website. Acquire their brochures. Be on the lookout for their advertising and scrutinize it as if it were your own. Monitor their pricing strategies. Once you know where your competition is, you'll be better poised to know when to save your energy and when to turn up the heat. At the end of each race, you'll find yourself breaking all kinds of records and standing atop the podium.

BTK & Associates can coach your business to victory conduct Competitive Intelligence. You'll learn who your competition is both in your market space and geographically. You gain confidence knowing that you can make the necessary adjustments to grown your market share and be a leader in your market.

For more information on how BTK & Associates can help your business stand out in a crowd, visit www.btkmarketing.com, email me at brian@btkmarketing.com, or call 317.696.6734.

Who's Really Driving Your Marketing Strategy?

Are you letting your website designer, printing company, video company, freelance graphic designer or another niche marketing specialist commandeer your marketing efforts? If so, this might be the reason your sales are sluggish.

Scratching My Head
I'm a strong proponent of business networking. I attend a few business networking events each week. I can't help but chuckle inside and roll my eyes when I hear some young guy or girl who just started a web design company talk about sitting down with you and helping you with your "overall marketing strategy". I always walk away from those meetings scratching my head and seething a little bit.

"C'mon! Are you kidding me?" This is like going to the discount tire store to have a flat tire patched and having them tell you..."For $49.95 we can run a comprehensive diagnosis on your car and tell you how to optimize it's performance for better gas mileage." What are they going to sell you? Yep, you guessed it. Tires! They are going to sell you the newest tires rated for better road wear which means, of course, better mileage.

The Need for a Broader Diagnosis
Wouldn't you take your car back to the service center where you purchased it? Or, like me, you might have an independent automotive service center that has the training and experience to be able to provide a comprehensive diagnosis. My service center is qualified to look at the engine, transmission, suspension, fuel lines, electrical system, tires and more. I have the confidence in their years of experience and training. They make recommendations, tell me what repairs I need to make now...and later. They give me options and charge me a fair price.

The same goes for doctors. I have a family doctor that I depend on to review my overall health. He then makes recommendations for me to see various specialists whether that be for a sinus problem, ear infection, knee pain, allergies...etc. He refers me to someone with a more narrow focus. I wouldn't go see a orthopedic specialist for treatment if I was having chest pain.

Your Benefit or Theirs?
So, back to the question - who's driving your marketing. Your web designer? A video production company? Your advertising sales rep at the local newspaper? The quick printer down the street? If so, who's interest do you think they ultimately have in mind? Yours? No. They are in business to make money for their company.

There are some exceptions to the rules...but you've got to dig deep and ask lots of questions. But, one key questions you need to ask is, "Other than your company, who would you recommend to help me develop a comprehensive marketing strategy?" If they respond with ANY other answer than a recommendation for a marketing consultant, an advertising/marketing agency or a small business advocacy group such as the SBA, SCORE or Chamber of Commerce, turn and run for the hills.

Seeing The Big Picture
Now, you might be asking..."But aren't you in business to make money?" Absolutely. But, as your marketing "service center" or "physician". I'm going to get to know you and your business. I'm going to ask the right questions, take the pulse of your business, poke around until I find where it hurts and then, I'm going to recommend a plan to nurse your business back to good health. Then...I'll bring in the necessary specialists. In the end, my goal is to help you make more money so that you'll continue to partner with me so that I, too, make more money.

I have relationships with some of the best "specialists" in the industry. And, if you already have a preferred vendor, I'll be happy to meet with them to determine if they would make a good marketing partner. If not, I'll recommend one that will get the job done.

As a business owner, you owe it to yourself and your business to develop and implement a comprehensive marketing plan. This plan may mean diversifying your marketing portfolio across a number of strategies including the Internet, direct mail, sales collateral, print advertising, special events and more. This means working with a qualified consultant or an agency that sees the "big picture" and can build an overall strategy and make recommendations that will help your business grow and prosper.

If you are interested in a comprehensive diagnosis of your marketing efforts, I encourage you to visit my website at www.btkmarketing.com, email me at brian@btkmarketing.com or call me at 317.696.6734.

Press Release Experiment: Part II

Please read my post, Press Release Experiment: Part 1, for the background on my experiment.

Just to recap...Thursday, July 3, I set out on a mission to follow a press release that I generated for my business. I wanted to see how fast it travelled through the Internet via news wires, RSS feeds, blogs and more. I also wanted to see if one press release could generate any inquiries and eventually provide a return that I could measure against my investment. I released it to local Indianapolis-area media on my own, via email. I also released it to national/international media through PRWeb on July 7th.

As of 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16th, the headline had appeared on 39,127 websites. Just on PRWeb alone, there were 426 full-page reads. The eBook version was downloaded 250 times. The PDF version was downloaded 36 times. And, 20 people downloaded the printer-friendly version.

That's 800 people who, on just PRWeb alone, has either read, downloaded or printed my press release. That's just one (1) website.

Today, my press release appears on nearly 500 business-related websites, blogs, and podcasts. I have even been quoted by newspapers and business publications in Europe and the United Kingdom. If I use PRWeb as a benchmark, which is very unscientific, and multiplied 500 sites that have posted my press release by 800, that's about 40,000 people that have read, downloaded or printed my release.

I can also track my website statistics. The average daily number of visitors to my website is nearly twelve times what it was prior to the press release distribution.

What I can't track are the newspapers, marketing journals, magazines, radio stations, television stations and other sources where my press release has been embraced and reported on.

Has my business benefited? Oh, yeah. I've received more than 60 emails from people I've never met, asking about my business. They've asked me to review their website. Two are sending me their marketing materials for review. Others want to know how much to budget for marketing and advertising. Others have asked about the benefits of blogging and podcasting. And, I've had a few asking me to help write press releases for their business.

I've had one on one appointments with three business owners in the Indianapolis area and scheduled another two.

I will tell you that, as I predicted, the number of reads has declined steadily over the past five days. Why? Because the headline is now getting buried in the news feeds. Also, my website hits are declining slightly.

This morning, a local real estate agent was curious how a press release could benefit her business. While she is impressed with my statistics, she didn't see how national or international exposure could be beneficial. First, a well-written release WILL get her local exposure. Secondly, people relocate. They are moving to the Indianapolis-area. Suppose that one person in Florida does a search for "Indianapolis Realtor" and her press release pops up in the top of the search engines. On that press release, they click on a link to that agent. They call her, schedule an appointment and buy a home. If that home is $400,000 and her commission is, say, $12,000 (3%), then she has just gotten a return that is more than 20 times her investment.

I'd say that's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

I'll continue to track my press release and provide updates. To track it on the Internet for yourself, go to any search engine and type in "BTK & Associates" (be sure to include the quotation marks).

For more information about how BTK & Associates can help you put together an effective press release marketing strategy, visit www.btkmarketing.com or call me at 317.696.6734.

Press Release Experiment: Part I

If you are looking for cost effective ways to generate interest in your business or organization and you aren't using press releases, let me tell you about my current press release experiment.

Why?
I have a couple of clients and prospects that are considering adding press releases to their marketing mix. But, because they haven't done it before, there are concerns that it either won't generate leads or that a consistent press release strategy will be costly and difficult to manage.

So, last Thursday, July 3, I set out on a mission to follow a press release that I generated for my business. I wanted to see how fast it travelled through the Internet via news wires, RSS feeds, blogs and more. I also want to see if one press release could generate any inquiries and eventually provide a return on investment that I could measure against my investment.

The Topic
I didn't want to just issue a press release about my business. So, I zeroed in on a topic that I thought would be of interest to businesses, especially in today's economy. I specifically wanted speak directly to executives, managers, sales people and marketing professionals. My headline was BTK & Associates warns businesses against cutting marketing budgets. I thought it might grab some attention. Embedded in my assessment of marketing in a struggling economy was my underlying purpose - to position myself as an authority and hopefully generate interest in my consulting services.

Distribution
I decided to distribute the press release two ways. First, I emailed the release to my local media distribution list for print including newspapers, magazines and business journals. I decided not to distribute to radio and television. The second way I distributed it was through PRWeb.com.

PRWeb is a fee-based service where businesses can create and distribute press releases. Depending on which service you pay for (I think there are 4 levels with some add-on services), you can choose geographic areas by MSA, and you can select certain business sectors. I chose Indianapolis (the MSA where I live), Lafayette, Indiana (where I grew up), and Cincinnati (because its close and has a lot of businesses). I chose five business categories including executives, managers, marketing professionals, sales and technology. These are groups that people can subscribe to online to receive news about their job or industry.

And because last Friday was July 4th, I scheduled the release for 12:01 a.m., Monday morning so that it would hit the news wires for Monday.

Tracking Results
Here's the fun part - tracking results online. On Sunday morning, just for grins, I did a Google search and found that the press release had already been picked up by the Noblesville Daily Times, a small local paper. On Monday morning, again did a Google search and found that the release had made it's way onto some interesting news feeds including Gas & Oil News, eBusiness Automation, 8 Steps Success and a handful of others.

Next, I decided to log onto PRWeb and actually view my press release statistics. This is a great tool because it tracks how many times the headline actually appears in searches and how many full-page reads and downloads your release receives. Pretty cool!

Check It Out
If you want to see where the press release is appearing, go to Google and type in (use the quotation marks) "btk & associates". You'll find some of the more popular sites. Here is how it looks on PRWeb:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/7/prweb1075274.htm

Here is a link to PR-USA.net:

http://www.pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=117375&Itemid=34

My Press Release's Results
As of 10:30 on Monday morning, just 10-1/2 hours after the release was distributed by PRWeb, here are some impressive stats. The full-text had been read by 143 people across the globe. An additional 44 people had actually downloaded or printed it. The headline had already on over 6,400 websites/newsfeeds.

At 3:30 p.m., there were 156 full-page reads and an additional 74 dowloads/prints. The headline had now appeared on 12,466 sites.

As of last evening at about 10:30 p.m., the release had 236 full-page reads and another 203 downloads or prints.

This morning, at 9:18 a.m., there were 288 full-page reads and 268 downloads/prints. The headline impressions has reached 26,657.

Any Leads or Business?
Yes. Yesterday morning I had already received emails from three former colleagues, one in Indianapolis , one in Ohio and one in Michigan, who happened across the release. They had all visited my website and offered to help me network. I received two emails from people I didn't know asking me if I could speak at their business meetings. And I received a request for a quote helping an organization with sales collateral, website and scripting for fundraising. I'm pleased.

Measuring ROI
I'm documenting the inquiries, proposals and speaking engagements to see how much business is actually generated by this release over the next 90 days. But, I'm already confident that I will recoup my investment.

The Cost
Obviously, since I wrote the press release, I didn't have to pay. But, it did cost me about four hours of my time at a billable rate of, say, $75/hour. That's $300. My PRWeb fee was $140. So, my investment was less than $500. Compare that with one time insertion of a small print ad in a local newspaper...I'd never get that much exposure or generate the same results in 24 hours.

Updates
I'll continue to post updates here on my Marketing Muse blog. I'll let you know about any proposals, speaking engagements, interviews, etc... So, stay tuned!

To learn how BTK & Associates can help you develop and implement a press release strategy, visit www.btkmarketing.com or email me at brian@btkmarketing.com.

For Patriotic Marketing, Travel Back to 1776

My newspaper was stuffed with July 4th advertising circulars and I couldn't help but avoid the countless radio and television ads touting "Star Spangled Savings" and "All American Discounts". Everything from grocery items and bed mattresses to automobiles and vinyl siding were on sale over on this 2008 July 4th holiday weekend. That got me wondering, "What was on sale in July of 1776?"

This morning, with my ears still ringing from the blasts of last night's July 4th fireworks celebration, I finally found time to write about some interesting things I learned yesterday about life in 1776. It was what appeared in Dixon & Hunter's Virginia Gazette on July 20, 1776 that is probably the most influential advertisement ever placed. Read on...

Around 7:30 a.m., as I was tossing a purple 'power worm' in the pouring rain on my friend Matt's boat on Morse Lake during a bass fishing tournament, my thoughts drifted as they usually do when I'm not catching fish. I began thinking about a radio ad for a "Fourth of July Sale" for a home repair center. Another holiday. Another opportunity for retail businesses to exploit the long holiday in an effort to lure (no fishing pun intended) consumers.

So, after returning home having only caught one keeper largemouth and finishing dead last in the tournament, I was hoping I'd have better luck fishing the Internet for information about marketing and advertising in 1776.

It took awhile, but I finally "Googled" the right phrases that produced a collection of articles, research papers, discussions and images of the history of advertising. While there is evidence of advertising products and services dating back to 4,000 B.C., Advertising as we know it in the United States, first appeared in print in 1704. The first newspaper advertisement, an announcement seeking a buyer for an Oyster Bay, Long Island, estate, was published in the Boston News-Letter.

It was Ben Franklin, though, who started including paid advertisements in his newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette in 1742. Franklin's paper and others contained advertisements that only included text. Ads with illustrations and graphics began appearing in the late 1700s and more prominently around 1830.

Newspapers allowed people and businesses to expand their marketing beyond the common signs, window ads, posters and advertising bills (or flyers). Instead of reaching local townspeople or spreading information by word of mouth to a small target audience, newspapers allowed business owners to reach a few hundred or even a few thousand people throughout the 13 Colonies and in much larger cities such as Philadelphia, Boston and New York.

Advertisements weren't regulated though and everything was fair game. The majority of ads at that time were centered around slavery. During this dark time in our Nation's history, slave-owners bought and sold slaves. They also placed advertisements offering rewards when their slave's ran away or seeking rewards when they captured runaway slaves. Many newspapers, such as the Hartford Courant did in 2000, eventually apologized for profiting from running such advertisements.

Other prominent ads from the 1770s were more focused on products and services. Ships advertised their sailing dates so that businesses could ship their goods to other countries or arrange for products to be shipped back to them. They also advertising for sailing crews and space for passengers if available. People sold livestock for slaughter and horses for transportation. A watchmaker who offered his watchmaking and repair services. Richard Brooke advertised his cobbler services this way.

For Sale
A shoemaker who understands mens' and womens' feet completely. He has about five and a half years to serve and worked and worked many years with Mr. Didsbury. For terms, apply to subscriber near Fredericksburg. Richard Brooke.

One of the most interesting advertisements I discovered was from a gentleman who was selling admission to his own death. Having felt that he had accomplished all that he wanted to in life, he planned an exhibition where he was to shoot himself with his revolver, once in the stomach and once in the head. He even warned the public against attending another man's hanging demonstration at the same time as his - calling it a fraudulent event. Pretty bizarre. I wonder whatever happened to the man...and the money he collected?

But it was the one full-page advertisement that appeared in the Dixon & Hunter's Virginia Gazette on July 20, 1776. I'm not sure that it was intended to be an advertisement. But, that's what it was. The advertisers identified a need to solve a problem. They consulted with each other to develop a plausible solution. The developed a product and marketed that product to the people of the thirteen colonies. The problem - tyrannical rule. The solution - independence and the right to self-govern. The product they needed to sell was the Declaration of Independence.

According to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Alexander Purdie's Virginia Gazette (Friday, July 19, 1776) briefly noted the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by Congress.

On Saturday, July 20, the Council of the State of Virginia ordered that the full text be published, and it appeared in John Dixon and William Hunter's Virginia Gazette that same day. Dixon and Hunter had established their newspaper a year earlier with the motto "Always for Liberty and the Public Good."

The Declaration was publicly proclaimed in Williamsburg on July 25, at the Capitol, the Courthouse and the Palace "amidst the acclamations of the people, accompanied by firing of cannon and musketry, the several regiments of continental troops having been paraded on that solemnity". Alexander Purdie included the full text in his Virginia Gazette issue dated July 26.

A few years ago, I portrayed George Reid in the Indianapolis Civic Theater musical production of "1776". Reid was Delaware's Crown Attorney General and one of Delaware's appointees to the Congressional Congress and signers of the Declaration. I admit that I did not take the time then, nor had I ever taken the time to read the complete text of the Declaration of Independence. I took the time yesterday - all of five minutes to review the greatest, most poignant document in our young nation's history. I encourage you, too, to take the time.

As I sat in a friend's backyard last evening enjoying pulled pork barbecue and other great homemade dishes, I watched our kids running and playing on swing sets and the adults eating, laughing and partaking in adult beverages. But, I couldn't help but think about what I had learned during a couple of hours surfing the Internet and the few minutes it took to read the text of the Declaration. As a people, we enjoy many great freedoms that we take for granted. I thought about my brother in law, Major Scott Sendmeyer, U.S. Army who is currently stationed in Mosul, Iraq, training the Iraqi troops how to fight for and defend their freedom.

Using such a great National holiday to market discounts on furniture, cars, computers, triple-pane windows and other products wrings a little trivial in my mind right now. However, without the work of our Founding Fathers like John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and the other signers of the Declaration, and so eloquently written by Thomas Jefferson, we could not not enjoy such a freedom.

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

I Am Now An Official "Twitterer"

You might say that I am "Twitterpated" now that I have latched on to one of the newest Internet marketing tools called Twitter.

Left In the Dust
Back in February, when I started contemplating taking my business BTK & Associates full time, I started realizing that, as a marketing & sales consultant, it would be my responsibility to stay up to date on the most current trends and share them with my clients. That was going to be a bit of a problem.

Admittedly, technology passed me by at warp speed over the past two years as I was pigeon-holed in a stagnant bank marketing environment. We couldn't spend money and we sure weren't allowed to implement any new marketing tools - or very many traditional ones, for that matter. I can't believe how much the marketing landscape changed around me. It was like I went into hyper-sleep for 24 months only to awaken to find all of this new marketing technology.

Being Resourceful
As a self-proclaimed "marketing junkie", I am constantly reading and researching marketing & sales information. Whether it's speed reading a book while drinking a latte at a nearby Barnes & Noble bookstore or perusing the Internet, I am constantly on the lookout for new ideas and technology. I can't tell you how many Internet groups, forums and blogs I subscribe to currently. One of those sources is Larry Chase's Web Digest for Marketers. It's a great resource for news about new and emerging marketing tactics.

This week, he wrote about "Twitters". How people come up with terms like blogs, bloggers, widgets, blidgets and now, twitter and twitterers I'll never understand. But, Twitter technology has a lot of merit and promise as a corporate marketing and sales tool.

What is a Twitter?
In my own definition, a Twitter is a miniature blog that allows people in a group to establish a social network and communicate via email and cell phone by sending short messages called "tweets". You might say, "Well, we already communicate via email and texting." Not like this.

For example, when I build an email list for my business using a service like Constant Contact or Exact Target, which I pay for, I include clients, prospects, friends, family and neighbors. Depending on their email settings, my emails may not get through their spam filters. And, I have no way to know if they are really taking the time to read them before they end up in the trash. And when it comes to sending a text message, I have to set up my text message list and then type the message separately from my email message. Twittering solves all of these problems by combining the tasks...and it's FREE.

With Twitter technology, I simply invite clients and prospects to subscribe to my tweets. Or, other twitterers can become "followers" of my Twitter because they did a topic search and decided they wanted to stay in contact. Twitter networks can be set up for families, neighborhoods, friends, sports teams, support groups and more...it's limitless.

Marketing Benefits
So, how can your business benefit by using Twitter as a marketing tool? Let's say that you own a seafood restaurant. Your supplier offers you a great deal on Alaskan Sock-eye salmon. You can send a tweet to your list announcing your menu special in an effort to boost reservations. Your "followers" receive an instant email notification as well as a message sent to their mobile phone. A bank may use Twitter to alert customers to special interest rate. A Realtor may tell clients about a new home listing. Your company may release details about registration for a seminar or conference or news about a new product release or upgrade. Twitter is ideal if you want or need to communicate timely information with your customers and/or prospects to elicit a buying response.

Who's Twittering?
So, how popular is Twitter? Here are the names of just a few familiar companies and brands that use Twitter as a marketing & communication tool.

• CNN
• Computer World
• Fox News
• Carnival Cruise Lines
• Southwest Airlines
• MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
• Amazon.com
• Apple Computers
• Dell
• Monster.com
• Notre Dame
• Michigan State University
• Ford Motor Company
• General Motors
• Forrester Research
• Cincinnati Art Museum
• San Fransisco Zoo
• Smithsonian Institute
• Comcast
• M&Ms
• Barack Obama

And there's thousands more...

I encourage you to visit Twitter.com and see for yourself how you can join the Twitter craze. If you'd like to join my Twitter network, I can be found at http://twitter.com/btk_marketing.

If you'd like help setting up a Twitter and developing a strategy built around this new technology, visit www.btkmarketing.com or email me at brian@btkmarketing.com

New Marketing Incentive Gives People Gas

What do Chase, Callaway Golf, Big Bear Campground, Dick's Sporting Goods and the New Jersey Department of Transportation all have in common? They've got gas.

Ever since gasoline started approaching the $4 per gallon mark, people started wooing customers with the next big incentive. Free gasoline is everywhere, as long as you spend money with them.

What happened to the good ol' "20% Off Sale" or the "Buy One, Get One Free" offers. And where are those perks that banks offer like free tool kits, toasters and trips to the Bahamas? Oh, they're still around, but they seem to have lost their luster.

Fear Marketing
Now businesses are playing into consumers' fear and frustration over sky-rocketing gas prices by simply substituting discounts and gifts for "free" gas cards or rebates. Other businesses are building their prospect lists by offering gas cards in sweepstakes drawings. Just "Google" the term "Free Gas" and you'll find thousands of offers and chances to win.

While everyone is feeling the pinch of escalating fuel prices, gas in the United States is still below many other countries. If gas hits $5 per gallon, a $25 gas card will get me five gallons, or about 125 miles down the road. But, how much did I have to spend get that $25 gas card? I just saw a television commercial from a vinyl siding company that will give you a $25 gas card just for calling and "inviting" a representative into your home. So, you spend two hours with a pushy salesman that talks you into $10,000 worth of new siding. For what? $25 worth of gas?

Customers or Samplers?
Should your business ride the Free Gas wave? Well, that depends on what type of customer you want to attract. While $4.19 per gallon is an annoyance, I, like many, haven't reached the threshold that would cause me to spend more money on products I really don't need just to get a few gallons of "free" gas. People who jump at the chance to earn free gas may be feeling the economic pinch and may not have the expendable income to purchase your products. Are they truly going to be long-term, loyal customers or are they merely enjoying the "free samples" with no intention to buy?

Focus On Quality and Reward Loyalty
My suggestion? Focus on providing the highest quality products and services at reasonable prices with the best customer services. No, it's not a new concept. But, in the long run, people will still go out of their way if they perceive they are receiving value from your business.

One pet peeve I have with special offers, and my cell phone company Verizon Wireless is the perfect example, is that they extend rewards to new customers and neglect long-term, loyal customers. I pay them over $300 per month only to be told by some of the rudest customer service people that I can't upgrade my phone or receive the same "special discounts" as new customers. They aren't loyal to me, so when it's time to renew my contract, I will not be loyal to Verizon Wireless.(Sorry, I will step off my soap box now.)

Again, gift cards (such as Visa) can be used for any purpose including gasoline. And give them to your loyal customers - perhaps for referring new business or making a large purchase. Surprise them with the card. I was ecstatic when I received a $100 gift card in the mail to an upscale restaurant when I referred a co-worker to Matt Kennedy at Tom Wood Volkswagen in Indianapolis. They bought a car from him and he thanked me for the referral.

Like me, maybe your client isn't all that interested in free gas. Maybe it's a single mom that needs to buy clothes for her child. Or a gift card may come in handy for a parent to buy school supplies or for someone to take their spouse out for a celebration dinner. By showing your loyalty to your best customers, you will build long-term relationships and gain quality referrals from their friends, family, neighbors and co-workers.

A Passing Fad?
We've enjoyed low gas prices for many years and we are just catching up to the rest of the world. And, while we can debate the merits of drilling for oil on our own soil, prices aren't going to fall below $3.00 or even $4.00 again. We'll learn to adjust and the "Free Gas" marketing fad will disappear just like Green Stamps and free toasters.

If you stay the course with quality and service and you build loyalty with your best customers, you won't need to rely on gimmicks like "Free Gas".

To learn how BTK & Associates can help you market your business based on quality and service and establish a loyalty rewards program, visit www.btkmarketing.com or email brian@btkmarketing.com.

Maintain Your Business Lawn

Whether we are actually in a recession or not, it's a fact that the U.S. economy is in an economic drought. But this doesn't mean that you need to let your business' marketing budget dry up.

I'm one of those homeowners that's proud of his lawn. I'm fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood where most people have well-manicured lawns. After all, we've had plenty of rain in Indianapolis, Indiana this year, so everyone should have a green lawn. Mowing, weeding, pruning, edging, and trimming are activities that, when I'm done, give me satisfaction and instant gratification. I can step out into the street, look back at my yard and think, "Wow! Now that's a nice looking lawn."

But, like the current economy, the weather isn't always ideal. Last year we had drought conditions. Keeping my lawn from looking like the dusty main street in a Spaghetti Western, complete with tumbling tumble weeds, took time and a moderate financial investment. I had to water my lawn a little more. I had to spend more money on fertilizer and weed control. I cut my grass a little longer to retain moisture. I educated myself on how to keep my lawn looking nice in a drought and made the necessary investments and adjustments to keep my grass green and growing.

Many of my neighbors, on the other hand, took the easy route. They simply gave up. Some saw it as an opportunity to not have to mow as frequently. Others apparently said, "My neighbors aren't keeping their lawns nice, so why should I?" Still, others reallocated or eliminated their lawn maintenance budgets.

We are in an economic drought and most businesses are going to react in much the same way as many of my neighbors did with their lawns. They may view marketing, like mowing, as a necessary evil and welcome a break from executing their marketing plan. There are those that will look around and say, "Hey, our competitors aren't marketing so why should we?" Then, there are those businesses that decide to cut marketing expenses in an effort to show investors a bigger profit margin.

I can't tell you how many times my neighbors and visitors to my home commented how nice my lawn looked last summer. The grass was green and the flowers were colorful. And guess what I discovered this Spring? My lawn was the first one to turn green. My neighbors, on the other hand, were aerating, de-thatching, re-seeding and trying to get their dandelions under control. While I had minimal lawn maintenance costs, I know they probably out spent me four to one just trying to get their lawns back into shape.

Learn from my neighbors. Don't cut back or skimp on your marketing budgets during an economic down swing. Don't be a lemming. Sure, it's easy to follow your competitor and cut your budgets and staff. And, if you are cutting your marketing budgets now just so you can show a bigger profit, I've got news for you. You may be the hero now, but one day it will catch up with you and...BAM! You'll have to explain to your investors why you don't have any growth and are losing market share.

Businesses that grow and prosper are the ones that stay the course and may even increase their marketing activities. It will be your businesses that consumers will notice when it's time to make a purchase. And when the economy does turn around, you won't have to spend as much time, energy and money to position yourself in the market place.

To learn how BTK & Associates can help you maximize your marketing budget and maintain top of mind awareness in today's economic conditions, visit www.btkmarketing.com or email me at brian@btkmarketing.com.

Chicken vs Egg, Branding vs Positioning

The debate continues. Which came first, branding or positioning. Which one do you control and which one is owned by your customers?

So, I sit down at my computer this morning all excited to write about branding, a topic that I'm very passionate about when it comes to marketing and sales. Before I mosey on over to my blog's control panel, I decide to check my email. And what d'ya know? I receive a great article from iMedia titled Brand vs. product: what really drives reputation? It was written by Marian Salzman, partner and CMO, Porter Novelli Worldwide.

Do great minds think alike, or what? Or, maybe it was just coincidence.

If you don't read any further, read, re-read and digest what Ms. Salzman writes in this one tiny paragraph.

What makes the difference now is delivery, not promises -- it's not what a
brand says, but what it does. A brand's products earn a brand permission to ask
for a slice of consumers' time, attention or money.

Brilliant!

Marketing people who hold the title "Brand Manager" should be stripped of their titles (yes, you know who I'm talking about) and be appropriately dubbed, "Delivery Manager". I worked for a company for two years where the "Brand Manager" couldn't land on a brand. It's like giving birth to a baby and not being able to name it and leaving it up to people to guess.

This brings me to my initial chicken vs. egg question. Which came first, positioning or branding? I'll answer the question and say, "positioning". Why? Because branding isn't something we control. Our customers, employees, suppliers, competitors are all part of the group that decides what our brand is. Not us.

Go back to the beginning of any business, matter how big or small, and you'll find one person who had an idea. In the 1870's, Joseph Campbell didn't just one day say, "Hey, let's design a red and white can and put some broth and vegetables in it and sell it in grocery stores and call it Cambell Soup." Campbell, whose company originally canned vegetables, jellies and minced meats, learned that soup, which was very popular in Europe and not the U.S., was gaining popularity in the states. He already had most of the ingredients in the tomatoes, vegetables and meats. So, he decided to come up with a product that was convenient and affordable for consumers. Campbell Soup was unveiled at the 1900 Paris Exposition and earned a gold medal.

Cambells positioning was convenience and price. And, yes, it was, "Mmmmm good!" Thus, the Cambell Soup brand was born. It's red and white can, inspired by the colors of the Cornell University football team, is still one of the most recognized products. When I'm looking for soup in the grocery store, I can the aisle for the red and white cans. I know I'm not getting a home made quality soup, but I purchase the Campbell Soup brand because of the delivery of a product that's affordable and convenient.

So many companies today have lost track of their brands due to poor positioning. Take banking, for example, an industry where I've worked. "Community Bank", "Business Bank", "Friendly Bank", "Hometown Bank", "Sit Down Bank", "Internet Bank". . . the list goes on. One of the largest banks, JPMorgan Chase & Co., founded in New York in 1799, is positioned as a "global investment and commercial bank with both wholesale and retail operations in more than 50 countries."

Banks can do all of the positioning they want, but I, as a consumer, am in sole possession of their brand. When I see Chase bank, I see a bank that has my mortgage but will probably never have my checking account unless it buys my current bank. Why? Because for me, they made promises but their delivery fell short, just like Salzman warns. When I look at my bank, Old National Bank (www.oldnational.com), I see a bank that, for the most part, delivers. It's a comfortable and convenient place for me to deposit my money and receive quality financial advice. They offer great customer service and their banking centers are first-class. As long as they keep delivering on their promises, the Old National Bank brand has equity with me.

So, as marketers, what are we to do? We focus on our products and stop the brand-speak. In her article, Salzman writes:

Consumers want compelling demonstrations and credible recommendations --
and with today's rapidly proliferating social networks and specialist blogs, they have no trouble finding them. To get onto consumers' radars, a brand needs striking products that get people talking. This means enormous opportunity for
the smartest marketing and public relations agencies -- agencies that recognize that the savviest consumers pay more attention to the tangibles (products) than to the intangibles (brands).

If your products and services fall short in the minds of consumers, your brand can't save you. Consumers are smarter and do their homework before they buy.

If you want to effectively position your products so that you can build brand equity with your customers, BTK & Associates can help. Visit www.btkmarketing.com or email brian@btkmarketing.com.

Bridging the Marketing and Sales Gap

If you feel like your marketing and sales teams aren't working in tandem, you're not alone. Collaboration across sales networks is rife with inefficiency and missed business opportunity.

The Blame Game
"Marketing didn't provide us with quality materials or advertising support."

"Sales doesn't use the materials we created and they aren't following up on their leads."

So who's to blame? They both are. Often times, sales reps don't really have a place to go where they can find the most current product and marketing materials or they don't like the materials they have available. On the sales side, leads aren't followed up on and valuable data gathered in the field is either not captured or is not reported back to the marketing department.

According to a 2007 Socratic Technologies survey, collaboration between sales, marketing and the field needs an overhaul:

• 58% of info that sales gathers is not passed back to marketing
• 57% of the time, marketing cannot track what sales/marketing materials were used
• 51% of sales reps often use outdated documentation
• 43% found it difficult for sales reps to find the documents they need

SocialText, a social software company entrenched in Web 2.0 technology explains that this communication gap is not the fault of sales or marketing, but rather a lack of efficient collaboration and learning between the two teams.

Knowledge and content creation is largely done in a vacuum. Without
feedback loops between marketing, sales and the field -- communication is less
effective and there is a lack of quality in prepared materials. Insight from the
trenches stays isolated and what little feedback occurs goes unrecognized.
Content generated is often duplicated, dated, lacks effective version control
and the right content is hard to find. Isolated data sources not only result in
tactical error, but they are viewed sequentially, which is less efficient. The
lack of confidence in materials and lack of feedback loops not leads to
uninformed sales people pushing presentations, collateral and demos -- but it
also erodes trust between departments while customers are left with vendors
selling in ways they don't want to buy.

Working In a Vacuum
I couldn't agree more with the SocialText assessment. As a former marketing manager for a regional bank, I was often amazed and frustrated by the fact that the majority of our marketing materials were created in a vacuum. The primary emphasis of the creative director was to stay on brand and work within the parameters of a brand template. Marketing managers were presented with layouts and copy that the creative team had developed without any input or feedback from the sales team. This "take it or leave it" mentality from our creative manager made it difficult when we, as strategic marketing managers, had to present the materials to our internal clients. The marketing managers as a whole rarely bought into the creative, so how were we suppose to sell it down the line?

The Sales Silo
In this same banking environment, sales primarily operated in it's own silo. In one particular instance, I arranged for the bank to participate in a professional seminar as a primary sponsor. During the day, we collected more than 200 banking sales leads which I passed on to our sales team. Those leads disappeared into a black hole with no reporting or feedback from sales. There was no accountability.

Together In Harmony
Companies can bridge the gap if they would simply agree to communicate and collaborate. As the marketing manager for a Swiss-based manufacturing company, I saw first hand how it "should" work. We held quarterly sales meetings with a segment of the meeting dedicated to discussing sales and marketing. Sales would present feedback from their experiences with customers that often included direct feedback from customers -both good and bad. From that feedback, we developed marketing materials that we presented to the sales team, distributors and client focus groups before we even considered sending the materials to print. Once we were comfortable with the buy-in from our sales team and our customers, we produced the materials for distribution. Finger pointing between sales and marketing was non-existent.

Getting Your Sales & Marketing Teams On Track
Here is a suggestions for bringing your marketing and sales teams together:

1. Open Forum Meeting - hold an open forum meeting between the marketing and sales teams with no set agenda except to ask everyone to write down and share their answers to one questions, "How can marketing and sales work together more efficiently." The responses will facilitate a discussion that could go on for hours.
   
2. Prioritize the Responses - Determine what the "hot buttons" are. Pair up one member of your sales team and one member of your marketing team to propose solutions to one or two of the issues.
   
3. Follow-Up Meeting - Set a deadline a couple of weeks out for your marketing and sales teams to present their solutions to the entire group. Give each issue the same amount of time, 5-10 minutes and allow up to 10-15 minutes for the group to weigh in on the suggestions. Make each pairing responsible for monitoring the progress of their issues going forward.
   
4. Temperature Checks - Hold regular (monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly) meetings and set the expectation that each duo will report on their issue(s). Have them report on one specific example of what is working and what could be improved. Most importantly, keep the discussion moving in a positive direction.

By getting your marketing and sales teams working together instead of in isolation, you'll start seeing the results in the numbers.

For other ways to get your marketing and sales effort aligned, visit http://www.btkmarketing.com/ or email me at brian@btkmarketing.com.

Marketing Budgets On the Rise?

Results of a marketing survey by MarketingProfs and Forrester Research on budget and spending may surprise you as much as it did me.

I recently left a marketing environment where the COO put her marketing team and budget on the back burner (with the flame turned to the "Off" position). Her reasoning behind the drawback was to "make salespeople more responsible and accountable". As a marketing professional, working under this directive was frustrating because it's my experience and belief that marketing is an investment and its role is to help fill the sales pipeline with prospects.

Our marketing team had been working in a suppressed environment for nearly a year. Add to that what's reported in the news about the impact that a struggling economy and looming recession is having on businesses and I would have assumed that most companies were following suit by slashing their marketing budgets.

Not so.

According to the report, B-to-B Marketing in 2008: Trends in Strategies and Spending, only six percent of the companies reported lowering their marketing budgets from 2007 at an average decrease of 18 percent. That's compared to an average budget increase of 26 percent for nearly half (49%) of the companies that responded. That leaves 46 percent who expected no change in their budget from 2007 to 2008.

Proportioning the Budget
So, how are most companies allocating their budgets? According to the survey, the biggest portion (50%) of the budget is going toward Product Marketing (18%), Branding/Advertising (17%), Field Marketing (15%). Marketing research (7%) and Inside Sales (7%) each received the smallest proportions. Other areas receiving financial support included Corporate Communications ( 12%) and Channel/Partner Marketing (9%).

Tactics
It comes as no surprise to me that the majority of companies are focusing their attention on emerging technology. Online Video, Podcasts (or Rich Media), Search Marketing, Other Web 2.0 Media, and Webinars each received high marks with a greater than 50 percent increase. Print, Direct Mail and Radio received the lowest marks with either "decrease" or "no change" greater than 75 percent.

Making Sense of the Numbers
What do these numbers confirm? Besides validating my belief that my former company was going down the wrong marketing path, it tells me that:

1. Companies are embracing new tactics and trying to stay ahead of the technology curve. By integrating and implementing new Web 2.0 tactics in place of traditional print and media, they are reaching a bigger, more targeted audience at a lower investment.
   
2. Most companies understand that product marketing and branding are the foundation of a solid sales initiative by creating top-of-mind awareness, making it easier for the sales people succeed when clients and prospects have a higher level of familiarity with the company or product.
   
3. Customers want to be educated and informed. Webinars, Executive Breakfasts/Luncheons and Trade shows allow companies to interact, sample and evaluate products, services and even the company personnel.
   
4. Most importantly, as the report points out, the respondents view marketing as an "investment" and not an "expense". Marketing should be intended to generate a return on investment and not looked upon as throwing money to the wind.

In his book, Your Marketing Sucks, author and popular blogger, Mark Stevens drives home the point that your marketing efforts have one purpose - to grow your business and generate a return on investment. If your marketing returns just one more dollar than you've spent, then you've been successful.

If you'd like to learn how you can get a copy of the MarketingProfs/Forrester report
B-to-B Marketing in 2008: Trends in Strategies and Spending, send me an email at brian@btkmarketing.com with "MarketingProfs Report" in the subject line. Visit my website at www.btkmarketing.com to learn how BTK & Associates can help energize your marketing and sales efforts.

Marketing Your New Location

Establishing your business in a new location can be an exhilarating, yet daunting task.

Maybe your business has been forced to move due to a road expansion or a civic construction project. Or you might be looking to expand your business by opening a branch in a new geographic location. Whatever the case, you need a solid marketing strategy to announce your new location.

Recently, the city of Speedway, Indiana (near Indianapolis), announced a city "beautification" project that would add new retail, restaurants and hotels near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indianapolis 500 and Allstate Brickyard 400. A few businesses in the shadows of the IMS, some of which have been in their same location for more than 25 years, will fall victim to progress and need to either close shop - or relocate. If they choose to relocate, they'll need a strategy to tell customers about their new location.

Banks and restaurants are two businesses that often choose to expand into new geographic markets. As residential developers continue to build homes in the suburbs, commercial developers aren't far behind with plans to build retail shopping complexes. This attracts a variety of eateries and financial institutions. These businesses will also need to step up their marketing efforts.

Your marketing strategy may include the following elements:

Construction Signage
If you are building a new location, a "Coming Soon" sign will alert curious onlookers that your business will soon be opening in that location.

Point-of-Sale
If you have existing locations, post signage in your lobby or place brochures to let customers know you are expanding. Your customers may be a good source of referrals to others who may live near your new location. They also be happy to know that you have a convenient new location if they find themselves traveling in that area.

Direct Mail
If you have an established business, you should have a customer mailing list. A simple postcard or letter announcing your new location can be effective. If you are establishing a new business or expanding into a new market where you don't have customer addresses, you can purchase mailing lists of consumers and businesses from a variety of sources. You can target geographic areas near your new location, say within a three mile radius.

Email
There are a variety of affordable email marketing solutions available that will allow you to announce your new endeavor to clients and prospects via email. Just make sure you follow proper email protocol and allow people on your email list to unsubscribe.

Open House
Any new business should host an open house. Inviting area businesses, government officials, dignitaries and residents can build rapport. Your open house should showcase our facility and staff. Offer appetizers and drinks. Most importantly, you want to start building your contact list by offering give-aways or door prizes. Make sure to collect important data on your entry forms including name, address, phone and email address. Always follow up with a "Thank You" and a maybe a special discount offering to attendees.

Press Releases
Once you have your opening date locked down, send a press release announcing your opening to the media.

Advertising
The impact of advertising in newspapers, radio and television has been diminished with the popularity of the Internet. More people are getting their news and entertainment online. If you are compelled to advertise in these mediums, ask to see audited demographic data on their readers, viewers or listeners. Target those publications, features or programs that are more closely aligned with your targeted customers. Always make sure you inquire about any Internet-related marketing opportunities they may have to supplement your media buy.

Networking
One of the best ways to spread the word is through networking. Get involved in your new community by joining the local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Kiwanis, or business networking group. Volunteering or supporting local charities - not just financially but by actually donating your time, will allow you to meet other individuals who will appreciate your efforts. Support your community and your community will support you.

These are just a few of the basic marketing strategies that will help your business take hold in a new location. For more information about how BTK & Associates can help you business stand out in a crowd, visit http://www.btkmarketing.com/.

Don't Assume They Understand

Can we be so immersed in our products or services that we actually turn off or disengage our clients or prospects?

Here's something that recently happened that I feel compelled to share so that you, too, don't make the same mistake in your sales presentations.

I was recently involved in a vendor presentation. This vendor (I'll call them XYZ Media) specializes in helping businesses leverage the Internet and some of the bells and whistles of Web 2.0. If you don't know what I mean by Web 2.0, don't fret. I didn't either until recently.

In a nutshell, Web 2.0 is not a new piece of computer software, but rather a term coined for the current trend or revolution in how people share information and collaborate using a collection of tools over the Internet. Web 2.0, comes with it's own unique terminology. "Widget", "wiki", "social networking", "blog", and "blidget" are just a few.

These are all relatively new terms that most people aren't familiar with and can't define unless they are really immersed in Internet marketing. For a more detail definition, click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.

During the sales presentation, both the account representative and president of XYZ Media started throwing around all of these new terms. As a marketing professional, I understood some of the terms. But the other people attending the meeting had absolutely no idea what the presenter was talking about. And, nobody bothered to interrupt to ask, "What is a widget?" or "What is a wiki and how can it help our company better market our products?"

Everyone had a lukewarm reaction to the sales presentation. It wasn't that we didn't like it. We just didn't understand it. And we were afraid to ask questions for fear of appearing ignorant.

In this case, the presenter was so close to the product that she didn't bring the presentation down to the novice level. She assumed that her audience members were better informed.

Prior to making a presentation or sales pitch, go on a fact finding mission to discover how much you audience may or may not no about your products. Do one of the following:

1. Ask your contact to provide feedback on the attendees. Ask probing questions and throw out some terms and concepts to make sure they understand what you are talking about.
   Email a survey or questionnaire.
   
2. Ask participants to rank on a scale from 1-5 how familiar they are with terms and concepts. If most people understand, you're fine. If they are novices, you may need to educate them prior to the presentation.
   
3. Create a glossary or interject definitions into your presentation. Attendees will appreciate your efforts to educate them and can review a printed glossary at their leisure. They will also feel more comfortable if you introduce a new term and ask, "Does everyone know what a "widget" is?"

Whether creating sales collateral, building a PowerPoint, or making a sales pitch, we all need to better understand our audience. We are the product experts and it's our job to educate our audience, even if it means explaining the basics. It's better to give them too much information than too little.

If you'd like to discuss how BTK & Associates can help your business stand out in a crowd, visit my website at http://www.btkmarketing.com/.

Lessons from a Five Year Old

Welcome to my new blog!

This whole blogging thing is a bit awkward and uncomfortable right now. It reminds me of how my 5-year-old son must have felt last evening as I let go of the back of his brand new Spider Man bike (sans training wheels) and watched him wobble about 10 yards down the street before he realized that I was no longer holding on. I cheered. He started laughing and turned around to see where I was...and then he crashed! Thank goodness for elbow pads and helmets!

Like my son, I am a little wobbly, too. This blog is my new bike. The training wheels are off and I'm peddling hard, hoping to get my balance. If I crash, I simply get back up, dust myself off and do it again...just like I told him as we plucked tiny pebbles out of his knee.

I've learned a lot about blogs over the past couple of months. It's not the blogs that my teen daughters are creating on the social blogging sites that I'm referring to. The ones that especially interest me as a marketing and sales consultant are those focused on, well, marketing and sales topics.

It seems that everyone blogging on the topics of marketing or selling has an opinion and "their" way of doing things. What one person offers up as gospel, another person may repute as pure bunk. That's the beauty of blogging. You get so many different views based on a person's personal experience, education and beliefs. Who's right? Who's wrong? Who's really an expert and who isn't?I sure don't have all of the answers. I do have a lot of experience. Am I an expert? I guess it depends on the topic. I've had a successful marketing and sales career up until now. I'd like to think others can learn from my experience and will value my advice.

One absolute belief that I have is that what I'm doing right now, "blogging", is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to marketing in today's world. Web 2.0 (or Marketing 2.0 as the marketing community has designated it), the newest generation of the Internet gives businesses the tools to expand their reach and communicate beyond boundaries. No longer do I have to limit my business to a small geographic area, I can use the new tools available to me to take even my small business global.

There is a consensus among the marketing bloggers that a lot of businesses are destined for failure if their owners or executives don't understand, embrace and leverage new and emerging technology to grow their business. That's why I'm blogging and integrating new tools on my website. I need to integrate new technology into my business so that I am prepared to help my clients integrate that technology into their business marketing mix.

The days of pinning your business card to a bulletin board in the lobby of the local grocery store are over. It's all about online networking and keeping people engaged and returning to your website or blog. It's about providing information to help your clients solve a problem or learn something new that enhances the value of their personal life or business. I invite you to visit often and participate if you'd like. Hopefully, you'll find this blog interesting and informative...and maybe event a little thought-provoking... so that your business can grow and prosper.

Like my son, I'm certain that blogging will only get easier over time. No, I won't be jumping ramps, popping wheelies and riding with no hands. But, I hope to take some risks and open up topics that will elicit responses and open dialogues. I encourage you to join in any time you feel compelled.

If you'd like to discuss how BTK & Associates can help your business stand out in a crowd, visit my website at http://www.btkmarketing.com/.