Blind Spots and Other Driving Hazards…. On the road and in your business.

September 13th, 2009

trafficAs a lot of my friends and business colleagues know, my oldest son is currently in the process of getting his driver’s license; ad guy by day, dad and driver’s instructor by night. One of the things we have been practicing without fail on a daily basis is parallel parking. When I was 15 years old, my grandmother was my driving coach and she taught me a few “tricks” about rearview mirrors, side mirrors and the blind spot just over your right shoulder as a way to glide any car into the parking space with just the three maneuvers you can have during your parking test. With a little practice and these little tips, my son has parallel parking down.

But what about business? Yes, your business and some of the tips and tricks necessary these days to make the most of your marketing dollars and keep you within the space allotted without bumping or hitting the curbs? Blind spots in cars are easy to identify. Blind spots in our businesses aren’t so easy. Why—because if we could see them, they wouldn’t be blind spots. Here are a few common blind spots I see in businesses with which I consult: Read the rest of this entry »

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The ROI on Your Marketing Dollars

September 11th, 2009
Marketing ROI

Marketing ROI

Times are tough for organizations large and small right now in 2009. Oftentimes organizations overlook the power of marketing and look to cut expenses in that area. As a marketing professional I am saying “Don’t Cut Your Marketing Budget- Increase it!” but I am also a business owner, and as a business owner I am saying “Don’t Cut Your Marketing Budget- Increase it!”

Here’s why:

What does improving a website’s conversion rate do for an organization’s Roi on marketing budget.

Let’s suppose your site draws 100,000 unique visitors per month and you have an average conversion rate of 2.5%. If you average sale is $50, then you gross about $125,000 a month. Let’s also say that after some optimization work and a few split testing actions, you increaseyour overall conversion rate by just 10% (very achievable goal with Marketing Performance), and your conversion rate is now 2.75%. Your monthly gross is now $137,500. The incremental annualized revenue realized is $150,000 more than where you began.

Now, imagine if you do nothing. How much money are you leaving on your competitors table?

Contact Marketing Performance Today and improve your marketing ROI!

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Posted in Great Ideas | 3 Comments »

“OK” is not the new “Great”

September 9th, 2009

great“Each of us is great insofar as we perceive and act on the infinite possibilities which lie undiscovered and unrecognized about us.” James Harvey Robinson

I was having lunch with a colleague yesterday when a business acquaintance approached our table and some small chit chat ensued. It went as it invariably does:

Acquaintance: Well how’s business?

Me: Business is OK.

Acquaintance: Just OK?

Me: Yes, just OK, but it will get better.

Acquaintance: Well you know Robbie, with the economy the way it is and with people out of work they are, OK is the new GREAT!

Ummm…no, not in my world. In my world, OK is now and always will be… just OK. It is not the new GREAT.

Consider– if OK was the new GREAT:

  • I’d work out at the gym everyday with a 33RPM record player strapped to my back because Sony would have never invented the Walkman which let you “wear your music” and eventually led to the iPod.
  • I still wouldn’t be able to get either of my children outside to scythe the yard.
  • My laptop computer would in fact be my bungalow sized computer and would in fact be very unwieldy in my chair right now.
  • I’d spend twice as long in the restroom as I do now fiddling with those doggone button-fly jeans because I’d have no zipper.
  • I’d have to actually talk to all these people I communicate with on a daily basis because I wouldn’t be able to text them.
  • I’d probably still be sitting in traffic with a folding map on my last trip out of town because I wouldn’t have my GPS to get me outta there.
  • I would be reading at night by candlelight Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted in Creativity, Great Ideas, Highly Recommended, My Life on the MPv2 List, New Ideas | Comments Off

Measuring Your Brand Effectiveness

September 5th, 2009
Brand Measurement

Brand Measurement

How do you measure your business success? Where does your company stand, and where would you like to improve? It’s often about more than financial gains. Consider these seven ways to chart your business success.

1. Gross sales
Most companies rely on a single number to assess success: gross revenue from sales of products or services. But this figure can be misleading, particularly if you have high overhead or other expenses that can distort this snapshot of overall business activities. Calculating your gross revenue over a specific time period is a good place to start, but don’t rely on it as your only yardstick.

2. Profits
Imagine two very different businesses. One business with low overhead and high profit margins. The other is a much larger business with higher sales volume but with an overhead and other expenses that eat up much of the profits. Both companies end up with the same net profit. Which is the more appealing business? I argue that it’s the lean and nimble firm, one that drives profits while steering clear of the complexities that so often drain the management of a larger enterprise. Remember, at the end of the day, it’s net profits — not gross dollars — that really matter. Read the rest of this entry »

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How is your marketing performance?

September 2nd, 2009

logo-graderBrands are dead. Advertising no longer works. Weaned on TiVo, the Internet, and other emerging technologies, the short-attention-span generation has become immune to marketing. Your marketing performance will determine whethere or not you can overcome these obstacles. Consumers are “in control.” Or so we’re told.

But the real truth is a much more important and lasting cultural shift has happened.

As technology has created avenues for advertising anywhere and everywhere, people are embracing brands more than ever before–creating brands of their own and participating in marketing campaigns for their favorite brands in unprecedented ways. In the process, they–we–have begun to funnel cultural, political and community activities through connections with brands. You can use consumers’ word-of-mouth to enhance your marketing performance without the consumer ever knowing.

What do you know about your product, company or brand? Our FREE marketing performance test is 12 questions that measure 7 key areas of your marketing performance. In just about 15 clicks you can have a thoughtful and measured review of how you’re really doing! Start here.

MarketingGrader.net is fun and it’s 100% free. www.marketinggrader.net


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Posted in Branding, Creativity, email marketing, Great Ideas, Highly Recommended, internet marketing, New Ideas, Research, Search Marketing, Social Media, Traditional Media, Trends | No Comments »

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