When choosing one company over another to engage in some type of purchase or service, you will likely weigh the potential vendor's substance, qualifications, reputation and ability to provide the right product at a fair value. But sometimes the best companies make the costly mistake of not creating compelling presentations and proposals to help their sales over the finish line.
Imagine hiring a landscaper to build a retaining wall. You meet with two companies and ask for proposals to be dropped off for your review.
Company A provides a one-page estimate with quantity of materials, number of man hours and a final cost.
In contrast, Company B provides you with a cover-page letter, a color printout of other retaining walls they've built in recent years, references and an estimate.
If the prices were the same, you would likely hire Company B. Even if Company B was 10 percent to 15 percent more expensive, my bet is that you would still select Company B anyway.
A good presentation says that you are real and demonstrates an outward pride about your company or product.
It also adds essential credibility to your product or service, especially when a homeowner wants to sleep at night not wondering if his or her retaining wall will collapse.
Keep your Web site updated
When you write a proposal, be specific to the client you are hoping to gain. Avoid generic language. Demonstrate that you understand where they want to go and how you can take them there.
Whether you're selling IT services or accounting counsel, a one-page letter agreement will not stand up to a competitor's outline and narratives that include a situational analysis, program elements, tactics and scope of work.
Making compelling proposals means creating quality collateral materials to accompany your bids. Providing an overview about your company with a brochure or cut sheet touting your competencies or portfolio helps do the selling — even when you're not there.
Make no mistake; the first place a potential customer will go to check you out is your Web site. If you have been saying it's under construction for the past 3 years or are constantly making excuses that it's out of date, waste no further time and fix it now. Besides you, your Web site is your most important external touch point.
In today's tough marketplace, don't be held back by lackluster presentations.
Create proposals that will be representative of how you want to earn and maintain the business of potential customers.
Josh Sommers is president and CEO of Focus Media, a marketing and public relations firm serving the Hudson Valley. He can be reached at josh@advertisingandpr.com or 796-3342, ext. 303. Read his blog at focusonmarketing.blogspot.com or visit www.advertisingandpr.com. His column appears Fridays.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Auto-dealer group crafts instructive p.r. campaign
There's no doubt about it. The days of a GM and Chrysler dealer in every major town are over. The elimination of 1,000 GM and 789 Chrysler dealerships over the past week is just the beginning, as many more cuts are expected.
There are lots of good reasons why moving quickly to change the business model is a good idea and necessary to strategically make the viable dealerships stronger. What's more, most experts agree the manufacturers are within their rights to terminate the relationships — although I'm sure it will play out in a lot of courtrooms. Even most auto dealers acknowledge that Detroit has been broken and bloated for too long and that consolidation and a change of the existing model is a must.
But many stakeholders, including NADA, the National Automobile Dealers Association (www.nada.org), believe Obama's Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry has had a lead foot on the accelerator, pressuring Detroit to shed dealers from their networks too quickly.
NADA, an organization boasting close to 20,000 new car and truck dealers in its membership, has launched a high-profile public relations and advocacy campaign against these cuts.
NADA understands two simple, yet critical, elements to a public relations campaign: know your audience and craft compelling messages to get their attention.
NADA knows its audience
NADA certainly knows its audience. While GM and Chrysler are putting pen to paper and making the tough decisions on what dealerships to cut, NADA is going for the purse strings. If members of the Obama administration are pushing an aggressive timetable for dealer cuts, NADA is smart to focus its campaign on the task force members' boss. Elected officials, even President Obama, who is enjoying popularity levels rarely seen in our country, are not immune to public opinion.
Recent ads in newspapers around the country clearly identify NADA's campaign target. The ads, which feature a photo of the president, contain the headline, "Mr. President, you said you would stand with America's auto dealers."
The ads give reasons why dealer cuts are a bad idea: the loss of over 100,000 jobs and less convenience and price competition for consumers. Additionally, the ads say fewer dealers mean deeper financial losses for auto makers and less tax revenue for state and local governments.
These ads, and media interviews with car dealers across the country, are hitting the target. President Obama needs to deliver with an economic turnaround, and these messages raise rational discussion points of the dealership cuts being counterproductive. At a time when every job counts, NADA's refusal to sit silently will make the next set of dealership cuts much more difficult.
Huge rally might be impressive
With many more dealerships on the chopping block, this public relations campaign is just ramping up.
Some public relations advice for NADA: Imagine all the dealerships that were closed, plus all the other auto dealerships across the country whose fate is unknown, plus the hundreds of thousands of employees and their families of the dealerships, plus all the businesses and vendors that benefit from the dealerships, banding together in Washington, D.C. for a rally to save Main Street jobs at America's car dealerships.
Now, that might get some attention.
Josh Sommers is president and CEO of Focus Media, a marketing and public relations firm serving the Hudson Valley. He can be reached at josh@advertisingandpr.com.
There are lots of good reasons why moving quickly to change the business model is a good idea and necessary to strategically make the viable dealerships stronger. What's more, most experts agree the manufacturers are within their rights to terminate the relationships — although I'm sure it will play out in a lot of courtrooms. Even most auto dealers acknowledge that Detroit has been broken and bloated for too long and that consolidation and a change of the existing model is a must.
But many stakeholders, including NADA, the National Automobile Dealers Association (www.nada.org), believe Obama's Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry has had a lead foot on the accelerator, pressuring Detroit to shed dealers from their networks too quickly.
NADA, an organization boasting close to 20,000 new car and truck dealers in its membership, has launched a high-profile public relations and advocacy campaign against these cuts.
NADA understands two simple, yet critical, elements to a public relations campaign: know your audience and craft compelling messages to get their attention.
NADA knows its audience
NADA certainly knows its audience. While GM and Chrysler are putting pen to paper and making the tough decisions on what dealerships to cut, NADA is going for the purse strings. If members of the Obama administration are pushing an aggressive timetable for dealer cuts, NADA is smart to focus its campaign on the task force members' boss. Elected officials, even President Obama, who is enjoying popularity levels rarely seen in our country, are not immune to public opinion.
Recent ads in newspapers around the country clearly identify NADA's campaign target. The ads, which feature a photo of the president, contain the headline, "Mr. President, you said you would stand with America's auto dealers."
The ads give reasons why dealer cuts are a bad idea: the loss of over 100,000 jobs and less convenience and price competition for consumers. Additionally, the ads say fewer dealers mean deeper financial losses for auto makers and less tax revenue for state and local governments.
These ads, and media interviews with car dealers across the country, are hitting the target. President Obama needs to deliver with an economic turnaround, and these messages raise rational discussion points of the dealership cuts being counterproductive. At a time when every job counts, NADA's refusal to sit silently will make the next set of dealership cuts much more difficult.
Huge rally might be impressive
With many more dealerships on the chopping block, this public relations campaign is just ramping up.
Some public relations advice for NADA: Imagine all the dealerships that were closed, plus all the other auto dealerships across the country whose fate is unknown, plus the hundreds of thousands of employees and their families of the dealerships, plus all the businesses and vendors that benefit from the dealerships, banding together in Washington, D.C. for a rally to save Main Street jobs at America's car dealerships.
Now, that might get some attention.
Josh Sommers is president and CEO of Focus Media, a marketing and public relations firm serving the Hudson Valley. He can be reached at josh@advertisingandpr.com.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Customers' testimonials good tool for credibility
Since starting this column in March, I've spent a lot of time promoting the virtues of third-party credentialing by attaining news-story placements in the media. But for most businesses, earned media alone is not enough.
When developing paid advertising campaigns, the use of testimonials also brings desirable third-party credibility to your marketing messages. Any business can claim to have the best product or service in its ads, but that is simply viewed by the public as a claim by the sponsor of the ad.
While some industries, like legal and accounting, avoid disclosing clients as a best practice, many companies are smart to leverage testimonials from their customers in advertisements.
Oftentimes, when I advise clients to reach out to select customers for a testimonial, they "don't want to rock the boat," as one told me this week. In this economy, I can certainly appreciate that, even when the relationship has had a good record.
But this could be a great opportunity to facilitate discussion and ask a client for feedback. How is the level of service and quality you are providing? If all seems well, why not ask for the testimonial?
Share theme information
There are many end uses for testimonials.
In a paid ad, get where you want to go. After determining your customer is happy with your services and is willing to assist, tell him or her where you are going with the ad. Don't complicate things by not outlining the advertising campaign's theme. If the client is really a fan, they'll likely work with you.
For example, if you want to tout your service in the ad, ask your client if they are willing to provide comment about your quality of service, rather than not being specific and asking for an open-ended endorsement. There is nothing unethical about guiding the process, as long as the participant believes in what will be represented. Don't be surprised if your client asks you to write up a quote. As long as they get sign-off and an opportunity to make edits, this is frequently done. It allows you to craft words that fit perfectly into your theme.
For sales materials, it's always impressive to carry copies of letters from happy customers. Your ultimate sales collateral, the company Web site, is also a terrific spot to have clients tout your service and products in reference letters and quotes. Interested parties can do a more in-depth review of your company offerings on your Web site. Testimonials there are powerful reinforcements.
Testimonials in paid advertising works. When appropriate, find touch points to use this method of adding the credibility of third-party endorsements to your messages.
When developing paid advertising campaigns, the use of testimonials also brings desirable third-party credibility to your marketing messages. Any business can claim to have the best product or service in its ads, but that is simply viewed by the public as a claim by the sponsor of the ad.
While some industries, like legal and accounting, avoid disclosing clients as a best practice, many companies are smart to leverage testimonials from their customers in advertisements.
Oftentimes, when I advise clients to reach out to select customers for a testimonial, they "don't want to rock the boat," as one told me this week. In this economy, I can certainly appreciate that, even when the relationship has had a good record.
But this could be a great opportunity to facilitate discussion and ask a client for feedback. How is the level of service and quality you are providing? If all seems well, why not ask for the testimonial?
Share theme information
There are many end uses for testimonials.
In a paid ad, get where you want to go. After determining your customer is happy with your services and is willing to assist, tell him or her where you are going with the ad. Don't complicate things by not outlining the advertising campaign's theme. If the client is really a fan, they'll likely work with you.
For example, if you want to tout your service in the ad, ask your client if they are willing to provide comment about your quality of service, rather than not being specific and asking for an open-ended endorsement. There is nothing unethical about guiding the process, as long as the participant believes in what will be represented. Don't be surprised if your client asks you to write up a quote. As long as they get sign-off and an opportunity to make edits, this is frequently done. It allows you to craft words that fit perfectly into your theme.
For sales materials, it's always impressive to carry copies of letters from happy customers. Your ultimate sales collateral, the company Web site, is also a terrific spot to have clients tout your service and products in reference letters and quotes. Interested parties can do a more in-depth review of your company offerings on your Web site. Testimonials there are powerful reinforcements.
Testimonials in paid advertising works. When appropriate, find touch points to use this method of adding the credibility of third-party endorsements to your messages.
Friday, May 8, 2009
With training, staff can be your best marketers
Last summer, I took my wife and two daughters to Disney World to celebrate the July Fourth holiday. Yes, I was crazy enough to brave the almost 100 degree weather with kids that were just 3 and 1 years old.
It's was a lot different since I last saw Mickey and Donald as a kid. Now that I am a professional marketer, my eyes were wide open to the thousands of messages about things to buy and do.
I was not most impressed by the slick theme park presentations, but moved by the marketing conducted by the people that work at Disney.
On my first day there, I was trying to find the right path to Epcot from my hotel and I stopped one of the gardeners mowing the lawn and asked for directions. He shut down his piece of machinery, took off his safety glasses and explained which way to walk to find Epcot. Surprisingly, he took the time to ask where I was from and if it was my first time there. Unsolicited, he then proceeded to tell me what attractions my kids would love most and the best places to eat at the park.
What pride this man had in the place he worked! That's not an accident. Disney spends an enormous amount of resources training and prepping employees for customer interaction, even the people mowing the immaculate lawns. Disney's staff members practice an unwavering religion of being the world's gold standard for customer service. Unless you go there to experience this never-never-land first-hand, words don't do justice to the customer service levels offered at their resorts.
Disney offers a powerful model and corporate value system for companies large and small: Your most important people are at the front lines. You can have the brightest CEO and executive team and the best advertising campaigns, but if you fail at the critical customer touch points, you lose the war.
Providing a positive customer experience is the biggest part of the game. That means providing your staff with comprehensive training in dealing with customers, education about all company products and services that can be cross-sold and in knowing what and what not to say to clients.
These areas of training need to be very specific and taught in a formalized program. Well-informed front-line team members are worth their weight in gold when they can educate your customers and provide a good customer experience.
A solid effort to organize and prep your work force to create positive customer experiences will result in your front-line becoming marketers you can rely on to advance your business.
It's was a lot different since I last saw Mickey and Donald as a kid. Now that I am a professional marketer, my eyes were wide open to the thousands of messages about things to buy and do.
I was not most impressed by the slick theme park presentations, but moved by the marketing conducted by the people that work at Disney.
On my first day there, I was trying to find the right path to Epcot from my hotel and I stopped one of the gardeners mowing the lawn and asked for directions. He shut down his piece of machinery, took off his safety glasses and explained which way to walk to find Epcot. Surprisingly, he took the time to ask where I was from and if it was my first time there. Unsolicited, he then proceeded to tell me what attractions my kids would love most and the best places to eat at the park.
What pride this man had in the place he worked! That's not an accident. Disney spends an enormous amount of resources training and prepping employees for customer interaction, even the people mowing the immaculate lawns. Disney's staff members practice an unwavering religion of being the world's gold standard for customer service. Unless you go there to experience this never-never-land first-hand, words don't do justice to the customer service levels offered at their resorts.
Disney offers a powerful model and corporate value system for companies large and small: Your most important people are at the front lines. You can have the brightest CEO and executive team and the best advertising campaigns, but if you fail at the critical customer touch points, you lose the war.
Providing a positive customer experience is the biggest part of the game. That means providing your staff with comprehensive training in dealing with customers, education about all company products and services that can be cross-sold and in knowing what and what not to say to clients.
These areas of training need to be very specific and taught in a formalized program. Well-informed front-line team members are worth their weight in gold when they can educate your customers and provide a good customer experience.
A solid effort to organize and prep your work force to create positive customer experiences will result in your front-line becoming marketers you can rely on to advance your business.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Be smart with resources when sponsoring events
I receive almost a hundred event-sponsorship invitations a year from not-for-profit organizations asking my firm to sponsor everything from galas to golf tournaments. I'm sure this sounds familiar to most company heads and business owners.
Sponsorship levels include placements like golf-course tee sponsorships, journal ads, special listings on invitations and even big-ticket opportunities costing up to $25,000 to put your company name on an event.
Support what you believe in
All of these are worthy causes and deserve a close look. But many companies raid their resources set aside for marketing to support a friend who is on a not-for-profit's board or because they think it is a good cause.
These companies are not alone — I do it, too.
Part of owning a business is being a good corporate citizen and giving back to the right causes run by the right people making a difference in our community. But do so with the proper mind-set. If it is a cause you want to donate to because you believe in it — terrific — and we need more of you in this world.
Use discipline in your budget
The other part of this proper mind-set is to remember that each dollar spent supporting a cause could be leveraged on other types of marketing initiatives. Many companies allocate a certain percentage of their advertising budget specifically for corporate giving and sponsorships. This kind of budget discipline is the only way to keep marketing and sponsorship costs under control.
Allocating these resources in advance rather than buying sponsorships sporadically and without planning reduces the risk of cutting deep into the essential components of your overall marketing program.
Pick appropriate audiences
In addition to being prudent with your marketing dollars, it's critical to choose sponsorships which offer value, brand recognition and the right audiences. In today's economy, every dollar counts. So, if possible and done in a classy way, make your company's charitable giving a marketing resource.
For example, if you own a high-end salon and spa with mostly female clients, sponsoring auto racing at the local speedway is not smart use of your marketing dollars. But a spa becoming a sponsor of a professional women's organization event or breast cancer fundraiser makes a lot of sense.
It's all about being strategic when evaluating journal ad and event sponsorship opportunities. Smart decision-making, as you do with other advertising, will make these sponsorships reap positive returns on investment.
Then again, if you're just doing it for the cause, then that's the other mind-set I mentioned. Either way, giving back is a beautiful thing.
Sponsorship levels include placements like golf-course tee sponsorships, journal ads, special listings on invitations and even big-ticket opportunities costing up to $25,000 to put your company name on an event.
Support what you believe in
All of these are worthy causes and deserve a close look. But many companies raid their resources set aside for marketing to support a friend who is on a not-for-profit's board or because they think it is a good cause.
These companies are not alone — I do it, too.
Part of owning a business is being a good corporate citizen and giving back to the right causes run by the right people making a difference in our community. But do so with the proper mind-set. If it is a cause you want to donate to because you believe in it — terrific — and we need more of you in this world.
Use discipline in your budget
The other part of this proper mind-set is to remember that each dollar spent supporting a cause could be leveraged on other types of marketing initiatives. Many companies allocate a certain percentage of their advertising budget specifically for corporate giving and sponsorships. This kind of budget discipline is the only way to keep marketing and sponsorship costs under control.
Allocating these resources in advance rather than buying sponsorships sporadically and without planning reduces the risk of cutting deep into the essential components of your overall marketing program.
Pick appropriate audiences
In addition to being prudent with your marketing dollars, it's critical to choose sponsorships which offer value, brand recognition and the right audiences. In today's economy, every dollar counts. So, if possible and done in a classy way, make your company's charitable giving a marketing resource.
For example, if you own a high-end salon and spa with mostly female clients, sponsoring auto racing at the local speedway is not smart use of your marketing dollars. But a spa becoming a sponsor of a professional women's organization event or breast cancer fundraiser makes a lot of sense.
It's all about being strategic when evaluating journal ad and event sponsorship opportunities. Smart decision-making, as you do with other advertising, will make these sponsorships reap positive returns on investment.
Then again, if you're just doing it for the cause, then that's the other mind-set I mentioned. Either way, giving back is a beautiful thing.
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