As I was walking back to my office today at lunchtime, soaking up the warm spring sun, I was happy to see so many people out on the 16th street mall eating and drinking at sidewalk cafes. . . spending money!
What a long, hard winter it's been. Not enough change. Too much snow and overcast weather, no tangible uplift in the economy, nothing new, even from Apple. Over the next seven days, the ice is finally going to melt. In Denver we'll have three days in a row over 65. (Hallelujah!). Apple will release the iPad on April 3. People will start spending money. (Easter sales will be up over last year!)
I feel like everyone's attitude is getting a little brighter. Never have I been so happy to say goodbye to Q1 and hello to Q2. Not only does it mean baseball, sunshine, flowers, and picnics; it means that consumers will come out of hiding and shake the dust off their wallets. Business will experience busy-ness, shining up their products and their sales smiles.
It's time to reinvigorate. Get a new marketing plan in place. Get bright colors out. Get your sales staff revved up. Are you ready? Bring it!
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Jumbo: I heart Apple
1. iPad love is in the air
Turns out I'm not the only one intrigued by the iPad. Pre-sales and forecasted sales are about double what was predicted.
2. Apple of my i-Ads
Stay tuned for the release of Apple's next big thing: the i-Ad. I know the iPad seems new, but Jobs will not be complacent. The i-Ad will simplify mobile advertising (yay). We can't wait.
3. Consumers "Windows shop" before heading inside
A recent study shows that I am a genius: 88% of in-store consumers shopped online first, thus proving my point that the sales "conversation" starts online.
Turns out I'm not the only one intrigued by the iPad. Pre-sales and forecasted sales are about double what was predicted.
2. Apple of my i-Ads
Stay tuned for the release of Apple's next big thing: the i-Ad. I know the iPad seems new, but Jobs will not be complacent. The i-Ad will simplify mobile advertising (yay). We can't wait.
3. Consumers "Windows shop" before heading inside
A recent study shows that I am a genius: 88% of in-store consumers shopped online first, thus proving my point that the sales "conversation" starts online.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Mumbo: Searching for that Special [SEO] Someone
Last night my dad came over to watch Princeton lose in the CBI. (Oh, you didn't know there was a third tier college basketball tournament?) While he was here, he asked my two year-old to see her new pink bow. She replied, "Is Louie Pesho." He asked again. She replied, "Louie Lilly Pesho." He laughed and said, "I don't know what you're saying." I translated, "It's really special. . .really, really special."
Today's topic is finding a Louie Pesho SEO provider. How do you know that the SEO firm you are hiring is going to provide you with some value, with a return on your investment? Here are a few tips:
1. Be wary of an SEO provider that requires a high-priced long-term contract.
Most SEO is done right at the out-set. It's most efficient to do it when a sight is being built, but ok to do it after a site is live. (Almost all of the work we do at Multifamily Edge is post-production.) It is not efficient to string out the work across several months. The only thing that can and should be done on a continuous basis is link building.
2. Be wary of an optimizer that sells you on being "number one" in the search results.
Your SEO provider should always keep in mind that what is most valuable to your company is getting a high volume of high quality traffic that will be engaged in your site and convert. I can make any site "number one in the search results" if I am at liberty to be undiscerning about the search term. Optimizers that promise top results are often the same ones that use black hat tactics.
3. Price check.
SEO consultants typicall charge $225-$350 per hour, around $3,000-$5,000 per site. If the price is much higher than that, they should offer you a compelling explanation. If the price is much lower than that, they should offer you a compelling explanation. (BTW, Multifamily Edge has lower pricing. Our explanation: we spent two years designing a very efficient system.)
4. Review the data.
Your SEO provider should help you to track the performance of your site in at least three ways: 1) Ranking tables will show you where you rank in the search results for keyword terms used in optimization. It's best to get a benchmark before you start so that you know your rank is improving. 2) Traffic volume. Use an analytics program to track the amount of traffic that is going to your site. 3) Traffic qualtiy. Use an analytics program to track the level of engagement of your site visitors. How long are they staying on the site? How many pages are they viewing? Are they converting?
Now you have a place to start. Now get out there and find your own Louie Pesho someone!
Today's topic is finding a Louie Pesho SEO provider. How do you know that the SEO firm you are hiring is going to provide you with some value, with a return on your investment? Here are a few tips:
1. Be wary of an SEO provider that requires a high-priced long-term contract.
Most SEO is done right at the out-set. It's most efficient to do it when a sight is being built, but ok to do it after a site is live. (Almost all of the work we do at Multifamily Edge is post-production.) It is not efficient to string out the work across several months. The only thing that can and should be done on a continuous basis is link building.
2. Be wary of an optimizer that sells you on being "number one" in the search results.
Your SEO provider should always keep in mind that what is most valuable to your company is getting a high volume of high quality traffic that will be engaged in your site and convert. I can make any site "number one in the search results" if I am at liberty to be undiscerning about the search term. Optimizers that promise top results are often the same ones that use black hat tactics.
3. Price check.
SEO consultants typicall charge $225-$350 per hour, around $3,000-$5,000 per site. If the price is much higher than that, they should offer you a compelling explanation. If the price is much lower than that, they should offer you a compelling explanation. (BTW, Multifamily Edge has lower pricing. Our explanation: we spent two years designing a very efficient system.)
4. Review the data.
Your SEO provider should help you to track the performance of your site in at least three ways: 1) Ranking tables will show you where you rank in the search results for keyword terms used in optimization. It's best to get a benchmark before you start so that you know your rank is improving. 2) Traffic volume. Use an analytics program to track the amount of traffic that is going to your site. 3) Traffic qualtiy. Use an analytics program to track the level of engagement of your site visitors. How long are they staying on the site? How many pages are they viewing? Are they converting?
Now you have a place to start. Now get out there and find your own Louie Pesho someone!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Jumbo: My Favorite Media Word: "Integration"
1. Social and email sittin' in a tree. . .
A survey by StrongMail suggests that 2010 is the year for social media to take the plunge and get hitched to email, and the result will hopefully be better insight into ROI.
2. Consumers surf the channels while they surf the net
Recent studies show that roughly a third of the target market we most serve search online while they're watching T.V. to get more information about what they're watching.
3. Calvin Klein's "x-rated" integrated ad campaign
Calvin Klein recently released a unique ad campaign with GQ magazine. Consumers can use the ad in the magazine in conjunction with an racy online ad for an "augmented reality" experience. Isn't it nice when it all comes together?
A survey by StrongMail suggests that 2010 is the year for social media to take the plunge and get hitched to email, and the result will hopefully be better insight into ROI.
2. Consumers surf the channels while they surf the net
Recent studies show that roughly a third of the target market we most serve search online while they're watching T.V. to get more information about what they're watching.
3. Calvin Klein's "x-rated" integrated ad campaign
Calvin Klein recently released a unique ad campaign with GQ magazine. Consumers can use the ad in the magazine in conjunction with an racy online ad for an "augmented reality" experience. Isn't it nice when it all comes together?
The Mumbo: Will the iPad Save Print?
I remember my friend Aimee, telling me about the financial prowess of her boyfriend at the time, saying, "He says it's a good time to invest in Apple. He says they're developing something called iTunes. . ." So I invested all my money in Apple and retired happily. The End.
Ok, that's not the way it really went, but I have since developed an awed respect for Apple. Everything they touch turns to gold. That's why I've chosen to take the bet against my husband who asserts the iPad will flop. I also defend the iPad because it seemed to be a magical response to my dream for a Kindle on which I could read magazines and newspapers on my way to work. (Don't worry, I don't mean while driving. I take the light rail.)
Magazines and newspapers are all excited because this opens the opportunity for them to charge consumers like me, making them less dependent on advertising dollars. How much they can charge is yet to be determined (The New York Times and Conde Nast seem to be leading the charge), but once consumers are paying the publication industry will, in my opinion, likely be revitalized. The iPod changed the music industry, and e-book sales have increased steadily since the release of the Kindle and its competitors.
Once consumers are back reading publications, advertisers will be back. The iPad and like tablets will create new opportunities for advertisers to reach their audience via digital publications. (And consumer publications, if they're smart, will find a new audience.) The question on my mind, as an internet advertiser, is what data will be available? The popularity of internet advertising over print advertising is due in no small part to the fact that one has insight into data that has a very close correlation to profits. The less ROI guesswork, the better. Media and marketing companies like Multifamily Edge will be charged with the challenge of determining the direct effect that the iPad has on advertisers' bottom lines, and IMHO not everyone will stand a chance to gain.
Ok, that's not the way it really went, but I have since developed an awed respect for Apple. Everything they touch turns to gold. That's why I've chosen to take the bet against my husband who asserts the iPad will flop. I also defend the iPad because it seemed to be a magical response to my dream for a Kindle on which I could read magazines and newspapers on my way to work. (Don't worry, I don't mean while driving. I take the light rail.)
Magazines and newspapers are all excited because this opens the opportunity for them to charge consumers like me, making them less dependent on advertising dollars. How much they can charge is yet to be determined (The New York Times and Conde Nast seem to be leading the charge), but once consumers are paying the publication industry will, in my opinion, likely be revitalized. The iPod changed the music industry, and e-book sales have increased steadily since the release of the Kindle and its competitors.
Once consumers are back reading publications, advertisers will be back. The iPad and like tablets will create new opportunities for advertisers to reach their audience via digital publications. (And consumer publications, if they're smart, will find a new audience.) The question on my mind, as an internet advertiser, is what data will be available? The popularity of internet advertising over print advertising is due in no small part to the fact that one has insight into data that has a very close correlation to profits. The less ROI guesswork, the better. Media and marketing companies like Multifamily Edge will be charged with the challenge of determining the direct effect that the iPad has on advertisers' bottom lines, and IMHO not everyone will stand a chance to gain.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Jumbo: Around the World in Internet Marketing
1. Google takes on China
In a bold move, Google has rerouted Chinese users to a website based in Hong Kong, evading the country's censorship of offshore web content. . . for now. The saga continues.
2. Korean company Danal mobilizes purchasing
Verizon wireless has partnered with Korean company Danal, Inc. to offer online purchasing by adding charges to consumers' phone bills. Does this new way of buying have the potential to become the new norm?
3. IE losing market share in Europe
Internet Explorer's market share is slightly but noticeably eroding in Europe after Microsoft introduced the "ballot screen" giving users a choice of browsers. Firefox seems to be gaining the most from the move, but Opera and Chrome are benefiting as well. Does IE provide an outdated experience?
In a bold move, Google has rerouted Chinese users to a website based in Hong Kong, evading the country's censorship of offshore web content. . . for now. The saga continues.
2. Korean company Danal mobilizes purchasing
Verizon wireless has partnered with Korean company Danal, Inc. to offer online purchasing by adding charges to consumers' phone bills. Does this new way of buying have the potential to become the new norm?
3. IE losing market share in Europe
Internet Explorer's market share is slightly but noticeably eroding in Europe after Microsoft introduced the "ballot screen" giving users a choice of browsers. Firefox seems to be gaining the most from the move, but Opera and Chrome are benefiting as well. Does IE provide an outdated experience?
The Mumbo: Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from Working at the Gap
The international focus today has reminded me of the semester I spent in France. I worked in retail at the time, and I remember being stunned at the difference in customer service. The interaction between a sales person and a customer in France was limited to "Bonjour" and "Au revoir" unless there was a sale, which would force the sales clerk to tell you the amount you owed.
Back in the states, I worked at the Gap, where we learned to follow GAP ACT: Greet, Ask Questions, Product Knowledge, Add-On, Close, Thank. The point was to get into a conversation with someone so that they could share with you their needs and you could help them by providing your expertise.
Not to date myself, but at the time no one was searching for clothing on the Internet before they stepped foot in the store. Now shoppers are much more informed. The "conversation" starts at the marketing level. Shoppers are asking questions on Google, Yelp!, Twitter, and gap.com. So the same rules apply to marketing:
1. When you hear a tentative "hello?" say "hello!" right back.
Having a website isn't enough - customers need to be able to find it. So buff up your SEO and SEM. Join the conversation on Yelp! and ApartmentRatings and encourage others to as well. After all, showing up is half the battle.
2. Define your customer's needs.
Ask questions by optimizing your search path. Whether the search path is on Google (where you need to make sure the keywords are relevant) or on your own site (where you need to make sure the search path is user-friendly), make sure you are listening to what questions are being asked and making it easy for the customer to tell you what they want.
3. Offer product knowledge.
The key to this step is offering product information that is relevant to the consumer. Make sure the search results match their query, and include content that matters to them. Rinse and repeat (further define needs, offer more relevant product knowledge).
3. Look for opportunities to upgrade.
Offering additional information/products/services once a customer has found what they want is appreciated so long as it is relevant. "Try this cute belt. It looks great with those jeans," is great. "Want some socks?" is rarely effective. In real estate, your customer may want options (this floor plan is similar but has a garage; this 3 bedroom is a great deal; this community is close but has a pool). Make sure the customer knows that if they do want a "belt,' they can get it from you.
4. Convert.
Once the customer has found what they want, confirm that it is a good choice for them, and close the loop. In internet marketing, this means get them to perform some action: buy/lease online would be great, but we can settle for making an appointment, requesting more information, or signing up for an online newsletter.
5. Thank.
Make sure you end the conversation actively, not passively. Make sure your customer knows you'll follow up with them. Make sure they know who you are (brand awareness)and how they can follow up with you.
Back in the states, I worked at the Gap, where we learned to follow GAP ACT: Greet, Ask Questions, Product Knowledge, Add-On, Close, Thank. The point was to get into a conversation with someone so that they could share with you their needs and you could help them by providing your expertise.
Not to date myself, but at the time no one was searching for clothing on the Internet before they stepped foot in the store. Now shoppers are much more informed. The "conversation" starts at the marketing level. Shoppers are asking questions on Google, Yelp!, Twitter, and gap.com. So the same rules apply to marketing:
1. When you hear a tentative "hello?" say "hello!" right back.
Having a website isn't enough - customers need to be able to find it. So buff up your SEO and SEM. Join the conversation on Yelp! and ApartmentRatings and encourage others to as well. After all, showing up is half the battle.
2. Define your customer's needs.
Ask questions by optimizing your search path. Whether the search path is on Google (where you need to make sure the keywords are relevant) or on your own site (where you need to make sure the search path is user-friendly), make sure you are listening to what questions are being asked and making it easy for the customer to tell you what they want.
3. Offer product knowledge.
The key to this step is offering product information that is relevant to the consumer. Make sure the search results match their query, and include content that matters to them. Rinse and repeat (further define needs, offer more relevant product knowledge).
3. Look for opportunities to upgrade.
Offering additional information/products/services once a customer has found what they want is appreciated so long as it is relevant. "Try this cute belt. It looks great with those jeans," is great. "Want some socks?" is rarely effective. In real estate, your customer may want options (this floor plan is similar but has a garage; this 3 bedroom is a great deal; this community is close but has a pool). Make sure the customer knows that if they do want a "belt,' they can get it from you.
4. Convert.
Once the customer has found what they want, confirm that it is a good choice for them, and close the loop. In internet marketing, this means get them to perform some action: buy/lease online would be great, but we can settle for making an appointment, requesting more information, or signing up for an online newsletter.
5. Thank.
Make sure you end the conversation actively, not passively. Make sure your customer knows you'll follow up with them. Make sure they know who you are (brand awareness)and how they can follow up with you.
Monday, March 22, 2010
The Mumbo: What Marketers Can Learn from Tiger
I recently heard a commentary on NPR about the difference in the way the media and the public treat athletes versus other celebrities. The contention was that we expect athletes to be moral pillars in spite of all historical evidence to the contrary. I told my husband and he had a different take. "You know what it all comes down to?" he said. "If you tell the truth, it's boring."
I've been married long enough that I am stingy with the two golden words "You're right," but this time I threw them out with abandon. Suddenly all of the stories came flooding back to me. Do you remember when Hugh Grant got caught with a prostitute? You may not, because he immediately went on a talk show, dressed humbly, acting modestly, and repentant. Did you know about the married California senator who was caught drunk with a guy he picked up at a gay bar? Maybe not, because he immediately held a press conference and came clean. The media and the public were bored with these stories almost as soon as they came out. On the other hand, I am guessing that you are familiar with the name Larry Craig.
Why do we treat some naughty celebrities differently than others? Spin control. It's the PR term for the life lesson I teach my kids: If you mess up, take responsibility, apologize, and fix it. Then it's no big deal. If you don't, well, you're in trouble.
So how does this apply to marketing (get to the point!)? Social media offers your customers a way to talk about you, which is fantastic when they have good things to say, but daunting when they have something negative to say. Unless you view it as an opportunity. Take responsibility, apologize, fix it. Then it's no big deal. It will even put you in better light than if it never came up at all. Don't be a Tiger. Be a Hugh.
I've been married long enough that I am stingy with the two golden words "You're right," but this time I threw them out with abandon. Suddenly all of the stories came flooding back to me. Do you remember when Hugh Grant got caught with a prostitute? You may not, because he immediately went on a talk show, dressed humbly, acting modestly, and repentant. Did you know about the married California senator who was caught drunk with a guy he picked up at a gay bar? Maybe not, because he immediately held a press conference and came clean. The media and the public were bored with these stories almost as soon as they came out. On the other hand, I am guessing that you are familiar with the name Larry Craig.
Why do we treat some naughty celebrities differently than others? Spin control. It's the PR term for the life lesson I teach my kids: If you mess up, take responsibility, apologize, and fix it. Then it's no big deal. If you don't, well, you're in trouble.
So how does this apply to marketing (get to the point!)? Social media offers your customers a way to talk about you, which is fantastic when they have good things to say, but daunting when they have something negative to say. Unless you view it as an opportunity. Take responsibility, apologize, fix it. Then it's no big deal. It will even put you in better light than if it never came up at all. Don't be a Tiger. Be a Hugh.
The Jumbo: Is Social Media Getting Creepy?
1. Foursquare corners a new form of social media
Foursquare (debuted at last year's SXSW) is the newest beauty on the social marketing scene. It allows you to "check in" at your location so that friends can find you and join you, connecting online social networking to offline social networking. It also allows marketers a very targeted audience.
2. Social media in the bedroom
Almost half of social media users check in at night or as soon as they wake up, and nearly a quarter check in if they wake up in the middle of the night. They also check when they're going to the bathroom and even when they are getting, um, intimate.
3. And the startup bus winners are. . .
My crazy aussie friend packed a bunch of people on a bus from San Francisco to Austin and charged them with starting up new businesses on the way. The results were social, altruistic, and maybe a bit creepy.
Foursquare (debuted at last year's SXSW) is the newest beauty on the social marketing scene. It allows you to "check in" at your location so that friends can find you and join you, connecting online social networking to offline social networking. It also allows marketers a very targeted audience.
2. Social media in the bedroom
Almost half of social media users check in at night or as soon as they wake up, and nearly a quarter check in if they wake up in the middle of the night. They also check when they're going to the bathroom and even when they are getting, um, intimate.
3. And the startup bus winners are. . .
My crazy aussie friend packed a bunch of people on a bus from San Francisco to Austin and charged them with starting up new businesses on the way. The results were social, altruistic, and maybe a bit creepy.
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