Yes - We're Alive! It's True!

Big News at Tractor Beam Marketing!

Business is like a box of chocolates. You buy it, put it on the counter, and someone comes along and picks out all the good ones before you get a chance. (We love the square caramel ones...and the nuts...Mmm!)

Well okay, maybe it's not quite like that (unless that somehow made sense?). But one thing is for sure; things have a way of unpredictably changing. As most business people would know, the trick is adapting, adjusting and learning to bend the change so it works to your advantage.

You may have noticed we've been a little silent lately. It's actually been WAYYYYY too long, and for that we apologize. And yes - as you may have suspected, change is in the air (someone's been picking out the chocolates). After spending more than a year doing public speaking, online training and marketing consultation, we made some major adjustments in the past several months which introduced a part of our business which we had previously suspended. 

We re-introduced our web development & full branding design services, which has kept us very busy. And early in 2011, our biggest change occurred when Jake Bergen, our Marketing Director (he was a chocolate covered nut, we're quite certain), took on a reduced role in stepping away from Tractor Beam. Currently, Jake periodically resumes his role to act on a consulting basis for various clients.

Microtek Corporation Meets the Tractor Beam


James Rozak, the Creative Director at Tractor Beam has carried on with the program, and recently, a new alliance has been established. Tractor Beam has joined it's creative services with another local web development business, Microtek Corporation! The new alliance lends the marketing & branding talents of Tractor Beam Marketing with the incredibly gifted programmers of Microtek Corporation. Microtek Corporation is a well established business with a long successful track record of web services, with the capability to develop virtually anything imaginable for the internet.

James has long been associated with Microtek Corporation throughout the past 10 years, and the decision to act as the Creative Manager for Microtek was an easy fit. So standby for further updates as we bring further announcements regarding Microtek and Tractor Beam. James is currently working with the Microtek team to revamp their website and branding presence. We're looking forward to showing off the new website soon!

We have some more exciting news coming soon!

The Trouble with Recession Thinking

Like a wildfire, recessions can be devastating. But they are an inevitable part of the economic process, and eventually good will come out of calamity. As the wildfire in nature will burn up dead foliage, those very ashes will in due time fertilize a new generation of growth.

But while the fire is raging, it is natural to get nervous, and common to see panic. But panic can cause people to lose their heads, and can make smart people do stupid things. A recession is no time for irrational judgements and frantic actions, despite the overwhelming feeling that naturally arises.

It is the people who push down the rising panic and take the time to think about a realistic plan of action that will come out the least damaged. But very few will take time to strategize, and will focus on ‘doing’ something… anything... instead. Unfortunately, action without thought is just wasted energy.

One of the biggest problems I see right now is that because of the financial crunch that we are still in, small business owners are asking the wrong questions. Most of the time, questions I receive revolve around the cost of a product or service, and how little someone can get said product or service for.

Yet while cost is understandably an issue, cost-based thinking is not focused on a solution. 

So instead of asking yourself, “I can only afford to spend so much on marketing my business… what can I spend it on?”; shift your thinking to a more financially prudent, “What can I do that will give me the highest return on investment for my budget?”

Is newspaper advertising a preferred medium for communicating about your business? A big-city daily daily newspaper advertisement will probably cost you over ten times what a small-town weekly paper will; and your  one-day shelf life for a daily publication will be at least seven times as long in a weekly publication. 

Cost versus benefit in my own personal experience is that local, targeted publications are much more valuable that larger ones; but if course, you have to be cognizant of the market you are trying to reach.

Similarly, people are being swept up in the hype of Social Media; but have no idea about how to execute a sound Social Media strategy. Because the tools are free, many business people think that all the associated support ought to be free as well. 

A lot of folks don’t want to pay someone to show them how to get maximum yield from a ‘free’ service. I have heard it often… “I’ll just do it myself”. Yet months later they have made no progress at all, and are missing thousands of dollars of potential business to avoid some minimal up-front costs that will make their efforts effective. Instead they are throwing their money at random and disjointed promotional efforts.

Nowadays, even low-quality websites can be had cheap. But does your website act like a valuable employee? Does it engage current and potential clients and begin the sales process? Is it a credible and valuable ambassador for your brand?

If your advertising and communications are not giving you a good ROI (return on investment) it is a waste of time, no matter how little the cost.

Don’t cheap out so much that all you are worried about is cost, because it could damage you in the end. Push down the panic, and stop running around like a headless chicken. It is worth your while to take time enough to ensure your efforts are effective.

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing (www.thetractorbeam.com), the author of ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’ available on Amazon.com, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

 

You Might Be A Design Hijacker If... (Design Hijackers Part 2)

Last week you were introduced to the concept of ‘Design Hijackers’. If you missed it, it is available here for your reading pleasure.

Speaking of Design Hijackers; here is how to tell if you are one, and some straight advice on how to fix the problem if you are.

1) If you provide a product or service totally unrelated to design and hire a professional to help you with your website, brand, corporate image, etc, etc… yet you continually override their recommendations; you might be a Design Hijacker. Pretty soon you will have a site or marketing materials that were not designed by a professional, that firm will have only provided the technical work for you to play designer.

Now, many designers will do the work to keep the customers happy, but you are shooting your own business in the foot. The effect will be less potent in attracting clients and getting the message across due to poor layout, distracting visual choices and muddled content.

Whether you exterminate pests, cap teeth or defend someone in court; when your customers hire you, they point out the problem and get out of the way. Do the same thing when working with a designer. If you hired them because you liked their portfolio, remember that it was their portfolio you were drawn to and not your own.

You will be given a part in the creative process and need to approve designs and recommend changes, and of course have the ultimate say… but do yourself a favor and stick to what you are good at.

2) If you scoff at the last dozen or so design-type projects that have been undertaken on behalf of your company; you might be a Design Hijacker. Chances are that it is not the designer’s fault that you have a crummy website, business cards, advertisements or logo. There is a high likelihood that it’s your own fault, so again, get out of the way and leave the job to the pros. It is one less thing you will need to obsess over.

3) Are you asking opinions from people who are disconnected from your business? You might be a Design Hijacker. Solicit opinions from staff, clients, or do some market research and figure out what you customers respond to. And listen to the folks you hired. Don’t ask your mother-in-law, she probably doesn’t know much about design OR your business. Remember the old saying, “Too many cooks spoil the broth.”

4) Guilty of adding a bunch of unrelated cute fluff? You might be a… well, you get the point. Notice I said ‘unrelated’. Cute fluff is OK if it is tasteful and in relation to your business. Mattel sells Barbie dolls and related Barbie merchandise, so cute fluff is a requirement, and oh-so-related to their market and the product.

What you should steer clear of is adding random things like Fred did in our story last week. He wanted to add clip-art featuring puppies to his site just because his target market was girls, and he figured girls think puppies are cute.

They just might find puppies adorable, but they also might get confused by puppies on a website selling cases for their iPod, and with no apparent purpose to the gimmick. Even the ‘Taco Bell Dog’ didn’t last very long.

5) Avoid random font style and color changes. A good designer knows how to  add interest using font variations. But most people don’t. Interpretation: you probably don’t.

Yep, this is straight talk, but it is reality. You wouldn’t charter a plane to Palm Springs and then hijack it halfway there. You’d be nuts to do so, but that is exactly what happens in the design world on a day-to-day basis. If you really want to fly the plane, take lessons and do it right; you don’t want your business image to pile up on the side of a mountain.

Why am I ranting about this? Because aside from the disjointed marketing materials I see so often, I am appalled at the butt-ugly websites I keep running across. And in this day and age, the only thing possibly worse than having a nasty website is not having one at all.

This article was written by Jake Bergen; the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing (www.thetractorbeam.com), the author of ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Design Hijackers

So... you want to enhance the image and appeal of your business. That is admirable! It may be a bit clichéd, but the truth is that realizing you need help is the first step.

Today I would like to present you with a scenario which, by example, will hopefully help you avoid some of the pitfalls of becoming counter-productive throughout the process. Many business owners turn into ‘design hijackers’, and end up wasting money on branding and design.

Not that they shouldn’t hire a good designer and/or consultant; but business people can become their own worst enemy.

Our story begins with Fred, the owner of Basket Cases Ltd. Fred’s company imports and sells pink iPod cases exclusively. While the customers who have bought iPod cases from him are happy with them; his products are not selling as fast as he thought they would, and he realizes his business needs to be more than a music player case and a transaction.

His customers should be more attracted to his business and products, and he wants to create a connection and loyalty that comes with a strong brand. Other people have done it, so why can’t he?

In talking about his frustrations of not knowing how to go about creating a brand; a friend recommends Shirley’s Innovation Temple, a local ‘thought leader’ in creative design and branding. Fred ‘Googles’ her company, finds her website and portfolio impressive, and gives her a call right away.

Shirley arrives for the initial design consultation and Fred shows her his boring white sign with black letters, along with his atrociously ugly website and business cards. He complains about what an idiot his last designer was and Shirley agrees; she hasn’t seen a website that revolting since about 1997.

They both have a good laugh, with Shirley assuring him that her studio will help him create a brand that will be the envy of the entire city. Fred is sure that this is the designer for him, so he cuts her a cheque right away to retain her firm’s services.

Shirley is happy because this client ‘gets it’. He really seems to realize his problem and genuinely wants to do something about it.

A couple of weeks later, they meet again so Shirley can present some preliminary design concepts. She has created a package with updated logo ideas, signage, business card and website designs; as per Fred’s instructions.

She proudly unveils the smart and attractive layouts her studio has spent the last two weeks on, and turns to Fred.

He gives the illusion of being in deeply intelligent thought. Furrowing his brow, he strokes his chin and clears his throat; then smiles and says, “It is almost perfect!” Shirley visibly relaxes, but somewhat prematurely as he continues, “But…

“Our product is cutting edge and futuristic, so lets add some stars and planets to reflect that.”

Shirley tenses again and her eyes grow wide in shock. “Stars and planets?” Her voice is barely a whisper.

“Our target market is girls, aged 12-18… girls love puppies. Lets add some puppies. I know my mother-in-law would recommend it anyway…”

“Puppies… mother-in-law?!?” Shirley squeaks. Then she remembers that the last website they scoffed at had stars and puppies.

It looks like it wasn’t the last designer’s fault… Fred is a ‘design hijacker’; and is shooting his own business in the foot this time, just as he did the last.

Well, I am running out of room and not finished yet; so we will have to continue our little saga next week (click here for the next installment).

This is a true story that happens almost every day… names have been changed to protect the innocent. This article was written by Jake Bergen; the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing (www.thetractorbeam.com), the author of ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Three Steps to Enhancing Your Brand

White background. Black or red bold font. There are millions of signs like that in this town and neighboring ones. 

To the general public, that may be all your business is. A boring sign on a building facade.

Kind of sad, isn’t it? If you are a business owner toiling away to create something and to make your company the best in its industry; it may be disheartening to think that your business can be easily discounted by potential clients because of something so trivial.

But for a lot of companies, their sign is the extent of how far their brand reaches.

If you are in this predicament, I ask you to do three things.

First, take some time to sit and reflect on what you do and why you do it. What does your business stand for? Ponder what makes your business different from its competitors. And do this outside the four walls of your business. 

Your favorite cafe or a bench in a peaceful park may be a good spot. I confess, some of the most creative ideas I have for my business come while soaking in a hot bath. Weird? Maybe, but I go with what works. 

I urge you to take some time out from your business to think because sometimes you can’t see the forest through all of the trees in the way.

Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it. -Henry Ford

Second, once you find the thing that really separates you from the pack, put it into a nutshell phrase of one sentence or less. Sometimes simplifying is the hardest thing to do; but your potential customers may not have time to to listen to a long, drawn out presentation about you and your business. 

Hit on a word or phrase that captures their attention, and you have just created the potential to crank your brand up a few notches. Of course, it is just potential until it is implemented, which is the next step.

The third item is to start majoring on the one thing that makes your company unique. Put the message out to your clients and prospects in a way that is attractive. People are emotional, and an inner response is created when your attractive signage, website, folder or business card is presented to someone.

It’s the equivalent of dressing your company up. Take the paint-spattered sweat pants off it and put on an evening gown. Or you could be a little more casual, but clean up nice… there are suitors out there that will take the loneliness of being a client-less (or client-lacking) business away. 

Your singular, focused message on display to the world is what will attract potential customers and give current patrons a greater emotional connection to your company.

Become more than a boring sign to your audience. Your business and the livelihood of you and your employees is worth more than that.

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing (www.thetractorbeam.com), the author of ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Creating Demand for What You Do - B2B vs. B2C

Lately, I have been having some conversations regarding B2B vs. B2C marketing. If you don’t have a clue what that means, B2B stands for ‘Business To Business’; while B2C is for ‘Business To Consumer’.

Some companies sell their products and services directly to the end user, while others provide products and services to other companies. Everyone from manufacturers to wholesalers to business support services fall under B2B-type businesses; whereas the most common and noticeable B2C businesses are retailers.

Interestingly enough, these conversations I have been involved in have included some very high-flying egos and heady double-talk. But I am not into that. I like breaking things down to the simplest form possible, because simple is achievable. Put me where the rubber meets the road.

There are three points I would like to bring up that will improve the way you get the message across to your customers. These are primarily for B2B companies because they are the ones I see that need the most improvement; but if you run a B2C company and you are not following these points, you have some catching up to do.

When it comes to B2B and B2C marketing, there will always be some differences, and those are pretty easy to pick out; but the thing that seems to keep being overlooked is that at the end of the day, our customers are all people. People who have likes and dislikes and are ruled by emotions.

‘Business To Consumer’ advertisers are typically much better at appealing to emotions than ‘Business To Business’ advertisers. They usually understand that one needs to pull on the heartstrings of a client, but business marketers commonly produce cold and boring materials to generate leads because it is ‘for business’. And they can get downright snooty about the need to bore their clients.

But again, at the end of the line is a real person who is going to make a decision on whatever it is that you are offering.

Point #1: focus on the benefits rather than the features. Years ago, a 250 megabyte hard drive in a computer was a big deal. Now, drives over 500 gigabytes are common; and the cost on terabyte-sized drives are quickly dropping into very affordable ranges.

But the same thing that sold a megabyte drive sells a terabyte drive. It is not so much the number that matters, but the simple fact that you can store more. More data, more music, more movies. We love more!

So whatever you are selling, whether it be a product or service... what will it do for your client? Let ‘em know, because people buy what benefits them.

Point #2 is to make your advertising attractive and easy for a client to get the point. I see so much bad design in ads, presentation materials (including powerpoint and presentation folders), websites... and any media for that matter; that simply making your stuff attractive will put you ahead of the pack.

Point #3 may not be for everyone, but will apply to more businesses than you might think. Present your company image in such a way that consumers will want it.

Think about Coca-Cola. Are they a B2B or a B2C company? When was the last time you bought a Coke directly from Coca-Cola? You can get a Coke from a place like 7-Eleven or McDonalds, but as a consumer it is unlikely that you will buy directly. So in essence Coca-Cola is a B2B company.

But they advertise like a B2C company. They create demand in the end user for their products, and people go looking for Coca-Cola. 

What would happen if a manufacturing company (it could be your manufacturing company) marketed to the consumer, and consumers started calling distributors to get your products? After a flood of inquiries, I’ll bet distributors would be beating your doors down to place orders and fill the demand that you have generated in the public.

Create your own demand.

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing (www.thetractorbeam.com), the author of the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Tractor Beam TV Episode #6 - Aloha Finale

Tractor Beam Marketing's Jake Bergen wraps up the 'Aloha Edition' segments with a short blurb on why he likes to talk about Social Media. 

We also take time to thank contributors Tara Coomans, Rob Bertholf, Roxanne Darling, Aaron Buchholz... and YOU!

Social Media: The Next Wave, Part 3

See that wave over there? Well, even if you haven’t spotted it yet, it’s coming and it’s growing!

As we discussed last week (read Part #1 and Part #2 by clicking the highlighted links); geosocial powerhouses Yelp, Gowalla and Foursquare are leading the charge in successfully giving the ‘World Wide Web’ a decidedly more local focus. 

You might be reading this thinking, “Who cares? All this computer mumbo-jumbo…”

But the reality is that you should care. Don’t discount these new trends, because their potential to impact your business is extraordinary! They can connect you to your customers in a whole new way. If you are not in tune with what is going on; you are missing some great chances to interact with your customers, receive praise and address concerns.

This isn’t just limited to one type of business. Everything from dentists and realtors to cafés, boutiques and even mechanics can be found here.

Think about this; not long ago, all business accounting was done on paper ledgers. Even those who were dragging their feed eventually had to adapt or get left behind. The same thing is happening here. I urge you not to wake up sitting in the dust. Start taking advantage of these opportunities now!

So what can you do to start using these services for your benefit?

First of all, be there. Create accounts on Gowalla, Foursquare and Yelp, and make sure your business is listed… it’s free!

As I always say, if nobody knows about what you offer then nobody will give you business. It is as simple as that. Make your business easy to be found.

Next, create special offers via these channels. It will be easy to gauge the response and the effectiveness of your no-cost promotion. And ask your best customers to write reviews.

Monitor your brand and communicate. See what people are saying about you and respond to them. Thank reviewers for their praise and address concerns swiftly. It is a way to show them that you care, and a little bit extra in relation to your customers goes a long way.

Bear in mind, there are millions of consumers using these services, but in smaller centers it seems that individuals are slower to adopt. Even though the pace is slower, they are still adopting; and as I have said before, social media is a marathon, not a sprint. Be patient and stick to it, it isn’t going to cost you anything so what have you got to lose?

Quick Link Guide:

Go to http://www.yelp.com/business for more information on how to use Yelp for Business Owners, how to respond to reviews, and more valuable information.

On Foursquare, the link for their question forum for business is http://support.foursquare.com/forums/177952-foursquare-for-business.

Gowalla is a little trickier, and you need to physically be at the location and on a mobile device that supports Gowalla to add a business to their directory. Their feedback forum is located at http://feedback.gowalla.com/gowalla.

Get out there and use these tools to generate more business!

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing, the author of the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. All posts on this blog (and today's picture) © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc, but you are welcome to share this post with anyone who can benefit from it!

Tractor Beam TV Episode #5 - Aloha w/ Roxanne Darling

http://www.thetractorbeam.com - Tractor Beam Marketing's Jake Bergen is once again on location at Kaka'ako Park in Honolulu, Hawaii! In this episode we interview social media and internet video powerhouse Roxanne Darling, of Bare Feet Studios http://www.barefeetstudios.com and 'Beach Walks with Rox', an online TV show with over 750 episodes http://www.beachwalks.tv!

Roxanne is also an early and founding member of Social Media Club (#SMC) http://socialmediaclub.org, a worldwide organization promoting the use and best practices of Social Media globally. She is also the founder of Social Media Club Hawaii http://smchawaii.org, a mover and shaker in all forms Social Media, an all-round awesome lady and someone we can all learn from!

Special thanks to Tara Coomans, Rob Bertholf, Roxanne and #SMCHI (Social Media Club Hawaii), as well as Aaron Buchholz for letting us use the song 'Beautiful Thing'! Buy his music on iTunes at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/aaron-buchholz/id367332103

© Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Social Media: The Next Wave, Part 2

In last week’s installment we covered some background on Social Media, and where different companies are at in the process of adopting these tools. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube are all viable avenues for businesses to gain wide exposure without spending a lot of money.

Picking up where we left off, let’s dive into the next wave of Social Media applications. These tools are especially important because they could easily impact your business whether you like it or not!

Why? Because these applications allow users to rate, rant and recommend virtually any business. You don’t have to wait for a critic to come to your establishment and give you a newspaper write-up; people are communicating their opinions about your business to their peers in real-time.

Definitely ‘word-of-mouth on speed’, and the surface is just being scratched!

Location-based (also called Geosocial), these services are changing the landscape of the web once again. For years the internet became more ‘worldwide’, with outward growth and mass reach gaining attention; but people were finding it difficult to get good local information, especially outside of major city centers. There is a definite inward shift taking place to make quality local information more accessible than ever.

Three of the most powerful platforms that are contributing to this movement are Gowalla, Foursquare and Yelp. 

Gowalla and Foursquare are quite similar, and are competing for market share. They are primarily mobile-based applications which allow the user to ‘check-in’ from a location; and work like a game, with players collecting points. Not everyone plays for points, but players become advocates of businesses they love. This provides direct exposure for a business to other people connected to the player.

My personal favorite is Yelp, and is a little easier to understand because a user simply becomes a reviewer for any given establishment. If a business is listed on Yelp, all you have to do is rate the company out of five stars and provide a brief description. If you cannot find a particular company in their directory, you can go through the extra step of adding it and then proceeding with your review.

Recently, a friend of mine who is an attorney from Phoenix, was passing through the small city where I live. We finally connected after his business was concluded for the day, and he had been checking out Yelp for reviews on local restaurants. Unfortunately, at the time there was only one review for one restaurant in the whole city; and it was not for the kind of thing he was in the mood for.

Had we not connected and I been given the opportunity to introduce him to one of the better restaurants in town, his experience probably would have been a frustrating one. Not to mention that many local companies are very likely missing out on similar business by not participating in Social Media. A lot of consumers are turning to Yelp.

This experience lit a fire under my own butt, and being a guy who loves to be an advocate of people and businesses I appreciate; I have amped up my own presence on Yelp. From the patron to the business owner to the employee, everyone wins!

Of course, if your business stinks, you will likely suffer because the message will be broadcast to the world. So if the shoe fits, it is time to get your act together!

From restaurants and entertainment to realtors, educational institutions and medical practitioners; virtually no business is exempt from the potential impact these applications can have on your business.

Be aware, and be proactive.

Next week we’ll discuss a few things you can do to start using these services for your benefit.

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing, the author of the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. All articles on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Social Media: The Next Wave, Part 1

While many companies are still trying to figure out their place in the technological world with issues like getting a website; there are those that have established that it is not enough to just be online, but because of the sheer volume of information, their business must be easy to find. This has led to a new and rather large ‘cottage industry’ called SEO, or Search Engine Optimization.

There are a lot of self-professed SEO experts out there, and it is a bit of a black art. Care should be taken to hire someone who can prove that their Search Engine Optimization skills are legitimate. 

For example, I recently had the opportunity to interview SEO and Social Media expert Rob Bertholf (click here to watch the interview), who shows up in the top of the organic search results for ‘Search Engine Optimization Expert’ on Google. He has spoken at DrupalCon in San Fransisco, and regularly lectures at the University of Hawaii on SEO and Social Media. To borrow the colloquialism, the proof is in the pudding. I’d hire someone like him because he obviously knows his stuff.

Then there are people like me. I know what needs to be accomplished from a strategic standpoint; but if you asked me to sit at a computer and write lines of code, you would definitely be getting the wrong guy.

However, this is not an article on SEO. I wanted to drop in a morsel about it, but don’t have the room in this column to go into things like organic search results. So we will move on, but it is something we can come back to on another day if you so desire.

Next, there are companies who have realized that there are other tools beyond the website. Social Media networks provide avenues that are inexpensive and can provide powerful exposure. These companies have taken the next step and are using platforms like blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube to accomplish heightened awareness of their brand and promote their products and services.

Beyond that, they are building more solid relationships with consumers and have entirely new avenues of market research and word-of-mouth advertising available to them. Social Media has often been called “word-of-mouth on speed”, and that is a pretty accurate description.

At each end of the technology spectrum, there are those who are cutting-edge early adopters; and there are those who are forever playing catch-up, or avoiding new technology altogether until the world has so bypassed them that it is almost impossible to catch up.

Chances are that the person who is getting left behind will never be the sort to figure out these new tools on their own, or may not have much interest in technology at all. If you are in this category, you ought to be interested in the benefits that increased word-of-mouth and consumer advocacy can bring to your business.

I encourage you to hire someone fluent in the business aspects of Social Media to help you. It may just save you from sitting in the dust.

As is common with my articles, I have spent a little time giving a bit of background on the topic; and am running out of space. Next week we will pick up where we left off, and will dive into the next wave of Social Media tools. These are tools that you ought to be aware of because they may impact your business whether you like it or not.

Stay tuned...

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing, newspaper columnist, the author of the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. All articles on this blog are © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc; but if you enjoyed this article please share it!

Your Business Branding Test Answers, Part #3

This post is to check your test scores from the last blog entries. If you haven’t read the articles yet, click here for Part #1 and here for Part #2.

40-50: Wow, you are doing a lot of things right! You are either ranking right up there with the top brands in the country or are on your way. Congratulations!

30-39: Your company is made of some strong stuff; and if you keep it up, your brand will be a rising star! You are getting noticed and referred, and probably need to focus on making your brand more consistent. You know where you want to go; so just tighten up your image to align with your vision and keep moving forward!

20-29: You may have known where you were going once, but you have lost your way. First, as we have already mentioned, you need to know where you want to go. What this means is establishing a vision of what you want your company to look like when it is ‘grown up’… say, in 5 to 10 years.

Then, establish (or re-establish) a benchmark of where your company’s brand is currently, and what it means to your customers. What is their experience and what are their perceptions?

Next, act on this information. Map out the path to success with your brand, and give your clients what they want.

19 and Under: Well, you really need help. You probably have never gone to the work of thinking much about your brand; and have either approached it with an ‘if I build it they will come’ mentality (they probably won’t), or have jumped into business because you are really good at what you do technically. Or maybe you have been forced into an entrepreneurial situation because of a work shortage and never really thought about the need to market your business. In that case, you might want to read through some of our other articles on branding here:

http://blog.tractorbeammarketing.ca/blog/branding

and check out our online courses here:

http://www.thetractorbeam.com/courses.php

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing, and the author of the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’. All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Your Business Branding Test, Part #2

If you missed the first part, click here to read it!

Last week we spoke about how your company's brand and the experience of your clients becomes inseparable. Your brand is strengthened by repeated, positive exposure of your company and its image to potential customers; as well as the ability of your organization to produce a predictable and favorable outcome on a consistent basis.

Then I posed a few questions that I hope you at least thought about for a few moments. For those of you who actually filled in the blanks, you get extra points for being a go getter, and you are obviously the ones bent on improving your business. By striving, it is inevitable that you will improve; that is just the way things work.

It is called the ‘law of the harvest’. You won’t reap benefits if you don’t plant any seeds! But let’s get back to the task at hand, and review the questions from last time.

Question #1: Do you have a mission and a vision for your company? 

I am not talking about a trite ‘mission statement’ that you hung on the wall because somebody said it is the thing ‘serious’ or ‘real’ companies do. I have worked for companies that pasted their mission statement on every door in their office, but the statements were so generic and phony that nobody took them seriously.

I mean, how hard is it to say, “Our company strives to provide the best possible quality and service for the best possible price.”

Seriously, gimme a break! Every company in the world has a basic premise (or ought to) that is something similar to that, so you have to dig deeper to be taken seriously by your market and your staff.

It is imperative that you have a vision for where you want to go, and you need to know where you are now. Then you create a roadmap for how you are going to reach your destination. If you don’t know where you are or where you are going, then you are lost. People like me can help, but it really is up to you to find your way. The answers will ultimately come from inside of you.

Question #2: Is your vision written down and communicated to each employee of your company, along with guidelines of how to provide a consistent experience to each person you come in contact with?

This is the next step. Once you have your road map, you need to get others in your organization on board with you. Your company is the vehicle which will produce the results you want and ideally provide the means for you to live the kind of lifestyle that you envision for yourself. Make sure the vehicle is tuned up, and each part knows the result they need to produce and how best to produce it.

Questions #3 & #4: Do you have a good logo, core message and solid corporate color scheme? How consistent is the use of your image and message across your business card, brochures, website and other communications (do they match)?

This is the link that will visually connect the user experience with that of your company; and is capable of stirring the desire in people for more of what you have to offer. But if your message and branding are disconnected, don’t expect people to make the connection for you. You need to connect the dots for them.

The world is moving so fast that now, more than ever, it is important to make your company so recognizable that your market doesn’t even have to think hard about what it is you will do for them. Otherwise, another outfit that has figured this out will snatch your prospects from right under your nose.

Question #5: Are your clients confident that you will be able to duplicate a predictably desirable experience each time they come to you?

I personally believe one of the reasons people don’t commonly recommend even businesses they have enjoyed is that they are not confident that the company will be able to give friends and family the same experience. Have you ever recommended a business to a friend and had that company totally let you down?

I have. It’s embarrassing.

Go to the next blog entry here to see how your test score stacks up.

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing, and the author of the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’. Contact can be made through www.thetractorbeam.com. All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Give Your Business This Branding Test

 Branding is a powerful thing. 

A company can have many people working to make it run; and numerous operations that must be accomplished each day from production to reception to sales. A business person can easily get caught up in all the things it takes to run their company, but at the end of the day there are two things that people remember… but two things that blend into one.

People who have used the services of your company will remember their experience, and those who have not experienced what you have to offer will remember your brand. Once the experience has been achieved, an individual will then equate their experience with your brand. 

So what makes a memorable company and a memorable brand? Consistency.

I have used McDonald’s a fair bit as an example; but they make a good one because, like it or not, most people can identify and relate to an experience with the company. McDonald’s is the very picture of consistency, and it is the thing that makes the franchise model established by the company not only feasible, but envied and emulated all over the world. 

They have created a culture of expectation in customers who can reasonably predict what their experience will be, from the service to the product. Do you even have to guess what your next experience at McDonald’s will be like? Probably not. 

Will their food suddenly be revolutionary? Well, they tried that when they introduced McDonald’s Pizza to their menu. It was actually pretty tasty, but didn’t work in the long run. They learned that being successful at one thing didn’t give them the ‘Midas touch’, where anything the company did would turn to gold. It caused confusion in the brand, the experience, and actually detracted from their core business.

Will the service suddenly involve a waitress tending to your every need at your table? Nope. But how many companies recipe for success includes giving matching shirts and visors to kids with acne and braces? It doesn’t really sound that inspiring, but with some good training they have built the most systemized and legitimate child labor force in the world.

When you see a McDonald’s logo, advertisement, or truck going down the road; you know that what is represented is what you are going to get. There is consistency between the logo, every piece of advertising, and the end result. So how about your company?

Take this little branding test, and answer these questions honestly on a scale of 1-10.

Do you have a mission and a vision for your company? ___

Is your vision written down and communicated to each employee of your company, along with guidelines of how to provide a consistent experience to each person you come in contact with? ___

Do you have a good logo, core message and solid corporate color scheme? ___

How consistent is the use of your image and message across your business card, brochures, website and other communications (do they match)? ___

Are your clients confident that you will be able to duplicate a predictably desirable experience each time they come to you? ___

Add up your score. Next week we will review the results (click here for the next post).

By Jake Bergen, with contributions from James Rozak. Jake is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing, the author of the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. Contact can be made through www.thetractorbeam.com; and if you enjoyed this article please share it! All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Does Your Branding Suck?

Does Your Branding Suck? - Podcast MP3

Every day I see something that astounds me.  

Companies trying to do legitimate business with branding and marketing materials that look like they were put together by kids in kindergarten. Their branding sucks and they don’t even realize it!

The truth is that most of these business people are probably great at the work they do; whether they are lawyers, plumbers or retail merchants. But the reality is that if your marketing stinks, the vast majority of people will not take you seriously. If you are trying to get someone to buy into your expertise but you will not hire someone to help with the things you are not good at, it is a mark against your credibility.

Many small business people don’t get that. They don’t see the value in hiring a professional to design their logo/website/brochures, etc. But your brand is more than just a logo, it is the image and overall perception of your company.

And customer perception is that if your image sucks, your business sucks. Just because your word processing program has a brochure template doesn’t mean that you should use it, unless you genuinely know how to get a quality result… and most people don’t.

If your website has a tile background that looks like a pattern from kids pajamas, or if your brochures don’t mach your signage; here are a few things you can do to enhance your image:

1. Figure out not only what you do, but what makes your company different from all the other companies competing for the business of your prospective clients. Then write it down. This is called a ‘Unique Selling Proposition’, or USP. The value of a USP is easily summed up by looking at the meaning of the words that make up the acronym. 

Unique: it is important to stand out and get noticed. 

Selling: you might like to build widgets, but no matter how much one may dislike salespeople; if nothing is sold, no money exchanges hands and you don’t have much of a business. 

Proposition: the offering of your products or services to others so that a purchase can be made. If you don’t ask, you’ll likely never make a sale. Simply asking increases your chances of selling exponentially!

2. Reflect your company’s USP in everything that you do.

Make it your company policy to look a certain way, act a certain way, and communicate in a way that reflects the owner’s vision for the company. A great business in one that lives and breathes it’s Unique Selling Proposition.

3. Be consistent. Whether it be your website and other online presence such as Social Media; make it match your brochures, business cards and other communications. You can have all the pretty advertising in the world; but if it is inconsistent, there will be no tie-in in the minds of your prospective customers.

Don’t make people put effort into figuring out which company is communicating with them. Take companies like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. Like them or not, you can spot their communications from a million miles away. It would be wise to work toward the goal of being that recognizable.

As simple as these things are, there are people who can read articles like this for a hundred years and still not get it. So if you understand these concepts, find someone who can help you implement them. Just doing that will set you head and shoulders above 95% of the other businesses out there, and set you apart from your competition!

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing, the author of the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’, and the founder of Social Media Club Edmonton. Contact can be made through www.thetractorbeam.com; and if you enjoyed this article please share it! All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

PRESS RELEASE: Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business

PRESS RELEASE  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Social Skills: Facebook Basics for the Socially Awkward Business

Edmonton, AB - June 8, 2010 -  Entrepreneur and small business owner Jake Bergen has been using social media successfully in business for a few years; which in internet time is a long time. Seeing that these new tools were working for him, other small business owners began bombarding him with questions like:

“How are you doing this Social Media stuff?” 

“Can you help me get my business on Facebook?” 

“I can see that Social Media is working for you, but I have a Facebook page and a Twitter account for my company, and they are doing nothing to help my business grow. What am I doing wrong?”

From that demand his most recent venture, Tractor Beam Marketing (Inc.), was born. A self-described ‘Small Business Scientist’, he has spent years experimenting with many forms of marketing and social media, and the information he publishes are the results of his findings. 

For the past year he has been blogging, writing newspaper columns, training and speaking on Social Media and other subjects relevant to marketing. The latest addition to his arsenal of tools for small business owners is the eBook ‘Social Skills: Facebook Basics for Business’; which has just been released on his company’s website www.thetractorbeam.com. An Amazon Kindle Edition is forthcoming.

The book was written based on feedback from many small business people who are just getting started online, are not technical and have no idea where to go first. It is written simply, and from a user perspective rather than from a technical one. It is Jake Bergen’s opinion that a lot of the information currently available on Social Media is written for a tech-savvy audience, with the majority of business people who really need this information being totally forgotten about.

The reader is walked step-by-step through not only how to properly create a personal and business presence on Facebook; but the book also addresses strategies needed to be successful in engaging clients and prospects. Directed primarily to small business, the subject matter of this book also has ramifications to larger companies and non-profit organizations; as well as franchise and network marketing businesses.

“I want to let people know what is working and what isn’t. That way I can spare them the pain of wasted efforts, and help them get straight to the good stuff.” Mr. Bergen says. “Don’t be a social media misfit. A Facebook Business Page is the best thing you can be doing for your business online right now.”

# # #

Contact:

Jake Bergen, Marketing Director

Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

www.thetractorbeam.com

jake@thetractorbeam.com

780-289-2262

PO Box 46138, 2350 - 24 Street

Edmonton AB T6T 0K8

NO! And the Value of Saying It

No! And the Value of Saying It - Podcast MP3

No!

One of the shortest words in the English language, yet one of the hardest to put to use. Believe it or not, a big factor in success is the ability to simply say ‘no’; and because this topic runs to so many facets of life and business, I will approach it from the very relevant angle of advertising.

Many small business people I know love exposure in relation to their company, and eager individuals who have not budgeted properly for their advertising easily fall into traps. Why? Because almost every avenue is a possibility!

I often say that you are not going to do much business if nobody knows about you. You need to advertise! But you also need to be smart.

Advertising representatives gush about the reach of their network, publication, signage or whatever they may be offering. Most reps will try to convince you to spend as much of your hard-earned money as possible with their company. It is not because they are bad people, they are just doing their job. Don’t get me wrong, they may well be able to help you; I have worked with some very good reps who have helped me.

Do you really know who your target market is? Judge the potential quality of the feedback your advertising will receive in relation to exposure within your target market, response rates and potential return on investment. Your costs, ad frequency, shelf life, effectiveness and estimated resulting profits should be considered and targeted in advance. If you cannot get enough information to make an informed decision on each of these items, don’t waste your money. Stand your ground and use the ‘N’ word.

Some self-employed folks adopt the ‘shotgun’ approach. That is the assumption that if you shoot at everything you are bound to hit something. When I was a little kid I heard a guy use that analogy as his approach to getting married. He is still single. 

The shotgun approach is usually the result of being either overzealous or just plain lazy. If you are a go-getter, temper your impulsiveness by taking a ‘no’ stance first. You may want to make the ‘yes’ response contingent on a representative's ability to support the claim that the returns from your advertising will be lucrative. 

If you are too lazy to do the work and would rather throw spaghetti at the wall to see if any noodles stick, you are just going to make a mess of things. Either get off the couch or get out of business, entrepreneurs who are not willing to work hard are a failure before they get started.

Don’t give in to vanity advertising, that is a waste of money as sure as you’re born. Why would a company call you, a small business that probably few outside of your community has ever heard of, for induction into a ‘who’s-who’ publication of the ‘Superstar World Business Registry’ (I made that name up) or some such nonsense? To coax pesos out of you by stroking your ego.

It can also seem like every bleeding-heart person supporting a charity is hitting you up for donations. I am not knocking charities, I love them and donate as much as I can; but you cannot possibly support them all. Have you ever had representatives of charities make reference to only supporting your business if you donate to their silent auction or raffle? No matter how much you want customers or are trying to please, would you enter a relationship that started with threats? You wouldn’t want that person as your customer, so don’t worry about giving them the big N-O.

Contribute and protect yourself by setting a budget of what you can afford to donate, and choose charities up front that are meaningful to you. Unless you have a favorite client that comes to you and you feel it is within your means and best interests to support their charity, just tell inquirers that you already support charities x, y and z; and anything else at the present time is just not in the budget.

You might even want to give them a submission form so they can apply for consideration in next year’s budget. This will weed out a lot of fly-by-nighters.

How would you like to take some advice from the success of Apple?

“It comes from saying no to 1,000 things to make sure we don't get on the wrong track or try to do too much.” -Steve Jobs

Jake Bergen is the Marketing Director at Tractor Beam Marketing; and the co-author of the online course ‘Know Your Market’. If you enjoyed this, please share it with others! All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

A Lesson in Value - a story...

Here is sneak preview, an excerpt from our upcoming e-book on Social Media. It is a little snippet on the strategy of being an informative and valuable resource to customers.

Inform & show value! Give people really good and valuable advice that they can take home and put to work. This can be a touchy subject, so I’ll give you an example. 

In a city not far from my home is a high-end car detailing shop. It is not located in a nice area of town, but on a summer day you could visit the shop and see any assortment of high-end cars; from Lamborghini to Porsche to Aston-Martin… you name it, they are there. But early on in his business, the owner was sending out monthly newsletters advertising monthly sales and specials; loudly promoting his business with a hard-sell approach. And he was getting frustrated, because he was not getting a good response from his efforts.

Then one day James, my business partner, recommended to him to tone down the amount of ‘selling’ that was going on in his newsletters. To make the story brief, he soon caught the concept and began sharing do-it-yourself car detailing tips. 

Upon hearing this, most small business owners say, “What? Are you nuts? Give away my trade secrets for free?”

So let me clarify. You don’t have to ‘give away the farm’. But again, people know if they are being fed junk. In the case of our incredibly skilled and passionate auto detailer, he not only began sharing tips in his newsletter; but began producing how-to videos of tips to put online, and even produced a DVD on top-notch car care and auto detailing. For the people who cannot afford to bring their car to his shop, the DVD is a great way to make a sale and establish rapport and word-of-mouth buzz from a secondary market. This was a previously untapped revenue stream.

And for those in his primary target market, they began to trust him more. By doing less ‘selling’ and more sharing, his business significantly increased. Does the person with the Lamborghini want to detail their own car? Not likely. But they are driving some of the best wheels that can be put on the road, and their vehicle requires the care of the top expert in the area. Sharing is caring, and in doing so you are branding yourself and your company as the expert source.

This post by Jake Bergen; columnist, blogger, speaker, educator and Marketing Director of Tractor Beam Marketing. If you enjoyed this, please share it with others! All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Re-Branding? Fear Not!

Based on some immediate feedback, I’ll follow up my last blog with some help in the rebranding category. Rebranding can be a really daunting thought. After years of building up a business, an owner most often feels that his company name and corporate logo are irrevocably linked to their venture. Rebranding can almost feel like you’re starting over and undoing years of effort and investment. The barriers to rebranding are obvious: cost, fear of change, history, uncertainty of customer confusion and backlash, and plain lack of understanding of the benefit. 

In most cases, re-branding isn’t something a company would think to do unless they are finding their business is struggling, their business model has shifted, or they are proactively adapting to changing marketing trends to stay relevant.

The key phrase in this is “staying relevant”. That really is the main reason you would rebrand. Why is staying relevant important? Because over the course of time, markets change. And so does your business.  

This is where some basic initial steps need to be taken. 

1. Why are you Rebranding?
   This is important. Rebranding just because you’re tired of your corporate colors is not a good reason. This must be a strategic manoeuvre and you need a plan. It will affect positioning in the marketplace. The goal is to IMPROVE your branding, but based on what failure and/or shortcoming? Are you starting to feel "old school" and outdated? Did you never really develop a branding and marketing strategy in the first place? Are you just not getting the business results you anticipated? Are you getting swallowed up by competition? Do you feel invisible? 
   
   If you have a strong brand, you may just want to do like you would to an already good house; you might just apply some new paint and do some renovations. It may not mean sweeping changes, but instead just making sure you are not neglecting basic branding principles, such as brand consistency. It may mean re-assessing your marketing direction and tweaking your visual brand to appeal to your true target market. But you do need to know why you are wanting to redevelop your brand. 
2. Do Your Homework
   If you are going to rebrand, this is an important time to rediscover your personal company vision, your goals, dreams, values and how it bleeds through every aspect of your business. After all, you are in adjustment mode. The essence of your brand is not isolated to your logo; it encompasses everything which you present to the public market. That includes everything from your logo and marketing materials, to the way you and your staff smile and greet your customers.
   
   To rebrand is to understand your target market. And to understand your target market is to understand your products and services. You need information to effectively brand your company. If you are rebranding – do this. You must do this.  
   
   
3. Brand Equity
   If you’ve been in business for a period of time, there is obviously a degree of name brand recognition you would have developed. That is brand equity – ground which you have gained through brand recognition. If you’ve gained enormous brand equity, you’ll need to be more careful and strategic because your brand is worth more. However, if your reach is limited to a smaller market, you really don’t have as much to risk.
   
   Don’t build a false picture of yourself. If you are rebranding because you feel you aren’t reaching your target market, don’t focus on the risk of losing customers through rebranding. Focus on how many you will gain.
   
   
4. Seek Good (Professional) Advice.
   Often a rebrand is the result of poor branding in the first place. In fact, some people don’t even know what branding is. So they may know enough to recognize what they have isn’t good, but if they don’t know what branding really is…how are they going to improve it? If you aren’t improving yourself, don’t rebrand.
   
   Finding a good, solid marketing firm is a good idea when you are rebranding. (if you are looking for a marketing expert to help, we may be able to help refer you – or – if you are a marketing professional and want to be part of our referral network, please contact us!)
   
   
5. Should You Rename Your Company Brand?
   This can be scary, but it can be necessary. Remember, you are trying to (a) strengthen your brand and (b) become more relevant to your identified target market. Sometimes we miss reaching our target by having the wrong name.
   
   As an example, have you heard of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company? No? How about 3M? The company started with that long name which probably made sense in its beginning. Located in Minnesota, they were a mining and manufacturing company. But as they evolved, the items which they manufactured no longer reflected their business or their products. They are known now for everything from scotch tape to post-it sticky notes.
   
   So notice how they rebranded their name. It makes sense. They maintained some heritage by taking the letter “M” from the three descriptive words in their company name and condensed it to 3M. So simple, and yet meaningful to them. No more confusion about what they did; they were now able to employ a branding strategy to give definition to an otherwise meaningless company name. What is a “3M”? Well, that is the benefit of rebranding. They could create your impression of what they did.
   
   Imagine if they didn’t rebrand their name. They would now be constantly trying to explain what they did. It would probably cost them loads of advertising expenditures trying to work with a name that totally mislead their customers. Not only that, but how many people would automatically overlook their business thinking “they don’t have what I want”.
   
   It is often beneficial to remove any inference to a specific product or service from your name, unless you intend to specifically focus your business on one area. If your business is a plumbing business and nothing else…then it’s okay. But if you have any intention or distant thoughts of expanding into electrical work, then why tie your brand specifically to plumbing?
   
   
6. Taglines or Slogans are Helpful!
   Often a company will develop a tagline to their company name. Taglines are little phrases which often accompany a logo that help position or describe what a company does. Bigger brands which have substantial brand equity don’t need to be too specific with their taglines. Nike says “Just Do It”. Kentucky Fried Chicken says “Finger Lickin’ Good”. Those taglines don’t say much.
   
   But let’s take a janitorial and cleaning business called “Cleaning Extraordinaire”. They make it clear in their tagline that they aren’t cleaning cars. The company’s tagline is simply “Exceptional Janitorial Services”. Or what about a little company that sells toothpaste, “Crest: Healthy Looking, Beautiful Smiles for Life”. Crest means nothing, but the tagline fills in some gaps.
   
   One of the beautiful things about taglines: they can easily be changed without having to do a major rebrand. So if you find the right name and logo brand, the tagline can be modified without much cost or confusion. Your tagline could contain the descriptive text which explains what you do. Even so, you still need to be smart about it so you aren't constantly changing it. Consistency is strength.
   
   
7. If Your Going to Do it, DO IT!
   Making a decision to rebrand cannot be half-hearted. If you decide to rebrand, but have one foot in and one foot out through the process…I say don’t bother. You’ll end up doing damage by confusing people about who you are and what you’re doing. If you're going to rebrand, throw out the old business cards, strip the old decals off the trucks, get rid of the old brochures. Don’t leave a mixed message; step into the new.
   
   That means you will need to be prepared to budget and plan. Rebranding will cost time and money. But this is a core business strategy which, if understood and invested in, can take your business in a new, exciting and profitable direction.
   
   
8. When You Rebrand…Make a BIG DEAL ABOUT IT.
   Don’t be afraid to go all out from the gate. You need to go into “education” mode through the transition. Especially if you do a major brand change, you need to help people know what happened to your brand, and make it an exciting, progressive sounding change for your business. We often refer to these as “Launches” to imply it being an exciting “take off”.

In the end, you need to decide what will help your business. But one of the more prevalent complaints from business owners revolves around marketing issues. Your product may be good and fine. But if your marketing is failing, perhaps you need to take a deeper look. It might be a simple as understanding the difference that a smile or a scowl can make to a persons face.

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

  

Norma Jean or Marilyn Monroe: What's in a Name?

I’m the kind of guy who struggles to remember names. It’s something I’m working on, but I find that sometimes when I’m in the midst of introductions, my mind is already working on what I’m going to say next and I miss the whole “name exchange” thing. It's lame. I'm working on it. 

But hey, you quickly realize that names are kind of important. "Hey you!" only goes so far. And so far as branding goes, I think often the selection of a strong business name is often completely overlooked for the impact it has. After all, all you need is a good logo and the name doesn’t really matter. Right? And hey, it’s all about your products and services in the end anyways. Right? Hmm.

Gotta admit, Yahoo! is a pretty good idea for a name. Google too. Why do we put so much consideration into naming our children? Because we know some names sound better than others, and it will stick with them a lifetime. Now, consider the big stage of Hollywood. Somehow, the headline act of "Wilbur Stinkleweed" doesn't really fit the bill. Why do so many stars take on "stage names"? Well, "Reginald Dwight" singing "Candle in the Wind" doesn't have the same ring as "Elton John". "Norma Jean" sounds more like a small town, farm girl than a movie star. But "Marilyn Monroe"? Different appeal. Hollywood is built on imagery. Everything from the names of the actors and actresses to the names of the films; the name can make or break a career. 

 

I realize some people would be reading this thinking, “I’ve already named my business!”, or “I’ve had this business name for 10 years already!”. Well, that would bring up the issue re-branding. Let’s call that a topic for another day. But what it can come down to is: how does a name strengthen or weaken the effectiveness of a brand? If you are starting a new business or if your brand isn’t working anyways, then maybe this will be good and timely advice for you.

What’s in a name? Well, here are just a few points that you might consider.

1. The Generic Name: Oh, for the companies who go the generic route. Sometime companies feel the need to sound “broad” because they don’t want to pigeon hole themselves by their brand name. After all, what if you expand? So they use names like “National”, “General”, “Standard”, etc. A name like “General Foods” says nothing about the company, nor is it memorable. 

   You might think of some companies with names with ‘General’ in it, and they may have done pretty good (General Electric, General Motors, etc). But you won’t find very many new brands (like, in the last 25 years) that built up with names like that.  

   Kraft Foods is a great example. They’ve endured numerous mergers and brandname adjustments. But through all of it, they keep simplifying their brand. At one time, they were “National Dairy”. Pretty descriptive, hey? They figured out they needed something more distinctive. They changed to “Kraftco Corporation”, only to simplify years later to “Kraft,Inc”. Through another series of mergers and changes (Dart & Kraft), they ended up as “Kraft General Foods”. Still, the power of their brand is not in the generic, but in a identifiable name. Hence, they further reduced to Kraft Foods.  The power of their brand is in the name “Kraft”, not "General". Which is stronger: “Kraft Foods” or “General Foods”? 

   Which is more memorable: “Video Rental Station” or “Blockbuster”? How about a “Photo Copying Machine” or a “Xerox”?  "Search Engine" or "Google"?

2. Creativity Helps: What exactly is a Pepsi? Names don’t have to mean anything. What is a Google? What is a Starbuck? What is a Kleenex? Business owners are often worried about choosing a company name that clearly describes their business or product. When you do that, you often default to the standard, generic terms which are neither unique or memorable.

   “Joe’s Mechanic & Small Damage Repair Shop”. Hmm. Clever. People will definitely know what Joe does. But can you be more creative? I’m just throwing this off the top of my head while making this, so this might be lame. But, I’d sooner name it “Jiffy Joes”. It’s short and sweet. You might even just make up a word "GASP!". Sure! Why not? (don't be afraid to do some research and get feedback from people you know; market research is cool).

   Now if you are really good and creative, you might find a way to build a brand name which creates a new category. Tissue paper isn’t just tissue paper anymore; the Kleenex brand made sure of it. So did Xerox for photo copying.
   
   

3. Domain Friendly: At one time, people thought it was brilliant to jump all over generic, all encompassing domain names. I mean, surely if someone wanted a car, they would look up www.cars.com, right? But don’t you suppose that, if someone wanted a car, their thoughts might be brand oriented? Think about it: if you were searching for a car online, would you be more likely to visit cars.com or Toyota.com? The brand name rules. Be creative. We are brand oriented.
   
   So a generic, poorly named brand does not translate well into a domain name. When choosing a business name, consider the domain name.  You might also do some searching for domain name availability before you settle on a name. It can be that important, depending on your business.
   
   

4. Marketing & Branding Give Definition: Once you have your name, don't worry if it's not completely descriptive. That is what marketing and branding bring to your name. Afterall, the name is just a name. Just like a person's name; what is a James? What is a Sarah? What is a Bob? Well, it's a person. But you add the definition through the your personality, experiences, tastes, character, etc. That's branding. 

   
   

   
   So what about your business name? You define that by your marketing strategy. A name becomes a logo, becomes a business card, becomes a website and suddenly the memorable name begins to stick and stand for something. It's by design. So what is your company name? Is it memorable? What does it represent? 

   Welcome to the world of branding. 

   
   

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

Enter the Blogosphere - Getting a blog online.

Continued from yesterday... if you would like to read the previous post click here.

If you don’t yet have a blog, some good blogging platforms to check out are:

WordPress: The darling of the blogosphere, WordPress features two versions; WordPress.com and WordPress.org. Though built on the same platform; WordPress.com offers free and ready-made templates, while WordPress.org supplies a great deal of customization features and website integration. If you are going to go the .ORG route, you better know how to do a little programming, or hire someone who does. Both versions offer good SEO (Search Engine Optimization) options.

Blogger: After Google acquired Blogspot, the name was shortened to Blogger. The great thing about Blogger is that it is very highly searchable and Google-friendly. It is also very easy to get started and easy to monetize (make money) with Google AdSense features built in (if you want Google ads on your blog). The less appealing part is that Blogger’s templates are very generic and limited. Both Wordpress.com and Blogger are great options for beginning bloggers.

TypePad or Movable Type: Solid blogging platforms from parent company Six Apart, and like WordPress, both versions are built on the same platform. TypePad is targeted at a less technical market, and does not allow the customization that Movable Type does. Movable Type requires some technical skills.

Tumblr: A relative newcomer compared to the other blog services; Tumblr is easy to use, progressive, the hippest and best looking of the free platforms. Tumblr is also optimized for mobile phone use, is designed to be part of the newer social media experience and has some good customizability. It is is designed more for the social aspect of the web and has yet to truly target businesses.

Each of these services provide templates that you can use and somewhat personalize. But if you want a customized look consistent with your website or have your blog integrated into your site, hire a web developer who can take care of that for you. You have a business to run, and any project you take on should compliment your business and not take you away from it.

Check them out, you will likely discover the one that is right for you.

Today's post by Jake Bergen. All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc. You can share our stuff all you like, just give us the credit! Thanks.

Enter the Blogosphere

If you are thinking of becoming a blogger or are frustrated with your blogging efforts; here are a few blogging basics that may help you decide whether blogging is really for you, or how you can improve your presence in the blogosphere.

Before you get started; do you like writing? Do you have something valuable to say? Can you get an employee or colleague to help you with your blogging efforts? Can you be consistent? These are all questions you should answer before diving in, because it is a time commitment; but can be a very rewarding one if executed correctly.

Engaging your readers by providing valuable content related to your industry will build trust, as well as your reputation as an expert in your field. Write not only about what you do, but add information relevant to the needs in the lives of you target audience. For example, if you sell beachwear, you might want to include things like travel tips and sunscreen reviews in your blog posts. Don’t make an endless sales pitch.

Just because you avoid the endless sales pitch doesn’t mean that you can’t sell your company a little bit. I have read a number of blogging ‘experts’ who say “don’t sell” period. But this is your company, your livelihood, and the people who follow you know that. It is perfectly acceptable for you to communicate current events in your company, product launches or concerns that need to be addressed to the general public. But sprinkle it in amongst your other valuable content.

Comments are a valuable tool. It is nice to have a commenter like what you do and stroke your ego, but critical comments can be a big opportunity for others to see how well you handle yourself in a less-than-ideal situation. If you manage the objection well, you have the opportunity to win them over. Even if they don’t agree with you, they will undoubtedly respect you for the way you handled their input; and others will respect you as well. Respond personally to comments.

Be regular! And no, that is not a laxative promotion. Regularly updated blogs rank well in search engines and give your clients and prospects a reason to keep coming back. Months between posts make a blog feel like it is abandoned, and abandoned is a feeling that you don’t want your customers to get from you.

Tomorrow’s post will cover a few of the best blogging platforms...

Today's post by Jake Bergen. All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc. You can share our stuff all you like, just give us the credit! Thanks.

Positive Branding: Strawberry Logos vs. Kiwi Logos

We've been told to “never judge a book by its cover”, but let’s be honest! People do.

Branding has two vital parts, as seen in some of the previous blog posts in this series. There is a foundational “vision” part, which really has to do with core values. A beautiful logo will eventually carry a reputation, no matter how beautiful it is. But also, there is the “visual brand” aspect which people look at. This is where the idea of presentation matters. How do you present yourself? 

If you walked into a restaurant, and the hostess was wearing torn sweat pants, a white button-up shirt stained with red and yellow blotches, her hair was a glorious mess, and her hands were discoloured by some unknown substance, what are the chances you would be looking forward to your fine dining experience? What if this person was coming in for a job interview to your business?

Now what if this is the visual state of your logo, business card and other marketing materials. When you speak of “consistency”, a brand ought to be consistent with the core values of the company. What is shown on the outside should be a reflection of the inside. Hey, in the right setting, maybe the previously described hostess could fit right in – if it were an accurate depiction of the culture. If you’re selling skateboards and snowboards, she might be perfect. If she were your banker…well…..hmmm. This is where it is important to know your own vision so you can be certain all appearances are an accurate, applicable and consistent depiction of what your company is trying to portray. Your logo should be a good representation of your business; often it’s the first thing people will see.

 A “Logo” is not meant to just be a static graphical image. A logo has the potential to be much more impactful and “alive”. But it doesn’t start as a “dynamic” element until the emotional association is developed. In fact, at first it doesn’t really represent anything. Imagine a strawberry sitting on a table. Now, further imagine you’ve never tasted a strawberry. You have no idea what it tastes like. Therefore, it evokes only a very minimal emotional response. It’s based on one sensory experience – visual impression. A natural advantage of a strawberry is that is looks appealing. It’s red, and luscious. It looks like something you would want to pick up and put in your mouth.

But what about a Kiwi? Oh, the poor Kiwi, the genetically inferior fruit. It’s the ugly cousin. It’s pale, cardboard brown, fuzzy, and visually could be like some kind of acorn, nut or something that has gone bad. Compared to a strawberry, it doesn’t stimulate or evoke a strong visual desire to pick it up and eat it. This is why a well designed logo has far more impact potential. A person who has never tasted a strawberry or kiwi cannot take the quality of the taste into account. They’ve never tasted it! So it’s purely a visual thing, at first. Neither will a consumer be able to see past your logo to make a first impression of the quality of your product and services. 

The moment someone picks up the strawberry or kiwi and sinks their teeth into the fruit – the juices are set free, and an explosion of wonderful fruity flavour erupts on your senses. The effect? Immediate dynamics! No longer is your logo a graphic, it’s an emotional association. Some people might even prefer the taste of the kiwi to the Strawberry (they're both yummy!), but – would they get past the appearance?  If the only thing they have to go by is a logo on a business card, what reason would they have to give your number a try if it leaves them with an "ewwww!" or "ho-hum" impression?

So why is a good logo important? First impression. Enticement. Consistency in quality. If you back up the visual with a great customer experience, then the consistent blend of “visual impression” with “emotional association” will make the brand a strong one.

So here’s my plug: I strongly recommend hiring a professional to design your logo. It makes a difference. Really, honestly….it does. 

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

Way Out Of The Ordinary

Hey business owner! How out of the ordinary is your company? 

Very out of the ordinary, just a little bit, or not very? You don’t have to do anything overly weird to be different, you know?

Let me ask you this. Would you rather have a world that is totally indifferent to your product or your brand; or one that has people who passionately love what you offer, and a few that totally despise everything you represent?

Yes, rejection is hard. When you have sweated, toiled and made your work a labor of love; it is crushing to have even one person give you a critical remark or even just mediocre feedback. We tell ourselves to get over it, but it gnaws at our gut at first. If you persevere, you eventually develop a nice thick skin.

We all know that we can’t please all of the people all of the time. So why do we keep trying? Because we are scared of failure.

I have heard the stories. “So-and-so asked for a certain product or service that we don’t normally provide, and I said we didn’t do that… then they threatened to take their business elsewhere AND tell all their friends about how my business gave poor customer service and won’t do what the customer asks... (*deep breath*)… because the customer is always right, and we deserve to fail! What if they do what they say they are going to? What if one or two jerks going around the country bad-mouthing me sinks my business?”

Most small business owners have a complex about making everyone love them. How do I know? Been there, done it, and got the t-shirt and scars to prove it. But I read an account this week of one stubborn guy who makes a fine example for my point.

Inc.com recently published the story of Jerry Murrell, the founder of Five Guys Burgers and Fries; a 570 location restaurant chain that does a lot of things out of the box. In the article, Mr. Murrell relates how that when they first opened they were located near the Pentagon. The Pentagon called and asked them to deliver, and Jerry told the Pentagon they didn’t deliver.

After being told that everyone delivered to the Pentagon, he and his son purchased a huge banner that read “Absolutely No Delivery”, and put it up for all the world to see. A pretty gutsy move, but their business from the Pentagon actually increased!

An expression I picked up and that has served me well is “stick to your guns”. For those of you who don’t like Westerns, that simply means to stand your ground.

Don’t be an idiot that is so inflexible to change that you run yourself out of business. But if you are being asked to compromise your business model, profitability, and/or values; you may just find that it serves you well to be true to yourself and the vision you have for your business. That kind of commitment always helps you to stand out, because it is way out of the ordinary!

Today's post by Jake Bergen, as published in his newspaper column. All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc. You can share our stuff all you like, just give us the credit!

Do You Mind If I Scratch Your Back?

Some people just don’t get it.

Strategic partnerships can help business big-time. If the the other party just doesn’t get it, you can gently try to educate them, but don’t waste too much of your time. 

In your networking efforts, you will find people who can potentially align with you to the betterment of both your businesses. Some people get it right away, and like-minded people can synergistically create magic in cross-promotion! I have not only seen it happen but experienced it many times. And consumers tend to put more faith in companies that are secure enough to get out of their own box and promote a non-competing product or service that they believe will be of real value to their clientele.

I never mind scratching someone else's back if mine will get scratched in return.

But every once in a while you finish a back scratch that ends with the other party walking away, or worse, whacking you in the back of the head before walking away. They leave you wondering, “Where’s my back scratch, you ungrateful so-and-so!?!”

Don’t waste your time any further, and don’t whack them back in return. As the saying goes, wrestling with pigs just gets you dirty. Unfortunately, they don’t get it. Move on, you will find someone who appreciates the favor as much as you do and reciprocates it.

If you get the reputation of a person or organization that is genuinely interested in cross-promotion, you will have companies lining up; you will soon be able to take your pick!

Today's post by Jake Bergen. All posts on this blog © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc. You can share our stuff all you like, just give us the credit!

Positive Branding : Consistency

A key dynamic in branding is consistency. Creating an expected experience which you strategically define.  

Marketing is identifying, engaging and connecting with people who either have the “ability” or “desire” to purchase your product or service.

Branding is the act of how you present yourself to your identified market.

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In my last blog, I used “you” as an example of a brand. You are the CEO of your life, responsible for looking inwardly to choose and create your personal approach, attitude, character, mood and personality in the way you intend to approach people around you (or, your market). You create the “atmosphere” which will condition the inside operation of your company. This is the foundation of your “brand”, for essentially, your brand becomes your reputation. People will know you by your reputation. Try separating your reputation from your brand. It doesn’t work.  

When speaking of “branding”, one of the terms often used is “consistency”. In the traditional perspective of ‘Brand = Logo’, consistency is very important. It is a shame to see a company with no continuity between color, typography, and style when comparing business cards, letterhead, brochures, and all other marketing materials. It is completely self-defeating to a visual brand.

But the subject of consistency really starts long before the logo is designed. It is something that is cultivated into the entire fabric of a company. People might see you outwardly wearing whatever style of clothing you choose; but the outside is merely indicative of what is happening internally. I don't care how nice your clothes are; if your attitude stinks, your brand fails. If YOU are a brand, do people consistently see you as “kind” and “responsible”? Are you one of those moody, unpredictable people? If you polled a group of people, what would the common reaction to your personal “brand” be? Arrogant or humble? Shy or outgoing? Negative or positive? Confrontational or approachable? What defines you is what you are consistent in presenting to people around you. 

So what happens if (heaven forbid!) you try being consistently NICE to people? *GASP!* What if you are always friendly, generous, approachable, and reliable? Do you think that you might find you have more influence, more friends, and stronger relationships? Now - how do you suppose this might play out in a business?

You can see how consistency is important because your reputation is at stake. If you want to know what makes a major food restaurant chain (like McDonalds) so powerful, look no further than consistency in their brand. One of the principle purposes of creating a franchise is to nail down a brand through consistency. It cultures an expectation in the paying customer because he/she is able to reasonably predict what their experience will be, from the service to the product. Do you even have to guess what your next experience at McDonald’s will be? Will their burgers suddenly be revolutionary? Will the service suddenly involve a waitress tending to your every need at your table?  

By this approach, you will be able to more effectively measure the effect of your efforts. If you were random and inconsistent, you wouldn’t be able to identify what was going wrong – because there were no control variables or consistent factors to compare against.

That again will strengthen your brand, and will begin to cultivate the most coveted form of marketing; “Word of Mouth”. If at the same time, you’ve paid due attention to the visual aspect of your brand (your logo, your colors, your taglines and slogans, your business cards and brochures, your website, your employee uniforms, the décor at your place of business, and everything else you do) and you’ve plugged it into your whole vein of consistency – it will all speak the same thing.

What it speaks will be by your design. You choose what it says. Together it should harmonize into a beautiful, musical chorus. From the leadership vantage, if you really believe in your company’s vision and you have clearly established the kind of core values of your business that define you, then it is imperative that you protect it with consistency. 

TO BE CONTINUED...(Next Monday!)...

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

Positive Branding: Understanding the Dynamics

So there sits the little blond haired boy, perched behind his brown cardboard box lemonade stand. It’s a beautiful, clear skied morning, and he woke up early with anticipation for a day of booming business. So far, he hasn’t seen any action besides the neighbour’s territorial terrier chasing the unassuming postman from its front lawn.

He’s put a lot of thought into his business. He’s secured a stellar venue: an old discarded brown cardboard box stabilized by several strips of packing tape. He’s got a deliciously enticing product for any hot day: two pitchers of ice cooled lemonade, freshly squeezed that morning and lightly sweetened with several carefully measured tablespoons of white sugar.  Next to his box, still neatly packaged and unopened, rests his stockpile of necessary plastic cups, with an accompanying bag for collecting recycling. Underneath his toddler sized lawn chair, he’s carefully placed a little glass jar for collecting money from his prospective customers, and a tube of sunscreen. Yep, he’s ready to do some big business.

These are the “mechanics” of his business. In this simplified example, he’s got everything he needs to open his doors business. In a grander scale of business, there are obviously more complexities involved in daily operations. This would also involve the systems of management, workflow, financial structures and all the “in and out” boxes, valves and pistons which make the engine mechanically function.

Yet, it’s from the point of opening the doors to the business which come the questions of “dynamics”, or the injecting of energy and life into the business operations to make it work. It’s the gasoline in the engine, and the spark in the ignition. It’s the grease and oil, and the heat and air conditioning. It’s the atmosphere and the culture, the approachability of management and manner of communication between staff. It’s the feeling that customers get when they walk in the door, which has been CREATED by the people in the business.

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Mechanics + Dynamics = Reputation.

It all trickles down to one thing: leadership and vision. As the leader, you need to invest value and understanding into both the mechanic and dynamic. I’ve seen many companies that operate like a nuts and bolts machine without a healthy dynamic. Eventually the company brand begins to suffer when disgruntled employees and mishandled customers begin to formulize your reputation. Really, every aspect of your business has a mechanical part, and a dynamic part. You need both. And in marketing, this is exactly the case.

One of the best ways to fortify this concept is to take a look at yourself. You are a brand. You are your own brand. Inside your head you have ideas, concepts, opinions, motives, desires, ambitions and so on. You project yourself to people around you in the way you choose. Now, if you were a “brand” and you were marketing yourself – what opinion would people have of you? Would they want to buy what you are offering? Consider your relationships: what is your relationship with people around you? With your spouse? With your children? With your family? Co-workers? Employees? Customers? What about the kid working the McDonald's drive-thru who messed up your order? Relationships tell the story, in whatever fashion. 

Have you ever met someone who is infectiously wonderful to be around? They just have “it” (whatever “it” is). You just love spending time around them, listening to them, laughing with them. You always look forward to the next time you meet. What is it based on? It is your experience in the atmosphere which they have created around them!

Conversely, have you ever been around someone who is toxic? You don’t trust them and you wouldn’t invest much in their opinions. You find yourself trying to avoid them, and you certainly wouldn't choose to be around them except that circumstances force it to happen. What is it? Again, it is their atmosphere! 

From a physical, mechanical perspective, they are a human being just like you. The thing which differs is the dynamic that surrounds that person. Just as you are, they are selling a brand. They have a brand name. My brand name is James Rozak. And when my name is spoken in a group of people who know me, it evokes an emotional response. My brand name is known by my reputation.  

As with everyone, I’ve had my share of successes and failures, both personally and in business. In whichever fashion, I am known by an acquired reputation. Based on some of my past failures, some people simply and justly would not hire me or trust me. Yet, some people know me by a different reputation; perhaps one of generosity, kindness, and integrity. It depends on me, and how I've presented myself.

The strength in understanding this is simple; you can be a creator of your reputation! Can you control your personal atmosphere? Do you want a cloud of gloom and doom to hang over your head? Can you change the way people perceive you? Absolutely. Want friends? Be friendly! Want to be trusted? Be honest. If you've done someone wrong, there should be a desire to reconcile and make it right. You have the choice to exhibit unconditional kindness. You can be honorable, trustworthy, accountable and open to correction. It's all an opportunity to learn and grow. It really amounts to your personal vision you have as the CEO of your life.  

What is at stake? Your name and reputation. How do you begin changing it? Adjust! Change! Grow! Some people refuse to accept or acknowledge shortcomings, and they will forever have a toxic reputation and their relationships around them will perpetually suffer and fail. And at the same time, some people are forever seeking to grow, to improve their relationships.  

So what about a business? Can you adjust the way in which a business perceived? This is branding at it's deepest core. Start your branding from an inward, visionary perspective. Start with the leadership. And then when you start bringing the inner branding to the surface, the "logo" will represent something worth bragging about. 

Remember - you aren't depending on your brand, your brand is depending on you. 

Next blog, we will continue digging down a little deeper as we look at marketing and branding.

TO BE CONTINUED...(Tomorrow!)...

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

Positive Branding: Mechanics & Dynamics

Well, here goes. First blog post. No pressure. 

 My name is James, and I am the Creative Director at Tractor Beam – the guy who makes the visual candy. I often tell people that my brain works a little different than most so-called “adults”. You see, crayons rock. Fruit Loops are the best way to start the day.  Girls are still kind of icky. LEGO is way better than video games.

As I am writing this article, I’m laying in bed with my laptop. And looking over to my bedside table, I have my collection of books which I keep near for inspirational reading. So what books do I keep handy? Well – permanently (or until my toddling children decide to risk their lives by attempting to stake their claim on them), I have the entire collection of Calvin and Hobbes. Yep.

And – well, I can go on, but that kind of paints the picture. 

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The Simple Reality

Now, if you’ll indulge me, I’d like you to let your mind drift for a minute – and I’d like you to picture a simple, small town residential street. It has everything you might expect. Imperfect, well-weathered pavement lined with boulevard styled trees overgrowing the side walks. Every other house has a little driveway, with a mailbox and a trash can or two pushed against the picket fences or lush green hedges that run the length of the yards. An upside-down cardboard box is placed just to the side of one such driveway, unevenly covered with a thin and dust spotted white cloth sheet.

A little blond hair boy sits tucked into his toddler sized lawn chair behind the box, his bright blue eyes peeking over the top and his neck occasionally strained to see if any of the passing cars are slowing. On the front side of the box, taped with an excessive amount of scotch tape, is a standard letter sized paper marked with crooked and faded red felt pen lettering. “Lemonade. 25 cents”, it modestly announces.

Young as he is, this little boy is trying to accomplish what every business owner is attempting to achieve. His little blue eyes shimmer and glow with hope and anticipation, as though they are saying, very simply…”Choose me”.

It is, to me, a most innocent of beginnings – but also, a most simple and honest depiction of the reality of the business owner. While the heart of the entrepreneur is outwardly attempting to demonstrate a confidence and optimism, the sobering truth is deeply felt. Without someone to dial your number, or to darken the door to your business and ultimately to “choose you”…the shimmer and glow in your eyes, or in the eyes of this little boy, will become as a discarded cardboard box on the side of the road.

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Do You Depend on the Brand?

I have made my living working in and with marketing firms for the past 12 years, as well as running my own freelancing business for the past four years. I’m paid to make people look good. For many of those 12 years, I was encouraged and taught to believe that all I needed to do was make beautiful designs for inquiring clients and companies, and that would make those companies suddenly flourish. Throw in a catchy heading, a catch phrase and a clever tagline and “VOILA!”, the customers will instantly start calling (right?).

I observed on many occasions how excited the client was when they were presented their new logo design, business card, website and whatever else may have been provided them. And to be clear, I do staunchly believe that a company requires a strong visual (logo) brand; it is a vital cornerstone. But I have since come to believe – to a degree, we were selling false hope with the new logo and “branding” if we suggest to the client that their logo equals their “brand”. 

Shaking hands with these clients and sending them on their way to business success based on a “logo brand” is like telling the little boy selling lemonade that all he needed was a better cardboard box. Branding goes far beyond the “visual” (logo, website, etc). If a client is not educated to this fact, they will falsely depend on their brand when, in reality, their brand is depending on them.

Marketing as a whole really is one of several key aspects of a business operation. You need to ensure your business model contains all the mechanics for success, including the vital processes and systems which, although conceptually mundane, keep the integrity of a business in place. There is little point focusing and building a marketing machine when the company that is being "touted" is hardly capable of living up to what is being promoted. We all can likely name some big corporate businesses which mechanically built a marketing machine to promote what essentially was a sour lemon in the waiting. 
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Injecting the Dynamics

The concept of "Marketing & Branding" can be depicted in many ways through creative analogy, so for this blog, I'll describe a business as being somewhat like a hot air balloon. Obviously you need the physical balloon (the business model, structure, practices and systems, products, etc), and yes, it is designed to inflate. But is it “flight worthy”? Does it have the capacity and integrity to hold air? You have to make sure the "mechanics" of the balloon will sufficiently sustain what you, the entrepreneur, must ultimately bring; the "dynamics". It is you that injects the vision for the purpose of the balloon. The balloon already has it's purpose; if it is well made, it will do exactly what it is made to do. But now, what about you? 

You bring the creativity and passion, the attitude and the energy, the sweat and tears, the direction and the objective and everything that will make your business attractive to both customers and employees. Your "brand" is really everything encompassed in the attitude and style of the company. Absolutely, it does need to become "visual", yes. That is only a part of it, because what does your visual brand, or logo, stand for anyways? A brand speaks of representation, and you need to decide what it is your company is all about. That is the dynamic which you create. It's the "dynamic" which puts the "mechanics" into action. 

How do you do that? Well, if you have confidence that your "balloon" will fly, this is where the whole purpose of marketing comes into play.  That's what I'm going to try and bring in my following blog posts. Developing the “dynamics” to put your “mechanics” into purposed, driven and infectious action. It’ll weave between the practical, rubber meets the road stuff that I love, and the inspirational.

So, where are you now? Still on the ground? Drifting aimlessly? Losing altitude? Blowing holes? Shining like a glowing, colorful beacon? Soaring higher and stronger? How you fly is closely determined by how your approach your marketing. The goal is to build what can be called "Brand Equity", where your brand doing exactly what it should: working. 

I know what it is to be the little boy sitting on the curb with his cardboard box. Now let’s help that little boy turn his lemonade stand into something big.  

TO BE CONTINUED...(Next Tuesday)...

by JAMES ROZAK, Creative Director @ Tractor Beam Marketing

 

 

Why Does My Company Need A Strong Brand?

This is not the first time I have compared a company to a car. But I was watching a very captivating online video of the Mercedes SLS AMG (which I have posted here) and the thought struck me again.

The operations of your business are like the inner workings of an automobile. How smoothly each part operates, how precisely these parts work together and how efficiently the power gets from the engine to the wheels. In the corporate scheme of things; operations are the mechanics, cash flow is the fuel and branding is the part that can be easily seen, such as the body and the interior.

When you look at a hot car, it generally creates a desire in a person. You may not be able to afford it, but you appreciate it. And if the opportunity arose where you were in the position to exchange the dollars required for the vehicle, you just might do it. I’ll admit I probably would.

When it comes to your business, you want to present an accurate and compelling image to those who require your services. If your business runs like a mid-80’s K-car, but has the body of the Mercedes SLS in the original example; you are going to disappoint a lot of people. Sure, you will probably get some sales, but you will never get repeat sales because you just don’t deliver.

Of course, if the body looks like a rusted out K-car, it wouldn’t matter what it had under the hood… people won’t believe that you possess a high performance machine. As I said, the image you portray needs to be accurate. If you company is the equivalent of a K-car, that might be OK, but be real about it. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver on.

Your brand ought to stir a ‘desire to buy’ within the intended customer.  If I described the Mercedes to you and asked you to give me one word label that would sum up what I had told you, you might come up with words like fast, sleek, or performance… all things that the manufacturer has built into the automobile. And if you bought one of those cars that is exactly what you would get.

But the advertiser looks for something different.

Out of curiosity, I asked some of our Facebook fans for one word they thought described the Mercedes video. I was curious to see what stood out most to people. Some of the one-word responses were “dramatic”, “captivating”, “extreme” and “achievable”; and one person even said “fake”. When I last checked, no one had said anything about speed, performance or style. All those things were present, put people seemed to be describing their own subconscious perception or desire.

I appreciate each one who participated, and there were no bad responses! One person showed cynicism, and rightly so; because I am sure everyone who watched the commercial wondered if it was real. Others described things they enjoy and reflects them; like drama, achievement and an adrenaline rush. And if they made the decision to buy that car, they would be purchasing drama, achievement and adrenaline as much as a fast car.

When customers see your brand, they will not be thinking so much about what your business is or does; but what the ultimate benefit will be for them. Don’t try to sell them so much on features, show them how their lives will be improved by the end result of what you offer.

Then you will see the results of powerful branding.

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column ‘Venture Hype’. © Tractor Beam Marketing

Revolutionize.

Adapting Your Business to What Works Today.  

Tractor Beam Marketing invites you to a full day of business learning made fun!

Where: The Marriott River Cree Resort in Edmonton, AB

When: April 17th, 2010; from 9:30AM - Approx. 3:30PM (Registration opens at 9:00AM)

Scedule of Events:

Morning Session: The Marketing Cycle... How Strong Marketing Can Make You Succeed

A Delectable Lunch is included with Admission!

Afternoon Session: The Power of Social Media... Why Social Media is Changing the Marketing Game & How to Do It Yourself

Admission: $199/person

Tickets are Available for Purchase ONLY Online at: www.thetractorbeam.com 

Just register your free account at our website to purchase your tickets. 

Registration allows you privileged access to all our online features, and allows us to manage our ticketing system effectively. It’s easy and FREE!   

 

Questions? Visit Our Website, or Email: info@thetractorbeam.com

Romancing Your Business

Why do people buy anything?

If you’re in business, you’d better understand what the answer to that question is if you hope to sell your products or services. Because your company needs to sell to survive.

So back to the question at hand.

People buy because they either 1) need something, 2) want something, or 3) fear something. I have seen much longer lists from academics that want to impress the world with their knowledge, but everything in those lists are easily broken down into these three categories. Good thing too, because it is easier for me to talk about ‘the three motivators’ than ‘the fifty motivators’!

Needs are pretty self explanatory, so we won’t spend time there; except to say that we will classify basic needs as nutritious food, clean water, suitable clothing for the climate in which you live and adequate shelter.

Fears are a pretty powerful motivator. Consider the multi-billion dollar anti-virus and spyware industry, one that is built on fear. Fear that our privacy will be compromised and the danger of losing important information. It is our own dread that stuffs the pockets of companies like Norton and McAfee.

But the most powerful reason people buy is desire. If someone wants something bad enough, they will do whatever it takes to get it. For proof of this fact, you need to look no farther than the BusinessWeek list of Best Global Brands. The world’s top brands have little or nothing to do with needs, and everything to do with desires. Desires cultivated by good marketing!

(http://bwnt.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/best_global_brands_2009/)

The reason these brands are so successful is because they have gotten really good at appealing to emotions. As much as we think that we as a human race are rational beings, nothing is further from the truth. When it comes to a battle between the head and the heart, the heart will win every time. 

Do you really need a $1000 handbag? Although arguably one of the finest-made accessories in the world, Louis Vuitton has created an aura of romance and exclusivity around their product.

So how do you romance your product?

By approaching the doors of the senses with something tantalizing, people will open those portals to you if they feel your offering will provide them with something even more fulfilling on a deeper level. Their conscience, memory, imagination, affections and reasoning need to be gratified; and of those five things, only reasoning has any power to bring logic into the scenario. Which is why logic does come into play and can indeed be a deciding factor in consumer choice, but cannot compete when the other four emotional aspects become involved.

Appeal to the emotions of your clients. Make your brand, product, service, and the representation of it all, attractive. If you send me a fax with a list of fifteen travel deals, you are never going to get my business (so whoever is doing that, would you quit already!). 

But if you email me a newsletter or hand me a nice glossy brochure with a picture of a white sandy beach, azure blue sky reflected on the water, and a hammock strung between two palm trees, you will get my attention. There may be no way on earth I could take advantage of the offer. But I will look and long for it. I can picture myself swinging on that hammock! 

And maybe, just maybe, I will invite you in to my world by subscribing to your newsletter so that when the next offer comes along I can take advantage of fulfilling my desire for relaxation and warm sun on my face.

If that happens, you’ll know I have been romanced.

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column ‘Venture Hype’. © Tractor Beam Marketing

Get Real

As business people, we tend to put on a guise of how we think business people are supposed to act. This notion is derived from how we believe we should be perceived by others, the business-like image we are expected to portray. But many times, it is not us.

A lot of owners and entrepreneurs think they need to leave behind the kind of person they are at home and put on the status quo. From a marketing perspective this is not a fantastic idea.

I have seen multi-millionaires driving old beater trucks, wearing blue jeans and rubber boots; complete with residue of something that came out of the south end of a north-bound cow on those boots. Inversely, I have also seen guys with flashy suits that didn’t have two cents to rub together, but were trying to be something they were not. The guy who stands out in my mind, and the one I respect more, is the one who was different.

But he wasn’t trying to be. He was just being himself. 

Sometimes trying too hard to be different for the sake of standing out just comes off weird. I like watching auditions of American Idol or Britain’s Got Talent on YouTube, and I’ll bet you have watched some of these things as well. The proof is right in front of us.

Some purveyors of marketing and advertising strategy will tell you that image is everything. Absolutely image matters, but is your image consistent with you? If image is everything to you, you will sacrifice the things that matter until your world comes crashing down.

And it can be so tempting, trying to put on an image for short term gain. I admit, sometimes it looks like the thing to do. Frustration sets in when competition is making boatloads of money in unsavory ways that are cutting into your business. But stay the course. Keep grounded in reality and doing what is right.

Take the scandal of former corporate giant Enron. It is perhaps one of the largest examples of compromising reality for image. From the outside, and for a long time, the company looked like an enviable picture of unbridled success. But it eventually became apparent that it’s systems were rotten from the inside out.

The more recent cases of corporate greed that have sent the world into the current economic situation is irrefutable proof that your sins will eventually find you out.

A put-on outside image can never sustain your inside reality.

I’m not saying you need to hang up your suit, quite the contrary. I’m just saying that it is OK to be you. Be real to your family, your friends, your clients, your employees, and most of all… be real to yourself.

You are the one who will endear people to your business. People will connect with you because they like you, your approach and what you have to offer. Even if you are not face to face with the customers of your business on a day to day basis, you will set the tone for the others in your organization.

Your company will reflect the qualities of the kind of person you are. Here’s to keeping it real, and may it turn the tides of your fortune!

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column 'Venture Hype' © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Time to Get Creative

Do you know what is a big turn-off for consumers?

Lack of originality.

Let’s pretend that I see two vans driving down the road, both representing plumbing companies, and I just happen to need some plumbing work done. Great timing!

One van is sporting a classy logo with great decal work; the other, a logo that they took off a six year old Microsoft Office template. The pyramid one… and you probably know exactly the one I am talking about!

Those logos in Microsoft Word or Apple’s Pages application are there as placeholders. Meaning that you are supposed to replace the default logo with your original one; not take it and stick it on the side of your van like a million other small business owners that want to look legitimate but won’t spend the money for a truly genuine logo.

They are just mimicking better companies that do have it together. These companies are doing nothing to help themselves or differentiate themselves in their market. They are a commodity. Just another plumber.

Who would you hire between the two? I tell you that I will hire the one that has taken the time to be more professional, because I will assume that the company has also been professional enough to hire competent licensed and bonded tradespeople. I am quite picky about who I let into my home to do a job.

If you think I am being hard on the companies that cut corners when it comes to their branding, you are right. I am being hard on them!

You might even be reading this article and saying, “Hey, I knocked off that pyramid logo and slapped it on the side of my truck!”

If I offended you, I am sorry; but if I don’t tell you the truth, then who will?

It is in your own best interests to think long and hard about the image you want to portray to your potential customers. If you don’t go to the work of thinking up front, it can bite you down the road. Some person will come along with a better image and a more professional presentation and wipe you right off the map, and he or she may not even be as good at the job as you are!

But if they inspire trust, they will get the work.

Re-branding is sometimes essential. I did it myself, two years or so into a growing business venture, and it was the best thing I ever did. Revamping our corporate image did wonders for the company, took us to a whole new level of recognizability, and helped us connect in a greater way with our clients and prospects.

Our increased response rates to advertisements and signage were noticeable almost overnight! Yes, it cost a fair amount to do, but the returns were staggering.

It is time to get creative. Get out of your box, originality gets noticed.

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column 'Venture Hype' © Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

How to Market with a Tractor Beam

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column 'Venture Hype'

This is not an ad. 

Although the name of my company involves a Tractor Beam, the concept is one that needs to be mentioned and explained because it applies to your business. So after months of tip-toeing around this subject, I’ll finally put it into a few words.

Many people ask me, “What’s a Tractor Beam?” So I will clarify.

A Tractor Beam is a hypothetical device found mostly in science-fiction movies, and is a magnet-like force with the ability to draw an object to itself. 

The concept hit me like a ton of bricks one day as I was reminiscing about being a kid. My Dad was (and still is) a bit of a Trekkie, so sci-fi lingo was something my brothers and I were familiar with. When something we felt was really cool caught our eye we would say, “Man, that sucked me in just like a Tractor Beam!” 

It is a near-perfect analogy for what businesses attempt to accomplish in marketing to their customers!

The goal of your marketing efforts is to draw the attention of a client or prospective client from a distance, create a desire for your product or service, and hold that client’s loyalty for a long, long time. Simple in explanation, but not so simple to accomplish in practice. This concept encompasses all of the elements of marketing from initial client contact to long after the sale. 

It also promotes the cyclical thinking I am so fond of, that once a sale or ‘customer experience’ is complete, the cycle begins again… but that is another topic for another day.

The initial contact is the point where your corporate image can act like a Tractor Beam to attract your clients. A great logo, business card, signage, or well designed website or print ad can say a lot about your business. You have the ability to define who your target market is, then research and discover what makes them tick and what they respond to, and then give them what they want!

Though often overlooked, your company culture can act like a Tractor Beam. I once worked with a lady who was so full of cheer that when clients called, many of them would say, “You know that lady that answered the phone? Never get rid of her, she is so good for business!” Just her demeanor was enough to attract clients and instill trust.

A Tractor Beam has the power to not only draw an object to it’s source, but to hold that object indefinitely. This concept also encompasses the loyalty factor. So many business people tell me, “customers just aren’t loyal any more”. You can fix that.

Give them something to be loyal to!

Yes, there are those people who seem to be unaffected by top-notch service and quality products, and who buy solely based on the lowest possible price they can find. Being frugal is not a bad thing, but often the clients who pay the least expect the most; and there is just no use trying to create loyalty in a person who doesn’t have a loyal bone in their body.

But by giving people an experience they can fall in love with, those individuals that have the capacity for loyalty will not only be faithful, but they will become advocates for your business. This can be your most inexpensive and effective method of advertising, and one that is worth cultivating.

Remember the 80-20 rule. 20% of your clients will be responsible for 80% of your business. Those are the ones worth training your personal Tractor Beam on.

© Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

What’s going without saying...

by Jake Bergen, as published in his column 'Venture Hype'

I was recently reminded by Shawn, a Facebook fan of my company, that sometimes we need to get back to the basics. People wonder how to get the word out effectively about their companies, how to make an impact, to stand out and be noticed.

Canadian businessman Jim Pattison, a man Canadian Business Online lists as the 5th richest man in Canada, knows how to get his companies noticed. One thing I have observed is that the man has a logo on almost everything, right down to the drinking glasses in his yacht. If you find yourself in Jim Pattison’s world, you are not likely to forget the fact.

If you are thinking, “Yeah, that would be nice! If I had a yacht!”, then I will bring it down a little closer to home. Have you got a vehicle? Put your brand on it. Have you got a hat? Put your brand on it. Have you got a shirt? You guessed it… Put your brand on it!

And make sure people can see it. Be bold. Even classy companies with a refined, soft-sell image can get a lot of mileage by having their name show up repetitively in their market. By designing a logo correctly and putting it on high quality apparel, a company’s promotional clothing can be as desirable as a designer label.

How many people do you see wearing apparel that promotes a brand? Lots. So why not make it cool to promote your own? 

Most folks cheap out when it comes to their promotional products, and when forced to wear the ‘company gear’, their employees feel like nerds. If you add some cool factor and get really nice stuff, it will not only be your employees wanting to wear your brand; but friends, family and clients as well.

Standing out isn’t rocket science, it just takes some guts. Become a recognizable brand by being recognizable! Sure, the first time you walk into the bank proudly sporting your cool new logo and slogan, people will wonder what in the world it is. But if you are in there every week, after a couple of months everyone in the place will know about your Superstar Widget Factory (or whatever your business of choice might be).

If you frequent the hottest coffee shops around town, your quad-shot-non-fat-extra-foam-nutmeg-sprinkled-macchiato can represent some of your best spent marketing dollars!

Get recognized by joining a trade association or Chamber of Commerce. Show up to meetings. Get involved in your community. You don’t have to do it all, just do something! People will soon be saying, “Oh look, there goes so-and-so from Superstar Widget Factory!”

Yes, it is simple, but what’s going without saying should be said. You can’t afford not to get noticed.

© Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.

Viral Marketing is Spreading!

by Jake Bergen (with guest contributor James Rozak) as published in his column Venture Hype

With the recent panic and fear over the spread of the H1N1 flu virus, I felt that this week it would be nice to concentrate on a viral contagion of a more positive nature. Viral Marketing.

Viral marketing is the equivalent of word-of-mouth advertising in the information age. This kind of word-of-mouth can spread like wildfire!

And this is good. Very good if you make your customers happy! And very bad if you are not fulfilling the promises you are making through your advertising.

A company I do business with recently sent me a statistic concerning the power of their viral marketing via Twitter. And I quote, “This morning I posted a link to our new blog article (as I do every week) to our 1500+ followers. That tweet was “retweeted” (or shared) by just 5 people but their combined following was 22,910. One of those retweets alone resulted in 149 people reading the article.”

As you can see, the exposure can be exponential. People will find out about the experience of your clients in relation to your business… positive or negative.

To give you another simple example, I am a member of Facebook. The people whom I am connected to through Facebook are people who are in my ‘circle of influence'. Not surprisingly, the majority of people who I am connected to have similar interests. Therefore, anytime I broadcast a comment, an inspirational quote, or even a photo; people respond. They take an active interest and share in my life’s experiences. Any time they give feedback, it opens the possibility that their other connections will also see and investigate for themselves.

This maximizes the opportunity to penetrate the ‘six degrees of separation’; the theory that we as human beings are separated from each other by a maximum of five intermediate acquaintances.

For that same reason, when you begin attracting followers who are in your target demographic, these people are likely to be in a certain social circle where they are connected with similar individuals. Lawyers will be connected with lawyers, oil workers with oil workers, successful business people with other successful business people.

Once you obtain a certain following, you will immediately have the capability to reach your customers and potential clients with "hot off the press" news. You will be able to announce major events, seminars, new projects, completed projects, new photo galleries and website updates, contests, thank-yous, and more! It gives life and personality to your brand that otherwise is just a logo on a business card, an advertisement in a magazine or a link on a website. 

That is the benefit. You are being invited into people's workplaces, homes and lives via an accepted and embraced social networking tool. From my experience, it is powerful.

If you can successfully harness the exponential power of social networking... just watch, you will begin to create some exciting buzz around your business, and the viral value of your communications will begin to spread!

© Tractor Beam Marketing Inc.