A Thought4Your Consideration

Unless you are one of a few devout underground music fans, the group Portugal The Man probably hadn’t passed by your ears prior to 2017. Last year, they burst upon the scene with their hit song “Feel It Still” and this band from Alaska became a common name among millions in America.Any guesses why?

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For decades, successful marketers have been using music to drive their messaging.  If you’re my age (spoiler alert – I’m in my 50’s), you remember Heinz Ketchup using “Anticipation” and Coca-Cola worked to “Teach the World to Sing” in their TV commercials.

Whether the music is original, re-purposed for a specific reason, or picked because an ad person likes it, the fact is many of the commercials we remember are aligned with music that sticks in your brain.

Music2Be Noticed

With this particular iPad Pro campaign, Apple, a technology powerhouse pulling in billions of dollars every year, became a vessel for the worldwide fame of Portugal The Man (which is actually a whole band).  The funny thing is, this band has been playing music together since the early 2000’s. Hardly a new act, Portugal The Man had already made a name on the festival scene and was being recognized through their years together for their abilities.

They just didn’t become a “household name” until June of last year when Apple used their song in a TV commercial.

I remember watching the iPad Pro commercial and thinking, man, that’s a fun song.  Shortly after, I began hearing it on obscure radio stations. It wasn’t long before it was everywhere and being played repeatedly.  It peaked at #4 on theBillboardHot 100 songs at one point in 2017.

Imagine that – a catchy tune, combined with clever video and a creative concept, executed by a trendsetting company that makes really cool things. Sounds like a recipe for a winner. And it was for both Apple and Portugal The Man.

Your organization may not have the kind of pull to launch a band into fame.  What it does have, though, is the ability to choose original or special music to drive your next big campaign.

Doing2Things at Once

It’s really a made-up phrase.  In my mind, I’ve come to the realization I simply cannot do it. (I’m pretty sure those of you who are reading this can’t either, no matter how much you think you can.)

Multitasking?  Nah.  Sometimes we can do multiple things in a really fast sequence, but when we try to do two jobs at one time neither typically gets the proper attention.   

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The other night I was listening to the news, while trying to do something else I’m sure, and I heard a statistic – Pedestrian Traffic Deaths are at a 25 Year High in the United States. The anchor stated marijuana has something to do with the increase, but even bigger is the impact of texting and walking.  These experts took all the fun out of texting and driving and now they don’t even want us to text and walk.

That’s because it’s not safe.  You can’t do two things – especially like that – at once.

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Watch4The Lessons

They are simple really. One is for advertisers and the other is for people engaged in any kind of business.

1) Your advertising had better interrupt because, if you’re lucky, people are only halfway paying attention to start.  Grab their attention first and then try to begin the process of winning over their hearts and minds.

2) Focus on one thing at a time when the one thing is something that requires your attention.  Sometimes you can walk and chew gum (or text), but when your mind needs to be engaged it is best to absolutely do one thing at a time.  Otherwise you’ll end up doing neither particularly well.

They say advertising isn’t life and death.  Generally that’s true, though even that can depend on what multitasking duties you marketing and business people are trying to accomplish.  Focus completely instead. You will be better at most everything you do.

Accountability4Growth

About a year and a half ago we hired a business development person at our marketing and advertising firm.

It was a big step for me since prior to that time we had never had an official sales department at our company.  I didn’t have to hire someone else to work in that area – we were growing and business was solid. It was just that the right person came along at a time when I was willing to take the chance to grow.

While she hadn’t officially sold marketing and advertising before, I believed she had the tools to be successful – and she has been – besting her first year sales goal and helping our agency grow.

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Part of our process with her on board was a weekly meeting with me to review our collective progress on sales projects with which we were each working.

Simply put, knowing we’d have to address each sales opportunity created a desire to make sure our work was done. That’s called accountability and it works in other areas just like in sales.

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Decide2Be Consistent

There were weeks we didn’t feel like meeting and times I am sure I didn’t do what I should or could have – likewise for her. But we press on regardless because there is great value in consistency.

So there you have it – accountability and consistency. Not exactly flashy or exciting, but they are two of the greatest drivers of sales and business growth. They are also two of the easiest things to skip – especially in hard times.

Just adding another person (who also happens to be very capable) not only improved our overall sales, but it also forced me to improve my skills and stay on task…and that drove even more growth. In other words, the addition made me better, too.

Decide2Be an Expert

Things seem to happen so fast these days.Of course that’s what people have been saying for generations so it’s kind of hard to tell if it’s really true or just how it “feels”. This I can say…there are so many new things to process and master I really don’t think the average person can do it all.In the marketing and advertising world we’ve seen a proliferation of platforms and tools and ways to get a client’s message to the interested (and possibly the not-aware-they-are-interested) people who are out there. Whether it is traditional media, social media, new media, digital media, or some other yet-to-be-named media, the fact is there are a lot of things to keep track of and I’m convinced one person simply cannot be an expert at everything.

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Manage It4Growth

I’m not saying you should learn everything. And I’m not suggesting you should quit adding new business lines or specialties.

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What I am saying is that there is some benefit to “staying in your lane” and focusing on the core business areas that built your organization and sustained it through the years. Once you’ve got those areas under control (I realize that’s a relative term), then yes, you can evaluate the areas in which you can extend.After all, if my company had only bought electronic media like I planned almost nine years ago, we’d never have legitimately added website design and marketing services, video production, print design, event marketing, and even filmmaking to our list of deliverables.Always look to growth and areas of expansion, yes, but realize also that one person (or even one company) cannot do everything. Recognize as a leader when it makes the most sense to go outside your department or company to get a better solution. And be wise about what you add to your key markets.It’s the fastest way to ensure your continued relevance and success – and keep your sanity.

You Have2Wonder

Grumpy. Edgy. Angry. Or just plain ornery.

Sometimes you come across a person who just rubs you the wrong way. It happens to all of us in business (or education or healthcare or not-for-profit foundation work). That’s because those people are everywhere. Hopefully you aren’t one of them! =)

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Recently, a few teammates at B2C Enterprises met with someone who came off as bristled before they could even mutter a “Hello” to that person. When they got back to the office they asked me what could make a person act that way.

Surprisingly, I actually had an answer.

The Answer4Us

Hurt people hurt people.

Sometimes they are protecting their newly-acquired territory or their lower-than-it-should-be esteem. Often, they are themselves the target of some disdain, drama, or workplace anxiety. No matter the cause of their consternation, they are undoubtedly hurtful when they react to your questions, needs, or even your very presence with vitriol.

So, what do you do? Whether you want to or not, you sometimes have to work with these people regardless of the circumstances. You may as well have a plan – some steps to help you down the treacherous path.

1. Take a deep breath. (Simple, but helpful. Oh, and don’t let them see that’s what you’re doing.)
2. Listen to what they are saying – not how they are saying it.
3. Confirm that you are hearing what they want to communicate.
4. Remember it’s likely their sores that are making them sore. (It actually helps a little bit.)
5. Be professional and take care of your business… then move along.

It’s tempting to try to brighten their day. Sometimes you can and, if you can, you should. Don’t be surprised if you can’t build a bridge with some of these people, though, and don’t feel defeated if you can’t.

After all, if there’s a bridge, then there’s a way for that negativity to come across to you.

Market2Interrupt

What exactly is marketing and how is it different than advertising?

The answer is often like the reference to the oldest, biggest, revenue-generating internet business, “you know it when you see it”.

The same is true for many stores in Roanoke that do such a good job with their window displays. They are attention-getting, artistic, creative, and beautiful. It’s just a window display, but these shops have a reputation now for great presentation. I look on purpose every time I walk by these shops to see what they’ve done and how it looks.

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That's great marketing. 

Market4Sales

Whether it’s packaging, a floor display, directional signage, sales kits, or brochures, marketing supports the way you do your business and how you want others to both view and engage with you.

Advertising is outreach. Marketing is reaching the hearts and minds of the people with whom you’re already connected. The two elements are perpetually interconnected and it’s critical both work strongly and in unison. Advertise to get the attention of the patient, consumer, or client – then market to more deeply involve them or build their warm feelings about your organization.

The thing about the window display is, like so many parts of the marketing and advertising world, it could possibly be labeled as either. I’m interested and curious about that business and, for me, it’s marketing. You are walking down the street and have no awareness of Urban Gypsy so for you it may be advertising. Either way, the window display is interrupting and reflects the business and how it is perceived. It’s a win-win.

So make the things you do to market and advertise your company consistent and interesting – and call it what you wish.