From the rooftops...

 Greetings:

There are two schools of thought when it comes to advertising your marketing message...

1. Constant and consistent
2. Loud and Proud

Much of our work is dedicated to development of client strategy for communications and marketing.  A consistent question we receive that I thought would make a great blog post...

How often should I be advertising my marketing message?

Our answer??

Whenever you have something to tell...tell it loud and proud with consistency!

Perfect...so the answer falls squarely between the two schools of thought...nice consulting!  Actually, the reality of life says that EVERYTHING falls between the two certainties...that's Murphy's Law at play!  Consulting advice is nothing different.  The key to great consulting is knowing where and when to apply the strategic pressure...not just that you apply pressure.

So, what am I meaning??

We believe that you advertise WHEN you have a:

• compelling story
• unique product or offer
• cannot wait item or news/interest
• market opportunity

and IF do you have one of these instances... say it LOUD and PROUD...meaning make enough noise in the marketplace that your unique and powerful message is heard!  Then be consistent with that message for as long as your budget can support and the uniqueness stands.

If you don't have of these instances...then be constant and consistent... a drum beat is the description we use.  Be constant and consistent but at a lower level-- you know,  the level just above "not much" and below the "hear us now" levels.

The key is making sure that your investment in advertising is doing the two items it is intended to do....create awareness and generate interest.  To create awareness the market needs to know about it...and to generate interest it has to be relevant and compelling.

That's where the marketing strategy comes into play for the advertising.  Knowing when to hold your cards and investment is sometimes more powerful than playing all of your cards!

So...if you have a compelling and relevant message...Shout it from the ROOFTOPS with all the gusto you can muster!

Cheers!

Bruce

PS>> Look for our announcement of a game-changing Leadership Session coming in the fall!

 

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MarketMatch is a full-service marketing firm, dedicated to the credit union and community banking community.  We utilize knowledge-based strategies to help you FOCUS on the right story that will generate the greatest  MOMENTUM and prove the best RESULTS with our written ROI Guarantee.

See our story here. (click)

Chat with me LIVE! (click)

Or email me directly (click)

937-832-7894 x101

Ready to Flip?

Are you Ready To Flip?

Today is the 2nd of July...the 1st official business day of the 2nd half of 2012.  That's a mouthful...

The bottom-line?

It's time to check in before the calendar flips.

By this time of year, there are typically three things that have changed the landscape from your initial strategic marketing planning.  They are:

1. Budget changes: better or worse than projected performance in income and expense.
2. Strategic shifts: new competitors, economic changes, unforeseen strategy changes.
3. Opportunity: new products, new pricing, new targeting, new information.

Each of these items represents a potential hurdle and certainly mean plan changes.  HOW you attack each one will mean the difference between maximum success and reactive chaos. 

What is your choice?    We hope Maximum Success!

As you prepare for the 2nd half of 2012 there are several key steps that you should take to ensure the last six months of the year measure up to expectations and help you reach your goals. Here are the Top 5 actions to take BEFORE the 4th of July break...

1. Update your STRATEGIC PLAN status.
2. Prepare your COMMUNICATION to the entire organization on the 1st half marketing results.
3. Make a LIST of the THREE biggest obstacles to reaching your 12/31 goals.
4. Generate an ROI estimate for all major upcoming activities and prep the team!
5. Create a list of MODIFICATIONS for the 2nd half of 2012.

With this Top 5 list in hand...you are prepared to FLIP the calendar to the 2nd half of 2012 and hit the ground running toward a successful summit of your 12/31 goals!

Looking to FOCUS your efforts...gain MOMENTUM at a faster pace...or ensure your RESULTS meet your objectives?  Give me a call...

Cheers!

Bruce

PS>> Look for our announcement of a game-changing Leadership Session coming in the fall!

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MarketMatch is a full-service marketing firm, dedicated to the credit union and community banking community.  We utilize knowledge-based strategies to help you FOCUS on the right story that will generate the greatest  MOMENTUM and prove the best RESULTS with our written ROI Guarantee.

See our story here. (click)

Chat with me LIVE! (click)

Or email me directly (click)

937-832-7894 x101

Lead, follow...or Get out of the Way!

Greetings...

The turn of the calendar as we near mid-year...that always brings questions of "where are we" and "are we on course?"... both questions generate the need for a leader to answer. The time to enact change and lead a course correction is now!

Leaders can either be born or created...and great situations create great leaders.  Times or war, internal conflict, economic challenge or simply product maturity all create situations that leaders must prevail if the company is to prevail.  Leaders are ones that are willing to make the hard decisions, ask the tough questions but more importantly they are the ones that get everyone to rally together and great momentum forward.  Is that you?

The one great question to ask of yourself?   Here it is...

Five Qualities of an Effective Leader

Barry Overstreet outlined several qualities that all leaders posses, a few of the most important are:

• Vision- A leader is able to see where they’re headed far into the future.  They stay laser-focused on that vision.
• Attitude- Leaders maintain a positive attitude.  They realize life happens, but they don’t let the bad or negative things affect them long-term.
• Passion- Leaders bring excitement, passion, and intensity to whatever task they devote their time to.
• Servant Mentality- Leaders understand that to get what they want out of business and life, they have to meet others needs and help them to be successful first.
• Perseverance- Leaders don’t quit. Ever. They latch on to their vision and don’t let any obstacle get in their way.  They live by the theory that a failure is simply one step closer to success, and that you just have to get up one more time than you fall down.

Your question for a Monday morning...ready to step up?  Ready to lead?  Ready to make a difference?

Your organization is calling...answer the call!

Cheers...

Bruce

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MarketMatch is a full-service marketing firm, dedicated to the credit union and community banking community.  We utilize knowledge-based strategies to help you FOCUS on the right story that will generate the greatest  MOMENTUM and prove the best RESULTS with our written ROI Guarantee.

See our story here. (click)

Chat with me LIVE! (click)

Or email me directly (click)

937-832-7894 x101

6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon...

Greetings...

If you grew up in the late 80's you knew all about Kevin Bacon... its now a common point of relativity to talk about the "6 degrees of separation" as it applies to Kevin Bacon.  Everyone, within 6 connections, is connected to someone that knows Kevin Bacon.

What are your connections? Who are they connected to?

You challenge for today... manage and grow your connections to reach your "A List" customers and prospects.  Set goals, like the following:

• Reach 5 new connections a week
• Have 2 sit down meetings with mentors/friends a week
• Send out 5 "just touching base" emails/notes a week
• Have 3 new prospects that you are trying to reach each week

We all know the tools... From the good old-fashioned handwritten note (which never goes out of style) to the latest and greatest technology tools...get connected!

LinkedIn

The go-to place for connecting to your future...prospect, customer, employer, referral source.  The key is connecting and then nurturing those connections!  We all know people...and we all have that "one friend" that only reaches out when they want something.  Be the friend that is always there and connected!  (See my LinkedIn Profile)

Twitter

Great for sharing info, following someone and reaching out to "ping" people.  140 characters can go a long way to connect you and keep others informed! (See my Twitter feed)

Email

Treat this like gold...use it to communicate and keep tabs.  Ping friends, share information and keep connected.  Just make sure you add value to the conversations!

The key concept is built around...

Adding, nurturing and leveraging your connections!

How?

• Adding value to all conversations
• Not selling but informing
• Not pushing but leading
• Not "showing people up" but taking the reins

Its all about being the person people want to connect with, share insights with, and hang around!

------------------------------------------------

Cheers!

Bruce Clapp


Want to learn more?  Enroll in the MarketMatch eCollege!  Smart learning online sessions delivered five consecutive Tuesdays with 2.5 CFMP credits for EACH session, tactical advice and a game plan for success!  Enroll here!

MarketMatch is a full-service marketing consulting firm, dedicated to the credit union and community banking community.  We utilize knowledge-based strategies to help you FOCUS on the efforts that will generate MOMENTUM and yield the greatest RESULTS for your bottom line.

Learn more here.

Chat with me LIVE!

Or contact me directly (click here).

Is it Plugged In yet? ...and other mystifying questions!

Yes...

The question came...right after I finished my explanation of my problem and my plea for help.

"Is it plugged in yet?"

Now, I consider myself a smart person.  And I understand that this basic question can certainly offset lots of time spent on deeper troubleshooting, when dealing with a 1st time user.  However, the REAL question is WHY ask this question to a customer that has a proven background and long history of purchases with the firm?

The answer will shock some ... and only shock others because OTHERS are shocked!

    The answer is that they did not know me at all!

Sure, they had my name and account particulars.  Probably had my purchase history handy.  Indeed knew the model I had purchased.  Certainly could access my past service calls.

Did they use that data??  Seems not.

So...my post for today centers around using organizational knowledge assets...seemingly important and routinely available data that can be transformed into knowledge!

When I speak, I frequently share stories about the Ritz Carlton hotel and experiences with their service.  I share, because the stories are amazing... personal guidance to the coffee shop by a contractor, using the name of the guest by each associate, personal notes by the GM.  Stuff of service legend and the envy of many companies.

However, the real essence is that the story HAPPENS because the staff is willing and able to act.

Willing and able...hmmm.  

Willing means that staff is ENGAGED and feels empowered to act because they believe they are part of the solution and the team... and not simply an employee.  Ritz Carlton gets it..and so does their staff!

Able means that the staff is trained, mentored, coached, evaluated and rewarded for their efforts.

Did you know that Zappos (the online retailer) actually offers new staff $2,000 if they quit AFTER the four-week training.  Its designed to weed out those that are not committed to the Zappos way.  Zappos knows that the cost will be immaterial to the potential service risk of a poor employee.

So, getting back to the "is it plugged in yet?" question... more than likely it is not the "fault" of the service rep, but the failure of the leaders to ensure their staff was "willing and able" to use the data at their fingertips and transform it into service knowledge.

Here is how that service call might have gone...

"Mr. Clapp I see that you are a frequent client of "ABC" and I appreciate your continued support.  Knowing that you purchased the XTRA GOOD version, I will move straight into troubleshooting, well beyond simply powering the unit.  Now, with your last call..."

See how the data available was transformed into service knowledge to both engage and delight the customer!  Here is where the caution goes... you don't need a multi-million dollar Oracle database to manage the info...you need a willing and able staff.  Technology certainly helps, but I have seen many expensive systems go unused because of poor training and a disengaged staff!

Next time...how to CREATE a willing and able staff.

Cheers!


Want to learn more?  Enroll in the MarketMatch eCollege!  Smart learning online sessions delivered five consecutive Tuesdays with CFMP credits, tactical advice and a game plan for success!  Enroll here!

MarketMatch is a full-service marketing consulting firm, dedicated to the credit union and community banking community.  We utilize knowledge-based strategies to help you FOCUS on the efforts that will generate MOMENTUM and yield the greatest RESULTS for your bottom line.

Learn more here.

Chat with me LIVE!

Or contact me directly (click here).

What I really need is...

Remember when...

The iPad was not a word, the iPod was a glimmer in Steve Job's eye, "tivo" was not a verb, noun or an understandable word at all!

Yes...the innovators have changed the world.

The financial industry is changing...for the better or for more challenge will remain to be seen...but changing none the less.

Your challenge-- should you decide to accept it-- is to figure out what your client or marketplace "really needs."

BancVue started recent innovation with the "high rate checking, Bank of America came along with "Keep the Change", Huntington Bank added the "24-Hour Grace" and "Asterisk-Free Checking."

Each addressed a fundamental financial need...that was not directly on the surface or clearly spoken by the customer-- but a clearly defined need indeed.  Similar to Tivo, people did not know what they were missing.  To me that is a hallmark of a true innovation-- something not expressly defined as a need by people, but once it arrives, one wonders how they got along with out (just TRY a day without your iPhone!!)

Here are three keys to helping YOUR organization innovate...

• Listen... Intently-- to you customers and your staff.  Their actions WILL show you what they need and what innovations may stick
• Get up close and personal-- the front line of your organization is probably solving the issue right now (the 1st switch kit was born as a sight draft and an industrious teller!)
• I think I can...I think I can-- the best innovations come from areas that are improbable and sometimes from a staff member that may be outside the realm of management...be open to the greatness of the idea!  Some of the greatest ideas started small and in a garage (think HP, Apple, Microsoft!!)

Innovation--- its AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!

Look for it...be open to it...seek it out.  It is there for the taking and your clients will love you for it!

Cheers!

Bruce

MarketMatch is a full-service marketing consulting firm, dedicated to the credit union and community banking community.  We utilize knowledge-based strategies to help you FOCUS on the efforts that will generate MOMENTUM and yield the greatest RESULTS for your bottom line.

Learn more here.

Chat with me LIVE!

Or contact me directly (click here).

Friday...the end or the beginning?

Happy Friday everyone...

But Friday's pose a question that helps us determine the MOST successful and those that are successful some of the time.

The question...

                     Is Friday the end of the week... or the beginning of the next week?

My answer... its the end of the week for those that are successful some of the time and the beginning of the week for the most successful!

Here is a "game changer" thought to ponder...

• Make Friday the 1st day of planning for the next week
• Make Friday the 1st day of retro review for this week

 Hope you have a GREAT Friday...

Cheers!

Bruce

1 Down 11 To Go

I remember one January working out at the gym and hearing a guy complain to his buddy about how busy it was. His buddy's reply? "Just wait until February, it'll slow back down."

And you know, he's right! We start off the new year with the best of intentions and great "resolutions," but by February many of those intentions are forgotten when day-to-day life takes over.

Well, my friends, it's February. And how are YOUR best intentions doing?

• Have you measured your January promotions in terms of ROI?
• Have you married all of your 2010 Marketing Strategies with your institution's Business Objectives?
• Have you identified a handful of key segments? Have you reached out to them yet?
• Are you starting to see the loan growth/checking growth/new customers?

I know, because I've been there. When you're dealing with branch issues, changing regulations, internal communications, what color ink to order the pens in this year and meetings about when to have the next meeting - it's darn hard to focus on the key strategic initiatives. Sometimes that's where looking to an outside firm is justified - to get help from someone without all of the internal, day-to-day distractions. Someone to help you stay focused on your key strategies.

Take care,

Eric