Touch points to Tipping Point

One of the frequent and anxious question asked by the client to ad-agency is ..

"I spent Rs. 40000 on that news-paper ad!
 I got only 4 phone-calls. Why?"

"I distributed 10000 leaflets last week!
 Only 7 Customers walked in! Why?"

Sometimes, the ad-agency is even accused of making the client over-spend or for bad creative execution.

This anguish is pretty reasonable, if the Client's Product is of reasonable quality, the price is competitive and it does satisfy some specific need of the target audience. The Client expected the target audience to respond, but he is left grumbling - 

“I have offered a fair deal.
Why is the Customer not coming in and purchasing the product?!”

Why this big difference between Expectation and Reality, when it comes to generating sales?!

Well, the marketing reality which one finds out over time is -
"Customers don't make a purchasing decision impulsively;
especially, more the value of the purchase, more the Customer deliberates."

Why this deliberation?
A potential customer needs reassurance of his choice and this happens over a sequence of Touchpoints with the brand. 

A typical scenario will be as follows -
Let’s assume you are keen to buy a car. Unconsciously you start noticing car advertisements - (Touchpoint No:1).
Then you keep staring at various makes and models of cars, while commuting. In course of time your heart starts short-listing some favourites - (Touchpoint No:2). 
One day while filling up fuel you strike up a conversation with the driver of the nearby car, which is one of your short-listed choice - (Touchpoint No:3). 
Another time, you pick up a auto magazine and read a review of the car - (Touchpoint No:4). 
You pick the brain of the mechanic, at the garage where you go regularly (Touchpoint No:5). 
In the meanwhile you see more of advertisements of the car you like most (Touchpoint No:6).
You go online and read various review sites. You compare your choice with competing models (Touchpoint No:7). 
You go to the car dealer and experience a test drive(Touchpoint No:8).
Now you have decided in favour of the car and sit down with your chequebook.

A minimum of 7 touchpoints with the brand has to happen, before the tipping point to make the purchase decision happens.

The critical point for the Client to note, every touchpoint has to reassure the Customer and reinforce his initial opinion. Your product, pricing and promotion has to work coherently, without any dissonance.

So next time, don’t panic if the Customer doesn’t come barging in immediately after seeing your advertisement. Give him time and nurture him till the tipping point.

(In the next blog, I will talk of the kinds of Customers, which is another variable affecting the purchase decision.)
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Please leave your comments and suggestions below.

If you like this post, share it with your friends using the Social links on the right side of this post

……………………………………………………………………………………
SreeRam is a marketing communications consultant for SMBs – based in Chennai, South India.
The work of his consultancy firm can be viewed by clicking on NATHAN’S MEDIA GROUP.
He can be reached by calling 0-934 000 66 00 or mailing - nathansmedia@gmail.com

Case Study Papers - How to make them a killer marcom tool

 Recently the design team at my client eNoah Solutions wanted to pick my brain on the case-studies they would like to have on their website. I told them I will come back to them with a structure and sat down to write the salient points of a good case-study paper.
Then it dawned on me "Why not use this opportunity to practice what I preach!" So here its a sample case study on case-study!
(Right Click on the image below and open in NEW WINDOW for a readable view)

CASE-STUDY PAPER

Had fun doing this.. so more to follow on similar communication tools
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Please leave your comments and suggestions below.

If you like this post, share it with your friends using the Social links on the right side of this post

……………………………………………………………………………………
SreeRam is a marketing communications consultant for SMBs – based in Chennai, South India.
The work of his consultancy firm can be viewed by clicking on NATHAN’S MEDIA GROUP.
He can be reached by calling 0-934 000 66 00 or mailing - nathansmedia@gmail.com

5 ways to be a success on Facebook

5 ways to be a success on Facebook -

         1.       Be Regular

         2.       Be Relevant

         3.       Be Fun

         4.       Be Varied

         5.       Be Family

Earlier I had given tips on better blogging, effective emails and productive PR. Now I share a few tips on facebook marketing, after running my personal page and a page for passion/business- since 2008.

Be Regular -

·         * Anything done in a sporadic manner lacks credibility.

      Your audience will start doubting your commitment to them.

·        *  Even in bad times don't stop communicating.
      A classic example from politics is DMK leader Karunanidhi. He was out of power for 14 years when MGR was Chief Minister of TamilNadu. But Karuna held the DMK party together through the trough. DMK's vote share took only a small beating, since he was engaging his cadres with activities. Eventually, when MGR died, Karuna could win the next election easily – after 14 years!

That’s the power of constant engagement.

Be Relevant -

·        *  Fix objectives for your page.
Ask yourself "Why I am communicating on FB? What am I trying to achieve?" Once the goal is defined, all your posts, replies and comments should reinforce that objective.

·         * What could be the Objectives, is a separate post, which will follow at a later date.

·         However tempting it may be to post something interesting but not relevant to the product / service, DON’T post.

You are giving your audience opportunity to go off on a tangent.
If it happens regularly, your community will stop looking at you as a subject-matter expert. The intense committed audience will go away and you will be left with the periphery crowd.  

Your rejoinder may be "Won't I bore my audience?!"

Be Fun -

·         * Sticking to the objective doesn't necessarily mean you have to dour and monotonous.
 Change your tone and let your hair down once in a while. That will be refreshing.

·         * Take off the Teacher or Parent hat and wear the Friend hat once in a while
Being academic and always advising is one of the effective ways of putting off your people. Haven't we seen enough self-righteous Teachers and Parents!

Be Varied -

·        *  Engage your audience with multimedia.
Even while not deviating from the core offering, give images, jokes, real incidents, blogs, news and videos. Research has clearly shown that a post with visual content has higher chances of getting read than a plain text one.

·         * Remember you are creating touch points with somebody
Even if you don’t see Likes or Comments don't give up. Be pragmatic to the fact that majority don’t take the effort to react openly in a forum.
I post cartoons regularly on my personal page. When I meet some friends they mention they loved some cartoon of mine, even though they haven’t responded on the page. That’s how some people are! Accept it.

Be Family -

·         * Do NOT assume all conversations have to originate from you.
Encourage people to have their own discussions, as long as it is relevant.

·         * It’s a sign of a good healthy community, when all participants talk and interact amongst themselves.
You can be happy you have done your job in converting 'your' facebook page to 'their' page

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Please leave your comments and suggestions below.

If you like this post, share it with your friends using the Social links on the right side of this post

……………………………………………………………………………………
SreeRam is a marketing communications consultant for SMBs – based in Chennai, South India.
The work of his consultancy firm can be viewed by clicking on NATHAN’S MEDIA GROUP.
He can be reached by calling 0-934 000 66 00 or mailing - nathansmedia@gmail.com

TIPS ON BLOGGING

"Ever since her grand son taught her to blog,
she never pampers us"

Everybody and his uncle is into blogging.. 

which just shows how dormant creativity is waiting to be unleashed inside everyone of us.

Here are some tips to make your blogs more engaging.. 

Imperative if you are blogging with a commercial agenda …
just useful if you are blogging to make the world know your viewpoint.

MAKE YOUR BLOG POSTS SHORT

• Ideally the posts should be between 300 to 500 words.
• Don't demand people's attention for more than a few minutes.

TREAT BLOGS LIKE A SHORT STORY

• One Post = One Idea
• Take one idea and stick to it. No need for extensive elaboration.
  
  in other words...

 ENTER LATE. EXIT EARLY

• This is a rule in constructing a scene in movies - Without getting embroiled in what happened before this scene, the narration starts with some minimum cues to make sense for the viewer..and, once the purpose of the scene in the story is served, narration moves on to next scene.
• Similarly, edit your preamble and summing ups.

ATLEAST BE HUMOUROUS, IF YOU CANNOT BE FUNNY

• Everybody likes to smile..so avoid being morose and monotonous.

IF YOU CAN’T BE HUMOUROUS, ATLEAST BE PASSIONATE

• Bare your heart and be provocative
• Remember, you can be either loved or hated, but never ignored.

IF YOUR SUBJECT IS SERIOUS OR ELABORATE, MAKE IT AN EXTERNAL LINK

• If your subject is serious and cannot brook any dilution, make the blog post short and indicate what the reader can expect if he wants to dig down further, by clicking that link.

BE CONSISTENT IN TONE & CONTENT

• Branding is a long term exercise and it’s all about taking up a Character & Attitude.
• So your language and presentation should be consistent enough to reinforce the mental image you want to portray.

BE REGULAR

• ..unlike me.

     SreeRam, Communications Consultant,
Chennai, India.

     9340006600, nathansmedia@gmail.com
FACEBOOK - http://bit.ly/nmg_fb
LINKED IN -  http://in.linkedin.com/in/ksr96
TWEET - @kravMagaSreeRam

Is it PR? When courier boys become power brokers!

When courier boys become power brokers

"...in any ministry, if there is no vested interest in a proposal, nobody is interested to push it forward and upward. It gets a silent burial."

Last month, just a few days before the Nira Radia tapes kicked up dirt, I was in a radio debate on the "future of PR", which was moderated by Sanjay Pinto, of NDTV.
Sanjay Pinto, at one point, strongly made a statement that the PR fraternity were mostly doing a 'courier' job. Oh yeah! I smugly smirk now since Nira Radia just proved what heights a proactive 'courier' girl can reach!

Lobbying - is the second oldest profession
Lobbying to get the attention of powers-that-be towards an issue did not start with Nira Radia. All the industrial bodies were formed to collectively conduit the aspirations of an industry. What do CII, NASSCOM or any industrial body do in the months before the March budget presentation? Go to Tirupathi and pray?
Come on now, grow up, please. Accept the reality in any system where there is concentration of power, influencers will thrive like amoeba. In the corridors of power at Delhi or any nation's capital, every file in every ministry has the tag of a lobbyist.
In fact, in any ministry, if there is no vested interest in a proposal, nobody is interested to push it forward and upward. It gets a silent burial.

Have’t YOU lobbied?
Everybody who snort self-righteously and bemoan the state-of-the-nation should ask themselves whether they have patiently waited for the school's decision in giving admission to their son or daughter. How many contacts they would have tapped into to reach the correspondent or the Head mistress?!

Don’t equate PR with lobbying
PR is much more than mere Lobbying. Content marketing or collaborative marketing using social media apart from traditional channels will become the mainstay of the PR industry.
Unfortunately, since PR industry has no entry criteria, the influencers who have no other apparent skills, cloak their murky services under the euphemism of PR. That provides them a formal front.

What the PR industry should do
Like the advertising industry which has unified to provide diploma courses, the PR industry should come together and make a curriculum. At least a short course will set the path for giving a semblance of professionalism and be a step in regaining respectability. 

SreeRam, Communications Consultant, Chennai, India.
9340006600, nathansmedia@gmail.com

MARCOM BLOG -  http://marketing-communications-ksr.blogspot.com/
FACEBOOK - http://bit.ly/nmg_fb
LINKED IN -  http://in.linkedin.com/in/ksr960
TWEET - @kravMagaSreeRam

How to write better Email that retains the reader?

The 13 points which will hold a reader, who is making a choice of what to read from the numerous emails flooding his in-box -
   1. Ask the 4 Key Questions before you begin to write -
          * What am I selling (at emotional level)?
          * To whom am I selling?
          * Why am I selling this now (will it make sense to the customer)?
          * What do I want my reader to do (Calls to Action)?
   2. Consider Your Font Style: Sans-serif fonts, such as Arial, Verdana and Helvetica, are easier to read online than serif. If people find it difficult to read your copy, they won't!
   3. Read Your Copy out loud: This will help you hear what your readers hear.
   4. Cut the Clutter: William Zinsser wrote that "clutter is the disease of American writing." The quickest way to improve your copy is by removing any uneccesary words such as "that"or "to."
   5. Use the Rhythm of 3: List your examples in groups of three. The Rhythm gives a great cadance to your copy.
   6. Use Bucket Brigade Words: Bucket brigade words help you move your copy forward. They include remember, and, but, consider, however, for example..and more!
   7. Vary Sentence Length: It is important to vary your sentence length to hold your reader's attention. And don't be afraid to use sentence fragments - this isn't your college English class!
   8. Differentiate Between Features vs. Benefits: Features are what the product has. Benefits are what it will provide the customers. The customer will always ask, "What's in it for me?" Be sure you tell them.
   9. Write In the Second Person: Focus on one person (you/your) rather than a group (our customers). This makes your reader feel special and highlights how the product can benefit them.
  10. Write Less Copy: People read 25% slower online than offline, so you need to write less copy so they will read it.
  11. Don't Hide Your Key Points: Keep your most important points at the beginning of paragraphs, bullets and lists.
  12. Keep Paragraphs Short: Make sure your paragraphs are no more than 3 lines long. Otherwise you might lose your reader's attention.
  13. Remember Odd vs. Even: Odd numbers are easier to remember than even, so use an odd number whenever possible.
.....................................................................

SreeRam, Communications Consultant, Chennai, India.
9340006600, nathansmedia@gmail.com

MARCOM BLOG -  http://marketing-communications-ksr.blogspot.com/
FACEBOOK - http://bit.ly/nmg_fb
LINKED IN -  http://in.linkedin.com/in/ksr960
TWEET - @kravMagaSreeRam

SOCIAL MEDIA - HOW WILL IT AFFECT TV

The characteristics of Social media are –

·         Customized media feeds, tailored to individual need

·         Citizen journalism

·         Convergence - the same content reaching the public through various channels
( Conventional medium, Internet and Mobile)

These 3 dominant trends, which have affected the other mass-media channels like print, is catching up on TV too. Today major content creators like CNN and BBC have their footprint in varied channels apart from TV.
Down the line, to view TV programs we won’t need a TV!

The die-hard cynics will laugh at this, no doubt.
They will point out News papers did not die after TV news became popular.
They will point out movie going did not die after TV reached the mass.
They will point out radio did not die after TV became the entertainment vehicle.
Agreed!

But look at the usage share, the mind share, the revenue share.
The consumer does not rely on one single channel of media to catch up. He uses each medium at his convenience.
Newspaper for morning coffee and the loo.
Radio for commuting.
Internet for work, communication and pursuit of interests
TV for unwinding after a stressful day or specific events.

For entertainment, the share of time in front of the computer monitor is increasing; especially after the social media. Why?

·         The choices are plenty.

·         My peers' opinions are ready for me.

·         The measurement metrics tells me exactly how popular the particular content is.

·         The timing is to my convenience.

·         and above all, I can voice my opinion and convey it to my community immediately.

So satisfying!

Like any efficient life form which has survived millions of years by adapting to changing conditions, TV also will survive. But TV will survive by taking different avatars. The evolution is slow but sure.
Still doubtful?! Go to www.hulu.com.

SreeRam is a Chennai based marcom professional.
Connect on FACEBOOK
View profile in LINKED IN

SOCIAL MEDIA - HOW WILL IT AFFECT TV

The characteristics of Social media are –

·         Customized media feeds, tailored to individual need

·         Citizen journalism

·         Convergence - the same content reaching the public through various channels
( Conventional medium, Internet and Mobile)

These 3 dominant trends, which have affected the other mass-media channels like print, is catching up on TV too. Today major content creators like CNN and BBC have their footprint in varied channels apart from TV.
Down the line, to view TV programs we won’t need a TV!

The die-hard cynics will laugh at this, no doubt.
They will point out News papers did not die after TV news became popular.
They will point out movie going did not die after TV reached the mass.
They will point out radio did not die after TV became the entertainment vehicle.
Agreed!

But look at the usage share, the mind share, the revenue share.
The consumer does not rely on one single channel of media to catch up. He uses each medium at his convenience.
Newspaper for morning coffee and the loo.
Radio for commuting.
Internet for work, communication and pursuit of interests
TV for unwinding after a stressful day or specific events.

For entertainment, the share of time in front of the computer monitor is increasing; especially after the social media. Why?

·         The choices are plenty.

·         My peers' opinions are ready for me.

·         The measurement metrics tells me exactly how popular the particular content is.

·         The timing is to my convenience.

·         and above all, I can voice my opinion and convey it to my community immediately.

So satisfying!

Like any efficient life form which has survived millions of years by adapting to changing conditions, TV also will survive. But TV will survive by taking different avatars. The evolution is slow but sure.
Still doubtful?! Go to www.hulu.com.

SreeRam is a Chennai based communications consultant. He is also a passionate artist and writer.
FACEBOOK - http://bit.ly/nmg_fb
LINKED IN -  http://in.linkedin.com/in/ksr960

How to brief an ad agency - Part 3 How to respond to the agency's creative presentation

How to respond to the agency's creative presentation

The agency's creative presentation, especially the first time, is a critical phase. Till then both the Client and the Agency were talking tangibles and forming opinions. It’s only during the creative presentation these opinions are either reinforced or reversed.

How to judge an Idea?

It could produce a "WOW" or "hmmm". Every one of us have our likes and dislikes, which will influence the supposedly objective view.
Very tough, but anyway let’s try to get some clarity.

1) If it’s a Good idea say so and proceed further.

2) If upfront the Idea doesn’t tingle you, you need NOT overtly say so. The agency will know you are nowhere nearing an orgasm.

3) If the agency tries to push the Idea aggressively, tell them you are NOT looking from your perspective but from your customers' perspective. They can’t argue with that, since you are closer to your customers than they will ever be.

If the agency claims understanding your customer without any research support, point out how they are off the mark with your statistics. That should silence the "Google pundits"

4) Even if the Idea is not exciting you as a client, analyze whether the agency has put in quality energy into its idea. This can be found out by asking probing questions on the various elements of the Idea - like the Headline, Choice of visuals, Colors or back ground music and so on. If the agency has thought through it you will get coherent responses.

5) If you feel the ad agency has put in a genuine effort but missed the route, point out specifics.

Avoid responses like “It lacks PUNCH" or “It’s good but NO DHUM". These will only make the agency go back, put brighter colors, make the headline fonts bigger and comeback to you with a rehash. Or similar patch up work in the case of a TV spot or a radio jingle.

So please be specific on what bothers you.

6) If you as a client is sitting with your team, discourage herd mentality. Whatever the client's senior man says should not be reinforced in different ways for the sake of giving a single voice. The agency will be deflated.

Remember even though many creative professionals claim they like challenges, they generally tend to react to criticism with aggressive defense or silent frustration.

7) But DONT reject the agency based on ONE creative presentation. Especially if it’s the first one, give them time to go through the learning curve.

After that it’s your prerogative.

Some suggestions -

• Most of the agencies present Half page in newspaper size or magazine double spread size creatives. They look really impressive in isolation.

• If you cannot sustain that kind of media spend insist on seeing smaller size adaptations.

• Paste a printout of the creative in actual context and judge how it performs in reality. 

Probably we should have a series of articles on best practices in Print, Radio, TV, Outdoor and Online advertising. Some other day. That depends on your feedback to this article.

SreeRam is a Chennai based marcom professional.
Connect on FACEBOOK
View profile in LINKED IN

How to brief an ad agency? Part 2

Factor 2 - Giving a coherent brief

Half the job is done by giving a coherent brief. The reality is many of the clients wax eloquent as they are in love with their offering. The agencies struggle to separate the brief from the chaff.

The best way to start is by giving the agency a tangible fact sheet. Send the agency back to mull over it and come back for a qualitative discussion.

What should this initial fact sheet contain, preferably in an A4 sheet? 

• Product definition

• The market for it - demographic, geographic or any relevant segments

• The players in the market -

• Your product's differentiators -

• If possible, your indicative budget -

If the client can’t put this down in B&W, it’s unreasonable to expect the agency to comprehend the task at hand.

Many of the big spenders do have a defined brief template. It’s the SMEs, who are not familiar with agency-handling, need to start the relationship with such good practices.

The exploratory kiss is an indicator of exciting things to follow. (OK...That’s another proven advertising device...to bring an element of sex and whet the appetite)

SreeRam is a Chennai based marcom professional.
Connect on FACEBOOK
View profile in LINKED IN