Marketing pros working in the professional services sector get the shaft in a lot of ways. Often we're dealing with small budgets, clientele or management wildly out of their comfort zone and, let's face it, nothing incredibly exciting to sell. In the eyes of target audiences, professional service firms are regularly seen as just another office schlump peddling their crap which is exactly the same as the next guy's crap. Yuck! I wouldn't want anything to do with that either.
What's a company to do?
a) Sit back and do nothing. EHHH!
b) Do a bunch of crap and hope something sticks. NOPE!
c) Painfully write a check each month going towards things that don't work. WRONG!
d) Work with a strategic partner that knows the marketing side of things as well as you know the industry (consulting, law, accounting, HR, etc., etc.) side of things and is the ideal complement to your objectives. DING DING!
John Doerr wrote an excellent article about many of the pitfalls that our professional service clients challenge us with everyday: http://www.servicesmarketingblog.com/top-10-lead-generation-mistakes-made-by-professional-services.
Excellent points, Mr. Doerr, and so true. A line of thought that I encounter frequently is the idea that in professional services customer relationships and leads are so heavily based on a personal relationship that marketing is altogether pointless. How silly. For starters, marketing can and should involve tactics to retain customers. So, what are you offering loyal customers to stay around, beyond the convenience of not having to switch providers because you do a "fine job"? And how long can that really last? Secondly, to Doerr's point, what happens when your personal network runs out? If a business owner is satisfied to maintain a certain size company, number of employees and revenue, there's no marketing tactic I or anyone else can offer that they'll find value or purpose in doing.
One thing that a professional services firm CEO with any reservations or skepticism can agree to is that some level of marketing is essential to company growth. Yes, there are many challenges in marketing professional services, but wouldn't it be great if you didn't have to worry about those challenges much at all? Think about this, all businesses hire an accountant, a payroll company, a law firm and so on to manage matters that are beyond your roles and breadth of expertise (clue: marketing agencies are also in that bucket).
There is something to be said for the b-to-b companies that make branding, company image, customer communications, lead generation and marketing strategy a priority. They look good, stand out and people notice. Don't be just another fill-in-the-blank type of b-to-b schlump making cold calls and running ads to no avail, get marketing that works!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Every Other Minute
In the busy PR professional services world keeping up with clients and news, the work day is often a fast-paced churn and burn of tasks. Different times at day's end, I have spoken to a colleague about feeling as though I hadn't really completed anything in entirety because something new and immediate kept coming up, requiring a gear shift.
I might say something like, "Every other minute I was addressing a new project, client, etc. I couldn't really focus on any one task." Thinking I was using hyperbole to describe my feelings, turns out this description could have been pretty accurate.
According to a recent study, people are switching media uses 27 times per hour. This is, first of all, mind-boggling, and secondly, a real topic to be reckoned with in multiple functions of marketing. I knew cutting through the clutter was tough, but now we have to cut through the clutter with a message that has less than 60 seconds to grab the attention of, engage and resonate for a customer. Our windows of opportunity are becoming smaller and smaller.
I might say something like, "Every other minute I was addressing a new project, client, etc. I couldn't really focus on any one task." Thinking I was using hyperbole to describe my feelings, turns out this description could have been pretty accurate.
According to a recent study, people are switching media uses 27 times per hour. This is, first of all, mind-boggling, and secondly, a real topic to be reckoned with in multiple functions of marketing. I knew cutting through the clutter was tough, but now we have to cut through the clutter with a message that has less than 60 seconds to grab the attention of, engage and resonate for a customer. Our windows of opportunity are becoming smaller and smaller.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Settling into Q1
It's the second week in February and I'm finally settling into the year 2012. All of the buzz about trend predictions has died down and we are getting a real feel for how the industry is shaping up this year. One thing I am definitely keeping an eye on is the measurement issue.
I've been sitting with this article from PR Squared for a few weeks.
I've been sitting with this article from PR Squared for a few weeks.
THE MEASUREMENT SILVER BULLET DOES NOT EXIST – SO STOP SEARCHING
Of the many articles I've read on the subject, this one really resonated. Measuring standards have certainly been an influence lurking among marketing departments for decades. However, as more and more neato tools and channels spring up, the demand for ROI increases. In my view, this "show me the money" notion seems contrary in many ways to the direction marketing strategy has taken in recent years. Concepts like channel integration and engaging with customers conversationally and through brand "stories" all go in a direction away from rigid measurement systems.
Yet, I'm faced constantly with this topic and clients who are after the hard and fast numbers. As the article suggests, clear cut ways to measure every marketing tactic do not exist. I want to provide value for clients and I'm on a mission to fight the evil influence the whole of marketing is a bunch of fluff and guff.
But, what do businesses really want? Something that works. Something that helps them to grow. Marketing is an elaborate ecosystem dependent on many aspects of a business. Personally, I think generally effective standard of measurement is if it is not hurting, it is probably helping. However, when something is working really well in marketing, it is obvious. People take notice. Customers take notice. Investors take notice. Good marketing moves the needle on the bottom line. This looks different for every business. No single tactic is a silver bullet. No ad equivalent, increase in likes or number of views independently reflects a great measurement of success. Instead, the value lies in what the article, post or video is moving customers to do.
Yet, I'm faced constantly with this topic and clients who are after the hard and fast numbers. As the article suggests, clear cut ways to measure every marketing tactic do not exist. I want to provide value for clients and I'm on a mission to fight the evil influence the whole of marketing is a bunch of fluff and guff.
But, what do businesses really want? Something that works. Something that helps them to grow. Marketing is an elaborate ecosystem dependent on many aspects of a business. Personally, I think generally effective standard of measurement is if it is not hurting, it is probably helping. However, when something is working really well in marketing, it is obvious. People take notice. Customers take notice. Investors take notice. Good marketing moves the needle on the bottom line. This looks different for every business. No single tactic is a silver bullet. No ad equivalent, increase in likes or number of views independently reflects a great measurement of success. Instead, the value lies in what the article, post or video is moving customers to do.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Tis the Season for Cause Marketing
Okay, so it seems obvious but, the holiday season really is an ideal time to kick off that philanthropy program your company has been thinking about. The need is great and everyone's charities and non-profit events of choice are front and center with local media outlets.
However, there are a couple of things to be aware of when planning a cause marketing program. Not that your company and it's employees can't have multiple engagements in the non-profit arena, and should, but, if you want to use it as a means of marketing your company and the organization being helped, there are a couple of basic rules to follow.
See some really great tips, including one from Eisen's president, Rodger Roeser, in this Marketing Zone article.
While I'm on the subject, I am going to shamelessly plug our agency's 2011 holiday cause. We're collecting laundry and dish detergents for our friends at The Brighton Center in Northern Kentucky. See the full release here to find out how to contribute.
However, there are a couple of things to be aware of when planning a cause marketing program. Not that your company and it's employees can't have multiple engagements in the non-profit arena, and should, but, if you want to use it as a means of marketing your company and the organization being helped, there are a couple of basic rules to follow.
See some really great tips, including one from Eisen's president, Rodger Roeser, in this Marketing Zone article.
While I'm on the subject, I am going to shamelessly plug our agency's 2011 holiday cause. We're collecting laundry and dish detergents for our friends at The Brighton Center in Northern Kentucky. See the full release here to find out how to contribute.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Social Media Mayhem
Tons of buzz surrounding social media and the new Facebook changes has been everywhere from my local news casts to the top marketing outlets in recent weeks. What does it all mean? I came across an article this morning that lays it out nicely, at least from the marketer's point of view.
Patrick Schwerdtfeger on http://blog.commpro.biz/marketinghq articulated one of the more positive spins on the changes that I have seen. Although the new rules from Facebook are changing the way we engage customers and generate leads, as Schwerdtfeger points out, the end result is more meaningful. Connections being made now, will be with the most loyal customers and the prospects with the greatest interest in your company and the messages being shared. Even as someone who works primarily in B2B, the new Facebook is crystallizing social media's role and purpose for clients by shifting the focus from number of likes, friends, etc. to a touch point more akin to traditional professional relationship building.
Only time will tell if these changes will "put the fun back into Facebook" as Schwerdtfeger suggests. Marketers will certainly have their ears to the ground for feedback from customers in the meantime.
Patrick Schwerdtfeger on http://blog.commpro.biz/marketinghq articulated one of the more positive spins on the changes that I have seen. Although the new rules from Facebook are changing the way we engage customers and generate leads, as Schwerdtfeger points out, the end result is more meaningful. Connections being made now, will be with the most loyal customers and the prospects with the greatest interest in your company and the messages being shared. Even as someone who works primarily in B2B, the new Facebook is crystallizing social media's role and purpose for clients by shifting the focus from number of likes, friends, etc. to a touch point more akin to traditional professional relationship building.
Only time will tell if these changes will "put the fun back into Facebook" as Schwerdtfeger suggests. Marketers will certainly have their ears to the ground for feedback from customers in the meantime.
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