While writing my last blog about event marketing, I realized that barn that I keep my horses at is infamous for event marketing to their marketing strategy.  Honey Tree Stables is located five minutes from Miami University in Oxford, OH.  This means, that a majority of its clients come from the University itself.  While this may seem beneficial to the business, it is extremely hard to capture and maintain services for these customers.

In order to gain customers, the owner, Sarah Oelerich, and several of her employees and clients, must ban together to come up with unique marketing strategies.  Many of these ideas market her business through event marketing.  For example, at the beginning of each school year, Sarah and Honey Tree Stables put on an open house.  Rather than just having the barn open for clients and potential clients to walk through the facility, Sarah has a welcome back party with a band and game festivities.  The band, the pool, and the games allows current and potential clients to interact with each other, for them to get to know Sarah and the other staff, and to have a great experience that will make them come back year after year.  After the party, Honey Tree Stables put up pictures and video footage of the event on its website and invited clients to come and view them online.

Sarah also puts on a number of clinics throughout the year, both with her clients and the Miami Equestrian team.  This allows the community and the internal community to get a taste of what Sarah does.  She markets this through email marketing with the Miami Equestrian Team and the clients, posters throughout Oxford, and creating an experience during the event that makes the customers feel like they are at home.

Without these events, many of Sarah’s customers would not get to experience the culture and fun at Honey Tree Stables.  Without these experiences, it would be hard for Sarah to maintain customers. Sarah and Honey Tree Stables do an amazing job at capturing their audiences through event marketing.  Companies that have a hard target marketing to capture or those that have experiences that they want to sell, should try using event marketing.  They should set up events that promote not only the services that they sell, but that capture the experience a customer has when using the services they offer.  Similar to Honey Tree Stables, companies should hone in on a certain area they would like their customers to experience and then build their event marketing around that.  They will see that event marketing does in fact capture customers and if done right, keeps them coming back for more.

Event marketing is one of the fastest growing marketing strategies in the industry right now.  Whether companies focus on upscale events, street teams, or in-store events, more and more consumers are becoming enthralled with the craze.  While reading articles this past week, I found the following article that talks about the popularity of photographs in event marketing.  Event Marketer magazine suggests that photo activation among consumers during events not only pleases customers by actively participating, but it allows them to continue engaging with the product post-event.  Photographs taken at certain events, if done right, can help create a relationship among consumer and brand.

This past summer and early fall, several companies have focused on photography and the post-event engagement among consumers.  Home Depot has teamed up with NASCAR and College Game Day to help co-sponsor fans getting their photographs taken behind NASCAR scenes and with football hot shots. By giving away a mystery amount gift card when the customer goes to the NASCAR or College Game Day site to get their picture, both companies are gaining customer loyalty.

Oscar Myer has been using its infamous Weinermobile to its advantage this summer.  While most consumers see the weinermobile and whip out their cameras for a photo op, Oscar Myer thought that they would capitalize on consumer interaction and brand loyalty by bringing its mobile to a number of festivals, fairs, stores etc.  They ran their new campaign advertisements and allowed consumers to "get in a picture with the weinermobile." These pictures were then put online in hopes that when fans came to retrieve their pictures they would stock up on other  related products. 

Event marketing is becoming more and more popular among companies as they get tired of traditional marketing strategies.  Engagement with consumers at these events is also helping this marketing strategy take off and become popular among the numbers.

I was inspired today by a great blog post by Seth Godin.  In it, he compares marketers to lawyers, charged not necessarily with telling the truth, but with arguing for the client, their product, their practices, etc.  We're paid to claim that our client's products are the best, even if they are not.  Clients hire us to build email marketing campaigns, event marketing programs, interactive marketing strategies, and other marketing strategy efforts to sell the product or the service, even if it's not the best; even if the customer would be better off with nothing at all, or heaven forbid, a competitor's product.

What about when a client hires a Cincinnati advertising agency like R.O.Why! Marketing?  They want email marketing tips and ROI marketing programs that grow their business.  They need a newsletter and they know that what they need is a newsletter.  But what if they don't?  What if they're wrong?  What if they really need something else?  What if R.O.Why! Marketing isn't right for them?

It's happened before, on each end of the spectrum.  Just this week we landed a client who felt that email marketing was what they needed.  While email marketing does need to be a part of the mix, we believed it was not the right time.  After we considered the ultimate marketing results they were looking for, their culture, the budgets and timeframes, we felt strongly that blogging for business was best for them.  We could have just sold them an email marketing program for more money and more profit.  It would have been easier, but it wasn't right.  Their audience expects more and while we were hired to serve the client, I believe we were really hired to serve their customer.

We've also had to walk away from business because the product couldn't live up to the marketing claims.  The company needed to make dramatic changes to the product itself in order to make it competitive, and good for customers, and worth buying. 

As Seth says "...marketers still have the chance to be believed. But trust belongs to statesmen, not lawyers."

What do you love?

Hate?

Think?

Believe?

Feel?

Wish?

Really interesting project going on right now that's cataloging what people think about.  Culling through thousands of Tweets, Twistori is unearthing what's in our hearts and minds.  What we dream about, yearn for, what we would like more of.  What keeps us up at night.

What about our customers?  Do they really care about blogging for business?  Are their hearts on fire for their brand?  Is event marketing really what makes them tick?  Do they really need more email marketing tips?  Each day, are they incessantly hunting for a new Cincinnati advertising agency?

What do they yearn for?  What keeps them up at night?  How much do we really know about what our customers truly want? 

At the end of the day, I don't think our customers here at R.O.Why! Marketing really care about any of that.  They're not out there trying to buy internet marketing consulting services.  They're not looking for another marketing firm, a print advertising campaign that wins an award (for their agency) or the next great interactive marketing campaign.

Here's what they do want:

1.  More sales
2.  Higher profits
3.  Better service
4.  Fewer hassles
5.  Less bull
6.  Someone (dare it be their agency?) to take their hand and lead them

What's fun about my job is cutting through all the crap, thinking like a business owner for our clients, and leading them to efficient, profitable business growth.  But to do that, you have to know what your customers really care about.  You need a Twistori that reveals your customers' hopes, dreams and fears. 

Alternatively, you could just set your agenda aside and listen to them.

I've been thinking lately on how much technology has changed the way we communicate, particularly email, and how as a result, our customer relationships have changed.  In some ways, I might say that they are even in danger.

What happened to the phone?
In a day & age when communication is so critical, it is amazing to me how many people prefer to use email vs. the phone.  We call it multitasking, or the need to 'document a conversation', but by doing so, aren't you really saying to a customer 'Gee, I really don't feel like talking to you.  It's so much easier for me to whip off this email to you, put the ball in your court, and move on to my next (more valuable) customers.'

We'd rather shoot off 100 emails a day, barely moving the communication along a step or two, when we could just pick up the phone, talk with our customers, and settle the issue at hand, close the deal, or resolve the support issue immediately.  Then there is the issue that email, no matter how well crafted, cannot deliver the proper tone.  An email sent in a hurry can come off as terse.  Capital letters to some mean that you're screaming.  Sales-related questions come off as empty pitches instead of a thought-filled desire to ask engaging questions and learn.

I think customers are craving more personal communication.  Instead we invest in fancy email marketing software that allows us to personalize the email as if it really was written just for them.  We invest in interactive marketing programs and 'one-to-one' direct marketing using PURL technology to mimic what used to take place between two people.

But we need these tools!
Yes, we do, and I'm not suggesting that they don't have their place.  However, I do think our customers are crying out for us to just pick up the phone and call once in a while.  I'm an avid emailer, and every once in a while I catch myself typing up an email and convincing myself that what I really ought to do is call.  So I call, and I'm quickly reminded of how much that small effort makes a difference.

It would have been easier for me to send a recent proposal to the prospective client in an email, based on the requirements discussed a week ago.  Instead I called, talked through the components, shared some pricing, and found out that there were a few other things the client wanted included.  In a 15 minute phone call, I learned that event marketing now needed to be part of the proposal, that a blogging platform might be necessary, and that the budget the client had in mind may not accommodate all of this.  Instead of emailing my proposal, waiting a week, learning that it needed more despite a limited budget, and then redrafting the document, we settled it all in 15 minutes.  That phone call saved days and I connected with the client in a way an email never would.

A few scenarios when the phone is better than email:

1. When you're delivering price information for the first time.  Never let the first time your customer sees price be in an email.  Discuss it with them first & get initial buy in or correction.
2. When delivering bad news of any kind.  You need the customer to hear the empathy in your voice.  An email can't do that.
3. When delivering good news.  This is your chance to shine!
4. Whenever you must disagree with something.  Most of us are passionate about our beliefs and in an email, that passion can come across as arrogance and an unwillingness to listen to all sides.

When in doubt, pick up the phone.

In general, it takes many more words to communicate a message and the intended tone in an email than it does on the phone or in person.  And think of how much you'll stand out?  Your competitors are filling customer inboxes with email.  Call your customers and stand out!

I stumbled upon this website (www.reactee.com) again and was reminded of what a fantastic one-to-one interactive marketing opportunity this is.  I love the fact that it gets attention, creates a reaction, and as marketers we can deliver a highly relevant message back.  Think about the possibilities for this in event marketing. 

Hand out tradeshow-specific shirts and deliver a custom message with an invite to visit a website, check out your blog, follow you on Twitter, or sign up for a webinar or case study download.  These would be great for street teams wanting to create a viral  marketing movement.  Imagine outfitting retail store employees with these shirts.  Text a code, receive a coupon on the spot.  Take your phone to the cash register to redeem it.

In a world where people look at what you wear, t-shirts have for a long time been used as a communication channel.  The problem is that message couldn't change.  Now it can.  I really like the possibilities with this.

Breaking down big revenue goals into actionable steps & aligning with sales

I keep running into sales & marketing alignment 'opportunities' and felt compelled to expand on my thoughts from a few posts ago...

If you're like most marketers, you struggle with how to champion your company's brand, set forth marketing programs that drive revenue and profit objectives, and to align your activities with the efforts of the sales team.  Add the responsibility of conducting ROI marketing and that's a big job!

Often times we see marketing communications strategies that 'swing for the fences'.  After all, that's what heavy hitters do, right?  But in baseball, the most successful players aren't always the home run kings; often they are those that get on base the most.  They hit singles and doubles consistently.

Marketing should do the same.

Now I'm not saying that we should take our eye off our financial targets, or broader brand development objectives, but by breaking down the big goals into smaller, easier-to-achieve milestones, I believe we stand a better chance of scoring big.

When it comes to email marketing, event marketing, interactive marketing, or other such lead-generation programs, focus your marketing communications on the sales cycle.  Focus your marketing strategies on the sales cycle  What steps does your sales team follow today?  I contend that every business has to do 4 things very well:

   1. Attract
   2. Cultivate
   3. Close
   4. Retain

Every sales organization has variations of these basic steps.  For some it's 5 steps, or even 10 or more, but the main objectives are the same.

Next, in which steps of your sales process is the team lacking?  Perhaps you're creating tons of highly qualified sales leads, but failing to cultivate the opportunity.  You might be finding great leads and cultivating well, but fall short at the close.  Proper marketing strategy can play a big role here.  Consider implementing a series of communications designed to mirror these steps in the sales process.

Attract:  Use your Cincinnati advertising agency for brand development and broad market awareness, and search engine optimization and blogging as attraction methods.  Cast a wide net

Cultivate:  Email marketing is built for building and maintaining relationships.  So are event marketing programs and interactive marketing endeavors.  Build an educational video series for your blog, or a strategic customer event to get in front of your market.  Use these opportunities to build a solid understanding of those you serve.

Close:  Of course, nothing happens if you don't make the sale.  Document your past successes and leverage case study programs and customer testimonials.  Deliver 3rd party content and proof of concept.  Demonstrate the use case and ROI.

Retain:  The worst thing you could do to a customer is leave them all alone.  Using the above methods and channels, deliver value added content.  Your email campaigns turn to a nurture marketing approach, offering tips, resources, and ideas on how to get more value.  Your blog is an obvious channel to deliver content from your product managers, engineers and manufacturing staff.  Leverage these channels to constantly collect customer feedback and new use cases.  Let your customers know you're listening and use their insight to improve the product or service, or to even build and entirely new one.

If there's one common mistake we see in small business marketing and that within larger enterprises, it's the fact that marketing communications programs are tasked with too much.  With such big expectations of any one effort, it's tough to deliver and even more difficult to measure.

Break down the big goals.  Create small wins.  Measure success in inches, not miles.  Focus on hitting lots of singles.  It's easier to win and make corrections when you're not swinging for the fences.

I don't think there's a company we've spoken to that didn't want a better return on their marketing investments.  Everyone understands the concept of demanding a tangible ROI from marketing.  The challenge lies in helping clients understand that in order to effectively monetize marketing results, you must break down the initiative into smaller, digestible parts.

Swinging for the Fences
When we evaluate marketing programs, the most common mistake we see, whether it be an interactive marketing program, an event marketing strategy, an email marketing newsletter, or even a brand development effort, is that the promotion itself is trying to accomplish too much.  If we understand the buying process, and embrace all of the steps necessary to take a someone from cold prospect to loyal customer, we can start to shed some light on this.  With the exception of pure impulse buys, how many times has one ad, one email, one promotion causes you to make a major purchase?  We shouldn't expect the same from our customers.

In my experience the best approach is to break down the overall goal of increased revenue into digestible steps that mirror the buying process.  At the simplest level, we need to attract, cultivate, close, and retain.  Now, what should your next print advertisement, tradeshow or customer event marketing program, or email marketing campaign be designed to accomplish?  I might argue that it should be one clearly-defined step in your sales process or the customer's buying process.

For example, if I do a great job of getting people to sign up for a webinar, attend it, download a whitepaper afterward, participate in a demo after that, and discuss their particular requirements with me following the demo, I stand a great chance of developing a solution that meets their needs and closing the sale.  My communications around each of these should focus on accomplishing just that one step.  My goal is to achieve multiple small commitments from a prospective customer that are likely to lead to a signature on the proposal. 

By separating my communications and properly aligning my expectations with the achievement of these small steps in the buying cycle, I stand a much better chance of measuring my success and marketing ROI on each endeavor, and monetizing the results along the entire spectrum of marketing programs.  That's how you build an effective ROI marketing strategy.

R.O.Why! Marketing recently launched two new client websites.

Health Force  For over four years, R.O.Why! Marketing has served as the outsourced marketing department for this national travel nursing and allied health staffing company.  Health Force wanted to take a big leap forward in their overal marketing strategy, brand development, and the level of interaction on their website.  Built with the specific needs of healthcare travelers in mind, the new website allows candidates to build a profile and receive specialized job alerts as opportunities come available.  Travelers can also easily build a customized job cart and apply to many different positions at one time.  Our work now is focused on driving traffic to the new site using search engine optimization, email marketing, print advertising, and soon, a blog just like this one.


IPLogic, Inc. is a leading provider of communications technology solutions across the northeast United States.  Coming off an acquisition of a telephony solutions provider in 2006, the company redeveloped its marketing strategy to better communicate its offerings across the 7 geographic markets in which it now operates.  A series of interactive marketing, email marketing and event marketing programs throughout 2007 culminated in the lauch of the company's new website in early 2008.