Twitter yields unexpected surprise

You never know what can result from a Twitter message. I follow many Valley reporters on Twitter. In return, some follow me. Tram Mai, host of Valley Dish on KPNX, is one.

I was watching her show one Friday afternoon and heard that her birthday was that Sunday. I decided to send her birthday greetings through a direct message on Twitter Sunday night. I also mentioned that I liked her show and that I had bought the ingredients over the weekend to make the chicken tortilla soup that was to be featured the next day.

On Monday, Tram replied back to my message about an hour before the show. I thought that was nice of her. I'm sure she receives dozens of messages daily. During the show, she mentioned that viewers have stopped her at the grocery store to talk about Valley Dish. She said she had checked her messages before the show and that people like Teresa Verbout in Chandler had already bought ingredients.

I was stunned. Of course, one of my first thoughts was why couldn't she have said my company's name, but that's just the PR professional in me. Throughout the 30-minute show, she said my full name again and my first name at the end.

I can't measure the return on investment this will bring. I'm not expecting to gain a client from the three broadcast mentions, but the fact that Tram Mai remembers me is enough. And maybe someday that relationship will help one of my clients.

Are marketing opportunities staring at you?

Are you taking advantage of marketing opportunities that come your way? Currently, Office Max is airing a commercial that shows a hometown barber watching a big chain hair salon move across the street. The chain advertises $6 haircuts, which will undercut (no pun intended) the barber. The barber visits Office Max and buys a large banner that reads "We fix $6 haircuts." In five months, the big chain closes and the hometown barber is still in business.

The commercial is timely as we watch small companies fight for business against bigger corporations. But it also illustrates how the small guy can compete. It isn't always about the best price, but quality. In the Office Max spot, the hometown barber uses the opportunity to promote his skillful abilities by repairing the "damage" done by the big chain.

What makes your company different? Are there opportunities that you can be using to promote your skills? A SWOT analysis can help you to determine such situations. A SWOT is a review of your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. After you have made a list of the four areas, take your strength list and determine how you can match your strengths against the items on your opportunity list and then match the strengths against the threat list. Now do the same with the weaknesses and the opportunity and threat lists. You should have a list of marketing strategies when you are finished.

 Sometimes owners need an outsider's perspective to help with this exercise. It's difficult to admit weaknesses and to determine threats. It's even more difficult to know how to link the SWOT together. Excel Creative can help companies walk through this exercise by facilitating a group discussion. Don't let an opportunity slip away.

The Best and Worst of Super Bowl Ads

Doritos ad contest paid off in a big way, with the snack maker having several funny ads during the Super Bowl. Bud Light, for the most part, had cute commercials, although I'm putting one ad in my Top Five worst. And shockingly, I didn't see much cleavage in Go Daddy's annual spots with Danica Patrick.

I didn't put the McDonald's commercial in the Top Five, but it should have an honorable mention. The ad has Dwight Howard and LeBron James playing basketball for a McDonald's meal, which at the end is taken by Larry Bird. Déjà vu. The ad is similar to the commercial that Larry Bird and Michael Jordan made for McDonald's nearly 20 years ago.

Here are my Top Five Best Commercials and Top Five Worst Commercials.

Top Five Best Commercials:

1. Doritos' four spots: I can't pick. All the spots were funny. Doritos held a contest so viewers could vote online for spots created by consumers. The top three spots would be shown during the Super Bowl. One had a dog removing its bark collar and putting it on its owner, then barking. The dog then gets the chips. The second has a little boy telling his mom's date to keep the hands off mama and the Doritos. The third takes place during a funeral with a young man lying in the coffin filled with Doritos while he watches the Super Bowl on a tiny TV. The coffin tips over and a friend covers for the young man by yelling, "It's a miracle!"  Another ad has two guys working out in a gym when one takes the Doritos out of Tim's locker. The other guy warns his friend to hide the chips because Tim loves Doritos. Dressed in Doritos armor, Tim then knocks out the guys by throwing lethal chips. The ad creators receive $400,000, $600,000 or $1 million depending on how many votes their spot received.

2. The Late Show: Imagine a close-up of David Letterman complaining about it being the worst Super Bowl party. As the camera zooms out, he is sitting next to Oprah, and on Oprah's other side sits Jay Leno. In light of the late night TV drama, this spot is incredibly funny. I'm curious how much CBS paid to get Leno in the spot.

3. Bridgestone Tires: A group of guys are racing in a pickup to save a killer whale. As they reach the end of the pier, the driver slams on the brakes, swerves the truck around, and the whale goes flying back into the ocean. I thought the spot would be for the truck, so realizing it was for the tires was unexpected.

4. Dodge: Quick edits of men vowing what they will do, like holding your lip balm, watching your vampire shows, etc., but he will drive whatever he wants. And what he wants is a Dodge Charger. I thought this was a funny spot focusing on all the things that guys do for their women.

5. Google: I liked Google's search ad because it shows you can have an effective and memorable spot without a lot of production. Viewers watch a series of searches beginning with "How to impress a French girl." Other searches include long distance relationships, jobs in Paris, churches in Paris and how to assemble a crib. It was sweet, effective, and Google is always on the screen.

Top Five Worst Commercials

1. Boost Mobile: Boost Mobile did a take-off of the Super Bowl Shuffle, made popular by the Chicago Bears in 1985. Ad features Mike Ditka and Jim McMahon, who graces the stage in an electric mobility scooter. I don't need to see a fallen NFL star that way.

2. Careerbuilder: In this ad, one fully dressed man trudges through casual Friday, which at his workplace means wearing your underwear. Then casual Friday is expanded to every day. Really, you don't want to see this staff in only their underwear.

3. Dockers: Following the Careerbuilder ad was the Dockers ad that featured a large group of men in shirts and underwear marching across a field singing about wearing no pants. The free pants offer was at the end, and I think, the true message of the ad was lost.

4. Bud Light: Guys planning a party talk in electronic voices like T-Pain, who makes a special appearance at the end. Annoying voices make for an irritating spot.

5. Dove: This spot begins with sperm fertilizing an egg and continues with quick edits of life stages. The end shows Dove's new skin care line for men. As I sat watching the long montage, I kept wondering, "What is this?" The visuals just didn't match the product and didn't fit Dove's branding.

Conan’s statement lays rumors to rest

I thought David Letterman waited a day or two too long before he admitted his affair. I believe Tiger Woods totally blew it on his "transgressions." I was starting to wonder if any celebrity knew how to address a controversial situation.

Conan O'Brien restored my faith. Truthfully, I'm not a big Conan fan. I laugh more at Jay Leno or Jimmy Fallon. Conan is just an hour in between the shows.  But I think his statement regarding NBC's decision to move The Tonight Show 35 minutes later in the schedule is truthful and classy.

Yesterday, Inside Edition said that Conan's statement basically told NBC to "drop dead." I don't know what they read, but I didn't pick up that tone at all in his statement. What I gathered was a man who was grateful for his opportunities, a little upset that he was pressured to make a quick decision, but in his heart felt that moving the show from its traditional time slot was a mistake. Conan so strongly opposes the move, whether he's the host or someone else, that he doesn't want to be part of it. I respect his principles and being true to his beliefs. I think we all, sometime in our life, will make a similar decision based on our principles.

Conan injected humor as he answered questions about his future. He issued the statement quickly and lay to rest rumors, at least for now, of his jumping to another network. Quick and truthful. A great PR move.

Here's a link to Conan's full statement to the people of earth, http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/conan-o-brien-quits-tonight-show--911.

 

Moving van provides double marketing duty

Many years ago, Sheila Kofahl and her husband acquired a moving van, which Sheila turned into a competitive marketing tool. She offered her residential real estate clients the use of the van when they moved. It provides an extra perk to pick her as a Realtor.

 

The moving truck serves double duty as a movable billboard. Sheila's photo and information grace both sides of the truck. It's easy to remember her company's name, Terra Solis Realty. And the truck is everywhere in Chandler. I've parked near it downtown, at Walmart on Arizona Avenue near the 202 Freeway, and at Target at Queen Creek and Alma School roads. It isn't uncommon to drive into a major shopping center and see the truck.

 

Sheila says she often gets calls from former friends and co-workers who see her information and want to reconnect. And it certainly helps to get her company's name out in the community. This is just one of the many things Sheila does to promote Terra Solis Realty. She also sponsors a large neighborhood party every fall.

 

The truck is just a reminder to make sure you are using your assets to the fullest. By putting photos and information on the truck, the vehicle does become a form of advertising. And moving the truck from place to place, instead of letting it sit near home, also makes it a billboard of sorts.

 

Are you making the most of your opportunities? If you often put customers on hold, what do they listen to? They could be hearing about your company instead of music or silence. Are you using your customer list or even invoices in ways that build your business? Ensure your assets are doing double duty. And if you need ideas, call me for a free consultation at 602-910-3075.

AAA Arizona Sponsors Video Contest to Drive Teens to Website

The Internet, social communities and videos are great ways to reach teenagers. AAA of Arizona knows this. They have a section of the website devoted to teens. They have created an online community in which teens can register and comment. Right now, AAA is driving teens to their website, and collecting their e-mail addresses, through a public service announcement (PSA) contest.

The contest asked teenagers 18 and under to make a PSA no longer than 60 seconds about teen driving distractions. The organization received more than 30 entries. A group of judges picked the top five videos. These are sharp PSAs created by teens for teens. Technology allows for cool special effects. And the five finalists make you think. There is a lot at stake for the teens. The winning entry gets $2,000. Second place is $700 and third place is $300. Award money is donated by AAA Insurance.

During the first 10 days of the contest, which runs through November 6, AAA received 800 votes. The permission slip signed by finalists gives AAA permission to use the video or images any way they deem appropriate. AAA plans to feature the winning PSA on three of its websites.  In the big picture, the contest is somewhat of an inexpensive and fun way to create a series of advertisements that should appeal to a target market and make people aware of AAA's website and information. How could something similar benefit your company or organization?

Interested in viewing driving distractions through the eyes of a teenager? Check out www.aaateendriving.com. If you want to cast your vote for the video that moves you, you will need to take a moment and register. Of course I'm partial to PSA 5, which was created by my daughter and her best friend. What else would you expect a proud mom who provides public relations and marketing to say? The girl has an eye for graphics.

Verizon ad capitalizes on social media twist

My favorite commercials are the ones that use humor. Putting humor into the commercial encourages you to watch the spot, and better yet, recall the message.

Currently the commercial that always makes me smile is the Verizon TV commercial where the son and daughter come out to the patio and tell their parents that they need to talk and that the parents are going overboard with the new cell phones. The daughter chastises the mother for writing "I love you" on her Facebook wall. The son tells the father to "cool it" with the Twittering. At that point, the father tweets that he is sitting on the patio, to which the son says, "I know you are sitting on the patio," in an annoyed voice. The kicker is when the dad peeks over his glasses and laughs.

I love this commercial for many reasons. I love the twist of the parents being addicted to social media and the kids telling them to stop. I love the son's frustrated voice when the dad tweets. But mostly I love the way the dad tweets to drive his kids crazy. I think the twist of the parents being addicted to social media is clever, and, in a way, so true. The fact that I can relate to the parents hammers the message home to me.

I remember when my daughter first started using MySpace and the time she spent on the site. She laughed at me earlier this year when I signed up on Facebook and had to fight a quick obsession with the site. Most of my cousins are on Facebook and I found it a great way to stay in touch. Even those quick status messages gave me insights into my cousins' lives, something that I lacked living more than a thousand miles from my Midwestern hometown. I checked the site constantly. Fortunately, I've been able to control my Facebook addiction. I check only a few times a day now.

Then there's Twitter. I signed up on Twitter to promote Excel Creative. I use Twitter for business, so it wasn't as much a personal draw to me. But I do tweet every workday, mostly giving marketing and PR information in 140 characters. I see many businesses using social media as a cheap way to market their businesses. By following them, I'm learning more about what they do and their results.

I finally filled out my LinkedIn profile and have been expanding my network of contacts. LinkedIn has helped me stay in touch with past co-workers. I use it to promote myself professionally and link to several professional and college groups.

Like many people, my daughter can run circles around me when it comes to online social networking. Her friends are in the hundreds. My list is in the dozens. However, similar to the Verizon commercial, we have experienced a bit of a role change. Since I was on Facebook first, I helped her learn the system. I'm the tweeter and blogger, not her. I'm also smart enough not to write "I love you" all over her wall. After all, that's what her inbox is for.

Company's PR Tactic Creates Safer Communities

Imagine having a public relations program that makes a difference in the community and can snowball on its own. I love sharing examples of when business owners market correctly.

 

Tuesday I attended the Chandler Chamber of Commerce's Women's Council meeting. The program was self-defense. Brad Bennett, an instructor at United Studios of Self Defense, was a speaker. He and an instructor from Gilbert demonstrated some quick moves you can use to get yourself out of a bad situation. Bennett also promoted a free 90-minute demonstration he was giving on Wednesday night at Hamilton Library. Bennett followed up the demo with an offer for a free month's worth of self-defense classes.

 

My teenage daughter has been interested in learning self-defense, so we went to the seminar together. Bennett is an informative and interesting speaker. He injects humor throughout his demonstration while hounding the seriousness of a potential attack. He said four out of five women will be a victim of a violent crime.

 

The youngest person in the library crowd was approximately 10. One woman was in a wheelchair. Bennett made sure that everyone realized that regardless of their physical condition, they could do defensive moves that would help them escape an attack. The experience is empowering. And the women seemed to enjoy it, judging by the laughter and smiles.

 

Bennett says United Studios of Self Defense chooses to do the seminars as a community service and a form of volunteerism. What a contribution to our community! The company is helping hundreds of women learn to protect themselves. And sadly, it may never know the full result of its effort. It will be difficult to measure how many people are saved when a potential threat can happen 10 years down the line. At the end of the evening, Bennett encouraged the crowd to contact him if there was another community group that would be interested in the presentation. I know my daughter was so impressed that she texted her friends, and at least one wants to attend a program. She is considering arranging a program at her high school. Another eighth-grade girl gave Bennett her school information in hopes for a program. I'm interested in learning how many other programs are booked from the nearly 35 women who attended the Aug. 5 program.

 

I wonder if United Studios of Self Defense has a Facebook page. I need to become a fan.

 

To learn more about United Studios of Self Defense and its programs, go to its website at www.ussd.com.

Dear Bashas', Let Me Help

An open letter to Bashas' Supermarkets:

 

This week is a tough time for you. You have announced store closings, job losses and filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. You don't know me, but our lives have crisscrossed for 12 years. From a consumer viewpoint and a marketing viewpoint, I think I can help. I want to help. After all, you are one of the economic cornerstones of Chandler.

 

The Arizona Republic ran a story this morning that you are hurting from competition from Fry's and Walmart. They say because of the recession, people are looking for the cheapest price. Price is important, but not the only factor to shop. And this is where our paths cross.

 

I had been a dedicated Fry's shopper for nearly seven years. When we moved to Chandler, Fry's was the closest grocery store and it was a mile away. You had a sign up on the corner that said you were building a store right by my house. And when you did, I started to shop there. At that point, my time was the deciding factor.

 

I knew the Basha family was integrated into my community. The store provided ice cream and soda for my daughter's elementary school. Even the stores' chairman, Mr. Eddie Basha, had kids that attended the school and his wife volunteered. I passed Mr. Basha one Sunday when he and his son were shopping. As he checked out, I watched the cashiers because I wondered if they recognized him and if their service was different. A few years ago when my in-laws visited, we spent a few hours visiting the Western art museum that is open free of charge to the public. I've even applied for a marketing job at your corporate office. Our paths have crossed many times.

 

I've read the postcards from the unions that are against Bashas' management and operations. I grew up in a blue-collar union household. But I also was in management and realized that sometimes there is more to a story. An article in the Arizona Republic's business section says that you spent most of your money fighting the unions. How much would it have cost to negotiate with them?

 

I think now would be a good time for Bashas' Supermarkets to consider doing a SWOT analysis and review your marketing plan. But instead of having a bunch of corporate heads make a list of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats on a flip chart, maybe you should do focus groups with your customers and your competition's customers.

 

Through this you may learn some things, good and bad, about your competition. While Fry's may have low prices, they often have bare shelves on their sale items. It's irritating. And the aisles in Fry's are so narrow that you need a horn on your cart whenever you make a turn. Safeway's prices are a bit higher, but the customer service is a mood-lifter. Whenever an employee passes, they greet you and ask if you have found everything all right. I even had Safeway employees stop to assist when they were clearly going on a break. And where Safeway is helpful, Walmart is not. The poor customer service from that store is enough to keep me away.

 

Bashas' have strengths, although a few of them have gone by the wayside. You had a great loyalty program once when you gave out coupons for a free gallon of milk after the customer bought five gallons. But you stopped that. One year, you were given the best doughnut deal from Phoenix New Times. Then you raised your prices on your day-old doughnuts. You were the first to offer sanitized wipes by the grocery carts. You have in-house child care. You have partnered with other companies to offer some great take-out options in the store.

 

So as you turn this corner in your history, I hope that you take a long look at what your customers want. It's easy to blame it on price, but it might be more. For me, I go to different stores to get items that you don't carry, such as Kraft Fat-Free Mayo, Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste and Glaze, and the bulk box of Sweet'N Low.

 

If you need help, please don't hesitate to contact me. I have very affordable rates and can effectively conduct focus groups from a cross-section of your customer base. Heck, I might even make you a trade and work for food.

Excel Creative gears up for second year

July marks Excel Creative's one-year anniversary. Over the year, Excel has worked with several companies by providing press releases, editorial services or web site copywriting. The list includes Aloha Limousine, Better Edge Technology, Arizona Health Coach, Michael Rust Architects, Catalyst Computer Technologies, Confessions of a Cheater website, Third Street Web, Common Cents Credit Solutions, and Everybody's Auto Buyer and Consignment.

 

I've partnered with Open Rain LLC on three websites and counting.

 

Excel has been a member of both the Chandler and Casa Grande chambers of commerce. I've joined the ambassadors program at the Chandler Chamber and in March, was the Ambassador of the Month. Trust me; the competition is fierce for Ambassador of the Month. Excel was the business showcase during the May meeting of the Chandler Chamber's Women's Council.

 

It's been quite a year. And I'm looking forward to the next. Over the summer, Excel will be moving its mailing address from Casa Grande to Chandler. I'm rolling out two new programs to help clients stretch their marketing dollars farther.

 

One addition is a retainer program, which will allow clients to contract for a specific number of hours per month. Retainers help small companies have the benefit of a full-time marketing person on their side, one who is constantly looking for promotional prospects that fit in the company's strategic plan. It also gives the company an opportunity to have continuous marketing assistance for a small, consistent monthly fee.

 

The second addition is a formal referral program. When a customer is happy and refers another client to me, I want to "spread the wealth" so to speak. Besides, my mom taught me how to say please and thank you.

 

As Excel enters its second year of operation, the mission remains the same: to listen to customers' needs and devise marketing plans that help small- and medium-businesses grow by reaching the right audience, through the right medium within the clients' available budget.