A Conversation...

...is an art that we cannot let slip away as we become more and more dependent on technology.  I know that it is easier and quicker to send an email or text to get your message or question to someone.  But, with clients and team members, you can't under estimate the power of meeting in person and really having a conversation.

I don't mean a transactional dialogue where you're just exchanging facts.  I mean a real conversation where you are listening (not looking at your smartphone or checking email on your laptop) and participating.  It's amazing how much trust and understanding is built when you are able to look someone in the eye, read their body language and actually hear the words being said as they're intended.  I think that more problems and conflicts could be avoided if we just took the time to walk over to talk with a team member - try and solve the problem together instead of just pushing your own views back and forth in writing.  When taking feedback from a client, it's so much better to understand the context behind their changes or to hear why they are satisfied or dissatisfied.  Not every situation warrants an in-person meeting.  Sometimes a phone call can be just as effective.  And, in many instances, email can be the best choice for communicating if the information being shared is mutually understood.

The 'art' is knowing when this just isn't enough.  It's knowing when it's necessary to take the time to have a conversation...be ready to listen (whether the news is good or bad or just information you need to perform better).  Be ready to participate (honestly and authentically).  Be ready to problem solve and own decisions.

Technology advances with computers and smartphones make it almost a requirement to be available at all times.  And, it's an expectation that you'll reply right away.  What the technologies don't offer is a 'stop and think' button so that we are thoughtful and smart about replies; considerate of how the message comes through to the recipient; able to give us a clue that it's time for a conversation. 

I feel so much more connected to clients, co-workers, family and friends after we spend time together.  The better you know a person, the stronger your relationship, and the quicker you can resolve a problem or come up with a great idea together.  Make real connections...not just clicking buttons on social media.  Take the extra time to have a conversation.  It's worth it.

Direct Mail or Email Marketing? (It's Both!)

 

This cartoon made me think, "Is email losing steam? Is there going to be a trend back to good old fashion direct mail?" I know for me, my inbox is a lot more full than my mailbox. Is it the same for everyone? I decided to do some research.

As with all direct marketing, you need to know who your customer is. What is their preferred communication method?  According to Epsilon’s 2012 Annual Channel Preference Study of nearly 6,000 U.S and Canadian households, respondents’ stated preference is for information to be provided by direct mail on nearly every subject. These included health (general and sensitive), financial services, insurance, prescriptions, food products, and nonprofit/donations. Even cleaning and household products came out in favor of direct mail.

Over 60% of U.S. and Canadian survey respondents agreed with the following statements:

• I get a lot of email that I just don’t open.
• I am getting more email now versus a year ago.
• I enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products
• I enjoy checking the mailbox for postal mail

Before you abandon your email campaigns…the message here is simply that a smart multi-channel strategy should include print.

According to Epsilon:

“As consumer channel preference continues to evolve, marketers need to integrate the various sources consumers turn to when seeking brand and product information. Two to three channels are the most common way to communicate and build trust with a consumer.”

And this Production Supervisor thinks one of those two to three channels should be print – but I could be biased.

Medals, Marketing & the Sochi Olympics

I love the Olympics. I will watch the different events like I actually understand the strategy and brilliance the athletes are displaying, keeping a running commentary that rivals the experts on TV much to the annoyance of anyone in the room with me. While the sports are the majority of this love affair, I always look forward to the marketing efforts taking place around the games. As the games recently ended I thought about what you could learn from the marketing efforts only seen during this international spectacle.

Each event requires a carefully tailored strategy that works with the nature of the event. The tone of the messaging should be on par with the sport: Will it be about speed and strength seen during bobsled (a BMW sponsored event), or a more emotional tale of a partnership displayed with ice dancing (my personal favorite)? You always expect to see the familiar spots that are inspirational and heartfelt as well as those spots that are unabashedly patriotic and make you feel the need to chant "USA" out loud. The audience is engaged in the sports, most brands tried to carry that engagement over to their commercials.

While the commercials are highly visible, it’s not always about what you see on TV. Many brands will sport the rings on their packaging hoping to inspire spontaneous purchases based on how consumers are feeling.

Don’t forget the many opportunities that take place on social media around the Olympics. The U.S. Skier Gus Kenworthy tweeted pictures of the #SochiStrays he planned to save and had multiple animal adoption agencies retweeting how you could save an animal too.

The main thing I noticed is that you should take advantage of every opportunity to engage your audience. There are multiple channels to use and how you do it is up to you.

Generating Loyal Customers in 2014

Are you considering ways to increase loyalty and engage your customer base in 2014?  At Eire Direct, we support our clients by developing loyalty strategies with retention programs, communications strategies, and technology solutions to keep their brands and products top-of-mind (and top-of-wallet).  We came across a great article in Direct Marketing News with their outlook on ways that marketers and brands will address customer engagement and loyalty in 2014.

Our summary of the four take-aways from the article:

1. Focus less on gathering personalized contact data and more on analyzing customer behavioral data.

2. Using data, understand what matters most to your customers and analyze the ROI of your marketing efforts across the engagement spectrum rather than on a campaign basis.

3. Don’t try to integrate every mobile technology solution. Identify which solutions make the most sense based upon your consumer target.

4. If it makes sense, integrate mobile payment and loyalty as part of your engagement strategy.

To read the full article, click here.

Quick Tip

 

The other day I was coming to work on the el and saw these ads. It’s an interesting idea for an advertising campaign. On the surface, it seems like an obvious hint. Kind of like your mom telling you to zip your coat on those wintery cold days as a child. But the creative graphics make this simple message more eye-catching. I know there are lots of people who don’t like the look of CFLs, but I was browsing the aisle of my neighborhood home improvement store and was surprised to see CFLs that have a bulb around them so you can’t see the curly-cue. I picked up a couple of these for my dining room table overhead light. I also have been using them in other rooms for about 2 years, and have yet to replace one. Meanwhile, my remaining incandescent bulbs keep burning out.  And, my Christmas tree is filled with LEDs for the first time ever. While the colors have improved, they still aren’t as warm as incandescent lights, but I feel like it’s a worthwhile swap since I’m saving on my electric bill, and helping the future of the planet!

For more energy saving tips, take a look at ComEd's Energy Saving Tips.

Augmented Reality

A few weeks ago I attended the national Direct Marketing Association’s annual convention at McCormick place here in Chicago with some colleagues.  In all my years of direct marketing, this was the first time of attending and I was curious to see how good old fashioned direct marketing was being represented in the new digital era.  My own work with clients has changed drastically over the last decade, and I wanted to see if the DMA had kept pace with that change.

I attended several fascinating sessions, but the one that was most intriguing was a session about the latest mobile technologies, including augmented reality trends.  Augmented reality is a view of the real-world in real time that has been “augmented” or enhanced by computer-generated sensory input.  More specifically, augmented reality uses the camera on your smart phone to overlay information on your field of view that you see through your smart phone.

IKEA uses augmented technology with its catalog and a smart phone to let customers see what specific pieces of will look like in your own room at home.  Way better than taping a catalog picture of a table to the wall in your dining room to see if it looks good!!

Check out this IKEA video.

Even more practical, and useful, is what Audi has done in Germany using augmented reality to create a new version of an owner’s manual.  I recently got a new car, and it’s a different brand from my old car.  The other day, a strange light appeared on the dashboard.  I flipped through the owner’s manual to no avail.  Then, I took a picture of it and texted it to my husband, who told me I needed to fill my tire immediately!  Audi’s new owner’s manual eliminates the need for a handy husband (at least when it comes to cars).

Audi's Augmented Reality.

Of course, my mind went wild thinking of applications for our clients, and in my everyday life.   How about an app showing how your home would look with new energy efficient lighting, or new energy efficient appliances, along with an estimate of how much you could save based on how many lights you have in the room?  How about scanning an item from the grocery store, and getting some recipe ideas or even better, seeing the cooked item on a dish at your kitchen counter?  For now, I’ll settle for looking at my living room through my smart phone and seeing it cleaned up, instead of looking like this:

Amazing how much chaos a two-year-old can get accomplish in a very short amount of time…

Your Brand's True Colors

I have an 8 year old daughter who is currently into those paper “fortune teller” gizmos.  Remember, the ones you make yourself out of a piece of paper and operate with your index fingers and thumbs? Your “client” chooses a color, then another color, then a number, and presto, your fortune is revealed. This article about brands and colors made me think of her fortune teller game.  Maybe her fortunes can really tell a person something about themselves if she includes some of this wisdom.  What do your colors say about you?

YOUR BRAND'S TRUE COLORS