The BV Blog

Reading: it’s something you learned to do a long time ago. (I can barely remember learning the alphabet and how to sound out difficult words.)

When I was a kid, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were some of my favorite characters. I would stay up late at night, hiding under my covers with a flashlight just so I could finish one more chapter about them.

That enthusiasm waned a bit as I got older. Magazines replaced books and television replaced newspapers.

But reading is important, and not just for enjoyment. It’s important for success on the job too.

Think about your industry. How do you find out about trends or breaking news? Where do you turn to learn about new technology or applications? Do you have clients? How do you learn about what’s happening in their industries?

In our office, nearly everyone subscribes to several e-newsletters. Some are about marketing, like AdAge and MarketingProfs; others have a telecommunications focus. We also subscribe to client-specific items, such as health and sciences RSS feeds for our healthcare clients, or FMI daily Lead to keep abreast of changes in the supermarket industry.

A quick Internet search can yield a lot of great information, and most of it’s free. And don’t forget about the blogs! Your peers, clients, and even your competitiors are writing content that you should be reading.  

Yes, reading takes time, but the reward is being well-informed, and that puts you and your company in a better position to succeed.

Build some time into your day for reading. Peruse industry blogs while you enjoy your first cup of coffee. Scan newsletters for pertinent headlines before you zip off to lunch. And since you don’t really get anything done after 4:30 anyway, take the last half hour of the day to catch up on industry gossip.

 

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In times of economic struggle, business slows down. For some companies, hard times lead to budget cuts, lay-offs, even closure. When the economy rebounds, the companies left standing are stronger for the struggle. 

In times like these, it’s important to position your business to be on the top of the heap when the economy turns.

But how?

Shift your strategy.
Instead of growing your customer base, which is tough to do in a slow economy, concentrate on customer service and penetrating your existing customers. New customers are expensive to court, and the ROI isn’t apparent until they become regulars. Your current customers will generally spend more with you, and they’ll appreciate the attention.

Shore up your marketing.
Prepare your company for the eventual turn-around. Spruce up your website and prepare it for new visitors. Develop an innovative product or service. Create an email campaign to re-introduce your business to your customers. Companies who prepare won’t get caught with their pants down when business picks up.

Hone your processes.
Can you think of 1 process you have in place that’s a complete waste of everyone’s time? Evaluate your internal systems and trim the fat. Get rid of antiquated processes and implement more effective tools. You’ll find yourself more productive in no time.

Focus on your team.
It may smack of cheesy corporate retreats, but you don’t have to do the “trust” exercise to achieve team unity. Promote open communication on all levels. Encourage your staff to job-shadow each other to foster understanding and cooperation. Organize a company outing. (Business is slow, so you’re not losing much by closing the doors for a day and heading to the beach or to your neighborhood bar for a little co-worker camaraderie.)

Whatever you do, don’t put your head in the sand and wait for things to get better. With ingenuity and passion, all things are possible.

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BusinessVoice President Jerry Brown is featured as a satisfied customer in Buckeye TeleSystem’s new “We Chose Buckeye” campaign. Check out Jerry’s TV spot, his billboard, and his web ad.

Jerry is taking full advantage of his new celebrity. He’s signed on to appear on next season’s “Dancing With The Stars,” he’s already penning his tell-all autobiography, and he’s launching his own line of popcorn and spaghetti sauce.

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The marketing industry as a whole can be an unfriendly place. Shops are criticized for decisions on spokespeople, underlying messages, and judgements are made within seconds by the public. But after reading this article in AdAge concerning Georgi Vodka’s clamoring for former Governor Spitzer’s call girl’s “butt,” I can’t help but feel those same negative feelings.

While this is not nearly as repulsive as the capitalization on tragedy that we saw with purchasing Internet key words in relation to the Virginia Tech shootings to boost website traffic, it certainly doesn’t bode well for us. Pushing the envelope is one thing; getting folks to think outside the box is evolutionary; but toying with the idea of launching a Vodka Brand titled “No. 9″ after Spitzer’s designation by the call-girl service? Putting a twenty-something escort who has come to be associated with lies and betrayal in the American political scene on the back of buses and tops of taxis? That’s low.

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I saw a commercial the other morning that really made me laugh. It’s a Titan Tire commercial, which if you you would like to have a hearty chuckle, you can view here. Just click on the “kimono” link.

It was funny to me because of the recent state America’s relationship to all things foreign. Funnier still was seeing rugged cowboy types accessorizing a lasso with a beret and pairing a pitchfork with a silky kimono.

I thought it expertly and humorously isolated what’s different about American manufactured products.

But it wasn’t particularly funny to an editor at Indiana State University’s student newspaper, The Statesman. Her reaction to the commerical was markedly different than mine. Read her editorial here.

This editorial offended a member of the the Terre Haute community, so much so that he responded with a letter to the editor defending the family that was attacked in the Opinions column and highlighting the lack of journalistic integrity on the part of the editor.

My point is two-fold. Firstly, what’s funny to some people may not be funny to other people; so un-funny that, as in this case, it is received as offensive and malignant. The lesson? Be cautious in your advertising, but don’t be afraid to push the envelope. If you’re too cautious, people may not have a negative reaction to your efforts, but they may not react at all.

Secondly, I came across this information only because I was searching the Internet high and low for a way to share this commercial with you. In the course of my search, I came across the editorial. Then I came across the response to it. Only then did I locate the commercial. The lesson? You can find almost anything on the Internet. Be smart about what you put out there, and about how you handle criticisms about what you put out there.

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In the February 18, 2008 issue of AdAge, Richard Rappaport laments that today’s advertising has gone to the dogs. And not the cute, furry ones that like to lick your face. He’s talking about the mean, vicious dogs that eat expensive shoes and chew up your new couch.

I’ve seen all the spots he eviscerates, and I must disagree. These spots aren’t malicious, snide or mean. They’re damn funny.

But that’s just my opinion. Decide for yourself.

Watch a few of the spots posted below, and then read the article linked here. Make sure you have your dictionary handy though. Rich’s sense of humor might be the size of a pea, but he has a very big vocabulary.

And if you like the funny stuff, check out the Humor On Hold section of our website.

FedEx Kinkos Office Meeting

FedEx China

Priceline Taser

Chevy Malibu Jogger

Suzuki XL7

Travelocity Gnome

Cadillac Features

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We were very proud to be recognized at last week’s Addy Awards ceremony, presented by The Advertising Club of Toledo. We submitted three On Hold Messaging productions and won three awards - 1 gold Addy and 2 silver Addys.

Our in-house Web division, WebArt, was also acknowledged. They received an Honorable Mention for their creation of the Tuffy Auto Service Centers website

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