Put Some Dimension into Your Marketing

Breaking through the clutter is harder than ever. Coming up with a new and unique way to connect with top prospects or clients can be a challenge. Sometimes you need to think inside the box! Sending out a “boxed” 3D promotional item can help your company stand out from the crowd and give you a chance to present your unique selling proposition in a creative way. The investments for these types of campaigns can be high but so can the ROI if they are done right. Consider these tips to make the most out of 3D marketing.

Check your list. This type of program should be very targeted and executed with a clean list. Nothing spoils the impact of a wow marketing piece than having it sent to someone who no longer works for the campaign. Pick your top prospects and confirm all the information.

Get the message right. It’s great to have fun and come up with a unique 3D item but make sure your marketing message isn’t lost in the laughter. Ensure the item means something and include a personalized note or other materials if possible.

Make sure it’s the total package. Think about how the item will be delivered as part of the overall piece. Don’t miss the opportunity to brand the package reinforce your marketing message

Is it desk worthy? After all the hard work of putting this marketing piece together, you certainly don’t want to end up in the trash so consider what might get a piece of prime real estate in your prospects’ offices. Depending on your audience a fun/unique item might be the way to go or if they’re a more practical group something useful might make more sense. 

Put your name on it. Sometimes the most obvious detail is the one that’s missed! Whatever you do make sure the item has your contact information and logo so that your company is always front and center with your prospects.

Take a holistic approach. No matter how fantastic the piece you send is, it isn’t going to close the deal on its own. The tried and true multi-touch sales process works for a reason. Make sure you don’t wait too long to get on the phone and follow-up. Ultimately, it’s that personal connection that will bring home the sale.

Need help with your next “in the box” idea?  Give us a call.

Erin Higgins

Director of Marketing Services

ehiggins@cmasolutions.com

A Time and A Place for Wild and Crazy PR

A Time and A Place for Wild and Crazy PR

Everyone knows PR is all about awareness. Publicity stunts and in-your-face strategies are effective for the right time, place and client and creating news is often essential to spreading an important message. So if all of that is indeed true, you might ask, who exactly are they right for?

If a client comes to CMA and asks us to stage a publicity stunt, our strategists analyze the situation first to see if this sometimes costly awareness tool is worth risking the company or organization’s credibility. After all, the best publicity stunts are those that have a clever, clear message and a detailed plan to avoid backfire.

In fact, one of my favorite recent publicity stunts was the event to cap off Snickers’ “Bar Hunger” campaign, mostly because of its simplicity in expressing its message. Movie star David Arquette lived two days in a Plexiglas box atop the Madison Square Garden marquee to raise awareness for hunger in America. By literally putting himself on display, Arquette and the publicity team provided the media with a unique story that included a good message—without embarrassing the organization or the celebrity.

But the truth is, effective PR is not really about wild and crazy ideas. It’s about giving the media something to work with that might be valuable to their community. In the case of the Snickers campaign, the extremity of the stunt matched the urgency of the message. Everyone walking by could be a potential donor so widespread voyeurism and shock-value proved effective.

However, more specific audiences need more than a stunt to sell them on your products and services, especially if you sell business-to-business. Perhaps holding an event at a well-attended trade show is the key to launching a new product to your target audience. Hire a respected speaker that is appropriate for your industry and provide educational value for your audience. Often this type of awareness helps a company maintain and build credibility without being viewed as a rampant risk-taker and the media takes notice just the same.

Kaitlin Friedmann
Public Relations Manager
kfriedmann@cmasolutions.com