Summer Spells Success for CMA Client Events

The Transportation Marketing and Sales Association (TMSA) and Rental and Staging Network (RSN) commended CMA on the innovative strategies and tactics used to stage two successful meetings. The TMSA Annual Conference held in early June at the Rancho Bernardo Inn in San Diego, California and RSN’s Leadership Symposium, held in early August at the Westin O’Hare in Chicago both exceeded client expectations thanks to the collaborative efforts of CMA’s internal teams.

CMA handled all aspects of the TMSA Conference including attendee registration, speaker arrangements, on-site management, food and beverage and site selection, as well as developing the annual Conference program and executing marketing materials. By promoting the Conference through public relations and e-mail communications, CMA generated interest in the event among members and throughout the transportation and logistics industries leading to a total of 175 attendees. CMA also tapped into members’ growing use and interest in social media and created a Twitter contest to keep attendees engaged. 

CMA was also instrumental in launching RSN’s first-ever Leadership Symposium. A network of geographically-diverse rental and staging companies with complete event capabilities, RSN turned to CMA to stage an event focused on business development education for RSN’s 16 member companies. CMA promoted the Symposium with public relations to raise awareness for the association within the audio/visual industry. 

3 ½ marketing ideas for 2011

Although you may think the year is winding down, there’s still time to consider some marketing ideas. If you are going to attempt anything—try these.

1. Take advantage of social media.

Social media is a big challenge for small businesses. The difficulty is finding the time, with only a minority of firms saying they have a dedicated individual following up on the various social media sites on a regular basis.

What can you do to take advantage of this new media?

• Set aside time each day to manage your sites
• Communicate often with the members of your group
• Monitor your subscribers
• Listen to your members and respond quickly to their concerns
• Engage, engage, engage – ask questions, poll participants, make it interactive!

2. Produce a video that tells your story.

Placing videos online is not difficult; the key here is to have a well thought-out presentation. It is not simply re-purposing your commercials or ads. Sometimes videos go viral because of the unique way they present their content.

How can your video reach and resonate with the right people?

• Get input from your target audience.
• Write a script – structure is important.
• Don’t make it too long – keep it between 1-3 minutes.
• Publish it on your website and publish it to YouTube.
• Listen to feedback and make changes where possible.

3. Bridge the gap between in-person meetings and digital communications.

Forget about the debate over virtual vs. in-person meetings. You should be doing both. Concentrate on the way you present yourself and your company in the exhibit hall and on the Web through these steps:

• For tradeshows and conventions, booth designs still matter! Come up with the best design for your booth by working with your agency and staff to bring together the best ideas for the maximum foot-traffic.  
• Become part of the buzz. Hold a contest, offer creative giveaways and use social media to drive attendees to your booth.
• Offer seminars and speakers, when possible, that showcase your particular expertise—an in-person seminar can be offered as a webinar for those unable to attend.
• Don’t wait too long to follow up with contacts you’ve met face-to-face or you will lose your audience.

3 1/2. Call Creative Marketing Alliance.

CMA strategies focus your brand and sharpen your competitive edge. Give us a call and we’ll meet you half-way on the road to the business-building marketing and communications your company needs to succeed.

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

Maximize the Impact of your Website

When evaluating your current website, it is important to consider the tone and company values it relays. Old York Country Club, one of the finest golf courses in New Jersey and the mid-Atlantic, turned to CMA for a redesign of the club’s site to create a visually appealing and contemporary website, www.oldyorkcc.com, so the club’s online presence matched the distinction of its golf course’s reputation. Read more for tips you can use to update your website’s design. 

Keep in mind your company’s brand, positioning and philosophy are important when designing all marketing pieces. CMA kept this the focus of the website redesign project for Old York, adding elements and colors that are stately yet relaxed, underscoring both the grand sweep of the golf course and the many opportunities for leisure and social activities. Copy themes focused on a sense of belonging to a larger membership and social family as well as an impressive recreational facility. 

When evaluating your website, another point to consider is the way your company’s website will be viewed. CMA paid special consideration during the design and programming process to ensure that all elements are compliant with modern electronic devices such as the iPad and iPhone.

Updated photo galleries can keep websites fresh and show visitors your company’s personality and benefits. Old York Country Club’s website has been updated to include a grand and colorful photographic tour of the course and club facilities, and showcases the club’s abundant and distinctive recreational, social, dining and leisure amenities for the whole family. 

A password protected Members Only section is another great website element to consider when evaluating your current site. Included in Old York Country Club’s website, this feature helps members keep in touch through a searchable member directory and by serving as a resource for the latest news, upcoming golf and social events. 

Need help taking a fresh look at your website? Give us a call!

Summertime Marketing Success Stories

Summertime is typically a slow season for marketing. Most firms are in the planning stage for campaigns to start in the fall. However, some firms are using these few months to introduce new products and services and are finding success. Here are three examples of high profile companies taking advantage of the supposedly slow season—it’s not slow for them!

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has launched a $ 24 million dollar campaign entitled “Life is short, Summer is Shorter. Make a splash in Las Vegas.” As the leading leisure destination in the world, they are spending $3 million more this year than last year. Using all media including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, they are planning on reversing the trend that has plagued them over the past several years.

BMW beat the benchmarks with a summer campaign that was focused on digital media. They focused on high impact display ads on automotive and premium sites to reach an already engaged viewer. For this campaign, Yahoo gave them an award for their digital strategy which, by the way, increased sales by seven percent.

Pepsi also sees summer as a perfect time to push their brand in the right direction after sinking to third in soda sales. Their summer campaign slogan is “Summer Time is Pepsi Time” and takes direct aim at its competitor, Coca Cola, by parodying their iconic past commercials, such as the polar bears. This strategy shows summer is a perfect time to engage new groups and convert the brand-loyal.

Competition during the summer months is far less than any other time of the year. It is counter intuitive, but it’s a fact. People might be on vacation but rarely stop using all their electronic devices. Because of this supposed slow down, companies that advertise will reap the benefits.

This could be you! Let CMA help you avoid the summer slowdown and gain advantage over your competitors.

Jeffrey Barnhart

President and CEO

jbarnhart@cmasolutions.com