If you’ve still got the mind-set that YouTube and streaming video is a bunch of nonsense, 2010 will be sure to pass you by.
Yes, we’ve all seen videos of babies, cats, dogs, parakeets and more doing silly things over the last few years on You Tube. And yes, it’s true that the most viewed YouTube video of all time is still “Charlie Bit my Finger,” with over 150 million hits. But what can we learn from something as simple as two British toddlers complaining about a finger biting incident?
The lesson is that the best marketing strategies revolve around showing, not telling. CMA’s veteran copywriters will even agree—sometimes words alone can’t move your target audience to take action and when appropriate, it’s important to entertain as well as inform.
For example, in order to showcase the many energy-saving benefits associated with the introduction of an LED light bulb to the residential market, CMA created a video representation of the product’s revolutionary features. This video was to be previewed at a major lighting trade show and then streamed on the company’s website for archival use.
The video was designed to reflect the significant impact this product would have on the environment, on users’ wallets and on the industry itself. By appealing to the target market’s emotions, the video accomplished the mission of making the big splash needed to set the company’s product apart from other attempts in this technological space.
It used to be that TV commercials were the only means of communicating video, but sites like YouTube have created a more “do it yourself” culture that marketing teams should seriously consider, especially when it comes to appealing to a consumer audience.
Next time the opportunity presents itself, give us a call. CMA writes, coordinates and produces all aspects of video presentations, which can enhance sales and marketing efforts, and also hold possibilities for training and employee communications.
Erin Higgins
Client Services Manager
ehiggins@cmasolutions.com
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Implementing new strategies: Where do we go from here?
Frequent readers of this blog and CMA’s newsletters have seen the word Marketecture(TM) used many times in relation to the development of a marketing strategy. Over the course of this analysis session, CMA clients play an integral role in identifying and analyzing the relationships between marketplace competitors and the criteria used by their target audiences in making buying decisions.
Where many marketing firms may fail to implement strategies discussed in these types of discovery sessions, CMA excels. Marketecture’s resulting tactical marketing plan creates a blueprint for the client’s marketing program and specifically spells out key messages and branding strategies as they relate to different key audience segments.
Our team frequently turns back to the report to keep brand consistency and guide a client through new initiatives, product launches and other types of company and/or market place changes. This is to be used as a guideline and working document as the plan may need to be amended as unforeseen developments occur.
It’s easy to become disillusioned in the current business climate and many companies may feel they have lost their way. Acting on disjointed directions, holding on to out-dated traditions or maintaining the status quo can be dangerous to a company that faces fierce competitors.
It’s hard to tell what lies ahead this year, but while it’s still early on in the first quarter, take some time to look inward to your brand, measure your ability to adapt to outside forces and move forward with tactics that work.
Jeffrey Barnhart
President and CEO
jbarnhart@cmasolutions.com
Where many marketing firms may fail to implement strategies discussed in these types of discovery sessions, CMA excels. Marketecture’s resulting tactical marketing plan creates a blueprint for the client’s marketing program and specifically spells out key messages and branding strategies as they relate to different key audience segments.
Our team frequently turns back to the report to keep brand consistency and guide a client through new initiatives, product launches and other types of company and/or market place changes. This is to be used as a guideline and working document as the plan may need to be amended as unforeseen developments occur.
It’s easy to become disillusioned in the current business climate and many companies may feel they have lost their way. Acting on disjointed directions, holding on to out-dated traditions or maintaining the status quo can be dangerous to a company that faces fierce competitors.
It’s hard to tell what lies ahead this year, but while it’s still early on in the first quarter, take some time to look inward to your brand, measure your ability to adapt to outside forces and move forward with tactics that work.
Jeffrey Barnhart
President and CEO
jbarnhart@cmasolutions.com
Friday, January 15, 2010
SEO: A PR Change Agent
CMA's PR manager, Kaitlin Friedmann, recently became a guest blogger on e-Xplorations.com, a marketing blog designed to help business owners become more savvy to new trends. The excerpt below was posted this week...
You’ve seen the reports—2010 is shaping up to potentially be the year where all marketing and public relations departments truly step up their Web 2.0 budgets. This means increased time and energy devoted to blog development, social media marketing and other user-generated content overall, and all together, a new way of thinking about integrated marketing.
With all of these exciting interactive communication developments happening at once, perhaps the topic on most business owners’ and executives’ minds is search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is valuable to any promotional campaign because the very aim of this practice is to create awareness, raise interest and desire, and move a consumer to take action all in one place—the search engine.
In the public relations profession, SEO has been a major change agent. Gone are the PR strategies that ignore the power of online media and rely only on traditional print and broadcast outlets.
Most SEO seekers’ main objective is to drive traffic to a specific website—now also a common goal for the PR professional, whose usual directive “get ink,” has been fully transitioned to an equal or greater desire for website hits. While Business Wire, Marketwire, PrimeNewswire, PR Newswire and PRWeb have been valuable tools for press release distribution for decades, (to both media and directly to the consumer) PR professionals need to utilize these services to their fullest extent by providing more optimized and tailored content to make their announcement stand out.
To increase the chances of an announcement reaching the individual it was intended for, a few simple practices can be integrated during the writing of the press release:
1) Make headlines – Your headline is still your first opportunity to make a good impression on your target audience. Craft a headline chock full of keywords that speak to your audience’s main concerns and greatly increase your chances of them moving on to learn more.
2) Drop your anchor – Using targeted words for anchor text that links back to specific pages of the company’s website, or to other useful pages such as a company blog, can determine the ranking that the page will receive by search engines. Make sure your linked text is relevant to the landing page and include your actual URL in as many appropriate areas as possible—not just the boilerplate.
3) Use words from your customers’ mouths – In order to increase word of mouth among your target customers, wouldn’t it make sense to ask them what their needs are first? Compile a list of top search terms and key issues by putting in some extra time to survey your market or compile market research ahead of time. This will ensure you aren’t using misunderstood jargon or buzzwords they consider overused.
4) Do it yourself – Many online news outlets have areas where you can post press releases yourself. These areas offer an opportunity for you increase your SEO ranking by having your company or client’s name mentioned on websites other than your own.
A lot has changed about PR in the last five years, but one thing that will remain timeless is the value of good copywriting. A press release that is vague, too opinionated or just poorly written will get you nowhere—with or without SEO. By relying on your instincts and approaching SEO in an organized way, you can upgrade your PR approach and adapt appropriately without seeming like you’re rushing to jump on an SEO band wagon.
Kaitlin Friedmann
PR Manager
kfriedmann@cmasolutions.com
You’ve seen the reports—2010 is shaping up to potentially be the year where all marketing and public relations departments truly step up their Web 2.0 budgets. This means increased time and energy devoted to blog development, social media marketing and other user-generated content overall, and all together, a new way of thinking about integrated marketing.
With all of these exciting interactive communication developments happening at once, perhaps the topic on most business owners’ and executives’ minds is search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is valuable to any promotional campaign because the very aim of this practice is to create awareness, raise interest and desire, and move a consumer to take action all in one place—the search engine.
In the public relations profession, SEO has been a major change agent. Gone are the PR strategies that ignore the power of online media and rely only on traditional print and broadcast outlets.
Most SEO seekers’ main objective is to drive traffic to a specific website—now also a common goal for the PR professional, whose usual directive “get ink,” has been fully transitioned to an equal or greater desire for website hits. While Business Wire, Marketwire, PrimeNewswire, PR Newswire and PRWeb have been valuable tools for press release distribution for decades, (to both media and directly to the consumer) PR professionals need to utilize these services to their fullest extent by providing more optimized and tailored content to make their announcement stand out.
To increase the chances of an announcement reaching the individual it was intended for, a few simple practices can be integrated during the writing of the press release:
1) Make headlines – Your headline is still your first opportunity to make a good impression on your target audience. Craft a headline chock full of keywords that speak to your audience’s main concerns and greatly increase your chances of them moving on to learn more.
2) Drop your anchor – Using targeted words for anchor text that links back to specific pages of the company’s website, or to other useful pages such as a company blog, can determine the ranking that the page will receive by search engines. Make sure your linked text is relevant to the landing page and include your actual URL in as many appropriate areas as possible—not just the boilerplate.
3) Use words from your customers’ mouths – In order to increase word of mouth among your target customers, wouldn’t it make sense to ask them what their needs are first? Compile a list of top search terms and key issues by putting in some extra time to survey your market or compile market research ahead of time. This will ensure you aren’t using misunderstood jargon or buzzwords they consider overused.
4) Do it yourself – Many online news outlets have areas where you can post press releases yourself. These areas offer an opportunity for you increase your SEO ranking by having your company or client’s name mentioned on websites other than your own.
A lot has changed about PR in the last five years, but one thing that will remain timeless is the value of good copywriting. A press release that is vague, too opinionated or just poorly written will get you nowhere—with or without SEO. By relying on your instincts and approaching SEO in an organized way, you can upgrade your PR approach and adapt appropriately without seeming like you’re rushing to jump on an SEO band wagon.
Kaitlin Friedmann
PR Manager
kfriedmann@cmasolutions.com
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Don’t Fear the New Year
Let’s face it. 2009 has left many business owners reluctant to make any large investments in their business’s future—even if those investments are essential for long term growth. The financial crisis left a sense of unpredictability, and decision makers are still pulling back on planned marketing projects and strategies while the storm blows over.
Back in September, we discussed the paralysis of decision makers to move marketing initiatives forward. The consolidation of roles and possibly, the creation of new positions, have left businesses frozen by uncertainty.
While the emergence from the recession is expected to be slow this year, 2010 provides us with a fresh start. Stop feeling helpless by developing strategies that play on your business’s current strengths and position your brand for future successes.
Yes, there are outside forces you may be unable to control. CMA’s Marketecture™ process analyzes the best ways to position a company through marketing and advises company executives how to deal with outside forces such as technological advances, political/policy changes and socio-cultural implications. By focusing on these forces and how your company ranks among the competition—something most business owners are not able to devote time to on a regular basis—your business will once again become agile and ready to move forward into the year ahead.
Perhaps the new year holds new opportunities for your business. What needs will emerge out of the recession? While the economy strengthens, consider working with experts who know the ebb and flow of business cycles and can customize marketing strategies to fit your business.
Jeffrey Barnhart
President and CEO
jbarnhart@cmasolutions.com
Back in September, we discussed the paralysis of decision makers to move marketing initiatives forward. The consolidation of roles and possibly, the creation of new positions, have left businesses frozen by uncertainty.
While the emergence from the recession is expected to be slow this year, 2010 provides us with a fresh start. Stop feeling helpless by developing strategies that play on your business’s current strengths and position your brand for future successes.
Yes, there are outside forces you may be unable to control. CMA’s Marketecture™ process analyzes the best ways to position a company through marketing and advises company executives how to deal with outside forces such as technological advances, political/policy changes and socio-cultural implications. By focusing on these forces and how your company ranks among the competition—something most business owners are not able to devote time to on a regular basis—your business will once again become agile and ready to move forward into the year ahead.
Perhaps the new year holds new opportunities for your business. What needs will emerge out of the recession? While the economy strengthens, consider working with experts who know the ebb and flow of business cycles and can customize marketing strategies to fit your business.
Jeffrey Barnhart
President and CEO
jbarnhart@cmasolutions.com
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
CMA Adopts a Family
CMA once again partnered with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s Community Health Promotion Program to aid a local family in need for the holidays.
From December 1 to December 18, CMA adopted a six-person family for the holiday season. Employees donated a variety of gifts for children ages 14, 8, 5 and 2 years old, as well as gifts for their parents, providing a total of 16 gifts to the family.
The Community Health Promotion Program, a nationally recognized program of outreach into the Greater New Brunswick, New Jersey area, provides educational programs, health screenings and social services to the community. For more information, please visit http://www.rwjuhfdn.org/funds/special.html.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Designing a Website Built to Last
If a website refresh is what your company needs to start anew in 2010, it’s imperative that you work with your designer to create something that is built to last. Using outdated techniques can force a prospective customer to click the “x” in the corner and cross you off the list of potential business partners as quick as the click of a mouse.
We’ve seen so many website trends come and go. Consider these points while you’re in the planning stage.
Put yourself in the website visitors’ shoes. Your website is now almost the equivalent of the first greeting, handshake and business card exchange in the early stages of a real, live meeting. Within the first few seconds, the visitor needs to feel engaged but also in control. While the organization of your website is important to share information, the design elements must make them feel comfortable enough to want to stay.
A website should accurately represent your brand. Since your website might be the first place a customer is introduced to your brand, make sure visitors are able to immediately understand who the business is and what you do. A cluttered homepage with disorganized photos and clickables can be confusing, so keep it simple.
Utilize white space for a more professional feel. Dated websites are easy to spot—they have bright colors, perhaps a patterned background and lots of text to scroll through. According to Business Week, 62% of those online are researching products and services. Maintaining a good ratio of white space to images and text allows the visitor to concentrate better on the information they are seeking.
Websites are an essential piece of a company’s full brand. Before you decide to launch a website project, spend some time shopping around to other websites to browse for ideas and accurately gauge the trends in your own industry. Let CMA apply our expertise to deliver a website that truly represents you.
Diane Webster,
Associate Creative Director
Dwebster@cmasolutions.com
We’ve seen so many website trends come and go. Consider these points while you’re in the planning stage.
Put yourself in the website visitors’ shoes. Your website is now almost the equivalent of the first greeting, handshake and business card exchange in the early stages of a real, live meeting. Within the first few seconds, the visitor needs to feel engaged but also in control. While the organization of your website is important to share information, the design elements must make them feel comfortable enough to want to stay.
A website should accurately represent your brand. Since your website might be the first place a customer is introduced to your brand, make sure visitors are able to immediately understand who the business is and what you do. A cluttered homepage with disorganized photos and clickables can be confusing, so keep it simple.
Utilize white space for a more professional feel. Dated websites are easy to spot—they have bright colors, perhaps a patterned background and lots of text to scroll through. According to Business Week, 62% of those online are researching products and services. Maintaining a good ratio of white space to images and text allows the visitor to concentrate better on the information they are seeking.
Websites are an essential piece of a company’s full brand. Before you decide to launch a website project, spend some time shopping around to other websites to browse for ideas and accurately gauge the trends in your own industry. Let CMA apply our expertise to deliver a website that truly represents you.
Diane Webster,
Associate Creative Director
Dwebster@cmasolutions.com
Thursday, December 3, 2009
A Web Presence is a Terrible Thing to Waste
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It’s important for a company not to lose sight of how important their website is, especially since these days, it can serve as the main introduction to their brand presence and value proposition.
A company’s website should evolve and be refreshed as a business grows, refines or alters strategic direction, branding and positioning, makes an acquisition, enters a new market or introduces new products and services.
A website that is little more than a digital version of the company brochure just doesn’t cut it anymore. A makeover or even an entirely new site may be advisable, if not essential. If you decide on a website refresh or a bulldoze to rebuild from the ground up, do your site visitors a favor and bring in a web designer to do it right―particularly if your current site was built by a friend or someone who’s simply “interested in computers.”
These lamentable scenarios often result in some of the most arcanely programmed, navigationally convoluted, frustratingly slow and ineffective websites out there. I know, because our company has had to modify and improve some of them over the years.
To help you on your journey, I recommend a few do’s and don’ts for keeping your website current:
Tone down “bells and whistles.” Animation and Flash are like seasoning—used with relevance and purpose, they enhance the user experience, but when applied excessively for their own sake, they frustrate a user trying to gather information.
Rethink “Skip Intro.” They may set off a “Skip Website” alarm in the visitors’ minds.
Use colors intelligently. Bright colors used to prevail. Now white space, brevity and readability are paramount.
Break up the copy for greater readability. Dynamic headlines and sub-heads should be developed around key messages to communicate them prominently and pique click-throughs.
These are just some elements to consider. Is a website refresh what your company needs to start anew in 2010? We’ll be exploring website trends all month, so check back for more tips and trend insights.
Erin Higgins
Manager, Client Services
ehiggins@cmasolutions.com
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