Monthly Archives: April 2012

What’s your game changer?

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We know business is tough but I have this theory and, I admit that from my standpoint, it is just a theory. Please don’t bite my head off when I say this but I get the feeling that a difficult economy has become the scapegoat for a whole host of excuses.

Of course, there is little a business can do when their customers discover they do not have the dollars to spend on your product or service, but where I see people missing the point is in their acceptance of this and understanding the need for fresh thinking.

The saying goes like this “the definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over again but expecting different results”. Change always seems to be the hardest thing to face no matter what area of your life you’re looking at. But, if your customers have stopped buying from you and you continue to take the approach of ‘business as usual’, surely you cannot expect good results.

If you’re wearing a t-shirt and the weather turns nasty you put a coat on, right? You don’t do nothing and hope not to get a cold, or worse, you don’t take it off altogether and expect a better result. If your world changes you have to change with it.

This might mean facing the reality that your business is no longer relevant. It’s a really horrible, scary and painful reality to face, but sometimes facing that truth head on can save you pain and debt later on down the track. But, before you go down that track, there are other things to try. Can you find a new customer, one with the dollars or the need to spend with you? Can you find a new product to add or enhance your current offer? Are there new markets to jump into, joint ventures with complementary businesses you can find to create a support network for referrals and joint marketing? Have you looked into every way you can reduce your overheads so that you can put the extra dollars into things that will help you attract customers, such as advertising or more sales staff. How can you get more out of your existing client base? Can you enhance the service they are getting so they stay with you longer? Are there opportunities you can jump on? For instance, with all your competitors in the same boat reducing their marketing spend does this lead to a gaping hole in the visibility of your industry? Wouldn’t it be great if you were the only one out there? It’s a pretty strong argument for putting these available dollars to work!

What’s my point? My point is, the game has changed, what are you going to do to change with it?

What’s your game changer?

 

COO’EE Crew

Digital Point-of-Sale

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It seemed so far fetched as Tom Cruise peered into the future and rearranged image snippets of a crime that hadn’t happened yet and later was identified by an eye scan as he fled past an interactive sign in the Hollywood blockbuster ‘Minority Report’. But, as I am finding out these types of technological advancements are not only in development – they are being used all around us.

Touchscreen technology has actually been with us for a long time and no I’m not talking about Steve Jobs’ baby the iPad, I’m alluding to the humble bank machine. Most bank machines have touch screen terminals and, if you look up, you’ll notice a small circular hole – smile you’re on bank cam.

The next point of commonly used digital signage is fast food. McDonalds’ has interchangeable display screens which, I hate to admit, are rather eye-catching. In a similar area, Subway seems to be leading the charge with touchscreen ordering machines, chargeable loyalty cards and iPhone applications. Not only do these machines take your order, they can also process your payment and upload your reward points – no more waiting in line if you don’t have to. Speaking of this, are you familiar with the self-service terminals in your local supermarket?

Information and advertising at your finger tips

Information and advertising at your finger tips

Also while we’re on the subject have you had a go on Microsoft Xbox’s Kinect system or the rival Nintendo Wii? These are controller-free devices that recognise hand, feet and facial expressions – not to mention being able to judge depth and speed. Currently they are being used to serve games and entertainment.

So, the more you think about it, these types of technologies are being applied all around us and are becoming more commonplace. But this is only the very tip of the iceberg.

Development of interactive signage which include body type recognition i.e. a 20 something female walks past an interactive sign, it recognises her body type, weight, height, age and serves her the appropriate advert or promotion for her age group. Also imagine walking past a drink machine and hearing the sound of a drink opening and someone taking a nice refreshing gulp, followed by an ‘ahhhhhh’ – you’ve just triggered a motion sensor sound advert. Getting used to signs talking to us is one thing, but imagine being able to talk back to these devices.

Microsoft’s Kinect System is also being developed for television. Imagine a television system which recognises your face, knows all your favourite programmes, is hooked up to the Internet and can perform searches for you by voice command e.g. “Kinect, find out how much those shoes are that are in that Nike advert”. Various providers such as Samsung have also unveiled Smart TV‘s which behave very much like a smartphone.

No matter what your viewpoint on this, consider this from a business perspective. The way you have been communicating up until this point with consumers is set to change forever and is changing all around us. Whilst some of the innovations I’ve mentioned are in development, most are in use in certain sectors. The options that are now at your finger tips are only as limited as your imagination (or your agencies). If you’d like to find out more about various point-of-sale innovations, contact COO’EE today.

Running from the future

Just like Tom Cruise, we can’t run from the future forever. So let us help you embrace these new technological innovations and come join us on this exciting journey.

 

COO’EE Crew

How does the COO’EE lead generation system work?

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Your Website is a powerful medium which can take your products and services to large groups of people in your target market. But how do they find you?

Clever use of your website to gain customers and to gain a database of potential customers is an important part of systematic lead generation. If you have 5,000 people in your target audience with whom you can communicate with regularly – be it weekly, fortnightly or monthly – you have a captive database of customers. All just waiting to be convinced that you have the product or service they need.

Accumulating a database need not be expensive. The fact is, we are growing databases by 100 people per month for as little as $500 per month. And that activity alone can help your Google ratings significantly.

But there is a lot more you can do!

We specialise in Search Engine Optimisation. We can scientifically assess what people in your market are searching for – what search criteria they use. Then we can ensure that you rank right up there when it comes to key search criteria. We can do it by product, by service, by problem/solution, and we can do it internationally, nationally or locally.

But that’s not all!

Why not let us show you?  We can audit your current website and give you recommendations for both improving your existing site AND generating large numbers of leads – all for a one-off cost of $995.

Contact COO’EE now and we will prepare you a customised report of proven recommendations – within 12 days!

 

COO’EE Crew

Hundreds of Leads Every Month!

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Proven Lead Generation System!

  • We’ll show you how to increase the effectiveness of your website by systematic Search Engine Optimisation, that typically costs around $6,000 over a 12 month period.
  • We’ll show you that whilst Google is important – alone, it’s not enough!
  • We’ll show you how to attract the contact details of hundreds of people a month – directly from your target audience.
  • We’ll show you how to use a combination of database advertising to sell specials and premium products to your existing client base – costing typically between $2,000 & $5,000 per campaign.
  • We’ll show you how we can run consecutive campaigns on social media for under $1,000 to around $3,000 per month – generating hundreds of monthly leads on your website.
  • We’ll show you how we get the maximum number of people seeing your social media ad within your target audience (by age, gender, income, lifestyle, etc.).
  • We’ll also show you how we create a test ad campaign before evolving into a full, digital media schedule.

If you’re interested in joining this proven lead generation system or simply want to know more about what options are now available, contact COO’EE today.

We’re passionate about helping you reach your goals for 2012.

COO’EE Crew

Digital Marketing and why you should listen to a young buck like me.

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I know, I’m young.  To make matters worse, I even look younger than I really am.  Why is that a bad thing?  Well, in the business world, in fact, in the entire grown- up domain, age tends to lend to a person’s credibility, especially when dealing with decision makers.   It’s not a gripe. Honest, I can live with the realities; I don’t have to like them, but I can live with them.  I choose to see it as a challenge. How can I be more valuable despite my baby fat?

I have never been responsible for anyone else’s livelihood but my own.  It’s a good reason to imagine I have very little to say that might help your business, right? Very possible. But I think I may be able to add value.

Because of my age it goes without saying that I am likely to be less experienced than you, but what I am, and have been for the majority of my life, is an avid consumer. Ever since seeing my first ‘Cabbage Patch Dolls’ TV ad, I knew there were things I wanted, things I needed and that you ‘the general business community’ were the people to get them from.

How does that help you?  I have been fine-tuning my consumer choice from a very early age. I know what I like, what I want and I know the difference between real value and cheap imitation (I’ve thrown away my fair share of iPod wanna-be’s).  I’ve grown up in the age of instant gratification; I want it, I want it now, I’m going have it now and tomorrow I will want something else).  You have more chances than ever to prove to me that you have something I want and to give it to me.

So here’s the kicker… I also know that in today’s world not only do I have an enormity of choice options, but I don’t even have to leave my chair to find, inform and make my buying decision.   How does this impact on you?  If I’m not already your customer (says the young buck to the mortgage broker), tomorrow I might be.

I am your future customer and I do 90% of my decision-making online, and if you’re not there then your competitors are getting my dollars. You might hate the social media revolution or you might simply not understand it.  You might think it’s evolving too quickly and that you should wait until it peaks and slows down.  I hate to tell you this, but it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.

I know how to make my decisions. I’ve been making them for over 20 years now. The thing that matters, and has always been the case, is who’s right in front of me when I make it?  Is it going to be you?   Social media counts because that’s where I am and millions of others like me.  Search marketing counts because that’s what I’m using along with millions of others like me.  Digital mobile marketing counts because that’s what I’m using for quick impulse decisions just like millions of others like me.

Of course, traditional push media matters but just make sure you don’t push me into the arms of your competitors.

So with all of this in mind, what can I tell you to help you sell your business, your service or your product to me?

Get online – Be everywhere you can so that when I come looking for you, you’re there.   Social media, online directories, search results – SEO instead of Google AdWords – why?  Because we know what a Google ad looks like and we don’t like them – organic search results are preferred (85% more preferred, in fact) and general consensus is that they are more believable than AdWords. That being said Google AdWords are better than nothing.

 

 

Connect and engage – Simon Sinek, founder of Sinek Partners and a Ted Talks Speaker, will tell you that “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it”.   This is your chance to get people to believe in you and your product, and gives you a chance to add an honest human level to your business.  The more engaged your customers the more likely they are to come back when they need what you offer.

Embrace the unknown – We live in an increasingly ‘risk adverse’ world which is teaching employees to be ‘risk adverse’.  The ‘Careful you might fail’ school of thought.  But as we know, failure can lead to better successes because we learn and adapt.  The digital marketing world is largely unchartered territory but it’s instantly measurable territory which allows for ‘calculable risk’.  Yes, it’s a risk, but it’s a highly measurable risk.   If you’re worried about a lack of knowledge, coupled with the level of risk, speak to COO’EE. It’s our responsibility to understand the space and provide support by helping you manage and maximise this risk (real or perceived).

Don’t let a lack of knowledge or experience be the reason you say you can’t find a way to say you can.

If this hasn’t helped you take a bolder step into the digital market place, that’s sad, because you are about to lose the race for me and my peers’ disposable income. It’s not just us either, today’s children are entirely ‘Digitally Native’ and won’t have the patience to wait for you to come to the party.

Good luck, get excited and get passionate because wanting something goes a long way into helping you make it happen.

Check out our other blog postings for more on this and other topics here. 

COO’EE Crew

Push-Me/Pull-Me!

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Digital natives won’t know this but somewhere in the recesses of my new digital nature mind, I remember a Dr Dolittle toy. It was called a Push-Me/Pull-Me. It came in a variety of forms but the defining element was that the toy had two heads.

A beast with two heads is an analogy for many businesses that COO’EE comes in contact with. One head is typically a non-digital native i.e. comfortable with their past experience, uncomfortable with the new digital language, and frightened by the concept of open communication. The other head represents the digital native who has been born into the future on communication. Communications that are designed to be two-way and measurable, the holy-grail of advertising.

 

Push-Me/ Pull- Me - The Two Headed Beast

The natural tension between these two views of marketing and communication are both valid and healthy.

The ‘non-digital native’ – let’s call him ‘Experience’ – has a tool kit of customer engagement strategies that have worked well at times in the past. ‘Experience’ has learnt to cope with the vagaries of seasonality, response rates and brand values that have been used to explain traditional advertising campaign performance. All of this experience has made him risk adverse.

The ‘digital native’ head – let’s call her ‘Immediacy’ – intrinsically knows that every well executed digital strategy will typically deliver better results, more quickly on a totally measurable basis. ‘Immediacy’ is wanting everyone to get on the same digital page – now. She is aiming to succeed by innovative thinking and, where necessary, failing quickly. She therefore embraces risk. Because by failing quickly and relatively inexpensively, ‘Immediacy’ knows that she will win the real prize sooner.

At this stage we are reminded of saying ‘two heads are better than one’. Without ‘Experience’ knowledge of push marketing – via integrated marketing campaigns that point to a website and a range of digital assets – digital engagement is limited. Without ‘Immediacy’ of the answer to the ‘right here, right now’ problem, consumers who are already in the majority, will leave you and your brand behind to bond with companies and brands who want to connect with them, rather than make excuses as to why they don’t want to build a relationship.

For companies that have embraced or are about to embrace the marriage of ‘Experience’ and ‘Immediacy,’ increased market share and level of customers’ loyalty awaits.

For those that have still not accepted the ‘two heads are better than one’ approach, all that will remain is a visit from the SPCA quickly followed by the liquidator.

COO’EE Crew

Social Media For Your Brand

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The Social Media explosion has engulfed us all.  Latest figures show that a whopping 2,052,420 New Zealanders are on Facebook. The way people communicate with each other and share news and information has changed forever.

 

Social Media

But what does this mean for you and your brand?

Interesting trends have developed over the last 7 years since Facebook burst onto the scene. Aside from the social aspect of friend-to-friend interaction, some businesses began to test the waters with their own Facebook business page and business-to-consumer interaction. Surprising enough these weren’t the big brands leading the way into this brave new frontier but the small adventurous brands.

In the past, big brands held the advantage with traditional media: bigger budgets; esteemed ad agencies; impressive websites; and large promotional giveaways. Now in the social era, even the smallest of businesses can find success and achieve incredible gains without a single ad spend.

The advantage is in the response time. Big businesses are bogged down by company protocol and lengthy approval processes whereas smaller businesses can often respond instantly with anything from a comment to a video or a helpful link.

Guess what…..consumers not only love this experience they insist on it. Big brands can no longer ignore social media it’s here to stay and it’s no longer optional. It’s time to get off the fence and join the party.

But what happens if correspondence isn’t positive to my brand, product or service?

Herein lies the future of consumer-to-business communication; I like to think of it as “the customers always right version 2.0”. Brand advocates and brand vandals can now effortlessly share their beliefs on a massive scale, changing perception and influencing culture. Also, moreover, brand watchers (users that don’t often comment but follow discussions) often weigh up the ideology behind your business are also watching how you react in these situations and how you deal with negativity when your brand is brought into the firing line. Brand watchers are looking for inconsistency in the way you portray your brand in every platform be it in-store, on television, your website and in social media. “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” – Simon Sinek. Today’s evolving consumer is more conscious than ever about whom they buy from and why they buy from you than any generation before.

 

Social Media and the Brand Filter

The rewards from social media can be huge but so too the pitfalls and risks.

If I can give you one piece of advice in this situation, it is to listen! A conversation of your brand is taking place, put aside your pre-conceptions of how you see your brand and absorb customer insights on how it is perceived by them.  Afterall how your customers perceive your brand is nine-tenths of why they buy it.

Be present and initiate the discussion but then let go. Your brand is only one voice in the discussion, spark the conversation, let it continue and observe from a distance but make sure you are there to meet any negatives swiftly with a positive. Be transparent, never delete negative posts or leave them unanswered, set a standard for your interaction and refer any issues to an external source – a direct email or 0800 number. Resolve any issues conflict free and quickly and most importantly learn from them. Negatives can quickly be turned into positives for your business or brand if they are handled quickly and cleverly. For some examples of businesses that are using social media to their advantage, view this link here.

Make sure you remember your key brand assets and find a balance between promotional campaigns, events and brand information. Set yourself a post schedule and stick to it, making sure you find the right balance – not too intrusive but also not too floaty. This isn’t a Website where you control every aspect, this is Webspace.  Imagine a website is like a lounge where the furniture is bolted to the floor and guests are guided on where to sit and how to behave. Social Media is a like a lounge where visitors bring their own furniture and well…even move some of your furniture around too. So have fun with your brand and make sure your consumers enjoy the experience too.

If you’d like guidance on stepping into this new realm of customer interaction, please contact COO’EE – we’re here to help.

Oh, and remember these brand discussions will be happening regardless whether you’re involved or not.

A list of resources we’d like to credit:

“Blame it on the Social Media” by Sarah Lang, Alive Magazine.
“Facebook Shares it’s big secrets” by Jamie Morton, NZ Herald, Friday Feb 3rd 2012
“Trends to watch in 2012″ by Trina Snow, FMCG Feb 2012
“Watch out, web watchers about” by Linda Cole, NZ Business March 2012

and the quote “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” is from Simon Sinek “How great Leaders Inspire Action”.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please feel free to ‘share it’ and visit every week for more.

COO’EE Crew

Website Evolution and Social Media

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Digital Dining...are your consumers left hungry for more?

The other day my friend made an interesting analogy about the differences between Western and Eastern dining that I never noticed until now. He remarked that Western restaurants are a “one-service entity” which generally offer food and seating, basically what you’d expect to find in a restaurant. Whereas Eastern restaurants (particularly the one we were seated in at the time) had sofas, a huge magazine stack and a TV. At the end of the day they were encouraging the customer to spend more time in their business and soak up the environment. One would argue that if you walk past a restaurant and see it full of people that it intrigues passers-by to come in and check out what all the fuss is about.

After drawing this parallel, now, I’d like you to think about your current website. Does it offer the user the opportunity to spend more time enjoying the environment or is it a “one-service entity”?

A lot of websites out there are one-sided “business card-type” websites. They display information one way and do not have room for user interaction, which also gives the user no incentive to return.  Imagine a tumble weed blowing across a desert here.

Stale Website

Social Media has changed the way we interact with each other but also what we expect from brands, services and business* (See this post for more information on this). In regards to website evolution it is increasingly important for websites to offer more opportunity for consumer interaction, i.e. let’s take the user social media experience and tie that into what your website offers. I’m taking about social media plug in’s, ‘like’ buttons, share options, comment options, games, forums, blogs and polling options.

Something for every taste

Something for every taste

Let’s encourage user interaction with your brand or service by giving the user every opportunity to interact rather than a one-sided conversation.

Every user is different:  some prefer to tweet;  some like to watch online videos; some like to engage in lengthy discussions, via forums. The key is to cater for every taste and make sure you don’t exclude anyone.

Share options

Encourage interaction with more user options

Why should you offer this service? How does it help you reach your bottom-line?

Just like the Eastern restaurant, it is more appealing for consumers to see that others have ‘liked’ your activity and are engaged in your brand. It presents up-selling opportunities and fosters lasting brand/consumer relationships. You will grow a niche audience that is highly receptive to your particular offering and will become strong brand advocates. Also other than initial start-up costs and investing time this is the most cost-effective and engaging experience you can offer potential customers. Constant blogging and site interaction also drives S.E.O. (Search Engine Optimisation) which is key to new customers discovering your web space and will put you ahead of your competitors.

Doesn’t this sound fantastic?!  Well if you’re interested in finding out how you get on the board and make leaps and bounds into this exciting new frontier, look no further than COO’EE. We have a number of options in our arsenal to help you meet your targets.

Watch this space for more digital learning every week.

COO’EE Crew