Yakkety-Yak--Please talk back
Everybody's talking about word of mouth marketing. Two new books are of special interest:
Lois Kelly's forthcoming Beyond Buzz is all about crafting a conversational message that will get customers buzzing about the product/brand/company and keep the buzz building. As a fan of Lois's Foghound blog, I'm eager to see this book (due out in February).
Andy Sernovitz's Word of Mouth Marketing discusses the five Ts of buzz marketing: talkers, topics, tools, taking part, and tracking. Amazon.com reviewers (and Marketing News) really like this book.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Snapfish in My Snail Mail
It was the day after Thanksgiving and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a Snapfish brochure with gift ideas for holiday cheer! My family will be getting personalized photo calendars for 2007, thanks to a mailing I got from the photo web site Snapfish. Although I usually open e-mails from sites where I've previously been a customer, it's unusual to get a snail mail brochure from an e-business.
Looking at the brochure, I instantly decided to buy personalized calendars, complete with family photos and celebration dates (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) Getting dozens of photos uploaded took a little time, and I had to learn how Snapfish's design system worked, but it was all worth it.
The calendars arrived yesterday and they're high quality, extremely professional, and impressively substantial. I can't say enough good things about the color, the stock, the formats. My family will be surprised and thrilled. All because Snapfish spent a little cash to get a brochure into my snail mailbox. Bravo, Snapfish, good marketing!
It was the day after Thanksgiving and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a Snapfish brochure with gift ideas for holiday cheer! My family will be getting personalized photo calendars for 2007, thanks to a mailing I got from the photo web site Snapfish. Although I usually open e-mails from sites where I've previously been a customer, it's unusual to get a snail mail brochure from an e-business.
Looking at the brochure, I instantly decided to buy personalized calendars, complete with family photos and celebration dates (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) Getting dozens of photos uploaded took a little time, and I had to learn how Snapfish's design system worked, but it was all worth it.
The calendars arrived yesterday and they're high quality, extremely professional, and impressively substantial. I can't say enough good things about the color, the stock, the formats. My family will be surprised and thrilled. All because Snapfish spent a little cash to get a brochure into my snail mailbox. Bravo, Snapfish, good marketing!
Sunday, December 3, 2006
Ask the Locals
This year, Washington Mutual and Panera's both opened in my town (across the street from each other, as it happens). Their marketing materials were created outside the local area, however, and that's too bad.
The marketing info was fine--but the stick maps showing location were pitiful. Both businesses are located on a major state route...but you'd never know that from the stick maps, which used local road names and omitted the name of the biggest shopping strip in the area.
The marketer in me is shouting: "Next time, show the map and/or directions to a local before you go to print!" What do you have to lose? And you might even seed local interest. Try it, you'll like it.
This year, Washington Mutual and Panera's both opened in my town (across the street from each other, as it happens). Their marketing materials were created outside the local area, however, and that's too bad.
The marketing info was fine--but the stick maps showing location were pitiful. Both businesses are located on a major state route...but you'd never know that from the stick maps, which used local road names and omitted the name of the biggest shopping strip in the area.
The marketer in me is shouting: "Next time, show the map and/or directions to a local before you go to print!" What do you have to lose? And you might even seed local interest. Try it, you'll like it.