In November 2010 I informed my clients of the huge power of Groupon.com. Groupon had nearly 80% of group buying power online. Today digital coupon comet, Groupon, sends 70 million subscribers deal-of-the-day emails. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Groupon is a combination of (somewhat now passé) Yellow Pages and Valpak, acting as a kind of price-conscious concierge for millions of customers.
Untapped Potential
Groupon is growing exponentially, possibly the fastest company of all time! Budget is $3-4 billion this year, up from $750 million last year. Rumors of an IPO would value Andrew Mason’s digital couponing biz at $25 billion!
Groupon Now
Two simple buttons have transformed local commerce. Groupon’s “I’m hungry” And “I’m bored” options give single-click access to local merchants looking to fill empty seats, tables, rooms, etc. – now. Instead of being presented with dozens of options – Groupon Now has just two. The program is still in beta, but expected to go live to broader markets in April.
Groupon’s Sense of Humor
Do you remember the $3 million, 30-second ad during the Super Bowl that tried to make a joke of Tibetan repression? “The people of Tibet are in trouble… but they still whip up an amazing fish curry.” The spot bombed. But Groupon has remained an edgy, informative, and entertaining persona. Groupon is known to reward its best customers with silly things like mouth guards, shoe trees, and other non-essentials not coveted by most people. Groupon employs 70 comic writers.
Groupon’s Competition
There is a long list of wannabe daily-deal sites. LivingSocial started building apps for Facebook, but pivoted to daily deals after seeing Groupon takeoff.
The Groupon Now Difference
Daily deals present invites that help the average consumer step outside of their comfort zone. From sky diving to simply trying a different restaurant, you see the deals when you enter your location on your PC or smartphone. Daily deals generate a flood of new customers. A few may become regulars. With Groupon Now you get just a few customers, but at the right time. The real advantage of G Now is eliminating perishable inventory.
If a spa has a canceled massage, but your masseuse is already there - why not give a massage at a discount? If your restaurant is packed every weekend, but you could use a few patrons on a Tuesday for lunch – why not use G Now to draw customers to open tables? G Now is an everyday tool to keep business going.
Rob Solomon, Groupon’s president says, “If we get this right, we are going to influence what tens of millions of people are buying at a frequency that we have never seen before.
The Cons
Groupon takes a 40-50 percent cut on all deals. Small business owners already have a lot on their plate. Managing Groupon Now takes time. And of course – as with discounting too often in any venue – active discounting on Groupon could dissuade customers from ever paying full price. Groupon isn’t the only site around and now Facebook recently announced plans to collect daily deals from Groupon’s rivals.
Showing posts with label advertising media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advertising media. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
How to Write a Great Press Release
A press or media release is still a great marketing tool for promoting your company. Publishing your release online is an excellent way to drive traffic to your website. A well planned, constructed, and targeted press release will create brand awareness, gain more newsletter subscriptions, promote new products, and simply – get you more (hopefully free) publicity.
Write like the pros, format like the pros, and hit your target media.
First know the primary purpose of your press release. Then sketch out a rough draft. A great press release will have a catchy title and a content-rich lead paragraph. Just like a newspaper article (remember newspaper articles) you need to “draw in” your audience in the first few sentences. Read a few press releases to see what I mean. Save a few samples that really capture your attention. Use them to inspire you.
In the online world, your press release headline will be what search engines pick up first. Use keywords and capture attention. If you’re promoting a new website, use the URL in the headline. If promoting a new product, include those keywords.
Analyze the format, heading, body text, closing, contact info/resource box, and keyword placing of the press releases you’ve found. Make the job of the media outlet easy. If your press release looks like news, sounds like news, is well formatted, interesting, and requires no more than a “copy and paste” on their end – your chances of getting it distributed are exponentially increased.
Avoid too much self promotion or over-optimized “spammy text.” Your objective should be more along the lines of educating consumers and becoming a resource. Press releases are not intended for hard selling. Use keyword phrases in the first and last paragraphs, but don’t over saturate; two to three percent is plenty. Always use a proofreader. Cut out any excess content. Keep it short, simple, and beneficial.
With a well written and executed press release you should begin to see a steady flow of targeted visitors to your website while generating valuable back links to your website. Put together a professional looking press/media kit and media outlets will call on you as a subject matter expert, gaining further exposure for your business.
For expert help call Terra today at (715) 584-6773!
Write like the pros, format like the pros, and hit your target media.
First know the primary purpose of your press release. Then sketch out a rough draft. A great press release will have a catchy title and a content-rich lead paragraph. Just like a newspaper article (remember newspaper articles) you need to “draw in” your audience in the first few sentences. Read a few press releases to see what I mean. Save a few samples that really capture your attention. Use them to inspire you.
In the online world, your press release headline will be what search engines pick up first. Use keywords and capture attention. If you’re promoting a new website, use the URL in the headline. If promoting a new product, include those keywords.
Analyze the format, heading, body text, closing, contact info/resource box, and keyword placing of the press releases you’ve found. Make the job of the media outlet easy. If your press release looks like news, sounds like news, is well formatted, interesting, and requires no more than a “copy and paste” on their end – your chances of getting it distributed are exponentially increased.
Avoid too much self promotion or over-optimized “spammy text.” Your objective should be more along the lines of educating consumers and becoming a resource. Press releases are not intended for hard selling. Use keyword phrases in the first and last paragraphs, but don’t over saturate; two to three percent is plenty. Always use a proofreader. Cut out any excess content. Keep it short, simple, and beneficial.
With a well written and executed press release you should begin to see a steady flow of targeted visitors to your website while generating valuable back links to your website. Put together a professional looking press/media kit and media outlets will call on you as a subject matter expert, gaining further exposure for your business.
For expert help call Terra today at (715) 584-6773!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Advertising Types and Media
A couple of weeks ago I introduced you to some ad techniques as outlined by Aristotle’s three persuasive techniques – with the promise of expanding on the subject. Today, I’m backing up a step. In a conversation I had with a start-up business owner, I discovered that he wasn’t aware of all the different types of advertising.
Advertising is done to drive sales and build brand identity. It is an essential element of business. Marketing is defined as anything that leads to a sale. Therefore, without marketing there are no sales. Advertising and marketing increase sales, create/maintain brand image, communicate new products or changes in current ones, and build brand value in the mind of consumers.
Print Advertising
Print Advertising includes newspapers and magazines, but can also include marketing collateral such as brochures, business cards, and flyers. Many newspapers give the option of inserting flyers or brochures into the paper’s inner fold. Ad space in newspapers and magazines is sold by the size of the ad and its location within the publication. Rates vary based on readership.
Outdoor Advertising
Billboards, kiosks, tradeshows, and events are popular outdoor advertising. Billboards can be highly effective if they create a “visual speed bump.” Kiosks are an easy way to showcase products. Events such as trade fairs, business expos, home improvement shows, even county fairs can provide an opportunity to advertise to large numbers of people. Sponsoring events that have a commonality and matching demographic may be an effective brand image building technique.
Broadcast Advertising
Television and radio are broadcast medias. Cost depends on duration, timing, placement, and the channel’s popularity. Radio is a popular choice for small-scale advertisers. Catchy jingles can be very memorable.
Product Placement
Product placement or covert advertising is a unique way of placing a product or brand into a movie, TV show, or sporting event. It is not as obvious as a commercial. The product or brand is subtly showcased or placed in the background. You may notice that the latest cell phone is used by each actor on your favorite show. Or that the same brand of soft drink appears several times in one episode.
Celebrity Advertising
Celebrity advertising is similar to product placement in that we (consciously/subconsciously) want to be like our favorite characters or celebrities. This can be done through blatant use of a celebrity in an ad - or more subtly. Celebs are often contracted to only carry a certain brand of handbag, wear one company’s sunglasses, or even drive one automobile make or model. And if they’re not paid to do so – company’s often give samples to high-profile clients in hopes the celeb is caught (by the paparazzi) with their item.
Stay tuned for more ad types and techniques. For help designing an effective ad please call (715) 584-6773 today!
Be sure to read Jumpstart your Internet Marketing Campaign.
Advertising is done to drive sales and build brand identity. It is an essential element of business. Marketing is defined as anything that leads to a sale. Therefore, without marketing there are no sales. Advertising and marketing increase sales, create/maintain brand image, communicate new products or changes in current ones, and build brand value in the mind of consumers.
Print Advertising
Print Advertising includes newspapers and magazines, but can also include marketing collateral such as brochures, business cards, and flyers. Many newspapers give the option of inserting flyers or brochures into the paper’s inner fold. Ad space in newspapers and magazines is sold by the size of the ad and its location within the publication. Rates vary based on readership.
Outdoor Advertising
 |
| Courtesy Digital Outdoor |
Billboards, kiosks, tradeshows, and events are popular outdoor advertising. Billboards can be highly effective if they create a “visual speed bump.” Kiosks are an easy way to showcase products. Events such as trade fairs, business expos, home improvement shows, even county fairs can provide an opportunity to advertise to large numbers of people. Sponsoring events that have a commonality and matching demographic may be an effective brand image building technique.
Broadcast Advertising
Television and radio are broadcast medias. Cost depends on duration, timing, placement, and the channel’s popularity. Radio is a popular choice for small-scale advertisers. Catchy jingles can be very memorable.
Product Placement
Product placement or covert advertising is a unique way of placing a product or brand into a movie, TV show, or sporting event. It is not as obvious as a commercial. The product or brand is subtly showcased or placed in the background. You may notice that the latest cell phone is used by each actor on your favorite show. Or that the same brand of soft drink appears several times in one episode.
Celebrity Advertising
Celebrity advertising is similar to product placement in that we (consciously/subconsciously) want to be like our favorite characters or celebrities. This can be done through blatant use of a celebrity in an ad - or more subtly. Celebs are often contracted to only carry a certain brand of handbag, wear one company’s sunglasses, or even drive one automobile make or model. And if they’re not paid to do so – company’s often give samples to high-profile clients in hopes the celeb is caught (by the paparazzi) with their item.
Stay tuned for more ad types and techniques. For help designing an effective ad please call (715) 584-6773 today!
Be sure to read Jumpstart your Internet Marketing Campaign.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Current Marketing Environment: New Rules for the Four P’s
"If you haven’t heard the admonition to consider price, product, place, and promotion, perhaps you’ve been living under a rock. Fear not! Marketers who have had this drilled in may be at a disadvantage. Of course those factors are ever relevant and must be harmonious. The change is in the evaluation of the four P’s."
Read The Current Marketing Environment: New Rules for the Four P’s to understand how the marketplace is changing and what advertisers are doing to keep up.
For a strategic marketing consultation call or email Fletcher Freelance today at (715) 584-6773 or terra@fletcherfreelance.com. Your first consultation is always FREE!
Read The Current Marketing Environment: New Rules for the Four P’s to understand how the marketplace is changing and what advertisers are doing to keep up.
For a strategic marketing consultation call or email Fletcher Freelance today at (715) 584-6773 or terra@fletcherfreelance.com. Your first consultation is always FREE!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Outrageous Advertising
I just finished reading “Outrageous Advertising that’s outrageously successful” by Bill Glazer. It was a very light read, but inspirational nonetheless. I hope to use this book as a reference when I need an outrageous idea.
Remember, boring doesn’t get noticed. Boring doesn’t get results. I’ve told you before how a strong business differentiation strategy is key to a successful business. Being outrageous fits right along with that strategy.
Here are a few things that I gleaned from this book. I hope you can apply them to your own business.
General Advertising Ideas/Suggestions
• Always give a reason for the offer.
• Tell a story.
• List all pertinent info in every ad.
• Use a deadline!
• Anything “lumpy” in a mailing is good. These are called grabbers because they grab attention.
Events (other than holidays) Worth Celebrating
• Business anniversary
• January – clean out, fresh start
• Spring cleaning
• Tax day, April 15
• Graduation
• Back to school
Advertising Media
• One is the worst number in marketing. There is too much risk.
• Same as your financial portfolio – diversify.
• We learn better if we learn in multiple ways (hear, see, do). Multi-media messages achieve the same affect.
Notes on Success
“It’s very seductive for an entrepreneur to fall prey to success and ignore stability.”
Just because what you’re doing works – that doesn’t meant that you shouldn’t do more. You can’t take for granted that what you’re doing will always work. Things change.
Bill Glazer speaks directly to business owners. He says, “Marketing is your job. Without it all other jobs go away.”
If you’re not sure how to do this important job call Fletcher Freelance today for a strategic marketing consultation. Fletcher can help you compose your marketing plan, expand it to new media, and help you find something outrageous that will work for you. Call (715) 584-6773 or email terra@fletcherfreelance.com today. Your first consultation is always FREE!
Remember, boring doesn’t get noticed. Boring doesn’t get results. I’ve told you before how a strong business differentiation strategy is key to a successful business. Being outrageous fits right along with that strategy.
Here are a few things that I gleaned from this book. I hope you can apply them to your own business.
General Advertising Ideas/Suggestions
• Always give a reason for the offer.
• Tell a story.
• List all pertinent info in every ad.
• Use a deadline!
• Anything “lumpy” in a mailing is good. These are called grabbers because they grab attention.
Events (other than holidays) Worth Celebrating
• Business anniversary
• January – clean out, fresh start
• Spring cleaning
• Tax day, April 15
• Graduation
• Back to school
Advertising Media
• One is the worst number in marketing. There is too much risk.
• Same as your financial portfolio – diversify.
• We learn better if we learn in multiple ways (hear, see, do). Multi-media messages achieve the same affect.
Notes on Success
“It’s very seductive for an entrepreneur to fall prey to success and ignore stability.”
Just because what you’re doing works – that doesn’t meant that you shouldn’t do more. You can’t take for granted that what you’re doing will always work. Things change.
Bill Glazer speaks directly to business owners. He says, “Marketing is your job. Without it all other jobs go away.”
If you’re not sure how to do this important job call Fletcher Freelance today for a strategic marketing consultation. Fletcher can help you compose your marketing plan, expand it to new media, and help you find something outrageous that will work for you. Call (715) 584-6773 or email terra@fletcherfreelance.com today. Your first consultation is always FREE!
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