Sound ADvice | The Genuine ScLoHo aka Scott Howard

POSITIVE Lessons from Political Advertising

by Scott Howard | Oct 7, 2024 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

This was sent to my Sound ADvice Newsletter subscribers last week:

The world of political advertising is in a “world” all its own. The rules of traditional advertising are thrown out the window.

It’s a high-stakes game. It’s estimated that during the 2024 presidential election, candidates will spend nearly $12.32 billion; that’s an increase of almost 30% from the 2020 election cycle.

While I have never met anyone who likes political advertising, there are some proven, and yes positive, tactics that can help you win the vote of public opinion in your business category. First, you must win their hearts and minds. Once you’ve accomplished that, you’ll win their wallets and purses.

Presidential Marketing Tactic Number Ten is to Develop a Proprietary Slogan. In today’s competitive landscape, simply promoting your name is no longer sufficient to develop customer loyalty or attract new business. Your name must stand for something and be associated with an easy-to-remember benefit statement or slogan.

In a few short words, a slogan describes what your business stands for. Whether they were your preferred candidate or not, Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again”, and Kamala Harris’ “We’re Not Going Back” or “When We Fight, We Win” are all compelling slogans.

There is, however, one tactic your advertising needs to adhere to that most political campaigns do not…Tell the Truth!

Don’t make promises you can’t keep if you want to be in business for more than one term.

Click here to see all fourteen Presidential Marketing Tactics that can help place your business at the top of your business category.

If you would like to receive my free Sound ADvice newsletter in your inbox every week, email me Scott@ScLoHo.net

A story about a duck

by Scott Howard | Sep 2, 2024 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

This Labor Day week, I’m sharing a recent Sound ADvice newsletter that my subscribers received recently about communication:

There’s an old story about a group of big-city folks who went on a bus tour to Henry’s Farm where they worked all day in the fields to experience rural life, firsthand.

At the end of the day, they assembled on Farmer Henry’s front porch, tired and hungry, waiting for the dinner bell.

As they sat on the porch, they could catch the aroma of some good, old home cooking coming from the country kitchen and grew even hungrier.

After some time, Farmer Henry came out of the barn, stepped up to the porch, and announced, “Well folks, the duck is ready to eat.” But Farmer Henry was puzzled by the group’s response.

Half of the tourists hurried into the farmhouse to wash up for dinner while the other half fell in line to follow him back to the barn.

What would you have done?

You see, when the farmer said, “The duck is ready to eat”, he thought his message was, “Hey folks, come on down to the barn, it’s time to feed the duck”, while half of his audience thought he was announcing it was time to eat the duck.

Many advertisers make the same mistake; not communicating what they really intended to communicate in their advertising.

Advertising is intended to get people to do one or both of two things: create awareness about your product or service, or get people to take action on what you are promoting.

Does your advertising communicate the message you think it does? An outsider’s objective review of your message can often help eliminate confusion in your message.

If you would like me to help you conduct an objective communications audit of your advertising message, click here.

Our goal is to gather detailed information about your business that will help create more compelling and focused ads that have a greater impact.

Boss or Manager?

by Scott Howard | Aug 19, 2024 | Sound ADvice

From a recent Sound ADvice newsletter my subscribers received this summer:

Are you a “Boss”?

As a verb, the Webster’s Dictionary says that to “boss” is, to order about in a domineering way. Poor customer service is often the result of interaction with people working for a boss who is not happy with their situation.

Or are you a “Manager’?

The same dictionary defines “manager” as, to handle or direct with a degree of skill. It even adds in, to treat with care.

The most successful managers today attempt to hire people who have a passion to do their jobs to the best of their ability…these people don’t need a boss. These employees need a manager who will give them access to the tools, training, people, resources, and environment that allows them to perform to the best of their ability.

If you’re a manager, here’s a challenge. Instead of giving your people a “to-do list”, try asking them to give you a “to-do list”. What do they need you to do to help them be more productive or deliver better customer service?

In our Top Ten Employee Happy-Makers, Happy-Maker #4 is, “360-Degree Feedback”…. asking your employees how YOU are doing.

Zig Ziglar said, “You can get whatever you want, as long as you are willing to help others get what they want. It’s also been said that you can be as successful as you want if you are willing to let others take the credit.”

Taking an honest look at yourself to determine if you are a manager or a boss and then taking appropriate action will lead to a much more effective team.

Happy employees will deliver happy customers.

Happy-Maker #7 is “Creating Team Players”. Develop a team spirit where each player is dedicated to their teammates’ success. Any team is only as strong as its weakest player, and everyone should be encouraged to develop and help their fellow team members.

Click here to see a list of the Top Ten Employee Happy-Makers.

If you’d like to be included in my weekly Sound ADvice newsletter, it’s free and arrives nearly every Wednesday in your inbox, simply ask me: Scott@ScLoHo.net

Are You Too Close?

by Scott Howard | Jul 22, 2024 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice, WOWO Fort Wayne Radio Advertising with Scott Howard

Last weeks Sound ADvice newsletter was too good to only share via email:

You’ve heard the old expression about being too close to the forest to see the trees? As a business owner, it’s easy to fall into this trap. You have a lot going on and a lot of different things to think about, every day!

Some spend so much time focusing on mending their weaknesses that they neglect to promote and capitalize on their strengths. Still, others are so caught up with their strengths that they neglect the weaknesses that are driving customers to their competitors.

And still, others lack the objectivity to candidly assess their strengths and weaknesses. Regular objective self-analysis is crucial to the success of your business. Learning to be your own devil’s advocate can help you uncover many things that can help improve your business in many areas.

In our top seven Devil’s Advocate Questions for self-analysis, question number three asks, “Why should someone drive past your competitors to do business with you?”… “No, really, Why?…..and prove it!”

If your answer is something like, “We provide better service”, “We have friendlier people”, or “We have been in business for 57 years” quit tickling yourself to hear yourself laugh. When you try to promote “better service”, “nice people”, “years of service” or any other “generic cliché”, the skeptical consumer believes you are simply trying to take the focus off your higher prices. It’s either that or your ads become so bland that no one pays attention to the message.

For the most part, better service, nicer people, or years of experience are marketing strategies that are only effective once your customers experience them. Unless you have a way to substantiate those claims, promoting them simply sounds like another hollow advertising claim.

If you need a little nudge to help you become your own devil’s advocate and become more objective in your strategic thinking, click here to see the Devil’s Advocate Questions and discover how they may apply to your business.

You too can get this type of Sound ADvice emailed to you nearly every week, it’s free when you email me, Scott@WOWO.com

And helping you and your business create a solid marketing campaign complete with ads that aren’t filled with cliché’s is what I can help you with if you’re in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area, reach out to me, Scott@WOWO.com

The Message vs The Media

by Scott Howard | Jul 8, 2024 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo

This weeks article is from a recent Sound ADvice newsletter that my subscribers received this summer. If you would like a free weekly subscription, email Scott@WOWO.com.

In the never-ending maze of online media, on-air media, outdoor media, direct mail, and print media, business owners often ask, “Which media works best?” or, “Which media platform will give me the highest return on my investment?”

If you ask an honest and knowledgeable media person, they will tell you that the media isn’t necessarily the most important criterion when it comes to effective marketing. The truth is, there is no media that will not produce results; there are only messages that do not produce results.

The next time you hear about a hugely successful ad campaign, look at the message. I can guarantee you it was profound and something other than the norm. Seldom will it be the media, but rather the message, that created the results. Of course, the media must be scheduled appropriately, with the right combination of reach and frequency, but it is the relevance of the message that will make consumers respond to a campaign… on any media.

Former Katz Marketing Solutions President and one of America’s smartest marketing minds, the late Bob McCurdy said, “No medium is any more captivating or engaging than any other, as the effectiveness of any medium is largely determined by the quality of its commercial content. If the creative is weak and ineffective, the medium will be thought of as weak and ineffective”.

It’s understood that generating great creative is an art form but there’s some science behind it as well. McCurdy created 14 key creative insights derived from five years of Ipsos Research, spanning dozens of radio commercials and thousands of respondents.

Click here to receive McCurdy’s 14 Key Creative Insights to ensure that your marketing message achieves the results you desire.

I also have tips and insights and the pros and cons of different media options and ad placement etc. that I’ll be glad to talk with you privately about, just reach out.

Breaking the Ties

by Scott Howard | Jun 24, 2024 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

In the world of selling products and services, when all things are equal, the decision we use to determine who we purchase from is based on… perception! And that perception is, who’s better, who’s more trustworthy, and who’s more reliable!

In most cases, many businesses offer the same products or services that you offer. In these cases, standing for “something” and being “different” is what is needed to break the tie.

At this very moment, people have a need or a want to buy the products or services you sell. Their next decision is the all-important one. Where will they choose to buy, and why?

First, let’s be honest. Price is all that matters for a certain percentage of people, and you may or may not even be in the conversation. But when price isn’t the only criterion, that’s when you have a shot. Will it come down to a relationship, an emotional connection created from strong advertising, or a past experience, good or bad?

The key is getting people to know you and your business and know about your business BEFORE they need the products or services you sell.

Developing your tiebreaker, a consistent business strategy you can use to differentiate your business in your advertising and marketing can be challenging but well worth the effort.

Once you’ve clearly established your competitive difference (strategy), your challenge is to develop a unique and memorable way to consistently highlight that competitive tiebreaker.

Remember, when all things are equal, the “buy” goes to… whoever has something perceived as BETTER or DIFFERENT!

It’s imperative that you have a clear and compelling reason for consumers to choose you over your competitors.

If you want help creating your unique difference, click here to receive our Ten Tiebreaking Strategies as thought-starters for this important exercise. If you would like additional help, email Scott@WOWO.com and I’ll help you conduct a creative brainstorming session.