Sound ADvice | The Genuine ScLoHo aka Scott Howard

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.

Your Attention Please

by Scott Howard | Jun 17, 2024 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

“Hear-Yee, Hear-Yee!” “Can I have your attention please?” “Ahem – Attention please!”

There are a lot of ways to capture someone, or a group’s attention, including words, sounds, and gestures.

In advertising, capturing one’s attention is the first step in effective advertising. If you fail at capturing their attention upfront, all is wasted. The first step is the most critical.

Since the beginning of time, it’s been known that you only have one opportunity to make a good first impression. The debate is …. how long do you have to make that impression?

Studies vary, but if you are applying for a job, a story in Psychological Science suggests it’s as little as 1/10 of a second. Other studies indicate that you have up to 7 seconds. Regardless of whose opinion you trust, the answer is still …not very long!

Your advertising message faces the same challenge. What your ads say and how they are delivered in the first few seconds dictates whether you grab the attention of your potential prospects and whether they will tune in or tune out to your message.

Reporters and authors have long known that the headline and the first sentence are what dictate whether the reader tunes in and continues with the rest of the story or tunes out. In an effort to develop the all-important “creative hook” at the top of your ads on websites, many headlines end up with more “creative” than “hook”.

Regardless of what advertising medium you use, paying special attention to the headline or first words of an ad, and getting them right, will pay huge dividends when it comes to response to that ad.

Here’s a bonus tip. Often, you will find that the best line of an ad or letter, or the best words/sentence, is in the middle. When you find it, move it to the first line, or use it as the headline.

To create more powerful headlines, click here to see the Eight Power Openings you can use to help capture more attention to your advertising.

Culture is the Key

by Scott Howard | Jun 3, 2024 | Sound ADvice, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo

The last few weeks I’ve been sharing my Sound ADvice newsletter content on my website and podcast and I’ve got another one to share. This time I’m also going to include content that wasn’t in the Sound ADvice newsletter too. And if you want to receive my free newsletter in your inbox, send me an email to Scott@WOWO.com

It was the famous line from the movie Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come”.

Today, good employees want more than a good paycheck; they want to “enjoy” where they work. So, the new hiring mantra should be… “Make it fun and they will come”.

Attracting, hiring, and retaining good employees is as difficult as it’s ever been. Last summer i reviewed 400 applicants in order to hire 2. Because we are very particular with finding the right person for the openings we have, we also make a diligent effort to keep them and culture is a key component.

If you have a “fun” place to work, exploit, promote, and tell people about it. They will come.

If you don’t, start building the “fun” culture today.

Study after study has proven that companies who put fun into their company culture are more successful.

Here are some startling statistics that may make you want to consider “intentionally” creating a fun and happy work environment:

Companies with happy employees outperform their competition by 20%
Happy salespeople produce 37% greater sales
36% of employees would give up $5000 in salary to be happier at work
Happy employees take 10 times fewer sick days

It only makes sense that happy people are more productive. The obvious rings loud and clear, but the fact is, most companies don’t intentionally create a fun culture. It either happens or it doesn’t.

To put “fun” into your culture, first, start by recognizing it won’t happen on its own. It’s you, the owner or manager, who needs to implement a plan to have fun! Come up with fun or positive events plotted throughout the year, either monthly or quarterly. If you are struggling to come up with ideas, create a “fun idea” team and let them bring ideas to you!

It can be as simple as implementing “Casual Fridays” or “Bring your Pet to Work Day” and can be as deep as paid company trips. Having a company picnic in the summer and a Christmas party around the holidays is not enough in today’s competitive work environment.

In today’s extremely competitive recruitment and retention environment, businesses must make every effort to not only attract new employees but also retain the ones they have.

If YOU make it fun…they will come and Stay!

If you’d like to start putting more “FUN” into your business culture, click here to read 12 Ways to Create a FUN Work Environment.

P.S. If you are currently looking for better success with your recruitment efforts, reach out to me, Scott Howard. I can help guide you on how to target better-qualified candidates.

Some of the additional information beyond what was sent in my Sound ADvice newsletter is based on some conversations I’ve had recently and a special training session that our company, Federated Media conducted this summer.

Culture is more than fun and games, it’s also the interaction between staff and particularly between employees and their bosses. In 2013 the company I worked for had a management change in the department that I worked in. Within 5 months, I decided to return to radio because of conflicts. But it wasn’t just me. Within 18 months the entire digital marketing team resigned due to bad management including a couple of my co-workers who’d been with the company 10+ years.

This year, I’ve had conversations with a half dozen people who had similar situations. They were happy in their jobs and then management changed and it was not a good match. That led to career changes for the employees and their former companies had to find their replacements.

Federated Media’s C.O.O. Brad Williams brought back an advanced training program that he personally presented to all the full-time staff at our company. It took several meetings as we were limited to 20 participants each. This was an adaption of a program from Wilson Learning on Social Styles. End goal was for each person, no matter what their title or position to be able to identify their own style and that of others so we could improve our relationships with each other. This was a full day investment for everyone and for Brad, multiply that by at least 5 days, one for each group, plus travel and preparation.

Culture is the Key to attracting and retaining your team. Are you purposefully creating a culture that works?

First on Race Day

by Scott Howard | May 27, 2024 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

All month long, I’ve been featuring articles I first sent out in my weekly Sound ADvice newsletter and this one was sent to subscribers last fall. If you’d like to get them delivered to your inbox each week, just send an email to Scott@WOWO.com and I’ll add you to my list of free subscribers.

Marketing, or at least marketing that has impact, doesn’t deal with the world of reality; it deals with the world of perceptions. The perception your prospects have of your business is formed more by feelings than by facts.

A look at market share, for example, may lead one to feel that Heinz makes a better ketchup, and consumers who feel Heinz is a superior ketchup may actually feel short-changed in a restaurant that serves another “cheaper” brand.

The reality is that the ketchup perception is formed more by what kind of ketchup your mom served when you were a kid than by the actual recipe or ingredients in the ketchup.

Died in the wool Ford fans will tell you that Ford is an acronym for “First On Race Day”, while opposing Chevy believers will joke that Ford stands for “Fix Or Repair Daily”. Both sides may try and argue the facts, but more often than not, it’s the emotions that drive the perception.

While your customers want great “value”, their perception of the value you deliver is affected as much by the way your prospects perceive or feel about you as it is about the actual price of your goods or services.

Over time, the perception of your business is a product of the five “P”s in the marketing mix. You must have:

1. The right Product. Is there a demand, or can you create a demand, for what you sell?

2. In the right Place. Location. Location. Location.

3. At the right Price. Does your price match customer perception and is it profitable?

4. Delivered by the right People. Are your people trained to provide customer satisfaction? Can they walk the talk?

5. With the right Promotion. Have you created the right feeling for your business before your prospects are in the market and before they have preconceived perceptions of you or your competitors?

Your Promotional “P” can be the icing on your marketing cake. Just as there are five P’s in the marketing mix, there are another five P’s in effective promotional mixes. Click here to see the Five P’s of Successful Promotions. It’s free!