Sound ADvice | The Genuine ScLoHo aka Scott Howard

Truth Detection

by Scott Howard | Apr 12, 2022 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

Marketing and advertising are all about winning in the court of public opinion and it’s a tough and skeptical jury you are facing. Many of us have been misled by sales pitches or outrageous advertising claims in the past. In short, they are justifiably skeptical of offers made via advertising today.

When preparing for trial, good attorneys are prepared. They have a plan of attack and will often present their case from different angles. Advertising, over the long haul, should be approached in much the same fashion.

There’s an old saying, “facts tell and stories sell”. This is true whether in the courtroom or in advertising. Facts can and will validate your claims. However, it’s a good compelling story that makes it believable and memorable.

In the courtroom, lawyers will tell the same story from several different perspectives and angles. Advertising should use the same approach. Different stories told from different angles will have a different impact on different jurors/consumers.

In many famous court trials, the attorney that can tell the best story, using the cleverest lines, oftentimes win. Remember the famous line, “If it doesn’t fit – you must acquit”. Many experts agree that this one line is what swayed the jury.

The smoking gun is an irrefutable piece of evidence that convinces the jury “beyond a reasonable doubt” that your case is sound. In advertising, there are several ways to convince the public that your business is the one they should choose!

For your advertising to be successful, you must, over time, convince the public that your business is a viable and reputable option.

Does your advertising win in the court of public opinion?

Click here to read the Eight Ways to Validate Your Advertised Claims.

3 Ways To Grow

by Scott Howard | Mar 29, 2022 | ScLoHo Sales Tips, Sound ADvice

As owners or managers of a business, it’s our responsibility to not only figure out how to keep our business functioning properly and effectively, but also how to GROW our business. Staying even or going backward are not options. Growth is vital!

Growing a business is more complicated than just increasing sales. Understanding that there are only three ways to grow a business is a great place to start.

1.) Sell more of what you are currently selling.

2.) Sell what you are currently selling for more money.

3.) Add additional product(s) or service(s) to what you are currently selling.

Regardless of how you slice it, nearly everything you can come up with to grow a business will fall under one of these three headings.

We suggest that you look at each area and identify within your business how you might increase your sales.

1. Selling more this year than you did last year isn’t as easy as it sounds and simply opening up your doors and hanging a “We’re Open” sign isn’t the answer. What can you do to get the same people, or new people, to buy more of your products or services?

2. Can you increase prices? If not on every product or service, can you increase the pricing on some of them? Which ones? Identify them!

3. Adding products or services gets tricky. Think within your business category and then think outside of it. Are there products or services that you can add that won’t distract from or replace your current offerings?

Attracting a customer and getting them to open their wallets can be a difficult and costly process. But once they’re in your showroom and have their wallets open, an accompanying up-sell is relatively easy. Once the customer has chosen a new outfit, getting them to consider adding a pair of shoes or belt is relatively easy and it can be a big step towards growing your business.

The formula works regardless of if your business is retail, service, medical, or professional.

If you would like to see a simple worksheet that can help you start the process of utilizing the three ways to grow your business, click here.

Make Your Networking Work

by Scott Howard | Mar 22, 2022 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

Do you network? Does your networking work?

Regardless of whether you operate a business in a small market or a large one, networking can be one of the most powerful “free” marketing tools at your disposal.

While networking is free in many cases, it’s not as simple as signing up or showing up. Productive networks don’t just happen by default. It takes effort and planning. But, if approached correctly, the rewards can be significant.

Look around your community. Many of the most successful businesses are owned and/or operated by people that are actively involved in the community. Networking does work when it’s worked correctly, and done so for the right reasons!

Rule #1 to being a great networker is “Give before you receive and never keep score”. To paraphrase John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what your network can do for you, but what you can do for your network.” If you’re prepared to give of yourself and your company, your networks will return the favor.

Like all of your marketing tools, a little planning, effort, energy, and financial investment can net huge results over time. The positive effects go way beyond the goodwill you provide to the cause and your community. Approached and handled correctly, networking will:

Gain valuable knowledge about how other businesses are run
Uncover opportunities and create connections that can enhance your business
Raise your positive profile in your community and among your peers
Increase your confidence
Provided valuable ideas from like-minded people

If you would like to start networking or make your networking work better, click here to see the 16 ideas and suggestions that can help you develop a successful networking marketing strategy.

Overcoming Ad Blockers

by Scott Howard | Mar 15, 2022 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

Most consumers would agree that ad blocking devices on digital and social media is one of the greatest inventions of all time. As technology advances, it’s gone from the digital world of advertising to the traditional media, specifically TV. You can now, with the touch of a button, roll through ads without ever seeing them.

But if we’re honest, ad blocking is nothing new. The human mind learned how to block out and avoid annoying ads in all media way before the internet came along.

Marketing experts have professed for years that there are no media that do not produce results; there are only messages that do not produce results. They have also known that people don’t dislike ads; they dislike bad ads.

When you’re creating your next message, whether it’s for online or on-air, ask yourself what’s in it for your prospects to listen to (or view) this ad? Is there any information or entertainment value for the listener?

Advertising guru Roy Williams, also known as the Wizard of Ads, is often quoted as saying, “For some insane reason, advertisers want their ads to look and sound like ads.”

Understanding that NO ONE consumes any media to see or hear ads is key to creating more effective ads.

A study by Nielsen and Nielsen Catalina Solutions indicates that 49% of a brand’s sales lift from advertising is due to the creative, which refers primarily to the quality and the messaging, A better message will garner a better response every time.

Click here for a list of tactics you can employ to make your ads more relevant and make your prospects more receptive to your message.

Happiness is an Inside Job

by Scott Howard | Mar 2, 2022 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

Let’s be honest, compared to years gone by and even before COVID, fewer employees bring their smiles to work on a regular basis. Depending upon which source you want to believe, 50-70% of the American workforce is disengaged and/or unhappy.

There was a time when being positive, upbeat, and happy was a given. As an employer, offering them a job was enough. In today’s “me” world, it’s not enough! The challenging question is… is it worth the price and effort to intentionally create a happy work environment.

Here are some fascinating, yet not surprising, facts that prove having happy employees will reap great rewards. Companies with happy employees…

Have 50% fewer workplace accidents
Happy employees have 37% less absenteeism
Companies with happy employees outperform their competition by 21%
69% of employees said they would work harder if they were better appreciated
Employees who like their job are 10 times more likely to deliver good service

The statistics of happy vs unhappy employees are startling.

As owners and managers, it’s easy to zero in on those things that employees do wrong, and we take for granted the things they do right.

Psychologists will tell you, “Behaviors that get rewarded get repeated”. If you want your staff to exhibit more customer-friendly behaviors, you need to recognize those behaviors.

If you aren’t intentionally creating a work environment that breeds happy employees, start doing so today.

When it comes to creating a culture of happiness, start at the beginning. Tip #1 in the Twelve Ways to Create Happy Employees is “Hire Based on Attitude, Effort, and Honesty”. Attitude will win over skill nearly every time. Skills can be taught; attitudes are hard to change. Effort nearly always follows attitude one way or the other, and you can never go wrong with hiring based on honesty.

The rewards of happy employees will pay huge dividends!

To improve morale and productivity in your company, click here and read the Twelve Ways to Create Happy Employees.

Wanted: Unhappy Customers

by Scott Howard | Jan 25, 2022 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, Sound ADvice

Who in their right mind would ever “want” unhappy customers? The truth is…no one. But an ever-bigger truth is… if you run a business that deals with customers, you will have unhappy customers.

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning” –Bill Gates

The key is, how do you deal with unhappy customers?

When it comes to handling problems or unhappy customers, using this philosophy can help you look at the situation in a better light: “It’s never a problem. It’s an opportunity to create a solution to a certain situation”.

Handling customer complaints IS an opportunity to turn an unhappy customer into one of your biggest fans! A study done by Ford Motor Company revealed that an unhappy customer who is turned into a happy customer is twenty times more loyal than a customer who has never been unhappy.

In the pre-digital world, studies proved that an unhappy customer would tell at least twelve other people about their poor or unpleasant experience, and a happy customer would tell one or two. In today’s digital world this quote is apropos, “A happy customer tells a friend; an unhappy customer tells the world.”

Ask yourself this:

• Is your staff trained and empowered to turn unhappy customers into happy customers?

• Do you regularly survey your customer satisfaction levels intending to improve the customer experience at your business?

One of the most important things a business owner can do to achieve high customer satisfaction is to look for and talk to the unhappy customers. Whenever possible, even if it costs you some money and pride, make it right. It will prove to be a good ROI!

We know you will get a higher return on every customer our advertising generates if you can keep them happy spreading word of mouth and keep them coming back for more.

To receive a copy of the Eleven Commandments of Customer Satisfaction, click here.

The reality of this that I’ve seen over and over again as a customer and as a business person is that when things are always going “just fine”, the customer’s emotional connection with the business is often neutral. However those emotions flare when something goes wrong. When customer emotions are highly negative, you can flip it around and create a raving fan and turn those into highly positive emotions about you and your business.