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Disney – the Marketing Machine:

August 3, 2011 By Susan Young Leave a Comment

What we can learn from Disney to Market Our Businesses

It had been years since my parents had taken me to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, so when the time came to take my two daughters, Elaina (4) and Evelyn (2 1/2) to Disney World this summer, I was more than excited to see what had changed. I was also eager to look at the company and the experience from a different perspective (a marketing angle), since launching my Indianapolis marketing business in 2005. Why not learn from one of the masters of marketing? So when we arrived with our extended family for our 2-day adventure, I took note. Here were some of the things I noticed:

    Elaina & Evelyn at Disney World, waiting for the Country Bear Jamboree show to begin

    Evelyn & Elaina at Disney World, waiting for the Country Bear Jamboree show to begin

  • Keeping it Classic: The old, familiar Dumbo ride where I got lost (not once, but twice) as a toddler is the same as it was 30 years ago. The Country Bear Jamboree show was very much like I remembered it (but much cheesier now that I’m an adult). Even the evening electrical light parade through downtown had the same feel to it, even though the light displays were much more modern and elaborate than when I was a child. Disney has done a good job keeping some things classic, so that through the years, they stay consistent in their brand experience. Business Marketing Takeaway: Do you have some things in your business that you hold onto because they hold a special place in customers’ hearts?
  • VIP Treatment: Disney has many options for visitors to make them feel special. For instance, we received “1st Time” buttons for my daughters, which was supposed to give them extra attention throughout the park. And another extra package my daughter, Elaina, got to experience was at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, where she received the royal treatment from her own, personal
    Evelyn receiving a special kiss from Sleeping Beauty

    Evelyn receiving a special kiss from Sleeping Beauty, at a princess character breakfast. We will always remember this experience Disney created.

    “fairy godmother” with a princess dress, hair, makeup, tiara and accessories. Despite the 90-degree heat, she didn’t want to take the dress off for most of the day! I also experienced what it was like to see my daughters meet and get autographs from Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White and all of the princesses for the first time at a Disney Character breakfast. These experiences made the Disney trip extra special for them (and for me), and were worth the extra cost. Business Marketing Takeaway: Could you offer some kind of VIP package or special treatment for customers willing to pay more for the experience?

  • Improving Customer Service: One of the coolest features of the two days at Magic Kingdom were the Fast Passes. These allowed us to avoid waiting in 90-minute lines with impatient toddlers just to enjoy a 60-second boat ride. We were able to skip around between several rides by picking up a Fast Pass ticket, and then coming back later to ride the ride or see the show with no more than a 10-minute wait. Disney has done a great job with this system, because it alleviates a common complaint that visitors have had for years — lines are long during peak operating season — and improves the overall customer satisfaction with the Disney Experience. Business Marketing Takeaway: Is there something you could improve upon in your current business process to enhance the customer experience, wait time or service expected?
  • Creating Memories (and Brand Evangelists): Aside from the many Mickey Mouse eared-souvenirs we could purchase from the various gift shops throughout Magic Kingdom, Disney also gave us a photo pass, which we could use to get our picture taken in various places throughout the park. While in concept, it’s a great idea for an additional service offered (and who wants to tote around a digital camera all day?) the drawback to this was the $15 per photo price tag, which made it a negative for me. One marketing tactic that I think they’ve done well with is their “Let the Memories Begin” ad campaign. If you’ve seen the TV spots or magazine ads, they feature submissions from real families visiting the parks, sharing a photo or video of their experience with Disney parks. One photo shows a family riding the famous teacups ride, and another features a video of two parents (and the children’s reaction) telling their kids that they’re packing their bags for Disney.  The website also allows you to share your own memory, and thus feeds the emotional connection between the Disney brand and the customer/visitor. They have also re-purposed these memories on their social media sites, blogs, ad campaigns and more for greater impact. Business Marketing Takeaway: How can you create an emotional bond with your company and its customers, and get them to share their experiences with others, as brand evangelists?

Overall, I was very impressed with my most recent trip to Walt Disney World – from the hotel staff at the resort to the rides and the experiences. And I was even more impressed with Disney’s marketing prowess. Hopefully you can learn a few lessons from a marketing master on how to improve your marketing and customer experience.

Filed Under: Advertising, Branding, Customer Service, National Brands Tagged With: , , , , ,

Creating the Perfect Marketing Strategy without Copying It

July 3, 2011 By Susan Young Leave a Comment
Just as no snowflake is alike, your business marketing plan should be different too

Just as no snowflake is alike, your business marketing plan should be different too

Not all businesses are created equal, right?

So quit marketing and advertising your business like everyone else.

My point is simple: Find the right combination of advertising, marketing, PR and promotional activities that fit the unique offering, customer base and budget of your business, and you’ll find success.

Don’t just jump on the Twitter or Facebook marketing bandwagon because the company down the street has found success with it.  Or, alternatively, spend thousands on one strategy while ignoring others that might prove effective.

Creating the perfect marketing strategy does involve some trial and error. Gently test the waters of any new marketing tactic and see what kind of results you get, before investing huge sums. However, with that said, you also need to give each marketing tactic enough time and impressions to see results, so don’t give up too early.

So how should you go about creating a marketing plan or strategy for your business?

Many business owners want to skip this step of creating a marketing plan. But it’s very important to the future success of the business. While I highly recommend a formal, written down and thought out marketing plan, if you don’t want to pay a professional like myself to develop one, you should at least sit down and analyze the basics of your business:

  1. Define your product/service, niche, industry, competitors, unique selling proposition (USP), price point, and primary/secondary target audiences.
  2. From there, investigate all possible advertising/marketing/PR/promotional options available, along with associated cost, audience reached, timing and other details. Include the cost of your time as well in these estimates.
  3. Then make a recommendation of a combination of these tactics to try and put them in a marketing calendar for the upcoming quarter/year.
  4. Evaluate the effectiveness of each tactic when determining whether to renew your investment in it.

A simple way to a marketing strategy that works for you. Just remember: All businesses are different, and thus the ways used to promote them should be unique as well.

Filed Under: Advertising, Budget Marketing, Facebook, Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Twitter, USP Tagged With: , , ,

Real Estate, Curb Appeal and Marketing Your Business

June 22, 2011 By Susan Young Leave a Comment

My Humble Home in Brownsburg, Indiana, back in Greener Days

On a hot, 80-degree plus afternoon, I decided to go for a jog in my neighborhood. While I was not trying to use this time to think, without an iPod (mine has been lost for several months), my mind started wandering, and I began making note of my surroundings. In my observations of my neighbor’s lawns and houses, I started making connections to the marketing world (I know – what a nerd!)

So what do my neighbors’ houses have to do with marketing your business? Here are some marketing lessons learned while jogging:

1. Curb Appeal: People do notice. Does your business have a nice appearance on the outside? Whether you have a retail shop or you are representing yourself at networking events, are you coming across with a nice first impression? Just as I saw many houses with poor landscaping, weeds and grass that desperately needed mowed, your business might be in need of a little curb appeal too. Could you use a new logo? Website? A  new suit or tie to replace those shorts you’ve been wearing to the Chamber luncheons?  Why would I want to buy what you’re selling if you don’t look appealing?

2. A “Wow” Factor: Does your business have one thing that is it’s specialty — something extraordinary for which you’re uniquely known? Just as some of the houses I noticed on my block had a really cool landscaping feature or porch furnishing that made their house stand out, you too need something to stand out from your competitors. Think of why your customers buy from you, time and time again, to get a clue for something that you could start marketing as your “wow” factor (or USP). For my business, it would be that I am a good business writer that also understands SEO (search engine optimization).

3. Look Better than your Competitors: If you have a for sale sign in your front yard, you’d better have that house looking its best, or why would I want to buy your house over another one down the street? On my jog, I saw houses for sale with immaculately kept yards, and others with enough weeds to make a lawn care company cringe. The same holds true for marketing our businesses. If you want to win business from your competitors, you’d better be one of the best looking business on the block, or I will shop elsewhere.

I saw some other cool things while on my run, but these were the top three tips that stuck in my mind.  Hope they have helped you think a little bit differently about marketing and first impressions. Now I think I’ll go pull some weeds in my front yard…

Filed Under: Indianapolis Marketing, USP Tagged With: , , ,

Effectively Branding your Small Business: Lunch & Learn Series Feb. 24

February 2, 2011 By Susan Young Leave a Comment

I am proud to announce that I will present at the 2011 Lunch & Learn Series hosted by the Brownsburg Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Small Business Development Center. Here are the details:

Brownsburg Chamber of Commerce and Indiana Small Business Development Center Present:

2011 Lunch & Learn Series

Topic:  Effectively Branding your Small Business

Speaker:  Susan Young, President, AimFire Marketing

Date:   Thursday, February 24, 2011

Time:   11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Location:    Brownsburg Chamber of Commerce, 61 N. Green Street, Brownsburg, IN 46112

Cost:   $20 – includes boxed lunch

Registration:    Required by Feb. 23: Marsha Mastin, (317) 233-7232; centralindiana@isbdc.org

Event Description:

A brand is more than just a name or logo. A strong brand is an intangible asset that differentiates and elevates a business from the competition, creates loyal customers, and can lead to lower overall costs. This session will teach you the steps to create the strategic foundation of your brand and the brand building tools you can use to bring your brand to life in the marketplace. Takeaways include:

  • How to choose a good business name
  • The essential elements of a logo
  • Identifying your unique selling proposition
  • Creating a good tagline or marketing message
  • Evaluating your brand in the marketplace
  • When it’s time to re-brand your company
  • Examples of effective national and local brands

Filed Under: Branding, Business, Indianapolis Marketing, Marketing Message, USP

AimFire Marketing’s Holiday Resource Guide

November 19, 2010 By Susan Young 1 Comment
Here are a few vendors for corporate gifts and services this holiday season (Note: I meet many wonderful vendors throughout the year, so if you are in need of other options, let me know and I’ll see what I can find for you):

Hand-Addressed Holiday Cards for Your Business? Check.
Hand-Addressed Holiday Cards for Your Business? Check.
  • Holiday Card Addressing Service: Janet Falkenberg at ExecuStrive will hand-address 100 of your business holiday cards to clients and colleagues for just $60. Think of how much time that saves! Just sign and give her the list and stamps and she’ll even mail and deliver them for you! Personalized holiday cards also available for purchase. Contact her at (317) 440-0255 for more details.
  • Half-Off Embroidery Set-up Charge on Embroidered Gift Items: I’m working with Nancy Gates of Embroidery Designz to order some AimFire Marketing logo shirts for my family and clients this year. For a limited time, contact Nancy to get 50% off your logo setup charge. Check out her catalog for selection of embroidered items, with many items under $20. Order ASAP for holiday delivery. Other Friends of mine offering Embroidery: Becky Brown of Countryside Promotions and Tom Albert of EmbroidMe.

A Silly Bracelet in the Shape of Your Logo? Check.
A Silly Bracelet in the Shape of Your Logo? Check.
  • Silly Rubber Bracelets in the Shape of Your Logo? My friend and promotional product provider, Bruce Steinman of ImagePros can make it happen. Whether you personalize a fleece blanket, mug, pen, notebook or stress reliever, ImagePros will work with you to find the best corporate gift that fits your company image and budget. Contact him at (317) 489-6530 or visit his website. He can also help you with digital promotions for all of your social media campaigns. Another colleague in the promo products industry: Susan Fryer of Wolf Run Marketing.
  • Your Logo on a Spatula – Support the Indiana Entrepreneurs that created The Sportula – and get your logo on a heavy-duty grilling spatula. Turnaround time is 30 days on any pieces under 1000, and minimum order is 50 pieces. Call Marc Roth at 866-369-1552 or visit their website. They sell Nascar, collegiate (I’m still waiting on the University of Illinois) and other enthusiast ones too.
  • Print Your Own Company Cookbook or Write that First Book: Tracy Winters of Winters Publishing is your self-publishing resource. Whether your team wants to put together a company cookbook (or as a fundraiser for an organization), whether you’ve been waiting to publish your first professional book to help you gain more credibility or get speaking opporunities, or have always wanted to write a children’s book, Winters Publishing can help. Call them at (812) 663-4948. Also check out their online bookstore and see upcoming releases.

Company Vehicle Wrapped? Check.
Company Vehicle Wrapped? Check.
  • Wrap Your Car: No, not to give as a gift, but to promote your business, silly! The folks at TKO Graphics can wrap your vehicle fleet or just your family car with your business name and logo. With billboard ads costing several thousand per month, why not promote your business while you drive and gain brand awareness wherever you go?
  • A Taste of Indiana: Do you always give a food or goodie gift basket to clients? Why not go local? Talk to Mark Kolbus of A Taste of Indiana for affordable, yummy creations. Custom packaging and items with your logo also available. Call him at (800) 289-2758 or visit their website.

Do you have another good resource for my Holiday Resource Guide? Want to add your business’ special (Indianapolis Market Only)? Add a comment to my blog post and I’ll consider it. Thanks and happy shopping!

Filed Under: Book Publicity, Branding, Business, Indianapolis Marketing, Indianapolis advertisting, Marketing, Promotional Products, Seasonal Marketing, Tradeshow Marketing Tagged With: , , ,

My Budding Artist

November 15, 2010 By Susan Young Leave a Comment
Indianapolis Star Pumpkin Coloring Contest

Elaina's Winning Entry

I wanted to send a shout-out to my eldest daughter, Elaina (3 1/2) for winning the Indianapolis Star’s pumpkin coloring contest. She received a $50 Kroger gift card for her entry, beating all of those in age category 2-5. The Star said they all loved the rainbow colors she chose. Congrats, Elaina!

Will she be a future Graphic Designer at AimFire Marketing? Only time will tell. :)

Filed Under: Graphic Design, Indianapolis Marketing

Where’s the Brand Loyalty?

October 6, 2010 By Susan Young Leave a Comment

While watching a recent episode of AMC’s Mad Men, the advertising agency characters were lamenting over the potential loss of another account: The Lucky Strike people were switching agencies.

This same agency turnover is very common in the advertising industry, and has also occurred locally here in Indianapolis — with one Indianapolis advertising agency — Pearson Partners, Inc., closing its doors this July after 33 years. The Indy ad agency had taken a big hit when local electronics company HHGregg took its multi-million dollar ad budget elsewhere.

This got me thinking — Is there any brand loyalty anymore?

In this age of discounts, coupons and price wars, retailers and businesses everywhere are struggling for a piece of our discretionary income. Consumers are becoming less brand loyal as they think about their household or business budget and how they can best spend it.

So as a business, what are our options? Either we jump on the bandwagon and compete on price, or we work really hard to distinguish ourselves from the pack and encourage loyalty.

Now, I must admit that I’ve become somewhat of a coupon-crazed consumer myself. There are certain products that if they’re on sale, with a coupon, I can’t pass up the deal. For instance, I will buy Huggies, Luvs or Pampers diapers, depending on which store has the best sale. But I may only buy Tostitos chips instead of the generic alternative because I know that those taste the best. And my kids love the Yoplait Go-Gurt for breakfast, so that is the only kind I’ll buy.

What makes a brand more likely to have loyal followers?

We’ll exclude the cigarette category for a moment, for obvious reasons. But here are some characteristics that might help a brand gain more loyal followers:

  • Nostalgia: Play off of the experience that your customers had growing up, or using your product in the past, with their families, or some other ritual or tradition. This will give the customer a good feeling about continuing use of your product or service, because it’s what they’ve always done.
  • Years of Existance: Note how long the company or brand has been around. This instills a sense of quality and ensures the customer that you’ve been there for them this long, and plan to be around for them in the future.
  • Quality: Playing up some factor that makes your brand last longer, work better or some other factor will make your brand look more attractive, even if it costs a little bit more than the nearest competitor.
  • Industry Leader: If you’re the brand leader in your category, by all means flaunt it. Now is the time to mention your market share and industry prowess. People are always looking to join the bandwagon.

These are just a few examples.  As I see it, you have two choices: differentiate your brand to gain (or keep) your customers loyal, or die trying to compete on price alone. It’s up to you which path to take.

Filed Under: Advertising, Branding, Business, Indianapolis advertisting, Marketing Message, USP Tagged With: , , , , ,

9/22 Workshop: Building a Brand for Your Small Business & How to Effectively Market Your Business

September 14, 2010 By Susan Young Leave a Comment

Presented by AimFire Marketing, the Indiana Small Business Development Center & Hosted by the Boone County, Indiana Chamber of Commerce
 
The ISBDC will be offering Fall/Winter workshops for business owners and start-ups. I am hosting the first one, which will cover building your brand, marketing planning, as well as an overview of many other cost-effective ways to market your business (including Websites, SEO, PR & Social Media).

 

Speaker:              Susan Young, AimFire Marketing
When:                   Wednesday, September 22nd
Time:                    9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Where:                 Boone County Chamber of Commerce 221 N. Lebanon St, 
                                  Lebanon, IN 46052
Registration:   $30 Registration and payment required before class. Call (317) 233-7232 to register.

For a complete listing of all  classes that are offered in the central Indiana area, visit: http://www.isbdc.org/. Let me know if you’re planning to attend.

Filed Under: Branding, Business, Indianapolis Marketing, Marketing Tagged With: , , , ,

Your Brand: Does it Need a Refresh?

July 29, 2010 By Susan Young Leave a Comment

I have been in the process of redesigning my logo / brand to make it more modern and appealing. It’s been five years and I am ready for a new look.

Old Logo: 2005 

AimFire Marketing Logo - Circa 2005 

 
 
 
 
 
  
New Logo: 2010
 
AimFire Marketing Logo: Circa 2010
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I’ve noticed other national brands doing the same thing. Take the old Holiday Inn logo, for example:
 
Logo for Holiday Inn
 
There’s nothing wrong with this logo, but they have refreshed it to give it an updated look, while keeping some of the same properties that people associate with the name (the green color and the script logotype):
 
 New Holiday Inn logo
 
Another example is Walmart. Although their logo was actually updated in 2008, it has taken a while for it to show up on their store signage and other areas. Here is their old logo:
 
Walmart Old Logo
 
And their new and improved logo:
 
 
 
Refreshing your website: 
 
Along with my new logo, I plan to re-launch a new website.
 
Old Website: 2005
 
AimFire Marketing old web design 2005 
 
 I’ll be using the WordPress blogging platform in order to better incorporate my marketing tips articles as blog posts. By the way, WordPress websites are also a great way to boost your search engine optimization results. WordPress is also a good platform that enables you to update your website without a lot of technical knowledge. I am also going to streamline the content and provide some exciting new features and packages for site visitors and my small business customers.
 
If you haven’t updated your brand or your website in a while, or if you’re having no luck with the search engine game, maybe it’s time for a few tweaks. Let me know how I might be able to serve as a resource for you in that endeavor. It’s not as overwhelming or as costly as it may sound, and could lead to new business and an enhanced image.
 
To your new brand!

Filed Under: Branding, Search Engine Optimization, Website Development

Where Could you Be…If you Had Worked with Me?

June 29, 2010 By Susan Young Leave a Comment
Many of you read my marketing articles faithfully (okay, maybe you skim some of them or just look at the pictures). But how many of you ever really knew what it was that I did for my clients?
 
Well, I am looking to clarify that and do a better job of communicating some of the things that I can do to help you promote your business. Here are some of the activities, products and results I’ve acheived for my Indianapolis area marketing clients thus far:

Marketing Plans: Complete with competitive info, key messaging and recommendations on where to market your business cost-effectively to reach your target audience.

Professionally Designed & Written Websites: Starting with the sales strategy behind it and engaging the visitor with the design and copy.

Top Rankings on Google: Because if you build it, they will not come unless your website is optimized organically for search engines. :)

Local and National Media Coverage: From trade publications to profile stories in the IBJ and Indianpaolis Star, to features in the Chicago Tribune and Wall Street Journal, to interviews or features on Inside Indiana Business, Fox morning shows, evening news shows and ABC Evening News.

Brochures, eNewsletters, Blogs, Case Studies, Direct Mail, Social Media posts and even Books. I write on my clients’ behalf, whether that is a blog post, a sales letter or an advertising headline.

How can I help you with your marketing initiatives?

Filed Under: Blogging, Branding, Marketing Plans, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Search Engine Optimization, Website Development
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AimFire Marketing is an Indianapolis marketing, public relations, website development, search engine optimization and social media marketing agency.