It’s All Marketing

Some is good. Some is bad. But it's all marketing. 
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January 24, 2010
 

From $3.5 Million to $32.17

This has been around for a while, but you might have missed it.

In 2007, the Washington Post took one of the world's greatest violin players, Joshua Bell, and his violin (handcrafted in 1713 by Antonio Stradivari with a reported $3.5 million price tag) and set them loose in a D.C. Metro stop during rush hour.

The result? In 43 minutes he made $32.17.

In contrast, you can pick up a ticket to one of his upcoming concerts in the $43 to $636 range on StubHub.

I'd be willing to bet that if Joshua were to return to the subway and announce that he's selling tickets online, the subway would be packed and he'd certainly make more than $32.17.

Enjoy the video below and check out the whole Washington Post article.

 

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January 24, 2010
 

I Hate Your Selling Point

I was watching TV the other day and saw a Bank of America commercial that almost made me fall off the couch.

Apparently, this new campaign is focused on extolling the ease and power of Bank of America's online Bill Payer. The thing about this is the online Bill Payer is, in my experience, one of the worst things about the Bank of America online service. My experience has been far different that the relaxed mom paying her power bill while sipping her coffee as the family runs chaotically around her.

The purpose of this post, however, isn't to rant about BoA. Rather, I wanted to point out that this is a good reminder that just because you think a feature of your product is great, you might want to check with your customers just to be sure. Especially if you plan on running an entire commercial highlighting the feature.

How about you. Have you ever seen a commercial highlighting the very aspect you hate about a product?

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Filed under  //   Television  

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January 23, 2010
 

Do you own your name?

You're in marketing, right?
So, do you own #1 in google for your name?
Personally, I'm working on it. Finally made the jump to the top 5 after a far too long stay at #11:

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Filed under  //   Web Marketing  

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January 23, 2010
 

Sales Funnel & Email Marketing by a Million Dollar Blogger

Odds are you aren't going to become the next blogging internet millionaire. That doesn't mean you can't pick up a tip or two from one.

In this video John Chow explains how he makes $40,000 a month with his blog using a sales funnel and email marketing.

It's worth watching.

 

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Filed under  //   Email Marketing   Web Marketing  

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January 22, 2010
 

Writing like a Ninja

I was checking my Amazon Associates account this evening and saw a title someone bought that beckoned me to click and learn more. As I read the product description, I couldn't help but laugh and think about how entertaining and clever the writing was. I didn't quite suck me in enought to buy it, but I think I'll add it to my wish list.

This was part of the product description for Ask a Ninja Presents The Ninja Handbook: This Book Looks Forward to Killing You Soon:

After much debate and in a spirit of morbid amusement, the International Order of Ninjas has chosen to produce The Ninja Handbook, the first-ever secret ninja training guide specifically designed for the non-ninja.

Most non-ninjas who handle these delicate, deadly pages will die–probably in an elaborately horrific and painful manner. But whether your journey lasts five seconds or five days or (rather inconceivably) five years, all those who bravely take up this text and follow the tenets and trials laid out within will die knowing they were as ninja as they possibly could’ve been.

This is a good reminder that marketing copy doesn't always have to be so serious and sterile. Consider this potential angle the publisher could have gone with:

Under the guise of the International Order of Ninjas, authors Douglas Sarine and Kent Nichols share humorous tips designed to entertain the non-ninjas of the world.

While you won't become a Ninja by reading this book, Sarine and Nichols will keep you laughing out loud as you take the imaginary journey to becoming a Ninja.

Yeah, my rewrite is lame. But that is the point. Sometimes you need to let your marketing copy die "in an elaborately horrific and painful manner."

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Filed under  //   Writing  

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January 22, 2010
 

2010 Content Marketing Trends and Predictions

The folks at Marketo and ClickDocuments have released, what appears to be, a helpful (FREE) little document about 2010 content marketing trends and predictions. I just downloaded my copy and have only glanced through it. Certainly looks like some good information in there.

One nice feature is that if you are super lazy, they've put together a top 10 list on page 3 that pulls trends they saw from their 39 contributors.  Here are some of their top 10 tips to whet your appetite:

3. Get Visual! If you think about content (white papers, blog posts, etc.) as just text, you’re missing huge opportunities to really connect with your audience. Your content has to look great and include plenty of visuals. And different styles of content, such as video, will become staples. Remember: You’re telling a story, and video is a great medium for storytelling.

5. Think About Engagement. Pushing ads is a thing of the past. Interacting and engaging with consumers – wherever they are (mobile will be big!) – will help you stand out from the crowd. It’s not about how many Twitter followers you have, it’s about how many you actually know and engage with.

8. Scale Back the Volume; It’s Quality that Matters. Too much content isn’t a good thing. But that’s what we’re starting to see, as publishing content becomes easier and easier. Quality rules the day! Before publishing something, really give some thought as to whether your readers would truly value the content and benefit from it. Be rigorous in your filtering. If something isn’t going to be hugely valuable to your audience, don’t publish it.

Our Bonus Tip - It’s not the size of your megaphone that matters; it’s the size of your customers’ megaphones. Create content that encourages your customers and audience to do the marketing for you. Create content that your audience absolutely has to share because it’s that good! Provide a level of customer support and engagement that inspires your customers to tell the world. Then: You win.


You can grab your copy of the full report here.

Hat tip to the folks at http://twitter.com/maplest for pointing this out.

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Filed under  //   Social Media   Web Marketing   Writing  

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January 22, 2010
 

I can get $10

I'm obviously checking my gmail account during lunch... thus the posts...

Anyway, I bought a new coffee pot on Amazon the other day and, today, received an email saying that I qualified to receive a free subscription to my choice of GQ, SELF, Conde Nast Traveler or Architectural Digest. Then, in the Terms and Conditions I saw this:

I find it interesting that it calls it a "refund." Is that odd, or is it just me?

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Filed under  //   Magazines   Web Marketing  

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January 22, 2010
 

Wired, Wired, Everywhere

Hey Wired, thanks for the $12 subscription offers you sent in my magazine yesterday... and then for offering me a $10 subscription in my gmail sidebar ads.

 What was so special about the $12 subscription again?

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Filed under  //   Magazines   Web Marketing  

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January 21, 2010
 

Right target?

Following up my last post, this pitch was included in my new magazine subscription.

Is someone who bought a $10 tech magazine really the person you want to pitch a $40, uh, what the heck does The New Yorker write about anyway?

Sent from my iPhone.

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Filed under  //   Magazines  

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January 21, 2010
 

Welcome to your RENEW NOW!

My very first issue of Wired arrived today. Inside were three different cards trying to get me to renew. Welcome to the world of print magazines.

The bigger problem Wired has to face with me is that I bought this subscription for less than all the "act now" deals they are pitching me. You've got 12 issues to prove your worth more than my original price. Good luck Wired.

Also, I'd love to see some conversion rates on those annoying inserts. Anyone have some?

Sent from my iPhone.

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Filed under  //   Magazines  

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