Hi there, and welcome to my blog! I am Chris Teague, and this is my blog about my job, marketing. Thanks for checking the blog out today!
I have worked in the non-profit arena ever since I was in graduate school. First, I felt the urge to make a difference in this world, so I volunteered for a few small organizations, and even played in the fire of a political campaign. Wow, that fire really was hot! Today, I am going to address the importance of your sponsorship. Even if you aren't sponsoring a charitable event, you can still know what happens when and if you decide to use charitable sponsorship as a marketing avenue.
Why do companies spend thousands of dollars on charitable events for a banner and logo placement? If you don't have the answer, then I am really stuck. You see, as a marketer, I always want to make sure that whatever my clients do they follow the overall marketing objectives set for the year. For me, having a logo on a sign and being mentioned in a program is not really a strong marketing tactic. However, it is important to be in touch with the community, and it is vital that companies and businesses support charitable organizations.
Before you decide on sponsoring an event, think of your company's message for a moment. How does the charity's event help you communicate that message to your target audience? If the sponsorship packet you're reviewing does not have many "ideal" marketing opportunities, you still don't have to refuse the sponsorship, especially if you believe in the cause. Pick up the phone, and speak with the Communication's Coordinator of the charity, and suggest a few ideas you have for making your sponsorship more impacting than what you were originally presented. I'm sure that the charity wouldn't mind a little insight anyways. After all, the charity's job is to keep your dollars coming back in the door. Your job is to make sure that your marketing objectives are followed through the sponsorship.
Have a good week everyone!
Your friend,
Chris Teague- a marketer with purpose, drive and passion
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Selling the Season
Hello everybody! I have been out of commission this week due to a cold that I just can't seem to get rid of at the moment. I know it's no excuse, but my writing has suffered as much as my nose. However, I wanted to write something before you take off on your Christmas break (if you haven't already). Today's post is all about marketing the season and selling stuff.
It seems to me that when the holiday marketing campaigns begin, the art of selling the season begins. Have you noticed how the holiday season tends to pull at your wallet or purse? Everyone of us has either been caught up in this seasonal marketing stuff or we know someone who has. Don't you feel a bit obligated to go out and by the latest and greatest gift for someone special? Be honest, there is a little voice in your head telling you to buy into the season.
Now, look at the marketing messages that go into the holiday season, and think about their effectiveness in shaping the way you and I think, act and behave. Do you lose your patience in line? Do you feel rushed to get somewhere? Did Sandy really need a dish set? All of this art, selling the season, is marketing at its best. You can feel it... Merry Christmas!
Your friend,
Chris Teague- a marketing guy you will enjoy working with
It seems to me that when the holiday marketing campaigns begin, the art of selling the season begins. Have you noticed how the holiday season tends to pull at your wallet or purse? Everyone of us has either been caught up in this seasonal marketing stuff or we know someone who has. Don't you feel a bit obligated to go out and by the latest and greatest gift for someone special? Be honest, there is a little voice in your head telling you to buy into the season.
Now, look at the marketing messages that go into the holiday season, and think about their effectiveness in shaping the way you and I think, act and behave. Do you lose your patience in line? Do you feel rushed to get somewhere? Did Sandy really need a dish set? All of this art, selling the season, is marketing at its best. You can feel it... Merry Christmas!
Your friend,
Chris Teague- a marketing guy you will enjoy working with
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Marketing Hands
Welcome to my blog!
I am Chris Teague; author of this blog, family man and marketer. This blog is my personal marketing journal of activities, thoughts and interviews.
Today, I met with a client for lunch at a local hot spot, the Red Pig. Our lunch went really well. We discussed planning for a new campaign to launch the client's product in a few locations, and enjoyed a nice meal. As you may have guessed, the Red Pig is a barbeque restaurant, but like any other successful business, the restaurant has a diverse menu that caters to those non-pork or beef eating individuals. Though the food was great, I was more impressed by the restaurant's ambiance of a "personal touch."
When I walked in the door, a man in a purple shirt walked up to me and shook my hand. He looked me in the eye and welcomed me to the restaurant. Now, I knew that this man was the owner, so I really didn't think much about him shaking my hand. However, while I was having lunch, I noticed that the owner greeted everyone at the door. A thought then hit me: "What a great way to promote community and create a sense of belonging." Talk about hitting on one of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs!
How can you take this story and apply it to your marketing? I hope that you have learned customer service can be done, or created, easily. Next time that you travel to Johnson City, you know that you are welcome at the Red Pig. Oh yeah... I also discovered that the owner wears a purple shirt everyday! Now, that is some brand consistency!!
Be great today!
Your friend,
Chris Teague- A marketing guy that helps companies reach new levels
I am Chris Teague; author of this blog, family man and marketer. This blog is my personal marketing journal of activities, thoughts and interviews.
Today, I met with a client for lunch at a local hot spot, the Red Pig. Our lunch went really well. We discussed planning for a new campaign to launch the client's product in a few locations, and enjoyed a nice meal. As you may have guessed, the Red Pig is a barbeque restaurant, but like any other successful business, the restaurant has a diverse menu that caters to those non-pork or beef eating individuals. Though the food was great, I was more impressed by the restaurant's ambiance of a "personal touch."
When I walked in the door, a man in a purple shirt walked up to me and shook my hand. He looked me in the eye and welcomed me to the restaurant. Now, I knew that this man was the owner, so I really didn't think much about him shaking my hand. However, while I was having lunch, I noticed that the owner greeted everyone at the door. A thought then hit me: "What a great way to promote community and create a sense of belonging." Talk about hitting on one of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs!
How can you take this story and apply it to your marketing? I hope that you have learned customer service can be done, or created, easily. Next time that you travel to Johnson City, you know that you are welcome at the Red Pig. Oh yeah... I also discovered that the owner wears a purple shirt everyday! Now, that is some brand consistency!!
Be great today!
Your friend,
Chris Teague- A marketing guy that helps companies reach new levels
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Do Beer Ads Make Kids Drink?
It's another interesting day in the world of marketing. I'm Chris Teague, and I welcome you to read today's post on a controversial issue facing marketers of beer and alcohol. Read on my friend and chime in with your comments...
The issue: A recent Advertising Age article informs me that the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth has recently claimed that youth drinking is still a problem and marketers need to tone the beer ads down. Despite contradicting evidence supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan, of decreased drinking among teens, the Center still has beef with marketers.
Do beer ads really make kids drink? Would taking beer ads off the air waves really impact the drinking rate of America's youth? As a marketer, I understand both sides of the argument. I know that a beer company needs persuasive commercials to help it stay in business. However, I also know that the beer company needs to be responsible in the way it advertises. So, where do I stand on this issue?
I recommend you take a look at the tobacco industry for a moment. This industry has been forced to remove all commercials and advertising from their marketing mix. However, cigarette smoking has not drastically decreased, especially in Southern states. While you may argue the initial impact of cigarette advertising is to blame, my suggestion is to invest some time into actually understanding some of the root causes for drinking and comparing those causes to the impacts of beer ads. Maybe a legitimate claim can come from this kind of research.
We all have responsibilities to ensure the well-being of our kids. Advertising can be a problem, but it is not the main issue for drinking problems among our nation's youth. In fact, current research shows that drinking levels have decreased. Before throwing your rock, make sure you take some time to understand the core problems that create drinking: Depression, genetics, poverty levels, etc... When you figure out how to fix those issues, then come back with a stronger case to ban beer ads than what is presenty being presented.
Your friend,
Chris Teague
The issue: A recent Advertising Age article informs me that the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth has recently claimed that youth drinking is still a problem and marketers need to tone the beer ads down. Despite contradicting evidence supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan, of decreased drinking among teens, the Center still has beef with marketers.
Do beer ads really make kids drink? Would taking beer ads off the air waves really impact the drinking rate of America's youth? As a marketer, I understand both sides of the argument. I know that a beer company needs persuasive commercials to help it stay in business. However, I also know that the beer company needs to be responsible in the way it advertises. So, where do I stand on this issue?
I recommend you take a look at the tobacco industry for a moment. This industry has been forced to remove all commercials and advertising from their marketing mix. However, cigarette smoking has not drastically decreased, especially in Southern states. While you may argue the initial impact of cigarette advertising is to blame, my suggestion is to invest some time into actually understanding some of the root causes for drinking and comparing those causes to the impacts of beer ads. Maybe a legitimate claim can come from this kind of research.
We all have responsibilities to ensure the well-being of our kids. Advertising can be a problem, but it is not the main issue for drinking problems among our nation's youth. In fact, current research shows that drinking levels have decreased. Before throwing your rock, make sure you take some time to understand the core problems that create drinking: Depression, genetics, poverty levels, etc... When you figure out how to fix those issues, then come back with a stronger case to ban beer ads than what is presenty being presented.
Your friend,
Chris Teague
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Simple Marketing Project: 3 Steps to Insightful Information
Hello, and welcome to my blog! I'm Chris Teague, and my blog is a daily online journal of what I experience in marketing. The purpose of this blog is to be a resource of information, so there will be featured marketers on this blog along with my insights.
Well, let me say that this is the second offical week of my blog, and I am stoked! I did not blog last Friday or yesterday, so please forgive me... Are you ready to read three simple steps to marketing that you can implement right now? Here they go...
Step 1: Take down notes everyday for three weeks on the types of customers you have, or the types of people you interact with in regards to your business. Make sure you pay attention to the types of clothes people wear, the mannerisms they use in conversation and listen carefully to everything that they say.
Step 2: After doing step one for three weeks, review your notes. Look for any similarities shared among the people you observed for the prior three weeks. Read over the topics of conversation you had and focus on key things that people said regarding your business.
Step 3: Write down the similarities you noticed during step two along with the key topics of conversations you heard as well during the previous step. You will need these notes for future advertising copy, but for now, you can do the following: Write a simple "Thank you" letter to each person you have notes on, mentioning one thing you liked about what they were wearing, what they said or how they interacted with you.
While the three steps above are easy, and really require little work, they are effective. First, you are able to capture important observational data about your customers. In corporate jargon, we call this, "Consumer Insight." Next, you are able to personalize messages to people you interact with by having a visual reference of someone's visit. Lastly, you are able to begin drafting advertising copy for future promotions based on what you have heard directly from your customers, which is also called "Marketing Research." Wow! You have just completed some expensive research for the cost of nothing more than your time. Good work!
Be great today!
Your friend,
Chris Teague- That marketing guy who understands your business model...
Well, let me say that this is the second offical week of my blog, and I am stoked! I did not blog last Friday or yesterday, so please forgive me... Are you ready to read three simple steps to marketing that you can implement right now? Here they go...
Step 1: Take down notes everyday for three weeks on the types of customers you have, or the types of people you interact with in regards to your business. Make sure you pay attention to the types of clothes people wear, the mannerisms they use in conversation and listen carefully to everything that they say.
Step 2: After doing step one for three weeks, review your notes. Look for any similarities shared among the people you observed for the prior three weeks. Read over the topics of conversation you had and focus on key things that people said regarding your business.
Step 3: Write down the similarities you noticed during step two along with the key topics of conversations you heard as well during the previous step. You will need these notes for future advertising copy, but for now, you can do the following: Write a simple "Thank you" letter to each person you have notes on, mentioning one thing you liked about what they were wearing, what they said or how they interacted with you.
While the three steps above are easy, and really require little work, they are effective. First, you are able to capture important observational data about your customers. In corporate jargon, we call this, "Consumer Insight." Next, you are able to personalize messages to people you interact with by having a visual reference of someone's visit. Lastly, you are able to begin drafting advertising copy for future promotions based on what you have heard directly from your customers, which is also called "Marketing Research." Wow! You have just completed some expensive research for the cost of nothing more than your time. Good work!
Be great today!
Your friend,
Chris Teague- That marketing guy who understands your business model...
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Retention: It Should be a Way of Life
Welcome to another blog post by Chris Teague!
I was having lunch with a colleague today who reminded to keep my blog posts short, so that you actually read the thing, so today's post will definitely be short. Let's begin...
Do you have an actual marketing program that is built with a primary objective to keep customers? Keeping customers is more than an ideal situation for your business, it should be a way of life. Seriously, your current customer is important! I know that you have probably heard this statement over and over, but I ask: "What are you doing to keep customers?" I really hope that you have an actual marketing plan designed to keep your customers coming back.
I'm not talking about sending out a weekly, or monthly newsletter announcing all the latest and greatest happenings at your business. Yes, this kind of engagement is important, but it really isn't a powerful way to connect with your customers. How many of you receive a postcard from your insurance person saying something like: "Hey valued customer! I hope you're well... Buy more insurance..." This type of contact could be considered part of a strategy to keep customers, but you can do better...
Here are three ways you can easily make your customers feel appreciated:
1. Actually call them on the phone to ask how they like the service they receive from you
2. Treat them to coffee or lunch and DO NOT discuss your business with them... Just chat about their family and say: "Thank you..."
3. Invite them to a social gathering at your house or business
I told you this was going to be short, so I am done with my post for today. I hope you enjoyed what you read and I also welcome your examples of keeping customers.
Your friend,
Chris Teague- That marketing guy you will like doing business with...
I was having lunch with a colleague today who reminded to keep my blog posts short, so that you actually read the thing, so today's post will definitely be short. Let's begin...
Do you have an actual marketing program that is built with a primary objective to keep customers? Keeping customers is more than an ideal situation for your business, it should be a way of life. Seriously, your current customer is important! I know that you have probably heard this statement over and over, but I ask: "What are you doing to keep customers?" I really hope that you have an actual marketing plan designed to keep your customers coming back.
I'm not talking about sending out a weekly, or monthly newsletter announcing all the latest and greatest happenings at your business. Yes, this kind of engagement is important, but it really isn't a powerful way to connect with your customers. How many of you receive a postcard from your insurance person saying something like: "Hey valued customer! I hope you're well... Buy more insurance..." This type of contact could be considered part of a strategy to keep customers, but you can do better...
Here are three ways you can easily make your customers feel appreciated:
1. Actually call them on the phone to ask how they like the service they receive from you
2. Treat them to coffee or lunch and DO NOT discuss your business with them... Just chat about their family and say: "Thank you..."
3. Invite them to a social gathering at your house or business
I told you this was going to be short, so I am done with my post for today. I hope you enjoyed what you read and I also welcome your examples of keeping customers.
Your friend,
Chris Teague- That marketing guy you will like doing business with...
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Cold Feet
Welcome to another day of my marketing journey. I am Chris Teague, and this blog is my daily journal of marketing in today's ever-changing world of communications and business. I thank you for reading, and encourage you to comment as well as follow this blog publicly, so that you have opportunities to network with other followers. Now, it's time for today's topic: "Cold Feet."
I decided on today's title because my feet have been absolutely freezing all day! Tomorrow, I might just put some hand and feet warmers in my pocket in case my extremities are unable to overcome the cold weather. If you are asking yourself what having cold feet has to do with marketing, I am sure you're not alone, so I will let you know. This is your cue to continue reading...
I met with an intern from East Tennessee State University last night to discuss the work he was going to do with my company, WIN Firm. As we began discussing some of the projects he was going to work on, I could tell that my intern was a little hesitant to speak out, so I immediately told him: "You are free to share any ideas..." You see, my intern was facing a situation many creative people feel at times: keeping quiet because you think others in the room won't grasp your way of thinking. I call this refrain from sharing, "having cold feet."
Just like brides and grooms, you need to get over having cold feet, and take that walk down the aisle. In this case, if you have an idea, you should share it. I'll provide you with a real life example that I dealt with recently. I thought of a creative advertising campaign for a local security company that I worked with in the past, and wrote down the campaign from start to finish. I pitched the concept to a few of my colleagues and friends to measure their response. Guess what? They all liked the idea!
Now, I have to share the bad part... I didn't pitch the idea to my former client because I suffered from cold feet. Can you believe it? I sampled the ad concept with colleagues, friends and even other business owners, and they all liked what I had come up with. The pitch to my former client should have been a cake walk, but it wasn't. For some reason, I just felt like the guy wouldn't like it, and my great idea would be wasted. As I watched television last night, I realized I was wrong. A commercial for my former client's competitor aired, and it was very similar to the concept I had created! Why didn't I just send an email to my former client?
Friends, my cold feet prevented me from helping my former client capture his market first. Yes, my concept is a bit different than what I saw on the tube last night, but it could have been on the tube first. You see what having cold feet can do to your idea? I hope that my intern reads this blog post and has all the confidence he needs to share and get rid of cold feet. Friends, you too, have ideas worth sharing... Go share them!
Your friend,
Chris Teague- That marketing guy you will remember that helps you
I decided on today's title because my feet have been absolutely freezing all day! Tomorrow, I might just put some hand and feet warmers in my pocket in case my extremities are unable to overcome the cold weather. If you are asking yourself what having cold feet has to do with marketing, I am sure you're not alone, so I will let you know. This is your cue to continue reading...
I met with an intern from East Tennessee State University last night to discuss the work he was going to do with my company, WIN Firm. As we began discussing some of the projects he was going to work on, I could tell that my intern was a little hesitant to speak out, so I immediately told him: "You are free to share any ideas..." You see, my intern was facing a situation many creative people feel at times: keeping quiet because you think others in the room won't grasp your way of thinking. I call this refrain from sharing, "having cold feet."
Just like brides and grooms, you need to get over having cold feet, and take that walk down the aisle. In this case, if you have an idea, you should share it. I'll provide you with a real life example that I dealt with recently. I thought of a creative advertising campaign for a local security company that I worked with in the past, and wrote down the campaign from start to finish. I pitched the concept to a few of my colleagues and friends to measure their response. Guess what? They all liked the idea!
Now, I have to share the bad part... I didn't pitch the idea to my former client because I suffered from cold feet. Can you believe it? I sampled the ad concept with colleagues, friends and even other business owners, and they all liked what I had come up with. The pitch to my former client should have been a cake walk, but it wasn't. For some reason, I just felt like the guy wouldn't like it, and my great idea would be wasted. As I watched television last night, I realized I was wrong. A commercial for my former client's competitor aired, and it was very similar to the concept I had created! Why didn't I just send an email to my former client?
Friends, my cold feet prevented me from helping my former client capture his market first. Yes, my concept is a bit different than what I saw on the tube last night, but it could have been on the tube first. You see what having cold feet can do to your idea? I hope that my intern reads this blog post and has all the confidence he needs to share and get rid of cold feet. Friends, you too, have ideas worth sharing... Go share them!
Your friend,
Chris Teague- That marketing guy you will remember that helps you
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Brasil or Brazil?
Welcome to another addition of my blog! I am Chris Teague, and I really like to write and share exciting information!! In fact, I created this blog to dedicate time daily to my passion of writing as well as compliment my work in marketing. As this blog progresses, I will feature stories from folks I interview in the business world... These interviews will mainly be centered around the topic of marketing, but there is a chance for some inspirational stories to show up from time to time. Are you ready to read today's topic, "Brasil or Brazil?"
The first spelling of this blog's title is a Portuguese spelling of what we in North America know as, Brazil. So that you know where I am coming from, I want to let you know that I actually lived in Brazil for three years during college, and recently participated in a Rotary Group Study Exchange for six weeks over this past summer, so I know a little bit about Brazil. Well, now that you know some background, I bet you want to know where I'm going... Read on, my friends!
When I was in Brazil this summer, I stayed in hotels and ate at restaurants that catered to foreign travelers like myself. I vividly remember reading a menu at a hotel in Rio de Janeiro during my final week in Brazil, and catching the mis-use of English translation. Now, I am not saying the hotel was stupid or anything like that; rather, I am really just pointing out how little things, like knowing how a language is used by native tongue is important. The menu read: "Cheese with dip of cheddar." What the menu meant to say in my native tongue was: "Cheddar cheese dip." Obviously, I was able to understand what the menu said, but it still looked strange. I mean, I'm writing a blog topic about the menu right now!
I am fortunate to speak Portuguese fluently, and was often called upon to play the role of translator during my trip to Brazil this summer. However, the role was very difficult at times because there were expressions used in Portuguese that literally made no sense in English. I had to understand the expression's meaning before translating it, which sometimes took longer than my audience wanted to wait. Being the passionate marketer I am, I wanted to always make sure the message I was communicating had the right meaning. Yes, I often had to take time to figure things out, but the message was much better when I did.
Knowing that Brazil is spelled, "Brasil," in Portuguese is important when you are writing to a Brazilian. Understanding the meaning of what you are trying to say is also very important, especially in marketing communications. This business of marketing is all about communicating; isn't it? Next time you whip up some content that you think is kind of circumstantial, you might want to take a look at it again to avoid being the "Dope of person."
The first spelling of this blog's title is a Portuguese spelling of what we in North America know as, Brazil. So that you know where I am coming from, I want to let you know that I actually lived in Brazil for three years during college, and recently participated in a Rotary Group Study Exchange for six weeks over this past summer, so I know a little bit about Brazil. Well, now that you know some background, I bet you want to know where I'm going... Read on, my friends!
When I was in Brazil this summer, I stayed in hotels and ate at restaurants that catered to foreign travelers like myself. I vividly remember reading a menu at a hotel in Rio de Janeiro during my final week in Brazil, and catching the mis-use of English translation. Now, I am not saying the hotel was stupid or anything like that; rather, I am really just pointing out how little things, like knowing how a language is used by native tongue is important. The menu read: "Cheese with dip of cheddar." What the menu meant to say in my native tongue was: "Cheddar cheese dip." Obviously, I was able to understand what the menu said, but it still looked strange. I mean, I'm writing a blog topic about the menu right now!
I am fortunate to speak Portuguese fluently, and was often called upon to play the role of translator during my trip to Brazil this summer. However, the role was very difficult at times because there were expressions used in Portuguese that literally made no sense in English. I had to understand the expression's meaning before translating it, which sometimes took longer than my audience wanted to wait. Being the passionate marketer I am, I wanted to always make sure the message I was communicating had the right meaning. Yes, I often had to take time to figure things out, but the message was much better when I did.
Knowing that Brazil is spelled, "Brasil," in Portuguese is important when you are writing to a Brazilian. Understanding the meaning of what you are trying to say is also very important, especially in marketing communications. This business of marketing is all about communicating; isn't it? Next time you whip up some content that you think is kind of circumstantial, you might want to take a look at it again to avoid being the "Dope of person."
Monday, December 6, 2010
Snowmen and Marketing
Hello everybody!
Welcome to another addition of my blog. I'm Chris Teague, and you are reading all about my marketing journey. This is a brand new blog, and I am on my third post today. I started off thinking I was going to only post once a month, but I am learning so much that once a month will not suffice, so here I am with daily posts. Well, now that all of that introductory stuff is out of the way, it's time to present today's topic, Snowmen.
What do Snowmen have to do with marketing? If you haven't guessed it by now, I will help you out. While driving along one snowy day, I noticed children outside building snowmen in front of their houses. I saw these children smiling, and they really seemed like they were having a good time. Suddenly, a thought hit me: "I should have one of my clients send their employees out to build snowmen today!" Now, I realize this sounds like a crazy idea, but I can support my thinking, so keep reading.
I grabbed my cell phone, called my client and told them I had an idea to help create instant attention for their retail business. The client's business was not located near the mall, nor was it really located downtown. However, the client was on a well-traveled street that was a connector to the main strip, so we always created various marketing tactics to grab a driver's attention. This snowy day was going to be another addition to stopping traffic, or I should say, increasing traffic.
Fast forward a bit, now I am at my client's business telling them that their employees should go outside and build snowmen. I then instructed them to put the various items the store sold on the snowmen to add some decoration. At first, my client told me I was a bit crazy, and I happily agreed. However, I reminded the client that they would be the first busines to build a snowman on that snowyday, and that we would call the press for instant news! The client loved the idea, and off to building snowmen (and women) everyone went.
Let's just say that things really worked out well on that snowy day for my client! Not only did people stop in to see what was new at my client's business, the local news ran a story about the client and their sales were far better than expected for a snowy day. I hope you have learned a bit of how to make the most of your marketing opportunities everyday, even on snowy days. Tune in tomorrow for another marketing post by me, Chris Teague.
Cheers!
Chris Teague- He is that marketing guy you talk about...
Welcome to another addition of my blog. I'm Chris Teague, and you are reading all about my marketing journey. This is a brand new blog, and I am on my third post today. I started off thinking I was going to only post once a month, but I am learning so much that once a month will not suffice, so here I am with daily posts. Well, now that all of that introductory stuff is out of the way, it's time to present today's topic, Snowmen.
What do Snowmen have to do with marketing? If you haven't guessed it by now, I will help you out. While driving along one snowy day, I noticed children outside building snowmen in front of their houses. I saw these children smiling, and they really seemed like they were having a good time. Suddenly, a thought hit me: "I should have one of my clients send their employees out to build snowmen today!" Now, I realize this sounds like a crazy idea, but I can support my thinking, so keep reading.
I grabbed my cell phone, called my client and told them I had an idea to help create instant attention for their retail business. The client's business was not located near the mall, nor was it really located downtown. However, the client was on a well-traveled street that was a connector to the main strip, so we always created various marketing tactics to grab a driver's attention. This snowy day was going to be another addition to stopping traffic, or I should say, increasing traffic.
Fast forward a bit, now I am at my client's business telling them that their employees should go outside and build snowmen. I then instructed them to put the various items the store sold on the snowmen to add some decoration. At first, my client told me I was a bit crazy, and I happily agreed. However, I reminded the client that they would be the first busines to build a snowman on that snowyday, and that we would call the press for instant news! The client loved the idea, and off to building snowmen (and women) everyone went.
Let's just say that things really worked out well on that snowy day for my client! Not only did people stop in to see what was new at my client's business, the local news ran a story about the client and their sales were far better than expected for a snowy day. I hope you have learned a bit of how to make the most of your marketing opportunities everyday, even on snowy days. Tune in tomorrow for another marketing post by me, Chris Teague.
Cheers!
Chris Teague- He is that marketing guy you talk about...
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Blew My Mind: Impressed with Service
"Sometimes; I wish I was smart... I wish I made cures for how people are..." -Boxcar Racer
Hello! I bet you might be thinking: "What is Chris trying to tell me with this quote?" I am simply making a case for trying to help people be better people than they are each day of their lives. What? Have I lost my mind? Am I totally shifting my focus from this blog's original subject matter, marketing, to some motivational blog? My friends, the answer is: "NO."
You and I both know that customer service is like chivalry today; it's almost dead, or is it? If you think you know the answer, just drop into a few businesses and evaluate the service you receive. Yes, you may find quality service by doing this activity; however, I'll bet when you actually do receive some kind service, you feel good inside. Don't companies know their job is to make you and me feel good inside? It seems like a lot of companies invest plenty of dinero in making you and me think, feel and want their offering through various advertising and promotional tactics. So, where is the actual service? My friend, I'll tell you a small story about an exceptional display of service I received yesterday.
The story begins like this... A client of mine needed five thousand custom printed brochures to be printed by November 20th. I placed the order with a printer, and mistakenly thought everything was find and dandy. I called two days before the delivery date, and discovered the job hadn't even made it to production! I was so ticked off... I couldn't believe I was told one thing and shown another. I cooled off, called the client, explained the situation, and promised to make good by offering some added services. Though I had the client's respect, I still had to complete the printing job.
I gave the printer another opportunity to redeem itself. I asked for the job to go to production and said that I needed the brochures printed by Friday, December 3rd. This conversation took place on Monday... I called Tuesday, and the job wasn't in production. I was definitely mad! I hopped on to the computer in search of another printer. I noticed a recent LinkedIn connection, known as Wonder Woman, had posted something like: "Pulp will do what it takes to get your printing business..." Now, I'm not sure if this was the exact post, but you get the idea. I contacted the Pulp representative, Wonder Woman, via LinkedIn, and sent her a message describing what I needed and when I needed it... Guess what! I received a response and had a quote that guaranteed printing by Friday before the work day ended. I was stoked!
My friend, I placed this printing job on Tuesday of this week with Pulp, and today, my client will be smiling around 3ish this afternoon. I received a phone call on Thursday from Wonder Woman. The call was to inform me that my five thousand custom printed brochures were ready! What? Do I need to repeat that a moment? My job was finished in forty-eight hours, over-nighted to my client by Pulp, and this afternoon I will receive a phone call saying something like, "They're here, Chris... Thank you!"
Pulp completely understands customer service. My friend, I hope that today's story inspires you to go beyond your customer's expectations, and blow their mind away with EXCELLENT customer service. Pulp will have my business for as long as I do this marketing consulting gig... I guarantee it! So, what are you waiting for? Go blow someone's mind by offering them service like they deserve, and have their business for as long as you can handle it!
Go find yourself, and be great...
Your friend,
Chris Teague- I'm that marketing guy that has your back!
Hello! I bet you might be thinking: "What is Chris trying to tell me with this quote?" I am simply making a case for trying to help people be better people than they are each day of their lives. What? Have I lost my mind? Am I totally shifting my focus from this blog's original subject matter, marketing, to some motivational blog? My friends, the answer is: "NO."
You and I both know that customer service is like chivalry today; it's almost dead, or is it? If you think you know the answer, just drop into a few businesses and evaluate the service you receive. Yes, you may find quality service by doing this activity; however, I'll bet when you actually do receive some kind service, you feel good inside. Don't companies know their job is to make you and me feel good inside? It seems like a lot of companies invest plenty of dinero in making you and me think, feel and want their offering through various advertising and promotional tactics. So, where is the actual service? My friend, I'll tell you a small story about an exceptional display of service I received yesterday.
The story begins like this... A client of mine needed five thousand custom printed brochures to be printed by November 20th. I placed the order with a printer, and mistakenly thought everything was find and dandy. I called two days before the delivery date, and discovered the job hadn't even made it to production! I was so ticked off... I couldn't believe I was told one thing and shown another. I cooled off, called the client, explained the situation, and promised to make good by offering some added services. Though I had the client's respect, I still had to complete the printing job.
I gave the printer another opportunity to redeem itself. I asked for the job to go to production and said that I needed the brochures printed by Friday, December 3rd. This conversation took place on Monday... I called Tuesday, and the job wasn't in production. I was definitely mad! I hopped on to the computer in search of another printer. I noticed a recent LinkedIn connection, known as Wonder Woman, had posted something like: "Pulp will do what it takes to get your printing business..." Now, I'm not sure if this was the exact post, but you get the idea. I contacted the Pulp representative, Wonder Woman, via LinkedIn, and sent her a message describing what I needed and when I needed it... Guess what! I received a response and had a quote that guaranteed printing by Friday before the work day ended. I was stoked!
My friend, I placed this printing job on Tuesday of this week with Pulp, and today, my client will be smiling around 3ish this afternoon. I received a phone call on Thursday from Wonder Woman. The call was to inform me that my five thousand custom printed brochures were ready! What? Do I need to repeat that a moment? My job was finished in forty-eight hours, over-nighted to my client by Pulp, and this afternoon I will receive a phone call saying something like, "They're here, Chris... Thank you!"
Pulp completely understands customer service. My friend, I hope that today's story inspires you to go beyond your customer's expectations, and blow their mind away with EXCELLENT customer service. Pulp will have my business for as long as I do this marketing consulting gig... I guarantee it! So, what are you waiting for? Go blow someone's mind by offering them service like they deserve, and have their business for as long as you can handle it!
Go find yourself, and be great...
Your friend,
Chris Teague- I'm that marketing guy that has your back!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Personal Branding: You Are What I Say You Are!
"I’ve asked preachers, doctors and lawyers. Socialites, pariahs, mothers and fathers… you may not find all that you’re after… in the end I hope it doesn’t matter.” -Against Me!
I cut my hair three weeks ago and decided to take the opportunity to focus on my personal brand as I prepared this new blog, “Marketing with Chris Teague.” How did a simple hair cut influence me to write this first blog post? It’s simple, really… Haircuts are a physical representation of how you choose to be perceived. Have you ever looked at someone’s hair and thought: “Wow, I’d never do that?” I’m sure you have, so the derivate from my new hair cut is this blog post on personal branding.
First, I need to simply let you know that branding is the action you take to communicate who you are. Since I am an entrepreneur, I will use the site, entrepreneur.com’s, definition of branding: The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products. Let’s take this definition of branding and create a simple definition for personal branding: Creating a way to separate yourself from others. Granted, my definition is not the best by any means, but it will suffice for now… Personal branding is the practice of making sure people know who you are and remember you, which is an active process you can focus on everyday.
Now that you have a general idea of where I’m coming from with this personal branding stuff, I want to discuss the active components of personal branding. What are you wearing today? This question is not a perverse attempt to be curious at all, so let’s focus. Seriously, what you choose to wear communicates who you want to be for the day. I am wearing designer-looking jeans (without the price tag), a white and brown striped dress shirt, a brown sweater, a brown sport coat and brown dress shoes. What am I saying with this attire? With my jeans, I am communicating I am relaxed. With my matching dress shirt sweater, sport coat and shoes, I am communicating that I took time getting dressed this morning. My communication of taking time to get dressed also communicates that I woke up with a plan today. You may even think that I am organized because I am wearing an “outfit.” You see, I took action to make sure I communicated positive signals with my wardrobe. These signals are part of my personal brand.
Let’s move past my outward appearance of a nice hair cut and matching attire to what I say and do. What is it I can say today to make sure I communicate my personal brand? I know that people perceive me as a funny, outgoing and kind person. Knowing these characteristics make up my brand, I want to be consistent with my verbal and non-verbal messages. As soon as I walked into the building this morning, I smiled really big at everyone I saw, looking them in the eye as well. I actually prepared to do this before I even walked in. My mental preparation is part of the branding process: I purposefully created a perception for others to see. What did this simple gesture do? It sent a message of who I am. Okay, now time for the verbal communication. I always try to make it a point to say things in groups of three, so when I walked into the English class I teach at a local community college this morning, I immediately greeted my class warmly and told them three tasks we were going to do as well as three things they should take away from today’s lecture. Does this communication follow suit to how I prepared my attire this morning? Am I organized? The purpose of my actions this morning all lead to communicating my personal brand.
So, how do my colleagues in the marketing and business community perceive me? They should see me the same way everyone else does: Funny, outgoing and kind. However, I know that there is a professional side that my colleagues need to see, so I make sure to be aware of this side too. My outfit represents I woke up with a plan to wear what I am wearing. Yes, I am by no means in a suit and tie, but I do communicate organization and care to planning. When I converse with my colleagues I actively make a point to communicate three messages I want them to take away. You see, by consciously planning to say three things I want people to know during a conversation I am actively working on my personal brand; or, I am branding myself. Remember back to our definition of branding, your brand is the active process you take to communicate a perception to others. Your controlled perception is also what helps you stay on the minds of those you meet.
Well, that is all I have for you today. I now would like to open this blog up to you. Please email me your personal branding stories and so that I can share a few for next week’s post. Always, your comments on this blog are welcome. Please go out, communicate who you are and enjoy the activity of branding yourself! See you next week!
-Chris Teague: A funny, outgoing and focused marketer here to help you communicate how you want others to perceive you.
I cut my hair three weeks ago and decided to take the opportunity to focus on my personal brand as I prepared this new blog, “Marketing with Chris Teague.” How did a simple hair cut influence me to write this first blog post? It’s simple, really… Haircuts are a physical representation of how you choose to be perceived. Have you ever looked at someone’s hair and thought: “Wow, I’d never do that?” I’m sure you have, so the derivate from my new hair cut is this blog post on personal branding.
First, I need to simply let you know that branding is the action you take to communicate who you are. Since I am an entrepreneur, I will use the site, entrepreneur.com’s, definition of branding: The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products. Let’s take this definition of branding and create a simple definition for personal branding: Creating a way to separate yourself from others. Granted, my definition is not the best by any means, but it will suffice for now… Personal branding is the practice of making sure people know who you are and remember you, which is an active process you can focus on everyday.
Now that you have a general idea of where I’m coming from with this personal branding stuff, I want to discuss the active components of personal branding. What are you wearing today? This question is not a perverse attempt to be curious at all, so let’s focus. Seriously, what you choose to wear communicates who you want to be for the day. I am wearing designer-looking jeans (without the price tag), a white and brown striped dress shirt, a brown sweater, a brown sport coat and brown dress shoes. What am I saying with this attire? With my jeans, I am communicating I am relaxed. With my matching dress shirt sweater, sport coat and shoes, I am communicating that I took time getting dressed this morning. My communication of taking time to get dressed also communicates that I woke up with a plan today. You may even think that I am organized because I am wearing an “outfit.” You see, I took action to make sure I communicated positive signals with my wardrobe. These signals are part of my personal brand.
Let’s move past my outward appearance of a nice hair cut and matching attire to what I say and do. What is it I can say today to make sure I communicate my personal brand? I know that people perceive me as a funny, outgoing and kind person. Knowing these characteristics make up my brand, I want to be consistent with my verbal and non-verbal messages. As soon as I walked into the building this morning, I smiled really big at everyone I saw, looking them in the eye as well. I actually prepared to do this before I even walked in. My mental preparation is part of the branding process: I purposefully created a perception for others to see. What did this simple gesture do? It sent a message of who I am. Okay, now time for the verbal communication. I always try to make it a point to say things in groups of three, so when I walked into the English class I teach at a local community college this morning, I immediately greeted my class warmly and told them three tasks we were going to do as well as three things they should take away from today’s lecture. Does this communication follow suit to how I prepared my attire this morning? Am I organized? The purpose of my actions this morning all lead to communicating my personal brand.
So, how do my colleagues in the marketing and business community perceive me? They should see me the same way everyone else does: Funny, outgoing and kind. However, I know that there is a professional side that my colleagues need to see, so I make sure to be aware of this side too. My outfit represents I woke up with a plan to wear what I am wearing. Yes, I am by no means in a suit and tie, but I do communicate organization and care to planning. When I converse with my colleagues I actively make a point to communicate three messages I want them to take away. You see, by consciously planning to say three things I want people to know during a conversation I am actively working on my personal brand; or, I am branding myself. Remember back to our definition of branding, your brand is the active process you take to communicate a perception to others. Your controlled perception is also what helps you stay on the minds of those you meet.
Well, that is all I have for you today. I now would like to open this blog up to you. Please email me your personal branding stories and so that I can share a few for next week’s post. Always, your comments on this blog are welcome. Please go out, communicate who you are and enjoy the activity of branding yourself! See you next week!
-Chris Teague: A funny, outgoing and focused marketer here to help you communicate how you want others to perceive you.
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