Brian McLeod on Marketing & Business Development for Entrepreneurs
image © Reuters
That’s exactly what’s happening with Apple’s iPad as publishers scramble to prepare for the introduction of the iPad in just a matter of days…
Read the rest of this entry
FTC Clamps Down On Testimonials & Endorsements
By now you’ve surely heard about the FTC’s new guidelines for testimonials and endorsements in advertising and marketing.
It’s a hot topic to be sure…
Some view it as the living, breathing embodiment of government run amok.
Others feel it’s long overdue and welcome these guidelines in hopes of better legitimizing an industry that is rife with misrepresentation and fraud.
My take is probably somewhere in between.
Leverage is the ability to do more, to get more, to create more… using your existing resources.
From an earlier post on the Warrior Forum today…
Much angst is somewhat unfairly misplaced on the shoulders of marketers without proper consideration of the very demands made by those to whom they market.
Paul Myers has a great saying that’s particularly applicable:
It’s always easier to point to failure of the masses as prima facie proof that something sucks than it is to accept the successes of the few who in fact prove the exact opposite.
Last week, he got a call from his long-time account rep at a ginormous company we’ll call Denture Virect… As you might have guessed by now, the guy was laid -off. And just like that, a stellar 20 year career with one of the biggest advertisers and spenders of online media dollars in the world was over — gone — right alongside about 40% of the rest of their staff. My client’s entire business relationship with them is now “under review” and could come to an unceremonious end any day, from either direction.
Yeah, it’s bad, bad, bad news out there… if you’re in the traditional big ad agency business, that is. Legendary ad-houses like Ogilvy and BBDO are shedding staff while smaller agencies are closing their doors for good.
What this means for you, intrepid Internet entrepreneur, is that your skill and aptitude in effective direct response marketing is going to be more important than ever.
In my last post, we talked about the difference between Price and Value and how easy it is to get caught in the “discount trap”. Cutting your prices can often have precisely the opposite effect that the “price leader” is after.
When times are tough, consumers are not so much after low prices as they are demanding of greater perceived value for their dwindling stash of money.
In both cases, what the complainant REALLY means is: I hate BORING.
Here’s a fun story about an interesting experiment.
A world class violinist decided to see what would happen if he took his $3.5 million dollar Stradivarius and went outside to play for people on the street. He was completely ignored…
Absent the framework that accompanied his typical command performances, people were completely oblivious and disinterested.
In the context of “street musician”, the the most finely crafted instrument of its kind known to man, played by an absolute master of the art was decidedly unappreciated and almost completely TUNED OUT.
Can you think of any aspects of your marketing where your buyer’s experience is incongruent with their expectations? If you’re honest, you surely can. And there’s money there for you…
![\"\"](\"http://www.assoc-amazon.com/s/noscript?tag=piscescom-20\")
