by nick on January 6, 2009
The visiting is done, so is the postman and the elves have earned their holiday. Yesterday saw the last of the gifts depart/arrive and I realised you know when people have really thought about you when your book tally outnumbers the smellies you’ve received.
With a couple of leftovers from last year, I’ve now got enough reading material to last me ‘till the FTSE touches 6,000 again. My dad would have these done and in the church bazaar by Valentine’s Day and I’d kill to be a match for his speed-reading right now.
Why do you always want a movie to start, but can’t wait to finish a book?
by nick on December 8, 2008
The best advice anyone’s giving me regarding clearer communication is to write as Aryton Senna drove: fast. Take the shortest route and get there as quickly as possible. Remove all excess baggage. When done, look back and see if you can go even quicker.
That leads me to ask how did this badly written nonsense get past anyone in marketing and make it to their home page?
“The Content Group is a technology
agnostic Enterprise Content Management (ECM) consultancy and solutions provider whose proven ECM Expert best practice methodology ensures successful ECM projects for their clients across the globe”
What? Who on earth speaks like this within this firm? Cisco is one of the world’s greatest tech companies; you wont find any such drivel on their massive site. Or Microsoft’s. Or Nokia’s.
Another example is something like this:
Last week the dates for the next courses and workshops were finalised. These are the dates…
Does it matter that you finalised last week or last month? Why not just give us the info? It could become:
The dates of our courses and workshops are… [8 words vrs 20 = 60% less. It could be even shorter.]
We’re all bombarded with content, so help us out by getting straight to the point. An excellent business writing book is Read This by Robert Gentle. It has loads of suggestions that will help readers understand you better. Definitely one for your Christmas book list if you’re any sort of copy writer.
by nick on November 24, 2008
If you and your peers needed $25 billion from the government because your misguided business is going belly up, how would you travel from Detroit to Washington? By private jet of course. Separately. After all, you’re too powerful to share. One congressman asked if they couldn’t have downgraded to first class?
Tom Peters rants about it best, but I think a massive PR opportunity has been missed. Imagine one of them had driven the 520 miles across the US with a small team and a camcorder explaining via short films and blog posts the reasons behind the begging bowl. They could’ve done it in a hybrid or some semi-solar powered prototype as a metaphor for the future of Detroit. He could’ve spoken openly in diners along the way with ordinary folks in Fords. That would’ve given him an opportunity to explain his thinking behind ethanol use rather than alternative energy, union pressures, pension commitments, federal restrictions, global forces, (not) going green… the whole nine yards.
They could’ve gone all web 2.0 about it: Gmapping the route and twittering as they went. The blogosphere would’ve exploded with the news and traditional TV would’ve followed – no press releases, just unadulterated, raw PR. More than a sliver of humble pie would’ve been needed and it would’ve been called for the obvious PR stunt it was, but a single point in the plus column would be better than the abundance of own goals this reckless trio are scoring.
[GM have since tried to block corporate jet tracking by the US Federal Aviation Administration.]
When Congress asked if they’d work for $1 a year, Chrysler’s Nardelli agreed (although he took home $210 million for being fired from Home Depo!). “I don’t have a position on that today,” said GM’s Wagoner (2007 earnings: $15.7 million). Ford’s Mulally (2007 earnings: $21.7m) said, “I think I’m okay where I am.” You almost want John Wayne’s ghost to walk over in a cowboy outfit and horsewhip him.
Irresponsible, selfish, unethical egomaniacs.
Stuff ‘em – corporate America needs to realise capitalism means being accountable for one’s own destiny. Mulally et al will believe themselves even more infallible. Yes, the fallout will be enormous and terrible but (semi) nationalising every conglomerate simply isn’t viable. What’s next, Hollywood? The NFL? The market must level itself to a greater extent or it ceases to be a free market.
Bail ‘em – if these three go bust the financial tsunami will be felt for decades (did anyone say depression?). Their supply chain is enormous and the ramifications for the world are literally immeasurable. They are simply too big and too important to fail simultaneously. A nuclear disaster may well have less impact on the West than this fiscal Armageddon.
It’s the very definition of an impossible situation.
UPDATE: excellent piece here by Sir Evelyn de Rothschild
by nick on November 9, 2008
Messrs Ross and Brand have given BBC executives many a sleepless night of late (and too many P45s) but my vote for the beeb’s employee of the month goes to their business editor, Robert Preston.
Mr Preston’s opinion has been called on more in recent weeks than George W. was asked about the two presidential candidates. The indomitable Preston is carted out on an almost daily basis with the BBC news’ 1, 6 and 9 o’clock shows loving his analysis every bit as much as Radio 2 and 4 does.
Robert used to write for Management Today and they recently wrote “Robert, an ex-MT columnist, has friends in very high places and is regarded as a safe pair of hands into which to let slip unpalatable news.” Evidently so, considering his double scooping of Northern Rock last year and the more recent Lloyds TSB/HBoS emergency merger.
The guy is good. Very good. His blog was a compelling read long before the words crunch and credit became synonymous with one another. And heaven forefend I disagree with his superior economics, but could somebody please coach him with regard to his diction. Surely the beeb’s producers are hearing the same dull tone, full of awkwardly slow sentences, pregnant pauses and more ‘Ums’ than a 14-year-old would use lying to his teacher?
The guy’s got a wonderful mind, why not help him express it a little better?
by nick on October 26, 2008
A good while ago I heard website editor of the Telegraph.co.uk, Marcus Warren, being interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s The Message. He was quoting figures that showed 5 million new users for his site month on month.
I’m sure Mr Warren is no different from hundreds of other managers and directors responsible for websites in that he’s focused on talking about one of the most raw stats available (granted, it’s factual and very impressive). Business numbers in the black and not the red are generally regarded in the positive, but web traffic demands more examination than a cursory look at one or two sets of statistics.
I’m willing to bet that a massive percentage of these uniques, perhaps between 70 and 90%, land deeply i.e. not on the home page or submenu pages (possibly from Digg or Stumbleupon as much as from the big search engines). Of course this is an excellent example of “if you build it, they will come”.
However, I’m also willing to bet their bounce rate (people who exit the site quickly after visiting only one page) is also between 70 and 90%. If I were responsible for targeting Mr Warren I’d want to see visitors staying on site longer and I’d want fewer bouncing – yes, even at the expense of total visitor numbers (presuming my previous guesswork is good). A million visitors leaving inside 3 seconds and returning to Google to improve their search term does nothing for your site. In fact it hinders because it confuses your analytics and success becomes more difficult to ascertain.
I’m in no doubt that the Telegraph’s web traffic is growing because of their increased content. More relevant content equals a larger web presence, which should lead to more search results pointing to you. Just think BBC, the mother of all sites.
Chasing such headline numbers as unique visitors is misguided but commonplace. It’s better to look at how engaged a site is with potential and current customers. How many pages are listed on the major search engines (and how many pages are published)? How often is content updated? How keyword rich is the copy? What does the site offer its audience other than ‘get into my shopping cart’?
Mr Warren and his ilk will tell you this is where the real work comes in: the writing, the images, the advice pages, the tips and FAQs, the alternative viewpoint, the video tutorials, the understanding of your market, the educating of your customer. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not recommending spamming the system with a load of useless link bait but sites do require deep and relevant content.
Of course, it’s all very time consuming and not directly attributable to today’s sales figure, but it’s absolutely invaluable. Just ask the chap from the Telegraph.
by nick on October 18, 2008
I recently attended the Chartered Institute of Marketing event, ‘Communication for profitable customer relationships.’ I wasn’t going to post about it, but the best speaker of the day (Dr Neil Hair) blogged about it and I wanted to join him.
The day’s speakers were good, although Prof. Ballantyne from New Zealand was probably too academic for the business audience that (I felt) were looking for pointers, advice and ideas. But you kind of get the feeling that organisers of this ilk are pleased simply with bums on seats, not the strength of the message (i.e. the product). As the registration fills, you can almost feel the sense of relief as it becomes more about the number of paid attendees, than it does about the transfer of thoughts – surely the aim of the day.
The day was filled with references to Web 2.0, but it smacked of double standards: there wasn’t a video camera in sight. Where is the ‘sharable’ content following the event: speakers’ slides and notes, videos, discussion boards/walls, wikis, blog posts with comments? The exclusive network opportunity? Where is the follow up on a full room of highly interested (we’d paid to attend) business people? For an organisation that sells education, what does the CIM recommend for the attendees in line with what they heard on the day?
The idiots’ guide to marketing starts with ‘where’s the call to action’ so I stop myself anytime I’m about to say that, but the CIM really needs it said to itself. Personally, I’d have at least put a video running in the breaks, touting my wares with half a dozen CIM faces helping delegates ‘buy in’ to the institute and its offerings.
It all adds to my confusion with this organisation. They have a goliath website, but I cannot discover anything worth investigating amongst the plethora of PDFs (and yes, I have had paid access). Compare that to the content at the Marketing Profs site (or the more obvious FT and BBC business) where you could easily lose a day, or even a week, swimming in first-rate discovery and intellect.
Bang goes my chances of a Branch Chair offer now but I’ll say it again, TED is where the bar is for this type of event and the CIM should be striving toward them.
by nick on October 13, 2008
Does social networking demand you be an extrovert?
Maybe, maybe not. But a Facebook account makes you a narcissist. I read it on the Beeb so it must be true. Unless your name is Elmo Keep – she’s not allowed to be.
by nick on September 29, 2008
“Advertising is a tax for having an unremarkable product” said Robert Stephens, Founder and ‘Chief Inspector’ of the Geek Squad. (Gordon Ramsay said the same in his brilliant and inspirational book, Playing with Fire.) Well, Lance Armstrong could also shout the infamous ‘Advertising is dead, long live PR.’
After much will he, wont he, the incredible Lance Armstrong news ‘leaked’ on 8th Sept that he is indeed coming out of retirement. He’ll raise further awareness for cancer by racing in the 2009 Tour de France, having won it an unprecedented seven times already.
The story was meant to be a first for Vanity Fair magazine, penned by Douglas Brinkley, a resident in Armstrong’s hometown of Austin, Texas. The two are acquaintances but far from best friends and I suspect Brinkley was offered first dibbs because of local patriotism.
But Velonews.com pressed ‘Post’ before VF got anywhere near pressing ‘Print’ on their November issue that was due out on 1st October. As usual in 2008, the blogosphere picked up the scent and it travelled the world in minutes (okay, maybe an hour or two) without needing to go near a television set. VF’s hand was forced and they posted the article online and pulled it from print altogether. The official launch was – intended and actual – the 24th September but there was little ‘news’ about it.
I can’t help but think Lance and his team (PR not bike) wanted it this way. It’s not yet clear who Velonews’ sources were, but Lance (such adoration of this demigod affords me the etiquette of first names) had posted a short video on his LiveStrong blog by 9th Sept.
I’m not saying Lance intended to embarrass Vanity Fair or their reporter, I’m saying a story THAT big doesn’t stay embargoed for long. If one can deduce that, then why not play the game a bit and milk the extra coverage of the scoop being scooped?
Regardless of launch strategies, Lance on a bike in Paris again will give next year’s tour a massive injection of energy and interest (and hopefully less dope). Best of all, it will also guarantee a sea-change in exposure for this killer disease.
Allez, Lance and good luck.
photo by Annie Leibovitz for the December 1999 issue of Vanity Fair
by nick on September 17, 2008
They’re valued in the ballpark of $233 billion (£117 billion). Annual sales of $60 million have grown around 18% for the last six years. Their operating software runs on 90% of the world’s computers. Internet Explorer (their own browser) is employed by three-quarters of Internet users. There are over 1 billion Windows Live ID authentifications per day. Bill Gates’ endowments to the Gates Foundation are over $29 billion. How is it Microsoft gets to be so unloved?
It’s not even a polarising love found often in sport where some people may love football, but hate golf and visa versa. I know plenty in industry who adore Apple, but none that rave on about Vista or Windows. Well Microsoft’s Steve Balmer (Mr Gates’ successor) plans to change that by handing a new $300 million consumer-branding campaign to the Crispin Porter and Bogusky agency.
[Although that’s large it’s significantly less than their last product push for the Windows Vista launch where they spent two years and $500 million - only to bomb.]
Balmer’s choice appears an edgy one, having ousted the incumbent, McCann Worldgroup agency. Bogusky have been creating ‘cool’ for the corporate world for over a decade: the stunts on the Mini Cooper and the ‘King’ of Burger King are just two. Their VW partnership didn’t fare so well with Bogusky resigning the contract (perhaps before being pushed?).
The team’s first video volley above sees Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates in a shoe shop. To state the obvious: Microsoft and jokes equals new. With a capital ‘N’.
What isn’t new is the mindset that Microsoft is trying to soften their edges and tell their side of the story instead of coming across as the nerdy, soulless, evil, license grabbing, behemoth.
Back in 2006 artist Hugh MacLeod (now one the blogosphere’s most infamous voices) was employed/contracted by Microsoft to soften them up and to better communicate their ideals. This is Microsoft’s Steve Clayton:
For too long, Microsoft has allowed other people- the media, the competition and their detractors, especially- to tell their story on their behalf, instead of doing a better job of it themselves.
We firmly believe that Microsoft must start articulating their story better- what they do, why they do it, and why it matters- if they’re to remain happy and prosperous long-term.
Personally, I’m more concerned about the client side of things rather than the agency side. Can Microsoft really let these guys in so they can draw out what’s true and great about the company and package it in a fresh, intelligent and humorous way? It’s a big ask to take this disliked goliath who wants to be a master of all things – from home computing expert, to cool gamer, to search champion, to business hero – into a young, cool thing.
Sure, ‘loved’ is a tall order and the brand is never going to be edgy, niche or underground, but a persona that’s a little bit cooler and cuddlier should be possible. After all, it couldn’t really get much worse could it? If Bogusky and his team (I’m betting on when, not if) come close to that objective their fee will have been well earned.
by nick on September 2, 2008
Is it me, or did an inordinate amount of the tech news from both sides of the pond seem to be about advertising last month? Not really surprising considering online is about the only area of advertising that’s going to grow this year. Here’s what I think are the more notable ones:
- The ever-innovative TiVo have paired up with Amazon to allow viewers to buy products they see in shows or adverts. This is new indeed and is pro-advertiser as opposed to TiVo’s previous innovation which allowed you to record programmes without the ads.
Evan Young their director of broadband services, said, “For example, if a guest on the Daily Show or Oprah has a new book, CD, or DVD out, you can purchase it on Amazon.com using your TiVo remote without missing a second of TV, whether the viewer is watching live or recorded.”
- ITV has been bigging up its ITV.com audience numbers but sales head, Rupert Howell, had some refreshing words about online cannibalising offline ads. “The growth of the internet as an advertising medium is taking business away from direct marketing, classified and local and regional press but doesn’t appear to be taking away from television. What matters is that we outgrow the growth in internet advertising – in the first half of this year, the internet grew as an advertising medium by 24% and we grew at 43%.”
- Google’s acquisition of Double click appears to have changed their mind on invasive cookies and privacy (DoubleClick plants cookies on users’ computers who see the ads it serves). Advertisers will be cock-a-hoop as they can limit the number of times a single user sees their ads and see how many different people have seen it. They can also track how many people saw an ad and then visited their website.
But what of internet users? Google promises a better experience, because “they will no longer see the same ad over and over again.” The message: cookies are good for you. Better get used to it.
- YouTube is now showing ads plus video, much to the dismay of the NY Times. But if you’d bought the company for $1.65 billion (as Google did) could you persuade the board not to sell, sell, sell?
- Yahoo! has pre-announced a new opt-out so that users of Yahoo services can request not to be on the receiving end of targeted advertising. Though it looks like they will still plant cookies and collect data, even if it doesn’t use the information for behavioural targeting purposes.
- Video search index Blinkx attempting to buy MIVA, the pay-per-click ad network. Blinkx reckons the acquisition would allow it to more quickly roll out the technologies it’s developed over the last year – like its own video advertising proposition, AdHoc.
It seems the eye(ball)s have it – yours, via your monitor. There are plenty out there spending big money to get to them.
by nick on August 22, 2008
The variable cost of emailing is so small, they’re practically free. So if you’ve got the type of boss who throws pennies around like manhole covers he’s going to love them. ‘I want you to send emails, lots of them. Then send some more. Blitz ‘em, flood the damn database.’ A bit extreme but you get the picture.
The boss of HMV’s communications must employ a similar tactic. After ordering a DVD earlier this year at HMV.com the inbox onslaught started. Obviously I got the confirmation and order shipped mail etc, but in 30 days since exiting their checkout HMV sent me 34 emails. Even Jonathon Ross can’t be that interested in his movie and music collection.
Granted, there isn’t a hard and fast rule for the number of emails to send potential or current clients but interrupting (yes, your message is just that) people more than once a week with shopping tidbits is likely to devalue your brand credibility. ‘But what about my business’ true disciples, those who want to know about everything we do, the minute it happens?’ RSS updates are the answer for what are surely the minority of your clients allowing you to not lose favour with the overriding majority.
The biggest winner here is ‘branding’. Newsletters should be part of your online tactics but don’t expect a sales silver bullet. This is a chance to touch your customers and show them what’s new with clever design and thoughtful copy. He’s my two penny’s worth on how to play it:
DO -
- Communicate regularly with those who’ve given you permission (cue Seth Godin).
- Outline objectives before creation – who is your audience (age and sex for starters) and what do they want (maybe more Big Brother than Business Brunch)?
- Provide great content – even great design can’t compensate for an empty message.
- Give them something – advice, top tips, a freebie, insider information (e.g. a book reseller interviewing a popular author) etc.
- Provide lots of text or you’ll be blank to all those users with their images switched off (very common) and it’ll avoid some mail clients thinking you’re spam.
- Have a call to action.
- Be as personal as possible – don’t show me all your offers, make them relevant to what I like (HMV send me weekly game deals. I’ve never showed an interest on their site by searching/browsing games, but I browsed business DVDs for 20+ minutes).
- Be humble. How would you address 1,000 clients if you could assemble them in the street? Give it the same respect and diligence you’d do if you had a megaphone and eye contact, not a keyboard and remote access.
- Write a punchy subject line to stand out from the crowd with interest and a desire to be opened.
- Have an easy opt out – if enough put you in their spam folder you can be blocked by ISPs.
- Offer alternative views – online, HTML and plain text.
- Test, monitor and improve. Repeat…
DON’T -
- Expect great conversions and massive sales take up unless your offer is spectacular or rare (e.g. a half price iPhone or an interview with the Queen).
- Abuse people’s attention with pointless rubbish that’s neither ‘news’ nor ‘offers.’
- Send more than one per week (again, RSS is a different ball game, as is a news site).
- Forget the ‘from’ opportunity – admin or sales don’t inspire.
- Send huge images that take an age to load.
- Miss your alt tags on images (which you’ve used wisely).
- Let CSS snobs ignore the functionality of tables that might get less managed en route.
This is a subject which is going to evolve considerably in the next year or so. Please let me know what I’ve overlooked in the comments section.
by nick on August 19, 2008
Since the Yahoo! and Microsoft will-they, wont-they saga I’ve taken a closer interest in uber-investor, Carl Icahn. That most capitalist of papers, The Wall Street Journal, recently wrote a very non-flattering piece about him.
Mr Icahn has blogged his thoughts on the article, tearing the journalist’s (though I doubt he thinks she’s worthy of the noun) opinions apart with fact, insight and obvious relish. All in all it’s a lesson in dressing down with style. A couple of snippets for you:
“…the article was so wrongheaded that I am surprised that it was afforded an appearance in a premier business newspaper. I hope better academic guidance is provided for students in California than that exemplified in the editorial.”
“To imply that these companies’ balance sheets are anemic and debt-strapped is simply not the case. I truly hope Ms. Stout reviews the facts and corrects this kind of distortion that is used to bolster her already weak arguments… Motorola has approximately $7 billion in cash on its balance sheet.”
Reading his blog, you get unbridled access to his thoughts (granted on limited subjects) and are left with the clear impression that this is no absentee businessman. I’m sure he plays golf, or sails, or collects art like others who can afford to, but I bet he knows every inch of his organisations’ KPIs – he probably wrote them.
by nick on August 16, 2008
Every person in your organisation who has contact – direct or otherwise – with your customers is a marketer. Fact. The guy who served me popcorn in the cinema on the weekend is a marketer. He could’ve asked cheerily ‘What movie are you guys heading to?’ but he didn’t. Instead he decided to make his interaction a negative affair, grunting at me to ‘go large’ while his miserable face looked more akin to a concentration camp rather than a by-product of a great work environment.
The waitress who takes your order is also a marketer. So is the UPS driver who delivers your parcels. And yes, you can bet your backside that your sales staff, who largely think marketing is a whole separate department, are marketing all day. And when they do, your glossy literature and slick copy writing is out of the equation; Joe Public is having an honest human interaction, not obediently absorbing a slick 30-second ad.
I guess my question is: does that honest interaction match your brand and all the investment you’ve put into building it?
by nick on August 6, 2008
Selling is as often as much about the lack of negatives as it is about the number of positives beholden to your features and benefits. That restaurant you ate in last month may have had clean cutlery and smartly dressed staff but you didn’t think better of them for it, did you? That’s because you expected it. The fact that they’re clean goes unnoticed. It’s when they’re not that such things come to your attention and you rate them negatively, perhaps walking away.
A tarmac road doesn’t score brownie points because it’s smooth
, but it quickly loses them if it’s riddled with potholes. It’s a matter of hygiene and as HR managers will tell you, you cant score points from hygiene factors – you can only maintain or lose them.
Therefore, your sales presentation (political races are the classic example) is about degrees of losing: he who loses less, wins.
by nick on August 1, 2008
Got a presentation coming up? This is where the bar is for attention and this is where the bar is for Powerpoint and Keynote. There’s a little bit of help for you here. And finally, as a priest once told me of his sermons: be sharp; be brief; be gone.
A website’s goal is all about the end user: buy this, download that, sign up here, register there, watch this, read that… That goal needs two separate but overlapping strategies for human and robotic eyes. A blog certainly takes care of the former (and if used shrewdly can assist the latter).
On the human side, a blog helps demonstrate prove empathy with the user, your customer. You get a chance to show you know about wine from South Africa, or that you’re a clued-up tech geek, or that you’re into bicycles. You gain an opportunity to engage with (NOT sell to) your customer. You’re not a teenager in his bedroom scraping credit card details (surely people’s No.1 fear online) and you’re not just a suit who’s got the money to build a site and take orders – you’re a fan of the same things your customers are.
How valuable is that?
Twitter, much revered as THE social media application by those heavily engrossed within, also finds itself slammed as a catastrophic misspend of one’s precious time by those on the sidelines (if they’ve heard of it at all). It’s all very Yin and Yang.
Not so the experience you’ll find online at most of our British newspapers. Check out this article by 
