Razing a Building Raises Expectations.

March 30th, 2012 by Steve Erickson Categories: Branding, Marketing

Being engaged in the branding and marketing of Mercy Medical Center’s new Hall-Perrine Cancer Center has been very exciting for us. The “Expectations Met” campaign has been getting a lot of exposure and talk value. We’ve also been provided an excellent opportunity to learn more about cancer and see what “world class cancer care” really means.

Cancer, in fact, isn’t one disease. It is hundreds of diseases, and each has its own way of “expressing” itself within the tens of thousands of genes all of us have.

What that means for individual cancer patients is that a combination of treatments is usually necessary to block the activity of these “harmful” genes. Its starts with patients receiving the proper diagnosis, which involves experienced cancer physicians and state-of-the-art testing capabilities. Once diagnosed, treatment could include everything from surgery, to radiation, to several “cocktails” of chemotherapy.

Okay, that’s about as much cancer expertise as a marketing guy, who doesn’t have one minute of med school under his belt, can comfortably spout. That said, we do know enough to say that inside the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center will be incredible weapons for healing … remarkable expertise, ongoing research and the latest cancer-fighting technology. It was clear during the construction tour we were given that it will be an extraordinary medical resource for all of eastern Iowa and beyond.

This week there’s been a very obvious sign the opening of the cancer center is getting nearer … the razing of the former Oncology Associates building. In their own way, I suppose you could say the large excavators ripping apart the brick walls and steel girders are cancer fighting instruments themselves … as they clear the way for the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center to begin it’s important mission.

It’s hardly work of surgical precision but obviously, its extremely effective.

Steve Erickson
President, Creative Director
800-728-2656, ext. 126

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Extra! Extra! This Week’s Interesting Marketing Stories!

February 17th, 2012 by Jim Thebeau Categories: Branding, Internet Marketing, Social Media Marketing Tags: advertising, email marketing, henry russell bruce, hrb, research

How to Lose Customers – Quickly

Did you know national surveys indicate that “feeling neglected or unappreciated” is the #1 reason businesses lose customers?

This seems like an easy statistic to change, but it’s not. Most entrepreneurs and many businesses are simply too overworked and overwhelmed with day-to-day duties to think about customer appreciation and client retention strategies.

Industry surveys indicate that customer satisfaction is tied directly to employee satisfaction. One way to keep ahead of the customer satisfaction issue is to survey both your employees and your customers regularly – at least once a year. Learn what makes them happy or unhappy, and you’ll get meaningful information on your products and services, as well as your customer service. Customer and employee satisfaction surveys are an integral part of guiding a company, its products or services into the future. Understanding what steps to take to improve attitudes and perceptions is key to keeping a healthy company. Have you thought about asking about the health of your brand? This goes beyond questions such as “Was the sales staff courteous?” Evaluating your brand will give you insight into your reputation, awareness level, company vision and the momentum of your brand.

Would it Pay for Your Firm to Advertise on Facebook or LinkedIn?

Starting to create a Facebook ad.

How do you determine if that’s a viable strategy? HRB is introducing a new service to help clients determine the viability of advertising on Facebook or LinkedIn. To maximize the value of social media, consideration should be given to your targeted audience that can be reached by advertising on Facebook and LinkedIn. HRB researches audience segments on the sites to determine whether the effort would be viable for reaching the right audience.

HRB performs an analysis of targeted paid advertising on both Facebook and LinkedIn and deliver a forecast of expected results and costs. The benefit is understanding the potential of paid social marketing efforts specific to your market. Upon completion of the analysis, the deliverable to the client is a written report outlining the findings and recommendations. The analysis is performed by Stephanie West, our Director of Internet Operations, who is a Certified Social Media Associate.

Businesses are Missing Email to Social Collaboration

Extend your email marketing beyond your email list.

According to The State of Email Marketing in SMBs, based on a study by GetResponse, most small-to-midsize businesses (SMBs) have mastered the basics of organic email list-building, making use of Web-based sign-up forms and even offering incentives to encourage subscriptions, but fewer than half use any type of email-to-social collaboration, limiting the potential of cross-channel marketing.

The report notes that the weak implementation of social media integrations, especially given the buzz it creates in the context of email marketing. Only 50% of the researched marketers use any type of email-to-social collaboration. This means that, even if their brand is present on various social networks, cross-channel marketing is practically non-existent.

Communication mapping can help you figure out this complex system and make sure you are not missing out on an opportunity. Mastering the use of multiple mediums and the integration of cross-channel marketing, which is essential to successful message delivery to target audiences in today’s complex communications environment is strategically important for any business or organization.

If any of these topics are issues you are addressing at your business or organization, contact HRB for a free consultation.

Jim Thebeau
Partner/CEO
800-728-2656 ext. 121

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4890Post A Comment2012-02-17+18%3A11%3A22Jim+Thebeau

Get the Story Behind Our Recent Rebrand

January 12th, 2012 by Steve Erickson Categories: Branding Tags: brand, Branding, henry russell bruce, hrb

View “A New Brand Story” on Scribd

Steve Erickson
President, Creative Director
800-728-2656, ext. 126

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New paradigm = New brand.

December 21st, 2011 by Steve Erickson Categories: Branding, Internet Marketing, Marketing, News, Public Relations, Social Media Marketing, Website Design Tags: Branding, henry russell bruce, hrb, steve erickson

It’s a well known yet seldom followed saying – “Practice what you preach.” But when we considered the prospect of rebranding HRB, we knew we had to follow ourselves the same advice we preach to our clients … that the most objective and ultimately most valuable branding efforts are done with the direction of an experienced outside advisor. You can’t read the label from inside the bottle, right?

After over 15 years with the same “label,” a logo we affectionately call “Herb” because its three letters also resemble a face, it felt like the time was right to go through our own rebranding effort. When Herb was first designed and put to work as the face of HRB, our company and the business of advertising was considerably different. Traditional media – TV, radio, print – was still king. The Internet was in its marketing infancy. The iPad, iPhone and Droid were only the distant dreams of Silicone Valley tech heads. Twitter and Facebook? Mark Zuckerberg was still playing video games in grade school.

It’s a vastly changed world now. Digitally-based, incredibly fast moving, with websites considered as the first point of brand contact instead of merely an afterthought … and handheld devices putting the power of brand engagement in the hands of millions of consumers.

To acknowledge those big changes in our industry, we decided to make a small but important change for ourselves. So we engaged the services of FUEL, a talented group of strategically-minded designers, to rethink and redesign our logo and visual brand. We vowed to be good clients and provide them with all the input they requested (which was a lengthy process), then ultimately, trust their thinking and their visual concept for our brand. Frankly, it was nice to be on the client side for once.

What you see here, the new logo, colors and look is a result of that collaboration. For us, it’s an important reminder of the new thinking we need to consider and then deliver every day. To our clients, it’s a reminder that brands aren’t static entities that can rest on their laurels. To Herb, it means a well-deserved retirement.

Wherever he is today, traveling the world or spending his pension at a casino in Branson, Herb can be confident our new logo stands for the same product we truly care about delivering … growing our clients’ brands to grow their business.

Steve Erickson
President, Creative Director
800-728-2656, ext. 126

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4588View Comments [8]New+paradigm+%3D+New+brand.2011-12-21+23%3A46%3A41Steve+Erickson

In the Customer’s Shoes

December 16th, 2011 by Jill Mast Categories: Branding, Marketing, Public Relations Tags: henry russell bruce, hrb, jill mast

Getting a different perspective can provide additional insight into the matter. Photo credit: Roadtrip North of Salta: kaartje voor mn neefje by mansszat

Let’s face it. We’re all consumers. We interact with hundreds if not thousands of brands each day. Each interaction we have, whether it’s with a customer service rep, a website or a product we are using for the first time, shapes our perception of the brand, our feelings of affinity or dislike, and our likelihood that we’re going to use that brand again.

When we work with clients on building their brand, we start with customer research. Research is critically important because although a company can do many things to shape their brand, your brand is ultimately decided by your consumers. We work with many B to B clients so I often don’t get the opportunity to interact with a client’s brand from a customer viewpoint. However, I had just that opportunity recently.

I was able to tour a client’s facility and their major competitor’s facility as a potential customer. I took the tour, asked the same questions of both, and noted how I was greeted, what information was provided to me, knowledge of the employees, and overall feelings I was left with from each experience. What I found was enlightening. Our client’s brand is all about providing a personal, exceptional experience. However, staff didn’t smile or greet us. They were cordial, but not exceptional, which is what I expected from their brand promise. In contrast, their competitor made me feel more welcomed and valued. The competitor asked me questions about what I was interested in and then provided me with relevant information. They listened to me, made it more personal and all about me. I was surprised to find that I had a superior experience not with my client, but with the competitor.

The good news is that our client is open to this feedback and already has plans in place to improve their process and the customer experience. Don’t ever underestimate the power of your customers and the value you can find by experiencing your brand from their perspective.

Jill Mast
800-728-2656, ext. 120

Connect with me on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jill-mast/4/928/a06

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4463View Comments [18]In+the+Customer%27s+Shoes2011-12-16+17%3A18%3A38Jill+Mast

Let’s Talk About Your Brand

December 1st, 2011 by Jim Thebeau Categories: Branding Tags: Branding, henry russell bruce, hrb, jim thebeau

Customers don’t buy on price alone.

Ever selected a product that is more expensive compared to a similar one sitting right next to it? Ever wonder why you do that?

It’s because you have got an emotional connection with the brand. It takes unique insights about your customers to build those kinds of brands. And, talented people who know how to utilize those insights.

Because the purpose of a brand is to differentiate a company and its offerings, we use a proven proprietary process called the HRB BrandPlan™ to build strong brands. The process includes research, brand building, repositioning, management and communication. It also features workshops and seminars to educate your staff on how to “live” your brand.

Who’s thinking about your brand?

Photo Credit: Jacob Bøtter.

Isn’t it wonderful how all of your prospects and clients rolled out of their beds this morning, rubbed the sleep from their eyes and immediately thought to themselves, “Gosh, I sure hope I’ll see an advertising message from fill-in-your-brand-name-here.” Wow, that makes your job so much easier, knowing every one of them is totally psyched to hear from you.

Okay, so that didn’t happen, nor will it ever. But surprisingly, some companies really do act like that implausible event occurs in their marketplace every morning. They believe that whatever message they put out, in whatever medium, no matter how trite, complex, boring or forgettable it might be, viewers and readers will be attracted to their brand like geeks to a Star Trek convention. Bless their pointy ears, but no way. Sorry, Spock.

What does attract viewers and readers are messages from brands they know and respect. Brands that provide them with an expectation of being rewarded … with valuable information, by being entertained or by something that will make their job or life better.

It starts by using words and images they haven’t read or seen hundreds of times before. By not force feeding them more details than they can possibly consume. By engaging them in unique and uncomplicated ways that say “we respect your time, your intelligence and what you care about.”

Your brand is not what you say it is.

Remember, your brand is not what you say it is, it’s what your customers and the marketplace says it is based on their experiences and connections to your company. Ultimately, it’s about differentiation – how your brand stands out in a crowded marketplace. You must claim a unique position in the market. What is your point of difference?

Jim Thebeau
Partner/CEO
800-728-2656 ext. 121

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4222View Comments [11]Let%27s+Talk+About+Your+Brand2011-12-01+18%3A24%3A33Jim+Thebeau

Staying Focused

June 22nd, 2011 by Jill Mast Categories: Branding, Marketing, Public Relations Tags: advertising, Branding, henry russell bruce, hrb, jill mast, Marketing, Public Relations

Via mindmapinspiration.com

There is a word that has been coming up frequently in recent conversations here … that word is “focus.”

It’s a simple word, and one that has become my personal mantra. Dictionary.com defines focus as: a central point, as of attraction, attention, or activity. As the world of marketing has become more fragmented and communication venues continue to explode, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of options.

Learning how to focus on your central points of attraction, attention and activity, is crucial to your success.

Points of attraction: I like to think of these as your core competencies. What does your company do well? What is it that your customers count on you for? These core competencies are what drives customer loyalty. Determine what makes you irreplaceable to your customers and then deliver it! Living up to and constantly working to improve what your brand promises is critical.

Not sure what your customers want from you? There’s an easy fix … ask them! A simple satisfaction study can provide the insights your company needs to redefine and reemphasize your core competencies.

Points of attention: I recently had a prospect show me a newspaper ad he’d created. It was a small, 1/8 page ad, containing no less than eleven separate messages. Eleven! My brain couldn’t even begin to decipher what he was trying to communicate or what his value proposition was to the reader. Filling an ad with such multiple messaging is like telling your audience “I have no idea what’s really important to you so I’ll throw everything in.” It has a poor chance of being read and is an equally poor use of money.

Points of activity: Now that you know who you are, what you do and what you offer that’s relevant to your customers, what’s next? Developing a clearly defined strategic marketing communications plan. Then remaining focused on executing it. Because guess what? Markets will continue to fragment and the number of communication venues will only increase.

So staying focused and “on point” will be both more difficult … and more essential.

Jill Mast
800-728-2656, ext. 120

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Went to Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Trade Show

May 24th, 2011 by Jim Thebeau Categories: Branding, Marketing, News, Public Relations Tags: advertising agency, brand, henry russell bruce, hrb, jim thebeau, Marketing, Public Relations

The first thing I noticed upon entering McCormick Place on Sunday was the overpowering, but very pleasant, aroma of food. Enticing smells of pork, beef, fish, teas and spices filled the air. It’s all part of the fun at the National Restaurant Association’s annual convention and exhibition. I spent part of the weekend in Chicago in support of a new client who was exhibiting at the show.

Over the years I’ve attended many trade shows, most of them related to supply chain, bar codes, RFID, electronics, IT, aviation and aerospace and even rental products. But I’ve never before been greeted at the registration desk with such an attention-getting gastronomic assault on the senses. Foods and beverages of all types were being prepared throughout the enormous North and South exhibition halls. Each dish or drink was presented in an attractive and inspiring setting. Free food was everywhere and freely distributed to anyone who happened by. That was a new experience for me.

There is a sense of irony here because our client is in the technology business, one of our specialties. Numerous technology providers were at the show demonstrating their wares. What struck me most was the amount of automation software available to restaurants to support loyalty programs, geolocation couponing, online ordering and a lot of integration with Facebook and Twitter to drive store traffic and grow the database.

Generating and managing data was a major theme for those providers, a key message they were trying to get across to the restaurants.

At the end of the day, the trip made me think about you and your business.

Are you managing your data? Are you making offers and creating calls to action that generate leads for your database – leads that you can use for your email marketing campaigns? Are your lead generation efforts integrated with your CRM and email marketing platforms? Have you been able to bring some automation to these efforts? We’ve been able to integrate and automate our online marketing efforts. And, it has paid off by generating more leads through our website.

How important is lead generation and data tracking to your operations? Please post a comment and let us know what’s working – or not – for you.

Jim Thebeau
Partner/CEO
800-728-2656 ext. 121

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3588View Comments [16]2011-05-24+17%3A12%3A39Jim+Thebeau

Paying attention pays off

May 4th, 2011 by Steve Erickson Categories: Branding Tags: brand, Branding, henry russell bruce, hrb, steve erickson

I was reminded recently of an anagram (transposing the letters of one word to produce another word) which, to me, seems to have real significance in this business of advertising and client relationships. The word is “SILENT.” Rearrange the letters and you get the word “LISTEN.” That seems like more than a coincidence.

Personally, I’ve never learned anything by talking … except maybe how to talk more. Its in the silence of really listening to our clients that we learn the real issues they’re dealing with.

Maybe their brand is taking a nose dive in the market but the real issue isn’t the need for more or better advertising. Maybe its problem with product distribution, not being able to meet customer demand can have a huge negative effect on a brand. Or perhaps there are issues with the sales force being overwhelmed or not sufficiently trained. They are the ambassadors of the brand out in the field, if they’re not generating trust and value, they won’t generate many sales either.

Discovering those important issues starts by asking the right questions. And then by listening. It’s a lost art these days but only then can the real problem solving begin.

By the way, the letters “ERIC CLAPTON” also spell “NARCOLEPTIC.” Maybe that explains his song “Sleeping in the Ground.”

Steve Erickson
President, Creative Director
800-728-2656, ext. 126

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Digging for brand truth

April 18th, 2011 by Steve Erickson Categories: Branding Tags: advertising, advertising agency, brand, Branding, henry russell bruce, steve erickson

It’s a movie line I’ve remembered since I first heard it. Very early in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” the first of the Indiana Jones trilogy. Professor Jones tells his inquisitive class of college students, “Archaeology is the search for fact… not truth. If it’s truth you’re interested in, philosophy class is right down the hall.” I’ve always thought it also to be a simple but great descriptor of the business of advertising and public relations.

We are in the business of discovering and delivering “truth.” The truth about a brand … the truth about an organization, a product or service … and the truth about the benefits they provide their customer. Finding that truth, a truth that really matters to the market, is the hard part.

In the final part of that same quote from Indiana Jones he states, “Seventy percent of all archaeology is done in the library. Research. Reading.” That’s where good advertising and public relations begins also. With research and reading. Learning about the market, the prevailing attitudes, new technologies, about the competition’s brand image and products, understanding distribution issues, etc. It’s only through that kind of curious “archeology” can the proper “truth” about a brand be developed.

The next time you’ve finished posting those pictures of your crazy office party and logged off your Facebook account, do a quick web search on “truth theories.” You’ll find that truth has been a favorite topic of philosophers for centuries, spawning The Correspondence Theory, The Semantic Theory, The Deflationary Theory, The Coherence Theory, and The Pragmatic Theory. Trying to read and completely understand any of them will give us agency types throbbing headaches.

For us, the simple words of the French novelist Flaubert may be more fitting, “There is no truth. There is only perception.”

When faced with a branding or advertising problem, do your archeology. Take the time and effort to unearth the facts. Then you’ll be prepared to discover the “truth” and ultimately, affect perception.

That’s my truth.

Steve Erickson
President, Creative Director
800-728-2656, ext. 126

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3533View Comments [6]Digging+for+brand+truth2011-04-18+21%3A06%3A30Steve+Erickson