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"The 12 Days of Business" Day 5: Tips To Grow Your Business On

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:20:00 +0000

“The 12 Days of Business”

“On The Fifth Day of Business, My Consultant Said to Me: Rember the 5 Golden Rules.”

Things are starting to move now, and you have customers beginning to notice your products and services as things begin to get into a routine. It’s time to talk about the 5 Golden Rules of Business that you should be following throughout your business cycle. These Golden Rules are tried and true rules followed in most every successful business that you will come across. They are primarily common sense ways to approach your business that encompasses all that we are talking about over these 12 days.

The first Golden Rule is a variation of the adage that ‘The Customer is Always Right,’ which is that “Perception is Reality.” Your customers and clients may be totally wrong about what you are offering or trying to do, but to them, their perception is their reality. You may be doing something right 99 out of 100 times, but to the person who is that 100th, they believe that you have no idea what you are talking about. As an owner or manager, you must at least acknowledge their reality as being real to them, and then find a way to overcome it and let them see the error of their ways by getting them to give your business another chance. You can do that with enticements to come back, or you can discount the immediate purchase. Whatever it takes, don’t be defensive, just realize that this is their temporary reality and you have the power to change it.

The second Golden Rule is to have set policies and procedures in place so that everyone knows what is expected of them, and how to perform the tasks at hand. It may seem silly to have these policies and procedures in place when you are a 1 or 2 man operation, but you never know when you may need some temporary additional help, or be taken out of commission for a few unexpected days. If you can’t create your policies and procedures before you open your business, at least create them as you go and maybe write up a couple a day as you come across issues and growing pains in your first year of business. A good employee handbook and a set of policy and procedure manuals will take your business to the next level as you work to streamline your processes, and to get others to be able to jump in when needed with just a quick demonstration about what they have read.

The third Golden Rule is to constantly evaluate your products and services for relevance and comparisons to the competition. Everyone is always trying to build the better mousetrap, so you need to make sure that whatever you offer is as up to date as your competition and find out how you are different and/or better to use in your marketing efforts. Just because a product or service is older, does not mean that it is still not relevant or can perform just as good if not better than what else is on the market. Subscribe to magazines, message boards, or any information that will tell you about where your industry is going, and who is doing what to take them there. Knowing how your services are perceived and how they compare in the marketplace, is a Golden Rule that will always keep your company relevant and in the publics mind.

The fourth Golden Rule is to realize that not everything is going to work out as planned. If you are waiting for the perfect opportunity to launch a product, service, or promotion, it will be a long wait, there is NEVER a perfect time. The key is to understand that you don’t use all of your resources at one time, but you do targeted bursts of promotion and see how it fares in the real world. The best thought out plan may land flatter than a pancake the first time implemented, however, if you constantly refine your technique, eventually the stars may align to create the results you had hoped for. Most business owners will try something and if they do not receive immediate results, they will mark it as a failure, never to be thought of again. If you take that same initial idea that you tried in the Winter, change an element of it, and launch it again in the Summer, you may have two totally different results.

The fifth Golden Rule is to make it fun, not only for you, but for your staff, customers and clients as well. In order for you to be motivated to run your business, you need to like what you are doing, and to have your employees buy-in, they need to at least feel involved in the business and like what they are doing as well. Not every job is “fun,” but you can make it enjoyable to be at work. Create a company culture that promotes exchanging of ideas from the newest employee to the most senior executive, and let them feel like their ideas matter. Do you run a high-stress operation or service? Make sure there is down time available at the workplace or in the field to provide balance and make the job fun. A strong business and marketing consultant, can help you create a corporate culture that provides both productivity and fun.

"The 12 Days of Business" Day 4: Tips To Grow Your Business On

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:20:00 +0000

“The 12 Days of Business”

“On The Fourth Day of Business, My Consultant Said To Me: You Need Four Kind Words.”

Your business has started, you have gone out and found a couple of your target customers, they have seen your website, and thought your fresh ideas for promoting your business were kind of cool. Now What? Well hopefully your first customers liked your products or services and don’t mind others knowing what they think of you. It’s time to get some testimonials out there.

Testimonials are a powerful tool to establish your business as authentic and to create a little buzz. I tell all of my clients that they need to be asking for at least 1 of 2 things whenever they meet with a new customer or client; ask for 2 referrals and/or ask for a testimonial with permission to use it in future marketing. Testimonials let your customers and clients know that people have trust in you and felt good about your product or service to sit down and write you about it.

Testimonials should be dated and updated regularly on your marketing material and your website. Don’t let your praises get stale or outdated, you want to have new ones posted within days after receiving them. Believe me, the customers that take the time to write them will be looking for them. A lot of websites have it built right into their Content Management Systems, so you can update testimonials instantly to your site.

Kind words from your customers and clients should be answered with a thank you note or email if they were unsolicited. There is no greater marketing than word of mouth, so take the words from the mouths of your clients and make sure you post them as testimonials as soon as, and to as many places as possible.

"The 12 Days of Business" Day 3: Tips To Grow Your Business On

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:31:00 +0000

“The 12 Days of Business”

“On the Third Day of Business, My Consultant Said To Me: Have Three Fresh Ideas”

You now know who your customers are, have a couple ways to introduce yourself and your products, and it is time to think a little outside the box and start getting clients and customers. As I have mentioned before, with more and more competition, it is time to set yourself and your company apart and here are a couple of suggestions that just might work for you. You can use these ideas, or come up with a few fresh ones of your own. Brainstorm with your team if you have one, you never know where the next great idea might come from.

When launching a new company, a lot of businesses will have a ribbon cutting or an open house. How about launching it with a community service event? Does your product or service benefit someone in some way? Does it impact an end-user? Take your business to the end user and launch it there to create a more press-worthy event. This could entail spending a bit more money in product or service giveaways, but the publicity and goodwill can generate a lot of future business and a good buzz about your company. Examples could include bringing your food (restaurant opening,) products such as hats, shirts, golf balls, etc (retail opening,) services such as marketing, tree service, cleaning service, etc. (service opening,) to an end-user with free samples and examples and having the press cover the event. You could bring your food to a small nursing or retirement home, your products to a local non profit agency or youth organization sports team, and demonstrate your service to someone in need.

Another idea is to utilize your social networking that we already discussed, in the form of creative contests. Having contests and giveaways that are only available or mentioned through your twitter account, blog, website, newsletter or facebook page can really give you great feedback on how these areas are working for you. Try to utilize only one method at a time to find your best information gathering sources. How about a scavenger hunt using GPS coordinates for clues to products or services? If the promotion is big enough and clever enough, you can find some local press coverage for it as well. The key to any of these types of promotions is planning and follow-through. Take the time to plan the event well in advance to take care of any media, including monthly magazines and other media deadlines. It is very important to follow through with all promotions and announce winners and updates as they occur. A fresh and clever idea does no good if nobody knows about it, and there is no community or customer/client buy-in.

A third fresh idea could be to find a partner to team up with for mutual promotion. How does your product or service tie-in with other companies in your area? Can you combine a marketing campaign that will benefit all of the businesses involved? I am very happy to see some local cooperation in my television media. Competition is not always a bad thing. 4 of our Valley’s local restaurants teamed up to create television commercials that featured each of their chef’s or owners and do you know what happened? Each of their respective businesses picked up sales even though the ads had their competition included. If you have faith in your products or service and believe either they are the best or among the best, don’t be afraid to combine resources with others in your field. Why do you think you find a lot of the major chain restaurants within a few blocks of each other and not all over town, miles apart? The competition actually drives business to your vicinity and then your reputation for excellence brings a piece of the pie to you. Consumers actually enjoy having choices and will share the wealth if they believe you are worth it. For example, what if your company sold coffee products? You could find a company in the area that sells quality 5 gallon bottled water service that would be perfect to be used in brewing your coffee. A joint marketing campaign could be created to feature both of your products as the best in the area and help drive sales to both companies at half the marketing cost.

A fresh idea is key to growing your company and keeping it alive in your consumer’s minds. A good marketing consultant may be able to give you ideas you have not thought of before, or guide you in the implementation of an idea you have wanted to do, but were not quite sure how to pull off. Enjoy the holidays as we continue to bring you the “12 Days of Business.” Look for a new entry tomorrow.

"The 12 Days of Business" Day 2: Tips To Grow Your Business On

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:11:00 +0000

“The 12 Days of Business” Day 2

“On the Second Day of Business, My Consultant Said To Me: Create Two Calling Cards.”

So on the first day of business we identified who our customers were and the importance of networking to reach out to those customers. On this second day, we want to touch on your first two impressions that most business owners usually make on their customers, the business card and the website.

Business cards have gone thru many incarnations from simple to flashy but a strong business card can create a lasting impression on those you meet and network with. A good business card will have some basic elements: If you have a physical location where your customers or clients will go to see you or write to you, that should be on your card. If your customers never see your physical business and do not have to contact you there, the address is not needed. All applicable phone numbers should be included, cell, business, fax, and 800 number. A website and email address should always be included. Some visual element should be included, whether a logo or an artful design. A good business card will also take advantage of both sides of the card. Business cards should be on on heavy card stock with a laminate finish to really pop.

Some things you should avoid on your business card include; using oversize/non-standard cards that stand out when you are holding them, but if they can’t fit easily into a wallet, card holder, or rolodex, they will be put into a drawer, never to be seen again. Plain white cards have nothing that catches your eye and will soon be forgotten when customers are rifling through cards to find you. Using magnets with the front of your business card on them are great accessories to your business card, but should not be your main card. They will be left on file cabinets or at the office and are not easily portable. Another fad was the CD as business card, creative in the information it can provide, clunky and not kept at arms length when a client is ready to find you.

A good consultant or marketing firm should be able to get you 1,000 double sided full color laminate cards for about $65 dollars and it will be money well spent in formulating your first and lasting impression on your clients and customers. If you already have a good logo, there shouldn’t be any design fee’s, but if you want them designed by scratch, it could cost anywhere up to another $100.

The second, ‘first impression,’ you make on your customers or clients is the website they find by surfing the web. If your company does not have a website yet, it’s definitely the time unless you want to continually lose market share. A good website is very subjective, but from a business standpoint, it should include some basic elements as well. Your website needs to first and foremost be found on the web, so search engine optimization through keywords and other tricks of the trade, need to be implemented in its design. Visually, you want your site to be attractive, but not to distract from the products, service, or message you are trying to convey to your audience. A good website will have a site map or be easy to navigate with clear and concise links to the information it offers. Finally, security is an important basic function when designing a site. You don’t want others to be able to hack into your site and make it unsafe or unreadable for your customers and clients.

Web design is moving more and more towards combining style and functionality, and a good designer will make them work well together. Content Management Systems, (CMS,) has become more sophisticated where the owner of the site can create changes much more easily than before, without effecting the sites beauty or functionality. In my own web company division, I am constantly amazed by what my designers can do. Websites can cost from $500 to thousands of dollars, and you want to find someone who will listen to you and be able to implement your ideas. There are also web design programs available that if you have a little bit of creativity, can give you a basic web presence, but you really want someone who will continue your company’s brand from the real world to the cyber world.

Tomorrow we are at day 3 and I will be continuing the series thru Christmas Day. Happy Holidays from Ace in the Hole Marketing.

"The 12 Days of Business" Tips To Grow Your Business On

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:29:00 +0000

The 12 Days of Business: Monday, December 14, 2009

Welcome to Ace in the Hole Marketing’s blog, ‘The 12 Days of Business.’ Here are some hint’s and suggestions to starting and maintaining a business in today’s economy, and how to improve your chances of making it a success. The holidays season is the busiest time of the year, not just for Santa, but for all businessmen and women who are looking to grow in the New Year and make their products and services stand-out above the rest. I hope you will take a few minutes, grab a mug of cocoa or some hot apple cider, and read over these suggestions, and add your own for others on this same path. It truly is the season of sharing.

On the First Day of Business, My Consultant Said To Me: “Know Your Customers and Create a Networking Tree.”

Before you start any business, you need to decide who your customers are going to be. Does your product or service appeal to a wide audience, or do you have a more defined, smaller niche you are trying to reach. You cannot create any type of sales or marketing strategy until you have answered this very basic question. If you are already in business and cannot answer the question of who your customers are, quickly and succinctly, then you will be spending a lot of money with no clear sense of why or for whom you are spending it. A consultant can help you define the answers to these questions and then create a strategy to reach those customers. In today’s economy, it’s smarter to spend the money on a consultant who will direct your dollars to resources that will build business, than to hope your money is reaching as far as you want it to on your own. If you are just beginning your business, even if you feel you have it all planned out, I recommend hiring a consultant for a couple hours or so to listen to your plans and help find any holes they might see, so you can have a successful launch at the beginning.

Have you surveyed your customers or your prospective customers lately? Think you know what your customers are looking for in your product or service? Why not ask them!! A survey is a useful tool to be considered before you even open your doors, or on an every 6 months to a yearly cycle after you have been established, to measure how you have done. This works hand in hand with the networking opportunities I will be talking about next, but there are many resources for getting good polling information from online resources and your local community. By paying attention to your customers needs and wants, and tracking them through surveys and marketing data, you can refine your business to really giving them what they want and saving you a lot of waste in both time and products. These are services that consultants are very good at, and can save you time and energy in the process.

Having a network of contacts and business associates is imperative in today’s market. I advise all of my clients to belong to at least one networking group, and to have anyone in their sales organization belong to one as well, preferably a different one than the others are in. Growing your business requires not only effective advertising and marketing to your particular niche or mass market, but also to build a network full of friends and associates that will promote your business as well. A customer that is personally referred by someone is 60% more likely to do business with you than someone who found an advertisement of your business. There are many good networking groups available in almost every community. One of the easiest networking groups to find is your local Chamber of Commerce. Most Chambers have monthly business support meetings in a certain area, where many local merchants gather together to learn from each other and network. You can also usually find a local BNI, (Business Networking International,) or referral network somewhere close by that hold weekly to monthly meetings for building business referrals. Local service organizations are also an excellent resource for networking and referring business, such as the Rotary, Lions Club, Toastmasters, etc..

Online there are dozens of networking opportunities through both Social Networks such as Facebook, Linked In, and Myspace, as well as Message Boards, Chat Rooms, and Blog discussions to participate in. Communities are cropping up every day for almost any type of service or business you can think of, and if not, you can easily create your own. Most of these services and communities become self-explanatory, but asking your consultant which online communities would be a good start for you in getting the tools and information to participate online effectively. A lot of consultants will even manage your networks for you by creating content and conversations that will drive business to your company. You can even find many online free seminars on how to use social networks to your advantage.

There will be much more to talk about, and I hope you come back each day for the 12 Days of Business blogs from now thru Christmas. Happy Holidays and you can contact me for free consultations anytime by emailing Scott(at)aceintheholemarketing(dot)com or calling 330-770-5054.

Marketing 101, Give Em Something Extra

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:26:00 +0000

So there are lots of philosophies out there to encourage you to go the extra mile for your customers or as part of your overall marketing plans. Every once in a while, I come across an example of someone doing it right, and it happened last week. One of my clients sold an insurance policy to a young couple opening up a new sandwich shop near where I live in Struthers, Ohio. One of my clients above and beyond moves is to frequently shop at his clients businesses, so it was time to go have lunch at the sandwich shop. "Average Joey's," sits at the end of a strip mall on state route 170 in Struthers. 582 Youngstown-Poland Rd to be exact.

The store is small, with just 3 tables inside a counter for ordering, and a large cooler for drinks. The menu is not huge, but it has most of my favorites on it, and I settled on a Patty Melt, a juicy burger with melted cheese, sauteed onions, and a bonus of sauteed mushrooms. We didnt have time to eat there, so we ordered our sandwiches to go. They each came with a choice of a side dish, and I picked the fantastic baked corn, almost a corn-cake in consistency. I got my sandwich and side for under $6 dollars and I was a happy camper. Then came the above and beyond moment that hooked me as a customer for life.

We get back to the office, and open the bag of lunch. Each sandwich was put in one of those generic styrofoam (sorry environmentalists,) take-out boxes with the large entree compartment and 2 side dish compartments. I open the box and see my expected sandwich which looked and tasted delicious. I see my baked corn side and I am very happy with the taste and for a bonus. In the extra compartment was a homemade chocolate chip cookie, and a stick of Wrigleys gum. OUTSTANDING!! for a few extra cents, they put in somethings not on the menu, a great tasting cookie and the gum was just what I needed when I finished the sandwich with all of those sauteed onions. I was thinking it was just for me, but the other 2 sandwiches had the same bonuses.

Did it cost them much? Not really at all. Was it worth it? Well, I will sure be back, I am taking the time to blog about it, and I have told about 15 friends already and will tell many more, believe me. This is what it's all about friends...Scott

Canada's Creative AIDS Awareness Posters

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Canada has created some very clever PSA's to promote the long reach of AIDS and to raise awareness to the disease. A new report out this week says that AIDS cases in the US are dramatically decreasing, which is a good thing. Complacency is never a good thing, especially in the spread of epidemics. We are still bracing for Swine Flu outbreaks. Good PR will bring your message to the forefront in a provacative, forceful, yet non-judgemental or damaging way.

The Rappin' Interns of CP+B Break It Down For You

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:21:00 +0000

So a while back I posted about the innovative way that Crispin, Porter and Boguksy advertising agency sold their Summer Interns on Ebay for their group project. It was a runaway success, earning over $17,000 dollars that the agency then used to pay the Interns. The company that won the auction was Brammo who was looking for marketing help with their green, electric motorcycle, "Enertia." Well, I am not sure what all they got out of the 38 Interns that CP+B hired this summer, (or the 38 tentacles as they call themselves,) but they did learn about product placement. For a side project just for fun, the Interns put together this Rap Music Video about life as an Intern and featuring product placement on their Summer project. I like the initiative, and will have to put that in further Intern job applications, "Do You Rap?" Anyway, enjoy...........Scott

Guinness World Records in Advertising; Fun Concept

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:34:00 +0000

Lots of World Records being attempted lately. From the "Mattress Dominoes" above in my ad of the week, to "Largest Crop Circle Image" below, the people at Guinness are keeping busy. I really like how both world records obviously got their name mentioned in the press, but the branding and advertisement element to them was very clever. This is definitely creativity in marketing your brand......Scott

Apparently, the Verizon Wireless network is so vast and powerful that alien subscribers have come to Earth and created one of their infamous "signs" in a corn field, fashioning a 54-acre likeness of the Verizon guy. Or have Malachai and the other kids from Children of the Corn decided to channel their fury at AT&T? Actually, Verizon is sponsoring an attempt by Nebraska farmer Wayne Benson to set a new Guinness World Record for the world's largest corn maze. According to Verizon, Benson's 54.428-acre maze easily tops the 2007 mark set by a 40-acre maze in Dixon, Calif. Benson, who got McDonald's to create a similar maze on his farm last year, is waiting for Guinness's official sign-off. And yes, the maze is mean to look like the Verizon test man. Visitors to the farm will be encouraged to use their cell phones to get help navigating the maze. Can I hear you now? I can see you from space!

—Posted by Mike Shields

"Making Of" The Rollerskating Babies for Evian

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:33:00 +0000

You know I loves me some dancing/rollerskating/stock talking babies, and Evian has taken the popularity of their roller skating babies ad to the next level by adding a "making of" interview with some of the "babes." A great way to stretch the brand and keep it going. Much funnier than my Talking balloon animals spot for Pampers I came up with, LOL, j/k...Scott.

Internet Game Shows? The Next Step In You Tube Infotainment

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:54:00 +0000

Ever want to host your own game show? That and other fun ideas have always intriqued me, but since I have a brain for media, but a body for radio, I have always treaded lightly. The following post is about a guy who did just that, started his own video game show. I will be interested to see how it works. He has opted to look for sponsors which let's him give away prizes at no cost to the "contestants," but I think he would be wiser to look into a text messaging program where he gets a dollar for each text answer. Monetize, Monetize, Monetize, is the mantra of Internet 2.0. I think I will start putting some of my ideas out there. Anyone want to host??

YouTube has been a forum for many things: rants, cute cat antics, cute baby antics, embarrassing public moments. But how about a game show? Since last fall, Eric Friedberg, a partner at Newton, Mass., promo agency Cohen-Friedberg Associates, has spent more than $45,000 of his own money trying to get the concept of an online game show going on ItsEasyToWin.com, which garnered about 18,000 page views. This week, he moved the idea on to YouTube. The new game, State Your Case, is a riff on Deal or No Deal, and shows Friedberg presenting a metal case, which he says contains a license plate. Guess the correct state, and you will be put into a random drawing to win prizes starting at $1,000. Freidberg, who attracted Jolly Time Popcorn and Aruba Tourism to ItsEasyToWin, currently lacks a sponsor, but says the game-show format is a great way to get consumers to research a product. For Jolly Time, for instance, part of the show involved getting consumers to answer trivia questions about the brand. Freidberg says the recession hasn't helped sell the idea: "A lot of marketers these days are just excited that they have a job."

Post by: Todd Wasserman

TGI Fridays Used Bad Example Of A Press Release

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:10:00 +0000

I write press releases for my clients a lot, and I am starting to build some very good relationships with editors and point people at the various newspapers and magazines around the Mahoning Valley and Ohio. I can only think of a 2 or 3 where I would feel comfortable using light swearing or euphamisms while pitching my story or idea. I believe it lacks a professional touch, and detracts from my message. Using in the context below, it is almost like bragging or over-boasting about your story, and I feel that is one of the first things that puts an editors radar up that this might not be a good story to run with. Press releases should be sent to the appropriate editors, in the appropriate format in order to be effective. I feel the one below was definitely not......Scott

It can be hard to tell when an obscenity becomes so mainstream that it's safe to use in the corporate vernacular. That seems to be the case with "kick-ass," an adjective that PR blogger (and sometime journalist scold) Lauren Fernandez was surprised to see in the first line of a TGI Friday's press release. "I ran it past both seasoned reporters and newbies," Fernandez writes, "and most said the same thing: 'It grabbed our attention, but we don't know how professional it is to use that.' " Coincidentally, there's a movie due out early next year called Kick-Ass, so you can expect to hear this debate again when the posters start going up. The difference, of course, is that movie posters are for the whole world to see, while press releases are aimed at journalists, who presumably have a higher threshold for colorful language (and have cause to use it often when hanging up on PR flacks). I think Friday's should push the envelope harder next time and just say, "Here's some more kick-ass fodder for you, assuming your dipshit rag is still in business tomorrow."
—Posted by David Griner

Myths About Bottled Water Is Now Cottage Industry

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:12:00 +0000

K, I just signed a new bottled water company last week. This is not what I wanted to go up against. So silly in so many ways, and I am glad the poster of the article told why the campaign is so bad. I am not saying there is not some false advertising in the bottled water biz, in fact, after interviewing my new client, I found how previlent it actually is. Lucky for me, my client's source is actual spring water and not from the tap like a couple other local companies. (Did you know Coke and Pepsi's bottled waters source is tap water then processed?) They also don't have the plastic problems some companies have. More info on my company soon, all I know is I installed a cooler in my office and we are going thru it like crazy both just drinking and in the coffee machine. Good stuff!

Looks like I will be earning my consulting fee's on this project, and I hope you will sign up for this new service that will be launching throughout Mahoning Valley soon.
Scott

The anti-bottled-water project known as Tappening has unveiled a campaign in which it tells lies about bottled water in order to illuminate the supposed dishonesty in the category's marketing and make a case for drinking tap water instead. If you had trouble following that last sentence, don't bother with the campaign, because it's even more confusing. Basically, Tappening makes outrageous negative claims about bottled water (at one point saying it's "2% polar bear tears"), then admits it's lying, which is supposed to somehow cast tap water in a favorable light. Whaaa? The whole premise is self-defeating. If you're going to use ads to make your case, it's unwise to point out that ads sometimes lie. What's worse, they offer no real reason to favor tap water. The folks at ad agency DiMassimo Goldstein should steer clear of the kitchen faucet—that swill has clearly rotted away their ability to think clearly and express themselves in a coherent manner.

—Posted by David Gianatasio

This Is How You Run A Promotion Via The Web!!

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:43:00 +0000

"The 2009 Comic-Con hosted, among other high-dollar nerdy attractions, a tremendous viral marketing stunt for Disney's upcoming Tron Legacy. Buzz for the effort started several days before the convention, when sites like FirstShowing.net “mysteriously received two tokens for Flynn's Arcade,” a key location from the original '80s sci-fi classic starring Jeff Bridges. The tokens and other digital breadcrumbs led bloggers to a site called Flynn Lives, where an online counter told viewers to meet at a certain cul-de-sac in San Diego Thursday night. Those who turned out got to take part in a blacklight scavenger hunt, something that's both fun and thematically relevant to the aesthetics of the first Tron. Soon they had discovered a re-creation of Flynn’s Arcade, where a secret room held the biggest prize of all: a real-life lightcycle from the new movie (shown above), accompanied by some of Daft Punk’s musical score. Hopefully this smart, inclusive delivery will get through to people who still think “viral marketing” means inventing a lame catchphrase or lamer fake Web site and pummeling the Internet with it."

—Posted by David Kiefaber

Steel Valley: Meltdown Trailer 2 Up and Running

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:39:00 +0000

My 2 years at Accent Media proved one thing, America's Got Talent, and in the world of videography and editing, there is no better than the boys of Accent. Lead editor Kevin DeOliveira, has been the leading force at Accent with his innovative commercials and videos, and has spent the last year working on a fantastic documentary, "Steel Valley: Meltdown." He has interviewed many people and really caught the spirit of Youngstown and the Steel Valley, then and now. Below is the second trailer of this soon to be completed documentary. Look for the finished product in hopefully late September. Congrats Kevin and his videography crew.

Steel Valley:Meltdown - Trailer 2 from Kevin DeOliveira on Vimeo.

CreateAThon To Help Local Mahoning Valley Non-Profit Agencies

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:34:00 +0000

Ace in the Hole Marketing is proud to be a part of the International Event, CreateAThon. CreateAThon was founded by an advertising company in South Carolina, as a way to give back to their community. The event has grown to include advertising and marketing agencies from around the country and in Puerto Rico and Canada as well. Everyone in the CreateAThon network asks local non-profit organizations to submit projects that they would like marketing material help with. These projects should help the organization have an event, raise awareness of their cause, or maybe just to recruit volunteers in the community to help out their cause.

Each agency then chooses anywhere from 5 to 25 projects they believe they can make happen, and conducts a 24 hour CreateAThon in September to knock those projects out. Ace in the Hole Marketing sounded the call to area non-profits through direct letters to the non-profits, and media awareness such as the Business Journal and the Vindicator. We have had tremendous response from our area's organizations. You can download an application to submit your projects to us from our website, at www.aceintheholemarketing.com. Deadlines for applications is Tuesday, July 28th. The first week of August, our creative team and partners will choose the projects we will be working on. We will then contact the non-profit organization by August 10th, and set up a meeting with them to discuss their project and get their vision.

The CreateAThon itself, will be held from 8am, Thursday, September 17th, straight thru non-stop until 8am on Friday, September 18th. There will be press coverage for the non-profits and they will be able to see the finished products on Friday morning. We are still looking for partners to work with us to produce these materials for free for our organizations, once they are created. Printers, Media Outlets and cash donors to help out non-profits. Please contact us if you would like to help in this worthwhile event.

Move Over Dancing Babies, Evian Breaks It Out!

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:36:00 +0000

C'mon, this is much more clever than the dancing baby fad a while back right? I think it took a bit long to get to the product, but definitely a fun video.

Burger King Goes Wild in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Either I am obsessed with food porn, or this industry I am in is, and I am not quite sure it matters, because it's just EVERYWHERE. So take a look at Singapore Burger King's ad for, (naturally,) "The Super Seven Incher." I am not making this stuff up kids. Sorry not many posts recently, hella busy right now....Scott

The Pet Stick, How Good Are You At Advertising?

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:02:00 +0000

Interesting story by Rebecca Cullers over at AdFreak. Google is marketing to advertisers by giving a case study of how one might sell a pet stick. Over at the slimmed-down site, you can follow the case study through a chain of magical interlocking impact circles. They claim they chose the pet stick because it's "virtually unsellable" (though Ren and Stimpy already managed it brilliantly, and we all know how well the pet rock did). I would have given them more kudos if they had actually set up the pet-stick site and all the goodies Google promised. But what really concerns me is: How did Geico manage to completely own the notion of attaching googly eyes to an inanimate object so quickly that I can't think of anything else when I look at that stick?

"Brokefast," A New Term in our Lexicon

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:11:00 +0000

Okay, so I may have somehow missed national donut day on last Friday, but this
latest Dunkin' Donuts ad did not escape my attention, I like the term, "Brokefast."
You will always find me somewhere for a good breakfast start to the day, the only
rules are there has to be coffee and Internet.

Palm Pre Spot Brings Olympics Magic to Advertising

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:11:00 +0000

Perusing my favorite Marketing Blogs today, I found this, which really comes in

handy as my cell phone contract ends next month and I am in the market for some

updated features.

Here's the first spot from Boston's Modernista! for the new Palm Pre phone. According to USA Today, the ad "features 1,000 dancers directed by three choreographers, including Sun Yupeng, who helped create the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony."

Carls Jr. Has Next Sexy Burger Ad

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:07:00 +0000

**UPDATE** Here is the new ad!!

More food porn from Carls Jr. (Hardees in Midwest.) Featuring a Hills reality star (who knew they had a real star and not just wannabee's. It's gonna take a lot of skin to sell a $6 burger, even if it is my favorite, Teriyaki!!

Interesting Concepts: Video Website?

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:12:00 +0000

Okay, I admit, I wanna be kewl like this, kinda fun way to have a video website ummm, yea.

I Always Thought Maraca's Were Breasts!

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:23:00 +0000

Alright, this is a self-indulgent post to crack wise on my buddy who just loves Axe body spray and products. Now to be sure this friend is a professional who always makes a great first impression on clients and everyone he meets, so it has always cracked me up just a bit how the body sprays of Walmart and Walgreens makes him feel good about himself. One of my twitter friends said it best, "I had a blind date with an axe murderer, and by that I mean he tried to kill me with his cheap body spray." So here in the vein of fun and frivolity, I bring you the newest Axe commercial that is not able to run here in the US. Enjoy.................Scott

Subway and $5 Dollars Saves Chuck on NBC

noreply@blogger.com (Scott Fullerton) — Thu, 21 May 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Subway's $5 dollar Chicken Teriyaki footlong sandwich, may have very well saved one of my favorite television shows. Chuck, is an hour long spy comedy/drama featuring Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski that has a good amount of humor with a bit of the buddy show/spy 'thang' thrown in for good measure. As the lead in for Heroes this past season on NBC, Chuck's season had a little more fun, and really used the entirety of it's cast this year. I liked this show, it was great fun, but I guess I was in the minority. It was a "fence-sitter," for NBC as it was making it's decisions for the new 2009 - 2010 television season. The viewership was okay compared to it's competition of reality dreg, "Dancing With The Stars," the medical show, "House," and CBS's "Big Bang Theory" and "How I Met Your Mother," two geek heavy watchable shows. With all that competition, it still outperformed in the desirable upscale portion of the 18-49 demographic.

Subway came along last season as a big product placement opportunity that was written into the script, and quickly came on board for a full fledged marketing campaign to save the show. The sandwich shop gave information about the show at all of it's locations, and helped organize a write-in campaign to save Chuck. Then the producers sweetened the deal by giving Subway an actual position in next season, if it would come aboard as a guaranteed sponsor, and Subway jumped at the chance. Look for a lot of product placement in the upcoming season, and Chuck's protector, Sarah, who has had odd fast food jobs as her cover the last 2 seasons, just may end up working in the franchise. The renewal is for mid-season with only a 13 episode order, but it's better than cancellation folks.

I see this as a strong marketing concept that is going to become more and more prevalant not only in the entertainment business, but in a lot of businesses. The movies have taken advantage of product placement and tie-in for a long time in lucratively financing their projects, and it looks like television has just had it's first taste as well. A product tie-in is nothing new in the marketing field, but I see and explosion happening in the near future. What do you see in your clients future that can be tied into their corporate growth? It's worth looking into.