Translating Political Messages

 by Steve Fradkin, Political Communications Consultant

Have you ever wondered why…

…people get re-elected despite terrible performance ratings?

…campaign ads seem to focus on everything but the issues?

…so many ads from one campaign talk only about the opponent?

…candidates seem to never really answer the questions in “debates?”

…experience doesn’t seem to matter?

Well, you’re not alone.

“Negative” campaigning

While “negative” campaigning is nothing new in American politics (the 1800 race between Adams and Jefferson is one of the most notorious) it is the most ubiquitous form of political message in use today.  And deplore it as we may, it works.

Why?  Because political communication works best when it moves people emotionally.  “By appealing to another’s emotions rather than their intellect,” says David Romanelli in his article Emotions: How to Tune Into Them, “you are much more likely to trigger a response.”

1. In no part of the campaign is anyone trying to educate you.

2.      Ads are designed to move you (many say nothing about the sponsoring candidate).

3.      Articles are written by reporters and editors, often with sensationalism and juicy bits of non-issue data.

4.      Broadcast sound-bites are edited to prove the reporter’s or editor’s point.

5.      Debates are restricted in length (can you explain a complete economic program in just 90 seconds?) and the answers usually consist of 10% response to the question and 90% prepared text, loosely related (or not) to the subject.

So you can’t really take the messages at face value.  You expect they will help you know something, but political consultants are carefully crafting those messages to make you feel something.

Translating the ads

So how can we translate the emotion-laden messages into something logical, factual and meaningful?

1. Find materials written by the candidates themselves (such as Barack Obama’s The Audacity of Hope, or Mitt Romney’s No Apology: Believe in America).
2. Pay attention to how what you hear or see makes you feel (such emotions as fear, pride, optimism, confusion, warmth, amusement, anger, skepticism, curiosity, confidence, etc.)
3. Note the tone (nasty, humorous, tabloid-sounding) and content (what’s the ad about?).  They can have a significant emotional impact.  Once you identify the feelings, separate them from the information (if there is any).
4. Check who sponsors the advertising.  When the tag says “Paid for and authorized by the [candidate’s name] Committee” or the candidate says “I approved this message” you know (s)he has seen and approved of the ad.  But many ads are placed by PACs or other independent groups.  The candidates have no say in the content or tone.
5. Go to the candidates’ websites (such as MittRomney.com or BarackObama.com), and read the “Issues” sections.
6. If you get an email, check out its validity on snopes.com (type a few key words into the “Search” section).  The many “urban legends” floating around are often quite hateful and/or untrue.
7. Be suspicious of sensationalist claims (sex scandals, shady dealings, etc.).  Most of them are either fabrications, exaggerations or distortions.
8. On debates, pay more attention the how the candidate responds than what (s)he says.  His/her ability to think on the spot, his/her demeanor and style, his/her knowledge of the facts, may tell you more than his/her words or slips of the tongue (s)he might make.

Finally, remember that no system of electing public officials is perfect.  As many defects as there are in our system, it is still the best on earth.  Ours is the oldest continually operating government in the world, and for good reason.  Learn what you can, and then go vote on November 6^th.

Steve Fradkin has provided message strategy and/or implementation for over 175 campaigns.  He is the president of the Canton (MA) advertising agency, The Wizard of Adz, Inc.

The Sesame Street Diet?

By Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

Reliable statistics prove conclusively that people who watch Sesame Street regularly weigh considerably less than the population at large.  Amazing!

Does this mean you should embark on a Sesame Street diet?  Of course not.  People who watch Sesame Street regularly are four years old, and they weigh 20 pounds — way less than the population at large.

Just one example of statistics that tell the truth but mean absolutely nothing.

Another example is when your uncle tells you he loved your ad, or when your neighbor tells you she saw you on TV.  Do these mean your advertising is working?  That it’s effective?

Again, of course not.  We love our friends and family, but they don’t represent a cross-section of our market.  What matters is results.

In order to determine whether your decisions about advertising are right, it’s important to monitor those decisions and the results they produce.  In general, there are three types of measurement available for advertising.  They are:

·        Pre-testing — testing of concepts or specific ad executions before publication, using focus groups or other scientific methods.

·        Post-testing — determination of awareness and readership levels using studies designed to measure these factors.

·        Results — determining sales increases, number of inquiries, coupon redemptions, etc.

Testing is expensive.  A single concept test, for example, could cost thousands of dollars.  It probably makes no sense for you to invest in this sort of testing; the investment simply does not justify the potential return.

But you can carefully monitor where new customers are coming from, and determine which messages work best.  Here’s how:

·        Ask.  Instruct personnel to ask, “How did you find out about us?” or “Have you seen our mailing?” and to keep careful record of the responses.  A short intake form indicating name, company, title, town and source of inquiry can facilitate this record-keeping.

·        Key Codes.  On response forms or cards, codes can identify the sources.  A key code of B, for example, can tell you that the response came from the second mailing.  For verbal responses, have the respondent ask for “extension 2” or “department 2.”  Separate email addresses could be used for each ad.  Discount coupons in print ads can also be coded.

·        Electronic responses, such as hyperlinks, email replies, QRC codes, etc., can be individualized by source and/or message.

·        Specific offers.  You can also change the offer in each promotion (or the way in which the customer asks for the offer), which will help you identify the source of the customer.  For example, one mailing might feature a promotion called “Business Success Stories,” and the other may feature the same promotion but called “Keys to Better Accounting.”

We can help you, too — help you design effective and valid ways to judge your advertising results, and make adjustments to improve them.  Look at some of the results we’ve achieved on our new website WizardOfAdz.com (click on Strategic Case Histories.)

Then, let us evaluate your specific situation with you, and tell you how we can help you maximize your advertising impact.  Call Sharon at 781-821-1818 or email Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com today.

Grey Matters

By Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

According to the US Census Bureau, adults 50+ represent 37% of the 18+ population.  Demographic trends associated with the aging of the baby boomer population, plus gains in longevity, will grow the 50+ market to over 106 million by 2015 when they will account for 45% of the adult population.  Seniors are, and will become even more so, a social, political and marketing, force to be reckoned with and, hence, a very attractive community to a range of advertisers and marketing sponsors.

This rapid growth has already begun to occur.  There has been exponential growth among seniors across the nation.  According to the census report, the US senior population increased by 15.1% between 2000 and 2010, while the population in general only increased by 9.7%.

And the senior market is a lucrative one.  The United States Mature Market…

·        Is the most affluent of any age segment

·        Accounts for 60% of all healthcare spending, 74% of all prescription drugs, 51% of all over-the-counter drugs

·        Acquires 41% of all new cars

·        Purchases 25% of all toys

·        Accounts for 80% of all luxury travel

Adults 50+ control a household net worth of $19 trillion, own more than ¾ of the nation's financial wealth, hold 70% of all money market accounts and certificates of deposit assets and have an income per capita that is 26% higher than the national average.

Whatever you’re marketing — financial services, retirement communities, health care, automobiles, insurance, nursing homes, vacation destinations and services — seniors represent an increasingly important target for you.

But talking effectively to seniors is a whole different ballgame.

·        We helped a retirement community sell out 70% before groundbreaking (a national sales record).

·        We helped a 100-year-old bank triple in size in just 7 years.

·        We helped a dietary supplement maker pull more inquiries than any other ad in the magazine.

We can help you, too — help you reach the growing, lucrative senior marketplace.  To see some of our case histories, check out our new website WizardOfAdz.com and click on Strategic Case Histories.

Let us evaluate your specific situation with you, and tell you how we can help you reach your target market better.  Call Sharon at 781-821-1818 or email Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com today,

And now the GOOD news

by Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

Do you know the difference between a “recession” and a “depression?”  When all the businesses all around have dropped in sales and have had to lay off employees and cut management salaries to the bone — that’s a “recession.”  When a customer walks out of MY business without buying something — that’s a “depression.”

OK, so we’re in a recession.  I know, you’ve been feeling it.  And yet, some of our clients are going straight out.  One called to say he was so busy, he hadn’t had time to do his office work.  Another said she had 9 inquiries (4 of which became new clients) on the first day she appeared in the newspaper.

Why?  Because they’ve learned a few little tricks to marketing during a recession — we call it “moving up in a down economy.”

If you’re like many small-business execs, you’ve tightened your belt a few notches and figure you’ll ride out the storm.  Just when you need more business, you’ve slashed your advertising budget (maybe eliminated it entirely).  To save money, you’ve dropped out of networking groups and chambers of commerce.  Maybe you’ve even let your best salesperson go because you can’t afford that big draw when, after all, there’s “no business out there.”

That’s like removing the floorboards of your lifeboat to keep it from sinking.

As a marketer, you know that.  So what’s a business-owner to do?

·        First, analyze your market and determine what it is your customers need in an economic downturn, and then adjust your offerings.  For example, if you’re a contractor who does major renovations (room additions, garages, etc.), try promoting smaller, less costly projects (siding, roofing, closet re-making).  When fewer people are buying homes, more of them are remodeling.

·        Cut your advertising budget (what?!?!?) and still get valuable and widespread notice.  We’ve enabled a number of our clients to get articles written about them in major daily newspapers, complete with color photos and contact information, with zero media cost.  One 2-page color spread in the Patriot Ledger was worth over $8,000 and it cost our client nothing more than for our professional services.

·        Check out some of the media rates that are significantly cut —because of the recession, because national advertisers have cut back, and because the heavy-buying political and holiday times are over.  You may be amazed at how inexpensively you can reach your target market, if you buy right.

·        Get in on the new “free” media.  Emails, websites, “viral” marketing, “social” on-line communities — one or more of these may be right for you, and your investment is just the work it takes to get it done.  The benefits go on and on and on, at little or no cost!

·        Finally, do it yourself (what, again?!?!?).  Maybe you’re adept at desktop publishing, or you have a sister-in-law who designs fliers for her PTA.  What you need is a professional marketing analysis and strategies for target marketing, product positioning, media selection, and so on.  We have prepared dozens of these reports, and many of our clients have been able to take the report and produce really convincing advertising and brochures.

Here’s the best news.  If you can keep your business thriving, perhaps even increase your market share and visibility, you’ll come out ahead when the recession is over.  History is full of big-business examples (even dating back to the Great Depression), and it will work for you too.

Don’t just “ride out the storm.”  Use the waves and wind to get you where you want to go.  We’ve seen many economic downturns in over 30 years in business, and we have helped many of our clients “move up in a down economy.”

Don’t just survive…thrive!  Call Sharon at The Wizard of Adz (781-821-1818) or email Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com.

Advertising for Less Business?

by Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

Ask anyone why they advertise and the answer will almost invariably be “to sell stuff.”  But not always.

Obviously, there are many reasons to advertise.  To introduce a new product.  To make people think better of your company.  To counteract bad publicity.  To encourage a specific action (such as writing your Congressman).  Lots of reasons.

But advertise for less business?

I once worked for a booking agency that represented some of the most famous speakers in the world.  Every now and then, one of them would ask me: “Everybody knows who I am.  I have all the speaking engagements I can handle.  Why would I need a brochure?”

The answer was easy: for less business.  By stimulating demand for a product or service with limited supply, the price goes up.  Prices up = less demand.  So, with less business, the speaker — or, perhaps, your company — can make more money.  If you were a speaker, wouldn’t you rather do ten engagements at, say, $10,000 each than twenty at $5,000 each, even though the money was the same?

This is all part of determining your advertising strategy.  This strategy is determining the role of your advertising — the part your advertising will play in your total marketing plan.  OK, maybe you don’t want your advertising to lower your unit sales.  But consider these possibilities:

You want your advertising to produce leads that your sales staff can follow up.

You want your advertising to make prospects aware of your product, so your salespeople will at least encounter a “yeah, I’ve heard of that” when they cold-call.

You want your advertising to generate traffic, so you can parlay a small sale or giveaway into a larger sale.

Determining the role of advertising is just one of many strategies companies skip or don’t even think of.  That’s why our advertising — Strategy-Driven Creative Advertising — is so successful.  Give us 15 minutes of your time, and let us show you how these and other strategies play out — and how we can help you do less business, or as much business as you’d like.  Call Sharon at The Wizard of Adz (781-821-1818) or email Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com.

Newspaper Advertising for Political Campaigns?

I know.  Conventional wisdom says nobody reads newspapers any more.  TV — that’s the place to be.

And the fact is that newspaper circulation is in decline, according to Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.  An article published by Journalism.org (The Project for Excellence in Journalism) said, “…the problem now appears to be more than fewer people developing the newspaper habit.  People who used to read every day now read less often.  Some people who used to read a newspaper have stopped altogether.  Today, just more than half of Americans (54 percent) read a newspaper during the week, somewhat more (62 percent) on Sundays, and the number is continuing to drop.”

But conventional wisdom isn’t always so wise when it comes to political advertising.  Consider a recent study by the Newspaper Association of America reported in the June issue of Campaigns and Elections.  It found that more than half (57 percent) of voters say they experience some level of indecision in the final week or days before an election.  Of those who say they experience indecision, three out of four say they are regular newspaper readers.

75% of "undecideds" read the paper.  And they rely on the paper to help them make their decisions.

The same study on political advertising discovered newspaper ads were considered the most credible medium for political ads by Republicans and Democrats alike. The survey shows that when asked to rank each medium using a 10-point believability scale, 32 percent of voters said political ads in newspapers were more believable than those found in brochures and mailings (27 percent), on network TV (26 percent), on cable TV (25 percent) and on the radio (22 percent).

Newspaper ads offer several advantages over those on broadcast and cable media.  For example:

• Readers can pick up newspapers whenever and wherever they want, and the ads are always right with the content.  Broadcast programming is either on when it’s on, or delayed by tape or TiVo (which essentially eliminates the ads altogether).
• Newspaper advertising is generally a destination, not an interruption.  An NAA study showed that half the voters go to their papers specifically to look for ads.  Of these, 82% are looking for ads once a week or more.  55% of late-deciders go to their papers specifically to look for ads, 85% more than once a week.
• Production costs for print advertising are far lower than those of broadcast ads.
• Short deadlines, unlimited media inventory and fast production mean that print advertising can be more current and more relevant to late-breaking developments in a campaign.

And of course, newspaper advertising can be bought locally or regionally for maximum efficiency.

We’ve got the experience and track record you need — scores of political campaigns (with a 70% win ratio) and decades of specialization in political print advertising — to help your campaign.  For ads, brochures, mailers, palm cards, stickers, and so on…you should be off to see The Wizard!

Don’t Call Us “Creative”

By Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

Pablo Picasso was creative.  He took familiar objects, applied his imagination and vision, and produced images that were nearly unrecognizable.  If there was a message in a Picasso work, it was obscure and probably known only to the artist.

We’re not creative.  What we do is strategically planned and executed.  Our messages are clear and convincing.  There’s a big difference between “creative” and “communications.”

Oh sure, there are advertisements that are truly creative.

• The sock-puppet ads from Pets.com were truly creative.  But Pets.com stock tumbled over 98% from a high of $14 to just 25¢ when the company folded.
• The entertaining Gap ads were truly creative.  But the Gap Stores suffered 30 consecutive months of same-store sales declines when they ran.
• The “It’s Not Your Father’s Oldsmobile” campaign was truly creative.  But Olds’ sales dropped by 50% during the 2½ years of the campaign, and Oldsmobile is history.

When we set out on an advertising campaign, we don’t begin by “getting our creative juices flowing.”  We begin with a logical, systematic approach to determining four factors:

1.       We identify and define the target market for your product or service — the people most likely to initiate or make buying decisions (depending on how you sell), including their demographics, their attitudes, likes and dislikes, etc.

2.       We identify and define the characteristics of your company and/or your product or service that will separate you from your competitors and will most appeal to your target market.

3.       We determine the best media to reach your target market and the best ways to buy those media to fit your budget and marketing timeline.

4.       We craft a motivational strategy that takes into account what specifically will cause your prospect to accept your product or service — to consider making a change or trying what you have to sell — and to act on that attitude change by talking with you or ordering (again, depending on how you sell).

Then — and only then — do we set out to design innovative and eye-catching ways to express the message we have developed through our strategies.

Of course, it’s logical.  Of course it makes sense.  But you’d be amazed how many advertisers — and advertising professionals — judge advertising by how creative it is.  Maybe that’s why so many companies consider the money they allocate for advertising an “expense” — like their telephone bill or rent.  It is an expense if what you’re buying is “creative.”  When you’re buying “strategy,” it becomes an investment.

Don’t call us “creative.”  Call us “strategic.”  Most importantly, if you want to change your advertising “spending” into a sound investment, call us today.  To discuss your strategic approach to marketing your company — without obligation — call Sharon at The Wizard of Adz (781-821-1818) or email sharon@WizardOfAdz.com.

Aaaaah-mazing!

by Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

One of our ads worked so well, we had to stop running it.

It’s true.  The ad pulled so many responses, and yielded so much business, the client couldn’t import enough product to satisfy the demand.  We had to pull the ad before it ran again.

As those TV infomercials say: Aaaaah-mazing!  But wait…there’s more.

·        One ad we did in a national professional magazine tripled the client’s usual response, and won us an award for advertising achievement from the publication.

·        A campaign we did for a retirement community worked so well, the units were 70% sold out before construction began — breaking a national sales record.

·        One client — a century-old company — tripled its business volume in the 7 years we did their advertising.

So you’re probably asking yourself, “How can one small advertising service produce results this spectacular, especially for local clients?”

Good question.

I’ll let you in on a little secret.  We didn’t do it alone.  We had help.

All of these companies had one thing in common: they dared to reach for greatness.  They were willing to listen to outside-the-box thinking and follow strategies that defied conventional wisdom.

And while none of these tales are everyday occurrences, they are nonetheless just a few of the many success stories we’ve been a part of because of strategic planning and execution of our clients’ marketing communications.

I could talk about these stories for hours — but there’s one story I’d rather discuss with you: yours.  Are you ready to reach for greatness?  Ready to take the leap from punchy graphics and cute headlines to strategically planned advertising?  Ready to increase your advertising effectiveness without increasing your marketing costs?

Give us 15 minutes of your time, and let us show you how these and other strategies played out — and how we can help you make yours the next Aaaaah-mazing success story.  Call Sharon at The Wizard of Adz (781-821-1818) or email Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com.

No, you don’t need a brochure

By Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

Some time ago, a prospective client came to me and said “I need a brochure.”

“No you don’t,” I replied.

“Huh?”

“You don’t need a brochure,” I repeated.  “You need sales.  Now, let’s discuss what’s the best way to make that happen.”

Too often, people launch into advertising without assessing first how it will fit into their entire marketing plan.  What’s the advertising’s job?  What will it accomplish that will, in turn, lead to the process that brings in sales?

Maybe you’re promoting to re-sellers, to get them to buy and promote your product.  Or maybe you’re advertising to get consumers to demand your product at the store.

Or maybe your customers buy your product directly from you.  If so, maybe what you need to do is get your name out there, so your cold-call telemarketing effort will at least be greeted by some brand recognition.  Maybe your advertising merely needs to establish a positive attitude towards your product or service, so people will be likely to receive your salesperson with a smile.  Or maybe you need to generate increased traffic, or hot leads, or immediate sales via return coupon or call.

And maybe a brochure is right for you — but you won’t know it until you have mapped out your whole marketing strategy.  Instead, you may need a mailer, or a series of ads, or a flight of cable TV spots, or a skywriting plane flying over Fenway Park.

Marketing strategy is one of the Seven Essential Strategies of Advertising that we employ to make sure your advertising does what it is supposed to do.  That’s why our advertising — Strategy-Driven Creative Advertising — is so successful.  Give us 15 minutes of your time, and let us show you how these and other strategies play out — and how we can help you design a marketing strategy that will lead to more sales, not more brochures.  Call Sharon at The Wizard of Adz (781-821-1818) or email Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com.

Why are you Advertising for your Competitor?

By Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

• An ad in the Boston Globe reads “Give the Gift of Dance!”
• A radio spot for a car dealer sings the praises of the new Ford Five-Hundred.
• A TV spot tells you that aspirin can save your life in the event of a heart attack.

What’s wrong with these ads?  What do they have in common — and why should you avoid doing what they do in your ads?

In each case, the advertisement is selling “primary demand” — that is, demand for the generic product rather than the specific source for that product.  In each case, assuming the message is convincing, the buyer may go to any of several sources to make the purchase.

• Giving the gift of dance may convince you to buy a gift certificate for dance lessons, but will you go to Arthur Murray, Fred Astair or another dance studio.  Will you go to the specific outlet advertised, or to another franchisee?
• The same is true for the car commercial.  You may decide to buy the Ford, but you have loads of Ford dealers from which to choose.
• And even if you decide to buy aspirins to have on hand in case of chest pains, whose will you buy?

The wrong strategy

In most cases — and almost certainly in your case — promoting primary demand is a wrong strategy.  You will probably end up sending more business to your competitors than to you.  If I ran an ad simply convincing people to advertise, there’s a pretty good chance that those folks I convince will end up calling one of the scads of services and/or media to do their graphics.  On the other hand, if I give people a reason to call me — for example citing how we concentrate on developing sound advertising strategies — then those I convince will be more likely to contact my company.

The exception

The exception is when you are far and away the industry leader.  If you’re Bayer, and most of the aspirin sold is your brand, it’s OK to sell the benefits of aspirin.  Most of the folks you convince will, in fact, buy your brand.  If you’re Campbell’s (“Soup is good food”) or Kodak (“A Kodak moment”), you can sell the benefits of your generic product.  But if you’re Lipton’s or Agfa, you’d better tell people about the specific benefits of your brand.

The same holds true of franchises and dealerships.  Hype GE dishwashers or Pampers and you’ll send customers to anyone who carries those brands.  But tell people why your store is the place to buy GE dishwashers or Pampers (benefits like open 24 hours a day, or lowest prices in the area, or most knowledgeable staff) and you’ll win customers.

Bring your strategy into focus

The Wizard of Adz specializes in developing IN-FOCUS ADVERTISING STRATEGIES.  Part of that process is working with you to define the unique aspects of your business — to separate you from your competition — and then to creatively and convincingly convey that message to your specific target audience.  Give us a call at 781-821-1818 to see several examples of how we’ve done this for our clients, and to tell you about the spectacular results they’ve received.

Ads that make you smile

by Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

Ask anyone to name a particularly good advertisement and I’ll bet the answer you get will be a humorous ad.  OK…so carry the experiment a bit further and ask who the ad was for.

“Uh…some beer company…I think…or maybe…uh…”

That’s because most writers of humorous ads forget something.  It’s not enough to make people smile; you’ve got to make them buy.

There are, of course, some exceptions.  The Geico ads, for example.  The Aflac duck.  Building #19’s cartoon circulars.

They work because the humor is built around the core message.  “So easy a caveman could do it” hammers home how easy it is to go to Geico.com.  The duck just repeats the company name — clearly, the company’s objective was to gain awareness.  The Building #19 fliers reinforce the company’s down-and-dirty, no frills image.

But the typical funny ads — the ones that make you chuckle and say “Wasn’t that clever” — are little more than miniature sitcoms with sponsor names at the end.  Perhaps the most famous one was the sock puppet spokesthing for an online retailer.  Quick…who was the advertiser? (answer below)

Some of the ads we do for clients are humorous.  Sometimes, in fact, the humor is designed specifically to appeal to the client’s target market.  But whether we’re doing a funny ad or a serious one, we strive to produce ads that make you smile.  Ads that produce the kind of action that makes you happy.

Don’t spend your advertising dollars entertaining people.  Invest your money in ads that will work.  Ads that are strategically targeted and crafted to leave a convincing message with your prospective customer.  Let us show you what we mean.  For our collection of case histories, call Sharon at The Wizard of Adz (781-821-1818) or email Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com.

Answer:
The sock-puppet ads from Pets.com were truly creative, and kinda funny.  But Pets.com stock tumbled over 98% from a high of $14 to just 25¢ when the company folded.  Can you name the company using the sock puppet these days?

If you would like to be removed from this email list, please email officemanager@wizardofadz.com

There’s No Business Out There

By Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

I heard a real estate agent on TV recently, reacting to the announcement that February was the worst month for home sales ever on record.  He said “We’re not selling anything because there’s no business out there.”

I’ve got news for him: yes there is.

People are buying homes — both new and previously owned.  And while they may not be lining up at the door waiting to make an offer above the asking price, buyers and sellers are keeping some real estate agents quite busy.

I’ve long maintained that, for small businesses, the economy is like the tide.  It really doesn’t matter whether the tide is high or low.  For small businesses, there’s always going to be enough water.  At low tide, though, you have to work a little harder to fill your bucket.

What’s in the bucket?

Working a little harder to keep your business rolling means increasing and streamlining your marketing effort.  It means an aggressive and innovative approach to advertising, direct mail, publicity, etc.  Of course, you could always wait for the tide to come in (wait out the recovery), but you might need (or want) the water somewhat sooner.

Your more aggressive and innovative approach means:

·        Doing more advertising, publicity and direct mail (depending on your business, of course) and getting involved with social media like Facebook and LinkedIn.  In many cases, you may not even have to increase your budget in order to get better results.

·        Sharpening your definitions of your target market, product (or service) benefits, and media plan to maximize exposure with your target market, while minimizing the dollars flowing between your coffers and those of the print, online and broadcast media, etc.

·        Re-working (or re-creating) your website so your company comes up first on the Google list.  You can even purchase key words that will automatically trigger your company when requested by Google users.

Grab your bucket and let’s get some water together

Really…now that the economy is recovering, why would anyone want to hide their business from prospective customers?  Get out the word — now, before your competitors do.  Bring in those dormant customers with a comprehensive marketing strategy and execution designed by The Wizard of Adz to do exactly that.  Because regardless of what that real estate agent said, there is business out there.  And it’s waiting for you to call it in.

Call Sharon at 781-821-1818 or email her at Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com.  Let us show you what well-crafted strategies have done for other clients, and — most importantly — what we can do for you.

A Third of a Century Ago

By Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

In November of 1978 — a third of a century ago — we opened the doors of The Wizard of Adz, introducing a new concept in advertising agencies.  Our initial clients were a lecture agency, an international manufacturer of precision electroformed metal products, a concert promoter, a bank marketing consultant, and a candidate for state office.

A lot has changed over those years, but our philosophy of making quality advertising available to small businesses is still the same.

Technologically, we were in the Dark Ages.  Our graphics department consisted of an IBM Composer (a typewriter-style typesetting device), an AM Headliner (which set headlines one letter at a time on 35mm photographic paper) and a stat camera (there were no scanners back then).  We pasted bits of type and Photostats of pictures and logos onto white cardboards (called paste-ups), and sent those to the printer or medium to be photographed and made into plates for printing.

Our phones were the dial-type.  There were no desktop computers, scanners or inkjet printers.  We did have an IBM Memory Typewriter, which we used for a somewhat primitive form of word processing.  Our first fax machine was a Qwip telecopier (made by Exxon), which took six minutes to scan a page wrapped around a spinning cylinder, convert the images into audible beeps and squeaks, send those sounds out via phone (in an acoustic coupler) to another Qwip, which reversed the process, thermally etching the image on a special paper.

Needless to say, we’ve done a lot of changing.  And learning.  We progressed first to computerized photo-typesetting, then to digital photo-typesetting (a system that cost us $30,000 back in the 1980s).  Desktop publishing didn’t come along until 1984 (we waited several years more for the quality to improve to commercial standards).  Where UPS and taxicab delivery services had been daily visitors, the Internet and e-mail revolutionized delivery of proofs and printing materials.

But the years have done more than impact our office equipment.  Markets and marketing methods have changed significantly as well.  And we’ve kept pace.  To our repertoire of print, broadcast and direct mail ads, public relations and marketing consultation services, brochures, logos, stationery, billboards and bumper strips, we’ve added websites, on-line banner ads, e-mail blast campaigns, voice mail messaging, social network advice and more.

What we started in 1978 was revolutionary for the times.  While most small businesses either couldn’t afford to retain a full-service ad agency or, if they did hire one, didn’t get the attention and level of service afforded the larger clients, we set out to change the rules and make quality business communication available to smaller firms.

·        We eliminated contracts (most agencies required them).

·        We quoted prices up front, on a project basis (most agencies billed by the hour, open-ended).

·        We set no minimum account size (most agencies had minimums of 6 or 7 figures per year).

·        We required no exclusivity (if you wanted to work with other vendors, or place your own ads, we had no issue with that).

·        We provided advertising management services as well as creative and production, to help owner-managers strategize their ad campaigns (most agencies are used to dealing with corporate advertising or brand managers).

We haven’t changed those policies one bit.  And we’ve helped literally hundreds of small businesses set sales records, double and triple in size, quickly sell out of product, and helped candidates get elected to offices from Library Trustee on up to State Treasurer and Auditor.  To see some of our case histories, check out our new website WizardOfAdz.com and click on Strategic Case Histories or Political Advertising.

And to learn more about how we can put a third of a century of experience and progress to work for your company, call Sharon at 781-821-1818 or email her at Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com.

What does your advertising say about you?

by Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

What do your ads, brochures, fliers, etc. say about you.  No, not just the words.  What else does your advertising say — in looks, in feel, in tone?

Does it say you’re professional, or amateurish?  That you’re unique and special, or just like your competitors?  That you care about and believe in your business, or hold back when it comes to investing in it?

It’s amazing how often businesses will invest money in media, or in printing, and then cut corners or miss the mark on the content.  Maybe you’ve got a nifty new computer and Microsoft Publisher, so you figure, why pay someone to do the graphics.  Maybe your niece just graduated in creative writing and she can write your brochure for you.  Hey…it looks and sounds as good as the rest of the junk out there, right?

Maybe.  Maybe your graphics will reflect your business the way it should be portrayed…and maybe not.  Maybe your niece will capture the positioning and motivation strategy to separate your company from the competition and move your prospects to buy…and maybe not.

Maybe you’ll wind up with what so many do-it-yourselfers end up with: advertising that looks home-made.  And that just doesn’t portray professionalism.  It looks like you don’t care enough to look good.  Like you’re not solid, successful, dependable.  It’s like showing up for a sales call in jeans and a torn sweatshirt.

Would you like a free evaluation of your advertising?  I’ll look at your materials and give you an honest (maybe brutally honest) opinion.  But I won’t just tell you what I think of it; I’ll tell you the reasons behind my thoughts, give you some ideas on how to make it better, and show you some examples of how professional strategy and execution made all the difference for companies like yours.  Call Steve at The Wizard of Adz (781-821-1818) or email Steve@WizardOfAdz.com.

*If you would like to be removed from this email list, please email officemanager@wizardofadz.com

Budget: It’s Part of Your Advertising Strategy

It’s amazing how many businesses come to us for an advertising strategy without having decided on an advertising budget.  If you’re going to plan for your advertising to work for you, you’ve got to start by planning how much you want to invest in that plan.  Every business needs an advertising budget...every business!  With a budget, you can make intelligent decisions on your advertising strategies, and be able to work with a specific set of goals in mind.

We have a simple form that will help you through the budgeting process.  For a free copy of our 3-Step Advertising Budget form (in Adobe Acrobat PDF format), just ask and we’ll e-mail it to you.

Developing your advertising budget is easy, if you remember these three principles:

1. As you sow, so shall you reap — if your advertising is done right, the results of your advertising (that is, your company’s sales) should be proportionate to your investment.
2. Fish when the fish are biting — it’s best to advertise when your customers are buying (actually, in anticipation of seasonal fluctuations).
3. Special challenges, special solutions — unusual circumstances (grand openings, product launches, awareness campaigns, crisis) call for extra promotional efforts and investments.

Here’s a three-step process for preparing your advertising budget, based on these three principles, and on your company’s past history.  If you don’t have a history, you may have to do some research to find out what the norms are in your industry.

Step 1: Historical data

PART A.  Gather up the amounts your company invested during the last 12 months on these advertising and advertising-related activities:  Media charges, Printing, Creative and Graphics, Strategic and consulting services, Postage used for advertising, Mailing services, Promotional items, and any other expenditures related to your advertising effort.      The total is your last-year’s investment.

PART B.  Take your total sales for last year and calculate the percentage of that total that each month represents (example: June = 8% of the total year).  List them beginning with the FEBRUARY percentage and ending with JANUARY.

Step 2: Setting your goals

Total the following percentages:  a) Percentage you would like your sales to increase; b) How unusual circumstances will affect your promotional needs; the expected rate of inflation and a contingency fund to set aside.  Total these percentages.  Multiply times your last year’s investment.  This, plus your last year’s investment is your Advertising Budget for Next Year.

Step 3: Allocating your budget

Multiply your monthly sales percentages (beginning with the FEBRUARY amount) times your total Advertising Budget for Next Year, and list the figures for your monthly budget for next year beginning with JANUARY (that is, your FEBRUARY percentage of sales should equal your JANUARY percentage of your advertising budget).

If you’d like, ask for a free copy of our simple 3-Step Advertising Budget & we’ll email it to  you.

Once you’ve completed your advertising budget, you can then begin to formulate your media plans and other ad strategies.  That’s also where we can help.  Call us at 781-821-1818.

There’s an Ad For That

By Steve Fradkin, President
The Wizard of Adz

You’ve seen the “smart-phone” ads.  Whatever you want to do, “there’s an app for that.”  Want to find out the weather in Sri Lanka?  There’s an app for that.  Want to locate the closest location for Kosher Mexican food?  There’s an app for that.  Want to produce an advertising campaign that reaches your target market with the right message and doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg?  Oh wait…there’s NO app for that.

Your situation is unique.

Sure, you can get pre-designed and pre-written ads from the manufacturers of the products you carry, or from your trade or professional association.  You can get logos and business cards online.  You can get the kid down the street to make a good-looking brochure on his/her spiffy new laptop.

But are these easily-obtained and relatively inexpensive products for you?  Do they address and appeal to your specific target market?  Do they present your company’s benefits so that your message separates you from your competition?  Do they select the right media for you, or help you plan your advertising schedule and budget?

Of course not.  They weren’t designed with your business in mind.

• Ads from manufacturers are designed to sell the products — not your company.  An ad for Chevrolets doesn’t lead people to your dealership.  It promotes Chevys, and may give exposure to your competitors.
• Ads from trade associations are even less directed.  They’ll promote hearing aids, for example, but not a specific brand, and certainly not a specific outlet.
• Catalog items — business cards, logos, signs, etc. — are one-size-fits-all.  A design for a painter won’t be different from one for a dentist’s office.  And they sure don’t define your image, your uniqueness.
• And the kid down the street?  He or she may have wonderful graphic skills and may even custom-design your items.  But his/her spiffy computer notwithstanding, the kid probably has no marketing background and little or no idea how to write copy that speaks to your market and highlights your special qualities.

Cheap can be quite expensive

It stands to reason that an ad (or brochure or logo, etc.) that is off-target or not representative of your specific qualities will cost you significant business in the long run.  Wouldn’t it be better to invest a few hundred more in preparing your materials than to lose thousands in sales?

That’s where we come in.  We’ve helped companies break national sales records, triple in size, out-pull other ads in the same publication, even generate so much demand that the ad campaign itself had to be stopped.  We didn’t do that with catalogs or stock items.  We did it with sound advertising strategy.  And we can help you produce better results with your advertising.

Bring your strategy into focus

The Wizard of Adz specializes in developing In-Focus Advertising Strategies.  We work with you to define the unique aspects of your business and separate you from your competition, and then creatively and convincingly convey that message to your target audience.

Want to increase sales and market share, strengthening your competitive position and maximizing your return on your promotional budget?  There’s an ad for that…but it won’t be developed until we talk to you.  Give us a call at 781-821-1818 and ask for our collection of successful case histories — stories like the ones mentioned above, and others.

Did You See Our Ad on the Super Bowl?

 

By Steve Fradkin

The Wizard of Adz

If you watched the Super Bowl Sunday, you probably saw some of the flashiest, funniest, most in-your-face ads ever. And if you're like most, you probably looked at many of those ads and said "huh?" to the others in the room. Were you convinced to drink Budweiser because of the shaggy-ankled horses? Or to buy a Camry because their re-invented couch was made of seven bikini-clad lovelies? Did the polar bears tempt you into a Coke, or did Clint Eastwood's Detroit epic make you yearn to buy a Chrysler? Didn't think so.

So what's with these advertisers who plunk down millions for media and millions more for production on ads that are apparently better theater than marketing? Are they destined to be classic mega-bucks boondoggles, or is there a method to their madcapness?

A couple of possibilities:

In many cases, they're not talking to you. You're not the right age, or income bracket, or you have different interests or attitudes than their specific target markets. Don't forget: there is no such thing as a brand that appeals to everyone. If the ad is done right, it's aimed at the most likely buyers. Segmentation Strategy: Strategy #2 of our Seven Essential Strategies of Advertising. For more information, go to our all-new website WizardOfAdz.com and click on Strategic Advertising.
 

The Super Bowl is a very special venue for ads, in that they tend to generate a lot of news media coverage and water-cooler chat. Consider, for example, that Google shows 17,708 articles related to its reference to Forbes' "The Winners and Losers of Super Bowl Commercials in 2012." Of course, the media don't latch on to marketing strategy; the buzz circles around entertainment value - humor, drama, sex. Want to know more about generating media interest in your company? Go to WizardOfAdz.com and click on Public Relations.

So did you see our ad on the Super Bowl? Of course you didn't! Who can afford the $3,500,000 per spot the media charged for those ads (almost $6,000 a second)? We can't...and we're pretty sure you can't either. Yet, it's amazing how many owner-managed businesses have NO advertising budget plan, despite the fact that they shell out thousands of dollars in advertising and related activities each year. No idea how much they can afford, how to apportion the funds, how to determine next year's marketing and sales objectives and plan towards achieving them.

That's why we've developed The Wizard's 3-Step Advertising Budget Calculator. It will help you determine what belongs in the advertising budget, what size it should be, and how to allocate it month-by-month for an entire year. To download it free, Go to WizardOfAdz.com and click on Free Downloads.

So sorry...no Super Bowl ad for us (or you). Call Sharon at 781-821-1818 or email her at Sharon@WizardOfAdz.com. Let us show you how well-designed plays executed with precision and discipline can help you score goal after goal.