iPhone 5, like a good marketing plan: if it ain’t broke don’t fix it
Love them or hate them Apple is about to do it again. The new iPhone 5 will be available later this month and at a glance it’s just a slightly taller iPhone4. But that’s why it’s so brilliant. iPhone is the most precious asset in a company full of precious assets. It’s the best selling phone on the planet so why would Apple stray from the formula? Sure to some the new iPhone 5 looks like Apple’s attempt at a pre-Christmas money grab but that’s also why they are masters at the business of business. Consumers are pre-programmed to spend money leading into the Christmas season so what better time to launch the next chapter of the most successful story in cell phone history.
The iPhone 5 will be on shelves on September 21st, which is one week before Apple’s fiscal year ends and the holiday quarter begins. How important are those three months to Apple’s bottom line? Last year during the same period, the iPhone 4S drove Apple’s fiscal first quarter smartphone sales to 37 million units, and an overall profit of $13 billion. To put that in context, that’s more money than Google made in all of 2011. (source: gizmodo.com)
Consumer trends are paramount in the marketing world and we can all take a lesson from the leaders at Apple. Having a great product is only step 1. Where, when and how to deliver that product can be the mega-factor for success. It’s why Apple stores at the mall are jam packed while all other stores seem empty by comparison. Apple gets people engaged in their product right from the get-go by getting the consumer base into a frenzy. Launching a product when people are primed to buy sets the tone and creates demand. From there the loyal consumer brand advocates carry the torch and Apple can turn their focus to the next thing – probably the iPhone 6. Which will, in all likelihood be just a marginally improved iPhone 5.
Here’s a great article on it from Gizmodo.com http://bit.ly/QXRZUA
How Erickson Group will save you money
Hiring a marketing company to save you money, seems contradictory but consider this: most businesses trending towards, or already at $1 million in annual revenue, are losing money by not working with an agency partner. How? By hiring one person designated to “marketing”. This one person time and time again gets overloaded with all the bits and pieces of corporate marketing. Everything from website updates to business cards to somehow trying to generate new business. There is no realistic way to accomplish a proper marketing plan with one person – unless you want them to burn out.
We look at it like this: in Company X they have one full-time staff member who does marketing. This person gets overloaded with work and others–usually Sr. Managers or even Exec’s–need to do some of the leftover work. Now, how much is each person’s time worth? The marketing person is paid a salary but they have too much work so other people are spending time in their day helping out. Let’s say 10% of the day from 2 other managers is also used up for “marketing”. That’s one full-time salary plus 20% of management’s salary dedicated to marketing. That adds up to one full day of management time lost to “marketing” each week. What is it worth to have your managers doing what they do best and not trying to spread too thin? In most businesses, it’s worth a lot.
Here’s a look at the numbers:
Let’s say in Company X the marketing person makes $65,000/yr and the managers make $100,000. That means that annually Company X is spending $65,000 on marketing PLUS an extra $20,000 from the managers. So in real terms, there’s a marketing budget of $85,000 that Company X is paying out. And for this fee they still carry all of the overhead: source deductions, vacation pay, computer equipment, benefits… you get the idea. Is there a better way to use that $85k/year – yes. Not only does an agency partner give you access to all ranges of experts (designers, programmers, copywriters, SEO specialists) but you get real “experts”. No single person does it all.
What does it mean for businesses:
Hiring Erickson Group offers you the best of all worlds. You get to use your marketing budget much more efficiently. Your full-time staff remain focused on what they do best while your business gets access to specialized experts which makes for a better product. You get the write-off expense instead of added overhead. If you are a company operating under the antiquated ideal that marketing must be done in-house I invite you to call our office and let’s chat about how we can help. Often times there is still an internal “marketing” person but now their focus is streamlined and simplified and they coordinate with our group directly. It’s a beautiful system and our clients are seeing benefits in all industries.
If you’re ready for a change that will elevate your brand, reduce your overhead and alleviate stress – it’s time for a chat.
SEO is no longer about broad reach, it’s about effective reach
SEO is every e-marker’s buzz word. It’s talked about around water coolers the world over but does the mass market we really know what it’s talking about? What makes for effective SEO? Do I use Panda guidelines or Penguin? How much do I need to depend on Social Media?
Google changes the rules more than 500 times per year so is there really any measurable science to SEO success? The short answer is yes – you just have to know what you’re doing. No different than a stock broker. Someone immersed in the industry studying trends, evaluating risk and ultimately moving forward using proven methods. SEO is the exact same. Without dedicated support there’s just no sustainable way for the “weekend warrior” to generate results. To this end we engage our clients for SEO programs using dedicated experts. There’s just no other way to manage all the elements of the moving landscape to be effective. It’s not the easiest way, but it’s the only way to get measurable results.
Now consider this – Google’s new SEO platform (Penguin) regulates that a well optimized site is no longer enough. Google is looking for social engagement. Your site needs to advocate for your brand and get your consumer base engaged. The more they talk, the better your SEO. The interactive exchanges that people have with each other and with the brand–online–are happening in the social media channel, and the search engines are placing an increasing importance on how these conversations influence their views on brands and how their websites should rank.
What does it all mean to the average business? It means that the days of the in-house “marketing” person are over. It’s no longer a jack-of-all-trades discipline. Businesses need to evolve and dedicate resources to branding, online development and effective marketing. It’s not about broad reach anymore it’s about effective reach. How are you engaging with your customers? How are they responding? What does it mean for your business?
It’s time to stop asking “How do I optimize my website” and start asking “How do I optimize my brand”.
Here’s a great read with a ton of more info: read more
Eighty-Nine Totally Useless Business Cliches
If you’re an MBA at Business School right now, stop studying for that Accounting test next week. I’m going to make it much easy for you to succeed in your career. Assuming you get your degree, you’re going to have a basic… full article
5 Tips for Using Humor in Social Media
Can you remember something funny? Humor can go a long way with social media. In fact, with most marketing humor is a great way to break through the clutter and make your message stand out. The major caution here is of course to keep your message in tact. How many times have we been telling friends or colleagues about a commercial or an ad we saw yet have no clue who the company behind it was. Don’t let the humor be the “only” thing people remember! You want to get them talking, but talking about YOU.
Here’s a great quick read about using effective humor in marketing.
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-tips-for-using-humor-in-your-social-media-activities/
Experts chime in on the vital importance of a “digital strategy” for businesses
Over the years it’s been obvious how much we’ve all been impacted by the internet. Virtually anything you want, from information to entertainment, is a click away. This shift in market control has completely empowered the consumer and often left businesses reeling to try and “keep up with the times”. Spending now happens anywhere – not just in a retail store so it’s now more important than ever to make sure your brand experience has not only a presence online, but a good one.
Digital strategy used to mean “having a website”. In today’s reality it’s about the cohesive experience that meets and exceeds consumer expectations all while they comfortably sit on their couch. It’s about enriching their journey from inquiry to purchase to customer care. “Having a website” is no longer enough.
Your customers are now expecting online experiences.
They are no longer satisfied with “a website”.
Here is some incredible insight and food for thought from some of the leading market research firms in the world.
Even the NBA is going Social
Well, sort of. Nike is using the NBA to continue their leading-edge presence. Great read on how sports tv turns into marketing revenue for Nike
http://mashable.com/2011/06/13/nike-social-media-nba-playoffs/
