March 23rd, 2017 by Climb United
The objective of marketing is to drive actions and changes in behavior. Ultimately, we want to create more awareness for our company…our products…our services…and our people…to capture market share and increase revenue!
As a result, we invest a lot of time and energy understanding the needs of the market and our customers and then telling them how we can improve their life. We gain this incredible insight often by just talking with our customers. This is the foundation of effective storytelling.
But markets change, and the needs of our customers change. And, we need to adjust our strategies and messages to align with these changes. Here’s how we helped a company in the healthcare industry rethink it’s marketing messages to help drive sales.
The healthcare environment has changed significantly in the last 10 years. With economic pressures mounting, technology that delivers only clinical value is often not enough… economic value is just as important. This company developed some innovative and leading technology and their marketing activities focused on selling clinical value. But the market has changed… and their messages need to evolve as well.
In order to learn more about the impact and importance of economics on the purchase of capital equipment, we conducted a series of interviews with healthcare executives, not just the physicians who used the technology. During these conversations, we wanted to:
– Learn more about the purchase process of capital equipment at a healthcare provider,
– Identify key owners and influencers and their roles in the purchase process,
– Understand the economic drivers behind a purchase process, and
– Create a campaign that delivers messages focused on economic value.
Here’s how we helped this company understand more about the economic drivers behind a purchase decision:
– We created a 45-minute discussion guide,
– We interviewed 15 C-level executives…representing each of the company’s customer segments,
– We identified the top 15 factors driving the purchase decision,
– We mapped the purchase process,
– We wrote three key messages (foundational pillars) and supporting points,
– We validated the messages,
– We identified proof points to validate our story, and
And, now we are creating materials to tell our story.
This process only took a few weeks, but provided valuable insight for the business and the marketing team about the buying process and the key drivers evaluated by their customers when making a million-dollar investment.
Markets evolve. When was the last time you really talked with your customers to learn what is important to them? And how they think about purchasing your products and services? Do you understand how your customers evaluate new investments? How are you telling your story?
Let us know if you want to learn more. Or, if we can help create a similar program for you.
Thomas Beckman
March 7th, 2017 by Bob Scot
We live in a cluttered world of mass marketing. There are endless ways to creating brand awareness. Digital media finds its way onto every device that we come in contact with. I remember that my father used to tell me a silly factoid that goldfish only remember something for 3 seconds. I wonder how many of us can recall an ad 3 seconds after we’ve viewed it.
Sensory branding is a type of marketing that appeals to all the senses in relation to the brand. Multi-sensory communications integrate audio, lights, print, video and even taste and scent.
At CLIMB United, we believe strongly in sensory branding. With digital media, you’re only stimulating your brain through sight. As the saying goes “out of sight – out of mind”. Your mind is going to hold onto something longer through additional stimulation. Combining touch, sight or even smell to your visual campaign will create a lasting memory and better R.O.I.
How do we do this?
I’m glad you asked. How about adding a hologram or Augmented reality to your print campaign as Porsche has been very successful in doing?
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/282743/porsche-adds-interaction-to-print-campaign.html
You can create an interactive print brochure with paper-thin LED screens multiple pre-programed videos and even make a live call or text directly from the printed page.
https://www.americhip.com/ourwork/dell-make-the-call-book.html
Did you know that you can create a WIFI hotspot through a print publication? Microsoft wanted a high profile ad to announce its Office 365 launch, which gave users access to their network from any location. Microsoft’s ad agency and printer created a live Wi-Fi hotspot directly in Forbes magazine.
https://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-turns-forbes-magazines-into-wi-fi-hot-spots/
Bottom line, ad campaigns aren’t cheap so make sure you are maximizing your ROI. Don’t settle for something that’s already saturating the market. Push that envelope to create something that combines sight, sound, touch and maybe even smell.
CLIMB United is creatively conquering the cluttered ad world and getting the attention that our clients deserve. We would love to work with you on your next Sensory Branded Campaign!
February 26th, 2017 by Climb United
Mary Zinn is a business development consultant at CLIMB United. Recently, she tried using LinkedIn to share her creative ideas with a hopeful client. She succeeded in getting the attention of the company and a call with the VP of Sales and Marketing. Below is her LinkedIn post.
WOULD YOU TRUST YOUR PICKLES TO ME?
I’m trying something different here; as I’m looking for new clients, I am hand-picking companies I think would be fun to work with. They don’t know me yet, and maybe I’ll never meet them, but today I’m learning about Van Holten’s (the pickle in a pouch people).
Why am I targeting them?
- Because they’ve got to be fun to work with and I love pickles! The photo above is from the company’s LinkedIn profile. Not every company can have such fun on LinkedIn. And the President has a photo of himself with a GIANT pickle on LinkedIn. Cute, right?
- They support The Boys and Girls Club and visible support for a local charity is important to me. They have committed $190k in the next five years. Maybe I can help them exceed that.
- They’re in what I consider to be a sweet spot of 50-200 employees. Not too small (no resources), not too big (too corporate). Surely, there is some way to make a “sour” joke here but I can’t think of it right now.
- They’re the leader in their space which means they’re smart. They’ve changed and continue to change their products over the years and seem to have a good handle on that. That speaks to me.
- I like the marketing they’re already doing. Their strategy is to position pickle in a pouch as an “alternative snack” and they do it with products called Big Papa, Hot Mama, Garlic Gus and Sour Sis. You can even print character coloring sheets from their website.
What am I hoping to pitch to them? Oh, I have lots of ideas brewing and can’t share that here, but suffice it to say, it will be very fitting with their brand, tons of fun and will probably include bacon somehow if I can help it; they already have a bacon related product (bacon cheddar popcorn).
Again, I may never meet the pickle folks in Waterloo, WI, but I can still have fun trying to figure out how I might help them strengthen their brand and sell more pickles. I’m an ideas person and the ideas I have here, will help another client somewhere down the road.
February 26th, 2017 by Climb United
We at CLIMB United are always trying to stay on top of industry trends, so we invited a sensory marketing expert in to share some cool stuff with us. Americhip spent more than an hour with us and we barely scratched the surface of all the attention-getting marketing pieces they offer. Honestly, it’s limitless.
Sensory branding is a type of marketing that appeals to all the senses in relation to the brand. Multi-sensory communications integrate audio, lights, materials, video and even taste and scent.
There are options at all budget levels so don’t assume it’s out of your price range; we can help you pick the best option for your business. Here are just a few examples:
Video Annual Report
This unique annual report had a face of a company executive on each page and a strategically placed cutout that had a video screen in it. As recipients flipped through the pages, they could press a button on the side and watch the mouth of one of the executives come to life and speak about the company’s recent achievements. And yes, if you really want to have some fun you can pick a video that doesn’t match the face (we did try this more than once).
Pop Up Brochure
3D Pop-Up Media Kit
A TV network that was launching a new mini-series created this piece to promote the show. The textured book was made of high-quality paper stock, and when opened, reveals a highly detailed “Red Tent” that literally pops up from the page. The piece engages both the sense of touch and sight with great three dimensional details.
Blow Out the Candle and…
The piece on the left was done by Americhip as a promotional piece to illustrate all the potential ways sensory marketing can be delivered. When you opened the brochure, the candle on the cupcake was lit and after you blow it out, you receive an applause! Think about celebrating your customers with something like this!
Pop up Brochure
Peel and Taste
And finally, to promote a new drama series, editions of Rolling Stone included a “peel and taste” that delivered a taste of this fictional mojito product from the show, Cane.
If you’d like help creating a campaign using one of these great ideas, get in touch with us at bob@climbunited.com. We are filled with ideas for you!
February 26th, 2017 by Climb United
To get better at something, it helps to recognize when you suck.
A lot of people suck at messaging—how you communicate about your company or product in any particular situation.
Oh, they don’t think they suck. In fact, the ones that suck the most? They truly believe their messaging is the cat’s meow.
The real problem? As buyer attitudes, expectations, and behaviors have changed, many sales and marketing pros are stuck on approaches that no longer work, and as a result, messages that no longer resonate.
In a world where breaking through the clutter is continually more difficult, that’s a BIG DEAL. If no one pays attention to your message, pretty soon no one pays attention to you. [Tweet this.]
So…wanna suck less at messaging? Do this one thing:
Consider anything you want to say from your buyer’s perspective.
And, more specifically, avoid common messaging traps by following these recommendations:
- Don’t start messages with your company or product. Who cares about you? I sure don’t. Focus on why I should care. Make me uncomfortable with where I am today.
- Never start with “We.” The messaging evil twin of “Start with Why,” it’s a surefire indicator you are not considering your buyers’ perspectives.
- Don’t make it all about you before anyone asks. Repeat after me. Who cares?
- Never beat your chest. Yes. It means the same thing as the previous three bullets. It’s that important. Don’t do it.
- Don’t immediately focus on what people can do with your product. If I don’t think I have a problem, your benefit statements don’t move me.
- Never emphasize ROI before all else. If I don’t think I have a problem, then your ROI metrics make zero sense to me…in fact they may have the opposite effect of what you intended.
- Don’t use the words “you need.” Do you know my business? My circumstances? My beliefs? Please don’t tell me what I need to do.
- Never use words like robust, enterprise, and utilize when simpler ones will do. The dirty little secret? If you say it more simply, you’ll stand out for the right reasons.
Is this an exhaustive list? Of course not!
But, avoiding these traps will make your messaging better, get buyers to pay more attention, and ultimately achieve world peace. (OK….maybe not that last thing.)
In any case, product messaging should be easy. Let’s make it so.
Zach Messler is a guest blogger for CLIMB United. He is a product marketing guy who helps sales and marketing pros succeed. You can reach him @zmessler and read more from him on LinkedIn.
