Maxys Max Media and Entertainment

I was heading across town the other day and saw a local plumbers mobile phone number on the back of his truck and an old "Find Me in Yellow" sticker , I called, left a message and three days later still not reply. 

What's the point of advertising if you can't get the next part right? 

In hindsight I suppose it's just supply and demand and that some plumbers don't need to advertise - a good reputation and word of mouth is most important. 

Anyway, in other industries that's not quite the case, there's a battle for customers and advertising is critical to the mix.   Even in a 50% downturn there's still 50% to be spent!

Yesterday small business advertising landscape was dominated by the Yellow Pages.  Today advertising dollars are migrating to where customers now find out and talk about your products and services - that's online - whether Google, Facebook or the other billion or so websites and services out there.

Australian online advertising spend was around $1.7B last year and growing while conventional media is decreasing.  The current economic climate is only going to increase online marketing's share of the advertising dollar.

The majority of those online advertising dollars are going to Google Adwords - the paid, auction type classifieds listing in the right hand column of search.

It's sort of funny how a majority of businesses have just transferred the old Yellow Pages, dominant market share "Not happy Jan" if you're not in, belief across to Adwords.

Don't get me wrong, Adwords is important but IMHO it's not as important as good content and design, SEO (Search Engine Optiminisation) and a good business to start with.

For example spend money on advertising and web only to take ten rings to answer the phone or three days to reply to an inquiry email.   Not good.

I'm amazed how much is thrown at all these advertising options to  drive people to a website only to deliver an ordinary experience.  That first 15 seconds on a website is the most important - it has to quickly build trust and transform a web site browser into an inquiry. 

The better your website qualifies the visitor the less physical resources required to manage the leads.

As a student of marketing and advertising we were always taught to create a Sustainable Competitive Advantage - whether that is brand, a unique selling point (USP),  service, distribution, your company culture, staff, partners and systems.

Whatever it is, it has to be something that is important to the customer.

With the today's Connected Net - Internet advertising delivers online word of mouth marketing and reputation building.

CLIVE significantly enhances your website visitors experience - adding life and personality to any website.

BUT, Clive is not about technology it is about communication and building a relationship with your visitor and customers, so here a five tips and steps on writing effective video scripts for CLIVE.

Tip 1. It's not just about you - communication is a two way street

Internet Marketing guru Seth Godin wrote recently about what makes a great presenter

1. Respect (from the audience)

2. Love (to the audience)

In your customers shoes

Australian 2008 Businesswoman of the Year, Naomi Simson from Red Balloon Days in her blog writes about...

Years ago when I ran marketing workshops as part of my previous business I came across the old 1950's print advertisement with the grumpy old man sitting in a chair who says...

"I don't know who you are.

I don't know your company.

I don't know your company's product.

I don't know what your company stands for.

I don't know your company's customers.

I don't know your company's record.

I don't know your company's reputation.

Now - what was it you wanted to sell me?"

McGraw-Hill Magazines.

Tip 2. Within your Big Picture - Creating the Brief

CLIVE video can bring any website to life but you need to think about your overall communication objectives

What is your web site brief?

Tip 3. The 5 CLIVE Video Script Steps

Start with the end in mind. 30 seconds maximum (approximately 70 words) for Home page Introduction.

The first 12 seconds are the most important!

Objective

The aim of your video is to meet, greet and establish a level of customer trust as efficiently as possible with strong call to action.

AIDA - Attention - Interest - Decision/ Desire - Action

With that in mind, let's translate the video intent into words and actions.

We going to work from a broad perspective and eventually narrow it down.

First off take a step back -

Step 1. Get lateral and think visual - the 6w's - taken from "On the Back of a Napkin"

The - Who/What; How Much; Where; When; How and Why?. (You should have most of this from the web brief above).

• Who is the targeted audience?
• What is their profile?
• Who are you [Introduction]
• What is your Product/Service being sold?
• What problems do you solve?
• What is in it for them (the viewer/ customer)? [WIIFM Key Communication]
• Why you? (build trust and competitive advantage) [Sustainable Competitive Advantage]
• What questions will they ask?
• What do you want them to do? [Call to Action]

Step 2. Revise - Is it Customer Focused?

Step 3. How long - less is more - Script Calculator

Step 4. Media Space and Style considerations

The CLIVE/ Internet rich media space is unique - unlike television or video in a box you're within the viewers "personal space" - ie usually less than a meter. Use it to build your relationship with the viewer.

• Conversational, warm and friendly - meet, greet, engage and direct.
• The video screen is a stage, work with it, not limited to a box, think creative.
• Get quickly to the point - ie WIIFM (What's In It For Me)
• Create a memorable first impression
• Be creative, entertain and inspire your audience
• Have fun.
• Rehearse aloud

Step 5

• Put it down and let it breath for a day. Revise

Tip 4. Most Important - Deliver Expectations

Deliver on the promise you make - you can have the slickest presentation BUT if your product and service doesn't deliver then your customers will hold you to account as quickly as it takes to click and post a comment.

Tip 5. Listen to your customers

Create feedback loops, Google alerts, Twitter scans and respond quickly.

Hope that helps

Cheers

Maxy

Tsunamis of Change and the Creative Economy 

This is Part 1 in a new creative project I'm working on looking at Australian Digital Media Strategy.

As every business owner knows the economic landscape has been rapidly altered after the stock market crash of last year - it's a bit like looking out the window after the Pearl Harbor attack - most of the destruction done, the full reverberating impact still too early to tell. 

The old supply demand ratio and attitudes (including the much maligned Y-Gens) of the last twenty years has changed, as a result, new thought-models, approaches, attitudes and opportunities will surface and prosper.

In today's market Buyers are now back in full control - cash is scarce and surviving companies must actively compete.  As a supplier you are either a commodity or added higher value - the middle ground will be flattened.

A contracting marketplace offers smart expanding companies the ability to increase market share as their competitors retreat and defend - head in sand, reactive.

From the laggard industrial manufacturing complex through the Information Economy we will move towards an Innovation/ Creative Economy 

One of the biggest impacts will be on the media, advertising and the entertainment/ Internet video space (think how Ipods changed the music industry and how faster broadband wil impact video, film and television).  

There will be an accelerated shift towards online video advertising and marketing away from conventional television, newspapers and magazines.

A great little video from PRBlogger

How PR works online

Adobe Flash Player not installed or older than 8.0.22!

This then raises the question of who are Australia's most influential Internet users?

How would you create a list? Some initial thoughts...

• Top 100 Australian Bloggers - how many subscribers?  How many comments? (any list needs to be contextual and relevant)
• Facebook and Linkedin - how many friends/ associates - engagement and influence?
• Google - number of articles and links etc
• Corporations/ Government - The Telstra's, News Ltd's, Seven Sunrise, politicians and celebrities
• Twitter/ Flickr/ Youtube and so on 

Engagement

Once you have your list how do you engage?

In sales, the best customer is through a trusted third party referral.

For example, hey Scott, you're in marketing do you know a good event management company?  Absolutely - Monique at Creative Stars.

Most people begin any new purchase with a search (see How PR works online above).

The question is how do you engage influencers without trying to sell them, ie jamm a message down their throat like historial repeat and interupt advertising?

WIIFM  - What's In It For Me?

1. What is your product or service? (keywords and message)
2. What does it mean to your customers (wants and needs)?

Inspire

In the online world original, quality "content is King".

Find a creative approach, create something new and share. [Goes for swim and walks to coffee shop]

At coffee this morning the idea crystallizes.  I've been looking to incorporate more of my photography interests (particularly portraits) within my work.

Implementation

1. Broad scope campaign -the 6 w's - Who/What, How, When, Where, How much, Why?
2. Research lists and compile
3. Create holding content pages
4. Begin target engagement
5. Market/ Share/ Engage

I like it.  A new project for the year (stay tuned)

New Years Resolution

I had to laugh, on New Years Day my brother's resolution was to help break everyone elses.  Wiser then at first account, the knowledge that recent research shows that it takes two years of constant application to develop a new instinctive habit.  I suppose that's a lot better then being set in your ways from early childhood but it certainly dispels the myth of effective sudden change.  More successful, for example, is slowly dropping from three beers or coffees down to one. 

Anyway, don't you think it's funny how we make New Year's resolutions - as if, just this date is enough to signify a changing tide.  I suppose the New Year gives you the opportunity to reflect on the last year - how much has changed?  In reflection what did we have?  

The Year That Was

Without doubt when we look back in years ahead it will be the financial market meltdown that will be etched forever in the time line of mankind.  From what I understand what started out as a good meaning US social/ political plan ten years or so ago to provide subsidised housing loans to the poor (who could never repay) escalated into an ever widening chasm of poor financial accountability and management. 

As usual somewhere in the process good old fashioned greed and the prospect of easy money crept in and spread like an airborne virus in a wind storm, undetectable in it's clever disguise through the productization of financial derivatives and products - at its root "credit" - no rocket science here! 

What is surprising is the reaction to the level of drop (around 40-50%) - as the sideline analysts now say the market was ALWAYS going to correct, a bull run for 15 or so years is unsustainable.  Yep, it's all just basic economics  - don't borrow more then you can afford to pay.  Problem is much of the ability to borrow was based upon highly overvalued leveraged assets all wrapped around retirees superannuation funds - what a cascading mess!

But life moves on and we accept the hard facts - quite casually in many cases

Maybe the Internet and communications technology of today has helped spread the softening cushion.  People are more versed and educated.  You lose some money, "so what" they say or maybe this is a little myopic and the tide is still moving out - the full impact yet to be felt?

You then look at the reverberating effects, like a brick dropped in a small shallow pond  - what markets will be most impacted - where will the jobs be lost; the pain, suffering and hardship, on the other side what are the emerging opportunities caused by this sudden Tsunami of Change?

Waves of defense

We've seen a wave of bail out packages but will they work?  On the street consumers have already pulled in their spending.  Who could imagine borrowing 90% for a new house or buying an expensive new car or boat at the moment or that expensive overseas holiday right now?

Whatever industry will will inevitably see market consolidation as those that have borrowed too heavily either collapse or are sold at a discount.

Many luxury items and those downstream will be effected - think drop in property prices impacting real estate, building industry production and at the bottom of the chain bricklayers. In the same breath, an aging population creating demand for nursing homes; health services and low cost housing.

Think cars and downstream to tyre manufacturers as people hold off changing tyres.

Purses will be tightened, money will go from luxuries to essentials.  Escapism will take other forms. 

From a media perspective - changes in behavior - the movement away from conventional advertising spending towards accountable online advertising.

For me personally, it has been cherishing the lessons passed on my beloved dad, the final closing the doors on the BANGitUP chapter (and some strong lessons), a renewed love and focus on my photography development  and the launch of the very cool and innovative CLIVE video project.

To my friends and readers, all interesting times ahead and all the best for 2009.