In a Loud World, Be Bold or Be Lost, from Deloitte Digital | Adweek

October 25, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It has never been harder for advertisers to keep someone’s attention.

It used to be that all we needed to worry about was a viewer getting up from the boobtube to go to the bathroom or grab a drink. But today’s brands compete against devices that contain a bottomless well of content from around the world. Even the slightest unwanted interruption can encourage them to look away from what we’re saying and toward Facebook. Or Twitter. Or Instagram. Or Snapchat. Or Jyk.

Okay, that last one doesn’t exist, but you freaked out for a second that you hadn’t heard about it, didn’t you? That’s the kind of world we’re living in.

5 Cool Ways Creative Talent Can Help You Market Your Business | CoolBusinessIdeas.com

September 28, 2016September 28, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It takes a village to grow a business. The creatives of the professional world bring an intangible element to a marketing campaign. Without their unique skills, brands wouldn’t be memorable and a logo wouldn’t be able to convey an idea.

Creative professionals think outside of the box. They’re the ones revolutionizing the way we market and the mediums that are used. They give us new channels to connect with customers.

Here are a few of the most creative ways creative types are winning over customers.

Audi and Airbnb Offer Up a Crazy House in Death Valley, and a Great Ad to Go With It | Adweek

September 19, 2016September 16, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

If you fancy hanging out in the sizzling-hot middle of nowhere, with an endless expanse of sand all around and the occasional scorpion scuttling by for distraction, Audi’s got the promotion for you.

As part of its Emmy Awards sponsorship, the auto brand and Airbnb will offer fans the chance to book three-day getaways at the luxury Rondolino Residence in Death Valley, Nevada. The place is so isolated, it has no actual address—just coordinates on a map.

Guests get to drive a 2017 Audi R8 during their stay, which also includes chauffeur service from the airport, meals prepared by a personal chef and, according to press materials, “evening entertainment/activities.” (Scorpion races, perhaps?)

5 Benefits of Having a Website for Your Small Business | Small Biz Trends

September 15, 2016September 14, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Last week at SmallBizTrends I shared the statistic that 47 percent of small business owners still weren’t using social media because they didn’t feel it was important to their business. That post spurred a lot of strong comments, both on site here and on Facebook. Eventually the conversation went from whether SMBs should invest in social media to whether they even need a Website or an Internet presence at all.

I really wish we could stop having this conversation.

You probably know some businesses who are doing phenomenally well without a website. I do, too. But I often wonder how much better they could be doing if they took the time to invest in one. And when I say “website,” I don’t mean an electronic version of that brochure they’ve been handing out for the past 10 years. I mean a legitimate, well-thought-out site that is designed to inform, engage and convert their audience.

Even newspaper ads aren’t declining as fast as desktop ads | Mashable

September 14, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The next two years will not be kind to the now rapidly declining desktop ad industry, according to a new report from a leading prognosticator.

Zenith, owned by French media buying firm Publicis Media, predicts that spending on smartphone ads will eclipse their desktop counterparts much sooner than anticipated — possibly as soon as next year — as people do more of their web browsing on smaller devices.

While not much healthier in the long term, beleaguered newspapers and magazines are expected to fare better in the next two years, losing only $9.6 billion and $4.4 billion respectively compared to desktop’s projected $10.7 billion loss.

By 2018, the forecast says, mobile will account for as much as 60 percent of all internet advertising.

Can Tom Selleck Convince Seniors Reverse Mortgages Aren’t Too Good to Be True? | Adweek

September 7, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ 1 Comment

If you were around in 1987, you might remember People magazine naming Tom Selleck the “sexiest man in the world.” You might recall how that famous, mustached face graced the covers of the glossies and tabloids, or how Magnum, P.I.—the CBS series that pulled in up to 18.7 million weekly viewers during its eight-year run—made Selleck among the most recognizable faces in America. Playing an ex-special ops Vietnam vet in the show, Selleck skillfully blended his devilish playboy charm with a smart, hardened, patriotic side. It was an unbeatable combo—and it’s one a company called American Advisors Group is hoping can still work its old magic nearly three decades after Magnum ended.

Selleck, still swarthy and handsome at 71, has continued to play tough, no-nonsense TV characters, most recently Commissioner Frank Reagan on the CBS series Blue Bloods. But Selleck’s latest screen appearance is unlike anything he’s done before. Selleck recently began pitching AAG’s reverse mortgages. (A new spot is scheduled to debut today; watch the first one below.)

3 Things To Tell Every Customer |Small Biz Trends

September 1, 2016August 31, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Your customer’s or prospect’s attention is extremely important to your business. Let’s look at three statements you should be making and backing up to your customers.

Must Have Customer Communication

1. We Want Your Feedback

At the end of any purchase, project or service with your customer, let them know you want to understand how the customer experience was for them. While it’s great to use many different methods to get your customer’s thoughts post-sale, you will get more feedback by personally letting them know you care about it and want it.

Nike’s ‘Unlimited’ Series About Everyday Athletes Was the Most Remembered Olympic Ad | Adweek

August 24, 2016August 24, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

To determine the most effective TV spots of the Olympics, Google tracked the top 12 brands with ads that aired during NBC’s broadcasts by length and frequency, including Coca-Cola, Nike and BMW.

Collectively, the ads generated 3.5 billion impressions. The company’s data includes online surveys as well as traffic stats about Google searches.

Per Google’s findings, 34.4 percent of consumers remembered seeing Nike’s “Unlimited” campaign, which champions the stories of everyday athletes like Chris Mosier, Sister Madonna Buder and Kyle Maynard—the first quadruple amputee to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

Fuel Your Business by Answering These Two Questions | Entrepreneur

August 15, 2016 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Think niche! That’s actually a scary thing for entrepreneurs. You are starting a brand new business, and you don’t want to say no to anyone. You want — and need — to make sales. Naturally, the idea of targeting a very specific market, thereby excluding others, is scary.

I get it. When I started out, I positioned myself as a life, career and business coach. I was making sales, but was also targeting three distinct personas. This was no easy task, and it left me feeling drained.