804-349-6463
|
By Mark Cipolletti, Pinch Hit Partners Founder and Fractional CMO
They say “it’s better to give than to receive.” That may be true, but when it comes to giving gifts to our business clients, it’s not just the thought that counts.
Our clients know we have ulterior motives and they often see our gifts as thinly veiled marketing and sales opportunities. So, like any marketing campaign, they scrutinize them and talk about what they like or dislike. I’m sure you’ve been on the receiving end of a client gift and compared the quality of items from various vendors or asked yourself, “Why did they think I would want this?” If you want your client holiday gift “campaign” to reach its goals then you need to treat it like any other marketing initiative. Here are some tips for making your client holiday gifts deliver.
By Mark Cipolletti, Pinch Hit Partners Founder and Fractional CMO
As a lifelong Cleveland Browns fan, seeing their winless drought end last night was a relief. I must admit that I’ve been embarrassed for the last few years to even claim them as my favorite team. Our hero-in-waiting, Baker Mayfield, came into the came and put an end to a 19-game losing streak that spanned 635 days (yes, we were counting). And what did Mayfield say to reporters after bringing this big victory to the city of Cleveland? “Dilly Dilly to the Cleveland fans!” That’s right, Bud Light won the game too. 
Photo: Bud Light
As a Cleveland native and Browns fan, I was happy to feel the joy of victory again. As a marketing consultant, I had to salute Bud Light for their marketing genius. If you aren’t familiar with the Bud Light promotion that I’m referring to, this may be the first of many times you will hear about it today and in the days to come.
Knowing that a Cleveland Browns victory would come at some point (hopefully this season!), Bud Light offered to give free beer to Browns fans to celebrate after the next win. Dozens of coolers were placed around the city of Cleveland and state of Ohio with 200 cans of beer locked inside each. Once the victory was official, the coolers were automatically opened. Brilliant, right? Bud Light knew this win would be big news – not just sports news – but a big national (maybe international) story. You know, one of those underdog, come from behind, feel good news stories. And what will each of those stories include? Free Bud Light for the fans. I bow to the creatives who concocted this plan. Of course social media is a buzz about the free beer giveaway. Even the Cleveland Police got into the act, tweeting, “We WON!!! — Wait…oh God. The free beer thing…Ok Cleveland. Stay calm. GO BROWNS!!!! @Browns @Budlight #CLE.” So, what’s the marketing moral of this story? Be prepared to take advantage of a big event that connects with your brand in some way. Sure Bud Light is a huge brand with a big budget and they are able to go really big with their version of this promotion, but that doesn’t mean that other brands or even a small local business can’t get creative and find a connection. Don’t be afraid to have some fun with your marketing. Surprise and delight your customers every once in a while. They’ll remember it. Go Browns! Dilly Dilly.
About the Author: Mark Cipolletti is a fractional Chief Marketing Officer and the founder of Pinch Hit Partners. If you’d like to chat about the Browns (or marketing) you can contact him at [email protected].
By Mark Cipolletti, Pinch Hit Partners Founder and Fractional CMO
It’s very difficult to get a new customer. And of course difficult translates to expensive. Research on this topic provides a wide range of figures on the costs associated with acquiring vs. retaining a customer, but most agree that it’s at least five times more costly to convince a new customer to buy than it is to get an existing customer to buy again. So, why do so many businesses quickly forget about the customers they already have – the ones they’ve paid so dearly to acquire? Do they think that just because someone bought from them once that they will automatically buy again? I hope not. Other brands are constantly selling to our customers so we must continue to engage with them too. Maybe it’s because most agencies that support our companies are focused on customer acquisition. When was the last time you heard an agency tout their latest award for an email they created for existing customers? Uh…never. Regardless of the reasons, the sad truth is that we often forget that most of our revenue comes from a small, but loyal, segment of our existing customers. Every marketing plan should include strategies for identifying our best customers and selling them more stuff. Here are some customer retention strategies to grow your business with the customers you already have:
By Mark Cipolletti, Pinch Hit Partners Founder and Fractional CMO
Over the last decade, the internet has fueled the growth of disruptors in every market segment. For many years, I worked in the travel industry where travel agents, tour operators and hoteliers saw their businesses forever changed by brands like Expedia, Travelocity, Jetsetter and Airbnb. Hailing a taxi cab has been replaced with Uber, Lyft and Safr. And buying a car has been transformed by the likes of TrueCar, Carvana and CarLotz. The list goes on. Market disruption is a form of differentiation, a way for a brand to stand out amongst its competition. Disruptors understand that simply focusing on price or service just won’t cut it anymore. They use a multi-dimensional approach to differentiating their offerings to gain adoption from buyers and attention from the media and investors. Try taking a page from the disruptor’s playbook to breathe new life into your company’s brand. Here are four techniques to consider:
By Mark Cipolletti, Pinch Hit Partners Founder and Fractional CMO
I’ve always been a consumer who appreciates an engaging customer experience. Like many people, I’m often willing to pay a premium for an experience that is enjoyable and makes my busy life a little bit easier. So, when my stockpile of razor blades from Costco was finally running out, I decided to try Dollar Shave Club. I’m sure you’re familiar with their funny television ads where their founder and CEO jokes about how expensive razor blades are and how stores keep them under lock and key. While saving a few bucks did sound nice, I was more interested in their company because I liked the brand promise and the anticipated experience. Using a subscription model, I would be able to receive my razor blades on a regular basis, delivered right to my door. No more large investments at Costco or late-night trips to CVS to restock. Guys love convenience and we don’t like shopping. Always make sure that you have a great product and then create a customer experience to support it.
Well, the experience was great. The purchase was easy and fun and the razor blades arrived quickly and were contained in clever package complete with marketing copy written in the brand’s unique voice. But then it happened…
Let’s just say that when the rubber met the road, or in this case when the blade met the face, the experience went from great to not so great. The blades were low quality. I cut my face multiple times. I felt like I had been tricked. Needless to say I canceled my subscription and have repurchased my favorite razor blades (although I did have to pawn a watch to buy them). The moral of this story is even a great customer experience – from brand to ads to purchase process – can’t overcome a poor product. Always make sure that you have a great product and then create a customer experience to support it. |
Pinch Hit Partners provides fractional marketing leaders to growth-oriented companies.
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
11/7/2018
2 Comments