I know, I'm cheating. This is a personal blog infringing on a business blog, but hey, sometimes, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Last week, my family lost one of the great Silents - Peg Reynolds - my mother-in-law and my friend. She wasn't like most Silent era women. In fact, to hear her tell it, she wasn't like anyone else. She was unique. Although she fit the mold of the divorced silent who after many years of marriage was thrust into the workforce when she never thought she would be, she always felt like she was destined for something else. She told me often that she was born before her time. She was unique at a time when individuality was frowned upon. She often told stories of how she would get in trouble from the nuns when she would ask a question. She had a knack for asking questions that no one else had ever thought of. And she never rested until she found an answer - even if it was "I don't know." She lived in her own little world that I dubbed "Ninga's World" (her grandchildren called her Ninga - not ninja - Ninga) Life was different in Ninga's World. Although she went through periods of extreme bitterness,she always brought it around in the end to be ok.
As she got older, she softened a little. I can truly say though that if there was ever something that could go wrong, it would happen to Ninga. I was going to change the title of Murphy's law to Peggy's Law. It was certain that if luggage was going to be lost, it would be hers. If medication was going to run out, it would be the one she needed just one more of, if a meal was going to be served cold, it would the one put in front of her. In the beginning of our marriage, I cringed every time we had to go out into public. Not because she would always make a scene when soemthing went wrong (she did) but because every time we would go out, something would go wrong. But to her defense, my daughter got huge discounts on the special dress that Ninga bought her because something was missing from the dress. The pharmacist at Walgreens gave her free medication after telling her that the pills she needed would cost her three times as much than what she would pay at home. The meals were free after the food didn't look like the picture. The point is, she knew how to fight for what she wanted. While many of us would be embarrassed or too shy to demand better - she made it an art form. I just learned to let her do her thing - even if it meant that I'd wait in the car. I don't have that kind of courage.
In her death, she finally found the easy way. It was sudden and completely unexpected, but she died without suffering. I am so glad she found the easy way at the last minute. It's not easy for her family, but hey, she's been taking the brunt of the hard stuff all her life. She deserved to die in peace. I will miss her terribly, but am honored to have called her my mother-in-law. I hope she finds peace and the easy way and in heaven, her uniqueness will be rewarded forever. RIP Peggy.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Ka BOOMERS! The generation that exploded!
Since my last blog I've had the pleasure of presenting generational information to the Public Relations Society of America's Gulfcoast Chapter. Other than that, I've been flat out too busy to update this blog. Sorry. I'll try to do better.
This blog is dedicated to the Baby Boomers. Wow! What a group! They are huge! (Notice the line of exclamation points. They deserve all three of them.) Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. Their formative years were in the 50s, 60s and 70s. There is a very wide range among those decades and lots of 50s baby boomers don't really think that they identify very much with the 70s ones, but they are all connected. There are two very distinct waves though that are recognized.
Common factors:
All boomers grew up when there were still only three television stations that the whole family watched together. They all enjoyed rock and roll music - even though the definition of that genre changed a bit over time. They felt pretty secure in their families and lives. One of the biggest bonds the entire boomer clan share though is credited to Dr. Benjamin Spock. Dr. Spock came out with a statement never before considered. He said, "Children should be raised to be idealistic." Huh??
Silent mothers had no idea what this meant. They were raised to do as they were told, be seen and not heard, work hard and follow the rules. Now, here comes along this doctor who must be really smart because, well, he's a doctor and shakes EVERYTHING up. The boomers were the first group of kids who believed they could accomplish ANYTHING - regardless of race or gender. That's when things started to get a little sticky. Boomers had what they needed and then some. They also were idealistic in believing that everybody should be in the same boat. Therefore, women and blacks should have an equal place at the table. Those ideas changed the world.
Look back first.
Keep in mind that the generation before - the Silents - were always aware of where they stood. Women at home taking care of kids. Men at work. If they worked hard, did what they were told and remained loyal to the company, they would get rewarded. One thing these white males didn't have was competition. Until...
The 80 hour work week begins
For the first time, rewards were no longer guaranteed for hard work. First wave boomers started to see their fathers losing their jobs or promotions to women and blacks who were just beginning to enter the work place. This had a profound effect on young boomers. While they believed in equality, many were still somewhat racist and felt that this intrusion into their lives was a matter of disrespect. Second wave boomers saw it as a catalyst to keep the momentum going. As famous Silents like Gloria Steinem and Martin Luther King whipped second wave boomers into a frenzy, first wave boomers who were just entering the workplace found that hard work may not be enough. This conflicted with the idealism engendered in this group. They knew they could do it - they would just have to do it differently than their fathers did.
So let's look at this generation: White males had to work harder to compete with blacks and women in the workplace. Blacks and women had to work harder because they had to prove themselves to be better than the white males.This started the era of the 80 hour work week. Workaholics became the eventual Yuppies. Individual ideas and innovation became the standards by which workers were judged. Standing out was how you were noticed. There were some amazing innovations that emerged from this and some devastating results on family life. This was also the time when African Americans first made their way into the vernacular. Boomers who may have resented the competition did not ever want to look like they were racist, so they made it politically incorrect to call blacks black. The dawn of African Americans took shape. For any person of color who reads this blog, please don't ever be offended by my use of the word black to describe someone of African decent. I'm a Gen Xr and will explain it at a different time. Suffice it to say that none of my black friends are offended by being called black, so I am ok with it too. That's how Gen Xrs are, but more on that later.
The other really big thing
Ironically, some generational experts say that a really tiny thing was really the other big thing that formed the baby boomer generation. The birth control pill. When the pill became commonly used, it opened the door for some major changes. Women no longer had to worry about getting pregnant if they had sex outside of marriage. This started the sexual revolution. Add to it the drug culture that became prevalent and you can begin to understand the ramifications. One of the other "silent" side effects of the pill was the increase of extramarital affairs with young boomer women and older silent men. These infidelities led to an increase in the divorce rate, which threw many silent women into the work place who never wanted to be there in the first place.
Boomers by any other name are...the Peter Pan Generation.
I don't think we will ever see an old baby boomer. That's because they absolutely refuse to grow up. They are forever young and truly believe that they will remain that way. The forever young attitude will keep plastic surgeons, health food stores, fitness clubs and fashion designers fat and happy for a long time. Roger Daltry (a silent, by the way - but on the cusp) stated it very clearly - "I hope I die before I get old" Those words are the anthem for boomers. Notice, it doesn't say, I want to die young. It says, I want to die before I become like one of them. Boomers will stay active as long as humanly possible. Communicators would be wise to avoid any mention of aging - no matter how nicely you put it. Golden years, mature, senior, elder, aging, are all words that mean death to a brand if marketing to boomers. The proof is in Cadillac's commercials. They tried showing boomers that they had arrived. They created commercials showing the Country Club and the Trophy Wife. Sales tanked. They changed their concept and showed a really cool Caddy zipping through the smoke with the Led Zeppelin song "Break on through" telling the whole story. Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Any car is cool with Led Zepp endorsing it. Ironically, PT Cruisers were also extremely popular among boomers. They reminded them of the old "woodies" they grew up with - but Cruisers had more style.
There is a lot to say about boomers. To wrap it up nicely, they are very intelligent, idealistic, hard working, dedicated to excellence, demanding, rebellious, go-getters, workaholics, open minded, socially conscious and I hate to say it, but they're starting to get _ L D _ R. Sorry, I can't commit the political suicide it would be to say they are getting older out loud. But that's a fact. One other little thing to think about...
It's still about the sex.
Did you know that boomers and some silents represent the fastest growing group of people newly diagnosed (or not yet diagnosed) with sexually transmitted diseases and infections? Why? There are lots of reasons. Such as:
1) When they were first experimenting with lots of sex, there were only two STDs. Now, there are a bunch more.
2) Back then, sex education was non-existent, therefore safe sex meant you were on the pill.
3) Erectile dysfunction medication makes it easier for formerly impotent men to continue with an active sex life.
4) Mid-life divorces are leading many to try online dating sites which often lead to one-night or even several nights with someone they don't really know.
5) Since many have already gone through menopause, they don't need to use condoms, because they can't get pregnant anymore.
Time for the shameless but very real client plug. Baby boomers (and even a few silents!) need to get tested for STDs and STIs if they are not in a long-term monogomous relationship and have had sex with anyone else. Luckily, they can do it discreety and confidentially at www.personalabs.com or justgettested.com.
Education is first.
Action is second. (Get tested)
Medication is third.
Next blog will be about my favorite generation - Generation X. Why? Because I am one. BUT I too am just about on the cusp so I really do understand much of what baby boomers go through and I can totally understand that even though I'm on the cusp, I'm a full-blooded Gen Xr. You'll just have to wait till next time to find out what all that means.
This blog is dedicated to the Baby Boomers. Wow! What a group! They are huge! (Notice the line of exclamation points. They deserve all three of them.) Baby Boomers were born between 1946 and 1964. Their formative years were in the 50s, 60s and 70s. There is a very wide range among those decades and lots of 50s baby boomers don't really think that they identify very much with the 70s ones, but they are all connected. There are two very distinct waves though that are recognized.
Common factors:
All boomers grew up when there were still only three television stations that the whole family watched together. They all enjoyed rock and roll music - even though the definition of that genre changed a bit over time. They felt pretty secure in their families and lives. One of the biggest bonds the entire boomer clan share though is credited to Dr. Benjamin Spock. Dr. Spock came out with a statement never before considered. He said, "Children should be raised to be idealistic." Huh??
Silent mothers had no idea what this meant. They were raised to do as they were told, be seen and not heard, work hard and follow the rules. Now, here comes along this doctor who must be really smart because, well, he's a doctor and shakes EVERYTHING up. The boomers were the first group of kids who believed they could accomplish ANYTHING - regardless of race or gender. That's when things started to get a little sticky. Boomers had what they needed and then some. They also were idealistic in believing that everybody should be in the same boat. Therefore, women and blacks should have an equal place at the table. Those ideas changed the world.
Look back first.
Keep in mind that the generation before - the Silents - were always aware of where they stood. Women at home taking care of kids. Men at work. If they worked hard, did what they were told and remained loyal to the company, they would get rewarded. One thing these white males didn't have was competition. Until...
The 80 hour work week begins
For the first time, rewards were no longer guaranteed for hard work. First wave boomers started to see their fathers losing their jobs or promotions to women and blacks who were just beginning to enter the work place. This had a profound effect on young boomers. While they believed in equality, many were still somewhat racist and felt that this intrusion into their lives was a matter of disrespect. Second wave boomers saw it as a catalyst to keep the momentum going. As famous Silents like Gloria Steinem and Martin Luther King whipped second wave boomers into a frenzy, first wave boomers who were just entering the workplace found that hard work may not be enough. This conflicted with the idealism engendered in this group. They knew they could do it - they would just have to do it differently than their fathers did.
So let's look at this generation: White males had to work harder to compete with blacks and women in the workplace. Blacks and women had to work harder because they had to prove themselves to be better than the white males.This started the era of the 80 hour work week. Workaholics became the eventual Yuppies. Individual ideas and innovation became the standards by which workers were judged. Standing out was how you were noticed. There were some amazing innovations that emerged from this and some devastating results on family life. This was also the time when African Americans first made their way into the vernacular. Boomers who may have resented the competition did not ever want to look like they were racist, so they made it politically incorrect to call blacks black. The dawn of African Americans took shape. For any person of color who reads this blog, please don't ever be offended by my use of the word black to describe someone of African decent. I'm a Gen Xr and will explain it at a different time. Suffice it to say that none of my black friends are offended by being called black, so I am ok with it too. That's how Gen Xrs are, but more on that later.
The other really big thing
Ironically, some generational experts say that a really tiny thing was really the other big thing that formed the baby boomer generation. The birth control pill. When the pill became commonly used, it opened the door for some major changes. Women no longer had to worry about getting pregnant if they had sex outside of marriage. This started the sexual revolution. Add to it the drug culture that became prevalent and you can begin to understand the ramifications. One of the other "silent" side effects of the pill was the increase of extramarital affairs with young boomer women and older silent men. These infidelities led to an increase in the divorce rate, which threw many silent women into the work place who never wanted to be there in the first place.
Boomers by any other name are...the Peter Pan Generation.
I don't think we will ever see an old baby boomer. That's because they absolutely refuse to grow up. They are forever young and truly believe that they will remain that way. The forever young attitude will keep plastic surgeons, health food stores, fitness clubs and fashion designers fat and happy for a long time. Roger Daltry (a silent, by the way - but on the cusp) stated it very clearly - "I hope I die before I get old" Those words are the anthem for boomers. Notice, it doesn't say, I want to die young. It says, I want to die before I become like one of them. Boomers will stay active as long as humanly possible. Communicators would be wise to avoid any mention of aging - no matter how nicely you put it. Golden years, mature, senior, elder, aging, are all words that mean death to a brand if marketing to boomers. The proof is in Cadillac's commercials. They tried showing boomers that they had arrived. They created commercials showing the Country Club and the Trophy Wife. Sales tanked. They changed their concept and showed a really cool Caddy zipping through the smoke with the Led Zeppelin song "Break on through" telling the whole story. Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Any car is cool with Led Zepp endorsing it. Ironically, PT Cruisers were also extremely popular among boomers. They reminded them of the old "woodies" they grew up with - but Cruisers had more style.
There is a lot to say about boomers. To wrap it up nicely, they are very intelligent, idealistic, hard working, dedicated to excellence, demanding, rebellious, go-getters, workaholics, open minded, socially conscious and I hate to say it, but they're starting to get _ L D _ R. Sorry, I can't commit the political suicide it would be to say they are getting older out loud. But that's a fact. One other little thing to think about...
It's still about the sex.
Did you know that boomers and some silents represent the fastest growing group of people newly diagnosed (or not yet diagnosed) with sexually transmitted diseases and infections? Why? There are lots of reasons. Such as:
1) When they were first experimenting with lots of sex, there were only two STDs. Now, there are a bunch more.
2) Back then, sex education was non-existent, therefore safe sex meant you were on the pill.
3) Erectile dysfunction medication makes it easier for formerly impotent men to continue with an active sex life.
4) Mid-life divorces are leading many to try online dating sites which often lead to one-night or even several nights with someone they don't really know.
5) Since many have already gone through menopause, they don't need to use condoms, because they can't get pregnant anymore.
Time for the shameless but very real client plug. Baby boomers (and even a few silents!) need to get tested for STDs and STIs if they are not in a long-term monogomous relationship and have had sex with anyone else. Luckily, they can do it discreety and confidentially at www.personalabs.com or justgettested.com.
Education is first.
Action is second. (Get tested)
Medication is third.
Next blog will be about my favorite generation - Generation X. Why? Because I am one. BUT I too am just about on the cusp so I really do understand much of what baby boomers go through and I can totally understand that even though I'm on the cusp, I'm a full-blooded Gen Xr. You'll just have to wait till next time to find out what all that means.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Talkin' Bout My Generation
It's been quite a while since my last blog. That's due to an unusually busy December during which I helped launch a highly successful business in Fort Myers. The business is a long-term off-airport parking alternative to the current more expensive on-airport parking. After frantically applying as many marketing and budget conscious advertising strategies I could muster, coupled with some marketing and sales techniques employed by the company, I can happily say, the efforts resulted in a huge success. The goal was to have 1,000 cars parked in the new lot by Christmas day. The biggest challenge? The lot was not slated to open until Dec. 18 and even THAT was an iffy proposition. We enacted a very intensive radio campaign, Val-Pak coupons, publicity plan, street signage, facebook fan page, and emailed coupon campaign. The end result was 1,075 cars in the lot on Christmas day. Woo Hoo!
One of the interesting aspects of this campaign was applying one of my favorite strategies: Generational Marketing. In the next few blogs, I'm going to focus on different generations as I've studied them. My interest started when I heard Chuck Underwood speak at a conference. His book, "The Generational Imperative" is a must-read for anyone interested in this discipline. I've recently gotten several generational books and my husband used the theories presented for a research paper on cross-cultural communication.
The premise of generational marketing and communication is understanding that we are all similar in our attitudes and beliefs based on the state of the environment in which we experienced our formative years - basically our school-aged years. If you were raised for instance in the 30's, your attitudes are very similar to most others who lived during that time, but drastically different than those raised in the 70s. That seems like a no-brainer, but the interesting part is that you don't have to have had the exact same experiences to have the same attitudes. For example, I am a Generation Xer. Although, the cut-off from Baby Boomer to Xer is only two years prior, my attitudes and beliefs are firmly planted in my generation and not the former. Our generation was the first group to have latch-key kids. We were the first to have television directed strictly to us. We were the first to have a president resign in humiliation and our country defeated in Vietnam. As a generation, we are considered to be extremely cynical and survivors. We rely on our friends more than family and will come up with a solution that serves our purposes and those of our friends. We're not global thinkers as much. We're more worried about what happens at home, then what happens abroad. This is just a quick synopsis of Gen X. There is plenty more and I'll go into that in future blogs. The point is - I was NOT a latch key kid. I was NOT raised by Baby Boomers (unlike many of my peers). These two things were very important in forming the attitudes of my generation. I have the attitudes, but I didn't have the direct experience. It really is facinating to talk about this to a room full of differing generations. You can see each generation nod their heads as it is described - even if the factors that lead to that definition don't fit their lives. It's all about what you grew up with in society.
The Silent Generation
The first generation I'm going to focus on is the Silent Generation. Born 1927 to 1945, this generation experienced some very dynamic societal effects. As they were going through school, they watched war heroes (the GI Generation) return to the United States. These GI's were strong and valiant. They were confident in their abilities and looked up to by an entire generation of worshippers. Silents, relatively small in comparison to the GI generation, wanted to be just like the GIs. They lived in post-war prosperity and held strictly traditional values. They were in the era of the S&H greenstamps and valued bonuses with purchases (coke glasses with purchase of a gallon of gas) Women were valued as mothers and wives who kept a clean and tidy home, had a nice cake baking in the oven for after-school snacks and made sure the children were presentable when father came home. A well-run home was the Silent Generation woman's heart's desire. She went to college strictly to find a good husband or to become a teacher or nurse - the only two acceptable careers for women. Silent Generation males were all about conformity. They wore their gray flannel suits and put the needs of "The Company" before everything else. They were not rewarded for ingenuity, but for being a good and loyal worker. The needs of the company were far more important than the needs of the individual. If you worked hard and remained loyal, you would not only have job security (most Silents remained at the same jobs all their lives) but you would be promoted and paid based on your loyalty. Sometimes, that included remaining silent if you saw corruption and blindly following the GI leaders who must know better. They trusted authority and viewed the news media as a reasonable source for valid information. They read newspapers and watch television news extensively.
The Silents call themselves the Greatest Generation and indeed, in many ways they were. They embraced the joy in life and thrilled to the sounds of Doo Wop. They loved to dance and revelled in the stability and warmth of a loving family.
Where's the Beef?
That's the background, now for the marketing meat. How do you reach Silents? Go for the grandchild card. They have an uncommon attachment to their grandchildren. Prior to the Clara Peller days, Wendy's successfully launched a campaign depicting grandmother and granddaughter sharing some love over a Wendy's burger. Brilliant!
Silents believe that they've worked hard all their lives and deserve to be rewarded. They want to be young and vibrant - spending the children's inheritance is a cool thing for them. They deserve their vacations, big fancy cars and trips to the moon if possible. They want to serve as a role model for their grandchildren because they don't like how their Baby Boomer children have assumed that role. If you can tap into ways they can connect with their grandchildren, you'll have a home run.
Another little trick are coupons and special offers. Even the wealthiest of Silents appreciates a good value. Although they grew up in prosperity, they were still influenced by the frugality of the GI Generation who grew up during the Depression. A millionaire Silent is as likely to clip a coupon to save a couple of bucks as a struggling senior on a fixed income.
That's just a taste of learning about the Silent Generation. Next blog - Baby Boomers. My New Years resolution is to incorporate generational strategies in every aspect of my marketing plans for the coming year. Sometimes we get sidetracked by "good ideas" that don't meet the right generational criteria. Clever and sexy are not usually effective with Silents. Valuable, practical and deserved are all a big plus.
Generational Marketing in Practice
For Executive Valet Airport Parking, the Silent Generation was reached primarily by coupons and news media. When they received their Val Pak coupons for $1.00/day off the advertised price, they made sure to bring in that coupon. They responded strongly to the news coverage of the opening. One very wealthy Silent Generation man told us that he was happy to pay $5.99/day for parking, but if we raised it to $6.99/day, he'd stop using the service. Keep in mind, the alternative is paying $11/day at the airport. I think he'll be a prime target for money saving coupons in the future, don't you? Many of the customers from this generation cited the television as their source for learning about the discount parking.
I hope you enjoy this generational series. Any comments about how generational marketing has been beneficial to you or your company, I'd love to hear them. I wish everyone a safe, healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!
One of the interesting aspects of this campaign was applying one of my favorite strategies: Generational Marketing. In the next few blogs, I'm going to focus on different generations as I've studied them. My interest started when I heard Chuck Underwood speak at a conference. His book, "The Generational Imperative" is a must-read for anyone interested in this discipline. I've recently gotten several generational books and my husband used the theories presented for a research paper on cross-cultural communication.
The premise of generational marketing and communication is understanding that we are all similar in our attitudes and beliefs based on the state of the environment in which we experienced our formative years - basically our school-aged years. If you were raised for instance in the 30's, your attitudes are very similar to most others who lived during that time, but drastically different than those raised in the 70s. That seems like a no-brainer, but the interesting part is that you don't have to have had the exact same experiences to have the same attitudes. For example, I am a Generation Xer. Although, the cut-off from Baby Boomer to Xer is only two years prior, my attitudes and beliefs are firmly planted in my generation and not the former. Our generation was the first group to have latch-key kids. We were the first to have television directed strictly to us. We were the first to have a president resign in humiliation and our country defeated in Vietnam. As a generation, we are considered to be extremely cynical and survivors. We rely on our friends more than family and will come up with a solution that serves our purposes and those of our friends. We're not global thinkers as much. We're more worried about what happens at home, then what happens abroad. This is just a quick synopsis of Gen X. There is plenty more and I'll go into that in future blogs. The point is - I was NOT a latch key kid. I was NOT raised by Baby Boomers (unlike many of my peers). These two things were very important in forming the attitudes of my generation. I have the attitudes, but I didn't have the direct experience. It really is facinating to talk about this to a room full of differing generations. You can see each generation nod their heads as it is described - even if the factors that lead to that definition don't fit their lives. It's all about what you grew up with in society.
The Silent Generation
The first generation I'm going to focus on is the Silent Generation. Born 1927 to 1945, this generation experienced some very dynamic societal effects. As they were going through school, they watched war heroes (the GI Generation) return to the United States. These GI's were strong and valiant. They were confident in their abilities and looked up to by an entire generation of worshippers. Silents, relatively small in comparison to the GI generation, wanted to be just like the GIs. They lived in post-war prosperity and held strictly traditional values. They were in the era of the S&H greenstamps and valued bonuses with purchases (coke glasses with purchase of a gallon of gas) Women were valued as mothers and wives who kept a clean and tidy home, had a nice cake baking in the oven for after-school snacks and made sure the children were presentable when father came home. A well-run home was the Silent Generation woman's heart's desire. She went to college strictly to find a good husband or to become a teacher or nurse - the only two acceptable careers for women. Silent Generation males were all about conformity. They wore their gray flannel suits and put the needs of "The Company" before everything else. They were not rewarded for ingenuity, but for being a good and loyal worker. The needs of the company were far more important than the needs of the individual. If you worked hard and remained loyal, you would not only have job security (most Silents remained at the same jobs all their lives) but you would be promoted and paid based on your loyalty. Sometimes, that included remaining silent if you saw corruption and blindly following the GI leaders who must know better. They trusted authority and viewed the news media as a reasonable source for valid information. They read newspapers and watch television news extensively.
The Silents call themselves the Greatest Generation and indeed, in many ways they were. They embraced the joy in life and thrilled to the sounds of Doo Wop. They loved to dance and revelled in the stability and warmth of a loving family.
Where's the Beef?
That's the background, now for the marketing meat. How do you reach Silents? Go for the grandchild card. They have an uncommon attachment to their grandchildren. Prior to the Clara Peller days, Wendy's successfully launched a campaign depicting grandmother and granddaughter sharing some love over a Wendy's burger. Brilliant!
Silents believe that they've worked hard all their lives and deserve to be rewarded. They want to be young and vibrant - spending the children's inheritance is a cool thing for them. They deserve their vacations, big fancy cars and trips to the moon if possible. They want to serve as a role model for their grandchildren because they don't like how their Baby Boomer children have assumed that role. If you can tap into ways they can connect with their grandchildren, you'll have a home run.
Another little trick are coupons and special offers. Even the wealthiest of Silents appreciates a good value. Although they grew up in prosperity, they were still influenced by the frugality of the GI Generation who grew up during the Depression. A millionaire Silent is as likely to clip a coupon to save a couple of bucks as a struggling senior on a fixed income.
That's just a taste of learning about the Silent Generation. Next blog - Baby Boomers. My New Years resolution is to incorporate generational strategies in every aspect of my marketing plans for the coming year. Sometimes we get sidetracked by "good ideas" that don't meet the right generational criteria. Clever and sexy are not usually effective with Silents. Valuable, practical and deserved are all a big plus.
Generational Marketing in Practice
For Executive Valet Airport Parking, the Silent Generation was reached primarily by coupons and news media. When they received their Val Pak coupons for $1.00/day off the advertised price, they made sure to bring in that coupon. They responded strongly to the news coverage of the opening. One very wealthy Silent Generation man told us that he was happy to pay $5.99/day for parking, but if we raised it to $6.99/day, he'd stop using the service. Keep in mind, the alternative is paying $11/day at the airport. I think he'll be a prime target for money saving coupons in the future, don't you? Many of the customers from this generation cited the television as their source for learning about the discount parking.
I hope you enjoy this generational series. Any comments about how generational marketing has been beneficial to you or your company, I'd love to hear them. I wish everyone a safe, healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Smart People Aren't PR People
Now, how many ways could that headline be misinterpreted? Probably alot. I'm going to add to this statement to make it sound even worse. Smart people aren't marketing people either. So, being a marketing and pr person, does that mean, I'm not smart? No. The statement doesn't say PR people or marketing people aren't smart. Let me explain.
In my line of business, I work with many many smart people. Some are office managers, some are front line staffers, and some are the ones that get the big bucks. The doctors and lawyers, the engineers and accountants. I don't know about you, but in general when I think of those people, I think of them as, well, smart. They've probably had more schooling than I have. They're probably much better at numbers than I am. Therefore, they are smarter than me right? Maybe.
Here's the rub. Many smart people believe that because they are smart, they understand the nuances of public relations and marketing better than someone who has spent their life honing the skill. This can be very frustrating for a person who has chosen this profession. I promise not to question your court proceedings or consult on your surgeries if you promise to stop telling me that the only thing we need to do for marking is... (add some no cost, ineffective statement here like, "put up yard signs") I can hear lots of my colleagues nodding their heads.
Now, don't get me wrong. I will be the very first to listen when someone has a valid point. I want to improve my skills and look for ways to do so every day. But days like today, I'm reminded why I ended up in PR instead of say, law. It's a well-known fact that lawyers and PR people generally do not get along well. Lawyers want to say "no comment" all the time and PR people just don't. I'm not categorizing ALL lawyers - in fact, one of my favorite people who works for one of my favorite clients is a lawyer and we have a mutual respect for each other's profession. That's the part that is often missing. The other part is called, tact.
The dropping of the bomb
Yesterday, I was informed that a lawyer, who I never met, ripped apart a press release I had written. That's ok. I have thick skin. He then went on to say that for the money they were paying me, my writing was lousy and the press release earned about a "D" in his book. OUCH. That hurts. I never even got a "D" in my english classes at school. How could I possibly have missed the mark so badly? He then sent a revised version of the release with tracked changes that completely obliterated the document.
My initial reaction was, "Oh my gosh. I am totally in the wrong profession. If I can't get a simple press release right, I better turn in my badge."
Then, as I looked much further into the document, I saw that although I didn't agree with all of his changes, some definitely improved the document. But I realized that he stripped the release of all emotion. It no longer had a hook. Instead, it was a sterile, lifeless document that would probably get no more than a brief. That was when I was able to stand up, dust myself off, check the bruises and dive in for a compromise. I realized that he was writing for his intended target market - a well-educated business person. I was writing for a totally different target - a reporter. I know, because I've worked in this profession for so long that these are two different targets. If I can't catch the eye of a reporter with an intriguing headline and strong lead paragraph, I'm finished. That was when my confidence was renewed. I am not a lousy writer. I just don't write like he does. That's ok with me.
The bottom line, after licking my wounds, I have to say that I'm thankful for this experience. Every once in a while, you need to have someone totally rock your world in order to see where you can improve. If my clients are always happy, that's great, but it can lead to complacency. He was right about some things - although he didn't label them right. He stated that there were punctuation, spelling and grammar errors. That's not accurate. There was one typo and some writing that could have been tighter. That made me step back and say, "How well did I proofread this?"
When we are writing, we become involved in the process. It's a good practice, if there is time to step away from the document for a day if possible. When we return, it's easier to see in a new light. I guess my lesson learned from this is to slow down and rethink. Afterall, these people are really smart. Sometimes they have some good ideas and input. Sometimes they don't. It's our job as PR and marketing people to determine which make sense. Then, because we are communications experts, we'll avoid using the word lousy and say instead, "Perhaps this might be a better way."
Lesson I learned from my 9-year-old
I'll wrap up this story with a short analogy. Earlier this week, my son's U-10 soccer team went confidently into the play-offs undefeated. First play-off game was against the lowest rank team in the league. The slam-dunk game ended up to be 4-2 in favor of the other team. My son's first reaction was to blame the ref, blame the kid that kept slide tackling, then, blame his team for not working together. After recovering from this devastating loss, he realized that it may have been his team's fault that they lost.
Now, they have to really fight for the championship. The next game, they won with a resounding 8-3 victory and are revved up for the last game on Saturday. They were beaten, they re-evaluated their strengths and weaknesses and came back on top. That's what we as adults have to do sometimes too. It's easy to blame the referee (lawyer) when you don't do your best. But it's not until you look in the mirror that you find that the solution to the problem is looking right back at you.
In my line of business, I work with many many smart people. Some are office managers, some are front line staffers, and some are the ones that get the big bucks. The doctors and lawyers, the engineers and accountants. I don't know about you, but in general when I think of those people, I think of them as, well, smart. They've probably had more schooling than I have. They're probably much better at numbers than I am. Therefore, they are smarter than me right? Maybe.
Here's the rub. Many smart people believe that because they are smart, they understand the nuances of public relations and marketing better than someone who has spent their life honing the skill. This can be very frustrating for a person who has chosen this profession. I promise not to question your court proceedings or consult on your surgeries if you promise to stop telling me that the only thing we need to do for marking is... (add some no cost, ineffective statement here like, "put up yard signs") I can hear lots of my colleagues nodding their heads.
Now, don't get me wrong. I will be the very first to listen when someone has a valid point. I want to improve my skills and look for ways to do so every day. But days like today, I'm reminded why I ended up in PR instead of say, law. It's a well-known fact that lawyers and PR people generally do not get along well. Lawyers want to say "no comment" all the time and PR people just don't. I'm not categorizing ALL lawyers - in fact, one of my favorite people who works for one of my favorite clients is a lawyer and we have a mutual respect for each other's profession. That's the part that is often missing. The other part is called, tact.
The dropping of the bomb
Yesterday, I was informed that a lawyer, who I never met, ripped apart a press release I had written. That's ok. I have thick skin. He then went on to say that for the money they were paying me, my writing was lousy and the press release earned about a "D" in his book. OUCH. That hurts. I never even got a "D" in my english classes at school. How could I possibly have missed the mark so badly? He then sent a revised version of the release with tracked changes that completely obliterated the document.
My initial reaction was, "Oh my gosh. I am totally in the wrong profession. If I can't get a simple press release right, I better turn in my badge."
Then, as I looked much further into the document, I saw that although I didn't agree with all of his changes, some definitely improved the document. But I realized that he stripped the release of all emotion. It no longer had a hook. Instead, it was a sterile, lifeless document that would probably get no more than a brief. That was when I was able to stand up, dust myself off, check the bruises and dive in for a compromise. I realized that he was writing for his intended target market - a well-educated business person. I was writing for a totally different target - a reporter. I know, because I've worked in this profession for so long that these are two different targets. If I can't catch the eye of a reporter with an intriguing headline and strong lead paragraph, I'm finished. That was when my confidence was renewed. I am not a lousy writer. I just don't write like he does. That's ok with me.
The bottom line, after licking my wounds, I have to say that I'm thankful for this experience. Every once in a while, you need to have someone totally rock your world in order to see where you can improve. If my clients are always happy, that's great, but it can lead to complacency. He was right about some things - although he didn't label them right. He stated that there were punctuation, spelling and grammar errors. That's not accurate. There was one typo and some writing that could have been tighter. That made me step back and say, "How well did I proofread this?"
When we are writing, we become involved in the process. It's a good practice, if there is time to step away from the document for a day if possible. When we return, it's easier to see in a new light. I guess my lesson learned from this is to slow down and rethink. Afterall, these people are really smart. Sometimes they have some good ideas and input. Sometimes they don't. It's our job as PR and marketing people to determine which make sense. Then, because we are communications experts, we'll avoid using the word lousy and say instead, "Perhaps this might be a better way."
Lesson I learned from my 9-year-old
I'll wrap up this story with a short analogy. Earlier this week, my son's U-10 soccer team went confidently into the play-offs undefeated. First play-off game was against the lowest rank team in the league. The slam-dunk game ended up to be 4-2 in favor of the other team. My son's first reaction was to blame the ref, blame the kid that kept slide tackling, then, blame his team for not working together. After recovering from this devastating loss, he realized that it may have been his team's fault that they lost.
Now, they have to really fight for the championship. The next game, they won with a resounding 8-3 victory and are revved up for the last game on Saturday. They were beaten, they re-evaluated their strengths and weaknesses and came back on top. That's what we as adults have to do sometimes too. It's easy to blame the referee (lawyer) when you don't do your best. But it's not until you look in the mirror that you find that the solution to the problem is looking right back at you.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veteran's Day Tribute
It wasn't long ago that my children's grandfather's and uncle would be pleasantly surprised by a telephone call from my kids. As young as they were, I made them make the call every Veteran's Day and say, "Thank you for fighting for my freedom." The gesture was a little overwhelming each year because sadly, it was usually the only call those special Veterans had received and they didn't expect it. As time has gone on and my father passed away, I will admit, that I've lapsed in my patriotic duty to thank the Veterans. But something this year really hit me as a positive effect of social media. Today, on my facebook pages, it is overwhelming to see how many people really do appreciate our country's finest. I've read about people thanking 100+ year old Veterans, Veterans from several wars, Veterans who gave up their legs, their arms and often their lives so that we, their fellow Americans can live in our country in freedom.
It saddens me so much to watch our country bicker. We are so divided on many things, but yet, if you really look at it from a macro view, because of those brave Americans, we are strongly United. We may hate Obama. We may have hated Bush. Half of us agree with everything going on now, half of us don't but in the end, we are ALL Americans. We all speak the same language, we all worship the God we choose, we all have the ability to use our ingenuity to earn a living - even if it's not the living we necessarily want right now - we have the right and ability to earn money. We all have the right to disagree with each other without a terrorist faction threatening to kill us if we disagree. We get into verbal wars with each other, but no guns are brought into Congress. No bombs in the Senate. We argue. ALOT. But when push comes to shove, we are all Americans.
Alot of wars for a peaceful nation
Our Revolutionary War veterans assured that we would have these rights. Our Civil War veterans fought to preserve our unity. Our World War I and II vets defended us from foreign enemies. Our Korean vets - sorry - don't know much about Korea other than what I learned from M*A*S*H and that my father-in-law was stationed in San Francisco. Our Vietnam vets taught us that they could follow the orders of their government, fight bravely and face unspeakable rejection when they returned home while retaining their dignity and gaining their honor as we grew up and stopped blaming them. Our Desert Storm vets gave us a new found courage in the first war many of us would remember. We'll never forget those blessed scud missles. Iraq and Afghanistan vets are fighting to protect us from an enemy we truly don't understand.
For a peaceful nation, we certainly have been in our share of wars. Interestingly, only one was Civil. I know I left a couple out, but I think I made the point. When we thank our Veterans, do we really think about what they have done or are doing for us? It sounds like rhetoric sometimes when we say, they are fighting for our freedom, but think about the alternatives. Whether or not we agree with the current war is irrelevant. Most of us commoners do not have the inside Intelligence that our military leaders have. It's easy to play armchair quarterback when thousands of lives are not being held in the balance by our hands. It's easy for us to get a tiny bit of information and make a vast and far reaching decision. Just for a moment, let's imagine what would happen if our soldiers are defeated in Afghanistan. I don't mean withdraw - I mean wiped out. It happened in biblical times. What if it happens tomorrow. Our country would become completely vulnerable to any other military force in the world. Which one would you choose?
We can complain about our government. We can complain about our president, but I ask again, which country would you prefer take over? China? I hear they have a pretty strong military. Any of the muslim countries? I hear they are pretty staunch in their religious beliefs. Which country would be better than ours if our military fails us?
Could we be turning a corner?
I'm feeling a slight amount of hope for our government with the process the health care reform bill is going through. I don't know if the end result will be good or bad for the American people. I really don't. But what I'm encouraged by is the fact that some Democrats jumped party lines because they wanted to do what they believed was for the good of ALL the people. Not just one party or the other. Until the abortion issue took front and center, did you know that most Catholics were Democrats? It's true. Look it up. That's why JFK was so wildly popular among the Catholics. Not just because he was one, but because he was a democrat, and so were they. Our country has become warped, but I think that the ice melted just a little tiny bit over the past couple of weeks. In the paragraph above, I asked you to imagine the unspeakable. Now, I ask you to imagine what the world would be like if our elected leaders did what was right for the people instead of the politics.
Communication Now and Then
So, now I have to tie a PR concept to this blog. I guess, the closest I can come is to give an official nod to social media. I truly hope Veterans everywhere are reading the wonderful comments being posted. I also want to reference the unparalleled ability to keep in touch and know what is happening with our loved ones over seas. A mouse click. A text message. A facebook or myspace contact. It's all so easy now.
I will end with this memory of me being 4 years old and my big brother Chip was in Vietnam. We had a telephone conversation with him and everyone was so excited. I was very young, but I do remember this.
"Hi Colleen. Over."
"Hi Chip, when are you coming home. Over."
"Soon, I hope. Over."
He did. we met him at the airport. For some reason when his plane came in and everyone ran to greet him, I felt that it was my responsibility to gather everyone's coats and carry them so that no one stole them. So when my brother came in from Vietnam, I was carrying the coats.
These days we don't talk very often. He's not much of an email or facebook person, but I hope and pray that he knows how much I love him and am proud to say that he was a brave soldier in the Vietnam war and received a purple heart. Thanks Chip. And thanks to all Veterans. Over.
It saddens me so much to watch our country bicker. We are so divided on many things, but yet, if you really look at it from a macro view, because of those brave Americans, we are strongly United. We may hate Obama. We may have hated Bush. Half of us agree with everything going on now, half of us don't but in the end, we are ALL Americans. We all speak the same language, we all worship the God we choose, we all have the ability to use our ingenuity to earn a living - even if it's not the living we necessarily want right now - we have the right and ability to earn money. We all have the right to disagree with each other without a terrorist faction threatening to kill us if we disagree. We get into verbal wars with each other, but no guns are brought into Congress. No bombs in the Senate. We argue. ALOT. But when push comes to shove, we are all Americans.
Alot of wars for a peaceful nation
Our Revolutionary War veterans assured that we would have these rights. Our Civil War veterans fought to preserve our unity. Our World War I and II vets defended us from foreign enemies. Our Korean vets - sorry - don't know much about Korea other than what I learned from M*A*S*H and that my father-in-law was stationed in San Francisco. Our Vietnam vets taught us that they could follow the orders of their government, fight bravely and face unspeakable rejection when they returned home while retaining their dignity and gaining their honor as we grew up and stopped blaming them. Our Desert Storm vets gave us a new found courage in the first war many of us would remember. We'll never forget those blessed scud missles. Iraq and Afghanistan vets are fighting to protect us from an enemy we truly don't understand.
For a peaceful nation, we certainly have been in our share of wars. Interestingly, only one was Civil. I know I left a couple out, but I think I made the point. When we thank our Veterans, do we really think about what they have done or are doing for us? It sounds like rhetoric sometimes when we say, they are fighting for our freedom, but think about the alternatives. Whether or not we agree with the current war is irrelevant. Most of us commoners do not have the inside Intelligence that our military leaders have. It's easy to play armchair quarterback when thousands of lives are not being held in the balance by our hands. It's easy for us to get a tiny bit of information and make a vast and far reaching decision. Just for a moment, let's imagine what would happen if our soldiers are defeated in Afghanistan. I don't mean withdraw - I mean wiped out. It happened in biblical times. What if it happens tomorrow. Our country would become completely vulnerable to any other military force in the world. Which one would you choose?
We can complain about our government. We can complain about our president, but I ask again, which country would you prefer take over? China? I hear they have a pretty strong military. Any of the muslim countries? I hear they are pretty staunch in their religious beliefs. Which country would be better than ours if our military fails us?
Could we be turning a corner?
I'm feeling a slight amount of hope for our government with the process the health care reform bill is going through. I don't know if the end result will be good or bad for the American people. I really don't. But what I'm encouraged by is the fact that some Democrats jumped party lines because they wanted to do what they believed was for the good of ALL the people. Not just one party or the other. Until the abortion issue took front and center, did you know that most Catholics were Democrats? It's true. Look it up. That's why JFK was so wildly popular among the Catholics. Not just because he was one, but because he was a democrat, and so were they. Our country has become warped, but I think that the ice melted just a little tiny bit over the past couple of weeks. In the paragraph above, I asked you to imagine the unspeakable. Now, I ask you to imagine what the world would be like if our elected leaders did what was right for the people instead of the politics.
Communication Now and Then
So, now I have to tie a PR concept to this blog. I guess, the closest I can come is to give an official nod to social media. I truly hope Veterans everywhere are reading the wonderful comments being posted. I also want to reference the unparalleled ability to keep in touch and know what is happening with our loved ones over seas. A mouse click. A text message. A facebook or myspace contact. It's all so easy now.
I will end with this memory of me being 4 years old and my big brother Chip was in Vietnam. We had a telephone conversation with him and everyone was so excited. I was very young, but I do remember this.
"Hi Colleen. Over."
"Hi Chip, when are you coming home. Over."
"Soon, I hope. Over."
He did. we met him at the airport. For some reason when his plane came in and everyone ran to greet him, I felt that it was my responsibility to gather everyone's coats and carry them so that no one stole them. So when my brother came in from Vietnam, I was carrying the coats.
These days we don't talk very often. He's not much of an email or facebook person, but I hope and pray that he knows how much I love him and am proud to say that he was a brave soldier in the Vietnam war and received a purple heart. Thanks Chip. And thanks to all Veterans. Over.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
How are we doing?
OK, I'll start off by saying, I know that I'm going to sound like a grumpy old curmudgeon who likes to complain about simple things. While the tendency for most is to say, "Just get over it and stop sweating the small stuff!" I simply must post about this because it seems to be happening more and more and it keeps bugging me on a regular basis. What could cause such angst? The simple greeting I've been hearing from servers at restaurants lately. "How are we doing?"
I'm not sure how to answer that question. I know how I am doing. I have no idea how you are doing. I've only laid eyes on you 10 seconds ago. Do you mean, how are we - the restaurant doing? Well, I'll let you know after I've had my meal. Sometimes when I'm feeling a little ornery, I'll say, "I'm doing fine, but I'm not sure how you are doing. How are you?"
I know, I know, you're saying, "Be nice! Servers work hard to make you feel comfortable. Don't give them a hard time." I won't. I promise.
One time when I mentioned this awkward question to a server, he told me that he was trained to say that so that guests would feel included. At that point, I invited him to join us for lunch. That way, he would make me feel included. Because, in fact, we would then be a "we" instead of an "us and you."
Picky, picky, picky
Picky? Yes. But hear me out. Especially if you are a restauranteur or business owner. Don't make your employees learn some stupid gimmick to make people feel comfortable. Train them to be courteous and friendly, but don't make them use the word "we" when they really mean "you."
This is an item of contention that annoyed me when I worked in the corporate world. Customer service gurus suggested using words that we don't mean. I am not very good at that. In fact, I hate to do that. I like to be genuine. Sometimes, that offends people and when it does, I apologize and move on. I'm not saying that I'm totally tactless. Just real.
One time, I was called out for sending an email that said, "I need you to (insert whatever it was I needed here). Can you let me know if you have what you need to get this done?"
The complaint, which did not come from the email recipient, but a manager who happened to be with me at the time, was that I was too abrupt in my request. Personally, that's the way I prefer people converse with me. There is no question about what was required or who needed to perform this particular task. Supposedly, it would have been better to say, "We have a project that needs to be completed and would greatly appreciate your help in this matter." Um - who's we? All of this inclusiveness is driving me crazy. I can understand if it's a real statement, such as, "We are so pleased that you have chosen our company to ....." But why does some expert somewhere believe that by using the word "we" everyone's self esteem will go up?
I've never been accused of beating around the bush or being unclear with how I'm feeling about something. Sometimes I really wish that I could be a little gentler (see apologizing in previous paragraph) but overall, in communications, I am a staunch believer that the goal is to make it very clear.
Keep it simple - and real
Managers, if your employees are genuine and truly care about their customers, it will be obvious by the way they interact with them. Personally, I as a consumer do not need a false "we" thrown in to make me feel like I have a whole new set of friends at the restaurant. To me, it sounds just as patronizing as "hon" and a bit less genuine.
Thank you for allowing us to get that off our chest. We are feeling much better.
I'm not sure how to answer that question. I know how I am doing. I have no idea how you are doing. I've only laid eyes on you 10 seconds ago. Do you mean, how are we - the restaurant doing? Well, I'll let you know after I've had my meal. Sometimes when I'm feeling a little ornery, I'll say, "I'm doing fine, but I'm not sure how you are doing. How are you?"
I know, I know, you're saying, "Be nice! Servers work hard to make you feel comfortable. Don't give them a hard time." I won't. I promise.
One time when I mentioned this awkward question to a server, he told me that he was trained to say that so that guests would feel included. At that point, I invited him to join us for lunch. That way, he would make me feel included. Because, in fact, we would then be a "we" instead of an "us and you."
Picky, picky, picky
Picky? Yes. But hear me out. Especially if you are a restauranteur or business owner. Don't make your employees learn some stupid gimmick to make people feel comfortable. Train them to be courteous and friendly, but don't make them use the word "we" when they really mean "you."
This is an item of contention that annoyed me when I worked in the corporate world. Customer service gurus suggested using words that we don't mean. I am not very good at that. In fact, I hate to do that. I like to be genuine. Sometimes, that offends people and when it does, I apologize and move on. I'm not saying that I'm totally tactless. Just real.
One time, I was called out for sending an email that said, "I need you to (insert whatever it was I needed here). Can you let me know if you have what you need to get this done?"
The complaint, which did not come from the email recipient, but a manager who happened to be with me at the time, was that I was too abrupt in my request. Personally, that's the way I prefer people converse with me. There is no question about what was required or who needed to perform this particular task. Supposedly, it would have been better to say, "We have a project that needs to be completed and would greatly appreciate your help in this matter." Um - who's we? All of this inclusiveness is driving me crazy. I can understand if it's a real statement, such as, "We are so pleased that you have chosen our company to ....." But why does some expert somewhere believe that by using the word "we" everyone's self esteem will go up?
I've never been accused of beating around the bush or being unclear with how I'm feeling about something. Sometimes I really wish that I could be a little gentler (see apologizing in previous paragraph) but overall, in communications, I am a staunch believer that the goal is to make it very clear.
Keep it simple - and real
Managers, if your employees are genuine and truly care about their customers, it will be obvious by the way they interact with them. Personally, I as a consumer do not need a false "we" thrown in to make me feel like I have a whole new set of friends at the restaurant. To me, it sounds just as patronizing as "hon" and a bit less genuine.
Thank you for allowing us to get that off our chest. We are feeling much better.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
"What if?" "Why not?"
Sometimes something happens that causes you to pause and think, "Have I done that lately?" Thanks to Dr. Terri Ann Bailey, an assistant professor at Florida Gulf Coast University and very smart woman, I had such a moment. As a recent guest speaker at PRSA, Dr. Bailey reminded us long-time pros that we sometimes become somewhat complacent and get caught in a rut of just doing what we do because we know it works. We get caught in the act of churning and doing instead of developing and creating. Yes, we know a press release will get coverage. We know what garners news and what is simply folly that won't get a second glance from a reporter. We know what messages work and what ones don't right? Maybe. But how can you be sure. That's one thing fresh-faced rookies bring to the field of marketing and public relations that us old farts sometimes forget. They come with a whole new (old) question.... "What if?" and the age old question, "Why not?"
We're all pretty savvy when it comes to identifying our target markets, right? Well, "What if" there is a whole different market that we're missing who could prove to be crucial to the success of our campaign? Dr. Baily offered up an example of one of her student groups who searched for target donor audiences for the Animal Refuge Center (ARC). The old stand-bys were easy to target: Animal lovers, animal owners, wealthy philanthropists who had a reputation for giving money to animal shelters, etc. But the kids didn't stop there. They dug deeper and looked at a philosophy to find another market. "Why not" target Pro-Life advocates. Know why? Because ARC is a NO KILL animal shelter. Hmmmm. Interesting.
Make a chart
Sometimes, inspiration can come from the very simplest, most basic practice. Make a chart. In that chart identify: Target Audiences/Key Messages for each target/Intended outcome or action/Appropriate channels.
When you create a chart like this, it forces you to write down and think about who you are trying to reach, what you want them to know, why they are important and how you plan to reach them. Then, the challenge is to expand on those things. Write the easy ones first. Then, go get a nice glass of wine (or an amazing Samual Adams beer - blackberry something or other - it's amazing! Just had one this weekend!) and look at the list again. Are there other potential targets, messages, etc. that may meet our objectives better? What if there's a big market that doesn't fall into a standard demographic? Why not target a group that hasn't been reached in the past?
I object!
That's where I have to bring in an old fart caveat. Unlike our dewy-skinned counterparts, we actually can answer the "Why not" question in very short order. The "Why not" could be because our budget is not unlimited and we have to reach the most lucrative markets before we hit the fringe. But I challenge all of those who are, shall we say nicely seasoned, to disallow the "Why not" answer to stop our flow of creativity.
"Why not?"
The potato industry said, "Why not" go against the anti-carb craze and introduce the Delicious Nutritious Potato? "Why not" get involved with the biggest heavy weight in the weight loss arena and get Weight Watchers International to endorse the healthy consumption of potatoes? "Why not?"
"What if?"
"What if" your best idea is still cooking in your mind and you just haven't unleashed it yet? "What if" you are so stuck in the day-to-day grind that the solution to a multi-million dollar problem is just sitting on your desk waiting for some repackaging? "What if" something you never thought of before is the answer to the problem you've worried about for weeks? "What if?"
Lou Holtz said, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got."
He was generally referring to complacency. I can see that in our profession, but not necessarily in a totally negative way. If we always follow the rules and do what we know, we'll probably get good results.
BUT "What if" what we've always done is think totally out of the box? Wouldn't we always get something completely unexpected and fresh? It's worth a try. "Why not?"
One more note for those professional wordsmiths who cringed at every quotated "Why not" and "What if." I know it's grammatically incorrect - I just did it for emphasis. "Why not?"
We're all pretty savvy when it comes to identifying our target markets, right? Well, "What if" there is a whole different market that we're missing who could prove to be crucial to the success of our campaign? Dr. Baily offered up an example of one of her student groups who searched for target donor audiences for the Animal Refuge Center (ARC). The old stand-bys were easy to target: Animal lovers, animal owners, wealthy philanthropists who had a reputation for giving money to animal shelters, etc. But the kids didn't stop there. They dug deeper and looked at a philosophy to find another market. "Why not" target Pro-Life advocates. Know why? Because ARC is a NO KILL animal shelter. Hmmmm. Interesting.
Make a chart
Sometimes, inspiration can come from the very simplest, most basic practice. Make a chart. In that chart identify: Target Audiences/Key Messages for each target/Intended outcome or action/Appropriate channels.
When you create a chart like this, it forces you to write down and think about who you are trying to reach, what you want them to know, why they are important and how you plan to reach them. Then, the challenge is to expand on those things. Write the easy ones first. Then, go get a nice glass of wine (or an amazing Samual Adams beer - blackberry something or other - it's amazing! Just had one this weekend!) and look at the list again. Are there other potential targets, messages, etc. that may meet our objectives better? What if there's a big market that doesn't fall into a standard demographic? Why not target a group that hasn't been reached in the past?
I object!
That's where I have to bring in an old fart caveat. Unlike our dewy-skinned counterparts, we actually can answer the "Why not" question in very short order. The "Why not" could be because our budget is not unlimited and we have to reach the most lucrative markets before we hit the fringe. But I challenge all of those who are, shall we say nicely seasoned, to disallow the "Why not" answer to stop our flow of creativity.
"Why not?"
The potato industry said, "Why not" go against the anti-carb craze and introduce the Delicious Nutritious Potato? "Why not" get involved with the biggest heavy weight in the weight loss arena and get Weight Watchers International to endorse the healthy consumption of potatoes? "Why not?"
"What if?"
"What if" your best idea is still cooking in your mind and you just haven't unleashed it yet? "What if" you are so stuck in the day-to-day grind that the solution to a multi-million dollar problem is just sitting on your desk waiting for some repackaging? "What if" something you never thought of before is the answer to the problem you've worried about for weeks? "What if?"
Lou Holtz said, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got."
He was generally referring to complacency. I can see that in our profession, but not necessarily in a totally negative way. If we always follow the rules and do what we know, we'll probably get good results.
BUT "What if" what we've always done is think totally out of the box? Wouldn't we always get something completely unexpected and fresh? It's worth a try. "Why not?"
One more note for those professional wordsmiths who cringed at every quotated "Why not" and "What if." I know it's grammatically incorrect - I just did it for emphasis. "Why not?"
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