Traditional Marketing Method Fails to Yield Value

Ad agencies and marketers focused on building their own business rather than their client’s, frequently advise one of the simplest ways to increase sales and continue building the company brand is through the use of coupons at the point of sale.

Among the “Great” techniques being employed is receipt messaging. Fancy logos, discounts on products and surveys with the potential to win big money are everywhere. The idea is customers will be so impressed with print quality they will hang on to the paper scrap for many days, thus absorbing the catchy business message.

Really?

“People assume there is something wrong with businesses that are constantly sending out coupons,” said Tabitha Coffey during a recent episode of Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on Bravo TV. She continued by pointing out you are ultimately only cultivating discount buyers, unwilling to pay full price.

As she shredded and pressed the coupon campaign remnants between glass, I couldn’t help but think how relevant and brilliant her simple business advice was.

In the early 2000’s, McDonald’s rolled out a typical coupon type deal and began selling their famous Big Mac for 99-cents, more than half off the $2.30 sandwich. The cut not only sparked a discounting war among the major fast-food chains, It also created a consumer unwilling to pay more than a buck for the special sauce legend. To resolve the Big Mac consumer price point crisis, the 20-item value menu was launched. Other competitors have followed suit and the great money drain continues today.

Thank you Mickey D’s, for the industry killing coupon deal. Your customers love you for it. At least until Wendy’s, Taco Bell or Burger King can rally with an even greater profit cutting deal.

Does this mean coupons have no marketing value?

The answer to that depends on whether you own the business or you are the customer.  Rather than get into a lengthy explanation, allow me to put it this way…

The following websites pulled coupon-cutting into the 21st century offering free printable manufacturers grocery coupons: Coupons.com, RedPlum.com, Valpak.com, SmartSource.com.

If you visited these sites thinking to yourself, “What a resource. I’ve got to bookmark these and save a few bucks.” Then you’re a smart consumer.

If you offer one of these types of deals, thank you. You just gave away some more of your profit margin to another cheap, fickle, uncommitted consumer.

The saying goes, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” but not anymore. Not with more than 500 million users wired to their Facebook accounts. It takes users only seconds to update a status, upload new photos, share video and tell the world what, where, when and how they’re doing.

Everyone remembers the infamous Tiger Woods crash story that quickly unraveled into an unfaithful husband story. What many don’t remember is the entire story broke on Twitter and Facebook long before the press. There was no time for PR gurus to spin the story and save Tiger’s career.

Ironically, it was a Twitter strategy that has helped give that career back as well. The ability for direct, personal communication with fans creates a personal authenticity traditional media simply can not portrait. I can’t help but think how badly Pete Rose, could’ve a Facebook account several decades ago.

Today, Facebook is literally shutting the door for traditional media. To reinforce this point, Socialnomics, a company focused on providing social and mobile statistics, shared some interesting information on media sources’ ability to reach the masses. According to the statistics, to reach 50 million users radio will take 38 years, television – 13 years and the Internet – 4 Years. Facebook, in comparison, added 200 Million in less than a year.

On December 30, 2010, this point was again emphasized as the world woke up to headlines proclaiming Facebook had surpassed Google for the first time as the most visited website in the United States.

“What happens in Vegas stays on Facebook!”

Do you still have doubts about Social Media’s effectiveness?

If so, let me share the Socialnomics prospective you can’t ignore:

1. Are you aware that you have witnessed the start of the media industry’s version of the industrial revolution?
2. Does your marketing plan take into account your company’s need for Social Media?
3. Is your Social Media engaging your customer or enraging your customer?
4. Have you created a Social Media plan with benchmarks for success?
5. Do you know how to measure the effectiveness (ROI) of your Social Media?

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Cherry Media Group relaunched www.CherryMediaGroup.com in our own highly recommended WordPress format, similar to that offered in our economical, $999 CMG WordPress Package. The new website offers visitors and clients host of new functionality and features. The enhanced website showcases a customized WordPress Theme design, dynamic navigation, comprehensive portfolio, social media links and E-Commerce functionality.

Cherry Media Group has expanded their Social Media presence with the simultaneous launch of new Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and RSS Feed Burner pages. With this addition, Readers will be able to keep abreast of current headlines, helpful tips and visual design examples.

“We are really excited about the new change and updated features we are now able to offer our clients and visitors just learning about Cherry Media Group. Still we want everyone to know the one thing we won’t change is our commitment to creating the most professional, relevant, innovative graphic design & website design in the industry,” said Cherry Media Group CEO, Lance Cherry.

CherryMediaGroup.com offers several significant benefits to site visitors by offering online specials for service and relevant industry information through our blog. In addition, clients will have access to a password protected workroom packed with helpful instructions on using our services and access to completed project files 24/7.  

Cherry Media Group has five decades of marketing, media, public relations and graphic design experience and is poised to handle any project your can dream up. Contact us today to find out how we can help take your business to the next level.

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If you’re looking for a custom, professional website for your business, but you don’t have a big budget to invest in the web and on-going maintenance, Cherry Media Group has smoking deal to get you up and running in a hurry.

The CMG WordPress Package will give you all the features and tools necessary to hit the ground running and you don’t have to be an html or php guru to keep your content current and relevant.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is a dynamic website publishing tool, ideal for managing content. The platform is open source and widely used by leading news agencies and corporations. WordPress has a user friendly interface that is accessed from any browser. This is the best way to get your business started online.

How much does it cost?

The CMG WordPress Package is offered at an online special rate of $999 and includes your first year of hosting and registration of your preferred domain name.

The CMG WordPress Package Includes:

• WordPress Installation: We’ll build your website a custom Theme, Install our selection of “Must Have” Plugins and add up to 3 additional Plugins of your choice.
• Website Design: Your website’s design will be powered by a customized WordPress theme (template). All graphics, visual elements and content will be designed and built to fit your business brand.
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• Email (yourname@yourdomain.com): Up to 10 custom email addresses will be set up with your domain name. Email can be forwarded to an existing account, accessed by webmail or set up to load in your favorite email client.
• Contact Form: Your website will have a contact page with a form, to make it easy for your visitors to contact you and will include Capatcha, to reduce unwanted spam submissions.
• Search Engine Optimization: Phase One of your SEO Strategy will be implemented for your website. Custom Meta tags, Google compliant sitemap, basic Keyword optimization and Google Analytics set up are included.
• RSS FEED: You’ll be able to offer email subscriptions to your visitors and publish an advanced RSS FeedBurner feed.
• Website Hosting: Package includes 1 year of our reliable Pro Hosting Service. Renewal is $99 annually.
• URL Registration: Package includes 1 year registration, Renewal is $9 annually thereafter.
• 1-Hour Basic Training Session: We’ll teach you how to add pages, create posts and make changes to your new website, help you get your first email campaign up and running and show you how to access your email on the web and from your computer.

How do I get started?

Contact us to discuss the details of your project and complete your purchase your CMG WordPress Package purchase using our PayPal Payments widget located on the right of any page on our website. Make sure to select the CMG WordPress Package from the pull down menu and click the Pay Now button. PayPal will walk you through the completion of the purchase.

Cherry Media Group will then send you a brief questionnaire to help us zero in on your website vision, company brand and competition. Once complete, we’ll take over and produce your website. After the Basic Training Session, we’ll hand over the keys.

Still have questions?

No problem. Contact Cherry Media Group today and let us provide the answers.

With over five decades of combined marketing, media, public relations and graphic design experience, Cherry Media Group is committed to creating the most professional, relevant, innovative graphic design in the industry.

I recently ran an ad in the local newspaper classifieds to test the saturation of the once great media. Much to my surprise, it took days before I received my first inquiry. At the end of the first run I still had not sold the product. In true marketer fashion I resorted to my bag of tricks adding slick copy and enticing words, surefire methods for making the sale. At the end of run two, still nothing. Round three went no better. I dropped the price to a ridiculous sum with the same ridiculous results.

So what went wrong?

To begin with, the newspaper industry is slumping with no hope for survival in sight. The younger generations are embracing Social Media as their primary source of information and the dinosaurs making decisions in the newsroom can’t read the writing on the wall. As a former design/copy editor, this behavior from those I once admired saddens me.

In the early 90s I had a discussion with the Editor and Publisher of a large daily newspaper about the need to expand the operation to include a web presence. At the time, the city was in need of a good internet service provider. I envisioned the newspaper being the gateway for that public to the world wide web. The discussion ended in an insult. I was told I didn’t understand the news industry. I didn’t understand the economic climate of the city and that people simply could not and would never be capable of owning a computer in every home. Like most old school businessmen, he believed all products must rise in price to survive. The idea of declining prices and rising profits only a fantasy in his mind. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

So let me say it one more. This time I’ll be blunt. Attention all news editors! The glory days are over. Make way for the free community papers and digital content. The public has had their fill of your archaic ways and here’s the proof…

The Houston Chronicle is recently laid off 80, the New York Times 100 and now the Chiago Tribune is following suit. U.S. media employment fallen to a 15-year low. On the other hand, social networks are growing daily by millions and bloggers have begun replacing columnists. Many are so busy they now hiring editors and reporters out of traditional newsrooms.

So the simple answer to my question, “what went wrong?” is I chose the wrong media source. To be successful I should’ve put my efforts in popular web based classifieds such as craigslist, ebay or some other virtual classified service. The outcome would have been very different.

It’s only fair to provide this final note regarding my classified ad test. I ultimately sold my product. After four cycles in the newspaper classifieds I made the sale.  I knew I would, because the most important thing to consider when placing an ad, especially in traditional media, is frequency. Over time most ads will get noticed. Still, the problem was time and expense nearly out weighed the hassle and the profit.

In the future I recommend trying the new media. Save your time and money for more important things.

“Great marketing isn’t glamorous. It’s war.” - Lance Cherry, CEO Cherry Media Group

Lance Cherry is the Art Director and CEO of Cherry Media Group and has nearly two decades of marketing and media experience. A native of New Mexico, Lance has spent the past several years directing and leading a high-profile public relations department, responsible for critical publications, media relations, public outreach and public education programs. ]]> http://cherrymediagroup.com/marketing/newspapers-deliver-ridiculous-results/feed 0