Tag Archive for ‘permission’ rss

3 Reasons Why I Hate Text-Message Advertising

Have you experienced this yet?  A random number texts you “HUGE SALE ON (Insert product), BEST PRICE IN TOWN, LOOK NO FURTHER FOR YOUR (Insert product) NEEDS!”

It has happened a couple of times now and I don’t like it.  Here’s why if you use text-message advertising we’re both losing.

1.  I have not given you permission to interrupt me on my phone, doing so makes me strongly dislike whatever the message is you want me to read.

2.  You seem lazy and disrespectful, I want to return the favor.  I’ll call you back or MySask411 your number to see who you are and when I find out I’ll realize how elementary your understanding of marketing really is.  I will not forget this.

3.  The more niche focused your text-message deal is, the better your chance of it being completely unrelated to my purchasing patterns.  EXAMPLE: Niche focus, “HUGE SALE ON GRANITE”   Broad focus: “HALF OFF ICE CREAM AT COLD STONE” – The first one you lose all credibility, the second only works if the person receiving the text sees value in what you’re texting.

Moral of the story?  Lay off the Spam sandwiches, you’re hurting your personal brand and
Continue Reading

Permission Based Marketing

A long, long, time ago advertisers would interrupt people to get their message in front of them.  Commercials interrupting your favorite show, coupons in your mailbox, awkwardly placed billboards, branding of anything and everything, commercials interrupting the top 10 countdown on the radio, telemarketers trying to sell you something, sales people showing up at your door, and video billboards promising even more interruptions than static billboards.

There was no permission established so eventually these were bound to fail once the market was saturated with messages competing for the next chance to interrupt you.

Enter the Seth Godin coined term “permission based marketing“.

I need to be friends with you for you to show up in my Facebook newsfeed or to be able to post on my wall.

I need to be following you on Twitter to receive your tweets.

I need to subscribe to your e-mail newsletter to receive it.

I have never been forced to watch a YouTube video, I choose what I want to watch.

I can’t force you to read my blog, it’s your choice.

Notice a trend here?  To communicate with people you must have their permission, no matter what medium you use.  Marketing hasn’t gone
Continue Reading

Small Business Marketing

If you are looking at or already have started a small company that’s based on a hobby or something you enjoy doing and you want to grow it listen up.

Your new business is based on a hobby, something that is enjoyable, so there are many players in the industry. What does this mean?  You have competition.  You’re just an amateur but there are many professionals in the market and they charge too much.  You found your niche as an affordable musician, renovator, photographer or artist, whichever you are, people need these services and you can provide them at an affordable price.  But it’s not as easy as it seems at first.  How do you tell people about your service?  You don’t have a lot of money but you will put your heart into it so you know it was be great work but how do you get that message across to your potential client?

Pro Bono. Why not?  Lawyers do it, maybe for different reasons but they are still getting experience and building their own portfolio.  Take on a project for free, ensure you get lots of exposure and the time you invest will pay out ten fold.  If
Continue Reading

Dear Signs: I Don’t See You Anymore

In the 1960’s when advertising took off globally, mass media worked, radio sold advertising, TV was one of the best mediums, billboards commanded your attention, then it hit a tipping point.  At a certain point in time advertising became too much, I’m not sure when it was but it was at that point when we had to start ignoring ads.  This video clip from marketing guru Seth Godin sums up why marketers have lost our attention.  I like ads, I like questioning marketing campaigns but for the first time the other day I caught myself ignoring ads.  It was a fascinating trip to the grocery store that proved for myself how hard it is to get a message across, even when it’s staring you in the face.

Just like everyone else in our world that doesn’t shop at Safeway, I received bad service at a grocery store.  Such a bad experience drove me to going to their website and trying to give them feedback as to why I was unhappy leaving their establishment.  During the feedback questionnaire one question caught me off guard, “Did you notice any signage talking about 1000 flavors of Canada?” I reflected on my visit and
Continue Reading