Tornado Marketing

Getting Started: It’s OK To Be Terrible

Adrianne-Machina — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 18:50:13 +0000

It’s OK to be embarrassingly BAD at it…

Really. We all think our natural talent should shine through the first time we do something. I wish….but life doesn’t work like that.

I’ve been continually pushing myself out of my comfort zone this summer. I’m finding there are SO many things I’m embarrassingly bad at, but at the same time, these are endeavors that I’m motivated to become decent, and maybe even good at.

I started playing golf on the local Chamber of Commerce Thursday night league. I have one of the worst handicaps in the league (I’m sure), yet now that I’ve been doing it all summer, I’m seeing glimmers of promise. I actually drove my ball 150 yards onto the green and made a par on my last round. Whoo-hoo! These slivers of success are what motivate me to keep coming back.

I’ve also started a new workout routine. My class is filled with tri-athletes and marathon runners. Needless to say, I’m embarrassingly bad at this workout…at least compared to this group of peers. But if I want a better body I need to persevere. I have to suck up my pride and soldier on. No one seems judgmental. In fact, other class participants go out of their way to encourage me and show me the ropes. The embarrassment is mostly in my head.

What motivated me to write this post is that I’m working with several clients right now who are “embarrassingly bad” at marketing. They’ve been “white-knuckle marketing”, meaning they are just holding onto for their dear lives. They have a website that they pray no one will ever visit and they skate by just by having a decent product and personality.

If you want to be better at anything, you have to start where you are RIGHT NOW. Don’t put off joining the gym until after you’ve lost 20 lbs. Don’t wait to re-do your website until everything else in your business is perfect. Don’t EVER wait until the perfect time. The perfect time is RIGHT NOW! It’s OK. Be bad. It’s the first step toward being good.

7 Books To Help You Reach Your Marketing Goals!

Adrianne-Machina — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 05:21:24 +0000

Every time someone asks me what my favorite marketing book is I feel like they are asking who my favorite child is.

I assure you that I love both my children equally, but I also recognize that my children each have their own identity. My daughter loves to be the center of attention. She likes to have her hands in everything and has a knack for excelling at the things she tries because of her ability to adapt. Unlike his younger sister, my son is the quiet observer. He thinks things through and analyses situations before diving in headfirst. When he decides to dedicate himself to someone or something he goes all in, which is why he also excels in the things he is most passionate about. As a mother of two wonderful children with two totally different approaches to life I have learned A LOT!

The same is true about the ten books I listed below. Although each one takes a different approach to marketing, each has helped me grow as a professional in the same way that my children have helped me grow and added unexplainable value to my personal life. I hope they will do the same for you.

	Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch A great book for new business owners, especially “do-ers” who have become business owners. Duct Tape Marketing’s common sense down-to-earth style is easy to read and provides insight as to what’s important in building a solid marketing foundation.
	Read This First by Ron Ploof I recommend this book for mid-to-large size organizations who are struggling to understand how and why to jump into social media marketing.
	Influence the Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B CialdiniA classic. Why do people make the decisions they do? How can we persuade people to make the decisions we want them to? A client gave me this book and I can see why it’s such a best seller.
	Blink by Malcolm Gladwell People make decisions in the blink of an eye – and they don’t really understand their decision process. They “know it” without knowing how they know it. I also recommend “The Tipping Point” and “Outliers.”
	Permission Marketing by Seth Godin A must read for any Internet Marketer today. Explains why push marketing and SPAM marketing are less effective than simply asking for permission, then following through on keeping in touch the way the customer wants.
	Selling the Invisible by Harry Beckwith How do you sell something that people can’t experience until they become your customer? This short, practical book is packed with wisdom.
	The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott Give them your good stuff! This is a great book for old school marketers wanting to make the transition to new marketing.

Freedom

Adrianne-Machina — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:54:47 +0000

Tomorrow is the biggest day of my son’s entire life. At least that’s what I felt when I was his age.

Do you remember it? You were nervous, anxious, feeling like your life was about to begin? You adjust your seat, check the mirrors, feel the sweat on your palms grip the leather of the steering wheel. When you nervously glance over at your driving test instructor, you just pray to yourself that you see every stop sign, and remember to look all the way over your left shoulder before taking a turn.

Then that moment comes.

You passed.

Your mom hands you the keys to her car. Up until that moment your entire life had been defined by being a passenger. Now you have control. Freedom. At last.

This is the moment where I wrap this post back to business, because the second greatest moment in your life is when you decide you are in control of your life. Whether you decide to run your own business or work for someone else, you own the fact that you are NOT a passenger in your life.

You are the driver.

SAVOR the freedom!

Hold Yourself Accountable To Your Marketing Goals

Adrianne-Machina — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:30:03 +0000

If the Mayan`s were right, 2012 is your last chance to follow through on those New Years resolutions. If the end of the world isn`t enough to make this your best year yet, then find what motivates you to finally accomplish your goals instead of recycling them year after year. Hold yourself accountable today right now.

Too many people put off what is important and act as though the time needed to accomplish a goal will present its self in the future without having to prepare. We tell ourselves, I will eat healthier tomorrowâ€¦ Start exercising next weekâ€¦ Save more money next monthâ€¦ Finish my book next year. But unless you have a plan in place, and clearly defined action steps, it is unlikely you will reach your goals. And in the mean time, you are missing out on the benefits you could be having today.

If this is the way you are treating your 2012 marketing plan then you are missing out on:

Finding new prospects
Building strong relationships with customers
Increasing profits
Staying ahead of your competitors

It is time to make a commitment and hold yourself and your team accountable. FOCUS on what is important, CONNECT with your target market, and GROW your business.

Focus

Know your target market and focus on the needs of your clients instead of chasing dead ends and spreading yourself too thin. Marketing strategies have become increasingly complex. There are so many ways to get distracted from what really matters and what works best for your company. It is important to keep up with marketing trends so you can maintain a competitive edge, but before implementing a new strategy or campaign make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. If you have strayed from your company`s core marketing values then redirect your energy into what has consistently worked for your company.

Connect

The landscape of communication has changed drastically over the years and is continuing to change. Know where to find your target market and their preferred method of communication, and be aware that those preferences could change. According to University of Dayton, 59% of B2B decision makers have used smartphones to research products and services before considering purchases. If this isn`t your target market now, then that may change in 2012 with the increased popularity of mobile searches. Be ready to engage with your audience in new ways.

Grow

In order to grow you need to know what works and what doesn`t work. The only way to know is to measure the results of your marketing efforts. Do you already know where you are putting your 2012 marketing dollars? According to a report by Forrester Research, all industries are expected to spend nearly 26% of all advertising dollars on interactive marketing. If this the direction your business is moving, then be sure to have an effective way to measure your results. Invest in what works for your company and 2012 will be a year of growth.

What are your 2012 marketing fitness goals? Need some help getting into shape? Contact us for a free 30 minute consultation!

Do you have a Hail Mary Play in your marketing arsenal?

Adrianne-Machina — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:45:46 +0000

I`m a late-coming football fan. Truthfully, I`m a bigger fan of the football party than the football game, but that seems to work out for everyone involved. After all, someone needs to fetch the beer and snacks and I`m more than happy to be that someone. This year, because the Packers and Badgers both did so well, I actually got into watching the game, especially when it was a close call in the fourth quarter.

The UW Badgers got killed by so many Hail Mary plays this year. (Yes, I`m talking to you Michigan State). With the SuperBowl right around the corner I started thinking, what about having a Hail Mary Marketing Play? While most of marketing (and football) is just making small forward movementsâ€” an email here, a website tweak thereâ€” sometimes you need to do something big and bold to stand out. A Hail Mary play requires big risk, but could also mean a much bigger reward. Do you have a Hail Mary Marketing Play? If not, could you create one?

Focus on Getting Results

Sometimes we see companies take gigantic, but often misguided, leaps of faith. The only reason a football team makes a Hail Mary play is because a touchdown will win the game for them and they don`t have many options left. I don`t actually advocate draining your bank account to make one last grand stand. But we do see it happen.

In marketing, we see companies buy a 30 second SuperBowl ad. They rent a billboard. Then they go out of business because those ads usually won`t win the game for the company. I like that they are thinking BIG but are they also thinking about LEADS? I don`t think I`ve ever bought something off of a billboard. Know your customer. Focus on what they like. Focus on what will get you the BIG results you want.

So if not SuperBowl Ads, what could you do?

Get booked as a speaker at a key industry conference?
Get a well-known person to endorse you?
Redevelop your processes so you are faster than everyone else?
Create a guarantee that your competitors can`t touch
Start a contest that gets excitement flowing?
Be seen on TV

There are a million ways to shake up your business, to make bold steps forward. You just have to think of them. Not all of them are going to work but some of them might. No risk, no reward, right?

If you need help either with marketing or just as fun person to have at your SuperBowl party, count me in!

5 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Business Networking Groups

Adrianne-Machina — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:03:06 +0000

Are you a member of BNI? Your local Chamber of Commerce? An industry association? If you are, you’ll quickly realize that all business networking groups are not created equal. Our local Middleton Chamber of Commerce events are outstanding, filled with fun, interesting people. But when I lived in California, I didn’t have that same experience.

So how do you get the most out of business networking groups? First off, find one that works for you. Don`t waste valuable time thinking it`ll get better unless you are personally stepping up to a leadership position to make it better. There are lots of options out there.

When you find a business networking group that is suited for you, here are 5 simple ways to make the most of it!

1. Be prepared.

The first rule of networking is to bring plenty of business cards. But beyond that basic step, prepare yourself to create a great meeting. If you are shy or new to the area, get to the venue early. This will allow you time to meet people one-on-one as they stream in. You may consider doing a little background research on people you know will be there. With Facebook and LinkedIn, it`s easier than ever to find some common ground you can use to spark up a conversation.

2. Be interesting.

When we say interesting, we don`t mean WOW, IN-TER-EST-ING! Leave your crazy antics and wild get-ups at home. Contrary to the popular saying, all publicity is not in fact good publicity. What we mean is that we don`t want you to just show up and pitch your business.

People want to talk about their own businesses and their real lives and outside interests. Sometimes, the organizer adds interest for you. The Middleton Chamber of Commerce has a meeting segment called Face Time, where everyone around the table answers a silly question. When people try to sneak in their pitch, the rest of the table almost flinches. It`s just such a newbie tactic. Relax. If you build a relationship, you`ll have plenty of time to earn their business. Be present. Come up with a creative answer. Often (if you don`t have a Face Time at your meeting), you`re the one who has to come up with the creative questions too.

Remember that we all hate to be sold. Find people that you want to know. Focus on building relationships, not just making sales. When I attend the Middleton Chamber of Commerce events I am continuously reminded of why I moved to Middleton in the first place. There are a lot of small business owners and nonprofits who genuinely care about helping each other and building a better and stronger community.

3. Be present.

Be fully present. You can`t do that if your phone keeps distracting you. I will be the first to admit that I am guilty sometimes ignoring this rule. As a small business owner, it is hard for me to trust that the shop is running smoothly without me. Arrange things so that you can turn off the phone and tune into what is going on around you. The same is true for so many other things in life as well.

4. Be involved.

Whether it`s Toastmastasters, Rotary Club or your local chamber of commerce, organizations need strong leadership. Don`t be the one who sits in the back and grouses about a poorly run meeting. Step up to make it better. Use the skills from your day job to add value. If you`re an accounting type person, volunteer to be the treasurer. Don`t be afraid to push a little past your comfort level. Organizations are a great place to learn leadership skills.

5. Follow up.

Many people show up to business networking events and then never follow up, which can be an advantage for you. You will stand out! Remember that timing is everything. When I`m travelling on business, I often go to my hotel room at the end of the night and send out emails or snail mail notes. Don`t assume people will remember you especially if it`s a big event. Remind them what you talked about. Do your research so you have some talking points and know a little about their business. If the prospect is still warm after the first phone call or email, don`t be afraid to take the next step.

Content, Content Everywhere

Adrianne-Machina — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:36:21 +0000

As someone who strongly believes in SYSTEMS, I am always looking to perfect my own. I love my gadgets and software, but sometimes I have to remind myself that simpler is better. When I look at my highly organized friends, they use simple things like – notepad, their phone, tasks in Outlook. But oh no, those solutions aren’t robust enough for me. I’m on the quest for global unification! All my information, all my project billing, everything available from one central location. I’m I on a fruitless quest for Holy Grail?

Compounding the problem is that it isn’t just me who likes to have systems, all my clients like having systems too. So to meet their needs, and my own, I’m currently on:

One Note
SkyDrive
SharePoint
QuickBooks
Infusionsoft
Outlook Tasks
Intervals Online
DropBox
Taskos (on my phone)
Written Lists
And don’t EVEN get me started on all my inboxes….

Pfffew! Thank goodness I have a good memory. I almost need a list of where all the lists are. Small business collaboration isn’t easy – especially when it comes to sharing outside the boundaries of your office. Zen. I want Zen. Serenity Now! What’s your strategy? Any recommendations on how I can simplify my organizational strategy and therefore organize my life?

Facebook For Business vs. Google+

Adrianne-Machina — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:36:03 +0000

If you are nervous about your business being left in the dust because you haven`t jumped on the Google+ band wagon yet, don`t be. As it stands, businesses are not welcome on Google+, at least not yet anyway. Google says that should change in the near future. And don`t bother creating a personal account for your business either, because chances are Google will disable it.

While you wait for Google+ to start accommodating eager (and now slightly annoyed) businesses you can refocus your energy on Facebook with their new product, Facebook for Business.

What is Facebook For Business?

Shortly after Google+ was launched Facebook for Business went live. Chances are if you have been on Facebook for a while and have a great fan base then you are already familiar with what is in the easy to use guide. Basically it breaks down the four main components for business success on Facebook. The step by step guide offers information on:

Pages Your business profile.
Ads Highly targeted advertisement.
Sponsored Stories Showing users who of their friends like your business.
Platform Plugins and custom application.

Just because Google+ isn`t ready for businesses to jump on board, doesn`t mean you should ignore it all together. We recommend creating a personal account and becoming familiar with Google+. Why? Because Google has over a billion users who could potentially join Google+. In comparison, Facebook has just over a half a billion users, but many of them haven`t been pleased with customer service and privacy concerns.

What is Google+?

It is Google`s newest attempt at going social. Although user numbers are quickly climbing on an invitation only basis, it remains to be seen if this new social networking site will compete with Facebook. Google`s other attempts Google Wave and Google Buzz didn`t even come close, but the new project certainly shows more potential.

How does it work?

Google+ incorporated Google`s already widely popular products such as Picasa, Google Maps, and others by making them more socially compatible. Similar to the Facebook news feed, Google+ has a Stream where user updates are displayed. There are four main components of a Google+ profile:

Circles A way to keep friends, family, and work separate.
Hangouts A virtual gathering for multiple people through live video chatting.
Huddles A group mobile chat feature that allows you to make plans with multiple people.
Sparks An aggregate of all the things you like and want to follow.

Are you on Google+? Tell us what you think!

How important is your domain?

Adrianne-Machina — Tue, 31 May 2011 14:33:31 +0000

Normally I wouldn`t talk politics, but when there is a marketing blunder on the campaign trail I simply can`t help myself.

Meet Jane Corwin. She was a New York Assemblywoman running for Congress. If her elegant website and well written copy on JaneCorwin.com is any indication of her character, then she seems like a nice enough lady. She says she wants to cut spending, reduce taxes and help people who need it. Very noble of her, but there is just one problem: She has an alter ego.

Jane Corwin`s alter ego – JaneCorwin.org – is clearly a spoof website. It`s well written pop up asks you to sign up for her campaign make delicious soup from the bones of the poor while divulging your social security number. I`m sure the .org counterpart has caused her quite a bit of embarrassment and annoyance. Both JaneCorwin.com and JaneCorwin.org show up on the first page of search results.

Even though the .com shows up first on Google, the .org site has FOUR times as much traffic. Because the.org site is so clever and funny, it`s fun to pass on, and likely to become a viral sensation. I know I wouldn`t be talking about Jane Corwin at all if it weren`t for this spoof site. The .org site is being successful at getting their message out there, having fun at her expense, and undermining her political agenda. It has the potential to have a big impact on her election. The embarrassment could have been easily avoided if she had simply purchased, at the very least, the most common domain names. Many marketers would recommend purchasing all available domains, and now I am sure Jane Corwin would as well. When you begin to build your brand online, choosing a domain name is one of your very first steps. Initially you might just buy one domain, but as you grow, it`s wise to purchase common variations of your domain. The other place you want to secure your brand name is on the social media sites. I love a product called Knowem. (And yes, I am an affiliate.) For free, Knowem allows you to go see the domain names and social media sites that you might want to secure. And then for a pretty reasonable fee (starting at $99) Knowem will help you stake your online claim so that no one else can pretend to be you. As a bonus, you`ll probably get some nice inbound links from some pretty reputable, high-page-ranked sites, potentially boosting your position in the search engines.

10 Major Marketing Mistakes in the Astoria University Ad

Adrianne-Machina — Wed, 04 May 2011 19:49:20 +0000

When I ran across this stunning Astoria University advertisement in SkyMall magazine, I literally laughed out loud. I’m shocked at my own self-control for not poking my seatmate in the arm so that I could ramble for 20 minutes about all the things that are so very wrong with this ad. Instead, for the first time in thousands of travel miles, I put SkyMall in my bag so I could share my rant with you.

Astoria University Ad, as seen in SkyMall

Judging by their ad, I`m guessing this prestigious (or as they creatively spell it prestigeous”) university doesn`t offer degrees in marketing, graphic design or English. If they do, I advise you to stay away a COSMOS away. This blog post will be a better marketing education. I`m sure Skymall isn`t cheap. The poor junior marketing intern who designed this ad (and logo) probably doesn`t realize just how much time, effort and resources Astoria University is wasting. Here are ten reasons why this advertisement is a complete bust (aside from snide entertainment value.) 1. Failure To Reach Target Market First of all, SkyMall? SKYMALL? On the page before the Astoria University ad, I can buy wart remover, laser hair therapy or an Etch-a-Sketch ® case for my iPad. Travellers who can`t pull out their laptops until cruising altitude aren`t looking for their advanced college degrees in the same place they`re looking for their wart removal remedies. To get a return on your investment, you need to reach the right audience. You need to associate yourself with similar advertisers. They`d have been much better off advertising in the airline magazine. 2. The Cosmic Logo From which universe am I getting this university degree? Why, oh why, is there a solar system in the middle of this logo? When I came across this disaster, I thought this had to be a training program for psychics, astrologers or mystics. 3. Too many words, too little space It looks like they were trying to squeeze out every last drop of their marketing dollars by using every inch of space. White space isn`t wasted space. White space enables an advertisement to breathe so that viewers can focus on the core message. Cluttered ads have a low-end feel. 4. Secret codes & text that says nothing Why would they hide astoriau randomly in plain sight? TWICE! Is that a secret code? All these words they`re using to fill the page don`t actually say anything. Our professors are carefully selectedâ€¦ Is that really your differentiator? Are there universities that pull random people off the street to teach subject they know nothing about? Why are they talking about a t-shirt? Aren`t brochures always free? I just don`t understand. 5. A Mismatch Of Multiple Fonts When I showed this ad to one of my graphic designers, she not only laughed out loud she guffawed. There`s a craziness of multiple fonts, multiple sizes, lists that don`t match. It`s a hot mess. 6. Typos It`s absolutely ridiculous to be paying for a half-page national color advertisement and be careless enough to misspell prestigeous” and doctorial especially when you`re selling EDUCATION! 7. Apostrophe Or No Apostrophe â€¦ That Is The Question What is with the random apostrophes? (Should it be apostrophe`s?) Instead of looking up the correct format, perhaps it`s better to just mix and match and sometimes use one and sometimes not. What??? NO!!! If you don`t know how to use these pesky little punctuation marks, find out! Astoria University marketing interns, here`s a link for you: www.google.com The worst thing you could do is cross your fingers, close your eyes and then pin the tail on the donkey, which is exactly what appears to have happened to this advertisement. 8. Random Lines & Formatting The top line appears to be a failed attempt at breaking up the header with the body of information. It failed because of, among other things, the giant Enroll Now running down the side, not to mention that it is smashed against the text below it. Also, I am still trying to figure out the purpose of line under Our Professors. I gather that someone was trying to put emphasis on the fact that Astoria University has highly qualified teachers, but I am not buying it – no matter how much random underlining and bolding they use. 9. A Prestigeous T-Shirt? I didn`t know that T-shirts could be prestigious. I`m assuming that`s what they meant by prestigeous. At $26, their t-shirts are pretty pricy, but the glaring typo is making me question how prestigious those t-shirts really could be. Besides, now you`ve distracted me. What exactly are you trying to sell me again a crazy t-shirt with a picture of the universe on it or a college degree? 10. Misleading Statements Offering me something for FREE is a great way to get my attention. But a brochure? I`m pretty much sure every brochure in the universe is already free. I don`t usually pay to get sold to. Do you? Also, my understanding is that the so-called FREE brochure listed in the advertisement isn`t actually free at all. It`ll cost me $7.50 in shipping. I almost feel like the Astoria University SkyMall ad is one of those puzzles where you have to find the hidden shapes, or in this case, all the things wrong with the ad. I also noted that there`s no website or phone number, but that`s due to SkyMall`s policy of sending all inquiries through SkyMall. I did find the Astoria University Website, which looks exactly as I would expect it to look – except with less typos. So readers, what did I miss? Did this ad also catch your eye on your travels?