NIELSEN IAG TOP 10 MOST-LIKED NEW TV ADS

Month's Top 10 Most-Liked, Most-Recalled New TV Spots
Sept. 15 to Oct. 12, 2008

1 Disney Parks - Mouse balloons float and follow people; boy getting hair cut, girls at ballet class; join us at one of our parks on your birthday for free.

2 Macy's Show - clips from past to present such as "I Love Lucy" and "Seinfeld" where Macy's is mentioned; part of your life for 150 years.

3 Lowe's - Female employee from another store buys lamp at Lowe's; tells co-worker it's a chainsaw for her husband.

4 Disney Parks - Boy in class opens envelope and Mouse balloons and fireworks come out; Happy Birthday Alex; join us on your birthday for free.

5 Lexus - RX--Firefighters at accident scene clip hook from helicopter, lifting stage to reveal SUV in park; best way to survive an accident is to avoid one.

6 NFL - NFL Shop--Ladies, football's got a more feminine touch; choose from a new selection of women's fashion apparel designed by Alyssa Milano.

7 Bertolli - Oven Bake Meals--Chef sings opera in restaurant with empty tables because of Bertolli; couple makes lasagna at home.

8 Verizon Wireless - Push to Talk--Construction worker tells boss that they already have push-to-talk, and phones came with holsters; truck moves to reveal network.

9 Microsoft Windows - I'm a PC, and I am not alone; various people proclaim that they're PC's; grandmother, teacher; we're all a PC, inseparably one.

10 AT&T - FamilyTalk with Rollover--Brothers fight over new and old rollover minutes; mother mixes up minutes, holds one up and asks if it's old or new.

*Source NIELSEN IAG

Howard Larson
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You can Compete In the Global Economy!

What does it take for a small, family-owned business with older, yet functioning equipment to compete in today's market?

In an article in Industry Week magazine this question was tackled in its article Small and Mid-sized Manufacturers: Flexible and Focused.

Quality Float Works Inc., a 93-year-old family business in Schaumberg, Ill. The company builds ball-like metal floats used to control liquid flow in applications ranging from water desalinization to gas tanks.

In describing the company IW said "The behemoth 1950s-era hydraulic press and the grease-infused air that permeates inside Quality Float Works Inc.'s cramped machine shop hearken back to a different age of U.S. manufacturing. It was a time when craftsmanship and innovation were demanded as much as price and volume. At the company's only facility ... you won't see cutting-edge robotic equipment or high-tech computerized machines going to work. Also absent are colored bins, kanban cards, and other tell-tale signs of the lean manufacturing initiatives championed by 'modern manufacturing' gurus."

To remain profitable (and alive) in a global economy, Quality Float Works had to create new niche offerings and embrace free trade, according to owner, president, and lead engineer Sandra Westlund-Deenihan. Implementing this plan involved Westlund-Deenihan's son, Jason Speer, who serves as company vice president and general manager, visiting more than 80 countries over the past two years to drive new product and market development.

The article presented an example of how this initiative benefited the company. During his visits, Speer found that water purity was a concern in developing countries, so the company began producing water storage products and desalinization floats with priming valves to help create fresh water.

Marketing the valves and the metal rods that connect them to the floats was a major step forward for the company. "We created a niche market that increased our international sales," Westtlund-Deenihan said. The global expansion has helped boost the company's revenues 105 percent since 2003.

As the IW article subtitle states, "By targeting niche products and staying nimble, small and mid-sized manufacturers prove they can play with the big boys."

How is your company holding up against the big boys? Has it done anything other than business as usual to compete?

Larson note: There is way to succeed. All you need to do is get out of your box and see what is out there. The US can compete world wide with what we have. Look, See Think!

Now as you know I personally don’t believe in “Free Trade” as it is presented to us because with most countries free trade is not free. And as most of you know I believe the USA should pull OUT of the World Trade Organization (WTO) not because I don’t support world wide trading and trading partners but because the WTO does not support open free markets going both directions. Yet the USA is able to find ways to compete in a tilted world.

Howard Larson
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NIELSEN IAG TOP NEW MOST-RECALLED NEW TV ADS

1 Volkswagen - Routan--Babies in nursery are shown; Brooke Shields says these are the Routan babies; have a baby for love, not a Routan.

2 KFC - KFC $10 Challenge--Mom and kids go to grocery store and try to get all ingredients to make chicken under $10; we're over $10 (:15).

3 DirecTV - Girl says they're here, spirits burst thru screen; Craig T. Nelson says instead of watching channels in HD, we're stuck watching cable.

4 Volkswagen - Routan--Brooke Shields says husband brought wife to dealership for an intervention because she wants to give birth simply for German engineering.

5 Clue - (Hasbro) Imagine you're a celebrity at a party everyone's dying to attend; someone dies; you discover where, with what weapon, and who did it.

6 KFC - KFC $10 Challenge--Mom and kids go to grocery store and try to get all ingredients to make chicken under $10; we're over $10 (:30).

7 Volkswagen - Routan--Brooke Shields talks about women getting pregnant just to get a Routan and every single one of them is in complete denial.

8 Duracell - Mom looks for son and calls for him; uses BrickHouse Child Locator and finds him; the only battery BrickHouse trusts is Duracell.

9 Tyson Chicken - Nuggets--kids devise ways for disposing food; crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside; now made with 100% natural ingredients.

10 Domino's - Oven Baked Sandwiches--Domino's guy delivers to Sub-Mart; I have an oven baked sandwich for Steve; leave it on the side of the building.

*Source NIELSEN IAG

Howard Larson
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Is Twitter Doomed?

Twitter Says It Will Finally Figure Out a Revenue Model ... Next Year. . Really!

As the future of Twitter gets more and more difficult, I keep thinking that it'd be really sad if Twitter went away, because, golly gee, there'd be no way to Twitter its funeral.

A lot of media and marketing people have been singing the twitter ending for a while now.

Yet could it be? Does Twitter's abrupt replacement of its CEO suggest the end is in site?

The New York Times, for instance, used the management shift to offer these deadpan lines about the notoriously business-model-free Twitter (which has somehow raised tens of millions in venture capital): "Early next year, Twitter plans to introduce several ways to bring in revenue. One idea is to charge companies that want to use Twitter as an official channel to talk with their customers and monitor what they are saying.

Thank you big brother.

Cash-strapped companies are going to want to pay for twitting? Oh come on, look at how many companies are banding twitting in the office already. Then you think their customers are going to want to be monitored?

The company's been around since 2006 and only now is it rethinking its management and considering possible revenue sources ... for 2009? In reality I think Twitter is pretty cool. It can be a great way for certain people and companies with something (hopefully) interesting to say to stay of the top of their heads with their followers. I've Twittered and my friends have twitted back at me. I even get a few Twitter feeds from some individual media operations and media people I know that I can actually count on to be genuinely meaningful and insightful. On the other hand, I'm seeing a lot of really smart writers and thinkers devoting way too much time to Twittering -- and to me it's akin to convincing yourself that constant gum chewing is as good as preparing, or consuming, a gourmet meal. At the same time I have had to unfollow some people because to the meaningless twits they push out.

Either way, though, I will say that Twitter is, for the most part, an unnecessary distraction in an already information-overloaded age. If you use it watch the clock

So please, Twitter, turn on the revenue streams before it's too late.

But what if it's not only too late, but it was never time? What if not everything that flits across our screens -- computer or cell phone or whatever -- can be contorted into serving as a profit center? As I've said before: I don't think every tweet or blur or bloop or fart that emanates from a human can or should have ads sold against it or be otherwise monetized.

That last sentence, by the way, was 144 characters long. Opps time to delete a few words.

Larson note: Twitter has a place in marketing. Use it to your advantage but keep it as a tool not a toy. If you can keeps its power in perspective you can win. But if you doubt its power you will be doomed. As men did with the one ring to rule them all in “Lord of the Rings” Beware lest you fall prey to the twitter time trap. Please note I am a twitter.


Howard Larson
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Virgin Atlantic Airways launches “Airphoria”

Virgin Atlantic Airways new US campaign called “Airphoria” will be highlighting the experiences of flying Virgin America, regardless of class. It was created by McKinney, Virgins agency of record and the campaign stated around the 1st of October and will be running through February of 2009. They will be targeting business travelers who might choose the airlines Upper Class or Premium Economy services. They will also try to tie the campaign in with the leisure traveler who tends to ride economy class.

Larson note: Not sure if their idea on one push to catch all is a good one. I like the concept of positioning when going on a brand marketing attack. Trying to hit both the business traveler as well as the causal tourist might not make it. What would you do?

Howard Larson
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Travelocity has a Latin American site

Travelocity has launched a Spanish language site designed to give travelers in Latin America a secure way to make travel reservations through the brand. The site is targeted at travelers throughout Spanish speaking Latin America with a focus on consumers in Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica and Peru

Larson note: Spanish is moving in and US corporations had better be on top of it or get left out. Latin America has always been sitting right under the nose of the US with not enough attention given to the area.

Howard Larson
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Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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Increase Sales with Inserts; Thought 4

If you have now decided to try an insert for your business remember above all it needs to grab a readers attention

Words: Free, Save or Special Offer comes to mind
Color: Red, and Orange become a vision in my minds eye.
Size: Be bigger or small than your competition as long as you are different.
Feel: Special paper stocks for look and texture
Understandability: Make the rules to use the coupon understandable to people like me

And for a quick side note: if there is a return post card involved make sure that it meets postal specifications

Larson note: Its not enough just to use inserts, you need to make sure they grab the reader’s attention, design, shape, size, offer and copy are all important. So research your market, see who is advertising in your potential newspapers or magazines and go for it.


Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
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Where's Mom? IM or Twitt Her And Find Out

Traditional nuclear families, you know, those with two married parents and one or more children—are more likely to use technology to stay in touch during the day than other types of families, according to a Pew Internet Research report. Married couples with minor children have higher rates of Internet and cell phone usage, computer ownership and broadband adoption than other household configurations, found the survey of 2,252 households. (The "married couples" designation included approximately 10 percent couples living together as if married.)

Among the findings:

> 94 percent of married couples with at least one child had Internet service, compared with 70 percent of married couples with no children at home and 90 percent of non-married couples with a child.

> 66 percent of married couples with at least one child had a broadband connection (e.g., cable or DSL), compared with 52 percent of married couples with no children at home and 55 percent of non-married couples with a child.

> 58 percent of married couples with at least one child had two or more computers (and were more likely to have them connected to a home network), compared with 39 percent of married couples with no children at home and 54 percent of non-married couples with a child.

The survey found that couples use their cell phones to connect and coordinate their lives, particularly if they have children at home. Nearly 90 percent of these traditional families have more than two cell phones, compared with 69 percent of married couples with no kids at home and 80 percent of non-married adults with a child. According to Pew, although spouses often go their separate ways during the day, they remain connected by cell phones and Internet communications.

Part of the reason for the disparity between couples with and without children is that those without dependents at home tend to be older. In addition, married-with-children families are notable for both their high levels of education and as having high incomes. One in three of the married/partnered adults in these families (35 percent) have a college degree (among the highest rates of any household) and just 6 percent have not graduated from high school (by far the lowest of any household type). Nearly 40 percent of those married with children have an annual household income of $75,000 or more.

The study also noted that this high degree of connectedness did not result in more face time among family members. According to the report, "Those with multiple communication devices are somewhat less likely to eat dinner with other household members and somewhat less likely to report high levels of satisfaction with their family and leisure time than are families with lower levels of technology ownership."

Still, it seems that families are attempting to improve the quality of their time with one another by going online together: 52 percent of Internet users who live with a spouse and one or more children go online with another person at least a few times a week. Another 34 percent of such families have shared screen moments at least occasionally. In addition, families that own large quantities of televisions and computers are no less likely to share screen time with other family members than those families that have lower levels of technology ownership

Larson note: How do you contect with this type of a family (person) I’m thinking bannor ads might be the key here. Do I hear email blasts ? These are soficited web uses. They know what they are doing, unlike me. Would these same married’s be twitting each other?


Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
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Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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Increase Sales with Inserts; Thought 3

Most direct marketers I know of still use the AIDA formula (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action). Inserts are much more dependant on easy to view, quick hitting copy draw in and hard hitting copy.

An insert has less room that a brochure or tri-fold so you need to stay totally on focus, not letting yourself get diarrhea of the mouth.

If you want to connect quick and fast you need to include one of more of these tips.

1. Have empathy for the recipient targeted offerings, testimonials,
2. Selling in a positive manor
3. Telling a (short) story that compels without pretense.

Another key to a great insert is creating a sense of urgency. The words free or discounted come to mind, if they have a deadline and are real. Then consider the economies. What is the best deal you can make? And after all of that… Make sure your insert is consistent with the lover look and feel of your corporate standard.

Larson note: So many times creative gets in the way of the message, AIDA will save you every time. You got to grab them. Then you have to interest them at their lever. You need to create the desire to ACT. Unless you create the need to act it is all meaningless


Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
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Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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Want to eat in St. Louis, ask Moosylvania?

Domino’s Pizza, McDonald’s and Hardee’s have all signed up as advertising partners for a new site witch will initially serve the St. Louis Mo market. The site helps hungry people find a place to eat within their area based on the location, type of food and the price. Moosylvania plans to roll out the same service to other US markets early next year.

Larson note: Can’t say this idea has not been tried before. Heck a company I was doing work for 9 years ago floated out the same basic idea for multiple industries. Perhaps with better controls and a better search engine submission / optimization program help it can work for those involved. If the site gets rated high enough it could prove worthwhile.

Howard Larson
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Sri Lanka Mall Ties-In With Harry Potter

A leading shopping mall in Sri Lanka teamed up with international hit franchise Harry Potter and used a little bit of magic to help promote itself

Using some fun ground-breaking technology, the mall planted a coffee cup on a table in one of its coffee shops and placed a mock copy of the soon-to-be released "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" next to it.

Eagle-eyed shoppers soon noticed that the spoon in the cup was stirring the coffee on its own, as if by magic. The stunt quickly drew a crowd, and a video clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEqvj_lgPYE&feature=related ) of the activity became an internet hit, ensuring the mall grabbed the attention of Sri Lanka's shoppers.

Larson note: Coffee rules even in Hogwarts. Us Marketing Muggle’s will have to sit back and marvel at who ever thought this one up. Dang this is too good! I’m kicking my preverbal creative head on not thinking this one up. Now what can you do in your business to have the same effect?


Howard Larson
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Holiday Sales Increase 1995 thru 2008*

1995 – 3.1%
1996 – 3.6%
1997 – 4.8%
1998 – 5.8%
1999 – 8.1%
2000 – 2.3%
2001 – 3.49%
2002 – 1.3%
2003 – 5.0%
2004 – 6.0%
2005 – 5.7%
2006 – 2.4%
2007 – 2.4%
2008* - 2.2%

*estimate

Larson note: Up down, up down. Such is the way of retail Christmas sales. This year’s estimated sales growth is not all that different from last years. Yet you can change your person store growth. Yes macro economics says no but in micro economics I say yes. Incentives, celebrity signings, free gifts, free cups of coffee (?), free cookies, bonus incentive points, buy 1 get a second at half price. Just get them in your door and let them buy.


Howard Larson
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Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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Increase Sales with Inserts; Thought 2

I have been reading about where Christmas sales are going to go this year. One source (TNSRetail Forward) is thinking 1.5%. Another source (US Department of Commerce) is predicting 2.2%

As a marketer I could sit back and just say it’s the economy. Yet there is that part of me the aggressive part that refuses to give into the talk on the street. So I would say to you, there is not a better time to attract customers to your store or business than now. And one of the major ways to do this is though an advertising insert, be it in the newspaper or a trade magazine. What better way than to create an attention grabbing ad insert which displays IMMEDIATE value.

Idea 1: Use specialty adhesives. Put in an insert that is a peel-off coupon, sweepstakes, game or promotion (not a cut out) Inserts like these allow consumers to easily get your insert and not cut it out of the newspaper of magazine or market it to go back to when they have a pail of scissors (which may be never).

Idea 2: Special die-cut. In order to increase the visibility of your piece have it special die-cut into a unique shape that will help to showcase you, your company and your product, service or event.

Idea 3: Make your piece drastically different. Put it all together with shape, size, paper stock,

In a study comparing unique inserts to normal ones, 57% of consumers took, choose and read the unique insert first. When do you want to be seen and read, first or second?

Larson note: Does it make sense for you to go unique? Do you have room in your budget? You do have a budget don’t you? Does getting in front of your competition by almost 2/3rds over your competition most of the time mean anything to you?


Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
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Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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Travelocity has a Spanish language site

Travelocity has launched a Spanish language site designed to give travelers in Latin America a secure way to make travel reservations through the brand. The site is targeted at travelers throughout Spanish speaking Latin America with a focus on consumers in Chile, Columbia, Costa Rica and Peru

Larson note: Spanish is moving in and US corporations had better be on top of it or get left out. Latin America has always been sitting right under the nose of the US with not enough attention given to the area.

Howard Larson
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Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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Backshoring: Moving Jobs Back to America

Some big corporate names—Dell, Apple and American Express, to name a few—have made news by bringing some of their offshore operations back to the United States. Is this a trend that will continue?

In Booz Allen Hamilton’s online magazine, strategy+business Online, partner Vinay Couto, principal Ashok Divakaran and senior associate Mahadeva Mani write that companies can expect a natural rebalancing as they determine what work can best be performed where as the concept of offshoring matures and settles.

The U.S. will, no doubt, gain and lose some ground in the process. Indeed, companies have begun to rethink their offshoring decisions in a way that ultimately will render "offshore" and "onshore" no longer meaningful or relevant. Instead, companies are making choices about the best place to do a given piece of work—be it offshore, onshore or nearshore. As this transformation occurs, work is being spread throughout the world and companies are globalizing to keep up. But we're only at the beginning of that process, and we won't witness the full effects for quite some time. Traditional offshoring, as we know it, is by no means dead.

Larson note: I do like what I’m hearing. Some things are good to outsource and take offshore and some other things should never be put over seas. This is how the world works sometimes to the USA’s advantage and other times to our disadvantage. My company is focused on keeping jobs that sell to the USA in the USA, so I see this as nothing but good.

The major key in these decisions (of me) is to partner in a country where the playing field (both ways) is level. Currency, Rebates to companies for paid tariffs unabated pollution, human rites, minimum and child labor laws. These must all be equal between the two countries where outsourcing should take place. Look up my earlier blogs on my solution on these things.


Howard Larson
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Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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Southwest Airlines Has a New Perk

Southwest Airlines has added a new fast-lane perk to its Rapid Reward loyalty program, which it is also extending to its Business Select passengers. The program branded “Fly by” gives Rapid Reward A-List passengers – those who fly 16 qualifying roundtrips a year and Business Select tecket holders priority access to airport security lanes. All Rapid Rewards members and Business Select customers received e-mail announcements about the new program and a promotional message is also running on southwest.com

Larson note: You got to take care of the ones who take care of you. Southwest is doing it (again).

Howard Larson
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World Wide Social Networking

Year over year growth in unique users of social networks but worldwide region, Comparison of the month of June 07 and 08

Worldwide . . . . 464,437 / 580,510 / 25% growth
Asia Pacific . . . . 162,738 / 200,555 / 23% growth
Europe . . . . . . . 122,527 / 165,256 / 35% growth
North America . . 120,848 / 131,255 / 9% growth
Latin America . . 40,098 / 53,248 / 33% growth
Middle East/Africa 18,226 / 30,197 / 66% growth

*ComScore Inc

Larson note: SM is growing and growing fast. What companies and marketers need to do is find ways to use it. And to and for me there is only one way to do this. Practice, practice, practice.

Howard Larson
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How to Build Your Brand in Digital Age

We are absolutely inundated in news and information. On all sides we are being hit from the left and right! Information flying everywhere and from all sides between the election and the economy, the weather and the price of fuel. This massive message pounding is due, in good part, to the increase in channels of communication, mostly in digital communication. The internet and all manner of things digital have made it almost impossible to escape what's going on in the world. This has created a host of challenges and opportunities for Marketers and Advertising managers and everyone else responsible for the care and growing of brands. With all the new terms and jargon and the changing dynamics, questions abound. How do you cut through the clutter? How do you get your customer’s attention without being perceived as a pest? How do you get consumers engaged and wanting more? How do you take advantage of digital tools and tactics you are hearing about and deliver better brand?

Back in my youth, which was literally years ago, there was traditional advertising; you know 30- or 60-second TV spots, print media of magazines and the newspaper. Those of us who grew up on branding and advertising during those days came to accept this linear form of branding. We could pick it up, put it down or walk away from it quiet easily, thank you.

Well, the digital world is here. Marketing has moved from a linear customer in control of the message to a very nonlinear and digital technology where we see the message weather we want to or not. While traditional advertising still plays an important part in the branding equation, it no longer drives everything else. That's because modern consumers aren't sitting en masse in front of their TV sets being told why one brand of cereal is better than another.

To start with, there is no "mass" anymore. Consumer segments are more fragmented than at any other time in marketing history. TV is neither the most obvious game nor the only game. Companies are re-evaluating how they spend their branding dollars. It is harder than at any other moment in the history of branding to break through the marketplace clutter, to get people to pay attention to you and to focus on any thing let alone you, for very long.

Instead of looking at branding as a linear attack, marketer’s putting the brand right in the middle. They are not thinking about how the media should drive the branding but how the brand should drive the media and every other form of brand experience for the customer.

Michael Mendenhall, CMO of Hewlett-Packard, said "Many companies continue to look at marketing in conventional ways -- from a mass-market point of view. Branding today is not about the media; it's about the idea. You need to dismiss the conventional way of thinking and start with an understanding of the value of each communication channel and how -- or whether -- it will engage people. The idea should be the organizing principle, and it should inform everything you do to help consumers grasp your brand promise in whatever channel you're reaching them: the television, the blogs, the banner ads or the word of mouth.”

So where are you, what are your weapons in the new mulitchanel digital age?


Larson note: The need to understand multi-channels importance and effectively manage a brand across them does seem to be increasing in popularity I am struck by the change in how consumers can be introduced to a brand. Do I hear BLOG? Typically it will be in some form of mass media, but not necessarily an advertisement (could be a review, a product placement—intentional or not). Do I hear Social Media? The interesting shift is in the consumer's experience. They may hear about the brand from many sources before the brand owner's message reaches them. This seems to be the real change. The advertising message is coming after an impression has been created. Brand managers who don't understand this are operating from a point of weakness. If you don’t know what is out on Main Street about your product your dead meat! Traditional communications channels can no longer have an advantage based on their primacy in linear position in the customer communication life-cycle, heck some people never read a newspaper or look at network TV.

Ask about our Blog and Social Media Marketing services.

Howard Larson
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Increase Sales with Inserts; Thought 1

Times are tough. So what? What are YOU going to do about it?

How are you going to get someone to spend money on your product or service? Simply make them and offer they can’t refuse. When you’re selling real estate they say location location location. When selling a product or service it is offer, offer, offer. With an insert you do both. Location, newspaper inserts and offers!

There are a number of offers that can be highly effective depending on what you are selling. Getting a gift, Getting added Rewards bonus points, getting credit or no interest for 90 days or no payment required up front. Anything you can think of!

Larson note: So it’s a little like a mouse trap. No I’m not talking about bate and switch, I’m talking about bate the get them into your store (brick and mortar or online) and with superior products, service and value make them customers for life.


Howard Larson
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The Week Ahead for October 27 – October 31

Monday: September New Home Sales
Tuesday: October Consumer Confidence, August Case-Shiller home price index
Wednesday: Federal Reserve Meeting, September durable-goods orders
Thursday: Weekly Initial Jobless Claims
Friday: September Personal Income and spending

Larson note: What can I say? As we start to peak out of the bale out things will start to get better, not that they were really all that bad in the first place. I would watch the Fed meeting on Wednesday to see what direction they are going to go in now that they are bailing out the investment back executives from being dumb. It will be interesting to watch if the same dumb bank officials attempt to try to give themselves bonuses later on this year. If they do watch out! All hell will break loose. I’m looking to see exactly what the durable goods numbers come in at. This will start to set the stage of the holiday buying season.

Howard Larson
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Curves Target Younger

The fitness franchise Curves is flexing is feminine muscles around its “Curves Works” slogan to reach out beyond its established client base with a new integrated marketing campaign that will target younger women with a promise of improved fitness.

The “I Am Curves Smart” effort created in conjunction with Publicis Dallas is centered around the Curves Smart personal coaching system which gives immediate feedback and progress reports to woman while they are working out’ There creative promoting the newly launch tool will be distributed online and through print, TV and radio.

Curves is hoping to expand its target to a more fit younger woman while still maintaining its current customer base, IN the past the notion might have been that Curves does not give as intense of a workout as another gym does. But this new technology adjusts the workout intensity to the personal goals of the individual.

Curves Smart can create a personal profile that is keyed into their membership card. They can then swipe the care with using different exercise machines to keep track of their progress and goals in real time.

The program also lets users track progress over a period of time to measure how close they are to reaching their goals, The campaign creative supports the idea that personal control of fitness goals and reliable measurement are attainable at Curves.

A total of banner ads reading “CurvesSmart now has a whole new way to keep you motivated – so you can reach your fitness goals” are running on everydayhealth.com, sparkpeople,com, Google, yahoo, Microsoft and live sponsored search.

TV ads will also future the concept of attaining a woman’s fitness and athletic goals. There will be 3 versions of ads going out showing a woman working out with the new system and looking satisfied, The 3 versions of these ads are to appear on woman oriented cable channels including Lifetime, Oxygen, HGTV and FitTV.

Newspaper ads around the same theme have already circulated in major and secondary markets, as well as radio spots in a more to drive registrations for the program to the more than 10,000 Curves locations.

The CurvesSmart campaigns will run through the holidays. The fitness brand expects that it will return with more promotions around the new year when people are thinking about New Years resolutions that involve new health and fitness strategies. They will be pushing that Curves is a good place for women to come and feel comfortable exercising because there are no mirrors and there are NO men.

Larson note: Going out of the fall running season into the later fall early winter eating and holiday season when women want to look there best, Note how they are hitting on 6 different channels to get the widest possible mass exposure they can. About all they are leaving out is target marketing.

Howard Larson
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BBDO Closes In on Starbucks Business?

Starbucks is prepping to shift ad duties to Omnicom Group's BBDO just weeks after its former agency, independent Wieden & Kennedy, split with the coffee chain.

Starbucks which works with a number of advertising agencies around the world, As other coffee suppliers are hitting hard at Starbucks, McDonalds and Dunkin’ Donuts to name a couple, they are asking a number of their agencies to provide ideas on how to move the brand forward but have.

BBDO currently has ties to the coffee chain through another client, Pepsi. Starbucks has worked with Pepsi since 1994, when the companies created a joint venture to develop and distribute Frappuccino. The partnership has since expanded to include DoubleShot espresso and DoubleShot Energy & Coffee.

Any additions with working with BBDO aren't likely to mean an agency-of-record relationship. The thoughts going around on Starbucks is that it will use different shops on a per project basis.

Starbucks, witch does have a reputation as a difficult client in ad circles, has previously worked with BBDO sibling Goodby, Silverstein & Partners and Interpublic Group of Cos.' DraftFCB.

Starbucks is in the midst of a difficult year. The chain posted its first quarterly loss in July; it is closing 600 stores and eliminating another 1,000 jobs. Competition is becoming increasingly fierce, with McDonald's McCafe UnsnobbyCoffee.com and Dunkin' Donuts, DunkinBeatStarbucks.com are becoming more aggressive in their advertising. The doughnut chain launched the new campaign "Dunkin' Beat Starbucks" earlier this month, touting results of an "independent taste test." (see previous blog)

Last year, Starbucks spent less than $40 million on domestic measured media, according to TNS Media Intelligence.

However, it seems that CEO Howard Schultz seeing the importance of marketing, and plans to give it a boost in the very near future. Mr. Schultz has acknowledged that Starbucks must combat the Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's of the world. It seems he is also looking to build the brand in terms of selling coffee that people can make at home.

Larson note: I have been known to sip some Starbucks more than once or twice in my life. But in marketing it takes more that me sipping a cup or two or three. Given a choice between Starbucks, McDonalds or Dunkin' Donuts you will see me sipping Starbucks more often than the other 2, but through in Caribou and Seattle’s Best and I'm hard pressed, but my favorite cup is at my very own kitchen table, with freshly ground beans from my own little grinder. If Starbucks does indeed put forth a good effort to market into my home coffee pot they might just get back on top of the pile.

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Larson's Featured Member on Sta.rtUp.Biz

We are happy to announce that Howard Larson and Larson & Associates at now featured members on Sta.rtUP.Biz

See our profile at
http://sta.rtup.biz/profile/HowardLarson

Howard Larson
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Caldwell Banker Real Estate has mobile site

Caldwell Banker Real Estate has launched a mobile site specifically tailored to work with the iPhone.

When accessed from an iPhone, caldwellbanker.com allows users to search property listings and estimate move values with out having to download software.

The search functions allow users to enter city, state, price and then you can filter that down my adding in things like number of bedrooms or bathrooms. Once a property has been selected the user has the option to call the agent assigned to that property directly using the handset.

Now if you see a property you enter in the zip code, and are able to fine that property on your iPhone in seconds. It really eliminates the downtime and interest lost between finding a possible property and having the ability to have access and contact the agent.

Also back in April CB went and put its listings in GPS devices through an exclusive feed for navigation systems in cars, which then gives drives listings, maps and directions to its properties.

Larson note: This is hot. New home buyers are right there using this technology already, so in a tight home buying market Caldwell Banker goes after the juggler vein of this market segment, technology and its use. Now think, how could your business put these ideas to use in your marketing attack?

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New Dunkin' Spots Say Chain Beats Starbucks on Taste

Dunkin' Donuts is going after Starbucks with a new campaign claiming it beats Starbucks on taste. Backing the claim with a company-commissioned "independent taste test," Dunkin has begun a round of broadcast spots from agency Hill Holliday, Boston.

Dunkin had a double-blind survey conducted by A&G Research this summer in 10 major cities, including Seattle. Of the 476 adults surveyed, 54% preferred Dunkin', 39% preferred Starbucks and 6% had no preference.

"The results of this independent taste test underscore what our customers have always known: Dunkin' Donuts quite simply serves the best cup of coffee in the country," said Frances Allen, Dunkin's brand-marketing officer, in a statement. "Dunkin' Donuts' 58-year heritage in coffee is unmatched by any other chain."

Dunkin' outspends Starbucks
Dunkin', a $5 billion private company, served 1.5 billion cups of coffee last year. Starbucks, a $9.4 billion public company, does not break out coffee sales by the cup. But Dunkin' is the bigger advertiser by far. According to TNS Media Intelligence, Dunkin' spent $107 million in measured media during 2007, compared to Starbucks' $38 million.

Dunkin has gone after Starbucks before, poking fun at the snob factor. At a dedicated microsite, DunkinBeatStarbucks.com. This is similar to McDonald's, site in its Seattle launch of its McCafe coffee business with UnsnobbyCoffee.com. At that site, consumers could stage an "intervention" for friends who were spending too much on their coffee. At the Dunkin site, consumers can "spread the truth" by sending e-cards with messages like, "Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks."

A proven tactic, Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, applauded the Dunkin' strategy, calling taste tests a tactic that has engaged consumers "since the dawn of time."

Dunkin' has “spent a good deal of time developing brand strategies having to do with quality and certainly with service, and certainly it's just implicit that they've got the price nailed pretty well. This kind of closes the loop for them," he said. "For the people who said, 'Well, the service is OK and I have to pay three times that at Starbucks, but I like the taste,' this is an answer to that."

Mr. Passikoff wasn't surprised by the survey's results, as his own organization named Dunkin' America's favorite cup of coffee following its annual brand-loyalty survey. The Brand Keys survey asked 26,000 regular coffee-drinking consumers to name their favorite cup. Dunkin' held the top spot, with an 8% edge on McDonald's coffee and a 10% margin on Starbucks. Krispy Kreme was a distant fourth.

Larson note: Now I know none of these people have ever been in the Larson’s kitchen to taste a real cup of coffee. Of course I don’t sell it buy the cup, but rather serve it to guests and clients. Of course, a plate of Mrs. Larson’s homemade cookies doesn’t hurt either.

Is this an area your company could learn from? Have you ever tried to do a blind comparison of your company’s products with the competition? If your company bakes cookies do a blind text. If your company makes jewelry, do a blind test. Be the best and you have nothing to fear. Would you win, or loose? If you can’t do a head to head test you can sometimes get the same type of face off at a Trade Show.

Speaking of Trade Shows, next Tuesday I will be at the Schaumburg (Illinois) Chamber of Commerce’s Trade show entitled Expo 2008 Experience the Energy on Wednesday October 29th. I’ll be out looking for new clients as well as seeing if there are any businesses worth partnerting with. If you are in the area it starts at 2pm and goes to 7pm at the Renaissance Schamburg Hotel & Convention Center. I’ll be there about 4:30pm. Buy me a cup of coffee and pick my (meager) brain if you want.

I refuse to participate in this recession!

Howard Larson
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Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
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It's NOT the economy

I know you, like me, are probably totally fed up with hearing about the stock market. But when you're done reading this, maybe you won't want to shoot the messenger.

Okay, the stock market, the number most often reported by the media is the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Yes, yes, nightmare isn’t it? In the pits. It reflects the value, or perceived value, of a collection of 30 stocks thought to represent U.S. industry. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. Only 30 stocks! It's not a barometer for everything going on in the economy. It's not even close. Heck they are not tracking my company and the fact we grew by over 14% in September. They did not even call us to get out preverbal opinion (and I have an opinion on everything, but then you probably already know that).

During the past year, the DJIA hit a high of 14,118.52 and a low of 7,882.51. The peak and trough didn't occur one year apart, they occurred sometime during the past year, but for the sake of discussion, let's just assume that they occurred 365 days apart. That's a 44 percent fall in one year, from Oct. 2007 to Oct. 2008.

What else happened in the last year? Three out of four very broad indicators headed UP, if you can believe that.

The value of private nonresidential construction put in place increased 12 percent in the 12 months leading up to August 2008.

New orders for manufactured goods (durable and nondurable), reported monthly, grew from $425.4 billion in Sept. 2007 to $444.4 billion in Aug. 2008, an increase of 4.5 percent.

New orders for durable goods, reported monthly, fell from $215.6 billion in Sept. 2007 two $207.6 billion in Aug. 2008, a decline of 3.7 percent.

Gross domestic product. The grand-daddy of them all, this is reported quarterly, and the latest data available is from 2Q2008. It grew 2.05 percent in the previous year, and that figure is adjusted for inflation.

Of course, if you get into sectors that are more reliant on consumer decisions, you can find areas that are decidedly ugly. Transportation equipment -- that's everything from small passenger cars to ships -- declined 16 percent from September 2007 to August 2008. Home-building permits declined 24 percent during the same period.

Still, none of this is nearly as bad as the stock market meltdown. There is good stuff out there, and it’s not that hard to find.

Larson note: Newspapers sell sensation, they push headlines. If you want to live your business life based off of 30 companies, if you want to make your financial decisions off of a few (large) financial banks, when your local bank is doing fine go ahead. While you are frozen in your footsteps I and others like me are surging forward building our companies not reacting and contracting them.

I refuse to participate in this recession!

Howard Larson
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Drink Dr Pepper (on them)

Earlier this year Dr. Pepper announced that they would give a fee bottle of their pop (I’m from Chicago its pop here, soda to the rest of you) in America if Axl Rose actually released “Chinese Democracy” before the end of 2008.

Just released today Dr. Pepper will come though on its promise. Tony Jacobs, Vice President of Marketing for Dr Pepper stated in a press release: “but now that it’s here all we can say is The Dr Pepper’s on us.”

If you want your FREE Dr Pepper you need to log onto www.drpepper.com on November 23 the expected release date of “Chinese Democracy” and register your information to get a coupon for one free 20 oz Dr Pepper. The coupon will arrive by mail and be good at ANY retailer who sells Dr Pepper.

The coupons will only be available for the Dr Pepper’s Web site on the release date of “Chinese Democracy”

The track list of Chinese Democracy will be: Chinese Democracy, Shackler’s Revenge, Better, Streets of Dreams, If the World, There Was a Time, Catcher N’ The Rye, Scraped, Riad N’ The Bedouins, Sorry, I.R.S., Madagascar, This I Love and Prostitute. Some of these tracks will be familiar to Guns and Roses fans who scour the internet and a few have been officially released.

Larson note: What a deal, log in on the right day and you get your Dr Pepper fix. What can you learn form this? Think out of the box.

You could do the same thing at a local level. Say your local high school team makes the state meet, give away water bottles at your store on a specific date, Say a local person wins the What if a local person wins a blue ribbon at the state or county fair for a perfect jar of strawberry jam. If you are in food, have an autograph secession at YOUR store. If you’re into sports (again) what if a local person runs in the Boston Marathon, (which you need to have a qualifying time just to run in it) you can have a send off party or welcome home to the local running hero! The key is to think out of the box.

As for now my calendar is marked for the 23rd of November to get my Dr Pepper. How about you?

Howard Larson
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Role of Customer Experience for Business Strategies

Critical 5. . . 64%
Critical 4. . . 27%
Critical 3. . . 7%
Critical 2 . . . 2%
Critical 1 . . . 0%

*Forrester Research 2007 sample 280

Larson note: If the object of your business is not to give exemplary service to your customers. If it is not to put the customer 1st in every way you can. If it is not to be a perfect supplier to your customer, why are you in business?


It is really sad that making the customer experience is only critical of 64% of companies. They (the customer) and they are your reason to be in business, or should be. We are all unique individuals with our own unique needs wants and desires so in business you should be following the Platinum Rule NOT the Golden Rule.

Platinum Rule: Do unto others as they wish to be done unto, not as you wish to have done unto you.

Howard Larson
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Getting a Handle on Online Branding

In an address at the Association of National Advertisers, Mike Mendenhall, chief marketing officer at Hewlett-Packard, said the web has upended relationships between brands and consumers. In this digital age, where 1.3 billion of 6.6 billion consumers have internet access, brands must insert themselves into the global digital conversation while still adequately managing their reputations.

'The digital conversation never stops. We have to update our organizations and their operations accordingly,' said Hewlett-Packard CMO Mike Mendenhall.

If you’re putting your brand, your company or yourself out into that digital arena you might need some pretty thick skin because you have no idea what the result will be. YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Ning, blogs and Twitter are creating news and creating brand conversations that a company has NO control over.

Who are the beat reporters of today? Who are the journalists of our age? The age of the Deadline is dead. Enter 24/7 news reporting. Go to sleep and wake up to find your brands image in shambles.

Brands are no longer defined and captured by the 30-second TV spot. The conversation is not about when digital is going to replace TV. Instead, companies need to be looking at how the digital world can play into a cohesive marketing plan where it takes center stage with the rest of your marking working and weaving in and around it.

An example that Mr. Mendenhall offered is that of social communities that exist around HP, but are not an official part of the company. Those groups sometimes solve customer-service issues better than the company's internal service group, he said. "I do believe it's a digital strategy that should exist across the operations of the company and not just in marketing communications."


Larson note: People are going talk about you (at least you should hope so) and will do it behind your back. Or turn around and they will do it to your face. Gossip. Backbiting, dare I even say Company Position? Be prepared to join in the frey or be doing damage control in a loseing battle.

Be there or be square.


Howard Larson
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Put Your Personality in Your Direct Mail

If you asked me what is the most important part of a direct mailing program I would be hard pressed to give you a good answer.

The offer
The Headline
The PS
The Envelope
The Price Point
The Design

All important and crucial aspects of a well designed put together mailing piece.

But if you pressed me, I mean really really backed me into a corner and pushed me to identify one element that causes a mailing package to flop (note the word flop not succeed) I would say that it is often a failure to communicate. Yes a failure to connect to the object to the mailing. If the offer comes across as sterile, corporate, non-personal, will I go any farther than the circular file?

A piece of mail is supposed to be personal, from a real person to me a real person. You talk to me, though the mail and I will take back to you in the way of a response to your offer. Easy, right?

The reality is most mailing packages are only concerned with what you want to sell me. If I want to buy, its your lucky day, I’ll pick up the phone, send the reply card back or long on to your web site and buy your stuff.

But if you want me, if you want to connect to me, you need to go way beyond just adding your signature printed in blue ink. You need to trigger emotions with in me, and you have to write with emotion and feeling to reach me, inside.

That is not to say that the offer has to be totally mind blowing, the headline grabbing me deep into your copy, the PS making me what to go back up into your copy and read your message since I did not read the first time though.

Beyond all this comes personality. You the sender’s personality. You’re a person, I’m a person, talk to me!

When the basic pieces of a mail package come together the package’s ability to connect with the reader is the part them makes or breaks a great direct mail adverting piece. Any copy writer can go down the old check list and make sure all the different elements are there and in place but a true genius can sit down and from the four walls of his office speak to me as if he were right there with me.


Larson note: We all want to be people, unique important individuals not just a statistic, I piece of raw meat to be bought. In today’s fast paced world all we seem to want is quantity, NOT quality. I say give me less but give me the best


Howard Larson
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Brands and Social Media & Legal Departments

I talk to a lot of people every day. I mean a lot from a variety of fields and areas. What I'm seeing a very interesting shift. Not only is there a desire from individuals within large corporations, brands and businesses to use social media in some way shape or form, but increasingly there's an interest in going beyond just Social Business Networking.

Business areas like health care need to be especially sensitive, I've heard similar tales from others businesses. And yet there seem to be some examples of big brands that get out there and participate in social networks despite the risks. Dell for one, has been doing it for years, through blogs, creation of communities and by jumping into a number of networks. Zappos has taken to extending its customer experience across social channels such as Twitter. Whole Foods has a useful presence on Facebook, where one of its representatives is active in the discussion boards, not only alerting members to promotions but also encouraging them to share recipes. Is the legal department asleep at the wheel of these companies?

There is a growing number of case studies of brands that go beyond putting just their ads on social networks. It's becoming clear that brands that figure out how to engage customers meaningfully through the use of social media can reap big time rewards, but there is some risk. To help understand that risk you need to truly understand how different social media is compared to say, interactive marketing.

For starters, it's social, which means its people-to-people, not technology-to-people. Secondly, you can't walk away that easily from social initiatives the way you can walk away from that microsite and banner campaign you just launched. And lastly you have to understand that social media as the killer feature that is designed to make your legal department cringe and stand on its ear. It's called feedback. Even putting a simple video on YouTube means that you are opening yourself up to the opinions of anyone and everyone who has something to say. So what's a business, brand or large organization to do?

Start Small
As marketers, we're trained to make a big splash. Participation in social networks often requires the opposite. Start small and test things out. Take calculated risks and plan for multiple scenarios. If your ultimate desire is to be active across multiple networks, start with one and figure out the nuances there. In other words, do what you can to manage the risk.

Find An Internal Sponsor
Whether you've coordinated with legal or plan to after the fact, it's important to find someone high up in the organization that's willing to support and go to bat for your initiative. Do not to do something in a total vacuum.

Develop Participation Guidelines
The first question any organization has to ask itself is whether it's going to participate in the conversations. If you answer no, then you are most likely interested in simply getting your content out there. If it's yes, then hold on to your hats because you'll get positive, negative and neutral feedback on anything you put out there. Prior to launching your initiative, have these guidelines in place and be ready to change them on a dime because that's how quickly a plan can turn into an act of improvisation.

Don't Give Up
The explosion of participation in all forms of social media is actually not a trend or a fad; it's a significant shift in how we human beings interact on and with the web. Should I say it again? This is not a trend or a fad, but a significant shift! If legal seems a bit paranoid, don’t blame them and don't give up since it's worth finding out about one way or another. And the only way you'll know for sure is if you try.

It's important to remember that successful case studies of interaction are slowly emerging. These often look less like advertising and more like a mish-mash of customer service, communications, content delivery, etc. The legal department in your organization is there to help protect your company from liability, while you are there to serve your customers. While there's no right answer here, it's important to remember that you're both working to protect your company. And if meaningful participation in social networks provides a way to better serve customers, isn’t its worth trying against a balance of possible litigation.

Larson note: There is an up side and a down side to everything in this age of the lawyer so also the loss of freedom of expression. This is the sad part about working in the world of Social Media. What can you say and what can’t you say? There is a way to work this channel, and as we work and develop the tools and knowledge of exactly what we have in our hands we will begin to see the true power of SM

Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Telesales & Target Marketing Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
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US Postal Service Revenue vs. Volume

US Postal Service Revenue
First Class Mail. . . 37.6B
Direct Mail . . . . . . 20.8B
Priority Mail . . . . 5.2B
Package Services . 2.3B
All Other . . . . . . . 9.2B

US Postal Service Mail Volume
First Class . . . . . . 95.9B
Direct Mail . . . . 103.5B
All Other . . . . . 12.8B

*Newsweek

Larson note: We are blessed with a for the most part very efficient and inexpensive postal service. If direct mail was taken out of the mail mix would we have the same service that we now enjoy as a general public? I must say, regardless of the trees (which is a renewable recourse by the way [unlike oil] ) all the junk mail that I receive both home as well as office is paying for itself and allowing the postal service the monies needed to innovate and automate itself. The postal service does not loose money like other parts or government agencies.

Heck we don’t even have to lick a stamp now they come with a self-adhesive back now.

Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Telesales & Target Marketing Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
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Using Twitter for PR

As I lean back in my chair I have to wonder as to why more companies are not using the power of twitter to at least monitor there reputations in real time . I mean where else can you get right down at the customers level and hear what they are saying. The immediacy of the format gives both PR directors, customer service as well as sales people an opportuniy to respond to low level crises before they escalate out of control. It also gives these same people unique insights to up and coming opportunities.

You can also use twitter to strengthen relationships with the media. Reporters are on the look out for stories, and tweeting about upcoming projects in hopes of finding an inside scoop. With any luck you can make it be you to tell your own story. If marketing executives monitor reporters interests they can strategically position their products or even their organizations in ways to become part of the conversation. When you are in the inside hearing how things are unfolding you can be at the panicle of future events.

Larson note: Twitter is still a tool in the very infancy of its maturation. I am amazed at the ways that it can be used, and the ways it should not be used. Yet wonder, how many people can you be following? It can if not careful clog up your ability to function, yet the up side is too great to ignore.

Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Telesales & Target Marketing Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://componga.com/larson.html
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson

https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate

List Procurement Price Drop

For the first time in more that 20 years the prices have declined across the board for list procurement.

There is no doubt that the direct marketing industry on the whole is taking a big time hit as the economy goes sour. Yet we can all be sure that once we are though this mess the over all industry will rebound just fine. Until then, we are seeing some price dropping for buying lists not seen in over 20 years.

Permission based email business to business, the highest priced category too the biggest hit with a decrease of $12/M from lat year. Business to consumer lists were a close second dropping $11/M form a year earlier. This (BtoC) reflects the largest % rate drop of nearly 7%.

The smallest price decrease occurred with the attendees of consumer book buyers and public sector. That drop was only slightly more that half a percent. Public sector and newsletters are the next highest price categories with an average price of $174/M and $165/M. for newsletters this represents a $10/M drop.

The one spot that has not dropped here in the USA is the international lists because more US marketers are using them.

When asked about the general economic health lf the list industry, Statlists VP Kayle Plotkin was heard to say that with companies scaling back on their marketing efforts and tightening their budgets, it has become more difficult to negotiate list rental orders.

Mailers are being more careful about what they are mailing and even how much they are mailing.

Database and information services was one of the most active sectors over the last 3 quarters with a 64% increase in the total number of deals of 2007 levels yet nominal transaction values decline. Value for marketing and interactive services was off 60% over 2007 totals. That is totally amazing.

Larson note: If you can afford it buy a list today and negiotiate on the price. I can almost assure you that by next June you will not have this kind of leverage.

Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Telesales & Target Marketing Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://componga.com/larson.html
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The Week Ahead for October 20 – October 24

Monday: September Leading Economic Indicators
Tuesday:
Wednesday: Weekly Crude Oil Inventories
Thursday: Weekly Initial Jobless Claims
Friday: September Existing-Home Sales

Larson note: It will be a week of same-old/same-old as we look back as September. On the bright side look for plenty of Crude Oil in inventory If I was to stick my neck out, I think that there will be some nice economic developments as we go through the rest of October and November, that is unless we get all jittery over the upcoming Christmas Holiday Sales period for retail.

Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Target Marketing & Telesales Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://componga.com/larson.html
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson

https://twitter.com/LarsonAssociate

P.S. For those looking for more in your telesales efforts, ask about our new inbound telesales service

Stop Laws of Marketing

I never though back 30 some years ago that I would have to be watching my back side in this creasy business. Life was good, Life was easy, lest complemented, people had time for the simple pleasures of life. Enter the computer age, all of a suden people are being hit on all sides with sophisticated direct targeted marketing attacks.

So what are the laws on the books and other issues being considered?

Can Spam Act: (Controlling the assault of non-solicited pornography and marketing act, www.ftc.gov/spam/) The offence: False of misleading subject titles and headliners, no opt-out function, failure for self-identity as an advertisement or to provide a valid postal address, The penalty is fines of up to $11,000 per violation, entered on internet blacklists and blocked from all inboxes, filtered directly into spam folders.

National Do Not Call Registry (www.donotcall.gov/ ) The offence: Unsolicited or fraudulent telemarketing. The penalty: Civil penalties of up to $11,000 per offence. Currently over 157 million phone numbers are on the National Do Not Call Registry

Do Not Mail Registry The offense: Unwanted solicitations through direct mail. The update: Several stats have submitted bills this year in favor of creating Do Not Mail registries, making it illegal to send junk mail. The movement began with proposals in 2007; since then some bills have already been reflected or dropped.

Do Not Track The Offense; Tracking and targeting consumers based on online activity. The update: In April the consumer Federation of America and the Consumers Union petitioned the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create a Do Not Track list of consumers. If approved this would require explicit consumer consent preventing the tracking of consumers under 18 and ban the tracking of health and other sensitive information.

Mapping the Mobile Marketplace The Offence: Unwanted solicitation through mobile devices. The FTC met in early May to discuss consumer’s protection in the face of expanding mobile commerce. Topics include fraud, privacy, targeting of children and adolescents and consumer control.

Larson note: There you have it boys and girls, what we got and what the saviors or the world are trying to do to us. Learn to work with in the bounds of the law and you will be fine and at the same time get your message out. It will be harder for small businesses to market. The possibilities of accessibility and access to a level marketing field will hard to work on because they will be gone, disappeared and evaporated as these laws are put into place. It cost money to stay legal but it is still possible. Of all of the above the worst is the Do Not Mail bills floating in and around the country. The good news is that if you are a very small mailer and send out first class mail most to the bills will not affect you at all

Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Telesales & Target Marketing Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://componga.com/larson.html
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
http://teamcircle.ning.com/profile/HowardLarson
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9 Growth Elements in Hard Times

9 Growth Elements in Hard Times

You as business owners though out the world are becoming increasingly anxious about what is happening out there in this little economic turmoil that we are seeing going on. The object you need to keep focused on is your business fundamentals. If you keep the important things in order you can actually grow right now!

You need to keep focused on 9 different essentials things for business success.

As you read them you might be ready to throw up your hands and say "This tuff again?" Hang in there and read. Then tell me, how are you doing in these 8 areas?

1: Product/Service and Operations: Have you examined the way your company delivers your product or service so that it's the absolute best it can be? Do you know what the best is? Look hard ask pointed questions to everyone including your drives, dock workers and janitors.

2: People: Do your employees, vendors and other service providers know exactly what they should be doing for you? Are you providing your people with the critical resources they need to excel in their job?

3: Sales: This one is very near and dear to my heart. Do you know what your sales system is? There are different kinds you know. Have you written down your sales plan? Does each of your reps have their own sales plan and goal? Have you transformed your customers into bird dogs for your company so they'll spread the word about you or send you leads? How full is your pipeline, how long is your sales cycle, are there long lost past customers you should be talking to?

4: Finance and Accounting: Do you know what the net margin is on each product/service you sell? You better! As times get rough and prices flexuaite on oil, raw materials etc, you need to know if you are making or loosing money. Too many business owners let finances and basic principles of business management go on a hunch or base their prices on their competition, only to find themselves in a big hole.

5: Product/Service Development: Are you thinking for the future? Are you spotting trends and making plans to act on them? What will you be selling when your present products or services have completed their sales cycle? They all do you know. Maybe in 3 months maybe in 30 years but it will happen.

6: Leadership: Have you crafted the long-term vision for your company? I have, and it’s written down. Are your people on the same page with your vision? Do they see you as a leader or as just another boss to discard in 1 or two years when they go get a new job? This is what great business leaders do. This is why great business leaders are paid the big bucks.

7: Marketing: Do you know how you will fill your sales pipeline next month? Nest quarter? Next year? Better get going, your competition is already is! Focus on your business growth through targeted marketing techniques. Understanding the basics of targeting, strategies, tactics and implementation will give you what you need to create your own powerful marketing plan. Another thing to write down.

8: Strategic Planning: How much money do you want to make How much profit do you want to achieve. How do you plan to get there? What is the road map to and for your success? Do you know what your 5 year business strategies are? All successful companies have strategic plans. I like to really break my planning down to 1 month, 3 month, 1 year and 5 year planning then launching into my lifetime plan. I have problems getting specific after 5 years.

9: Protect your good people: In hard times it is easy to put blinders on what will get your company growing. Some times it’s a good time to cut out some dead wood, yes been there done that, but the people who are important, keep the safe and secure. Keep them feeling good about you, themselves and the future of the company so they don’t dust off their resumes.

Larson note: You climb on these 9 essential ideas and you can grow starting today (ok maybe next week) If you are stating from scratch make a list pick them off one at a time advertsinging plan, marketing plan, business plan, people plan.

Just say “I refuse to participate in this recession!”

Howard Larson
Larson & Associates
Telesales & Target Marketing Professionals for new account acquisition
Making good businesses great and great businesses even better
847-991-0488
larsonassoc1975@yahoo.com
http://componga.com/larson.html
http://member.merchantcircle.com/larsonassociates
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