I happen to be of the “Um, what?” group when it comes to Burger King’s disturbing king ads they’ve been pushing as of late. I’m certainly not the only one looking for answers: Advertising Age, Gawker and Fast Company have all taken part in the great debate over whether the commercials are super creepy or super creative marketing. Some say the average consumer is too low brow to appreciate high concept marketing, while others blame timing.

I will admit, the king concept is bizarre enough to create buzz (good) and has certainly re-energized BK’s brand (also good). But, seemingly at the expense of alienating their target audience (very, very bad) and not considering outside factors, such as the recession (also bad).

Whatever the problem is, the most recent numbers show that BK is losing ground, big time, to McDonald’s and Wendy’s. (McDonald’s was smart enough to push simple, all-American and value-oriented ads during a time when the country is feeling a little down and hurting for extra cash; their overall message being “you deserve a treat and it’s only $1!”)

So, BK took a risk – a pretty big one – and it didn’t pan out. In business sometimes these things happen. However, the even bigger mistake is waiting so long to reassess the changing environment and update their marketing accordingly.

Lauren Vasquez, Associate Editor

For business owners who also happen to be Google feature fans (i.e., Google Docs and Google Desktop), a little-known feature called Google Insights might just help shape your future business decisions and marketing.

Here’s how it works: Google Insights allows anyone to evaluate search terms that have been plugged into Google as far back as 2004 by comparing them to other search terms, finding out when these terms are most popular (seasonality), where these search terms are most common geographically, and more.

For example, asking Google to analyze the term “promotional products” fetches the following results:

•Overall, searches were down in 2008 as compared to the previous four years (there does not appear to be a consistent jump or decline during any specific time of year).

•The most popular state for people searching the term is Minnesota (Florida, Wisconsin, Missouri and Indiana round out the top five).

•The top related search terms are “promotional items,” “custom promotional products,” “custom products” and “business promotional products;” and the top 10 related terms also include “norwood” and “hit promotional products.”

•Related search terms that are growing in popularity include “staples promotional products,” “eco” or “green” promotional products and “cheap promotional products.”

This is a wealth of useful information about your industry! It provides, ahem, Insights, into what your customers want in promotional products (cheap, green), what brands they are searching (norwood, hit) and even which states potential customers are living in – and all that information for free. Go google, go.

You don’t have to be a Google guru to read the results. So try it today and see what it reveals to your business. To find out more about how it can help your business, click here.

Lauren Vasquez

Associate Editor

Have you realized that every time you send an e-mail – whether you’re answering a client’s or potential client’s question or RSVPing to a friend’s party – you’re advertising your business?

That’s assuming, of course, that you have added a signature to all your outgoing mail. For example, my e-mail signature includes all the necessary info regarding who I am, where I work and how to get a hold of me, and a plug for our Best of Business poll.

Now, what if you could take that e-mail signature, and put it on steroids? That’s what companies such as WrapMail, mailPrimer, BrandMail and Exclaimer Signature Manager have done. They add enhancements to each of your and your employees’ outgoing messages that include links to your products, Web site and specials.

In fact, reports Inc.com, one company owner sold a product worth $8,000 the same week he began using one of these services. As the article goes, the e-mail was: ...a reply Guerin had sent to a friend, saying he would attend a dinner party. Guerin's friend forwarded the RSVP to the host, who happened to work at a photography studio that needed a new printer.

It’s marketing magic. Of course, you can start simple by creating your own e-mail signature using your provider’s tools.

In Outlook:

Click Tools

Select Options

Select the Mail Format tab

Click Signatures and design away in your favorite fonts, colors and images. Be sure to add updated blurbs on upcoming events, specials or deals.

In Gmail:

Click Settings

Scroll down to the Signature section, click next to the empty box. In the box, type in your info.

Lauren Vasquez, Associate Editor

Source:

Inc.com:Sales and Marketing: E-mail That Sells

Five Guys Burgers and Fries made national headlines last week when the President stopped in for lunch with his staff. (If you’re curious, as I was, he takes his with cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalapeño peppers and mustard.) The First Lady made two stops at the Washington, D.C.-based fast-food joint in April.

Meanwhile, the family-run business of Five Guys (the “five guys” being owner Jerry Murell’s five sons) continues to be one of the fastest-growing franchises in the country. Murell cites the company’s emphasis on freshness (there are no freezers at Five Guys) and minimalist style for the success. I have a feeling the recent celebrity visit will only help keep Five Guys popular.

Have you had any brushes with fame at your business – or favorite dining stops?

Lauren Vasquez, Associate Editor

It's official: General Motors is bankrupt. And the Federal Government is more or less taking over.

It's not like we haven't seen this coming for months, but I still think there's a degree of shock. General Motors, one of the biggest, most well-known and ubiquitous companies in American history, is bankrupt. This is the fourth biggest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history. $172 billion in debt and $82 billion in assets!

Do you give the company a chance to survive its restructuring? Do you think the government intervention will give a desperately needed push in the right direction, or does government intervention mean the auto giant is doomed? Weigh in on the “Leave Comment” feature.

Best,

John Carlisle, Associate Editor

Source:

CNNMoney.com: Will the GM bankruptcy work?

Did you attend the ASI virtual trade show this week? According to ASI, more than 2,000 distributors were there, and suppliers liked it so much that they’re adding another event in August.

This marked the first time ASI produced a virtual trade show, and they report attracting 24 exhibiting suppliers including Dard Products, Norwood and Prime Resources. The show featured “interactive multimedia booths” (what does that mean? anyone?) “for distributors, suppliers and decorators to network, communicate and sell in real-time.”

I’m still trying to figure out what this all means. I was never a fan of virtual reality when that was the big thing in the 90s, and I’m not sure if this is all that much different. So, in search of some answers, I started asking around to see who attended and what they could tell me about this live virtual event. Here’s the response I got from Dan Jellinek, vice president of Touchstone.

Best,
Debrah Rosen

I attended and thought it was good, but has the potential to be great — and it could be the wave of the future in a tough economy where time and money are tight. I thought graphically, it was amazing: You felt like you were at a trade show hall. I did visit some booths and did feel the suppliers were giving more info on their companies than on the products, ideas, specials, case studies, etc. So in that area, I think suppliers can tweak their messages.

I did send a few e-mails and used the online chat, but I didn’t hear back, so I think that needs to be worked on. I think as the virtual trade show matures, with more interaction between suppliers and distributors, doing more with webcams or skype, this format could be unbelievable.

Great job for the first run ... only going to get better ...

Dan Jellinek is vice president of Touchstone, a fast-growing promotional products distributor. He has spent the past decade recruiting, helping, motivating and growing account executives' businesses. “There’s nothing I enjoy more than helping account executives and seeing them succeed,” he says. Touchstone is based in Mason, Ohio, with account executives across the country.

Did you attend ASI’s first ever virtual trade show? E-mail me at drosen@vpico.com, and I’ll add your thoughts to the blog.

By Roland T. Cahill III

Your business can gain immediate benefits by outsourcing IT services through managed services. Here are the top 10 benefits for your business:

1. Control IT Costs
Outsourcing converts fixed IT costs into variable costs, allowing you to budget effectively. In other words, you only pay for what you use when you need it.

2. Reduce Labor Costs
Hiring and training an IT staff can be very expensive, and temporary employees don't always live up to your expectations. Outsourcing lets you focus your human resources where you need them most.

3. Trained, Experienced, Qualified, Certified
If you’re not IT trained, how do you ensure an employee is qualified? Certifications like Microsoft Certified Systems Enginner (MCSE) are important, but so is experience.

4. Qualified Doesn’t Equal Experienced
Few problems are new for leading IT service companies, which see related problems multiple times. In-house IT employees lead an isolated existence, no matter how much they train. Just as people prefer experienced doctors, IT professionals should also have varied experience.

5. Increase Efficiency and Competitiveness
Organizations that try to do all IT services in-house often need much more time for research, development and implementation, all of which increase costs that are ultimately passed on to customers.

6. Quickly Implement New Technology
A quality outsourced IT service organization will have the resources to start new projects right away. Handling the same project in-house might require weeks or months of planning to hire the right people, train them and provide the support they need. For most implementations, quality IT companies will bring years of experience in the beginning, saving time and money.

7. Stay Focused on Your Core Business
Businesses have limited resources, and every manager has limited time and attention. Outsourcing can help you stay focused on your core business and not get distracted by complex IT decisions.

8. Reduce Risk
Every business investment carries a certain amount of risk. Markets, competition, government regulations, financial conditions and technologies all change very quickly. Outsourcing providers assume and manage much of this risk for you, with specific industry knowledge, including knowledge of security and compliance issues. They generally are much better at deciding how to avoid risk in their areas of expertise.

9. Level the Playing Field
Most small businesses can't afford to match the in-house support services that larger companies maintain. Outsourcing can help small companies act big by giving them access to the similar technology and expertise that large companies enjoy. An independent, third-party, managed-cost structure and economy of scale can give your company a competitive advantage.

10. Compliance and Security
Is your firewall up to date? Do you have a DMZ installed? Do you audit your workstations and servers? Has your company implemented PCI security standards, and does it work to maintain those standards? For example, businesses have more ways than ever to prosper by taking many forms of payments such as credit and debit cards, gift certificates, e-checks, wire transfers and more, but with these forms of transacting comes the need for due diligence. By outsourcing a qualified manages services company that is familiar with PCI compliance standards, you can rest assured that your company is minimizing the risks associated with maintaining client data, credit card numbers, sensitive competitive information and more.

Roland T. Cahill III is the vice president of operations for Essent Corp. and an outsourcing specialist with more than 15 years of IT management experience. When Ron isn't managing technology, he's managing a regional baseball league with more than 30 teams that includes former MLB players.

Source:
Essent Corp.: The Top 10 Benefits of Outsourcing IT through Managed Services

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