Customer Service or Bust in Marketing

Ok, so a lot of people think that customer service is just answering phones and dealing with people and their problems; well, yes, it is partly that but there is so much more to customer service. Good customer service has the power to be your most potent form of marketing; if you do not agree, let me explain.

Marketing is all about the ability to gain exposure for your brand and company among all the other companies out there who are also trying to gain the attention of the consumer. There are clever forms of marketing and there are poor forms of marketing; even the good techniques used in marketing sometimes fail to execute as well as planned. When a marketing plan goes as well as the marketing team thinks it will, it's amazing but does it really transfer to sales? To gaining more market share? Perhaps, but think of it this way: you're out walking somewhere and you see some great guerrilla marketing and it gets your attention (say it's a clothing store). So you go to the store and try to buy some clothing from them. When you walk into the store, the clerks are punks but you buy the shirt anyway; you find at home that it doesn't fit so you go return it but now they have a terrible return policy. Would you stay as a consumer of that brand? No.

Companies with poor customer service are 5x more likely to lose a customer than companies with good customer service. Why do you think companies like Apple have such a cult following? Yes, they do a fantastic job of marketing their products (which are good) but other companies have equally great marketing and other electronic companies have as good of products. They are the giant they have become because people want to stick with Apple because they have phenomenal customer service. They orient their stores, their products, and their return policy towards the consumer. For example, a buddy of mine had his volume button on his phone break so he went in to Apple with his broken phone and planned to just have it fixed (warranty expired, mind you); the store decided that fixing that one tiny button was not worth the extraordinary price it would take to fix it so they gave him a new one, no

questions asked and for no cost.

Another example of fantastic customer service is seen at Chick-Fil-A. The staff asks if you need a refill. It's a fast food restaurant and they ask YOU if you need a refill. Then, get this, when you're done eating, they bring your garbage to the trash can for you AND then they say, "My pleasure" when you say "thank you." You do say thank you, right? Isn't that fantastic? Now, they do make one heck of a chicken meal (especially with those waffle fries) but they wouldn't sell a single menu item if they hurled insults at you while you ate (there's a restaurant in Chicago that does this but they're joking, I mean if places did it seriously & wasn't part of the theme).

At an internship I did last year during my senior year of college, the company did not have bad customer service but they were not known for having good customer service. This caused the company to have quite a poor impression with their consumers. Well, it was a food service company and with the budget from the client, they couldn't improve the quality of food without forcing the client to increase the budget, so what we did was improve customer service; what happened was the staff became friendly and personable. You know what happened? Well, the food was still poor but people liked the company after a month or two because they realized how friendly and appreciative the staff was for the customers to eat their food!

As a Chicago Marketing company, we know the different aspects of marketing and how they impact each other. All the aspects are important but customer service might reign supreme. As a creative agency, we can help your company with any marketing need and we will even do it with a free consultation.

3 Big Marketing Mistakes

Marketing is a busy business and requires an intelligent and creative mind to really be successful. The reason is because marketers have to be creative enough to capture the attention of consumers and do things that have not been done before. It's important to be able to walk the fine line between doing what you want to do and still pleasing consumers Marketing involves a lot psychology as well because marketing requires marketers to think like a consumer and get into their minds to answer the questions about things like, "How can we get people to notice this product/service/idea?" Of course, there are some common mistakes that marketers make while trying to promote products/services/ideas.

The first common marketing mistake, especially with internet marketing is that marketers can forget to consider a target market's values, beliefs, etc. A big ploy in marketing is to tug at the values and beliefs of a target market; you want to play with pathos, ethos, and logos (feelings, credibility, and logic) but especially pathos. Persuasion is hard to accomplish but is often accomplished when you get your recipient of the persuasion, or marketing, to consider things they hold close to their heart. As a Chicago marketing agency , we have seen other marketing and advertising agencies accomplish this. For example, there was an ad in a magazine a couple years ago for Goodyear tires; the ad showed a baby smiling and playing with a toy and the copy read, "Because you care about what rides on your tires" and the point of the ad was to use pathos and get parents to consider their loved ones who ride in their cars and how they need top quality tires if they want to protect their family from harm in the cars. Unfortunately, there have been companies that decided to do what they wanted and ignored their target markets.

A second common marketing mistake is failing to excite. Some marketing agencies believe that they can get excitement generated for products by using clever buzz words or just by recycling an old marketing plan from a previous product. On the former, using clever buzz words can indeed generate excitement but having too many of them can overwhelm consumers who will then ignore the marketing efforts. On the ladder, recycling old marketing plans that were once successful can lead to mediocrity and failure. The reason for this is because what made the marketing plan great the first time was the customization to that particular product/idea/service but that customization is not there when it is recycled. The efforts are then mediocre and complacency sets in.

A third common mistake made by marketing firms is making a message too hard to move. What do I mean by this? If a marketing message is not something you remember easily and can communicate it quickly, like in under a minute, then people won't remember it or they just won't care to relay the information. Think of it this way, the message should be able to be relayed in an elevator speech; this is a speech that can be completed in 30 seconds or less.

These are common mistakes but you don't have to repeat history! Do your research and understand your target market.

Optimizing Mobile Emails

As a Chicago Marketing Company, Integraphix has observed and noticed that the percentage of web page views are on the rise. How often are you on your cell phone or tablet? More and more people are spending noticeably more time on their cell phones on a daily basis. With the popularity of mobile devices, the marketing specialists at Integraphix stress the power of optimizing your emails for mobile. There was a recent study that stated 43% of emails are opened on mobile or tablet devices. That is a large percentage that continues to grow!

As a Marketing Company in Chicago, our marketing specialists at Integraphix have compiled a list of key components that can make your emails more optimized.

Add Media Queries

Media queries allow you to control the layout of your emails and how they are displayed on mobile devices. As a Chicago web design company, we create websites and email templates that are easily viewed on all devices. Here is an example of a Media Query:

<style type=”text/css”>
@media {
* { font-family: sans-serif }
}
</style>
@media screen and (max-device-width: 480px) {
* { font-family: sans-serif }
.mobile_content {display: block} !important
.nonmobile_content {display: none} !important
}
 

Mobile Landing Page Optimization

When creating landing pages for emails to be read on mobile, remember that people want to get straight to the point on their cell phones. Always keep mobile forms minimal, the less forms the better. Make sure all of your images are resizable – An image viewed on a large desktop screen needs to be flexible so it shrinks in mobile version. Use pronounced images and buttons – remember, visitors are using their fingers to scroll and select items.

Optimize the Mobile Inbox

Whether mobile or desktop, the inbox will display the first HTML text it finds. The subject line and the pre-header are the most important aspects in an email. The subject should be 80 characters long and have a catching sound for readers.

For more tips on optimizing content, contact Integraphix – 847-537-0067. As a Chicago Marketing Company, we support our clients with need-to-know tips and tricks on common marketing behavior!

Creating Effective Marketing Brochures

As a Chicago marketing company, we provide clients with a variety of print marketing materials.  Anything print that a client is interested in doing, we can do.  Whether it’s a catalog, business cards, flyers, mailers, or brochures, we design it all.  For Marketing Monday this week we wanted to talk about creating effective marketing brochures.  If you’re looking to create a brochure, here are a few things to keep in mind to make your marketing brochure effective:

Before Your Brochure is Created

Before your brochure is created you must know what your reader wants and is really looking for.  You must write your brochure from your reader’s point of view.  This means that the way information is laid out must be in the right order.  Before your brochure is in the creation stage, figure out what your reader is looking for from your brochure.  Your brochure should answer a reader’s questions in the order that they will be asking questions and should have a logical sequence.  You may want to consider writing those questions down first, answering them and figuring out which questions should be answered first in your brochure. 

Make Your Reader Want to Read the Contents Inside

Inevitably the first page of the brochure that your reader will see is the cover.  We all know the old saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but when it comes to print marketing materials (especially a brochure) readers will absolutely judge your brochure by its cover.  If you get the cover wrong, no one will bother looking inside.  Your marketing brochure must entice readers to want to look inside and see what you and your company have to offer.  Think of your company’s benefits or some thought-provoking statements to help motivate your readers to open up your brochure.

Product or Service’s Description is Key

The way you describe your company’s products and services is essential to your brochure going over well in the eyes of your readers.  Your marketing brochure needs to do a great job communicating what a reader or potential customer can expect when they use your products or choose your services.  Before creating your brochure, you may want to draw up a list of all of your products or services and write out what the benefits are of each.  List out all of the reasons a potential customer may want to use your products or services to help you address the essential reasons why someone would want to use your products or services.  The descriptions are essential to helping you sell your company's products and services. 

Make Your Reader Want to Keep it

When it comes to a print marketing piece, one of your goals should be to make your readers want to keep your piece.  The longer someone holds on to your print marketing piece the more likely they are to purchase your products or services and the more likely it is for other potential customers to see your brochure.  To make a reader want to keep your brochure consider adding some helpful tips or facts that may encourage readers to keep it or even pass it on to other people.  Say you’re selling skin care products, you may want to give readers some helpful tips on combating wrinkles, oily/dry skin, or blemishes.  Providing tips gives readers the incentive to keep your brochure so that they can refer back to the information later on. 

Address Your Reader’s Needs

Don’t think about yourself too much, think about your readers when it comes to creating a marketing brochure.  Instead of telling your readers all about your company or yourself, your brochure needs to show readers that you are interested in them.  Your brochure needs to tell readers that you understand their issue or problem and that your company’s products or services can help them solve those problems.   

Personalize it

Get personal with your marketing brochure.  The words or content of your brochure need to address or speak to a singular person so that the reader instantly feels connected to your company and your brochure.  Writing in a direct way and making your reader feel like you are speaking to them and them only will increase better responses, guaranteed. 

Play with Shapes

Your marketing brochure can look like and be whatever you want it to be.  If you’re selling purses, you can play with your brochure's shape and shape it like a purse.  Use your imagination when coming up with your brochure’s design to help you get better results from your brochure. 

Call to Action

Your brochure needs to ask readers for action.  If you want your readers to respond to you, make sure to include a number or some type of vehicle to receive responses from them.  If you really want to boost your brochure’s selling power, include some type of offer or response mechanism on every page of your brochure.  It will help increase your odds of being contacted by your readers.

If you’ve had trouble in the past, or are currently having trouble, creating an effective marketing brochure, contact us.  With 25 years of experience in marketing, our team has what it takes to make effective print marketing pieces.  Looking for more tips on creating an effective marketing brochure? Feel free to comment below or contact us. 

Marketing Basics

Never underestimate or undervalue marketing efforts, and we're not just saying that because we're a Chicago marketing company.  If you're a new business owner or just curious about the world of marketing and looking to know the basics, here are a few essential things you need to know about marketing:

Get to know your target audience

As a business owner looking to market your product or services, you must thoroughly understand who your target audience is before you even begin the process of marketing.  The more accurate the information on who you target audience is, the more effective you'll be at selling your product or service.  Understand the target audience's behavior and demographics.  Your findings on your target audience will help you steer your business decisions and allow you to create a solid marketing plan.

Observe the environment

Understanding the environment, or wherever you will be marketing your product or services, is key when it comes to marketing your product. Emerging technologies, new legislations, and a shift in consumer behaviors are all the types of things you need to take into account when doing marketing for yourself or a business.  Make sure you keep your eyes and ears open and scan the environment for opportunities and threats to your business.

Design with your target audience in mind

Once your marketing plan is in place, make sure you are tailoring your product or service to better fit your target audience, all the way from the way your product or service is packaged to the way you promote it.  What good would it be to start a Facebook campaign if all of your target audience is glued to Twitter?  A lot of new business owners fall into the trap of creating products and services that they want to sell rather than what their target audience wants, so keep your target in mind.

Run a tight ship

How you conduct business is almost, if not equally important as the product or service you are selling.  Before you begin marketing make sure that you have your basic business practices down.  How is delivery of your product, is it going quickly?  Are returns dealt with well?  Does your staff handle customers with kindness?  Remember, word of mouth is its own selling tool.

Targeted advertising

Plastering ads all around the web isn't enough to get attention these days.  Face it, all consumers are bombarded by ads all day long and these days consumers are getting pretty good at blocking it out.  If you want to be successful with your marketing and any advertising efforts you must find a way to position yourself in places that your target audience is comfortable seeing you and really, in places where they are looking for you.  You also need to find a way to get creative and stand out.  When in doubt, call in marketing professionals or advertising professionals to help you get the job done.

Looking for more information on marketing basics?  Feel free to comment below or contact us.  We're always happy to talk about marketing!

2013 Marketing Trends

We are vastly approaching the new year and with a new year comes new marketing trends.  As a Chicago Marketing Company we have seen many trends come and go.  We have also noticed some trends emerging over the past few years and feel it is safe to say there will be a lot of continuing and emerging marketing trends for 2013.  For Marketing Monday this week we wanted to sit down and discuss the trends that we believe will be popular for 2013:  

1- Devotion to website strategies: Your website should no longer be a static, online brochure with information that hasn’t been updated in a decade.  If you haven't updated your website in the past decade, make 2013 the year of website changes.  We aren't just saying this because we are a Chicago Web Design company either!  Website strategies will be all the rage in 2013.  Complete website overhauls will take on great important in 2013 as the demand for dynamic content combined with user friendly CMS systems is only making it easier to edit and control websites.  Today’s target audiences are looking for consistent, fresh information. 

2- Content remains king: I know, we’re always talking about content, but in 2013 content will continue to remain king.  Organic SEO strategies, blogs and social media profiles require a constant flow of information that is audience specific and truly engaging, so focus a majority of your efforts on creating great content in 2013.   

3- Create powerful integrated marketing campaigns:  The merging of marketing, PR, creative design, and sales will be essential in 2013.  Together, the integrated marketing approach will give companies the opportunity to reach their total target audience in a multitude of ways. 

4- Social media will only continue to grow: Through 2013 social media will only continue to grow and evolve.  We suspect that companies that were not engaging in social media prior to 2013 will start to see its advantages, especially with so many different social media sites available for use out there.  Social media is definitely a vital part of the overall mix and worth utilizing since it provides such a simple way to get yourself and your brand directly in front of your target audience. 

5- A boom in mobile solutions: Mobile solutions and campaigns centered around the use of mobile technology will be hugely popular in 2013.  Savvy marketers will continue to find ways to reach this large base of consumers. Responsive web design will be considered a must versus being labeled a luxury as more and more consumers turn to their phones to gather information and surf the web.

What marketing trends do you anticipate being popular for 2013?  Feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.  

"Marketing Monday"-- Marketing Strategies to Utilize

In honor of “Marketing Monday” (what we’re dubbing it) we want to discuss effective marketing strategies that will help transform your business from marketing apprentice to marketing maven.  No matter what type of business you run the importance of marketing is universal.  Are you in need of a new marketing strategy to implement into you current or future marketing plans?  Consider the following marketing strategies:

1- Keep your network growing: You should always be in the process of building up your network.  That is a plate your should never stop spinning.  Ask some of your business contacts or close friends to introduce you to people that they think you should get to know to help you expand your business.  Forming relationships with new contacts will greatly help you expand your horizons and get some potential customers.

2- Enter a business award competition:  Entering a business award competition is a great way to establish your business’s credibility and strengthen your reputation.  If your business ends up winning an award that could really boost your reputation within your industry and with the audience you are hoping to attract.  Competitions could get costly, but winning an award could prove completely worth it.  If you are concerned about the quality of your entry you could hire someone to prepare your entry for you.  Winning an award gives you plenty of press opportunities and really, it's worth the effort for the potential buzz.  

3- Look into local chambers:  Become the expert in your field and share what you know with others.  Teach seminars throughout your local Chamber of Commerce.  Your business will receive promotion and marketing solely because of the event itself.  Being affiliated with the Chamber will also give you and your business some added credibility.  

4- Guest blogging:  Outside of writing your own company’s blog, consider becoming a guest blogger for other blogs that are closely related to your area of expertise.  Offer to write a guest post in exchange for a link and/or byline.  This will help to establish your credibility and will help get you and your business's name out there.  

5- Create follow up cards: A follow up card is a great way to reach out to potential clients.  An old-fashioned hand-written card or even an e-card is a great way to say thank you and to pursue doing business with someone.  It’s a personal effort that helps you and your business stick out and be remembered by clients. 

Trust us, we’ve got plenty more marketing tips to give out.  Check back with us next Monday for some more “Marketing Monday” talk.  Questions or comments on this blog?  Leave them below or feel free to contact us.