FREE RIDE.....

Beth agreed to pick me up at the airport last week.

I didn't think anything of it.

But the guy I rode to the airport with and our cabby both were surprised.

"Newlyweds?" asked the driver.

"Last week we celebrated 9 years," I replied. "In fact, our honeymoon
was here in Vegas -- to go to the same tradeshow."

"Really! She went for that?" my rideshare said.

"Yeah. I'm a hopeless romantic I guess," I joked.

"She must really love you to pick you up at the airport," said the cabby.

"I never thought of it before," I replied.

To me, it seemed like something any wife would do for her husband.

Needless to say, I gave Beth a big kiss and bought her dinner that
night.

Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of the good things we've got.

Take your product or service for instance. You probably have marketed
it long enough that you may not see it the way customers see it
anymore. Maybe you're too close. You may be taking certain things for
granted. Or maybe you think everyone expects a set of features or
benefits that many are not even aware of.

Perhaps it's time to get a fresh perspective.

I'd say hiring a marketing communications agency to help you find new
angles and new avenues to communicate your message could help you
re-ignite your sales.

(But then again, I own a marketing communications agency. Maybe I'm
too close.)

- Phil Sasso

Last Day....

I'm at the APEX/SEMA/NACE trade shows in Las Vegas this week.

Every year this week, I offer the same advice: Use the first day back from a tradeshow like it's your last day at the show.

It's easy to get swept away catching up on things and put off following up on leads. But what's more important? The day-to-day grind -- or reminding that hot prospect that you're one of the 1,000 exhibitors they met last week at that big tradeshow?

So, take the time to jot them a quick note, send them a catalog, or ship them that sample you promised them.

But don't call them right away. Afterall, they'll probably be as swamped catching up today as you'll be -- tomorrow.

(That means if you try to call me on Monday, I may be too busy following up to get to you. Please don't be offended!)

- Phil Sasso

Ad Glut…

Chicago’s PACE suburban transit service now broadcasts entertainment videos on their buses, says the Chicago Tribune. The commercials generate $500,000 for PACE. Looking up, I see a PACE bus out my window wrapped in a funny ad for Citibank.

The upside? All this ad revenue stretches PACE’s budget and subsidizes the cost of public transportation for patrons. It also helps advertisers reach a captive audience.

The downside? As every square inch of America gets covered with ads, each ad’s impact is reduced. I call it ad glut. Others call it ad clutter. Whatever you call it, it means it takes more ads to get the same response. What once generated 100 leads now generates 60.

To be more successful you need to do one of two things: buy more ads or be more creative.

Obviously, buying more ads is a numbers game: more ads means it’s more likely people will see them.

Breakthrough creativity uses novel or daring approaches to get noticed. For instance, when French Connection United Kingdom started using the company’s initials to get people’s attention, North American sales jumped from $35M to $84M! Definitely breakthrough – but a little too edgy for my sensibilities.

You could do both and hedge your risk, but it’s obviously much more expensive.

Stretching the envelope can help you stretch your ad budget. How can you breakthrough the ad clutter in your market? What can you do to get more noticed and more remembered? How can creativity make your ad jump OFF the page—without OFFending?

- Phil Sasso

Pickles...

I grilled out last week. Burgers were the main menu item. As I
took a bite I applauded the great taste and my grilling skill. I also
noticed a greatcondiment.

"Great pickles, Beth," I said. "What are they?"

"Claussen," she replied.

"They're amazing!" I said. "Very crisp. And just the right balance of
flavor."

Then it hit me. Nothing is so good without a cost.

"How much were they?" I asked.

Beth took a big bite of her burger.

"Mrftoandraft dollars," she replied with her mouth full.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to talk with your mouth full?"
I retorted.

Then I realized it wasn't because her mouth was full, that I couldn't
understand her. She was mumbling on purpose.

"How much can a jar of pickles cost?" I asked.

"They are kept in the refrigerated section," she informed me.

"I know. I remember the commercials from when I was a kid," I said.
"How much could a jar of pickles cost?"

"Seven dollars."

"Seven dollars?! What are they gold plated? Seven dollars for
cucumbers in vinegar?" The cheapskate in me sprouted up. I started
counting pickles. "What is that like a quarter a pickle?"

"That's regular price. I buy them when they're on sale two for one."

"What's the store brand? Like $1.79?" I put down my burger. "People
actually pay $7.00 for a jar of pickles?"

"They're not just pickles," she reminded me. "They're Claussen"

The next day, we were biking past a French Market. We parked to
look around. We stopped at "The Pickle Guy" a merchant who
specialized in just pickles and peppers.

"Want to try a sample?" The Pickle Guy asked.

"Sure."

He handed us a slice of pickle to share.

"Isn't that the best pickle you ever had?" he asked.

It certainly rivaled Claussen. I picked up the container and read the
price. Suffice to say, it made Beth look frugal.

My marketing point? Price is relative. People will pay whatever they
perceive as the value of your product. It depends on what they are
willing to pay for what's important to them. Good promotion builds
the value of your product. How are you promoting your value? Are you
maximizing your profit? How can you differentiate your product to
build perceived value?

-Phil Sasso