A New Marketing Commentator

If there’s one thing I enjoy almost as much as blogging, it’s demystifying blogging to those who don’t quite understand – yet – the power of this self-publishing platform, so I can’t tell you how excited I am to announce that I’ll be moderating a panel discussion next month on “The Pros – and Pitfalls – of Blogging” for the New England Direct Marketing Association (NEDMA).

This discussion will take place at the association’s monthly dinner meeting (which begins at 5:30 PM with a networking reception) on Thursday, January 19, at the Hilton Garden Inn, in Waltham, MA.

Direct marketers should appreciate as much as any other communications professionals the importance of having an open, honest dialogue with their customers and prospects. There are many ways to carry on such a conversation, of course, but blogging is one of the newest.

A blog is a humanizing, engaging, social software tool with an incredibly high, built-in trust factor.

A blog involves its audience by providing the opportunity to respond almost instantly to any and all news, information and promotional messages.

A blog allows its author(s) to draw out invaluable feedback and establish potentially long-lasting, mutually-beneficial relationships with those who believe in his or her “brand,” increasing the potential for more successful business initiatives.

At this event, we’ll talk about the pros – and pitfalls – of blogging as well as how quickly, easily and inexpensively direct marketers can gain entry into the blogosphere.

As moderator, I already have plenty of questions ready to pose to an illustrious panel of experienced blogging experts. Such as…

What skill set does an organization need to have in-house in order to publish a blog?

What are the biggest reasons to – or not to – blog?

How can an agency provide blogging services to its clients?

How can a blog be used to sell products and services?

How can a blog help an organization with its search engine optimization strategy?

How will blogs be used in the future?

And so on and so forth.

Those whom will be taking my – and the audience’s – questions (in other words, the members of the panel) are as follows:

Stephen Turcotte, President and Founder of Backbone Media
Julie Woods, Vice President of Product Strategy at Cymfony
Ted Demopoulos, Principal of Demopoulos Associates
Steve Ustaris, Associate Media Director at Carat Fusion

To register to attend “The Pros — and Pitfalls — of Blogging,” visit the New England Direct Marketing Association’s Web site at www.nedma.com

Bob Cargill Blogging, Direct Marketing

“Love ‘em or hate ‘em, blogs are the real deal. Even if we deflate the hype and ignore the overly optimistic prognostications of the blog A-list evangelists, we still have an unmistakable, off-the-charts development with huge, ever-evolving implications,” writes Chief Marketing and Customer Satisfaction Officer of Cincinnati-based Intelliseek, Pete Blackshaw, in “The Pocket Guide to the 2005 Blogosphere” (ClickZ, December 13, 2005).

“2005 was a milestone year for the blogosphere, even more so than 2004,” adds Blackshaw.

To read why that was, according to Blackshaw (he lists a dozen reasons), click here.

Via B.L. Ochman’s What’s Next Blog

Bob Cargill Blogging

I haven’t finished reading it yet, but I’m enjoying Joseph Jaffe’s “Life After the 30-Second Spot” so much that I can’t wait any longer to post about it.

After all, I don’t have to read every single page to know I’m reading one of the year’s most important books on advertising and marketing.

It’s that good.

I may not be able to contain myself about this book, but my giddiness is nothing compared to the author’s, who said last month in his blog, Jaffe Juice, that he would issue free copies of it to any “business/marketing/advertising-related blogger” who would agree to review it, in a bold, enthusiastic attempt to prove “that new marketing works” and “that the blogosphere is profoundly good, powerful, effective and constructive.”

Joe believes that alternative media – as opposed to mainstream (MSM) media – can help push his book past the tipping point.

I believe he’s right.

I believe he’s right about a lot of things.

Like when he says, on page 203 of “Life After the 30-Second Spot,” that, “If there’s a common thread that ties together the changes on both the consumer and the marketing sides, it can be summed up in one word: control. Consumers have it; marketers don’t.”

Or, on page 57, when he says that, “Today’s consumers feel they are owed something of value and they should receive it pretty much on cue. They have a sense of media entitlement, and with that comes the instant gratification of content. The consumption of media is no longer viewed as a privilege (was it ever?) but as a right. And the process of controlling, customizing, and personalizing the inflow of content is seen very much as a mandatory, not an optional, extra.”

Or, on page 118, when he writes the following: “Any argument against the Internet is really just a short-sighted ploy to stave off the inevitable. The Web is an idea whose time has come and constitutes a sea change in terms of how brands are built, fortified, and preserved.”

And, finally, on page 3, when he proclaims that, “The real truth is that there couldn’t possibly be a better time to be working in this business. The opportunities are endless, and they’re there for the taking, but I stress that preconceptions, political alliances, and fiefdoms have to be summarily dismissed; resistance to change will be futile, and the ability to take risks will prove to be essential to navigate through a brave new world.”

What Joe seems to be trying to tell readers on every page of his new book is this: meet the new marketing. It’s unequivocally not the same as the old marketing. Wake up and smell the coffee, or else….

Joseph Jaffe. I believe he’s right about almost everything he says in “Life After the 30-Second Spot” (at least what I’ve read of it so far). And I believe you will, too.

Bob Cargill Advertising, Branding, Direct Marketing, Marketing

In yet another sign of the new marketing times, the Salvation Army is making it possible for anyone who wants to ring a bell in front of one of its traditional red kettles during the Christmas season to do almost the same thing online.

Businesses, groups and individuals are invited to create their own personal red kettle page – following the simple instructions found here.

The kettles have been a Salvation Army mainstay since 1891, but apparently last year was the first time that volunteers didn’t have to stand alone outdoors and endure the cold, winter weather in front of a mall to host one.

“The online campaign is based on the success of a western-state pilot program last year,” wrote Donna Goodison in the Boston Herald recently (November 24, 2005).

“While the Salvation Army has accepted online donations on its own site year-round for the past five years, it saw a 36 percent increase in donations by consumers who ‘clicked on the kettles’ last holiday season,” added Goodison. “Donations averaged $95 – much more than a drop of change in the kettle.”

I’ll say. The Salvation Army’s online red kettle campaign appears to be not just a potential boon for the organization, but also a perfect example of the kind of constituent-driven e-philanthropy that’s catching on quickly among nonprofit organizations and the charitable people who support them.

For an example of what a red kettle fundraising site looks like, click here and please donate to mine. Thanks.

Bob Cargill Direct Marketing, Fundraising, Marketing

Practicing what it preaches, The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) recently spread the word that it’s launched the very first Web site devoted to teaching marketers how to use ethical word of mouth marketing techniques.

Entitled Word of Mouth Basic Training (WOMBAT), the site features original content in a new blog, podcast series and companion newsletter. All of it can be found here.

WOMBAT showcases practical how-to’s and case studies from noted industry experts. In its first week, Ketchum’s Paul Rand and Intelliseek’s Pete Blackshaw shared tips and advice on word of mouth issues while author Jackie Huba inaugurated the site’s podcast series. Other top professionals, famous authors, respected analysts and leading academics have pledged content that will be forthcoming on a weekly basis.

“WOMBAT is the definitive resource for anyone ready to learn how to do word of mouth marketing the right way,” said WOMMA CEO Andy Sernovitz. “We have the industry’s top experts providing concise, easy to follow how-to lessons.”

In addition to the new WOMBAT site, WOMMA just announced the Word of Mouth Basic Training Conference to be held on January 19-20, 2006, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando, Florida. More details can be found here.

Bob Cargill Marketing

Many nonprofit organizations are concerned about winning over the hearts of a new, younger generation of donors and instilling in them a sense of altruism and benevolence that will last a lifetime.

But not all of these organizations are doing what Children’s Hospital Boston is doing, going to great lengths to help parents introduce their children to the joy of giving and the satisfaction of making a difference with a brilliant, new family philanthropy program called 26 Steps.

Named in memory of Katie Lynch, a lifelong Children’s patient who undertook an enormous physical challenge – walking 26 feet at the 2001 Boston Marathon – to raise money for the hospital she loved, 26 Steps promises to provide tools for the next generation of philanthropists, helping young people develop habits of independence, kindness and responsibility.

According to the hospital’s Fall 2005 newsletter, “Children learn to love something when parents share their own pleasure in the activity, but many adults who give to charitable organizations don’t explain to their children why they give and how kids can, too.”

Frankly, this is one reason why I’m running the Boston Marathon for Children’s Hospital again. The experience gives me the opportunity to teach my two sons, Scott (9) and Ben (6), how important it is to “give back” as much as possible and to help those who are less fortunate. It may be entertaining for them to watch their father train for and participate in the marathon…but to know that I’m doing it to raise money, not just for my own pleasure, is educational. It’s a dramatic, long-running (no pun intended) lesson in philanthropy.

This is me and my Children’s Hospital Boston patient partner, Hailey, the day before I ran the Boston Marathon last spring.

For more information about 26 Steps (including age-appropriate children’s philanthropy stories, ideas, tips, book lists, games and more), click here.

To “sponsor” my participation in the 2006 Boston Marathon on behalf of Children’s Hospital Boston, go to www.chtrust.org/bostonmarathon; click on “Give Online” underneath “Sponsor a Runner” on the right-hand side of the screen; enter my name and/or my Profile ID (CB0022) in the “Search for a Runner to Sponsor” fields; click on my name (Bob Cargill) under Search Results and donate. It’s easy to do. And I’ll be grateful for your support.

Bob Cargill Boston Marathon, Cause-Related Marketing, Direct Marketing, Fundraising, Marketing

Direct mail marketers rely on a host of techniques to get people to open, read and respond to their communications, but perhaps no other as obvious – and effective – as the practice of giving away something for nothing.

Indeed, whether it’s actually included in the mail piece or promised on the back end, a so-called premium – such as a free decal or t-shirt – more often than not improves response and pays for itself.

This is no secret to direct response fundraisers, of course. In fact, most studies suggest that more than half of all direct mail solicitations sent by nonprofit organizations make use of premiums in some way, shape or form.

A premium helps an organization command the attention of constituents who might otherwise not give it the time of day.

A premium gives a mailing a high perceived value, leading donors and prospects to lend their financial assistance not just out of generosity, but out of guilt as well.

There are countless premiums from which nonprofits can choose to use as incentives to give, but the most ubiquitous of them all appears to be the name and address label.

In just the past couple of months alone, I have seen more than a handful of label packages in the mail from such organizations as the American Heart Association, The Humane Society of the United States, The Greater Boston Food Bank, the March of Dimes, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the United States Olympic Committee and the Anti-Defamation League, just to name seven.

Yes, everyone loves labels, both the senders and those on the receiving end. That’s why they continue to be used so heavily – and successfully – in the nonprofit world. And perhaps why direct marketers on the commercial side, too, seem to be catching on to their tendency to boost response.

For instance, included in a large, 9” x 12” direct mail package I received earlier this year from American Express Publishing (promoting SkyGuide, a “reference guide for the busy traveler”) was a handsome set of personalized name and address labels (below) for me to keep and use on my own outgoing mail.

The company went so far as to use one of these labels as an “involvement device,” asking me to affix it to the return address area of the enclosed business reply envelope, a clever way of jumpstarting the ordering process.

But that’s nothing compared to how creatively Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky uses labels as a way of involving potential customers in a full-page ad (below) in the December issue of Esquire magazine.

“In this electronic age of Internet and e-mail, you can share your thoughts with friends at the speed of light,” reads the text of the ad. “There are times, though, when sending a letter shows you care enough to actually sit down and put pen to paper. Taking time to do things right. It’s the way we craft each bottle of Maker’s – slowly and by hand.”

“So here’s a way of combining your love of keeping in touch with your friends with your love of Maker’s Mark,” the text continues. “Sign up as one of our ambassadors, and we’ll ship you a set of customized return address labels. Each label will prominently display your name, plus the classic Maker’s ‘red-wax’ logo design.”

Maker’s Mark even suggests how to use the labels, adding, “You can stick them on cards, letters, phone company bills and discreetly on your friends’ backs. Folks across the country (maybe even your pen pals overseas) will know you take pride in spreading the word about the bourbon handcrafted in small batches.”

Maker’s Mark knows that labels can not only give your response a lift, they can also serve as an inexpensive, albeit powerful, viral marketing tool, helping you extend the reach of your brand.

Indeed, whether you’re a nonprofit or not, consumers love labels so much they’ll not only part with their hard-earned money — in support of your products and services — for them, they may even do some of your advertising for you, giving you back much more in goodwill than you could ever give away in such tchotchkes.

Bob Cargill Advertising, Direct Marketing, Fundraising, Marketing

In a brilliant, new article on Nonprofits and Weblogs appearing recently in Nonprofit Online News, Michael Gilbert covers the gamut, from how long he’s been blogging (“longer than anyone else online except for Dave Winer…”), to the cost of publishing his own blog (“90% of the ongoing cost of publishing this blog is my own cost of staying informed and reflecting on what I learn…”), to what motivates him to blog (“it’s the sense of connection that keeps me motivated…”), to much, much more.

About nonprofit blogging specifically, Gilbert writes: “In my communication workshops, I still find that nearly every nonprofit organization is rather afraid of the idea of blogging. It’s threatening to them to have their staff blogging, it’s too much work to have their leaders blogging, and it seems irrelevant to have their stakeholders blogging. Obviously, I support all three of these blogging strategies and I think that together they represent a resurgence of a community based form of organizing, whether in support of social service or social change. But I think the vast majority of the sector isn’t there yet.”

A couple paragraphs down in the article, Gilbert adds: “There are a great many different possible models for nonprofit blogging. Right now, I think the highest payback for individual nonprofits is to use the blog model as either the main or the most important organizing paradigm for their web sites. But for some time now, I have been advocating that nonprofits work to release authentic voices in their organizations by supporting individual blogging, starting with the leadership. Authentic voices of that nature will open all sorts of possibilities for organizations who want to mobilize and engage people, whether donors or activists or volunteers. But the long term implications are a more network centric nonprofit sector, rather than the organization centric system we have now. It’s pretty threatening on a lot of levels.”

Nonprofit or not, if you’re looking for a few good reasons to begin blogging now — or to encourage others to enter the blogosphere — look no further than this article by Michael Gilbert. To read it in its entirety, click here.

Bob Cargill Blogging, Fundraising, Marketing

Boston-based Deborah Elizabeth Finn, nonprofit technology consultant and self-proclaimed cyber-yenta, says there are “Ten Things (Just Ten!) That Every Nonprofit Executive Needs to Know About Information Technology” — and she tells you what they are on her blog.

It’s a thoughtful, comprehensive list, one that would probably be just as invaluable to a number of commercial enterprises as well.

On her blog, Technology for the Nonprofit and Philanthropic Sector, Finn takes the time to elaborate on each of her points, so after you’ve scanned the list below, make sure to read the full article.

“Ten Things (Just Ten!) That Every Nonprofit Executive Needs to Know About Information Technology” by Deborah Elizabeth Finn

1. Very little technical knowledge is required in order for nonprofit CEOs to participate actively in strategic IT planning.

2. Your board of directors should be calling for and participating in your strategic information technology planning.

3. A tremendous number of high-quality resources for strategic IT planning are available to nonprofits at no charge.

4. You can keep an eye on innovations in IT, and think about possible uses for them in the nonprofit sector, even if you don’t have a technical background.

5. Information technology, no matter how strategically you apply it, will probably never save your nonprofit organization any money.

6. You need an in-house IT committee.

7. Secretaries and administrative assistants should be the lynchpins of your IT infrastructure.

8. In the long run, IT training and support (and other operating expenses) will make up about 70% of your IT budget. The more obvious line items – such as hardware, software, and network services – will comprise about 30%.

9. Donated hardware, software, and services can cost a nonprofit more than purchased products or services in the long run.

10. In a nonprofit organization, most strategic IT problems are actually organizational development problems.

To read Deborah Elizabeth Finn’s “Ten Things (Just Ten!) That Every Nonprofit Executive Needs to Know About Information Technology” in its entirety, click here.

Bob Cargill Direct Marketing, Fundraising