We've Moved

We have moved The Marion Group Blog. Please visit us here.

Direct Mail Can Do the Work for You

They say it takes money to make money, but in times of recession that is the last thing we want to hear. It seems that you get in this mindset to conserve what you have, and while that is a good mindset to be in during a financial dip, if you feel that sales are slipping, try investing some of your budget into a direct mail campaign.

A direct mail campaign, when executed correctly, is a good way to reach your audience. Through technology, direct mail can be sent in all sorts of economically efficient ways like emails or even lately, through cell phones. Even sending postcards through the postal service is a great and efficient way of reminding people that your company and your brand is there - even in an economic recession. Plus, when targeted correctly, the campaign can pay off. Not every company is being hit as hard, and tailoring the campaign to those publics that might benefit from your service can be rewarding.

Design, images and structure are important in direct mail campaigns, sure, but the message is key to reaching the seemingly unreachable. It is that one word or one line that grabs their attention. Combine that message with a creative design that reflects your image and content that reiterates your brand, and you have yourself a solid platform for a direct mail campaign.

The Marion Group specializes in campaigns such as these. We understand that the economy is hitting everyone hard. We're here to help you with all of your marketing, advertising and graphic design needs. Visit our website at marion.com or call us at (713) 623-6444 for more information.

SlideShowPro - Easily Customize Web-Ready Photos and Slideshows

It's amazing how technology can enhance the image of your company. The Marion Group is proud to offer our clients a way to upload company images and videos to their website - easily.

SlideShowPro is the latest technology that allows you to control the color, layout, size and behavior of your images and videos. SlideShowPro is designed to handle the need for professional photographers and graphic designers, but it is easy enough to use for even the most technologically challenged.

The Marion Group offers SlideshowPro packages with Flash and for Lightroom (without Flash). There is nothing for you to code or edit. Your company's logo can be watermarked on all of your photos. All of this and more is possible in just a few clicks. Furthermore, Marion offers SlideshowPro Director which will put you in the director's seat for all of your corporate video. SlideShowPro Director can be stored on your own server, or Marion can host it on ours.

To view an example of SlideShowPro, visit Hien Lam Upholstery, a client of Marion's, and see how we set up their photo gallery. Hien Lam provided their own pictures, however, Marion can take professional photos and upload them for your comapny, as well.

For more information on the latest technologies to enhance your company's image visit marion.com or call (713) 623-6444.

The Advantages of Social Bookmarking

One might question the effectiveness of social networking and social bookmarking sites, but it seems that they just might be a viable means of, not only communicating, but marketing, as well.

According to Alec Cochrane, a Web Analytic Manager, linking to your site to a social bookmarking site, like digg.com, will increase SEO without the hassle of going out and finding places to link to your site, like blogs, etc.

Take for example the New Scientist story about 13 things that don't make sense. Ignore for the moment that some of them do make sense. This got picked up about two years ago by Digg. 2102 people digged it. That means that at least that number of people read it. That article was published in March 2005 almost 3 years ago now. That means that a year after it had first been published it go picked up and over 2100 people voted for it as a popular argument. Don't forget that we have a 90/10 rule so that means that probably over 20,000 visitors clicked on the links (although actually it is more like 150,000 visits).

Now while industry specific sites like marion.com won't necessarily attract that number of readers, it does carry the potential to increase marketing to interested clients. Therefore, marketing budgets are not being spent on publics who do not need our message, which increases our ROI.

The Marion Group is an integrated advertising agency that specializes in search engine optimization, web design, graphic design, internet marketing, video and print services. For more information on Marion, please visit our website or call (713) 623-6444.

Putting the "Public" in "Public Relations"

There seems to be a great deal of gray area concerning businesses and social media. The amount of social networking sites and blogs are abundantly increasing daily.

Now, we see social media seeping into the workforce. No longer is internal communications disseminated at the water cooler, now companies have set up social networking sites for their employees. Even further, social media and blogs are becoming a medium for a company to communicate externally - that is, through its public relations.

According to a recent study, "two-thirds pf public relations practitioners believe blogs and social media have enhanced what happens in public relations and that social media and traditional mainstream media complement each other" (18). Furthermore, "61% believe the emergence of blogs and social media have changed the way their organizations (or client organizations) communicate" (18). Blogs and social media have changed the way we do business, certainly, but now, ironically, it is changing the way we communicate - outside the web.

At The Marion Group, we realize that each company communicates with their internal and external publics differently. Therefore, we stay up-to-date on trends and provide services that compliment each company and their specific need.

"Social media [has] 'provided an opportunity to truly put the public back in public relations'" (19).

For more information on The Marion Group or its services, please email us at marion@marion.com.

Study Finds Businesses Switching to Online Marketing

A benefit that seems to be coming out of this economic recession is that people are becoming smarter in the ways they do business. Technology granted users an enormous amount of freedom when it came to marketing and advertising. It seems that gone are the days of simply placing an ad in the local newspaper. Now, market research, marketing plans, and marketing strategies must be implemented before a drop of creativity is placed into that ad.

A report released by local advertising research company Borrell Associates concludes that local advertisers are moving their marketing funds toward Internet campaigns to the tune of $13.1 billion this year, a 50% increase from 2007.

The Marion Group has consistently adapted to market changes. It's not news that the consumer is becoming more and more immune to advertisements. Therefore, Marion also offers additional services to support your company's needs. Search Engine Optimization is becoming more and more imperative to the success of a company's website, and we all know that if a company doesn't have a website, there may as well not be a company, in the eyes of the consumer. SEO is important for the rankings of your site. Over 60% of users don't go past the top 10 results of the search. Our job is to make sure your site is placed as high as possible in that search.

Your website is a reflection of your company, therefore, it needs to be dynamic, compelling, and most importantly, navigable. If it is too cluttered, if there is a lack of or too much information, it can turn the user away from your site. These are easy traps to fall into, but Marion excels at website design and authoring web copy to ensure ease for the end user.

If you would like more information on our services or more information on The Marion Group, please contact us at marion@marion.com.

The Trick of the Trade Show

Spring is a popular time for conventions, trade shows, and expos. These shows give companies a great opportunity to really market themselves to a targeted and attentive audience, but a lot of these shows also have hundreds, even thousands, of exhibitors. When you are just one of many, it is important to put your best foot forward and find a way to stand out from the crowd.

No matter what type of show you are going to represent your company at, first impressions matter. It is important to portray yourself as being professional and organized, and also have a way of enticing show attendees to stop by your booth. Having a high quality trade show display will help you make a powerful impact on all those who walk past your display.

Trade show displays come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, from banner stands, large displays, and even incorporating multi-media and construction. There are a couple questions to ask yourself when deciding what type of display you would like to use:

1. What type of trade show are you going to? Is it industry related or geared towards a community open-house style?
2. Who will your audience be?
3. How will they be enticed to visit your booth?
4. How big is your booth?
5. What does a standard display look like at this type of show? Do most people do large displays or table top banner stands?

Answering these questions is a great starting place when designing your trade show display. The next thing to think about is how you want your display to look. Keeping your trade show display consistent with the brand and image of your company is very important when deciding on design elements. This consistency will help you to stand out in the minds of the trade show attendees as well as portray your company as well organized and professional.

The design team at Marion is great at taking a corporate message or logo, and turning it into a graphical design that will be enticing to your audience while portraying your company’s desired image and message.

Pictured above is a beautiful trade show display that we recently created for one of our clients. This display measure 8 feet and creates a wall or backdrop for a display booth or table.

There are so many options when it comes to trade shows. Visit Marion’s Trade show Display page for more information, or Contact Us today! We’ll be happy to help you design a creative and professional display for your next trade show.

Are Focus Groups a Dying Breed?

In the B to B marketing world, focus groups have, in the past, been heavily relied upon. When you had a new product or new idea, you sat down with a group of people, specifically chosen to meet certain criteria, and presented your idea or product to them to get feedback. Many marketers found though, that instead of gathering a lot of new information, focus groups often confirmed the research that they had already done.

The Emerging Alternative to Focus Groups
Today, many agencies are creating a brand “persona” or character, the idea being that you act as an author and actually personify the target market you are trying to reach. You give your persona a gender and a name; professional traits such as the industry they are in; where they get their industry news and industry information; and what professional events they attend. In the past, this method has been referred to as “role playing” or has been rolled into a variance of “think tanks,” but creating a brand persona is really taking on a life of its own.

A Brand Persona Example
Let’s say for example that your company sells Engineering Services used for oil drilling and exploration. Your customer persona is probably male, 40-55, pays close attention to CNBC to stay up to date with world market events, reads the Wall Street Journal, attends many industry related trade shows, and works for a large, well established oil company in Houston. You even give your persona’s a name--John.

As you begin to further determine how you will advertise, you always keep in mind, “Would John be attracted to this ad in the Wall Street Journal?” “Would John go to this trade show?” “Would John go to this website?” “Does John watch this Television news program?”

Being able to focus all of your marketing efforts on a specific type of business and customer that you are trying to reach will help you to more effectively reach your end user. Getting into the mind and life of your customers will help you to create products and advertise in ways that they can relate to, thus increasing the probability that they’ll purchase what you have to sell.

Having trouble determining who your end user is? Call The Marion Group! Our branding specialists would be happy discuss options with you that will help you define who you are and who your target market is.

New Media: Double Decker Buses?

If you’ve been to a big city like New York City, you’ll recall seeing ads placed on the sides of buses and cabs. But did you ever see a bus that WAS the advertisement?

A double Decker bus was the new media buy of Sak’s. Why? Well, Sak’s is well known for selling extremely high-end fashion clothing, shoes, and accessories. With the tanking US economy, many European shoppers are coming to fashion meccas, like New York City, to take advantage of the decreasing strength of the US dollar. Sak’s recent ad campaign is called “I Want It” and features landmark museums and destinations in NYC. The company has wrapped a double Decker bus with their new ad, and will be ferrying tourists from Sak’s Fifth Avenue flagship location to the Upper East Side, where tourists will receive free admission to museums featured in the ads.

This campaign will run from March 13-15 and will have appearances from Sak’s fashion director and other personalities. Sak’s says that tourists were really who triggered the idea of a tour bus in a city that is notorious for city tours. Sak’s is joining the tour bus industry for 2 days as they promote their store with their new “I Want It” ad campaign.

We’ll have to wait to see if the Sak’s Double Decker bus plan ends up being profitable to the company, but in the mean time, it never hurts to think of creative ways to advertise to customers. It is, in fact, becoming very effective to allow customers to “try” your products in an environment that the product would be used, before they purchase it. The area of marketing is being termed “tryvertising” right now and you can expect to see more and more of it in the future. Talk with the Marion Group is you are looking for new and creative ways to advertise your product or service.

Making the Connection: ROI and Brand Value

It is an age old questions from management to marketers: What will my ROI be if I invest in this type of marketing? The answer to that question unfortunately isn’t always easy for every area of marketing.

Determining ROI on specific marketing initiatives can be relatively straight forward when the initiatives involve:

· Limited time price discounts and giveaways
· Coupons
· New product initiatives

However, take caution when using ROI as the single measure of marketing success. Why? Because for many companies, such as McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and Starbucks, their brands are their most valuable asset. Determining the precise value of a brand at any time, however, is near impossible. The models used to calculate the values of a brand generally rely on many layers of assumptions. So if your company decides to run a TV ad, measuring the impact of that TV ad on your brand’s value or equity might produce numbers that are directional (going up or down). However, because of the assumptions involved in determining brand value, the impact results from your TV ad will certainly not be precise and so cannot be factored into ROI calculation. The results would be incomplete at best and misleading at worst.

Focusing only on ROI initiatives can impact the total brand experience and reduce the brand value in areas such as:
-Customer satisfaction
-Customer loyalty
-Employee moral
-Motivation of distributors
-Differentiation

Let’s look at an example. Starbucks decided that on way to increase revenues was to start selling breakfast. Though this seemed as if it would produce and excellent return on invest, the smells of breakfast foods began to fill the stores in the morning instead of the aromas of savory coffee (which is part of the Starbucks brand). The result was that the store turned into a “McStarbucks” rather than a cool place to hang out and have good coffee. The Starbucks brand suffered from this ROI initiative, and so did the stock value.

These affects that ROI initiative can have on a brand, such as Starbucks, are all important but it is generally impossible to put them into hard financial numbers on a day-to-day basis when calculating ROI. How can you put into numbers that customers were dissatisfied with the smell of bacon filling their corner Starbucks? And how can you put into hard numbers the importance of maintaining brand integrity?

For dealing with questions with respect to the ROI on a marketing initiative, it is best to take a big picture approach. Consider your company’s objectives and strategies and identify the measures that best work for each marketing initiative. As seen in the case of Starbucks selling breakfast, focusing only on ROI can be harmful to your brand, thus harmful to your company.

Marion’s Super Bowl Buzz: Part II

Well, the Super Bowl is over now, and the Giants upset the Patriots. It was a close game. Millions of people watched, and millions were disappointed. Not in the game, but in the advertising.

Many of the ads this year were memorable: Naomi Campbell dancing with lizards to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” Richard Simmons almost getting run over, a baby stock-broker renting a creepy clown, the Audi “Godfather” ad, Carmen Electra’s meet and greet gum commercial, and Will Ferrell’s ad for Bud Light. But though the ads may be memorable, they left many people wondering what they were all about. What do dancing lizards and Naomi Campbell have to do with SoBe Life Water? And by the way, what is SoBe Life Water? Makes you wonder…

An unclear message in an advertisement (like a commercial) usually goes back to branding. A product must have a clear branding statement or position and then carry that out to every point of contact with the consumer. Points of contact include technical support, customer service, and yes, advertising. With a product such as SoBe Life Water, something that many of us haven’t even heard of, an effective TV ad should convey what the product is and state the main benefits to the consumer.

The catch with TV advertising, is that it’s not always that cut and dry. With commercials, you have to add some level of entertainment while you educate the consumer on your product, and that is where the creativity comes in—you can state benefits to the customer without spelling them out in black and white.

Let’s look at the first Bridgestone commercial that was aired during Sunday’s Super Bowl XLII.


A little squirrel runs into the road, right in front of a speeding car. The squirrel screams, the driver’s wife screams, and then a whole chain of screaming forest animals is set into motion. At the last minute, the driver is able to swerve and not hit the squirrel. The screaming stops. Cute ad-- It’s funny, out of the ordinary, and memorable. You also get the point. Bridgestone tires give you added stability and handling at high speeds, so that if you were in a situation to determine the fate of a squirrel, you can swerve SAFELY and spare the squirrel his life. You know the product being sold is Bridgestone tires, and you know the benefit of the tires. In this case, Bridgestone did a great job of maintaining their brand position in their TV Ad (a point of contact with the consumer).

Having a clear and defined brand is important no matter what company you are or what product (or service) you are selling. Though humor and wittiness may make an ad more memorable, it does not sell the product if your consumer is left wondering what your product even is.

Branding is the core of marketing. If you have a weak core, then the things (points of contact) stemming from that (advertising, tech. support, etc) will have an unclear message and not strengthen your product and your company image.

The Marion Group’s Super Bowl Buzz

Because it is Super Bowl time again, I thought that I’d use the next two weeks to talk about the best part of the Super Bowl. Of course I’m referring to the commercials, though some may argue Tom Brady is the best part of this year’s Super Bowl.

Anheuser Busch usually takes the cake when it comes to claiming the best Super Bowl ad. We all remember the Budweiser Frogs and the “WUZ UUUUUUPPPPPPPP!!!!!” commercials, but is advertising during the Super Bowl worth it? It has been for Anheuser Busch, who has been successful at creating a buzz and a cult following behind the Bud Light product characters.

Fox is hosting the Super Bowl this year, and advertisers have paid between $2.7- $3 million for a 30 second appearance during the game. This year, Anheuser Busch will have 6-7 Bud Light spots during the Super Bowl, the most ads ever placed behind a single product during the big game. Other advertisers include Audi of America, Cars.com, Coca- Cola, Fed Ex, Frito Lay, Pepsi-Cola, and many, many more. Rumor has it that even Victoria’s Secret is trying their hand at Super Bowl advertising this year.

Besides cost, one of the most important things to consider when purchasing a spot is the placement—when will that spot run? Usually, spots during the first half of the game are more expensive and harder to come by than spots at the end of the game. That’s because past trends have shown that more viewers tune in to the first half of the game. It is a common story that one team at the Super Bowl shuts out the other team and the game isn’t much “fun” to watch. Experts are saying that the story may be different this year because of the two teams competing for the National Title. If you haven’t been following sports, the news, or TV in general for the past couple of weeks, let me fill you in on what you can expect from Super Bowl XLII.

The Match-Up: New England Patriots v. New York Giants

The undefeated team, The New England Patriots, led by all-star quarterback Tom Brady, has already set a record of having a perfect regular and post- season. If the Patriots win the Super Bowl, they will be making history as having the only complete undefeated season, beginning to end. This is a huge record that sports fans (and even those who aren’t fans of the Patriots) are on some level waiting to see. Can perfection in the NFL really happen?

The underdogs, the New York Giants, are somewhat of a Cinderella story. The leader of the Giants, Eli Manning, is perhaps best known as brother of Peyton Manning (quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts). Eli had a rough season, at one point losing the support of his home town. However, the magic for Eli started in the post- season when Eli was able to lead his team to 3 consecutive wins, landing the Giants a spot in the Super Bowl in 2008. Eli has a following of supporters now too, cheering him on, and excited for his time to shine and to step out from behind his talented brother’s shadow.
The Effects of the Match- Up on Advertisers

The excitement that both teams bring to Super Bowl XLII is what many experts in the Advertising world think is going to keep viewers glued to their screens until the very end of the game, meaning that not only is the 4th quarter of the game being watched, but so are the commercials during the 4th quarter. The 4th quarter may even draw more viewers as the Patriots make history or the Giants make a name for themselves under the leadership of Eli Manning.

So this Sunday, February 3rd, 2008, may very well be a day that goes down in Patriot and NFL history. It will also be a day that high dollar commercial advertising proves its worth. Resist TiVo and DVR! Watch the commercials. See which ones leave a lasting effect on you, which ones make you laugh, which ones you’ll remember the next day. That is after all, the goal of all these commercials: to get you to remember the commercial, then ultimately buy the product.

Marketing to your Customers: How well do you know them?

No doubt, when you first started your business or introduced a new product or service, you did extensive research to find out exactly what qualities your customers were looking for. You also probably did an analysis of the best ways to communicate and interact with your clients.

So how are you doing? Are you still meeting/ exceeding customer expectations? Are customers still pleased with your product or service? Are they repeat customers? Are they referring you to their friends, family, and co-workers? How do they feel about you?

These are all important questions to ask to help you measure the quality of the product or service that you provide. An easy way to find the answers to such questions is through a customer satisfaction survey. There are a couple of things to keep in mind when creating a customer satisfaction survey:
How you ask your customer questions.
When you ask your customer questions.
Which questions you ask your customer.

How you ask your customer questions:
Surveys can be conducted in a number of different ways. If you have face-to-face contact with your customer, you can ask after a meeting how they enjoy your product, service, and customer service. You can do phone interviews, mail out surveys, e-mail surveys, or send an invitation to your customers to take a survey. The most effective way to conduct a survey will depend on the type of product or service you provide your clients as well as the type of interaction you have with them.

When you ask your customer questions:
No matter how you conduct a customer satisfaction survey, timing is always crucial. The best time to ask a question about a customer’s experience with your company is when an interaction is fresh on their minds. You wouldn’t want to meet with a client and then two months later ask them if they are satisfied with your product. A time gap gives the customer a chance to either forget what they have experienced or get you confused with another company.

Which questions to ask your customer:
When deciding which questions to ask your customer, first think of the information that you would like to receive from them. The point of conducting a customer satisfaction survey is to find what aspects of your company or your product/ service need to change and what things you should keep on doing. Here are some basic questions to get you started:
How satisfied are you with the product or service you purchased?
How satisfied are you with the customer service you received?
How satisfied are you with the company overall?

Some other information that you might like to receive from the customer might be about how quickly you responded to phone calls, if communication was clear, and if service and support is readily available.

The Marion Group would be happy help you create a customer satisfaction survey! Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have regarding a customer satisfaction survey.

TV Screens Not Just for In-Home Advertising: Out-of-Home Video Screen Ads on the the Rise

Getting used to seeing TV or video screens in places other than your own living room? In most major cities, it is very common to drive down the highway and see digital billboards. In fact, the FBI has started using digital billboards to post its “Most Wanted.”

If you haven’t already seen video screens in your local mall or supermarket, expect that soon as well. Probably the most famous out-of-home advertising right now is the digital screens that cover the building in New York City’s Times Square. The idea of out-of-home digital advertising is catching on. Even the single mall in College Station, TX boasts numerous LCD screens used by advertisers to reach mall shoppers. Video screens are beginning to pop up at supermarkets, in taxi cabs, near gas stations, and at bus stops all over the country.

Next week, NBC will hold the industry’s first digital up-front auction in attempts to convince advertisers and media-buyers to use NBC media outlets for out-of-home advertising. Out-of-home digital ad sales have increase 25% to $1.3 billion in the past year and show no sign of slowing down.

The goal behind out-of-home digital advertisers is to reach consumers when they are closer to the point of purchase. For example, video screens in the produce department at a supermarket would allow companies such as Dole or Chiquita to advertise their produce products to consumers when the shoppers are ready to purchase and have the money to do so.

Though out-of-home video advertising is increasing in popularity, it isn’t always the best route to take with your own products and services. As with any advertising media outlet, it is a good idea to research before you spend money to advertise. As always, The Marion Group would be happy to assist you in any of your media-buying efforts!