I’m starting to feel that my iPhone is an appendage. I never leave home without it. I’m sure a lot of people are like that, young people, anyway.

The right kind of marketers should know that they can reach me and millions of people just like me through our omnipresent cell phones in a number of ways and with perfect timing. Here are a few examples:

One of my favorite iPhone apps is RedLaser. It’s simple (and everyone I know has it). RedLaser is software that can scan any bar or QR code. Once I scan a code, it searches thousands of local and online retailers for the best prices. If you’re like me, you don’t want to spend your day researching or jumping from store to store to find the best prices.

I went to a computer store the other day to buy a charger for my laptop and it was $60 (far more than I wanted to spend). I scanned the barcode with the RedLaser App and found the exact same charger  on Amazon for $10. I ordered it right away and Amazon got it to me a few days later. How cool is that?

You can scan a coupon in a magazine or newspaper and bring it, on your SmartPhone, to, say, a theater or a restaurant for a discount. If you’re walking by a store, you can enter its name into your phone and there’ll probably be an offer you can take advantage of right way.

A lot of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn users, access their accounts on their SmartPhones. At the mall, I’ve noticed a lot of stores featuring in-store promotions mentioning to “Like” them on Facebook or “follow” them on Twitter. Macy’s offered me an extra 10% discount, if I showed them on my iPhone, that I “liked” them on Facebook.

Text message advertising has also grown tremendously in the past few years. In 2011, a survey conducted by the International Association for Wireless Communication showed that over 2.12 trillion text messages were sent and received. Crazy, right?

Advertising via text message, is a great way to reach your target audience directly and in real-time. 98% of all recipients read their text messages, 95% of them within 15 minutes of receiving them. People change their mailing and email addresses more often than they change their phone number. Companies can take advantage of this large consumer base.

Our good friends at Per-Keys help make this a seamless process for marketers, by offering a platform where they can integrate mobile and direct marketing. Since mobile marketing is permission-based, they use print communications to ask for permission. It uses personalized keywords to make the SMS message highly targeted, and allows for marketers to track responses. It’s also great to use, because everyone doesn’t have a Smartphone, so you can reach a broader audience via text message.

All in all, there are a lot of opportunities in Mobile Marketing. Which ideas do you like? Are you testing any Mobile Marketing? Please share with us in the comments below.

So last week, I spoke at two events (an industry conference and a benefit), but I stayed afterwards to see what I could see. It was great because I:

1. Got to meet a lot of new people and to put faces to names I’d met only online
2. Learned a lot listening to other people speak
3. Enjoyed not being at my computer keyboard.

Lois Geller, Michael Dell'Aciprete, Maria Harrison

I also got to hear people I hadn’t yet met, people like Bullseye Strategy’s Maria Harrison who spoke about SEO and Native Remedies’ Michael Dell’Aciprete who spoke about interactive marketing.

I noticed that I was able to focus on what they were saying and later, as I thought about it, I wondered if the growing trend in online meetings is going to change that.

A Meetings Professionals International study with 2,740 responders indicated that 11% of meeting professionals expect an increase in the use of technology to access meetings and content remotely. Everyone is trying to lower costs so it’s understandable. I just don’t know if it’s a good idea.

The problem is that when I log on to computer mediated sessions I tend to keep working quietly, checking my Tweetdeck, email, reading reports and sometimes having conversations in the office. No focus.

A couple of days later, I did a short talk at Senada Azdem’s Celebration of Hope is a Pink Strides Event for Breast Cancer Awareness (one of my favorite causes). There I had a chance to focus on just talking to people, and I found out I knew many of them (though I don’t live nearby, and had no idea who would be there).

Kelly killoren Bensimon, Bobby Campbell, Lois Geller & Senada Adzem

Senada Azdem, Scot Karp & Lois Geller

Kelly Killoren Bensimon, of the Real Housewives of New York City, was there introducing her new shoe line. The Kelly by Kelly Killoren Bensimon line, is a philanthropic shoe line that benefits breast cancer. For every shoe sold, $3.00 will go to the Breast Cancer Research Fund.

Sometimes mingling at the beautiful Estate felt like old home week. One of the doctors in attendance recognized my Philadelphia accent and when we had a chance to chat, we found out that we knew quite a few of the same people back in Pennsylvania. Mingling also resulted in meeting new friends which I wouldn’t have had the chance to do if I hadn’t been there as a speaker.

So, I’m going to take my own advice this week and focus on not being an office hermit and on getting out more to meet new people, get new ideas and be REFRESHED.

How about you?

Hi! I am an intern at Lois Geller Marketing Group and it is my second week here. Lois asked me to do a guest post on her blog so I sought the advice of our Creative Director, His most regal majesty- Mike. He suggested that since I have little experience and only a small (but rapidly growing) knowledge base, I might consider writing about something that I know.
So here goes….

I signed up as a “Guess List” member along with a group of other shoppers who agreed to receive texts about special offers and new products.

Today, I got a text and what a mess!

It was too long; way too long to hold anyone’s attention. The main point was on page two. Page Two! Texting operates on an entirely different level than direct mail copy which is fine if it’s long, even very long. How do I know this? Well, there’s common sense, of course, but I’m a near-addicted texter. Just ask my friends.

So I decided to tell you about Mobile Marketing: My Experience.
Messages to-on-the-go mobile devices can wield a lot of marketing power, assuming they’re messages that people want to read. Most texters are like me, average Joes with smart phones, tablets, navigation systems, e-readers, and MP3s. We’re not known for long attention spans and We wrt lk ths (we write like this).

So, using common sense, I developed The Intern’s Short List of four points for effective commercial text messages:
1) Texts under 160 characters. For one thing, 160 is the max set by phone companies. And readers like messages that are that quick, at-a-glance easy and right-to-the-point. Plus, we don’t want to pay for several pages of texts just to get to your promotion! We’re big fans of direct marketing … and we’re looking forward to location based real-time marketing.

2) Wandering off topic is annoying. It’s OK to be inspired by an approaching holiday or current event, but a lot of marketing texters seem to get carried away. Readers can get uninterested and even disoriented trying to follow their thoughts.

3) Texts should look interesting, don’t you think? Consider the differences between these two versions of the same message:
a) Come in tonight for an exclusive release party at eight.
b) Come in TONIGHT for an *exclusive* release party @ 8!!!
You know that b) is texter-style, right?

4) And I do wish they wouldn’t harass us! Prospects are wary of deals because it seems that every other offer is not real. Unless we specifically ask for more, I suggest that texts be limited to perhaps four or five a month. We like to see message inboxes filled with texts from buddies — not businesses!
So please comment and tell me about your mobile marketing ideas. I beg you!

Your friend,
Lemar Scott: The Intern

Here’s one…

This letter came to Lois Geller, and though it’s about “moving to a new home” not a new office, they have the right idea. People still buy the most new things when they’ve moved and want to start fresh.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned while working in marketing it’s that it all about the right offer, to the right people at the right time. This offer is a bit lame, and not sure we can redeem it in stores close by our office.

Lists and offers are very much like finding the love of your life; it’s not easy finding the perfect match. You try people on and if they don’t fit, you chuck ‘em. You ask yourself, what am I doing wrong? Well in Marketing, it’s the same way! You have to find the right match! When I say match, I mean the right list and the right offer. Once you have those 2 things down, you’re sure to have a successful campaign.

Lists work, and you need a “call to action”- use by September 1, 2010.

Most importantly, you have to strategize! If you want to stay ahead of the game, you have to have a game plan. Like the Miami Heat creating the Dream Team with Lebron, Wade, and Bosh, they have a game plan to win a championship! A good strategy in our case would be a Customer Loyalty program, which builds the database, and also creates long lasting loyal customers- like us!

My name is Rachel Rodriguez and I am
currently a student at Johnson & Wales University,
studying Marketing. I will be graduating in the spring of 2011.

Reviewed by Lois Geller

Reading this book reminded me of something and it tugged at the back of memory until it burst through.
Keats!

195 years ago, John Keats wrote a sonnet called On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer. Chapman was George Chapman and his translations of Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad struck Keats as rather splendid:

“… I heard Chapman speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;”

That’s how I feel about Tamar Weinberg’s new book about Marketing on the Social Web and if I could write like Keats I’d compose a sonnet to her on the spot, perhaps borrowing those lines :

“… I heard Chapman Weinberg speak out loud and bold:
Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his her ken;”

It’s that kind of book, an eye opener, a gentle slap to the back of the head.

Just as Keats had read other translations of Homer, I’d read other books about the Social Web and I am on Twitter, Plaxo, Ecademy, Facebook and LinkedIn and I thought I was doing pretty well with them.

Then that new planet swam into my ken and I realized I’d been a village blacksmith tinkering with a jet engine.

This book is so comprehensive, that I learned about StumbleUpon (still not sure how that works), and delicious.com and RSS feeds, bookmarking and whole new worlds I’d only heard about. The 346 page volume is packed with all kinds of new opportunities, for people like me who love marketing.

Tamar (I don’t know her but I hope to be on a first name basis some day) starts from the start assuming her readers know nothing about the Social Web, and, compared to her, that’s a good bet no matter what readers think they know.

She holds your hand and in tight, readable prose walks you through this Wonderland. She tells you that it is really conversation marketing. She tells you how to do it (or get it done), how to get photos and video on social sites, what language to use (and not use), how to build your reputation and your following, and, most of all and dear to the heart of this direct marketer, how to use social sites to sell.

She tells you who’s already miles ahead of you (and why) and not to worry because you can catch up in no time – if you pay attention to Tamar, my new BFF.

Get this book, read it, read it again, keep it by your side and grow rich in your pajamas, working online at home, having fun and making friends even if you’re the marketing head of a Fortune 500 company.

P.S. I went to a local Barnes & Noble to buy a copy for my client, and they were sold out. That’s another good sign.

Many of our friends told us they loved the chicken, and named him Chicken Karma…(send out good things, and good things come back to you).

Then one of our creative people found an egg. He said the egg (when submerged in a glass of water) will crack, and then a chicken will emerge and grow bigger and bigger. When it is out of the water, it will then shrink down to a smaller size, and be hard as a rock.   

I was doubtful about  all of this, but we bought the eggs, and then watched in amazement as they hatched. The large one  in this photo, is after he’s  been in the water for about two days, and the little one is after he’s been out of  the water for a while.

He/She is not a sponge, but made of some hard substance, and I have no idea how this works. I just know  that it is a great little chicken, and a symbol to stay positive as this New Year begins to unfold…and great new things will begin to happen.

Let me know about the good things happening in your world, and we might send you one of these magic chickens!

In the meantime, we are launching our brand new Idea Incubator for companies who want to lift response to their email programs, websites and direct mail.

Email: loisgeller@loisgellermarketinggroup.com for more information.

My topic for my three hour seminar: How to Build Relationships With Your Customer Using Your Brand …Virtually! While I was preparing my session, I was wondering: why would a customer want a relationship with their dry cleaner? It is about trust, and delivering great service, and caring.

But, then the night before I was flying out, I tried on my own suit. I couldn’t even squeeze into it. My dry cleaner had somehow shrunk it and I had just worn it to Toronto only two weeks ago. So, I either bulked up two sizes or it was ruined.

I mentioned this to Nora Nealis, the President of the NCA, and Ann Hargrove, who works with her (pictured above),  They said it was probably “wet cleaned”, and had shrunk (thank heavens it wasn’t that I’d bulked up 15  pounds), and she said to mail her the suit when I came back to Florida. I sent it out to her today.

They have a lab on West 29th Street, and they analyze these things, so they can send out information and help dry cleaners not to do this to their customers. I’m one of those  people who just  silently defects. So, I’m searching for a new cleaner.

The dry cleaners that attended this brainstorming event are always the best and the brightest. I told them how to give their websites and their businesses a “brand personality”, and invite people to interact with them online. They can build loyalty, by having some fun with their customers, and starting contests, selling ancillary products. Some had never discovered the magic of search engines, or even tried offering Pick Up and Delivery as an online option.

One website we created at Lois Geller Marketing Group is Apthorp Cleaners (http://www.apthorpcleaners.com), and the owner, Debra Kravet was there. The website features a lady in red walking her dog, and Debra Kravet has expanded that brand to appear as posters on her windows, and in direct mail invitations, and a host of other programs she’s working on now. Soon her New York City trucks will have her “lady in red” doing many pickups and deliveries… which is really a moving billboard for her business.

Please visit her website: www.apthorpcleaners.com

One gentleman there has a dry cleaners in Belize. It is the only one in that country, and he built it from scratch… never having been in the business. He showed us his commercials, and we were all impressed. Here’s someone who has used his great ingenuity to build something wonderful and employ many people. He does quality work too.

So, all in all…it is a joy to teach dry cleaners how websites, and blogs and social media can all help them build their community outreach, and relationships with their customers and prospects.

About a month ago, I started wondering what would make an interesting Happy Holidays card to send clients and friends.

We’ve come up with some pretty funny cards in previous years but this year’s not looking all that funny – so I was stumped.

Then I remembered Donald, the artist.

I called and asked him if he could paint us an image to represent new beginnings – fresh starts for the coming year. I didn’t want Christmas trees, Santa Claus or palm trees with lights on them.

He said, “How about a baby chicken?”

Hmmm. Let’s take a look.

A few days later, I drove over to Donald’s and he showed me an acrylic painting of a small yellow chick emerging from the whitest of cracked eggs on a green and red background.

I loved it.

We created a card using it with a straightforward headline: We asked our friend Donald to paint a holiday card. He painted this chicken.

On the inside, the copy reads: He said the holidays for him mean “new beginnings” like this baby chicken. We wish you a new beginning, new hope and fresh starts this year. All the best, Lois Geller Marketing Group. We’re a new chicken too (after 14 years as Mason and Geller Direct).

Then, by a total fluke, I came across a place that sells realistic fake eggs. Put one in a bowl of water for a few days and a yellow chick emerges. It comes out bigger than the egg. It’s fun to watch. I bought a bunch of them and sent each out with a card.

So, if you’re not yet on my Christmas card list, here’s to all of our new beginnings this 2009. It’ll be a good year to help a friend, do random acts of kindness and create good karma in bad times – may they be oh so short.

UPDATE

I posted this on Linkedin and got a great response… here’s a few:

Doug King
Sales Strategy Team at United States Postal Service
I love it! It is different and fresh, ties in the holiday season with your message, and is therefore relevant. All of this means it will be remembered pleasantly, and your organization will be reflected well from that memory. Can’t ask for more than that from a greeting!

Ted Polmar
Co-Owner/Vice President at Marketshare Communications, Inc.

What comes to mind is a simple statement “you know life is too short” to grapple such stuff. In light of the economic crisis, the wars in the
Mid East, the mortgage issues, the automobile industry bailout… Isn’t it refreshing to see a little chick bringing life into the coming year.
Not everything needs to be filtered the the overly sophisticated opinions of every so called intellectual to just get the point….

Happy New Year… and we’re thinking about you… all the other blah blah blah is just useless banter.

Bill Murphy
Marketing Strategist, Owner of PurpleCrayon Direct

Lois,

I’m all about the human touch, for a number of reasons:

1. I think business people take themselves too seriously. They could use a little “down home” cheer to help burst their self-important bubbles.

2. Relationship marketing requires the human touch. After all, what is a relationship but one human being (in this case, figuratively speaking) touching another?

3. If most people stick with the “corporate or sophisticated” approach, which approach do you think will stand out from the rest — your Chicken Karma holiday card? Or a more traditional corporate card?

4. I always prefer to work with/for people with a sense of humor, folks who aren’t afraid to bend the rules, to show a little personality, to have — gasp! — fun on the job. So I’ve always appreciated the non-traditional approaches. People who aren’t afraid to color outside the lines are always the ones I want as clients, employers, or co-workers.

I think you’ll find people will remember Lois K. Geller and her agency long after they’ve forgotten other agencies/vendors/business contacts that chose to send traditional holiday cards this year. So no matter how you slice it, I think what you did was both smart and fun.

And isn’t that what direct marketing is all about?

Cheers (and a heapin’ helping of Chicken Karma),

Bill

Per Lofving
Senior Director at McGraw-Hill Construction

I am a little discouraged this year by all of the email cards – few offer any humor or passion – and most claim to be “green” simply because the sender did not send anything on paper. On top of that, because the ecards are so easy and cheep to send, I’m getting them from many people and businesses that I don’t really know. One exception is a card that also includes a contribution to a tree planting project – that at least means that the sender has invested more than just hitting the send button.

Donald Condit wrote:

Hi Lois — I love the chick.  I almost always steer clients away from a corporate voice.

The trick for many — like my regional bank and others — is to persuade customers that they are getting a more personal relationship with this client without having to sacrifice anything that our clients’ big-city competitors can offer.

Everyone responds to a personal approach, but they will put up with impersonal treatment (despite intense resentment) if they think it’s necessary to get what they need — especially in such categories as banking or other high-end or services or services related to personal risk.

This came through loud and clear in lots of groups we ran for this bank.

Now, as for the bleak outlook for the year…   We often send clients a basket of interesting treats revolving around a relevant theme.  For our friends up the road from you, in Stuart, we just sent a basket full of reminders (products) of terrific companies, products and ideas that were born during the Great Depression or subsequent recessions.  It’s an impressive lineup.  We celebrated creativity and courage — and, I hope, inspired this client to persevere despite market pressures.

Besides all of that, I have to comment on your blog.  I love to read your writing.  What a pleasure it is!

Enjoy the holiday, my friend. Don

Kerry Colligan wrote:

Lois, I agree with your expectations for a “down” year, but I don’t immediately connect the “spring chicken” with new business beginnings. I’m not immediately seeing the strategy here. Is your overall brand message “we’re a new chicken, too”? I’d guess that’s an access point to a larger conversation about how MG uses DM in a contracting economy to help clients start to do business again.

If you’re going for “different” in the holiday communication channel, I think you’re there. I’m not sure it’s memorable.

Ruth P. Stevens
eMarketing Strategy

Lois, I just loved your card this year.  Thank you!  The new beginnings chicken is so sweet.  And let’s just hope the economy improves in ’09! Yipes! My new beginnings involve getting back on my feet, which should be in another 4-6 weeks.  I am actually enjoying the time at home, since it’s allowed me to get caught up on many things.  Clearing out files, finishing projects, even balancing my checkbook!

Best wishes to you,
Ruth

If you’d like to win the original 9” X 12” New Beginnings Chick painting by Donald Sexauer, just share your new beginnings story below… The best story wins.