the official domus, inc. blog » Branding

Adapt or Die

Kate Toy — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:08:15 +0000

It’s not something you can easily say to a client, but “adapt or die” is a very true statement when it comes to social media. Most likely, your client made his or her way in the industry through forward thinking, willingness to change and a little bit of risk. And it shouldn’t be any different now. Social media requires all of those things – and then some. When your CEO balks at the social media tactics you suggest, ask him the 6 questions below from JeffBullas.com. Hint – the current research appears after the question.

In the past few months, have you either professionally or personally:

Answered or responded to a direct mail letter or brochure? (Current research shows only 3% have responded.)
Did you follow up on a mainstream media advertisement such as TV, radio, magazine or newspaper? (22% of those polled did.)
Did you go to the Yellow Pages to look up a company to buy a product? (3% of those polled did.)
Did you Google and search online when looking to purchase a product or service? (97% of those polled did.)
Did you use your Peer to Peer Network via Facebook, Instant Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social media service to get the URL of a website for a product that you were looking to buy? (80% of those polled did.)
And now for your ace in the hole…
So why are you still using traditional marketing for your company when you yourself have minimal response to it?

Hopefully this is where your clients see the light. If not, just remind them that the social media dark ages will be a lonely (and unprofitable) place.

Kate Toy is a Senior Account Manager at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.

“Organized Communications” is Key to Success in a Creative Environment

Joanne Michael — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:06:08 +0000

We work in a fast-paced environment that thrives on creativity and inspiration. At times, it may seem easier and more efficient to bypass established systems in order to get a project completed for a client. However, the core competency of advertising agencies and other creative outlets is not simply the production of creative work. It’s the efficient management of that project which requires the ability to carefully control, document and communicate workflow to deliver the best results. If this cannot be done, even the most creatively successful agency might find itself in a state of chaos. By establishing and adhering to well-established workflow and communication processes, agencies will actually save time in the long run, deliver a better product and satisfy their clients.

Since each client is unique, Domus develops the most appropriate reporting and communications systems to meet their needs. This can include any or all of the following: creative briefs, decision reports, weekly hot lists, weekly status reports, monthly client meetings, quarterly and annual results analysis as well as other customized reports requested by the client. Many of the above reports we are now converting to a digital dashboard that allows our clients easy access to this information at the touch of a button.

Domus’ workflow and communication processes have been proven over the years. In fact, we are often called upon by our own clients, to help them establish their internal processes and systems to improve their marketing communications efficiency.

So the next time you’re considering bypassing a process for the sake of speed, remember the importance of standard procedures in the creative environment and how ultimately it will help you deliver better product in the end.

Joanne Michael is an Executive Vice President at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.

Increasing Social Media Followers with Public Relations

Kate Toy — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:54:55 +0000

The most effective way to increase your Facebook and Twitter followers is to provide valid and useful information that your fans may not have seen otherwise. As a PR pro, I’m constantly staying on top of current events and reading the news – on my computer, on my cell phone and in the newsfeed of my Facebook and Twitter accounts. Some of the most interesting news I see only because someone I follow posted it.

By being a dialed-in, finger-on-the-pulse-of-your-industry PR professional, you have the opportunity to share breaking news with your fans first. Post a recent article on a relevant topic or ask your followers a question about a hot topic. The beauty of social media, especially now with all of the changes to Facebook, is that every friend of your followers can now see most of their activity. So if they comment on a post on your wall, it will appear in their newsfeed and will ideally inspire someone else to click on your link, find your page interesting – and voilá – you’ll have a new follower.

This method of attracting followers is not guaranteed – in public relations there’s very little that is – but it’s a way to be recognized as a valuable and forward-thinking participant in your particular industry.

Using Social Media to Turn Your Customer into the Star

Greg Smore — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:46:59 +0000

Nothing sells a product or a service better than a satisfied customer. A president or CEO can say their company is the best in the industry, but without third-party credibility, it’s just lip service. That is why services such as Yelp.com, which strictly focuses on user reviews, can make or break a company. These reviews act like mini case studies and can be amplified when they are linked to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Companies can take the customer review process one step further by including testimonial videos on sites such as YouTube. Domus incorporated this tactic with OKI Data Americas’ customers during the ISTE 2011 Conference in Philadelphia. OKI customers were given a platform to present their story and increase their Internet celebrity through the process. This strategy gives consumers a voice and also puts a face to the name, which lends additional credibility to the testimonial. The reach of these videos can be increased when distributed through social media networks as well. An example of the OKI customer testimonial video can be accessed through the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxHIxhVSFuI.

Not only do these videos provide beneficial information to prospective customers, but they also increase the company’s interaction with current clients, helping to build that existing relationship.

Greg Smore is a Senior Account Manager at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.

Are Daily Deal Sites a Good Deal for Marketers?

Ed Samide — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:42:17 +0000

Daily Deal sites like Groupon and Living Social can cause problems for a business due to hurting its’ profitability, brand and relationship with customers.

With a discount offer, the business is probably appealing to customers that purchase on price. It is unlikely customers will come back to the business in the future to purchase products and services at full value. In a column on AdAge.com, Al Ries, the famous marketing consultant, states:

“Presumably, all those consumers who bought products and services for 50% off are going to be happy to return to their local retailers and return to buy those same products and services at full prices. That’s not going to happen. What is going to happen is that those same consumers are going to go back to Groupon and wait for the next 50%-off sale.”

I’m sure many of you have used Groupon, Living Social or one of the other local daily deal sites. Of those of you who have, how many of you have returned to that business to purchase the same product or service at full price? My guess is not many.

The trouble with only focusing on new customers is that it costs much more to the business to market to new customers than to sell to current customers. A business is also sacrificing its profitability on sales to new customers using a Groupon offer since the business splits about 50% of the revenue with the company.

Filippo Caffari, owner of The Butcher Store, a restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was quoted in BusinessWeek saying that when using Groupon “A lot of people just come for the deal, and very few become repeat customers.”

In The Wall Street Journal, David Wachs, president of Cellit, a marketing firm that has collaborated with small businesses on Groupon deals, argues that small companies need “ongoing conversations” with customers, not coupon offers. Groupon is best used “to drive new customers in their door.” He’s right about the necessity of ongoing conversations with customers. In order to be a worthwhile marketing tool, business owners need to capitalize on the Groupon or other deal tool. Ask customers to leave their email address when they redeem their deal and contact them with additional coupons, invite them to follow the company’s Facebook or Twitter, and share news about new products and services that would be of interest to them.

With Groupon and other deal sites, a business is reducing profitability as it markets to new customers and by using the deal alone, they are unable to build a relationship with these new customers for repeat business. When considering Groupon as a marketing tool, a business should first evaluate the effect on its profitability, brand and relationship with customers before joining in the daily deal trend.

Ed Samide is a Senior Account Manager at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.

Is Anybody Listening?

Joanne Michael — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:40:19 +0000

A wise person once said, “We were given two ears but only one mouth, because listening is twice as hard as talking.” This is especially true in our industry, as agencies must be good listeners to understand direction provided by their clients in order to deliver the best outcome. Most of us think we are good listeners, but in reality, we’re not.

Listening requires careful attention. Sometimes people don’t pay careful attention when someone is speaking to them, thinking instead about how to press their point when the other person stops speaking. Also consider that people talk at about 125 words per minute. However, we think at a speed that is four or five times as fast, at 500 words per minute or more. This means that our thoughts move much faster than the words we are listening to and makes it not surprising that we often let our attention wander.

Both anecdotal and scholarly research has shown that developing well-honed listening skills is extremely important in team building, project management, problem solving and ultimately, business success. Good listening skills are a valuable attribute in today’s business climate. In developing improved listening skills, individuals must learn to not only listen to the content of words but also pay attention to body language; it speaks as loudly as words.

While listening seems like it should be second nature to all of us, good listening skills take practice. Below are a few tips to improve your listening skills:

1. Face the speaker. Sit up straight or lean forward slightly to show your attentiveness through body language.

2. Maintain eye contact, to the degree that you all remain comfortable.

3. Minimize external distractions. Turn off the cell phone.

4. Focus solely on what the speaker is saying. Try not to think about what you are going to say next. The conversation will follow a logical flow after the speaker makes her point.

5. Keep an open mind. Wait until the speaker is finished before deciding that you disagree. Try not to make assumptions about what the speaker is thinking.

6. Engage yourself. Ask questions for clarification, but once again, wait until the speaker has finished. That way, you won’t interrupt his train of thought. After you ask questions, paraphrase the speaker’s point to make sure you didn’t misunderstand. Start with: “So you’re saying …”

PUBLICRELATIONSOCIALMEDIA – The perfect blend

Domus Blogger — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 13:22:51 +0000

As PR and social media continue to overlap at a rapid pace, what next? Today, the boundaries between advertising, marketing and PR are becoming more blurred than ever. While PR is all about making announcements that you hope will grab editors’ attention and result in increased coverage and exposure, the goal of social media for business is to gain that loyal list of “followers” whom you must converse with, create dialogue with and hopefully …convert into customers.

Recently, we’ve all seen endless debates about who should “control” social media in ad agencies. And that “someone” should be the PR professional – often the eyes and ears of the agency.

PR and Social Media – “Both About the Relationship”

The social space is about quick connections, as well as real and strong relationships. We can no longer isolate social media from public relations – it just can’t be avoided. Savvy journalists and bloggers use Facebook and Twitter like their own personal newswire services and constantly search online for stories and trends. Any way you look at it, the social aspect represents just one more way to get a journalist’s attention.

After all, PR and social media share the same qualifications:

1) Who is your audience?

2) What do they care about?

3) How will your “announcement” impact their lives and help enhance your client’s’ message?

PR Pros – Time to Go Where the Action Is!

PR practitioners cannot expect audiences to come to them; rather – they must go to where their audiences are. So if these targets are online, the PR pro must be online too. This is where the PR/social convergence begins. Think about it: social media goes perfectly with PR – it allows PR pros to engage with audiences and target markets like never before! But yes, there are those in the PR world who consider this imminent change to be one giant annoyance because – it requires that they learn new techniques, while abandoning some old ones.

To many, this overlap presents tremendous opportunity – new technologies and communication channels are available and have changed the PR profession. Yes, PR practitioners must change the way they write, and responding and thinking must be done in real -time. Yes folks, it’s time to know your way around the social world as well as a newsroom! It’s about immersing yourself in the social culture as a way of better understanding its inherent advantages. It’s about participating, interacting and sharing.

PR and social media are now completely intertwined. Both feed on public interest, and neither means making that “sell” right then and there. Both are catalysts for eventual business and should go arm in arm. PR professionals are now realizing that the traditional PR skills that they’ve used so long are perfectly suited to our new social world, they just need some 2011 modifications. Any PR pro that who isn’t becoming a social media expert should get on board…quickly.

Do you agree that the line between PR and social media is now too fine of a line to separate? Should the PR person on your staff take the lead in social media? Please share your thoughts and join our discussion. Thank you.

Lynette Byrnes is a Senior Account Manager at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805

A Down Economy Is the Ideal Time to Invest in PR

Joanne Michael — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 14:17:30 +0000

In today’s tough business climate, companies are seeking ways to cut their marketing budgets as they look to bolster profit amid continuing concern over the state of the economy. It is a well-established fact, that in hard times, companies cut all marketing costs that are not tied to direct sales. Whether your company intends to decrease spending or not, before you slash and burn across the board, you may want to consider preserving or even investing more money into public relations. Public relations is a proven, measurable, cost-effective method for generating visibility, credibility and thought leadership. A survey of chief marketing officers at major national and global advertisers conducted by the Association of National Advertisers found that the value public relations delivers as part of the overall marketing mix is increasing. In addition, results from a recent survey by Vocus, a leading public relations software management company, found that 42 percent of those surveyed said their PR budgets would increase in 2011 versus only 29 percent who responded to the same question last year.

Also consider the fact that newsrooms have been dealing with limited resources as a result of job loss and budget cuts for several years. The recession has not improved that situation and creates more pressure for journalists to produce more content with less resources. Public relations helps meet that need for content by delivering story ideas, research, subject matter experts and resources.

So while it is not an ideal economy, it is an ideal time to invest in public relations.

Marketing to Emerging Markets – Growing Your Business Internationally

Ed Samide — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:03:01 +0000

As economists predict slow growth for the U.S. economy over the next few years, companies are turning to emerging markets such as Africa, Brazil, China, India and Russia to grow their business.

This week, Coca-Cola announced that it will be making a $4 billion investment in China over the next three years. Coca-Cola’s sales in China grew 24% in the most recent quarter; in addition, China is Coke’s third largest market. Coke CEO Muhtar Kent stated, “We don’t see China only as a great growth market. We see China as a future market for further innovation that will benefit our business globally.”

Proctor & Gamble is also looking to emerging markets including Africa, Brazil and India to grow its business. This year, Proctor & Gamble plans to enter Brazil with products like Oral B toothpaste and Olay skin cream. According to the Wall Street Journal, “In Brazil, P&G employees pore over maps that document demographic trends and pinpoint stores that don’t yet sell the company’s products.”

Pepsi has taken the strategy of growing its business internationally through acquisitions. In April 2011, Pepsi announced it was purchasing dairy products and fruit-juice maker OAO Wimm-Bill-Dann for $5.4 billion. The acquisition makes Russia the largest market for Pepsi outside of the United States.

Even ad agencies are capitalizing on emerging markets. Ogilvy & Mather launched a division in its New York City office to help Chinese companies with marketing and public relations in the United States. Ogilvy has plans over the next few years to expand this service to Africa, Brazil and India.

If it is right for their business model, U.S. companies should strongly consider growing their business internationally as a way to balance the slow growth predicted for the domestic economy.

Brands could use a lesson from “I’m Listening” with Dr. Frasier Crane: listening to your customers is the web’s true branding function

Betty Tuppeny — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 13:32:13 +0000

Picture a brand, very simply, as an ongoing conversation with a consumer, business decision maker or any audience you target. From your brand’s first introduction, through ongoing discussions, encounters and experiences, you build a relationship with each person. That relationship is fragile and can be breached at any point. It takes focus, investment and consistent messaging to ‘brand’ – defined as winning the minds and, most importantly, the hearts, of your users.

Everything in the advertising/marketing industry has changed dramatically, yet, I believe, has stayed completely the same. Recent research shows that consumers and businesses have shifted spending to brands that create, maintain and strengthen their relationships while delivering both value and values. This reflects the principles of a classic marketing approach – listen to your target and speak with them, not at them.

The internet has created (even forced) a new, transparent, immediate, measureable and wide-reaching, yet specific means of relating. This approach is a far cry from early messaging, during the onset of the ad industry, when brands talked at, not with, their audience.

What has not changed is that in each medium – traditional PR, advertising, events, social media, digital messaging and on every brand’s web site, what you are saying must be based on the customer’s needs. They want to be friends with the brands that are high quality, great value, connected to their lives and to their communities. This means using internet presence management to listen to customers and to strategize your brand’s conversation based on the ‘voice of the cusomer.’ A myriad of online products and services to measure what your customers are saying exists now and needs to be a mandatory part of a brand’s marketing mix.

Go to www.domusinc.com to learn more about how Domus’ branding products and services offering can help you hear your customers better or contact her directly at 215-772-2805 and betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com to qualify for a brand assessment analysis utilizing the proven Domus Voice of Customer Tracker (DVCT®)

Betty Tuppeny is the CEO and Founder of Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia.

Why Agency Performance Evaluations are Important

Joanne Michael — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:54:42 +0000

As the saying goes, you’re only as good as your last project. But what is the cumulative effect of all of your projects? Do you know how your agency is performing not only on individual projects but other key factors such as responsiveness, business understanding, communication, added value?

According to a recent ANA (Association of National Advertisers) survey, while marketers deal in data, qualitative performance still tends to carry more weight in evaluations than quantitative ones such as media cost savings, sales or market shares. Leading qualitative performance criteria identified by survey respondents as something they measure with their agencies include:

In this same survey, 92% of marketers with sales of more than $5 billion annually have agency review processes vs. 74% of smaller companies. Overall, of 117 marketers participating in the survey, 76% said they have a formal evaluation process for traditional creative agencies and 68% have one for traditional media agencies, but only 47% do for digital agencies and 25% have one for direct-marketing, PR and multicultural agencies.

If you currently do not perform regular agency evaluations with your client, ask. Don’t be afraid of the feedback. Remember, in any relationship, there will be ups and downs and areas for improvement. Look at the performance review as an opportunity for open, honest dialogue with your client about how to strengthen and improve your service. Remember, the average client/agency relationship is only three years. If you want to defy that industry average, regular performance reviews are a good way to start. At Domus, we conduct quarterly performance reviews, and we’re proud to say that our top three clients have been with us 15, 13 and 8 years.

Did You Delight Your Client Today?

Joanne Michael — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:58:20 +0000

We all talk about keeping our clients happy and satisfied, but do we delight them? That may sound like an odd objective but let’s look at the definitions. “Satisfied” is defined as “filled with satisfaction, content.” Whereas “delight” is defined as “a high degree of gratification; also extreme satisfaction.” Given these two definitions, I would prefer to delight my clients rather than simply make them happy. This is particularly important in today’s tough economic climate. Companies that have successfully weathered the economic storm are those that understand that service excellence is a business strategy and recognize that delivering on this strategy is a key differentiator.

According to the recent J. D. Power and Associates Inaugural Cross-Industry Report on Best Practices in Customer Service, during the past decade, average satisfaction scores for service-oriented industries have remained flat, unlike in product-based industries, for which satisfaction has improved steadily. In addition, across all service industries measured by J.D. Power, gaps in satisfaction between the highest- and lowest-performing brands have increased considerably between 2003 and 2010. This is a sad state of affairs for the “service” industry.

In this same report, J. D. Powers recognized Customer Service Champions (the top 5 percent of 800 companies evaluated) representing a variety of different industries, from financial services and insurance to automotive and travel. All had one thing in common: they do more than deliver on their customers’ expectations – they exceed them. Which makes good business sense. Brands that excel in providing customer service often enjoy higher rates of customer retention, pricing advantages and reduced costs to acquire new customers, compared with companies that have lower levels of customer service satisfaction. Among customers of brands designated as J.D. Power Customer Service Champions, 62 percent said they “definitely would” recommend the brand to family and friends, while just 23 percent of customers of other companies included in the report said the same. Additionally, 58 percent of customers of J.D. Power Customer Service Champions said they “definitely would” repurchase products or services from those brands, compared with just 36 percent of customers of other brands included in the report.

So how does Domus delight its clients? It’s by constantly asking clients about their business and proactively providing business building ideas. It’s presenting in person when it’s much easier to send an email. It’s responding immediately to their requests. It’s telling a client that we’ll have the project complete in five days and then delivering it in four days. It’s providing a recommendation, when the client only asked that you research an opportunity. It’s not only securing an interview with the L.A. Business Journal that’s been our client’s wish list, but getting them the Orange Country Business Journal as well. It’s developing and executing a virtual press event that generated 30 top industry media in attendance while saving the client thousands of dollars vs. a traditional media event. It’s offering to do a brainstorming session with a client on a new product launch as a value add service rather than charging a fee. It’s making their lives easier.

So don’t settle for satisfying your clients – delight them!

PR + SM = X: How to Measure and What to Measure in Public Relations and Social Media

Kate Toy — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:00:34 +0000

Measuring Public Relations has never been simple. It’s difficult to tie it directly to sales; unless glaringly obvious it’s tough to determine a hard and fast public opinion of your company; and without a consistent measurement tool or equation your public relations ROI can differ depending on who you ask.

For example, in public relations we measure a total number of impressions by multiplying a publication’s circulation number (which in itself can be unreliable) by a specified number. This is known as the “pass along rate.” I stick with the number 2. Meaning, for every person that subscribes to the publication, there’s one additional person reading it. Some folks are not as conservative and will use a pass along rate of 2.5 or 3. By using “2” I may err on the conservative side but at least I’m not making any false promises. The pass along rate is justified for many reasons; dentist and doctor’s offices often have magazines in the lobby so several people are reading them, there’s usually more than one person in a household reading a magazine that’s delivered there, and in other cases people will share magazines or interesting articles with friends and colleagues. Regardless of the ways to justify it – there’s no exact science to it.

You may be wondering what the point of even doing PR is if you can’t guarantee that it’s going to be seen, but that answer is extremely cut and dry: the people you WANT to see it are seeing it. PR pros target a reporter or publication that speaks to the audience that their client is trying to reach. While the 2,000,000+ people who read the Wall Street Journal may not see your company mentioned in an article; the ones who are interested in your services or business generally will. Are you interested in business? Then you’re reading the business section. Looking for a hot new restaurant? I’ll bet you’re checking out local restaurant reviews. Your PR person knows who to pitch to get you in front of your audience. Are you a food manufacturer? Then your PR pro is contacting the Food & Wine reporter, the Manufacturing reporter, the Lifestyle reporter and – if you’re whipping up something healthy or wholesome – the Health reporter. In each of these places, your pro is developing a pitch and working an angle to get you in print where your target audience will see it.

Measuring PR is a numbers game, but PR is not a numbers profession, which makes it tough. Talk to an engineer and he’ll give you solid, unfailing facts. Talk to a PR pro and you’ll get a laundry list of pitches, reporters and outreach, but no metrics. This has been a hurdle that agencies have had to overcome for years.

In some respects measuring social media is slightly easier. It’s fairly easy to calculate and compare your followers on Twitter and Facebook month over month. If only that were enough. Social media is all about ENGAGEMENT. It’s not enough that you have followers and fans, you need them to be legitimately aware of your brand and services. You then want them to visit your website or social media page often, believe in your brand, recommend it to their social network, and ultimately buy your products and encourage others to do the same. Sounds easy right? Not at all. However, you can measure engagement fairly simply. Measuring engagement is explained well in a blog by the Social Media Examiner. Basically you need to count every click, comment, retweet, use of your hashtag, YouTube video view and rating, etc. Ok, so it might take you all day, but it’s easy enough to do.

Now for the hard part. While you can tell that someone is engaging by simply counting all of the above, it’s difficult to tell at a glance whether what’s being said about your company is positive, neutral, or negative. This is called influence or Sentiment Analysis and it’s extremely subjective. Domus Dish touched on this awhile back and very little has changed since that blog post was written. (Be sure to check out the Pepsi diagram…who knew people posted about soft drinks so much?) Analytic tools have been developed to monitor influence but since computers can’t perceive emotion or sarcasm it’s difficult to get fully accurate statistics on a company’s social media influence. To get it right an actual person has to review the computer report and change the positive, neutral, or negative classifications as necessary. It’s a lot of work, which is why many companies opt not to do it.

While measurement can be tricky and in some cases, hard to define, it’s really all about deciding what you want. For most companies brand awareness is the goal, but achieving it takes some legwork and expert guidance. Do you want thousands of Facebook followers who “like” each and every status update? Or do you want to build a community that believes in your brand, actively engages with you and recommends your company to their network? I’m guessing the latter. Use the community to your advantage and listen to what your social network is looking for. Pose questions. Treat them like a sounding board. Cherish their feedback. Once they know you’re listening to them, they’ll listen to you.

Starting up or revamping your business – here is what you need to make your mark on the web!

Dhawal Sehgal — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 14:04:56 +0000

Technologically, we have only come of age in recent years. The past twenty years have seen transitions from postal mail to emails to text messaging (SMS); from CRTVs to Plasmas to LCD to LED to 3D TV’s; from 8-bit video games to Playstation 3’s, Nintendo Wii’s, X-Box 360’s, Kinects; from telephones to mobile phones and now smart phones. The list of the technological advancements in the past couple of decades is endless. It’s simple evolution in terms of technology. The businesses and markets have changed dramatically over this period of time. While good copy writers, newspaper advertisements, and marketing posters were needed for marketing a new or revamped business in the early 90’s, there is so much more that you can do with technology in the current times to give your business the boost it needs. The World Wide Web (WWW) alone provides a plethora of techniques to reach out to the world – a world in which the potential clientele is infinite. While there are dozens of things that you can start with, there are five basic things that are a necessity to bring your business to life on the web.

A Sleek, Stylish, Sexy – yet Efficient – Website

Where’s a prospective client most likely to look for a product or service they need? The internet! In an age where Google and Bing have become verbs, a website is a necessity for any business. With the availability of the latest website building tools, a new website is expected to have utilized some, if not most, of the features available with the latest website building tools. With the advent of HTML 5, dynamic web has reached new heights, and a good looking, scalable dynamic website is a definite plus (or requirement) for your new business. A smart website is not only sexy, but should also be easy to browse and user friendly. Keep in mind that browsing a website should be geared towards the user since the user experience of the website can have a direct impact on the business. A person who is unhappy or unimpressed by a client website may be less inclined to approach it for his business needs.

Here are examples of some really cool websites that use the latest in web technology, mainly HTML 5:

Mobile Website

It’s a well-known fact that the internet is moving towards the mobile web . The number of people browsing the internet from their cell phones is soon going to exceed the number of people accessing the web from computers. If you haven’t already, you can read more about the rise of the mobile web on one of our previous blogs at http://www.domusinc.com/blog/2011/04/going-mobile-with-your-website-here-are-a-few-things-to-keep-in-mind/.

Having a mobile website essentially opens more doors for prospective customers to find you in a more desirable manner on their smartphones. While smartphones render most conventional websites correctly, it’s always a better idea to give your clients a more readable, mobile-friendly format. All old and new businesses are increasingly converting their websites to be mobile friendly, and to keep up with the competition, it should be a part of your revamp/launch plan.

Here’s an interesting video describing the importance of getting mobile-ready:

Presence on the Social Web

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social sites – in addition to the sites’ individual benefits, they have become synonymous with client outreach and marketing. Having presence on a social media site is possibly the easiest way to interact with people who are genuinely interested in your business, whether they’re existing or prospective clients, competitors, or even people who share common interests. Sites like Facebook and Twitter make it easy for people to connect with businesses, share their feedback, ask questions, and gain knowledge about the brand/business they are following. Facebook is 700 million strong and growing. This fact alone should make you very eager to get on the social web, considering the possible outreach.

One of our previous blogs posts illustrates the importance of the social media and some tips to drive a good social media campaign. You can read it at http://www.domusinc.com/blog/2011/05/improve-your-pace-in-the-marketing-race-with-social-medias-embrace/

SEO/SEM

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing. These two terms are very important for people who search the web using engines like Google and Bing to find a business or business services. Search engine optimization (SEO) is optimizing website pages to achieve a higher ranking in search results by selecting specific keyword expressions that a user may search when looking for a business, produce, or service. For example, if you own a sporting goods store, you would want your website SEO’d so that when a user searches the term “baseball glove” your business comes up in the search results. It’s helpful if your website is highly ranked when a person is looking for something that is related to your business. For example, if you Google “luxury appliances” which is a generic term, the luxury appliance company Dacor comes up as the number two ranked link. Chances of people clicking that link are higher than clicking on AGA, which is another company that comes up on the second page of search results. It’s a good idea to invest in SEO and have a content optimized website while your website is being developed. SEM is a form of Internet marketing that aims to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages through the use of, paid placement, contextual advertising, and paid inclusion. The sponsored ads that show up on web searches are results of SEM campaigns. SEM gives a required boost and exposure to any business on the web and which is important for a business that wants people to notice something that is new or updated.

A Company Blog

More and more companies are placing emphasis on connecting with their user/client base by different means of social interaction. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already familiar with some of the benefits of having a blog. People read blogs because, not only are they informative, but they’re personal too. They express opinions of people like you and me. Not to mention, they reflect the opinions and the abilities of the people who work for you. Having a blog has SEO advantages for your websites as well because of many things that are attributes of a blog such as:

Structured Content – which makes it easier for sear engines to understand and index the content on a blog
Crawlable URLs – The uncomplicated URL structure generally used by blogs makes it an easier job for search spiders to find and crawl a blog
Internal links – A blog can host internal website links
Fresh Content – Both readers and search engines reward fresh content with repeat visits.
RSS – Links to RSS feed URLs that use the blog domain name will assist in building link popularity and when RSS content is syndicated or cited by other blogs, any embedded links will also assist in sending traffic.
Inbound link magnet – One of the biggest benefits, blogs link freely to each other – much more than web sites do. Blogs are also a significant source of many posts to social news and social media web sites.

With these five basic, essential and important things in place, you can expect your business to have a prominent presence on the web. Implementing these five essential things, even though they may sound simple enough, may end up being overwhelming in terms of time and efficiency. We at Domus, Inc. have a special division called Domus Digital that can navigate these five basic and important needs for your new or renewed business. We are experts at web, mobile and social media. Contact us if you need help strategizing and/or executing a plan that will get your web presence in full swing and successfully introduce your business to the WWW.

Traditional Public Relations: What Still Works in New Media

Kate Toy — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:35:23 +0000

Let’s face it, social media has rocked PR’s world. It’s changed the game and made PR pros work A LOT harder, a lot faster, and our skills have to get stronger. There is double the number of outlets reporting at 10x the normal speed. As a species, humans can roll with change – we’ve evolved from cave drawings to text messages – but we need to keep a few things in mind when communicating a message on behalf of a client.

Social media is the internet on steroids. It’s the amped up version, and it’s super informative, super fast and super easy to botch.

Some public relations skills have been crucial from the very beginning and, even with social media (or because of it), these skills are more important than ever:

Pay attention to detail

With the ability to get information out at lightning speed it’s pretty easy to send the wrong information. Or if it’s not wrong, there’s a good chance that you’ve made a typo or grammatical error. These things don’t reflect well on you or your client. Whether it’s a written letter or a Twitter post – read it and re-read it. In the 24 hour news cycle, we have to move fast, but taking the time to post correctly will spare you from developing a reprieve (or explaining yourself to your client) and save time in the long run.

Build the Relationship

You may have spent hours, days, or weeks trying to reach the right reporter. To land coverage, it all boils down to building relationships by identifying the correct journalist and sending the correct message, at the correct time.

While social media actually makes it easier to find the right person because they’re tweeting or posting about topics they’re interested in, there’s no shortcut to building that relationship. In fact, there are no shortcuts in Public Relations. Period. In order to get a few columns in print, we’re up against media deadlines, staffing shortages, competitor sources and breaking news. It takes more than a cleverly written pitch to secure that placement and social media is no different; just because the posts and comments come quickly, it doesn’t mean that your client’s coverage will. Whether it’s traditional or social media, show our colleagues in the media general courtesy and respect and take the time to cultivate the relationship.

Be relevant

With traditional public relations we spend a ton of time crafting the perfect pitch. We research our content, line up subject matter experts and generally try to serve up a story on a silver platter. Just because we now have about 140 characters or so to do it doesn’t mean we should spend less time doing the background work. Granted, we’re not using Twitter for pitching, but we ARE using it to establish our client as a credible, relevant source of information. You need to identify the right targets, not just blast your client’s information all over the internet. You want your fans and followers to think of your brand as a resource – just as with traditional PR. I’ll say it again – in public relations there are no shortcuts. Do your homework. Know your client and your client’s industry. You wouldn’t craft a traditional pitch without doing all of the legwork and finding the right contact, so don’t post on social media or pitch a blogger without putting the background research in.

Social media presents us with a lot of new opportunities – and plenty of new outlets – but to be an effective social media participant you need to remember the fundamentals of public relations.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Joanne Michael — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 17:13:20 +0000

Most agencies claim that their number one goal is to ensure that each and every client has a top performing team to deliver the highest quality work, results and client satisfaction. But, can traditionally-structured agencies deliver on this promise when they have a finite set of resources? The Domus business model is client-centric by design, a model that we believe is a smart and efficient alternative to the traditional ad agency. By the term “client-centric” we mean that Domus conforms to a client’s particular account and their specialized needs.

Some clients need technical writing, others need help with media buying, others want efforts devoted specifically to social media – we cater to all of these needs and evolve as the client’s needs and objectives change. By using this approach we’re able to be nimble and move with the client – our clients aren’t locked into a rigid, 12-month plan; as their focus changes – so do we. They move, we move. We believe each client and each project presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities. That’s why we develop customized teams of specialized resources to fulfill each client’s unique needs.

That is our promise and we deliver on it.

Domus, Inc. is an integrated digital and traditional marketing communications agency that delivers unconventional thinking and out-of-the-box strategies that help our clients sustain growth and demand brand awareness. For more information, please visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Social Media Roadblocks

Kate Toy — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:40:49 +0000

There are many keys to a successful social media campaign. Different things work for different companies and organizations, but there are a few roadblocks that will hinder even the best laid campaign. Check out three roadblocks to avoid below!

The first roadblock of social media is not being fully ready to be “out there.” You’re exposing your company to the public’s opinion. You need to be ready for their honesty. Take negative comments as constructive criticism. Defend your brand well, but be respectful of your audience’s opinions and issues. Once you’ve made the leap, there’s no turning back so make sure you’re company is ready for that type of exposure.

One of the biggest mistakes companies make in their social media efforts is being too self-promotional in their posts to fans and followers. If a potential customer wants to find out about your products or services, they’ll go to your website. If they want to engage with you, they’ll go to your social media site. A little self promotion is okay, but in general, self-serving posts drive your audience away, so keep them to a minimum. Keep your fans and followers interested with valuable, useful content that will make them think of you as a knowledgeable and useful source for information.

Where do you get this valuable content? That’s roadblock #2. Or at least that’s what many companies think. Most companies are uncovering valuable content all the time – they just don’t realize it. Did your company just finish a cool project or help a client solve a problem? Share it – there’s a good possibility your audience will find the information useful. That industry-related article that you read on your train ride to work? If you thought it was interesting and useful, chances are your audience will too. Are you unsure about some of the points made in the article? Even better – post it and ask you followers for their thoughts. Engage your social media audience whenever possible.

Which brings me to the next roadblock… If a fan or follower posts a question or a comment that requires some attention, they need to be answered. And answered quickly. Demonstrating that you’re actively responding to your audience shows that you care about them. You wouldn’t ignore a customer’s question in a store, so don’t ignore it online. Make their concerns, your concerns and you’ll come out looking like a company with a real handle on customer service.

One of the best examples I ever saw of this was while I was researching hotels for a vacation. One hotel received poor reviews repeatedly on TripAdvisor.com; however EVERY SINGLE REVIEW was answered directly by the guest relations manager from the hotel. She responded with an apology and her contact information to assist with the reviewers’ issues personally. Shortly after I learned that the hotel had given their customer service operations a full overhaul and this was the result; an aggressive response plan that actually makes them look extremely caring and proactive. A negative review or comment does not need to ruin a social media post – it gives you the opportunity to demonstrate how quickly and efficiently your company will solve the problem.

When first starting a social media campaign, it’s important to be prepared for the roadblocks outlined above. If you’re ready and able to take them on, then you’re probably ready to be fully invested in a social media campaign. So get out there and join the conversation – it’s about time your company was part of it.

Client/Agency Collaboration Leads to Success

Joanne Michael — Tue, 17 May 2011 14:43:20 +0000

There are many different client/agency relationships. Some clients like to direct their agency on exactly what they want, including creative development and media selection. Other clients hire their agency for their expertise and counsel but may be hesitant to discuss certain business matters.

At Domus, we believe in a collaborative team effort. This includes complete immersion in our clients’ business. Our responsibility is to constantly evaluate market dynamics as well as client data and translate that understanding into strategies and recommendations that builds our clients’ business.

We think like you, work like you, and take your marketing objectives as seriously as you do. When clients and agencies partner in this manner it leads to overall marketing success. This team approach is the essence of what we do every day for the life of our relationship with our clients.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…well, not if Domus can help it…

Kate Toy — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:12:55 +0000

When Dacor, a manufacturer of luxury kitchen appliances, requested some onsite help at KBIS, I was thrilled at the opportunity to go. As a PR practitioner I spend years – literally, YEARS – cultivating relationships through email, phone, and the occasional LinkedIn friend request (if, and only if, the editor requests me first). An industry event like a trade show gives us PR folks the opportunity to meet face to face, exchange a friendly handshake, talk shop, and hopefully make a lasting impression so the next time I send a pitch that editor is a little more inclined to open my email.

For those of you who don’t know, KBIS aka the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, is the premier event for those in the kitchen and bath industry; designers, manufacturers, architects, dealers – they’re all there. This year’s event took place April 26^th – 28^th in Las Vegas, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Everything is very high high-end and high quality. The best of the best go to KBIS, and I was proud to be there with Dacor.

For a PR person, the actual trade show only takes up a small portion of the work and effort we put in. We usually begin about 3 – 4 weeks ahead of time by hitting the phones to schedule booth appointments with editors. We then worry about the press releases and press kits. (Dacor’s press kits were 4gig USB drives made to look like miniature cooktops. Very cool.) From there, we finally get onsite at the actual event and our job is to make our client’s day go as smoothly as possible. As with most things, it’s much easier said than done. However, Dacor runs their marcomm efforts like a well-oiled machine and, along with the Marketing Manager and VP of Marketing, we successfully fielded over 25 media appointments, three video shoots, one radio broadcast, and countless other inquiries. Not too shabby.

While quite important, trade shows are not just about the media. Dacor had a steady stream of customers visiting their booth, and to give something back to those who stopped by, every visitor received a blue Dacor pin. If the visitor was seen on the show floor wearing the pin by Dacor’s mystery spotter they won a set of cookware. One of the winners even offered to have Dacor use his home as a case study! Sometimes a worthy case study can be hard to come by. It’s a great opportunity for Dacor to document a customer’s experience with their products – and it fell right in our lap.

Some companies elect to save their new product announcements for trade shows, others hold a press conference to release company news, while some have an event that’s more about fun with some company messaging weaved in. Dacor chose the latter, and it was an overwhelming success. They commissioned Jeff Lewis, reality TV star on Bravo’s “Flipping Out,” to come to the booth for a two hour meet and greet with show attendees and a customer cocktail event at the end of the day. Visitors were lined up around the booth the entire two hours waiting for their chance to chat with Jeff and snap a photo or two. The response was so positive that Jeff even stayed a bit longer and came to the afternoon event early so he could greet even more guests. The late afternoon cocktail event was also extremely well received, with over 100 guests who noshed, drank, and mingled until the very end.

Events like this are a ton of work but the results are well worth it. Dacor instantly saw a spike in media coverage on the days surrounding KBIS and they now have coverage lined up for the next couple of months. More than coverage and media hits, Dacor made an impact on customers and media, which created a lasting impression that will continue to serve and benefit the brand long after the trade show is over.

Ironically, Ad Agencies Are Having an Identity Crisis

Betty Tuppeny — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:52:02 +0000

For those of us in marketing who watch Mad Men, we see a simpler, yet antiquated, ad industry business model. Paid media drives all of the billings and revenue, Public Relations and Market Research are burgeoning, yet-to-be-trusted disciplines, and the internet is a nickname for Betty Draper’s hair curlers covering.

But, in this TV show, the definition of what an ad agency delivers is crystal clear, and to me, always has been. In this seductive reenactment of the early days of the industry, Don Draper’s agency’s role is to understand a client’s business, develop the compelling point of difference for the brand, conceptualize the main campaign idea and then use mass media to turn up the noise level in the market.

It’s still the same today, only now agencies, on behalf of their clients’ brands, have a myriad of traditional and electronic avenues beyond mass media with which to build clients’ brands while keeping an ongoing conversation with their prospects, customers and referrers.

So, the answer to Advertising Age’s April 25, 2011 cover story, “Why Does it Seem Like Agency has become a Dirty Word?” is simple to me. It’s semantics – no matter what you call my company, Domus, Inc., we still have always taken the same approach, both before and since internet marketing became an option: 1) Define the market need, strategically position the client against that need (considering their core competencies and where their competitors are positioned) to create a compelling point of difference; 2) know their target audience(s) demographics, psychographics and media habits; 3) develop the creative concept that breaks through and has “legs” for promotion and longevity; 4) consistently implement a cohesive message; and 5) measure, measure, measure – and adjust accordingly to maximize our clients’ ROI on building not just their brands but, importantly, their businesses.

On the cover of the same issue, Advertising Age also points out that agencies are “ …starting venture funds, buying brands and developing products.” I don’t think this has as much to do with the industry’s identity crisis as much as it has to do with the fact that they need new accounts and revenue streams to survive and thrive, and they are finding more self-reliant, innovative means of accomplishing this objective. Kudos – entrepreneurial approaches helps the agencies as well as their clients and make for a more vibrant industry.

So I can’t resist the notion that, somewhere in a room, a group is brainstorming our industry bible, Advertising Age’s potential new name: some options are: We Brand for you but Can’t Brand Ourselves Age; Former Admen Turned Entrepreneurs Age; First We were an Ad Agency then a Digital Agency and Now a 360 Agency, and my favorite, We Don’t Know Who We Are Age. I suggest it remains Advertising Age and we stop talking to and about ourselves and focus on the clients’ needs in our ever-changing communications world. When marketing decision makers on the client side need help introducing, growing or saving a brand they say either “What does the ‘Agency” think? or “Do we need an new/different ‘Agency” to help us get this done?

If you want to learn about Domus, Inc., visit www.domusinc.com or call me directly at 215-772-2805. We know who we are and can deliver what you need.

Survey question: Marketing Directors, how do you define what your agency’s role? Do you still use the term agency?”

Will Electronic Communication Replace Face-to-Face Interaction with Clients?

Joanne Michael — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:16:22 +0000

With clients and customers becoming ever more mobile and global, will electronic communication replace face-to-face interaction? Emailing, texting, FTP sites, PDA’s, video conferencing – is there any reason to call your client or have a face-to-face meeting? Will the next generation of advertising account managers even know how to interact in real life situations after being “wired” to communicate electronically since the day they could hold their first iPhone?

In business, building solid personal relationships is key to success. Personal interaction promotes effective and collaborative teamwork and builds strong relationships, which keeps clients happy. Domus credits much of its success to building personal relationships with its clients; relationships that have, in some cases, led to friendships, on top of successful business partnerships. In addition to regular phone and face-to-face contact, we have gone as far as setting up a permanent office in our clients’ offices in locales across the country in order to provide constant face-to-face interaction. It doesn’t get much more hands on than that. Sure, we could save money by virtual communication; but nothing has more value than an on-site presence. It simply makes good business sense. When you’re visible, your client will look to you first.

Domus is a leading edge internet marketing agency that brings its full range of classic marketing expertise to its hi-tech digital capabilities. For more information on how Domus can help you accurately analyze your internet presence and develop effective strategies to further your brand, visit us at http://www.domusinc.com.

Retailers Retool Sites to Ease Mobile Shopping

Dhawal Sehgal — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:12:02 +0000

As if Domus Dish hasn’t blogged about mobile-ready websites enough – an article appearing in today’s New York Times talks about consumers’ demand for the ability to shop on their cellphones. Retailers haven’t caught on to the need for mobile-friendly websites and as a result, e-commerce sales have not grown as much as anticipated. As one analyst says, in regards to attempting to shop on a cellphone, “Who wants to spend their time pinching screens and mistyping links?” We sure don’t.

Worth a read: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/18/technology/18mobile.html?_r=1&nl=technology&emc=techupdateema1

Charlie Sheen: Social Media’s New Marketing Genius of 2011

Domus Blogger — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:05:14 +0000

Crazy? Maybe.

Anger issues? A few.

Genius? Depends on how you look at it.

Regardless of what term you use to describe Charlie Sheen and his latest antics, you can’t deny that he’s absolutely everywhere. Catch phrases like “Winning,” “Tiger blood,” “Rock Star from Mars,” and “Violent torpedo of death” have become household terms and nearly everything Sheen has posted online has become viral overnight. Aside from receiving $1.25 million per episode of Two and a Half Men, Sheen was also the first person to gain one million Twitter followers over the course of an evening, which also scored him a Guinness World Record.

Remember Joaquin Phoenix, the actor who faked his retirement to pursue a career as a hip hop star in the music industry? Phoenix appeared on David Letterman’s Late Show in February of 2009 and appeared to have stayed in his “new” character throughout the interview, appearing to be on the verge of a mental breakdown. Rumors say that Phoenix was using the publicity stunt as a way to boost exposure to his spoof independent film about a hip hop artist, but that was never confirmed (nor denied). So what from that situation relates to Sheen? Ah, right.. Phoenix is an actor. After watching many video streams and interviews in which Charlie Sheen can be considered crazy or nearing mental breakdown, I’ve come to the conclusion that his team of writers have taken the CBS curveball and hit it out of the park. Sheen simply isn’t getting lucky by achieving added exposure, sold out “comedy stints,” and t-shirts selling like hotcakes. He’s earning it!

So just what exactly has Charlie Sheen done to be considered a self-promotional, marketing guru? Let’s take a look.

Staying in the conversation. As stated before no matter where you look, whether it be your favorite news outlet online or on television, Charlie Sheen is there. Regardless of how much the product is flawed, he’s benefiting and profiting from all of the added attention he, and his team, have generated.

Execute something big before the real marketing takes place. This should go without saying to anyone in the marketing/advertising field. Before kicking off any campaign, there is usually something generated to spark interest or create conversation. In terms of Sheen, his interviews and/or tirades immediately following his departure from CBS spawned everything. His rants and use of wordplay began the catch phrases that are currently in the process of being trademarked.

Create something catchy. Here it is, my Rebecca Black tie-in. No matter how absolutely horrendous Black’s song “Friday” may be, it’s been etched in the heads of millions upon millions around the world. Something does not have to be brilliant to be catchy, it can also be brilliantly bad. Case in point? Those Charlie Sheen catch phrases. For weeks on end, those catch phrases were some of the hottest trends on Twitter, being retweeted and incorporated by users around the world. Charlie Sheen created an internet meme himself, instead of being turned into a meme by the users. Brilliant. Oh, he’s laughing all the way to the bank thanks to those phrases. Bi-brilliant!

Being transparent. Absolutely everything that Charlie Sheen has done since his outbursts have been either made public via social media, interviews, or his UStream features, which are growing rapidly. Sheen has been successfully utilizing these accounts all while making sure everyone can see his every move. In fact, Charlie Sheen (smartly) recorded himself handing his children over to LAPD under judge orders stating that they should be returned to Brooke Mueller. Smart move, Charlie…invite the world to see the fatherly figure you are, leaving the catch phrases and anger for other outlets all while gaining sympathy support.

Create something tangible. What did Conan O’Brien do after being removed from NBC in early 2010? He turned to social media, created viral support, and went on tour! What did Charlie Sheen do? He created a cult following and debuted the Violent Torpedo of Death Tour. Let’s be honest, this tour would have not sold out had it have been for all of the publicity, erm.. proper marketing techniques, being deployed by Sheen and his team. What’s the payoff? A 21 date tour (all sold out) which is generating Charlie between $250,000 and $275,000 per show. After merchandising and after-party appearances, Charlie is on par to earn $7 million per month. Not a bad ROI considering this all stemmed from some outbursts that were sent viral.

Leaving personal views aside while looking at the current state of Charlie Sheen, one should admire how he’s handled himself and built his name to be a household term as well as a selling feature. He’s currently looking for social media interns, which highly suggests that he is far from giving up on this endeavor that he and his team have embarked on. This all happened incredibly fast and in-the-moment for the Sheen Team.. hey, that’s what Social Media is, right? Creating a viral buzz and riding the wave.

It doesn’t hurt that Charlie has now generated over 3 million followers on Twitter and an extra 1 million fans on Facebook. He also just opened up the CharlieSheen.com webstore to shove into the faces of his new cult following. Crazy or crazy-rich? You do the math.

That’s called winning.

Clients are people too!

Joanne Michael — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:13:35 +0000

It may seem a like a minor detail when you’re facing pressing client deadlines and mounting workloads, but taking the time to get to know your client can help cultivate a stronger relationship. It can be as simple as remembering your client’s birthday, recognizing a significant milestone in their life or an accomplishment by one of their children, or helping a client’s spouse network for a new job. These types of gestures will go a long way in building a strong personal relationship with your client.

Remember that clients are people too and getting to know them on a personal level helps to build trust. Take the time to get to know your client by going out for lunch or a quick cup of coffee. Clients tend to be more relaxed under these circumstances and may talk about business in a way you wouldn’t hear in a formal meeting which will benefit your business relationship as well.

To Maximize ROI on Marketing Budgets, Go “Back to the Future”

Betty Tuppeny — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:28:29 +0000

As unconventional as it sounds, if you’re not investing competitively in branding your product or service, consider dropping your marketing budget to the bottom line.

BUT, if you have the confidence of a branding vision, you can maximize your short-term and long-term return on investment by shouting more loudly than your competition and investing in a down economy.

The Back Part:

Marketers tend to pull back spending at the first signal of the economy weakening. While it was groundbreaking in 1986, the McGraw-Hill Laboratory of Advertising Performance Report 5262, showed that when the economy was down during the 1981 – 1982 recession, brands benefited from an increased share of voice. Not only did brands’ short-term sales increase but companies that maintained or increased their advertising “…could boast an average sales growth of 275 percent over the preceding five years.”

The proliferation of media vehicles and the ability to micro-target via technological solutions makes this study’s findings truer than ever.

As the current economic factors reinforce that this is a correction in some categories and a down cycle in others, now is the time to evaluate:

Who in your category is spending and how much; and
Is there a business case for your brand to scream more loudly even with a selective investment now?

Dacor Luxury Appliances, a six-year Domus client, has chosen to promote its latest products at the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show this April. With its competitive noise level down, our client will dominate the share of voice among the key specifier and designer audiences. ROI will skyrocket.

The Future Part:

Strategically positioning a brand and ensuring consistency of messaging in all traditional and online communications are paramount to building brand equity. But, unlike in the mid-1980s, the addition of internet marketing as part “glue,” part “measurement system” and part “conversation facilitator” allows you to test and measure to whom and by which media you should be investing in your brand.

Learn from the DeLorean, (one of the most memorable product placements in marketing history) – use the proverbial time machine to capitalize on proven marketing principles from the past. Then deliver them with state-of-the-art mechanisms and measurements that are present, not future, at Domus, Inc.

Oh, and you may want to skip the jail part too. While Martha Stewart made it sing, John DeLorean’s antics had a Lindsay Lohan destruction effect on a promising brand.

If you want to discuss the implications of this, email betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or call me directly at 215-772-2805. For more information on marketing in a down economy, you can refer to additional Domus blog posts here!

Betty Tuppeny is the CEO and founder of Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact Betty directly at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.

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Has Jeopardy Jeopardized Its (Own) Brand?

Betty Tuppeny — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:21:04 +0000

While it is the epitome of the convergence of the advertising and entertainment worlds, one has to wonder if IBM’s brilliant Watson initiative has discredited the Jeopardy brand.

As the CEO of an ad agency that merges classic strategic marketing with state-of-the-art digital Public Relations, Advertising and entertainment solutions I am also a relatively new Jeopardy viewer.

I’d learned within one minute on normal shows (the time it takes to feed my cat), Alex Trebek is asking the first question.

Last night after seven minutes of background, new game guidelines and several promotional cutaways, I wondered if the Jeopardy franchise hadn’t jeopardized its own established brand by selling or giving its co-branding rights to IBM.

Strategic alliance programs are Domus, Inc.’s forte (ConAgra, Fisher-Price, Caesars Entertainment) but NOT if they dilute brand power. They must be carefully developed to be a WIN-WIN-WIN (i.e. equal wins for each brand, in this case Jeopardy and IBM and the third win is a synergistic path for the viewer).

As a marketer, I give kudos to IBM but as a Jeopardy viewer, I felt ripped off. It was like I was watching an innovative infomercial. (Should it have been marked “Paid-Programming” to warn the viewers?)

A brand is valuable. Successful co-promotions must add to the value of the brand while simultaneously maintaining the brand’s individuality.

That’s elementary, my Dear Watson and in this case my dear Alex.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree?

How to transform existing old leads into sales-ready quality leads

Guest Blogger — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 16:07:49 +0000

This guest post is brought to you by Paul Mosenson. Paul is the Founder of NuSpark Marketing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Consider the following statistics from Sirius Decisions:

Only 20% of leads are followed up on

70% of leads are disqualified due to budget, lack of timing, etc
80% of “bad leads” do go on to buy within 24 months
73% of companies have no process for requalifying leads
80% of sales occur after the 5^th contact

Where most companies focus on lead generation, or, generating leads into the “top of the funnel,” most companies do not have an adequate system to handle non-sales ready leads. With the emphasis on new sales-ready leads, those leads that are deemed “not-qualified” now can very easily be qualified within 6 months to 2 years provided they are nurtured through their individual buying cycles. By nurturing, we mean communicating problem-solving content on an ongoing basis through email and or social media channels. When prospects engage with a vendor by downloading content or viewing webinars, for example, they inch closer to their buying decisions and their “lead score” increases. Once the lead score reaches a defined threshold, those leads are sent to sales for closing, because they are deemed sales-ready. Without nurturing, leads leave the funnel, and those leads engage with competitors who provide value and content consistently.

What is described above is the concept of Marketing Automation, a “software as a service” platform that manages the entire leads-to-sales funnel. Visitors are attracted to a website or landing page because of their needs or research (pay-per-click, SEO, internet ads, blogs, social media content). Once there, landing pages need to be optimized for lead capture (ideally a web form so emails and relevant data are captured). Once the initial email is received, those leads are sent relevant emails that link to additional content. Email campaigns are customized based on lead activity and engagement, then scored, then sent to sales. The entire process is measured for success or improvement.

The benefits of lead nurturing are:

Increase in qualified leads
Decrease in sales cycle
Decrease in cost of sales
Improved conversion rate
Increase transaction size
Increase marketing ROI

A fairly new technology, Marketing Automation systems are not just being utilized by fortune 500 companies, but can be used effectively by smaller and mid-size companies as well. There is a pre-conceived notion that marketing automation is overly expensive, but that is not the case. There are many systems that are quite moderate in pricing, yet still perform well.

The main benefit for replacing manual lead generating processes with marketing automation is that it allows companies to reach out to potential customers in a timely, more efficient, manner.

Here’s a more detailed look at how marketing automation works:

A sound advertising and social media strategy is developed, and tactics like SEO and valuable content bring visitors to your website.
The website or landing page offers strong benefit copy and valuable content, and visitors fill out forms to become leads.
Based on the questions asked on the “contact us” web form AND website behavior (downloads, pages viewed), leads are automatically scored (a model defined before the system is in place).
Leads are segmented based on their score and enter various tracks for follow-up. Following up with leads through email is called lead nurturing and includes links to additional valuable content such as white papers and webinars. Nurturing allows increased engagement of potential customers. The more engaged they are, the more likely they will become customers.
Higher quality leads are turned over to sales immediately. Lower quality leads remain in the system until additional engagement occurs. In essence, salespeople receive less total leads, as they only receive the quality leads. When they can spend more time with quality leads, their time is spent more efficiently, they close more deals, and the revenue per deal increases, thus overall ROI increase.
By integrating with Salesforce and other CRMs, salespeople report their deals and win values, which then are reported within the marketing automation system, which in turn allows us to evaluate what media sources, messages, events or other tactics generate the most efficient quality leads and sales, thus an analysis of “cost-per-deal” can be done.

Marketing Automation is more than a glorified email program. By tracking website behavior of prospects and putting them into lead nurturing sequences, you can truly provide them with unique messages based on their behavior. When messages are relevant, increased engagement occurs and the likelihood of sales increases.

The key reasons to adopt marketing automation into your business are plain and simple:

You have a need to increase new customer revenue
You have an opportunity to resell/upsell existing customers
You have the ability to engage with prospects with relevant marketing messages

Marketing automation won’t work properly if you don’t take these steps to make sure you’re ready:

Have an ideal customer profile
Know what the customers’ needs and issues are
Have a content strategy that maps out messages toward all levels of your prospect’s buying cycle
Understand the customer buying process
Map the content towards a “drip process” whereby the content is distributed throughout various touch points and delivery channels in a timely, ongoing manner
Ensure your current database is cleaned and optimized for the newer system
Have a specific editorial calendar grouped for each audience segment
Have a pipeline of content ready for implementation- white papers, case studies, webinars, newsletters, surveys, etc. all written and designed.
Assignment of roles to those responsible for the activities- managing the platform, the content, and the measurement.

Does your company wish to stay in the past, or move into the future, and utilize your website as “another salesperson” designed to engage, nurture, and close prospects who visit your site because of what you have to offer and the trust you build?

Contact us for more information on marketing automation- what the systems are, what they cost, what the preparation is, and how it could help your business.

2011 Projected Marketing Trends

Kate Toy — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:29:07 +0000

Happy New Year from Domus! Hopefully, you’re planning on a healthy and wealthy 2011. And if not, that’s what the bubbly is for. Take a look at some of our predictions for the marketing world in 2011 and ways to help your business thrive in the coming year:

Companies are becoming their own media

With social media sites, companies can report their own news articles, distribute their own white papers and conduct interviews with their own personnel to share with the public. While a little guidance and finessing is necessary (that’s where the communications agency comes in) businesses themselves can supply valuable news and content on a daily basis. The key is making sure your audience is aware and tuned into your efforts (again, an agency’s job) but once they are – get out there! You may need to decide the best ways for your company to invest in social media efforts in 2011, (Do you have how-to videos already developed? Create a YouTube channel. Want to share industry news as it happens? Set up a Twitter account.) but with the correct strategy, you can spread your message and take part in the conversation.

Brand to Customer: “You talkin’ to me?”

No. The customers are talking to each other. Never before has word-of-mouth marketing been so prevalent. Social media users can post a question on anything – restaurants, computers, cell phones and fellow users will weigh in instantly. It seems odd that people will trust the experiences of a total stranger over a reputable brand, but that’s the reality. It’s up to the brand owner to remedy any negatives, promote all of the positives, and be actively engaged in social media to see what your customers and potential customers are saying to each other.

Reach me on my mobile

We’re not suggesting that you call your customers. That would be time consuming. And expensive. What we are suggesting is that you invest in your company’s mobile friendly website. What’s that? You don’t have one? WHAT?! Domus Dish has stressed this many times – companies NEED to be mobile-friendly. A mobile version of your website along with mobile applications will keep your business ahead of or, at the very least, in line with the competition in 2011.

Still on the fence about going mobile? Check out some key mobile statistics here.

Marketing = Digital Marketing

By this point digital marketing and traditional marketing are one in the same. One campaign cannot exist effectively without the other. You need both. Your customers want to see both. And you want what your customers want, right? Right. Start small by checking out what your competition is doing on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. If they’re not doing anything (and the chances of that are SMALL) then you’re in luck. If they are – use 2011 as the starting off point to your digital marketing campaign. And make it aggressive.

Domus Digital is an integrated digital and traditional marketing communications agency that delivers unconventional thinking and out-of-the-box strategies that help our clients sustain growth and demand brand awareness. For more information, please visit us at http://www.domusdigital.com.

Customers want convenience – go mobile!

Aaron Shute — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:35:14 +0000

A few weekends ago I was shopping at an outlet mall in preparation for the holidays. I had never previously visited this mall and thus was unsure of all that it had to offer in terms of stores. With a long list of people I needed to buy for and a very limited amount of time to accomplish my mission before closing, I turned to my trusty Android powered smartphone to get a lay of the land. Following a quick Google search, I landed on the mall’s website and was delighted at what loaded. Instead of an unwieldy, Flash-laden website, I was locked into a well thought-out, fast loading mobile website. Thanks to the site, I was able to quickly identify the stores I needed to visit and develop a plan of attack that enabled me to get everywhere I needed before closing.

As a consumer who spends 95% of his non-professional internet time using a mobile device, this experience left me wondering why all companies don’t have mobile sites. Many of the sites I visit are rich with images, animation, and heavy text and are difficult to navigate resulting in a less than desirable experience.

Over the past several years, smartphone usage has exploded. There are more than 49 million smartphone users currently in the US (according to ComScore) and that number is only going to rise. According to Morgan Stanley research, mobile users will outnumber desktop users within five years.

So why haven’t more companies taken this step? The cost is minimal in comparison to developing a full-scale site and the benefits far outweigh the financial investment. By having a mobile website, you’re providing your audience with a faster and easier way to access the content they are seeking while they’re on the go.

Feel free to check out a video we just put together regarding this information: www.domusdigital.com/getmobileready

Social Need-ia: Get Accustomed or Get Lost!

Domus Blogger — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:56:47 +0000

Whether you like it or not, social media continues to grow. Rapidly. According to a Nielsen report, almost 23% of all online internet time is spent on social media and nearly all of today’s newspapers and magazines refer to their Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr accounts for up-to-the-minute news and announcements. Instead of fighting off social media, it should be embraced and implemented with a targeted strategy to help you reach your niche audience and expand to many, many others.

Before jumping into the waters of Social Media, a few things should be considered to optimize efforts and leverage the fast growing communities:

1. Choose a Goal
Indentify an area of expertise and something you plan to accomplish. Social Media provides good support for:

- Brand/Cause awareness

- Connecting with new supporters and customers

- Supporting your brand and identity

- Transparency

Once a goal is set, stick with it! That objective and area of expertise will be the means of communication that will drive and navigate you or your business.

2. Listen to conversations
Before engaging in the conversations that are already taking place, it’s important to listen first before chiming in. Social media is a two way channel and revolves around the simple interpersonal communication idea of “listen before you speak.” The old adage of “if you don’t have anything nice to say, then say nothing at all” does not apply in the social media world. If negative things are being said about you or your brand, you should probably listen (monitor) to what others are saying before playing defense. Do your research, listen to the conversation and get an idea of the whole rather than just a slice.

3. Learn
You’re certainly not the first to use social media as the forefront of your identity, and you won’t be the last. Unsure about where to start after you’ve been listening in on some conversations? Follow other people and brands that pertain to your area of expertise. How are they handling negative criticism? How do they respond and interact with supporters? Twitter is the ideal platform for customer service and interacting, as it allows you to track ENTIRE conversations and increase brand presence.

4. Engage
After listening to what’s already being said, the next plan of action calls to engage users and establish a starting point to serve as the foundation of your social media presence. For beginners, Facebook and Twitter are both excellent places to start and here’s why:

- Facebook

2^nd largest site in the world
500 million total users and growing
250 million DAILY active users
Responsible for 25% of all internet traffic
700,000 new user accounts per day

- Twitter

11^th largest site in the world
190 million total users and growing
1,000 tweets per second/65 million per day
300,000 new user accounts per day
Twitter users spend 64% more time shopping online than other users
23% of Twitter users follow businesses for deals/promotions

5. Evolve
After a goal has been set and you’ve started to engage with other users and their conversations, continue to listen. Social media is an ongoing conversation that thrives off of relationships much as our everyday lives do. Relationships are ever evolving and require maintenance and upkeep. Social media is no different. Listen to what’s being said and study interactions in order to improve transparency for you or your brand. Simply put, Evolve to the communication and techniques going on around you.