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Tuesday, June 30, 2009 by Nancy Myrland.
MARKETING IS NOT A SPRINT. IT’S A MARATHON.
STAY THE COURSE!
This was the Myrland Marketing Moment I sent out over Twitter this morning. It’s not a new concept, just one that needs to be repeated frequently because we tend to tire of our marketing efforts from time to time.
Here are a few nuggets of advice to help you put your marketing efforts in perspective. There are many more, but I’ll offer a few today.
1) Just when you think your potential/clients are getting tired of hearing your message, they are barely beginning to notice it. Remember, you are the one who consumes it all day every day, not them. Your message is but one of thousands they are confronted with every day.
2) Don’t expect every marketing tactic or effort to produce quick results. How many times have you either said or heard, “I tried that, but it didn’t work?” Refer to point #1 about your message, but also remember that other factors come in to play. What was your goal for this particular marketing action? Has it been created or produced to be engaging, inviting, interactive, informative or educational? Did you distribute it at the right time, in the right medium(s)? Did you test it on a few people who fit in to your target markets?
3) Marketing is as important as every other component of running your business. In fact, it’s more important than many! Do you rent office space for a month, then give it up? Do you run your computers for two weeks every quarter, then turn them off the rest of the time? Do you deliver what your clients/customers need one day a month, then make them wait the rest of the month? No? Then you shouldn’t pay attention to marketing that infrequently either. You can’t expect business to be profitable and fulfilling if you don’t pay attention to marketing with the same urgency as every other component of your business.
Again, there is much more that goes in to the process of creating a lasting, marathon-worthy marketing plan of action, but having this mindset in place will contribute to its success.
Remember, marketing is not a sprint. It’s a marathon. Stay the course!
Posted in Myrland Marketing Moments, Marketing Strategy, Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 17, 2009 by Nancy Myrland.
As much as many would like for Facebook to be used only for personal, friend & family communication, it is increasingly being molded and used for business use. Just today I was invited to “become a fan” of Arment Dietrich, a full-service communication firm based in Chicago.
Firms are beginning to approach Friends on Facebook to “Become a Fan” of their page on Facebook. There is something going on out there, and it’s time to take notice.
If you are going to be on Facebook, or any Social Medium, then I would try to maximize your presence. Give people a reason to find you there. Invite them via Facebook and other communication mediums you use to “Become a Fan.”
For example, everyone in your firm who has a presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo and other social media, in their auto-signatures in email, your newsletters, and any other places you can think of, should be including a mention and a link to this Fan Page, which then invites them to become a Fan. They don’t have to become a Fan if they don’t want to.
Don’t forget that friends and alumni are amazing referral sources, which means that wherever they are, including Facebook, is a place you should research and consider as well. I am seeing more and more people on Facebook and Twitter, and am happy to Follow and Friend them, but I don’t necessarily consider them my family or closest friends, although many of them do fit in to this category. Either way, they can help contribute to my Word of Mouth Marketing (WOMM) efforts as they are bound to catch a glimpse in to what I do for a living. It’s my job to supply information that will help my Friends and Followers understand what I do. This contributes to healthy WOMM. I try to mix this type of information in with my Tweets on Twitter, and my Posts on Facebook, along with more personal ones that show my personal side.
The lines of communication are blurring. Personal and professional vehicles are becoming universal means of communication. I think this will only become more common in the coming months and years. I would give this serious consideration.
Remember, also, that being in these places can boost your organic search rankings as well. Just make sure to keep your content current, include interesting information, even hold a contest now and then for Fan of the Week, like Arment Dietrich now does, even invite people to contribute and discuss what’s going on in their world on YOUR fan page. Give prizes, direct attention to your Fans, make THEM heroes. Remember, it’s not about us all the time, so take advantage of opportunities to focus on your Fans and Followers. What better way to listen to the world than through your Friends and Followers? Get them talking on your Social Media tools.
One last point….for now! Become Fans of any competitors’ or alliances’ Fan pages you can find as this is great competitive and strategic intelligence!
Please let me know if there is any way I can help you.
Posted in Social Media, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »
Monday, June 15, 2009 by Nancy Myrland.
Myrland Marketing Moment for June 15, 2009:
Does it seem like everyone is cutting back on marketing? GREAT! Go take advantage of the silence!
We see it happening all around us. This economy, or rather the uncertainty that comes along with this economy, is causing all sorts of irregular marketing activity in firms and companies around the globe. I talked to a friend yesterday who said he had survived two rounds of cuts by his major employer, but he couldn’t be sure he would survive because even valuable “revenue generators” were let go in the last round of cuts.
There are countless stories about CMOs and other marketing personnel being let go because the business is not coming in the door. Cuts are being made to make up for that lost revenue. Cutbacks in marketing planning, and other client growth and retention tactics such as advertising, entertainment, public relations, seminars, print materials, networking of all kinds, social media, client satisfaction interviews, and countless other marketing activities are occurring in firms of all sizes. There is fear out there, and it’s causing many to make uninformed, non-strategic cost-cuts that could very well cause negative results in the long run.
I am sorry to see all of this happen, not because conducting client satisfaction interviews and helping clients plan and execute this strategy is how I make my living, but because cutting back on those practices that are targeted at growth and retention of your client base will accomplish no more than simply cutting costs, and will not contribute to the long-term health of your business.
My Myrland Marketing Moment today cuts to the chase about this reduction in activity and conversation taking place.
Does it seem like everyone is cutting back on marketing? GREAT! Go take advantage of the silence!
There has never been a better time to be heard and noticed than right now when others are cutting back on their marketing practices. One of the biggest complaints we have heard in recent years is that there’s too much “clutter,” too many messages that our clients are bombarded with every day. If we are experiencing a reduction in the amount of marketing our competitors are doing, why would we not take advantage of their silence?
Go out there and fill it! If you aren’t sure how to, just ask.
Posted in Myrland Marketing Moments, Marketing Strategy | Print | 1 Comment »
Monday, June 1, 2009 by Nancy Myrland.
I was partially wrong the other day when I Tweeted one of my Myrland Marketing Moments on Twitter. Here’s what I said:“Myrland Marketing Moment: Twitter is not a direct response, ‘call now’ sales tactic. It exists 2 build relationships.”
I’ve been thinking about my comment about Twitter not being a direct response, call-now medium. I think I was a bit hasty in my pronouncement about it not being used for direct selling. By direct selling, I mean those messages that come across our desks via TV, radio, email, Twitter, LinkedIn or any other medium that blurts out a promotional message and tells us to “call now, operators are standing by, click here to place your order, sale only through midnight, etc.!”
I’ve come to a new conclusion that Twitter just might be a little bit of a direct response medium after all. I receive Tweets from Amazon, Borders and a few others that offer great deals at a moment’s notice. I’ve even clicked on a few to see what’s being offered, or to see if they are really offering a good deal. So, yes, I think there are opportunities for pure direct response messages on Twitter.
As long as you’re here, let’s think about this a little more though. This is where my comment above about being “partially wrong” comes in to play. Imagine if I had become accustomed to seeing messages from Amazon, Borders, Zappos.com or any other direct sales merchant that gave me a glimpse in to the personal side of their business, their employees, their operations, the person Tweeting on their behalf, you name it. If I had built respect for them because of sharing this personal side with me, then I might have been much more receptive to their direct response message. I might even grow to like them, and I like to do business with people and companies I like!
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that if TigerDirect.com Tweeted about a 10″ Netbook with 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, webcam and all the other bells and whistles being suddenly available for the low, low (and not possible) price of $125, and that they could have it to me by tomorrow, that I wouldn’t jump on it, regardless of the lack of personal interaction we had shared, which is none by the way.
What I am saying is that if a business practices personal interaction with its Followers on an ongoing basis, then when the time comes that they and their competitors, who have also discovered Twitter (and they will), Tweet and offer me similar deals, or a similar service, I am much more likely to do business with the one who has been contributing, and sharing, and educating me all along.
You see, when you do this with your clients and potential clients, you are investing in them and in their emotions, which often come in to play when making buying decisions. You are creating a certain perception in their minds about what it’s like to do business with you. You are building brand equity and reserving a position in their minds that could cause them to want to do business with you when they are ready.
This is no different that any other form of communication. Businesses and firms need to invest time and resources to build relationships with their potential/clients so they don’t feel numb to a cold, hard, direct response message that comes their way with no prior personal contact.
Bottom line:
Make me like you. I dare you! I’m so easy in this department. It doesn’t take much. Purchase some of my brand loyalty by investing some of you in communicating with me. I’m right here! I’ve never been closer because of Twitter and other social media. Take advantage of this opportunity now. If you don’t, you know your competitors will. In some cases, they already do.
Posted in Myrland Marketing Moments, Social Media, Client Service and Retention, Marketing Strategy, Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »
Friday, May 29, 2009 by Nancy Myrland.
Bentley Tolk, well-known legal marketing expert, wrote an article on his blog last night titled Will Law School Ever Teach Marketing For Law Firms? In his comments section, I shared my thoughts with Bentley that yes, marketing and sales/business development should definitely be taught, and that another legal marketer, Nancy Roberts Linder, has written and taught marketing curriculum in law schools.
The more I thought about the topic, the more thoughts kept running around in my head, so I added another comment to Bentley’s blog, which I also share with you here. I look forward to your comments as well. Here’s what I shared with Bentley:
Bentley, to further this discussion, I will add that just having marketing and business development instruction as part of law school, which I still think is critical, then expecting new lawyers to “get it,” is also not the solution. As part of my business major in college, I had to choose 3 minor areas of emphasis. They were management, marketing and sales. As you might expect, I had wonderful instruction in each. My career started in sales, for which I am eternally grateful because I now know how to blend and teach the skills of sales/business development and marketing, and how they work together. I was nowhere near prepared to sell when I got out of college. I’m sure I would have done “okay,” but not until I had extensive, continuous, on-the-job sales training did I truly engage and understand what I needed to do. Sales, or business development as we are still tempted to call it in the legal profession, needs to be taught at every level; in law school, to new Associates, and even through to Partnership depending on the skill level achieved.
Likewise, my marketing education in school gave me a foundation to understand marketing, but not until I joined Time Warner and was around bosses, colleagues and a corporate culture that focused on marketing did I learn how to operate a marketing function. All that to say that yes, we must incorporate and introduce marketing, business and business development in law school, but no one can expect their lawyers to be taken care of and ready because they’ve had this instruction. Firms must still commit time, dollars and other resources relentlessly to help attorneys become successful in these critical areas if they are to protect and grow their valuable firms they have worked so hard to build.
Posted in Business Development/Sales, Training in Client Service and Business Development/Sal, Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, May 26, 2009 by Nancy Myrland.
There is a conversation taking place over on Twitter that I thought you might find interesting. Larry Bodine, legal marketing professional and creator of the LawMarketing Listserv, wrote an entry on his blog titled “Twitter Not Effective For Law Firms.”
As you might guess with a title like that, Larry’s blog entry has been shared by more than a few on Twitter. Larry posted it on Twitter, and on his listserv, taking advantage of multiple marketing media that exist.
One of the first people to share Larry’s message was Daniel Schwartz, employment law partner with Pullman & Comley in Connecticut . As you will see below, he Tweeted a link to Larry’s article, followed by his own question, “Will it ever be effective?” He didn’t necessarily agree with Larry’s philosophy, but was encouraging conversation, which is the purpose of Social Media. I shared a few thoughts with him, which I will share with you here in their original 140-character Twitter state.
(Original Tweet from Daniel sharing Larry’s article link)
Reading: Twitter is not effective for law firm marketing http://tr.im/mpVW Question: Will it ever be effective?
(My response)
Will marketing ever be effective? Abandoning a mktg tactic after only a few months is not marketing.
(Daniel)
Fair pt. But mktg 2 an audience only effective if th audience is there; many in-house counsel not on Twitter …
(Nancy)
But referral sources cld be here, or will be here. Remember how long it takes some to become comfortable here..start now &…
(Nancy-cont’d)
..bld your network, or tribe as Seth calls it, build relationships, hone your communication skills, invite GC to join you.
(Nancy-cont’d)
GC also aren’t camped on your blog, or waiting w/baited breath 4 ur next email or phone call, so you go out & offer…
(Nancy-cont’d)
..something of value 2 cause them 2 follow, or open ur email, or visit ur blog, or take ur lunch invite…it’s up 2 you/us.
(End Twitter exchange)
In other words….As with other marketing and communication vehicles, I would urge all of us to give them time, to invent uses for them, and to put in to them effort equal to what we’d like to get out of them. To read a few studies and random statistics that lead us to jump on the all-too-easy bandwagon is not using the creativity and marketing knowledge available to us.
Let the conversation continue!
Posted in Social Media, Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »
Monday, May 11, 2009 by Nancy Myrland.
Over on Twitter, I ”Tweet” marketing tips and words of wisdom called Myrland Marketing Moments a few times a week. As you may know, Twitter allows users to share messages with their Followers, but with a limit of 140 characters, which doesn’t seem to be a deterrent to most.
I encourage my clients and Followers to occasionally include a link to a blog post or website in order to expand upon their Tweets in case there are Followers who are interested in learning more.
Several very kind and generous Followers have shared, or “ReTweeted,” my Myrland Marketing Moments with their Followers, which is a wonderful marketing gift as it helps my messages reach hundreds, even thousands, of people outside of my normal circle of Followers. I’ve been asked to explain a bit more from time to time, so I will do that via this blog, Myrland Marketing Minutes, and through my upcoming enewsletter, Myrland Marketing Memo, which is in the development stage.
If you have questions about any of my marketing suggestions or services, I encourage you to leave a comment for me, or email me personally at nancy@myrlandmarketing.com.
Posted in Myrland Marketing Moments, Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, April 8, 2009 by Nancy Myrland.
Welcome back! I’m glad you’re here.
The following is the TweetStream from a wonderful keynote address given at the 2009 LMA Conference. They are in reverse order, so please drop to the bottom and read up.
One again, please excuse Tweets that seem to run together. WordPress is combining them after I separate them!
Peter Sheahan, Author of Flip!
General Session: Changing Trends
newsucnuse: RT @CBamePR We are paid to be gutsy. Being that way drives change. change is what we want. #LMA Couldn’t agree more.
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip: U can’t contemplate ur way 2 marketing brilliance. U HAVE 2 take action!
CBamePR: Change requires action. #LMA CBamePR: great leaders don’t protect everything. #LMA
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip: Greatest innovation in mktg will come in how we market internally..help our prof’s guide their brand.
CBamePR: We are paid to be gutsy. Being that way drives change. change is what we want. #LMA
CBamePR: industries don’t innovate. Individuals drive the change. #LMA
CBamePR: There is no wisdom in crowds. #LMA CBamePR: Biz is personal. To get control, give it up. Action proceeds clarity. #LMA
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip: How do we need 2 think 2 b ready 4 what comes next?
alchimktguy: peter sheahan: a satisfied need is no longer motivating, e.g. quality, speed & price. #LMA
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip: Differentiate based on an emotional story. nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip: Stories are more impt now than they’ve ever been!
holdencalgary: #lma you need to build a great lexicon of marketing knowledge to sell a good story in this economy
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip: Good example is Richard Branson…what a brand!
AnnaKDeLeo: RT @nancymyrland #LMA Peter: Flip: Go Partner to Partner to build their individual brand that then builds in 2 the overall brand of firm.
holdencalgary: http://twitpic.com/2rgu4 (via @holdencalgary) #lma nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip: Go Partner to Partner to build their individual brand that then builds in 2 the overall brand of firm.
AnnaKDeLeo: RT @nancymyrland Peter: Flip - Figure out the story to tell clients outside and the ppl inside ur org’n so they all know why 2 stay w/u #LMA
CBamePR: Story shoud focus on your partners and talent. #LMA nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip - Build collective personal brands around your professionals and tell their story! What are they famous for?
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip - Figure out the story to tell clients outside and the ppl inside ur org’n so they all know why 2 stay w/u.
CBamePR: what story do you have for why someone should use your firm? #LMA
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip - Figure out the STORY is that describes what differentiates us…get to the emotional level.
holdencalgary: Ross enjoying the show at #lma http://twitpic.com/2rgfb
alchimktguy: peter sheahan’s use of a pc tablet in his presentation is fantastic. #LMA
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip - Fast, cheap OR good - the trad’ differentiators. 2day cients demand all 3!
holdencalgary: #lma exhibitor hall. Peter Sheahan on the screen. What is your competitive advantage? http://twitpic.com/2rgb5
holdencalgary: Watching Peter Sheahan at #LMA from the exhibitor hall. Great weather outside, feels like I am back in Canada
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip - Try to sell your ”product” to a completely difft market! alchimktguy: peter sheahan applies lateral thinking to business models in a wonderful and refreshing way. #LMA
CBamePR: Sometimes Flip is about new thinking, new products or new markets. #LMA
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip - Fight your natural, conditioned responses to what u do.
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flip your perspective, get back to the basics. What does our service really do?
fredabramson: @lancegodard @nikiblack @shyalter @JenLaviano @downtownlawyer @nancymyrland #LawsOfCriminalDefense #LMA, #techshow #followfriday
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Flexibility is the key 2 being a successful firm.
CBamePR: Cross marketing will make a firm more profitable. #LMA nancymyrland: #LMA Peter: Our role must include marketing the firm to the lawyers so they know how 2 convince clients 2 use other parts of firm.
Russ23229: @nancymyrland #LMA Reading my thoughts, or I hers? Sweet!
Russ23229: #LMA Change…now what? Peter says Change! CBamePR: Marketers should market the marketing of the firm than just market the firm. #LMA
nancymyrland: #LMA Theme of our conference is Change…Now What? Peter: ”Now what? Change!”
alchimktguy: spending 10 minutes saying “i am young” isn’t an impressive start for The Flip author, but perhaps it just takes him time to warm up. #LMA CBamePR: Peter says it is not the gen gap but resistance to change. #LMA
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter Sheahan helps org’s deal with organizational change… has worked with many law firms also.
Russ23229: Peter Sheahan speaking workforce issues #LMA, an Aussie, high energy
CBamePR: Peter speaking about talking to lawyers about understanding Gen Y. #LMA
nancymyrland: #LMA Peter Sheahan is completely charismatic and full of energy!! nancymyrland: #LMA Opening Session w/Peter Sheahan, author of Flip, is up to bat!!
CBamePR: Listening to Peter Sheanan at #LMA
gaillamarche: General session with Peter Sheahen about to start #LMA
nancymyrland: 1st up today @ #LMA is a Gen’l Session w/Peter Sheahan on “Changing Trends.” He is an expert in workforce trends & generational change.
Posted in LMA Conference Tweet Summary | Print | 1 Comment »