Introducing first, fighting out of the blue corner, weighing in at $950 million in funding, the current champion in group discounts – GROUPON!  And in the red corner, from Washington D.C., weighing in at $232 million in funding, fighting for the championship title, LivingSocial!

Who will win?  According to this recent blog post from Mashable, LivingSocial plans to overtake Groupon in 2012…  So what IS the deal with group coupons and are you buying it?

Let’s step into the ring… Groupon works as an assurance contract; whereby, if a certain number of people elect to participate in the daily deal, the offer is valid to all.  If the minimum number of required participants is not met, the offer is void.

Groupon makes a profit by splitting the discounted proceeds with the retailer.  In the case of, let’s say a spa, they take a $150 spa service and offer it to the consumer for half price (or $75.)  Then Groupon and the retailer split the $75 ($37.50 each.)  LivingSocial works similarly without any upfront costs.  Although LivingSocial started a year earlier than Groupon, it didn’t offer daily deals until more recently (which may be among the reasons for its recent surge in business.)  Another possible explanation is their recent Super Bowl Ad.

Blue or red, the group coupon trend is on the upswing and no matter who takes the title, this is a win-win for everyone involved!

Who do you think will win the battle of the bargains?

Last night I walked into Ralphs. I originally stopped at said Ralphs for a simple salad from their salad bar. But then I realized, while waiting in the checkout line, I could earn credits towards free Shell gasoline the more I purchased (and with gas prices teetering on $4/gallon – who doesn’t want free gas?!)

So I stepped out of line but before I could return to the aisles, I saw a Redbox kiosk and thought – hmmmm, a movie sure sounds good! But then I wouldn’t have enough cash for my salad… That’s when I spotted the Bank of America ATM, next to the Coinstar machine! So now, movie, salad, and a couple of snacks (towards my free gas) I start heading back to the line – only to be sidetracked again by a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf kiosk (my favorite!) It was then I realized, Toto, we’re not JUST in Ralphs anymore…

Cross-promotional marketing is everywhere it seems and it’s not just supermarkets. Establishments such as McDonald’s and several convenience store chains have started incorporating multiple kiosks to create the ultimate shopping experience. This type of strategy is taking the marketing world by storm, especially as we continue to experience repercussions from our economic downturn. It’s also an excellent way for a newer product to leverage the success of an existing brand. In this Advantage article they outline the 3 steps to great cross promotion:

1. Understand your customers
2. Identify businesses that target similar customers
3. Find benefits for everyone involved

Properly executing a cross-promotional program is a win-win for everyone and although it prolongs a simple shopping trip for yours truly, it did end up saving me a whole lot in gasoline;-)

What other successful cross promotions can you identify?

When looking for blog inspiration, I turn to other marketing sites for relevant topics (naturally;-) In doing so, I stumbled upon this: Blog Commenting as a Powerful Marketing Strategy. What some bloggers may not realize is that writing a post is only part of the equation; The Golden Rule of Blogging, “Do unto others [blogs] as you would have others do unto you[r blog].”

After posting my first entry, I couldn’t WAIT to read all the insightful comments from my droves of adoring fans (alas, all I heard were crickets…) But what I didn’t realize then was how important it is to be an active participant in the blogging community as a whole, rather than just posting to my own site. As David explains (he’s actually a guest blogger on this site, ironically – another great way to generate interest in your own blog!) “Engaging in blog commenting is one of the best ways in [which to] increase your visibility to online readers interested in your niche.” He also outlines some very helpful hints to get people to comment on your blog as well as creating comments yourself. The full post is definitely worth a read but here are some highlights:

1. Find five or six blogs in which to post valuable comments rather than trying to remark on every industry-related blog you discover.
2. The content of your comment is more important than the act itself.
3. Elaborate on your reasons for commenting rather than a one-dimensional reply (great post, thanks for this, etc..)
4. Post first (if possible.)
5. Always respond to comments and do so promptly.

Furthermore, comments can actually be the best part of a post (or at least the most entertaining;-) So go ahead and speak your mind, your blog is sure to thank you!

(And so will I, please post a comment below:-)

St. Patrick’s Day (or any holiday) is a great opportunity for marketers.  It’s the perfect chance to check in with your clients and ask what YOU can do for THEM.  Like me, your inbox may have been flooded with emails, e-cards and e-blasts, all centering around this Irish holiday.  Marketing is primarily about building relationships and what better way to show you care than with some soda bread, cabbage or even a green beer (if you can stomach it;-) and reconnect with your network…

Wishing you a safe and happy St. Paddy’s day (and all the luck of the Irish;-)

~The Motor Creative Team

“If you’re enough lucky to be Irish, you’re lucky enough!” ~Irish Saying

Gap, like most retailers in the midst of our great recession, held tight to its marketing dollars.  Now, with the worst behind us and the economy picking up steam, Gap is looking to shift its marketing strategy to lure new customers.  In this MarketWatch article by Andria Cheng, we examine their past pitfalls and new strategy as they position themselves for a Q2 comeback.

I am a huge fan of the Gap, always have been…  In fact, when I was in Europe and lost my luggage, Gap basically saved my life!  So it pained me, when they had The Gap Mishap, to address what I saw as a major flaw in their communication strategy.  However, I commend Gap on this effort and am interested to see if focusing on acquisition will pay off.

It seems they have all the pieces of the puzzle, target marketing, social media and budget allocation, in place.  They’ve also diversified their brand, not only into different price-point retailers but different apparel offerings as well (athletic-wear, footwear, etc.) All in all, I see a promising future for the Gap. I just hope they’ll continue with a slew of new commercial messages featuring brightly-colored tweens, dancing around in their latest styles!

What do you think… Can Gap make a comeback?

Have you ever read an email (text, tweet or instant message…) and immediately scratched your head wondering what the heck that person was talking about?!?!

We’ve addressed how to Listen Up but if you’re not communicating effectively, no one is going to listen to you… Period. Perhaps because it’s SO easy to ‘drop someone a line,’ we forget just how easy it is to confuse them with it! Body language and inflection account for approximately 93% of communication (only 7% is conveyed in the actual words we use!)  So, it stands to reason, since both of those aspects are essentially eliminated from written correspondence, the margin of error increases exponentially!

Communication is our business, it’s what we do – a clear, concise message is the goal of every marketing campaign. So, how can we effectively utilize that mantra in our internal interactions as well? Here are some helpful tips for enhancing your written dialogue:

1. Read it aloud – the best way to ensure your writing is understandable is by reading it out loud, back to yourself, before sending the message.
2. All jokes aside – we are firm believers in Funny Business; however, as aforementioned, when body language isn’t part of the equation, it’s hard to know whether or not someone is serious. As a general rule, when your audience isn’t familiar with your sense of humor, leave jokes for face-to-face interactions.
3. Get to the point – I’m a big fan of long-winded, run-on sentences that paint a picture for my readers, like the time when I was seven – oh, what a magical, whimsical age was seven… (case in point;-) Just say it already.
4. Any questions? – the final paragraph is a perfect opportunity to ask the reader if they understand your message and open up the dialogue further.
5. Save a draft – one of the benefits of written communication is the ability to save your thoughts and come back to them later.  Take advantage of this option by saving your email, re-reading it for clarity, then sending it.

The bottom line is that no one wants to be misunderstood, let alone misunderstand someone else.  So remember… Be clear, be concise – be a marketing campaign!

Talk to me…

The age old question… MAC or PC?!?!  Well, don’t look at me – I’m a PC girl in a MAC world but what I will give Apple is an A for advertising.   I  just found this hilarious commercial on Places to Yoga‘s blog.  I couldn’t get over how funny this was (probably more so since I do yoga myself;-) but either way I think it’s worth sharing!

Another feather for Apple’s cap – no wonder everyone wants to be just like them;-)

Are you a MAC or PC?

The future is mobile, plain and simple. Everywhere you look people are on cell phones; iPhones, Blackberries, Droids… It doesn’t matter what brand, what network, what have you; what matters is that pretty soon, they’ll be nothing you CAN’T do from the palm of your hand.

I was amazed when I first saw the ads for check cashing from your mobile device. Now, I’m actually surprised my bank doesn’t offer this feature! You name it and there’s ‘an app for that… ‘ You can even start your car with the touch of a screen! It’s astonishing to think there ever WAS a world without cell phones… I only know it’s true because I remember when these devices were the size of Mini Coopers! And they were called “car phones” and attached to your dashboard… And Zack Morris from Saved By the Bell had one!

It’s remarkable how far the technology has come – or to think it can go even further! But whatever’s next for mobile, one thing is certain; there WILL be an app for it;-)

What’s the next app you’d like to see?

We’re three weeks into the New Year and SO MUCH has already happened! We kicked off 2011 with a New Year’s ReSELLoution. Then we contemplated WWGD (what would Grandma do?) and Things That Make You Go Hmmmm…

We saw Starbucks’ Skinny Logo and Verizon Get The iPhone… Officially. Lastly, we discussed Funny Business and the importance of Listening…. And January isn’t even over!!!

We have an exciting year planned, so please join us next week as we dive into Social Media for B2B companies and explore some of these sites in greater depth. We also encourage you to connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn (listed to the right.)

And, finally, a viral video for your viewing pleasure:

It was Alexander Pope who said it best… “To err is human, to listen divine.” OK, so I added the ‘listen’ part.. It’s actually “…to forgive divine” – but that doesn’t help my cause. Listening is just that; however, and perhaps one of the most important, yet undervalued, tactics in effective communications. Actively listening to your clients is as important, if not more so, than providing solutions.

If you own a business (run a household or have so much as a pet) you understand the importance of being listened TO. But most of us focus entirely on our speaking ability as the measurement for effective communications. Now put yourself in the shoes of your client; they also want to be HEARD, they want their ideas to MATTER – and often those ideas aren’t even CLOSE to what you had in mind! As the expert, they are coming to you for answers but they probably already have ideas in mind for what those answers should look like…

So, LISTEN to them! Of course, this is a two-way street and presenting original ideas to your customers is necessary – but always keep your client in mind. People tell you what they want you to hear but you must pay attention. Take notes, get a feeling for what kind of company they are: Conservative? Edgy? What is important to THEM?! And if you don’t know, ASK! People LOVE to talk about themselves – your job is simply to listen!

3 Tips for Effective Listening

1. Let the speaker finish their entire thought before speaking; take a pregnant pause before you answer.

2. Repeat what you’ve just heard; this gives the speaker a chance to address any misconception you may have about what they’ve said.

3. Practice makes perfect – this cliché is easy to do and can work wonders when put into application. Find some chatty friends or family members and go!

Are you listening?