In light of the recent scrutiny Ronald McDonald has endured for allegedly luring children to buy his happy meals, I’d like to take this opportunity to debunk the fairytale that marketers are ‘The Big Bad Wolf.’

Let me first remind you how lucky you are to live in a free market economy. That you have the CHOICE to purchase goods and services and that supply and demand dictate the prices you pay. If you don’t like democracy, there are plenty of places in the world that don’t enjoy this luxury. Let me also remind you that no one is holding a gun to your head in any retail establishment (if they are, immediately put down this blog and dial 911!) Nor should your children have control over the purchases you make. I too was a child once – that’s what we do, we WANT… EVERYTHING, but it’s our parents job to tell us no. And when you make eating at McDonald’s a special event instead of an everyday occurrence, your children will relish it as such. Not to mention, to McDonald’s credit, they now offer several healthier menu options, in addition to their burger and nugget staples.

Furthermore, marketing campaigns are built around delivering a message and educating consumers on their choices; because there are so many, our job is to set our clients apart from the masses based upon the features and benefits of their unique offering. Just because we’re good at our job, doesn’t mean we’ve taken away your right and privilege to choose what you want to spend your hard earned money on. So the next time someone in a clown suit, or a wolf in a nightgown, entice you beyond your ability to make rational buying decisions – don’t blame marketers, blame your parents;-)

And they lived happily ever after… The End.

With our world in a constant state of turmoil between wars, natural disasters and a recession, it’s difficult to find hope or focus on the positive. Oftentimes, however, it’s in the face of tragedy, we are given a unique opportunity to set our businesses apart; fortunately, for the victims of Japan’s recent devastation, I’m seeing companies across industries do just this.

It is this kind of self-effacing PR that presents a win-win situation to the company and community alike. So as not to make light of the circumstances, I would first like to say, my heart goes out to all the victims in Japan, New Zealand, Libya and the rest of the country, who are facing hard-times and loss. I also commend the companies stepping up and offering donations or proceeds to various charities helping to support the victims in crisis.

PR is on the rise according to this article in The Nation and is playing a more important role than ever. Now is the time to assess your public relations offering as it relates to your marketing strategy and make sure your team has what it takes.  So when the worst does happen, you can take the opportunity to make it better, for everyone.

Is social media an effective medium for distributing press releases? Ironically, to answer my own question, I sought the help of Twitter and Quora where I found some very interesting information on this topic.

First and foremost, social media should be used as a complement to, not a replacement for, the traditional press release; however, there are still some challenges to effectively distributing releases on social media:

1. Twitter is the preferred push medium for distributing press releases. Journalists found Facebook annoying but still saw email as the most effective means for distribution.
2. Use social media to build relationships. When used as a relationship-building platform, the case for social media seems to be strongest. Build relationships with journalists online, and then take business offline.
3. Tweet the actual link to the article, once the release has been converted to press, thereby proving yourself newsworthy and giving due credit to the reporter.

The rules aren’t hard and fast as of yet, but when it comes to social media – people typically dislike being pitched. So make your story engaging and your audience the general public, then… start spreading the news!

What are your thoughts on social media and press releases?

With so many social media tools to choose from, you can’t possibly utilize them all, nor would it be effective, particularly if you’re a B2B company. I recently attended an interesting webinar on this precise topic: Social Media for Business Marketers.

It may surprise you what I learned…

• The mainstays of B2B social media:

1. Blogging
2. LinkedIn
3. YouTube

• Quora is gaining strength with B2B companies

• ROI of social media can be measured per ‘tweet’

• Direct-mail spending is expected to decline nearly 40% by 2014

Social media, as we’ve discussed in the past, is changing the face of marketing as we know it. Its overwhelming nature can cause improper use of tools meant to make our businesses better. Always remember, when it comes to social media, it helps to focus on what make sense for your business and practice proper ‘netiquette.’

What social media tools are you using? Are they effective?

I was recently asked my thoughts on why Kia would use hamsters to advertise their vehicles (we get asked a lot of car-related questions as it is assumed Motor markets only cars, which is actually not the case…) But it did get me thinking. The answer is, I’m sure they had their specific reasons and incidentally, it won Nielsen’s Automotive Ad of the Year; however, my theory is that IS the sales tactic… Or what I like to call: Things That Make You Go Hmmmm…

Something so outrageous, such as hamsters rapping, sticks with you. It had my friend scratching his head, now I’m writing a blog about his question. When companies can get you talking about their product, they’ve got YOU doing their marketing!

It hit me then why there are so many off-the-wall ads and slogans, simply because their bizarre nature has you spreading the word! The Geico caveman, the E-Trade baby, even the Dos Equis’ ‘Most Interesting Man in the World’ has me talking (in between sipping Dos Equis and E-trading online…;-)

Why do you think Kia chose to feature hamsters in their ads?

*** A big thanks to Steven Holt for this question and blog inspiration.

I have been on Twitter for exactly 24 hours. For those of you who know me, this is asking a LOT. It’s true that I have been painstakingly slow to the social media uptake. I started (and stopped) with LinkedIn almost 2 years ago. About 6 months prior I began to Digg and just last month I posted my first blog. But joining Twitter has truly felt like braving a new world…

My experience first and foremost has been fascinating! Yesterday we commented on if social media is right for B2B companies. It really is the wave of the marketing future – but intimidating nonetheless. What should I tweet? Who should I follow? Who’s following me and WHY?!?! What if I let the twitter-sphere down with a terrible tweet? And how in the world do I upload a profile pic?! Perhaps some of you share my sentiments (or you’re tweeting this to your friends as a joke…) Nevertheless, social media CAN be daunting. But it IS necessary and once you get the hang of it, it can actually be fun, not to mention profitable!

If you’re a twitter-phobe (like me) follow these quick tips to your first tweet:

1. Sign up (It SOUNDS simple enough, but this is half the battle)
2. Import contacts from your other accounts (email, Facebook, LinkedIn)
3. Fill out your profile (add a bio and picture)
4. TWEET

And finally, follow me @aliciamfranks

Tweet ya later!

Starbucks, the coffee conglomerate that brought you the original overpriced latte, now wants to sell you beer and wine. As discussed in this recent Orange County Register article, is the idea crazy or inspired?

Let’s grind it down… On the one hand, during a recession such as this in which consumers are cutting back on purchasing, a few industries still thrive. One of them is alcohol. For Starbucks to leverage that by churning out an Americano by day and an Irish coffee by night is seemingly brilliant marketing. So what’s the problem?

Perhaps nothing. BUT there is the whole idea of doing one thing and doing it well, otherwise known as specialization. Take Taco Bell – if they started selling prime rib, we’d be suspicious (not to mention they’d HAVE to start serving alcohol just to get people to buy it!) Starbucks has become as ubiquitous to coffee as In-N-Out has to burgers. Could it just be a sign of the times, companies offering all things to all people? Or is the coffeehouse in for a “brewed” awakening?

What do you think Starbucks should serve – espresso shots, tequila shots, or both?

Yesterday, I got a real, honest-to-god printed invitation to an event next month. It is for a new location of a business, who is very active in the twitter and facebook community and has a solid following. It was well done, very elegantly put together and seemed like they put a lot of effort into it – but what surprised me was the fact that it was mailed to me.

In the last few months, I have received over a dozen beautifully designed event invitations, sent through twitter, facebook, evite and even my rss feed. All of the invitiations wanted email responses, or a virtual reply. This was the first time I had received an event invitation (other than for a family event or wedding) that was not sent via the web. What was even more strange was that they wanted a virtual reply to the mailed invite…I couldn’t just click yes, or reply, I had to actually create a new email, make sure to type the email address correctly and send out a reply. I guess I am just a little surprised that with the ease of use of a facebook event, twitter invite, evite or even creating a blog invitation, a company would spend the money (and waste the paper) to create and mail this invitation – when they already have twitter and facebook at their fingertips.

Do you still use the mail for invitations or have you moved it all to the web?

You spend a ton of money on marketing each year and it gets you a lot of business. You work with some great clients, and receive raves reviews when you are done working with them. You smile, part ways and move on to find new business. But, what about that past client? The one that loved the work you did for them? What happens to the relationship that you had built and what can you do to make sure that you are getting the most from it?

1. Ask for a testimonial. This can be done at the very end of a project, right after they have just gotten done thanking you for everything you did. When the client is the happiest, ask if they would mind writing a bit about working with your business. Most happy clients will be more than willing, and it will give you great fodder for a white paper or a testimonial page on your site.
2. Ask for a referral. When you first start working with a client, let them know in the beginning that if at the end, they are happy with your services, you would like to give them a few of your business cards to give out to others who might like to use you as well. Then, provide stellar service for the client. Once you are ready to part ways, hand them 3-4 cards and remind them of the request you made at the beginning of the project.
3. Send them a letter. Email is fine when you are working with a client, but once that ends, sending a real letter has a much bigger impact. It doesn’t have to be long, in fact, a simple, “hope you are doing well, and that everything we did for you is still working…” is fine. The point is to remind them that you are still here, still care and still available if they need any other help. Staying fresh in someones mind is always a good thing.

What other ways can you benefit from your past clients?

While a fully drawn out and detailed business plan is always the best call, there are ways to get started moving forward without it. Here are a few questions that every business plan should answer:

1. Who is my ideal client? This answer is not an easy one (and why business plans are so long!) but you can get a good answer by thinking about your best client and studying a but about them: What industry are they in? What size company is it? What is it about them that drew you to them? Why do they need you? Now, find someone with similar answers to these questions and you’ll have more ideal clients.
2. Which marketing strategies are working? If you have been measuring results and judging what has happened with your marketing money, you should be able to answer this question easily. Once you have determined the strategies with the most ROI, you know which ones to keep and which ones to ditch.
3. What is my goal for this year? While profitable business practices should always be a goal – that shouldn’t be your only goal. Focus this answer on the goals you want to achieve without financial focus (add a new staff member, improve your customer service, etc).

Have you worked on your 2010 business plan? What else do you include?