Marketing War Games – Revisited

Recently, I had the good fortune to facilitate a series of marketing war games for a large consumer package goods brand.  The outcome of this marketing exercise exceeded all of our expectations.  Participants gained a better understanding of the marketplace, their competitors, and the key strategies they needed to develop and execute.   Entrepreneurs should consider investing the time and energy to conduct marketing war games to challenge and improve the way they are currently going to market.

Tom McMillian

When thinking about Marketing War Games, focus on the idea of marketing games.  Think about spending a day, role playing, having fun, looking at your business in new ways, examining the competition from the inside, and looking at your business critically from the outside.  This is a day of learning and re-evaluating the way your team looks at the world. Do not be turned off by the “War” in Marketing War Games.  Focus on the idea of Marketing & Games and coming up with profit-building strategies.

One way to conduct marketing war games is to have two rounds.  In the first round, your teams play the role of major competitive players and develop plans for the next year and then present their findings to all participants.  In the second round, the teams become themselves and develop plans with the understanding of what the competition may be doing over the next year.  Again, there is a group sharing.

Now, ins tead of marketing plans built on legacy inward looking thinking, you can build your plans with a more thorough understanding of the marketplace, the category, and competition.

How to conduct Marketing War Games

• Set aside a day.
• Recruit enough people for two teams and assign a Leader and a Scribe to each team.
• Make sure each team has a marketing person and someone from sales.
• Prepare and send out ahead of time as ‘homework’, briefing packets that include competitive product information, observations (SWOTs), press releases, and links to websites and online social media activities.  If possible, actually have competitive product and promotional pieces available for when a team is pretending to be the competition.
• Remember, that you are playing a game.  Embrace looking at the world from the perspective of your competition.  Be playful
• While pretending to be the competition, be prepared to critically look at your own business.
• During the second round, the teams become themselves again and develop objectives, strategies and tactics built on the first rounds learning and insights.
• At the end of the day remember to thank everyone for their time, energy and critical thinking.

Remember during the Marketing War Games, sometimes the “Emperor really has no clothes”.  In otherword, this is the time to recognize your weaknesses and exploit those weaknesses.  During the session, the task at hand is to ask folks to articulate the following for the competition — Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics.  Plus, ask the scribes to record the answers on their laptops.  This will be very helpful when sharing with the entire group and later when results are analyzed and new plans are developed.  Additionally, you may want to designate another scribe to capture the insights during the group discussion periods.

After the Games

Synthesize the results into clear insights and strategies.  Consider capturing results under the headings of – Major Themes, Biggest Threats, Response to Competition, and Recommendations.

A surprising outcome, when play-acting as the competition, is that the participants come up with clear powerful articulated strategies.  Many times these competitive strategies are better than their own business strategies when going into the games.  Sometimes these initial strategies are muddled and built upon legacy viewpoints that no longer adhered to the competitive situation going into the future.

Reconsider current plans in light of your new insights and update your plans and marketing spending.  Challenge yourself to focus on the three most critical activities you need to accomplish to make your product a success in the marketplace.

Remember, “Plans are nothing, Planning is everything”.  Always, be prepared to thoughtfully adjust your plans to maximize your profitable sales.  Marketing War Games provide a fresh actionable way for entrepreneurs to improve their planning and the way they go to market.

Tom McMillian is the president of Techtao, LLC

This blog was previously published within  New Jersey Entrepreneur where Tom McMillian is recognized as the New Jersey’s Marketing Expert.

Entrepreneurs – The Most Important Thing

During my first job out of business school, a wise businessperson, Tony Hall, asked a group of us this question, “What is the most important thing for a successful business?”

• A great product
• Strong management
• Dedicated employees
• Customers
• Compelling advertising
• Good marketing
• A thoughtful business
• A unifying mission statement

Tony went around the table letting each of us provide an answer; no consensus was reached.  Tony then emphatically told us in no uncertain terms that the most important thing for a successful business was CUSTOMERS.

Over the years, I’ve thought about Tony’s question and his answer.  I’ve worked for large companies such as Pfizer & J&J as well as small companies and start-ups, and Tony was absolutely right.  Customers are the most important part of any successful business.  This is doubly true for the entrepreneur.

Sometimes, entrepreneurs mistakenly believe that anyone who provides capital (e.g. cash) is a customer.  This includes Angel Investors, Venture Capitalists (VCs), customers (buyers), and end-consumers.  Granted, Angel Investors and Venture Capitalists do provide capital along with advice.  However, they provide capital at a huge premium – 30% to 70% of your company.

Within this hierarchy of “customers”, I would rate the actual person who makes the buying decision for your product or service as the most important part of a new venture.  You should have a relationship with this person.  Ask probing questions and listen for their needs and where they need assistance.  When first working with your customers, be in listening and learning mode.  Take what you learn and improve your product or service.  If your product or service truly addresses the needs of the buyer, selling is easy.  Ask them about the competition.  Learn about pricing and terms.  If possible, see if you can get a commitment to buy from this customer.  With a group of committed customers, you may not need to go to Angel Investors or VCs for capital and you will retain the ownership of you company.

Once you learn about the real needs of the customer, the salvation and growth of your company depends on not only meeting the needs of the customer, but also continuing to delight the customer.  A delight customer is your best advocate and evangelist.   Furthermore, remember what W. Edward Deming said, “Profit in business comes from repeat customers, customers that boast about your project or service, and that bring friends with them.”

Tom McMillian is the president of Techtao, LLC a marketing consultancy.

This article was previously published in the New Jersey Entrepreneur magazine where Tom is recognized at New Jersey’s Marketing Expert

Entrepreneurs should commit to using LinkedIn

Using all of your passion and energy, you (entrepreneurs) should wholeheartedly get involved with LinkedIn. You should view LinkedIn as one of your most important assets supporting future growth.

By spending a few minutes each week, you can stay top-of-mind with current and future customers as well as investors and contributing experts. In other words, a commitment to LinkedIn can help you sell your products or services, keep in touch with investors, as well as build a cadre of business people who are willing to provide expert advice on how to expeditiously get things done. And it is a free service that is easy to keep up-to-date and to refine in an iterative fashion. Do not be afraid to start! Anything you put up can be easy updated.

How
Create your profile – First start by going to LinkedIn.com and sign up for your free account and start filling out your profile. Remember to put in a current picture of yourself. LinkedIn is a 60 million-person community of business people connecting with business people. On LinkedIn, remember, folks are not connecting with companies; they are connecting with people. Put your best real self forward.

Tom McMillian

When filling in your Professional Headline, don’t just put in your job title, you will have a chance to do that later. Within this section put down the essence of what you do or aspire to do. In my case I’ve put in, “Innovative marketer and online expert”. Think of this as your “Battle Cry” (the Gaelic meaning of slogan). This statement will go along with your name where every you interact within LinkedIn. Give it some thought.

Build your community – Consider starting by using the “Add Connections” button at the top right corner of every LinkedIn page. This LinkedIn tool allows you to send an invitation to link-in to everyone in your contact list that is a member of LinkedIn. This is a powerful way to jumpstart the number of folk you are connected with.

Another piece of advice is to use the LinkedIn tool to send a personal email to each person you want to link in with. In your email, you may want to mention where you know the person from and that you are new to LinkedIn. Do your best to make the note personal and friendly. You will have a much higher success rate taking the time to write a personal note compared to blasting out the “canned” LinkedIn note.

Plus, when you collect business cards, take a few minutes each week to send a LinkedIn invitation to the business people that you want to stay in contact with. Again, make the note personal and remind the person who you are, where you met and why you want to stay in contact with them. Periodically, you can use LinkedIn to send personal emails to connections you want to keep closer contact with. The benefit of using LinkedIn is that you are automatically provided with a working email address that your connection has kept updated.

Network and Communicate – One of the most powerful components of LinkedIn is that when you do anything on LinkedIn, that activity is automatically shared once a week in an email with all your connections (this email contains updates from all of a person’s connections, not just what you have done). For example, if you update your job title or Network Activity (my favorite) then all your connections can read about it in the weekly email. This is a very powerful and non-invasive way to stay top-of-mind with your connections.

One way to plan your LinkedIn communications is to develop an editorial calendar. This calendar could not only include upcoming important business events, but also can contain the occasions (e.g. Groups or Answers) you spend interacting with the LinkedIn community. A goal could be to interact with LinkedIn weekly.

You can share important events and information by using the Network Activity section. This sharing could be about a new service, a successful launch, or a piece of Industry information that your connections may find of interest. Additionally, if you have a blog, you can link you blog into your LinkedIn profile. Once this functionality is set up, every time you write a blog your profile is updated and this change in profile activity is shared with everyone you are LinkedIn to through one of the ‘weekly update’ emails. Another functionality you could connect to your profile is SlideShare. SlideShare enables you to share your PowerPoint presentations. If you have presentation decks that you are proud of, that do not contain proprietary information, then connect these decks to your LinkedIn profile.

A way for you to build a trusted group of advisors is to either join or start your own Group. I’d recommend that you start by joining Groups. There are LinkedIn Groups for just about every business interest and alumni group. Join and listen and when appropriate answer questions and ask questions. A ‘golden rule’ to follow is, “Give to Get”. What this means is share and add value to the Group before you start to pull information out of the Group.

Another LinkedIn activity you can easily participate in is “Answers” (find Answers by clicking on the More button at the top of the every page). At any one time, there are a myriad of questions being posed on LinkedIn. Take a few minutes to read through these questions and if you have something to contribute, then answer a question. When the weekly LinkedIn update is sent out, your name will be included because you took the time to answer a question. Plus, use “Answers” to ask your own questions.

Summary
LinkedIn provides a powerful platform for entrepreneurs to grow their business. It is free and takes some planning and a few minutes each week of your time. LinkedIn is a powerful way to connect with investors, potential customers, and with advisors.

[This article was previously published at NJ Entrepreneur – New Jersey’s premiere online business magazine]

Putting the iPad 3G through the paces

This week I’ve been down at Cape May at a Photography & Photoshop Workshop. The delightful bed & breakfast we’ve taken over does not have WiFi. However, this has been no impediment for me; my iPad 3G is working beautifully! I’ve been able to use the 3G network to keep up with email, the news, and the myriad of social media marketing activities that I’m doing with clients.

The iPad is a joy to use. It’s fast & the screen is crisp, clean and bright. When writing longer notes, I’ve been using the bluetooth keyboard. When doing creative writing, for some reason, I find that restaurants and coffee shops spur my creative juices. The iPad and keyboard fit discreetly on a small table and they weight next to nothing.

Having the iPad has given my creativity more free rein. I don’t know, if it is the novelty of this new tool or the elegant functionality of how this tool is beginning to fit seamlessly into my life. I do know that I still have a ways to go before my iPad is second nature to me. However, I’ve been writing more as well as thinking up more creative projects where the iPad would have a role. I’ve noticed one interesting behavior change, I’m washing my hands more often. I’ve always washed my hands at the “appropriate” times. Now, I have a real tangible and tactile reason to clean my hands clean. Cleans hands equal a cleaned iPad screen.

Living my dream – Initial thoughts on my new iPad 3G

Even though I went by Apple stores a few times during April, I did not spend much time playing with the iPads.  I was afraid I would not be able to hold myself back from buying one.  Earlier in the year when the iPads went on sales, I ordered my iPad 3G during the 10 minutes.  I’m glad I waited because the 3G functionality is great.  I’m able to use the full resources of my iPad where ever I am.

When not playing with his iPad, Tom is playing with his Clumbers - Monte & Blanche

Right now, I’m finishing a Sunday breakfast at a little New Jersey dinner (no WiFi).  Checked email on two of my most important email accounts; read about a big water disaster in the Boston area where a couple of my sisters live; and spent some time learning about various apps I’ve downloaded.  All this while enjoying great coffee and appreciating the unique atmosphere of a NJ dinner.

Pages is intuitive to use and I’m writing this using my bluetooth key board.  I’m surprised at how substantial the iPad is.  I love the instant on, the inherent speed, and the bright screen.  The full operation of my iPad is not second nature to me yet, but I’m enjoying the learning.  My intention with my iPad is to use this wondrous technology to be more productive and to make more of a contribution.  I will keep you posted.

Plus, when my young waitress looked at what I was doing and said, “wow that’s cool”, I agreed with her and smiled.

iPad 3G Arriving tomorrow!

I just got an email from Apple letting me know that my iPad 3G should be arriving tomorrow. This is the first official communication I’ve received from Apple since I placed my order within the first hour that the iPads were made available. Up until today, on the ‘Order Status’ website, the status had been Ship late April.

Now, all I need is the iPad

I’ve been feeling like an eight-year-old boy waiting for Christmas while I’ve been waiting for my iPad to arrive. When I placed my order, I purchased all of the Apple available accouterments. During the beginning part of April all of these iPad accessories arrived. Plus, I researched iPad carrying bags and purchased one. I’ve even been reading app reviews and purchasing apps in anticipating of my hopefully soon-to-arrive iPad. Everything is ready, I’m just waiting on my ‘dance partner’ to arrive.

In addition to the out-of-control, fan boy glamor of wanting an iPad, I’ve had time to contemplate how I’m going to use the iPad. My hope is that the iPad and its inherent technology will improve the quality of my life with better productivity and my ability to more fully contribute to the world.

The name of my company and this blog is Techtao. Techtao is a contraction of two words – Technological Taoism. What this means to me is “Using technology to live more harmoniously with the world.”  I’m hoping that the iPad will be a tool that I will want to use to be more productive as well as augment my imagination to contribute more. I know that a tool is only as good as the will, imagination and industriousness of the person using the tool. I have high hopes for the iPad.

Time will tell.  Stay posted

Advocacy and Branding

Who owns your brand?

My sister Rita is a very talented artist.  Rita revels in her art.  I’ve been fortunate over the years to receive Rita’s Missives.  These are cards that Rita creates on handmade paper with small pieces of treasures she finds on the streets of Boston, combined with pictures, feathers, and oil & acrylic painting.  Each one is amazing and commemorates a milestone in my life.  Rita’s Missives are framed and proudly displayed throughout my home.

Each Missive has a powerful personal meaning to me.  One day when Rita was visiting, I pointed to one Missive and shared with Rita what it symbolized to me.  Much to my surprise, Rita told me I was wrong and that the Missive symbolized something else.  Rita said, “the art symbolizes what the artist thinks it is.”  Rita may have been right in the absolute sense, but the Missive on the wall still meant something else to me.

Missive created by Rita McMillian

Note from inside the Missive

Historically, marketers and brand managers spent years crafting the nuances of their brand.  They ensured the product was the best it could be, the packaging clearly presented their product in the best light, the pricing was optimized for profitability, and the promotions resonated with their consumers.  These marketers believed that they controlled the way consumers perceived their brand.  If this was ever true, which I doubt, it certainly is not true anymore.

All the work that marketers and brand managers put into their brands is for naught, unless they pay attention to what consumers are saying about their brand.   If marketers are not listening to what consumers are saying about their brands online, these marketers are out-of-touch.

If marketers are not joining the online social media conversation and listening and quickly responding to what consumers are saying about their brands, then these marketers are not doing justice to their brands.  Today, social media and the vocal opinions of Advocates hold more credence than million of dollars worth of TV advertising.

The marketers of today still have the 4 P’s (product, place, price and promotion) at their disposal.  However, they should use these tools when informed by what consumers are saying about their product. Put another way, marketers should consider focusing on a 5^th “P”, people.   Marketers would be better served if they spent time listening to what ‘people’ are sharing about their category, their brand and the competition.  Maybe the best people to focus on are your Brand advocates.

Brand Advocates are the cheerleaders of a brand.  When Advocates adopt a brand, this brand becomes a part of their lives and the Advocate now owns the brand and speaks definitively about their perception of the brand.  This perception is reality to the folks Advocates communicate with.  At this moment of communication, the opinion of the Advocate is more powerful than anything the marketer can do.

Today, smart marketers are finding and nurturing advocates.  Marketers are listening to Advocates and fixing problems and creating better new products.  When appropriate, marketers are providing Advocates with “inside” information so Advocates can be in the know and be the first to share breaking news with their friends, family and followers.  These smart marketers are paying attention to the 5^th “P” – people.

Tom McMillian

Tom McMillian

President

Techtao, LLC

This blog was previously published by NJ Entrepreneur, where Tom is the recognized as New Jersey’s Marketing Expert.

Advocacy Enabled by 4 Categories of Social Media

Advocacy Enabled by 4 Categories of Social Media

Executive Summary

Today, the culmination of a great marketing strategy is to nurture loyal users and to enable them to become advocates.  Companies, big & small, have the choice of using many social media platforms to help achieve this goal.  Companies should consider joining the conversation on social media platforms and provide the tools, encouragement, and information that supports loyal brand users to become brand advocates.

Harry Dancer - aka Tom McMillian in Second Life

Essentially, Social Media is word-of-mouth on steroids.  In this maelstrom of Social Media websites and platforms, the recommendations of advocates are causing changes in buying habits.  Business people need to determine which Social Media website is best for their purposes and which sites they are willing to invest their time and energy into nurturing.  Each platform has its own etiquette, language and norms of behavior.  To help figure out which social media platforms to use, I’ve found it helpful to view social media as being comprised of four categories.

1 – Content Based Social Media

Examples — Flickr / Blogs / You Tube / Podcasts

A strategy for utilizing these websites is to “Create solutions for real problems”.  Consumers are looking for and searching for solutions using Google and other search engines.  Business people can strategically use Content Based Social Media by creating and posting content that solves problems that folks are seeking solutions for.  In other words, the businessperson develops a solution and places it into Content Based Social Media platform (e.g. how to videos, pictures with explanations).

Only when a consumer’s problem is solved, will the consumer be receptive to learning more about the businessperson’s business or brand.  Remember, “First give them what they want, then give them what they need.”  The original content is all about solving the consumer’s problem and it is not for touting the Brand’s slogan or packaging.

Content that solves consumer problems is very attractive to natural search (SEO).  One tactic a business may want to employ is – to include with your posted solution an invitation for folks to provide their email address and opt-in for continuing information and product news.  Additionally, the businessperson can invite folks to share the posted solution with others, encouraging advocacy.

2 – Personality Based Social Media

Linked-in / Plaxo / Facebook / myspace

For just about all Personality Based Social Media the core use is personal.  It is person-to-person.  This is where the businessperson represents themselves as experts.  When brand questions arise, the businessperson as expert can help answer the question and solve problems.  (e.g. Linked-in Answers)

In today’s business environment, all businesspeople should have a presence on Linked-in.  Business people should not only have their contact information on Linked-in, but also they should be Linked-in with everyone in their address box as well as ongoing new business contacts.    Email addresses are changing all the time.  It is my observation that up to 30% of all email addresses change every year.  Using Linked-in will allow you to stay in contact with business associates.

Over the last few months, Facebook has been making a valiant effort extending the functionality of Facebook from personal pages (one page per person) to fan pages.  These fan pages can contain multiple pages that showcase the brand and the brand personality.  Most importantly these pages are a place for the businessperson to learn what consumers are saying about their brand. Don’t be afraid of negative comments, listen, learn and if appropriate respond to negative issues.    Click here for a primer on creating Facebook fan pages for businesses.

3 – Interest Based Social Media

Yahoo Groups   Google Earth Community

These are communities of interest, online discussion groups.  Sometimes these groups require joining before participation is allowed.  When entering a conversation regarding your brand, remember to always identify who you are and your relationship with the brand.  Never lie or deceive!

There are free online tools available to monitor when your brand (or name_ is mentioned on the Internet.  One of these online tools is Google Alert.  It is easy to set up and use.  If your brand is mention and you want to clear up a misconception, speed and honesty counts for a lot.  Plus, these online discussion groups are good places to mine to find out what problems need addressing.   On the flip side this is also a way to engage and encourage vocal brand loyalists.

4 – Fantasy Based Social Media

Second Life / Webkinz / World of Warcraft

I’m not recommending that marketers use Fantasy Based Social Media for recruiting brand loyal consumers.  However, marketers should not dismiss this avenue out-of-hand.  Remember that the slogan of World of Warcraft is “It’s Not a Game.  It’s a World”.   Moreover, the fastest growing social media website is Webkinz (an only play area for kids with its own economy.

Where people congregate, there is always an opportunity to thoughtfully get your brand message out.

Tom McMillian

Tom McMillian
President, Techtao LLC
www.techtao.com

Advocacy Engine

Engendering advocacy with your loyal customers is a powerful and cost effective way to build sales.  Advocates are loyal users who act as sales folks extending the impact of your brand as well as in-field market researchers providing insights into how consumers perceive your advertising, your brand and the competition.   Engendering advocacy is not just a one-off tactic.  It is a way of organizing the entire way you go-to-market.

Advocacy Engine

The Advocacy Engine diagram highlights key elements of an ongoing advocacy campaign.  A goal of this engine is to identify and nurture a cadre of loyal brand users to speak favorably, on and off line, about your br and to friends and family as well as to listen to and act on insights your advocates share with you.

To jump start your Adv ocacy Engine, ensure all advertising includes elements inviting consumers to a place where they can provide into a database their name and opt-in email address.  Consumers will provide their contact information to companies they trust in exchange for offers of value — a white paper, a promise for ongoing information of value, coupons/rebates/samples, or an opportunity to make a difference in future brand development.  Test different methods and always remember “please” and “thank you” in the communications stream.

With the consumers in your database, send periodic emails, providing information consumers value and inviting feedback on your product, advertising, and areas of consumer interest.  Subsequent emailscan report on findings you receive.  These consumers are your pool of future advocates.  Using the database, invite selective consumers to participate in moderated online discussion boards.  This is a great place to learn about your brand and the competition as well as ask for feedback on future possible marketing campaigns.

When engaging with socialmedia websites platforms, always clearly identity who you are and your position with the brand.  Never lie!  Invite consumers back to your website to learn more and to opt-in for more information and involvement.  Better yet, develop a tool that reinforces the essence of your brand that you can give away to folks in social marketing groups. Consumers should be able to customize this tool and make it their own as well as share with others.  If possible, within the tool provide a way for consumers to share the experience they are having with your brand.

With advocates it is important to first listen, then educate and finally provide value your advocates can share with others – new information “they are the first to know” and many product samples/coupons/rebates.  Whenever possible share with your advocate community the changes that have resulted from their input.  Empower your advocates to increase their feeling of brand ownership.   Ongoing communication cantake the form of emails, invitations to visit password protected discussion boards and three-dimensional USPS mailings of samples, coupons and surveys.  The communications should be customized to let your advocates know they are important and special!

Engendering advocacy is an iterative process.  It is not just a tactic done once, but a powerful cost effective way to go-to-market.  In the future, success brands will harness the power of advocates to promote and improve their brand.

Tom McMillian

“Begin, the rest is easy.”

Previously published in NJ Entrepreneur

Tom McMillian
President – Techtao, LLC
techtao@mac.com
http://www.techtao.com

Advocacy and Social Media Etiquette

Today, in order to influence the minds of consumers, business people need to empower advocates.  Advocates are talking about your categories and your brands.  Advocates are sharing their opinions with family and friends as well as using Social Media platforms with an ability to reach millions of people (Facebook has 120 million users).

Tom McMillian

What is said within social media is more powerful than advertising. Consumers are more open to considering the recommendation of someone via Social Media platforms than they are to believe and act on advertising.  To be successful, business people need to understand how to interact and utilize Social Media to their advantage.  And remember, it takes time to harness Social Media to your advantage.

Social media is a power tool for businesses and there is a certain etiquette that will help you become more successful.  This etiquette is summed up in the 3 R’s.

The 3 R’s of Social Media

• Real – Be yourself, tell the truth, and never lie.  If you make a mistake, admit it, apologize and move on.  Use your own name. When an occasion comes up when it may be appropriate to mention your brand or business, you need to have already established your reputation on the site before you mention your brand or business.  Plus, make sure you are always upfront about your relationship with the brand or business.
• Relevant – To be relevant, you must listen and respond appropriately.  Be helpful and provide value to the other members of the group.  This is the way to building credibility. You need to devote the time and provide value to folks by responding to their problems, issues and challenges.  One thing I always say to myself is, “Give them what they want, then give them what they need.”
• Responsive – Listen to what is going on within the Social Media platform.  On a regular basis, thoughtfully contribute to the questions, concerns and issues at hand.  Build your online reputation.  This is not the place for you to have a monologue or to hype the benefits of your brand or business.  After you have established your reputation, and if it is germane to the issues being discussed, it is appropriate for you to share the benefits of your brand or business (make sure you are upfront about your relationship to the brand or business).

Previously published in NJ Entrepreneur

Tom McMillian

• President, Techtao, LLC
• techtao@mac.com
• www.techtao.com