Marketing Christmas

December 17th, 2009

017-Marketing ChristmasWell, this will be my last blog of the year, as I run off for the holidays to eat too much, drink too much, and have FAR too much fun (and I wish the same for all of you!).

And as I’m in a festive mood, I’ll be turning my attention to something which this year is very dear to my heart.

I’m talking about Christmas number one.

Over the past few years, the Christmas number one has been won by the victor of the X Factor in a glorious feat of marketing, which gears the entire show up to (virtually) guarantee the winner a top spot in the charts for Christmas.

But maybe not this year.

This year, a grassroots campaign has been started on Facebook to get Rage Against the Machine’s ‘Killing in the Name’ to number one instead, breaking the deadlock that the X Factor has on Christmas number one.

All reports indicate that the race is very close, which makes it very interesting from a marketing point of view.

The X Factor has a huge marketing campaign and budget. The show itself promotes the artists right up to the finals, and by releasing the winner’s single on the Sunday before Christmas number one is announced, they ensure that all sales go towards that goal. The show’s marketing leads right into the marketing of the single.

By comparison, Killing in the Name was released in 1992, and has been promoted mostly by word of mouth and online networking like Facebook and Twitter. Neither the band nor their record label started the campaign, and have only become involved since the song began to sell.

A victory for Rage Against the Machine will be a victory for free marketing over the X Factor’s highly commercialised campaign.

And the real winners in the whole exercise? Sony, the label that represents both artists.

(By the way, I’m rooting for RATM. It’s an awesome song, and it’s about time there was some actual competition for Christmas number one!)

hannah marketing, random

Making the most of your unique selling point

December 10th, 2009

Stop: Hammertime! . . . or just stop.

Stop: Hammertime! . . . or just stop.

Ok, so “unique selling point” is a hideous phrase, but it’s also an important part of your company’s marketing.

Every company, person, product or service has its good and bad aspects, and they all have USPs.

For example, our talented designer, Bhupinder, has quite a remarkable USP that he refuses to share with the rest of the company.

Bhups has a rap.

Putting aside for a moment the gross unfairness of sharing this information with us without actually performing the rap (despite repeated demands!), Bhups’ rap has already become office legend and something we reference continually.

When you think of your own USP, it’s good to have something that stands out, something a bit unusual (although I really wouldn’t advise people to start rapping for their company, there’s a fine line between quirky and painful).

Your company’s USP can be as simple as the people working for it, the time it’s been established, or the prices you quote. Anything from customer service to culture, price to product range might be your USP.

And once you identify it, your website can be crucial in highlighting your USP and making it part of your company’s narrative, simply by threading it into your content, and making references throughout your site.

Of course SHOWING* your customers is even more effective than telling them yourself, and that’s where testimonials and references can really make a difference.

*by the way, this is in no way a subtle attempt to persuade, coerce or bully Bhups into performing his rap at the Christmas party. That’s what the beer and the cattle prod** are for.

**I made up the cattle prod bit. No Bhupses will be harmed*** in the making of Christmas festivities.

***unless he falls down or something – but that’s his own fault!

hannah copy writing, marketing, random

Additions to our website portfolio

December 9th, 2009

A couple of new websites added to our portfolio include sites for The Bearfoot Foundation and Paul Parker.

The Bearfoot Foundation Ltd is a charitable company promoting and supporting bear conservation. Passionate about Britain, they would like to create job opportunities making purely British bears whilst encouraging everyone to reduce their carbon footprint.

Paul Parker is a clinical hypnotherapist. His most common uses of hypnotherapy are to stop smoking, weight reduction, stress relief, and phobias/fears. Hypnotherapy have also proven successful for other problems.

bhups Uncategorized

We’ve got a window!!!

December 8th, 2009

OK, we’ve always had a window, otherwise our offices would be quite wet by now, and possibly most of our equipment stolen.

What I mean to say, is a big thank you is owed to David Guice of Corio Signs and Printing based in Warwickshire for helping to “pimp” our office window which fronts onto Smith St in Warwick.

David, using his many years of printing experience, advised us on colours and sizes to ensure that our amazing new signage would be visible and effective in a variety of light conditions, both inside and out. We spoke to other printers and didn’t receive anything like this sort of insight.

Thanks very much David, we are delighted!!!

thomas random

Should you charge for content?

December 3rd, 2009

In further online news . . .

Johnston Press has become the latest company to put all its publications behind a paywall.

But whilst this tactic works for the Wall Street Journal, is it really going to be as successful for the Worksop Guardian?

My guess is: no.

As I’ve said, it is hard to make money directly from content, but there are some exceptions, and the Wall Street Journal is one of them.

That is because it provides specialist information. It targets a certain audience, and gives them in-depth analysis and commentary about the things that will matter to them. It provides quality and detail of information that you CANNOT get anywhere else.

Johnston Press produces newspapers that provide general news for the local area. This is news that can be found in other places, through other papers, BBC local news and radio.

The Wall Street Journal provides information that a lot of people HAVE to have.

Johnston Press provides information for local consumption that you could get elsewhere if it was vitally important.

Essentially, to make money out of putting your content behind a paywall, you need produce information, commentary or analysis that you can’t get anywhere else. And you’ll also need readers as rabid as Twilight fans on a sugar high.

hannah copy writing

Recently built websites

December 3rd, 2009

Here is a list of websites we have created in November:

Louder – Marketing co-ordination, copywriting corporate collateral, event management

Appliance of Science – Quality refurbished domestic appliances

BMW Garage Ltd – Specialist experts in BMW cars, offering competitive low prices

Gayshare Resorts – Holiday Ownership Company aimed exclusively at gay males

MGB Air Conditioning – Air conditioning service enhancing working or living environments

Ostara Consulting – Stress management consultants and holistic therapists

Altus Partners – Global financial markets search and selection

Tenders Right Consultancy -  Procurement advice and services for both buyers and suppliers in relation to public procurement and tendering processes

Hi-Maintenance – Fabric structure and rope access specialists

bhups Uncategorized

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