2011 ADDY Awards

The Golding Group adds two new awards from the Oklahoma City Advertising Club with ADDY wins for projects we worked on with one of our favorite non-profit clients Mental Health Association of Central Oklahoma (MHACO).

The first winner is a :30 sec. TV commercial conceptualized and directed by me and produced by Midwest Media. The spot tackles the two most common problems the clients of MHACO have when needing support or information about mental health services: not knowing where to look -or- too many sources to know which is best for them. 

The second winner is a direct marketing specialty (promotional) item conceptualized by Cher Golding, designed by me and produced by Robyn Promotions. It is a rubber “gripper” for the back of a cell phone to keep it from sliding off your dash or desk. The gripper os in the shape and color of the Mental Health ribbon and has the MHACO web address and national suicide hotline phone number on it. By keeping this information actually on the back of the phone, those in need of services can call or click for immediate help. The gripper card can be mailed or handed out at events.

We are proud to be recognized for our creative work on these two project, but even more proud to create highly functioning tools for a great OKC non-profit organization.

New Business Venture in 2012

Today, my business partners and I launched The Golding Group – Strategic Growth & Branding. We provide highly effective strategic planning, communications and process development for business and non-profit organizations with a focus on growth and longevity.

We create business growth opportunities by forming strategic, full service partnerships with our clients. The Golding Group is the new evolution of what marketing is, going beyond just advertising by focusing on whole business development.

The Golding Group is not an agency or firm, but a think tank of industry experts. We’re not tied to a single concept, technique or technology for achieving client growth. We take an all-inclusive and fact-based approach to communications and development, not just projects or quick fixes.

Our focus is providing expertise to increase income, decrease cost and improve overall efficiency for our clients. We help you make decisions that lead to long-term, sustainable growth.

Check us out at http://thegoldinggroup.com

Most Popular Blog Post of 2011

Your Next CEO Should be a Creative Professional

Marketing Podcast: Personalization is Real Relevance

Non-Profit Event Sponsorship Tips

Expert Non-profit Direct Mail Tips

Business Possibilities For Creativity in OK

Audience Development for Traditional Arts Orgs.

Improve Your Marketing with Response Tracking

REVIEW: 2012 VW Touareg

Expert Non-profit Direct Mail Tips

Here are a few direct mail tips and techniques specifically for non-profit organizations. Contact me if you need more detailed information.

Non-profit direct mail facts:

• $5.2 billion (estimated) amount in fundraising driven by non-catalog direct mail in 2010
• 91% of US non-profits use direct mail (Direct Marketing Association)
• Make-A-Wish, St. Jude Children’s Hospital and United Way all rely heavily on direct mail

Direct Mail Benefits:

• Lower initial investment than other forms of advertising
• Lower cost per $1,000 compared to TV/radio commercials, publication ad placement
• No spam filter, direct mail is delivered straight to the intended target
• Stays around longer and stands out – on average, direct mail sits on a desk or coffee table for 3-5 days after being received (How fast do you delete emails, forget web pages or print ads?)
• Can be signed and returned – very beneficial for membership and donation forms that require physical signatures
• Can be combine with print, e-mail, online and mobile to be a part of a comprehensive marketing campaign
• Consistent results – direct mail tend to perform the same each time it’s done (if done correctly)

How to do it better:

 Use a Non-profit indicia or Non-profit Stamp (with automation):

• Only 200 piece minimum to use (total, not per zip code)
• .9 for a non-profit indicia or stamp, .29 for a 4″x6″ postcard with a stamp, .39 for Presort First Class and .44 for first class (stamp)

Saving Money on Postage Pays for a Lot of Printing, Stuffing, Folding, Tabbing and Addressing:

• Do not hand address, label, fold, stuff, tab or insert ever again
• Machines are faster and much more efficient
• Time is money labor + time occupied + toner + labels = expensive
• Free your staff, interns or volunteers to do other important work for your organization

Clean Your Mailing List:

• USPS sees 10 billion pieces of Undeliverable-As-Addressed (UAA) mail per year
• More than 45 million Americans (14% of population) change their addresses each year
• NCOA (National Change of Address) Link can correct changed addresses up to 48 months
• Run NCOA close to mail date to get the latest information
• Our data department can eliminate duplicate and incomplete addresses – we see this on EVERY list we see
• Reduce cost of sending mail to people who are not there
• Get a report of bad addresses (UAA mail) back from us
• Avoid missing good donors by knowing you missed them
• “Churn” is the term for missing a willing donor simply by not asking them to donate again

Return Service Requested:

• So worth the work to clean your list – Less mistakes = less cost and budget waste
• Know who you missed and avoid that postage cost of future mailing
• The Post Office will destroy all UAA non-profit mail that does not request Return Service

Three C’s of Addressing:

1. Complete – All required elements are present
2. Correct – All elements are accurate
3. Current – most recent is always the best

CASS Certification Software:

• Standard processing software from USPS
• Confirms and corrects ZIP+4 codes and carrier route information
• Necessary for some USPS discounts

Profile Donors/Supporters:

• Purchase list of new prospects based on demographics of current donors/members/supporters
• Utilize Variable Data Printing to personalized letters and postcards
• Use a PURL (personalized web address) for increased impact and customization

Control the Timing of Your Message:

• Blast Campaign (send all at once) only if you can you handle the response volume all at once, if not try a drip campaign
• Drip Campaign will split up your mail total over multiple weeks or months, allowing for control of response or increase repetition of message
• Event participation invitations can hit homes on a specific date if planned well

Direct Address Your Direct Mail:

• Avoid label retail cost and over buying
• Avoid labels falling off
• Clean up the design of you mailer
• Utilize IMb (Intelligent Mail barcode) tracking and postal discounts – even on return envelopes

Don’t Forget About the Envelope:

• Utilize the space by printing on the front and back
• Teaser copy on the outside will promote opening, but you need to keep it simple
• Keep the text/graphics specific to offer or audience For The Golfer or Coupon Inside
• Have a clear Call to Action such as See offer inside, Open today or Get your free gift
• Use a photo or graphic element, easy to interpret visual images are worth a 1,000 words
• Do not “fake” official or government looking documents, it’s considered unethical by most

Postcard Sizes & Layouts Have IMPACT:

• Up to 6″ x 11″ card for same rate, why use a small 4″ x 6″
• Use one of the USPS guides to make sure your design meets all requirements

Improve Your Marketing with Response Tracking

You did your research, created a target market profile and know what makes your product/service better than the competition. Now you have to deliver that message. A consistent message over multiple channels works best, but which should you use? How do you prove your marketing worked? Can you justify cost to your client/boss? The answer is tracking.

The best way to justify cost and measure success or failure is tracking response rate. But how do you know it was direct mail and not radio/TV/print/ect… that did the trick? By using a trackable device in conjunction with the call to action.

One advantage of printed items is the (potential customer can keep it, give it to a friend or bring it to your location to redeem for a discount, special offer or attend an exclusive event. This is how a trackable device works.

If someone needs to show a postcard, coupon or code word to get the deal – they will. Now you have proof of response rate. You can’t just look at the sales numbers to know if your marketing work because part of that equation is up to your sales staff. Closing a sale opportunity created by direct marketing is conversion rate, not response rate. Walking in the door with direct mail in hand is response rate. Marketing will only get the sales process started.

Once you know response rate and cost, you can track which advertising medium provides the best return on investment for your budget. A call to action and trackable device is a highly effective and easy way to track success.

Your Next CEO Should be a Creative Professional

I say it all the time: “The Marketing department should be in charge of everything”. I know it sound self-serving since I’m a marketing guy, but there are some strong points to consider.

• Creative professionals (designers, writers, marketers) are natural problem solvers. When you use your right brain all day, you become very adept at finding a solution and not just relying on what has been done in the past.
• Marketing has to play all angles. The Sales department just wants to see high dollar figures, Production just wants to make as many items as possible, Accounting does not care about the customers needs, Customer service does not have to justify their existence with sales numbers and Engineers just want to make cool stuff, don’t care if there is demand for it or not.
• Marketing, advertising and public relations are big picture, long-term endeavors. It takes a person of vision to strategically plan 18-24 months on advance. It also takes research, attention to details and being open to all possibilities. It also takes stick-to-it-ness to not abandon the program too soon, or at the very first setback.
• Once you create (or adapt) a brand (the whole persona of a company or product) you take it to heart, you defend it and you think of it as a child or major appendage. That attitude leads to a committed and passionate corporate leader.
• Who knows the company better than the guy or gal or writes all the brochures, web site content and press releases? No one.
• Working in marketing requires you to wear many hats on a daily basis. Being a CEO is hard, ever-changing work. The boss has to understand the entire company, each department, the products/services, company history, the competition and have ideas for the future. The many roles of marketing pros = on the job CEO training.
• We have BIG ideas. Creative professionals always look at problems, opportunities and even day-to-day operations from a different view-point. Willingness to try new approachs or be open to ideas is very powerful.
• Who is most likely to have public speaking, media relations and crisis management training? Who do you want on camera or speaking to a reporter if something is going really bad (or really well)? A marketing pro will know what to do and say, always sticking to predefined messaging and brand protection.

To survive (and thrive) in today’s market, every company needs a creative leader who is prepared for the challenge. I’m willing to bet, that person is working in your marketing department right now. If not, you might want to consider who it is that is crafting the image and message of your company. Today’s Director of Marketing (or Advertising or Creative) should be tomorrow’s CEO.

—

If you think being creative is overrated for corporate leadership, I have two words for you: Steve Jobs. The perfect example of a visionary leader who understood what the market wanted (even if they didn’t), innovation and sticking to your core principles and messaging. As Apple advertising once said: “Think Different”.

REVIEW: 2012 VW Touareg

I recently had the opportunity to test drive a VW Touareg so I could share my thoughts on how it compared to other vehicles I drive or have considered buying. The nice folks at Fowler VW in Norman, OK gave me the keys and only one instruction: Write whatever you want, whatever you feel, like or dislike. Easy enough, here we go…

VW Touareg VS. Chevy Extended Cab Pickup

I currently drive a 2011 Extended cab, 4 door Chevrolet Silverado with a fuel-injected V8 and automatic transmission. It’s a “works hard, plays hard” type vehicle. I like it because of the payload, headroom and horsepower. It’s a workhorse that’s nice enough for valet parking on weekends.

The Touareg is more luxury and less work than my truck. First, it looks really great, very European in design (which I like). The ride height is much higher than a car, but not near that of the truck (which my wife really liked) or other big SUV’s like a Tahoe or Suburban. The VW is also easier to see out of, with less blind spots. One big drawback is the size of the mirrors. They are too short (don’t extend out from the door enough) and create a little bit of anxiety when entering the interstate via a short on-ramp.

Let’s Talk Performance

The Touareg is clearly designed for highway driving. The ride is smooth and quite, with a “floating on air” feeling at high-speed. On the highway, the Touareg has good power for passing, accelerates well and is a real pleasure to drive. The problem is 0-40 mph. The Touareg does not have great low-end torque, shifts through the first three gears way to quickly and is overall sluggish under 40 mph. The model I drove had a built-in receiver hitch, but I can’t see this being a good vehicle for towing. Might be best to mount your bike rack in the receiver.

The VW is the clear winner in smooth ride and overall comfort. I didn’t realize how much until I starting driving my truck again, which now feels like a tank. I received a few compliments while driving it, as it looks a whole lot like more expensive Porshe and Volvo SUV’s.

Interior Features

The first thing you notice upon entering the Touareg is the dash and console. This model had the center mounted command center with the navigation, stereo and comfort controls all based in a single touchscreen. The GPS system is easy to use once you understand that “300 yards ahead” is really 300 feet ahead. The stereo unit has several options for traditional radio, satellite radio and MP3 player input. The speakers have a nice sound quality, but lack a little in overall volume and bass frequencies.

There is a lot of information displayed on the dash and control panel. Great for trips, but can be sensory overload during your daily commute. The Touareg dash can be a little intimidating.

The power controls for the seats and mirror make it easy for a driver to find a comfortable position. I have a bad back, so seat position is key for me. There is also plenty of headroom, even for a 6’1″ person with a hat on. As expected, the back seat of the four door Touareg are much more comfortable than the back bench of the cab-and-a-half Chevy truck.

Cool Factor

The Touareg wouldn’t be a VW without a few cool features. The ignition key is not really a key at all. More of a pod with the controls for the alarm and keyless entry.

You push it into a “Dock” like  a normal key, push the brake pedal and turn to start the motor. After turning off the engine, push the VW logo and pull to release. Much better than scratching your dash with a metal key, but it does take a little getting used to inserting/removing.

Overall, the VW Touareg is a very nice ride. It’s comfortable, well equipped and gets good gas mileage (16 town/23 highway vs. 14 town/19 highway for the my truck). The Touareg has more cab room and is easier to see out (less blind spots) than my Silverado. I had considered a Land Rover Sport in the past, but heard too many stories of quality and maintenance issues. The VW reputation is very solid as a dependable vehicle. Not to mention that the Land Rover is 8-10 thousand dollars more. The GMC Yukon/Chevrolet Suburban cost around 4-5 thousand dollars more while getting less mpg.

My recommendation: If you are looking for a luxury SUV that gets good gas milage, comfortable ride and overall style then the VW Touareg is a nice choice. The Touareg is designed for highway driving. If you do most of your driving in town, you might want to pass.

I do have a vehicle that gets better gas mileage than the Touareg, but without the comfort or capacity: 2011 Harley Davidson Super Glide. The VW is economical, but does not get the super gas mileage (34 town/63 highway) that the Harley does. The Touareg is well designed, but much more luxury than badass. The Harley is super cool, but not good for family vactions, picking up the kids from school or rainy days like the Touareg.

I give the VW Touareg 4 stars out 5. A very nice small SUV with good gas mileage, highway performance and comfort.

Marketing Podcast: Personalization is Real Relevance

I had the recent opportunity to be interviewed by Bobby Lehew for the 7 Minute Smarketer (smart marketer), a podcast featuring the smartest smarketers on the planet. For each episode, our smart marketer has exactly 7 minutes to make us all smarter marketers or they owe the hosts a beer. Good-natured fun, but more importantly, supreme smartness in only 7 minutes! Listen HERE or Subscribe via iTunes to download and listen later.

I will be doing more 7 Minute Smarketer episodes in the future talking about direct mail and creativity. Check out all the episodes and subscribe, it’s really informative and entertaining while only taking 7 minutes of your busy day. Bobby is a great marketing mind and advocate, check out his blog as well (he gives me a little press there too).

Awesome Art Shows (October 2011)

Plaza Festival October 1st - In celebration of the comeback of the revitalized Plaza District, the Plaza District Association is holding the only festival in Oklahoma City focusing on Oklahoma talent. Look for my tent full of abstract paintings and a few small pieces of sculpture and furniture. The festival is free and open to the public.

  

Film District MANifest event October 15th and 16th- MANifesto is a festival in downtown Oklahoma City celebrating the modern man. This unique event will take place on historic Film Row October 15-16 for a weekend of food, drink, shopping, games and moustache wars.

Also on view will be unique pieces of art inspired by “manly” movie classics. I will be displaying an installation piece made of recycled copiers and printers, based on the film The Terminator.

Kyle Explains VDP

Another quick video. This time I explain Variable Data Printing in a little over an minute and a half.