Monday, November 25, 2013

4 Things My iTunes Library Taught Me About Marketing & PR


Can a song save your life? I believe it absolutely can.
Can a song teach you about your business? I believe it absolutely can.
 
1.       Eminem  “Rap God” - "I don't know how to make songs like that

 I don't know what words to use"

Let people do what they are best at.

 I understand that in startups, people wear many hats, I’ve been there and done that, but I also understand that it takes money to make money. Don’t have your web designers writing your marketing plans. Don’t have your graphic designer doing product development.  Let the web designers do what they’re good at, have them work with your graphic designer and get yourself a great looking, easy to use website, have them ensure that it’s mobile friendly, and let your marketers write the marketing plans. Leave SEO to your web guys and let your marketing team take on social media.  Outsource if you need to – this way, everyone will be performing most productively, and hopefully enjoying their work more and taking ownership in their responsibilities.

                                               

2.       John Digweed “Morphism”

Keep people waiting and wanting more.

 John Digweed is great at taking his time to get people from merely bobbing their heads into a full thrown rave. Always leave your consumers wanting more from you so they keep coming back, needing to see what you’ll be doing next, what promotions will be coming, and when they can “win” free product or contests from you. Music is just like storytelling – you always want to bring your audience along the journey with you. Just like John Digweed does by using a long build in his sets, he is entertaining his audience – brands need to be doing the same thing with THEIR audiences, with the way they build their sets/storylines/product stories. This will help build brand loyalty and hopefully keep your brand relevant and top of mind with your consumers – striving to keep your consumers coming back to see what is coming next.

 

3.       Rihanna “The Monster” or “Love the Way You Lie”

Be so good, they can’t ignore you.

I have to admit it. I don’t hate much, but I absolutely abhor Rihanna. The worst part of it? I absolutely LOVE her music. The other worst part? I have never been able to put my finger on precisely what it is I hate so much about her, there is just SOMETHING that 100% rubs me the wrong way with that woman. However, I will listen to “The Monster” for hours upon hours, even days, on repeat and not simply because I find Eminem genius. I think her voice lends itself perfectly to that song. I do not follow her media dramas, nor do I even want to get started on her relationship dramas – I am luckily able to completely tune that part of her out, but she is so good, she stays on my radar. These days, people want more than simply a great product, they want a great TEAM behind the product, and they want to get to know that team. You easily may not have the #1 product on the market, but you can have the largest fan base becoming repeat buyers if you can establish relationships with them and make them love YOU. Create interesting stories for your products, BE an interesting real human being in your social media work, even if you’re tweeting from behind a brand’s name or logo. Be so good they can’t ignore you – create useful and meaningful content that people are excited to share with their social media followers!

 

 

4.       Kenny Rogers “The Gambler” - “Son, I've made my life out of readin' people's faces…”

Know your audience!

This may be the most important piece of effectively marketing your product there is. Here’s a personal example – for the past five years, I worked in marketing for a coconut water company. I would always tell people that at some point in their day, EVERYONE was a candidate for coconut water. It was simply up to me to know my audience, who I was talking to, in order to let them know the right usage occasion for them. I wouldn’t tell an athlete the same reason and time to drink coconut water as I would a pregnant woman, or a student studying for finals. Knowing your audience is being able to quickly get a read on the person you are speaking with, how they like to be communicated to, and looking at what you want you need to get across from their point of view. In that way, you can convert someone that would never try your product, into a repeat buyer.  
 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Michelle Has Blown Into Chic-ago!


This past Thursday night, Blowtique, Chicago’s premier blow-out only salon as featured in Vogue’s recent “Best Dressed” Issue, introduced Michelle Sparkling Wine to press and tastemakers in Chic-ago. Guests enjoyed her company along with tasty macarons, complimentary blow-dry styles, custom nail files, door prizes, and a gift basket raffle benefitting Locks of Love, which has for fifteen years provided prosthetic human hairpieces to children and young adults who have lost their own hair from any diagnosis, disease or accident.
 
Michelle is a fresh take on the sparkling wines of Domaine Ste. Michelle, who have been crafting highly acclaimed, quality wines in Washington State for more than 35 years. 

Michelle is flirty, feminine and fun, featuring refine cuvees crafted in the traditional method champenoise style from winemaker Rick Casqueiro.

Michelle comes to the party in three styles sourced from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in Washington’s Columbia Valley. Predominantly a blend of the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Michelle Brut features delicate flavors of apples and citrus with vibrant acidity. Michelle Extra Dry is a slightly sweeter wine with notes of cream and a toasty finish. Michelle Brut Rose is a medium-dry sparkling blush wine made predominantly from Pinot Noir grapes, with soft impressions of berries. “We enhanced the cuvees for more body and concentration,” Casqueiro explains. “The wines are elegant, with bright flavors, beautiful structure and crisp acidity.” Michelle’s newly and stylishly dressed as well – in an elegant bottle shape labeled in white with soft pastel accents of pink and blue.

 ABOUT MICHELLE

Michelle by Domaine Ste. Michelle is the largest producer of sparkling wines in Washington State. The winery has crafted highly acclaimed wines for over 35 years since the wines were introduced in 1978. Michelle wines are crafted using the traditional method champenoise technique. The winery offers a Brut, Brut Rose and Extra Dry Sparkling Wine.

 
ABOUT BLOWTIQUE CHIC-AGO

Blowtique is Chicago’s PREMIER blow-out only salon as featured in Vogue’s recent Best Dressed Issue! Catering to the locks that make Chicago fabulous, Blowtique introduces patrons to the idea that a blow-out can be as convenient and as accessible as a polish change. From “the Sunset” to “the 5th Avenue” (and every stylish street in between), Blowtique tames the manes of women everywhere!


ABOUT LOCKS OF LOVE
ocks of Love, a public non-profit organization that provides vacuum fitted hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They meet a unique need for children by using donated human hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. Others have suffered severe burns or injuries or endured radiation treatment to the brain stem or other dermatological conditions that result in permanent hair loss. The vacuum fit is designed for children who have experienced a total loss of scalp hair and does not require the use of tape or glue. The prostheses they provide help to restore self-esteem and confidence, enabling these children to face the world and their peers. The organization, which began operation in 1998, provides the prostheses to children under the age of 21. These hairpieces require between 6-10 ponytails and take approximately 3-4 months to manufacture. Thousands of bundles of donated hair arrive as a result of the national publicity that Locks of Love receives in newspapers, magazines and television programs. It is estimated that children comprise over 80% of the donors, making this a charity where children have an opportunity to help children.