North Star Marketing Tips Your source for weekly marketing tips from North Star CEO Kae Groshong Wagner http://www.northstar-m.com As we begin planning for 2007, I am reminded of the importance of “visionaries” in growing a company. I’m not referring to those individuals who created your company “Vision Statement.” No, I’m talking about individuals in your organization who can see what can’t be seen – ways to do business that are truly unique, angles on selling or producing products that haven’t been tried before and methods for getting closer to the market/customer than ever dreamed possible. That’s a “visionary,” the modern-day business equivalent of a missionary. Mon, 07 Aug 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip065.asp Your sales anxiety just makes your prospect more sales resistant because he can sense it. It shows up in your voice, your body, and that little twitch in your eye. You know the one I’m talking about – the one that you hope no one notices. Mon, 24 Jul 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip064.asp Bob Vanderhook, VP of Sales & Marketing at Furmano Foods, recently shared these words of wisdom from Sam Walton. Here’s Walton’s advice to executives and managers on how to succeed. Mon, 17 Jul 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip063.asp I know you don't need another e-mail in your in-box, but the weekly communication I get from Verne Harnish, author of Mastering the Rockefeller Habit, is worth it. Register at http://www.gazelles.com. Here's an excerpt from a recent e-mail: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip062.asp I’ve been in sales and marketing almost my entire career and I thought it was just me – selling just seems to have gotten much harder. It’s tough to get in the door and it’s tough to make the sale. We used to get annual marketing budgets – now we get projects. What’s the deal? Mon, 03 Jul 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip061.asp It’s been a busy 2006, as we’ve added numerous clients with very interesting branding and marketing challenges. We are enjoying all of them and find that they are all unique in their opportunities: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip060.asp Effective marketing is not a single activity, but a well choreographed effort that takes planning, consistency, and fortitude to accomplish. There are five big marketing mistakes, according to the authors at “Your Go To Market Resource Center” that many companies make: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip059.asp Want to ring up sales from cold calls? In a recent article, author Stan Rosenzweig offered his irreverent take on sales mistakes. “Here are my top reasons why I might not want to talk to you if you make your next cold call to my phone number (just like everybody else you are trying to get your foot in the door with). If you study these reasons, you can overcome my objections. Mon, 12 Jun 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip058.asp What makes people ready to buy? When does that little light go off in the brain that says, “Yes, I want it.” Research was presented recently at a TEC/Vistage conference I attended that shows that switching on the “buy” button isn’t nearly as complex as we expect. Mon, 22 May 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip057.asp Most companies do not know what their competitive advantage is and why their buyers select them. There are five mistakes that companies make regarding their competitive advantage that, when corrected, will make a huge impact on closing deals, retaining clients and leaving their competitors in the dust. Mon, 01 Apr 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip056.asp More than 75% of manufacturing companies will be increasing their online marketing budgets in 2006, according to an annual survey of industrial marketing executives conducted by Somerset, NJ-based SVM E-Business Solutions. Mon, 01 Apr 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip055.asp It’s a different ball game when you’re selling to the C-level in B2B selling. Chief Executives aren’t impressed with the “bells and whistles” of your product or service. Mon, 24 Apr 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip054.asp If you watch babies play, you can learn a lot about your clients. Researchers found that 10-month-old infants (as reported on Livescience.com) “grasp the names of objects that interest them rather than whatever the speaker thinks is important.” Mon, 17 Apr 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip053.asp Myth #1: Top Academic Grades Equal Top Sales Results Fact: Sales talent is inversely related to school grades. It is easier to teach basic engineering concepts to a sales professional than it is to teach an academic “genius” to sell. Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip052.asp Slogans have long been a key factor in building successful brands and businesses. The most compelling lines, according to author Steve Cone, deliver an electric surge to the buyer – a current that stays in their minds year after year after year – like GE's "We bring good things to life." (Even though GE stopped using that line several years ago, everyone still thinks it's their tagline.) Mon, 03 Apr 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip051.asp Marketing slogans help to build brands and business. Tag lines that are compelling deliver an electric surge to consumers and buyers – a current that is singed into their brains. Mon, 24 Mar 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip050.asp Great Brands are built on specific behaviors. These behaviors are predictable and give the customer a sense of security — knowledge that when you buy a brand you can count on a certain brand experience. Mon, 17 Mar 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip049.asp Great brands are the result of great leadership, great strategies and great execution. In Jim Collin’s insightful book, “Good to Great,” he outlines the qualities of great leaders, what he calls Level-5 Leaders. Mon, 10 Mar 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip048.asp Isabel Isidro is the co-founder and Managing Editor of PowerHomeBiz.com, an online magazine for entrepreneurs. In a recent blog, she says this: Mon, 03 Mar 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip047.asp Lisa Griegel of ThomasNet.com (of Thomas Register origin) is a walking encyclopedia of what’s new on the Net. Here’s what I learned in a meeting with her last week: Mon, 13 Feb 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip046.asp North Star Marketing has gone through a recent re-branding of our own. Our new tagline — “We Build Brands” — says it all. Wed, 01 Feb 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip045.asp We are counting down to the unveiling of our new brand, which will launch via our new web site at 5:00pm on Wednesday, February 2, 2006. Mon, 16 Jan 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip044.asp Our new web site store has just opened, so now you can buy “The CEO’s Little Black Book on Branding” online. Mon, 09 Jan 2006 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip043.asp Advertising is a strategic weapon, but most executives treat it like a tactical one. Let me explain. Mon, 12 Dec 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip042.asp Full speed into the holidays and I can’t help but look at all of the icons and images for this season. So, let’s take a look at a great brand: Santa. Mon, 27 Nov 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip041.asp I frequently hear people suggest, "Let's brand this!"-meaning, "let's find a creative name for this thing," states Kathryn Roy in a recent marketingprofs.com article. Mon, 21 Nov 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip040.asp I frequently hear people suggest, "Let's brand this!"-meaning, "let's find a creative name for this thing," states Kathryn Roy in a recent marketingprofs.com article. Mon, 24 Oct 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip039.asp The recently released book, “The Big Moo: Stop Trying to be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable,” contends that advertising guru’s David Ogilvy’s “big idea” and Bill Bernbach's belief “that not to be different is filely suicidal” doesn’t work in today’s 8 billion channel world. Editor of the book, Seth Godin, points to what he calls “the simple, dumb truth” for success in business today.* Mon, 17 Oct 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip038.asp John Asher has had a stellar sales career. He’s sold over $2 billion worth of business, managed hundreds of sales managers, sales people and sales reps and trained over 12,000 sales people, sales managers and CEOs. Mon, 10 Oct 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip037.asp Organizations with great brands tend to share the following characteristics, according to “Brands and Branding,” a branding overview book recently released. Mon, 03 Oct 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip036.asp In a recent New York Times article, Alan Finder explored the importance of brand names in higher education. Mon, 26 Sep 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip035.asp Do you make these branding mistakes? If so, according to Ed King with “WOW Appeal,” from Atlanta, GA, you’re not alone. In his study of brands, he has found these common problems: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip034.asp In a recent e-mail from Brian Grinonneau, a business consultant with "About," these rules were noted as the foundation for small business success: Mon, 12 Sep 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip033.asp If you want employees who are charged up about your brand and work hard to get consumers involved, you have to grab them by their heartstrings. Mon, 29 Aug 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip032.asp If your employees aren't engaged with your brand, how can you expect your consumer to be? Mon, 22 Aug 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip031.asp Color has a deep emotional pull that can be more powerful than words. Colors lodge in the brain in a deeper way than words or images and can overwhelm us with a variety of emotions and meaning. Mon, 08 Aug 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip030.asp About 90% of the products that children buy or request from parents are chosen by brand or by packaging. Mon, 01 Aug 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip029.asp The look of your brand begins with your logo. This one single icon represents all of the characteristics and attributes of your brand. Mon, 25 Jul 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip028.asp What you call your brand is very important. It immediately signals volumes of information and brand nuances to your buyer about who you are, what kind of business you are and the essence of your brand experience. Mon, 11 Jul 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip027.asp What's the big news about Nike? The stock is up and the company has new "pep in its step," according to a recent Barron's report. Tue, 05 Jul 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip026.asp Second Quarter of 2005 was an extremely active and exciting time at North Star Marketing. We have lots of news for you: Mon, 27 Jun 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip025.asp What exactly is a brand? It's a question that has confounded the academics for decades and eluded the most erudite of scholars. So, coming from the trenches of the real world of branding, we've defined the term and given it a comprehensive meaning. Mon, 20 Jun 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip024.asp If you haven't discovered the wit and wisdom of Jeffrey Gitomer, go to www.gitomer.com and sign up for his weekly e-newsletter. It's worth the read every week. Mon, 13 Jun 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip023.asp Do not miss this latest update on blogs: in the May 2, 2005 issue of Business Week... Mon, 25 Apr 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip022.asp When enough buyers say "No," and they tell you the truth, then you can truly evaluate your sales process. So how do you get the truth and conduct a post-mortem audit? Mon, 18 Apr 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip021.asp So what do you do when the sales team gives you feedback that all of the leads which your latest campaign delivered are all junk? No good. Mon, 11 Apr 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip020.asp Big, small, multiple flavors...Nabisco-owned Oreos hit the jackpot when it started making changes to the familiar chocolate-wafer sandwich with vanilla cream filling, according to a recent report in Harvard Business Review. Mon, 04 Apr 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip019.asp Make e-mail work for you by including a message at the bottom of every e-mail you send. Just a short note that you change every week can drive your message home. Here are some examples: Mon, 28 Mar 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip018.asp You lost every sale because your price was too high? Nah...price is rarely the real reason. But, it's the easy reason to give a sales professional who doesn't press for hard answers. Mon, 21 Mar 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip017.asp B2B buyers of complex, high-dollar sales go through a process that is long and complicated. Multiple decision makers are involved and the selection and evaluation process is extensive. There are three stages that the buyer, or buying committee, typically goes through. And, each stage has its own requirements. Mon, 18 Apr 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip016.asp We had such a great response to our recent e-mail on color that I thought I'd give you more about color. Colors carry specific meanings, so when we use colors in branding, we do so looking to evoke certain responses. Check your logo and material colors against these color meanings: Mon, 07 Apr 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip015.asp In a recent e-mail from Blair Singer, author of Sales Dogs, he tells a story of his son's soccer team and how he helped them turn around a losing streak. Mon, 28 Feb 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip014.asp Colors come and colors go...remember the avocado green refrigerators and the mauve and gray combination corporations fell in love with several decades ago? They're not hot anymore. Mon, 21 Feb 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip013.asp Don't let these myths sabotage your sales and marketing efforts. Throw them out the window and get started with the real work of marketing. Mon, 14 Feb 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip012.asp We all know that it pays to keep trying and be persistent when selling. But it's also easy to give up when we lose sight of our goal. Mon, 07 Feb 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip011.asp Can you name the most valuable brand in the world? Mon, 31 Jan 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip010.asp Can't seem to get anything done lately? It could be because you have too many goals. Mon, 24 Jan 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip009.asp I've been a big fan of Staples for a long time. I always loved going in for Post-It Pads and coming out with the latest gel pens, electronic gadgets and other cool office stuff...But lately my ardor has become a little lackluster. Mon, 01 Jan 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip008.asp Brand loyalty changes brain waves and creates activity in the brain that is now measurable through neuro marketing studies! Mon, 10 Jan 2005 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip007.asp I recently received an e-mail from Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the Guerrilla Marketing books, in which he was talking about how to run a company. I thought I'd share his concepts with you as they apply not only to building a large corporation, but also to building your sales. Mon, 13 Dec 2004 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip006.asp Welcome to the Holiday Season, a time for family, fun and tons of stress! For some marketers (retail), it's a make or break time; for others it's a time of year-end tweaking of plans, finalizing budgets and getting ready to gear up for the new year. Mon, 06 Dec 2004 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip005.asp When we work with clients on differentiation and positioning, we help them define clients that give them the "good money." These are the clients that are willing to pay full value for products and services provided, don't nickel and dime you to death and are customers that you would go to the wall for on deliveries, service and other aspects. They are customers that you want for a lifetime. Mon, 29 Nov 2004 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip004.asp In case you haven't heard, Curves for Women is the fastest growing franchise in the country. Curves is a fitness-based program for women that is achieving record numbers of loyal brand users. Mon, 22 Nov 2004 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip003.asp I recently returned from a San Diego speaking engagement and had a layover in Pittsburgh. I poked my head into an airport bookstore and picked up Carolyn Kepcher's book, "Carolyn 101: Business Lessons from The Apprentice's Straight Shooter." Mon, 15 Nov 2004 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip002.asp I've been getting ready for the golf season - took a lesson, started putting in my living room, been watching the pros every weekend - and I've discovered some lessons for the marketer from the game of golf. Mon, 08 Nov 2004 14:00:00 EST http://www.northstar-m.com/idTip001.asp