Business Attitude: 2016

July 12, 2016

Selling Real Estate - Make More $$ by Reducing your Cost of Customer Aquisition.

"Cost of Customer Acquisition" (CoCA) is an important metric no matter what business you are in. In real estate, where selling could be considered 100% of the time spent, CoCA, and reducing it, is the metric.

There are two very important things to know here:

1st - Reducing the CoCA is NOT about reducing costs, its about increating the number of customers with the same dollar.
2nd - There is no "right" method of calculating CoCA; choose one of my suggestions from previos blogs (or from this blog) and run with it. The important thing to remember is not to change the way you calculate this metric - It's not the number itself that has meaning, it is the movement of that number over time.

There are many different methods and scenarios to consider and calculate CoCA.

In the case of real estate agents, take all of the out-of-pocket (OOP) costs you have in a year (or any other time frame) and add it to the amount you want to make - your desired income. Then divide it by your new customers (or projected new customers); the result being your Cost of Customer Acquisition - Keep it that simple - KISS it.

Simple Example: I want to make $95K/yr and I have $5K in miscellaneous OOP expenses totaling $100K in expenses (your salary is an expense to the business even if it is just you). Take that total and divide it by your new customers - let's say 100 new customers - cost of customer acquisition - $1000. Being a real estate agent, where I may make $5K-$6K per sale (or more) - that a pretty healthy return - I'll take 600% all day long.

Whether your an agent or a broker - know this metric, and measure it in any way you want - just do it the same way every time - be consistant.

One of the ways we are testing CoCA, in an attempt to reduce it, is to increase the number of leads, and thus customers, by doing some dense marketing around both "SOLD" properties and around "Open Houses". We are using multiple methods, some traditional and some unique to Dense Market, We will not only test our dense marketing for CoCA but will also test Diminishing Returns, another important metric not covered in this blog..

If you would like a copy of our findings and results, email me at rleonard@LightsOnGraphics.com - They should be available by October 1, 2016. Only the first 100 will be provided at no cost. Follow me on Twitter for progress reports @T4Leonard.

Quote: "Costs in Marketing should NEVER be about cost; it IS about diminishing returns on the next marketing dollar spent" ~rel

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)
512-593-8830 (in Austin)

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June 18, 2016

Why People Smoke . . . Or Better Said, Why Do People Smoke?

First, let me apologize to my friends that smoke.

This is not meant to be offensive or insulting to anyone,

especially those close to me in any way.

I so rarely rant and this is so not my subject, but I got up this morning smelling cigarette smoke in my bedroom - the stink was terrible. At first, I wondered where it was coming from - then I realized - my clothes - OMG. I was a half-hour in a Florida bar talking to someone the night before - I must have been a magnet for the smoke in the air. Now let me clarify, I don't mind people smoking around me - I just don't remember the after aroma in my younger years. This, all by itself, would have caused me to stop smoking if I did - instantly.

I am obviously missing the good that comes from smoking

as people still do it. People do it in spite of:

COST - Can people really enjoy something that much - approaching $10/pack - it adds up to a small car payment.
Skin Discoloration - Look at a 55 year old life-long smoker's skin - is that something to aspire to?
Shortness of Breath - Watch people in the grocery store - the 50 year old who has to catch their breath at the end of every isle.

Smoking must have a "really good"

that people will continue to smoke in spite of the consequences.

Eye Discoloration - Compare two 45 year old people - One a heavy smoker - one who does not. Is off color yellow the new white?
Teeth Discoloration - OK, so I drink some coffee - imagine if I smoked to? My coffee drinking does not make your teeth yellow or you stink.

Smoking must have a "really really good"

that I have just don't get.

It's will take away from your quality of life it later years - forget that it shortens it.

Smoking must have a "really really really good"

for people to smoke in spite of all this.

You Stink - in too many ways. Do some people like that - Do some people like it so much that they feel compelled to share the fragrance.

Just never got it . . .

Ever kissed a heavy smoker - To quote Forrest Gump, "She taste like cigarettes" - are there people who like that? First three important things I notice about people - eyes, teeth and smell.

I am so out of touch - I missed something in life.

"Oh, I smoke only when I drink". - OK, there might be hidden meaning here - but I still don't get it.
"It's my stress relief" - Is it? or is it something to do when you escape.

Sorry for being judgmental this morning.

I feel like Louis C.K. (you have to be a SNL addict to understand).

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)
512-593-8830 (in Austin)

May 8, 2016

Find Where Data Is Hiding - Guest Blogger Kelly Mank

Think you don’t have enough data to drive personalized print marketing programs? To boost your targeting and personalization efforts, maybe you need to invest in data gathering or purchasing third-party list. Or maybe — just maybe — you have more data than you think.

Let’s look at some of the many types of data that can get overlooked.
•    Transactional Data. This includes both brick-and-mortar and from the online store.
•    Submissions through Web Contact Forms.
•    Customer Care (found in your CRM system)
•    Business Reply Cards. Too often, your BRCs are left at the fulfillment house and the valuable information that can be obtained from them is left unused.
•    SMS/Cell Phone Marketing Contacts. If you have a standalone system, get that information out of your text marketing solution and back into your CRM.
•    Responses to e-mail Campaigns. Like text messaging, these data need to get back into your marketing database so what you learn through email contacts can be integrated into your direct mail and other channels, too.
•    Trade Shows / Events. Get those “card swipe” responses back into your system after post-show follow-up!
•    Customer and Prospect Surveys.

Aggregating the data from these disparate sources will give you a more well-rounded picture of your customers and target audience. This data can be cleaned up, de-duped, and filled in if necessary so that you can use it to create more relevant communications and drive sales.

If you need help locating or integrating data from all of these disparate sources, give us a call. We can help!

Kelly Mank
President, Time4 Printing

Kelly@Time4Printing.com

Google+ - Time4Printing
LindedIn - www.linkedin.com/in/KellyMank
Twitter - www.twitter.com/Time4Printing

May 2, 2016

The Media(s) of 2016 Were Well Predicted Back in 2004's "Epic 2014".

Loved the EPIC videos from the early 2000s. It really was an amazing media predictions from 2004; The companies may not be named (because they did not exist yet), but the occurrences are uncanny. Careful with the timeline as it goes from history to future(fiction) in 2004.

Maybe this explains why our media leans so far, while our opinions tend to be more issue oriented and finally, our politicians (many) fall into the center actually afraid to make a mistake, thus avoiding making decisions that get things done.

Bottom line, I believe today's media, when taken in balance, makes (the) US more informed decision makers. The key is, like in life, balance...

Watch this video; "Epic 2014" ... It's eery.

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)
512-593-8830 (in Austin)

April 28, 2016

Doing Social with Today's Tools the "Old Fashioned Way". What Did We Do Before _______?

The media world has changed drastically in the last 10 years with new players (and tools) changing the way it 'was always done'. Old players have died with more death coming - just like dinosaurs - not having the ability to adapt.

Don't let the word technology scare you - its not - it's just product, process. Here are a few of the more popular social medias and some analogous comparisons. Hopefully this will help you evolve if you have not already.

Facebook: A deeper and broader collection of news, friend's thoughts, activities, information and entertainment; but also containing trivia, much of it untrue, narrow, shallow and sensationalized. It's organized to your specific interest and in no other way. The collection appears unorganized and impersonalized to any other reader except the owner and creator of the 'feed'. It is your newspaper, television and gossip sheet rolled into one - organized just for you and by you.

Twitter: Thoughts, sayings and gestures with controls and limits in time and size - In business it may be the equivalent of an elevator pitch. It's 140 characters - short, concise and exacting' "Look over there", "read this", and "have you seen this". Twitter, in a social world, is nothing more than walking down the street talking to everyone.

Pinterest: The personal catalogs of everything. Any grouping of anything in anyway can be grouped together in any way you desire, including your stuff as well as anyone's stuff. Example: I take pictures of my flowers in my garden every year and then group them together by type. Other pictures, belonging to anyone / everyone else, that I choose to catalog within my personal catalog I do so as well. And, anyone else can "Pin" your pictures into their catalog.

Instagram: The Polaroid of social media, designed and intended to be the 'instant share of now'. Take a picture and share it - as the name implies "Insta...". "Look who I am sitting next to".

And there are more.... Each of these products have fits for both personal and business - if you have never . . . LEARN - but when you do learn, understand that they can be addictive. Don't forget to go outside and be social too - Shake Hands, Hug and Kiss...

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)
512-593-8830 (in Austin)

March 23, 2016

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Your Needs and the Flavor Choices

SEO is one of those abstract needs where the return is difficult to quantify, but we know we need to do it because that's what everybody says (?#?#).

Here is my bottom line on this - if you have a need, learn to do it as the return is high (assuming you have the need). The cost of good SEO is also high and since it is very much abstract, you want to know you are getting what you pay for. Watch out for the snake oil salespeople - they are on every corner in every town.

SEO comes in many flavors and levels.

The first, and least expensive, is that tuneup you may hear about frequently ($149 - $499). My opinion on this - if your website was built correctly in the first place it is already done. If you are being sold this, you probably don't need it. But then again, its 500 bucks - it may be worth getting someone elses opinion. You will hear people say things like relevant page name, page titles, page descriptions, meta tags, keywords, backlinks and search engine submissions at this level.

The next level comes from those service providers who do monthly SEO service - it's kind of like getting maid service for the first time - a start-up fee (like $499) and then a monthly fee of anywhere from $39 - $199 per month. Here we begin to move in the right direction as SEO is not a snapshot, but a process. Regretfully, customers rarely see a return fast enough and terminate the service as this becomes apparent. When this group is selling you, you will hear all the same words from the previous paragraph plus "content" and "relevance"...

Finally, for those people who can actually benefit (financially speaking) - learn to do SEO as the process (yes, a process) needs to be continuously worked. Think of it like marketing - it's not something you do once. Add to that, people who know what they are doing with SEO are either doing something themselves or charge BIG $$. Test your need with PPC (Pay-Per-Click (or CPC - Cost-Per-Click); it is not abstract. If PPC provides a return, so will SEO and you will want to do BOTH - this, is not an either/or.

Finally, Finally :) there is Pro-active SEO; Read more about it in my article The Importance of Tweeting in Your SEO Plan.

Good SEO is like a good salesperson - they (you) live it.

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)
512-593-8830 (in Austin)

March 16, 2016

Get Your Timing Right!

How critical is the timing for direct mail campaigns? Hitting the right window can make the difference between recipients saying, “That’s me!” and the piece being rejected out of hand. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in this tale of two campaigns.

Here are the similarities between Company A and Company B:

•    Both sell snow-clearing services to businesses, schools, and other professional organizations.
•    Both use free ice melt as an incentive to grab attention and encourage responses to their marketing messages.
•    Both mailed short-run targeted postcards to facilities directors and operations managers in their local areas.
•    Both used a clean list, with updated names and addresses.

Here is where the campaigns differed:
Company A sent its direct mailer in November. This mailer landed on recipients’ desks in the start of the snowy season. Company B sent its mailer in July. This mailer dropped in the heat of the summer months before most people even think about the first snowflake beginning to fly.

Which company got the timing right? Company B—the one that sent its mailer in the summer. Among facilities and operations managers, decisions regarding snow clearing are made in July and August, well in advance of the cold weather.

To the average person, a direct mailer sporting ice-covered trees and automobiles encapsulated in snow drifts might seem out of place and totally ill-timed in the heat of the summer. But to the target audience, the message was loud and clear: this company knows my business.

How well do you know your target audience?

February 22, 2016

What MakesTwitter Such a Great Tool - Making Us All BetterCommunicators - Marketing 101T

Twitter at 140

Tweet World - Twitter teaches us to be more concise in our statements as we only have 140 characters to make our pitch.
Real World - This is not a new thought - 35 years ago I used to practice elevator speeches - yes speeches. We had to know when we could repeat our favorite, when we had to use a new / different one, and how to keep it short enough that we could always include a link ( Hand shake, say your name (introduce yourself ) and hand them a card) - Ahhh, let's call that a oldern days tweet.

Repeating Tweet

Tweet World - When you find a good tweet, repeat it, maybe as much as every couple days. Every time you tweet, your audience is only about 3% of your followers (my estimate). That being the case, you can repeat your tweet 33 times without repeating it to the same audience.

Real World - Sometimes, people need to hear your pitch multiple times for it to sink in. This is no different than using the same sales pitch to different people at trade shows, sales calls and even over the phone - It's called following the script.

Understanding the Impact of Individual Tweets

Today, we can measure the impact of our tweets instantly allowing us to test more frequently, more broadly and more accurately with less subjective inclusion. This same need has always existed, but the online and social tools did not as they do today.

The key 'take-away' here is that the same data, information and techniques have always been needed, we just use different (and better) tools today. Old marketers / sellers need to adopt; new marketers / sellers need to learn why - "Knowing why we do something is what allows us to adapt" ~rel.

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)
512-593-8830 (in Austin)

February 17, 2016

“Live Free or Die” – it’s for more than NHites now – it’s about all of us – Talk to us…

Written for Published in Print Exclusively In the Windham Eagle, Windham, Maine - February 19, 2016

On Wednesday of this week, Apple CEO took an intended stand on privacy. They built the iPhone (current versions I believe) with no back door. Tim Cook’s product design foresight to protect privacy is going to change the way we think and how we interact with our government and how our government interacts with us – Rather than give you our opinion, what is your opinion?

Designing the iPhone with no back door prevents anyone from getting your data – Ever. It self-erases if you guess the password too many times.

Good thing or bad thing?

Express Your Opinion on our Facebook page

www.facebook.com/TheWindhamEagle

On a second note - We all hear the talking going on in the Republican Party. When I went through my media training (about 15 years ago) I was told to “… Have a thick skin…” and “as long as they are talking about you, you are winning”. Do you agree? What do you think of what’s going on? Remember, ”All Politics is Local”. Even here in the Lakes Region of Maine. I don’t make up these clichés.

Express Your Opinion on our Facebook page

www.face boo k.com/TheWindhamEagle

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)

February 16, 2016

Why There Will Always Be Salespeople - Listening, Translating and Educating

First, let me open and say that marketing is an imperfect science - imperfect in that marketing never gets it right. New ingredients are added to the marketing mix all the time - the objective of marketing is to educate the buyer so to make the sale simpler - but it's a moving target - it's in the salesman's skill set to adjust the aim.

Salesperson

Without the salesperson, who would tell the prospect how their product fits the prospect's need (I think I took this, at least in context from something Steve Jobs once said).

It's the salesperson that educates / translates / explains to the prospect that their product is exactly what they are looking for. In the printing business we see it almost every day; I will introduce myself as part of a local printing company and that we can print "anything"; the person I just introduced myself to will then ask someone else "do you know anyone who does brochures" ???? The prospect did not need "anything" printed, they needed brochures ???? See the problem?

When I was in the systems business (systems integrator) I would never try to explain what we did as it was to complex. I would ask the prospects why they were attending this conference / trade show.(if they were) The prospects would describe in detail what he needed - abracadabra - my response- "That is exactly what we do..!!! What the prospect needed - from the prospects eyes.

I guess we could call this a lesson in listening - Don't bore the prospect with what you do; repeat back to them what they want - You must listen first and then tell the story.

A Wrapped Filing Cabinet

So what brings this whole thing up? I was talking to a prospect who was describing how he wanted his file cabinets custom painted to reflect what their business did (I'm listening). I suggested he wrap them (kinda like we do vehicles - you see the similarity, vehicles and file cabinets :/ ). Better, more damage/scratch resistant, easy to clean and much less expensive. Best of all, I had one in the office to show him. Who da thunk... He would have never knocked on my door for this.

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)
512-593-8830 (in Austin)

February 5, 2016

The Speed of News in Today's World of Trending Information - Civic Journalism Defined

I am amazed more everyday by the speed of news - I keep a Twitter window open on my browser to glance at every now and then - TriBeCa was trending this morning (quickly moving up) - a crane had just (minutes ago) collapsed in NYC - scary . . . I am just amazed at how different the news distribution business has changed in the last 10 years. Not that you should watch it, nor that it should be important to you - but it is to many people there.

Citizen and civic journalism has been defined - not by its quality, but its speed.

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)
512-593-8830 (in Austin)

January 23, 2016

Governor LePage --- Make Maine Cool - - A Windham Eagle Op-Ed

Written for Published in Print Exclusively In the Windham Eagle, Windham Maine - January 22, 2016

Governor LePage was in Windham Tuesday night speaking and almost sounding like he was giving a State of the State address.

Of course I don't agree with everything he says, but then again, it would be a boring world if I did.

We heard a lot of statistics from Governor LePage; statistics that were probably very accurate, but presented in such a way to embellish the benefit or the problem. Don’t get me wrong, I embellish, you embellish, and we all embellish to defend our beliefs. What Governor LePage is, is honest - to a fault - "Tell me what you really think Governor", said by NO ONE. We will have to work on some of those issues where we disagree.

I like Governor LePage because I know He reads his mail - he proved that to me last night.

But let’s expand on what I think will solve all our problems (after all, this is an editorial). Problems that both political parties spout and I am pretty sure both parties will agree. Keep the best and the brightest here in Maine. Do this by "Making Maine Cool".

Someone needs to market to big business and bring them to Maine – That’s a great thing for small business as big business creates a lot of supporting small business. Prime the pump - seed the farm – market Maine – Get to the executives before they make their decisions - That is YOUR JOB Mr. Governor. That means marketing and selling, yes selling, to them all the time. It is in my belief that every CEO in this country will take your call and meet with you - I can’t imagine anyone not taking your call – not taking your meeting.

Our brightest are not flocking to Texas because of the better paying jobs - Just the opposite, jobs are lower paying – It is not about pay - there are just a lot of jobs. California, most notably is losing jobs to Austin - where the slogan is "Keep Austin Weird." Austin is an exciting vibrant city – It’s cool.

I heard someone say Tuesday night that “… greater Portland area Democrats are doing everything they can to turn Maine into San Francisco East …" - wouldn't it be a great thing if people, when referring to the High-Tech Bay Area were talking about CASCO BAY?

Governor LePage, listen to us - Let's Make Maine Cool

Do you want to bring business to Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to create jobs in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to lower taxes in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to reduce crime in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to keep our smart people in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to keep our young people in Maine? - Make Maine Cool.

Do you want to make Maine Cool? - Make Maine Fun.

When we are done Making Maine Cool, we can change this saying to Keep Maine Cool. Governor LePage, are you listening?

January 13, 2016

My Three Economic Predictions for Business 2016 - 2020 - My Crystal Ball

Published in Print Exclusively In the Windham Eagle, Windham Maine - January 15, 2016

Prediction One - Business to itself will flourish and grow over the next five years going from good to great. The markets, which have been growing slowly over the last few years, will continue to grow except that they will be accelerating. For the last five years we have been in a "replacement" market. This market has become the norm for our society today. We, in general, have not been buying products because we wanted them, but because we needed them - "our old one broke down". In the next five years, business and market growth will accelerate as there is a pent up demand for the "I Wants" rather than "I Needs". This points to good times.

Prediction Two - Financial instrument marketers will become more aggressive with the offering of more aggressive products. Aggressive investment capital was stifled for several years for two reasons, the media told us of impending doom and the investment / tax rules were in flux - we like to invest where we know the rules. Today, there is still huge pent up capital "waiting on the sidelines", but looking, for a place to flow. In the next 5 years it will flow, possibly like it has never flowed in the past and probably not peaking for 20 years - yes, a twenty year boom. This points to good times.

Prediction Three - Business and life are being redefined by our dreams and desires. In the past, it has always been about security and consistency, which came with stress and vulnerability. We will see more people stepping out (even if they are forced out) taking on the world satisfying their own entrepreneurial desires and wants setting their own destinies. This will create jobs, wealth, and be a major part of our future and the economy. This points to good times.

So where are all these opportunities - examples please?

Convenience Services

Landscaping
Food Prep and Delivery
Child Care

Financial Services

More people today are at least concerned about their future

Specialty Manufacturing.

Anything that can be made and shipped inexpensively and/or regonally There are even boutique steel manufactures

Entrepreneurism will not only be the future, but the thing to be.

"A True Entrepreneur does not think they can, they just don't know why they can't" ~rel

Bob Leonard
561-371-4113 (Call My Cell)
512-593-8830 (in Austin)