Orlov himself has more that 768, 000 ‘likes’ on Facebook and over 200,000 followers on Twitter.  You only have to visit the meerkats at your local zoo to hear people saying ‘Simples’.  He’s even been interviewed on ITV’s ‘Daybreak’ show.

To see how much fun they’ve had with this brand, visit www.comparethemeerkat.com and have a peek into Aleksandr’s life.  It’s a fantastic piece of marketing and shows that you can make money whilst also entertaining your clients and having some fun yourself.

For more details of the super-star himself, check out his monthly comedy podcasts on iTunes or read his autobiography ‘A Simples Life’ which (unsurprisingly) registered more pre-order sales than Tony Blair’s ‘A Journey’.

Congratulations BGL Group and thank you for reminding us how much fun marketing should be.  In a world where there are so many marketing messages pushed at people, we should all strive to be more entertaining and engaging.

Both Next and John Lewis posted great results a couple of months ago but, more recently, Poundland has also returned an increase in their annual profits.  Whilst this paints a confused picture, it seems there may be some patterns:

• Consumers are looking for value, but they only want to buy once.  So, they’re turning to brands such as Next and John Lewis and buying fewer, quality items that they know will last.
• For everyday staple items, such as cleaning products and toiletries, they are seeking out value.  Interestingly, the spokesman for Poundland said they’d seen the largest increase in sales of branded items – so people are still looking for the brands they trust – just at the best prices.
• Whilst people are spending less on meals out, the cinemas have been thriving.  The supermarkets have also been able to adapt to this trend with their ‘Eat in for £10′ offers and sales of the ‘Finest’ ranges within the larger food retailers have been strong.  It seems people are happy to spend a little more and treat themselves at home if they aren’t going out as often.
• There’s also an argument that customers feel slightly guilty for spending money when they perhaps should be saving, or for buying something frivolous when others are struggling.  As a result, it’s expected that promotions may shift to emphasising the ‘deserved treats’.

The key thing to remember is that customers are buying.  Many are better off as a result of the drop in interest rates, so they are spending – it’s just a case of where they’re spending.  And, if they’re not spending with you, perhaps now’s the time to look for some marketing advice.

How times have changed. And for me, they’ve changed for the better.  Customers now have an endless source of information about products they might like to buy.  They can review them on forums and ask their friends about which they’d recommend.  They can ‘Google’ the brand and test how socially aware a company is.  And, ultimately, they have the power to decide who they buy from.

Convenience is king – and the internet has brought that in spades.  It’s changed the way our high streets look and created a whole new raft of brands unheard of 10 years ago.  Most companies now have a large number of competitors; some online and some offline and, unless you’re doing something unusual, it’s very difficult to stand out from the crowd.

Generalist services and companies have given way to niche products and services.  Customers like to know you understand their particular wants and needs and can offer them better customer service.  The plus side is that they’ll then share you with their friends online – provided you make it easy for them to do so.

Kevin Roberts, worldwide CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi said in a recent interview “We’ve moved from an attention economy – where marketing was about interrupting people – to a participation economy, where people want to pass on things they like to a friend”.

What exciting times we live in…We hope you’re taking advantage of those changes in your business.

Sage Hospitality has created such a campaign, and it ticks the marketing and social responsibility boxes.

Their “Give a Day, Get a Night” promotion encourages guests to complete eight hours of voluntary service with a registered not-for-profit organisation in return for a 50% discount on published room rates.  Or, when available, a complimentary booking.

Brilliant – offering a discount without devaluing the brand.  Well done Sage Hospitality.

Nokia cleverly manufactured all their phones with a single ring tone – which most people didn’t change (possibly because they either didn’t know how to, or couldn’t be bothered).  As a result, the tune has become an integral part of the digital world we live in.  And it promotes the Nokia brand every time it’s heard.  It’s fantastic marketing.

Other pieces of music which have been used in marketing and have become an integral part of the brand include the Hamlet and Hovis tunes.  Apple have also used music to great effect in their adverts; many of the tunes having since become top 40 hits.

Appealing to the senses in this way makes perfect ‘sense’; particularly if you can match the music to your audience, as the brands in the previous examples have shown.  For example, if you have a retail shop or restaurant, what music would your audience typically want to listen to – is that what you’re playing in the environment where customers buy?  The supermarkets are experts at sensory marketing – next time you have a wander round, listen to their choice of music and see if you can tell who they’re targeting.

We were so intrigued, we ‘googled’ Dakota when we got home and realised it was a very elegant hotel chain.  Upon seeing the website, we vowed to visit when we had reason to.

Since that time, we’ve told so many people about the building and the hotel that we’ve been promoting them without ever having visited.  We’ve heard stories from other people who’ve been and they have supported the brand.  We’ve been told that David Coulthard is apparently involved and the picture has slowly filled out.

Yesterday, I booked two nights in Dakota over Christmas and then the real test will begin.  Will it live up to the expectations that now surround it, after all the brand-building that has gone before?

This is a real story of marketing in action.  It shows buyer behaviour which is very typical and it all began because their building has been incredibly well designed – and that’s backed up with a great website.

Is your building working hard to market you?

Top Tips for Making the Most of your Corporate Signage:

1. Tell people who you are
2. Tell people what you do
3. Tell people why you’re good
4. Give them a way to contact you
5. Give them a call to action
6. Locate it where it can be seen by the most people
7. Illuminate it, so people can see it at night
8. Use your corporate colours to great effect
9. Ensure it matches your other branding
10. Use a professional

Your sign may be the first point of contact between you and a new prospect.  It’s a perfect opportunity to create an impression of your business, so don’t leave it to chance.  Have your signage professionally designed – by someone who understands both design and signmaking, so they can advise you on the best brand design as well as the best materials to achieve the look you’re aiming for.

Logos and straplines conjure up all kinds of images in our minds.  If I mention ‘Mercedes’, your mind will already be thinking about your perceptions of the brand; it’s culture, typical customers, strengths and weaknesses etc.  But, all a brand is is a collection of lines and colours and sometimes letters or words.  Don’t you think it’s strange how much we read into something so simple.

Brands are often seen as something that’s only important to big companies, but, do you not think that people who see your logo make up their minds about your company from the outset?

This follows on from our discussions of first impressions from last week.  For many of us, our website or shop window may have to make the first impression on our behalf.  We may not ever get to the stage of meeting that prospect, because they may be turned off before they make the initial contact.

So can you afford to ignore branding and the messages it sends to your prospects?

Below are the primary colours and the impact they have on most people:

Blue

Calming and encourages efficiency and reflection.  It’s also the colour of communication.  (Allegedly, people wearing blue suits out-sell those who wear black.)

Red

Warms, stimulates and energises.  It can make you feel powerful and strong and is great for creating energy.

Green

Designed for calming, rest and recuperation (Green is often used in private hospitals and psychiatric units).  It helps you restore and refresh your spirit.

Other colours have meanings and moods attached to them as well.  And the meaning of different colours changes with culture, so get to know your target audience well and ensure you don’t make any faux pas in your marketing.

Trust is a vital component in any sale; particularly a long-term purchase or with intangible purchases (like a service you can’t touch or hold in your hand).  But many business owners overlook its importance, or fail to take the time for customers to build trust and get to know the sales person.

They say it takes on average seven points of contact before someone will buy from you – and credibility is the reason why.  If people don’t trust you first, they’re unlikely to part with any money.

So, how can you build trust or credibility? Our top five tips are as follows…

1. Have a clear brand, through signage, business cards, telephone numbers etc.  People are happier with landline numbers that are local, rather than PO box numbers and mobiles.  And they like to know who they’re dealing with, so keep things simple and clear.
2. Ease of contact – is your telephone number easy to find on your literature and website?  Do you encourage people to call you and make it easy for them to do so?
3. Stick to your promises – if you say you’ll call back, call back.  As and when you promised.
4. Provide testimonials – let your customers see what other people say about you.  That’s far more convincing than any sales pitch.
5. Give something away for free – with services, it’s great if you can offer a tip or a piece of advice for free, especially if it proves you are great at your job.  If it’s products, offer a guarantee – put your money where your mouth is if your products are fantastic, instead of asking the customer to take all the risk.  You’ll be surprised how powerful it is.

When you take the time to build trust with your customers, they’ll reward you by referring you to other people and put their reputation on the line based on their relationship with you.

And, then you’re on your way to the third and final step…Profitability (see Monday’s blog for more…)