Mid-Missouri Marketing Resource Blog

“Call 1-800 steemer… Stanley Steemer gets carpet cleaner!”

“Give me a break, give me a break, break me off a piece of that... Kitkat bar!”

“Like a good neighbor… State Farm is there!” 

(We are willing to bet you just sang those catchy jingles while reading them…)

Some may say that nothing can drive an advertising message like a catchy jingle. We like to think of jingles as an important part of your “audio signature.” Whether your listeners love it or hate it, a good jingle will relate your brand name with a concept, idea, or promotion. While many people believe that jingles are outdated, we disagree. In fact, one recent study found that 89 percent of participants believed jingles to be an effective method of advertising.

So, does your business need a jingle? Here are three reasons why your answer should be yes:

You've probably heard the phrase "print is dead." Given the surge in increased digital usage, current trends in print readership seem to support that statement. However, while magazine is a printed medium, it is not considered "print" in the journalistic sense of the word. The word "print" refers to the world of newspapers, while magazine is a different beast. There are those who prophesied the decline of magazine in the face of its digital counterparts, however, recent data reveals that prediction to have been false. Magazine readership continues to grow.  Online readership has served to enhance, not replace, our favorite magazines. There's absolutely no indication that magazine readership is doing anything but increasing. In fact, many newspapers created magazines as a last-ditch effort to bring in additional revenue. Magazines remain to be a powerful branding strategy and a lucrative form of advertising…if utilized correctly. Here’s how to build your brand using magazine advertising:

On this day dedicated to love, why not consider how to get your customers to fall in love with your business? Just as in a romantic relationship, the relationship built between your business and your customers is one of value and loyalty. This loyalty often leads your customers to care more than passively about the development, furtherance and overall success of your business. This term is what we like to call ownership. Ownership exists in a sphere above customer loyalty and is closer to an actual relationship than a mere customer/business interaction (but not in a weird way). To encourage your customers to move from passive to loyal and then to ownership by “romancing them” follow the tips listed below:

Most business owners love the idea of giving to charity, in theory at least. But oftentimes businesses are strapped for cash, limited on staff and short on time. Running a business often takes priority over charitable contributions.  Yet many remain committed to giving back, even making it part of their company core values. Have you ever wondered how supporting a charity can benefit your business? Corporate volunteerism and donations  to charity don’t have to be a zero-sum game, and being involved can have a far-reaching positive impact.

Did you know that there is a link between weather and your mood? Which, ultimately will affect your purchasing decisions. Researchers are calling it weather-based marketing. But, for those of us who work in sales, you are aware of this already. When winter hits, leads and revenue tend to turn into an icy slowdown. The question is, how do you keep sales hot through the colder months and increase revenue? Find out below with these five tips.

The winter freeze seems to come earlier every year. With the colder temperatures, everyday responsibilities that are a breeze in warmer months become more taxing during winter: whether it’s thawing your car windshield, making the commute to work in stalled traffic or staying alert during the early evening sunset, it takes a little extra time to complete simple tasks when it’s cold outside. Business tends to stall as well: unless your industry can rely on consistent holiday business, you will likely see less traffic during the fourth quarter. With this ebb in the professional world it can be easy to get discouraged. Rather than remain stagnant or fall behind, we recommend considering this an opportunity to get creative with your time. Check out our three ways to stay motivated during the winter months below!

Bookended between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s safe to say that Small Business Saturday runs an extreme risk of being completely overshadowed. Is this shopping holiday truly effective for our country’s valued small businesses?

If you haven’t started the process of reviewing this last year’s ROI and defining company goals for the next year, you soon will be. That process typically involves budget discussions and often the marketing budget is up for debate. Additionally, most marketing contracts are up for renewal toward the end of the year. Business owners and marketing professionals wrestle over whether or not to leave the marketing budget the same, increase it or even cut it back. To guide that discussion, we’ve identified the following important considerations to help you make the most of your advertising investment in the coming year.

A MOMENT OF TRUTH

Jan Carlzon, who is an author and marketing professional admired in the industry, explains that “any time a customer comes into contact with any aspect of your business, however remote, they have an opportunity to form an impression.” This means every interaction and/or contact you have between yourself and your customers will leave an impression, which is explained by Carlzon as simply the “moment of truth.”