S&M slashes – right or wrong?
Before I go any further, I’d better clarify that by S&M I mean sales & marketing. While the morals of sado-masochism might be a rather diverting topic, it’s not one within the realms of my experience.
Every few days we receive (often conflicting) messages from the media about the current economic climate and the outlook for months and years to come. I won’t let myself get drawn into the role the TV and newspapers are playing in magnifying and prolonging the situation. Instead I’m going to talk about the all-too frequent corporate response – slashing budgets and very often staff numbers in the sales & marketing departments.
You can see why they think it makes sense. Savings on outgoings and reduced overheards. Instant savings at a time when nobody’s buying.
Hmm. Nobody buying. Is that true? Certainly some industries have seen vast slumps in sales: the car and building industries to name a couple. But most consumers are still buying, they’ve just become more cautious and started shopping around and spending less. Which means there’s still a pot of money out there to grab a share of; it’s just that the markets have become yet more competitive.
And as for B2B, well, the same applies. Spending might be reined in, but ultimately every business needs certain products and services in order to function. Again, smaller pot, more competitive market.
Now what’s the best way to make sure your company gets its hands on some of the cash that is being spent? Er…pretty much the same way as always: sales and marketing. Except more so, because the pot’s smaller and it’s being guarded more closely.
Presumably if you freeze advertising budgets, cut marketing activity and lay off sales staff you’re going to be relying rather heavily on luck to maintain income. Not something you’d be anxious to include in a business plan: “Our five-year strategy is heavily focused on an intense and carefully co-ordinated combination of crossing our fingers, praying to assorted deities and twiddling our thumbs nervously.”
It might seem counter-intuitive to assign more cash to sales & marketing when times are tough, but it means not only are you increasing your chances of beating your competition, but you’re better equipped as the economy recovers.
If you’ve laid off half your sales staff, how do you handle demand as it increases? By recruiting more staff, which costs time and money. Instead a company could look at avoiding excessive redundancies by offering short-term reductions in basic salary, or commission-only salaries as an alternative. Either way a company should make every effort to support staff in looking for more stable roles as they work. That would mean living the corporate social responsibility policy, but potentially reaping a great financial benefit as well as countering negative PR.
Get your sales & marketing staff embracing social media, or engage a freelance copywriter or social media specialist to work with the teams, and the distance between you and your competitors could be even greater.
But to use a cliché beloved of my AO Level French teacher, perhaps I’m preaching to the converted. Perhaps it’s your seniors, or the Board that’s the problem. Read the article Is your board damaging your brand? to find out more…
In: advertising, corporate communications, marketing · Tagged with: advertising, copywriting, CSR (corporate social responsibility), internet marketing, marketing
Franchising guidebook published
Basil Plews‘ book The Franchise Way has now been published and is available to buy. All budding business owners take note…
My role in the production of Basil Plews’ book The Franchise Way was as freelance copy editor and proofreader.
Basil approached me because the original print house he was dealing with claimed to have proofread his book, but when he got it back there were more errors than before… Now that’s got to be dispiriting.
Proofreading turned into copy editing, as I can seldom hold back if I think there’s room for an improving tweak, but the bulk of the book is Basil’s insight into the franchising world. Enough to give a chap ideas.
In: news · Tagged with: copy editing news, proofreading news
Is your Board damaging your brand?
I hope you’re reading that headline disbelievingly, aghast at the very notion. But I know a good few people who’ll be nodding in recognition and sighing wearily.
There are a lot of firms out there run by Boards without representation from the ‘business’ side of the business; particularly in more traditional industries. So very often marketing, public relations, comms, sales, IT and so on are viewed really as a necessary evil. We need them, we wish we didn’t need them, and really we know best anyway.
If you’re involved in company branding, whether your function be corporate communications, public relations or marketing, I’d like to think you value the role you play. You’ve spent years honing your skills, gaining qualifications, perhaps even pursuing your passion in your spare time. Sure, it’s your career, and for your benefit, but the primary way of applying your expertise is for your company. Loving your company helps, but if you’re a pro, you do your best regardless.
And then your ideas and recommendations get scuppered or ignored. You’ve made a fool-proof case, undertaken endless research, spent valuable department resources… Only to get the dreaded ‘no’. Worse still, decisions are being made without your input or your expert advice is ignored. Perhaps you’ve even got a department head who’s, to put it politely, rather behind the times.
Ouch. It’s the sort of situation that can put your stress levels through the roof, stop you sleeping, affect personal relationships and damage your self-esteem and even professional image among colleagues. The company of course isn’t just suffering the results of ill-informed and often over-cautious decision making; it’s alienating its staff.
Recognise this? Your Board is damaging your brand.
The big question, and one I fear without an easy answer, is ‘how does one address this?’
The shortest answer I can give is: evidence.
That includes meaningful statistics, relevant case studies and proposals that answer every conceivable question or objection. And keep it jargon-free. People are suspicious of and turned off by abbreviations like ROI, no matter how important the actual concept might be. Recognise that if your Board is reluctant to relinquish control, or trust your decisions, they’re unlikely to be swayed by buzzwords and trends. Link every suggestion you make to sound marketing strategy.
And if you’re one of those unfortunate people whose line manager or director is the kind to take the credit for your ideas (and we ALL know they exist), then keep a dated digital and printed copy of everything you do. Copy people in to emails you send – in the spirit of teamwork you understand… Copy yourself in. And if you think your manager is blocking you…don’t be afraid of a little honest deviousness. Nope, not the oxymoron it sounds. Subtly lace your work with your identity; solicit opinion on your ideas from respected colleagues outside the department. Make sure the right people know who’s making the suggestions and indeed the headway.
I’d consider creating, and possibly in your own time so that no accusations of time-wasting can be levelled at you, what could be called a personal newsletter. At first it’s a diary of your activities, your thoughts and ideas, your research and observations and of course your recommendations. Tie a month’s activity together and you have a newsletter. Incorporate the activities of the wider department and it’ll look less like bragging, and if distributed effectively can enhance the understanding and appreciation of your value to the company, its staff and of course its Board.
You’re in a tricky position, but it’s a fight worth having the stomach for.
In: brand, corporate communications, internet marketing, marketing, public relations · Tagged with: brand, corporate communications, corporate identity, internet marketing, marketing, public relations
Direct marketing – long copy v short copy
From time to time, as a freelance copywriter, you take a look at the websites and portfolios of other freelance writers. It’s part research, part curiosity, and ends up either ego-boosting or ego-bashing. You’re never quite sure which until you get there.
Sometimes you’re prompted by an article. I was notified of a Q&A session on LinkedIn concerning direct marketing. The question solicited opinion on how effective long copy is against short copy. Opinion, by and large, rejected long copy on a personal level but acknowledged that the received wisdom is that it ‘works’. All the statistics I’ve seen imply that this is true.
I personally, while more than capable of writing at length, don’t like reams of sales or marketing material. Just the sight of a page where I can see I’ll have to scroll indefinitely is enough to hit the tiny X at the top right of the page.
What’s more, most of the proponents of long copy in direct marketing appear that I’ve come across seem to be American. Perhaps in my eyes even the British practitioners’ websites take on that US image.
So, long copy is a turn-off for me, but I’m intrigued to know what others think. Forget the received wisdom – I’m looking at personal responses here – does long copy direct marketing get you buying, or do you break out in hives and move on?
In: advertising, copywriting, internet marketing, marketing · Tagged with: advertising, copywriting, direct marketing, internet marketing, long copy, marketing, short copy
Why create the copywriter’s blog?
For some time I fought against the advice coming from various quarters to create a copywriting blog. The number of blogs littering the web seemed so enormous that my instinctive don’t-follow-the-herd attitude went into overdrive.
But then I came up with my Small Change charity concept, which really demanded a blog. Writing in my natural voice as opposed to the various styles required for project-driven copywriting was a breath of fresh air.
I didn’t want to create something that would become a bind or a drain on my time and neither did I want to generate so much copy that any readership disappeared as quickly as it arrived.
So…an occasional article, when I feel the urge, related to the fields of copywriting, copy editing and proofreading. I’ll discuss everything from articles to website content, style guides to substance over style.
And just because I’ve worked with and for some wise and wonderful people, authorities in their respective fields, the copywriter’s blog may from time to time feature articles from guest bloggers; topics to include branding, design, website design & build, accessibility, SEO & internet marketing, confidence & image, public relations and more.
In: advertising, brand, copy editing, copywriting, corporate communications, internet marketing, marketing, news, proofreading, public relations, search engine optimisation (SEO) · Tagged with: copywriting, copywriting news, corporate communications, internet marketing, social media
Helicopter charter website takes off
Helicopter charter company Capital Air Services (CAS) has launched a new website to follow its name-change earlier this year.
Formerly Oxford Air Services, the CAS fleet of helicopters is growing and its diverse corporate, personal and utility clientele is heading to the continent more frequently.
I was engaged as copywriter while No Nonsense Design handled all photography and design. My remit was to put together a voice for the company which would work for both its hard copy brochures and new website, incorporate SEO copywriting techniques, and appeal to the company’s diverse client base. Sadly I was not paid in free helicopter rides…
In: news · Tagged with: copywriting news, news
