clemans on marketing: confessions and misdemeanors

Neil Clemans' Book "Caught in a Flash" on latimes.com

Today, Larry Harnisch, the leading Black Dahlia expert, copy editor, and blogger for  The Los Angeles Times, wrote a very insightful review of my father Neil Clemans' book, "Picturing the '50s". The book covers Clemans' years as a Los Angeles Mirror-News photojournalist in the 1950s and early '60s. Harnisch writes from the perspective of a veteran newsman and aficienado of the era. I am super proud of Pop. Best of all, seeing this picture of Marilyn Monroe published for the first time in Harnisch's article. Way back when, my dad posed and photographed Monroe at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, but another Mirror-News photographer shot over his shoulder and took the credit.   

Peace and Cupcakes

I stood in line with all the  other devotees of Sprinkles. The most divine cupcake store in the world, delivering to the Playboy Mansion, placing peace signs on their  confections, and serving the masses. Strategically located on Little Santa Monica, a block off Rodeo Drive, down the street from Kitson and the paparazzi, and you're there. The architecture, all natural ingredients, graphic design system,  color palette. Attention to detail. Simple. Doing one thing very, very well! Try the red velvet cupcakes.

A light at the end of the tunnel.

Take the headlamp, for instance. 

Visit the REI website and you will see not one, but twenty amazing headlamps (designed by 5 companies) to choose from. 

Good old American ingenuity will pull us through the dark times. I am sure of it. 

Bring on the Magic.

My family planned a trip to Disneyland, and  honestly,  I wasn't into it. Sure, I felt the magic at age 6: Alice, Cinderella, Tinker Bell, and Autopia captured my little girl heart. The Matterhorn loomed large and It's a Small World gave me my first glimpse of a world beyond our borders. 

Surprisingly, last Friday, I again succumbed to the fantasy. It's hard to resist the Magic Kingdom. Leaning forward eagerly, we navigated the African Nile River, the Jungle Cruise guide shouting that hippos were surfacing off to our right. I gripped the bar and hung on tight as we bounced along the  Indiana Jones Adventure and disappeared into Space Mountain, floated by the Pirates and wenches of the Caribbean, then scared ourselves silly in the Haunted Mansion and even rode Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, for old times sake.

Strolling back to Main Street and the exit, we had done it all: hit our favorite adventures, watched the shows, bought the mouse ears and magic wands, when we collided with a crazy over the top parade of Disney characters snaking through the park – waving, leaping, waltzing, singing and spinning madly. I couldn't wipe the grin off my face. They had me 100%.

Every day of the year, Disneyland gives it everything they've got and then some.  

Now,  I'm brainstorming ways I can build the "Disneyland Method" into my business.

Big money. Little space.

 My friend runs the make-up counter for a national cosmetic line at a major San Francisco Bay Area department store. She confided that her counter made a whopping $70,000 in December '08. On blush, eyeliner, lipstick, shadow, and mascara. I don't have to tell you that for most of the U.S., and for much of the world, December was a lousy month for business.

I asked myself, "How'd she do it?" Why did her business boom, but the nail shops remain empty, retail clothing sales slump, and my hairdresser lose loyal customers? Maybe there are no clear cut answers to these questions in this volatile economy. 

But, upon closer inspection, my friend does bring subtle differences to her counter. Incredible perkiness. Lots of special offers tied to very personal service. Fantastic products, priced in the middle. Main aisle, centrally located. 

The lesson here: Find more subtle sweet spots and pay attention to them too. 

B2B Demand Generation is Hard Work.

Abbreviated Steps:

1. Analyze and synthesize critical information with regard to current marketing efforts, goals, targets by level, industry, key markets, objectives, competition strengths, weaknesses, and positioning, etc. 

2. Develop key marketing strategies. Develop direct marketing and trade advertising programs with benchmarks and metrics for critical industries, by continent, by target (including customer or prospect), by country, etc. Analyze results, based on access to lead management and capture data. Work in tandem with media buying firms. 

3. Prepare messaging platforms developed for key verticals, by level, continent, by target (versioned customer or prospect), by country, etc. – In depth messaging matrixes and marketing content for primary and secondary target audiences, with key benefits and proof points for key benefits, key differentiators, pain points, company overview, value propositions, etc. 

4. Develop tactical media, direct marketing and advertising plan for key verticals, by continent, by target (versioned customer or prospect), by country, etc. Create milestone schedule, detail schedule, and budget. 

5. Search for, build relationships and collaborate with top list buyers, data base services, and media buyers in the U.S. and worldwide. 

6. Produce marketing and creative briefs with content/copy boilerplates for three industries, by continent, by target (versioned customer or prospect), by country, etc. 

7. Develop offer strategies and creative. 

8. Etc! Barely scratching the surface. 

Landing the big dogs takes time, timing, effort, creativity, smarts, experience, money, patience, collaboration, and a viable product or service.

Made in Mexico.

 

Perception can still be everything. 

One client designs and produces exceptional cast bronze home accessories, made  in Mexico. When the designer shared  the location of her foundry with an enthusiastic design store manager, the manager balked.

Another client markets 150 hand-carved architectural elements  – designed in the U.S., but produced by master woodcarvers in the famed Jiang Xi Province in China. He downplays their origin because most of his customers expect "Old World Italian". Even Italy is going to China. We are lucky to have artisans around the world still plying their crafts and charging prices that are within reach. 

It is true that your sales pitch must be "refined" to fit the customer – benefits and pain points carefully mapped out ahead of time. That's just business.

iPhone Heaven

The Apple iPhone's App Store is full of useful, fun, goofy, and  eye candy applications. I've downloaded Translator, GasBag, Urbanspoon, NYTimes, and Where to Start. I must admit to also downloading the Lightsaber and creating my own character - for research purposes only, of course. Apple personifies one-stop shopping at its best. Act like Mac. Consider innovative ways your own business can become a one-stop shop for your customers – and attract more.