WELCOME TO THE FRONTLINE SUMMER 2013
Our latest issue of Frontline Thinking continues the conversation on all that is local. From the challenges faced by St John Ambulance in the charity sector, to the daily war raging on our high streets over coffee. The conversation is wide open so have a read and let us know what you think?
We are Acuity. Independent Creative Agency and Frontline Marketeers, we help the likes of Citroën, Peugeot, Continental Tyres, St John Ambulance and UK Insurance sell more through their franchise network or sales outlets. We deliver brand consistency at a local level, while creating intelligent campaigns precisely tuned to increase sales, and keep customers coming back for more. We make things happen.
We don’t hang about either. We’re faff-free, quick, and we don’t ever compromise on creativity.
The way we work with clients is a bit different too. There’s no ‘us and them.’ Instead, it’s more of a continuous loop – which works brilliantly.
Ask Citroën, they’ve been relying on us for 14 years.
In the end the most expensive brands are those that know woo customers. Kindness and good deal on the price premium. Human interaction is the lifeblood that catches customers. You can have a giant business, but if your business does not have “A Soul" or very special person who is magnet for your customers, your entire investment will founder.
See more about loyalty cards UK
http://fotosnipe.co.uk/loyaltycards
Rethinking Marketing - Purple Goldfish 2.0 Top 11 TakeawaysStan Phelps
Are you ready to rethink marketing? Here are 11 takeaways from the book Purple Goldfish 2.0:
1. Your brand is no longer just what you tell people it is. It's what your customer experiences, how they feel, and most importantly, what they tell others about their experience.
2. There is no such thing as just meeting customer expectations.
3. Experience design is the next frontier of marketing and brand building.
4. Marketing is about being so remark-able that people can't just help but talk about you.
5. Going forward, marketing will be about achieving customer-getting distinction by differentiating what you do and how you operate.
6. Over-deliver on the things that are valued by your customers and create signature elements of added value.
7. Take care of the customers you have . . . they'll bring you the customers you want.
8. The majority of how we judge others and brands comes down to warmth and competence.
9. Lagniappe is the idea of doing a little something extra. They are signals that honor the relationship with your customer.
10. Purple Goldfish is any time a business purposely goes above and beyond to add value or reduce effort.
11. You have to give your customers something to talk about.
Balihoo Guide - Local Marketing Insights from Industry Leaders on Developing ...Balihoo, Inc.
We've partnered with industry experts, including MOZ’s David Mihm and Google’s Cecelia Choi to empower attendees to stay abreast of new technology, consumer behavior, and shifts in the digital marketing space, and provide them with actionable solutions. This informative guide features key data, insights, and recommendations from four of our most popular 2014 webinars:
-Maximizing Your Local Search Visibility at Scale
-Driving Local Sales with Video Marketing
-3 Secrets to Converting Visitors
-The New Search Behavior
In the end the most expensive brands are those that know woo customers. Kindness and good deal on the price premium. Human interaction is the lifeblood that catches customers. You can have a giant business, but if your business does not have “A Soul" or very special person who is magnet for your customers, your entire investment will founder.
See more about loyalty cards UK
http://fotosnipe.co.uk/loyaltycards
Rethinking Marketing - Purple Goldfish 2.0 Top 11 TakeawaysStan Phelps
Are you ready to rethink marketing? Here are 11 takeaways from the book Purple Goldfish 2.0:
1. Your brand is no longer just what you tell people it is. It's what your customer experiences, how they feel, and most importantly, what they tell others about their experience.
2. There is no such thing as just meeting customer expectations.
3. Experience design is the next frontier of marketing and brand building.
4. Marketing is about being so remark-able that people can't just help but talk about you.
5. Going forward, marketing will be about achieving customer-getting distinction by differentiating what you do and how you operate.
6. Over-deliver on the things that are valued by your customers and create signature elements of added value.
7. Take care of the customers you have . . . they'll bring you the customers you want.
8. The majority of how we judge others and brands comes down to warmth and competence.
9. Lagniappe is the idea of doing a little something extra. They are signals that honor the relationship with your customer.
10. Purple Goldfish is any time a business purposely goes above and beyond to add value or reduce effort.
11. You have to give your customers something to talk about.
Balihoo Guide - Local Marketing Insights from Industry Leaders on Developing ...Balihoo, Inc.
We've partnered with industry experts, including MOZ’s David Mihm and Google’s Cecelia Choi to empower attendees to stay abreast of new technology, consumer behavior, and shifts in the digital marketing space, and provide them with actionable solutions. This informative guide features key data, insights, and recommendations from four of our most popular 2014 webinars:
-Maximizing Your Local Search Visibility at Scale
-Driving Local Sales with Video Marketing
-3 Secrets to Converting Visitors
-The New Search Behavior
A successful brand must create a meaningful brand experience for their customers. Our Global CMO, Margaret Molloy, asked a cross-industry sample of CMOs how they are showing their customers love. See what they said.
Nationally renowned real estate guru shares what the real goal of success is. How will your business practices benefit you, your family, and the client?
15 Reasons Your Customers May Be Jumping ShipFivestars
Are you noticing your small business’s foot traffic beginning to dwindle? Are you losing customers who used to be regulars? We know 15 reasons why this may be happening.
The Secret To Marketing To Women is the guide you need that’s going to take you straight to the money if you do it right. Women are a different breed and if you don’t know how to capture their undivided attention you really need to zone into the way they think and perceive things.
The only way you can do this is to understand them and that’s exactly what this guide does for you. It shows you how to use this knowledge to your advantage so you can get them on board quickly and for good. The secrets to marketing to women gives you the power to connect with this highly lucrative niche target market and that’s golden if you like money.
The Secret To Marketing To Women is your solution to uncovering the facts to attract women to your product or service with their purse open. Sounds pretty sweet to me.
Success in Sales and Marketing Part 1- BASIS Marketing TrainingKenny Ong
Part A: Success in Sales & Marketing begins with your own Potential (1 hour)
1. Attitude, Character, and Habits
2. Maximizing your Potential
3. Building Relationships and Networks
4. Sales & Marketing: Why both are important
Part B: Success in Marketing (30 mins)
1. Overview of Marketing Strategies and Concepts
2. Introduction to Different marketing Options: Mass/Indirect Marketing Techniques, Targeted/Direct Marketing Techniques, Guerilla and Word-of-Mouth Marketing
3. How to develop a “Total Marketing Plan” introduction
Part C: Success in Sales (1½ hours)
1. Sales Mindset
2. Laws of Selling
3. How to Influence other people
4. Tele-Sales Tips
5. Practical and Easy-To-Learn Techniques to increase sales
32 Marketing Tips That Never Go Out of StyleRich Brooks
Tired of chasing the next “big thing” in marketing? Maybe it’s time to get back to basics.
It’s that time of year again. All the prognosticators are telling us what’s coming next. All the “10 Marketing Trends for 2015″ posts. All the advice to make you nervous that you’re falling behind.
But the truth is, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
So, in the spirit of uncovering timeless strategies, we asked 32 of our all-time favorite marketers to share with us their best tips that never go out of style.
OK, we included ourselves, but that’s just because we wanted to rub shoulders with these luminaries.
Is your “evergreen” marketing tip in this list? If not, make sure you share it in the comments below.
A successful brand must create a meaningful brand experience for their customers. Our Global CMO, Margaret Molloy, asked a cross-industry sample of CMOs how they are showing their customers love. See what they said.
Nationally renowned real estate guru shares what the real goal of success is. How will your business practices benefit you, your family, and the client?
15 Reasons Your Customers May Be Jumping ShipFivestars
Are you noticing your small business’s foot traffic beginning to dwindle? Are you losing customers who used to be regulars? We know 15 reasons why this may be happening.
The Secret To Marketing To Women is the guide you need that’s going to take you straight to the money if you do it right. Women are a different breed and if you don’t know how to capture their undivided attention you really need to zone into the way they think and perceive things.
The only way you can do this is to understand them and that’s exactly what this guide does for you. It shows you how to use this knowledge to your advantage so you can get them on board quickly and for good. The secrets to marketing to women gives you the power to connect with this highly lucrative niche target market and that’s golden if you like money.
The Secret To Marketing To Women is your solution to uncovering the facts to attract women to your product or service with their purse open. Sounds pretty sweet to me.
Success in Sales and Marketing Part 1- BASIS Marketing TrainingKenny Ong
Part A: Success in Sales & Marketing begins with your own Potential (1 hour)
1. Attitude, Character, and Habits
2. Maximizing your Potential
3. Building Relationships and Networks
4. Sales & Marketing: Why both are important
Part B: Success in Marketing (30 mins)
1. Overview of Marketing Strategies and Concepts
2. Introduction to Different marketing Options: Mass/Indirect Marketing Techniques, Targeted/Direct Marketing Techniques, Guerilla and Word-of-Mouth Marketing
3. How to develop a “Total Marketing Plan” introduction
Part C: Success in Sales (1½ hours)
1. Sales Mindset
2. Laws of Selling
3. How to Influence other people
4. Tele-Sales Tips
5. Practical and Easy-To-Learn Techniques to increase sales
32 Marketing Tips That Never Go Out of StyleRich Brooks
Tired of chasing the next “big thing” in marketing? Maybe it’s time to get back to basics.
It’s that time of year again. All the prognosticators are telling us what’s coming next. All the “10 Marketing Trends for 2015″ posts. All the advice to make you nervous that you’re falling behind.
But the truth is, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
So, in the spirit of uncovering timeless strategies, we asked 32 of our all-time favorite marketers to share with us their best tips that never go out of style.
OK, we included ourselves, but that’s just because we wanted to rub shoulders with these luminaries.
Is your “evergreen” marketing tip in this list? If not, make sure you share it in the comments below.
If you own or manage the marketing for a Restaurant or Food Service Business, this is a presentation you cannot afford to miss.
Discover the biggest Restaurant Marketing Mistakes being made, and how you can avoid them.
Final presentation deck from the seminar on September 15, 2016:
• How to develop consistency between traditional “static” marketing programs and interactive social media channels
• How to build campaigns that differentiate your business in the minds’ of your current and future customers
• The importance of design and storytelling in your marketing
Power Point used by Edge Marketing for a series of Marketing Strategies workshops conducted for the Indiana Small Business Dev. Center (ISBDC). 2009 Disaster relief program for businesses in Flood areas of Indiana.
The Segmentation,Targeting,Poisitioning model is useful when creating marketing communications plans since it helps marketers to register premise and then develop and deliver customize and relevant messages to engage with different audiences.
Whether you’re thinking Rebrand, Refresh or Rename, this will save you time and money. Because what your team, prospective team and market want from you has changed.
This juicy 32 page guide is your key to brand success today, giving you:
>> Clarity on what your team and market really want from you
>> The secret formula to fulfilment for business owners
>> A one page checklist to measure your brand!
And so much more!
Download it at https://thesponge.com.au
How Are You Different: Importance of a Strong Marketing MessageJennifer Saunders
The most important step in building a strong brand in a crowded marketplace is to find your unique voice. This presentation by Soapbox Marketing helps companies to articulate a strong message to the right audience on the web and in social media. Also shows some examples of what not to do on your website.
The Role of Marketing in the Charitable SectorKatie Sanders
A workshop held at the Involve 2010 Annual Conference, to encourage delegates to consider the various marketing tools, and marketing promotional tools available for their use.
The 10 Most Common Marketing Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)Fivestars
When you have about a million other things to worry about when running your business, marketing sometimes gets the short end of the stick. Here, we explore the 10 most common marketing mistakes people make and ways to combat them.
Similar to Acuity Frontline Thinking Summer 2013 (20)
Implicitly or explicitly all competing businesses employ a strategy to select a mix
of marketing resources. Formulating such competitive strategies fundamentally
involves recognizing relationships between elements of the marketing mix (e.g.,
price and product quality), as well as assessing competitive and market conditions
(i.e., industry structure in the language of economics).
3.0 Project 2_ Developing My Brand Identity Kit.pptxtanyjahb
A personal brand exploration presentation summarizes an individual's unique qualities and goals, covering strengths, values, passions, and target audience. It helps individuals understand what makes them stand out, their desired image, and how they aim to achieve it.
Improving profitability for small businessBen Wann
In this comprehensive presentation, we will explore strategies and practical tips for enhancing profitability in small businesses. Tailored to meet the unique challenges faced by small enterprises, this session covers various aspects that directly impact the bottom line. Attendees will learn how to optimize operational efficiency, manage expenses, and increase revenue through innovative marketing and customer engagement techniques.
Business Valuation Principles for EntrepreneursBen Wann
This insightful presentation is designed to equip entrepreneurs with the essential knowledge and tools needed to accurately value their businesses. Understanding business valuation is crucial for making informed decisions, whether you're seeking investment, planning to sell, or simply want to gauge your company's worth.
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey throu...dylandmeas
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey through Full Sail University. Below, you’ll find a collection of my work showcasing my skills and expertise in digital marketing, event planning, and media production.
VAT Registration Outlined In UAE: Benefits and Requirementsuae taxgpt
Vat Registration is a legal obligation for businesses meeting the threshold requirement, helping companies avoid fines and ramifications. Contact now!
https://viralsocialtrends.com/vat-registration-outlined-in-uae/
Skye Residences | Extended Stay Residences Near Toronto Airportmarketingjdass
Experience unparalleled EXTENDED STAY and comfort at Skye Residences located just minutes from Toronto Airport. Discover sophisticated accommodations tailored for discerning travelers.
Website Link :
https://skyeresidences.com/
https://skyeresidences.com/about-us/
https://skyeresidences.com/gallery/
https://skyeresidences.com/rooms/
https://skyeresidences.com/near-by-attractions/
https://skyeresidences.com/commute/
https://skyeresidences.com/contact/
https://skyeresidences.com/queen-suite-with-sofa-bed/
https://skyeresidences.com/queen-suite-with-sofa-bed-and-balcony/
https://skyeresidences.com/queen-suite-with-sofa-bed-accessible/
https://skyeresidences.com/2-bedroom-deluxe-queen-suite-with-sofa-bed/
https://skyeresidences.com/2-bedroom-deluxe-king-queen-suite-with-sofa-bed/
https://skyeresidences.com/2-bedroom-deluxe-queen-suite-with-sofa-bed-accessible/
#Skye Residences Etobicoke, #Skye Residences Near Toronto Airport, #Skye Residences Toronto, #Skye Hotel Toronto, #Skye Hotel Near Toronto Airport, #Hotel Near Toronto Airport, #Near Toronto Airport Accommodation, #Suites Near Toronto Airport, #Etobicoke Suites Near Airport, #Hotel Near Toronto Pearson International Airport, #Toronto Airport Suite Rentals, #Pearson Airport Hotel Suites
Kseniya Leshchenko: Shared development support service model as the way to ma...Lviv Startup Club
Kseniya Leshchenko: Shared development support service model as the way to make small projects with small budgets profitable for the company (UA)
Kyiv PMDay 2024 Summer
Website – www.pmday.org
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/startuplviv
FB – https://www.facebook.com/pmdayconference
"𝑩𝑬𝑮𝑼𝑵 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑱 𝑰𝑺 𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑭 𝑫𝑶𝑵𝑬"
𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐬 (𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬) is a professional event agency that includes experts in the event-organizing market in Vietnam, Korea, and ASEAN countries. We provide unlimited types of events from Music concerts, Fan meetings, and Culture festivals to Corporate events, Internal company events, Golf tournaments, MICE events, and Exhibitions.
𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐬 provides unlimited package services including such as Event organizing, Event planning, Event production, Manpower, PR marketing, Design 2D/3D, VIP protocols, Interpreter agency, etc.
Sports events - Golf competitions/billiards competitions/company sports events: dynamic and challenging
⭐ 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬:
➢ 2024 BAEKHYUN [Lonsdaleite] IN HO CHI MINH
➢ SUPER JUNIOR-L.S.S. THE SHOW : Th3ee Guys in HO CHI MINH
➢FreenBecky 1st Fan Meeting in Vietnam
➢CHILDREN ART EXHIBITION 2024: BEYOND BARRIERS
➢ WOW K-Music Festival 2023
➢ Winner [CROSS] Tour in HCM
➢ Super Show 9 in HCM with Super Junior
➢ HCMC - Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Festival
➢ Korean Vietnam Partnership - Fair with LG
➢ Korean President visits Samsung Electronics R&D Center
➢ Vietnam Food Expo with Lotte Wellfood
"𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲. 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬."
Cracking the Workplace Discipline Code Main.pptxWorkforce Group
Cultivating and maintaining discipline within teams is a critical differentiator for successful organisations.
Forward-thinking leaders and business managers understand the impact that discipline has on organisational success. A disciplined workforce operates with clarity, focus, and a shared understanding of expectations, ultimately driving better results, optimising productivity, and facilitating seamless collaboration.
Although discipline is not a one-size-fits-all approach, it can help create a work environment that encourages personal growth and accountability rather than solely relying on punitive measures.
In this deck, you will learn the significance of workplace discipline for organisational success. You’ll also learn
• Four (4) workplace discipline methods you should consider
• The best and most practical approach to implementing workplace discipline.
• Three (3) key tips to maintain a disciplined workplace.
[Note: This is a partial preview. To download this presentation, visit:
https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations]
Sustainability has become an increasingly critical topic as the world recognizes the need to protect our planet and its resources for future generations. Sustainability means meeting our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It involves long-term planning and consideration of the consequences of our actions. The goal is to create strategies that ensure the long-term viability of People, Planet, and Profit.
Leading companies such as Nike, Toyota, and Siemens are prioritizing sustainable innovation in their business models, setting an example for others to follow. In this Sustainability training presentation, you will learn key concepts, principles, and practices of sustainability applicable across industries. This training aims to create awareness and educate employees, senior executives, consultants, and other key stakeholders, including investors, policymakers, and supply chain partners, on the importance and implementation of sustainability.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts that form the foundation of sustainability within corporate environments.
2. Explore the sustainability implementation model, focusing on effective measures and reporting strategies to track and communicate sustainability efforts.
3. Identify and define best practices and critical success factors essential for achieving sustainability goals within organizations.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction and Key Concepts of Sustainability
2. Principles and Practices of Sustainability
3. Measures and Reporting in Sustainability
4. Sustainability Implementation & Best Practices
To download the complete presentation, visit: https://www.oeconsulting.com.sg/training-presentations
Buy Verified PayPal Account | Buy Google 5 Star Reviewsusawebmarket
Buy Verified PayPal Account
Looking to buy verified PayPal accounts? Discover 7 expert tips for safely purchasing a verified PayPal account in 2024. Ensure security and reliability for your transactions.
PayPal Services Features-
🟢 Email Access
🟢 Bank Added
🟢 Card Verified
🟢 Full SSN Provided
🟢 Phone Number Access
🟢 Driving License Copy
🟢 Fasted Delivery
Client Satisfaction is Our First priority. Our services is very appropriate to buy. We assume that the first-rate way to purchase our offerings is to order on the website. If you have any worry in our cooperation usually You can order us on Skype or Telegram.
24/7 Hours Reply/Please Contact
usawebmarketEmail: support@usawebmarket.com
Skype: usawebmarket
Telegram: @usawebmarket
WhatsApp: +1(218) 203-5951
USA WEB MARKET is the Best Verified PayPal, Payoneer, Cash App, Skrill, Neteller, Stripe Account and SEO, SMM Service provider.100%Satisfection granted.100% replacement Granted.
3. FRONTLINE THINKING / ISSUE TWO
OVERVIEW / 3
FRONTLINE FOCUS:
INTERVIEW WITH
RICHARD EVENS
DEALER FOCUS:
LOCAL WEBSITES
INNOVATIONS IN
FRONTLINE MARKETING:
MARKETING TOOLKITS
TODAY
FRONTLINE FOCUS:
INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD EVENS
ST JOHN AMBULANCE,
COMMERCIAL MARKETING DIRECTOR
PAGE 10
5. With most big brands there’s still a real
disconnect between national and local
marketing. The former looks for ways
to establish brand equity, whereas the
latter is far more concerned with hitting
targets – and getting the bonuses.
We use ‘Frontline’ to describe your
franchise network or sales outlets
– inevitably parts of your business with
their own unique set of challenges.
They’re also areas that, more often
than not, are focused on ways to
increase sales and customer retention.
IS FRONTLINE
MARKETING?
FRONTLINE THINKING / ISSUE TWO
WHAT IS FRONTLINE MARKETING? / 5
6. EXPERT ADVICE:
Working on the Frontline is the most exciting and gratifying part
of the transactional process for almost any product or service,
but especially the big ticket items.
With those, every sale seems like a battle won and the spoils
are often plentiful. And that’s a pretty good analogy, because
if we WERE going into battle then I think we might pay a fair
bit of attention to sizing up the enemy and working on a plan
of attack (and defence!).
It’s amazing that so little planning and genuinely strategic
thinking goes on so close to the actual selling part of the
cycle. Customers often find themselves buying IN SPITE of
the inadequate or inappropriate deck of comms they have
been dealt on the Frontline – at local level (and even at the
point of sale). They buy because colossal sums have been
spent globally or nationally to literally hammer the brand
to the front of their mind.
Give ‘em a break!
Words of wisdom
This issue’s expert is Rob Clements,
who heads up Acuity’s local marketing team.
7. Imagine how impressive sales could be if the local marketing
was as smart as the national, and we mean smart in every sense.
Global, national and even regional marketing has to have, to
varying degrees, a more generic message. These messages
are even delivered in a fairly generic fashion...TV, Press, Web,
DM, blah, blah, blah...it’s no surprise, they’re talking to Joe
Public. But on the Frontline, you’re talking to real people, many
of whom you already know, and those that you don’t...well you
can GET to know them. This closer, more intimate relationship
is what gives local retailers, franchisees, dealers and their like
a real advantage. And the ones that do it well will take all the
business away from those that don’t.
So, take very great care of your prospects, make them feel that
they are important to you. Here’s a few tips that we’ve seen
work really well:
• Don’t ALWAYS try selling them something, try telling them
something instead, like you would a friend. They don’t spend
every single day in ‘buy mode’ so don’t treat them as if they
do. This might mean a regular magazine or e-letter, or, on
your website’s home page a story or item that makes your
business feel relevant to the local community.
• Segment your database or even better, add tags, even for
obvious details like gender or age bracket. This way you
can genuinely TARGET your communications and not waste
money (or annoy the hell out of people!).
• Follow-up any comms with...more comms. If you send a
letter or an email, follow up with a phone call. It’s not
annoying, it’s engaging and relationship building.
• Grow your prospect database organically. It’s amazing how
few businesses ask for referrals from happy customers,
and they love to recommend. Think how many customer
touchpoints there are in a year in your business.
• It isn’t always about the price. Yeah, shocking isn’t it? A lot
of people want to be coaxed through an important purchase
decision, by somebody they trust. They know it can be had
for £XXX, and they’re pretty sure it’s not THIS WEEK ONLY,
believe me.
The really interesting thing is to do what we at Acuity do for a
living: put yourself in their shoes and then look at the marketing
comms you were ABOUT to send out to see if it’s properly
targeted AND relevant. If it is, and you have a follow-up plan in
place, go ahead and send it. Enjoy it – and good selling!
FRONTLINE THINKING / ISSUE TWO
EXPERT ADVICE / 7
8. FRANCHISE FOCUS:
COFFEE WARS
DOES THE BRAND ‘ROAR’ KILL THE LOCAL ‘WHISPER’?
In each issue we put our heads together and think about how large
UK franchises could be doing things better with some blue sky thinking.
This time, it’s the coffee chains.
9. Nowhere is the Frontline more vividly cavorted on
than in the High St coffee bars. Who’s the daddy?
And, does anybody really care? What subtleties do
these gigantic players deploy to attract the Yummy
Mummies after the school drop-off, after all if they
have a ‘swift one’ every day they’ll be spending
north of £600 each, every year. On coffee. Who’d
have thought?
So, the rewards are sizeable if you can engender
some brand loyalty. Unfortunately, this is a tough
stunt to pull off in our most fickle of societies. And
it seems that HQ doesn’t trust, or want to trust, the
individuals that operate on the Frontline to do their
bidding for them in this respect either.
Is LOCAL over-rated?
A number of aspects might contribute to converting
patrons into advocates -price, style, decor...
sometimes the actual taste of the coffee gets a
belated mention in the surveys. Whichever it is, it’s
the absolute consistency with which it is delivered
that seems to be the key here. Not a bean out of
place. Everything exactly as you expect it to be. The
brand doesn’t need any local ‘colour’ to make it
successful, it seems. Advocates rely on these peak
levels of consistency to support their position.
The lip service the brands pay to ‘local’ include
branded merchandise (with your own town name
on), community boards and local youth projects...
but all these come across as anything BUT local as
they are all organised and operated back at HQ.
FRONTLINE THINKING / ISSUE TWO
FRANCHISE FOCUS / 9
Is LOCAL under-rated?
Perhaps we should re-phrase that...What
really makes a business work? Of course, we
understand the big brands’ logic in their ivory
towers. As one of our interviewees said, so
accurately, “They don’t seem to be doing too
badly!” But can it continue, ad infinitum?
Perhaps not. Hundreds of local outlets need
thousands of local staff. And these people really are
local...they are working in their own communities.
(The big brands should remember that when they
are opening a new bar and meeting resistance from
the natives, it might just make a difference to the
welcome they receive if they ‘promote’ this LOCAL
aspect!) But you can’t expect bright young people to
toe the party line forever, without feeling they can
contribute to the appeal of their offering. Unless you
actually WANT to become McDonalds, the epitome
of faceless globalisation.
It’s our opinion that HQ needs to put in place a
process and structure that allows the locals to
add value to the generic offering, otherwise
there’s just no flavour.
Conclusion? It’s an interesting conundrum for us.
We are huge fans of Frontline Marketing and we
think that there is a local solution for all global
brands. The Coffee Wars are something we will
watch with interest. Perhaps there is a place at
the table for some genuinely LOCAL players...
the independents!
10. What is the role of the commercial arm of SJA?
St John Ambulance advocates that first aid can be the
difference between a life lost and a life saved. With up to
140,000 people dying every year from causes where first aid
could have been the difference, the charity delivers first aid to
the public at over 50,000 events and trains first aid in schools,
to members of the public and employees in the workplace
to prevent needless deaths. Our workplace training and
medical supplies products and services help businesses to
ensure their work environment is safe and the income from
these activities are ploughed back into charitable initiatives.
WITH RICHARD EVENS
COMMERCIAL MARKETING DIRECTOR,
ST JOHN AMBULANCE
What challenges would you say are unique to the charity
sector compared to other purely commercial organisations?
In the charity sector brand strength is critical in getting
the charity’s message across and winning support towards
achieving the charitable mission. The charity brand index
places St John Ambulance in the top 10 of charity brands
with a high degree of recognition and trust. But, a unique
challenge in the context of marketing commercial services to
provide sustainable finance is leveraging a charity brand for
commercial purposes. This requires careful messaging and
use of channels so that the marketing messages are on brand,
appropriate to the commercial product or service and effective.
The risk is that if done incorrectly, it can confuse through
mixed messages or even damage the brand.
FRONTLINE FOCUS:
11. How many training centres do you have
across the country?
As well as training at client premises, we
run a schedule of over 20,000 courses at
230 centres which are published on our
website and in our marketing materials.
St John Ambulance is an organisation
which is dedicated to serving local
communities. This is a factor we have
carried through to our commercial
services since it is just as important
to make regular training available in a
convenient location for businesses.
How do you manage the differing
agendas of a large national brand
with local grass roots advocates?
Like many large charities, over the
last decade we have recognised the
importance of investing in brand
development. We have moved to a much
more coherent set of brand messages
and consolidated visual identity across
multi-channels and service offerings.
Overall this brings benefits but it does
take away some local flexibility, so getting
the message right for the target audience
takes some care and refining the balance
remains work in progress.
What systems do you have in place to
assist with these challenges?
Within the commercial operation the
marketing structure is centralised with
some of the team located in London and
others working from regional offices
alongside colleagues in the business
units. With multiple markets, channels,
and campaigns executed via a distributed
team, the marketing planning function is
critical to stay on message, on target and
on budget. Through this process my team
are able to evaluate results and learn
from our experiences.
How do you work with Acuity?
We are working with Acuity to promote
training centres where we believe there
is potential for growth; some are newly
launched and others well established.
The promotion is tightly targeted to
the area around the centre, and we
particularly wanted to introduce a
local relevance to our messaging.
What differentiates Acuity from
other agencies?
We were looking for an agency that could
work with a national brand to provide
compelling, creative content aimed at
businesses in local markets to drive
customer enquiries and online bookings.
Acuity’s approach was to focus on
end-to-end targeting, enquiry generation
and the conversion process, while
balancing national brand messages
and corporate identity design frame
to create relevant local content.
What are some of the biggest trends
in charity marketing right now?
The most recent published data from the
Charities Aid Foundation shows donations
fell 20% to £9.3bn in 2011/12. In this
environment the trend has been towards
more aggressive marketing through all
channels. The drive to maintain return
on investment (ROI) is set against the
risk of long term damage to the brand.
Complaints about doorstep methods in
particular increased by 93% suggesting
that the short term ROI imperative is
creating a longer term problem for
the sector.
FRONTLINE THINKING / ISSUE TWO
FRONTLINE FOCUS / 11
12. DEALER FOCUS:
LOCAL WEBSITES
When the big organisations put their websites together,
specially the franchisors and companies with multiple
outlets, they really go to town. And as the www arena
enters its third decade the levels of engagement,
interactivity, relevance and navigation are significantly
more sophisticated than ever before. Aren’t they?
A BRILLIANT CHANNEL OR A VAUXHALL MAIN SITE. Very
comprehensive navigation options,
clear message, strong branding...
VAUXHALL DEALER SITE. It just
feels like the main site, I don’t get any
sense of local, or any relevance to me.
SUBWAY’S MAIN SITE, very enticing
and engaging. Lots of offers. Feels
exciting. I’m hungry! Click-through to
SUBWAY’S LOCAL OUTLET. OK, so
I can see where it is, and it’s open
at lunchtime (wow). But how about
today’s specials...or online offers for
this store? I’m less hungry.
13. FRONTLINE THINKING / ISSUE TWO
DEALER FOCUS / 13
FASTSIGNS MAIN SITE presents quite a generic series
of messages to help you choose to use their outlets.
FASTSIGNS DEALER SITE. This is a bit more like it
and not just because it uses the name of my town
prominently -it shows the actual shop and staff so
I have a real sense of ‘local’. Additionally, this home
page prompts me to request a quote or send a file.
We think at best the answer is only
‘sometimes’, which, given the astronomical
budgets often set aside for creating the
right online presence is disappointing.
Why only sometimes? Because usually,
when you click through from the delicious
main site to the local outlets’ site the
come down is almost a crime.
This local site is almost certainly going to
be the final destination on my purchasing
journey, why let me down now? I’ve done
all the research and I’m desperately
seeking reassurance, I want to know that
I can do business with these people.
What I don’t want is a slightly cheaper-
looking, clunkier version of the
proprietary site. What I do want is to see
some personality and some added value.
This is a chance for the local business
to close the sale, give me ALL or at least
SOME of these things, for example:
• An online quote
• Stock level check
• Local delivery info
• A live chat facility to answer my questions
• An online appointment or booking function
• Click and collect
• A call back request
All of this should be in addition to the usual
opening hours, map and contact details.
And it should be against a backdrop of
relevant, local information and news so
that I can form an opinion about my local
store, not the generic brand.
How about a photo of the store manager
on the home page, with a happy
customer who has recently bought his
fifth thingy-ma-jig in ten years from
the same place. There’s reassurance
for you! And what about some links to
thingy-ma-jigs that are ONLY available
at this store, or have been adapted to the
local market? Maybe some news and
photos of the local kids’ soccer teams
that you sponsor.
All of this makes the store look like my
local store and makes me feel like a valued
customer. After all, that’s what I am.
And, it doesn’t have to cost the earth.
We can provide all of this with a
templated system that has full content
management, with as much or as little
editable space as you want.
14. INNOVATIONS IN
FRONTLINE MARKETING:
The operations team at Acuity
has over six years’ experience
in the development of online
marketing toolkit systems.
Designed specifically for larger
businesses or franchises that
have a number of outlets needing
to localise global marketing
materials, they generally boast
extraordinary ROI stats.
They allow franchises and dealers
to plan and create press ads, web
banners, direct marketing, POS
display material and on-demand
literature using templates and
resources supplied by us. They can
even plan their spend by product,
channel or campaign. The benefits
are significant.
15. EVERYTHING’S MEASURABLE
You’ll be able to accurately measure marketing
investment against marketing effort. You’ll
see what works and what doesn’t. Plus the
weekly reporting on franchise or dealership
engagement creates a continual loop of feedback
and action that’s worth its weight in gold.
EVERYTHING’S MORE EFFICIENT
Users can personalise, localise and update the
templates as much as they like. Press ads can be
re-sized to the correct specs and sent directly to
publications, and emails are created as HTML files
and sent directly to the dealer’s database. It all
saves hundreds of thousands of production hours
– and eye-wateringly large amounts of money.
EVERYTHING’S CONSISTENT
Users can tailor the templates as much as they
like, but we’ve made sure that brand consistency
is always adhered to and local messages tie-in
with national campaigns. That means everyone’s
budgets – local and national – go that much further.
FRONTLINE THINKING / ISSUE TWO
INNOVATIONS IN FRONTLINE MARKETING / 15
EVERYTHING’S FUTURE-PROOF
The system already handles a wide range of offline
and digital marketing materials – with showroom
TV and Facebook adverts just around the corner.
It’s also possible to have a module that will
generate prospect data from a brief that the user
inputs and can be set to run on any permutation of
volume, cost, location and profile. This data can be
instantly used in e-campaigns or for DM.
EVERYTHING’S LEGAL
We can set up templates to automatically
populate ads and other comms with the relevant
legal and financial fly-copy so that all users are
advertising within the law.
EVERYTHING’S EASY
Not all outlets or dealers are as marketing-
savvy as each other. Our systems are intuitive
and easy to navigate, and they allow for as much
marketing planning liaison between branch and
HQ as you want.
16. T 01923 244 241
F 01923 232 751
E INFO@WEAREACUITY.COM
@WEAREACUITY
WEAREACUITY.COM
OAK YARD
QUEEN’S ROAD
WATFORD
HERTFORDSHIRE
WD17 2QL