There’s a new term out there and it’s called CGC. If you have been with us for a while, you know what UGC is. If not, it can be defined as any piece of organic content created by a user. Hence, the name is user-generated content. So then, what is CGC? It is similar to UGC except that the people creating the content are professionals and it is typically co-produced with the brand. Let’s be clear here. These are not influencers. These are creators and they add value to a brand’s particular niche. Usually, they hire the creators to create content for them but the creators themselves do not post that content on their pages. This allows for more control from the brand.
Scratch Baking: How to Build an Email List
Email marketing is one of the most effective. A stat according to Statista said that “companies make an average of $36 for every U.S. dollar they spend on email marketing.” That’s some pretty good ROI, right?! But… how do you get a quality email list? First, you have to get quality contact information. Second, you need relevant prospects who will want to buy what you are selling. Lastly, you will need to grow that quality, relevant list to BIG numbers. Here are a couple of ways to start an email list for your brand.
Propinquity Effect
Have you ever met someone new and felt that instant click? You somehow knew that the two of you were going to be friends? It may even feel like you’ve known them for years already. You can’t quite put your finger on what it is but you know you’re a match for each other somehow. This is the propinquity effect. This is caused when we meet someone with similar ideologies, attitudes, beliefs, etc. as ourselves. It is also known as the proximity between two individuals as well. When someone is in contact or closer to someone a relationship is more likely to form with that individual. Brands can use this effect to create strong bonds with their brand image and voice to those with similar ideologies, etc. If you create a solid and consistent image of your brand that your audience can relate to and expose them to your image more often, then you are destined for success when using the propinquity effect. This strengthens brand salience. There are two reasons that this effect can take place.
Guide to Gated Content
“I am Vinz, Vinz Clortho, Keymaster of Gozer.Volguus Zildrohar, Lord of the Sebouillia. Are you the Gatekeeper?”
-Ghostbusters
What is gated content? It is any type of content that viewers can access only after they have given their information, such as email address. This is a way for brands to collect emails for lead generation. It can lead to more sales, and email list growth, and provide insights into your customers. Here are some examples of gated content that your brand can use to generate new leads.
Conformity Bias and Social Influence in Advertising
Most people are influenced heavily by society, whether they will admit to it or not. Conformity bias is when we change our behavior to become part of a bigger group or trend. This is the whole concept behind things that are “trending.” Think about hashtag challenges. People swarm for a chance to become part of these in hopes that their videos will go viral. With this in mind, how can your brand leverage conformity bias and social influence? For one, it can help with brand loyalty. Conformity to a particular group can satisfy Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs to belong. “Self-image congruence will reinforce the effect of conformity motivation on brand loyalty” (Journal of Brand Management, 2011).
Project Completion: Dealing with Grief
We never really think about the fact that advertising is a fast-paced industry with high demand. It comes in waves of really, really crazy and stuck in the doldrums. In other words, the highs are high and the lows can be low. We saw an article the other day that talked about dealing with grief when a big project ends. It’s interesting to think about. Sometimes we spend large amounts of time on these projects and we can feel a sense of sadness when they’re over, just like any other art profession. Actors deal with this. Athletes deal with this. Academics deal with this. We will tend to experience post-project depression and it’s a real term known by psychologists. Typically, it’s coupled with triumph and satisfaction but eventually that high wears off and we’re left with sadness. Having a purpose gives you motivation and determination, so it’s good to have these projects that make you feel that way. But that said any change in familiar patterns of behavior can cause conflicted feelings. This is the definition of grief. Here are some ways to deal with career grief after a project ends.
The 10 Kawasaki Slide Method
Guy Kawasaki is a world-renowned entrepreneur who created a list of 10 slides to pitch your business idea to investors. He used to be the Chief Evangelist of Apple and currently Canva. Rob Schwartz recently did a blog on this idea, and we loved his breakdown. Guy follows the 10-20-30 rule. 10 slides, 20 minutes, and 30-point font. Here are what these 10 slides are all about.
1. Title: Who are you and what is your idea? First impressions go a long way here so it must be impactful. This is where all contact information should be and don’t be afraid to add s headline, image, or photo.
Acquiescence Effect
Are you a people pleaser? Turns out that since we live in a society with behavior standards and expectations most people want to act a certain way to “fit in”. Acquiescence bias occurs when people agree with sentiments or statements even when they may disagree with them. For example, when a survey is conducted many respondents will answer based on what they think the researchers want to hear instead of what they feel. When conducting market research for your brand it’s important to avoid this effect to obtain accurate responses that will be used for product and service improvements. There are a few things that cause this bias when conducting audience surveys for your brand.
Brand Engagement Strategies
“More than 60% of customers interact through multiple channels, and irrespective of time, place, device, or medium, they expect consistency” (Deloitte Digital). There are two types of brand engagement: internal and external. External is what we will be talking about here between the brand and customers. Brands can engage with their audience in a variety of ways today more than ever. Social media, email marketing, digital advertising, live events, etc. That being said, there is a difference between brand engagement and customer engagement. Brand engagement is focused on pulling consumers to the business whereas customer engagement pushes people toward actions towards a purchase. Brand engagement tends to be on a larger scale than customer engagement as well. Here are strategies to increase customer engagement for your brand.
Good CTA’s That Will Increase Clicks
CTA’s are an amazing way to get your audience engaged. Whether on your website, social media, or email marketing, your brand will want to use blunt, relatable, bold, subtle but efficient CTA's that use psychology, funny, and/or are different. Which type you choose will depend on the marketing campaign's goal. CTA’s can take a few different forms. They can be buttons, submission forms, banners, links, pop-ups, and/or slide-ins. When you’re creating your CTA marketing it’s important to know the goals. Think about these questions:
Ben Franklin Effect on Advertising
Locomotive is now based out of Philadelphia, so what more appropriate topic than the Ben Franklin effect in our home city of the founding father? Otherwise known as the cognitive dissonance theory, the Ben Franklin effect is a phenomenon when asking someone to do you a favor can make them like you more. The idea is that because that person does you a favor they are more likely to be convinced that the person is likable. Here’s how the process works inside our brains:
Ways to Collect Customer Feedback
Customer feedback is one of the most useful tools for a brand to improve areas of dissatisfaction if there are any. Not only that, it can help you get to know your audience better and you can see what your brand is doing right too. It can strengthen your brand reputation as one who cares about its audience and sees them as more than just a paycheck. Here are a few of our top choices for collecting customer feedback.
1. Surveys with incentives: these are a great tool and entice people to take them to receive something in return for their time.
Customer Lifecycle Management Strategies
Every one of us goes on a journey when we decide to become a customer of a brand. Good brands understand that it is more than just getting a one-time deal closed and building lasting relationships with their audience. Customer lifecycle is the process of an individual becoming aware of a brand, purchasing from them, and sticking around for repeat business. Customer lifecycle management is all about managing this journey by tracking the stages, assigning metrics, and measuring the successes of those metrics. There are several stages of the customer lifecycle: 1. Reach 2. Acquisition 3. Conversion 4. Retention 5. Loyalty. Analysis of each stage is pivotal to managing each customer’s journey.
Foot in the Door Method
This method seems a little scary because it was used in brainwashing techniques in 1940s Nazi Germany propaganda. The idea is that if someone will comply with a small request then they are likely to comply with a larger request later. Obviously, not all foot-in-the-door methods are unethical. The famous test was conducted by Jonathan Freedman and Scott Fraser when they went to homeowners in Palo Alto asking them if they would put up a large sign in their yards that said, “Drive Carefully.” Only 17% said yes. The second group was asked to place a small 3” sign in their windows advocating safe driving. They almost all agreed. Then, after two weeks that second group was asked to put up a large sign advocating safe driving and 76% of them said yes. This was proof that this method does, in fact, work. At the core of this method is the principle of commitment and consistency which serves as the customer’s first action. This sets the precedent for their behavior and attitude toward the brand. They almost feel obligated to complete a second task asked of them by the brand since they’ve already committed to them. In order for this to work in marketing the first action must bevoluntary! If the first action is public, personal, or expensive, the more likely they will commit to a second action. Here are some ways to invest in the foot-in-the-door method.
The Endowment Effect on Marketing/Advertising
The endowment effect is a byproduct of loss aversion. It states that once people own something they have established the property right that they now own it. Now that they feel it is there it automatically has more value to that person. Think about when stocks fall and shareholders hold on to their shares for too long because they’re afraid of losing money. They inevitably lose in the end in this situation. The point here is that it’s the cognitive bias that creates the endowment effect, making them value their shares and hold them for too long when the smart thing to do would be to sell them off as soon as possible to minimize loss. An example of the endowment effect in marketing and advertising would be in the way of coupons or discounts. The shopper already feels that they own a part of the product and it increases their willingness to pay. Here are some other ways to use the endowment effect in your marketing strategy.
Search Advertising: A Deeper Look
We’ve written articles on pay-per-click advertising but we wanted to know how search advertising works on a deeper level so we did a dive. First, let’s define search advertising. We all search for things every day on Google. Do you know those sponsored ads that are placed at the top of your search results? Those are search ads. All search engines offer search advertising for advertisers. You’re probably wondering, “What other search engines are there besides Google?” Well, there are a few other than Google but they take the number one spot with 77.43% of the market. After that you have something called Baidu at 8.13%, Microsoft Bing with 7.31%, Yahoo with 5.6%, and lastly, Ask at a whopping 0.13%. As you can see they really dominate the market. So, how do these ads work?
Using UGC for Social Proof
Building the credibility of your brand can be as simple as harnessing user-generated content in the way of reviews, shoppable content, galleries, etc. When your current audience already positively advocates for you on public social media spaces, it fuels growth. We’ve done great campaigns that utilize social proof user-generated content in their advertisements, such as IT Cosmetics and Marshalls. Most of these videos were videos of people either using the product, conducting real-time shopping, unboxing, product review, and/or generally flaunting their purchases. When the audience sees the average-day person vouch for a product or service, it’s more relatable to themselves. They’re more likely to trust the opinion of someone who seems genuine, invested, and honest.
How to Build Lasting Content Creator Relationships
“93% of marketing professionals use influencer marketing to increase brand awareness, build trust, reach their target audience, drive conversions, and connect to a wider market” (Influencer Marketing Hub). We know we work with content creators every day as well as influencers. Brands using real people to get their name out there to the right audience are really on to something. We may be biased since we know the power of UGC ad campaigns firsthand, but we want to chat a little about the importance of creating a relationship with creators that will last a long time.
Fun Friday Feature 7/14
We wanted to do something fun for today and go back to our ad of the week article. Today we want to feature the ad recently done by Maybelline. They pulled a great stunt where they put eyelashes on the tube in London. When the underground got close to the platform they had a mascara brush that combed the lashes back as it came to a stop. To read more about the ad or view it visit the Evening Standard.
Technical Marketing
The devil is in the details…. That’s exactly what technical marketing is all about. It focuses on the specifications features of a product and/or service. It comes in useful for a number of industries but especially software, manufacturing, healthcare, and electronics. They can be marketing efforts in the way of instruction manuals, help articles, user manuals, etc. Technical marketing appeals to new customers who may not know about a certain product or service that you offer. Typically, advertising stays away from being overly explicit to appeal to people but technical marketing is the opposite so people will become interested and develop and interest in the product.
