Category Archives: Branding

July 25, 2014

Long Live Your Content!

By thebrandedblogger

LinkedInHere we are on Friday afternoon and I was thinking about all the ways social media affects my sales and marketing efforts. I have come to the conclusion that for a B2B marketer, there are some platforms that work better than others. For me, it’s video and LinkedIn. Why? Because my content lives much longer here. A tweet has a short shelf life, unless constantly re-tweeted; even then the very nature of short attention publishing on Twitter leads me to believe that nothing has a long run in 140 characters or less.

Video on YouTube however, can live for years. I have a tendency to look up old commercials from the 50s and 60s to watch on YouTube; giving life to products older than me!

LinkedIn is another place I love to frequent. Great advice, while  some say a “stalker” platform, I find much more good than evil there. One can build a solid profile that is searchable and builds credibility over time. Salespeople can build trust 24/7 simply by posting a robust online persona. One person I love to follow and read about is Viveka Von Rosen and her LinkedIntoBusiness site. She’s an expert on all levels of LinkedIn.

B2B marketer wondering how, when and why to start with social platforms?  Start with the ones that have everlasting life!

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March 19, 2014

March (Marketing) Maddness

By thebrandedblogger

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The Super Bowl is the holy grail of marketing and advertising you say?  I say no! This time of year we get to witness the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and the World Cup (by US standards) and then some. The NCAA basketball tournament has morphed into a marketers dream over the last 25 years or so.

It used to be like most sporting events, just that; a college b-ball tourney that basketball fans tuned into. Today, March Madness has become a plethora of advertising, new product releases and awareness campaigns reaching all types of demographics. The typical person tuning in may have a college team they support, but most I suppose, wouldn’t know the difference between a Jayhawk and a Chicken McNugget.

So, you college basketball purist are out of luck; the NCAA tourney will never be what it was back in the 70s, 80s or even 90s! This year’s event will be chalked full of ads, apps and other marketing media including the Quicken Loans/Yahoo Sports/Warren Buffet impossible chance at $1B. Marketers know when and where you pay attention…and March Madness is a gold mine!

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November 25, 2012

Way to Stuffed for the Black Friday Fight!

By thebrandedblogger

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I’ve been watching closely the battleground for the Black Friday shoppers this year and as in years past, the tactics blend into the days before and weeks after the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year we saw the inception of “Gray” Thursday (when I was a kid we called it Thanksgiving Day). Wal-Mart seemed particularly savvy with the timing of the deals starting that evening and breaking them into segments for the following Black Friday. Some doors opened at Midnight, but deals were offered at 6am, 8am and 10 am based on the product family.

This is a pretty cool move by Wal-mart, because the items I seemed to gravitate towards were being offered at their lowest prices later in the day. Do they have a bead on the American male shopper? Maybe so. I’m sure a great deal of data was behind the deal timing, and no one has more shopper data than Wal-Mart. They must have deciphered the fact that I was so full of turkey and mashed potatoes that there was no way I’m getting in line at midnight, or 6 am for that matter.  Getting to the store at 10am for certain deals almost got me off the couch!

Still this year I did most of my shopping online…long before today’s Cyber Monday; I received emails from the places I most shop online at, offering deals long before today. but I will still be lurking on the Internet today to see what deals might be out there. If they’re smart, we’ll see treadmills and gym memberships go on sale today!

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November 19, 2012

Sure Signs that the Apocalypse is upon Us

By thebrandedblogger

Well I got the news last week and it wasn’t good…Hostess, the bakers of such iconic treats like, Twinkies, Ho-Hos, Ding-Dongs, Fruit Pies, etc. is gone for good. The management blamed the unions, the unions blamed the management and the approximately 18,000 employees are out jobs just a week before Thanksgiving.

I know from running businesses that’s it’s tough, but in today’s economy it becomes almost impossible to maintain a company without compromises on both sides…which were not evident in this case.

Some savvy company, or group of companies will certainly gobble up (shameless TG reference, sorry) one or more of the brands. But I can’t help thinking this is just the beginning of a long line of once iconic brands going by the wasteside. If Hostess, a brand that rang strongest through the Great Depression and was a staple for me, my parents and their parents can disappear; who’s next?

I know the Mayan calendar says the world is ending on December 22 of this year; I don’t know how much stock I put in that, but just to be safe, I’m not starting my Christmas shopping until the 23rd!!

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November 12, 2012

Prezi needs to get into the Present!

By thebrandedblogger

Yo all,

Back for another 50-somthing rant…today Prezi

I signed up for a new Prezi account and even purchased some material on training for this new (fairly) presentation platform. The Website looks awesome and the breadth of presentations on their database is astounding. What’s not so cool?  All of the training, tutorials and other stuff contained in the Prezi manual are based on the “Classic” format of Prezi.

Well, now there’s a new and improved version of the Prezi canvas and tools….but every training element is in the old format. Which for me is totally useless. There are a multitude of training tools for Prezi….NONE using the new format.

Hey, Prezi! Get it together. Before launching a totally new format, make damn sure your training (embedded in your Website) is current. Nothing pisses off a new customer more than insufficient training on your product. You and all your in-house geeks can surely navigate the new canvas and tools. Anyone signing up recently will most certainly be lost.

2 Comments | posted in Branding, Branding & Marketing, John Ely Blog, Marketing, Prezi

October 12, 2012

This is how Elections Should Work…

By thebrandedblogger

OK, after the first Presidential debate, and especially after last night’s “Bicker-fest”, I have come up with a better way to choose the leader of the free world (however, I do admit I had to look away a few times last night and watch “American Dad”, just to regain some of my sanity).

If I were King of the World – This is how it would work:

  1. The parties select their candidates…nothing changes here  except, there are no campaigns, no commercials, no signs, etc.  Each candidate writes his or her plan and registered party members READ them to form their views and ideas for leadership on categories such as the economy, foreign relations, social programs, energy, land management, homeland defense, and many others.
  2. These registered party members then cast their votes for the party’s representative, based solely on the qualifications, background and plans written by the candidates.
  3. The chosen candidates from each party then fully write their plan for the next six (6) years in office. That’s it, no re-election you get ONE six-year stint to make a difference.
  4. These plans contain all the necessary information a voter would need to make a decision. Background, qualifications, who their cabinet members would be and their qualifications; along with the full six-year plan on how they will lead this once great country.
  5. Registered voters would be able to read these plans up to six months before the election and the plans would be available in a variety of formats, print, online, audio for those who cannot see.  One caveat, if you can see and can’t read….tough shit – you have no right or the proper background to vote in a leader that you and I share.
  6. On voting day you prove your registration and cast your vote.

Gone are the negative arguments, misinformation and spins that further divide an already divisive country. Gone are the massive media buys that do NOTHING for the economy. In their place are ads for products and services that re-stimulate our economy. Gone are the wasted signs, posters, placards that clutter my neighborhood and yours. Gone are the votes based on fear, humiliation and plain misinformation.

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September 7, 2012

Trade Show Time…Again!

By thebrandedblogger

Here we go again – ready to hit the road for another trade show; probably my last major one of the year. As always, we will get to the convention center thinking that we have crossed all our “T’s” and dotted every “I”, but alas something will go wrong…it always does!

I love the atmosphere at the shows, the over-the-top booths, sideshows and bustling sales people eager to make a mark. There is so much energy, hype, marketing power, etc. Being a marketing geek, I feel I’m in my element.  However, the planning, the preparation, the standing up for 10-12 hours at a time and the travel all take a toll on me. Even more so lately.

I’m heading down Sunday for Orlando and Solar Power International 2012 (booth 3586 if you’re in the neighborhood), and I can assure you that while in the midst of the frenzy, while dining late with co-workers and customers and especially when we’ve torn down and are basking in the achievements of the week…I’ll feel fine!

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September 4, 2012

Social Marketing….not what you expect!

By thebrandedblogger

Hello all,

Well today’s rant is about social media and all the marketing hype, energy, time and money (yes, money….it’s not free) being spent on it. Don’t get me wrong; I’m a huge fan of connecting with customers, prospects, investors and employees, but I’m not ready to bet  the entire farm on SM….even as 2013 budget season approaches.

Why, you ask, does a marketing person question social media in the middle of the frenzy?  Here’s why.  We (my firm) have not employed any type of social media to our marketing mix and what was the result??? We’ve doubled in size during the most turbulent economic time since the 30’s. How did we accomplish this?  Product, Service, PERSONAL Relationships…that’s it.

First, if your product or service sucks….you will fail. Hands down, consumers are savvy enough to not get taken twice; and most not even once. I don’t care how many Twitter followers you have, how many Facebook likes or how high your Penguin (Google) analytic rankings; if your product stinks, so will your sales.

Next, if you rely on interactive means to communicate solely with customers, you really only have a virtual relationship at best. Maybe we’re unique in the B2B world selling expensive power systems, but I cannot sell one product without at least one (usually many) face to face interactions. I wouldn’t purchase a mission-critical component for my company without thoroughly knowing who I’m buying from. I am, and all of our sales persons are, on planes…a lot!

Finally, if you can’t back what you sell…that’s right – you fail. Again, customers want to know you have their back. If a unit of mine needs service, I send a technician right away. Not a video of how to troubleshoot your own system…a real, live person trained for the job. Sensitive? Yes, one system can produce over 250,000 amps of current. That’s enough to burn through the steel supports of the Empire State Building in less than a second. Imagine what that does to a human body. You really want your facility manager poking around in there??

The rub – So much attention is focused on connecting virtually with people that I feel that the biggest “P” (product) is being short-changed. I see 1000 articles on social media to every one about product alpha or beta testing, voice of the customer or innovation discovery. SM has a place, even in my upcoming marketing year. I’m just not ready to rely on it totally; it will be used as a tool, not the crux of my strategy!!

2 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Branding, Branding & Marketing, John Ely Blog, Marketing

August 31, 2012

Back in the fold…again

By thebrandedblogger

I was asked about my blog last night and couldn’t even believe someone had found it. It’s been a while since I “needed” to blog about anything, as the new job doesn’t require any type of social media content…at least not yet.

So, what the hell do I have to say today? I did go into a small rage last night while flipping my new mattress. See, I had rotator cuff surgery five months ago and I’m still a little tender and a lot weak!  Prior, I would have flipped the king size in less than 30 seconds….last night took some skill, strategy and about 73 four-letter words.  I hate being anything less than 100% and right now I’m physically rolling around 40, on a good day.

After the rant, and convining my dog that I wasn’t mad at him (he’s a sensitive little guy) I calmed down and plugged myself back into the pre-season Bengals/Colts game. Not a lot to cheer for, but hey, it’s pre-season. It’s been a crappy year with two surgeries (legs and shoulders). Heck, add knees and toes and I believe I have a song on my hands. I’ll bounce back, just not as high or fast as I’d like.

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January 28, 2012

B2B Woes…

By thebrandedblogger

I’m speaking at a local event this week and it has forced me to research my chosen topic, even though I have spent the last 20 years in the industry. B2B marketing is a special animal and anyone that has engaged in it will tell you it’s a much more difficult and complex type of marketing than the more traditional B2C.

I belong to gr0ups and associations that tailor to marketers, but we B2B folks seem to be the ones swept into the corner…that is until we’re needed to land a multi-billion dollar sale! See, B2B marketers typically work with larger product scopes or even project-based sales. These types of sales can take months or years to complete (In that time a consumer product could run its entire life-cycle!) and demand that we “cater” to a variety of targets and decision makers. My contention is that B2B marketers don’t sell a prospect but rather entice those prospects to “commit” to a channel partner or particular rep. Our job as B2B marketers is to position ourselves as the spouse and not this week’s date!

I’m amazed at all the research around B2B that simply reinforces the fact that it is more challenging, without any roadmaps drawn for success. I’ll focus this week on both I think; we need to understand the differences between the two, but we also need to concoct some recipes for achievement!

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