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CoupSmart Blog

Scrapping the Good to Get to the Best

May 3rd, 2012 7:39am by Nick Sweeney

Over the last week, I've had to scrap two different blog posts and start all over again. What I initially thought was a great, sure-fire angle got turned on its head when I dug a little deeper. 

The first turn-around you saw Monday. What was originally a criticism of NBC for posting a screenshot turned into (what I hope) was a more thought-out discussion about the actual report NBC had made.

And just today, I was going to talk about how Facebook's new initiative to help increase organ donations was fluff. Until I dug a bit deeper and found out that, well, they really are helping the cause, and not just virtually.

It makes perfect sense. CoupSmart , after all, started out as an iPhone app - a great idea that was scrapped for an even better one when we dug a bit deeper and discovered that an entire coupon system has been ignored by the digital age. Opportunity didn't knock, so much as it was uncovered with a little more insight and defiance of business folklore.

Fast Company's recent article about Valve's unconventional employee handbook pointed to the same ideas. Page 13 of the whimsical handbook talks about how "accepting trusims about sales, marketing, the Internet, purchasing behavior, etc. have proven surprisingly wrong."

And isn't the best kind of wrong is the surprising kind?

We touched on this last week, how everyone loves Apple's "Think Different" mentality, but few people actually follow it.

Don't be afraid to scrap your business model, your sales techniques, or even your social media strategy if you find more information to dispel the mythos about how you're currently doing things.

Scrap the surface-level thinking and dig in a bit more. That, after all, is where the gold is.

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Posted in B2B, Marketing, Social Media ROI | No Comments »

Are Fine Arts And Commercial Arts Degrees “Useless”?

May 1st, 2012 9:24am by Nick Sweeney

This blog post started out quite differently than this. Initially, like a lot of people, I was incensed by this screenshot of the Today Show that's been making the rounds since last Wednesday.

First off, a graphic designer created that graphic. Second off, I'm still mad that Whitney is still on the air.

But the screenshot is actually based on a recent study by Georgetown University (hence the quotes around the word "useless"). The study argues what a lot of people are beginning to argue - should all college degrees cost the same?

The list above is based on Census and Department of Labor stats, not the worthiness of the majors. It's just another example of the national discussion taking place now about the cost of college.

But with social media and online marketing pulling in billions of dollars a year, I have to question the thinking behind some of these majors being deemed "useless". 

With so much content marketing, there are plenty of reasons and needs for graphic designers. And, with the rise of online video leading the way for so much new content, film and video arts is more important than ever.

With business as stagnant as it is, and with so many companies and consumers looking for more creative ways out of this recession, the arts are more important than ever. After all, innovation rarely comes from bean counters and business majors. Patent clerks, maybe. But Excel sheets?

What do you think? Do the fine arts and commercial arts help businesses innovate, or are they "useless"? Let us know on Twitter and Facebook! 

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Posted in Branding, Economy, Marketing, social media | No Comments »

Are You Tweeting Or Just Parroting?

April 27th, 2012 9:56am by Nick Sweeney

No, you're suffering from deja vu.

A new study by NYU found that the term "jobs killing regulations" has increased 17,550% from 2007 to 2011.

Of course, watch any cable news, and you'll see the same script being used over and over again, even though there are more channels for news. It's still the same news story. It's 500 channels with only Balloon Boy stories.

But it's not just cable news. TV and movies do the same thing. How many remakes of remakes have you seen lately? How many TV shows based on movies based on TV shows based on plays have been greenlit? How many vampire movies or zombie movies have there been in the last three years alone?

Or, how many blog posts cover the same story the same exact way?

I know I'm guilty of this. And with new content being demanded every day, it's no surprise that stories often get repeated. 

But there's a key difference between a new blog post and a fresh blog post. If everyone in the blogoshpere or social media arena has group think about a certain topic or story, maybe it's your job to dispute it. Is the iPad really revolutionary? Is Twitter a great way to brand yourself? Is engagement really all that important to businesses on Facebook?

Why? Why not? What does engagement even mean? 

When you keep hearing the same talking points, the same terms, and the same jargon over and over again, your social media sense should start tingling. "Do my readers really need yet another post about how Timeline can help businesses?" 

Maybe it's time we all recognize that every blog covering the same story using the same angle is not adding insight to the Internet - it's just adding more chatter.

What do you think? Is there too much groupthink within social media and social media blogging? Are there any new angles to cover with social media?
 

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Posted in Marketing | No Comments »

Gating Off Your Customers

April 25th, 2012 8:27am by Nick Sweeney

Here's a story about asking for too much, only to get nothing in return.

Yesterday, our esteemed Marketing Director, Sean Grace, received the following email in his inbox:

This was perfect! This unsolicited email actually got his attention because of its interesting, worthwhile content. Good job, [unnamed marketer].

Sean was excited to get his "free copy" right away and see how these tips might be helpful for his job. 

But when he clicked to download it, he received this:

It's right about here that he stopped wanting whatever content [unnamed marketer] was showcasing. 

Instead of being thankful and feeling all kinds of warm thoughts towards this company, Sean felt betrayed by this "free offer".

Why is a ZIP code or phone number required to receive an eBook, if they weren't either a) being sold to a third party, or b) being used only to generate leads?

Not that we're being naive here. We all know if you use an email address to receive a free eBook, you're effectively signing up to be on a newsletter list. No biggie, especially if it's good, quality content.

But this is the perfect example of how gating content can keep people out, not just keep your content in.

It's easy to forget that, when you have really good content, it speaks for itself. Trying to squeeze more information out of prospective clients is not just rude, it just doesn't work. Maybe [unnamed marketer] will receive some great leads from this, but it's doubtful they'll have the same impact if they only requested a few bits of information (maybe a name and an email address). 

Gatekeeping content is fine, but make sure the gate is more like a movie theatre asking for a ticket stub and less like the BMV asking for your mother's maiden name. Remember: the more gates you throw up in front of your content, the more suspicious your content (and your intent) looks.
 

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Posted in B2B, Marketing | No Comments »

Is Buying In Bulk Worth It?

April 23rd, 2012 9:05am by Nick Sweeney

Are gallon jugs of mayonnaise a better deal than smaller jars? Is purchasing a freezer for extra space for your frozen lasagnas a good investment?

As families and square footage shrink, buying in bulk is being questioned more and more. But should it be?

It's mostly a demographic issue, as aging Baby Boomers are finding less and less reason to pay for a yearly membership, and family sizes are shrinking.

Still, as CNBC reported this weekend, many bulk-store members end up buying more than they need to, if only to make up for that pesky membership fee. But it's that very fee that keeps these stores around. Sam's Club and Costco have margins so razor thin (about half of those of traditional retail), that they have to charge a membership.

“Right after you join a warehouse club," says Brian Wansink, a Cornell University professor of consumer behavior, "the first thing you think is, ‘How am I going to earn back that entry fee I just paid?’” 

The real answer, like any shopping, is to be smart about what you buy. 

Having a plan for your meals makes all the difference, so you don't end up spending this week's grocery budget on a flatscreen TV you can't eat. 

Bulk buy stores are perfect if you have the extra storage space for non-perishable goods, but they can be budget killers if you end up buying more Cheetos than one household could possibly finish.

The bottom line: if you buy in bulk, buy smart. 
 

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Posted in Customer Service, Economy, Marketing, Shopping | No Comments »

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