Issue #26 Smile, You're About to be Stimulated

January 30, 2008

This week, the Canadian Government and The US Congress have committed billions and billions of dollars of tax payer’s money in order to prop up the economy in both countries. Both leaders have called their respective “rescue program” a “Stimulus Package.”
stim·u·lus Definition by Dictionary.com
1. Something causing or regarded as causing a response.
2. An agent, action, or condition that elicits or accelerates a physiological or psychological activity or response.
How often have you heard or used the word “stimulus” in an everyday business conversation? Not often is my guess. Stimulus is my new word of the week and deserves to capitalized
I sincerely believe that this is The New Era of Stimulus in North America. We as marketers, sales professionals, business leaders and owners have a responsibility to raise the profile of the word Stimulus.
If we take on an important and prominent leadership role in bringing Stimulus to the forefront in business communications, our customers and clients will soon come the realization that they can feel safe and secure as they continue to purchase our goods and services. Why? Because Stimulus will look after everything. These really are enlightened times!
I would like to stimulate your mind with a few examples of just how to properly use the word Stimulus and it’s variations to its maximum potential. In other words, I have done a little “Stim-Sell” Research in order to assist you in properly introducing stimulus to your business vernacular. For example:
-Welcome and thank you for coming in, it’s a great day to be Stimulated isn’t it?
-Wow, you look great were you just Stimulated?
-Smith, all of us at head office are just Stimulated beyond belief at the results of your last quarter. In fact we like Stimulus so much that we have to lay you off. The share holders are Stimulus junkies.
-Don’t let the Stimulus hit you in the butt on the way out.
-Which is better LCD Stimulus or Plasma Stimulus?
-Have you taken the new Stimulus by GM for a test drive?
-Would you like to super size your Stimulus?
-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as THE STIMULATOR.
-Is it Stimulating in here, or just me?

I am convinced that Stimulus will join other iconic business terms such as:
1. It’s About Clarity
2. Win-Win Situation
3. Thinking Outside Of the Box
4. Paradigm Shift
5. Best Practices
6. Synergy
7. Low-Hanging Fruit
8. At The End Of The Day,...
9. Value-Added Proposition
10. Maximize Customer Satisfaction
11. Going Forward
12. Seamless Integration
13. Core Competency
14. Let's Take This Off-Line

“Every now and then, Roger likes to cut himself off from all stimulus.”
Courtesy of http://www.cartoonstock.com/
Go forward my brothers and sisters in commerce and prosper as Stimulus will guide your way. What a great day to be in business!
Stay In a Stimulated Mood
Brad

Issue #25 "TAG, You're it."

January 20, 2009
It’s here, The 2009 Moodswing Media Business Mood Indicator. Don’t make important decisions, attend critical meetings or comment on current financial conditions until you know how are you really feeling about business? In only 10 seconds, you will know the answer. It’s compact. Carry it with you at all times. It really works! No batteries required.
Email your name with your mailing address to brad@moodswingmedia.ca and we will send you your very own Moodswing Media Business Mood Indicator together with a memo on “Selling More Despite The Economy” written exclusively for Moodswing Minute Readers by Joel Saltzman, author of “Shake that Brain”. How to Create Winning Solutions… and have fun while you’re at it”.
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MSM: This issue of the Minute is focusing on the importance of a strong tagline or slogan. They aren’t just cute little lines associated with your business name, rather the anchor that should hold the image or fundamental expectation in the mind of a potential customer.
Why talk about this today?
Put this under the heading of “Making Every Dollar Count”. If you have decided in your mind that you will be taking a cautious approach to advertising in 2009, then it is even more important that every ad dollar carry its weight in effectiveness and penetration of your target consumer group.
From the media sales perspective, to be able to assist your clients in creating this kind of valuable asset can enhance your arsenal of offerings and lift you above competitors.
Timothy R V Foster is the founder of ADSlogans Unlimited shares the following:
The Basics
The purpose of the strap line or slogan in an advertisement is to leave the key brand message in the mind of the target. It is the sign-off that accompanies the logo. Its goal is to stick: "If you get nothing else from this ad, get this..!"
The Perfect Tagline
A perfectly-formed tagline should fulfill several criteria.
Memorable: The more the tagline resonates with the big idea, the more memorable it will be.
Differentiate Your Brand: “We do (this) Others don’t”
Recalls The Brand Name: “Instant association with your business.”
Strategic: to convey their business strategy in their lines, such as "Innovation" (3M),
Impart Positive Feelings About The Brand
Not Be Usable By A Competitor: So many slogans have absolutely no competitive differentiation, such as "Simply the Best" and its variants.
What separates a good ad slogan from a poor one?
David Droga, Worldwide Executive Creative Director for French ad agency Publicis, says slogans work best when they reflect "not only the soul of the brand, but the company itself and its reason for being in business." Contemporary catch-phrases, he says, "just crumble into dust."

MSM: Taglines and slogans only work with a strong imaginative creative message that relates the benefit of your product or service to the current needs wants and desires of a potential customer.
Example:


Today, you will always remember where you were… when you read this edition of the Moodswing Minute.
Stay in a good mood,
Brad

Issue #24 The Era of Adverse-tising

January 8,2009

I have a question. IF in fact that economic times have changed drastically in the last 5 months. IF the mindset of consumers is one of fear of the future, their finances and jobs, why does all the advertising we are exposed to on TV, the net, newspaper and hear on our favorite radio station still look and sound the same?
IF “The News” we receive came exclusively from multitude of paid advertising options, you probably wouldn’t know or even be aware that anything in the world has changed.
Advertised offers seem to have not adapted to reflect the current wants and needs of the consumer.
Does your advertising reflect your products, services or people in such a way that fits in today’s consumer attitude and concerns in an adverse economy? Take time to review the look and sound of the messages that are being bought and sold
Are we sending the same old “buy, sell, save” messages, while consumers are asking themselves very different questions.
If so, it is a waste of your effort, time and money!
Experts agree that the consumer mindset is in the process of adjusting the perception of how they will be personally affected by the current economic slowdown and impending recession.
In other words, people are just now coming to terms with just how they will adjust their spending levels to “live within their means”.
The consumer will not disappear, but they will want more for the hard earned money they spend.
When you believe you have a solid offer, ask yourself, "What else can I do to make this even more valuable or attractive to my customer?" Think of it as The Necessary Accessory.
Can you accessorize your core product? What Else will you offer that will increase your opportunity to make a sale and increase the perceived value of your product? There is an answer to this question for every business.
One example: Apple's Incredible I-Pod.
No one will argue the success of I-Pod. But Apple continues to upgrade and improve the devices regularly.
They have also created a number of options to increase loyalty and usage of their core product.
-External Speakers of all shapes and sizes for kitchen and living room.
-Clock Radios with an I-pod dock for the bedroom.
-Plug in accessories for in car listening.
-They have their own store for customer to add a huge variety of content, music, audio books & movies,
Question: Do you think that the I-Pod would be as successful if they hadn’t continued to improve, change or accessorize their core product?
But even Apple can go one step too far. What do they call this?

The I-Poop?





Please feel free to leave a thought or comment.
Stay in a good mood,
Brad