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August 2019 Newsletter Flipbook PDF
Wonder is the Basis of Man's Desire to Understand
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WONDER IS THE BASIS OF MAN'S DESIRE TO UNDERSTAND. -Neil Armstrong
A Publication Focused on Growth for Companies Like Yours | August 2019
Marketing
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Design
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Printing
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Online
Marketing
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Promotions
Idea Generators:
Look to Brick and Mortar to Get Creative
Many people have never experienced the magic of Retail Display Windows. When done well they inspire engagement, draw people in, and can just be entertaining. The Internet has video, sound and a way of engagement that can be intriguing but leaves little to the imagination. Retail Display Windows offer a snapshot of an idea that lead you to engage with the brand in a different way. A display forces you to think about the brand, why they chose what they did and can inspire you to act. Imaginative Window Displays are art to many. Augmented reality (AR) is increasingly being used in-store to enhance the shopping experience for buyers and expand a brand’s reach. (cont. p10)
The Secret Weapon for Brands: Niche Influencers................... 5 B2B Sales Environment Series: Committees & RFPs............... 7 Google Display Network vs. Simpli.fi................................................ 9 Design Tips: Going Under Cover......................................................... 12 Blue is for Harmony................................................................................... 14
EDITOR:
Publisher:
Art Director:
Writers:
Eric Webb AlphaGraphics of Cary Bruce Harris Eric Web
Noam Gordon
Bob Lambert
Colleen Newlin & Jaime Thomas
Bruce Harris
Contact: [email protected]
919.233.7710
© 2019 - Eric Webb. All Rights Reserved. This AlphaGraphics® business is an independently owned and operated franchise of AlphaGraphics, Inc.
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Letter from the Editor This issue is more about the practical. In case you didn't notice, we were looking for a way to make the cover sparkle to emphasize how different substrates can impact a reader's attention. In this case the combination of "glitter" paper and leveraging our 5th color system with white ink we are able to make some areas of the cover sparkle while others don't. If you are trying to have a reader focus on some key areas, how you design and leverage the tools we have at our disposal can make that happen. Or it can create an overall feeling as the aurora borealis design on the cover does. Note the sparkle from the stars in the sky (an area NOT covered in white ink). The subdued sparkle of the actual aurora borealis - the subdued effect is an extra layer of color to bring the sparkle down. Having knowledge of simple techniques such as this and access to the right equipment (in our case) can add that extra touch that increases engagement and response rates. Throughout this issue you will find some simple tactics to drive success. Our Idea Generators are taken from Brick and Mortar retailers to showcase how something as still as a photo can still create engagement. Enjoy Eric Webb, AlphaGraphics Cary | N. Raleigh
Eric Webb, President of AlphaGraphics, Editor of Momentum Please send your comments or suggestions to me at [email protected]. We are always looking for unique stories about growth, and facts to publish, as well as ways to improve.
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The Secret Weapon for Brands: Niche Influencers By Noam Gordon
for the influencer’s attention to win the contract. This approach entirely misses the point of influencer marketing and misunderstands something fundamental about social media influence.
Niche influencers are the way forward for many companies looking for more creativity – here’s why. Any serious marketer has a copy of Jay Levinson’s 1984 book, Guerrilla Marketing on his or her bookshelf. Because finding creative ways to do more with less, as Levinson advocates, is the essence of effective marketing.
Social media influencer is anti-advertising Social media influence is not advertising. In fact, it is in a sense anti-advertising since it allows brands to reach consumers within their online lives, rather than as an external disturbance to it. Influencers gain this inside access to people’s digital lives through direct communication and engagement, connection, through community building.
Today, the sub-segment of marketing called influencer marketing is often seen as a modern form of guerrilla marketing – a shortcut to reaching new customers or a certain demographic and market. And it can be, but – unfortunately – not the way it is typically done. Give it a few years, and it will be done right.
An account with a million followers that admires a celebrity is almost never a community. And while many celebrities are influential, and they do bring some awareness to the products they promote, there are far less expensive and more powerful ways for brands to use the medium to reach more potential target customers. By working with influenc-
The average brand manager thinking about working with influencers has the image of a Kardashian or a minor celebrity in mind. They imagine spending thousands on a single post and competing with other brands 5
ers who have fewer followers, a lower profile and awesome content related to the brand, marketers can achieve their goals.
Seeking out niche influencers also allows brands to work with influencers they wouldn’t have imagined they could have partnered with before. For example, imagine that Donnay, Dunlop, Yonex or any other tennis racquet maker releases an orange color racquet. A typical marketing approach would be to seek out tennis lovers. But finding a niche influencer who posts about all things orange will bring new, untapped potential customers to the brand – people who will buy an orange racquet for their orange collection, and not just for playing tennis.
Focus on niche influencers Within this broad definition of influencers, the real gold can be found among the niche influencers: those people who have built a community around a niche interest. When a common interest is specialized, such as this account focused on a love of all things pumpkin, followers are less likely to find people in their day to day lives who share their obsession and the online community is everything.
A final, little understood advantage of working with smaller, niche influencers is that the brand gains access to the unique, creative, shareable content with a fresh point-of-view that the influencer creates for the brand. For example, the famous Estée Lauder’s campaign that recruited 60 niche influencers and resulted in a gain of 120 pieces of content that the brand can re-use and an Instagram reach of 3.3 million.
Here is another example: NOLA Concerts who talks, writes and is inspired about concerts near her home. This post got over 5% engagement, which speaks for itself. As a result, members are much more likely to be moved emotionally and follow recommendations from the leader of a niche community. Since we buy based on emotions, and then find ways to rationalise our decisions later, this is a winning formula.
Niche influencers are the secret weapon In other words, niche influencers have become a secret weapon for brands that are willing to put in the effort to find and connect with niche influencers. That doesn’t mean you have to ignore the celebrity influencers, but put your energy into niche influencers because once you identify them, they are your secret weapon.
What’s the takeaway for brand marketers? There are tremendous, almost unlimited opportunities for brand marketers to explore in hiring niche influencers. Instead of paying for very general marketing activity, brands can now target segments that are strongly related to the brand itself and hire a number of influencers, with fewer followers, to reach those segments. Those niche influencers can bring your message to their communities, your brand from unknown to known, and create a positive bias in favor of your brand. This approach means less wasted money because it’s super focused, and increases the brand’s chance of winning market share.
As for how to go about identifying and finding niche influencers, start with a hashtag search and go from there. Originally published in April 2, 2019 Published with permission by Noam Gordon
About Noam Gordon N.G. is a lecturer on influence on social media. A marketer's marketer, ex-tennis pro, and Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur, N.G. has over 15 years of B2B and B2C marketing experience. N.G. writes about influencer marketing strategy as @DearMishuDad (dearmishudad.com) based on his experience as a brand owner and creator of the influential @DearMishu influencer account (an advice column written by his dog). N.G. is a frequent conference speaker and panelist and is a judge at the Influencer Marketing Awards. 6
B2B Sales Environment Series: Committees & RFPs By Bob Lambert, Samurai Business Group, LLC
The Fair RFP / Committee Process
In business-to-business sales, major initiatives may involve a committee that is formed to make the decision. The buying process generally revolves around a specifications / requirements document called a “Request for Proposal” (RFP) which is sent to the vendors to solicit their responses. RFPs are also known as “Request for Quote” (RFQ) or “Request for Information” (RFI).
The RFP process is fair when the prospect has very little knowledge regarding the category of products / services under consideration. In this case, they are seeking to gain in-depth knowledge and insights into how the product will fit in their environment. Under these circumstances, there is no preconceived winner and the process will give everyone a fair shot at least at the beginning.
The “Rigged” RFP / Committee Process The dirty little secret is that some of the time, the committee / RFP process is a rigged game in that the winner has been predetermined by the executive role and the process is manipulated to generate the preconceived result.
If they are truly seeking knowledge and insight, it is in their best interests to initially talk with every vendor that responds. As they begin to zero in on their selection, they will continue to talk to that vendor to make sure that they eventually win the business.
You are probably asking yourself; “Why would an executive form a committee if they have already made the decision?” The answer is for political reasons. Having a committee involved with the decision provides:
The Key Indicator If they have a pre-selected vendor, they won’t want to waste time speaking with all of the other vendors that respond to the RFP. Instead, they will hold a “bidder’s conference” where they can combine these meetings into one while maintaining the allusion of fairness.
1. Consensus and buy-in 2. Cover in case things don’t go well The second question you may be asking is “Why issue an RFP if you already know who you are going to select?” The answer to this question is for political / legal reasons:
The key indicator for a sales person is if they are continuing to have substantive discussions with you. If not, you have already lost. Make no mistake about it, they’re talking to somebody. And that somebody will be the winner.
1. The law or company policy requires the company to get “3 bids” 2. The RFP provides cover if the decision process is questioned later 7
Idea Generators: Color Breaks
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The Difference Between the Google Display Network & Simpli.fi By Colleen Newlin & Jaime Thomas (Arthur Elliott Marketing Group)
or publishers directly. It also allows the ad message to follow the right person where they are on the internet and if they convert. This is for advertisers looking for more advanced solutions.
So many times we as marketers find ourselves digging through data only to come out of it confused. Why are the numbers different for the same campaign? Short answer. Lots of reasons. Long answer. It all starts with how and what is being counted by the Google Display Network (GDN) and/ or Demand Side Platform. (DSP) you are running your ads on. At AEMG we are happy to have direct access to both the GDN and a DSP (Simpli.fi). So exactly what are the differences…
REACH: Access to Google’s Display network as well as ad exchanges outside of Google (Rubicon, AppNexus, Improve Digital, AdScale, etc.). Approx. 95% of the web. Simpli. fi has access to more than 350 exchanges, networks and publishers. DIRECT TO PUBLISHERS: Having access to more ad exchanges equates to better price per spot on a website. You can basically “cut the line” completely and make direct deals with publishers. This assures a certain spot on a premium website, instead of bidding for a spot against other advertisers via auction…and remember, we really want to get in front of the right person whether they are on ESPN.com or howtogrowamoustache.com… either way you are covered.
GOOGLE Google Display Network is a network of AdSense publishers who have signed up to allow you to bid on inventory. You use Google’s data to target your audience. REACH: 70% of the web AUDIENCE: Pre-packaged Audience segments (country music fans, overweight and sedentary = diabetics). Data source is unknown, limited insight into recency of intent or action, optimization can only occur at the segment level.
DETAILED TARGETING OPTIONS: Target more granularly. 1st, 2nd and 3rd party data targeting is possible through a DSP (i.e., broadband speed of iOS devices using Chrome browsers)
SIMPLI.FI DSP Network allows you to bid and buy ad inventory from multiple ad exchanges
CREATIVE AD OPTIONS: Google Display Network and DSP both support all types 9
of creatives (HTML5, image, video, etc.). For Advanced rich media options, a DSP is needed. This means you can enhance the relevancy of your banners by involving you raudience with your ads.
Idea Generators: (continued)
AUDIENCE: Unstructured data (e-mail, tweets, electronic documents, video, audio files, web pages and all their metadata). Data is updated every 30 days AND WHAT ABOUT ANALYTICS… People trust the Google name…we get it. So, what happens when Google Analytics (GA) is reporting back some crazy numbers for your programmatic campaign? The main reason for discrepancies between Simpli.fi and Google Analytics numbers is the way GA records visits. Keep in mind that GA was built over a decade ago to report on organic traffic and paid search (Google Ads) and before programmatic advertising was used and smart phones were used in the way they are today. Here are some more reasons for the differences. 1. Google counts individual visits by users in a single browsing session. A browsing session is a thirty-minute period defined by google when a user is online. In addition, Google tends to give themselves credit for visits from users who may have performed a google search after clicking on one of our display ads. So, if someone clicks on our ad and comes back directly afterwards, it will only count the visit as direct (not referral). 2. Simpli.fi knows that people don’t always click on ads. Even if the ad interests them, they won’t click on it because they don’t want to lose their place in the article they are reading or the website they are on. So, we know consumer behavior dictates that they will open a new tab and google the name of the business in the ad and Google will credit that to direct traffic. Look at the Brand searches in keywords. Is that Brand name as a keyword increasing? The question would then be “did our display ads increase brand searches?”
For its Hallucination campaign, Gucci extended the technology to its window displays by installing classic artworks re-imagined with characters dressed in designer clothing. What makes this display most unusual is that most of the mannequins were facing away from the window as if in an art gallery. A scannable QR code on the glass breaks the so-called 4th wall by inviting passersby to download the Gucci app and experience an animated version of the art. For Gucci, this approach was very effective at engaging younger buyers through targeted marketing. (cont. p15) 10
3. The Simpli.fi platform reports clicks based on ad server logs from the ad exchanges. GA uses cookies or page loads.
2. Audiences exposed to display advertising are more engaged with advertisers’ sites – staying longer and consuming more pages
4. Display ads are often served on secure sites that don’t pass information to non-secure sites. When this happens, GA categorizes this as “direct traffic” or “other” even though it was technically referral traffic from Simpli.fi.
3. Audiences exposed to display advertising that visit advertisers’ sites have higher incomes than their typical visitors
5. Simpli.fi uses test clicks (adspreview. simpli.fi) to be sure the URL and ads are working properly. Simpli.fi does not report these clicks but GA does, which inaccurately contributes to increased bounce rates and lower time on site per GA.
1. In one word…code. The coding is old, or the code location is bad, or there is tracking code missing, or the tracking code is incorrect, or the code is on the page more than once so it is double tracking, there is custom code that is told to count the page you’re tracking.
6. GA requires cookies to determine results. Mobile browsers allow cookie blocking and mobile apps don’t even use cookies so GA cannot measure mobile traffic accurately. We know that mobile is the fastest growing segment. GA can tell what % of the web traffic is coming from mobile but beyond that, it is pretty much blind to the details of that mobile traffic. So, if we are running a mobile tactic like geofencing, GA has virtually no insight into those results.
2. The framework. If the site has an Ajax framework it can cause GA to count all sorts of crazy things including the pages rewriting themselves instead of reloading. Or if you use Iframes on your site GA could be double counting each pageview because the site and Iframe are both counted.
WHAT WE KNOW: WINNING WITH DISPLAY
4. Pesky meta refreshing. Ever been on a page when it suddenly refreshes, and new ads are showing? Well this contributes to inflated GA reporting because even though you never left the page it counts each refresh.
BONUS: SOME TECHIE TALK ABOUT GA RESULTS GONE WRONG
3. How your pages are fired. Is the site utilizing virtual pageviews or a GA event? There is an appropriate time to use both, and it affects your reporting results.
1. 1 in 5 users exposed to display advertising conduct related searches for the advertised brands. Typically this will result in the user typing in the brand name and reported as direct traffic. Look for their brand name in keywords used to find their site and you should see an increase.
We hope that this helps in understanding the difference between Google Display Network and a Demand Side Platform (in our case Simpli.fi) and when looking at your campaign results. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
About Arthur Elliott Arthur Elliott is a Charlotte, NC based strategic marketing agency that uses data and digital technologies to produce hyperlocal advertising campaigns. They are strategic partners with AlphaGraphics Cary. 11
We can't wait to see your 5th color creations!
Design Tips: Going Under Cover by Bruce Harris
way. I thought, since it's a wonderful stock, I could tie it in to the natural wonders - maybe something with a starry night sky. I remembered a great aurora borealis image from a collection I had submitted to a client recently. They turned it down, but I wasn't about to pass up a chance to use such a beautiful image. How would I tie all of this together with a print and marketing magazine? Since it's the 50th anniversary of the NASA moon landing, I decided it was the perfect time to use that Niel Armstrong quote that has been in the back of my mind lately. Altogether, these elements combine natural wonder, scientific wonder, artistic wonder and creative wonder for a cover designed to inspire wonder.
The cover for this issue of Momentum is something extra special. We've used a combination of digital opaque spot white and highly specialized paper stock to create an engaging experience for the reader. Even if it isn't obvious exactly what is going on at first glance, it is instantly clear that this is no regular print piece. Let's go under the cover to see how it was made. The first step was to choose an unforgettable medium. The paper we chose for this cover is an exciting new stock from Convertible Solutions. Diamond Print Glitter is the world's first non-shedding printable glitter stock. We knew this was not only a gorgeous stock with a wonderful texture, but it is not likely to be seen in the wild. After a few test prints to evaluate the printability first-hand, we were sold.
Once the cover design was tweaked and the layout solidified, the next step was to plan the production process. I wanted to make the most of this great stock, so why not make it come alive with some opaque white? I tried implementing the white toner a few different ways, but ultimately decided
The next thing we needed was an eye-catching design. I needed to put together something that would show off the glitter in a big 12
to really show off the sky. I masked out the mountains and the feature text so that the glitter in the stock will only show through the sky and title. Everywhere else on the page would be covered by the opaque white. Using opaque white below the full color print adds a dimension of depth and character that can't be achieved with conventional 4-color printing methods.
that shows up as its own spot separation channel, and save to a print-friendly format that supports spot channels, such as Adobe InDesign or Illustrator. Of course, there is a lot more to spot color printing than I can cover in this introductory article, but the information here will put you on the right track. We are always happy to walk your designers through the rest.
The attached sample is a cross section that breaks down how the spot white layer lies below the CMYK layer. In addition to adding accents to specialty papers as shown here, this technique can be used to create a printable surface on dark stocks that are impossible to use with CMYK alone.
Look for our October 5th Color open house, where we will be showcasing how color and layering ink can drive engagement!
CMYK Color Layer
Detach the sample to show to your designers as inspiration for your own wonder-inspiring projects. Feel free to contact us for any technical details on how to properly configure the spot white layer. The technique varies depending on what design software is being used, but the principal is the same: Create a spot white channel called "White"
Spot Opaque White Layer
Specialty Glitter Stock
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Blue is for Harmony
How color impacts your direct mail and more. By Eric Webb It’s important to understand the impact of color on your direct mail pieces. The right colors can increase your response rates. I recently heard from one color analyst that a Fortune 500 credit card company had a 20% increase in response rates by flooding the envelop with color.
20%!
9. Black: This color gives the feelings of mystery, power, sophistication, and elegance.
Imagine a 20% lift in response with just one simple change.
It does not matter if you are sending a letter in an envelope, a postcard or a self-mailer, all direct mail pieces are affected by color choices. Color is what people notice first without even realizing it. So how can you use colors to increase your direct mail response rates?
10. Brown: This color feels like comfort, security, and being down-to-earth. 11. Grey: This less commonly used color represents neutrality and balance. Of course, colors can be perceived differently, and some people are color blind. However, the vast majority of people see the meanings listed above when they look at the colors. These meanings are based on studies in the United States.
Direct Mail Color and Feelings 1. Red: conveys messages that are exciting, passionate, dangerous, energetic, or action oriented. 2. Blue: This color creates feelings of harmony, peace, stability, calm, and trust.
Did you know that 93% of buyers focus on the visual appearance of your direct mail pieces and they base a big chunk of their decisions on it? Choosing the right color and the right offer will really drive response.
3. Green: It gives off feelings such as growth, generosity, fertility, and health. 4. Yellow: Bright colors such yellow equate to happiness, positivity, optimism, and fun.
Some examples of colors in direct mail pieces that create impact and response rates include:
5. Pink: Pink is still equal to femininity, playfulness, immaturity, and unconditional love.
Neon Ink on black or dark colored paper Metallic paper with purple emphasis evoking royalty with hints of growth and harmony
6. Orange: This color gives people the feelings of creativity, adventure, success, balance, and enthusiasm. And one reason I like this color in our operations space.
Intricate design with PINK evoking love or your special.
7. White: You may think of white as a non-color, but it invokes emotions such as innocence, goodness, humility, and cleanliness.
Gold (Yellow) on black with a clear coat of ink to create a dynamic effect. Yellow mean fun. In the audio cable world gold also has meaning for quality. Sometimes the hint of something (clear coat images) creates more impact than the color alone.
8. Purple: This royal color makes us feel power, nobility, luxury, spirituality, and wisdom. Purple is a color that only royalty was allowed to wear at one time in history.
Having your tag line in white ink adds an emotional message and pull. 14
Idea Generators: (continued)
Look at the examples of imaginative Window Displays we’ve uncovered and think about what you might do to make it more engaging or evaluate what crosses your mind as you view them. Can you take some ideas of these Brick and Mortar Displays and leverage them in other media? As retailers struggle to compete with the ease of online shopping, if you see a good Window Display, take a picture of it as an idea generator for your business because what retailers with Brick and Mortar have to do is activate engagement in a very tough environment.
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AlphaGraphics Cary | N. Raleigh — Marketing • Design • Printing • Online Marketing • Promotions