Skislak Digital Advertising

This topic assumes we are emerging from the recession. Truth is, jobs are still being lost in America. The cost of oil is on its way back up. Customers are not exactly flocking back to stores. And that means your clients are still nervous and hesitant to spend on marketing at the level you would like them to. What can you do to make a positive difference? There are several things you ought to start talking to your clients about, if you haven't already.

First, consider why some marketers continue to thrive in a recession while others retreat and reduce spending. Some, like Walmart and McDonald's, are uniquely well-positioned for a slow economy. Walmart was prescient when it repositioned its brand just prior to the slowdown, touting the lifestyle message, "Save money. Live better." McDonald's simply offers the right product at the right price at the right time. But there are marketers thriving without any particular value positioning. So what are they doing that your clients should take note of?

Step on the gas. History has proven that marketers who increase spending in tough times, when others retreat, gain meaningful market share. Procter & Gamble, General Mills and Hershey are giving a clinic in this right now, and reaping the rewards with increased revenues.

Go where their eyes are. Many advertisers are still reluctant to embrace new media. Yet that's where many of the eyeballs are now, on sites such as Daily Candy, Facebook and Yelp. Traditional media is still important, but integrating online vehicles is critical if you want to reach consumers where they are spending more and more time.

Be relevant. Understand the voice and mind-set of the consumer today, and you will be more successful in selling your products and services. Consumers have been roughed up: Their savings have shriveled in a volatile stock market; so-called experts like Madoff and Stanford have stolen their hard-earned money, evoking distrust and cynicism; and the unemployment rate hovers just under 10%. So you must speak to the consumer directly and in relevant ways. Hyundai has done this best, in my opinion, with its Assurance Program, which allows you to return your car if you lose your job. Hyundai was first to take this bold approach, in January, and now imitators abound. Results for the Korean auto manufacturer have been remarkable, according to a recent study by the Wharton School: "As American automakers struggle for survival, South Korea's Hyundai Motor appears to be gaining on the pack with bold marketing and broad-based initiatives to improve quality."

"There's a sense that what Hyundai is doing on many fronts is working in terms of actually gaining some advantage during the crisis," says John Paul MacDuffie, a Wharton management professor and co-director of the International Motor Vehicle Program. Hyundai's global unit sales rose 2% in 2008 -- a brutal year for the auto business -- lifting revenue 5%. In the first three months of this year, the company's global market share rose to 47%, compared with 4% a year earlier.

Join the conversation. Many companies shy away from giving their customers a voice in online forums, for fear that they will embarrass the company. But other, more enlightened companies embrace the opportunity to bring customers into the conversation. Comcast, for example, maintains a team of Twitterers to communicate about customer-service issues and answer any questions users may have. This allows customers to be heard and increases loyalty.

Don't advertise. Instead, create a platform for your client's customers to start a dialogue, learn about your client's products, share stories and -- well, just to be in your client's hosted environment. Your client's brand can take a back seat and foster a community where customers are invited to spend a lot of time on your client's site. Think of the many unique benefits that quality time with customers provides.

These are but a handful of ways to take control of your message, and emerge from the recession with the wind at your back. What survive-and-thrive tactics have you put into play?

This has been the question. What is Microsoft up to, For the past 2 weeks we have been hearing about Microsoft spending $80 million dollars in advertising to launch their new search engine, Bing.com. Ops, sorry, it's not a search engine, its a 'decision engine'. At least that is what they are calling it. Bing.com is suppose to revolutionize search by giving searchers fast and clear information on exactly what they are looking for. There position is to exploit Google, by mentioning how much of an inconvenience it is to hit the back button on Google. (Comscore says 25% of clicks on search engines are the back button) This is what Bing.com is going to change, giving searchers relevant search results, while allows them to view web pages, and important information before even entering the website.

I will admit, I hit the back button just as often as the next searcher, but I have a strong connection with Google, it is something that has been with me for a long time, and someone, yes someone, not something, I trust. All of my web browsers are set to default to Google.com, which I'm sure many of yours are as well. I don't see many people going to their tool bar and changing it to Bing.com anytime soon.

Typically, when I am sitting in a room with friends and someone asks a question that no one knows the answer to, I hear, 'Google it' I have heard this for many years, I don't see us saying, 'Bing it' for a long time.

64.2% of all searchers use Google.com, Yahoo has 20.4% and MSN has 8.2%, while I understand that Microsoft wants a piece of what Google is holding, I don't think $80 MILLION dollars is enough.

Bing.com's main focus is Travel, shopping, products, local and health, all highly commercial areas. But, I believe those are the areas that Google is the best in delivering.

I suppose we will all have to wait and see what happens.

I have successfully managed to keep my SEM company running for over 1 year now. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal, but considering I started the company in a bad climate, and the economy has considered to get worse since I started, I am proud.

Currently I am working with 9 different clients, I haven't been able to hit the magical 10 yet, which, by the way was my original goal when I started. I have 9 clients, 9 different products, 9 different problems, and 9 different needs. I have learned so much in the past year of running this company, I wish there was a class in college, like, entrepreneurs 101, where you can run your own company for 3 months and deal with all the problems that come along. It's a great learning experience and what a blast. I must say, there is no better feeling in the world then waking up in the morning and know that you day is whatever you make it. Everything is on me, I decide what I am going to get paid, what business I am going after, and how I am going to do it.

I have succeeded thus far under one approach: I give my clients all I have. There are no secrets. They have a full understanding of what I am doing and when I am doing it. Agencies that I have worked with in the past made many of their advertising strategies a secret to their clients, fearful of losing the business, and having the company take the advertising over themselves. I have taken the complete opposite approach, I am an open book with all of my clients, not only am I advertising, but I am teaching, I try to educate my clients as best on can on what I do and how I do it. Knowledge is a powerful tool, and when I team up with a business and we work together, yes WORK TOGETHER, that is when advertising becomes great. I need a complete understanding of their products, and they need a complete understanding of marketing strategies. This is something that is getting lost between client and agency. Things are soo rough out there right now, agency's are pulling inward, instead of pushing outward. Let people in! Teach, and build a great relationship that will last through the tough times.