by Ellen Fruchtman, CEO
This is an article about change. Not necessarily the type of change you may think I’ll be writing about such as “change is good” or “change your staff” or “change your location”. This is an article about marketing firms. Let me clarify, strategic marketing firms, who will and should stop, pivot, and here comes the headline tie-in, turn on a dime when faced with what will be a very different type of holiday season.
Strategic marketing firms take the challenge. They take on the extra work. They use their own resources, money, and time to bring new ideas to the table be it late in the game.The retail landscape is changing. And, what may have been long planned as a Q4 strategy may not be the best laid plan. Better yet, the best message.
There is an elephant in our room. Sure the economy has not been the greatest for a very long time. Sure, many are feeling that squeeze. But until two to three weeks ago, none of us felt uneasy, insecure, and dare I say down right nervous. If you proceed to message as you have always messaged, will you be truly speaking and connecting with your customers? Because that’s what the emotional jewelry experience is all about. Dare I say in the midst of all this tragedy, we all read and watch on the news, there is an amazing opportunity. I feel a little crass talking about sales opportunities, but it’s our job to help you make money. It’s our job to ensure you have a good holiday season.
There’s the dime. Can you see it? Has your marketing team (be it internally or externally) taken a hard look at your marketing and considered a pivot? A new idea?
Case-in- point. I’m an obsessive follower of vacationstogo.com. Which is funny, because I have no plans to take a cruise or vacation in the near future. In fact, plans to go overseas have been put on a long, extensive halt. Not feeling the love. Vacationstogo.com sends at least an email every two days and they are always about itineraries in Europe, the Mediterranean, Asia, South America, the Arctic, etc. I have never seen an email (and this is at least two years) promoting travel in the USA. Never. They are now marketing trips to Denali, the Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, Boston, and Hawaii (to name a few). I’ve never seen this part of their website when I clicked to find out more! They are turning on the dime. Because people are just not making those overseas plans right now. Emotions will change buying decisions.
So where’s the tie-in to the “shiny penny”? This is a great time to take a hard look at who is helping you craft the brand message. Who is thinking about your business? Who is bringing what is needed to the table? Who is moving on a dime?
After all, marketing firms, digital firms, advertising agencies, we’re a dime a dozen. Strategic firms, doers, thinkers, those companies and people who know your business inside and out are not. And, those are the shiny pennies you should be drawn too.
We’re more than shiny. Contact suits@fruchtman.com and see what we can do for you.
