So what does your marketing firm do?

I've had several conversations with different people over the past couple weeks about what our Raleigh marketing firm (aka ad agency) does and what we do best.

My old answer would have been to list our services and talk about how we are great at reasearch and strategy. Not just the dry technical part, but how we make it work for real life marketing campaigns. I might have gone on to talk about how our creative director is amazing at what he does, media buying skills, etc. I'd have had a list of other things. But I'd have put the passion we feel about helping our clients solve problems much lower on the list. I would have been guilty of burying the lead.

There are a number of marketing firms out there that can do great creative, media buying, websites, research, etc, but that is only part of the equation. We tend to go a little deeper to help with business development. Where the magic happens is the thought, planning direction and working WITH the client to get the campaign done in the best way possible. I've realized over the years, while we provide a single source for many clients, there are others who have internal or external resources that can get the job done too. Working with all team members concerned to integrate the campaign and make it cohesive is huge.

Want just an ad? We may not be the right 'vendor' to do it. Want someone who solves problems in a thoughtful and strategic manner? Want someone who cares about your business deeply and works as a brand manager? That is us.

I've learned that I'm OK if we aren't the right firm for every client. That lets us concentrate our efforts on those who fit us the best. Then this amazing synergy happens. We get a psyched and our clients benefit from better results. We love what we do and it shows.

~ Jeanne Frazer

CRM Marketing Series: Part 2 | Relationship Building

In our recent article, To CRM or Not to CRM? Why Market to Current Customers? we challenged you to look at your business and evaluate how your company approaches relationship building and how well your employees build those relationships. We wanted to follow with more tips to make your CRM&M work for you!

Tip #1: Our favorite reminder—avoid the hard sell! If you communication is always about your business and products, people will tune out.

Tip #2: Let your personality shine through. Read the full article…

CRM & Marketing Series: Part 1 | Why Market to Current Customers?

That’s a great question. The best answer I can give you is that it costs 3-8x more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one. In today's competitive marketing environment, business owners and managers need every advantage they can get. Customer relationship management and marketing (CRM&M) keeps your business on the top of the mind of your customer. By doing so, customers are more likely to buy again, or upgrade to the next level, and the ‘reminder’ encourages them to be your advocates, and can generate referrals as your current customers recommend you to their friends and families.

There are both newer and tried and true methods you can utilize to stay top of mind with your customers. The channels you use will vary depending on your audience and what products or services you provide. Here are a few of our favorites:

1. Newsletters – newsletters are a popular way to educate and interest your clients. You may want to alternate printed and email versions. Read the full article...