Business Coaching

Tide created a genius ad that clearly demonstrated the power of its detergent.

Advertising a business can be done in several different ways: networking, direct mail, e-mail, cold calling, magazine/newspaper ads and billboard ads. But you can’t just put up a business’ name, an image and list what they do. They need to put something up there that provides necessary info like that, but also will stay in potential customers’ heads.

In business coaching, and in general, when someone looks at an ad, not only do you want them to think your ad is cool, clever and different, you’ll want them to think that your company is better than the rest – because it came up with that ad.

These ads do a great job of being eye-catching, proving a point in some cases, and advertising their product well:

-When it comes to billboards, some agencies think they should do something big, loud and eye-catching to make a statement. But Tide took a different approach and proved its point much better. On the side of a busy road, Tide put what appeared to be all white boards up, but there were cut-outs of clothing made of cotton with self-cleaner on there, too; after a few weeks, the boards got dirtier, but the clothing cut-outs stayed white, demonstrating the long-lasting whiteness of Tide detergent. This sent a powerful message to everyone driving by that Tide keeps whites white.

-Clear Wireless recently launched a campaign that saw them climb inside the box to think outside the box. As a mobile internet service provider, Clear wanted to demonstrate their wireless network will work absolutely anywhere. So they got a truck with clear sides and set up an office complete with desk, computer and lounging area with a television. Then they hired someone to sit at that desk and “work” while the driver travels the streets of major metropolitan areas. It’s a novel approach that definitely attracts attention as people wonder just what the heck that is that just pulled up next to them at the stoplight.

-Visual metaphors also project powerful messages. Morgan Stanley Dean Witter knew this, and created a print ad that demonstrated what they did as a company through a metaphorical ad: a photo of a guy bungee jumping over a vast cliff over a stream. It also had two arrows; one that read “you,” pointing to the guy, and one that read “us,” pointing to the bungee cord. The message was, loud and clear, that the company will save you during times of risk – just like the bungee cord tied to the guy’s ankles…the only thing keeping him from plunging into the water below.

These ads go to show that in marketing, if you step outside the box and think about how these techniques may be used to deliver your message, you’ll ultimately improve your bottom line.

Blogging is a new way to market a business.

If you’ve been following this business coach blog, you know blogs are gaining more and more traction as a legitimate marketing tool in the business world, as well as a legitimate news source for journalists. They are far-reaching and cheap to produce and to maintain. They’re not a substitute for traditional marketing materials like press releases and direct mail, but they do provide a way to reach a mass amount of people in a short amount of time that can be well worth your investment.

Blogging or being a guest blogger on a reputable website will increase business visibility, increase leads and add revenue. All you have to do is write a blog every few days.

If you want to set up your own blog, here are a few quick tips to get you started:

Choose a Blogging Platform: Choose an easy to use blogging platform to start writing for. WordPress and Clearspace are some good ones that are clear and easy to figure out.

Figure out Blog Ideas: Some content ideas for your blog might include industry trends, hot topic news, interviews with other industry leaders, your position on industry issues or innovations, book and article reviews, and lessons learned related to subjects that might be important to your readers. Think about what lessons you’ve learned along the way, and shed light on the complexities of running a small business.

Be a Credible Source: Remember that as soon as you put something in writing on the Internet, it’s out there for all to see. So be careful about what you write and make sure you’ve done adequate research and covered all your bases.

Learn How to Engage your Readers: Your blog’s success will depend on the number of readers you have. Increasing readers is all about motivating them to come back time and again. Make sure your blog is structured in a way that’s easy to navigate on your site. Besides useful information, a little humor never hurts. Think about linking to other blogs you enjoy reading that relate to what you’re blogging about, and establish links to monthly archives.

Happy blogging!

Tide created a memorable billboard ad that sent a visible message about its product.

Any Business Coach who joins ActionCOACH goes through an intensive training session. Besides learning about how to coach a business and how to help someone overcome even daunting challenges and goals, new Business Coaches also learn how to leverage themselves and their new business and career as a Business Coach.

Advertising a business can be done in several different ways: networking, direct mail, e-mail, cold calling, magazine/newspaper ads and billboard ads. But you can’t just put up your business’ name (or, for Business Coaches, their name), a picture and list what they do. They need to put something up there that does all that AND will stick in potential customers’ heads.

This requires outside-the-box thinking, because the best ads are the ones that have never been done before. And when someone looks at an ad, not only do you want them to think your ad is cool, clever and different, you’ll want them to think that your company is better than the rest – because it came up with that ad.

Take these ads that are beyond outside the box:
-When it comes to billboards, some agencies think they should do something big, loud and eye-catching to make a statement. But Tide took a different approach and proved its point much better. On the side of a busy road, Tide put what appeared to be all white boards up, but there were cut-outs of clothing made of cotton with self-cleaner on there, too; after a few weeks, the boards got dirtier, but the clothing cut-outs stayed white, demonstrating the long-lasting whiteness of Tide detergent. This sent a powerful message to everyone driving by that Tide keeps whites white.

-Clear Wireless recently launched a campaign that saw them climb inside the box to think outside the box. As a mobile internet service provider, Clear wanted to demonstrate their wireless network will work absolutely anywhere. So they got a truck with clear sides and set up an office complete with desk, computer and lounging area with a television. Then they hired someone to sit at that desk and “work” while the driver travels the streets of major metropolitan areas. It’s a novel approach that definitely attracts attention as people wonder just what the heck that is that just pulled up next to them at the stoplight.

-Visual metaphors also project powerful messages. Morgan Stanley Dean Witter knew this, and created a print ad that demonstrated what they did as a company through a metaphorical ad: a photo of a guy bungee jumping over a vast cliff over a stream. It also had two arrows; one that read “you,” pointing to the guy, and one that read “us,” pointing to the bungee cord. The message was, loud and clear, that the company will save you during times of risk – just like the bungee cord tied to the guy’s ankles…the only thing keeping him from plunging into the water below.

These ads go to show that in marketing, if you step outside the box and think about how these techniques may be used to deliver your message, you’ll ultimately improve your bottom line.