The Sacramento Bee wrote Tuesday (10/27) about the brain drain crisis within California state government. The Department of Motor Vehicles is now trying to blunt the impact by grooming its brightest, most promising workers to take over. They are actually spending money on training for their employees, which I think is great. Knowledge is power as they say.

What about the brain drain crisis within the advertising industry? I guess it must exist when I look at all the lame, annoying TV commercials and ads, right? Even my wife can’t stand some of the commercials and switches the channel as soon as they start. So where does that leave the client?

Is it that most agencies are more interested in their bottom line and are not interested in paying for real experienced talent? Truth is; experience is more expensive and usually attached to “old” people. So why pay more when you can pay less for young talent with no experience. They are much better equipped to handle the creative for multi-million dollar accounts. I am not saying that young talent is not good. I know several outstanding young men and women who are excellent creatives, but somewhere there has to be some kind of creative brain that are more conscious about their clients budgets.

I have to give cudos to the guys at the agencies who are able to sell lame, non-creative ideas to their clients. They are definitively good sales people – just not good creative people. What’s your take on the alleged brain drain at the Ad Agencies. Is it news to you?

There’s the old saying that the reason God gave us two ears and one mouth is so that we will listen twice as much as we talk. As marketing professionals we have the ability and experience to create a strategy and a concept that fits with our clients personalities, but listening is an essential skill. So why is it that so many agencies create projects that are a waste of a client’s time and money? Is it the client’s fault that some agencies mutilate themselves by cutting off one ear? A client comes to an agency for our expertise, not to dictate solutions. At least I hope not.

How do you make sure an agency has their facial features intact? By listening of course. See if they really understand your marketing challenges and what you are talking about.

Even if a client only has one ear, there are ways to act professionally and make them do what’s right. In my experience an agency can do that by methodically building a concept and strategy based in a solid understanding of the challenge. Using relevance, originality and honesty mixed with fact based arguments can make a client pay attention and start nodding “yes” from the start of a presentation. Once he or she has started nodding in a positive direction, it is hard not to continue nodding “yes”. Try it. We have rarely been turned down by a client since we also involve him or her from the start in our information collection and fact finding mission. Listening is key. I believe it is important to have the ability to work from the inside out to articulate the essence of who you really are as a company, what you are passionate about, what your competitive edge is and what it is you want to achieve. This perspective, as opposed to only imposing a set formula or signature, is an exceedingly valuable ability.

How does your agency look behind the mask? One mouth or two?

This is one of the famous quotes from William Bernbach who was responsible for creating many dramatic changes in the advertising industry after World War II. His campaigns were so successful that they are still cited today. Learning from this, is it then the agency or the client’s fault when so many “me too” advertising campaigns are produced every day? I say it’s the agency. They are supposed to be the professionals and advice a client properly. If a client says “I want”, the agency should say “You need”. So what if the client insists? Then you have a choice. Drop the client or do the work. Want to do the work anyways? Well then another quote comes to mind: “Don’t tell my mother I work in an advertising agency – she thinks I play piano in a whorehouse.”.

I understand that many agencies do the work anyways because of the economy and that they really need the cash, but shouldn’t they be more honest and maybe even invest in better creatives? In advertising like any other industry there are good creatives and a lot of not-so-good ones. Working with good teams makes a big difference for clients and their bottom line. Unfortunately I have experienced many times that a client is shown the “A-team” in initial meetings, but when it really comes down to it, it is the “B-team” who does all the work. William Bernbach said it so well; “An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.” Therefore it is ultimately the agency’s responsibility to provide the right resources to create advertising that is different and makes the client stand out in the crowd.

A business without advertising is like a man standing in the dark winking at a beautiful woman. He knows what he is doing, but no one else does. For some reason marketing is one of the first “expenses” people cut when times get tough. It should be the last. I see marketing as an investment, not an expense. I believe a lot of business owners and top level CEOs choose not to see the obvious. In marketing, advertising is just one of many elements. So how do you turn on the light to let people see what you are doing when your electricity bill is so high? Well, with some creative thinking and a dash of guerilla marketing, companies could easily extend their budgets and get a better Return On Investment. Here are three of several important keywords in my bag of tricks: “COMMUNICATE” – sounds obvious doesn’t it? However, good communication skills seem to be missing from a lot of companies. “FREQUENCY” – if you can’t afford those big ads, divide them into many smaller. It’s better to be in front of a target audience all the time than once in a while. “TEAM EFFORT” – I am not talking about people, but media channels and your marketing materials. Strengthen your message by “teaming up” your marketing efforts towards a common goal. Hint: your website will play a big role in this.

So, are you ready to turn on the light and let people see what you are doing, or are you waiting for women with flash lights to find you?

I see it every day and I am sure you have too. But you may not have consciously thought about why a business that exists to service people never actually show pictures of people. I checked out quite a few hotel websites in Los Angeles this morning and the results even amazed me. The short list is at the end of this little blog entry.

They all have a lot pictures, which is good. I saw beautiful pictures of hotel rooms, empty lobbies, exterior beauty shots, meeting rooms with pads and pencils, and empty restaurants. I am sure they spent a ton of money on getting just the right amount of furniture into each shot. I did notice that one thing was missing from all the photos; people.

I am sure you have heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. It is definitively true in the hospitality industry. In most hospitality websites and brochures the empty images tell a different story; “We are desperate, no one wants to stay with us so please come.”

Actually, I have seen a few photos of people on hotel websites or brochures. But they are all photos I have seen before as promo shots for other hotels. How come? Oh, that’s right. They are using stock photography. Pictures of people that have never even been to the hotel.

Where is the professional marketing mind, the warmth, the emotions, the reasons to stay? Photography should trigger an emotional desire to book and stay. With more and more people using the web to plan their next trip, it becomes increasingly more important how you market yourself online.

By the way, I am not a photographer. I am a professional marketing expert.

This is just a few of the links for the hotel websites I browsed this morning. Please note that I am sure these are great hotels with wonderful management, employees, rooms and restaurants. As a matter of fact, I know these are great hotels. To see how we did it for a restaurant client, please visit our last project: www.bacidiroma.com

The list:

http://www.metroplazahoteldowntownla.com

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1004&EM=VTY_WI_bonaventure_1004_overview

http://www.kawadahotel.com

http://www.millenniumhotels.com

http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/LosAngelesCaliforniaPlaza.aspx

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1598

http://www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-0937-sofitel-los-angeles/index.shtml

http://www.crowneplaza.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hotel/laxca?rpb=hotel&crUrl=/h/d/cp/1/en/hotelsearchresults

and the list goes on and on and on…

Excellence is an important value goal and something definitely worth pursuing. And I’m not just talking about meeting deadlines and good grammar. I’m talking about excellence in the quality of creativity – the kind of excellence that transcends average and goes well above and beyond the norm.

A small budget never is a hindrance to do excellent work. As for creative and optimized solutions, no matter how big the budget, the approach is the same; pursue excellence at every opportunity. However, a small budget may limit the final execution in some way or remove important media channels that might be ideal for the concept. But then that’s where the client has made a material decision on how and when and how often they want to deploy. But even then, a good creative agency is able to find ways to communicate within budget restraints; maximize the results as much as possible. When you have limitations, creativity really thrives. Both sides must be honest with each other.

If a client is honest about their expectations – then the work of getting to an excellent creative solution will be easy. People who are serious about their business are also serious about their expectations. It’s important to remember that these things are all about attitude. If you want cheap flyers that anybody can do, then maybe you’ll have to adjust a little if you want somebody like me to work with you. “Quick and dirty” is a misconception – when people want things done cheaply, then they have cheapened their expectations. But if they want excellence and want to be satisfied, then isn’t it better to pay a little on the front end to ensure that you will achieve that satisfaction down the road?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the phrase “quick and dirty” – from clients. By saying those words, of course, they’re setting the table on two fronts. First, of course, they’re saying, “the budget is small.” But they’re also telegraphing an expectation of mediocrity – average work – uninspired.

Look, if people don’t notice you, you’re not going to sell your ideas. It’s very simple actually. If you are really serious about your business you need to take a step of faith, listen to the professionals and distinguish yourself from the rest.

No matter what the client says – even if he or she insists – I meet my own expectations. I would want nothing but the very best creatives, a fully optimized solution.

So what should a client expect from an agency – or freelancer? Excellence on all levels. That they will listen and do research. The agency will perform with the highest standards. Be on time, on budget and come up with solutions that will set them apart from their competitors. And a client can expect to get more for their money than with the big agencies.

I think I just described how we work at our agency. How do you strive for excellence?

This is from a longer article/interview about EXCELLENCE. Read about it here: www.wollner.com

The famous advertising guru David Ogilvy once said: “Never write an advertisement which you wouldn’t want your family to read. You wouldn’t tell lies to your own wife. Don’t tell them to mine.”
Promise, large promise, is the soul of an advertisement. I have always been a proponent of Relevance, Originality, and Honesty in advertising so when I saw this hand written sign posted right by Figueroa Street in downtown LA, I was curious. There was something about the sign that made it “irresistible”, and I couldn’t help but read it. It said: “Reunites lovers for eternity – even if taken by others! Call now.”

Wow! Now that’s a promise! I wonder how they do it? Do they break up marriages, beat up the husband or threaten the wife so they leave? I am sure they have a strategy, or maybe not? Is it just an empty promise to trick you into trying their service? Maybe they can’t fulfill their promise at all? Sounds like some other ads or commercials I have seen. I guess it is not that unusual to make promises you really can’t keep. I guess this is what Jacques Seguela was thinking about when he wrote the line “Don’t tell my mother I work in an advertising agency – she thinks I play piano in a whorehouse.” Fortunately there are some really good admen out there. Advertising may draw attention. But wise people broadcast only what they can deliver. In my experience you can be very successful and make an impact in the marketplace by being honest, relevant and original. Now that’s a recipe for success!

It’s very easy to create a website these days. Even if you don’t know anything about programming, marketing or design, you can have a website up and running in a few minutes. Sites like wix.com and hundreds of companies that offer so-called “professional” templates, have made it very easy to establish an online presence. Seems pretty good doesn’t it? Cheap, fast and “professional”. So what’s wrong with this picture? Well, let me put it this way; how many times have you found something generic that is as unique as you are? Generic and template means “not unique”. Stock photos and generic designs have made thousands of potential stars into “a dime a dozen” company online.

If you are serious about your business, it’s time to step away from the template factories and the website designers who really don’t have a clue about marketing. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and it is as true here as in any other industry. You cannot expect to pay for a bicycle and get a Mercedes. It just doesn’t work that way.

The only way you can get a unique web presence that really works is to personalize your site. A website needs an idea and a marketing concept. Brand it. Make it real. Make it you. A good example is our latest website creation for Habitat Hospitality Design (in progress). Check it out at www.habitathospitalitydesign.com – I am sure you can see why generic designs and stock photos would never work for a business like his. If you are a business, think twice about templates and cheap website designers with no marketing background. They will do you more harm than good.

Especially now, trust is more important than ever. With so many disappointments and failures how can consumers trust your brand, your products and services? It’s all about perception. Not what you think – what consumers think. How important is trust now? Even Starbucks CEO said Wednesday: “We want to be trusted”. Oh, and yes, then we have the banks and finance institutions. Now we just heard that only 8% of American consumers have full confidence in banks and other financial service companies. (according to a new study from independent PR shop Waggener Edstrom Worldwide.) Big surprise right? Beleaguered GM continues to turn to Brand Integration as it reins in spending. Hotels too. How can a small business spend money on branding instead of “sale, sale sale”? Branding is part of a customer-retention strategy. Can you afford not to pick up hints that customers are about to defect your brand because they don’t trust you? Sales does not create trust. Branding does.

Like a car that needs a tune-up once in a while, your website will benefit from this 10-point tune-up list.

1. Add an analytics tool to your website like Google Analytics or VisiStat.
2. Check your bounce-rate (how many people go to your site, but leave again very quickly from your landing or home page.
3. Create relevant landing pages for each search term use to find  your site – and to optimize the results from your Google ads.
4. Add different relevant titles to every page – displayed in the title bar at the top of this browser window.
5. Submit a Sitemap XML file to the search engines.
6. Name the pictures you have with real relevant titles – not DSC001.jpg
7. Write a keyword optimized text for your home page with important keywords heavily weighted at the top 15% of the text field.
8.  Define descriptions and keywords in your meta-tags. Even though there is a discussion in the SEO community about how valuable they are, just do it.
9. If your site is FLASH only, search engines cannot search it. Create html pages with Flash embedded instead – or as a popup for viewing.
10. Constantly tweak your site – remember it takes time for SEO to work properly. Don’t expect it to work overnight.