Speed Inspired Blog

I just read an article from Will Harris, Marketing Director at Nokia – He was saying how he really loves the idea of payment by results and would love this to be strewn across into agency work somehow…

This has really got me thinking, because over the past few months I have been thinking constantly about how I could build a marketing model that solely focused on our clients results… In it’s crudest form it would be something like this…

We pitch a marketing campaign and if it makes a profit for the company we, the agency, get paid and paid well. If it doesn’t we don’t!

The client is gets a guaranteed service. It sounds easy but at the moment there are too many external factors that affect how this could be rolled ut. For instance we might produce a fantastic campaign for our client that produces a lot of leads but converts into no sales…. Whose fault is that… perhaps the client’s sales team are really not very experienced, perhaps the product has been price positioned wrongly. They are just a couple of examples that are outside the agency’s control.

This idea clearly needs a lot more thought and testing but if a paid on results marketing model could be achieved I would love to offer that service.  It would be a very exciting way to work from both ours and our clients’ perspectives.

Any thoughts or suggestions please let me know!

Well extensive research has proven that during a recession one should actually increase investment in the brand NOT reduce it!! Why? Well there are 2, surprisingly common sense, key reasons:

1.       Many companies, as just stated, are cutting marketing communication so advertising “noise” decreases. Therefore those brave enough to keep talking are sounding that much louder and their message is being heard that much more. Since their message is one of the few to be heard by the customer the odds of success are greatly increased.

2.       When money is tight customers think twice before any purchases and so they intensely study a product, service and brand more than ever. Recession cause insecurity amongst consumers. They will focus on the specific qualities in a brand and when customers are in need the brand must satisfy the need.

So sure the recession is a very difficult and unsettling time but it will pass and the advantage is this… if you take on these 2 points and review your brand strategy there is a real chance to build your brand and make it more visible. If you have the courage and battle to keep your marketing budget and spend it wisely the short and longer term opportunities are apparent.

What’s more historical research has also shown that those who have cut marketing expenditure not only lose market share in recession but when the economy does finally recover they lag behind those that didn’t cut marketing spend!

Food for thought hey!!

It simply labours the point in good times marketing is good in bad times it’s vital!

So now I’ve got your attention let me give you a few hints that might help you not only survive but actually thrive during this time:

1.       I know its tough – but take some time out, take a step back and with your key stakeholders, look at your brand. What’s it saying? Is it giving the right message? Is it in tune with your clients needs? Why do you customers choose you over your competitor – play to your strengths and make your customers aware of them in all communication - make your brand identity reflect the strengths.

2.       Don’t panic! Don’t slash prices. If you in a market where many of your competitors are discounting resist it. This is because ultimately no one’s wins this battle and the brand that doesn’t will probably come out stronger because your competition has eroded the quality of their brand by excessive discounting. They may make due for now but as soon as the tough times go they will switch brand again forever seeing the cheapened brand in a negative light. Give your brand some credit as a viable long-term entity.

3.       However, on the flip side if the recession has helped you to achieve cost savings then it isn’t a bad idea to pass the savings on to the customer as long as its sustainable – it will increase loyalty especially if you tell them what you are doing.

4.       Make the brand proposition clear. Consumers will study each brand and make the most rational solution to their expenditures.

5.       Educate your employees on your brand values. Ultimately they are your brand your clients will be dealing with them day in day out so make sure they fully understand the brand and convey the values at all times.

6.       Nurture your customers – e-newsletters, postcards, emails, calls, offers – collect data and develop loyalty to ensure they buy from you again.

7.       Finally be passionate about your consumer – aid them in their difficult buying decisions by providing a strong differentiation in your brand from others and then make sure you deliver 100% on your brand promise!

Ultimately remember this: Your customer’s needs are paramount – make your brand in tune with them and hence focus on the strengths of your brand – this will give you the difference between success and failure. Tough times will not last but the tough brands that listen to their customers needs will.

If you would like to discuss your business and brand with us then please don’t hesitate to call me, David on 01832 280 032 (Peterborough office) or Emma on 01202 258 929 (Bournemouth office).

Monday
A 6.30am start on a Monday morning is not my favourite thing. I DJ in my spare time and held a night called Glam on Saturday at Latinis in the city centre. It was superb but meant I got to bed when the birds were singing and I am still feeling the aftermath of those buy one get one free cocktails on this fine Monday morning!

Anyway once I get going I’m fine and it’s a good job because I have to work with my design team to ensure the Sweet Ideas’ catalogue is signed off – it produces a lot of orders for our client so it needs to be visually impressive and error free. We send it through our 4 stage checking procedure to catch any final typo’s etc before sending it to print. It’s a rush job and must be delivered for Wednesday – they don’t call us Speed Inspired for nothing! 

This afternoon I have an exhibition project for Rockingham Retirement. They have been a client of ours for some time and we designed their brand identity. It’s been great to see such a local success story and I’m proud they won Small Business of The Year.

Tuesday
Today I am working on our website to better reflect our brand values and service but also help us score a few Search Engine Optimisation points. SEO and PayPerClick advertising are crucial as it is a cost effective form of marketing and should be part of your marketing mix during these difficult times.

Lunch time approaches and my tummy is rumbling!!! I have set up a meeting with the in-house designer from N&P – I am sure you will have seen they have just undergone an impressive rebranding exercise and I am very proud to say we have been involved in. I have skillfully managed to co-ordinate this meeting with lunch and it just so happens our offices are next to the Loch Fynne Restaurant. Their posh fish and chips are awesome so it would be rude not to do it! I wouldn’t have felt so guilty scoffing them had I not have taken out my Mum and girlfriend (Gemma) tonight to ASK and put away a pizza. Think I better get down the gym tomorrow!

Wednesday
I am blogging! We have just set up a blog on our website. It’s been created because we want to give you a bit of marketing insight and help you think about your own brand and business. You can leave comments and we want it to be a place for local marketers and business owners to debate and offer each other a bit of advice. If you want to check it out go to www.speed-inspired.co.uk/blog.

This afternoon I create a proposal for a construction company. They are celebrating their 50^th year and want this message put across to their customers. We want to emphasize how their stonework is beautiful and timeless. We have come up with some really innovative methods. Some more extravagant than others so I am giving them a tiered pricing structure so they can see what will fit their budget. We try and produce work that fits any budget and make the most of your marketing.

After a delicious evening dinner with cheesecake I realise I’m sure I was meant to do something tonight… Dam it – the gym! Oh well I think Gemma secretly loves these love handles I’m developing, lucky thing.

Thursday
It’s an early start this morning as I have to be in Bournemouth for 9.30am at our new office. We have a meeting with Vitacress, one of Europe’s leading producers of prepared salads. We are undertaking market research and brand recommendations for the herb market, a large but unbranded market. It’s a interesting meeting with a forward thinking company. It excites me when I work with these sort of people – both knowledgeable but passionate about their brand and where their business is heading. It inspires me to look at new ways of marketing my own business and when it comes time for me to leave Bournemouth in the mid afternoon my mind is awash with innovative marketing ideas. I dodge the M25 traffic making it in time to meet Gemma after she finishes work and we nip to Homebase. We’re decorating the house and need to choose some paint for a feature wall in the kitchen… don’t ask me how but I managed to get hoodwinked and before I know it we’re driving home with 2 litres of Shocking PINK. I now officially live in Polly Pocket’s house.

Friday
After vivid nightmare’s of Shocking Pink and Vomit Green I get in to work early to write an article on the importance of focusing on your brand during a recession. Research has proven that those who cut marketing budgets lose market share and those who don’t will increase it… why? Well to put it simply there is a lot less advertising “noise” out there now so you’re likely to get heard more. It’s so important for businesses to take time out to understand where the strength of their brand lies and leverage that awareness to attract even more loyal customers. If you are struggling to do this then it may be worth talking to us because ultimately tough times don’t last but tough brands do!

I am hoping the ET will run an article on this piece if I ask them politely especially because we are running a competition to help a local business undertake a brand overhaul … so watch this space!!

This afternoon we get a call with a rush job from ASDA which is for some Point of Sale Design and Printing that needs to be in 10 stores for next Wednesday so it’s all hands on deck – I love these winding down Friday afternoons!

Your Marketing SAS

Speed Inspired is a long-established family company, based in Elton, near Peterborough, that has made great strides recently, winning two major marketing and design contracts with Norwich & Peterborough Building Society and, for three years, Opportunity Peterborough.

It is a long way forward from the humble beginnings when Paul Dews set up Speed Design and Print Ltd as a print management and design business. This company has since developed into Speed Works – Speed Inspired’s sister print management company and has a number of print contracts with Asda, Dairy Crest and, more locally, with Alltech, Worldchoice and Cummins.

The company took a major step change in 2004 when David Dews joined the company as creative director. David had graduated with a First in Business Studies from Aston University, with subsequent addition of qualifications in sales promotion, marketing, website design and online marketing.

He was responsible for dividing Speed into two separate, but linked, entities – marketing agency Speed Inspired and print management business Speed Works.

Emma Dews is Speed Inspired’s newest family addition, bringing with her 12 years of consumer marketing experience gained in big brand London-based companies including Sainsbury’s, Dairy Crest and Hasbro UK. Emma has considerable brand expertise having managed a number of multi-million pound brands such as Utterly Butterly, Cathedral City and Nectar Card.

Emma, also a top-notch British duathlete – runner and cyclist – adds another layer of “speed” to the equation.

She said: “It’s a very exciting time to be joining the family business. I have worked with many marketing agencies in the past, so I am relishing the chance to work on the agency side for a change and help our clients grow their brands and businesses.”

Completing the Dews trio in the two businesses is a team of creatives, designers and print buyers.

David pointed to the key differentiating factor when he referred to Speed Inspired as “your marketing SAS”.

He said: “We know that as a business your brand is battling hard for greater market share, so it’s time to work with a marketing agency that’s as results focused as you.

“Our crack team of marketers and designers deliver marketing and digital campaigns, websites and creative design that deliver fantastic results.

“Our role is to help you grow your business, and we use strategic and tactical ideas, passion and creativity to achieve it.”

Rapper Eminem’s new album ‘Relapse’ is receiving a heavy marketing push using experiential marketing. 

A mock “rehab” centre was set up in Covent Garden last week to publicise the release of the ‘Relapse’ album which involved lookalikes wandering round the vicinity and giant “E” signs to direct passer-by to the centre.  Visitors to the rehab’ centre were able to receive ‘treatment’ in the form of listening to part of the album, get Eminem ‘aftermath drugs’ or have a massage. 

Since Eminem has had a well-publicised battle with drugs and wrote most of the album’s material whilst in rehab, the marketing campaign might be a little tasteless for those who have real problems with narcotic abuse, but this is a man who has rapped about many tasteless and shocking elements of his life so it’s entirely fitting for the artist.

With budgets across the marketing world low, this type of campaign, drawing on creating PR and word of mouth through experiences and online elements, may well be a popular trend for 2009. It has impact far beyond its financial spend with the right audience. I’m not sure the Eminem campaign does anything particularly new, but it will probably work.

Hi!!!!!
We have just added our new blog function to the Speed Inspired website.

Here you will (hopefully) find useful insights into marketing thinking, latest case studies, marketing industry news and Speed Inspired’s view on certain campaigns.

It’s going to be updated regularly … in fact weekly! So watch this space and we hope you enjoy!

Cheers
David

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