DAY Communications LLC Design & Function for Web & Print

"You can catch more flies with honey than you can swat with a sharp stick."

In this analogy, the flies are your customers--very hard to catch-- and the product or service you offer is the honey. The question is: Are your offerings wonderfully irresistible? How can you make them so?

Quality is important, but in the current marketplace it is more important to know precisely what matters most to your customer. A "total quality" product may not be affordable; your customers may be happy with a lot less. Of course, customer service is a key, but that is no different than what your competitors are offering. What makes products and services truly irresistible is a unique differentiation-- something that the customer can't get anywhere else. For example, there is a self-serve gas station where the manager will pump your gas for you at the self-serve price. Now that's honey.

The sharp stick of Top Marketing Concept #1 is direct mail or email facilitated by database marketing. People will invest a lot in this form of advertising because they believe that sending a message by mail or email into homes or businesses insures that it will be noticed and read. Not so. You see, even with a pointed stick you can still miss your target. You need a swatter, a broader instrument. Some experts call that "integrated direct marketing" and they define such an effort as comprising print advertising in appropriate trade or niche publications, an 800 number, some telemarketing or personal selling efforts, perhaps some billboards or www banners, plus direct mail.

We recommend complementing your direct mail/email with other media. This builds your image and reinforces your message, and it is the interplay among various media that increases your direct mail/email response to way over the 2% which is the industry average for mailings that are not supported by any other media or efforts.

But first, start with the honey. Because you can point and swat all you want, but without honey, you may never catch the busy things.

To achieve share of mind in the midst of media clutter and busy lifestyles, every ad or promotional piece must grab attention and be remembered. How? Claiming even a tiny territory in the average person's mind is the military equivalent of establishing a U.S. outpost in enemy territory.

Luckily, there are certain tricks of the marketing trade related to the human love of word play. From the simple rhyme or alliteration to the more complex forms such as acronyms and onomatopes--words that suggest the sound associated with their meaning such as buzz or gag-- nearly all people enjoy alphabetic acrobatics.

The made-up word is one trick that can provoke attention and memorability. An example of a coined company name is Kodak. Kodak’s founder, George Eastman, set the following criteria for his trademark before inventing it: 1. a short word that meant nothing, 2. that could not be easily misspelled, and 3. that had strong aural impact. Today, Kodak is still a premier name in its field.*

Of course, made-up names need not be meaningless. New words range in familiarity from their suggestive natures to actual use of known words. Kleenex is associated with the word clean which suggests what to do with the product. Minutemaid combines two familiar words and suggests the length of time needed to prepare the product.

Any made up-word can be memorable if set to music, as proven by supercalifragilisticexpeali- docious. But not every company utilizes radio or TV to take advantage of the benefits offered through musical jingles. Be advised, though, that these benefits are so invaluable that you should consider a jingle for your firm videoor webpage.

Not every situation lends itself to word invention, but before formally introducing your new venture or promotion, ask yourself or your marketing consultant: Could this product or event gain notoriety by naming it with a new word? Would an imaginative name help to differentiate it and sell it?

*From The Name's The Thing by Henri Carmasson, AMACOM. 1988.

©2001. DAY Communications/fastzone.com. All rights reserved.

Profit By An Image Upgrade!

You know your products or services are unique-- and better than the competition's. But how can you convey that to today's sophisticated consumers and prospects in today's saturated marketplace? One way is to add a service mark (SM) to your company, name or service, or to update your product's trademark (TM).

A TM is a word, symbol, design or any combination of those elements, a slogan or even a distinctive sound which identifies and distinguishes your goods from those of other firms. When it identifies a service it is called a service mark. TM's and SM's not only differentiate products or services, they promote and sell them. They provoke thought, evoke a mental image, or insure memorability through rhyme, alliteration, symbols or pictures, which helps to increase sales or billings. One of the deans of advertising, David Ogilvy, considered a product's brand mark-- the symbol, color or design aspect of its trademark to be a first-class ticket through life.

"Just do it", "Melts in your mouth, not in your hand",  "Membership has its privileges"....A Quaker man, a girl with an umbrella and box of salt, Aunt Jemimah...You know the companies, and their trademarks make you feel good about their products and services.

But TM's and SM's are not just for megacompanies. They're for any business seeking to win more business. Why not update your product's label with a new brand mark? Or, if you offer a line of services, consider giving them promotional names to enhance their appeal.

If yours is a service firm, boost your image with a slogan that shows up on your stationery, capabilities brochure, ads and specialty items. It's a good way to let people know you're growing, changing and innovating. Call us today for creative assistance with an image upgrade.

Little known facts about trademark registration

Federal registration is not necessary for trademark protection, but does provide the right to sue in Federal court for infringements. Many trademarks currently in use are simply protected by state and common law. We do, however, recommend a simple trademark search before publishing or applying a mark, even if registration seems unnecessary.

Before November 16, 1995, a trademark owner could file an application for a Federal registration only if the mark was in use on goods which were shipped or sold, or on services that were rendered, in commerce which could be controlled by Congress. After that date, the law changed, and intent to use is now the requirement for registering a trademark.

Prior to registration, many trademark owners use a TM or SM symbol to indicate a claim of ownership, even if no Federal trademark application is pending. The fee is approximately $300 for each class of goods or services for which application is made, plus legal services fees to verify the originality of the mark.

Please call on us for assistance with a trademark or service mark or for referrals to trademark attorneys.

©2001. DAY Communications/fastzone.com. All rights reserved.