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Marketing Profs Daily Fix

• 3 Ways to Improve Your Facebook Marketing 19 July, 2010, 8:45 am
  In social networking, it doesn’t get hotter than Facebook right now. The site boasts more than twice the number of visits than any other social network, and Facebook’s growth continues to outpace that of Twitter, MySpace, and LinkedIn by huge margins. With all this growth and popularity, there’s no better time to step up your game and take your Facebook campaigns to the next level.  Here are 3 quick and easy tips to improve your Facebook marketing: 1. Post Content on the Weekend According to DanZarrella.com, content posted on the weekend is shared more often than content posted during the week. By saving a portion of your content for Saturday and Sunday, you’ll increase the number of likes, comments, and views. 2. Develop Facebook-specific Offers In a recent Performics survey, Facebook users polled said they are most interested in receiving printable coupons (32%) and sale or deal notifications (28%) from companies. Instead of posting recipes or games, try an exclusive coupon or discount. Your fans will love you for it. 3. Think Mobile Mobile usage continues to soar, and according to Facebook, people who access the site via their mobile device are almost 50% more active than non-mobile users. So keep mobile users in mind when updating your page and mobile-optimize content when you can. They’ll appreciate the good user experience. You’ll improve your response rate. It’s a win-win. Looking for more concrete ways to improve your Facebook results? Download our latest Pro report, “Research Spotlight: Facebook” and get access to more than 33 charts from 17 sources and learn: 1. Who is using Facebook? 2. What are Facebook members doing? 3. How are businesses using Facebook The report is $99 for Basic MarketingProfs members, or FREE if you upgrade to a Pro membership. Buy it now or become a Pro Member today!
• Build Sales Faster With The Networking Follow-Up Tool 16 July, 2010, 7:14 am
  Do you regularly attend networking events? Do you have a system for processing the names and business cards you gather to quickly follow-up with new contacts? New to my market, I’ve made it a goal to get out of the office once a week to meet and mingle. When attending networking events with the goal of driving sales, the strategy is to meet and gather business cards from potential clients and those who may be able to generate leads. While I have a contact management system, I did not have a formal process for filtering and categorizing the cards before I put them into that system. Brushing up on my networking skills, I picked up a copy of Get Clients Now!: A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals, Consultants, and Coaches by C.J. Hayden. Among many other strategies and tools, Hayden outlines a simple method to manage gathered business cards. Inspired by Hayden’s process and the paper place mats used in wine tastings, I created a “Networking Follow-Up Guide.” A one-page “place mat” (pictured below) to print out and use to sort business card piles into actionable categories. I’ve linked the Networking Follow-Up Guide (PDF, 23kb) for you. Summary: Following Up With Contacts Here is a quick overview of the process Hayden outlines in the book. (You’ll find more detail on the print-out and in the book.) 1.)  Sort your business cards into three piles: Prospective Clients, Useful Networking Contacts, and Other. 2.)  Next, subdivide the Prospective Clients pile into: Hot, Warm, and Cool leads. The Hot leads are those who already indicated they need you. The Warm, those who mentioned a problem or goal you know you can help with. The rest would be Cool. Hayden recommends you stop sorting and immediately follow up with the Hot and Warm leads. 3.)  Then, split the Useful Networking Clients pile into (a) those who could directly lead you to prospective clients, and (b) those who may lead you to potential marketing opportunities (speaking gigs, networking events, etc.). Again, she suggests follow-up right then and there. This time, with those who may have leads for you. Your goal among these contacts is to build an ongoing give-and-take relationship. I provide detail for each of these steps (and more) on the sheet. A real ah-ha! moment for me was in Hayden’s final step. After review and follow-up, including the Cool Leads and Marketing Opportunities, you’ll still have your pile of “Other” cards. Her smart advice: “Unless they belong to people you would like to have a personal friendship with now, throw them away. If they aren’t worth following up with now, they don’t belong in your contact management system.” Such smart advice. Why waste your time? Why waste their time? I hope you find the one-pager helpful. It helps me manage new contacts and act to get new clients. I recommend Get Clients Now! Hayden not only does a great job helping build a comprehensive ‘new client’ strategy, she also provides details on how to implement the tactics and tasks.
• Top 10 Public Figures Who Are Also Mindful Consumers 16 July, 2010, 7:06 am
  Despite the fact that glitz and abundance are alive and well in mainstream media (think: Bravo’s The Real Housewives and E!’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians), there is a fast-growing set of Americans who reject excess and artificiality in favor of authenticity, substance and interconnectedness. In fact, according to a groundbreaking survey of 5,700 adults in seven countries conducted for my upcoming book Consumed, nearly 80 percent of Americans feel society is becoming too shallow and believe most of us would be better off if we lived more simply. For the last two decades, Americans believed bigger was better—from the size of our houses to our cars to the amount of food on our dinner plates. But the economic recession, coupled with other factors like the green movement, is fundamentally changing American attitudes. Instead of super-sizing, we’re “right-sizing” and re-evaluating what’s important in life. We’re saving more, wasting less, and giving back. Mindful consumers are taking a closer look at what we truly need and adjusting our shopping behaviors accordingly. As part of that, we are embracing brands that uphold these new ideals, brands that provide quality and value in their services and products, but are also environmentally friendly and socially responsible. Here is a list of 10 public figures who embrace qualities of the mindful consumer, such as a commitment to sustainability efforts, a focus on giving, and a more thoughtful approach to consumption: 10)  Ludacris—Rappers are not always known for their humility, generosity and environmentally conscious attitudes; Ludacris isn’t your average rapper. Through The Ludacris Foundation, he has donated $1.5 million to support youth-oriented, grassroots organizations and devoted more than 5,000 hours of service, all while paying special attention to his hometown of Atlanta. Did we mention that Ludacris owns a hybrid and is installing solar panels on his home? 9)  Suze Orman—While the financial market collapsed, Orman’s stock rose as she convinced people what NOT to buy during the economic recession. She is viewed as a trusted financial expert, helping Americans become fiscally responsible through her television show, eight consecutive New York Times bestsellers, and frequent guest spots on a range of programs from Oprah to The Biggest Loser. 8)  Indra K. Nooyi—As the CEO of PepsiCo, Nooyi wants those of us who indulge in sugary beverages to feel a little better about it. She’s championing “performance with a purpose” within the organization, which is focused on creating more wholesome products and increasing sustainability practices. As part of this effort, the company has launched The Pepsi Refresh Project. The socially driven campaign allows individuals and organizations to post their philanthropic ideas on refresheverything.com, where the general public votes for their favorite initiatives to be funded. To help support the project, which will give away more than $20 million this year, the company passed on airing a Super Bowl ad. 7)  Ellen DeGeneres—Comedienne, actress, author, Cover Girl spokesmodel, American Idol judge and talk-show host, Ellen DeGeneres does it all. Using her large media presence, she exposes audience members to different charities, such as Feeding America and the American Red Cross. DeGeneres conceals her wealth with ordinary clothes and a gracious attitude, influencing a legion of supporters through her television shows and brand sponsorships. 6)  Taylor Swift—Unlike her flashy counterparts, such as Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga, there’s something genuine and down-to-earth about Swift that makes her stand out among the tween, teenage and young adult set. With her poised demeanor, saccharine pop-country crossover songs, humanitarian efforts for numerous charities, and penchant for affordable clothing—including her line of Walmart-sold sundresses that start at $14—this young superstar personifies the mindset of a new generation who want to feel good, look good and do good with (age-appropriate) style. 5) Warren Buffett—The world’s third-wealthiest person, Buffett is famously known for both his mindful spending and philanthropy. America’s foremost investor still owns the modest home bought in 1958, receives a salary of approximately $100,000 and rarely makes extravagant purchases. Most recently, Buffett auctioned off a lunch with himself that sold for $2.63 million, which will support Glide Foundation, a homeless organization based in San Francisco. 4)  Oprah Winfrey—As proven time and again, the mere mention of a product by Oprah will make it a best seller. Her personal integrity, philanthropic efforts and ability to connect with the masses will help her stay one of America’s favorite trendsetters long after her talk show ends in 2011. Up next: Oprah will start the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), further exploring issues surrounding empowerment, spirit, human relationships and giving back. 3) Stephen F. Quinn—More than three-quarters of Americans shop at Walmart every year, so whether you’re a fan, the retailer has influence. As Walmart’s CMO, Quinn’s leadership on sustainability efforts has a huge impact. He helped initiate strict environmental standards, including high efficiency store designs, reusable bags, recycling programs and the installation of solar panels. In addition, Walmart is helping shoppers go green by introducing more energy-efficient products; locally grown produce; and the Sustainability Index, an initiative that, in the company’s own words, is “helping to create a more transparent supply chain, driving product innovation and ultimately providing our customers with information they need to assess products’ sustainability.” 2)  Mark Zuckerberg—Zuckerberg makes the list not because he is particularly mindful, but because the platform he created is making savvier shoppers out of all of us. With more than 400 million active users worldwide, Facebook has become an interactive consumer haven. With the simple update of a status feed, users can get product recommendations from the most trusted source: friends and family. Plus, the platform provides a voice to grassroots organizations that want to galvanize people around the world quickly and efficiently. Brands like Coca-Cola, Starbucks and Disney are realizing the platform’s potential by generating huge fan followings, making it a marketer’s paradise. And with Zuckerberg’s influence over Internet privacy policies, he is changing the way we shop. 1) Michelle Obama—With the grace of Jackie and the aspirations of Eleanor, Michelle has captivated Americans. When the First Lady donned J. Crew fashions at public appearances such as The Jay Leno Show, it spiked the retailer’s clothing sales, website traffic and brand awareness. However, it is Obama’s efforts to end childhood obesity with initiatives like “Let’s Move” and the White House vegetable garden that are inspiring a nation. She is influencing (and, in some cases, incentivizing) politicians, business leaders, nonprofits, parents and the rest of us to think about what we consume. * * * * * Andrew Benett, Global CEO of Arnold Worldwide and Global Chief Strategy Officer of Havas Worldwide, describes the downfall of hyperconsumption and the rise of “the new consumer” in his forthcoming book, Consumed: Rethinking Business in an Era of Mindful Spending (Palgrave Macmillan, July 2010), co-authored by Ann O’Reilly, Content Director of the Euro RSCG Worldwide Knowledge Exchange.
• 5 Secrets to a Killer Webinar 15 July, 2010, 8:56 am
  In my big chair at Online Seminar Mission Control for MarketingProfs, I used to assume all the accolades from our audiences were simply polite compliments. “No one does a webinar as well as MarketingProfs,” people would gush.  It’s been three months since I left that seat and launched my own gig.  And I’ve learned something about the feedback from MarketingProfs members: It’s dead-on. I’ve been watching other webinars compulsively—from the usual B2B lead-generation marketing stuff, to how to be a better parent, to how to use CAD systems to predict when a steel structure will collapse.  They all sucked. It was all too easy to write copious notes about dumb mistakes people make with webinars … then I stopped to consider: What is it that makes MarketingProfs so different? After all, our online seminars weren’t so hot in the first year. When did things change? And how? Nothing changed overnight.  MarketingProfs webinars improved gradually.  In hindsight, the turning point and some milestones that followed have become obvious to me. We took complete ownership of webinar production. MarketingProfs used to rely on third-party vendors to run our online seminars.  We used whatever tools they offered and let them control the show.  They handled the tech rehearsal, they introduced the live broadcast, and their brand was more visible than ours.  Five years ago, we decided to own the process ourselves. We invested in better webinar technology. There are about 117 web conferencing tools on the market right now.  MarketingProfs chose one that not only suited our existing needs, but that had cool features we could implement as we became familiar with them. We implemented new features gradually. Webinar vendors are always upping the ante with new gadgets and gizmos.   MarketingProfs experimented with a few until settling into some routine practices, such as: We “opened up” the Q&A so that participants could see what others had asked—and how we responded.  It didn’t take long for the audience to start interacting with each other, adding a whole new dimension of learning to every presentation. We played custom music mixes in the “lobby” before each broadcast to set the tone and allow early arrivals to check their volume levels.  It didn’t take long before some audience members purposely signed in early just to check out that day’s tunes!   I adored my deejay role, too. We pre-recorded some presentations and broadcast them to a live audience, while the presenter stayed online to handle incoming questions.  This was tricky at first, but the advantages quickly become clear. (I’ll blog about those advantages later.) We [yawn] documented procedures religiously. I’m the least detail-oriented person in my ZIP code, but this was a grudging necessity as MarketingProfs added new staff members. What did we write down? How to handle proposals from would-be speakers The standard timeline of speaker deadlines before a webinar broadcast. The internal team process, plus deadlines and deliverables, for promoting a webinar What to cover in a technical rehearsal Every moment scripted out for every player in a live broadcast–-from audio testing to opening the lobby to thanking the audience for joining us. The irony for me was that getting all of these procedures written down was actually freeing!  We could all see where we could (or couldn’t!) improvise when something didn’t go as planned. We became better at coaching speakers. I’ve read every evaluation after every MarketingProfs webinar, and I now know what audiences will love and hate, regardless of the topic.  I decided that I’d rather risk hurting a speaker’s feelings before a presentation with kind but relentless feedback.  Too much was at stake—the speaker’s credibility, the MarketingProfs brand, and the audience’s time. I will always remember what Jason Baer, one of our very best speakers, told me after I reluctantly asked him to change his presentation. “Thanks, Shelley! Even Tiger Woods needs a coach.” My colleagues at MarketingProfs (whom I miss terribly!) can probably expand this list.  I hope you’ll share your own experience with fantabulous webinars as well, whether you were sitting in the audience or running the show.
• Retailers Are Just Beginning to Tap Into FourSquare 15 July, 2010, 8:47 am
  Ann Taylor has become the latest retailer to tap into the growing popularity of FourSquare and offer store discounts based on how often users “check in” at one of its locations.  According to Mashable, customers will begin receiving a 15% in-store discount after their 5th check in, and customers who are “mayors” of each location will get 25% off items that aren’t already on sale. On the surface, this is a smart move for Ann Taylor, as it rewards mobile customers for engaging in existing activities.  It’s also a smart promotional play; as customers check in at Ann Taylor locations (the program is being piloted in 8 NYC stores for now), this activity is often shared with their online social communities, such as on Twitter. So how could Ann Taylor (and other retailers that are offering similar initiatives) build on this FourSquare promotion? Let’s look at the Ann Taylor example, and the small NYC pilot FourSquare program they have launched.  If I were consulting with Ann Taylor, I would suggest that they consider creating a social/mobile marketing advisory panel from among the customers that are most frequently using FourSquare to check in at NYC’s Ann Taylor locations.  As my friend CK can tell you, while social media is big, mobile marketing is poised to become gigantic in the coming years.  By reaching out directly to some of Ann Taylor’s most passionate customers that are also social media and mobile media savvy, Ann Taylor could get some incredibly valuable advice directly from its customers about how to improve its mobile marketing and communication efforts. I recently worked with Dell on a similar initiative.  Dell identified a few dozen customers that were actively using social media tools to discuss the company, and Dell brought them into its Round-Rock headquarters to meet with them and get feedback directly from them on how the company could improve its efforts.  Over two days, Dell heard from its most passionate customers about how the company can improve its marketing, product design/development, customer service, and social media efforts.  I was blown away by the event and can tell you that the discussions were incredible, and a joy to be a part of. Ann Taylor could do the same thing, and I think it would be a wonderfully smart move for them.
• 6 Tips for Getting People to Talk Well About You 14 July, 2010, 9:11 am
  GasPedal will soon be hosting its second Word of Mouth Supergenius event in New York on July 20. It’s bringing together the very best word of mouth marketers with 12 how-to classes, 12 real-world case studies, and 6 brilliant author sessions. It’s awesome, it’s fun, and we hope you can make it. Meanwhile, check out these lessons to be learned from last year’s videos and this year’s previews. They’re full of fantastic, practical ideas on how to get people talking about you. Here are a few of our favorite tips from WOMs presenting this year, too. A few of our favorites: 1. “Delightful surprises earn long-term customer love.” (Tony Hsieh, Zappos) As a preview for Tony’s keynote, we sat down with him to talk love, happiness, and word of mouth. One of Tony’s key points is that some of the biggest triggers of Zappos’ word of mouth is when they surprise and delight their customers. In our interview, he goes in depth on how they do it. 2. “Your best talkers aren’t always your target customers.” (Jake McKee, LEGO) Once LEGO realized it was their adult fans who were their biggest talkers (and biggest spenders), they reached out to these fans, supported existing communities, and turned around their business. At our last event, Ant’s Eye View’s Jake McKee offered a complete case study on how they did it. 3. “Find your voice and use measurement to refine it.” (Brendan Hart, National Geographic) Whether it’s a baritone or an alto, Brendan says your voice is your critical first-point of contact with your audience. As a preview for his upcoming class on how to be awesome on Twitter and Facebook, Brendan shares some ideas on how to find this voice as well as how to use measurement to tweak it in our interview. 4. “Do special things for special audiences.” (Matthew Guiste, Starbucks) One of the biggest sparks of word of mouth is a feeling of having special, insider information. When Starbucks launched “Free Pastry Day,” it decided to announce it exclusively through digital channels–and its word of mouth exploded. It was its single biggest traffic day ever across every digital channel. At our last event, Starbucks’ Matthew Guiste talked about this and more in his case study. 5. “It’s not about your product, it’s about what you do with your product.” (Geno Church, Fiskars) Fiskars has an amazing fan community. The group generates 13 new product ideas a month, has significantly reduced advertising expenses, and has increased sales 300%–all for a 360-year-old brand. In our preview interview with Brains on Fire’s Geno Church, he offered a bunch of great ideas on how they created this movement. 6. “Make love.”  (Andy Sernovitz—that’s me.) You want to spread your ideas to the ends of the earth–but, unfortunately, good ideas don’t always get the recognition they deserve. If you want people talking about you, you need to make them fall in love–with you and your idea. Love makes people talk. In my Pecha Kucha presentation–which is a great preview of my upcoming keynote–I show you how to make love. And if you like all those, you can meet them live at Word of Mouth Supergenius on July 20 in New York.
• Social Media Marketing for (Real) Dummies 14 July, 2010, 8:39 am
  Do you ever wonder why some business people choose to practice social media marketing? I mean, there are some folks who aren’t quite ready for prime time. I don’t want be snooty about this, but, come on. How credible can they be when they present themselves (and their brands) like dummies? So, you want examples, eh? Well, I can’t link to specific pages because that would be just plain mean—besides being highly risky for litigation. But, I’ll tell you about a few I’ve seen lately on Twitter. Example #1 A social media company that provides social media marketing services to businesses has 175 followers on Twitter, follows around 650, and is on 5 lists. The author has written a total of 10 posts. Huh? As if that isn’t enough, here’s the copy that appears on the company’s Twitter page: “Social Media Services Ofeered” Now, would you contact this company for social media marketing assistance? Example #2 How about the man whose Twitter page says he’s been a general contractor for years? In his bio, he mentions all the nice outdoor activities he’s done in his life. First impression from the photo and the intro? Nice smiling guy in his 60s who probably wants to connect with new people who enjoy the same things. NOT! Click on the link to his Website, and what smacks you in the face? A sensational headline and high-pressure multilevel marketing pitch with video and an “act now” message. What a disconnect. Example #3 A professional in my target market began following me recently. I clicked on his profile to check it out. A large message greeted me that says: This person has protected their tweets. You need to send a request before you can start following this person. Is there any wonder that he has only 63 followers? Doesn’t this strategy defeat the entire purpose of social media networking? OK, your turn. Got any social media marketing dummy stories to share?
• 5 Tips for Interviews That Produce Great Content 13 July, 2010, 8:16 am
  Today’s marketing strategies are increasingly built on a foundation of great content. But anyone who contributes to a blog or has committed to a weekly podcast knows that producing a steady stream of high-quality content can be quite a challenge. At some point, you run out of ideas. What’s a content creator to do? Find others who have good ideas that you can share and ask them great questions, says master interviewer Susan Bratton. Bratton is the host of popular podcast DishyMix and the creator of dozens of instructional products including “Masterful Interviews” and “Talk Show Tips.” Here are her five top question-asking tips: Stay focused. For best results, keep the conversation focused on the person you’re interviewing. Resist the impulse to do too much sharing about your experiences even if they are relevant—as interrupting the flow could cause them to withdraw, or worse, clam up. Go with the flow. Alternate between skimming across topics and diving deeper into a particular idea. Have a wide range of questions at the ready, so that you can easily switch channels based on the flow of the interview. This will keep the session feeling conversational. Get personal. Answering a few personal questions will help your guest warm to the interview experience and make them more interesting to your audience. Ask “dumb” questions. Your audience will thank you, especially if the topic is complex.  Bonus: You will give your guest a chance to look really smart! Prepare properly. Email each guest a list questions to answer before the interview so that by the time you get them on the line to record the podcast you already have a very good idea of what they know—and what would be interesting to your audience. Do a Google search on the person’s name, and look at their LinkedIn profile and blog posts, etc. to get a feel for who they are.  Susan emphasizes: The more prepared you are, the better responses you will get from your guest. In addition to helping you create great content, Bratton says the biggest perk of asking good questions is that it provides the privilege of talking to new, interesting people all the time, and with that, the opportunity to expand your network of contacts and influencers, quickly and efficiently.
• Help Your C-Suite Get Serious About Social Media 12 July, 2010, 8:54 am
  Recently, I had the opportunity to address a room full of marketers from the insurance industry.  To say they were freaked out would be an understatement.  Interestingly, however, it wasn’t health care reform that had them out of sorts—it was social media. To be fair to my insurance friends, regulated industries aren’t the only ones spooked by social media.  Just ask the folks at Nestle (preferably somewhere far, far away from a palm tree) or Southwest Airlines (preferably over a low-fat latte) or Toyota (‘nuff said).  Even some 2009’s shining social media stars are discovering that Facebook and Twitter make for fickle friends when wielded like bullhorns by disgruntled consumers. So, what’s a marketer to do when the C-Suite begins voicing some doubts about “this social media thing”?  Well, we wondered the same thing at ExactTarget, so we asked 12 marketing thought leaders to pen letters about how companies could “get serious about social media” in 2010.  A few clear themes emerged: Social media is not a strategy, it’s a multifaceted channel. Jay Baer (@jaybaer) calls it a horse.  Personally, I think of it more as an elephant.  Whatever the zoological analogy, the consensus is clear—social media is a means to an end, not the end itself. Hiring a “social media manager” isn’t enough. As Olivier Blanchard (@thebrandbuilder) notes, “The complexity of building, deploying and driving a social media ‘program’ not only requires a breadth of skills on the management side, but also a division of labor across the organization.” Social media is about commitments over campaigns. Joseph Jaffe (@jaffejuice) hammers this point home: To be a trusted, lasting brand, we must be in it for the long haul.  Those with “burn and churn” campaign mentalities are likely to find themselves short on fans, friends, and employers. With additional contributions from David Baker (@Social_C_R_M), Sergio Balengo (@SergioBalegno), Jason Falls (@JasonFalls), Kyle Lacy (@KylePLacy), Shelly Palmer (@Shelly_Palmer), Trey Pennington (@TreyPennington),  MarketingProfs very own Ann Handley (@MarketingProfs), and yours truly (@jkrohrs), Letters to the C-Suite: Getting Serious About Social Media makes for an inspiring read for anyone gearing up to ask their C-Suite for more support on the social media front lines. Looking for more concrete ways to get the budget and resources you need for social media marketing? Join Brian Solis July 15 at noon ET for our online seminar Selling Social to the C-Suite. It’s free for Pro members (and just $129 for everyone else). You can catch it on-demand, too!
• Helping Make Medicine Friendlier 12 July, 2010, 8:11 am
  In an increasingly complex world, it’s hard to be simple. Yet, most of us are hungering for simplicity in our hectic lives. New York City start-up company Help Remedies recently entered the marketplace with six over-the-counter (OTC) products and a decidedly unconventional approach to health care packaging. Judging from their clean minimalism, it seems Help Remedies aims to revolutionize OTC packaging, and I think they’re onto something here. If there’s one lesson to be gleaned from their approach, it’s this: Any commodity product can be packaged to look like anything but. Logging on to the company’s website, the first thing we see is: “Help: I want to help someone.” Immediately, there’s empathy and outreach couched in simple messaging. Take a look at the products and product packaging. Packaging is entirely compostable, made of molded paper pulp and a bio plastic primarily made of corn. Cool or what? The word “help™” appears in the upper left-hand corner on soft white pillow-like packaging. This is followed by one simple ailment presented in the first person. “help™ … I have a headache.” “help™ … I can’t sleep.” “help™… I have allergies.” You get the idea. After the listed ailment, there’s information about the contents in a few short words. Each white package is outlined by color and the word “help™” appears in that same color. Remedies are line-priced at $4 each. This is simple, effective segmentation. These products present simple solutions for common health issues. The company statement on its web site is: “We think a little help, honesty and kindness go a long way.” The subliminal message is: “We’re all in this together.” These are commodity OTC products, but clever marketing and unusual packaging have elevated them to become one-of-a-kind, unique solutions. Take a look at consumer products in a specific category you’re interested in. What can be done to make them more appealing and stand out from the crowd of products on the shelf? What would you like to see done with the packaging for a new entry of commonplace products in the marketplace? I’d love to hear from you: designers, marketers and avid consumers all.