How Do You Build "Killer" Brand Image Taglines?

Here's the discussion we had today at our conference table with
four of the "all time" great direct marketing copywriters.

How To Build "Killer" Brand Image Taglines.

1.) Killer brand tag lines contain as few words as possible,
each having emense power in formulating the brand's image

1.) Pick a "noun" that properly and completely describes the "brand"

2.) Then select "adjectives" and "adverbs" that do a herculean job'
in modifying the "noun".

The example of BMW was discussed. All of us agreeing their tagline is one of the very best of all time.

(Brand): BMW (Tagline): The Ultimate Driving Machine.

The "noun" ... machine ... describes exactly what BMW is. Ultimate and Driving are "adjectives" that do an outstanding job of modifying (enhancing) what the "noun" is all about. The ... an "adverb" properly describes what the "adjectives" are doing.

Thought this discussion might be useful to those reading this blog who are intrusted in creating brand image.

What Does … CRM … Really Mean?

Having spent almost 50 years involved in direct marketing, I have always thought CRM was the acronym for … Customer Retention Marketing. Today it has evolved into meaning … Customer Retention Management.

So, changing “marketing” to “management” doesn’t sound like that much of a change.

But, in truth, it’s enormous.

Today’s definition of the “management” part of the acronym seems to center around the software and technical structure on maintaining the database for a company’s “customer retention” program. In the company’s conference room a lively discussions ensue on why the technical aspects of ACT is better than Right Now or eCometry … or visa versa.

Forgotten is the “art” to customer retention in the first place. This is a symptom of today’s corporate America. Just as in the practice of medicine, everyone has a “specialty”. This creates marketing managed by committee. The result is very ordinary customer retention creativity with a highly technical piece of software having all the “bells and whistles”. However, in the long run, it doesn’t creatively work for putting together a brilliant marketing plan. That’s what happens when everyone is a specialist.

My comments are not targeted at those who handle the management of the technical aspects of the database software. I am speaking to top company management, especially when the companyis in the $3 to $7 million range in sales and can't yet afford several levels on management responsibility. I fear today’s top management have come up through the ranks as a specialist. They never learned their craft by being the “chief cook” as well as “the bottle washer”.

Years ago we built a creative retention marketing plan … then applied the technology of the day to that plan. Today’s top management must take a step back and look at the big picture they are trying to accomplish. It boils down to one thing … increasing sales from your customer database. It’s not just having software with all the bells and whistles. If top management did their job properly, they’d become horrified on how their “technocrats” have become the “tail that wags the company dog”. Yes, proper technical software management is a vital part of CRM, but it’s one of many parts to ensure more sales from a company’s database.

Here’s a good case in point. One of my associates asked me to contact his nephew, an owner of a candy wholesale company. He felt I could help the company grow exponentially with the proper CRM. It was a $6 million a year operation. All their sales came from their internet catalog. They never once had sent out a reorder mailing, let alone a reorder e-mail. I sent letters, e-mails and even had the owner’s uncle call on my behalf. Did I hear a word? No. Not a peep. Not even a “thanks but no thanks”. Here’s a company with a good CRM plan could more than double their sales in a year’s time.

Ordinary vs Extraordinary Companies: Delivery Satisfaction

Extraordinary companies invest in inventory to build customer satisfaction. Ordinary companies extract investment for the owners pocket and forget having a satisfied customer.


The following comes from my friend, Don Libey's March newsletter.

He says:


"I just received six different shirts I had ordered four months ago. Yes, you read that correctly: four months ago. Not one shirt six times, but six shirts one time each.


The online merchant I purchased from is a specialist in large sizes. The risk they have chosen is that they will be the only place where you can get 3XL through 7XL clothing. The risk ... in a nation of 65% obese people ... seems like a pretty good business model. You probably ought to have that stuff in stock all the time.


So, when one of the roughly 250 million Americans is ready to buy, their answer is 'Sorry, we won't have any of those six shirts for about four months'


Why do they pretend to be in the Big People clothing business when they don't have any of the products they sell in stock? Imagine Don's Hot Dog Stand without any hot dogs. Come back next Tuesday, I should have some in by then. How about some mustard in the meantime?


The foundation of the direct marketing concept is we sell people stuff when they need and want it. The primary rule of customer satisfaction is, YES.


And yet, for ordinary companies, when cost controls take center stage, the first thing they do is trim inventory. Extraordinary companies shift costs from other areas and increase their inventory to assure zero customers are unsatisfied.


Extraordinary companies consider the basic logic in following the rules of direct marketing. They understand they spend a significant amount of money to get new customers. They don't skimp on their inventory and tell their customers, 'Come back in four months'.

Extraordinary companies realize cash now is better than cash later in every instance. The wise CEO of extraordinary companies know never to worry about an extra 5% in inventory because they know it is an extra 20% return on customer satisfaction"

If you haven't read the earlier blog entry on Today's Electronic Direct Marketing,
click on it in the "Archives". I am a big fan of selling products that can be downloaded. If that's the type of product you sell, then having just read the above blog entry becomes a "moot" point.

Ordinary vs Extraordinary Companies: Attention To The Basics

One of Don Libey's "pet peevs", as well as mine, is the attention to the basics. "While leading in innovation, technology and ideas," Don says, "the extraordinary company is also totally grounded and proficient in all the direct marketing basics. The ordinary companies are struggling to cover or discover the basics."

Attention to the direct marketing basics are essential in becoming an extraordinary company. Yes, extraordinary companies break the rules. Even, many of them have made new rules. But breaking the rules doesn't mean forgetting the building of a strong foundation with the basics.

There are basics in every facet of the direct marketing process. As an example, let's take the working knowledge of the prospect lists you rent.

Many years ago I rented the Baldwin Cooke calendar buyers list quite regularly. Today, it's part of the several companies that have melded into the Taylor Corporation's stable of mail order companies. I couldn't understand why this list worked like "gangbusters" in the first and second quarter of the year while response rates dropped off substantially in the third and fourth quarters.

The owners of Baldwin Cooke were regular attendees at the Business Mailers Group meetings, which at that time I was it's President. So, one day I sat down with them and asked why I could be experiencing this response drop-off like clockwork each year.

Baldwin Cook's biggest promotion every year was a dollar sample offer of their executive desk calendar. These mailings, sent out in the third and fourth quarter each year amounted to at least two thirds of their customer list. They didn't put these names on the list rental market until the end of the first quarter of the following year. And, didn't update their database until the same time the next year. By the time September and October rolled around, everyone, his brother and uncles had mailed the list many times over and the names were no longer fresh buyers.

Pitney Bowes postage machine buyers (lease holders). This is a very big list. It's updated every quarter. However, if I started my lease in February, I would not come back as a Hot Line buyer until the following February. In this case, you have to test monthly Hot Lines vs. Lease Renewal Hot Lines. I have found there can be a big difference in response.

The "pet peeve" of one of our newest readers, Marjorie Bicknell, a well known direct marketing copywriter, is the basics of proper copy testing.

I mention all the above for one reason. Extraordinary companies go the extra mile to understand all the direct marketing basics. Ordinary companies are miles behind trying to discover and understand the basics.

The Master Key To Your Success

My company’s website home page states:

“As in romance, court your customers and prospects with your insight and pearls of wisdom. Get them into the habit of welcoming your contacts, because what you say is so valuable, useful and interesting. If you do this, sales will automatically follow.”


So many companies literally “don’t get it”. They automatically focus on the product or the service they are selling. Then when they apply “benefits” and “features” to their copy, still no one seems to be interested

Here’s some advice from one of today’s internet gurus … Perry Marshall. He gets it!

“Nobody who bought a drill actually wanted a drill.

They wanted a hole.

Therefore, if you want to sell drills, you should advertise information about making holes ... NOT information about drills!"

There are so many people out there selling the drill (their business), when people actually want to know about making holes instead. What you should be offering are tips on how to drill a hole, and suggest using your drill to make the hole! Now that is effective marketing.

That’s what I mean about “courting your customers”. You must deliver answers to their problems, pain or desire. If you do this with information that is valuable, useful and interesting, sales for your “drill” (your product or service) will soar.

Ordinary vs Extraordinary Companies: The Proper Use Of Money

My good friend, Don Libey says, "The Extraordinary companies spend money. The Ordinary companies take money out of the business. The Extraordinary companies know the value of talent and investment in prospecting. The Ordinary companies try to get by without investing in their future. Consequently, often they don't have one."

I am lucky to have an Extraordinary company as a client. Like any decent direct marketing creator, I designed a mailing that broke even at less than three tenths of a percent. We tested a 25,000 segment of a 250,000 list. By the "half life" date we were 400% above break even. The client called me and asked how fast could we be back in the mail with the remaining 225,000 names?

Now, you tell me? Are you a manager or work for one who will roll out to an entire list having tested only 10% of it? Almost certainly the answer is ... NO!

Let me tell you his reasoning. The test pulled 400% above break even only 12 days into the results. That's the half way mark. When all was said and done the mailing would record 800% above break even. (We had measured. We were at 50% in sales in 12 days of results with this product and offer.) Even if the roll out produced results at 10% above the test, we would be at 80% above break even. My client was laughing all the way to the bank! He wanted to be in the mail before the competition could catch up!

This is an example of an Extraordinary company with a passionate owner not afraid to invest his money to acquire customers. To this day, he enjoys the "fruits" of being Extraordinary.

Ordinary vs Extraordinary Companies: Elegance

The extraordinary company has an elegance of mind as well as style. Their warehouse and personality are orderly, clean, automated and totally organized. They treat their employees well, almost as if anyone of them are more than welcome in the owner's home as a trusted friend. The ordinary company is just ordinary. Their employees are not treated as equals, things are a little disty and unorganized.

I have a client who prizes their employees. They fully believe they are the biggest asset to their business. Since this direct marketer built themselves on outstanding 24/7 customer service, they treat their employees to surroundings that make them feel they "belong". There are employees at the company "around the clock", so the owners have built a kitchen for the employees that would rival any one belonging to a famous chef on the Food Channel. This allows those who work crazy hours to cook themselves and others a fabulous meal. Viking stoves, two Sub-Zero refrigerators, beautiful granite counter tops, the works. The rest rooms are what you would find in extraordinary hotels with beautiful hand towels and elegant excessories.

The elegance of their company facilities spills over to the elegance and passion each of the employees have for their jobs. I look forward to meeting with this client each month. Everytime I do, I come away with ideas that turn into successful marketing ideas.