Canvassing 101: How to Find Out What Makes Sense So That You Can Make Dollars

Does your “brilliant design choice” for your corporate logo actually resonate with your targeted audience? How about your corporate slogan? Does your website design deter conversions (i.e. do you know where and why your site visitors are dropping out before they make a purchase (or respond to your “call-to-action”)?

I’ve lost count of the number of clients who have created the “next great idea” and invested tens, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars in branding strategies that fell flat, simply because they couldn’t see the trees through the forest and neglected to actually canvass their targeted audience BEFORE committing significant resources to an idea. Leading me to suggest that RJ Metric’s Robert Moore contribution in today’s NYT “You’re The Boss” column is a must read for those who aspire to be true innovators.

The take-away is simple: If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Per Moore’s pointer, conducting a survey to sanity check your idea is critical. Monkey Survey used to be my particular favorite tool because its a simple and zero-cost tool that allows you to canvass those you know.  But those you know, even if completing the survey anonymously, may not be the ones you want to canvass vs. surveying those who are already profiled to have an interest in the type of product or service you are offering.

To reach the latter group, the cost of canvassing is now strikingly affordable, best illustrated by Survata.com . We haven’t tested it yet, but its on our immediate action list.

What about your web site design. Do you really know how your visitors are navigating your site, and which pages prove to have the longest visits and/or the last page visitors viewed before they decided not to buy your product or respond to your call to action? Yes, many of use the free Google Analytics (most of us use only 20% of the features), but because Goog’s tools can prove to be complex to implement, a new entrant, CrazyEgg.com, seems to be a very intriguing and very inexpensive (starting at $9/mo) tool that makes analyzing your web design and the impact on visitors simple and straight forward.

Canvassing 101: How to Find Out What Makes Sense So That You Can Make Dollars

Summer Internship Available at CT-based Corporate Marcom-PR Boutique

The JLC Group is offering a spot (starting immediately!) for a smart, savvy and social media-friendly individual who aspires to be a modern day MadMan (or MadWoman).  Our clients include highly-demanding and successful entrepreneurs and corporate executives operating within financial services, technology, insurance, consumer products and risk management sectors.  Our clients engage our firm to help increase brand awareness and further position their respective products and professional services.  You can presume that we are even more demanding than our clients; a quality that sets us apart from others in our space.

The principals of our firm have served as mentors to dozens of young men and women in the course of their college and post college careers. Many of our proteges have since become leaders within start-ups, fast-growth companies and major corporations. Either we’ve always picked the right interns, or we’ve done a great job providing a spring board for people who know how to listen, enjoy learning, are multi-tasking, are able to think out of the box and are not easily-intimidated by challenges or obstacles.

Requirements:

1. You must read the entire listing herein before replying. Applicants who are unable to meet the criteria herein need not apply.

1a. You must be able to follow instructions and also be self-directed.

1b. You must be accomplished using web-based search tools to locate answers and/or uncovering information that is often hidden.

2. Currently pursuing marketing communications as a major course of study, or recently graduated from college  during which time your primary focus of study was within areas that included marketing, marketing communication, English, finance, and/or related fields.

3. You are well-versed in best practices i.e. corporate use of social media applications. This means you are familiar with strategies that best position brands using blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and similar social media outlets.

4. You are necessarily tech-friendly and proficient in the use of .doc, .xls, .ppt.

5. You must have strong creative writing skills.

6. You must be able to work without supervision; as your tasks can be accomplished from your own location (work remotely). Otherwise, we are happy to provide work space for you in our Westport CT office.

7. Those with knowledge of the financial services industry and financial markets, along with above criteria will be given special consideration; much of the tasks you will be assigned will be in support of clients  operating within the financial industry.

COMPENSATION

Internships are called internships for a reason; they are typically non-paying opportunities to learn and practice a skill set in advance of pursuing your chosen career.  That said, we are offering a stipend (paid bi-weekly)  of $250 per week. If you do an outstanding job, we provide bonuses based on performance.

How to reply:

1. Send a cover letter along with your current resume.

2. If you prefer to create a video-resume with the goal of “wowing” us, that’s fine.

3. If you can’t figure out how or where to send your application to, you’re not qualified for the opportunity described above.

All applications will be held in strict confidence, and all applications that meet the above criteria will be responded to.

 

Summer Internship Available at CT-based Corporate Marcom-PR Boutique

Beverly Hills Boycott of Brunei: Ct PR Firm Offers Pro Bono Service For Pro-Human Rights Companies To Shout Out Protest of Billionaire Dictator

The headline says it all. Feel free to retweet. Ok to hit “like”..Forward this link.. Westport Ct consulting firm JLC Group is offering its public relations services as a professional courtesy (aka free of charge) to corporate brands who wish to publicly demonstrate their protest of new laws that violate all presumed norms of human society imposed this week by by the Sultan of Brunei , the de facto leader of the world’s 5th richest country. According to the reincarnated view of Sharia law, the new edicts on this Islamic-led monarchy imposes corporal punishment on any accused homosexual, dismemberment for those found guilty of petty theft, and let’s not forget : death by stoning of any woman determined (by a court of religious zealots) to have committed adultery. Did we forget to add, according to this law, their definition of adultery (which could easily be a copyright violation from a Game of Thrones episode), does not accept an act of rape as a defense against the charge of adultery.  It doesn’t matter how; if you got screwed, you are screwed. You could be gang-raped by Islamic militants with bombs strapped to their backs and pointing AK-47s at your child’s head, but you’d still be guilty of adultery. And, your punishment will have you stoned to death. How’s that for modern civilization?

There are a variety of reasons why aspiring and accomplished brand leaders across the spectrum of industries (well, maybe not all industries or companies..) should want to further define your corporate ethos, if only to your stakeholders, by taking a public stance in protest of the Brunei madness. Presumably, you’ll want your message to be more impactful than simply announcing your boycott of private and corporate events taking place at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

 

Beverly Hills Boycott of Brunei: Ct PR Firm Offers Pro Bono Service For Pro-Human Rights Companies To Shout Out Protest of Billionaire Dictator

How to Succeed as a Financial Industry Thought-Leader: Case Study

Financial Services Brand Marketing 101: For those who aspire to be considered thought-leaders within the financial industry, this interview clip courtesy of CNBC is a perfect example of thought-leadership..and underscores the [obvious] need for aspiring 'experts' to be fluent in the subject matter and to frame your thesis in a crisp and clear manner. Kudos to Neil Azous of Rareview Macro re his 'CNBC debut appearance' (fast forward to the 2-minute market on the video for his presentation)

Risque Brand Names: Risks (i.e. Envelope Pushing) Can Reap Rewards

Kudos to NYT John Grossman re today’s front page (business section) story profiling companies that have embraced risque words within corporate name.

And, hats off to the disruptive entrepreneurs who have successfully pushed the envelope and proven that shock and awe within their brand promotion schemes can push them to the top of mindshare. Best case in point: Richard Branson use of “virgin” within each of all of his corporate brands

Per article (link below), when the artisian maker of non-allergenic, high-fiber breakfast cereal changed the name from the bland tasting name “Hapi Cereal” to “Holy Crap”, sales rose 10x (that’s TEN-FOLD!)….One example doesn’t make a story, but the number of examples cited by the NYT reporter strikes at the heart of why risque is not only tongue-in-cheek-fun, but can prove very rewarding to those who focus on connecting the tag line to the bottom line.. And yes, that last phrase happens to be The JLC Group corporate slogan.

Fat Bastard and SassyBitch wines, Kickass Cupcakes, Big Ass Fans (formerly known as “HVLS Fan Company”), “Master Bait & Tackle Co. (a fishing supply firm), a construction company that changed its name to “Mammoth Erection” from “David Hall Construction” and “HelloFlo” (a feminine hygiene brand) are all cited in the article for having enjoyed spiked sales subsequent to migrating from plain jane monikers to shock and awe approaches.

Caveat: if your email domain emulates the risque phrase, you’re at risk of corporate emails winding up in recipient spam folders. Another caveat: if you market to global audience, the name you select could insult a local culture and incite a riot..and not the laughing kind…

Here’s the link to the NYT article:

Risque Brand Names: Risks (i.e. Envelope Pushing) Can Reap Rewards

The Next Place to Insert Ads: Email Calendars!

What will push-advertisers think of next? The latest strategy: inserting ads into your email calendar!”

Courtesy of NY Times April 22 by Andrew Adam Newman “For a New Burt’s Bees Line, Check Your Calendar”

“..WHILE it may seem that advertising is everywhere, one place marketers have not infiltrated is the popular calendar software on computers, smartphones and tablets. But now, in what Burt’s Bees says is a marketing first, the natural personal care brand is introducing promotional messages that will appear as appointments in electronic calendars like those by Microsoft, Apple, Google and Yahoo…

The calendar promotion is by Baldwin& in Raleigh, N.C., the agency of record for Burt’s Bees, with interactive development by RecCenter, a digital agency in New York. Burt’s Bees, which was founded in Maine in 1984, is now based in Durham, N.C., and owned by the Clorox Company.

Katharine Belloir, a Baldwin& account supervisor, said she believed this was the first time a brand was interacting with consumers via their online datebooks, and that it could prove more intimate than social media.

The Next Place to Insert Ads: Email Calendars!

Financial Industry Boutique Turns to JLC Group for Brand Burnishing

The JLC Group is pleased to announce that Rareview Macro LLC, the Stamford, CT-based advisory and publisher of “Sight Beyond Sight”, a daily macro-strategy newsletter subscribed to by leading investment managers and hedge funds focused on global events and related investment strategy ideas and insights, has engaged JLC to advise the firm and implement a menu of brand awareness, business development, corporate public relations and marcom-centric initiatives.

Rareview Macro LLC principal Neil Azous is a 20-year financial industry veteran who, prior to forming Rareview, spent much of his professional career in senior, trading market strategy roles for the world’s leading investment banks.  Since launching “Sight Beyond Sight” in late 2013, Mr. Azous has been frequently cited by leading industry news publications for his expert insight to global geo-political and macro-economic events impacting equities, fixed income, commodities and currency markets.  In addition to proffering opportunistic, yet objective alpha-generating and risk mitigation ideas to highly-sophisticated investment managers and hedge funds, Mr. Azous also provides consultative portfolio management guidance to clients of Rareview Macro.

Financial Industry Boutique Turns to JLC Group for Brand Burnishing

Macau Hotel-Casino Marketers Go All-In To Recruit WPT Celeb Spokesman Vince Van Patten

Now that Macau has become the gambling capital of the Far East, the Near East, Western Europe and of course “The West”– all courtesy of the Las Vegas legacy and Vegas-style, star-studded attractions emulated by every casino venue on the Planet Earth,  more than a few of Wall Street’s top gaming industry’s analysts, along with the entertainment industry’s branding gurus, Hollywood talent agents and corporate sponsorship sales genies think its time to bet big that at least a handful of the major Macau hotel/casino marketer will want to import Vince Van Patten, aka World Poker Tour (WPT) Celebrity Spokesman/Star to promote their venue.

For those handicapping celeb spokespeople and Vegas caliber whale-catchers, Vince is someone with more than a few extra cards up his sleeve; aside from a 5-star celeb rating and for being the top gun calling the shots at major poker tourneys broadcast to global viewers, Vince’s CV includes his being a world-ranked professional tennis ace, a celeb-pro-level golfer who is close-to-scratch-on-the links, thanks to a mean 9 iron, AND two dozen+ credits as a major film and TV actor.

Let’s not forget, Vince is without a doubt, one of the most entertaining folks you’d ever want to cross paths with…Now, Vince Van Patten’s lawyer/talent agent has tapped The JLC Group’s corporate sponsorship practice to field inquiries from Macau-located major hotel/casino venue EVP marketers and sponsorship execs who know that your deck needs to be stacked and that it requires star power to rake in the whales, and in turn, the chips. If you fall into that category, you’re cordially invited to dial us in; but only the smart ones who know that American icon celebs are the biggest brand magnets for high-rolling whales and your 4-star guests. 

To Shelly Adelson’s exec team re Sands Macao: Don’t stand on ceremony, even if your stock price keeps heading higher; Vince is who you want on your team..sign him up now–before one of your competitors shoes him in.  All you need to do is watch the sizzle reel below to know this is the safest bet you can make.

Let’s not forget, Vince is without a doubt, one of the most entertaining folks you’d ever want to cross paths with…Now, Vince Van Patten’s lawyer/talent agent has tapped The JLC Group’s corporate sponsorship practice to field inquiries from Macau-located major hotel/casino venue EVP marketers and sponsorship execs who know that your deck needs to be stacked and that it requires star power to rake in the whales, and in turn, the chips. If you fall into that category, you’re cordially invited to dial us in; but only the smart ones who know that American icon celebs are the biggest brand magnets for high-rolling whales and your 4-star guests. To Shelly Adelson’s exec team re Sands Macao: Don’t stand on - See more at: http://thejlcgroup.com/macau-hotel-casino-moguls-go-sign-tennis-ace-wpt-poker-celeb-vince-van-patten/#sthash.4DvIy3kI.dpuf

Let’s not forget, Vince is without a doubt, one of the most entertaining folks you’d ever want to cross paths with…Now, Vince Van Patten’s lawyer/talent agent has tapped The JLC Group’s corporate sponsorship practice to field inquiries from Macau-located major hotel/casino venue EVP marketers and sponsorship execs who know that your deck needs to be stacked and that it requires star power to rake in the whales, and in turn, the chips. If you fall into that category, you’re cordially invited to dial us in; but only the smart ones who know that American icon celebs are the biggest brand magnets for high-rolling whales and your 4-star guests. To Shelly Adelson’s exec team re Sands Macao: Don’t stand on ceremony, even if your stock price keeps heading higher; Vince is who you want on your team..sign him up now–before one of your competitors shoes him in.  All you need to do is watch the sizzle reel below to know this is the safest bet you can make. - See more at: http://thejlcgroup.com/macau-hotel-casino-moguls-go-sign-tennis-ace-wpt-poker-celeb-vince-van-patten/#sthash.4DvIy3kI.dpuf

Let’s not forget, Vince is without a doubt, one of the most entertaining folks you’d ever want to cross paths with…Now, Vince Van Patten’s lawyer/talent agent has tapped The JLC Group’s corporate sponsorship practice to field inquiries from Macau-located major hotel/casino venue EVP marketers and sponsorship execs who know that your deck needs to be stacked and that it requires star power to rake in the whales, and in turn, the chips. If you fall into that category, you’re cordially invited to dial us in; but only the smart ones who know that American icon celebs are the biggest brand magnets for high-rolling whales and your 4-star guests. To Shelly Adelson’s exec team re Sands Macao: Don’t stand on ceremony, even if your stock price keeps heading higher; Vince is who you want on your team..sign him up now–before one of your competitors shoes him in.  All you need to do is watch the sizzle reel below to know this is the safest bet you can make. - See more at: http://thejlcgroup.com/macau-hotel-casino-moguls-go-sign-tennis-ace-wpt-poker-celeb-vince-van-patten/#sthash.4DvIy3kI.dpuf

Let’s not forget, Vince is without a doubt, one of the most entertaining folks you’d ever want to cross paths with…Now, Vince Van Patten’s lawyer/talent agent has tapped The JLC Group’s corporate sponsorship practice to field inquiries from Macau-located major hotel/casino venue EVP marketers and sponsorship execs who know that your deck needs to be stacked and that it requires star power to rake in the whales, and in turn, the chips. If you fall into that category, you’re cordially invited to dial us in; but only the smart ones who know that American icon celebs are the biggest brand magnets for high-rolling whales and your 4-star guests. To Shelly Adelson’s exec team re Sands Macao: Don’t stand on ceremony, even if your stock price keeps heading higher; Vince is who you want on your team..sign him up now–before one of your competitors shoes him in.  All you need to do is watch the sizzle reel below to know this is the safest bet you can make.
- See more at: http://thejlcgroup.com/macau-hotel-casino-moguls-go-sign-tennis-ace-wpt-poker-celeb-vince-van-patten/#sthash.4DvIy3kI.dpuf

Now that Macau has become the gambling capital of the Far East, the Near East, Western Europe and of course “The West”– all courtesy of the Las Vegas legacy and Vegas-style, star-studded attractions emulated by every casino venue on the Planet Earth,  more than a few of Wall Street’s top gaming industry’s analysts, along with the entertainment industry’s branding gurus, Hollywood talent agents and corporate sponsorship sales genies think its time to bet big that at least a handful of the major Macau hotel/casino marketer will want to import Vince Van Patten, aka World Poker Tour (WPT) Celebrity Spokesman/Star to promote their venue. For those handicapping celeb spokespeople and Vegas caliber whale-catchers, Vince is someone with more than a few extra cards up his sleeve; aside from a 5-star celeb rating and the top gun calling the shots at major poker tourneys broadcast to global viewers, Vince’s CV includes his being a world-ranked professional tennis ace, a close-to-scratch-on-the links, thanks to a mean 9 iron, AND two dozen+ credits as a major film and TV actor.
Let’s not forget, Vince is without a doubt, one of the most entertaining folks you’d ever want to cross paths with…Now, Vince Van Patten’s lawyer/talent agent has tapped The JLC Group’s corporate sponsorship practice to field inquiries from Macau-located major hotel/casino venue EVP marketers and sponsorship execs who know that your deck needs to be stacked and that it requires star power to rake in the whales, and in turn, the chips. If you fall into that category, you’re cordially invited to dial us in; but only the smart ones who know that American icon celebs are the biggest brand magnets for high-rolling whales and your 4-star guests. To Shelly Adelson’s exec team re Sands Macao: Don’t stand on ceremony, even if your stock price keeps heading higher; Vince is who you want on your team..sign him up now–before one of your competitors shoes him in.  All you need to do is watch the sizzle reel below to know this is the safest bet you can make.
- See more at: http://thejlcgroup.com/macau-hotel-casino-moguls-go-sign-tennis-ace-wpt-poker-celeb-vince-van-patten/#sthash.4DvIy3kI.dpuf

And The Best-In-Class Winner Is: Hat's Off to JLC Group's Award-Winning Financial Service Industry Clients

Not 1, but 2 of The JLC Group’s clients were recognized for their excellence by a panel of financial industry peers who were assembled by top financial news media platform Pageant Media (which has 11 mastheads in their digital and print portfolio) to weigh ‘best-in-class’ service providers…in a competition that fielded 100 of Wall Street’s best known firms.

Taking home the gold medal in the category “Best Research/Broker-Dealer” the 2014 Wall Street Letter Institutional Trading Awards went to Mischler Financial Group–which also happens to be the industry’s oldest and largest minority firm owned and operated by service-disabled veterans.. ..

WallachBeth Capital LLC Mgn.Dir. Tom Quigley (l) accepts industry award for Best DMA Offerings

In the category “Best DMA (Direct Market Access) Offerings”, which recognizes top gun trading technology capabilities–a category typically over-weighted by firms whose names are ubiquitous across the global trading market landscape, the industry judges gave the gold to boutique execution specialist firm WallachBeth Capital. Runner ups were Bloomberg LP’s Tradebook, among others.

Both of above-noted firms were also “in the medal” and short-listed nominees for perhaps the most important of the WSL 2014 award 20 categories: “Best Client-Service/Broker-Dealer.”    The winners were awarded their honors during a gala event attended by 250+ of Wall Street’s finest in NYC on Feb 24.




And The Best-In-Class Winner Is: Hat's Off to JLC Group's Award-Winning Financial Service Industry Clients

Marketing 101:Metaphors Matter (When Telling Your Story)

  It seems the flavor of the week for marketing wonks is story-telling, which is   necessarily the art of using metaphors to articulate what sets you apart from the rest. Enough can’t be said about the impact of using metaphors within a business setting, whether in the course of internal discussions to relay the importance of a new product or initiative,  in a ‘client-facing’  mode, or my favorite: when making a large audience presentation.

Once you accept the above premise, here are some pointers:

The metaphor should necessarily be one that will resonate with your recipient.

Reminding us of the “know your customer/prospect rule.”

i.                 Before engaging in a dialogue,  you either already posses, or you will research and capture as much intel (business as well as personal interests) that will enable you to make an educated guess when selecting appropriate metaphors that illustrate your value proposition.

ii.                Even if you believe you know your customer, be deferential and solicit your target to share what his/her ‘hot buttons’ are.

iii.               Present yourself as being objectively informed, not presumptuous as to the intentions/motivations and goals of your target.  

7 Signs You Need A Metaphor

1. Your listener is confused.


2. Your client is stuck on an objection.


3. Your client sees no difference between you and your competition.


4. You want to drive home a point vividly and memorably.


5. You have to wiggle out of a difficult situation.


6. Your client is stalling.


7. You want to wow or motivate a larger audience.

Marketing 101:Metaphors Matter (When Telling Your Story)