Archive for March, 2011

Atkins Marketing Solutions Named One of Constant Contact’s All Stars

Friday, March 25th, 2011

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Atkins Marketing Solutions Named One of Constant Contact’s 2010

All Stars

Company’s use of Constant Contact products and services helped increase its overall marketing performance and deepen its engagement with customers

Orange, California — March, 25, 2011 – Atkins Marketing Solutions, a small business marketing consulting firm, has received the 2010 All Star Award from Constant Contact®, Inc., the trusted marketing advisor to more than 400,000 small organizations worldwide.  Atkins Marketing Solutions is one of Constant Contact’s 2010 top performers and most prolific user of its tools, whether within Constant Contact’s email marketing, event marketing, social media marketing, or survey products – or a combination of all four.

Stuart Atkins, owner of Atkins Marketing Solutions, stated “we’re happy to be recognized by Constant Contact for our use of best practice techniques in e-mail marketing. Constant Contact’s tools have helped me to deliver value-oriented content and tips to help small businesses increase sales and drive their brand forward.  Constant Contact is a critical part of my speaking, writing, consulting, and teaching,” said Atkins.

Constant Contact looked at criteria including the following when selecting this year’s All Stars:

  • Frequency of campaigns, events and surveys
  • Open, bounce and click through rates
  • Usage of social features
  • Mailing list sign up tools
  • Use of reporting tools

“We work hard to listen to our customers, and we use that feedback to create products and services designed to help them better engage with their customers and prospects,” said Gail Goodman, chairman, president and CEO of Constant Contact. “The Constant Contact All Star Awards are our way of recognizing our customers that have successfully used Constant Contact to market their companies. We have some of the most committed, passionate customers out there and we’re proud we can be a part of their continued success.”

About Constant Contact, Inc.
Constant Contact is revolutionizing the success formula for small organizations through affordable, easy-to-use Engagement Marketing™ tools that help create and grow customer relationships.  More than 400,000 small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and member associations worldwide rely on Constant Contact as their engagement hub for starting and driving ongoing customer dialogs through email marketing, social media marketing, event marketing, and online surveys.  All Constant Contact products come with unrivaled know how, education and free coaching with a personal touch, including award-winning customer support. 

Constant Contact and the Constant Contact Logo are registered trademarks of Constant Contact, Inc. All Constant Contact product names and other brand names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Constant Contact, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

 

Media Contact:

Stuart Atkins, MBA

Atkins Marketing Solutions

stu@atkinsmarketingsolutions.com

http://www.AtkinsMarketingSolutions.com

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The Social Media Revolution In Just a Few Minutes

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

Social media is changing how marketing does brands, strategy, and advertising.  This video speaks for itself:

Stuart Atkins

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The “Marketing” of Tourettes on American Idol: James Durbin Is Unique

Saturday, March 12th, 2011

A current American Idol superstar has Tourettes and mild Aspergers syndrome.  His name is James Durbin.  In spite of his Tourettes, he moves forward and has both a fantastic voice and a great attitude on life.  What a special “personal marketing testimony” about making the “Brand Called You,” a true product differentiator in your life and work.  See for yourself:

I, too, have a mild form of Tourettes.  It does make me different but it also makes me better.  Without my tourettes I would not be me.  Sure, I wish it would go away sometimes, but it has never inhibited my ability to think, speak, write, teach, and just be me.  Bottom line: we all have those traits we wish we could change.  Some we can and some we can’t.

For those we can’t, let the “Brand Called You,” just be You…

Stuart Atkins

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Starbucks: The Metaphor of Brand Meaning

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

Few “brands” define a brand better than Starbucks.  Starbucks is far more than just coffee.  Starbucks is all about customer experience and is well beyond just walking in an ordering a “cup a Joe.”  From a morning walk-in to the Starbucks drive-through, all the way to the morning cup of coffee in your home, Starbucks has defined a brand that has NOT confused a product with a brand.

It’s all about the metaphor of brand meaning and customer experience.  You don’t drink coffee; you live coffee.  For me, my fresh cup of freshly-ground Starbucks starts and defines my day.  Without it I would be both a grump and a boring small business marketing consultant, writer, speaker, and professor.  Really.  It “kicks” my day and mindset into gear.  In short, it helps to set the tone of my productivity.

Starbucks recently released the new “Tribute Blend,” celebrating “40 year together,” as it states on the coffee packaging.  Below is what they also say in regards to the brand and product perspective:

“Here’s to you…And here to 40 years of conversations unfolding, stories being shared and ideas being hatched–all over a cup of coffee.  This blend was created to thank you for coming along with us on our journey and inviting us into the moments of your day.  Let’s celebrate.”

Note the metaphors: years, conversations, stories, ideas, journey, hatched, moments…

It’s all in a cup of coffee.  But it’s far more than that.

What about your brand?  Think of the years, conversations, stories, ideas, journeys, and moments that define and shape your brand.  Have your celebrated?  If not, why not start now!

I can small the aroma from the Tribute bag.  I think I need another cup…

Stuart Atkins

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Are You Confusing Your Product With Your Brand?

Friday, March 4th, 2011

Which comes first: the product or the brand?  It’s the old chicken before the marketing egg question.  The question might seem trivial, but many businesses confuse a product with a brand.  They are two difference concepts.  If you keep them separate, you find success.  If you keep them blended or confused, your growth and sales may suffer.

Remember the Coke versus Pepsi taste tests?  Consumers tasted both Pepsi and Coke while blindfolded.  Once the tests were completed, Pepsi won.  Coke freaked.

And what did Coke do?  They launched a product called, “New Coke,” which was sweeter and better tasting.  They also discontinued the “old Coke.”

Consumers rebelled and demanded the return of Classic Coke, even if it didn’t match the Pepsi taste.  Classic Coke returned and Coca Cola learned a key lesson: ask your customers the right questions.  It’s the iconic brand and culture of Coke and not the taste that was central.

The taste was the product; Classic Coke was the brand.  The brand was the symbolic metaphor and proven promise that was embodied in Coke’s brand.  Customers wanted what they knew of the brand and not something “new.”  Taste was not the issue.  The brand was the issue.

Remember, if you focus on products and get stuck in the commodity maze, you will forever be a product.  If you focus on your long-term, core capabilities, you will build a brand and please customers.

So, are you taste testing or brand building these days?

Stuart Atkins

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