Author Archives: Jodi Kaplan

About Jodi Kaplan

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Why Marketing is Like Ice Cream

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Say it’s hot (which it is).  Your girlfriend wants ice cream and there’s none in the freezer.  So you go off to the purple cow ice cream store.

Chocolate ice cream

Image via Wikipedia

Let’s pretend they have two flavors each day, and only those two flavors.

(OK, it’s an odd store. The ice cream is hand-made, hand-churned and completely organic)

Today’s flavors are  chocolate and strawberry.

Her favorite is chocolate, you prefer strawberry.  Which do you buy?

Look outward, not inward

Well, if you got the chocolate, you made a decision based on what she likes, rather than what you like.  If you did, you’ll get some handy girlfriend bonus points.  If not, well, you may be unwelcome for a while.

Same thing with your marketing.  When you make decisions about colors, ad layout, copy, web design, etc., think about what your visitors want.  What will make it easier for them to use your site?

What do your visitors want?

Have you identified a problem that your visitor has?  Not your problem, theirs (your problem is selling stuff, their problem is wanting a logo  or needing a database).  Did you talk about how your product or service fixes that problem? Are you using colors they like? Or colors you like?  Talking about your company’s expertise and years of experience? Or how quickly you can deliver?

Oh, and I’ll have the chocolate ice cream please.

Are You Making the Right Connections?

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A connect-the-dots image in the shape of User:...

Image via Wikipedia

I got a postcard in the mail the other day.  At first, I was puzzled.  I hardly get postcards any more.  Nobody has mentioned a vacation. Then I turned it over.  It was from one of my readers (thanks Tom Allebach).

He sent me a postcard telling me how much my blog inspired him.  It made my day.

I only know Tom slightly, but he took the time to reach out and send a physical, tangible card, rather than an email.

It was delightful (and memorable). In fact, I am going to save it.

Make a tangible connection

We get so caught up in tweeting, snapchatting,  and facebooking, that we forget that having something you can hold in your hands can make a much stronger connection.

I talk about marketing a lot, but really good marketing doesn’t try to sell at all.  It tries to make connections. And that’s exactly what Tom did.

Try postcard marketing

Go on, send your clients a postcard. Make a human connection.  You don’t have to try to sell something. In fact, it’s better if you don’t even attempt it. Just say hi and tell them you appreciate them.  Send one to a blogger you admire.  Or a podcaster you like to listen to.  Bet they’ll notice that more than an email or a tweet.  They get lots and lots of those.

They may even keep the postcard. Nobody prints out emails or Facebook posts and pins them to their walls.

In fact, I bought a card yesterday which I’m going to send to someone I know online, but have never met.  Shhh, don’t tell.


Just for Fun: What’s Your Theme Song?

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Przenosnik

Image via Wikipedia

Shamelessly stealing this idea from The World’s Strongest Librarian.  What’s your theme song?

If you were on the Yankees baseball team or a character in a movie, what song should they play when you come to bat (it’s your turn) or you enter the room?  Josh picked Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia.

Mine is Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen. (I’d embed it, but the code isn’t working.  If they don’t want you to embed, say so!).

What’s yours?  Something happy?  Scary?  Mellow? Tell!

What Every Creative Ought to Know About Contracts

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Contracts

Image by NobMouse via Flickr

A friend recently said that she’d done a consulting project for someone, sent the results and a bill, and got… nothing.

I recently fired a prospect. Why? Because they wanted me to spill all my secrets… and then they’d decide whether to pay me.

Sorry. No. I’ll happily give general advice on this blog and answer quick questions. But an entire copy/marketing strategy designed specifically for one company? Without a contract or payment?  No.

I’m not mean. I’m a capitalist.

So, what’s the right strategy?

Start with a written contract.

What the client wants

Be specific about what the goals are. If you are an expert in SEO, this could be attracting a particular number of visitors, or landing on the front page of Google for their top keywords. Whatever it is, write it down.

What you’ll do

Not all the details, but the keyword research, the market research, integrating the keywords into the website, cleaning up broken links, submitting the site to directories, etc.

When you’ll do it

Set deadlines for each stage. Spell out what the stages are. This should probably include initial acceptance of proposal, submitting a plan for SEO, reviewing keyword choices, and measuring results. Include whatever reports you will submit.

Who owns it

Is it “work for hire” (meaning the client owns all artwork, design, code, words) or do you retain some rights? Be clear about who owns what and under what conditions. (For more on work for hire, how much to charge, and sample contracts  check out the Graphic Artist’s Guild Handbook of Pricing and Ethical Guidelines.  You can get it from Amazon (and buy me a milkshake), or check your local library or bookstore. It’s aimed primarily at graphic artists, but the tips apply to writers and developers too.)

Costs and responsibilities

What’s included. When do you charge extra (for additional revisions or add-0n tasks that were outside the original scope of the project)? What are the client’s responsibilities? What action (or inaction) on their part could cause the project to stall? Or go over budget?  Do you mark up your expenses (stock images, other freelancers, domain name registration, travel).  If so, how much?

Payments

When they’re due. How much. Is there a “kill fee” (a payment if work is stopped or the project is cancelled in the middle)?  Set milestones for delivery of work, and delivery of payment.  Don’t deliver final files without final payment.

If you need more help with this, the Freelancers Union has a new contract generator.

Share your thoughts

Have you had clients like my friend did? Or prospects like mine?  How did you change your contracts as a result?