Author Archives: VCoker

Small Business Advertising and Marketing; It’s Not Rocket Science

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March 13  |  Advertising, Business, Marketing  |   VCoker
Van Coker, Vice President of Marketing Firepower

That magnificent 6-inch orb that rests on top of our shoulders is really an amazing contraption. It has the capability of understanding, analyzing, predicting, and improving the most complex, abstract, and intricate of concepts. The results of such thinking have sent astronauts to the moon and safely back to earth. We’ve witnessed satellites deployed to pinpoint destinations previously unexplored in our universe. We’ve made gigantic strides in prolonging life and curing disease.

Marketing and Advertising is not Rocket Science

When you consider the information base today compared to just 50 years ago…it boggles the mind how far we have advanced. 200 years ago? The knowledge we possess in 2009 versus 1809 is….well, let’s just say it’s “incomparable.” Remember the legendary story about President McKinley wanting to close the U.S.

Patent Office in 1899 because everything worthwhile had already been invented? (I can’t validate—but we won’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.) Continue Reading

"I’ve Tried Advertising. It Doesn’t Work!"

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March 5  |  Advertising, Marketing, Marketing Bridge  |   VCoker
Van Coker, Vice President of Marketing Firepower

It’s absolutely amazing how business owners tend to blame poor sales figures on the back of advertising.

“Weekend traffic was down…must be the advertising.”

“Pretty good traffic this weekend but no sales…must be the advertising.”

“We seem to be getting more and more grumpy customers…we must be talking to the wrong people with our advertising.”

I've Tried Advertising. It Doesn't Work

Nine times out of ten, if you want to know who to blame for down times or poor sales…look in the mirror.

When you really understand the function of advertising you will know where to look to for the cure to your problems. Let’s consider the restaurant owner who spends thousands of dollars to attract people to his restaurant. The ambiance is perfect. The food and presentation are exquisite. The service is…….well; let’s just say it wasn’t good. We sat at our table for 10 minutes before our waiter greeted us. Finally she arrived. No smile. No pleasantries. No eye contact. No menu suggestions. No service. No tip. No return visit. The poor taste of bad service trumps the good flavor of great food. Every time! Continue Reading

It’s Not What You Know That Hurts You…

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February 18  |  Advertising, Business, Marketing  |   VCoker
Van Coker, Vice President of Marketing Firepower

Have you ever made a decision that turned out to be a bad decision? Maybe it cost you a lot of money. Perhaps it cost you a friendship or your marriage. We all make decisions, even very important life-altering decisions, based on information we have gathered or our personally held attitudes and beliefs.

It's Not What You Know That Hurts You...

Typically, the more important the decision, the more time we spend gathering information. We’ll make a decision on buying an inexpensive food item in just a few seconds. But, if we’re about to purchase a car or a home…we’ll weigh the pros and cons. We’ll shop around. We’ll get second opinions. We’ll talk to our friends. We’ll shop online or read product reviews. We’ll sleep on it. But even the big decisions become very costly when not thoroughly researched. Continue Reading

How to Solve Your Advertising Problems

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February 6  |  Advertising, Business  |   VCoker
Van Coker, Vice President of Marketing Firepower

Entrepreneurship has been defined as “the art of finding profitable solutions to problems.” It’s the successful entrepreneur who studies a problem…researches possible solutions…implements change…and stays the course while the solution is given proper time to work.

Profitable Solutions to Problems

There is one particular problem that irritates the heck out of most small businesses. It’s like the “prom pimple” that shows its ugly head right on the tip of your nose. But in the world of small business, this “pimple” is commonly referred to as—advertising. It is ugly. It’s embarrassing. It’s expensive. Nothing seems to work. You can’t get rid of it. You wish it would just go away. Yet, in the back of your mind, you know you need it.

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Why You Can’t Compete On Low Price

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February 3  |  Advertising, Business  |   VCoker
Van Coker, Vice President of Marketing Firepower

Ask 100 small business owners what the most important factor is when a consumer chooses where to do business—and about 90 of them will say “low price.”

Is that really how people shop? Is that really the predominant factor in buying anything?

In survey after survey, when people were asked what was most important in choosing a grocery store—price ranked fifth. Not first. Not second. Not third. Not fourth. FIFTH!

You Can't Compete on Low Price

Don’t get me wrong, price is important. If you’re selling gasoline for $5.00 a gallon when the competition everywhere else is selling it for $2.00, you have a problem. But if your price per gallon is $2.04 or $2.05, you’ll still see good traffic at the pumps. It is important to be competitive. It’s not that important that you be the lowest.

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Why “Word of Mouth” Advertising Sucks

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January 27  |  Advertising, Customer Relations  |   VCoker
Van Coker, Vice President of Marketing Firepower

Over the past 30-plus years of working closely with small businesses of all sizes, from “Mom-and-Pops” (some were so small they were just “Pops”) to businesses with several locations, one of the proclamations I fielded with great frequency was, “Word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising.”

“Word-of-mouth doesn’t cost a dime” they would boast.

“Word-of-mouth brings in customers.”

Word of Mouth Advertising Sucks

“Word-of-mouth is the only advertising that we get feedback on.”

Or, “Word of mouth gives me better results than all the advertising we’ve purchased.”

What could I say? I couldn’t argue with any of their claims.

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An Open Mind About a Closed Book

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January 20  |  Advertising, Media  |   VCoker
Van Coker, Vice President of Marketing Firepower

By Van Coker

How many business owners have you known that thought yellow pages “advertising” was money well-spent? That’s what I thought. Not very many, if any.

Yellow Pages

Not long ago I was visiting with a business owner who had been looking for “a better way” to attract people to his business. He was bemoaning his recent annual meeting with the yellow pages sales rep. Nothing new. It was the same old song I had heard so many times before. Every year he wanted out. Every year they “talked him into” maintaining or buying even more space.

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“This Would Be a Great Business If It Weren’t for the Customers!"

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December 11  |  Business, Customer Relations  |   VCoker
Van Coker, Vice President of Marketing Firepower

Every employee…every manager….and, most likely, every business owner gets extremely frustrated with customers from time to time. You know the kind. There’s the customer who asks for a “little extra.” The customer who can’t make the buying decision as quickly as you would like when you’re busy. The customer you spend hours with only to see them actually buy from your competitor. What a great business this would be if it weren’t for the customers.

Customer Service MarketingWhoa! Wait a minute! These inconsiderate, unthinking, greedy customers are the very people that pay your bills…keep your employees employed…put a roof over your head…send your kids to college…send you on vacations…fund your retirement…and provide the opportunity for you to enjoy the good life yourself. Without these people you wouldn’t have any sales. And without any sales you don’t have a business.

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