Can social media change the way a company performs? Entrepreneur magazine decided to put this question to the test. They invited Xylem Digital, the digital arm of LeeReedy/Xylem Digital, to help take a local Denver business, Big Papa’s Barbeque, from zero social presence to big-time social network strategist—in just 60 days.

Entrepreneur will be documenting the experiment, including tips and lessons learned along the way, and we’d love it if you’d follow along. Together, we’ll see whether social media can help make Big Papa’s even bigger.

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To build groundswell during the launch phase for Corazaons, the only line of snacks made with ingredients proven to help lower bad cholesterol, the brand that gives people the Freedom to Snack, is also offering them Freedom From Everything through a unique promotion we created. Consumers can register to win their very own butler just for answering the question: ‘What would you say to a snack that helps lower cholesterol?’

The butler service lasts for one month – 8 hours a day, 3 days a week. It can include running of a home, managing staff, valet service, light housekeeping, formal service of meals, light cooking and vendor relations. In other words, that’s why we’ve gotten 6,000 (and growing) entries so far.

Politically correct is incorrect

You know why the whole world despises politicians? Because politicians are constantly trying to appeal to the whole world. You know what we tell our clients? Don’t build a brand that’s a politician.

Stand for something

If you want to become a brand people love, you also have to become a brand people don’t. Trying to please the whole world with your advertising likely means there’s nothing emotional, visceral or engaging about your marketing. And that’s the very reason there are so many forgettable campaigns and brands strung out across the globe.

Really know your customer

Start with a two-column list. In column one, define the exact person you want to target. If you don’t truly know who they are – inside and out – get your hands dirty. Interview them. Hang out with them. Go where they go. Do what they do. And get to know those buying your products as well as they know you. Now, in the second column of your list, define the person you care nothing about capturing.

What you’ve done is drawn a very important line in the sand. Congrats. At this moment, let’s both agree that as long as column one loves what you do in the advertising your agency develops, you’re okay turning off or even alienating those in column two.

In fact, creating branded content that turns people off who are outside your brand circle, will often work to further endear those who are already close to your brand. Plus, it requires the fence sitters to commit to your side or the other.

In the end, you get the loyalists and the brand ambassadors (who will spread the good word about your company) standing firmly behind you for a bright future. Now, let’s go create some free-from-politics advertising people actually care about.

“Brand positioning.” The term stimulates a variety of unpleasant thoughts.

“It’s going to take a really long time.”
“It’s going to be impossible.”
“There goes that Bentley I wanted.”

Well cheer up, friend. Brand development doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, with the right process and people to run it, you can get to the core of your brand – your intrinsic greatness, in about a half-a-day.

“No cumbersome branding process?”
“No mind-numbing focus groups?”
“No corporate overdrafts?”

Nope.

Why? Because it doesn’t have to be hard.

The answers are already in the heads of the handful of people who know the company best. You know the big “aha” about your brand. But you never talk about it. You’re too busy making what you make and selling what you sell.

But the answer is there. You just need the right people to come along with the right way to get it out into the open and express it in a way that’s sharp, to the point, easy to understand and completely jargon-free. The perfect brand essence.

What’s the benefit?

Well, speed for one. And if time is money, less time is less money right? Marketing ROI out the wazoo. The other benefit of speed is that the top people can actually afford the time to get involved. Look, they’re the ones who started this thing – they know why it’s great. You have to have them in the room. But traditional branding timelines cause the CEO to run the other way, toward more pressing matters. Of course, the catch-22 is that there really is no more pressing matter than understanding the simple brand truth. Then, suddenly, everything takes less time. Everyone gets it – and the company can make and sell more.

So, you want to see how we do Two Weeks to Truth™? Give us a call.

Oh, and the cost? More Lexus than Bentley.

When you’re evaluating what to do next with your marketing dollars, don’t think a little grassroots won’t go a long way. More often than not, you’ll get more back for your marketing spend than you might think. And not just in dollars. You’ll find that engaging your customers on their own time in their own space will provide a more meaningful relationship with your brand.

The keys to a successful grassroots marketing strategy:

1. Know your target

You have to be willing to do a little trial and error to truly figure this out. You also have to be willing to get your hands dirty. Your target might like racecars or surfing or folk music. Regardless of what “it” is, you have be willing to get to know it intimately. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. You can do it yourself. You can also hire it out. The decision on which to choose lies in the question of whether you can live and breathe their scene outside your comfort zone for an extended period of time. If it’s a youth thing and you’re 50, well common sense should take over telling you to get a few “youths” in to consult as you build your brand strategy.

2. Support your target’s interests

You want to be part of the crew? Well, don’t go stomping in with guns blazing. Selling in this setting doesn’t work. Learn where you within the community. If you’ve targeted correctly, your product should fit into a nice, logical spot somewhere. Then take it slow. Get the lay of the land and learn what the target has to say about your product as you introduce it to the culture. This will help you improve your pitch and your product. Don’t get too eager. It takes time and this is about testing exactly what’s right for the current conditions. Just remember, this is the strongest connection you’ll ever make with your audience. It’s worth the wait.

3. Be consistent

Making a commitment to grassroots is just that. Think of it as the mafia. Once you’re in, you’re in for the long haul. You have to be consistent. Your target won’t appreciate you walking in and out of their community – and they’ll see right through you as just another marketer trying to take their money. By this time, you’ve worked hard to gain their trust. Don’t jeopardize it. Stake your claim, and make a grassroots strategy a consistent part of your marketing spend. Get involved in the community. You’ll not only endear customers to your brand, you’ll learn more about them than you could in any other scenario. It’s impossible to fake honesty and authenticity in the real world.

Why is grassroots marketing becoming so popular? Because it works. The media landscape has expanded exponentially over the past 5 years. With so much proliferation, it’s difficult to make a lasting brand impression using traditional mass media. You have to hit your audience where they live and where they breathe. Event marketing, guerilla marketing, street teams, custom publishing, sponsorships – these “media” outlets are they ones increasingly becoming more vital to the success of your brand.

If you’re in the process of seeking an agency to help with brand strategy, positioning, execution, or any other advertising agency services, you’ve probably wondered if there’s an easier, more efficient way to ensure that you’re selecting the best partner for your specific needs. The Internet, as a search tool, makes finding an ad agency easy – but it makes differentiating between the thousands of choices extremely difficult. How then, should you go about selecting the right advertising agency for your needs? Consider the following steps to uncover which agency will end up saving you time, energy and money.

1 – Understand the process

Most agencies have a spin on their “proprietary” process, so it’s important not to be dazzled by jargon or presentations. Asking specific questions about the process is the best way to differentiate between and choose the right marketing agency partner.

Five key questions to ask:

1 – What is your process and timing for analyzing and understanding our needs?
2 – What is your process and timing for arriving at accurate positioning?
3 – What is your process and timing for generating and executing concepts, ideas and solutions based on the positioning?
4 – How do you ensure accurate and timely execution of concepts, ideas and solutions?
5 – What results can we expect?

2 – Understand the cost of your decision

Pricing is often a driving factor for companies choosing an agency partner. But other, less tangible costs can prove to be more important than price alone. Speed of discovery and accuracy of execution can cost you dearly if the process takes too long or if the execution is poor or off-target. You may be spending fewer dollars up front, but how much is it going to cost you to re-do it if it’s wrong? To mitigate risk regarding intangible costs, you should factor the following into your decision:

Speed of discovery: How many meetings will it take to arrive at accurate positioning? If the agency has a solid, buttoned up process for brand extraction, accurate positioning should be achieved within one meeting and presented and agreed upon in a second. With fewer meetings to get to your brand essence comes less time and energy costs, reduced frustration and increased ROI.

Accuracy of execution: What are the steps and timeline for execution? The agency’s process should clearly define precise steps for executing upon the agreed upon positioning. You need to know how many rounds of revision are expected and needed. They should provide a clear timeline that provides dates of completion for the steps involved. An inefficient and unclear execution process will no doubt cost you more time, energy and further frustration.

3 – Make the Final Decision

Speed of discovery and accuracy of execution, both determined by process, are the two most important considerations when differentiating between and choosing an agency partner. The potential cost of inaccurate positioning and poor execution can be catastrophic and potentially damaging to your company. The opposite will can bring your brand fame and fortune.

If you’re a marketing director or C-Level exec, take some time to ask your sales team – those guys in the trenches – two simple questions: 1. Do you use the corporate sales/marketing tools? 2. Why not?

Find your voice to develop sales tools that work

An increase in your marketing ROI (return on investment) starts with assuming that your targets/prospects are confused, lost, frustrated and undereducated about you, your company and especially about the uniqueness of your offering. How do you change this situation? Start with your sales team.

In today’s business environment, sales reps need to be communication experts, masters of relaying your brand essence simply, clearly and consistently to every, single prospect. To test the effectiveness of your sales communication platform, ask each of your sales reps the following questions:

Who are we as a company?
What is unique about our company?
What do we offer/sell?      
What is unique about what we offer/sell?
Why should our clients choose us over the competition?

If your sales team is unable to effectively explain who your company is and what’s unique about your offering within 10 seconds, the responses are inconsistent, incoherent, confused or you find yourself saying “so what” to their responses, consider seeking a qualified advertising/branding agency that specializes in communication design.

A good advertising/branding agency will have a process to extract your brand essence quickly, develop a singular selling voice (communication platform) and create a simple, consistent elevator pitch that is both effective at opening doors as well as converting and closing leads.

Shifting focus to this area is the key to increasing your return on investment for marketing. The process itself can be a bit unnerving because change within your organization is inevitable. But it’ll pay off tenfold down the road when you have a consistent platform that acts as a sounding board to drive the creation of all other marketing related materials and initiatives. Over time, this effort will prove to be the most valuable investment your company can make towards increasing marketing ROI.

A Blueprint for Greatness

Beginning any marketing assignment without a proper creative brief – whether advertising, design, interactive or PR-related – is like trying to build a home without blueprints. And more than likely it will lead to the same result: a client who doesn’t want what’s been built when the work is finally finished.

So, what are the essentials for a great creative brief – one that inspires writers and designers to do great work that’s in keeping with your brand vision as a client? When developing a brief, less is more. Only the essential details need to be revealed. Too much information can lead your creative agency down the wrong path, wasting precious time and money.

Define the Situation

A full detailed history of the brand is not necessary. Define the problem and the specific opportunity to attack that has led you to the need for a marketing or branding campaign right now. Important background details only.

Nail Down the Objective

To truly gauge the success of your marketing campaign, the objectives of the effort should be defined as explicitly as possible. Instead of “increase sales” it should be “increase sales with our 25-34 year-old audience by 8% during Q4.” When everyone agrees it’s attainable, you’ll have a benchmark upon which to judge your agency – marketing ROI in action.

Describe the Audience

Demographic information, such as age and gender are necessary, but the real nuggets for creative development and inspiration come by way of the psychographic information you can provide. What does your audience think and feel? What do they love? What do they hate? What are their pain points? This is crucial information to help your agency team unveil ways of talking to your audience that they haven’t heard before.

Define the Core Idea & Substantiate

Everything hinges on the core idea – your brand’s unique promise that addresses the needs of your audience. How does your product or service uniquely solve a need that your audience may or may not realize they have? Then, provide all the reasons (features and attributes) that back up your promise and make it believable. Perfect this crucial area of the brief and great advertising, design, interactive and PR will naturally flow from it.

Develop the Strategy

This is where correlations need to be made between the two sections outlined above. Your audience desires something, your brand addresses that desire. In combining them together, what unique insight can be capitalized on? How can you talk about what you offer in a way that jolts your audience into action? That’s the strategy for your creative team to execute upon.

Outline the Tactics

The audience, core idea and strategy will dictate the best tactics for marketing your message to get the biggest return on investment. With today’s expanding media opportunities and the proliferation of channels to show off the marketing you do, a unique, creative media plan will often separate marketing that’s seen by relatively few by those campaigns that travel around the world – being spread virally.

Describe the Creative Tone

If your brand were a person, what characteristics would you assign it? This is another key area to specify to help avoid your agency team coming back with a campaign that doesn’t fit your brand’s personality.

Define the Competition & Admired Brands

To avoid redundancy with other brands in your space and to poke holes in their strategy and campaign, define the brands your brand competes with and in what manner. Additionally, you should provide a list of brands you admire and the reasons why – adding fuel for the fire for your agency team.

Determine the Budget

Budget is a very important criterion, but don’t let your agency use a small budget as an excuse not to deliver great thinking. The amount of money you have to spend on your campaign means less than it ever has today. Great ideas are what create marketing power and stickiness, not necessarily a powerful budget.

Provide the Timing

Giving your agency enough time is paramount to putting out a great campaign, testing it with internal and external audiences, refining, and launching with success.

Develop your creative brief in partnership with your agency and make sure everyone agrees to it before beginning campaign development. Then, it’s off to the races – knowing exactly where to run and at what speed to impress the audience you need to impress.

The old agency model is bloated and broken

Someone who has zero knowledge of your brand could be developing your entire advertising or branding campaign right now. Bother you? It probably should. And unless you’ve confronted your agency on the topic, they’re likely charging you a lot of money to have a team with little exposure handling an extremely delicate asset of your company – your brand. It happens every day in large, bureaucratic advertising agencies.

The more layers, the more confusion

What happens when an assignment enters an agency thick with layers? You, the client, meet with the Executive Creative Director, Account Supervisor and a handful of others for an extensive discussion. The agency team goes back and crafts the creative brief. Changes are discussed, labored over and implemented. Rounds of tweaking elapse. Finally, the brief is agreed upon and the campaign positioning solidified.

Weeks of comprehensive discussions have taken place to ensure everything is perfect, everyone’s on the same page and an ideal launch pad for a brilliant campaign is set in place. Then, the assignment is handed off to an agency team who hasn’t been in on a single discussion to this point. Oftentimes, it’s a junior team with less than a year of professional experience. And you wonder why your shop brings back outlandish ideas that are totally disconnected from the brief. It’s almost as if the people who were involved in the process all along weren’t involved in the creative at all. A-ha!

The new-fashioned way

LeeReedy / Xylem Digital is an agency model in which the most experienced people work on client business – experts only. Those same individuals do the work through the entire process, from positioning to strategy to execution. They’ve been in the meetings, from the start, they’ve heard the feedback, the concerns and are crystal clear on direction. There are no layers because our agency structure is flat. So nothing is ever lost in translation.

None of our experts are too good or ego-driven to be working on what most agencies consider “grunt work” only appropriate for junior teams. Imagine twenty-year veterans working on the copy and design for a coupon. It happens here. What also happens is that the voice of your brand and its identity are never watered down or taken for granted. Smarter creative. Dead-on strategy. Brands quicker to market. Serious marketing ROI.

You want to know a simple truth of marketing? Lean in close. Ready? Brands get tired.

There, we’ve said it. It happens all the time. You establish your brand, it grows – heck maybe it takes the world by storm. It’s like that dumb show where everybody knew your name. You’re a hit. Your marketing ROI is through the roof. Everything you touch turns to Krugerrands. And you ride that wonderful wave.

Then the sizzle fizzles, sales decline, fans disappear, people look at you like you were last season’s pleated pants – yeah the ones with four folds – yuck. What happened?

Brands get tired

That’s it, times change – you have to change too. You have to reinvent yourself like Madonna. You have to go back, find that intrinsic greatness and create a brand new strategic marketing plan. Look, people’s problems don’t go away – they’re omnipresent like Little Richard at the Grammys. But people’s problems do evolve; they get updated in new colors and shapes. And if you solved them once, you can solve them again.

Reignite the fire

Take your old product and create a new product launch. Again, find that greatness that was there in the beginning – what was it, a totally new idea or just brilliant positioning and niche marketing? Get someone from the outside, someone who brings a neophyte’s curiosity – like a certain ad agency we know – to help you discover your intrinsic greatness. Then wrap that brilliance in an appropriate tone. Make it fresh, current – most of all relevant to the way people view their lives right now.

Then, put the shiny new wheels on your classic thing of beauty, and change the world all over again.