The design and ease of Pinterest draws in users and holds them there by offering an endless stream of photos and ideas organized by categories. The site allows users to organize their thoughts and ideas in a visual, digital scrapbook that can be shared with their Facebook friends and the rest of the Pinterest community. It allows users to explore information by developing their own personal pinboards.  The site is sleek, minimalistic and easy to understand, making it the perfect place to browse interests and brands without being overwhelmed by comments from other users or advertisements.

Another reason it’s so popular is its exclusivity.  One cannot simply sign up for Pinterest; the site is only accessible by invitation. Invitations can be requested, however, it takes about a week to receive permission to join.  But once a profile is made, it can be linked to the user’s Facebook account, instantly allowing them to follow the pinboards of any of their friends that are also on the site.  This feature instantly builds a social network for new users, rather than forcing them to connect to friends and family one-by-one.

For businesses and organizations, Pinterest holds the most potential for brands that have a large visual aspect to their products or services. Brands that can most easily capitalize are ones that are inspirational, humorous or otherwise visually appealing to consumers. And while some businesses have taken advantage of the popularity of the site, Pinterest does not specifically allow for companies to create a profile for themselves. Some have worked around current usage terms and created a traditional profile to promote their own work.

A great example of inspirational pinboards is General Electric (GE). They have created several boards that are hash-tag driven, similar to posts on Twitter, such as #GEinspiredme. Other boards include themes such as From the Factory Floor, which features photographs and short videos showing scenes of workers creating aviation products. Since Pinterest boards do not support animated pins, this is a clever way for GE to direct users back to their website.

Another great example of a brand benefiting from Pinterest is UNICEF. The non-profit organization keeps its message alive by creating boards like UNICEF Mothers and UNICEF in Emergencies. These types of boards help non-profit organizations share their vision without having to use traditional posts.

Despite booming success, some issues concerning copyright infringement have been raised. Pinterest’s terms of use do not allow users to pin photos or content that is not their own, however, the site also discourages pinning photos or content that one has taken themselves. To deal with this problem, Pinterest has released an html code that users and websites can use that would keep their content from being pinned but a more efficient and long-term solution may be necessary, including a change to the current terms of use in effect.

Needless to say, Pinterest has launched a digital scrapbooking phenomenon that is likely to be copied by admirers in years to come. Popular sites like Flickr and Springpad have already made changes to their design by inputting more white space and eliminating text. But the popularity of Pinterest is unlikely to wane even as others copy it’s signature design elements as long as the site continues to offer users the ability to organize their life and share with their friends. Meanwhile, businesses that use the service to elevate the possibilities of their brand rather than trying to overtly sell products will find Pinterest a useful tool.

Now that many companies have come to the conclusion that they need to share content to remain relevant, there is no shortage of well-meaning advice out there. Generic advice, especially in the marketing and communications (marcom) industry, flows so freely that much of it gets lost in the clutter. To break through and foster meaningful connections with readers, your company must say something fresh, something different.

For most companies, the largest differentiator is the talent of its employees. Unless you have the luxury of a patented product, a prime retail location or some similar exclusive advantage, the best story your marketing message can tell is that of your people.

So why do so many corporate blogs fail to emphasize the experience of individual members within their company? Maybe this is done out of a fear that divulging personal experience will expose a vulnerability. Perhaps there is a lack of trust in the employee or free-lancer responsible for creating the content. Perhaps we are more comfortable with familiar formats of writing like newspapers and textbooks where a third-party voice is appropriate. Regardless, a stuffy, unapproachable tone is common in company blogs. This lack of personal identity is a large reason that many blogs fail to gain traction.

Content marketing is a time-intensive activity that requires dedication and investment. If not done effectively, blogging, social media, etc. can be seen as a wasted effort that does little to positively affect company goals like sales lead generation and customer retention. Proof of this can be seen in a recent trend in companies abandoning blogging altogether.

Instead of taking our ball and going home, I propose that we use our experiences to tell a more compelling story. In the spirit of following my own advice, allow me to dip into my own past to give a personal reason for proposing this. I have been in the Account Services and New Business Development role here for a few months. Before this my background was in customer service and corporate communications. I’ve seen evidence first-hand that people prefer to communicate with an individual rather than generically with a company.  I’d personally rather talk to Tom Smith or Susan Jones, not XYZ Corp.

Fueling the core complaint of many customers who call a hotline or ask for a manager in a store is that they don’t feel like any one person is responsible for helping them. A large part of a conflict is alleviated when Tom the Customer Service Agent or Susan the Shift Supervisor says “Here’s how I’m going to fix your problem, and here’s how you can contact me if the situation is not satisfactorily resolved.” When a customer feels a connection with a company representative, she is more likely to trust the information and enjoy the experience. By extension the company benefits from another satisfied customer.

The audience for your content marketing uses the same emotions, the same hierarchy of needs when deciding how best to use their time. They may be satisfied with thorough content should they happen upon it, but thorough content that engages them with personality will make them come back.

I’m not suggesting we divulge anything too negative or specific to a client or customer. That would be inappropriate and counter-productive. Instead I suggest that we all let go of the notion that people (community leaders, current clients, potential clients, etc.) want to communicate with our company as a faceless entity. In that spirit I’ve put my own name and picture on this blog post. I’m glad to have shared my thoughts and would sincerely love to hear yours.

Sure, there are already lots of blogs competing for attention… so many, in fact, that getting an accurate count isn’t really possible. But based on recent credible estimates, there are likely over one hundred million active blogs out there—and the number is growing every day.

Of these blogs, a substantially large chunk are written and maintained by companies. According to bigmouthmedia.com, “65% of businesses now operate an active blog.”

Still, only some of these business blogs are any good—which offers your business a chance to create a valuable point of distinction.

Consider this: According to a recent survey by HubSpot, 57% of companies using blogs reported that they acquired customers from leads generated directly from their blog.

The best ones are a pleasure to read and give readers a reason to keep coming back for future postings. The worst ones are little more than blog spam. Because readers are overloaded with content these days, only the better blogs rise to the top. Fortunately, there’s still plenty of room for high-quality, meaningful blogs.

By blogging regularly and publishing high-quality content that targets the right keywords, your blog can climb above your competitors. It can help distinguish you by showing that you’re an expert in a particular field or range of fields.

Your credibility and awareness of your brand can also be heightened—in a way that other marketing content just can’t achieve. And if your business were to ever face a crisis, your blog could serve as a practical channel for speaking directly and immediately to your audience.

Without a blog to get your word out, you’re at a real disadvantage.

One criticism of many blogs—certainly valid in our opinion—is that, instead of offering original content, meaningful analysis, significant commentary, or useful insights, they do little more than repeat content from the many other blogs out there.

These sorts of blogs don’t capture meaningful attention. Keep in mind that big audiences aren’t always what’s most important. Instead, a relevant readership that’s influenced by your blog can offer more than enough ROI to justify the time and/or expense devoted to maintaining it.

True, it’s “free” to get up and running, but proper blogging requires time, hard work, and a real investment. If you’re looking for instant payoff, blogging might not be for you. To create a worthwhile blog, you need to establish a sustainable schedule and stick to it.  The return will justify the effort and expense.

The result is that when it comes time to market your private school, you need to keep in mind that conscientious and increasingly value-conscious parents are demanding hard evidence to prove that the cost of your school is justified.

And because of your audience’s busy schedule and the competing messages they receive—and because independent schools cater to a relatively narrow segment, where attitudes tend to be deeply entrenched—marketing needs to be delivered in just the right way, at just the right time. And it needs to stand out from the pack.

In February 2010, The National Association of Independent Schools reported, “In 1990, admission officers averaged 10 contacts with families to secure an enrollment. Today, the number of multiple visits to the campus and follow-up necessary may be as high as 30 contact points.”

The most effective private school marketing starts with ensuring that there is an authentic match between your mission, goals, actions, and all messages. It also recognizes the need for faculty, admissions, development, finance staff—even students and students’ families—to get the word out in a memorable, unified, and convincing way.

The next step is to assess your marketing message honestly by listening to stakeholders and working with an objective marketing agency. Ask yourself, what distinguishes you from the alternatives? And are you articulating it effectively?

After that, you need to determine the right channels to use when reaching out.

For private schools, direct mail and email marketing have relatively high success rates, assuming you have methods in place to maintain a strong mailing list. Do you? Radio advertising and billboards are also effective if your message is clear. Is it?

How’s your website? All aspects of your website—from the writing to photography to design to usability to offering relevant, compelling information—can drive enrollment. In addition, a weekly blog posting—from teachers, parents, administrators, the head of school, and students—can be an opportunity to offer content that prospective families will find interesting.

With links from your website, you also need a strong presence on Facebook (with 2 – 3 posts a day) and on Twitter (with several tweets a day about your school, community, local education news, and your views on education).

There are many other important strategies to consider too, including search engine optimization, open houses, signage, testimonials, student retention, and more.

When it comes to your marketing, it’s more important than ever to differentiate your private school from public institutions, charter schools, competing private schools, and the many other available options.

According to Lucia F. Bruno, J.D., LL.M., M.B.A., there are “approximately 8,700 urgent care centers nationwide and an increased percentage throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.” According to a survey conducted by the Urgent Care Marketing Group, “an overwhelming majority of urgent care operators experienced an increase in patient counts for the first quarter of 2011.”

Our question is: Are you considering your points of distinction and communicating them effectively to attract new customers? Mull over the following questions…

Are patients routinely seen within 30 minutes of arrival? Are you open evenings and weekends? Can patients pre-register online or with a simple phone call? And do you accommodate busy schedules by offering walk-in service?

Do you offer a warm and inviting environment with an attentive staff? Do you emphasize friendly customer service?

Are you less expensive than emergency rooms and do you participate in numerous health plans?

Do you offer a wide spectrum of services, such as full x-ray services (considering one of the most common reasons to visit an urgent care center is to diagnose a fracture, this can be a decision maker)?

Do you employ experienced, board-certified physicians?

Is your urgent care center conveniently located? Is there plenty of parking? How’s your signage? Often located near a busy thoroughfare, intersection, or retail center, large, prominent signage that’s well lit after dark is important.

Are you appealing to the right audience? Clinics and independent physicians depend on referrals from other doctors for new business. For urgent care centers, on the other hand, the marketing message must target healthcare consumers who are your center’s source of business.

Do you have a compelling web presence? Do you cross-market your practice with related collateral materials, such as brochures and rack cards?

Are you using the most effective media for marketing your urgent care center, such as billboards, mass mailings, cable TV, and web directories?

Now, having pondered these questions, let us ask you a final question:

Are you doing all you can to communicate your competitive advantages to the right audience using the right media to compete with hospitals, private practices, and other urgent care centers?

If the answer is no, get in touch.

While we were tempted to avoid this controversial issue completely, when it comes to companies and their marketing agencies, it can be an important decision. So instead of sticking our heads in the snow, we decided to offer our observations and insights.

Think it doesn’t matter which choice you make? Consider that entire talk shows and websites have devoted themselves to the debate and that certain groups monitor which companies explicitly state Merry Christmas and which choose an alternative. There have even been boycotts against companies such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and Barnes & Noble because of their choice to use “Holiday” instead of “Christmas.”

Let’s start with current trends.

This year, more companies—including many of the big chains—are wishing customers and clients a Merry Christmas. Perhaps these companies figure that Christmas is a national holiday and so wishing people a Merry Christmas—even if customers or clients potentially don’t celebrate the holiday—isn’t offensive. Or perhaps these companies are bowing to the pressure of certain groups.

But not all companies have made this choice. A sizable number of companies are sticking with Happy Holidays or Season’s Greetings because they don’t want to leave people out or offend people, or because they don’t feel that a message that might be perceived as religious or exclusionary is right for their brand. While some might characterize this choice by companies as a “war on Christmas,” that seems a bit extreme.

So is there a right or wrong decision?

We believe either approach can work and either approach can fail. It depends on your brand, your audience, your goals, and your authentic position. If your brand speaks to openness and inclusion (such as Gap), then a warm winter theme that doesn’t identify a specific holiday might be best.

Other companies, on the other hand, might choose to promote a Christmas Coffee Blend. Or have a Christmas Sale. Or have a giant green banner with a red-cheeked Santa and three-foot-high letters shouting MERRY CHRISTMAS!

If you believe it’s appropriate to use a Christmas theme, then do it. We believe you can do so in a way that celebrates the best of the season and will be received warmly, regardless of a recipient’s or viewer’s personal beliefs. On the other hand, it isn’t inherently offensive to try to be thoughtful about all of your clients’ or customers’ beliefs and simply say: Season’s Greeting!

What’s your opinion of the right approach?

Trust is an essential part of the success of any organization. It’s what makes customers loyal and is crucial for strengthening and sustaining your brand. Perhaps it’s time to consider if your marketing communicates trust in the most persuasive way possible.

Instead of grumbling about perceptions, many financial institutions are picking themselves up, dusting themselves off, and addressing the issue of changing beliefs head on. Through bold communication, they are taking advantage of many consumers’ renewed emphasis on trust in their financial decisions.

There’s reason to believe that there are benefits to this strategy.

In July of this year, 90-year-old hardware, software, and services provider Pitney Bowes determined through research that trust in the marketing communications of a service provider determines up to 32% of a customer’s overall trust in the provider.

According to Michael Beird, Director of Banking Services at J.D. Power and Associates, “…improved communication is key to ensuring that customers fully understand their credit card terms—particularly benefits and fees—which helps reduce the number of problems reported and improves the overall experience.”

Compellingly, a recent J.D. Power and Associates credit card satisfaction survey found that customer contentment increased for the second consecutive year. Overall satisfaction now averages 731 on a 1,000-point scale. That’s compared to 714 in 2010 and 705 in 2009.

Still, clients today are more questioning and are looking for more documentation and explanations than ever before. That makes now the perfect time to evaluate your marketing materials and communications through the eyes of your customers.

Consider all marketing channels to reach customers and influencers where they spend their time, keeping in mind that transparency and honest communications help to shape your reputation.

Don’t forget about the power of social media, especially when reaching out to younger customers. And remember that your clients talk about you when you’re not around, so you need to monitor and influence those conversations at as many points as possible.

Ensure that you get enterprise-wide agreement to all marketing changes and other change initiatives—from the CEO to customer-facing employees. Changes pushed through your organization won’t take hold like a transformation that’s excitedly pulled through your organization by every team and team member.

Client-facing representatives play a huge role as your brand’s ambassadors, so ensure that they, in particular, buy into your branding strategies and authentically demonstrate them to customers.

Finally, get some objective marketing help to evaluate your current materials honestly and to create a new strategy and campaign that will have maximum impact on your clients’ perceptions of who you really are.

The client-agency relationship is no different. Simply put, the best ones are true partnerships that result in exciting, enduring work.

Interestingly, over the past few decades, the trend in client-agency relationships has been toward shorter engagements.

According to a survey conducted by the American Association of Advertising Agencies, “In 1984 the average client-agency relationship tenure was 7.2 years. By 1997 that number declined 25% to 5.3 years.” Although this survey is now almost nine years old, the trend of ever-shorter client-agency engagements continues to hold true.

In just the past year or so, some longstanding client-agency relationships have dissolved. Harley Davidson and Carmichael Lynch separated after 31 years. Dr Pepper Snapple Group broke off its 40-year relationship with Y&R (originally Young & Rubicam). After an impressive 83 years, MetLife also split up with Y&R. And after nearly a century-long relationship, Exxon Mobil is now reviewing their relationship with McCann Erickson.

But is this trend necessary?

Great client-agency relationships are built on trust, mutual support, encouragement, open dialogue, respect, and a shared desire to achieve great things. Client-agency relationships need to be nurtured to sustain and grow over a long period of time.

To achieve a longstanding relationship, clients and agencies both should welcome opportunities to review progress, ask questions, and resolve obstacles.

Agencies need to be willing to respectfully tell the client what they need to hear, even if the message isn’t always an easy one. And clients need to give the agency the opportunity to become completely immersed in their offerings, culture, people, industry, and aspirations to enable them to create an enduring marketing strategy.

The best advertising is made when there is mutual trust, support, and a willingness to experiment and take risks. After all, without the possibility of failure, there’s little chance of creating marketing that truly stands out.

At Donovan, we know that a great agency never relaxes with its clients. It always treats the client as a prospect and rises to every challenge with the same enthusiasm and commitment to innovation and success as the very first project.

The best relationships—the ones that last—are the ones where both members are comfortable having candid, respectful, supportive, and sometimes difficult conversations. Like a solid marriage, a great client-agency relationship is absolutely critical and requires work on both sides of the fence.

Though sometimes overlooked, media planning and buying are core components of the ad world—and possibly a significant part of your marketing strategy. While tightly related, there is a difference between the two disciplines. Media planners select the media that best meet a client’s marketing goals, while media buyers negotiate the best media rates and actually purchase the media.

The best media planners and buyers constantly evaluate market conditions to choose the best mix of media, the best schedule, and the best strategy for your audience and goals—all while ensuring that you get the best value for your budget.

Established media planners and buyers often have strong relationships to maximize purchasing power and placement.

Today’s media planners and buyers have a wide range of media to pick from, and it’s evolving all the time. TV now includes many cable stations and ad-sponsored webcasts. Radio formats are shifting and there’s also satellite and web radio. And newspapers and magazines are obviously available in multiple formats, from print to web-based to app-based, all offering advertising opportunities at different rates and targeted to different demographics.

With the media landscape changing so fast, media planners and buyers must constantly evaluate pricing rates, demographics, geographic considerations, and relevant psychographics.

A proper media planner and media buyer will help you determine your goals and how best to meet them on budget.

When choosing a media planner and buyer, you need to consider if they can guide you through the current complex media landscape and deliver tangible ROI for your business.

Ultimately, it’s essential that you expose your brand to the right people at the right time in the right way. Otherwise, your credibility—and your valuable brand—can be damaged.

Want to find out about Donovan’s full-service media planning and buying services?