Author: Tim Leon

Is Email Marketing Effective? Depends on Where You Work.

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

Is Email Marketing Effective? Depends on Where You Work.

Advertising

First of all, let’s get this out of the way. Email is important to digital marketing. Really important. There, we’ve said it. But recent benchmark statistics from Campaign Monitor reveal some really interesting trends. 

These 2019 statistics show that, in terms of open rates, the public sector is head and shoulders above private sector companies. That means that categories like government, non-profits, education and others are really outpacing private sector companies like those in retail. 

So why is that? 

I’m thinking that is because consumers are simply more likely to open emails that aren’t trying to sell them consumer goods. Think about all the emails you get from all the brands you’ve purchased goods from in the past. That doesn’t even mean that you’re not receptive! But there are only so many times I can buy a new truck. Sorry, Chevy, those sales look good but I’m set for a while. I’ll check out your deals in a few years. 

But the good news is that open rates aren’t really the important statistic here. Opening an email is nice, but taking action is what really benefits brands. That’s why clickthrough rates are what really matters to me, and I’m sure many other marketers, as well. 

The average clickthrough rates across ALL industries is 2.4%. And the industries that beat that average? They include media, entertainment and publishing companies, with Thursday being the best day for clickthroughs. Maybe that’s because consumers are planning their weekend and lining up their entertainment activities for the weekend. I know I’m getting my Neftlix queue primed for the weekend. 

All in all, the rumors of email’s demise may have been greatly exaggerated, to paraphrase our neighbor up north in Hannibal, Mark Twain. It just depends on what industry you’re in. But the one thing that holds true for any industry is that compelling content, placed where and when is best suited for the target audience, is always a successful strategy. Get in touch and we’ll find a digital strategy that is perfectly tailored to your industry and your customers. 

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Finding Your Happy Place in Rural Areas

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

Finding Your Happy Place in Rural Areas

Brainstorms

I came across an interesting Washington Post blog concerning research recently published by the Vancouver School of Economics and McGill University about the “geography of well-being” in Canada. The study covered Canada’s entire population, with over 400,000 responses from 1,200 communities across the country.

The research indicated a correlation between population density (concentration of people in a given area) and happiness. When researchers ranked the average happiness of all of these communities, they found that average population density in the most miserable 20 percent of communities was more than eight times greater than that of the happiest 20 percent of communities. The paper concluded that life is significantly less happy in urban areas versus rural areas.

The research found that people in the happiest communities has shorter commute times, less expensive housing, and less transient population of residents. They are more likely to attend church and are significantly more likely to feel a “sense of belonging” in their communities. There are other studies done in the United States that support the “rural-urban happiness gradient” which, stated more simply, means that the farther away from the cities people live, the happier they tend to be.

For me, this study offers an explanation as to why we are seeing growth across new lifestyle segments including weekend farmers/ranchers, hobby farmers, gentleman farmers, backyard gardeners, etc. Many lifelong city residents aren’t quite ready to completely uproot their lives away from the city and to a small town, but they are actively seeking a break from the hustle and bustle, and finding that break in hobbies like gardening or part-time farming.

This “happiness” factor is among the most pertinent considerations when positioning your brand in these industries. As with marketing to any audience, it’s important to understand the motivations and values that this growing consumer segment holds. Brands that effectively communicate this feeling of happiness will resonate with this brand-loyal and growing audience.

If your brand is looking for more insights into this audience or looking to develop a marketing plan that will resonate with them, contact Geile/Leon. Our marketing communications professionals will help you find that emotional connection between your brand and the rural lifestyle consumer.

Tim Leon is President of Geile/Leon Marketing Communications and owns a 137 acre property in southern Missouri where he can be found on the weekends. He can be reached at 314-727-5850.

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Top G/L Tips: Tim Leon on Brand Refresh benefits

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

Top G/L Tips: Tim Leon on Brand Refresh benefits

Branding

How is your company’s brand perceived by your target audience? Is it full of life or is time to re-energize it?

In this video, Tim Leon, president of Geile/Leon, shares his 25+ years of experience in helping companies refresh their biggest asset: the brand. He’ll walk you through the key questions that need to be asked, including:

· Why do a brand refresh?
· When does it make the most sense for your brand?
· What are the steps needed to execute it effectively?

Watch the video here:

Have any further questions? Tim is passionate about branding and would be happy to have a conversation. Contact him by phone at 314-727-5850, ext 117, email at [email protected] or use the form below.

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What the Evolving B2B Purchasing Process Means

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

What the Evolving B2B Purchasing Process Means

Advertising

Audience SegmentationLet’s get one thing straight; the B2B purchasing process is not a one-size-fits-all message. Everyone has to be talked to differently. If you don’t, there are plenty of other competitors out there that are willing to craft a direct message to their intended target. Which means they get the business, not you. (more…)

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Real Price Transparency in Healthcare – I’ve seen it!

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

Real Price Transparency in Healthcare – I’ve seen it!

Branding

A recent blog article from The Advisory Board summed up the conundrum healthcare organizations face when it comes to price transparency:

“When patients search for the cost of an upcoming procedure, they typically find the average price for the service. Unfortunately, this information fails to reflect the actual patient obligation. This type of inaccurate estimate can decrease volumes and patient satisfaction.”

Like it or not, as marketers, we have to take the confusion out of healthcare pricing, especially non-emergency procedures. It’s stressful enough for consumers to navigate the healthcare waters. There’s a tremendous opportunity to make price transparency real for patients and offer valuable information that helps them make informed healthcare decisions – while providing them much-needed peace of mind.

Slowly, healthcare organizations are introducing more patient-centric price transparency with easy-to-understand pricing information, so patients see their true financial obligation. Like it or not, that is becoming more important as high-deductible insurance becomes the norm for many healthcare plans.

I’ve seen the power of real price transparency first hand with Geile/Leon’s diagnostic imaging client Metro Imaging, who recently introduced an online pricing tool that provides patients an estimated exam cost taking into account the patient’s insurance coverage. It took me less than a minute to get my price information in a secure, private online environment. And if the patient needs what their out of pocket obligation will be, all you do is call Metro Imaging and they will calculate that expense for you.

As you can imagine, it’s exciting to have something unique and valuable to market to consumers. The television spot we developed for Metro’s upfront pricing is not over the top and the theme is simple “Clarity in Healthcare”. The message speaks for itself, so we didn’t hide it with a bunch of jargon and eye candy. It’s not necessary when you have such an impactful message and point of difference!

As a healthcare marketer, it’s been so gratifying to see what I think is the beginning of real price transparency in healthcare. And for those organizations that can develop the technology and operational changes required to offer patient-centric priding, it will be a true competitive advantage and result in overall better patient satisfaction. If you have other examples of real price transparency in healthcare, I’d love to hear from you.

Also, don’t forget to check out our brand-new healthcare white paper HERE or by filling out the form below:

Healthcare Trends

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Giving back with Children’s Home Society

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

Giving back with Children’s Home Society

Branding

In the spirit of Making It Mean Something for the holidays, Geile/Leon staff took the afternoon of Wednesday, November 25th to create a 2016 campaign for our client Children’s Home Society of Missouri.

After spending the morning discussing strategic direction with the CHS team Leslie Tucker and Ashley Humphrey before lunch, G/L staffers went to work on a campaign for CHS, who will be celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2016. Children’s Home Society of Missouri (CHS) has been a leader in providing a wide array of support services to at-risk families and children since 1891. In just one afternoon, we were able to develop a number of 125th anniversary concepts including logos to be used on multiple communications throughout the year.

Children's Home Society Children's Home Society Children's Home Society

In addition to the logos, we were able to compile a digital marketing outline, a targeted press release, fundraising mailing campaign concepts, among other creative brainstorming pieces. It’s the least we could do for an organization that has truly touched so many of our team members.

We’re thankful to our employees for giving their time to Children’s Home Society and we’re thankful to this client for the valuable work they do for providing children a better foundation, a better life, and a better future.

CHS provides a comprehensive array of services including community mental health services, education and training, family support services, residential and respite care for at-risk families and children, who in many cases, have nowhere else to turn.

This Giving Tuesday, we encourage you and your organization to seek out opportunities to give back to the community. We are so incredibly lucky to be able to create work that we love every day. As the end of the year approaches, we’ll continue to look for chances to help on the local, regional and national level. It’s the very least we can do.

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REI stays true to brand despite Black Friday temptation

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

REI stays true to brand despite Black Friday temptation

Branding

Last week, outdoor and camping retailer REI announced it would be closed for Black Friday, one of the biggest retail shopping days of the year. This gutsy move will pay off in spades over the long-term, increasing both customer and employee loyalty. CEO Jerry Stritzke has decided to buck the traditional retail mentality of being open on the biggest shopping day of the year and put the brand and his employees first.

If you go to the REI website, you’ll see a countdown page to Black Friday and an open letter from REI CEO Jerry Stritzke which is simple and to the point. Here it is:

“You read that correctly. On November 27, we’ll be closing all 143 of our stores and paying our employees to head outside. Here’s why we’re doing it. For 76 years, our co-op has been dedicated to one thing and one thing only: a life outdoors. We believe that being outside makes our lives better. And Black Friday is the perfect time to remind ourselves of this essential truth. We’re a different kind of company—and while the rest of the world is fighting it out in the aisles, we’ll be spending our day a little differently. We’re choosing to opt outside, and want you to come with us. “We’re closing on Black Friday and going outside. Since 1938 we’ve been bringing you great gear and services to get you out there too. That’s our story.”

This is a brand that is not tempted by short-term gain. REI is more focused on long-term growth and, most importantly, staying true to the brand promise of embracing the outdoors and supplying outdoor enthusiast with the advice and gear they require to enjoy their passion. My guess is the national PR attention this has and will garner over the coming weeks will be more powerful in engraining the REI brand into our culture and life than any amount of paid advertising. And to boot, REI is making Black Friday a paid holiday for its employees.

Bravo to REI for being fearless and staying true to their brand. I plan to partake in the outdoors as well on Black Friday…and I plan to buy a few Christmas gifts from your store this holiday season.

If you’re a brand focused on thinking about the big-picture and about long-term success, let us know. We love hearing stories like this.

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How G/L and Union Pacific are getting teens’ attention on rail safety

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

How G/L and Union Pacific are getting teens’ attention on rail safety

Advertising

Most people underestimate the speed of a train and don’t realize it can take up to a mile for a train traveling 55 miles per hour to come to a complete stop.

The frightening truth is that deaths from walking on train tracks are up almost 10 percent this year, killing nearly 500 people in 2014.(source: Federal Railroad Administration). Many of these deaths are teens. This is, in part, due to the popularity of photos being taken on tracks by the teens themselves or by amateur and professional photographers. Believe it or not, train tracks are being used as a backdrop for senior photos.

The Union Pacific Crossing Accident Reduction Education and Safety (UP CARES) public safety initiative reminds both drivers and pedestrians to stop, look and listen when approaching railroad crossings and to always expect a train. As part of the initiative, G/L collaborated with Union Pacific Railroad to launch a campaign focused on raising awareness about the safety concerns and legal implications associated with taking high school senior photos on or near railroad tracks.

Playing on teens’ desire to look “cool” and not foolish in front of their peers, G/L created two videos that liken railroad tracks to busy thoroughfares (such as highways and busy downtown streets) and ask teens a simple question: “You wouldn’t get your senior photo taken here…so why would you do it on the tracks?” The videos, shared socially and digitally by Union Pacific, have been featured in articles on popular photography sites including SLR Lounge, Fstoppers, and PetaPixel, and were also included as part of a Nightline ABC story.

Changing behavior and perceptions through a campaign is no easy task. It needs to truly resonate with the viewer to make them think differently about what they’re doing. In this case the social media content and videos are connecting with both the teen and photographer audience thanks to the efforts of our client and G/L team.

Contact us using the form below if you have a public safety or internal safety program that we can help you strategize and implement.

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Get your Marketing Score Report and Assessment

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

Get your Marketing Score Report and Assessment

Advertising

It’s time to assess how your marketing department performed in 2015, and how you are going to achieve your marketing goals for 2016.

I was at the Fuel Lines conference in Nashville last week and heard a fantastic presentation from Paul Roetzer, president of PR 20/20. His agency published the Marketing Score Report which provides some valuable insights on how companies rate their marketing performance.

The report evaluates marketing areas including:

  • Audiences
  • Social media marketing
  • Content marketing
  • Marketing technology utilization
  • Marketing team strength

and so much more.

As you develop your 2016 plans, this could be a useful resource in helping justify investments in technology, creating realistic and defendable budgets, and aligning measurable objectives with strategies that will produce the desired results.

One of the key findings that Geile/Leon has observed with many clients is that the majority of organizations have aggressive growth goals and conservative budgets, creating a potential misalignment of expectations. 

Another key finding is that despite lead generation and lead-to-sale conversions being the two highest priority goals, organizations are failing to tap into the power of social media to achieve those goals. Many companies don’t have a cohesive content marketing plan which supports their lead generation and branding efforts.

How does your organization’s marketing efforts stack up?

PR 20/20 has developed an online assessment tool to help marketers rate their marketing programs and identify weaknesses. Check out this valuable tool by clicking here: What’s Your Marketing ScoreTM?

Marketing Score

This report and assessment tool gives you plenty to think about as you evaluate 2015 and plan for next year, such as:

  • Does your organization have the right marketing talent and technology in place to achieve desired performance goals?
  • Are your expectations for growth aligned with your potential?
  • What can large enterprises do to stay on top when nimble organizations develop more modern marketing teams and quickly adapt to marketing technology advancements?
  • Do you have the right agency partners to fill internal marketing team gaps, and provide the skills/expertise needed for critical growth areas?

Fill out the assessment or just review the report. I have found them extremely beneficial for our agency and clients.

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Find Your Why: Make It Mean Something

Tim Leon
President/Brand Strategist

Find Your Why: Make It Mean Something

Advertising

Those four words are really the credo of Geile/Leon. They didn’t exist until about four years ago. Our management and new business team had been discussing the Simon Sinek book Start With Why. We wanted to incorporate the G/L why into our culture and our brand offering. We wanted to discover the Why for ourselves, and develop a process for helping clients discover their “why”.

Make It Mean Something

As we discovered firsthand, finding your “why” requires some real introspection and looking hard at yourself in the mirror. The objective of our meetings were to fill out the golden circle that Sinek refers to in his book. And as we found out, it didn’t take us long to nail down the first two questions posed.

  • What do you do?
  • How do you do it differently?

But the most enlightening and satisfying part of the process was also the most challenging and it took some real brainpower. It was when we discovered and articulated the G/L Why. It took much discussion and we asked ourselves two questions.

  • Why do we exist?
  • Why do we come to work everyday?

Pretty thought-provoking questions, but they helped us dig deep to get to that important answer to why G/L does what it does. I guess I should share it with you.

The G/L Why: MAKE IT MEAN SOMETHING

G/L believes that every organization has a deeper purpose and it’s the agency’s role to help those clients discover it. By identifying, defining, and exposing that deeper sense of purpose, organizations can attract buyers that believe what they believe.

Once the organization’s purpose has been identified, G/L can create work that changes behaviors and builds relationships. Building relationships between brand and consumer that truly mean something, and cause buyers to make decisions that will benefit them, and ultimately, our clients.

Whatever we do, whatever we say, whatever media vehicle we choose, we make it mean something. The words, pictures, music, motion, emotion and opportunities we use to reach people need to mean something to them…something that will in some way benefit them…and enable them to do something, know something, be something, have something better than what they have now.

These six sentences drive everything we do here at Geile/Leon. They impact who we hire, clients we target, processes we put in place, our culture, our work, our decision –making, and our role in the community. It’s been inspiring and empowering in how we position ourselves. When I walk into a new business meeting or someone asks me about Geile Leon, I do what Simon Sinek’s book says and I start with why. You should try it and G/L can help you get started. When you come to our office, you’ll know exactly why you did.

Make It Mean Something

If you are looking for a more emotional way to communicate with your target audience and employees, contact us using the form below.

 

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