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A&P
GE
Global-Z
IBM Insurance Solutions
MasterChoice Foods
Sillery Mayer & Partners

More newsletter articles:
Weave the Perfect Web Site
Media Unmuddled

CUSTOMERS GO 'HOG WILD' FOR FARMER JACK!

Is Farmer Jack Successful?
Yes, He's Outstanding
In His Field!

Oooooooooooohhhhhwweeeeeee! What a story we've got here about the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company! We knew what we created for revitalizing the Farmer Jack stores for A&P would be very successful. Farmer Jack has burst out of the barn like a young stallion, and we'd like to share that success with you!

Did You Hear The One About The Farmer...?

It all began when A&P handed us a challenge, and a blank sheet of paper, to create and develop a total concept -- from shelf design to marketing -- that would revive a failed store. We grabbed the bull by the horns and immediately went to work. The result is a fresh from the farm success story that can inspire others to follow.

Farmer Jack -- A Bumper Crop of Success!

In the two years since A&P opened their first Farmer Jack store in Virginia Beach, Virginia, they've harvested a bumper crop of successes! Two more stores in South Carolina and three more in Virginia followed in their boots. Then -- another three stores in Virginia followed hot on their heels! All have been foot-stompin', price-stompin' successes!

There's a message here. And it's "listen to the consumer...then ...speak to them in their own language."

Customers are attracted to Farmer Jack's combination of fresh foods, low prices and Farmer's Market atmosphere that comes alive like a farm stand, complete with animated vegetables, meats, dairy products, and breads singing the praises of the many departments throughout the store. Having fun while saving money is a big plus in everybody's language. And Farmer Jack speaks their language very well.

That's really not surprising, when you think ofall the planning, creative thinking and strategy that went into developing a fresh, new approach to marketing. What is surprising is that more businesses don't take advantage of it -- and just keep plowing infertile ground.

Planting The Seeds of Success

All businesses have similar marketing challenges, which various approaches can 'sort of' remedy. But the reality is, every business has a specific marketing problem that needs to be addressed in a particular area -- whether that be social, demographic or geographic. One size fits all marketing and strategy just doesn't cut it. At Sillery Mayer & Partners we approached the challenge with that in mind. Then we applied our "FROM THE SHELF UP" approach to ensure success.

Working together with A&P, we looked at the big picture, isolated the challenges, then tailored the solutions to specifically meet the objectives. By getting into the minds of the consumer and feeling their pulse, we were able to develop solutions that would address each challenge -- individually and collectively. The result: a completely integrated program with real substance, real potential -- and real growth -- "FROM THE SHELF UP!"

Great Products For Chicken Feed!

Once you know what the customer wants, let him know you've got it. Cheap! Cheap!

The Farmer Jack pledge to give customers the biggest selections at the lowest prices has a powerful, positive appeal. The promise to 'pile it high and sell it cheap' strikes a responsive chord that keeps on vibrating throughout the store -- in every department from the hot deli and in-store bakery, to the full-service floral and greeting card department. Customers can associate the concept with their needs and personality -- and that's why they buy from Farmer Jack -- not some other store.

The weekend 'price-stompers' reinforce the promise of the best prices around. And to make shopping more convenient for their customers, all Farmer Jacks accept MasterCard, Visa and Discover cards.

Avoiding The Silo Effect

Products move off the shelf quickly at Farmer Jack because a strong customer base now makes shopping at these stores a weekly -- and even twice-weekly -- routine. They like the comfortable, friendly atmosphere and the knowledgeable local staff. Fresh stock is always moving out of the warehouse, instead of getting 'liloed'. And that's a plus you can take to the bank.

At SMP, we always want to share success with others. We're continally honong our skills and keeping the competition jumpin'. If you have a product or service that needs more than just horse linament, give us a call. Using our "FROM THE SHELF UP!" approach, we're redy to plant new seeds of success for you. SMP

Weave the Perfect Web Site and Net More Sales!
Now you can create infinite shelf space--in cyberspace!

Double-click here!

Conventional wisdom and classical marketing theory say that a brand's positioning should be consistently communicated in all channels. That works for us! And it should work well for you, too.

THE INTERNET...THE
LATEST AND HOTTEST
MARKETING CHANNEL
GOING...

Information technology is at the core of brand positioning and building customer awareness and confidence. Customers rely on it--and buy on it. So what fantastic new channel should you be tuning into and turning on customers with? The Internet, of course. It's the latest and hottest marketing channel going -- and this is just the beginning.

"You Need A Web Site!"

Using cyberspace to increase your shelf space is the latest marketing tool you can take advantage of. It's not quite 'plug and play' yet but, it's not as complicated as it sounds. If you can use a TV remote or sign a check, you can blast off into cyberspace.

We'll show you the whys and wherefores, and set you on the right path to integrating a powerful and valuable marketing tool into your business. You'll learn how it can help your brand or business improve its bottom line--efficiently and economically. Plus, you'll discover that cyberspace is really ad space with an international address--and millions of potential customers are waiting to come to you.

Upload Now

Your competitors may already be on the Internet, increasing their brand awareness and marketing share. But just being there does not mean instant success. Unless you're doing it right, you're only taking up space. Remember how much NASA effluvia is orbiting and multiply it by about a bazillion. You get the picture. That'll give you a pretty good idea of what happens to a lot of marketers on the Internet. We're here to show you how to do it right; make your cyberstation active--not passive--and let it work to your best advantage. So, come cyberspace walk--or 'net' surf--with us.

'Net'--ing More Customers

The main reason for being on the Internet is customers. Millions of them 'surf' the net every day. The computer terminal is their shopping cart and they're always looking for things to fill it. From this active audience of cybernauts (numbering over 40,000,000 world-wide) some of the major companies get up to 400,000 'hits', or inquiries, every day at their web sites. Of these, 10-12,000 cybernauts access their sites and download information--and hundreds of them order more products and services.

Start by making your web site an active and interactive marketing tool. In addition to new information about your products or services, you can tell customers about up-and-coming offers and events. You can even offer coupons on your web page that customers can print out and redeem at their local store.

And if you offer a club or discount card, you can sign customers up right over the Internet, saving in-store time and processing costs. With an on-line questionnaire, you can also learn more about what your customers want and need. They'll respond more freely in cyberspace, because it's more like a friendly, one-on-one interface.

10-9-8-9...

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to launch a web site. But it sure helps if you have one on-board. You can author a web page with off-the-shelf software if you're just a small desktop business. But for mega-marketers like you who want the best results, call a professional. Choose one who has had experience in your field. They'll know how to create the best look and feel for your product and make it a user-friendly site. Remember, image counts, and perception is reality in the consumer's mind.

Next, make your web page lively. When someone lands on your site, it's like opening the door to a party. If nothing is happening, they'll put their thrusters in reverse and blast off to the next site. But, if your web page looks like The Ace of Space, where great things are happening, people will stop in and boogie--and so will their friends.

Use your current advertising theme for instant familiarity and credibility. Video and animation can make your web site really come alive--but don't overdo it. And if you have an established music theme, in the marketplace, this is the place to use it. It reinforces your image with customers in a highly interactive state.

By making your web page informative and easy-to-navigate, cybernauts will want to land frequently, and you'll build a broader, more active customer base. This is one of the keys to Internet success.

Surf's Up!

Hold onto your trunks, dude! Just as we're writing this article, we see that the Big Cahuna of cyberwaves is about to break across Internet Beach. Microsoft Corp. is releasing new software that will bring the most fundamental change to personal computers since they were invented. And it has all the potential for domination in cyberspace. It will dramatically simplify the way you deal with your documents, give added flexibility to your design and interaction capabilities--and generally make your life much less complicated. We'll keep you posted on its development and introduction.

"Beam Me Up, Scottie!"

The sky is no longer the limit in savvy marketing, and cyberspace has infinite possibilities. Your page(s) on the World Wide Web can be a powerful new marketing tool that launches you into a new era of sales and marketing development with the potential to outpace your competition--if you do it right. So, instead of just doin' time on planet earth, give your product added thrust with an active presence on the Internet. Set up your web site--and increase your shelf space in cyberspace. The results could be astronomical!

Next time: Managing and Positioning your web site.

Media Unmuddled.

MEDIA TERMS

If you're 'Fuzzy' about Media Terms -- Don't Broadcast it!
Brush up on them right now!

Here's a real-life scenario. An Advertising manager, much like yourself, is busy at work, when the company President comes in and says, "We've decided to start doing some TV and radio advertising. Can you whip me up a media plan?"

Your mind goes into vapor lock...but you override it with auto pilot and say, "Sure, J.B. I'll get right on it!" Then your memory screen goes fuzzy.

Many of us have been in this type of situation. So, at SMP, we've put together an easy way to re-familiarize yourself with media terms. Our Instant Media Smarts Guide is a handy reference, adapted from a top media pro, that will have you quickly and confidently conversing in fluent mediaspeak. So, without further adieu...

One of the first terms you need to remember about broadcast media is Rating (Rating.)

This is a percent of a given population exposed to a radio or TV message. For instance, a 10 rated program means that 10% of the population has viewed or listened to it.

Next is Gross Rating Point (GRP). This term is literally a household word. It refers to household ratings, but is being used less and less in favor of Target Rating Points (TRP). So, if you want to sound current, use (TRP).

When you're aiming for demographics, start with TRP. It's favored over GRP, and is used for advertising to specific demographic groups. It refers to reaching the optimum audience with the broadcast message; i.e. Women, Men, Women 25-54, Men 18-42, etc.

For example, if you know your primary shopper is a mom who works, has kids in school and lives in an upper middle class suburb, then the ratings can be targeted to reach her with as little waste as possible. Women 25-54, HHI $75,000+. It's simple, concise, and defines the target in easily understandable terms.

Reach & Frequency (R/F). Get your message across. Repeat. Get your message across. Reach & Frequency describes the combination of the total percentage of a population that has been exposed to your advertising message at least once (Reach), and the number of times the average viewer has been exposed to the message (Frequency). Again, look to the handy SMP reference guide accompanying this article for more details.

Cost Per Point (CPP). Be cost conscious about making your point. CPPs are how costs for broadcasts are stated. If a 10 rated spot costs $100, then by simple division, you can see that the CPP is $10. As with all merchandise, some costs are higher than others, depending on quantity.

Dayparts (DPs). Day-in, day-out, you'll need to know these. Dayparts are logical segments of programming, which divide them into different times of the day. CPPs vary based on them, and exact timings can vary by market and time zone.

TV has eight basic Dayparts. Weekend Dayparts vary by market.

Radio has four basic Dayparts and sometimes the weekend is considered a fifth.

Overnight spots can be no-charge bonuses, since their ratings are too small to be measured.

For a complete breakdown of these times, consult the SMP guide.

Now that you've brushed up on some specifics, here are some of the accepted generalities of Broadcast.

TV programs have higher ratings than radio. That's because there are fewer TV stations than radio stations -- and, therefore, each spot has more viewers.

Radio listening is more fragmented due to the great number of stations, formats, and time spent listening.

There are points--and then--there are Points. Ratings from different markets cannot be combined, since they represent percentages of different populations. For instance, 100 points in Atlanta cannot be combined with 100 points in St. Louis for a sum of 200 points. It's just that each market has a different size and population base.

Well, that about raps it up, media fans. Now that you've come to terms again with broadcast media language, you can carry on like a pro. And for a handy reminder, tear out the SMP media guide, tuck it into your wallet, tack it on your bulletin board, or keep it in your drawer for ready reference.