Although I consider myself a good driver (minus the slightest case of road rage), I am also one of millions of people driving Toyotas all over this country. Every time I jump on the Interstate, I wonder if this will be the day that my car decides to play Toyota Roulette and careen out of control.

In college, I had a friend who liked to drive down a big hill on campus with his windows down and yell “NO BRAKES!” just to freak people out. It was pretty hilarious. And although I still laugh at that prank, I never thought I might have to revisit those words in a real-life situation. It’s been in the back of my head as one of those things I might resort to if my Prius decides to become a death trap.

Beyond the obvious engineering lapse, my biggest complaint is that Toyota has utterly failed to communicate with car owners about these problems. A few months ago, I received a letter telling me that the floormats were to blame for “acceleration issues” and that I should remove them. However, in the several instances of out-of-control cars that have been publicly reported, most experts point to the computerized braking system as being the probable cause. Toyota also says the safety issue is only limited to later models, although the cars that are affected seem to run the gamut from 2005 to current models.

Like any company enduring a PR nightmare, Toyota needs to learn the tough lesson that the truth is always the best defense. In the name of both safety and salvaging its brand, Toyota needs to admit the full scope of its failure and not mislead its consumers with half-information. While they might lose money in the immediate future, coming clean and taking full responsibility will help build confidence and trust in the company again.

In the meantime, perhaps Toyota will consider changing their tagline to moving forward…and forward…and NO BRAKES!

Everyone has heard of Netflix in some way or another by now. The ads are everywhere and the service has rapidly become a household staple for many.  I finally took the plunge myself and purchased a membership. Like me, most people used to drive to Blockbuster only to find that the movie they wanted to rent wasn’t in stock or was being rented by someone else. This obviously wasn’t cutting it for the “fast lane” society that, at the time, we were becoming. So a couple of dudes from California thought up and pitched a service that would allow customers to rent movies from a website on a pay-per-rental basis, and it eventually evolved into the flat monthly rate service it is today. So, how did this all come to be?

Since their launch, Netflix has encountered several other start-ups trying to sell the same service, but nobody has been able to do it as well as them. Wal-Mart and even Amazon (in Germany and the UK) have tried to release similar online services through their companies to their already loyal customers, but they eventually fizzled out. Wal-Mart now even has a cross-promotional agreement with Netflix! A partnership like that is huge — consider how pervasive Wal-Mart is and the comparatively tinier size that is and always will be Netflix. No offense to Netflix, we can’t all be Wal-Mart.

Now to my favorite part: the website. Netflix’s usability is amazing – from recommending movies it thinks you would like, to letting you stream many of the popular movies straight onto your computer or X-Box 360, PS3 and soon, the Wii. As a new customer, it only took me a couple minutes to get used to the site and how it all worked. That is incredibly important to keep in mind when designing the functionality of your websites. You could have a beautiful design, but if the layout is jumbled or confusing, it will not keep the user engaged and you’ve just lost a visitor or potential customer.

Another thing I love about the Netflix site is the way everything is interconnected. As I’m browsing through the legions of movies in the Netflix database, I have the option of adding them to my DVD Queue or Instant Queue. The way the site is connected through your personal profile is by the rating system and movie recommendations. As you rate more and more movies, Netflix gets smarter and better at guessing what movies you would like. Just an FYI, my queue is already big enough to last me months!

Netflix is also changing the business plans of other similar companies. More and more Blockbusters are closing their doors and driving to the movie rental store on a Friday night may soon be obsolete. We’ve also seen other businesses pick up on the practices of Netflix. Gamefly is one example of this. They have a similar site as Netflix for video game rental. Most hardcore gamers hate leaving the couch, so having their next game delivered right to their front door changes everything. Genius!  Red Box is a bit different, but nevertheless changing the way we rent movies. You can find these in places like McDonalds or neighborhood grocery stores. Red Box is, quite literally, a red box that has several new release movies in stock. Just slide your credit card, choose your movie and the box pops out your DVD. Consider it a vending machine for movies. Movies are only one dollar per night, so you won’t have to worry about late fees.

The changing movie rental industry is easy to use, personalized and fun, which for me equals addictive. Entertainment is a booming business integral to our lives and culture, so there will always be new and classic films to watch and great services allowing you to do so. People will always be searching for the perfect movie for their next date or, for aspiring filmmakers like myself, research and inspiration for professional endeavors. Whatever the need, Netflix has really started a revolution in entertainment, putting practically any film and TV series at the tips of our fingers. Go check it out and consider the free 14 day trial. After all, it’s FREE! Do you already have a Netflix account? What are your thoughts on the service?

Evaluate Your Goals
How has your business changed in the last year? What’s 2010 going to look like for your industry? Do current sales meet your expectations? Are you making a compelling case for your product or service to a targeted enough audience? What have you learned? We all work hard every day to keep the little gears grinding, but it’s crucial to take a step back periodically to tweak your overall course. Sit down to restate what you want for 2010, assess what worked in 2009, and imagine how you can shake up those pieces that need more focused attention or an entirely new tactic.

Listen to Your Audience
The best source of advice is often those people you are looking to please the most: your clients. They can offer valuable clues to engage them if you’ll just listen. Now, listening doesn’t involve just our ears anymore; there are many tools marketers can use to better understand their audiences. If you haven’t already, install data metrics & tracking software like Google Analytics on your web site to audit geographic demographics and behavioral patterns of your site’s visitors. What pages keep your visitors’ attention the longest and where do most flee the site. Research tools like Quantcast can be leveraged to get an interesting picture of the internet trends for your target audience. And get on board with digital word-of-mouth by staying involved with social media sites.

Audit Your Methods of Communication
Remember when people used to just talk to each other? Like face-to-face? Yeah, well there’s an increasing number of ways to interact with your clients and the most successful efforts are those that integrate several modes of communication, proportionate to the habits of your target market. Your options these days are in-person, phone, HTML email, your website, ads on other Web sites, social media, and traditional forms of advertising like mailers, print ads, television, and radio. Do you have the right mix? Are the tools you’re using having effect? Are you cross-promoting (i.e. social media links in email blasts)? Is your website too content heavy? Consumers respond more to visually engaging experiences online rather than a page of text. Are there any opportunities to convert paragraphs into interactive media like video, slideshows, etc?

Rethink Your Budget
Some businesses think they should axe their marketing budgets when the economy goes south, but there are more responsible tactics to trimming expenses.  Strong, effective marketing campaigns don’t always mean dropping big bucks.  Consider the return on your investment, which is highly trackable these days. Strategically targeting and communicating with your audiences can help grow your business. Can you redirect resources from an underperforming activity to one that’s working? Is the underperforming activity failing because your approach is not quite right or because it’s simply not a smart way to reach your audience? Ask these questions before making cuts. And marketing cuts may be unavoidable, but the most critical imperative is for you to prioritize. It may take more planning, but as the economy rebounds, your business will have remained relevant and visible in the public eye. And you’ll outperform those less savvy competitors.

Be True to Yourself and Your Business
Be authentic. People are often smarter than we give them credit for and many can see through a false façade. We as consumers appreciate authentic, heart-felt communications. And in this digital age, anyone can try their hand at the latest new-fangled gadget or digital idea; but those who succeed in digital media approach it with careful planning, research and strategy. Does your brand adequately reflect your company’s values and culture? Avoid hyperbole. Sure, find the magic in your company’s story, but don’t over-promise and under-deliver. Good branding (and by extension, marketing) is about defining an identity and purpose of being that everyone can unabashedly embrace. Create an organization in 2010 that you, your employees, and your clients can all be proud of!

As the holiday season rolls around, lately we’ve been noticing some significant changes to websites that aim to spruce up marketing (no pun intended?) and maybe catch the attention of a few more customers. This comes as no surprise, though. Just as countless stores of all types redecorate their display windows for the holidays, the same concept applies for most websites, too. And it makes perfect sense! Why not, right? In this digital age, it becomes easier and easier for us to make purchases online within the comfort of our home. “Look ma, no waiting in lines!”

Most of the time, shopping online is your safest route because you can find discounted items simply because of the e-commerce system: These products don’t need to be shipped to individual retailers, but instead can be sold straight from the manufacturer; hence, cheaper costs for them and less of a hole burned in your wallet. I just love saving money while in my jammies.

Enough small talk, though: let’s get to some solid examples, shall we? Whether a company has completely revamped their site with a whole new theme or is just adding small flourishes here and there that add some holiday cheer, the act of change and keeping your branding fresh is a great way to engage new audiences or break expectations with repeat customers. All of this serves to keep viewers on your site for just a little longer. One site in particular stood out to me and actually inspired this post: WordPress. Yeah, not much of an obvious change at first, but if you stay on the page for an extra few seconds, you will see snow start to fall past your screen. To me, this is simple yet brilliant — an example of bringing a real world element with an emotional resonance into the digital sphere. And of course, after I looked into it, you can even make your blog snow if you have a WordPress account just by clicking a couple buttons.

Some other sites worth noting are Just Pop In, Target, Overstock.com, and even Ebay. As you can see, they didn’t require much at all to change the look and feel of these sites from their everyday standard to winter wonderlands. Consider branding yourself for the holiday season: add a new banner to your page header, throw some ribbon around that logo, or even add your own holiday gift browsing widget like Walmart created! Some efforts may be more trackable than others, but there’s no doubt that if done right, it’ll make everyone feel pretty good.

Have you stumbled across any good sites that are trying to jingle some bells or let it snow? Did they warm your heart like cocoa or leave you saying Bah humbug? Leave the link(s) in our comments section. We’d love to see them!

Ok, now even this struck a nerve with me and as many of you know, I’m a MAC user. In fact, I’m using one right now. I don’t smoke, but I can’t imagine my frustration if I was refused service due to a habit completely unrelated to my personal computer. Obviously, this is what these customers are feeling. According to the article, Apple now considers the smoke a biohazard to its employees. If you haven’t been keeping up with Apple’s “green” initiative, their business model is now partially based around keeping harmful chemicals out of its products, which is definitely respectable, but where do we draw the line? Refusing to repair and thus forcing a customer to purchase a new product also clearly defies their “going green” initiaitve.

Here is a testimonial from a frustrated customer in the UK: “I checked my Applecare warranty and it says nothing about not honouring warranties if the owner is a smoker. The Applecare representative said they defer to the technician and my son’s computer cannot be fixed at any Apple Service Centre due to being listed a bio-hazard.” So now how can Apple prove themselves correct on this matter? I mean, I bought the Apple Care warranty. I expect everything to be covered! After all, it’s pretty expensive! If they give the technicians leverage over policy details that should be expressly stated in the warranty, doesn’t that really undermine the value of the warranty?

While I can understand the customers’ dismay with this contentious issue, I do want to at least try to side with Apple for the following reason: The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration has listed nicotine as a hazardous substance, and if a customer is going to subject the Apple product to repeated exposure to it, should Apple and its employees have to come in contact with such a substance? One wonders just how many MACs a technician encounters with obvious nicotine residue in a given day. But is this just an excuse to save a couple extra pennies? Apple makes plenty of money. A repair definitely doesn’t break the bank for them by any stretch of the imagination, so maybe they are really trying to be legitimately green for their employees. What are your thoughts? Do you agree with how Apple is handling their smoking customers?

Thanks to PC Pro for the article!

I’m talking about those lovable little animals over at the Indianapolis Humane Society. Upon arrival, we immediately bribed them with a favorite human treat — Dunkin’ Donuts — so they would give us a behind-the-scenes tour of the place. Thankfully, they took the bait and agreed to let us see their inner workings. Long story short, we had a blast!

It had been a while since I visited a humane society and looked for animals, so it was a luxury being able to see all the hard work that goes into keeping the center afloat. Right away, it was apparent that those guys took extra special care of the animals, from the way they cleaned the cages to the amount of generous donors and volunteers on staff. They definitely keep to their mission statement: ˝Our vision is that all central Indiana animals are treated with dignity and respect and live free from cruelty, harm and neglect.˝ Those dogs and cats looked adorable. Not to mention super happy. I would’ve taken some puppies home with me if I wasn’t riding my motorcycle that morning. That sort of animal transportation is probably frowned upon.

Needless to say, Tristan (our guide) and the rest of the folks at the Indianapolis Humane Society were happy to see the people behind their marketing projects there for a visit. And for us, it was a welcome break from websites, search engine optimization and design to just relax and get to know our client a little better.

Plus, those donuts weren’t going to eat themselves!

You’re a designer or programmer without an Accounts Team.

And the decision to operate without one is not limited to the one-man band we call freelancers. Established firms are just as guilty of these familiar nightmares:  “The sales guy told us six weeks; it’s been six months and he rarely calls back.”  “It’s not at all what we wanted; we don’t feel like there was anyone advocating for our needs.”  “Her designs are pretty good, but man — she seemed bothered every time we called…”

If you’ve ever worked with a creative services firm without an accounts team, you know that they generally put client management into the hands of the project doers. The worst-case (and most frequent) scenario is to be given to the salesperson who drew up your contract. Most often s/he will want to pass you off to the creative department because his/her job is finding new business, not project management. So now you’re talking to a designer familiar with how your product should look, but possibly not in ownership of the overall campaign strategy.  Therefore, when you requests changes, the designer may not know if those changes will weaken that strategy or if the change will adversely affect other considerations like programming, printing costs, timeline, etc. Additionally, the designer is often working on several projects at once and would like to avoid slowing down the delivery all of his/her projects in favor of your phone call.  Next! You get passed to a new team member in this unfortunate game of hot potato, maybe a programmer with half of the puzzle. The most frustrating aspect comes once the project is finished and you have no idea who to contact.  New enhancements, revisions or updates may even be made by a completely different person again.  Being the hot potato is not a formula for good service.

Account Managers and Coordinators are important because they provide a communication center between the client and the firm. If you want a good process, you need a communicator. Someone who can respond quickly, anticipate your needs, and ensure that you know what’s going on at every stage. A good designer is focused on your design; a good account manager is focused on you. It makes a world of difference to have someone familiar with the ins and outs of the development process, so s/he can advocate for the changes you want, while balancing that with best design practices.  Who’s going to speak for you at that internal meeting? Your Account Manager.

Another point: too many people think that the marketing strategy is done after the initial project is complete. Successful companies, however, know that marketing tools like websites must evolve over time as a company gains better understanding of its audience. In that regard, an Account Manager is your marketing partner. Visualize having someone going through the development alongside you, always considering your perspective and gaining valuable information about your working style and your company’s path. When it comes time for that next project, whether that’s four weeks or four months, why start from scratch? Your Account Manager will already be equipped to pick up where you left off and help you make strategic marketing decisions.

For instance, at the most reputable advertising agencies and creative services firms like xiik, Account Managers and Coordinators work closely with clients throughout ideation, development, delivery, and are available after the project is complete. They keep clients up-to-date as to key project milestones, walk them through design decisions, present research, solve concerns, and help clients evolve their marketing strategy over time. When you need to ask a question, the designer has not put down the pen. Account Managers identify a solution that can then be efficiently executed by the designer. They also ensure that the designer receives all site assets and approvals from the client on time. This high level of attention serves to predict potential red flags and help the client through unpredictable roadblocks, which in turn serves to keep projects on-time, on-budget and, most importantly, on-strategy.

Ultimately, it’s about breaking down the process and assigning aspects of it to those who do it best: a system of checks and balances that results in a better product, more personalized service, and a low-stress experience for all parties. That means you get to focus more energy on your own products and services, rather than chasing down an unruly vendor.

Christopher Maikish is an Account Manager in xiik’s Los Angeles office.

There is a big difference between a web firm and a marketing firm, although now many web firms say they know marketing too.  If you hire a web firm, you will get a product – much like buying seeds for your garden.  You can’t be upset with the floral department if the seeds don’t grow in your soil or if the folks at your garden party think sunflowers are too cliche. 

Marketing firms provide a service.  The idea is to grow your business through an ongoing relationship.  That means early stage (determining who your customers are and how/when to reach them), the mid-stage (what to deliver to your customers and to start the conversation) and the maintenance stage (how to keep customers engaged in the conversation and spread the word about you and your business).  

Neither is better than the other; it all depends on your needs.  If you’re a pro at gardening (or marketing), you may not need the extra help.  In fact, the instructions, seminars and tidbits on floral arrangements would be a waste of time and money for you.  But don’t expect to get guidance from the folks who only sell the seeds.

Admitedly, it’s sometimes hard to tell the difference between a web firm and a marketing firm that provides interactive (web) services.  Watch for these five signs:

1. Early on, did they say, “Send us some sites you like?”  
Web firms focus on satisfying client preferences, so they want to see what you like, as you are the final decision-maker.  Marketing firms focus on the client’s clients.  They are more likely to be interested in competitor sites and sites that target the same demographic.  Unless you are in your target demographic, they probably won’t focus on personal preferences until they have first determined what will speak to your audience.

2. Do they try to push a lot of stuff at you right away?  
Web firms often don’t intend to maintain a strong relationship with you, beyond the project end date, because they are built for agility.  Because of this, they need to sell you everything you will ever need immediately because the relationship is often strongest before the contract is signed.  Marketing firms generally won’t rush you into huge projects.  It’s easier for them to split it into phases of what you need now, and plan for what you’ll need over the next several months.

3. Do you have a single point of contact with the firm?  
And, no, the sales gal doesn’t count!  Usually, this would be somebody with the title, “Account Manager” or “Account Coordinator”.  If you intend this to be an ongoing relationship you need to know who you should contact, when you can contact them and how to contact them.  Web companies would generally opt for a Customer Service Representative or Receptionist that would help troubleshoot items, but not provide sound advice for project-specific issues.

4. Does the staff seem qualified to give you marketing advice or does it all revolve around the internet?  
If it’s mostly a group of programmers and designers, their marketing advice will be limited in scope.  They know buzz words like Web 2.0, SEO, click-rate and Google Analytics.  However, when it comes to sourcing, market research, return on investment, cost per acquisition, top of the mind awareness and branding, they may be a little at a loss.  If they don’t know those things, you’d better.

5. Do they really push “Do-It-Yourself” tools?  
Web firms usually don’t have copywriters.  Whereas, most marketing firms would rather you didn’t write any of your final content.  A lot of work goes into the content length, tonality and target that many non-marketing savvy clients may miss.  Web firms are more likely to give you a blank Content Management System (CMS) and consider their work done.  Marketing firms will generally encourage the use of a CMS to make quick edits to text, but will encourage you to allow them to help with the initial copy.

If more than a couple of the items above were true, your “marketing firm” is really a “web firm.”  But, never fear.  Web firms have their place.  They are generally less expensive than marketing firms, are usually better at developing more complicated software quickly and work well with clients with a marketing background who know exactly what they want and how to maintain it.  However, if you’re looking to build your brand with the support of a team that understands how to efficiently connect future customers to your offerings, both online and offline, a marketing firm may be a better choice for you.

Learn more about the interactive marketing that xiik offers at http://www.xiik.com/solutions/index.aspx.