Old Model Gets Makeover, Changes Name and Turns Heads

Although still attractive by scanning electron microscope (SEM) standards, ASPEX Corporation’s EXpress bench-top SEM got a facelift and a complete internal makeover—and the result turned their old model into a supermodel that garnered some well-deserved attention in the field.

ASPEX, an FEI company and a supplier of automated SEMs for industrial, manufacturing and academic applications, looked to its agency of record, Pipitone Group, to launch its new-and-improved EXpress microscopy system with an integrated campaign that would increase awareness and drive sales of the new SEM.

PG’s first step in making the strategic recommendations was to conduct a series of due diligence interviews with some of ASPEX’s current customers about their uses for and opinions of the current EXpress SEM. Their feedback showed that the ASPEX brand had excellent name recognition and an outstanding reputation for customer service, but that awareness of the product name itself needed a boost.

To generate awareness of the new SEM and immediately differentiate the new model from its predecessor, Pipitone Group recommended renaming the instrument. To do that, PG had to find out what made it different from the previous model as well as similar competitor products.

One of the major upgrades to the EXpress was the addition of a proprietary technology that enables dramatic gains in sensitivity and productivity, literally making it the fastest automated SEM on the market. That exponential increase in speed and efficiency formed the basis for both the campaign’s tagline, “By the Power of X,” and the renaming strategy, changing the bench-top SEM from EXpress to EXpress^X.

Other elements integral to the integrated campaign included:

Advertising - A comprehensive media plan with a mix of print and online trade journals was developed. Full-page, full-color ads as well as prime-position banners and boxes featured creative copy and dramatic photography.

Public relations - Already on the media’s radar as thought-leaders in SEM technology, news release distribution and editorial outreach of this new product’s launch garnered further and widespread coverage, including media-reported stories, and contributed articles and guest blogger posts by key ASPEX experts.

Website enhancements - The singular call to action for paid and earned placements drove traffic to a central landing page where ASPEX target audience could download a whitepaper showing them how to utilize the new technology to increase profitability. Additional upgrades to the home page, product page and other critical site pages not only reflected the campaign’s look, their on-page search engine optimization using campaign keywords helped ensure increased traffic even if the target audience wasn’t exposed to the Ad/PR portions of the campaign.

Collateral - A four-page, full-color product brochure that features dramatic photos of the SEM, a host of technical data, and a bulleted benefits list, in a design complementary to the entire campaign. Used as a leave behind by the sales force, the brochure was also distributed at an international trade show.

Positive Results - The campaign was launched in August. Since the launch, the campaign has seen:

· Hundreds of earned placements in print and online increasing both awareness of the product and credibility of “the Power of X” message

· A 15 percent increase in month-over-month site traffic

· A significant uptick in conversions via form completions in August, 40 percent of which were from the EXpress^X campaign, and 42 percent of which resulted in EXpress^X campaign whitepaper downloads

· A pipeline full of leads for ASPEX’s inside sales team to qualify and turn over to external sales team members to help them efficiently and effectively sell this revolutionary new product.

Pipitone Group has been proud to work with ASPEX Corporation: from a complete brand identity transformation and brand building campaign in 2011 to new product launches and ongoing thought-leader positioning in 2012. Stay tuned and see what the combined ASPEX-PG team has in store for 2013.

Making Digital Marketing More Strategic and Impactful With Google Analytics (Part One)

‘Tis the season for marketing analysis and planning. Like any good marketer, you are undoubtedly gathering and compiling statistics based return on ad spend, cost per lead, lead to close ratio (and so on) in order to budget and prioritize next year’s marketing activities. How is that going?

What if I told you there is an easier (and more integrated way) to measure both online and offline channels? And what if I told you this information is accessible in real-time (meaning you can make actionable analyses more than once a year, *wink*wink*) on which to base ongoing recommendations for outbound and inbound marketing improvements?

Thankfully, there is a way, and it is more than likely that you have already implemented the foundation to begin building your digital marketing and measurement model for 2012. The foundation I’m referring to is Google Analytics. This wonderful (and free to implement) tool has recently launched a new interface and powerful features (more to come on what these changes mean and how to make the most of them) that will allow for deeper analysis to better refine your marketing and business strategies based on:

· Who came to your website?

· How they got there?

· What they read?

· What actions they took?

To get the most out of Google Analytics, consider the three following resolutions as part of your 2012 marketing plan:

1. Identify measureable success metrics (both macro and micro conversions). Make the money you spend driving traffic to your website work for you. While you’re ultimate goal may be to have a web visitor submit their contact information (macro goal), they may be more inclined to download your product catalog, sign up for your e-newsletter, or “like” you on Facebook (micro goals) before filling out a web form. Identify all web actions that express intent to convert as well as actual conversions and set up the appropriate goals, funnels and event tracking in your analytics to measure successful completions.

2. Identify and implement web traffic segments. Make your analysis more meaningful by not reporting on visits (this does not have an impact on your bottom line). Instead, start analyzing how different web segments complete the success metrics you established. For example, by properly segmenting your non-branded keyword visitors from your social media visitors from your print-to-web visitors (and so on), you would not only be able to report on the total value each of those segments generated (if you establish goal values upfront), but could also report on which of those segments contributed the most to the total value. As a result, you could invest more in the better performing channel, less in underperforming channels and allocate appropriately for testing.

3. Make all outbound marketing measureable! Think you can’t directly attribute a press release to the download of a sales presentation deck? How about a billboard to web form lead? You can! The Google URL builder tool (also free!) allows you to go beyond referral source data – which is limited to general visit numbers – and to properly attribute different source traffic to desirable web actions and conversions. Keep this tool in mind for social media as well. For instance, if you’re promoting an upcoming webinar via Facebook status update and Facebook paid advertising, develop unique campaign URLs for each - via the URL builder - and use the resulting URL with query parameters appended as the destination URL in your status update and ad. This way, you can track which source performed better in terms of webinar registrations instead of all Facebook traffic being lumped together under one referral source.

Happy planning!

Top 10 Questions for Your 2012 Marketing Plan

The fall season—especially in the marketing world—seems to be the craziest time. It’s that last big push before the end of the year, and, for most forward-thinking marketers, it’s the time when next year’s marketing plan and budget begins to take shape. It’s a daunting task, and fitting it in with day-to-day marketing and communications activities can be a challenge.

When I last wrote, I examined the ways that the agency and client relationship is very similar to a marriage in that it is critical for both parties to be on the same page. But, I began thinking about the long-term relationships that exist between agencies and clients. What can they do to keep the relationship fresh and, more importantly, keep their strategic marketing plan current and relevant to their target audiences?

I’ve developed a set of 10 questions for marketers at agencies and companies alike to use as a discussion guide when thinking about a 2012 marketing plan. Some questions may be easier to answer than others, while some may really challenge traditional thinking.

1. Is your plan a living, breathing plan?

In other words, does your plan have flexibility? Can you make changes to it during the year? New opportunities and challenges arise and a rigid marketing plan can hamper your ability to adapt. Don’t lose sight of your goals, but allow for change if necessary. For example, our client, CENTRIA’s, micro-site allows for their integrated plan to be constantly adapted as components change throughout the year.

2. Is your plan incorporated into your marketing communications meetings?

Oftentimes, marketing plans are written and put on the shelf or saved on the company server. Use your plan as the agenda for your regular marketing communications meetings. This will help you and your marketing team remember the plan and work towards accomplishing the goals you set forth when you developed it.

3. Are your marketing partners on board with the plan, and do they understand their roles?

If you use multiple marketing agencies, or outsource to marketing consultants, make sure they understand the role they play in helping to execute your marketing plan. In some cases, agencies draft the entire plan and present it to their client, but it often makes sense for this to be a collaborative process so that all marketing professionals on the team (both internal and external) understand the goals and objectives of the plan.

4. Has the plan been shared with your sales force and channel partners?

It still amazes that, in some organizations sales, and marketing professionals don’t share plans or sales goals, when, in essence, the two work like and hand in glove. Marketing professionals should strive to get buy-in from their sales team to ensure that their marketing messages match the sales team’s messages to new and existing customers.

It’s also important to inform channel partners about your marketing plan. These could be key distributors, trade associations and other third-parties that can help carry your marketing message to your customers. They don’t need to know all of your specific marketing tactics, but they should at least have a familiarity with your message and your overall goals and objectives. For another of our clients, PPG Ideascapes, we actually integrated a section dedicated to a key channel audience for them – certified glass fabricators.

5. Have you elevated your plan to the “C” suite?

Have you received buy-in on your marketing plan from senior leadership in your organization? Providing company leadership with an executive summary of your goals, objectives and key marketing initiatives can give them much needed support as they go about business building and customer retention efforts. This also goes back to having a flexible and living marketing plan. There could be potential business changing efforts underway, such as mergers and acquisitions, or corporate restructuring. All of these issues should at least be possible considerations as marketers plan for the year ahead.

6. Have you set up a tracking report to monitor movement towards goals?

What good is a plan if you’re not tracking its progress and results? This is often the toughest part of a marketer’s job, but with the technologies available today, it’s getting easier to measure what’s working and what’s not.

It’s important to build a proper reporting infrastructure and stick to it. Don’t just include hard numbers and data, but include anecdotal information, such as customer feedback from the sales force, social media posts and media stories. Make this a part of the monthly routine, so that you can easily pull together a mid-year and year-end report for senior management.

7. Are specific individuals assigned to each strategy/program or initiative?

Most robust marketing plans have multiple moving parts. Therefore, it’s important to have a team that is empowered to manage each component effectively. This team should not only execute individually, they should work synergistically and keep the main marketing goals and objectives in view while going about their daily work. The critical component is routine collaboration and adaptation to changes in the marketing plan. An example is president of Innovation Works, Rich Lunak’s, commitment to their blog, Pittsburgh Innovation.

8. Have realistic budgets been assigned to each strategy?

Whether it’s developing a new website, increasing your organization’s social media presence, launching a new advertising campaign, or ramping up your media relations efforts, are you being realistic with the costs?

Building a marketing plan that isn’t appropriately budgeted sets the plan up for setbacks and delays. While developing proper cost estimates are critical, it’s also important to determine priorities and stick to them. Perhaps the new website is a priority and the social media presence can wait until your entire website is completed. Is your advertising spending delivering results and good leads? Are you focusing on the right publications through your media relations strategy? Through all of this make sure to manage the expectations of senior management and help them understand that a successful and sustained marketing plan is a marathon, not a sprint.

9. Do you consult the plan when new marketing opportunities arise?

Again, this goes back to making sure your plan is a living, breathing document. Allowing for flexibility, both in your marketing plan and in your budget will allow you to take advantage of new opportunities that arise.

10. If you have an existing plan, do you really need to start over?

Well-established organizations may already have a fairly robust marketing plan that is working well. However, it’s always good to check in periodically to review target audiences, current markets and key messages. You don’t have to totally scrap your marketing plan, but certainly keep it current and make sure it’s reviewed more than once a year.

Pipitone Group Adds Three to Team of Professionals

Pittsburgh, September 1, 2011 - Pipitone Group (PG) is pleased to announce the addition of three new professionals to its channel marketing team—Sarah Royal, Maggie Moser and Abbi Nicolella.

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New Interactive Project Manager Maggie Moser brings more than seven years of experience in online advertising operations to Pipitone Group. A former Advertising Operations Manager at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Client Services Administrator at Karrass, Inc., Maggie’s expertise in large-scale project management and implementation is a valued addition to the Pipitone Group team. Maggie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh, Bradford.

Public Relations and Content Specialist Abbi Nicolella joins the team after a successful internship with Pipitone Group. Prior to interning with Pipitone Group, Abbi gained experience through internships with the Pittsburgh Penguins and CLIC-Sargent, the UK’s largest pediatric cancer non-profit. Abbi received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Writing and English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh.

News: New Faces Join Pipitone Group’s Growing Team of Professionals

Pittsburgh, June 15, 2011 - Pipitone Group is pleased to announce the addition of three new professionals – Erin Jarvis, Christie Moeller, and Leah Moore.

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Christie Moeller joins Pipitone Group as an Account Executive. She brings with her five-plus years of experience with companies including agency work for PPG, GNC and WPXI-TV. Christie studied at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications.

Leah Moore comes to Pipitone Group as the new Interactive Project Manager. With more than ten years of experience, she has worked for companies such as Viking Forge Corporation, Blair Sign Company, and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Leah studied at Penn State University where she obtained a Bachelors degree and later attained her Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.