ED also worked along side the Rotary Club of Edmonton Sunrise’s to take Dancing for the Kids to a new level when the talented show production team at Invert 720 stepped up to the plate. Inspired by Dancing With the Stars, local business celebrities competed in a friendly ballroom dance competition in support of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Edmonton and Rotary’s programs. Congratulations to CTVs Brian Mudryk for taking home the Mirror Ball Trophy.

Also in November, Erin Rayner was thrilled to be awarded one of the Top 40 Under 40 by Edmonton’s Avenue Magazine. Being recognized, as one of the Top 40 Under 40 was an amazing experience from receiving the nomination to celebrating at the Alberta Art Gallery. “Keeping the news a secret from August until November was the hardest secret I’ve had to keep in a while!” says Erin.

With the start of 2011 ED is already ‘packing its bags!’ for the Rotary Club of Edmonton Sunrise’s Annual Planes Trains and Auctionables in support of the Tourette Syndrome Foundation. This year, the is hoping for some luck from the Irish since the event falls on St. Patricks Day. What would a St Paddy’s day be without signature drinks and an Irish themed menu?! Tickets are $100 and still available at www.planestrainsandauctionables.com

On May 4th 1000 business leaders, educators and students will descend on the Shaw Conference Centre’s Hall D for Junior Achievement’s Alberta Business Hall of Fame Gala  . This evening honors outstanding, community-minded entrepreneurs in northern Alberta, while raising funds for the organizations’ many business and leadership programs. Order your tickets at www.albertabusinesshalloffame.com

At ED we share Tim Sanders’ philosophy that love in a business setting isn’t about inside jokes, nicknames or extra-long hugs. Author of Love is the Killer App, to Tim Sanders Bizlove is “intelligently and sensibly sharing your intangibles with your bizpartners, in an act of selfless promotion of the growth of the other.”

And what are your intangibles? Simply put, they are your knowledge, your network and your compassion.

Knowledge represents all that you’ve learned, are learning and continue to learn that is relevant to your bizpartners. Knowledge is an easy asset to acquire, it is simple to facilitate and the resources are endless. Accumulate knowledge with the intention of sharing it with others, enabling them to profit from what you’ve learned as much as you do. Bizknowledge is an intangible that lasts forever, and is not easily forgotten.

Your Network is your web of relationships, everyone you meet that could benefit from everyone else that you meet. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” to a large degree is true. Imagine the impact of connecting two contacts in your network in a meaningful way, informing them why you thought they should meet and why they would be valuable to one another then disappear without the expectation of reciprocity, and allow them to form their own bond What makes networks so powerful is that when you begin to share yours, it increases exponentially. In other words, the more valuable bizpeople you meet and introduce, the more valuable bizpeople you’ll meet and introduce.

Compassion in the workplace simply means allowing oneself to be human, to connect on a personal level with empathy and warmth. Writes Sanders, “By expressing your compassion, you create an experience that people remember. And when people remember you, it’s good for your business.”

Sanders says that business love isn’t just about being nice though -it’s about being smart too. Acquire and share knowledge with bizmates – people you’re interested in helping succeed. Develop relationships that are relevant to your business and personal goals. Extend compassion to everyone, but don’t let bizmates walk all over you.

Focus on Relationships
Marketing is building relationships not campaigns. Although by no means a new concept, this basic, foundational principal of marketing is often forgotten both by marketers and businesses. A good question to ask is how will this initiative/ad/sponsorship or event help us build on existing customer relationships and take steps to create new relationships? A clear case study of this, which was used frequently at the conference is the Dove Real Beauty Campaign, which increased revenue by a whopping 700% during its first six months!
Dove was known for its line of facial soap bars but was having a difficult time breaking into the competitive arena of hair care and body wash products. The company conducted an international study of women and learned that the majority of those surveyed stopped short of saying that they were beautiful – and so grew the “campaign for real beauty” (produced by a Canadian marketing firm I might add!). A combination of ads, online videos gone viral and a social initiative to build the self esteem of young girls through the Dove Self-Esteem fund. Take a minute visit their website to see the depth they’ve gone to build their relationship with women – including tools for educators and mentors and a video that encourages the consumer to question the very industry they are part of. Granted you may not have the budgets of Unilever or an international audience but your customers still crave a relationship with the businesses they frequent and the products they use. And, building relationships is not a spectator sport!

Begin the Dialogue then Amplify
This is inspired by the opening keynote presenter, Charlene Li, co-author of Groundswell and founder of Altimeter Group. Li captivated her audience by exploring the intricacies of social media, blogs and social networking. It seems like every other moment someone is talking about blogging, Youtube, Facebook or new kid on the block, Twitter. Daily, we question the ethics, the challenges, the very usefulness of these applications for anyone over the age of 40 - much less for a business looking to further their relationship with their customers. However, as Li said, these are tools for companies to increase and encourage a discussion with their customers. Just ask a business that does it right!
Kogi BBQ to-go is an LA based company that uses a fleet of vans to sell its product – Koean BBQ mixed with “the portability of tacos”.  Kogi BBQ’s Twitter name is twitter.com/kogibbq – they have 19, 640 followers. On Twitter a “follower” is someone who subscribes to 140 character updates posted by others on Twitter. Kogi BBQ probably has so many followers because Twitter is the only way to know where the vittles van is parked at any given time! If customers have trouble finding the location they can post a “tweet” and Kogi staff will answer with directions. They also “tweet” specials on a regular basis and have a post that says the day they reach 20 000 followers, Chef Roy will buy the first 20 people at each truck two tacos. The 19 000 people who follow Kogi would have received this update to their emails – talk about an amplified discussion.

Trust, Sincerity and Vulnerability
These three characteristics can make or break your brand. They are a hard pill to swallow for many businesses trying to make the most of the new “virtual sphere” especially because authenticity can’t be bought, staged or made up – an inauthentic presence online can be the kiss of death and smelled a mile away. Even businesses that operate with these values in the “real world” have trouble putting their corporate souls online. Done right, an online presence with a foundation in trust, sincerity and vulnerability can lead the ultimate customer loyalty, consumer trust and consequently a rock solid bottom line. Done poorly, it can lead to, well, – a disaster for all to see that can be replayed and circulated in emails for all time.
An example we heard at the conference was a promotion at smartcanucks.ca  from Danone’s Activia brand of probiotic yogurt. The offer was to complete a survey to receive a coupon for 2 weeks worth of yogurt. Then the follow up offer was to complete a second survey after trying the product and receive a second coupon for another two weeks supply. The comments at the beginning of the forum posts are extremely positive about this promotion – people are very excited and chatting with each other about receiving their coupons and trying the product. However, the dialogue that starts on the forum February 8th, 2009 with comments like “Thanks to Activia. I will have the chance to try and help my digestive problems. I can’t wait!!!” goes on to a separate post on March 25th, 2009 by a potential customer saying “they completely backed out of sending us it. They’ve lost me as a customer. I feel used.” Imagine one of your customers feeling used. Not a good way for anyone in a relationship to feel. The last post on the forum site says that they are still processing applications for the free coupons and trial.

The Conversation is Happening whether you Participate or Not
The accessibility and ease of use of new media and social marketing means that you and your brand are being discussed online regardless of whether or not you choose to be proactive and participate in whatever media suits your industry and business the best. The questions are being asked, the opinions shared and feedback given between peers, friends, colleagues and competitors. Petro Canada realized this and started a blog “Pump Talk” that enables customers to ask the company, directly, those burning questions that are discussed off and online anyway and, they do answer them. If you aren’t participating in the conversations happening about your product, company or industry, who is and what they are saying could affect your relationship with your customer.

Hopefully you aren’t completely overwhelmed by what I learned last week – let’s just say it was three days of trying to take a graceful sip from a full on fire hose of information. Remember we are evolving into uncharted territory by fostering relationships in both the ‘bricks and mortar’ and virtual worlds. By simultaneously interacting in each sphere – the physical and the virtual - as individuals and businesses we can have a bigger impact, far reaching opportunities and a heavy responsibility to participate and manage our brands in each arena.

The Maple Leaf Foods controversy over the Listeria illnesses and deaths is one that as business owners, we can all relate to- it is our worst nightmare to have a deadly incident or disease associated with our company’s brand. We may not agree with his actions, but we can imagine Michael McCain on that morning when he first heard that Listeria had been detected at one of his Maple Leaf plants. We can ask ourselves, when faced with a similar situation would our reflex reaction be to protect our company legally and take the “innocent until proven guilty” approach (similar to the Exxon Valdez debacle of 1989) or to take a risk and reach out to our customers, staff and the public and explain our plan of action and offer an apology?

These questions bring to mind the issues of financial and legal security and the importance of your brand- what sort of impact would either of the above decisions have on your company’s brand? Your brand is the essence of who you are as a company - it defines your business, relationships and products. For Maple Leaf Foods, as a processor of food for families across nation the most important aspects their brand needs to communicate to consumers are safety and trust. The Listeria outbreak created a major breach of trust among Maple Leaf consumers.

This past summer I had the opportunity to read the book The Speed of Trust, By Stephen M. Covey. The book focuses on creating trust in your personal and professional relationships and the benefits trust can have in the workplace and on your company’s brand. In the book Covey outlines the 13 Behaviors to Create Relationship Trust. As some of you may know, on August 23rd and 30th, open letters from Maple Leaf’s President and CEO, Michael McCain appeared in national and regional newspapers regarding the product recall and Maple Leaf’s Action Plan. Then on September 15th, McCain appeared on a prime time television ad speaking to Canadians about the Listeria outbreak and apologizing to those families who were directly affected. I noticed that McCain exhibited a number of Covey’s suggested behaviors while placing himself under the public spotlight.

ü  Talking Straight - McCain was upfront with the general public and his customers. He told the truth, erring on the side of disclosure and explaining what was being done to rectify the situation.

ü  Right Wrongs - McCain was quick to react and offered a public apology to everyone involved.

ü  Confront Reality - McCain was willing to discuss the tough stuff and confront Maple Leaf’s issues head on.

ü   Accountability - McCain held himself and Maple Leaf Foods responsible, resisting the urge to point fingers at others such as the inspection agencies or distribution channels. All of these behaviors are steps towards rebuilding trust in the Maple Leaf brand and served to make customers feel that their concerns have been acknowledged and that their safety is the highest priority.

However, what if McCain had taken a different approach and decided to focus on protecting Maple Foods financially? Openly admitting their company was at fault could result in legal and insurance liabilities, including lack of eligibility for coverage and controversy among investors. For this reason many business owners still believe that first and foremost it is their duty to protect the financial foundation of their company. However, if your customers no longer believe in your brand, is there anything left to protect?

Around the same time this summer another major incident occurred in Ontario causing a wave of negativity to spread throughout the community when multiple explosions ripped through the Sunrise Propane Facility in early August. The explosions left one dead, multiple injuries and forced hundreds families in the surrounding neighborhoods to evacuate their homes. Following the explosions residents and families of those injured were allegedly kept in the dark. Sunrise Propane offered up no explanation or information on the explosion, no public condolences and no information on what steps were being taken to increase safety measures. People across Ontario were outraged and while some of the fault may also lie with the city or the Propane and Gas Association, Sunrise Propane’s failure to publically address this issue could prove to be a costly decision in regards to the “trust capital” of their brand.

In light of the number of cases such as these Ontario’s government is currently reviewing a potential “Sorry Law”, if passed this law would make public apologies by organizations, groups and individuals exempt from evidence of liability in legal disputes. The benefits behind passing this Apology Act can be seen from both a legal and an emotional standpoint with the goals of acknowledging victims, promoting transparency and avoiding or shortening the legal process for all involved. Ontario wouldn’t be the first province to pass this law, B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba all have similar laws however Alberta currently does not. 

ED Marketing is working with Myjobfinder magazine to produce Alberta Works – a traveling job fair for Alberta businesses seeking the right individuals to add to their teams.

In June 2008 ED hosted a number of companies to go to Windsor, Ontario – the centre of the highest un employement rate in Canada (8.8%). We went searching for qualified trades people out of work due to the decimation of the automotive industry and its suppliers in that area. We met highly skilled, qualified engineers, machinists, sheet metal mechanics, pipe fitters, welders, mechanics, electricians and others who were interested in the Alberta market.

It was such a success for those companies that went, that we’re going again – October 3^rd and 4^th we will be going to Windsor and London Ontario to meet other tradespeople, sales staff and managers.

Please click on the link Alberta Works Information Package to find out just what’s included and how to sign up. If you quote this post to receive the early bird rate!  Hope you can join us.

Lynne Fisher, Partner, Fisher Langford-Jones

Pat Kelly, CEO, Campaign to Control Cancer

I met Chris Bolivar, creative director and owner of Edmonton’s Optamedia, at a downtown networking function late last year. We have subsequently had a number of discussions about marketing companies and advertising agencies: how they differ and how they can effectively work together to complement each other for the benefit of the client. So I though I would share a bit about Chris’ company and the differences between advertising agencies and marketing agencies.

By the way, Chris was profiled in Edmontonians Sizzling Twenty under 30 in 2006. I’m happy to report he and his team are still sizzling. Recently, Optamedia was included on another publication’s list of Alberta Fast 50 companies.

Chris started his company while he was working toward his degree in political science at the University of Alberta. He began programming websites which led to a contract to run a national advertising campaign. Upon graduation, Chris decided to take his business to the next level. The first sizable client was the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo which required complete re-branding—a challenge for a start-up business. I asked Chris how he dealt with this foray into the realm of a full service agency. He wisely “…went out and found the people with experience and talent in areas we needed.” Valéry Goulet, his art director added, “Some businesses start small—we had to ramp up fast.” With their first project under their belts, Chris and Valéry began building a capable team with a diverse set of talents and skills. Over the six years they have been in business, this has created a culture with nearly zero turnover—a blessing in today’s competitive Alberta labour market. Optamedia focuses on individual talents and strengths and looks specifically for work that suits the team. They’re also keen on the value of continuous learning. Valery explained, “It’s serious sometimes, but the way we learn is not under pressure”.

Many business owners are unclear in the various facets of marketing and advertising and the intricacies of the industry. Chris pointed out—and I agree—there are three types of marketing companies: “There are ‘strategy’ companies which typically employ marketing strategists who act as integrators for creative services, media planning, production, etc. They typically source creative, media, production, etc. An example of a company like this would be ED Marketing. “There are ‘design studios, firms, etc.’ which do not have in-house strategy or media planning, but source production. An example of a company like this in Edmonton would be Plumbheavy. “Then, there are ‘agencies’ which have in-house strategy, creative services, media planning. Sometimes, these agencies will adopt a client’s strategy, rather than write it. Examples of companies like this are Optamedia, Red, Calder Bateman. Within this sector, there are small, boutique agencies such as ours, and large agencies such as the DDBs and TBWAs that have a worldwide presence.”

Each of these marketing specialists have a place within a business’s marketing and growth plan – but one without the help of the others is not the strongest route to take. Design without strategy leads to beautiful brochures that collect dust and aren’t out working for the business. Strategy and design without proper, knowledgeable media buying may not attract the attention a business is seeking.

Marketing wise, I love this company’s business cards. The back of each team member’s card is designed based on that person’s creativity. This is so congruent with its branding. Optamedia’s promotional material states, “Creativity is in everyone; it just manifests itself differently with each person.” A business’s brand is not just words. It is a life philosophy… the soul the business is built on… a way of doing business and communicating what you and your team value. These business cards impressively embody Optamedia’s core value of the strength in the individual.

Going forward, Optamedia is looking at expanding its focus from the businessto- business marketing at which it has excelled to include more end-user mass media campaigns. My immediate thought was, will geography be an issue? Edmonton is not known to be the advertising hub for many of the Coca- Colas or Mac’s of the consumer world. Although Chris acknowledged the challenge, he’s hopeful that building on Optamedia’s reputation for quality will encourage more consumer based marketing contracts.

How can Optamedia forge the kind of relationships needed to break into the tough consumer market? I think it will take some travel on Chris’ part. He may have to partner with Toronto, Vancouver or New York design or marketing firms that have already made crucial in-roads with up and coming consumer companies. Why re-invent the wheel? A design firm in Toronto may be interested in the media planning and strategy that Optamedia could bring to the table. Ideally this would enable each firm to go after larger, more high profile contracts. Chris could also look at sponsoring specific events to get some increased recognition for his brand in the central Canadian market… and inspire some curiosity. With a bit of a budget, Optamedia could then host its own event in another market. Exploring such possibilities to build relationships is what marketing and sales are about. It’s common knowledge that we do business with people we like and trust. Stretch those wings, get some frequent flyer miles – go out and build new relationships, Chris.

Marketing Mags

I asked Chris to tell me where he gets his up-to-date industry knowledge. He provided his Top Three choices for marketing publications, explaining, “We read those magazines because it keeps us up on current marketing and creative trends across Canada. Keeping ourselves educated on what is going on in the marketing communications industry ensures that we bring the best and boldest ideas to our clients.”

Top Three marketing magazines that Chris Bolivar reads:

• Marketing Magazine
• Applied Arts
• How Magazine

Few people know that pizza was invented over 200 years ago in Naples, Italy. But even fewer know that there is a certification program to make authentic Naples pizza.

Justin Lussier, 26, and Jason Allard, 27, have deep roots: They met in kindergarten and grew up in Edmonton together. They also worked together managing pubs and nightclubs during their time at the University of Alberta. Jason graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and always knew he wanted to be his own boss. Justin earned a degree in political science but loved brainstorming the next best business idea with Jason. So when Justin returned in 2005 from a trip to Europe raving about the amazing and addictive pizza he had while in Naples, the wheels started turning and a business partnership was born.

Their first challenge as partners was researching the pizza and specifically the traditional Naples pizzas. Jason had eaten his fair share of North American pizza but the duo didn’t want to be another mom and pop shop pizzeria. Having spent a week eating Margherita pizzas in Italy, Justin was passionate about its viability in Edmonton. So the search was on to find that kind of pizza for partner Jason and mentor/investor Christian Bullock to try.

After spending a week taste-testing pizzas in local Italian restaurants, they hit the road. They started in Vancouver, then headed to Seattle where there are two pizzerias certified to serve Naples pizza. The three agreed this was the taste they wanted to introduce to Edmontonians. They located premises on Jasper Avenue at 118th Street where The Commissary had been for many years.

Walking into Famoso, I didn’t think of fast food. The restaurant is clean and chic with flat screen TVs and an inviting atmosphere. But the food is fast:A true pizza—in the Naples’ sense—takes only 60 to 90 seconds to bake in the oak-fired oven at a temperature of 485º Celsius. It’s also a healthier alternative to North American pizza because the hand-kneaded, Italian wheat flour crust is less doughy with lower gluten and higher protein. Justin and Jason realized there could be no cutting corners if they wanted to maintain authenticity, so they import many of their ingredients from Italy.

PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS

From a marketing perspective, Famoso’s logo—a mountain shape in red and black— is actually a tribute to Mt. Vesuvius. Like the restaurant, it is clean and modern… and looks great on the signage above the door. The legible and imposing sign—incredibly important for a restaurant—is easily seen as you drive down Jasper Avenue. In fact, when I asked the guys what their best mistake was, without any hesitation Jason said, “We put our sign up way too early.” That turned out to be a very good move… apparently, people in the area anxiously awaited the restaurant’s opening.

Since their much anticipated opening, they have mostly focused on one of my favourite ways of marketing: word of mouth, which is reinforced by the large, prominent signage. If customers can’t find you, they can’t tell their friends about you.

The duo has noticed an increasing number of regulars who seem to have found the pizza as addictive as Jason did while in Italy. They began focusing on upscale, young professionals but quickly found that their true market is much more broad. Generally Famoso has a huge audience in people living downtown who are open to a healthy, fast, fresh, reasonably-priced eating experience. One of the challenges Famoso faces is the bitter sweet side of the product. Although the pizza is fast, fresh and healthy, it doesn’t last—and I’m not just talking about on your plate. Delivery is not the best option: Time in the box between the oven and the consumer detracts from the taste of the pizza. Depending on the distance to the consumer, the pizza may need to be reheated. This eliminates delivery from their added services and decreases their market to include only those consumers who want to eat out, or don’t mind reheating their pizza once they get home.

In August, Justin and Jason sent out their first direct marketing mail piece to residences in their immediate area. It consisted only of the menu. Unfortunately, they didn’t add a measuring tool. A simple coupon or “mention this flyer to receive a discount” could have helped them check the effectiveness of this initiative. Also, sending out a menu is what restaurants that deliver do. This might not have been the best way to spread the word and get people into and talking about their restaurant. But, as with all young entrepreneurs, we each live and learn.

Keep an eye on these guys… I bet they’ll be nominated for Edmontonians Sizzling Twenty 20 under 30 in the next couple of years.

Born in Israel, Almog moved to Edmonton in 1989 at the age of 10. Favouring the idea of getting right down to work after graduating from Ross Sheppard in 1997, he spent time in retail, and as a dealer in the telecom industry, first with TELUS Mobility then with Bell Canada. All the while, he dabbled in real estate investment.

Almog learned the ins and outs of real estate investment from the trenches—buying, renovating and renting in the Edmonton area. When it came time to sell, he was lured by the potential for commission savings offered by ComFree, but found there “was no traction.” He ended up hiring a realtor and paying commission anyway. This sparked the idea for getting the exposure offered on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) without paying tens of thousands of dollars in commission fees. 2% Realty began in earnest in May 2007.

Other companies offer to list your home on the MLS system for a fee rather than a commission, but the seller is responsible for showings, photos and all the paper work. In contrast, “2% Realty is a full service realty company. We just do it all for two percent.” Almog explains, “The idea is simple: 2% Realty charges two percent on the total selling price of the home without any extra or hidden fees.” At the time of this interview, 2% Realty had five realtors with plans to hire three more in the next few months. I had to ask: Why would realtors want to work for two percent commission when the average commission rates are seven percent on the first $100,000 and three percent on each additional $100,000? “This business is based on volume and it is tough for new realtors to get started,” says Almog. “With a two-percent commission, it’s easier to get listings and more experience.”

INNOVATIVE MARKETING INITIATIVES

2% Realty’s current marketing focuses on signage and attracting website traffic.

Lawn signs are generally consistent and nothing unusual for a realty company. What is different is Almog’s choice of lime green, as opposed to the traditional red, blue and yellow. His signs stand out, but buyers may not be on the look out for or identify with fluorescent green for sale signs. Almog’s website (www.twopercentrealty.ca) is easy to navigate and has enough information to get a buyer/seller’s attention. Nothing out of the ordinary—except for a cashback program: 2% Realty will give back one percent of its commission to all buyers on any MLS listing regardless of who the realtor is or which company holds the listing. An interesting promotion that will inevitably get people talking. The marketing also focuses on “keeping more of your investment.” In my mind, this speaks specifically to investors in rental properties or house flipping, but it may exclude those who have lived in the same house most of their lives. Even though any real estate purchase is an investment, the language could have greater appeal to investors—thus reinforcing Almog’s theory on a volume based business.

Almog also faces a challenge within the industry. He’ll have to build relationships with other realtors who might be reluctant to show his listings because of the comparatively low commission.

To his credit, Almog has engaged a public relations firm to spread the word through business, real estate and consumer publications. Building a reputation and sharing information through trusted sources is a good strategy. Most of us try to do business with people we like and trust. For a volume-based industry that deals with something as important as one’s investments and as emotional as a home, trust is a keystone to healthy sales and a profitable business.

Top Three Ways to Enhance Trust

Speaking of trust, I’m reading an amazing book called The Speed of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey, son of Stephen Covey who authored The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The Speed of Trust makes a compelling case for how trust affects business in terms of speed and profitablilty. According to the junior Covey, increased trust equals increased speed of service/production and decreased costs; whereas decreased trust in an organization or between suppliers equals decreased speed and increased cost.

Here are Covey’s top three ways to build and increase trust:

1. See – Changing the way you see trust will directly affect what you do and the results you get.
2. Speak – There is a specific language that enables you to speak about trust and articulate the underlying issues that cause a breakdown or lack of trust.
3. Behave – Integrity is fundamental to building a culture of trust—both personally and within a business—and consequently affects how employees and employers as well as customers and suppliers react to one another.