Harnessing the latest buzz is smart marketing, and we have the Queen Bee.

Debbie Morrison, who is based in our St. Cloud office, strategizes proven communications for a broad range of clients. Away from the office, she and her husband Jim live on and operate Sapsucker Farms, their Minnesota-based certified organic farm, which includes 12 bee hives, chickens, sugar maple trees, a vegetable garden and an apple orchard. She also contributes to the Simple Good and Tasty blog.

Sweet rewards

You know the colleagues who bring the best treats to the office? That’s Debbie.

Her passion for organic agriculture yields sweet results, especially honey and organic maple syrup. Besides our offices and homes, Sapsucker Farms products are enjoyed all over the world. Debbie ships anywhere: Just order here.

Debbie’s syrup in Jerusalem

Accidental farmers

“We got into organic farming accidentally,” Debbie explains. “We bought 172 acres of land near Mora, Minn., in 1997, then built our house and moved in 2000. Our original goal was to restore the land to natural habitat. We started by restoring 40 acres of hayfields into native prairie. All of the prairie flowers inspired me to start beekeeping. A friend from Vermont saw our maple trees and suggested we tap them, so we did. Then we planted the organic apple orchard, which is 60 trees in 30 varieties, and I started learning about organic agriculture. The chickens were added last year. We’ve been certified organic since 2006.”

Jim and Debbie during maple syrup harvest

Do you know where your food comes from?

Watch how Debbie bottles Sapsucker Farms pure, organic maple syrup:

At the office, Debbie is, as she describes, “Director of Strategy and Lots of Other Stuff.” She consults and strategizes for various clients and industries, in part lending experience she gained while working for large Minneapolis-based agencies earlier in her career.

Get to know a Flintster: Q + A with Debbie

How does your passion outside of work fuel your career?
My passion for the farm stimulates my thinking in so many ways. Farming requires constant problem-solving, strategizing, creating, building, and continually forcing me to push beyond my boundaries and work outside my comfort zones. All of this helps me be a much more creative thinker, strategizer, analyzer, problem-solver, and leader in the work place.

What do you do on a typical night or weekend?
It depends on the season. This time of year, our farm chores are feeding, watering the chickens and collecting eggs, plus filling our outside wood boiler twice per day with firewood. In the summer, we feed and water the chickens, and collect all of the fresh, organic free-range eggs – about one dozen a day. On weekends, we inspect the 12 bee hives, weed the garden, cut firewood and basically spend about 12 hours per day of hard labor on the farm. We get dirty, get sore muscles and go to bed exhausted every night. And we love every minute of it. Autumn is harvest time and hunting season. I do as much as I can after work and indulge in both on the weekends. In the spring, during the maple syrup season (usually starting in March), after work I go out into the woods to collect sap, then on the weekends the sap is boiled to perfection to create maple syrup. Also in the spring, I start vegetable seeds in our greenhouse for the garden.

What’s your dream job?
I have it already: I’m an organic farmer.

What was your first job?
In the kitchen at a nursing home, where I served food in the dining room and washed dishes.

What is one thing you’d be willing to practice for an hour a day?
Target shooting with a bow, pistol or rifle.

What’s the best advice you ever got?
Empower the people who work with you and for you.

What sound do you love?
Frogs croaking, especially spring peepers in our pond.

What scent do you love?
The sweet scent of honey inside the honeybee hives.

Making a difference

“Obviously, I’m passionate about growing and producing fresh, safe, organic food, reading and learning everything I can about the food industry, agriculture, and organic practices.

“The earth is in peril, and needs help. By being a good steward of the earth’s resources, I believe I am making a difference,” Debbie says.

A bit more about bees

“Our farm is USDA certified organic, certified by MOSA. Organic certification is a LOT of work, with lots of paperwork, but it’s worth the effort.  The only thing that is NOT certified organic is the honey. While I do manage the bees organically, it is nearly impossible to have honey certified organic here in the lower 48 states. The reason why is because bees will forage up to four miles away, and if there are any conventional farm fields, golf courses or other landscapes that have been sprayed or planted with GMOs within that radius, a beekeeper cannot prevent the bees from foraging in those areas,” Debbie says.

“We are also expanding the farm considerably in 2012. We will be putting out 1,000 taps for maple syrup, and have opened up a new one-acre field for vegetable growing. Plus we have qualified for an NRCS (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service) grant to add a high tunnel for vegetable growing. It will be 30’ x 100’ and will extend our growing season. Also in 2012, we will start a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) offering subscriptions to people in our local area,” she explains.

Find Debbie and Sapsucker Farms on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the Simple Good and Tasty blog.

Pssst! Look for just one blog post next week. It will appear on Wednesday, with a little holiday love from us.

Our own John Nelson, Marketing Strategist, just published this article in Sales Force Branding. Read on:

You want someone with a suitable profile and adequate liquid assets. Here are four steps to successfully find good prospects for your franchise opportunities. These tips also work for other lead-generation situations.

1. Understand your prospect – This is a critical first step, despite the costs of research and fact-finding. And it’s too often overlooked. Many owners and executives believe they already “know” their ideal candidate, but data tells the truth and fills in the details. Look at demographic, psychographic, lifestyle, and online and offline behavior to create an accurate, comprehensive view of your prospect. The more you know about your prospect upfront, the more likely you are to make a sale – and save time, money and resources along the way.
2. Create a nonlinear strategy – Gone are the days of the classic sales funnel. Now you use multiple channels and data points to track your prospect. To be competitive in today’s franchise market, leverage insight by listening, data collecting and monitoring your prospect’s behavior. Pay attention to your prospect and build data driven strategy across appropriate marketing channels. Build a strong relationship from initial contact to engagement to conversion.
3. Connect and stay connected –Use your research to determine the marketing channels where your prospects hang out, and then be there. I recommend strategies that involve web, email, direct mail, mobile, social media and calls centers because these are tactics that can be easily monitored for ROI. In addition to the channels you need to create a dynamic conversation that anticipates their needs and engages them through their decision making process. This will make your prospect gain confidence in you and your company and allow you to be prepared for any questions that may arise. Ultimately, these actions drive connectivity to you and dramatically impact your prospect’s buying decisions.
4. Leverage your information – Continually monitor, track and respond to the data collected through your marketing efforts. Develop a program that tags, tracks and reports on the effectiveness of each campaign across all channels. Monitoring your campaigns gives you real-time insights on how to adjust strategies to optimize your marketing dollars and drive a higher ROI.

What’s worked for you? Do you have a successful franchise-locating story? Any tips to share on finding viable franchisees for your operation? We’d love the hear about it.

About John: He’s a Marketing Strategist for the Flint Group, which has helped franchises in many sectors grow and profit for 35+ years. Prior to his current role, he was Director of Marketing for The Alternative Board®, a Denver based business coaching franchise. Flint Group is also a proud member of the International Franchise Association. Follow John on Twitter or Join John on LinkedIn.

Many companies barge into their marketing efforts believing they know what the customer wants to hear and how s/he wants to reached. Business people often LIVE in their industry category and know the business inside and out but overlook the fact they are not the customer (although they might try to tell you they are).

Most businesses tend to zero in on tangible differentiation – features and benefits, as a means to try and convince customers to buy. But “bigger, better, faster and more” can only carry a business so far – it becomes too easy for competitors to match features or price. The challenge is to uncover a truer differentiation that will resonate more closely with the customer’s desires. And this is where the voice of the customer comes to life and demonstrates its power in marketing planning.

By undertaking the right kind of customer investigation, businesses can begin to discover more emotional routes to the customer. Look at how customers view themselves when they use the product: What image do they project or portray? Do they like what they see? Discovering what appeals to the customer beyond basic product specifications provides tremendous insight.

Another area to explore is a customer’s perceived utility or benefit of using a product. Too often marketers get so wrapped up in describing the product itself that customer benefit is overlooked. One basic means to begin discovery is to simply ask the customer: “What would your life be like if you no longer had access to product X?” Now we can begin to explore the deeper benefit to the customer.

The folks at Street Smart approach these three areas as MIND, HEART and SOUL. In general terms MIND refers to product attributes, HEART to emotional appeal, and SOUL to product use and utility. Many marketers forge ahead with their planning completely aiming at the rational MIND and wonder why campaigns fall flat in a short period of time. In order to find deeper success marketers must tap into the power of the customer’s voice, listen, and begin to understand what motivates purchase behavior. Only by listening to the customer first will a marketer begin to successfully integrate messages that appeal to the MIND, HEART and SOUL.

Ask the customer what’s important instead of guessing what you think they want to hear. What you discover will return huge benefits to your marketing planning process.

Dr. Colin N. Clarke is a senior strategist for Flint Group. Follow him on Twitter @colinnclarke or on Facebook at Facebook.com/cnclarke

Okay, maybe “easy” is a bit of an exaggeration but after working with a number of different sales channels in various industries and markets, there seems to be a common theme. The top 20 percent consistently do the right things.  Sometimes it takes some convincing, some coaxing, but if you have good, solid rationale and the right tools, it’s not so difficult to get that bunch to come along. Ultimately, the magic bullet is compelling marketing pieces that effectively tell YOUR story and are pieces that SELL product. Get that top 20 percent on-board and then focus on the next group which will take some additional work.

There are some tricks to increasing dealer participation in marketing programs. We spend a lot of time understanding the industries that dealers or sales representatives are in so that when we call them to visit about different marketing techniques, they know they are speaking with someone who has knowledge about who they are and what they are trying to do.  That is definitely one of the benefits of employing a call center that can work with your sales channel as an extension of your marketing department.

What we have learned is that when dealing with a sales channel, just like pretty much anything else in communications – you need to apply numerous outreach techniques. When we recruit dealers to participate in a direct marketing program, for example, we recommend sending out intro information kits that are in attention grabbing boxes containing information about the program. Typically we follow that with phone calls to the dealer to talk more specifically about the programs and about their particular needs or area. The insight that they offer during these conversations absolutely is used to influence materials for programs. Often we will offer a webinar for dealers to attend along with territory managers where they can see the program in action and ask questions. And, when appropriate, we present the program in person at dealer or sales channel meetings.

Time and again we find that the best dealers or sales people gravitate towards these common-sense programs and want the details prior to signing up. Showing them actual completed pieces and quantifiable results is extremely helpful to getting them on-board.  And the calls and ongoing dialog are critical to keeping them on track.

These are the steps we consistently follow when engaging a channel:

1. Understand the industry and the key elements to the marketing programs they are being asked to participate in.
2. Ensure you have quantifiable results to refer to.
3. Introduce programs at sales meetings followed by easy to follow brochures explaining the program details.
4. Offer webinars allowing dealers or sales people to ask questions about the program.
5. Encourage participation by offering special incentives for dealers to sign-up.
6. Continuously follow-up and incorporate dealer feedback into the program.

Basically, you want programs that map to the sales channels’ goals. It’s really all about making it easy for them to tell your story in a way that helps them move product.

Simon Sinek has developed an inspirational leadership philosophy called the “Golden Circle.” The video below is from a conference he spoke at in 2009 where he explains the Golden Circle in depth. The basic premise is that in today’s world, people tend to come at problems or develop products with a tactical approach, or just telling us “what” they are selling. Simon shows us some relevant examples from throughout history, from The Wright Brothers to TiVo. I highly encourage you to watch the 18-minute video and then think about the why in everything that you are involved in.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the video.

photo by AMagill on Flickr

Oxford University Press recently named Facebook’s “unfriend” as word of the year. Time named “sexting” number one in its top 10 buzzwords for 2009. I keep my own list of corporate communication words – many that are buzzwords or related to trends. Topping my list for the second year in a row is transparency.

Organizations and businesses of all kinds keep talking about the need to be transparent and achieve open, honest communication. Google the phrase “transparency in healthcare,” and you’ll get deeply entangled in both sides of the year-long health care reform debate.

But true transparency is a hard concept for some organizations. It’s even harder for some management teams to embrace. True transparency goes beyond what the public relations team prepares, or how a spokesperson responds.

Social media has taken corporate (and personal) transparency to a heightened level. No longer is the “authorized spokesperson” representing a company, a product or an issue. Customers and employees are weighing in, telling us all what it’s really like to own a product, experience good or bad service, or work for an organization.

With all of this, the role of the communications professional has widened.  Listening – always a critical part of communications – is now the first step. Developing guidelines for social media usage is one way a company can adapt to the issues that come with being a transparent organization.

I predict transparency will still be at the top of my list next year. Are you ready for the opportunities that transparency will deliver? How are you adapting to the challenges?

Both have different rewards and different challenges.

Now, as a strategic planner, I get to explain why a campaign falls short sometimes, or why it just flat-out didn’t work. And on occasion a client will air his or her frustrations – the same frustrations that I, myself, had on the client-side.

photo by emmyboop on Flickr

Here’s what I’ve learned as a client and as an agency professional:

Stick to a plan
When things don’t work out as planned, it’s usually because the plan wasn’t followed.

A communications plan is usually designed as an aggregate. Each part plays an important role to achieve a desired result. When the plan becomes an à la carte menu… that’s when things go wrong.

If you want the best results, follow the plan as it was intended or change your expectations.

That said… a plan should be revisited frequently. It should adapt throughout the life of a campaign, based on any number of factors. But if you make alterations because of budget or some other reason, be sure and rework the entire plan – so it adequately reflects the budget and resets objectives.

Work as a team
When I was a client, I had many questions about why our agency couldn’t follow our very specific, very brilliant direction (or so we thought). This is a common complaint from folks who work with agencies. I suspect we have a client or two that wonders the same thing about us.

Further complicating this issue is that most of the time, there’s not a black and white answer to many of the questions you might have as a client.

• Is it really going to matter if we make the URL a little larger?
• Do we have to include an offer?
• Will it ruin the piece if the logo is on the left instead of right?
• Does the message make sense if we remove this word or that word?

They seem like simple questions with easy answers. Some of them are. Some of them aren’t. Some of them are topics of great debate.

Most often, the answer is maybe. Maybe it will matter. Maybe it will ruin the piece. Maybe the message won’t make sense. Maybe it changes the tone.

I think clients would be surprised by how much consideration and debate goes into these questions behind the scenes. We take all kinds of information into account. We think it through and make a recommendation. If we can go back to solid research, results and facts, we will. But honestly, communications and people change quickly. What worked yesterday may not be the right solution today.

So my advice, from one client to another, from one agency insider to another, is this: listen to each other. The best solution will likely be informed by all sides, with each offering their own specific expertise.

Communicate to the audience
After you’ve listened to each other, think about your audience. Consider what this will mean to them. It’s easier said than done. Most often, it’s perspective that gets in the way of great work:

• The client’s perspective
• The writer’s perspective
• The planner’s perspective
• The designer’s perspective
• The board’s perspective
• The boss’s perspective

Well… you get the idea. Too often, the audience’s perspective is left out.

In the end, here’s what we really need to focus on:

• What works?
• What will reach the audience?
• What will get the desired response?

Focus on the big picture
The last thing either anyone wants – agency or client – is to get so wrapped up with being right, that both miss out. A solid agency-client relationship is built on mutual respect, and the ability to make each other better.

I recently presented at a small business professional development seminar sponsored by the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce on the topic of marketing on a small budget. Attendees crossed many industries: financial, nonprofit, media, education, healthcare and retail. The first question most people ask is, “We have a small marketing budget, so where should we best spend our money?” My response is always, “What’s your goal?”

Start with What You Want to Accomplish, Not What Tool You Should Use

Before any marketing professional can answer the question of where to best spend your dollars, it’s important to start with what you want to achieve from a business perspective. Try to determine 3-5 measurable goals. For example:

• Increase membership/enrollment by X% in one year
• Acquire three new clients in XX months
• Increase revenue by X% in XXX product in six months

Once you know what you want to accomplish, then you need to determine how you will get there.

Key components of a communications plan typically include:

• Business Objectives and Strategies (These are the measurable goals.)
• Key Drivers (What internal or external barriers exist to meeting your goals?)
• Brand Character and Tone (What makes your organization unique?)

Hint: Your brand is not the best people, best service, best products.

• Target Audience and Insights (Who are you trying to reach, and what do you know about them?)

Hint: Your audience is not everyone. You need to be selective.

• Competition (Who are they, and how do you differ?)
• Key Messages (what’s the one thing you want people to know)

Hint: People don’t want to hear everything you want to tell them. It’s about what they want.

• Communications Objectives, Strategies and Tactics (This is how you will reach them and what tools you will use – brochure, billboard, social media, website, print ad, etc.)

Simply put: The best way to ensure you are using your marketing dollars wisely, regardless of budget size, is to make sure you are targeting the right audience at the right time with the right message. Your plan may be two pages or 20. It’s not the size that matters; it’s having a plan based on concrete goals.