Content Marketing Strategies: How 15 Minutes Can Save You 15% on Pancake Shoes
By Jamie Haderlie
“I’ve always been able to sell...Always. Why, I can even sell an oven to an eskimo.”
“...You mean a refrigerator?”
“...Why would they need a refrigerator?”
- Mr. Wrong
That scene, though fondly remembered as being an excruciatingly awkward first date with Ellen Degeneres, perfectly illustrates the concept behind the movement that’s taking the marketing world by storm: content marketing.
This dynamic strategy shines the spotlight on the buyer rather than the product and focuses on fulfilling their needs. It involves informing and educating a target audience so they can see why they will not want, but need to use your product. Contentmarketinginstitute.com defines it perfectly, “...instead of pitching your products and services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent. The essence of this content strategy is the belief that if we, as businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty.”
The method to really kill it in your campaigns and produce epic content marketing is two-fold:
Fill the Need
Make it Memorable
One excellent example is how GEICO turned their business around by focusing on the needs of their buyers. First, they noticed too many people were being overcharged for their auto insurance; a crime worthy of death by fire ants. They filled the need by offering lower rates, but realized they needed to get the word out. Amping it up to 11, they started a memorable content marketing campaign which informed consumers that they could spend 15 minutes and “save 15% or more on car insurance.” As a result, the number of auto policies sold skyrocketed to an 90% increase within four years. This campaign helped GEICO grow from a modest company who were lucky if they could see 10% growth, to the 2nd largest auto insurance company in the country (right behind Farmer’s).
Talk about making it memorable; these next guys took it to the extreme! Denny’s was a restaurant chain on the slow march towards Pauly Shore’s career, but they refused to take it lying down. They were already filling the need by filling the bellies of customers with Grand Slam breakfasts, it was time to take the next step. They became active on social media and put out a stream of witty, humorous content marketing which both entertained their consumers and informed them of their light, gossamer-like pancakes: so fluffy you could use them as cushioning sole inserts. In less than a year, Denny’s increased its Tumblr audience by 253 percent and its Twitter crowd by 132 percent; nearly 90,000 followers hungry for their hilarity and hash browns.
Producing a steady stream of memorable, informative content will not only attract more consumers, but it will boost the bond between buyers and your business. “Tuned In,” a phenomenal book by Craig Stull, Phil Myers and David Meerman Scott, discusses how content marketing immediately improves the connection between a company and its consumers. By changing its focus from selling a product to filling a buyer’s need and making the content memorable, the customer begins to think, “Finally! Here is a company that really gets me and I want to do business with them.” By the way, if you are now feeling an insatiable interest in checking out “Tuned In”...ta da! There’s another prime example of potent this strategy can be. #seewhatIdidthere?
Content marketing is the wave of the future and every successful company is grabbing their boards and hanging 10...million dollars increase in revenue.
the four horsemen of the real estate apocalypse
By Jamie Haderlie
With constant breakthroughs in modern technology, real estate investing and the art of flipping houses seem easier than ever! Many deals can be made from the comfort of your own home, while sitting on the couch in your pajamas.
However, many experienced investors will tell you the dream of making millions flipping properties while living it up as a couch potato is a far cry from the tough realities of real estate.
But fear not, my friends! I have personally identified the four BIGGEST mistakes those new to real estate investing tend to make, AND how to avoid these “Four Horsemen of the Real Estate Apocalypse.”
HORSEMAN #1: The “I can do it MYSELF!” Syndrome
From the moment you jump into the investment game, plan on wearing many different hats. From inspector to negotiator, from expert marketer to handy-dandy plumber, you’ll try to do it all and be it all: all in the name of saving money and maximizing profits. Although it can be a good idea to start off with a “DIY” mentality, you definitely don’t want to stay there! Many get trapped in this “I can do it all and don’t need anyone’s help” state of mind for YEARS, spreading themselves too thin and eventually drowning in a sea of confusion brought on by extreme multi-tasking.
SOLUTION: Start thinking about and planning right away which services you can outsource. In most cases, delegating tasks to the expertise of others (such as home repairs, setting appointments, etc.) will save you both time and money. It will also spare you from endless amounts of stress in the long run.
HORSEMAN #2: The “I’m allergic to math!” Syndrome
Many people who are just starting out in real estate decide to toss all figures out the window. They believe their intuition will serve them best when it comes to turning a profit. That may work in a fluffy bunny and unicorn world, but don’t expect it to in real estate. In the real estate world, you’ll have to come to terms with the fact that math is your best friend, greatest ally and, in most cases, salvation. It’s tempting to only look at “big picture” numbers, such as mortgage payment, or the projected ROI, and sweep everything else under the “this doesn’t exist” rug, where half of your socks end up. The simple truth is that under the sweet dream of successful investment lurks ugly hordes of dozens of potential expenses, ready to eat away at your precious profits.
SOLUTION: Do the math. Do ALL the math. If you’re realistic about all of your expenses (including (but not limited to) taxes, repairs, insurance, interest, etc.), you’ll have far more control over your investment. You’ll also have a greater understanding of the overall profit you can realistically expect from your investment.
HORSEMAN #3: The “Uhhhh….Okay!” Syndrome
Another temptation straight out the gate is to hand off your power to the guy on your right. There is a great deal of information, pressure and timing involved in real estate investments, which can easily overwhelm the average Joe. How much easier would it be to just say, “Uhhh…Okay!” and be done with it? Let me tell you right now, don’t do it! There are too many sharks out there in the real estate pool as it is looking for a victim. You don’t have to fall prey to this Horseman. There’s a simple solution.
SOLUTION: Hold your own. Ask as many questions as you can. Be present. Remember, when it all comes down to it, it’s your money that’s involved and at stake here. You need to wear the manager tag. Be involved in every step of the process and manage what gets done to make sure it’s done correctly. Be firm and fair. Have rules and expectations and stick by them.
HORSEMAN #4: The “Ooh, it’s on SALE!” Syndrome
Shoppers, be ye warned! Just because something is cheap doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good deal! Those new to the real estate investment game love to invest in the “cheap deals,” believing they can garner a tidy profit after a quick “fix and flip.” What they don’t understand is the difference between the price of an item and the cost of an item:
PRICE: The flat-rate amount you pay for an item (say, 10 bucks for a Van Halen T-shirt).
COST: The long-term, variable amount you’ll end up paying for an item (say you buy a Ferrari; now add $ for potential repairs, loan interest rates, gas, etc.).
A property may have a low price, but the long-term cost of owning that property could end up being MUCH higher.
SOLUTION: Be discerning and smart. Write up a budget battle plan beforehand. Give yourself limits as to how much you’re willing to spend on repairs, renovations, property taxes and interest rates. This way, you won’t end up on your back, like a turtle with all four limbs waving wildly in the air.
Take THAT, evil Horsemen! Now that you know what pitfalls to avoid, I say you’re well on your way to investment success! Get out there and OWN those investments!
Hey, do you know a major mistake or pitfall to avoid in real estate that we haven’t listed in this post? Share it below! We want to hear from you!
Man’s Head Explodes in Barber Chair
By Jamie Haderlie
“Are you sure you’ve done this before?”
I rolled my eyes at the pencil with a mustache who shuffled in not three minutes ago. He glanced around my establishment and sneered at the state of disrepair. He was a shaky excuse for human life, the boney architecture of his hands quivering as he spoke. His piercing nasal tone cemented his archetype firmly in place. I remained with my back to him, taking no notice. Sometimes guys like these are best dealt with the same way you do girl scouts pandering cookies to the sucrose-addicted masses: if you ignore them long enough, they’ll go away on their own.
I was proud of my little place. Dad left it to me. Traveled all the way from Italy to start a new life for his young family. Why he picked Brooklyn, I’ll never know. But I can’t complain. Brooklyn gave me a new life. It gave me a wife, kids, and eventually a business of my very own. I love the crime-ridden corner my place stands on. I love every decomposing brick and dank smell of rust permeating the atmosphere. It smells like home. How dare this man turn up his nose at my little home?
“See here, my good man,” an impertinent shriek filled the air and crusted itself into the walls, “I’m not standing around here for my health, which I fear won’t last long if I remain in this disgusting little hole. I have a good mind to call the board of health!”
I whipped up some lather and motioned for the man to please take a seat before I promptly rammed a bristle brush up his crooked nose. The things I wish I could say out loud. I never do. You never know who might be a good tipper.
“No hab-lar le English, Sig-nor?” The man dipped each syllable in a layer of melted condescension. I turned toward him and gave him a grin that would make Nicholson blush.
“Mister...”
“Schneebels.”
He had to be kidding.
“Mister...Schneebels,” I choked back the obvious guffaw masked with a false cough. “That’s right,” he responded.
I stepped closer to the man.
“Do you see my jacket?”
He nodded.
“...See this name tag?”
Again, he nodded.
“It means I work here.” I drew near, closing in on my prey, “Do you think I walk around
in this stupid white coat for my health?” The strength of my breath quivered the thin hairs of his upper lippy-lip-lip. I love to have a bit of fun with them.
I thrust my name tag at him as if I was mugging him on the street. My voice roared, “Do you think I don’t know my own name?” Schneebels was beginning to cower into a fetal position, which is an odd image standing up. I was drunk off of my own ruse. I circled him and poked at him and laughed to myself, watching him jump and skitter from side to side. I wondered how much more of this he could take. But my determination to scare him off matched his determination to receive the best shave of his life. He heard that only I could give him that. He heard correctly.
“SIT DOWN!”
Schneebels immediately obeyed. Not a word was spoken as he placed his fossilized posterior in my barber chair. I shook out a beer-stained drop cloth and draped it over his wire hanger shoulders. I leaned him back over the porcelain sink and looked into his large, baleful eyes. Confident that I had sufficiently earned his submission, I smiled in a slant,
“Now just relax.”
I went to work. I applied a warm froth to the gristly features of Schneebels’ skeletal visage. He immediately tensed up once the cream touched his skin. Strange. Most folks enjoy the soothing sensation of the lather. It calms and molds mankind into an instant friend, more potent than the nitrous oxide at the local dentist.
“You okay?” I placed a hand on his shoulder.
Schneebels winced and nodded in furious agreement. He gripped the seat and squirmed with fearful anticipation, as if he were sentenced to the electric chair.
“Look fella,” I offered, “I was only kidding with you. Don’t take it seriously. If you can’t calm down...”
“I am calm!” he squeaked a pitch that matched my son’s rubber ducky, “I assure you, my good man, let’s...let’s just get this over with.”
I took out my shining blade, as smooth as silk. I take great pride in a close shave. I’m the best barber in all five boroughs of New York. Everyone has said so for years.
I gently placed the razor against the withered folds of skin. I smoothed the area with my hand, and with the skillful craft of one fluid, scraping motion...
KA-BLAM!!!!
My eyes regained sight moments later. My brain struggled to catch up. I blinked into the sepia dust of splintered wood dotted with white globs coating every man, woman, and child in the place: frozen in shock.
Schneebels stood up. In place of his head was a void nestled in a crater of gook mixed with shaving cream.
“Oh no...not again! And you claimed to be a professional!”
His toothpick frame stormed off in the greatest huff I ever saw. The door slammed shut behind him.
No tip. I hate it when that happens.
Utah Repertory Theater’s “Exposure” Dares to Bare All with Heartfelt Vulnerability
By Jamie Haderlie
When you go to see a show at the annual Fringe Festival in Salt Lake City, you can definitely expect bare bones, low-budget storytelling at its finest. However, in the case of Exposure, per- formed at the Courage Theater at Westminster College, I was pleasantly surprised to walk into a very professional black box theater setting. The set staged with a charming minimalism of two chairs, a mattress, a table. two laptops and a cell phone gives the audience a brilliant foreshad- owing of what’s about to happen. Soft, alternative rock music plays in the background envelop- ing the audience in the familiar memory of being single. With a meticulously crafted set and en- vironment, I knew I was in for a treat. Little did I know I was soon to be graced with a beautifully intense experience of lies, truth and the tango they dance.
Exposure tells the story of a man, Miles (played with heart-touching cynicism by JayC Stod- dard) who is addicted to internet dating. He meets a fellow addict, Faye (played with beautiful optimism by Natalia Noble) and they engage in some playful cyber-relations. This is definitely not a play to show the kids. Although there is no nudity, “Exposure” explores every facet of dat- ing website fantasies, including cyber sex. Needless to say, if an episode of of Sex and the City can make you blush, this play is not for you. However, if you are looking to get struck to the core with heartfelt honesty and witness the brilliantly-crafted journey of two people putting up walls, tearing them down, exploiting and exposing, go see this play NOW.
One of the most creative elements of this story is the introduction to the other characters. The play begins, not with Stoddard and Noble, but with two others - a flirtatious, charismatic and sensual woman named Lilly (played with unbridled enthusiasm by Andrea Peterson) and a confident, slightly smug and detached man named Ethan (played with remarkable realism by Derek Gregerson). As the play continues and these two interact, we soon realize they are the personifications of the ultimate, ideal online profile. Lilly and Ethan are fictional projections rep- resenting what Faye and Miles wish they could really be. Faye eloquently describes Lilly as a defense mechanism: “She takes the ugly for me. There’s nothing anyone can say that will ever hurt her. She’s the me I can’t be.”
Noble sets the tone of the play immediately, nestled safely in her barricade of lies. She asks Stoddard to “lie to me with a kiss.” In so doing, she sends Peterson out dancing in the ether, reveling in fantasy. She performs an intense tango with Gregerson, ultimately ending in an in- tense climax (...see? Keep the kids at home). When the fun momentarily ends is when the real magic of Exposure takes the stage, as all four characters interact and are forced to come to terms with reality.
Stoddard, Noble, Peterson and Gregerson perform their roles of intermingled fantasy and reality with remarkable skill and honesty. Each actor portrays their character perfectly and dance a fas- cinating tango as the mood shifts from fun flirtation to deep introspection. The blocking is im- peccably crafted, with each character interacting physically and swapping partners depending on the transition in emotion, from guarded to exposed. The music accompanies the movement with clever planning, shifting from tango to jazz to alternative rock. I felt as if the audience were watching a modern dance performance, a music concert and an incredible play all in one. As the characters take us down a guided tour of the truth and lies of internet dating, they remind us of who we are at our core and begin to strip away at our facades, revealing honest insecurities bit by bit, until we too are exposed.
I hate to admit I was skeptical before I came to see this play. Written by Stoddard and Noble, I was worried that a play written by young actors would come across as many plays written by younger actors do - forced and cliche. I am so happy to announce I was SO WRONG in my ap- prehensions. Exposure is not only a well-executed play, but a very important work of literature for our time. It both mocks and expertly exposes the intricacies of how we present ourselves on- line, how greatly we depend upon our addictions to the attention and how easily the lines be- tween fantasy and reality are blurred. In my opinion, Exposure deserves national exposure as one of the most well-written, ingeniously-crafted works of our generation.
I love that the Salt Lake City Fringe Festival provides opportunities for playwrights, actors and directors to present their remarkable creations to the masses. I was truly touched by this play and left with a deep sense of wonder at the resilience, optimism, cynicism and cold, guarded nature of the human spirit. If you make it out to the festival to see any production, this is the must-see experience of a lifetime. If you’re looking to get struck with an intense, familiar honesty and leave with a sense of awe mixed with a renewed understanding of the labyrinth of the hu- man heart, go see this play NOW, while it lasts!
Utah Repertory Theater’s Exposure by Natalia Noble and JayC Stoddard an be seen at the Courage Theater at the Jewett Center for Performing Arts at Westminster College (1840 South 1300 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84105.) Tickets can be purchased online for $10, with a $5 festi- val admission fee at greatsaltlakefringe.org. Exposure plays the following dates and times:
July 29 - 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM July 30 - 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM August 3 - 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM August 4 - 10:30 PM - 11:30 PM August 6 - 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
www.greatsaltlakefringe.org
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