Focus in on focus groups

We have recently started offering 'focus group facilitation' as an additional service to our clients. It's an interesting addition to our marketing communications mix but one that fits very comfortably and adds real value to our client offer. We run the groups in partnership with Brand Adventure and have a bunch of happy clients one of whom was kind enough to say that we 'engaged a traditionally hard to reach population and achieve excellent results and produce some great ideas within a very short deadline.'

We feel that we are offering our clients a really good additional service the conclusions of which can really effect the way they engage with their audiences and potentially save them money.
If you think you have a project/product/service that could benefit from a focus group then by all means get in touch - info@frankontheweb.com we will give you a view on whether a focus group would be relevant and provide you with the results you are looking for. Don't forget when you are looking for answers it is the question that really matter - know the question and the answer is so much easier to find.
Over and out.

Alert or Nudge?

This week we have been working with Sussex airAlert on their new leaflet - airAlert is a free 'air quality warning service' that provides people with COPD or pollution related asthma with text/email or voicemail alerts when air pollution levels are likely to rise in their area. It's a great service and particularly valuable to those recently diagnosed with asthma or COPD who are not yet in the habit of managing their own condition. We have designed a leaflet that will appeal to new users and encourage more registrations. We are working with Mel at 'a space for something'. it's the first project we have worked on together and has been a great experience so far.

The leaflet can be easily personalised to other geographical areas that are currently 'rolling out' the service in their area. The leaflet is not rocket science, just well structured design and copy that gives the target audience the information they need to make an informed decision about signing up for the service.

Having recently read 'Nudge. Improving decisions about health wealth and happiness' by Thaler and Sunstein I am really interested in the whole idea of nudging people in the right direction to help them make competent decisions. And we have used my learnings from 'Nudge' to make sure that the leaflet works for its audience. 'Nudge' for me really captures a way of thinking that is relevant to our information overloaded times. With the amazing world of the Internet at all of our fingertips we have access to infinite amounts of information and views, but often no real understanding of how we can make use of these to make decisions that improve our lives. Our responsibility in producing leaflets for airAlert is to provide the information people need in order to make a decision that could benefit their health.

Stonewall equality dinner

Frank! has been working with Door 22 producing the look and feel for the 2010 Stonewall Equality Dinner. The dinner was on the 19th April at the Dorchester Hotel London and was a fantastic fundraising event. I didn't get along to the evening but got a great buzz from viewing pictures and and seeing how fantastic the lectern, banners and brochure looked - sitting so comfortably amongst the great and the good.
To see the pictures visit http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=209164&id=18933990398 - and take a little time to see how absolutely right this years supporting materials looked.

So what were the lessons learnt?
1) when you develop a theme for a one-off event don't undervalue the design itself - you are creating a look and feel that will set the scene/mood for the event
2) get a full briefing from the client about all the aspects you will need to deliver - if possible visit the venue
3) don't scrimp on poor quality print, work with your printer to see what options there are to maximise budgets - they are the experts, enlist their help.
4) always present your client with workable options - stressing the benefits of different routes
5) let everyone bathe in the success of a project - make sure client thanks or compliments are passed on to everyone involved
6) work with clients you respect and like.

Doing the right thing

When we set up Frank! Communication Solutions we called it Frank! because we wanted to be an agency where we were honest and upfront with our clients. Five years on I still get asked to work on projects that I don't really believe are 'right' for the client. The dilema is whether to work with the client on the project or to refuse the project and assume that it will still go ahead with the client working with an alternative agency.
If we refuse the project then we are missing out on a business opportunity but if we accept the project and don't highlight our issues then we are not being true to our values.
The route that I prefer is to provide the client with alternative suggestions/recommendations that address their communication needs and objectives. This is straightforward in an established relationship when the client understands that you have their business interests at heart but harder when you have not developed a trusting relationship.
So what to do? My client wants to develop their website in the belief that this will bring customers through their doors. I think that they need to freshen up the design and make the text more relevant and search engine friendly. They think that the site needs to dance, to sing and speak at least four different languages. I am sure that I could find statistics to prove that both of us are right. But in this case I think that I will have to gently say 'no' and walk away.
After all, if I can't be true to Frank!'s values then what kind of an agency is it?

Constant surprises

Surprise 1) Marketing for a small business is fun. Learning how to make the most of a small budget is a challenge but the results can be impressive at least and amazing at best.
Surprise 2) Producing marketing materials that are going to be effective takes time. It may look like three simple paragraphs of text but to ensure it gets the message right takes experience, knowledge and insight.
Surprise 3) It is better to review your marketing efforts when things are going well rather than wait until your business is in crisis.
Surprise 4) You won't like every marketing person/agency you meet. Keep searching till you find one you can work with.
Surprise 5) If your marketing strategy is getting you the results you hoped for then ask your agency to come up with some revolutionary new ideas. Never take the 'if it isn't broke don't fix it approach'.