Tag Archives: marketing

Sci-Tech

Study: Is your phone reading your mind? 33% of Canadians have noticed being tracked by their gadgets

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Digital privacy expert discusses the possible violation of privacy and security of cross-device tracking 

Third of Canadians (33%) have ever noticed an ad on their devices of something they recently spoke about or saw on TV (but hadn’t searched for), according to research by NordVPN, a leading cybersecurity company. A majority of them noticed such ads on their smartphones (76%), computers (49%), or tablets (29%). Moreover, such experience made more than 4 in 10 (46%) Canadians feel tracked/followed as well as scared (12%). 

“That’s due to ultrasonic cross-device tracking. That’s when smartphones have apps that are continuously listening to inaudible, high-frequency ultrasonic sounds from the surroundings and gather a lot of information about you — all without your knowledge. Later, they share this data across other devices,” says Adrianus Warmenhoven, a digital privacy expert.

While tracking people’s behavior across devices is beneficial to marketers, cross-device tracking is often questioned by privacy experts because of its lack of transparency, security and protection of sensitive consumers’ data. 

What do our American friends think?

Ultrasonic cross-device tracking — a trending rise 

Ultrasonic cross-device tracking is used as a method to link all the devices you own to track your behavior and location. These ultrasonic audio beacons can be embedded in many things we interact with daily: TV shows, online videos or websites, or apps on our phones.

Imagine you are watching TV and you see  chocolate being advertised. You pick up your phone, and the same chocolate ad appears on your screen. By using ultrasounds, audio beacons can detect when your phone is nearby, and apps on your phone can listen for approximate audio beacons to track what you are doing.

“Many apps currently ask for permission to access the smartphone’s microphone to incorporate a particular type of ultrasonic beacon to track them. Since it requires no mobile data or Wi-Fi connection but only microphone access to listen to beacons, tracking works even when you have disconnected your phone from the Internet.

“It’s not possible to stop ultrasonic beacons from emitting sound frequencies around you. Therefore, the best way to reduce the chance of your smartphone listening for beacons is to simply restrict unnecessary permissions you have granted to the apps installed on your device,” says Adrianus Warmenhoven.

How can you reduce cross-device tracking?

NordVPN research shows that 65% of Canadians don’t know how to restrict their smartphone’s permissions from listening to them. No one likes to be tracked. Therefore, Adrianus Warmenhoven suggest several ways people can reduce the incidence of this happening:

  • Use a VPN. One of the best ways to protect yourself from being tracked is by using a VPN. A VPN is a tool that encrypts every bit of information about your internet activity. It also stops IP-based tracking because it masks your IP address.
     
  • Use a privacy browser. If you want to keep yourself from tracking, it is best to use a private browser like Tor or DuckDuckGo rather than the incognito mode in Google Chrome. These browsers do not profile you or save any of your personal data for sharing with marketers.
     
  • Change app permissions. The apps on your smartphone may have some permissions that are not required. For instance, why would a photo-editing app need access to your microphone? If apps on your phone have such non-required permissions, you should revoke these permissions.

“The consolidation of power among large tech companies allows them to obtain large quantities of data about individuals across multiple platforms and devices. In this way, technology giants have even more opportunities to obtain deeper insights into individuals’ habits and preferences. Data consolidation through cross-device and platform tracking may also increase data security risks,” says Adrianus Warmenhoven. For the Silo, Darija Grobova/NordVPN.

Sci-Tech

Audio-Technica Wowed by Response to Limited-Edition Release of “Sound Burger” Portable Turntable

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To commemorate the company’s 60th anniversary, Audio-Technica released a limited-edition Sound Burger portable turntable this past November – four decades after its original debut. A-T never imagined the overwhelming response the release would generate.

That limited-edition AT-SB2022 retro red Sound Burger sold out in a matter of days worldwide – faster than anyone projected.

The Sound Burger will return in spring 2023.

Inspired by the response and acknowledging the loud chorus of fans who were not able to purchase the limited-edition model (but were still hungry for Sound Burgers), the company has announced that the Sound Burger will return in the spring of 2023.

“The response to the 60th anniversary limited-edition model of the Sound Burger portable turntable was nothing less than extraordinary,” said Gary Boss, Director of Marketing. “We heard loud and clear the frustration of those who hoped to buy one of these turntables but were unable to do so. While the new model coming in the spring will not feature the 60th anniversary numbered badge, color and packaging of the limited-edition version, it will be more widely accessible. We hope Sound Burger fans will be just as excited about this new model and that it will inspire the next generation of analog enthusiasts.”
 


Love at first listen, the Sound Burger is an affordable entry-level machine in terms of both features and price. For those who are new to vinyl records, it is a doorway to a deeper knowledge of analog music.

Thanks to its Bluetooth® connection and compact, lightweight design, the Sound Burger is the perfect partner for parties, picnics, or condensed living spaces. It easily connects to Bluetooth headphones or speakers for up to 12 hours of wireless record listening.

The Sound Burger offers high-quality sound reproduction with a belt-drive system that plays 33-1/3 and 45 RPM records. To achieve both portability and stability, the tonearm employs a dynamic balance system in which stylus pressure is applied via a spring. In addition, a high-precision DC motor maintains stable rotation. Accessories include a 45 RPM adapter, RCA audio cable (3.5 mm male to dual RCA male), and USB cable for charging (USB Type-A / USB Type-C™). The stylus on the Sound Burger can be upgraded with the higher quality ATN3600L (sold separately).

Gaming

Agency Now Representing World Class Esport Athletes

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You may have only recently heard about esports and esport athletes but professional video game sport competitions have been around for over half a decade. Since 2018, Prodigy Agency carries the mission to bring 360° support to esports players by guiding more than 170 talents around the world.

Are you an accomplished esport athlete? Prodigy can help you become a professional and compete against the world’s best. Much like a physical world professional, you can find your way to the top and earn sponsorships, awards and a real world salary. Read on…..

Sci-Tech

Rocketium App Democratizes Video Creation

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Audiences in today’s world are increasingly consuming information on the internet in visual and interactive ways. Every industry is exploring ways to transform and present content on video. What does this mean for learners around the globe?

“Being able to translate your story into over 120 languages is increasingly important in a global world.” – Anurag Dwivedi 

Anurag Dwivedi is one of the founders of the Rocketium video platform.  He believes everyone has important stories to tell. What limits the story-tellers is not having a platform that makes storytelling “easy to create and easy to consume.” The Rocketium platform is unique in that it allows teams of creators to work collaboratively on video projects in one innovative space.  The company has automated the majority of the time-consuming tasks of the video creation process. For example, some of the Rocketium product features include one-click styling, automatic resizing of videos in different aspect ratios for different social platforms, and automatic translation of any content into over 120 languages. In addition, the platform provides advanced controls for styling and sequence timing for users. This enables creators to customize styles in a way which Dwivedi claims no other video creation platform can provide.  Further, Rocketium creators have an online customer service team ready to support users’ production questions at any point in the process. Anurag Dwivedi from Rocketium talks further about how his company is giving anyone, anywhere in the world, the tools to tell important stories:

“I think the mindset that some of us can write a script but cannot produce an audio-visual version of it is a roadblock for many young creators.”  – Anurag Dwivedi 

What do you think sets Rocketium apart from the other video creation platforms?

Rocketium offers an end-to-end video creation suite that we believe no other product like it can offer. We’re enabling our users to scale video production efficiently by providing simple tools for the writers and marketers to create templates, and automation to generate videos in large volumes. The goal is to enable storytellers to work either individually or in teams with anyone, anywhere in the world.  Hence, all the features you need for a collaborative process, such as being able to assign videos to members of your team, or discuss creative issues in real time, or share content via social media platforms, are built into our system. We’ve broken down the massive job of video production and distribution into simple steps so that everything from writing a script to developing it, to editing and finally publishing on the internet are all on the same platform. And, of course, being able to translate your story into over 120 languages is increasingly important in a global world.

What do you see as the biggest challenge for an absolute beginner, a teacher or a student who wants to tell a video story?

Video making is often considered a daunting task — something that only experienced video editors  and designers can do. Rocketium has made the video creation process less intimidating and also faster. We have broken down the process into simple steps. We offer creators a versatile selection of themes and templates.  There are numerous options for video styling available to the user. Our process in some ways is similar to mini-blogging, i.e. the user is writing stories in a shorter format and then adding still images or video clips. Your job as the storyteller is to use our tools to create the most impactful video story you can without worrying about the design or styling aspect of video making.

How is telling a video story different from telling a text story?

I personally believe there is no difference if you have the right tools. I think the mindset that some of us can write a script but cannot produce an audio-visual version of it is a roadblock for many young creators. Visuals improve and enhance any story that’s ever been written.  The impact of a visual story is exponentially greater than that of a text story because visuals contain a lot more information in a sequence of frames and that leaves a lasting impression on the mind. Additionally, adding music and special effects to text always builds a deeper emotional connection between your story and its audience.

As creators develop more and more videos, they learn about the creative process and they get better at leveraging  the resources on the platform.”  – Anurag Dwivedi

Let’s talk about video creation as a learning process. What specific skills are nurtured in this process and why do you think they are important?

We present video creation as a learning journey which trains creators how to portray their story through a combination of words, images and music. As creators develop more and more videos, they learn about the creative process and they get better at leveraging  the resources on the platform. For example, what color palette will you select to evoke the right emotion for this portion of your story, or what style of music will generate the mood you’re looking for? Users ultimately develop and expand their creative skill sets while supported by the tools on the platform.

Is Rocketium designed for all wannabe video producers?  How would you describe your target audience?

We believe there is no one-fits-all solution for video creation. Our product offers global access to anyone who wants to produce a story on video. We have simplified the production process but there is plenty of space for users to develop their own creative and communication skills. Not everyone is destined to become the next Steven Spielberg, but we have built a comprehensive tool that allows anyone to try.  And we believe that to flourish in the 21st century, learners need to be able to use tools like ours to enhance their communication skills.

How else do you see the democratization of visual production impacting our society generally?

There is no doubt that dissemination of information is becoming easier as the world is more connected through smart devices. Anyone can now tell stories and distribute them on the internet. Two things we need to be wary about. First are the duplication issues and the relevance of content.  The second is the accuracy and truthfulness of content. Fake news is a global issue which we need to tackle as a global society. I believe this is where educators can help.

“We believe that to flourish in the 21st century, learners need to be able to use tools like ours to enhance their communication skills.” – Anurag Dwivedi

Look into the future — where do you see Rocketium 5 or 10 years from now?

We continue to explore the possibilities of creative learning tools for various scenarios. Ten years from now, I see Rocketium as a platform employed in all applications — education, entertainment, lifestyle, sales, marketing, etc. We are happy to be the backend engine for the creation and distribution of any form of interactive and visual content, by anyone and for everyone, from individuals to global enterprises. For the Silo, C.M. Rubin.

For more information

C. M. Rubin and Anurag Dwivedi

The Global Search for Education Community Page

C. M. Rubin is the author of two widely read online series for which she received a 2011 Upton Sinclair award, “The Global Search for Education” and “How Will We Read?” She is also the author of three bestselling books, including The Real Alice in Wonderland, is the publisher of CMRubinWorld and is a Disruptor Foundation Fellow.

Follow C. M. Rubin on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@cmrubinworld

Gaming

Fortnite Is Wake-Up Call For Companies On Verge Of Video Game Ad Buy

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Pong, Mario, Doom, The Sims, Minecraft and … Fortnite? The hallowed halls of video game history are packed with products that became a cultural phenomenon – and it’s looking like Fortnite will soon be able to stake such a claim. The co-op survival game that takes place in a “sandbox” universe recorded a record 3.4 million concurrent users in February 2018.  [ If you’re one of the 3.4 million and want to leave us a video comment or video of your Fortnite character please use our Video Uplink button at the end of this article.] The game, which is free to play, also allows users to purchase a semi-annual “Battle Pass” that runs less than $10 and provides access to additional items. This low-cost approach is apparently working, as reports show Epic Games earned nearly $300 million in April 2018 alone. Further, in-game “microtransactions” that allows players to use minimal amounts of real-world money for in-game goodies is helping add to Epic’s well, epic payday.

So, let’s recap: A game that’s free to play plus $10 usd occasional optional investment and microtransactions gives us hundreds of millions of dollars each month. You know what else makes that kind of money? Hollywood movies, major league sporting events and social media platforms – and those things are plastered with advertisements. According to Ken Wisnefski, CEO of digital marketing firm WebiMax, advertisers who want to get ahead of the coming eSports curve and start reaching gamers where they reside need to start paying attention to the preferences of this sector.

“Fortnite has really taken the world by storm. I think the new microtransaction process is a concept that shows how high volume and low cost can have a huge impact. It’s growth and notoriety is amazing,” said Wisnefski. “A few years ago, Pokemon Go was all the rage; I am curious to see if Fortnite continues to show this sort of traction.”

Want to make money through Fortnite? Here’s what Wisnefski has to tell companies on the verge of investing in video game ad buy.

‘Go’ along for the ride: According to Wisnefski, we haven’t seen a video game with such mass appeal since 2016’s “Pokemon Go,” which drew 10 million people to download the app in one week. An advertising analysis also notes that some businesses were given the opportunity to turn their stores into a “Pokestop” and, of course, increase foot traffic and hopefully sales as a result.

Shadow of a doubt: Still skeptical about sinking money into video game advertising efforts? Then take one look at “Ninja,” a 26-year-old Fortnite player who is reportedly raking in $500,000 per month for streaming his live game feed on the “Twitch” website. Wisnefski says it merely makes sense for relevant brands to jump on an opportunity to get their product in front of potential customers – namely as a “medium rectangle” or 15-second spot before one of Ninja’s streams.

Risk and Reward: Soft drink and snack food companies – we’re looking at you, Mountain Dew and Doritos – have for years pandered to gamers. As well they should, says Wisnefski, noting that some sectors are “very viable for this sort of opportunity.” If you’re a small to medium-sized company, however, guidance from a digital marketing company may be in order. “Big companies have the ability to absorb some losses to see larger gains; smaller companies can’t afford to take that sort of risk,” said Wisnefski.

[vidrack align=”center” ext_id=”345″ desc=”some description”]

Culture

How To Start An eCommerce Business

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More than half of the world’s population made an online eCommerce purchase in 2016, and these numbers are only expected to increase.

This means establishing an online presence is more crucial than ever if you want to keep up with the competition, continue to expand your brand, and generate more annual revenue.

Luckily, we are here to show you how to start a successful eCommerce business, so that you can begin attracting, converting, and retaining loyal customers in no time.

1. Choose a Business Name

After deciding what you want to sell, you’ll need to choose a business name that will withstand the test of time. Make it easy to remember, relatable to your target audience, and personal – to give your business an edge against the competition.

2. Register a Domain Name and Build a Website

eCommerce Domain Name Example WalMart

Typically, people aim to use their business name as their domain name. However, if that’s not possible, register a domain name that is at least compatible.

At the same time you are registering your domain name, you should be considering the platform you want to build your eCommerce site on. There are plenty of options including Shopify, which is an all-in-one solution, or other more customizable options such as WooCommerce (which is built on the WordPress CMS).

3. Find Products

You will need products to sell in your eCommerce shop. And sometimes, this can be a challenging process because startups can be expensive.

However, for those looking for an affordable way to get an eCommerce shop up and running, there is always the dropshipping method.

With dropshipping services you can find products you would like to include on your eCommerce shop and import them directly.

 

The Dropship Model for eCommerce

From there, customers purchase those products, you place an order with a third-party supplier, and they ship the item straight to your customer.

The dropshipping method is popular because it eliminates the need to stock and deliver inventory yourself.

4. Marketing & Retargeting

It is not enough to have an online presence. You need to invest some time into marketing your brand so your target audience learns you exist.

eCommerce Marketing and Retargeting

Here are some great ideas to get you started:

  • Create a “Coming Soon” page
  • Build landing pages leading site visitors down your sales funnel
  • Build an email list to stay in touch with customers
  • Publish consistent blog content to engage customers and build product interest
  • Utilize multiple social media platforms to interact with customers and share information

In addition, you will need to work on a concept called retargeting. This means finding ways to encourage those that visited your online shop, but didn’t buy anything¸ to come back and make a purchase after all.

Reasons for ecommerce online cart abandonment

According to Kissmetrics, the number one reason people abandon their shopping cart is unexpected shipping costs. Make sure to address all of the reasons people fail to finalize purchases and urge them to come back and try again.

Final Thoughts

In the end, starting an eCommerce shop is relatively easy to do. There are plenty of services and tools available to guide you through the process and make the startup process easier. As a result, you are able to focus on the important things, like getting customers to visit your shop and make purchases. For the Silo, Dimitry Karloff.

Featured image – https://pixabay.com/en/ecommerce-shopping-credit-card-2607114/

Culture

Canada Uses USA Ad Agency To Snipe American Trademark In Time For 150th

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With this Saturday, July 1st marking the celebration of Canada’s 150th Anniversary, the country recently hired the renowned New York ad agency Juized (*satirical)  to rebrand the nation as “The Greatest Country On Earth”. This phrase has typically been associated with the U.S., but America let the trademark slip and Canada has scooped it up and taken it as her own.

image concept- J. Barker

Juized is actively promoting the phrase and image for Canada, while redesigning the Canadian flag and revamping the national anthem to reflect this new status.

Juized has just released this short video on the challenges of rebranding Canada in anticipation of the campaign release on Canada Day.

While the rebranding of Canada may be a marketer’s dream it is actually the imaginary creation of Media-Corps,a dual-client sales agency and the largest Canadian Media Representative in the U.S. The company created the Juized video * about Americans not getting Canada with the help of 2 top funny men — CBC’s Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring as a tribute to the Canadian milestone and to show appreciation for Canada’s unique culture.

Robert Laplante

A native Canadian, Media-Corp’s founder Robert Laplante helps American advertisers understand that for a brand to be successful beyond its own borders, it’s critical to understand the different demographics and their behaviors. For the Silo, Susan Mackasey.

Supplemental- Top Ten New York City Ad Agencies

Culture

5 tips to Make sure first year Students transition from high school to Biz school

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How to succeed in business school: Five tips for first year students

 

 

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The start of university can be intimidating enough for most first-year students. But business students face an extra set of challenges as they balance their coursework with gaining work and extra-curricular experience to help take them from campus to career. Freaked Out First Year University Student

From co-op work placements to mock interviews and networking breakfasts, the business school experience is designed to help students gain professional polish, acquire leadership skills and learn the foundations of management, accounting and entrepreneurship.

So how can new students and their parents make sure they are ready to take advantage of the available opportunities? These five tips will make sure first year students are ready for the transition from high school to business school:

  1. Be prepared (Textbook not required)

There’s is no need to read your textbooks cover-to-cover over the summer. Instead, spend some time getting comfortable with all that is available at your future school- both offline and online.

Spend a day on campus before the first day of class and figure out where your classes will be held. Don’t forget to attend your orientation. Most schools will offer a faculty specific orientation in the days leading up to the first day of classes.

And do your research online. Follow your business school on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Figure out the online registration system, how to access your student email and the online learning platforms. These online tools will be used throughout the academic year so access them early so you don’t miss any emails or messages.

  1. Going to University is your full-time job

While University doesn’t pay you a regular paycheck, it does pay you in grades. At the end of your degree, you will be able to use your straight A’s as currency to get a great job.

Everything you learned at your summer job about responsibility, punctuality and honesty can be used in business school.  So, impress your professor just like you would your boss. Show up to class. Stay on top of your assignments and hand them in on time.

  1. Get involved (and stay involved)

Want to stand out at a job interview? Join a business student club. These clubs focus on everything from accounting to marketing and every subject area in between.  Joining a club is a great way to make new friends and apply coursework to real life situations.

One key tip: it’s not enough to sign up and attend the occasional meetings. If you really want to have an experience that stands out on your resume, get involved on the executive team, attend a case competition or organize an event. You’ll have an experience you’ll never forget and something unique to mention during a job interview.

  1. Make friends (with everyone)

We guarantee that you’ll make friends in your classes and in residence. But don’t forget to build meaningful relationships with faculty, staff and upper year students. They can become important mentors who can help point you to on-campus resources and introduce you to new connections. Plus, if you know your career centre staff they’ll be sure to recommend you to employers who are hiring students.

Do you want to guarantee straight A’s on group projects? One successful strategy we’ve seen Goodman students use is to have a group of friends from different concentrations. When it comes time to write that paper, you’ll have every subject area covered, from HR to entrepreneurship.

  1. Ask for help

It’s a new school, a new environment and new friends. This is a big transition and it’s normal for there to be ups and downs during your first year. Fortunately, your university has resources available to help you succeed. From study skill workshops to mental health resources, there is a lot of support available to you on-campus.

If you need any type of help, talk to your academic advisor or a professor as early as possible. Don’t put your academic career at risk; there are people available to help you get through any type of problem you encounter. For the Silo, Don Cyr, dean of the Goodman School of Business at Brock University.

Don Cyr, dean of the Goodman School of Business at Brock University
Don Cyr, dean of the Goodman School of Business at Brock University

 

About the Goodman School of Business:

Based at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., the Goodman School of Business is one of only eight schools in Ontario that is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The Goodman School of Business is home to more than 2,600 undergraduate students, 450 graduate students and has 7,000 alumni worldwide.

 

Culture

iLOOKTV Online Pay-TV Platform Turns YouTube Channels into Mobile TVApps

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iLOOKlogo
iLOOK Smart Phone Screen Shot

SAN JOSE, CA – ILOOK, an over-the-top (OTT) pay-TV platform for YouTube channels, is announcing its launch today. The platform instantly converts YouTube channels into mobile TVapps that behave like television networks. Through this easy-to-use technology, anyone—amateur or celebrity personality—can now have their own TV network without the traditional barriers and regulations.

Whether you create your own workout instruction videos, like to cover Katy Perry songs or are already a YouTube sensation, you can now transform your channel into its own mobile TVapp for free!

To create a TVapp, users simply log in to their YouTube channel from www.ilook.tv. Once logged in, ILOOK automatically generates a mobile app and submits it to supported app stores where it becomes available for download by television viewers. TVapp video is viewable on the mobile screen, as well as any TV screen that is connected to the Internet via AppleTV, Chromecast or Xbox, allowing viewers to watch on the big screen or small.

iLOOK Smart Phone Screen Shot

ILOOK also offers advanced features that enable video syndication and monetization. Video owners can export videos into TVapps that they do not own, TVapp owners can import videos from video owners, and for a fee anyone can have their videos inserted across all TVapps as TV commercials. This gives everyday video makers the same exact revenue opportunities as larger media organizations—a unique offering for consumers.

Unlike traditional pay-TV services that exclude long-tail content, ILOOK extends the pay-TV business model to include long-tail video and monetizes it by creating a TV marketplace for video aggregators, video owners and advertisers. Owners of long-tail video are now able to monetize like traditional TV networks with TV commercials, subscriptions and pay-per-view. They can also attract attention like traditional TV networks by co-locating on the same mobile screens with cable channel apps like CNN and MTV.

Following the actions of major TV networks who have recently published their cable channels as TVapps, it’s expected that thousands of YouTube channels will soon follow suit and cover the same narrowly defined interests that are currently covered by over 18,000 print magazines. Special interest and long-tail TVapps, like affinity print magazines before them, will command CPMs [cost per impression- http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/cpm/ CP ] that are four to eight times higher than CPMs for more broadly focused TV networks.

Peter Redford- CEO of iLOOK
Peter Redford- CEO of iLOOK

Peter Redford, CEO of ILOOK stated “Owners of long-tail YouTube channels are now able to attract attention and monetize like traditional TV networks, by co-locating on the same mobile screens with cable channel apps like CNN and MTV. We’re deeply excited to launch and bring these capabilities into the entertainment market.”

iLOOK

Television has been slowly moving away from an appointment format and into the anywhere, anytime arena. ILOOK is spearheading this movement by giving anyone and everyone the ability to become part of this groundbreaking movement in television history. What are you waiting for—it’s time to TVapp your talents for everyone to see!

ILOOK Corporation was founded in 2009 by Peter Redford, Ngoc Do and Jacek Minko and is based in Silicon Valley, California. The company provides the world’s first OTT (over-the-top) pay-TV platform for YouTube channels. The platform instantly converts YouTube channels into mobile apps that appear on the mobile screen alongside TV network apps like CNN and MTV. YouTube channels effectively become TV networks, monetized by pay-per-view, subscriptions and commercials. http://www.ilook.tv/

 

 

Culture

Law Firms Should Nurture A Culture For Growth Factor

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Hillel pic Web

There’s a strong correlation between the growth of a law firm and the strength of its culture, according to a new survey published in February’s ABA Journal.

The most successful mid-sized firms are those that put a high value on their culture – how they do business and the written and unwritten rules for behavior, according to the survey conducted by TAGLaw and the Center for the Study of the Legal Profession.

“Firms in which everyone plays by the rules and values dictated by the leadership are more successful in part because, whether they realize it or not, they’re branding themselves,” says Hillel L. Presser, Esq., MBA, author of a new book, “The Lawyers Law of Attraction: Marketing Outside the Box But Inside the Law,” (www.lawyermarketingllc.com).

Branding – developing a unique, distinctive and consistent image — is vital for any lawyer hoping to stand out from the competition, Presser says.

It’s even more important to distinguish oneself in today’s post-Recession economy. Demand for legal services, revenues and rates have all dropped significantly since the Recession began in December 2007, according to a 2013 advisory by Hildebrandt Consulting and Citi Bank.

“The compound annual growth rate for revenues in the legal market was 9.8 percent leading into the Recession. From 2008 to 2012, it was 0.8 percent,” Presser says.  So how does a law firm – or an individual lawyer – develop a brand?

“In a firm, if you have a strong culture, start by giving it a closer look. What values define your culture? What rules govern interactions with clients? Do you have a collaborative team approach or independent individualistic lawyers?” he asks. “All of these answers will help you define your brand.”

 

Presser Book Cover Web

 

If you’re an individual lawyer, you are your brand. Your personality, your look, how you present your practice all contribute to your brand identity. To build a successful, strong brand, you need to be sure these things convey what you want them to – and more important, appeal to your market.

Presser offers these tips for building your brand:

• Identify your personality, your specialty and your target market: These form the basis of your brand and it’s important for all three to work well together. Presser defines his personality as “an innovator and educator who’s very social and very serious about financial protection.” His specialty is asset protection, and his target audience is all individuals with money, property or other assets that are not secured in the best way.

• Decide what will appeal to that target audience: If you already have clients, look for what they have in common – it will say a lot about what they value and, hence, what appeals to them. Everything from the clothes they wear to the cars they drive to the information they share about themselves offer clues to what they value. Maybe it’s reliability. Non-conformity. Social status.  Solid quality. Is that who you are? If so, make sure it’s reflected in your brand.

• Think about what makes you different from your competition. From soda companies to athletic apparel manufacturers, every industry includes rivals selling the same products. Through branding, they distinguish themselves to appeal to their target audience – to set themselves apart. What makes you different from other divorce, criminal defense or corporate attorneys? How does that fit in with your personality, specialty and target market?

• Look for ways to incorporate your personality into your practice.Everything from the furnishings in your office to the clothes you wear to your business card and website should incorporate the personality and values you want to convey. If the tone of the copy on your website is casual and light-hearted and you want your brand to say old-fashioned hard work and reliability, you need to have the copy rewritten.

Your brand will be the foundation for your marketing, so take the time necessary to ensure all of the elements work in harmony, Presser says.

“You don’t have to be everything to everyone – you can’t be,” he says. “So focus on your niche audience and what’s important to them as well as what’s important to you. It will make you more successful both in setting yourself apart and attracting the types of clients you want to attract.”

About Hillel L. Presser, Esq., MBA

Hillel L. Presser is the owner of Lawyer Marketing LLC, a company dedicated to helping lawyers effectively market their practices. He’s also the founder of The Presser Law Firm, P.A., representing individuals and businesses in establishing comprehensive asset protection plans. He is a graduate of Syracuse University’s School of Management and Nova Southeastern University’s law school, and serves on Nova’s President’s Advisory Council. He also serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations for his professional athlete clients. He is a former adjunct faculty member of law at Lynn University. For the Silo, Ginny Grimsley.