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Featured Stories
Trivia
SB&A will be doing a monthly trivia contest on Facebook. The questions will be somehow related to art and science, and the winner will receive a Starbucks gift card. If you know the answer to the question below or if you want to participate each month:
1. Become a Facebook fan of SB&A by clicking on the link above or searching for SB&A on Facebook.
2. Look for the monthly trivia question on our Facebook Fan page.
3. Record your answer by commenting on the trivia question.
If you answer the trivia question correctly on our Fan page, you will be entered into a drawing for our Starbucks giveaway. Winners will be announced each month.
OCTOBER TRIVIA QUESTION:
Which state averages the greatest number of shark attacks annually?
>> Click here to become a fan of SB&A and participate in SB&A trivia. |
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Statistics
229 The number of 50- to 68-year-old people who participated in a 5-year University of Chicago study, the findings of which indicate a direct relationship between chronic feelings of loneliness and larger increases in blood pressure.
http://news.uchicago.edu/news.php?asset_id=1907
66 The number of institutions - including 17 public schools; two community colleges; 38 police, fire and rescue departments; four libraries; and about 340 businesses - that will be able to plug into MBC's broadband network. This network is funded as part of a $26 million economic stimulus grant.
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/
2010/aug/19/b-brod19-ar-461405/
63 Percent of African American labor force participants who are under the age of 45, compared with 58 percent of all labor force participants, showing that African Americans constitute a younger workforce.
http://www.bls.gov/spotlight/2010/
african_american_history
673 Million The number of results that will appear if you Google "What is social media?" today (10.16.10). This number changes every day. Two weeks ago Google reported 623 million results for that search.
10 The percentage of billboards into which Japanese-based technology company NEC seeks to incorporate facial recognition software within the next three years. http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/2010/
08/01/sign-language/
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| On the Brink: Digital Recognition Software and Advertising
If you want to see the latest in technological breakthroughs, take a virtual visit to Japan. With its complex 3G networks, high-tech mobile phones, gadgets and digital recognition software, Japan, and more specifically Tokyo, may just be the place to preview what is coming next. As of late, Japanese companies have created applications that allow mobile phones to act as credit cards and house keys. Japanese advertisers have also been utilizing digital recognition software in railway stations, on busy streets and in heavily populated shopping centers for some time now.
NEC, a top Japan-based technology company, developed Eye Flavor, Japan's first all-in-one digital signage board. The company has been testing the technology since October 2009 at Granduo Tachikawa, a commercial facility located in Tokyo, Japan. The software has been able to document numbers of viewers, duration of viewing and the space between the billboard and the viewer. NEC reports that the technology has the capability of telling advertisers how well advertisements resonate with those who see them. It can tell whether viewers quickly glanced at the display, stopped, or ignored the promotion entirely. Based on this information, advertisers can more accurately determine what grabs people's attention and how effective an ad is in a certain space. The technology can also change the ads displayed based on who is looking at the signage.
Here's how it works: a person stops near a sign for as little as half a second. Inside the billboard is an imbedded digital camera that takes a snapshot of the viewer. The software immediately recognizes the person's gender and age within 10 years through the use of facial recognition technology. An ad appears on the sign that offers that particular buyer an image in line with his or her key information. This means that, theoretically, a 40-something mom might see an ad for "Eat, Pray, Love" but her 8-year-old daughter would see a promotion for the latest Pixar flick. The billboard then documents benchmarking information such as how long the person actually looked at the ad.
This technology brings new meaning to the words "target market" and "benchmarking," and is an interesting concept for the advertising community. This fall similar technologies will debut on US soil in large cities such as New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Privacy issues are a concern for many US consumers, though Facebook has already been successfully connecting users with advertisers based on recorded personal interests. It remains to be seen how the US public will react to intelligent billboards that literally offer something for everyone.
Sources:
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| Welcome: SB&A and Brooks Adams Research Add New Staff
SB&A and Brooks Adams Research have added three new exceptional staff members to enhance an already strong team.
 SB&A's Traffic and Production department welcomes Heather Zulauf, Project Coordinator. Heather graduated in May of 2010 from Nazareth College in Rochester, NY, where she earned a BA with a major in Communications and Rhetoric, and a minor in Business Administration. During her undergraduate career, Heather worked with Toshiba Business Solutions' marketing department and at Partners+Napier, an advertising agency in Rochester, where she managed a team of interns. For the past summer Heather has interned with SB&A, and the Agency is excited to welcome her full time.
Brooks Adams Research also welcomes Mary Ruth Coleman, Research Analyst and Project Manager, and Connie Mattox, Research Consultant.
 A graduate of VCU in Richmond, VA with an undergraduate degree in Marketing, Mary Ruth Coleman brings more than eight years of extensive work experience in project management to Brooks Adams Research. Mary Ruth has managed multifunctional, cross-departmental projects as well as a variety of major corporate events. Her research expertise includes focus group moderation and analysis, observational studies, consumer intercepts, survey analysis and trend research. In addition to her work in senior living, Mary Ruth has a wealth of research and project management experience in the specialty foods, grocery and manufacturing logistics industries.
 Connie Mattox has nearly 10 years of experience as a market researcher, with an expertise in consumer behavior research. Connie's research experience and training includes the employment of qualitative techniques aimed at uncovering emotional tensions, nontraditional focus group design, consumer profiling, observational research, concept testing, product testing, shopping studies, pricing studies, Net Promoter testing and satisfaction studies, as well as an array of other quantitative analysis methods. Along with a wealth of experience creating and managing virtual consumer research communities and brand advocate groups, as well as employing social media platforms to conduct consumer research, Connie has conducted regional, national and international studies in the hygiene, household care, beauty care, food/food service, 50+ shopper and senior living industries. A graduate of the University of Richmond, Connie is currently enrolled in the Robins School MBA program at the University of Richmond and expects to graduate in 2011.
Brooks Adams Research is excited about both Mary Ruth's and Connie's extensive experience in all areas and especially as it relates to customer service and grocery research. The team looks forward to applying both researchers' knowledge to foods and food service within the senior living sector. |
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| Congratulations to SB&A Client MBC
SB&A client MBC, a company that promotes economic development in rural Southern Virginia by deploying a world-class fiber-optic backbone network, won a $10 million grant in federal stimulus dollars to expand its network east to Hampton Roads. Its network will connect with Cox Communications where 66 institutions - including 17 public schools; two community colleges; 38 police, fire and rescue departments; four libraries and about 340 businesses - will be able to plug into the broadband network. To learn more about this exciting grant, click here. |
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Thinking Partner Selling™ Tip: Overcoming the Affordability Objection
By DaVone Patterson, Director of Onsite Sales, Midwest Region
In order to overcome the objection of affordability, first ensure you have done a thorough job of determining financial qualifications. It is very common for a lead to stop a sale by telling you, "This is very lovely, and I like everything about it, but I just can't afford it." At this point, determine if finances are the real objection or just a convenient reason.
If the issue really is a question of finances, determine if the problem is the entrance fee or the monthly fee, or both. The key then is to partner with the lead and actually determine assets and income. This is the step so many sales people avoid because they don't want to "pry." Remember: when we partner with leads to assist them in making a move that will significantly improve their lifestyle, we are providing a service, and should not feel intimidated to obtain the information needed to assist them in the process of becoming members of the community.
Be sure to help the lead to recognize that the "rainy day" he or she has saved for is now, and it is actually a "sunny day." Problem-solve and come up with creative solutions to financial obstacles throughout the process.
DaVone Patterson is SB&A's Director of Onsite Sales for the Midwest Region. She has been instrumental in increasing sales in both blue-sky and turnaround communities such as: The Willows at Brooking Park, Heritage Towers, The Village at Woods Edge, CHRISTUS Village and The Village at Brookwood. Her recent notable results include hitting the 70% pre-sales goal in a blue-sky community two months prior to the target date, and taking an existing community's total occupancy from 72% to 96% in less than 2 years' time and during one of the worst recessions in US history. DaVone and her husband currently reside in St. Louis, Missouri. |
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| Campaign Snapshots
1. "A Day at Winchester Gardens" Advertisement & Direct Mail
TARGET AUDIENCE - The direct mail target audience was age- and income-qualified seniors in the Primary Market Area. The advertisements were placed in publications such as Matters Magazine, The Italian Tribune, New Jersey Jewish News, The Jewish Week and the Maplewood News Record as their demographics include the target market.
MARKETING OBJECTIVE - To inform qualified leads and prospects about the lifestyle and quality of care at Winchester Gardens.
MARKETING STRATEGY - The team chose to highlight cultural arts, fitness, travel and wellness in these pieces that showcase what it is like to live at Winchester Gardens. The references to venues such as the Met and Kensington Gardens offered readers a famous place whose atmosphere is similar to parts of the Winchester Gardens culture and experience. These analogies drew readers in - compelling them to look into the community to see if the lifestyle, etc. fits with their personalities and needs.
RESULTS -This campaign resulted in increased leads and sales. The advertisement and the direct mail received a silver award from the 2010 19th Annual National Mature Media Awards.
>> View PDF >> View Second PDF >> View Direct Mail
2. Design Purchase Link Website
TARGET AUDIENCE - Businesses in the hospitality/hotel, government/military, education, senior living and convention industries interested in product sourcing and procurement solutions for major development or renovation projects.
MARKETING OBJECTIVE - The Design Purchase Link (DPL) B-to-B website was designed specifically to stand out within its market and convey DPL's mission to offer intelligent purchasing choices, turnkey solutions and service excellence from brand identification and concept to delivery and installation of furniture, fixtures and equipment.
MARKETING STRATEGY - The site offers a customizable and interactive user experience including a web-based purchasing solution and 24/7 online portal to project information. High-concept treatment combined modern and "fresh" web techniques to make this site both engaging and memorable for users. Each element was specifically developed to relate to the client's messages, while creating an interesting user experience.
RESULTS -The website received numerous accolades from industry professionals and customers based on look, creative design and usability. Traffic to the site also increased.
>> http://www.dplink.net
3. MBC Oyster Advertisement
TARGET AUDIENCE - Collocation, Enterprise and Data Centers.
MARKETING OBJECTIVES - Promote available GigaPark powered base shell facilities located in Virginia that offer robust power and redundancy along with lower costs.
MARKETING STRATEGY - Virginia's location along the Chesapeake Bay is known for its oysters. SB&A has taken a natural object such as an oyster to show the protective benefits of a GigaPark powered base shell facility. The center of the oyster is illuminated with light to show the robust power and that the facility is already equipped with a 400 Gigabit-per-second low latency backbone network that is connected to Tier 1 peering points.
RESULTS - Greater awareness in the overall market, extended reach in vertical markets to important web hosting and data center targets.
>> View PDF
4. Poydras Brochure
TARGET AUDIENCE - Prospects and referral sources.
MARKET OBJECTIVE - To inform prospects and referral sources about all aspects of life at Poydras, highlighting what makes this historic New Orleans community special and unique, including both the location and the quality of care.
MARKETING STRATEGY - Poydras needed a new identity and logo, and wanted to better portray both its impressive history and its commitment to the future. This brochure combines beautiful photography and informative copy to give viewers a taste of life at Poydras. As Poydras is located in New Orleans, the brochure includes references to the city's unique culture, spirit and beauty. The tagline, New Orleans to the Heart, describes Poydras as a community with the city's culture intertwined with the resident experience. Headlines in the brochure also play to the tagline. Examples include: "Feeling young at heart is an everyday occurrence" and "Have a heart-to-heart about the best retirement living."
RESULTS - A 100-year-old brand is now positioned for future renovations and growth, and is better able to communicate its exceptional market position to seniors, families and referral sources.
>> View PDF |
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