Archive for May, 2011
Thursday, May 19th, 2011
by: Geoff Ficke
Two Centuries Ago “The King of Chefs, the Chef of Kings” Created the Modern Gourmet Cooking We Know Today
We live in an age of plenty, when food is consumed and pursued as much for entertainment as for sustenance. Haute cuisine foodie magazines abound. There are television food channels that are devoted to every aspect of gastronomy. Celebrity chefs are as ubiquitous and as famous as actors and politicians. Gourmet food stores have sprouted in every town of any size in the United States. Chains such as Kroger and Safeway have in-store gourmet shops solely devoted to enhancing the preparation and presentation of meals.
As recently as two centuries ago this adoration of food and cooking was unthinkable. For the vast majority of people the only interest they had in food was securing enough nutrition to stay alive. Taste, presentation and assortments of foodstuffs were of no importance and beyond their reality. This changed in the first decade of the 19th century in Paris.
In 1792 Marie-Antoine Careme was born to destitute parents at the height of the violent French Revolution. The parents abandoned the boy and he was apprenticed at the age of eight to the famous patissier Sylvain Bailly. The young boy was ambitious, hard working and smart and Bailly encouraged him to open his own bakery after he had complete his apprenticeship.
Careme opened the Patisserie de la Rue de la Paix in 1813. The shop quickly gained fame and a loyal following. The windows were famous for “pieces montees”, elaborate constructions famous for their scale used as table centerpieces. Many were designed to look like ruins and famous buildings from around the world. They were as much sculpture as edible food.
As a baker Careme was always experimenting, seeking to push the envelope of presentation, subtle taste enhancements and inventing new forms of cooking. He is credited with creating gros nougats, grosses maringues, croquantes and solilemmes. The famous French politician Charles Talleyrand and Napoleon became fans of his work and he was often commissioned to cook for diplomatic functions.
Eventually Talleyrand hired Careme to work exclusively for him at his country estate. Talleyrand famously presented Careme with a test. He had to devise a menu for a complete year of meals, with no repetition of dishes and using only local, seasonal foodstuffs. When Careme passed the test Talleyrand vigorously promoted his young chef who had turned his attention from solely baking to formal cooking.
After the fall of Napoleon Careme went to London and served as chef de cuisine for King George IV. Later he travelled to St. Petersburg to work for Czar
Alexander I. Finally, returning to Paris and the employee of James Mayer Rothschild, he died at the age of 48. It is believed that Careme died at a young age because he spent his life cooking near open charcoal flames.
It was as chef for Talleyrand that Careme spread the greatest influence. He cooked for the large diplomatic councils that Talleyrand convened. As diplomats returned to their distant countries they carried stories about the wonderful delicacies that Careme had concocted. The upper classes of Europe quickly became enamored and haute cuisine, stylized French cooking became the rage.
Careme is the most influential chef of all time. Many of his techniques and improvements are in use to this day. He invented the famous toque (chef’s hat). His creation and classification of the universally utilized four Mother Sauces changed cooking. He pioneered the “service a la Russe”, serving dishes one at a time as they appeared on the menu. Numerous recipes and cooking techniques are attributed to this culinary genius.
His five part book “L’ Arte de la Cuisine Francais” is still considered a classic. It details numerous recipes, plans for menus and tables settings, organizing kitchens and the history of French cookery.
In most major cities around the world, the French restaurant is considered the apex of taste, refinement and luxurious dining. When visiting Paris, especially for first time travelers, the experience of viewing patisserie windows is street theatre. The colors, styles and shapes of the treats are so visually stunning. The pace and style of French restaurants have a cadence all their own. Food is art and life to the French. Marie-Antoine Careme, “The King of Chefs, and the Chef of Kings” deserves much of the credit for this grand legacy.
Posted in History
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
by: Geoff Ficke
Recently I had the opportunity to take a quick business trip to London. As always, I made sure to save some extra time to enjoy the street life and unique shopping opportunities that abound in this historic city. I am a perpetually reticent shopper. In London, however, visiting shops is a form of entertainment that can’t be matched by any other city. Even I succumb when in this great old city.
What makes London shops so unique, in addition to their age and history, is the sheer number of doors that specialize in highly targeted types of merchandise.
Department stores originated in England in the 19th century and prospered as the country was at the forefront of the industrial revolution. John Lewis, Selfridge and Debenhams are just a few of the grand old emporiums that line frenetic High Street. The Knightsbridge area is home to two of the most exclusive stores in the world: the iconic department store Harrods and posh specialty couture purveyor Harvey Nichols. But it is the small eclectic shops that provide the town with a unique flavor that is hard to find in other shopping Mecca’s like New York City, Chicago, Tokyo, Paris and Berlin.
The largest, finest toy store in the world is the original Regent Street location of Hamleys. For over 250 years this wonder world of fun, whimsy and visual excitement has been a lure to families from all over the world. The selection is immense. There are always product demonstrations and unique displays spread over Hamleys seven dynamic floors. Over five million people visit the store every year.
Saville Row, the home of bespoke British gentleman’s tailored clothing, military uniforms and hunting togs has been centered on this famous little back street for over 200 years. Dozens of small, artisan tailors such as Gieves & Hawkes have provided custom clothing to discerning men since the 18th century. Winston Churchill, Lord Nelson, William Pitt, Paul McCartney and Lawrence Olivier are a few of the famous figures dressed by Saville Row tailors.
The specialty food and drink shops are ubiquitous. The food hall at Fortnum & Mason is among the finest in the world. The range of caviars, fish, condiments, fruits, cheeses and world famous marmalades is amazing. The store is unique in that it alone maintains a Royal Warrant to stock the Royal Family’s larder.
Since the 17th century Berry Bros. & Rudd have supplied London society with a vast supply of drinks. James Knight of Mayfair provides the freshest, most incredible array of fresh fish I have ever seen in one spot. Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden is famous for its selection of British and Irish cheeses. Books for Cooks stocks and sells over 8000 titles on all things cooking, food, drink, gourmet and nutrition. The Villandry, in addition to a wonderful café, displays the most amazing oils, vinegars and herb selections one could desire.
The Spice Shop inventories 2500 bespoke oils, spices and rare ingredients in a beautiful little shop. Paxton & Whitfield is London’s oldest continuously operating cheese shop. Dales Crumbly and Soft Bloomy are just two of the hundreds of exotic, prized cheeses, plus charcuterie, biscuits and cheese accessories that Paxton & Whitfield has offered since 1797. Twinings Tea Shop is the oldest cafe in London and offers a huge variety of teas and coffees from every corner of the old British Empire.
Whether you seek stationary products, writing implements, tobacco pipes, hats and millinery, equestrian accessories, antiquities, soaps, perfumes and personal care products, military medals and campaign ribbons, wading and hiking boots and so much more, there are specialty stores in London that have been providing these goods, often for 200 years or more. A very British tradition, and a mark of their reverence for history, is the plaques that mark the front of these old establishments. Each tells a story of the enterprise ensconced and is a reflection of a nations pride in its valued institutions.
A visitor can endlessly walk the streets of London, browse shops and department stores and not spend a farthing. I wager this jaunt will be among the most pleasurable days a traveler could ever spend anywhere. I know I can’t wait to return and see what is new in these old, wonderful stores.
Posted in Retailing
Monday, May 16th, 2011
by: Geoff Ficke
How We React to Failure Defines How Much Success Most People Can Attain
In 1954 the manager of The Grand Ole Opry told Elvis Presley, “You ain’t going nowhere son. Go back to driving a truck”.
After his first audition the great actor Sidney Poitier was told by the casting agent, “why don’t you stop wasting people’s time and become a dishwasher or something”.
Basketball Hall of Famer’s Michael Jordan and Bob Cousy were cut from their first high school teams.
Walt Disney was fired from an early newspaper job because his editor said he “lacked imagination”. He went bankrupt several times and had to fight the city of Anaheim over the plans for Disneyland because the council thought the park would only attract riff raff.
Henry Ford failed and went bankrupt five times before he succeeded and built one of the world’s great manufacturing empires.
These are only a few examples of people who experienced crushing rejection or outright failure as they attempted to make their mark in their chosen fields. Today each is recognized and appreciated for their contributions and greatness. Thankfully each persevered when confronted with extreme negativity.
Confucius once said, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail”. I do not know any successful creator, inventor, artisan or entrepreneur who does not have to overcome many obstacles on their journey. It is much easier for investors, buyers, distributors or sponsors to say no than yes, and so they most often do. The difference between people who are successful and achieve their goals and those who quit and make excuses is the ability to understand and fight through seeming dead ends, obstacles and perceived failures.
One of my first mentors in the beauty and cosmetic industry often repeated the old maxim, “if it was easy, everyone would be doing it”. 40 years ago the toiletry field was amazingly well-populated with small, thriving entrepreneurial firms. The level of creativity these start-ups displayed was inspirational to a young man starting a business career. I knew almost at once that I wanted to participate in this type of endeavor. When the opportunity presented itself I seized the moment. The result was a quick wipe out.
I learned much from my first commercial disappointment. What had I done wrong? How could I improve? Would I get another chance? More importantly, should I even consider trying again? The financial loss was crippling. Emotionally I was well dinged. Nevertheless, always in my mind, I knew I had to try again and keep trying until I had achieved my goals. I was hooked and driven.
No one knows why some people keep trying and successfully overcome stacked odds while most others are too afraid to even enter the fray. R.H. Macy failed seven times before his department store in New York City finally caught on with customers. F.W. Woolworth was not allowed to wait on customers because the owner of the dry goods store where he worked said, “he didn’t have enough common sense”. Beethoven’s teacher told him, “He was hopeless as a composer”. Each of these men became legendary giants in their fields.
My firm evaluates hundreds of consumer product submissions and business plans each year. I am always amazed at how many people seek to improve their status by inventing and launching new brands. More perplexing is the number of these submissions that have true potential but will never reach markets. It is not the product, concept or service that is problematic. It is the people behind the projects.
Achieving success in any enterprise is not easy. As I mentioned earlier, “If it was easy, everybody would be doing it”. A certain type of courage and fearlessness is always present in successful people. Doctors face daunting time commitments and expensive educational hurdles before they can practice. Professional athletes work tirelessly all of their young lives to perfect their specific skills. Writers must write and expect regular rejection before they are published. Entrepreneurs will most often face rejection, financial hurdles and disdain before finding the formula that works for them.
There is another old axiom that bears repeating, “To the winner goes the spoils”.
It is impossible to win if you don’t play the game. As people living fairly comfortably in the developed world become more risk averse, there is a growing population split based on income levels. In America this has been dubbed the “income gap”. Government bureaucrats and central planners are always trying to artificially close the distance between top earners and others. This will never happen.
High income people typically possess a valued skill, talent or drive to succeed. Lower income people, for many possible reasons, often lack these gifts.
For many it is the fear of failure that encases them in lives devoid of opportunity. Others do try, but at the first sign of rejection or difficulty they retreat back into the safety net they have built themselves. No one knows why this is so.
Failure is the great differentiator for most people. Some handle rejection and plod on, while others can’t overcome rejection and retire from the battle. The successful always find a way to overcome. As Frank Sinatra famously said, “There is something to be said for keeping at a thing, isn’t there?”
Posted in Entrepreneurialism
Friday, May 13th, 2011
Duquesa Marketing, Inc.
www.duquesamarketing.com
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
May 13, 2011
Contact: Geoff Ficke
859-567-1609
gficke@msn.com
3 Sisters Restorasis™ Skin Care to Utilize dp Design, For Graphic Arts and Creating Branding Elements
Award Winning Design Firm to Create Packaging Design, Sales Collateral and Trade Show Display for Skin Care Line Launching in Fall-2011
Frederick, MD Dr. Jean O’Connell, MD, President of the Sylvana Institute and 3 Sisters Restorasis Skin Care announced today that her Company has contracted the services of award winning graphics arts firm dp Design to create the packaging and branding design for the international introduction of their advanced skin treatment regimen.
“Our projects managing consultants, Duquesa Marketing, gave Diana Puppin and dp Design the highest recommendation”, said Dr, O’Connell. “They have worked with dp Design on many prestige product launches and enjoyed excellent creative results. We are excited to have Diana Puppin’s group as a key part of our team”.
“Nancy and Geoff Ficke at Duquesa Marketing were so excited about the science they experienced when they met Restorasis”, said Diana Puppin, President of Cincinnati, OH based dp Design. “When they invited me to participate in the 3 Sisters Restorasis project I was thrilled to become involved with this unique product line”.
3 Sisters Restorasis has perfected the self-sterilizing, all natural bio-lipid complex that is the foundation of their breakthrough. A proprietary Hydro-BioMimetic process is employed to provide patients and clients with stunning improvements to damaged, abused, aged skin. The range is uniquely formulated to be safe for skin that has undergone radiation and chemotherapy treatment.
Posted in Press Releases
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
Duquesa Marketing, Inc.
www.duquesamarketing.com
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
May 12, 2011
Contact: Geoff Ficke
859-567-1609
gficke@msn.com
Renowned Geneva Jeweler Gilbert Albert Set To Enter North American Market in Summer-2011
Most Honored Living Swiss Jeweler to Unveil Line for Most Prestigious Retailers at Couture Show, Wynn Resort, Las Vegas, June 2-6
Geneva, Switzerland Sharon Ray, Vice President of Gilbert Albert Jewelry announced today that the Company will launch their precious jewelry range to the North American market at the exclusive Couture Show in Las Vegas, June 2-6, 2011. Gilbert Albert will be presented in the Lafite Ballroom, Booth 125 at the Wynn Resort.
“We have chosen the most exclusive venue to introduce this most exclusive line of precious jewelry to exclusive retailers”, said Ms. Ray. “Gilbert Albert is unique even in the rarified world of couture jewelry. Mr. Albert’s ability to blend elements of nature, sculpture and art makes each piece he crafts unique and a compelling masterpiece, fabulous to wear and highly desirable to collect.”
“Gilbert Albert is the most honored living Swiss jeweler”, said Geoff Ficke, President of Duquesa Marketing, consultants to Gilbert Albert for the North American launch. “He has won the Diamond International Oscar 10 times, been included in Sotheby’s and Christie’s Master Auctions and had shows in every major city in the world for the past 50 years. This great craftsman will finally be available to North American retailers and consumers desirous of owning true master works of art”.
Currently the eponymous boutiques in Geneva, Zurich, Shizuoka Japan, Moscow and Dubai are presenting this classic master’s art jewelry available to the world’s most sophisticated and demanding clientele.
Posted in Press Releases
Sunday, May 8th, 2011
by: Geoff Ficke
Marketing a Product Is Most Effective When Presented Through Story Telling
Many years ago, when I was just a young rookie salesman I was fortunate to fall under sway of a wonderful veteran sales manager. His name was Milton Lupow and he became a mentor, teacher and coach as I struggled to climb the ladder to success. The lessons he taught stick closely to me until this day and at every opportunity I introduce Mr. Lupow’s concepts to my clients. When I became a sales manager, then an executive and business owner I appreciated his imparted wisdom even more.
One of the most important, and profitable lessons taught me by Milton Lupow was to sell by telling stories. Ben Franklin closes, take away closes, sales tapes and courses were the rage of the day in the marketing and sales world of that time. Hard selling was common. Mr. Lupow would have none of the trendy techniques.
His sales presentations were seminars in weaving a products features and benefits, and thus importance to the buyer and their customers, through placing the product in the center of a story. After many successful presentations, as we reviewed the meeting notes, we would discuss the customer’s reactions. I began to notice that buyers enjoyed and looked forward to Mr. Lupow’s visits as they were not the normal sales blather that was served up by competitors.
Product comparisons, figures, data points, market share and so many other important elements key to marketing and selling consumer products usually do not sufficiently differentiate your product from competition. Telling stories does. Very few people enjoy being sold something. Everyone enjoys hearing a good story.
After 40 years in the consumer product sales, marketing and product development business I have enough experience to tell stories based on my own history. Those many years ago I did not have this chest of knowledge to dip in too. I learned to take some element of the product, research and obtain unique elements of origin, geography, harvest, processing, rarity or availability and weave that bit into my story.
For instance, when I was presenting a fragrance I would highlight the unique, exotic essential oils we utilized, how weather affected their price and access and how the flora or fauna that rendered the oils was discovered. Ambergris is collected from the surface of the ocean after whales vomit. Berber women process rare argane oil from endangered trees in the Sahara desert. Many ingredients are harvested in the Amazon by indigenous tribes. A kind of travelogue with cultural highlights frames the provenance of the product. As I called regularly on customers I discovered, much as I had experienced with Milton Lupow, that the stories were successful in conveying a more positive image of my offerings. I also found out that I was more welcome each time I returned.
When I marketed pet products the story might highlight how I had stumbled onto the product concept while watching dogs interact on the beach, or at a park, or at my sister’s pool party. I invented a wellness pet product by utilizing an ingredient I had found was being used in medical surgeries. I had taken a quart of the compound and when placed in a sealed, soft-sided bag pets loved to relax on the cooling unit. I discovered this by accident while relaxing at the beach.
If I want to convey how products can jump categories I might tell the story of the famous over-the-counter topical treatment Preparation H. The product was developed by a Dr. Sperti, a Cincinnati-based chemist. It successfully provided hemorrhoid relief for generations. Some enterprising hemorrhoid sufferers somehow discovered that the properties that made the cream so effective in its targeted treatment also made Preparation H a terrific facial wrinkle cream. It became the base for some of the earliest wrinkle creams. That is a real leap.
Several years ago we worked on a gourmet food project. The product was wonderful. But it needed a better story to differentiate it from competition. We perused the ingredients in the recipe and researched their supply sources. Targeting two key components of the label statement we developed a unique process story about them. We then bought minimum quantities of the ingredients from the most exotic, artesian sources and added them to the product. We now had a unique, rare, quality-driven story about the products special features and benefits versus the competition.
Process stories are excellent tools to utilize for cosmetic, aromatherapy, bath and body, wellness, food, drink and other consumable products. A proprietary style of production that can be detailed, utilizing a unique engineering or lab process can be a huge difference maker. Ingredient stories alone are rarely enough to achieve success. A trade secret, highly specific method of handling, blending and producing is much more compelling and intriguing to buyers.
Learn to weave interesting stories and points of discovery into you product marketing and sales presentations. Your trade show meetings and sales appointments will be much more interesting and memorable. You will enjoy the increased sales too!
Posted in Marketing
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
by: Geoff Ficke
Multi-Tasking Now Is the Crucial Difference Between Success and Failure for Entrepreneurs
The early 20th century British politician James Maxton once famously quipped, “If you cannot ride two horses you have no right in the circus”. The same is true for aspiring entrepreneurs. The ability to apply oneself to multiple tasks, and most importantly, to act in a timely fashion is crucial in achieving goals.
Our work over many years with a wide range of small businesses, inventors and entrepreneurs always, always confirms this most elemental reality. Successful people always have the capacity to juggle many balls and they do not delay to take necessary action. The greatest telltale sign that a person will be unsuccessful is when inaction is a common occurrence, over-analysis the norm and goals are straight lined, not undertaken in parallel channels.
Let’s assume that the entrepreneur is working to develop a wellness drink product. Marketing strategies must be customized, packaging chosen, dietetic and lab work performed, legal protections undertaken, graphic arts for packaging and branding designed, point-of-purchase display created, a web-site developed, product liability insurance purchased and many more key components necessary to launch the drink must be organized. The success driven person will be attacking each element on their Gantt Chart in a disciplined, driven manner. The dallying dreamer will stumble along, one item at a time and be stymied whenever a hurdle arises.
The very nature of entrepreneurship is that it is not easy. If it was, everybody would be doing it. Invariably, whenever I tell someone what my Product Development and Marketing Consulting Company does for clients I am met with a proclamation of intent and stated desire that “I have always had an idea for a business (or product)”. Yet they have never acted on their urge. Everybody dreams about being self-employed, successful, calling the shots. However, most people should stick to their day jobs.
Of the hundreds of consumer products we review each and every year only a handful will ever see store shelves. Quite a high percentage of the others are actually commercially promising. They simply lack an entrepreneur with vision, courage and real energy to push the concept to reality.
Posted in Launching new products
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
by: Geoff Ficke
The Great Department Store Visionaries Created Much More Than Vast Retail Palaces
Before the middle of the 19th century retailing was a disorganized, semi-professional business. Small general merchandise stores carried minimal stock levels and were often limited to local goods and produce. Mass production created by the industrial age was just beginning, so quality and availability of product was uneven at best. Brand names were rarely seen on store shelves in different towns, and never in different countries.
This began to change in the middle of the 19th century. As production increased and quality became uniform there was an increasing demand for goods that could make life a bit easier, more enjoyable. For the first time in history, industrial workers had a small amount of extra income. Life was not solely agrarian and so centered around subsistence farming. The opportunity to gather merchandise assortments under one roof, purchase goods in volume and offer a value proposition to consumers was becoming a real option for retailing entrepreneurs.
This void was filled by merchant princes in France, England and the United States initially. La Samaritaine (Paris), Selfridges (London), Marshall Field’s (Chicago), J.L. Hudson (Detroit), Macy’s (New York), Clery’s (Dublin) and John Wannamaker (Philadelphia) were only a few of the vast emporiums that evolved at that time. This led to their replication in major cities in every civilized country in the world. The age of the department stores had dawned, and with it, major adjustments in the economic and social fabric of every country in which they operated.
The department store made it possible and essential to buy in bulk. This created the need for mass production of a wide variety of products. The result was the evolution of whole new industries to fill the new demand. This in turn resulted in fresh economies of scale and lowering of price points for many goods.
The department stores began to search the world for new sources and types of merchandise. Many established international buying offices. This greatly encouraged the development of the international trade in consumer goods. For the first time, brands could be sold to consumers in all corners of the world.
The department store could organize the widest possible selection of goods and services in dedicated store areas. Shoes, clothing, men’s shops, cosmetics, designer dress boutiques, hosiery, lingerie, millinery, appliances, food and bakery goods, pharmacies, travel agents and more were conveniently organized under one convenient roof.
For the first time in history shopping became a leisure past time. Weather was neutralized. The term “window shopping” was born. The department store democratized the shopping experience. Entry was free. You could walk, look, and browse as you wished. Clerks were trained and available to answer questions about goods on offer in their departments. You were required to purchase nothing as you walked the shopping aisles. There was entertainment on display in these stores.
The sheer size of department stores by the late 19th century and early 20th century created the knowledge of construction techniques and architecture that enabled the coming era of the skyscraper to be possible. Department stores pioneered elements that we have forgotten. One such innovation was regular store hours. Another was restrooms. Tea rooms and restaurants became wildly popular features of every department store. Many had a signature dish or dessert that became a key component of the stores identity.
Gift wrap, home delivery and special orders were introduced by department stores. Reading rooms appeared in a number of stores. One of the great innovations, one that we take for granted today, was the introduction of store consumer credit. This form of credit exponentially increased sales and expanded consumer purchasing power.
In store demonstrations of new products and services were ubiquitous. Every buyer was constantly looking to feature new items through these product performance auditions. What little girl didn’t experience her first contact with skin care products and fragrance at the cosmetic counter? The offer of samples began in department stores. Buyers knew and recognized the unique tastes and preferences of their clientele and stocked their departments accordingly.
The commercial growth that department stores fomented was spectacular. The social changes were just as profound. Before the rise of the department store women were almost invisible in society. There were few places that a woman could tastefully appear in public. Department stores changed this forever. The popularity and growth of this type of shopping venue laid the ground for early feminism.
Department stores required hordes of employees to operate the offices, operations and selling floors. Overwhelmingly this was accomplished by hiring women. At a time when there were virtually no women involved in management of industrial businesses, they were able to find their place in retail. Many women rose to buyers and department managers.
Cities were built around the anchor points that department stores provided. Transportation grids were created to move shoppers and employees to these behemoth stores. The department store became the template for shopping centers. As the stores thrived, so did the cities that hosted them.
Every city and its citizens identified with the local department store(s) and its unique design and specialties. Kaufmann’s was as much a part of Pittsburgh as the Pirates. Shillito’s in Cincinnati, Thalheimer’s in Richmond, Frost Brother in San Antonio, D. H. Holmes in New Orleans, and dozens of other locally owned department stores were woven into the fabric of their towns.
Alas, the golden age of department stores is over. Until the latter part of the 20th century department stores ruled their trading areas. The families that had founded these retailing empires had died off, entered other businesses or sold their interests to financial asset management houses. Real estate became more important than merchandise sales to many of the new owners. The asset play was more important than a century or more of community service and a history of corporate benevolence.
The Hudson, Field, Dayton, Wannamaker and Lazarus families that walked each day into stores with their names on the door are no longer retailers. The history and provenance that they provided to their cities and customers is gone but not forgotten. There has been a void created by the evolution of the impersonal, standardized 21st century department store. Those of us who grew up with the vintage old line department stores as central to our shopping and lifestyle experience know what has been lost.
Posted in Branding
Monday, May 2nd, 2011
by: Geoff Ficke
What Lesson Can Entrepreneurs Learn from a Bespoke Suit Maker and M&M’s Candy?
Recently I read a profile of a relatively new business, Astor & Black that makes bespoke tailored gentlemen’s suits. The Company sends salesmen direct to their clients home or office and custom fits garments. There are thousands of fabrics to choose from, each suit is cut by hand to specific measurements and delivered in four to six weeks. The cost for an Astor & Black suit is about one-fourth the price of a Saville Row crafted suit.
Occasionally I see a television spot for M&M candy. This particular advertisement does not dwell on how M&M’s “melts in your mouth, not in your hands”, the brands famous branding statement. The commercial advises that you can have M&M’s customized for parties or promotions with your custom design, name or logo added to the hard outer-surface of each M&M piece.
What lesson can entrepreneurs learn from products as disparate as men’s suits and mass market candy? They can discover the added power that customizing products can supply to executing marketing strategies. Astor & Black is a new, growing business. Mars Candy, the makers of M&M’s is one of the world’s best known, most successful brands. Both of these very different entities have seized upon product customization as a way to differentiate their products from competitors.
Many entrepreneurs and small businesses seeking to compete with large, more established brands should consider the value of adding a product personalization or customization element to their offerings. Besides making the product more enticing, there can be larger profits gleaned from utilizing this approach. Clients and customers will pay more for a personalized, custom service or consumer product.
There are many ways to customize products. A mass or semi-massed produced product can be embellished with an engraved or stamped name plate. A baby item could be personalized with the baby’s date of birth, weight and name visible. Favorite colors or pet phrases or sayings can be employed in or on the body of a product. If the product on offer is a consumable type of item (gourmet food and drinks, cosmetic, wellness, etc.), a personalized flavor or blend could be made available. A fabric-based item can be embroidered with any name, team name or image.
This is a simple strategy to utilize when faced with stiff competition in a given space. We often hear about all of the small businesses that a new Wal-Mart displaces when entering a new market. That is often true. However, in every town where there are big-box stores, there are small, nimble competitors that compete successfully and even thrive. They do not even try to compete on price.
Does Wall-Mart deliver prescriptions? Local, independent pharmacies invariably do. Your local butcher or fish monger will stock and trim your purchases as you desire. Chain stores often buy product pre-cut and packaged from trimming houses. Wal-Mart sells hunting and fishing products. Your local sporting goods shop will detail and train customers on how to use a new lure, bait or blind. These are basic ways to further personalize a service in a mass-production, indifferent commercial world.
We encourage, whenever it is possible, clients to offer some form of customization to their line. Personalized products create the strongest word of mouth. This is the single best form of sales promotion. An endorsement of a good or service from a satisfied customer to another person is much more powerful than any form of advertising. And, it is 100% less expensive.
Posted in Launching new products
Monday, May 2nd, 2011
Duquesa Marketing
www.duquesamarketing.com
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
May 2, 2011
Contact: Geoff Ficke
859-567-1609
gficke@msn.com
Duquesa Marketing Announces Turnkey Doll and Children’s Products Concierge Development Program
Florence, KY Geoff Ficke, President of international, award winning Product Development and Marketing Consulting firm Duquesa Marketing announced today the launch of a turnkey, one-stop Concierge Development Program for Doll and Children’s Products startup ventures.
“We are approached regularly by entrepreneurs that are stymied by the vagaries of launching products in the category”, said Mr. Ficke. “The Concierge Development Program enables these developers to have a comprehensive menu of services and veteran service providers at their disposal resulting in the savings of time, money and elimination of mistakes”.
“From patent and trademark legal assistance, to lab and prototype development, customized marketing strategies, regulatory issues in the United States and international markets and trade show presentations and key account approaches, entrepreneurs will have access to every essential element needed to get to market quickly, while minimizing financial exposure with the Concierge Development Program”, said Nancy Ficke, General Manager of Duquesa Marketing.
“Many people come to us with great ideas, but have no idea where to begin”, said Alexis Bruning, V.P. of New Product Development for Duquesa Marketing. “Unfortunately, others come to us after they have spent time, money and made mistakes trying to self-market their product idea. In each case they find the Concierge Development Program a much more beneficial and useful tool”.
For over 35 years Duquesa Marketing has provided Marketing and Product Development consulting services to Consumer Product entrepreneurs and small businesses. The Company has extensive experience in all channels of product distribution, in the United States and international markets.
Posted in Press Releases
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