Tim Miles, Wizard of Ads | The Daily Blur » Work

Practical Applications of Social Media in Small Business (in 20 seconds)

Tim — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:37:34 +0000

Hi. So, what have you been doing?

I’ve been thinking a lot about social media. I think they (whoever they are) gave it the wrong name.

Managing Change From The Inside Out

Tim — Tue, 18 May 2010 12:30:47 +0000

Why is change so hard? Why do those who’d benefit the most usually put up the most resistance?

Have you ever been in a situation where you desperately needed a change?

For years, I’ve been doing a small talk about how to more deftly dance with change. After being invited to speak to The Illinois Leadership Conference in June, I decided it needed some new tap shoes.

I’ve rebuilt it from the ground up, and I’m excited to debut it in Bloomington, Illinois, on June 9th.

Here’s what the ILC says to expect (I sure hope they’re right!):

Change begins from within . . . . maybe that’s why it’s so difficult!

Our luncheon speaker will provide an entertaining but purposeful look at the insights and events that drive change, and how we can assess our own capacities, develop our skills, and manage change in the most effective way possible.

Tim will open with an interactive experience about the fundamentals of Myers-Briggs Personality Type characteristics, how to quickly recognize a person’s characteristics, and how to get people on board with a new way of thinking based on their own preferences.

Tim’s luncheon presentation will help you speak more powerfully to colleagues, friends, children, etc.! We’ll have some fun while exploring concepts that are immensely useful.

Yep. That’s right. Speak more powerfully to etc.! Here’s a sneak peak at part of the slide deck.

Okay. You’ve been warned.

The Seven Year Scratch

Tim — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:17:22 +0000

What were you doing seven years ago this week? May of 2003. What was going on in your world?

I wrote the following email seven years ago about my first evening in Austin, Texas … or more correctly Buda, Texas. Dee and I weren’t married yet and figured if we could survive a 16-hour drive from Columbia, Missouri, to Austin, Texas, we’d be in good shape.

I was there to visit some supposedly whacked out placed called Wizard Academy.

—–Original Message—–

From: Timothy Miles

Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2003 10:41 PM

To: ‘Ryan Patrick’; ‘Scott Cox’; ‘Tony Richards’; ‘Ron Covert’; ‘Bruce Welker’; ‘Paul Boomer’; ‘Bryan Young’;’Anna Quast’; Mark No Talent Hack Dynis

Subject: “Hi. I’m Roy.”

From a room eleven floors over Austin … Hello in there … we had a welcome-to-town barbecue the first night at some place called The Salt Lick.

We arrived through sick traffic to the middle of nowhere – greeted with imports and local microbrews. All we could eat and drink. Very nice staff – younger than I imagined who promise a long few days. Sat at dinner with a mother and daughter from Ontario – we talked hockey, SARS, Mike Myers, and tornadoes – sirens were alien to both the Canadians and the Texans. Their (Canadians, not the Texans) husband / father is a Wizard of Ads Partner. They own two radio stations up nort der.

Met him over a beer. Kind of a schlump, but I mean that in a good way. No flash or sizzle – just a real guy with a real hello. Frumpled and unassuming. Not trying to overclever anybody … just hanging out … does look like David Ogden Stiers and even passing resemblance to Mick Fleetwood. Everyone was very nice to Dee and several encouraged her to come out at the end of each day and sit in …

Out the window sits the Capitol buidling all lit up – ‘awesome’ is an overused word, but it’s pretty neat – very big. Sixth Street is very bustling and kinda the downtown / Rush Street / Sunset / Printers Alley of Austin. We’re only a couple of blocks away.

Evidently, the sessions run late into the night since we sit around and drink wine or something …

Band name from the Texas 2-lane we took to get here – The Bleeding Armadillos

‘Night Ya’ll,

tm

That was the first night of the rest of my life.

Now, seven years later, driving my son to school this afternoon I remembered it was seven years later.

Not much has changed.

Well, except that we have two children, no day job, and I’ve had ads run in eight countries and currently make ten times what I did when I wrote that email.

Wow. I can’t believe I just typed that.

So, if you think you can’t afford a trip to this supposedly whacked out place called Wizard Academy, I suggest you think again.

It’s a business school. Only it’s not. But it is. It’s kind of hard to explain.

I think that’s why we like it so much.

But be warned: Evidently, the sessions run late into the night since you sit around and drink wine or something …

Cheers.

Advertising Show and Tell

Tim — Wed, 05 May 2010 22:21:29 +0000

Within one minute of each other, I had two friends – who don’t know each other – share two different ads wanting my thoughts on them.

Weird. But a good weird! I’ll share my thoughts maybe tomorrow. Feel free to start your discussion tonight.

Mr. W

Coca-Cola / NASCAR: Harmony

Thanks, Kathy and Tia – funny thing is … you two would totally be friends if you knew each other.

No related posts.

None of His Business

Tim — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:32:27 +0000

Yesterday, I was ticked off when a local media rep asked me for a complete list of my clients.

I got this email last night from a sales manager I really, really respect:

Here is my follow-up question…

If a rep somehow stumbles, bumbles, rumbles into the front door of
one of your clients and they say “…tim miles handles all my media…”
wouldn’t, shouldn’t, couldn’t that rep then contact you (not on Sunday
at home :-) to start discussions about that one client?

My reply this morning:

“Well, of course. Absolutely. They should contact me.

What I take issue with is … “Say, while I’ve got you on the phone, can you go ahead and give me a list of all your clients?”

No. No. No. Can I go ahead and poop on your shoes? You’re not welcome into that part of my inner circle. I’m also not setting myself up for six weeks of one call after another from you with questions about my dozen local clients.

I saw another poorly trained rep in action yesterday …

I dropped the boy off at preschool at Stephens and went down to eat and work at Bambino’s … kid in a tie, maybe 21 or 22 years old, comes in.

‘Yeah, is the owner here? I don’t have an appointment or anything but I work for ______ and I just wanted to talk to him about his business.’

Really? Really? You don’t know his name? You didn’t even try to make an appointment? Honestly, young man, what did you really think was going to happen?

Owner, sitting right there, says: ‘Listen, just leave your card, and we’ll call you if we need anything.’

Is that call ever coming? Ever?

Sigh. I have some constructive thoughts on this … on how to do it better … it’ll take longer – it’ll make a lot of managers and trainers pretty twitchy. I wrote about six pages of notes last night … but only maybe two of the pages are really good. I’ll keep thinking and refining. I’ll probably post it on Thursday or Friday.”

This Question Bugged Me

Tim — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:06:05 +0000

It’s the second time I’ve gotten it from a media rep in the last couple weeks. Am I just grumpy today, or is this off-putting to you, too:

“Would you mind sharing a list of your clients with me?”

Actually, yeah, I guess I kinda do mind.

Is that wrong?

Listen, I respect the work you have to do. I do. I know it’s not easy.

I know I’m not easy. And maybe it’s because you’re the second to ask me, or maybe it’s because of something else that just happened.

Another media rep just called me on at home on a Sunday because “he was having a hard time getting ahold of me during the week.”

How exactly do you think that’s going to help get your foot in the door, dude?

Really, I’m serious. What went through your head?

What’s next? Waiting for my kid after preschool and offering him candy?

Sorry. I am grouchy. Maybe this’ll help.

Yep, it did.

Productivity jumpstart? Reboot your office.

Tim — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:07:07 +0000

I was out of state for two days last week and brought my mobile studio with me to record some new radio ads for a client.

Lots of packing. Lots of unpacking. Lots of clutter. I got home Thursday night and the stuff still littered my office Sunday morning.

If you’ve never lived by the simple philosophy of a place for everything and everything in its place, I suggest you give it a try.

It really does give you a sense of stillness and power to focus only on what matters.

But, my stillness was out of whack, and facing a long week of to-dos and to-do-dos, I had to spark something.

So, Sunday, I took an hour to reboot the office – not just clean but restructure a bit. I finally moved some things that had bugged me for weeks/months. I threw a boatload of stuff away. I moved a couple pictures of my kids into better view.

This morning, I sat down and just felt recharged and ready to work.

Try it.

In the coming days, outside your regularly scheduled time to do stuff, reboot your office or workspace. The next morning you come into work, I assure you that you’ll just feel more productive and ready to take on the new week.

I’d love to hear how you feel that first fresh morning.

Have a great week. Time to get started.

Truth In Advertising

Tim — Sat, 01 May 2010 03:03:04 +0000

A bouncer in Birmingham hit me in the face with a crescent wrench five times and my wife’s boyfriend broke my jaw with a fence post. So if you don’t buy a trailer from me, it ain’t gonna hurt my feelings.

Why I Don’t Take A Percentage Of The Ad Buy

Tim — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:31:53 +0000

I don’t take a percentage of your ad buy. I don’t accept kickbacks or pocket discounts from media.

If you’re my client, you pay me a one-time upfront fee and then a small monthly salary that’s adjusted annually by the percentage of your growth. That’s it.

Why?

If I suggest you spend more, I want you to be completely convinced I think it’s in our best mutual interest.

I don’t want you to think I have a hidden agenda to pocket an extra commission.

I’d like to think – if we work together – we’re partners in this crazy adventure known as your success.

People who make more as you make more are partners, aren’t they?

People who make more as you spend more?

Those aren’t partners. Those are predators.

Buying Radio Ads: The Myth of Residual Value

Tim — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 22:21:38 +0000

Listen, most of what I know about buying radio I learned from experience and trusting advice found in two of my partner Roy’s books: The Wizard of Ads and Secret Formulas of the Wizard of Ads.

There are no real secrets here – just solid principles – that I shared with a colleague when his email popped into my inbox.

Hey Tim,

So…last year I had [client] on [big honkin' country music station] for about 4 months…they got great response…they were on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

This year…they want to spend the same amount of money…maybe less…but be on different days and less times for frequency.

What is a smart and valid answer to the following email that I can give them about frequency:

“I think that 35 ads per week is overkill, there should be residual name recognition in the market from all that we did last year. I believe that people will be thinking about looking for an apartment on Wed, Thurs and Friday. With 6 adds per day that comes to 18 spots per week and should be about 400/ wk, much more palatable for us.

I do not want to commit for 3 solid months, I prefer 1 month then 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off through the season (sept.).”

Thanks, Tim.

Here’s my reply:

“You don’t have residual value. Unfortunately, people have this dadgum habit of remembering what they want to remember and feel is important. If they didn’t have a need last year, you weren’t important.

“My partner Roy likes to say that people don’t stay reached any more than a lawn stays mowed. Sleep is a great eraser of the noise of the day. Again, if someone didn’t have a need last year, your ads – no matter how good they were – were noise.

“Assuming an ad of average impact/quality, and assuming your competitors are largely absent from radio, you may assume you’re working toward top of mind awareness by running somewhere between 18-21 ads/week between 6a and 7p. Early week. Late week. It makes little difference. That general number of ads each week, every week will give you the approximate frequency to reach the most number of people on a station 3.0 times per week – the number necessary to generate and keep top of mind awareness.

“If you can’t afford to do it on [Big Honkin' Station], do it on a smaller station. Frequency matters more than reach. Reaching 100% of the listening area with only enough frequency to convince them 10% of the way costs exactly the same as reaching 10% of the listening area but convincing them 100% of the way. Understand? They cost exactly the same, but only one makes cash flow.

“If you really, really want [Big Honkin' Country Music Station] but can’t afford the 18-21 per week, buy only select dayparts. Again, your reach will suffer, but you’ll at least be able to afford the necessary frequency. The station can run reach and frequency analysis for you.

“And then budget to continue this plan for only as long as you wish to be in business.

“Otherwise, as Morris Hite said, underspending in advertising is like buying a plane ticket halfway to Europe.”

That’s what I shared with my colleague, and with his permission, I’m sharing it with you. What do you think?

UPDATE: My friend Rick Harrington pointed out: “Something that I’ve found in news/talk is that building frequency is a different animal than with a music station because there’s significant audience turnover as programming changes.”

Absolutely true. News/talk is a different animal and we buy it much more like television – shows vs. stations, although there’s a little more to it than that, and you’ll often find people listen longer, and you’ll need fewer ads to reach the same frequency. The station in question above was a music station.