Have you had your Trademark used by a competitor? Feels a bit like having your car broken into, doesn’t it? The reality is it’s very much the same. Those that unlawfully use another’s trademark in their marketing or advertising are thieves.
If you’ve carefully built a solid brand around your business you may feel even more ripped off. You’ve taken care to build brand trust, give the best service possible, and make a name for yourself in the community. Then someone swoops in and uses your brand name for an unscrupulous marketing ploy. Or they use your name to drive customers to their website.
In rare cases, I’ve even seen (thief) companies build their website in a similar fashion, using matching colors, layout, and content to further confuse a customer. An unsuspecting customer might bite, hire this intruder, get sub-par service (and product), then associate their bad experience with your brand. No good can come of this.
If you’ve done this to someone else, shame on you. You should be put out of business and stripped of your right to open a new one.
That said, there are legitimate ways you can use another’s brand or trademark in your marketing and sales efforts; but be careful, you don’t want to cross the line here.
On the Internet, like in other mediums, you may be able to use a competitors name on your website and in your search marketing endeavors. The only way I recommend doing this (ethically and legally) though, is for comparison reasons. Say for instance you use a superior adhesive with a fast safe drive time. Your competitor uses the cheapest stuff out there with a horrible safe drive time. It would be okay to have a page on your site that compares your products and service to theirs.
Again with the “careful” though. If you bash your competitor, or talk badly about them, you could open yourself to legal trouble. Be clear, state disclaimers, and be as unbiased in your comparisons as possible – just lay out the facts.
If you feel like someone is using your trademark on Google, you can find out more about their policy and report Trademark infringement at www.google.com/webmasters/tools/spamreport?pli=1 (may need a Google account to access). For Yahoo!, go to http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/legal/trademarks.php (no account needed).
Monday, July 28, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Online Frustrations
I’m in Texas today and tomorrow for meetings. As I was searching for dinner tonight, I couldn’t help but compare my (poor) experience with what people go through online. Yes, this is a typical geek thing to do, but what can I say – the Internet is always on my mind!
I’ll start with my horrible flight from Ft. Worth to Waco …
Imagine a small dual-prop plane, apparently lacking air conditioning, throwing us back and forth and up and down for the entire flight (a mere 30 minutes or so). Now, I like a good roller coaster, but with little air to breathe in a cramped cabin with at least two people barfing in those little white bags, this was a ride I couldn’t wait to get off.
After waiting an additional 10 minutes at the “gate”, we were finally let off the nightmare …I mean airplane, to be welcomed with 100+ degree heat radiating off the tarmac. I quickly left the puke- soaked area, got my rental car and headed to my hotel.
I was hungry. A simple Google search on my iPhone gave me directions to a pizza buffet restaurant–so a way I went. I got on I-35, took the appropriate exit about 3 miles north, followed another road South for some time (thinking it odd that I was backtracking). Three to four instructed turns later I see the pizza sign I was looking for… and my hotel sign about 3 buildings down.
Rather than delve into road-rage style anger for the many extra miles put on my rental due to some stupid map glitch, I decided to laugh it off and enjoy some pizza. Upon ordering I was told they do not accept American Express (my business travel card). Now, I could have just paid on a personal card, but that just mucks things up. So I cancelled my order and decided to go next door to another restaurant that looked appetizing.
After a short 2-block drive, I found that my next choice also did not take my preferred method of payment. Nor did the third option. Okay, now I was just getting angry. How hard is it to get some dinner around here?
To make this story a little shorter, I ended up eating a greasy meal at Whataburger. It wasn’t at all what I wanted, but it was easily accessible (next to my hotel), and they accepted AMEX. Ah, hunger handled.
As I sat eating my fries, I chuckled at the ridiculousness that I was comparing my experience to a typical consumer’s online adventures – yet it’s true …
People go online expecting to find things fast. When a search engine delivers poor results, or ones that do not satisfy the searcher, consumers get frustrated. If they come to your site and you don’t answer their questions, easily direct them to the nearest store, or make them feel wanted – they move on to the next site, and the next, and the next.
When finally they land on a site that takes care of most of their needs, they’re quick to buy.
Possibly because they found everything they wanted – but often because they’re so frustrated by the lack of good, consumer-friendly websites, that they’re willing to take the first one that comes close.
Moral to the story? Focus on usability. Make sure your site comes up well in the search results, and do everything possible to proactively answer customer questions, build their trust in your brand, and make it easy for them to buy from you.
Moral to my Texas trip story? Get a rental car from Ft. Worth and drive to Waco. At least I won’t have to smell someone’s regurgitated lunch on the way.
I’ll start with my horrible flight from Ft. Worth to Waco …
Imagine a small dual-prop plane, apparently lacking air conditioning, throwing us back and forth and up and down for the entire flight (a mere 30 minutes or so). Now, I like a good roller coaster, but with little air to breathe in a cramped cabin with at least two people barfing in those little white bags, this was a ride I couldn’t wait to get off.
After waiting an additional 10 minutes at the “gate”, we were finally let off the nightmare …I mean airplane, to be welcomed with 100+ degree heat radiating off the tarmac. I quickly left the puke- soaked area, got my rental car and headed to my hotel.
I was hungry. A simple Google search on my iPhone gave me directions to a pizza buffet restaurant–so a way I went. I got on I-35, took the appropriate exit about 3 miles north, followed another road South for some time (thinking it odd that I was backtracking). Three to four instructed turns later I see the pizza sign I was looking for… and my hotel sign about 3 buildings down.
Rather than delve into road-rage style anger for the many extra miles put on my rental due to some stupid map glitch, I decided to laugh it off and enjoy some pizza. Upon ordering I was told they do not accept American Express (my business travel card). Now, I could have just paid on a personal card, but that just mucks things up. So I cancelled my order and decided to go next door to another restaurant that looked appetizing.
After a short 2-block drive, I found that my next choice also did not take my preferred method of payment. Nor did the third option. Okay, now I was just getting angry. How hard is it to get some dinner around here?
To make this story a little shorter, I ended up eating a greasy meal at Whataburger. It wasn’t at all what I wanted, but it was easily accessible (next to my hotel), and they accepted AMEX. Ah, hunger handled.
As I sat eating my fries, I chuckled at the ridiculousness that I was comparing my experience to a typical consumer’s online adventures – yet it’s true …
People go online expecting to find things fast. When a search engine delivers poor results, or ones that do not satisfy the searcher, consumers get frustrated. If they come to your site and you don’t answer their questions, easily direct them to the nearest store, or make them feel wanted – they move on to the next site, and the next, and the next.
When finally they land on a site that takes care of most of their needs, they’re quick to buy.
Possibly because they found everything they wanted – but often because they’re so frustrated by the lack of good, consumer-friendly websites, that they’re willing to take the first one that comes close.
Moral to the story? Focus on usability. Make sure your site comes up well in the search results, and do everything possible to proactively answer customer questions, build their trust in your brand, and make it easy for them to buy from you.
Moral to my Texas trip story? Get a rental car from Ft. Worth and drive to Waco. At least I won’t have to smell someone’s regurgitated lunch on the way.
Building Strategies
With Safelite holding more than 40 percent of the online auto glass market and Glass.net holding almost another 30 percent – we all have a problem.
Look, I’m all for competition – but when I see one or two companies obliterating a market I get a little miffed. I’m not saying they’re doing anything wrong online, but with new acquisitions and a deeper reach into many towns and cities, the rest of you better build a solid strategy to defend your local positions ... or prepare to give up.
Start by looking at your local strengths. Why do people choose to come to you? Do you help charitable organizations? Do you take part in local radio giveaways? Do you have representation in a local parade? These kinds of things build a strong local brand – and keep people coming back. Capitalize on this and make sure local consumers know what you do for the community.
If you know you have a weak brand in your area – look at your competitors. What are they doing? Learn from other’s strengths if you don’t have them yourself.
The big national chains rarely grab the local bond that you can achieve in your area. They may have their vans parked around the corner, and they may try to under price each job. But if you do enough in your area to build trust with your community, underhanded tactics will fail and you will succeed!
Look, I’m all for competition – but when I see one or two companies obliterating a market I get a little miffed. I’m not saying they’re doing anything wrong online, but with new acquisitions and a deeper reach into many towns and cities, the rest of you better build a solid strategy to defend your local positions ... or prepare to give up.
Start by looking at your local strengths. Why do people choose to come to you? Do you help charitable organizations? Do you take part in local radio giveaways? Do you have representation in a local parade? These kinds of things build a strong local brand – and keep people coming back. Capitalize on this and make sure local consumers know what you do for the community.
If you know you have a weak brand in your area – look at your competitors. What are they doing? Learn from other’s strengths if you don’t have them yourself.
The big national chains rarely grab the local bond that you can achieve in your area. They may have their vans parked around the corner, and they may try to under price each job. But if you do enough in your area to build trust with your community, underhanded tactics will fail and you will succeed!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
First Steps
Listen! Fact is, Yellow Pages, Yellow Book, Super Pages or whatever the printed directory is in your area just doesn’t cut it anymore. At least not for most of you. You need to get online – and you need to market your site and your business effectively.
You’ll see in upcoming articles, as well as presentations at IGA, NACE and others—that I’m not preaching to drop your phone book listings all together. But decreasing your phone book cost and moving some budget to your online efforts would be a great strategy.
Yes, a few of you have told me that the phone book delivers great value. But most have said just the opposite. You spend and spend and spend, but your return is poor, if existent at all. Some have told me stories of dropping their phone book costs in half without losing a dime of revenue.
But that’s enough of my online vs. phone book soapbox … at least for now. How do you make your website work for you?
First, you’ll want a modern design. It will do you well to pay a professional for this. There are plenty of web developers in your area, or that can be found on the web.
You know the difference between a cheap windshield and a quality one, right? It’s the same with websites. A cheap one might look okay, but it won’t sell jobs, and it surely won’t rank well in search engines.Don’t allow a developer to build your site with Frames, don’t permit use of iFrames for content, and don’t agree to a site built in Flash. Each of these elements will hinder your ability to show up in the free listings of Google, Yahoo! and other major engines.
You’ll see in upcoming articles, as well as presentations at IGA, NACE and others—that I’m not preaching to drop your phone book listings all together. But decreasing your phone book cost and moving some budget to your online efforts would be a great strategy.
Yes, a few of you have told me that the phone book delivers great value. But most have said just the opposite. You spend and spend and spend, but your return is poor, if existent at all. Some have told me stories of dropping their phone book costs in half without losing a dime of revenue.
But that’s enough of my online vs. phone book soapbox … at least for now. How do you make your website work for you?
First, you’ll want a modern design. It will do you well to pay a professional for this. There are plenty of web developers in your area, or that can be found on the web.
You know the difference between a cheap windshield and a quality one, right? It’s the same with websites. A cheap one might look okay, but it won’t sell jobs, and it surely won’t rank well in search engines.Don’t allow a developer to build your site with Frames, don’t permit use of iFrames for content, and don’t agree to a site built in Flash. Each of these elements will hinder your ability to show up in the free listings of Google, Yahoo! and other major engines.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Hello, Readers!
Hello, and welcome to my new blog with glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR magazine. I’m very excited to share online and industry related news with all of you on a weekly basis (or bi-weekly in some cases).
To get started, I’ll give a short bio on myself so you know who I am and where I come from. In future posts, I will focus on Internet and industry-related topics and hope to be of some use to each of you in your endeavors to better your online exposure.
My name is Scott Orth. I’ve been in Internet marketing for about 10 years and in the glass industry for about 2. I am the director of Internet marketing strategies at GTS, where I manage a team of online marketing experts in the glass and auto industries.
I taught myself various online marketing methods while building my own e-commerce websites in the late 1990s. After some great success, I was approached by a web development firm and asked to head up an Internet marketing initiative with corporate 500 companies like Carrier, LP and Freightliner and numerous mid- to large-sized companies across the nation.
Since then, I’ve worked with businesses in the hotel and hospitality industries, hi-tech, industrial business-to-business, direct-to-consumer, start-ups, local, national, global industries …you name it, I’ve built online success for dozens of industries, and with hundreds of varying degrees of campaigns.
I began discussing the glass industry with GTS in late 2006. What interested me the most was the infancy of Internet marketing in the glass industry. Quite literally, there were only two companies that ruled the entire Internet world. That number has grown to four today, but there are more than 15,000 shops out there, each with a great ability to market and success online. And these numbers don’t even account for the mixed or full-service shops that also have flat glass, collision, towing and other services.
I’ve enjoyed educating the market, and hope that through exposure, education and occasional brute honesty, I can help spread the wealth of Internet marketing to all of you—and help build exponential success!
To get started, I’ll give a short bio on myself so you know who I am and where I come from. In future posts, I will focus on Internet and industry-related topics and hope to be of some use to each of you in your endeavors to better your online exposure.
My name is Scott Orth. I’ve been in Internet marketing for about 10 years and in the glass industry for about 2. I am the director of Internet marketing strategies at GTS, where I manage a team of online marketing experts in the glass and auto industries.
I taught myself various online marketing methods while building my own e-commerce websites in the late 1990s. After some great success, I was approached by a web development firm and asked to head up an Internet marketing initiative with corporate 500 companies like Carrier, LP and Freightliner and numerous mid- to large-sized companies across the nation.
Since then, I’ve worked with businesses in the hotel and hospitality industries, hi-tech, industrial business-to-business, direct-to-consumer, start-ups, local, national, global industries …you name it, I’ve built online success for dozens of industries, and with hundreds of varying degrees of campaigns.
I began discussing the glass industry with GTS in late 2006. What interested me the most was the infancy of Internet marketing in the glass industry. Quite literally, there were only two companies that ruled the entire Internet world. That number has grown to four today, but there are more than 15,000 shops out there, each with a great ability to market and success online. And these numbers don’t even account for the mixed or full-service shops that also have flat glass, collision, towing and other services.
I’ve enjoyed educating the market, and hope that through exposure, education and occasional brute honesty, I can help spread the wealth of Internet marketing to all of you—and help build exponential success!
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