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MeetTheExpert
If a campaign is truly working, there is no need to change coming from a payment processor anyway.
it until the competitive environment or market needs So how do you tailor a unique solution that reflects the
change. Think Mastercard "priceless." needs/interests/position of the audience?
You work with a stable of seasoned marketing free- Off the top of my head, here are some examples:
lancers who have expertise in payments. What are the
advantages and challenges of working with freelanc- • To the point: What you need to know about EMV.
ers? (Subhead: What you need to do about it)
I am a bit of a control freak, and so I find it challenging to • Benefit-driven: Switching to this terminal will
have my reputation dependent upon the work of others. make you fully compatible with EMV regulations.
That's why I keep my client base small and do most of the (Subhead: Here's how simple it is to switch)
writing myself. But I do work with a variety of freelance
designers. In that arena, some are better with print and • Warning: If your terminal can't process chip card
some are better with digital. Some are more expensive transactions after October 1, your business could
than others. Some are more available. The benefit is that I be liable for fraud. (Subhead: In five minutes we
can choose the right designer for each job. can protect you)
How has marketing for payments enterprises changed • Attention-getting: You have a problem. We have
since you began working in this sphere? a solution.
Significantly. When I started, we were totally focused on Are there do's and don'ts when it comes to
ISOs, and the best way to reach them was to advertise in converting interest to action, building brand
the The Green Sheet. At Cynergy Data, a good ad would and boosting loyalty?
generate 50 to 70 inbound calls. It was incredible! Today,
we are focused more on vertical markets and niches and, Good marketing is good marketing, regardless of the
of course, ISVs. We have to combine a variety of media industry. Though there is an exception to every rule, the
channels in order to build brand. That means not just rules generally remain the same. Here are some of mine:
print, but also digital, events, promotions, speaking, etc.
Lastly, because the industry has become so commoditized, 1. Never sell a product or service. Sell a solution
we have to develop brand "personalities" to differentiate or an outcome. As one of my mentors put it, "You
ourselves and be memorable. are not selling a 4" drill bit; you are selling a 4"
hole."
Are there misconceptions about marketing you'd like
to dispel? If so, what are they, and how do they get in 2. Talk about benefits, not features. Describe
the way of marketing effectively? not what a product does, but what it does for the
prospect.
At the risk of sounding harsh, nothing matters except the
perception of the target audience. Your opinions don't 3. If you try to say too much, you say nothing.
matter; what I think and feel is irrelevant. Good marketers Attention spans are limited. Focus on one thing
ignore their own needs and instead focus on the needs at a time.
and perceptions of their target customers.
4. People do business with people. Give your
Last year, for instance, I saw a countless number of social brand a personality that is appealing to your target
media posts, emails, landing pages and direct mail with the market. And make sure you and your employees
headline, "EMV is coming." As a merchant, my response is, can reflect and live up to that brand.
"So what? Why should I care?" EMV was actually a great
opportunity for ISOs and ISVs to reconnect with clients, 5. Marketing speaks to one person at a time. If
upsell products, approach new customers and improve you are talking one-on-one to a prospect, what
their brand. But they made the mistake of focusing on is the first point you want to make? That is what
their own need to alert merchants about EMV without your marketing materials should convey.
considering merchant need.
What's next for you and Acquired Marketing?
A good communication is geared to the receiver of the
information. That means: someone who probably doesn't What is exciting about being a marketing agency is that
know what EMV is; probably doesn't care what EMV is; is you get to work with new and different clients all the
too busy to learn what EMV is; and, doesn't trust anything time. I enjoy meeting new people and conquering new
objectives. It pushes me to be as creative as possible.
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