SCORR Marketing, a full-service marketing firm located in Kearney and Omaha, is proud to announce the inclusion of one of their logos in a new LogoLounge project, the first book in their nationally published Master Library series.

SCORR’s development of the logo for Budke’s PowerSports in North Platte, Nebraska, was selected out of thousands of logos from around the world that were entered for consideration. The logo was created by SCORR Marketing’s Creative Director, Ben Rowe.

Like the existing (and continuing) LogoLounge book series, the new Master Library series books will include exemplary logo design work from creatives around the world. Unlike the original series, though, each book in the Master Library series will focus on a very specific logo design category. The categories are initials and crests; typography; people; animals, birds and mythology; shapes and symbols; nature and food; and arts and culture. The Budke’s PowerSports logo was selected for the first edition of the series, Initials and Crests, which will be published in the next year.

“This is an outstanding honor for Ben and SCORR Marketing,” explained Cinda Orr, president of SCORR Marketing. “I am proud of our employees for creating such excellent work for our clients right here in Nebraska.”

SCORR Marketing, a strategic marketing agency, has been hired by Frontage Laboratories, Inc., as their agency of record. SCORR will provide Frontage with a strategic marketing plan, brand development, Web site and several tradeshow components.

Frontage is a leading high quality provider of bioanalytical, pre-clinical, clinical and drug development services to global pharmaceutical companies. Using a collaborative approach to its client relationships, Frontage is one of the only contract research firms in the industry that can help clients develop new products with support from the preclinical research stage to clinical study evaluations, including the supply of clinical trial materials, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and regulatory services. Frontage is helping clients to resolve complex product development challenges through integrated services, an experienced project management team and strong technical expertise through divisions in the United States and China.

“The goal of Frontage is to be a leading full-service provider of quality driven, responsive, client-centric, collaborative R&D services to the pharmaceutical industry,” stated SCORR President, Cinda Orr. “SCORR is already working on Frontage’s new branding message and is looking forward to exceeding their goals.”

“SCORR Marketing’s outstanding client portfolio and knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry impressed us from our first interaction,” stated Dr. Song Li, President and CEO of Frontage. “We are delighted to work with SCORR and develop our comprehensive strategic marketing plan. The newly formed partnership provides a solid foundation to assist us in our organizational goals.”

About Frontage Laboratories, Inc.
Frontage Laboratories, Inc. is a rapidly expanding global pharmaceutical R&D services company with offices in the U.S., Europe and China. Frontage provides research services to facilitate pharmaceutical discovery, development, preclinical and clinical research, commercialization and product launch, and assists its clients to resolve complex product development issues with a strong, experienced management team. The company’s clients include four of the top ten largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, as well as entrepreneurial companies. Frontage is experienced with developing new chemical entities, generic equivalent products, and supporting research for large molecules. For more information, please contact us at sales@frontagelab.com or visit us at www.frontagelab.com.

Plan ahead to get more out of trade show appearances

By Cinda Orr

If part of your promotional budget is invested in trade shows, conferences or conventions, you know how expensive that kind of marketing can be. Even small booths, if they are well designed and constructed, are pricey. And when you add the booth space, shipping and logistics, setup and tear-down fees, rentals, travel, personnel and other expenses, it becomes pretty obvious that you have to do some serious business to make it all pay off.

Start by remembering that a trade show is isn’t a vacation or a boondoggle; it’s a head-to-head selling opportunity. You can see more clients face-to-face in a couple of days than you typically can see in several months. To make sure you get bang for your buck, you need to start with a trade show plan that includes:

Clearly defined show objectives

Pre-show promotion

Lead generation (you want to bring home more than a pile of business cards)

Staff plan and booth schedule

Pre-show training –

- Spend time practicing and anticipating questions

Follow-up plan for qualified leads

Here are a few more tips to help you make your trade show appearances pay off:

Pay attention to booth design. Design your booth so it’s easy to get in and out of. Make it look inviting, but keep it simple. Plan on supplemental lighting. Make sure your company and brand name are clearly identified, then concentrate on communicating the main points of your sales story.

Use signage effectively. Use signage to put across the key benefits and features. There won’t always be a salesman handy, and even when there is, some people prefer to shop alone.

Tie booth graphics to advertising. Don’t have one theme or look going in your national advertising campaign and something completely different in your booth. Unify your themes and you’ll get more mileage ⎯ and memorability ⎯ from them.

Don’t let prospects walk away empty-handed. Anymore, it’s common practice to get a prospect’s name and send them literature after the show, but it’s still a good idea to give them something to take along that re-emphasizes key selling points.

Remember the trade press. Have a professionally prepared press kit available for journalists that may drop by. Better still, make the effort to specifically invite key editors to your booth, and then give them access to top executives and information they can really use.

Target key prospects. Send a pre-show invitation to your customer and prospect lists. Tell them about your participation in the show and specifically invite them to visit your booth or hospitality suite. Telling your story face-to-face is almost always the most effective marketing you can do.

To get the most out of your trade shows, conventions and conferences, plan the details of your appearance well in advance.

Mark McGowan, a long-time Grand Island business and community leader, has joined SCORR Marketing, a Nebraska-based strategic marketing agency. Mark will lead SCORR’s business development efforts with a concentrated effort throughout the state of Nebraska, as well as within the international drug development/health care industries.

Prior to joining SCORR, Mark was a senior professional healthcare consultant for Pfizer, Inc. He gained over nineteen years of territory sales management experience and managed a highly successful territory with sales and promotion of blockbuster pharmaceutical products. Mark accomplished several achievements and awards during his tenure with Pfizer. In addition, he is currently the Grand Island Central Catholic Foundation Board President. Mark earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in biological science from Doane College in Crete, Nebraska.

“I am thrilled to have Mark join SCORR Marketing,” stated SCORR President, Cinda Orr. “His sales experience is truly impressive and I know that he will be an excellent asset to our company as we continue to grow throughout this economic time.”

“SCORR Marketing is an excellent fit for my sales background and public involvement in the tri-city area,” stated Mark McGowan. “I am looking forward to working with such a fast growing, progressive company.”

Direct mail can yield big results – if you know how to use it

By Cinda Orr

Direct mail is a powerful medium. It’s tangible. It’s personal. The latest electronic databases and other technologies have transformed direct-mail methods in recent years, and with appropriate lists and laser-targeted customers, direct mail’s reach and credibility can produce results well beyond other marketing tools.

But it’s not cheap. By the time you pay for the list, creative and production, printing, postage and mailing, it’s much more expensive per-impression than other media. So, it just makes sense to plan the details thoroughly and well in advance. Even if your company uses direct mail only occasionally, you can benefit from some of the wisdom professional mailers use.

Take care of the list first. Nothing – not the product, not the offer, not the layout, design or copy – is more important to success of a mailing than the list. Your in-house customer list is your most valuable asset in this regard, and it’s worth the effort to build and maintain it. If you do buy lists, spend time researching which lists are most clearly directed to your target and prefer these regardless of the cost.

Make an offer – then sell the offer. The fundamental benefit of direct mail is its ability to precipitate an action. But it’s the rare product that is so unique it can fuel a direct mail program entirely on its own. You’ll get better results by creating a compelling offer with an expiration date to give it a sense of immediacy. Whatever it is – a special introductory price, a free “test drive” or premium with purchase, make sure the offer itself is desirable enough to drive a response.

Use dimensional mail. In terms of lead generation effectiveness, dimensional mail is second only to telemarketing. As a tool for producing executive-level leads, a unique package, an envelope with a bulge or anything mailed in a box can usually be counted on to make it past the mailroom and onto the big guy’s desk. A similar technique, if you have the money for it, is to use overnight mail. When it says FedEx on the outside, the package gets opened — and usually right away.

Don’t be dull. You know from going through your own mail how hard it is for a particular mailer to stand out and grab attention. Be provocative. Be outrageous. Do everything in your power to make sure your mailing is noticed, opened, remembered and acted on.

As a medium, direct mail is more targeted, personal and flexible than print or broadcast advertising. It’s also much more measurable. By tracking and analyzing your results, you’ll see what’s working and can make adjustments to future mailings as needed.

Whether as the backbone of your promotional program or a special tactic for special audiences, direct mail is still a powerful tool in the advertising arsenal, one it pays to know how to use.

SCORR Marketing, a full-service marketing firm located in Kearney and Omaha, is proud to be the winner of one Gold and one Silver award at the 16th Annual Nebraska ADDY® Awards on February 11, 2009, in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The ADDYs are the advertising industry’s largest competition that recognizes creative excellence in advertisers from all media types. The Omaha Federation of Advertising and the Advertising Federation of Lincoln orchestrate the ADDY Awards for Nebraska. As a part of the competition, judges from top agencies across the country are brought in to determine what work was the most original and most creative.

SCORR Marketing received a Gold ADDY in the Public Service Interactive category for the I Believe In Me Ranch Web site with the work of Designer Janelle Reed and Creative Director Ben Rowe.

In addition, SCORR received a Silver ADDY in the Elements of Advertising Logo category for the King Investments logo with work from Designer Janelle Reed and Creative Director Ben Rowe.

“It was a great experience to see our team win such outstanding awards for work they completed for local organizations. We were particularly pleased that both jobs were done pro bono in support of the Kearney community,” stated SCORR Marketing President, Cinda Orr. “I am very proud of our team; creative talent and incredible dedication is what propels our growth and makes us competitive in the local and international market.”

SCORR Marketing, a strategic marketing agency, has been hired by DaVita Clinical Research as their agency of record. SCORR will provide DaVita Clinical Research with a strategic marketing plan, brand development and a Web community for patients, investigators and pharmaceutical development companies.

DaVita Clinical Research (DCR) is a leading provider of renal and complex (renal, hepatic, CV, dermatology, and endocrine participants) clinical research and development from their headquarters in Minneapolis and through their network of 120 research physicians and 160 research dialysis units. DCR has been conducting clinical trials for over 20 years and has worked with over 65 drug and device sponsors.

“We are looking forward to building a successful relationship with the DaVita team to expand the company’s current services and focus on a branding strategy for further growth,” said SCORR President, Cinda Orr.

“SCORR Marketing has an impressive amount of experience in this industry and we are eager to begin working with them,” stated Chris Rucker, general manager of DaVita Clinical Research. “SCORR’s strategic approach will lead DCR down a successful path, in addition, we are looking forward to utilizing their marketing knowledge and skills.”

About DaVita Clinical Research
DaVita Clinical Research (DCR) is a renal Phase I-IV clinical trial site and site management organization (SMO) headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. DCR specializes in renal trials and is recognized as a leader in clinical trials for drugs and devices. Locally, DCR offers an alliance of over 120 physicians and has conducted trials in over 160 dialysis units. Nationally, they manage a network of trial sites capable of undertaking renal Phase II-IV clinical trials.

Justin Rolfes, a University of Nebraska-Kearney graduate, has joined SCORR Marketing, a Nebraska-based strategic marketing agency. Justin will serve as an account executive for SCORR’s local and national client base.

Prior to joining SCORR, Justin was with Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, with a primary focus on the athletic department. He assisted with the development of the 2008 marketing plan and implementation strategy, designed marketing materials, and assisted with in-game promotions. In addition, Justin served as the public announcement assistant at the 2008 Men’s College World Series. Justin also brings experience as the owner/founder of Rolfco Apparel and Promotional Products, a company which provides artwork and layout for promotional products.

We are very excited to have Justin as a member of our team,” said Cinda Orr, president of SCORR Marketing. “His experience, enthusiasm, and background make him an ideal fit for our team. Justin is a great example of the high caliber of individuals that come from Nebraska’s university system. We are pleased to have such local talent.”

Justin Rolfes earned a bachelor of science in sports and business administration from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in August 2008. As a student-athlete on the UNK football team, he was a three-time varsity letter winner and the 2007 Kay Payne Award runner-up.

Maintain marketing now to make bigger gains when the recession ends

By Cinda Orr

It seems as if no matter where you turn, one economic prediction is gloomier than the next. Even here in Kearney, a relative bright spot in the economy, orders for many companies are down, sales are off and customers are becoming increasingly scarce.

Faced with declining sales and profits, the natural thing for businesses to do is cut back on their marketing and preserve their cash, right?

Actually, that depends on whether you think the current downturn is ever going to end — and though it may look endless now, every economic recession the world has ever encountered, including the Great Depression, eventually gave way to economic growth and prosperity. This recession will be no different. So while cutting back on your marketing may seem the right thing to do, the opposite is true, and here’s why.

Thirty years and more ago, research at the Harvard School of Business established a positive correlation between awareness, market share and profits. HSB said that, generally speaking, as a awareness of a product or service goes up in a particular market, its market share also rises, and that as market share increases, so do profits. When the economy goes into recession, consumers spend less, manufacturers manufacture less and advertisers advertise less…but media usage by consumers remains stable or trends slightly up.

That means now is a great time to buy “share of voice”. (“Voice” in this context is the total marketing and advertising expenditures aimed at a particular market segment or audience.) In a recession, if you merely continue marketing and advertising at the same levels while your competitors cut back, it gives you a greater share of voice and a chance to build awareness — and consequently market share — at bargain-basement prices.

In this recession, we are making three basic recommendations to clients:

Stay the course. No matter how troubled the times, some sales are always being made and they’re usually being made by brands people know and trust. Now is no time to disappear from your customers’ radar.

Concentrate on target marketing. Now more than ever, you should be talking to the customers you want most, with a message they want to hear. Win their loyalty now.

Reassure your customer base. Remember, it’s usually more profitable to build incremental business from your existing customers than to acquire new ones. Spend some time, money and energy in rewarding past loyalty with special discounts or other frequent-buyer perks. Cross-sell. Call customers to inquire about their needs and concerns. Maintain a reassuringly high profile with your bread-and-butter customers to make sales now and position yourself to make solid gains when better times return.

Don’t be afraid of a recession. Instead of viewing the current economy as a disaster, see it instead as a buying opportunity — one that could really benefit your market share, and profits, down the road.

SCORR Marketing, a Nebraska-based strategic marketing agency, has been hired by Eurofins AvTech Laboratories, Inc. (AvTech) as their agency of record.  SCORR will provide AvTech with a strategic marketing plan, brand development, public relations, media management and tradeshow coordination.

“It is exciting to be a partner with Eurofins AvTech.  We have the industry experience, skills and contacts necessary to help accelerate their rapid growth,” said Cinda Orr, president of SCORR Marketing.  “We look forward to assisting AvTech’s team as they continue to grow in the contract research and animal health industries.”

AvTech is an analytical contract research organization located in Portage, Michigan, and has been serving the pharmaceutical industry since 1990.  As experts in the industry, AvTech offers comprehensive analytical support for all stages of drug discovery and development.

“Our company has a strong history of analytical excellence combined with exceptional regulatory compliance.  We partnered with SCORR due to their reputation of developing strategies specifically for the CRO industry,” stated Ray Farmen, PhD, president of Eurofins AvTech.  “I am confident that their approach will continue the growth of Eurofins AvTech.”

About Eurofins AvTech Laboratories
Eurofins AvTech is an analytical contract research organization (CRO) serving the pharmaceutical industry since 1990. AvTech offers comprehensive analytical support for all stages of drug discovery and development from early ADME studies of drug candidates, to stability and release testing of the finished product.  Eurofins AvTech places special emphasis on the development, validation, and routine performance of GMP and GLP compliant methods.