Marketing with Ardynn Media

The Holiday Season is upon us and many companies are struggling with depleted budgets ...

2008-12-01T17:19:00.002-05:00

The Holiday Season is upon us and many companies are struggling with depleted budgets and the increasing need to stay in front of prospects and existing clients. A great way to eleviate the tension that comes with this recession is to continue with your companies Good Will in a more public fashion. I suggest that instead of the traditional holiday greeting card that you issue a short video greeting via email that encompasses your holiday spirit and gratitude. This shows that your firm is still dedicated to helping those in need during the holiday season. By telling your audience on tape that you intend to continue giving to (your choice of charity) and this year are dedicating it in their honor, you are setting a great example and are limiting the amount of marketing dollars spent.

10 Tips for Adding Video to Your Marketing Plan

2008-11-11T12:07:00.003-05:00

Every where we look on the Internet today, we see videos. They have more potential for becoming viral than any other marketing medium. They can be serious, educational, funny or just down right "makes-no-sense". Whatever the case, they have a tendency to take on a life all their own - thus your viral message is born.

With RSS feeds and video sites such as Yahoo Videos, AOL Videos and YouTube, a company really has no choice but to start a video campaign. By uploading a simple video and giving permission for the video to be picked up, then you may see it appearing on sites such as MySpace, FaceBook and many others. This is branding that once created you don't have to baby-sit.

Here are our Top 10 Tips for Video Creation:

1. Keep it simple and clean (consider creating a series of images that have text overlaid that can be looped together simply by using Windows Movie Maker)

2. Use imagery that appeals to your target audience

3. Include music or voice overs (increases your watch rate as the average person will not watch a mute slide show)

4. When filming live video try to use average looking people (increases the appeal to the majority of your target audience)

5. Keep the branding to the background (this will help keep the focus on the entertainment or educational value)

6. Make sure you only use licensed / owned imagery and sound (if you need to license sounds or music, there are dozens of online resources where you can purchase rights for just a few dollars)

7. Embed tags in all images to ensure your organic search optimization

8. Tell a story! It must make sense and keep the audience captivated for 30 - 120 seconds.

9. Inlcude linkage to your website (helps drive traffic) as well as having it viewable on your site (YouTube can provide coding to embed on your site as a video viewer widget)

10. Make Sure to Copy Right it!

There are many other ways to help you in the creation of a video campaigns. To learn more watch for the launch of Ardynn.TV on Dec.15th, 2008.

Presidency, Economy and Small Business: What does it mean for us?

2008-11-05T16:06:00.004-05:00

With the new president elect preparing for one of the most important transitions in decades, Obama has a tough fight on his hands. What we, as small business owners, need to pay attention to is how he handles his fiscal policy. In many ways I can understand the need to raise taxes for businesses with revenue of 250k or more. What I worry about is the fact that we are a start-up and have not reached that point as far as revenue streams go.

From a branding stand point, I feel confident in Obama and his ability to pull the country out of it's current economic mess. When we look at how he held a strong, united position from day one and did not change his message simply to combat the negative ad campaign launched by the McCain camp. As business owners this is a great lesson to observe. When a business is building a brand, it must stay consistent and on track. Otherwise, the brand will suffer because it causes confusion in the eyes of the consumer.

From a financial stand point, I intend to watch closely how his fiscal policy evolves and gets implemented. By doing so, I can make minor adjustments to our brand strategy and marketing plan with out pulling away from our original company goals.

The key here is to stay educated and pay attention to the economic climate. If that means looking to outside sources for assistance in keeping your company brand in line, then do so. We can not all be gurus of all things. Seek help when needed and your chances of surviving and thriving in the current economic turn around are that much greater.

When has a business crossed the line between promoting an opinionated position versus business prejudice?

2008-11-03T14:59:00.008-05:00

Late Friday evening I received the following email from Forbes.com giving me the option of an urgent and time sensitive ad campaign that could be added to my blog. When I read the offer I was amazed and appalled that a major corporation would take such a risk that could end up being detrimental to their bottom line. I understand that the purpose of targeted marketing could work in favor of that advertiser, but you can not simply rely on geo-targeting as it still hits a broad audience and you are taking a huge risk in alienating a particular populace.

There is a thin line when it comes to business ethics and personal opinions. I understand a business supporting a particular political stance, but when you bring what is actually a personal opinion in to the picture you have forgotten that business is business.

Walter Arzon, National Sales Director for Ardynn Media had this to say. "Every business in the country needs to realize that by simply jumping on an ad campaign, it can end up having a negative impact to your company's bottom line.

We have to remember that personal opinions and feelings have no place in corporate America."

Hi:

I hope this e-mail finds you well and that you are having a Happy Halloween !

I am writing to you with some urgency because our partners at Adify have proposed a short-term campaign for us to run across the Forbes.com Business & Finance Blog Network.

The campaign is very unique in that it is political in nature and may potentially be objectionable to some readers. We ask that you please take the time to consider whether you’d like this advertisement to run on your site. It is up to you to decide whether you will accept this campaign.

Some details on the campaign:

The campaign advocates a “Yes” vote on California Proposition 8, which touches on some potentially sensitive issues related to familial values and marriage. Specifically, a “Yes” vote on Proposition 8 advocates a ban on gay marriage in California.

The campaign will run only in the 300x250 ad size and will feature a video similar to a political television commercial.

The campaign is Geo-targeted exclusively to the state of California.
The overall CA-only campaign CPM is $2.85 to you.
We are hoping to set this campaign live ASAP as it only runs until November 4th – election day.

To provide you with an opt-out/reject opportunity for this single campaign, Adify has rejected this campaign across our Network. It will appear in your rejected area, at which time you could choose to accept it. We’ve been assured by Adify that the ad WILL NOT automatically serve on your site.” You can preview the video for this campaign in your Adify account as well.

Please let me know if you have any questions- feel free to call my cell phone listed below.

Have a nice weekend.
Many Thanks,

Forbes.com

Their response was this

Hi Michael:

(PR) is cc'd above.

Forbes is not paying for this ad whatsoever -- supporters of Proposition 8 are paying for it. When the ad was offered to you , we made it very clear that the campaign was "political in nature and may potentially be objectionable to some readers." If the opponents of Proposition 8 also wanted to pay for an ad, we would be happy to offer that to you as well. In any case, we do not want to make advertising decisions for you, and think it best to let you decide whether or not to run a particular ad. We have standards regarding the advertising on Forbes Digital owned and operated sites, but as a member of the Forbes.com Business and Financial Blog Network, it’s your right to set your own standards on how to operate your site.

Many Thanks--

Come on America, let's play nice.

Where Does Perception Lie When It Comes To Advertising?

2008-10-30T14:12:00.005-04:00

We launched a new marketing campaign yesterday and I have been amazed and shocked at how it has been perceived. At times it seems that stereotypical ideals from a previous generation are coming into play and at others, that the premise behind the campaign is simply not understood.

Obviously, those that are indicating that it makes no sense shows us that the campaign should be pulled (remember - even the best planned campaigns from the most sought after ad agencies don't always pan out). But on the other hand, when I look at the responses indicating aged ideals and stereotypes, I am reminded that at times an educational value needs to be added to a campaign. This can only help disspell any myths or outdated thoughts.

The lesson learned here is that advertising is always changing and evolving and no matter how hard we try, there will be times when mistakes are made. When mistakes are made, we must realize that by generating the type of response we have already received, publicity can be a double-edged sword. It's how you handle the situation from that point on that will determine your overall outcome of the campiagn.

AARP's Vote 2008 Viral Campaign Goes Gang Busters

2008-10-22T15:40:00.002-04:00

When we think of viral campaigns, we typically do not think of a campaign that is interactive and self branding. That is exactly what AARP's latest endeavor has accomplished. Their Vote 2008 campaign has a great promotional video where the viewer can insert their own name into the video. I tested the video a few times with different variations until I realized that I had just spent 10 minutes watching the same video over and over and over.

Kudos to you AARP....you sucked me in!

When Sales Matter - Opinions Count part 2

2008-10-21T11:25:00.001-04:00

I have found that the average person is thrilled to be asked their opinion and will go out of their way to be completely honest with you. Now, we may not always like the depth of honesty that we receive, but it does allow the doors of communication to stay open. When we apply this to the sales process we need to remember to be honest as well. A potential client that is telling you "NO" may not actually mean it, but is using it as a way to get more information from you, the sales person.

How you handle a client telling you "NO" is going to vary in each instance. You need to be able to not only hear the underlying meaning of the word "NO", but also need to be able to access the body language that is accompanying the response. Make sure to listen for hesitation in the response as that can be a dead give away that there is some interest in your sales pitch.

There are a multitude of reasons that a potential client will say "NO" when they actually do not mean it. As sales people, we have to get to the bottom of things by drilling down to uncover their true needs. Once those needs are identified then you can adjust your sales pitch to meet that need in such a way that makes it difficult for them to mean "NO".

When Sales Matter - Opinions Count!

2008-10-14T10:14:00.007-04:00

When we think of what an opinion is, we assume that it is one person's view. But when the opinions on a particular subject are added up, they begin to tell a story. I have found that social networking websites are an ideal place to take a survey. Not only will you receive an unbiased opinion, but can tell you quite a bit about your subject matter.

I very recently posed a question to the network at LinkedIn and received a multitude of answers in a matter of hours.

The Question Details:
--------------------
When does "NO" actually not mean "NO?

When we look at sales and the sales cycle, how do we know that when a customer says "NO" that they may not mean it?

The responses have been varied and educational. We are beginning to see how learning from your peer group, as a whole versus one or two, can make a difference and provide numerous avenues of thought on dealing with a specific question. Let's take a look at a cross section of responses to the question.

Ray Miller wrote:

Often No is the stock first answer of many people.
I am not however a believer of the "behind every No, there's a yes" philosophy.

Jim Stringer wrote:

When she says it loud enough that here dad walks in. (I'm totally kidding!!!! I just couldn't resist the joke)

Have you heard the old saying that when a customer says no, just think of it as "know" meaning they don't know enough yet?

Yeh, I think that one is full of it too.

To be serious, It is about knowing where you stand and how much rapport we have with the customer. The old school theory of sales was that you keep asking until they buy or throw you out. And, the customer will say no 7 times before yes. This is simply high pressure, and it only works on a small % of people. Not to mention, it is really an amateur way of selling.

Today, it is about rapport and being on the customers agenda. If you are truly on the customers agenda to the point that THEY feel it, the "no's" will no longer be thrown at you as a defense mechanism. No really will mean no. (so you won't have to guess)

The best way to do this, is through asking great questions during your discovery phase. If you can learn what is really important to the customer and let them know that you are truly sensitive to that and on their agenda, you will create a rapport between you and your customer strong enough for you know where you stand at all times.

Another thing that is helpful, is to do what is called "checking for agreement" through out your presentation. I used to do "tap ins" all of the time, but found them to be bordering on that old "ask for the order 7 times" thing again. "Checking for agreement" is a softer version of a "tap in". It is really just friendly questions asking where you stand at that moment. A good way to start most of these questions is "Would you mind sharing with me...?" Or just ask "so where do we stand at this point? They really can't say no to questions like this because you aren't asking for the order, you are asking for them to give you their feelings at the moment instead of their final decision. When your customer shares that with you, you will know where to go with it.

Here is how you test yourself. If you don't know definitively why your customer decided to buy or not to buy, you haven't been checking for agreement. You should never leave a sale wondering if you could have done something different that would have turned it around. Instead, you should KNOW what would have turned it around.

Jakob Thusgaard wrote:

All "No's" need to be examined and qualified in order to fully understand the true and complete nature of a prospects objection to whatever you've been discussing.

There's no "single point of true No's", same as there's no single point in the sales cycle where you can blindly trust a "yes".

What it comes down to is getting the specifics by qualifying and paraphrasing in order to make sure that you and your customer have the same understanding of the topic in question.

Matt Rogers wrote:

This is one of my favorites!!!

"No" in my experience can mean:
Got too much on
You've disturbed me in the middle of an important meeting
I'm in a bad mood
I just had an argument with my partner and will say no to anything
I've got a headache Etc Etc.

One thing I teach to anyone I sales train or have used myself in my past sales career is that "No" can mean any number of things, any number of reasons can be behind the "No".

I would say something like this to the prospect:

"Have a caught you at a bad time, when's best to call back?"
"You sound really stressed, when shall I give you a call/meet for a chat?"
If they actually sound "under the weather", acknowledge it! How many sales people do you think ask questions like, "you sound like you have a cold, obviously not the best time to have a chat, when shall I call on you again?" and get on to the next prospect. The fact you acknowledged something that very few or no other sales people mentioned means that the next time you have a chat with them, a) they will remember you b) Give you time to put your point across c) Just think your a human being rather than some blinded, intent on the sale desperado!!!!

John Barbuto wrote:

When body language says otherwise. Language is a superficial communication of complex perspectives. Body language often says what words do not. Attached references provide some commentary on this. Additionally, word intonation and sentence structure (connotation syntax) often reveal what word denotation does not.

Links:
wikipedia.org
washingtonpost.com

Hale Parisek wrote:

If a prospective client says, "no" it could be that they don't fully understand your product or service. I would use this time to ask more open-ended questions in an effort to understand their business model in greater detail. I, then, would tailor a business plan, focusing on benefits not features and how those benefits would work in harmony with their business model resulting in a win-win solution. Once you've accomplished this, those C-level executive heads will start moving their heads up and down agreeing with you, therefore, moving toward closing the deal.

In sum, if you're getting a "no" from your prospective client, a sales executive needs to refocus their efforts on that customer's business model and objectives. Focus on that client's needs and the goals they need to accomplish. If you offer solutions, you've won!

These few responses can't hope to encapsulate the entire scope of opinions we are still receiving. Not only are people excited and willing to share their thoughts, but are making a point of proving themselves with explanations that can be transitioned to an actual sales call. This is the beginning of a 3 part series where we will delve deeper in to the sales process. Stay tuned for more in-depth coverage.

Ad Agencies Need to Inspire to Attract New Clients

2008-10-13T10:20:00.003-04:00

Over the past few weeks we have seen a poor economic climate increase to one of drastic measures. Close to a three quarters of a trillion dollars in bailouts, the loss of 36% for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and news that the current real estate conditions may not show a turn around until 2010. When we add into the picture the plight of small business owners, we must stand up and take notice.

In the best of times, marketing and advertising agencies tend to rely on the quality of the their portfolio in order to garner new business. In times of panic and disassociation, they need to change their marketing and sales approaches to provide reassurance and comfort to their current and potential client base. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is to not charge for every bit of advice that is dispensed. Drop the initial consulting fees, let questions be asked no matter if they are a client or not. Granted, there are a million and one resources for free advice online, but hearing the soothing tones of an industry veteran can go that much further to alleviating the panic that a business owner may be feeling.

Another great way to combat a down ecomomy is to host seminars (whether in-person or online)that stricly advises the business owner and does not have a sales push attached. This can generate tremendous PR that will come back to you in the form of referrals. The more questions that you can answer effectively means the higher the chances that that client will either continue business with your firm or they will become your next customer.

If your agency does not have the capacity to handle an educational program, then consider partnering with a related, affiliate company that wishes to expand their involvement in the community via Good Will.

By taking such simple steps as example, re-think your current business model and see how you can adapt to fit the newest needs of your potential clientel.

Earning Green by Going GREEN: Advertising at it's best

2008-10-07T09:26:00.004-04:00

In a time where going green is not only the "IN" thing to do, it also makes sense when you look at the current economic climate. I thought I would share a few examples of ways to make your marketing and advertising a little greener. But first I want to explain what going green means. Each person on this planet leaves a carbon footprint, that is to say that depending on how we live our lives, we can see the damage that we are doing to mother earth.

When looking at the various marketing and advertising mediums that your company currently uses, pay particular attention to the printed collateral and in-person seminars you produce to garner leads and/or sales. By reducing these components we not only eliminate landfill deposits, but also minimize the amount of chemicals that are released into the environment.

Some great alternatives are:

Electronic Billboards
Online Advertising and Sponsorships
Online Seminars / Meetings (commonly called Webinars)

There are many more ways to increase your revenue stream while decreasing your company's carbon footprint. If you would like to learn more contact Ardynn Media to learn how your firm can increase the green by going green!

Fresh New Face For Businesses

2008-10-05T12:24:00.001-04:00

2008 REALTORS® Conference & Expo: Where to begin?

2008-09-30T11:06:00.006-04:00

Most attendees to the large real estate conventions (NAR in particular) are there to learn how to propel their brand or business to the next level. Unfortunately there is so much to see and do that it can be difficult to know where to start. Ardynn Media, the only complete marketing, branding, advertising and PR firm for the Real Estate industry, suggests the following while in attendance.

Start your conference attendance off with a plan of action that entails exactly what you want to learn and walk away with. From there you can peruse the various vendors and educational sessions from the conference's website to ensure you are only hitting those vendors and sessions that will be the most beneficial to your current needs.

Once that is under control, make sure that you take notice of new and innovative ways to attract attention (the vendors utilize the best mediums at their disposal to get your attention, so mimic what they do and adapt to fit your situation).

Finally, ask questions and don't assume that by just picking up a brochure you will become well informed.

Ardynn Media to Support Local Arts and Community

2008-09-24T16:38:00.002-04:00

Arts’ associations, historical societies and other community organizations need the support of the small business community and Ardynn Media is positioned to pave the way.

“When Ardynn Media made the decision to target small businesses and their marketing, branding, advertising and pr needs, we knew that we had to provide optimum service and an active model for all small businesses to follow” says the company’s president, Michael D Harris, Jr. “As such, we intend to show our support of the community at large by becoming major proponents of the various groups that make a city the living, breathing entity they all strive to become.” By small businesses partnering with local organizations, they not only create good will and provide much needed support, but they also are able to effectively brand themselves and create a network of crucial contacts that every business needs in order to succeed. “We not only look at the goals of the organization and how we can assist, but at who their target audience is and whether it is a match for us in terms of the end consumer.”

Understandably each business will need to be creative in their approach if moneyed sponsorships are not a part of their marketing budget. The bartering of services and the volunteering of man hours can be a great entrance to the community as well. If you would like to learn more give them a call @ 717.263.4148, send an email to info@ardynnmedia.com or visit one of their sites ArdynnMedia.com, ArdynnPr.com and MarketingWithArdynnMedia.com.

Theory of Color in Advertising

2008-09-15T12:49:00.003-04:00

When the average consumer looks at an advertisement, they may notice the images, the tag line or even a dominate color, but they may not realize what effect each has on them. Images may spark a memory or text may cause a reaction, but how does color come into play?

Color often plays on emotions and associations. When creating an ad or marketing tool, we tend to view colors as an overall image solution and not what those colors may mean. Use caution when designing a color scheme as you may end up driving your potential customer directly to your competitor.

Visit color-wheel-pro.com for the full meanings of color before you design your next marketing or advertising tool. This could make the difference in creating an effective ad.

Is your website consumer-centric?

2008-09-08T14:49:00.003-04:00

Last week I attended the RIS Media Leadership Conference in NYC and was thrilled to see the amount of information disseminated over a day and half of panel discussions. The most critical panel was a discussion entitled Who Are You Reaching? Is Your Website Consumer-Centric?. The discussion was enlightening in many ways and educated the attendees on a number of key points that I would like to share with you.

1. Make sure that your branding comes across extremely well through out your site
2. The website should be visually engaging
3. Only use high quality images
4. Consistency is very important
5. Create a user experience
6. Make sure that it is easy to use and navigate
7. Keep it Simple. Simplicity is the key. Take a look at Google's home page
8. Have a Suggestion section instead of asking for feedback. This not only helps the site evolve into a consumer-centric website but gives you a great reason to contact potential customers
9. Every section of your site should be clickable
10. Do a competitive overview on a monthly or quarterly basis to ensure that you are keeping up with and exceeding the Jones'
11. Make adjustments on a regular basis so that nothing seems stale and will keep consumers coming back. It is recommended that these are done on a quarterly basis
12. Repeat visitors are better than the amount of time a user is on your site
13. Make sure it functions on mobile devices
14. Should be a customized website to be truly consumer-centric
15. Consumer Centric websites talk about the consumer and not me, we or I
16. You only have 4 seconds to engage the consumer / visitor
17. Get rid of your ego, it's all about the consumer
18. Make it content heavy
19. Let consumers control the experience
20. Be redundant with call to actions
21. Install response mechanisms on the back end
22. Provide collaborative tools
23. Add Groups, Forums and Blogs
24. Use permission based marketing and know when to ask for contact information. The front page is not always the best.
25. Provide sharing capabilities

These guidelines are crucial to implementing an effective website for your brand and/or company.

Advertising Quotes ...

2008-09-02T11:38:00.004-04:00

I came across an intersting site today BizCommunity.com that had some great advertising quotes I thought I would share.

"Customers buy for their reasons, not yours."
Orvel Ray Wilson

"Things do not pass for what they are, but for what they seem. Most things are judged by their jackets."
Baltasar Gracian

"Imagination has always had powers of resurrection that no science can match."
Ingrid Bengis

"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere."
Carl Sagan

"If advertisers spent the same amount of money on improving their products as they do on advertising then they wouldn't have to advertise them."
Will Rogers

"Advertising isn't a science. It's persuasion. And persuasion is an art."
Bill Bernbach

"Creativity is an advertising agency's most valuable asset, because it is the rarest."
Jef I. Richards

"I do not have much patience with a thing of beauty that must be explained to be understood. If it does need additional interpretation by someone other than the creator, then I question whether it has fulfilled its purpose."
Charlie Chaplin

Newspaper VS Radio Advertising? Can I use the same ad for both?

2008-08-22T10:05:00.004-04:00

Newspaper (or print in general) advertising and radio spots are the same in that they both attract loyal consumers and work hand in hand as components of an overall marketing strategy. But what many advertisers fail to realize is that they are very different delivery vehicles. It simply will not be effective if a print ad is read on the air. Here are the reason why.

Print advertising relies on the sense of sight to deliver a message and with the typical small business ad a short black and white text ad, then the structure and content needs to VERY concise, yet compelling. Proper gramme tends to fly out the window in these cases in order to get the message across. Make sure that besides the promotion, that you provide a form of contact. I have seen numerous ads where there is no contact information and the average consumer will not go to the trouble of tracking you down. Make it easy for them to respond.

With radio advertising you are relying on a consumers sense of hearing so you not only need to pay attention to the wording on the ad, but you also need to pay very close attention to voice inflection and how it can best help you get your message across. It's amazing how much can actually be said in a 15 second radio spot. Talk to the consumer, don't just verbalize bullet points. Use the power of voice to make it funny or stress a point. Lastly, strive to evoke emotion whenever possible.

Even though both advertising mediums are different, they should have a consistent message that fits with your marketing strategy.

Can a Small Business Advertise for FREE?

2008-08-18T14:16:00.004-04:00

Many small businesses automatically assume that you must pay for advertising. Not True! There are many different ways to gain advertising for free or at little cost. You can barter services or place an ad in online directories. The most famous of the free online directories is Craigslist. Last month Craigslist had 609.2k visitors to their site. That is huge and when you look at the overall # of visits at 2,413,932, you can see that the chances of your ad being viewed are quite good.

There are many other free directorys out there that are general in nature or who have targeted audiences. Simply go into Google and run a simple search for "free business directory listings" and you will see 85 pages of directories.

Some directories will keep your ad as a permanent ad and others have a specific time frame that the ad will run. You also want to pay attention when setting up an ad, as many directories feed to other directory sites. This cuts down on the # of directories you actually need to list with.

Take some time to increase your internet presence and get listed today! For more advertising advice contact Michael D Harris Jr @ Ardynn Media

How do I choose a Marketing or Advertising Firm?

2008-08-11T17:48:00.005-04:00

When you are just starting out with your own business, it can be extremely difficult to know what to look for in a marketing or advertising firm. The first thing you should realize is that there is a difference between the two. A marketing firm can assist you with a total marketing strategy (this would include advertising components) and may assist you with execution of the overall strategy or they may offer a simple few product or services lines that would become a part of your overall marketing strategy. The majority of marketing firms out there offer just a few pieces that a company needs for a complete strategy, so you may need to work with a few firms to achieve your goals.

An advertising firm works mainly with campaigns that would encompass print ads, commercials, billboard and other similar advertising mediums. They are just getting into website advertising and that is the main reason that advertisers are going to niche multi-media firms to have that need met.

What you need to decide is 1) Are you capable of putting together a strong marketing strategy? -If so then using multiple niche firms would work well for you. 2) Ask the right questions when interviewing a firm / agency.
A. What services / products do you provide?
B. Who are some of your clients?
C. Who is your ideal client?
D. How can you meet my needs?
E. Who do suggest for the parts of my strategy you can not handle?
F. Why should I choose you over a full service firm?
G. Do you offer retainer packages?

By understanding the differences and asking the right questions you will be in a much stronger position to implement your marketing strategy effectively.

What does Advertising Growth Forcast Mean for Small Businesses

2008-08-04T11:01:00.004-04:00

ZenithOptimedia’ Advertising Growth forecasts for 2008 have been downgraded from 3.7% to 3.5% for North America due to the increased credit crisis coupled with high energy and commodity prices that are adding to the countries inflation. They estimate internet advertising to grow at 26.7% and will capture 10% of overall advertising dollars be years end.

How does this affect small businesses that must make strategic decisions about rebalancing their budgets? Do they cut back on advertising? Should their marketing strategies change? Where should they go for help?

The rebalancing of budgets is something that every business does on a regular basis, even though we do see it happening more often through an inflationary period. What small businesses need to remember is that is the time to up their marketing budget (or at least maintain it’s original levels) if at all possible. With the typical consumer watching each $ more closely in a down economy, they need to increase their presence. The typical rule of thumb is that it takes 6 impressions to get a targeted consumer to react. I believe that # rises to 8-10 impressions before they consider reacting.

If a marketing strategy is going to change, it should be in a way that increases the total # of impressions across the board. This may mean you decrease your print advertising and finally look into that increased online ad presence or video billboard advertising. What is a must as well when changing your business’ marketing strategy is to generate PR. There are a multitude of free press release services out there, as well as companies that will help you write a solid release. The rewards can be huge. Not only does it increase your brand awareness, but increases your internet presence as well.

The final suggestion for the day is that you take a good, close look at your website. Be honest about what you are seeing. Your website is or should be the face of your company when it comes to your online presence. Most small businesses tend to thin k that once the site is built that they don’t need to include it in their marketing budget. A website needs to constantly evolve and have depth added. You want to attract repeat visitors - not to mention giving the spiders and crawlers new tidbits to latch onto.

Event Lead Follow-up: What's the best approach?

2008-07-29T19:12:00.005-04:00

Events are terrific places to gather qualified leads. The question is, "What is the best way to follow-up on those leads?" If you return from an event and you have a large number of leads then you are more limited as to the personable scope of the follow-up. Direct mailings and emails are your best bet, and then it is still virtually impossible to come across with a personal message. We do the best that we can and I suggest taking as many of the leads as possible and pulling them from your lead list and writing a personalized email or letter, or better yet a phone call to each of them.

Now if your lead list is smaller, say less than 50, then take the time to look at the companies website and any other information you can find before making the contact. This allows you to get very personal about their company and or product and is appreciated by the recipient. Your close ratio also will be higher. You don't need to even imply or state that you actually spoke to that person. Just acknowledge that you know they were there and you appreciate their presence and then tailor the rest of the message around how great they are and that you would like to invite them to view your services. By taking this approach, you are letting them know that you have already invested your time in them and common courtesy tends to prevail.

Our firm was at a local event this past weekend and I have only gotten to maybe 5 of the numerous leads that were collected and have already received 1 appointment. That is a 20% response rate, which is better than I had ever dreamed of, and it is all because I have taken my time in approaching these potential clients.

Choosing The Right Image.

2008-07-25T14:04:00.003-04:00

Imagery is everywhere we turn. Sometimes it is appropriately chosen to convey the necessary message and at times it makes little sense. When our firm is designing a new advertisement, email campaign or video, we can spend days looking through images before we find one that fits the bill. That is how important the right image is.

What you want to think about first is what does the image need to convey? Is it an overall message? A feeling? A point of reference? Or is it backup to proving a point? There are a multitude of reasons why we choose an image. Once that image is chosen, make sure it fits with your original goal for what the image was to accomplish.

I tend to take a lot of pictures, no matter where I go, and they do come in handy at times. But when I don't find what I need in my ever growing library of images, then I turn to online sources such as ClipArt.com, Photos.com or other subscription services. They are not terribly expensive and if you are on a very limited budget then I suggest doing the shortest subscription they have (which typically is 1 month) and spend a few hours a week while you have it, downloading any and all images that you may be able to use in the future.

What you NEVER want to do is copy an image that you have not paid for. This can lead to legal battles and judgments that can destroy a small business. By using the subscription services or taking the pictures yourself, you maintain the right to use the images. Just keep your receipt for the subscription service and you'll be fine.

There are some free image sites out there but you need to read the fine print as most do not allow for them to be used for commercial purposes.

Making Your Brand More Than Just Window Dressing

2008-07-22T08:39:00.005-04:00

Location, location, location. That is what we always here about retail businesses and it's true that your location plays an integral part of a successful business model. Once you have the location, the next logical step is how to address the appearance for the passerby impression. Great window dressing goes a long way to bringing customers in the door. But what happens after they are in the door? Or better yet, how do you attract those customers that are not just happening by?

Every business needs a strong marketing strategy and if you do have a great location and the proper window dressing, then use that as the base of your strategy. Build around that image by using it in your magazine ads, billboards and even email campaigns. There are a number of things that will happen once this is done. The first is that you give the impression of being larger and more solid than you may actually be (there is no need for customers to realize you are a new business). The second is that having a cohesive image sets a tone of quality, that automatically flows over to your product line(s). And finally we have the buzz that can be created by a solid marketing strategy. When a customer is drawn to your location because of an ad and then they see that your business is what they expected, they tend to talk about it. That is the best form of advertising you will ever get.

Do Small Businesses Have the Power to Survive an Estranged Economy?

2008-07-19T20:05:00.006-04:00

When I first heard a few weeks ago that we were in an 'estranged' economy, it intrigued me but made little sense. But the more I think about it, that is exactly what we are seeing. It's not a typical recession, but with certain sectors so completely out of wack, it is just down right wierd. Typically, when oil prices sky rocket, we see up-pricing pretty much across the board, yet there are still industries that are able to leverage their buying power to keep their price points in check. The fast-food restaraunt industry is a good example of this. Granted, they are picking up those customers that are assumming that their regular restaturant may cost them more due to overall increases, but that is all the consumer is doing, ASSUMING. They may even drive further to McDonald's than they would their neighborhood pizzaria.

Small business owners need to take a lesson from the average consumer. They need to do a little assuming. Normally, I caution to never assume, but what may happen is that by assuming that the next time a key marketing componant is up for renewal (ie:magazine ads, commercials, video etc.)it forces that business to look at alternative means of getting their message across. In doing so, they not only educate themselves on various mediums of advertising and marketing, but may come across that unique venue that will propell their buisness or brand into stardom.

We are all looking for that one great message that gets the phone ringing and the product flying off of the shelf. So why not use this estranged economy to educate yourself, your consumer base (let's face it there was a time when I didn't think you could print on an egg)and grow your marketing strategy instead of stiffling it.

Who Is The Face of Your Company?

2008-07-18T07:55:00.003-04:00

It's amazing when I think about all of these businesses that are struggling to grow their brand into an industry leader and fail to take into account the face of that brand. No matter how great your marketing and advertising are, there must always be a human element in the mix. For most businesses it is the sales force, the management and anyone else that has direct face-to-face contact with the consumer.

Those that are in visual contact of your consumer, MUST be presentable and have a pleasant personality. Remember, that typically, the first impression is made within seconds, and that opportunity can NEVER be achieved again. It doesn't matter if the person knows the product or service inside out, if they project a poor image for your company.

The only thing that is worse than projecting a poor image in person, is not projecting that image at all. I understand that there are many companies that are strictly web based and never see their target audience. But what happens is, your growth will stall if you are not in front of your consumer base on a regular basis and that means attending events and trade shows and building the human side of your business.

So I encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone and build that presence. Then you can feel confident that you are not missing a critical step in building your business or product into an industrious brand.