Sales & Marketing Articles For Entrepreneurs & Small Business OwnersHow to Publicize a Start-Up BusinessMany people who start a new business sometimes have an inferiority complex. After all, if you are the new kid on the block with the new business, why should anybody trust that your product is any good, you know what you are doing, or that you will be around to stand behind your product? This […] Finding the Right PR / Marketing FirmEngaging the right public relations, marketing and / or advertising agency is not always as simple a task as it appears. When companies venture out to find marketing representation, they often do what most people do when searching for a new business relationship — ask someone who has worked with a PR consultant for a recommendation. […] Business to Business PREvery business owner knows that public relations is a subset of marketing and marketing is a subset of sales. The “bottom line”, to use an overused term, is what it’s all about. Whether a company is selling a product or service, making the sale is the goal. So it’s often fascinating when a company says, […] Beware of Hidden Costs of Hiring a PR FirmPerhaps the most often asked question companies ask when hiring a public relations firm is, “what does it cost?” Interestingly, this is also a question many PR firms have difficulty answering. There are three basic ways that firms charge. First, and perhaps the most common, is the monthly fee. A PR firm will give thought […] Marketing in Tough Economic TimesWhen the economy slows, and companies are faced with belt-tightening, often the first function to be cut back is marketing, advertising and public relations. The reason is simple. A company believes it can get along without running ads and having a strong public relations program in place. On the other hand, they need employees, legal […] How to Hire a PR FirmSo you’ve made the decision to retain a public relations company to create and implement a PR campaign on your behalf. But how do you know which firm is right for your company, organization or nonprofit? How do you go about deciding which of the thousands of PR/marketing firms out there will help you achieve […] Free Stuff Doesn’t Come Cheap“Hunted by the authorities; we work in secret. You will never find us, but victim or perpetrator; if your numbers up… we’ll find you.” – Harold Finch, Person of Interest, CBS, 2011 There are millions of people around the globe who are deathly afraid that “Big Brother” — super-government capable of tracking our every move […] Use Digital Signage to Do More with LessAt least 40 percent of my time is spent on the road attending and speaking at conferences, meeting with integrators and visiting their customer sites. It lets me see firsthand how they’re using our digital signage products and services. It also gives me an opportunity to listen to their questions; their wish lists and their […] 5 Sales Training Tips to Live ByHave you ever wondered how you can make your sales training a real success? Training and development is one thing, but have you psyched yourself up for the path that leads to success? Here are some sales tips to get you there and on top of your chosen field. 1. Make Your Mind Up If […] Tim Horton’s and NHL Seal Deal for SponsorshipTheStar.com reports that Tim Horton’s has signed up for title sponsorship of the NHL All-Star Game to be held in January 2012 in Ottawa. This will be a great marketing opportunity for the franchise’s doughnut and coffee products. Tim Horton’s will have in-arena signage and their logo at centre ice. It has more than 3,000 […] Capturing Eyeballs, Mindshare in a Distracted WorldDigital signage has proven to be one of the most influential, most effective communications tools available for virtually any business or organization-including budget-conscious, small- to medium-sized organizations. That’s because digital signage isn’t what it used to be – namely, simply video playback. By adding new technologies and capabilities to signage, organizations can do a better […] Digital Signage … an Effective Marketing Tool for FranchisesKen Goldberg of Real Digital Media, in his article in DigitalSignageToday.com, expounds on the use of digital media as a very powerful marketing tool for franchise businesses. He cites the franchise model where the concept of a marketing campaign is decided by the franchisor while at the same time giving the local franchises some control […] McDonald’s Brilliantly Markets McRibInc. calls McDonald’s marketing of McRib brilliant. The company’s use of exclusivity, scarcity and seasonality makes McDonald’s customers baffled, excited and hooked. McDonald’s has turned the barbecued pork sandwich into a favorite. This early, people are speculating if the McRib will make a comeback next year. Companies can learn much about marketing their products from […] Commercials Reflect Tough TimesCompanies and advertising execs are in a dilemma during these rough economic times. They try to connect or empathize with their consumers through their commercials. Tim Calkins of the Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management told Marketplace.org, “Making sure advertising resonates is so important. And if your consumers are struggling economically, then the message has to change […] Just Remember… “Guys” Buy Stuff Too“I’m surprised you aren’t mad at me… I thought you might hold it against me for killing 3 of your guys.” – John Smith., Last Man Standing, New Line Cinema (1996) There’s been a number of girl books published recently that put down the “pre-adulthood” male (they call them guys). With trepidation, we enter into […] What Should Your Free Giveaway Be?It’s very interesting how opinions have changed over the last few years in marketing about what your free giveaway should be. I don’t mean the format it should take (i.e report, e-book, newsletter etc), but what the topic should be and the type of people it should attract. I know I’ve certainly changed my opinion. […] When People Talk, People Listen, Marketing Gets Better“I’m a very understanding person, Albert. I understand that you are going through a selfish phase. And, I’m sure that you will understand that I am going through a destructive phase.” – Mollie, Look Who’s Talking (1989), TriStar Companies and their marketing efforts go through phases just like parents and kids. It used to be […] What Can We Learn From Prezzo?The other night (after a very long week I hasten to add) my husband and I went to Prezzo, the Italian Restaurant Chain. Prezzo is a company that I really admire in terms of marketing, because they really have it spot on. Granted they have a huge marketing team and probably a large budget to boot, […] What To Do On LinkedinSo, you’ve joined Linkedin on the promise that it’s a great business tool and you’ll definitely get clients from it, right? Now what? You know that clients coming from this medium won’t happen on their own, but what should you do next? This is such a common question – what should I be doing on […] Should You Bother Marketing During The Summer?Why should you bother doing any marketing during July and August? After all, most people are away on holiday aren’t they? No one is really around so there doesn’t seem to be much point in doing a lot of marketing. You might as well just have some time off and take things a little bit […] |
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