Perspective Sales & Marketing - BRANDING

Educate Your Customer to Make the Sale

2009-01-05T01:10:00.000-08:00

If you've been on the internet for any length of time, you've probably seen thousands of ebooks, courses, and other types of tutorials on just about any topic that you can imagine.

The problem with a lot of these courses and ebooks businesses are giving away are junk. They don't contain any real information. Many are nothing more than blatant sales pitches.

Although it may seem like a waste of time to create a course when this technique seems to be so overused, have you ever considered that this could be a way to sell more of your products and services?

Although the market seems to be flooded with courses, ebooks, and tutorials, there's alway room for this material provided it's high quality.

What is key is creating a course or ebook, or some other type of tutorial is to offer some real choice information nuggets your readers don't know.

Although you can create a course, ebook, or tutorial out of others' articles, this isn't really a good idea unless you can find really valuable, and useful, content.

If you decide to go this route, you'll need to do some research. There are plenty of top notch article directories where you can find articles to create your course:

Ezine Articles - http://www.ezinearticles.com
Go Articles - http://www.goarticles.com

Both of these article directories are general article directories and contain plenty of articles on just about any topic.

If you can't find enough quality articles to create your course, then you may want to consider more specialized article directories.

You can find find article directories here:

Directory of Article Directories - http://www.directoryofarticledirectories.com/ - Although this is a fairly new directory, you'll find quite a few niche article directories on a lot of different topics.

When selecting your articles, you should select at least seven. It takes an average of seven contacts with your reader to make the sale.

Send them out over a period of at least 30 days or more. One or two emails per week is plenty. Don't bombard your reader with email. Include a short note to your reader, and make sure that you mention your product or service. Be subtle about it. No one likes to be sold.

The other alternative is to write your own course. Personally, this is a better choice because your content is original. You have an opportunity to give your reader a few choice nuggets they won't know, and it's an opportunity for you to really show your potential customers what you really know.

Tie these nuggets to your products and services and show what your products and services can do for your readers, and you have a winner.

When you're ready to take your course to the next level, you need to publish it for wider distribution. Sites like Learno, http://www.learno.com, can help you publish your course, as well as turn your course into a real book for publication. This will allow you to leverage your work and share your knowledge and expertise more quickly.

By leveraging your work, you'll brand yourself as an expert more quickly. Potential customers who are interested in your offers will seek you out. This will save you time and money on your internet marketing efforts. by driving targeted visitors to your site.

Although using courses, ebooks, and tutorials to promote your products and services has been overused, if you create quality content and offer your visitor something useful, you'll increase your chance of making the sale.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

International Brand Naming And How Words Can Hurt You

2009-01-04T01:08:00.000-08:00

It was the famous publicist PJ Barnum who said in 1855 "I do not care what people say about me but get my name right".

In today's international marketplace, getting names right is vital.

Marketers and brand managers are becoming more and more concerned that their newly created name will be inappropriate in their target markets.

We've all seen middle aged marketing executives embarrass themselves when trying to appear trendy to the youth market but things get even worse when attacking overseas markets.

What many people don't realize is that innocuous English product names often do not travel well. So called, 'bad' names, names which embarrass, offend or are just plain unsuitable, are profligate.

Bad products names, bad brand names and even bad company titles, are continuously spawned and the headlong drive towards globalization has given unwelcome publicity to all of them. There are many instances of where things have gone awry, most of them too rude to mention in this article.

It's not just names which need careful attention, straplines can go just as wrong. Take for example, Electrolux, the Swedish white goods company, who used the strapline "Nothing sucks like an Electrolux" to great effect when promoting a vacuum cleaner across Europe. Unfortunately, when they used the same line for the US launch they became a laughing stock as 'sucks' means something is 'very bad' in America.

Bad translations on apparel can also convey the wrong message. Take the slogan "I saw the potato", instead of the correct Spanish translation of "I saw the Pope," used on promotional T-Shirts for the Pope's visit to Miami.

The cost of such a damaging event cannot easily be counted. The very fact that a product might have to be hurriedly withdrawn, or quickly re-badged can have a catastrophic effect on the image, position and value of the brand and, of course its owner.

How can one put a value on that? The cost can be enormous, with the repercussions leaving careers in tatters. It seems almost ridiculous to many outside the marketing business that there are still organisations that undertake no due diligence and take a chance on it being 'alright on the night'.

Most sensible people take out insurance to cover them for almost every event and occasion, yet when instances of such obvious potential devastation occur, it is always too late to do anything about it.

Traditional remedies such as expecting your advertising agency to provide such a service is, with some exceptions, a waste of time. It's like asking your dentist to give you a diagnosis in respect of a pain in your toe.

You might expect your translation agency to offer this service but, unless they are very experienced and have regularly handled the needs and demands of checking words worldwide, again you could be wasting your money. Proper checking involves much more than whether the word means something contentious or just risible in a foreign language.

So, what can be done to reduce the risks of things going wrong? Fortunately, there are a few simple but highly effective precautions which can be taken:

1. Remember names change with speech

There's a world of difference between the written and spoken word. Accents and dialects play havoc with the pronunciation of English words and vice versa.

Most of have had an experience of the way our own language is treated by foreigners. We sound similarly strange to foreigners when we try to speak in a language which isn't our own. Before deciding on a name, simply ask a native speaker of the target language if it sounds OK to them.

2. Avoid names that can't be pronounced easily, or at all

Although this sounds like another blatantly obvious point, it's something which many people forget completely. Many languages have an alphabet and a way of speaking which makes the reading of English words difficult or, in some extreme cases, practically impossible.

For instance, all words in Japanese end in either a vowel or the letter 'n' so it makes sense to chose a name which follows this convention. By doing this, you can be confident that your Japanese customers will be able to pronounce it without difficulty or embarrassment.

3. Avoid names that confuse

A name may meet every other criteria but due to culture, product qualities or its position in the market place, it may still confuse its intended consumer. This fault will seriously endanger product positioning and so clarity must be established.

Many years ago the then President of the USA, John F Kennedy was making a speech close to the Berlin Wall. He finished off in an effort to try to identify himself with the long-suffering inhabitants by announcing to his audience "Ich bin ein Berliner". Unfortunately, and unknown, to the President he was telling everyone that he was a doughnut; a Berliner being the popular name for a local pastry.

I am often amazed that companies spend tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars launching a product with a name which is so obviously wrong that it would have been flagged as inappropriate immediately had they undertaken proper checking.

The cost of checking is tiny compared to the damage caused by not doing so.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Going Zero Carbon: An Approach for Small Business

2009-01-03T01:06:00.000-08:00

How to make your environmentalism pay!

STEP 1: Figure it out:

Every time that you drive your car you contribute to global warming. The same is true for turning on a light-unless you are purchasing energy from alternative sources.

This article will help you off-set those carbon emissions. It is not that expensive to do this, and you will be helping to pay for some of the environmental cost incurred by your company.

Discovering our carbon imprint wasn't as easy as we thought it would be. I had heard about carbon offsets opportunities for a while, and we wanted to do it, but we did not know how. Most of the information used for determining the carbon generated is geared to the consumer, not the small manufacturing business.
We found these sites particularly helpful in trying to come up with figures and just having these links might save you hours of time:

http://www.carboncounter.org/

http://www.carbonfootprint.com/

http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/

http://www.carbonfund.org/site/

Using these sites, our company of ten employees produces carbon emissions from these six sources. The figures are in metric tons:

1. Employee commute: 28.9 tons
2. Employee business travel: 13.44 tons
3. Shop gasses (from soldering): .11 tons
4. Company vehicles: 6.02 tons
5. Electricity: 2.43 tons
6. Natural gas: .47 tons

Our biggest impact is employee commutes and travel. Electricity is low because ninety percent of our energy comes from green sources. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are used in the plant.

The question is, once you are able to figure out your actual offset, how do you turn it into your advantage? That comes with who you choose to work with for your offset.

STEP 2: Choose your organization

You can go on line and see a number of organizations that offer different offset possibilities. From this, you can actually see what you are going to pay for your off-set.

http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/carbon_offset_wind_credits_carbon_reduction.htm

There have been some rumors in the press that question whether money donated to certain organizations for off-set are actually being used for that purpose. Research your choice well.

The company that I chose to work with is not on this list. Forest Guardians, a New Mexico based environmental organization, has been involved with tree planting programs around streams beds in New Mexico, which supports most of biodiversity. Just as I was about to choose where to off-set my carbon, the assistant director, Carol Norton, gave me a call and asked me if I wanted to work with them. I have been a supporter of theirs for many years.

Their mission is:

"To protect and restore the native wildlands and wildlife of the American Southwest through fundamental reform of public policies and practices. Our goals are to protect and restore the native biological diversity and watersheds of the American Southwest; educate and enlist citizens to support protection of the forests, rivers, deserts and grasslands of this arid region; advocate for the principles of conservation biology in plans to restore degraded ecosystems and watersheds; enforce and strengthen environmental laws; support communities in efforts to protect their land and to practice and promote sustainable use of natural resources."

Since I know the organization has integrity, I can be assured that the money will actually off set the carbon we use through tree planting. Also, I saw a greater opportunity to tap into their network.

One thing that particularly appealed to me about Forest Guardians is that their offsets addressed entire ecosystems. Secondly, they were willing to work with me in a press release. Going green is the right thing to do, but it costs money. So if you can, work with an organization that will give you publicity. Ask for a link from their site and see if they will write something about you in their newsletter.

In this regard, it is great if you can find a local organization because they are going to be more receptive and easier to access.

STEP 3: Write a Press Release

The critical thing now is to get support from the community that shares your green values. This is a huge advantage because socially responsible jewelry, even according to leaders in our industry such as Martin Rapaport, has the opportunity to become the luxury brand. A large number of people in our country, perhaps as much as twenty percent are interested in supporting companies that are socially responsible.

You need to make these people aware that you exist because you need their support. Being socially responsible costs money.

I write a lot of press releases and I used to just write boring ones. Here is an example of what I consider a bad press release.

Then, I realized that editors see hundreds of these a day, probably, and they are looking for press releases which are interesting and even provocative.

My last press release was about how I switched to a Fair Trade supplier in Bali even though it costs more than the people I was working with in India and Thailand.

I got the attention of a senior editor of a major trade magazine who was offended by my-calling Blood Diamonds a "red herring." I wrote a long response to his protest. In the end, he really appreciated my point of view. I realize it was like playing with fire and fortunately, I was not burned. The release was picked up by JCK.

Here's my press release for my Zero Carbon. I admit, it is a little zany, and I may modify it for certain editors who I know would not be into it, but for a general release, it might just catch the attention of some people.

Also, here are some press release services that we use:

http://www.prweb.com/
http://home.businesswire.com/
http://www.i-newswire.com/
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/
http://www.pr.com/

After you release your info to these sites, go to Google alerts and trace where it gets picked up. Simply enter your search terms in the box provided and select how often you want updates. Google will then send you emails to the email you provide, with all instances of that search term being used for the time selected.

You can then go through them, one by one and see how many found you or someone else using that term. These are great because though they can take a little time to explore, they can be troves of marketing treasure. If you go about this, please come back to this site and share information, particularly if you are able to find more about going zero carbon. We are always looking for ways to improve.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Rattanland will Supply The Furnitures to the Whole World

2009-01-02T00:52:00.000-08:00

Furniture will always growing and developing as long as people have innovation and market demand. Indonesia is became rattan furniture exporter since 70's until now, and it is growing up every year. Many factory build to fill the world needed of rattan furniture in Cirebon. Cirebon will always the best place to get the best rattan furniture to sell to Europe, US, Australia, Africa and other Asian countries.

Rattanland as the one of largest rattan furniture exporter want to get the biggest demand in rattan furniture business and take the World Trade Market. Rattanland is aim any kind of buyers and customers, Rattanland accept the rattan furniture importer, wholesales, and also retailer shop that selling furniture in retail. Rattanland with the capability of human resources and infrastructures is having a huge respond from the customer which are coming from many countries.

With this strategy, Rattanland is getting bigger as a company. Many customer know about Rattanland just in one click from the office or home computer. It is because Rattanland website is always in the top in the search engine. It is proved with the country that Rattanland has sold the furnitures. Rattanland has sent the furnitures to Barbados, Malta, Cyprus, Netherland Antilles and many small, remote, and exotic county that you use to be go for holiday.

Rattanland is always support any kind of customer, Rattanland is accept the small retailers that only buy in one twenty feet container with mixed product, because the idea is to get all the market prospect and growing together with all the customer. Rattanland is always improve the marketing strategy and also add the new products and send it in newsletter to the customer email.

Rattanland is always hoping that customer will get everything in one place, which is in Rattanland. Rattanland is also accept the complain from customer to make the company better and still can send the furniture to the whole world. Even Rattanland sell the furniture to many customers to many countries, Rattanland is also note if the customers want their products just for the customer only with the contract to make agreement between Rattanland and the customer, so they can protect each other.

Rattanland will always wait the customer respond after Rattanland send the furnitures to their country, this respond will help Rattanland to make the better furnitures and working harder to get the best for Rattanland it self and also Rattanland's customers. So Rattanland is waiting for your critics and we will growing up together.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Branding Agency Benefits

2009-01-01T01:05:00.000-08:00

Are you tired of Ad agencies and graphic design firms taking your money with little to no return or long term affects? Have you considered hiring a real branding agency. A true branding company will provide a lot more than a traditional ad agency or graphic design firm for sure.

Let us talk about what a branding agency can do and the long term results you could receive from them. First off a real branding firm will evaluate not only your external branding and marketing efforts but also your internal efforts. You will not find that with an ad agency or graphic design firm. Internal branding is as important if not more important.

Internal brand building can be done in many different ways. The first thing you should consider is interviewing your employees. This is where an outside company can really help. If you select to use an outside branding agency they will be able to get honest, real answers to the questions that are posed to them. This will be a big help to your company moving forward with your marketing efforts.

Once you have interviewed your employees you will want to analyze the data and understand what is happening in your company. Do they understand your brand identity? Do they provide good customer service? Do they know what your brand promise is or your value proposition? If they do not then as a company you need to do serious work.

Start with explaining to your employees what your brand identity is and your positioning. If Volvo equals safety what do you equal? Once you have decided on that put together a plan to communicate to your employees. Some of the tactics you may want to consider are and internal newsletter, employee appreciation programs, Awards, box lunch and lunches brought in. A customer service plan of action will be high on your list.

A branding company will help you in your efforts to shape up your internal strategy. This will not be an easy task but one of the most important strategies you put in to place. It will get everyone steering the ship in the right direction. Once this is accomplished then you can consider your external marketing and advertising efforts.

So in conclusion hiring a branding agency could be the best investment you could ever make. They can help with your internal efforts as well as your external efforts. Certainly you will be moving forward in the right direction and making the right moves.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Brand Identity Guidelines

2008-12-31T01:03:00.000-08:00

Developing a strong brand identity is the most important thing any company can do to develop its brand. It cannot get any simpler than that. Most organizations fail miserably at this very basic task though. Brand identity is how you want your company or products to be perceived. If you get this wrong it could lead to big time problems later in your brand image. So how does a company build its brand identity?

Start with performing some branding research. When was the last time you went out to customers, prospects and past clients and asked them what they thought of your industry? Do you really know what clients desires are? What about what they do not want? Do you know where they go first to find a company like yours? Are they going to the internet and doing searches or finding you in a trade publication?

Now you need to perform that same research internally with key employees. What do they think? How do they perceive the company? Is this in line with what you want your brand identity to be? Do you even have a clear identity? Do your employees know your brand promise? Is there a brand promise? Do you have a value proposition? Do they know what it is? If you have answered no to any of these questions you will need help!

Okay, so your research is done and you know what you want your identity to be. What do you do next? We recommend establishing a new positioning with that identity. If Volvo the automobile equals safety and Apple computer equals creativity what do you want to equal? It should be very clear and easy.

What are the next steps? Start with developing strategies and tactics that will leverage that new brand identity and positioning. They should all tie back to corporate objectives. Avoid wasting money on reactive marketing that gets you know where and wastes your marketing budget. Some of the tactics may include search engine optimization, direct mail, advertising, banner ads, e-newsletters, e-mail marketing, trade shows and much more.

It is imperative to choose the tactics that will benefit you the most. Do not waste money on advertising if you are only going to place two ads for the year. It will not work. Instead invest in tactics that will give you more bang for your buck like search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is a great way to build brand identity and increase sales.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Branding Agency Strategies

2008-12-31T01:02:00.000-08:00

Hiring a firm to help you with your branding is imperative to your company's success. Choosing the right branding agency is equally important. There are so many decisions to make and considerations so tread water lightly. Here are some things to consider when selecting a branding company.

There is one important decision you will have to make and that is developing your brand identity. It is by far the most crucial decision you will make. Your brand identity is how you want to be perceived in your market space. Any branding agency worth their salt will try and help you develop a brand identity that is targeted correctly.

If Volvo equals safety and Nike equals performance what will your company equal? This is critical. What will you stand for? What will be the soul of your company? These are then decisions your branding agency should help you with. They should recommend strategies and tactics that will help you leverage this brand identity and positioning in the marketplace.

So now you've made the decision that your brand identity will be to enrich the lives of your clients. Optimism is your new weapon and positioning. Take the Life is good brand; they are all about being optimistic and enriching people's lives. They are clearly positioned and their brand identity is set in stone. You want your brand identity to be set in stone as well.

A branding agency will help you clearly position. Using other companies like ad agencies or graphic design firms might be a bad idea. You want a firm that has no motivation to sell you any one specific tactic. Ad agencies want to sell media and graphic design firms want to redesign your logo and make pretty pictures. The most important thing to consider is the strategy to leverage your branding.

Now you need to execute the strategies and tactics necessary to leverage the new positioning. What you should do is make a wish list of tactics that will help you propel your branding. Start with a list of tactics that will not only bring your branding forward but also help to create sales. Choose the best tactics with the highest return on investment. Some of these tactics may be web design, search engine optimization, advertising, direct mail and more.

So those are some of the things to consider when selecting a branding agency. Remember your brand identity is at stake so choose wisely.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

The Benefits Of Having Your Own Home Based Business

2008-12-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

There is nothing more gratifying than having your own home based business. The list of benefits is endless and the feeling you get from having your own business is like none other. Finally you can enjoy your work and be proud to tell others what you do. And believe me when I say the benefits are like nothing you have ever experienced.

When you have a 9 to 5 job, you typically are tied down and little freedom. Having your own home business is a completely different story. You have an endless amount of freedom to take your business wherever you want and do whatever you choose to do. It is vital that you do not take advantage of this freedom too much though, because that can lead to failure in the future.

With this freedom comes the ability to get into whatever field you want. There are thousands of opportunities on the internet and millions of people surfing and shopping the internet. This allows you to get into something you enjoy and turn it into an actual job. Who would have ever thought you could turn a hobby or passion into a profession.

One of the biggest benefits people find with having their own home business is the ability to create their own schedule. Being that you are the boss, you can work whatever hours you choose to. There are no set hours, meaning you can work a night shift one day and then work the day shift another day. Try to come up with some consistency though so that you can get in a routine.

Along with being able to set your own schedule includes vacation time. No longer do you have to request time off for vacation. You can pick up your things and go whenever you want, allowing you to hit those specials during off-seasons. And if you are having too much fun to leave, there is nothing stopping you from staying another week.

Because it is a home based business, a majority of the work is done on the computer. This allows you to work from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection. Therefore, you can stay on vacation for three or four weeks if you would like because you can still do work from your computer.

These are just a few of the many benefits you will get from having a home business. You will also enjoy tax benefits, be able to have different tasks every day, and most importantly you can do all of this from the comfort of your very own home. There are thousands of opportunities to jump on, but it is up to you to take advantage of the home based business opportunities.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com

How A Home Business Plan Can Change Your Fortune

2008-12-30T00:58:00.000-08:00

When starting a home business, you will quickly learn that there are a number of facets crucial to running the business efficiently. However, before you do anything it is essential that you develop an in-depth home business plan. This will help you get your business started on the right foot and guide you to success.

Without a home business plan, you are jumping into the world of internet marketing blind. Regardless of whether you have years of experience in internet marketing or are just starting out, a plan is needed to get you going on the right path. So what should your plan consist of you may wonder?

The premise behind having a plan is to help you plot out how you want your business to go. Therefore, your plan should include goals, marketing and advertising methods, a target audience, website design plans, content plans, and anything else that you wish to include into your plan.

When you put together your plan, you also want to plot out dates and times that certain things should be done. For your goals, set dates that you want to achieve them by. Creating a successful home business cannot be done overnight. Therefore, set guidelines for what you want to achieve first and when you would like other facets of the business to be accomplished.

The internet is a highly competitive market that is constantly evolving and changing. By having a plan, you can be better prepared for what is to come. I can guarantee you that not everything is going to go according to your plan. But having this plan can help you get through the bumps in the road so that you can continue toward success.

While it is essential that you have a home business plan to start out, it is also important that you are flexible and can change your plan when needed. In order to be successful on the internet, you have to be able to go with the flow and adjust with the internet’s continuously changing patterns.

The question that people ask most is what the point is of having a plan if you are simply going to change it. The answer to this is that you will never get a chance to change your plan if you do not have one to start. Diving into the internet market without a plan is like jumping into a pool of sharks. Your competitors will eat you alive if you do not know who you are going to market to, how you will market the business, and are unfamiliar with common tactics to reach your target audience. Because of this, it is essential that you have a home business plan prior to starting your business.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Home Business: Things to Know

2008-12-29T00:58:00.000-08:00

Home-based businesses are starting up all around the world, and there are plenty of benefits that come with it. One of the best advantages to having a home business is that you have time on your side. You don’t have anyone rushing you so you can take your time and become familiar with all aspects of having a home business. However it is easy to get off track without someone telling you what to do, so here are a few things you have to become aware of.

In having your own home business, it is critical that you become involved with all aspects of it. Starting from the idea of the product, all the way to when it hits the shelves for consumers. If you put other people in charge of certain aspects, it can be very easy to get manipulated if you don’t know what is going on.

You should take the business seriously; it should be something you truly believe in. If you work hard at it, good things will happen. If you slack off at it, nothing will come of the business. And if nothing happens to the business, you could be stuck in a 9-5 job in a tiny cubicle.

Exploration is a great thing to do. You should study all aspects of your business. You should become familiar with the product you are creating. You should know your competitors and how you can set yourself apart from them. You should also explore ways of how you can handle your business better. People are coming up with new marketing and other business ideas everyday and you should know about all the options that are available to you.

The biggest thing you must become familiar with when running your home business is the Internet. This is a key tool for a successful business. Having a website is great for customers because it enables them to have access to your company 24/7 at the click of a mouse. You should be able to know how to design a website and if you don’t there are several places on the Internet that can either help you or do it for you.

Having a home business is great. You can wake up whenever you want, wear what you and work when you want. However there is a lot of discipline that comes with this and you need to be able to stay focused. There are just a few of the many things one should know and be aware of when owning your own business.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Are You New to the World of Talk Radio? Then You Need to Read This!

2008-12-29T00:55:00.000-08:00

In my nearly twenty years in the publicity industry, I have seen a fair bit of evolution in how the media reaches their audience. Some newspapers and magazines have turned into websites or blogs and several television shows have turned into streaming videos on YouTube. Talk radio seems to be the only media outlet that has remained untouched, right? Wrong!

If we use the 1990’s as a reference point (and all of you radio pros from that era will back me up on this) the landscape of talk radio has most definitely changed from then until now. In the 90’s the average time allotted for a guest interview was anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes and most of the interviews took place in-studio.

Today if you want to find a 45 to 60 minute interview you have to focus on smaller markets (and/or smaller stations in big markets). Why? It all comes down to format. Today, the format for guest interviews in top markets can be as short as 3 to 5 minutes and as long as 10-15 minutes. So the same major market talk show that used to have one guest per hour will now how 3-5 guests in one hour!

Also, say goodbye to in-studio interviews. Most hosts today don’t want guests coming to the studio. Now with shorter interviews, having to meet and greet an in-studio guest can be an unnecessary distraction, not only for the hosts but for other employees at the station as well. And, where quality of sound used to be a factor, we’ve seen enough technological advances in equipment that phone interviews now sound far superior to those of the earlier days.

Ok, so things have changed. But it isn’t necessarily for the worst. Any opportunity to be a guest on a radio show is an opportunity you want to take advantage of - regardless of the amount of airtime, the size of the market or the power of the radio station!

For years I have told my clients about the power of radio, and have watched many campaigns produce fantastic results. Here are just a few helpful tips I share with my clients about the value of talk radio and how to maximize these opportunities to connect with their audience.

Work With However Many Minutes You Have on the Air!

Be careful not to fall into the negative mindset about short interviews. Even if your interview only lasts say 10 minutes, these are 10 very valuable minutes of airtime…just learn how to maximize it!

• Develop those Sound Bites. If you only have 10 minutes to talk about your book, product or service you just need to develop your message so that it’s concise and will grab the audience’s attention. The secret for doing this is to make every word count in being able to communicate your message.

• Know Your Message and Stay On it. Figure out what your key message is and stick with it! You don’t have time to be thrown off topic by the host or caller. When that happens, your job is to briefly acknowledge what was said and bring the conversation back to your message. It can be done as politely as, “…yes, that’s a good point, but…” (the rest of your answer would be your message). This kind of response allows you to keep your manners in so that the host doesn’t feel like you’ve ignored his comment, but at the same time, you’re in control of the communication and able to get your point across.

• Know the Host and the Show. If the show is simulcast on the internet, take the time to listen to it before your interview. This will allow you to get a feel for the overall tone of the show and host and how he or she communicates with guests and callers. It will also give you a feel for the pace of the show. Then when it comes time for your interview, you’ll know what’s expected of you as a guest and you’ll be able to stay in stride. I promise you, the host will appreciate that you’re keeping the same pace and tone as he or she is! The benefit to you? The more the host likes you the more inclined they will be to promote your book, product or service for you!

Bottom line? Advertisers pay hundreds of dollars for a single minute of time on the air. So, a 10 minute interview is very valuable and can be worth thousands of dollars in advertising time!

Only Want a Long Interview? Ditch the Major Markets!

If you only want longer interviews, then look to smaller markets. If you are not sold on the benefits of these seemingly lesser markets, let me share some terrific facts about these rough diamonds:

• Get Your Feet Wet: Interviews in smaller markets give you the opportunity to gain experience as a radio guest providing terrific insight as to the workings and rhythm of talk radio.

• Fine Tune: Knowing your message and knowing the right way to communicate it are two different things. These interviews allow you to test your messages and identify which ones resonate best with the host and listeners.

• Question Time: As a standard rule in talk radio, you always want to provide hosts with sample questions to ask you – as the host won’t always have the time or discipline to study your topic prior to speaking with you. But, after doing a number of small market interviews you’ll know which questions present the best opportunity for communicating your message and keeping listeners tuned into the show!

• ……and a higher concentration of listeners!

Yes, it’s true. In smaller markets, there just aren’t as many stations to choose from as in the larger markets. So, what’s the benefit of this for you? Well, simply put, less choice of stations means listeners aren’t able to do as much channel surfing. Think about it: in Gainesville, Florida there are 3 stations that have a talk show format whereas in San Francisco, California there are 10. So even though the population in Gainesville is minute compared to the population of SF – it’s very feasible to have a larger audience listening to your interview in Gainesville, than the one you conduct in San Francisco. It’s the channel surfing factor at play. In smaller markets listeners have less choice of talk stations to listen to and so they tend to have favorite stations and hosts they often view as a trusted advisor or friend. So being on a small market show with dedicated listeners and a host who endorses your book, product or service, can be far more impacting on your sales.

Not In-studio – Not a Problem!

With in-studio interviews you have to:

• Schedule time off from work;
• Be away from your family;
• Spend time and money on travel (planes, trains and automobiles…remember?);
• Incur cost of hotels and meals while on the road.

And what if you arrive at the station and there’s hot, late breaking news and the show cancels or the interview goes short? Yikes! There goes your time and money down the drain. What a waste!

Radio phone interviews are so much more beneficial for you. Travelling isn’t necessary! Time of day is no longer an issue. For example, if you have an interview on a popular overnight show, you can still do it, but from the comfort of your bed! Just imagine, talking to people all over the country while lounging in your pajamas!

And what about those interviews during office hours? Are you a busy executive? You can integrate radio phone interviews into your work-day, around client meetings, staff briefings or in-between those important reports you’re on deadline to get done. You can even coordinate radio interviews when you’re traveling on business. We’ve had clients conduct live interviews from airports and even abroad on an overseas business trip!

Yes, in-studio interviews are great for establishing camaraderie between you and the host – but that same camaraderie can be created with phone interviews. It just requires that you become more adept at your communication skills so that your ability to have a quality communication isn’t hindered simply because the person isn’t sitting in front of you!

The Take Away…

Even though the face of radio has changed, in many ways it has leaned toward your advantage. By using these tips, you can take make the most of the fantastic exposure that this medium can provide.

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ABOUT MARSHA FRIEDMAN

Marsha Friedman is a prominent business woman, radio personality, speaker and publicity expert. As a public speaker at numerous national conferences large and small she shares her expertise on using the media to get publicity. In addition to these speaking engagements Marsha consults businesses and corporations on a daily basis on how they can harness the power of publicity to get results!

As a radio talk show host Marsha can be heard every week on her nationally syndicated radio show “Today’s Woman”. She and her co-host Robin Webster, tackle anything and everything that a modern woman faces in today’s world. www.robinandmarsha.com

As a business woman Marsha is the CEO of EMSI (Event Management Services, Inc) which she launched in 1990. In the nearly twenty years since then she has firmly established the company as a major public relations player for a diverse group of clients ranging from Jimmy Hoffa Jr. to National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane to the famous Motown Group, the Temptations. EMSI represents corporations with consumer-related products and authors and experts in a wide range of fields such as, politics, finance, law, music, food, fitness and healthcare. www.emsincorporated.com

What keeps EMSI as a leader in the media is their News & Experts division. Their responsibility is providing talk radio, television and print media with top experts, stories and hot news. www.newsandexperts.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Low-Cost Network Marketing Promotion Tips

2008-12-28T00:56:00.000-08:00

When it comes to having an internet business, some involve you marketing the company and product, distributing the product after sells, handling customer service, writing the content for the web site, and much more. The great thing about network marketing is your main focus is promoting the program and signing people up under you.

You will be happy to know there is a plethora of low-cost network marketing promotion tips you can apply to your scheme. There is no point in spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to generate recruits when you can do the same thing while spending little to no money at all.

What you will have to realize is branching away from the internet can bring you a great deal of quality recruits as well. Sticking solely to the internet is a risky move because you are limiting yourself. Certainly the internet is the best place to start, but why not include other areas to get as many recruits as possible.

One network marketing promotion you may want to look into away from the internet is business cards. Business cards are cheap and extremely easy to give out. Whether you are at a business seminar or at your kid’s basketball game, it is an efficient way to give out your program’s web site and an email to contact you.

Nobody likes the next tip, but telemarketing still proves to be an effective way to get recruits. The key is generating a list full of interested prospects. Cold calls can be difficult because you will waste your time calling a number of people who have no interest whatsoever. But if you can find a list of people interested in the niche you are in, it can be an effective way to build a downline.

One of the best network marketing promotions is referrals. There is nobody that can talk your program up better than a satisfied recruit. If you can leave every customer happy you will be amazed at how many new recruits you will receive. It is much more satisfying hearing someone else talk you up than listening to you talk yourself up.

Lastly, having a web site with testimonials is another way to bring in recruits. This is similar to referrals, but it is people allowing you to put their referral on your site. This will allow anybody who comes to your site see how you dealt with previous customers and what they can look forward to.

This industry is all about network marketing promotion tips. If you do not know how to effectively promote your program you will be in trouble. But following some of the examples listed in this article will assist you with your promoting and recruiting process.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

What You Need To Get Your Home Business Opportunity Off And Running

2008-12-28T00:32:00.000-08:00

If you have taken the leap into the world of internet marketing, there are a few things you will need to take care of prior to venturing into the world of opportunities. Everything from setting up a domain name to finding the right web hosting company should be considered before anything. This will allow you to get your home business opportunity off on the right foot.

Before you do anything, it is vital you develop an in-depth plan. Within your plan you will want to have goals, a marketing campaign, where you want to take your business, and how you intend on doing so. You will learn that your plan is going to constantly be changing because of the internet. But having an initial plan will help you get your foot in the door.

The next step to getting your business off and running is finding a domain name. Finding a domain name is much more difficult than people realize because of the number of web sites there are on the internet. You have to put your thinking cap on and find a name that has not already been taken. When piecing together a name, try to include your business name or the product within the name. In addition, make it easy on your visitors and keep the name as short as possible.

There are several web sits on the internet where you can find out if the name you want has been registered or if it is available. One such site is www.networksolutions.com. You can enter the name you are considering and see if it is still available. Once you have found the name you want, there are a number of web sites you can use to register the domain name under yours. Perhaps the most popular and well known is www.godaddy.com.

The last step you will need to take before you have a web site up and running is finding a web hosting company. The web hosting company is the company that will provide you with server space so that your site will be open to the public. You want to take the time to find a company that is safe, reliable, and quick to respond to your needs.

In addition, price is another consideration to take. Some of the cheaper hosting companies on the web today are InMotion, WebHostingPad, and HostGator. HostGator is among the top hosting companies as it provides hosting to over 700,000 web sites on the internet.

As soon as you have come up with a plan, registered a domain name, and found a safe and reliable hosting company, your home business opportunity is ready to roll. From there it is up to you to develop the web site and generate the traffic.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

The Patio Furniture

2008-12-27T00:31:00.000-08:00

When you encounter the terms ‘garden furniture’ and ‘patio furniture’, do not be confused. Patio is actually a Spanish word that means ‘backyard’ or ‘back garden’.
So basically, the two terms mentioned in the first line refer to the same thing – that is, a certain type of furniture that is specially designed to be used in the garden or patio.

The garden has become a much useful space in every home. It has now become a place for dining and recreation. And most of the time, it is the part of the house where you can actually relax and be in touch with the nature and with your inner self. With such importance, it is no wonder at all why most homeowners would spend a great deal of money in making their gardens as pleasant as possible.

Hence today, the patio furniture, or garden furniture for that matter, has become a trendy item as it is where you and your guest can sit and enjoy the most of your attractive and relaxing garden.

When shopping for your garden furniture, it would be best to consider some important factors such as material and price.

Material

When deciding on what kind of material your garden furniture should be made of, choose one that will best suit your needs. Consider not only its aesthetic value but its ability to stand through time as well.

Wood garden furniture is a sturdy piece but you have to check it regularly for cracks or splints. If there is any, you can go to the nearest shop and have it repaired easily. Otherwise, the cracks or splints can cut whoever is sitting on it and your furniture will rot and become futile.

Garden furniture made of hard plastic requires very minimal maintenance because it cannot be affected by weather changes. It is water-resistant and therefore cannot be damaged by the usual rain. Even ice or the burning sun can only do little damage to this kind of furniture.

Metal-made garden furniture needs frequent checking for rust. It is easy to get rid of a small corrosion. But if overlooked, the whole furniture set may completely rust and you will have no other choice but replace it.

Price

The cost of garden furniture varies depending on the material used to manufacture them. After deciding on the material, you can go to different online and offline furniture shops and compare prices. However, it would be best to choose garden furniture that proves to be a one-time buy.

With the right kind of furniture, your garden will surely be a superb place for you and your loved ones to hang around.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

4 Free Home Business Tips

2008-12-27T00:30:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about having a home business on the Internet is that you can start it for free or nearly free. There are many different ways to do this, but just because it is free does not mean you will be successful with it. In this article we will give you 4 home business tips that will help a sure your success if you follow them.

1. One question you may have right away is if it's free, how do you make money? It is now possible to be set up on the Internet with your own money making website that you can promote and sell products and not have to pay to get started.

This is what makes it free, because companies need you to market their products for them. This could be done in industries such as affiliate marketing, network marketing, and even through e-mail marketing.

They are giving you what is known as replicated websites that contain products that will be coded with your ID number. All you do is promote that website and every time a purchase is made you earn a commission.

2. Because there are many different opportunities like this available online that you can start for free, it is important that you choose the right company to represent and the right products to sell. You may even want to go so far as to become your own best customer and do some off-line advertising to your family and friends.

3. One mistake many people make is they do not take their time to research these opportunities in depth because they have no out-of-pocket expense. If you consider your time to be as valuable as money then you will check everything out before beginning a free home business.

You can research the company in many different ways including checking with the Better Business Bureau, asking around and discussion forums, or even picking up the phone and calling them. Once you have made your decision, now it's time to begin promoting.

4. Again the Internet can be your best friend because it is possible to do free advertising online. You can do this in various ways including blogging, forum marketing, classified ad directories, article marketing, and many different ways.

At this point, all you've done is invest some time, but the real secret to making money with your own free home business will come down to getting traffic to your website. Even an average opportunity or product can make you money if you get enough traffic to it.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Creating an Integrated Marketing System

2008-12-27T00:22:00.000-08:00

I was able to secure a contract for our firm to help a fiction and non-fiction book publisher develop an integrated marketing system. They felt that they did not present a consistent face to their customers. Every division was doing its own thing when marketing. They believed this to be inefficient, frustrating, and not cost-effective.

I and our team researched the firms’ front and backlist to get an accurate picture of the firms’ products, as well as the firms’ closest competitors. From this research we were able to determine that the companies marketing strategy was all over the place; but the main reason why the company did not have an integrated marketing system was the fact that the company had no real brand image. I was able to convince the company’s principals that they would have to first define a brand image for the publishing company. A powerful brand image would give the company a direction, a mission, and an image they could pursue.

We were able to develop a brand image by analyzing the companies past products at looking at what some of their closest competitors were doing. The key to accomplishing this was to look for a common thread in the publishing companies past published materials. After a brainstorming effort we were able to find it.

The new branding image for the company was that they would specialize in brand topics. They would create lines of books on various topics. This would be the companies branded image; the specialization of topics and very specific subjects that they would cover extensively. This process that I developed would also take less time and less money that what the firm had originally projected and what they were spending at the moment.

The new image gave the firm a direction that they could now pursue and would allow them to integrate their marketing system now that all of the personnel had a defined goal or mission that they could pursue. Some of the new titles that were created from this project gained critical acclaim; which helped them even more with their branding image. The company enjoyed an increase in profits by 150% over the previous year, by adapting this new marketing and branding plan.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Hello World

2008-12-26T00:50:00.000-08:00

I'm new to blogging, so it may take me awhile to get the hang of it. Why am I remnantbox, because my life is filled with a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. If you could see inside my mind , it would probably look something like this.

I have set a goal to change my life, so I am trying new things. Right now I am taking e-verge for a test drive. So far it's been a lot of fun. I'm learning a lot from all the online training classes that come with e-verge. I am changing what my mind might look like to this.

I used to waste a lot of time with computer games, I was really addicted to them, still am, but now I try to limit how much time I spend on computer games to one game in the morning, and one at night or maybe a couple if everything else I wanted to accomplish for the day is done. E-verge has given me a new kind of computer game, and if I win at this game, there are benefits that will not only improve my life, but the lives of everyone around me. If I do well enough at this computer game I can spend more time enjoying the real world.

My husband and I love to travel, and it looks like e-verge is going to help us achieve that goal. We have both worked, what people call SOLID jobs, for almost 40 years. So you see, it's never too late to make a change, and an old dog can learn new tricks.

E-verge has members from all over the world, and I might just drop in on some of them. I have met one person from Australia , and I know of at least one other e-verge member from there. I think it would be nice to travel places and see how e-verge has changed life for others like me.

I know I have a long way to go, and a short time to get there (if this sounds familiar, it came from the hodge podge of my mind, so I probably heard it somewhere else first), and e-verge has already helped me get a good start. So far I have just been concentrating on the site designs seo, but e-verge has so many other member benefits, and tools like Buzzirk Mobile, that allows me to have a cell phone that goes almost anywhere in the world I would want to go, and E-verge-travel that gives me discounts on all my travel, and these are just a few of the member benefits and tools. I don't want to sound like an advertisement, but I am so excited about e-verge that I want the whole world to know.

I may be at the bottom of the mountain looking up right now, but watch me climb. Soon I'll be that guy on top of the mountain. Why don't you check out THE REMNANT BOX, I think it looks pretty good, of course, I would. See what you think. I did it all myself, with the help of the site designs seo program from e-verge .

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

New Authority in Australian Timber Flooring

2008-12-26T00:29:00.000-08:00

The Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA) has this month moved to the top authority level for timber floor contractors sought by builders and home renovators.

ATFA has long built a reputation for conscientious investigation and signing of professional timber flooring contractors - from supply to install and coating. They have also extended their service to flooring inspections, apprentice training and oven dry testing.

However as the digital revolution curve continues to steepen, traditional reputation and skill needs to be augmented in the eyes of young renovators, builders and investors. The newest generation are also seeking their trust in a body such as ATFA to be confirmed by the online world. The 'Google Revolution' has the population searching not only for direction, but for credibility on the first page of the search engine results.

Foresight and strategic marketing through several new partners has led ATFA to develop a long term plan of online accreditation and representation to support their already well-established credentials and service in the search engines. It is this effort which has culminated this month in their step over the threshold into a new level of authority.

While all three major search engines used on the internet (Google, Yahoo and Live/MSN) capture almost all of the online searches, Google reportedly represents 85% of the searches, and more in certain countries. Thus 'Googling it' has become not only an information reference but a reliability recommendation, and ATFA has been able to showcase and support it's reliable information and services through solidly ranked listings in Google as well as the other search engines, ranking in the first page on all for the keyword 'timber flooring' and consistently in the top 5 for the most credible search engine, http://www.google.com.au.

ATFA's service revolves around membership to the association which is selective and in constant review. They are endorsed both in name and financially by renowned timber flooring names including Boral Timber Flooring, Connollys, Master Plus, Perfect Timber Floors, Feast Watson, Bostik - all platinum members of ATFA. ATFA's gold level members include Perfect Timber Floors, Feast Watson and Bostik.

With a collection of courses and workshops, ATFA's timber flooring expertise continues to be spread throughout the nation, assuring more and more people of their purchase. They have literally scores of registered and accredited members in each state, and are always helpful in weighing all the factors involved in purchasing and installing wood flooring.

The annual Timber Flooring conference, administrated by ATFA, has proved highly successful since it's inception and addresses up-to-the-minute concerns by both contractors and buyers alike. http://www.atfaconvention.com.au

In the upcoming convention this year, an executive speaker will handle this crucial and timely question:

How does a member of the ATFA assure their customer be it a savvy homeowner, corporations, companies or government entities that the product they are installing has been sourced from a legally and sustainably managed forest?

With climate change and environmental concerns topping the agenda of every summit including the international G8 held by the top 8 industrialised nations of the world, this approach by ATFA is another mark of their authority, which is now readily determined and accredited by the online world.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Louis Vuitton's Branding

2008-12-26T00:27:00.000-08:00

George Vuitton, son of Louis Vuitton, took over Louis Vuitton in 1892. In 1896, Monogram canvas series branded as LV was created, which is not only the logo of LV, but also the tone of its revolution and evolution. The newly designed series has continued its previous charm, and at the same time reflected its new vitality.

Monogram canvas series has, since 1896, become the symbol of Louis Vuitton’s high quality.Its lightness, softy, durable material, as well as the water–proof and scratch-proof features, all of which make it a perfect companion to your mobile life style.

Monogram Mini：duffel bag series choose two colors: deep blue and khaki. The combination of the deep and light color forms a shadow effect, enriching Monogram Mini’s color choice.

Monogram Denim: Its main-body is made of denim. LV explains that the whole procedure is to weave monogram’s jacquard into denim, making its pattern shallow and fuzzy, and then to wash it using float-stone, showing up its deep and shallow lines and after that, stitch the main-body to leather, making a three-dimensional bag. If you look at the border of the bag carefully, you may find the fading effects made by float-stone. With the time of usage, the color of LV leather will be deeper and deeper, while the color of main-body will be shallower and shallower.

Monogram Multicolore:A new revolution of Monogram canvas made by Louis Vuitton. Marc Jacobs and Japanese artist Takashi Murakami worked together, bringing the people a design of completely new experience. Monogram Multicolore series opens up the fashionable Monogram patterns with mighty visual effects, using a total of 33 kinds of colors to perform this famous canvas series. The color may fade with the time of usage, but this will not influence its quality and durability.

Monogram Suede: the series created by Marc Jacobs. The inspiration of design is from Iroquois myths. Monogram pattern is implanted into suede leather. It is extendable, soft and fits the stylish people.

There are many Monogram products. LV will, from time to time, launch new derivatives of Monogram. Here we only choose some representatives. The number of its derivative series adds diversity to its charm.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Revitalizing a Brand Identity for a Entertainment Gift Book Publisher

2008-12-26T00:26:00.000-08:00

While working as an independent marketing consultant I was able to obtain a contract with an entertainment gift book publishing company to help them revitalize their brand image. The company which was started in 1999 had established a reputation for producing beautiful entertaining gift books for adults and children on a diverse group of subjects. The company has several competitors that offer a very similar product line. The companies’ sales for its first 7 years in business were steadily growing, but have started to slide over the last year; and the companies sales representatives were having a harder time distributing their books.

I met with the companies sales and marketing personnel to get a complete picture of their marketing and sales concerns. After doing a complete analysis of their company I conducted research on the industries past and current market to get an idea of where the future market was heading. I had the companies’ sales representatives gather information from potential clients to get a picture of what their perception of how they viewed the company and its products. From the information that I obtained from these sources I was able to recommend 4 changes that needed to be made.

1. The company needed to create a much wider range for their entertainment gift books. I was able to determine this from the response that the sales representatives had received when selling the companies books. The vast majority of the buyers wanted a larger selection and also wanted to see entertainment gift book series on a wide variety of subjects as well.

2. The company had lost some of their key art directors and book illustrators and the quality of their illustrations had slightly declined (which in the entertainment gift book business can create a huge difference in the quality of the books).

3. The company needed to produce better buying options and incentives to book buyers. So I created promotional packages that would give book buyers discount options on purchases made online, through the company store, stationary shops, garden stores, ice cream stores, and various gift shops.

4. The company was losing time and money and their effectiveness because of a disorganized marketing system. So I created a new marketing management system that would allow the company to complete these tasks at about 90% of the cost of their previous marketing plan, and at about 75% of the time of the previous plan.

These changes and new additions to their marketing plan created a 30% increase in sales in a 90 day period, as well as revitalizing the companies brand image of creating a high quality of diverse illustrated gift books for both adults and children.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Developing an Integrated Marketing System for a Illustration Book Publisher

2008-12-26T00:25:00.000-08:00

When I was working as an independent marketing consultant I was able to secure a contract with an illustrated book publisher to help them make changes and add new marketing strategies to their acquisition program that would help the firm obtain more contracts with museums, galleries, individuals, and other institutions on developing publications relating to their exhibitions and/or collections, commission authors, photographers, and others to develop titles that are aimed solely at the regular book trade.

I met with the companies marketing and sales representatives to discuss their concerns about the drop in their sales number. The companies’ acquisition program had lost approximately 15% of the number of contracts that they had achieved in the previous year. I listened to the concerns of the companies marketing and sales team and did my own analysis of the company and the business as a hole. I asked the company sales representatives to collect sales information from the prospects that they were able to secure contracts with and the ones that they were not. From the information that I obtained I was able to make the following changes.

The clients wanted a very close collaborative relationship with the development of their illustrated books that were going to be created for their companies, or organization. Just about all of the clients believed that this approach would maximize the ability of all of those involved with the project, and would also maximize the message that the illustrated book is trying to portray.

I recommended that they elaborate to their clients the complete sales, promotions, and publicity plans that would be used to distribute and sell these books. I had found that they were not expressing them to the complete understanding and satisfaction of the clients. A complete service offering needed to be given through a personal presentation catering to each individual client in order to give the client a feeling of confidence, security, and trust in doing business with the publishing company.

In my analysis of the company I found that the company had lost some of their ability to maintain an integrated system. They had lost some of the consistent face that they had presented to their customers. I created a new marketing system to ensure that each division would not be doing its own thing; which was not only bad for production, but also time consuming and not cost-effective.

These changes and new additions that were made to the company’s acquisition plan created an increase in acquisitions by close to 20% in a 3 month period. The company decided to use this new approach with all of products that they were producing. Also the expense of promoting this new service and implementing it was about 10% less that the previous plan. The employees of the company enjoyed working with this new system as well. This increased moral and enthusiasm within the publishing company.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Marketing and Branding a High Tech Company

2008-12-26T00:24:00.000-08:00

I was able to get our firm a contract with a mid-sized media firm to help them develop a marketing plan and a branding image for a new subsidiary of theirs an online e-book publishing company with its start up efforts. I was in charge of this project. The media firm wanted to create a company that would provide the internet's most comprehensive collection of fiction and nonfiction as well, as the most popular e-Book formats.

The subsidiary firm had already developed a sophisticated search or sorting option, a complete coupon and promotions system that they wanted to use to help customers buy e-books, and an artificial intelligence system to help increase the customer experience. They wanted these three services to customers branded in the companies’ promotional plan.

After meeting with the companies principals and analyzing the market situation I came up with a marketing plan that contained a sophisticated online linking program with other web sites, an article distribution plan where the articles would provide links back to the companies web site, a membership discount and money savings program, a program that would contract electronics rights to previously published fiction works and sell them in e-book form, and a program that would also distribute other e-books from other publishers and e-publishers

These tactics, along with others, were implemented into a marketing plan that contained the other three tactics that the company wanted to use as their banding statement. When all of these tactics were being put together I created ways the company could implement them with expedience and at a lower cost. I was able to cut 10-13% of the expected budget of operating and implementing these tactics without losing any of their effectiveness.

The result turned out to be a very successful marketing plan. Today the e-book publishing company is an independent e-Book publisher and distributor with sales of more than 500,000 e-Books a year.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

Creating an Original Start-up

2008-12-26T00:23:00.000-08:00

When I was working as a senior marketing manager I was able to secure a contract to assist a start-up African American Book Publishing company with developing a marketing and branding plan for their firm. The 3 partners wanted to create a publishing company that would bring quality African American books and educational materials to schools, organizations, faculty members, and all homes. In this current situation there was no one company that was solely providing this type of service to the African American Community.

I met with the principals owners of the firm to discuss there new venture. The partners wanted to publish books first and distribute second. I did not feel that this would be a good business strategy for wanted they wanted to accomplish. It would be more beneficial to them to put the company emphasis on being a book distributor first and a publisher second. I was able to persuade the group of owners by showing how this would make it easier to fulfill the orders of the client base that they were looking to pursue.
I created a plan that would have the company distribute to book stores, schools, and faculty members. The company would be branded for its books on the African American way of life. The company would have an information system online and an 800 phone number to give information and support to organizations and individuals in many different categories of the African American experience. The company would sell its books in selected bookstores, online, and through a mail order catalogue and distribute other African American books to target markets.

Direct mail and sales representatives would be used to sell to book stores, schools, organization and faculty members. The company would provide special pricing to them for bulk order purchases. The sales representatives would also gather information from their clients and potential clients to be used as a source of information on what books the company should look to purchase and package. They would also use this information to determine what books to publish.

The company will provide a collaborative support system with the development of all of the books that they will publish. This support system will also be used for their acquisition program that they will use to attract authors, organizations, and other institutions to have the company produce and publish their work. I created a plan that would allow the firm to accomplish these tasks in less time and financial expenditures that the principal’s owners had originally thought.

I also developed an integrated marketing system so the firm would present a consistent face to their customers. This also allowed all the different divisions to work as one creating a smooth, efficient, and cost-effective marketing system that the firm could follow with confidence.

The start-up marketing plan turned out to be a huge success creating gross revenues 40% higher than what was expected in its first year of business. The company also gained more contracts with schools, organizations, and faculty members than what was expected. Today the successful publishing company is providing a very positive service to the community.

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