Archive for March, 2010

Marketing Chalk Talk: Spending vs. Investing Your Ad Dollars

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

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Don’t just SPEND your marketing budget, INVEST it! Invite the right people into your business and keep inviting them…Top Of Mind Awareness is key for consistent business growth.

I hear many questions about advertising from local business owners…among the most asked is, I don’t know if my budget is large enough or how to get started?
I always say it’s not rocket science…just know who your target demo is and reach out to them, invite them into your business. The demographic you want to reach or should be reaching is usually the age, gender, etc. of the person that spends the most on the items/services that brings you the greatest return.
Once you figure out who those people are, start talking to them, be it radio, TV, print, internet, outdoor billboard, what ever the medium you choose, make sure you’re consistent. Don’t just advertise for a week or a month…NEVER spend all of your budget in one full splurge. Stretch it out and be consistent…did I mention consistency is key?
It’s better to build up your frequency factor over a long period of time, reaching those consumers that are in the market for your products or services NOW and those that WILL BE in the future. If you have a call to action product or service, there is a way to make that work as well while increasing your business consistently.
If you have a large budget, by all means go for it! Invest, Invest, Invest! But for those of you who don’t have that LARGE budget to compete with national business, be smart and invest your ad dollars wisely. Top of Mind Awareness (TOMA) is key to business growth and that is achieved by being consistent.
When it’s done right, it is an investment, not an expenditure. After all, if you put your hard earned money into something that makes you more money than what you put in, isn’t that an investment? The answer is yes…ding ding ding, what do we have for them Johhhhn-nneeee!

Marketing Chalk Talk: You Never Know Who’s Doing the Buying…

Friday, March 26th, 2010

ami-blog-pic-4-10-094…whether you’re a business owner and you’re targeting a specific demo, or your a media rep and you’re dealing with the client direct. Don’t ever assume the person you’re dealing with is the person that’s making the decisions. In other words, always be nice to people you may suspect are involved in the purchasing process. I mean, you should always treat people nice… just make sure you don’t annoy anyone :-)

Marketing Chalk Talk: Say What You Mean…Mean What You Say!

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

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Marketing Chalk Talk
Ami Williams-Consultant
Word Spread Media
March 24, 2010

Often times, business owners will advertise something that isn’t necessarily true, all for the sake of “driving in” people. Listen, do NOT be misleading, period. Be honest about what you’re advertising and if need be, add a disclaimer at the end of your TV or Radio ads. Try actually doing something that WILL drive in new people. My advice to bring in new customers…simply advertise the truth about your strengths i.e. products and services, tell people who you are and why they should come to you. That’s it.

If you’re a business owner, thinking of launching a marketing strategy…

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010

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…but you don’t know exactly where to start or who you should be targeting, there are several options out there. I came across this business that goes into deep research, focused on each category they work with. Check them out, who knows, they might be able to help you take your business to a level of which you never dreamed possible.

http://www.jacobsstrategies.com

RT @Mashable Classmates.com Agrees to $9.5 Million False Advertising Settlement

Sunday, March 14th, 2010

http://mashable.com/2010/03/14/classmates-com-agrees-to-9-5-million-false-advertising-settlement/

Awe yeah, Dachshund plays at Tulsa’s Sound Pony, Sunday night…

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

…sometime between should I stay or should I go ;-P
Dachshund on Up Late with Ben Sumner

So excited… wanna see pics from the coolest events #SXSW

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

So excited… wanna see pics from the coolest events #SXSW

RT @TulsaSports Spring Coed Kickball,Volleyball and Softball league registration now posted

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

RT @TulsaSports Spring Coed Kickball, Volleyball and Softball league registration is now posted!! To get more info visit offyocouch.com

“Business is a combination of war and sport.”– Andre Maurois

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

“Business is a combination of war and sport.”– Andre Maurois

RT @simonmainwaring #SXSW Erik Qualman/Socialnomics: Facebook is 3rd largest country by population - 430 M users.

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

RT @simonmainwaring #SXSW Erik Qualman/Socialnomics: Facebook is 3rd largest country by population - 430 M users.