Advertisement Ideas: Getting Past The Gatekeeper!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Getting Past The Gatekeeper!!!

 As a sales rep for La Bonita Kidz and Teenz, www.labonitakidz.com, I do a lot of cold calling on the phone and I run into many gatekeepers. The first thing I learned is to be polite and friendly regardless of the tone of the person answering the phone. The second thing to understand is that like you have a job to do and that is to sell them on your product or service they also have a job to do. The third thing is to be honest and let them know why you are calling. You may get the we’re not interested response, which is fine. I generally answer I know your not interested at this time, however can I email you information for future reference.  I have heard that person isn’t available. to this I will say no problem can I have their email address and can you put me through to their voice mail? Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Getting Past The Gatekeeper!!!

Advertisement Ideas: The Fortune Is In The Follow Up!!!

Advertisement Ideas: The Fortune Is In The Follow Up!!!

 In all that we do in business from advertising to networking we must realize that the fortune is in the follow up. As a sales representative for La Bonita Kidz and Teenz Magazine, www.labonitakidz.com, I approach many people about advertising. I have learned that the people I leave literature with will not call me back so I must contact them to close the sale. Today I stopped by a few places that I had approached a couple of weeks ago and left the copy of the magazine so they could see the finished product and decide if it would be a good fit for them. In the next few days I will call and email them to remind them of the opportunity to maximize their message.

 Once you advertise and get people to do business with you it is important to cultivate that relationship as people will continue to do business with people they know, like, and trust. Are you gathering the clients information and sending a thank you note or other information about your products and services. By keeping in contact with clients/customers you will build a tribe and they will begin to recommend you and thus strengthen your brand.  The key is to follow-up and be aware of who is doing business with you and to show them appreciation. With potential clients/customers you want to show them how your product and service will be of value and service to them without overselling. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: The Fortune Is In The Follow Up!!!

Advertisement Ideas: How To Drive Business With Effective Advertising!!!!!

Advertisement Ideas: How To Drive Business With Effective Advertising!

 As an advertising executive I am asked all the time, JDOGG how do I know that an advertisement in your magazine, La Bonita Kidz and Teenz will work? My answer is you don’t however I can tell you one thing if you don’t advertise you will be at a disadvantage.  I am asked how do I know the ad will be effective? Again my answer is you don’t that is why I am here to help you to effectively maximize your message. The key is to have fresh ideas that none of your competitors are using so that you stand out from the rest and build your brand.

 One thing to remember is to be creative in your advertising so you will attract business. One idea I gave to an advertiser, who owned a car, was to advertiser Topless Car wash with a disclaimer ( we wash everything but the roof) $12.99 you want the roof done $13.49. This worked as his business increased. When I worked in the bowling industry we used programs from The Bowling Proprietors Association of America to drive business and we did extensive local area advertising to fill the leagues. One promotion I implemented one Summer was Beanie Baby Bowling, where the kids paid $10 for 2 games of bowling, shoes, and a beanie baby. The first week we had 40 people filling 8 lanes by the end of the summer we had 110 bowlers filling 22 lanes with the reaming lane filled with summer league bowlers. When I worked for Footlocker I would take the friends and family coupons and distribute them in the mall and at the local high school, sales increased by 138% when I did that. The key is to understand that word of mouth advertising, print advertising, radio and TV advertising, and social media advertising will work if you are creative. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: How To Drive Business With Effective Advertising!!!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Why A Full Page?

Advertisement Ideas: Why A Full Page?

   As an ad executive and marketing consultant with La Bonita Kidz and Teenz Magazine, www.labonitakidz.com. I am often asked why a full-page. My answer is always because it gives you an opportunity to tell your story because facts will tell but stories sell. The second answer I give is because it allows you an opportunity to section the page  off and promote many things about your business. My third answer is because for $500 + tax you are getting maximum exposure in the market place over a 3 month period of time as we are a quarterly magazine. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Why A Full Page?

Advertisement Ideas: How To Take A Proactive Stance!!!!

Advertisement Ideas: How To Take A Proactive Stance!!!

 Looking at this list by Stephen Covey one realizes it is necessary to be proactive. The question is how do you take a proactive stance? The answer is  by being awake & aware of what is going on in your market and planning your marketing accordingly. For example  here is South Florida The Miami Heat are facing The Indiana Pacers tonight in Game 7 of The Eastern Conference Finals so doing a special promotion across your social media platforms, a text message campaign, and an email to your contacts offering specials on your products or services related to the game would garner interest.  I was at Smokey Bones on Saturday Night watching Game 6 of The Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat lost and I thought if I was The GM I would have stood by the door and would have handed everyone a FREE Appetizer Card and invited them back to watch Game 7. I then thought if they had a sound system do some contests for prizes creating a buzz and getting people saying I was at Smokey Bones in Plantation and it was awesome they had great food, great service, and I had fun do you want to watch Game 7 with me there?  The key is to look at what you can do to maximize your message, build brand awareness, customer loyalty, and create additional revenue.  Business could of posted signs yesterday wear your Heat gear and receive 10% off of your purchase. If you had a service business such as Life Coaching you could have done a promotion $7 off each session you book today. Taking a Proactive stance and planning your advertising is imperative to having success. How many of you reading this are promoting something for 4th of July?  Are you thinking about Back To School? Thanksgiving? Christmas? or Hanukkah? Chances are you are not and you are blaming others for the fact that your business may be off. It is no ones fault but your own if you are not taking a proactive stance. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: How To Take A Proactive Stance!!!!

Advertsiement Ideas: Lessons From Celebrity Apprentice!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Lessons From Celebrity Apprentice!!!

  On Sunday May 19, 2013 The All Star Celebrity Apprentice will be named. It has come Down to Penn Jillette and Trace Adkins. Both of them have been great competitors and represent great charities. Penn is representing The Inclusion Project and Trace is representing The American Red Cross.  Through this season I have observed many lessons. As I watched the final task, which was to design a DELISH Ice Cream Flavor for Walgreens and then present it at the party I began to think who is going to bring in the most money?  Trace used a lot of his key contacts on task one which he won teaching us to strategically plan when you can use your key contacts again. Penn has a huge contact list and is well liked teaching us that it is important to treat everyone with dignity and respect.

 Each player taught us a lesson that we can use to improve our personal and professional lives. Continue reading Advertsiement Ideas: Lessons From Celebrity Apprentice!!!

Advertisement Ideas: How To Use Print Media Effectively!!!!

Advertisement Ideas: How To Use Print Media Effectively!!!

 Many times as I present the opportunity to do advertising in a magazine like La Bonita Kidz and Teenz I will hear I don’t do print advertising or print advertising doesn’t work for me or print advertising is dying. These statements concern me as it shows me that business owners are missing out on what is still a viable way of communication. True the trend over the last 10 years has been to focus more on an internet/social media based campaign as more and more people are seeking information via the internet. However there will always be a segment of the population that turns to print media as they enjoy reading. The trend in the last 5 years has been for advertisers to find the niche newspapers and magazines that reach their desired target demographic and instead of using the shotgun approach to use the single bullet approach.

   The first question you must ask is to use print media effectively is what is my target audience reading and what do they respond to. I am always surprised when a business owner tells me their target audience is everyone. This is a big fail because you are not going to appeal to everyone and when doing your strategic marketing plan you need to know who your most desirable client is and what they are reading. For example if you want to reach a 25-54 year old mother, earning 100K+ annually living in a 200K+ home you want to check out www.labonitakidz.com.  Knowing who your target audience is will help you use print media effectively. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: How To Use Print Media Effectively!!!!

Advertisement Ideas: How To Create A Positive Presence In The Community!!!!

Advertisement Ideas: How To Create A Positive Presence In The Community!!!

 What have you done today to let people know who you are, what you do, and why they should use your products or services? Did you send out a tweet, post on Facebook, post on LinkedIn,  post a blog entry, hand out fliers, attend a networking event, make calls to those you haven’t spoken to in a while, sent emails with a special offer, or did you choose to do nothing?  If you are not reaching out to people on a regular basis you are missing out on growth opportunities.   Remember in many cases you get a few minutes to make an impression that will last for a long time.

Advertisement Ideas: The Ways To Create A Positive Presence In The Community!!!!

 The first thing to remember when creating a positive presence in the community is that customer service can make or break your company!!!!

 On Thursday (4/25/13) I was out scouting locations to host a workshop when I went into Lefty’s in Coral Springs. I stood at the bar for nearly 5 minutes and finally walked to where a group was standing in the food prep area and asked if the GM was in I told her that I had been waiting for nearly 5 minutes and by the way 3 people just seated themselves and may need a server.  Her reply was don’t tell me how to run my restaurant. At that point I said I guess I won’t be holding my workshop/meeting here and I left. An employee followed me out of the restaurant and confronted me about going to other restaurants in the plaza. I simply stated I do not want to argue with you I am doing fact-finding. A few moments later the GM came out and confronted me saying I had embarrassed her in front of one of her food suppliers. I stated that is business wishing her Namaste and walking away at which point she called me a liar. I went to my car and thought wow they weren’t that busy but they had time to be confrontational. Guess who won’t be patronizing Lefty’s. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: How To Create A Positive Presence In The Community!!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Mr./ Mrs. Business Owner It Is Time To Wake The F UP!

Mr./ Mrs. Business Owner It Is Time To Wake The F UP!!!

 

   I can not tell you how many times I wanted to yell into the phone this week “Wake The F Up”, as I encountered many business people who just don’t seem to understand that everyone calling your business is a potential customer or may know someone who can use their product or services. In one instance I called Myotis Salon and Boutique at 9:30 AM and the gentleman answered the phone I introduced my self asking if I could speak to the person that handles the marketing and community outreach and was told you selling advertising I open at 11 AM you call back then. I found this to be strange as I know from my experiences the best time to discuss advertising and marketing is when you are not open so you can devote your time and attention to the conversation and be fully engaged. Think about it had the gentleman been open to receive or polite he would not be in this blog being used as a bad example of conducting business. He could have said sir I would like to speak with you however I am involved with a another project right now please call me after 11 AM. Remember it is not what you say but how you say it. I ask you do you think I am going to recommend his services to my female colleagues who could benefit from his services. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Mr./ Mrs. Business Owner It Is Time To Wake The F UP!