Advertisement Ideas: Leveraging Relationships!!!

It was a few Tuesday’s ago when I was at Tijuana Flats and I met a group of business men from the Oakley Vault and they made me an offer to come to one of their stores and pick out a pair of sunglasses for consideration of promotion by me. Today (7/3/2015) I went to the store and picked out the glasses seen in this video. This had me thinking about how important it is to leverage relationships. I have learned in all my years in marketing, advertising, public relations, and media relations that the key is to make it a win-win situation. In this case The Oakley Vault had a product I could use and I had a platform that they could use. The key is to see how you can be of value and service and how the person you are dealing with can be of service and value to you. I began leveraging relationships at a very young age as I hosted my very first special event, A Backyard Carnival to benefit The Muscular Dystrophy Association, at age 11. I went to all the places where I spent money and asked for their support. It was at that time that I learned if you return the favor and give something of value you will obtain either monetary or in kind donations. The key is to make the introduction and then find ways that everyone can benefit. I have used the idea of leveraging relationships for many years and the examples I can give are numerous just like the one in the video.

You may be wondering what oracle cards have to do with leveraging your relationships. Well there is a story behind these cards that illustrate a great point of leveraging your relationships and having a purpose in mind. I am very involved with The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of West Boca Raton,FL and I have been the leading fundraiser for this relay for several years. In 2015 I raised $2726.90, the webpage http://main.acsevents.org/goto/jdogg2 will be up until 8/31/2015. One way I was able to do this is by leveraging relationships. I was on Facebook one day and I wrote to both Doreen Virtue and Sonia Choquette who I had been interacting with on Facebook for a while and I asked them for items to use in chance drawings and they sent me oracle cards and other items and in return I am promoting them to my followers. When you have something that can benefit the person you are asking for support be it in business or in your charitable endeavors you can better leverage your relationship. I have always believed that the worst someone who you have built a relationship with will say is no and no today does not mean no forever. Think of what you have to offer that will help you to leverage a relationship so as to strengthen your brand and increase your revenue. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Leveraging Relationships!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Back To The Basics!!!

When I was a kid we has a supermarket in our area called Basics. It was place where you brought your own bags or boxes and most of the products were generic. The store did massive advertising and flooded the area with coupons. They were doing a good business but then the landlord decided to raise the rent and it got to be a bit pricey and cut into the profit margin and the store closed. The store sat empty for many years and now there is a Lowes Home Improvement store on that site. As I reflected on the concept of Basics Supermarket I began to think how many times we in business get away from the basics and then wonder why we aren’t having successes. How many times to we come up with an advertisement idea but we don’t implement it because we do not know if it will work and then we make many excuses as to why not to implement it. The key is to remember that if you do not advertise your business you will eventually lose so it is time to get back to basics.

The first basic principle is to get out there and hit the bricks. This sounds like an old school principle but it works. Last week as I was promoting my TV Show, The Anything Bucket, which airs on Tuesday at 6:30 PM EDT on www.wrpbitv.com I decided to walk a shopping plaza and share who I was and that I was seeking guests for my TV Show. I walked into Wise Little Shoppers in Sunrise,FL and the owner Sparkle was receptive to the idea of being on my show. She called me the next day and booked a time to come into the studio to tape a segment for the show. She came taped a segment and bought her clip to use in her marketing. In hitting the bricks you will meet people who can benefit from your products or services. I have been one to go business to business to share who I am and what I am doing and it has proven to be effective. Whatever I find myself promoting be it my TV Show, my charitable work with The American Cancer Society Relay For Life, or the South Florida Gold, a professional basketball team that I represent I find the best way is to get out in the community and go face to face, eyeball to eyeball, flesh to flesh to get the best results. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Back To The Basics!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Make It A Positive Experience!!!

I have noticed more and more businesses bashing their competition instead of building themselves up when I see this type of marketing I usually look for another option when I need the product or service that is being offered. I have also seen a trend in brick and mortar businesses where the interaction is far from positive and when I have a bad experience with a business I generally don’t go back and I let others know so they can avoid the same experience. In today’s ever more competitive world it is imperative to make every experience a positive one. When you are dealing with the general public their will be interruptions of your daily routine which to you may seem ridiculous but to the person walking into your business or calling you on the phone it is important. If you can take the time to be courteous to all those who you come in contact with and create a positive experience you will see an increase in your sales and a strengthening of your brand. Every aspect of your business should reflect positivity from your voice mail to your advertising to your human interaction. The idea is to be positive in everything that you do so that the end-user thinks positive of you and comes to you when they seek your product or service.

There are certain businesses I frequent just because I get a positive vibe from the moment I enter until the time I leave. I also frequent businesses where they have taken the effort to get to know me. I have a big advantage as I am generally positive and thus am met with positive responses. I had someone ask me JDOGG how do you make each interaction positive? My answer was I look for the good that comes from it, for example the guy at Pucinnis Pizza in Boca Raton was not receptive to my Relay For Life. At first I was upset as I though everyone would come forward to help this great project and then I realized you know what it saves me a phone call and creates an opportunity to find people who will support the cause. Had the man been open and receptive he could have had a more positive outcome because he would have had an ally in the marketplace speaking positively about him and recommending his business. I have had people give me some excuses and I simply do my best to overcome the excuses and then if that doesn’t work I thank them for their time and wish them luck. The key is to help as many people you can through your business so that your business is seen in a positive light and so that customers and potential customers have a positive interaction with you.

The greatest thing that a business can do is to find ways to establish goodwill in the community. A local Pizza Restaurant at Boca green Plaza, Davito’s, sponsored a track marker for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life Of West Boca Raton and I have personally been there for lunch on 2 occasions and have given him shout out on Facebook and promoted him at committee meetings as a result of his creating a positive interaction he has gained me as a customer and I represent about $8 each time I come in. Think If I come in 40 times in the year he makes a small profit all because he spent $100 on a track marker sponsorship. I come from the tradition of supporting those who support me. I think there is enough to go around for a business to support many charities. If your business is not supporting the local community there is a strong chance that you will go out of business. If you are struggling in business look at all the areas where you interact with people and what your attitude is. I remember walking into a business years ago when I worked for Forum Publishing Group selling advertising and they said I am not interested I don’t need to advertise. I said okay and I left. There were many times I was in the neighborhood and needed their services but I didn’t use them I went to their competitor because the competitor gave me the time of day and listened to me and though did not buy an ad asked me to check back with them on a regular basis. Guess what the negative interaction business is out of business no longer selling his subs and the positive interaction business is still in business and thriving. Ask yourself which one are you going to be the positive or the negative business? Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Make It A Positive Experience!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Get It Up!!!

Some of the best advertising ideas and marketing lessons that I have learned have come from a desire to raise the fundraising thermometer for Relay For Life. I have coined the phrase Get It Up as a way to increase donations. The phrase normally conjures up so interesting looks when one says will you help us to get it up and pause and then say our fundraising thermometer that is. The lesson learned here that translates into business is to grab the audience’s attention and then explain what you are doing.

Another important lesson that I have learned through Relay For Life is that you must cultivate and nurture people so as to get the fundraising thermometer up. This applies in business as you work to build your brand and to increase your cash flow. If people do not see your logo on a consistent basis they will most likely support your competitor who has his logo everywhere. Think about where you are advertising, what you are advertising, and how you are advertising. I find it hard to believe that after 30 years as fundraising project there are still people who haven’t heard about Relay For Life when there have been massive initiatives to build The Relay Brand. The lesson here is that you need to be out in the community constantly building brand awareness because there will be people who will not hear about you. I have learned you can wear your brand but if you do not share it people will not know who you are or what you do so it is important to have a strategy where you are doing brand awareness on a daily basis. The one thing I learned through my involvement in Relay that correlates to business is to share your information by getting out of the office and meeting people. Get out there and engage people. Remember the worst thing will be they will tell you they aren’t interested. It the get it up philosophy you it is important to check the fear of talking to people and what they might think at the door. I have learned that not everyone will resonate with your message but it is important to continue to share the message. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Get It Up!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Earn Shout Outs!!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Earn Shout Outs!!!

One of the best things a business can do is to create a following of raving fans who when given an opportunity will give you positive shout outs. Remember that the person walking into your business or calling you on the phone can be someone with a large platform to put you in a positive light with shout outs. The best form of advertising is positive word of mouth. In my workshops I teach people to be smart when interacting with everyone and earn positive shout outs because you never know when a potential customer will share their experience with their followers. I have had many great experiences with people while out promoting and soliciting donations for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of West Boca Raton and would like to recognize Fashion Scoop located in The Boca Ale House Plaza on Glades Road and Lyons Road in Boca Raton for supporting my effort to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays by making a $20 donation. If you would like to earn a shout visit http://main.acsevents.org/goto/jdogg2 and make a donation. Then there is Maria at www.giftbasketsrus.com who donated an amazing basket for the chance drawing who now gets mentioned in a positive light and who I will recommend to anyone needing a basket for events. There is David at Jet’s Pizza in The Somerset Plaza in Boca Raton who is helping by sponsoring The Pizza Lap along with Stella’s Pizza, Domino’s, and Mama Mia. WALMART and Jeanne have raised $1755.25 and have gotten business from relay participants as a result. The list of those that have helped in someway is amazing and because of their support they will see a return on their investment in the community.

Creating opportunities to earn a shout out should become part of your everyday marketing strategy as it will create brand recognition and awareness so that when the end-user is ready to use your product or service you will be on the top of the mind of the consumer. IN creating shout outs for your business you also create a buzz about your business as people start to speak about you in a positive light and patronize your establishment. There is an Italian Restaurant in Lauderhill, Goodfellas, who will make you a pizza you can’t refuse who understands the importance of community engagement. The owner recently sponsored The S.A.K.E. Awards and as a result picked up some business as I have become a regular along with several other member of the community who are involved with youth sports. By engaging the community you will earn shout outs and strengthen your business. People like to do business with those they perceive to be supporting the community so when the opportunity arises to be involved in events like Relay For Life, National Night Out Against Crime, Cultural Festivals, or other community events make an effort to have a presence at these events. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Earn Shout Outs!!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Using Gratitude As A Marketing Strategy!!!

I recently attended an Introduction To Gratitude Training done by Jo Engelesson who is an author and speaker who is a leader in the personal development and spiritual development industry. Her website www.tofa.us allows visitor to purchase tokens of appreciation that they can register and then pass on to those who have positively impacted their day. Jo told her story about how assuming the attitude of gratitude changed her business. I visited the site and bought 5 of the coins and have handed out 4 of them so far. Each time I have given out a token I have seen a great shift in my attitude and as a result have had a successful day. As I gave out one of the tokens of appreciation I began to think how can business owners and marketing directors and those involved in charitable work use the concept of gratitude as a marketing strategy. The answer was simple incorporate gratitude as part of the strategic marketing plan by rewarding existing customers and donors and also when procuring new customers and donors.

One of the greatest thing you can do in business or in your personal life is to express gratitude. People like to feel appreciated. In today’s world where people text, facebook, and email receiving a hand written thank you note goes a long way in making a person remember you. Sometimes the more creative you are with the thank you the better. I remember working for The NY Liberties of Major League Volleyball and asking potential sponsor’s secretaries what their favorite pizza was and then going to the owner of the team, Jerry Saperstein, and asking for a budget to send them pizza with thank you note. He said yes and I sent the pizzas and had the pizza place write a note thank you for speaking with me about The NY Liberty, Jonathan Lederman. This tactic worked and we secured a few sponsors as a result. I then began to use this tactic with reporters. If a reporter did a story about the team I sent a hand written thank you note. The idea is that using gratitude as a marketing strategy works. I would secure people’s addresses who attended games and send them a thank you note and something with The NY Liberties logo on it and tickets. This helped to take the attendance from 300 fans a game to over 1000 fans a game. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Using Gratitude As A Marketing Strategy!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Building Revenue Through Community Involvement!!!

Today I am at The Starbucks in Boca Raton on Federal Highway North of Glades Road picking up items to use in a fundraiser for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of West Boca Raton. I normally do not come to this particular Starbucks however while I was here I ordered a Venti Caramel Frappuccino and a Bagel. I plan on doing another drink and snack. In giving me items to use in the fundraiser for Relay For Life they generated some revenue that they would not have had. Think about it how many others now go to their local Starbucks because of their support of Relay For Life. I gave them a shout out on my Facebook Page as well so they reach over 2700 people that they normally wouldn’t have reached. I mentioned them in this blog so they gain some positive exposure. Think about how your business could support an event like Relay For Life and use it as leverage to build brand awareness and increase your revenue. Sometimes it is when you give that you get the best form of advertising.

Walmart is a national corporate partner of Relay For Life and gains massive exposure by being on every track marker displayed at over 5000 Relay For Life events nationwide. The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of West Boca Raton is very fortunate to have a team from Walmart involve din our relay and they are doing outstanding with hosting events. You can see their progress at www.relayforlife.org/westbocaratonfl. As a result of them hosting events to raise funds for Relay For Life they have seen an increase in revenue because the volunteers have bought water and other drinks from the store. Many of the Relay For Life volunteers have also begun to do some of their grocery shopping at Walmart. You may be saying but I am not as large as Walmart and I can’t do what they do. The rebuttal to that is you can do something.

Davito’s Pizza is small Italian Pizza Restaurant in Boca Raton who stepped up ans sponsored a track marker for $100 for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of West Boca Raton. As a result he has already gained me as a customer. For frequent readers of this blog you know my love for Pizza. If I go to Davito’s 2 times a month he will make his sponsorship money back just from me. He saw the value of being aligned with community project like Relay For Life and has even offered to do a fundraiser in August for Relay For Life. If you are a business and you are seeking ways to increase your revenue being involved with community events is a great way to gain brand recognition and increase your revenue. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Building Revenue Through Community Involvement!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Don’t Be An Icehole!!!

It is funny how you can ask about the same thing in a different manner and get two separate answers. The other day people were asked about what has become known as Obamacare and many stated oh it is bad and the president had good intentions and but the implementation lacked. The when asked about The Affordable Care Act they said oh that is much better it will help more people. One person said isn’t Obamacare and The Affordable Care Act the same thing? The answer is yes they are but the American public has become so programmed that they do not do their due diligence and investigate things and go by what they hear on CNN and FOX News making many people iceholes. I come across iceholes everyday that will make every excuse why their business isn’t doing well instead of asking what can I do differently to improve my business.

To avoid being an icehole you must take charge of your life both personally and professionally you must become aware of your actions and the effect they have on your business. If you are not coming up with new advertising ideas, new campaigns to create brand awareness and create a buzz so as to give people a reason to do business with you then you might just be an icehole. If you are not being proactive and you continue to be reactive you could be leaving money on the table making you an icehole.

If you do not have a plan you just might be an icehole. If you are not taking daily action to promote your business you just might be an icehole. It is important to make proper choices as to where to promote, where to advertise, where to share who you are and what you do and why you do it. Remember people are not buying the what you do they are buying the why you do it. If you are not taking action and moving forward toward your goals you just might be an icehole. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Don’t Be An Icehole!!!

Advertisement Ideas: Working The Crowd!!!

As I stood out in front of Wal-Mart on Saturday 3/14/15 raising funds for The American Cancer Society Relay For Life Of West Boca Raton it occurred to me that one way a business can thrive is to work the crowd and use the resources they have to boost sales. Each person who came by our booth was introduced to Relay for Life and those who told me I had a great voice I handed my business card. This was a win-win situation as I helped to raise $129 while also being able to promote who I was and how I can be of service and value to others. I left that fundraiser and headed out to a concert where I worked the crowd and simply asked people if they would like to donate to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays and as a result collected $74 bringing my total to $2204.61 raised with my Relay being held on may 2, 2015 at Olympic Heights High School from 12 PM – 12 AM. Donations can be made at http://main.acsevents.org/goto/jdogg2. As I walked the crowd a few people asked me for my business card so I gladly gave them my card. The key is to always have your business cards with you as you never know who may be interested in your business. Today (3/16/15) my phone rang and it was someone who met me at the concert and we are doing a one on one on Friday (3/20/15). By working the crowds at events you can increase your brand awareness and attract new people. Remember do not be shy and share who you are and how you can be of service and value to the people you meet. The worst that they will tell you is that they are not interested,

Many businesses attend trade shows and then complain that they didn’t get anything from the show. The reason is because they did not work the crowd properly. They didn’t have a captivating display that would draw an audience, they didn’t make friends with the emcee so they could get some plugs on the microphone, and they didn’t capture people’s contact information. I have emceed many trade shows and I make it a point to ask every vendor if they have video capability on their phone so we can do a quick promotional video that they can then use across their social media platforms and on their website. I also offer them an opportunity to come to The WRPBiTV Studios in Boca Raton to tape a segment to air on my TV Show, The Anything Bucket, which airs on www.wrpbitv.com on Tuesday at 6:30 PM EST. The idea is to work the crowd and be of service and value. If you are hosting an event you should call 954-254-8227 to book me to emcee your event and thus help you to work your crowd and give them added value. Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: Working The Crowd!!!

Advertisement Ideas: All You Have To Do Is Ask!!!

I have been teaching and preaching the concept of all you have to do is ask for many years. I have so many positive stories of where I just made the ask that resulted in obtaining donations for my charitable endeavors like The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of West Boca Raton. getting paying gigs, and booking guests for my TV Show, The Anything Bucket, which airs on www.wrpbitv.com on Tuesday at 6:30 PM EST. The key is that I made the ask with the mindset of what is the worst that will happen; they will say no? When you advertise you are making an ask for people to do business with you. When making this ask you must have a message that resonates with the target audience you are attempting to attract so that they will take action and do business with you. When you are making your advertising choices as to where you will make the ask look at who the advertising platform reaches so that the reach includes your desired target audience. When advertising and making the ask make sure people know who you are and what you do. In all your marketing make sure you have a call to action. In making the ask be aware that you want to create a buzz by being creative, relevant, resonating, and entertaining. Once you procure a customer/client make sure you are asking them questions that will allow you to continue to be of service and value to them so that you can create customer loyalty. make it a priority to train those who work for you to make the ask in a tactful and pleasant way that when a customer is asked about their experience with you they say positive things.

I have witnessed many business people not close a deal because they did not ask for the order. When I was a Jaycees member we had a saying Get The Check, meaning to get the member signed up. Many times I would go out and share Jaycees with people with chapter members and I noticed the chapter members were not signing people up to be Jaycees because they were not asking for the check. That is when I developed a system that can translate to any business:

1: Introduce Yourself

2: Ask questions to find out about the person you are speaking with

3: Share how what you have to offer can benefit the potential client/customer

4: Ask if they would like to do business with you

5: Get their payment Continue reading Advertisement Ideas: All You Have To Do Is Ask!!!