Growing a Biz Results

March 12, 2013 by  
Filed under Front Page, Wright Ideas

Business Sign X

Business Sign X (Photo credits: www.roadtrafficsigns.com)

Growing a Biz: Maximizing Advertising & Media Results

Guest post by marketing2020

If you are a business owner, manager, or entrepreneur trying to protect or grow a business with the assistance of advertising, you will 1) need a strategic media plan and budget supporting your marketing objectives and 2) you will also have to buy the planned media from media sellers, e.g., television, radio, print, online, direct mail — on a national or local basis.

Planning and buying media is a highly competitive, tricky and knowledge intensive business with over $270 billion in transactions  So, depending on what you buy, a budget of $50,000, your decisions could have  it the clout of $25,000 or 75,000+

Caveat-Emptor

The first rule to buying media is Caveat-Emptor.  Caveat Emptor means, “Let the buyer beware.”  You must understand that the sole purpose of media sales reps is to sell you some of their advertising media inventory (e.g., TV or radio spots, space in a print medium, impressions or clicks on the internet, etc.). They will pitch their availabilities in the most favorable light possible, carefully omitting information that doesn’t support their case. Caveat Emptor.

Media Selling Points

When media sales reps call on  potential advertisers, they  bring a  sales pitch– written, verbal or multi-media. However, media sales reps actually have only three basic arguments to pitch: audience, cost and impact.  A rep may try to convince you that their audience is perfect– in size, demographics, growth trends, etc. Or, they might pitch their cost efficiency, e.g., more audience per dollar.  Or, they might try to convince you that their medium is more impactful than competitive media (e.g., generates more sales, more credibility, etc.) Reps may point to a competitor’s alleged success in the medium (audience, cost or impact?)

Media Buying

As a buyer of advertising media you will examine not one but all of the reasonable alternatives in order to identify the ones which best meet your objectives, e.g., audience profile, impactful in communicating with target, and are  most cost effective, e.g., ROI = Cost/Audience x Impact.)  Ideally, you will make a side by side comparison of media alternatives on which to compare buying decisions for specific media vehicles.

Negotiations

Rate cards are a myth in the 21st century. Regardless of what is printed on the rate card, almost all media buys are negotiable, including price, inventory offered, timing/scheduling, positioning of ads within the medium, audience or results guarantees, value added elements such as merchandising to trade or dealers, promotions, use of on air talent, etc. It is therefore very important that the buyer have a win-win negotiating strategy firmly in mind prior to beginning a negotiation.

Key to Success: Education

Like most things where the stakes and risks are high, planning and buying advertising media requires that buyers really know what they are doing.  For those without experience there is a new college textbook, Media Planning & Buying in the 21st Century (2nd edition) which can help bring readers up to speed. For information, see: www.21stCenturyMediaPlanning.com.

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Will the Apple iPad Be a Dream Machine For Writers?

As I write this, Apple has announced that they are taking orders for the iPad. It’s a wonderful device that allows people to surf the net, listen to music, read books and a variety of other things with maximum portability. The iPad is smaller than a laptop — even smaller than a net book — and yet is a powerful and flexible device. It will likely sell in the millions.

The iPad has a lot of potential for writers because it is small enough to carry a purse or a big coat pocket, so they can do research, read books, and even use the device as a word processor in almost any setting. There are several models that come with built-in Internet connections, so it is a truly flexible device. Writers will love that kind of versatility the iPad offers — not only as they create books and articles, but as they see a wider market consuming them.

The iPad is set to make a product like Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader obsolete. The iPad has a bigger screen, and color, so the merits of the relatively high priced Kindle will fade rather rapidly.
But there are those who say that the iPad itself will be obsolete even before it is released. Sadly, it’s true. People may rush to buy the iPad, but they will be buying a machine that is severely crippled in several important ways. Writers will want to think twice before they buy one.
Read more

How Hair Salons Make the Big Bucks

September 7, 2009 by  
Filed under Featured Articles, Wright Ideas

This article is for anyone who owns or wants to own a successful hair salon.

Hair salons have been around forever. They are mostly recession-proof because women will continue to get their hair done, even when they do not have a lot of money. It’s a small luxury they will not give up. Every great hair salon understands that the patron wants to be pampered.  They want to feel special. Any amenity you can add to help them feel special without too high a price will make your salon overbooked.

Here are the crucial areas:

Phones and Reception: Have someone who is always happy and makes the patrons feel good. They cannot be easily frustrated or moody. They have to make everyone feel welcome and not ignore some clients while they chat and fool around.

Floors: A clean shop is special. It’s seems crazy to say that, however many shops have dirty floors and bathrooms. Everyone pretends they do not see the filth. As soon as a new shop opens, the people go to that one because it’s new. They are really there because it is clean.

 


Shop Talk: Some people like gossip, some do not. It’s as simple as that. A shop full of loud people will turn off someone who does not to hear that. A shop full of quiet people will turn off the person who is ready for some great interaction while they are getting their hair done. These types of clients do not mix well. Know who fits as a client and who does not.

Good Management: Have you ever been in a business where everyone hates the boss or the owner? It’s horrible and you do not get the best service. Get rid of the people who hate you and hate customers. It shows. You are not able to hide that with paint. Have people in the booths who love to be there. And love to be there every day.

Cash Flow: Policies should be the same for everyone. When you make variations for some people you will create resentment in others. This goes back to good management.

Visit your competition: Would it be great to get good ideas that work and someone has already tested? Your completion is testing ideas all the time. If they work, they will keep them, if not, they will move on. See what makes them popular and use that. Stop saying you do not have competition. You will miss out on ways to be #1.

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