Archive for the ‘strategy’ Category

When size really does matter…

Jan

20

2011

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Hi this is Allan Ross from AJ Ross Creative Media, Today I would like to talk about
When size really does matter… How to look and act bigger to increase business and grow.

We all know the infamous account of David and Goliath, where a young little boy defends himself and wins over the renowned giant. It’s the classic ‘underdog wins story’ and emphasizes the importance of using one’s knowledge over one’s physical size.

While that may work most of the time–there still is that new business pitch or new venture when you realize–size really does matter.

Here are some tips on how to look and act bigger than you are to land that new business and help your business grow, all without giving up what you went into business for in the first place–your expertise.

First, you need to surround yourself with professionals who think and work like you. I call this the “type wow” personality, and I mean it in a good sense. Owning your own business is fast paced and there is no room for an unmotivated staff. The key is to nurture talent and keep them. Your image is portrayed not only by you, but also by all who work for, and with you.

Image is everything. So, how does a small to mid-sized company compete with the designer, high-end New York City executives? “Stay on top of your game,” is the best way to put it.  Project an image of confidence and assurance, but be sure to back it with experience, examples and referrals. Know your field, know your client’s needs and cater to your client as if he or she is the only one that exists. Larger companies tend to lose sight of client needs, and quickly, once they get the account.

You may have to tweak who you are on occasion. If your office looks more like a storage bin than a workplace, rent space for that big meeting. Bring in the caterer if necessary. Even hire temporary staff. Show that you are interested in entertaining your new client.

Re-think your marketing materials–from your letterhead to your brochure to your web site.  Do you present a mom-and-pop image or a new, trend-setting company ready to produce that award-winning widget or provide that phenomenal service? Yes, image. And yes, it’s important to have a polished, professional and integrated package to explain who you are and what you do.  You need more than just a logo and some ads in the local newspaper. You need a professional marketing company. Make the investment. Hire a company who knows what they are doing, who has experience and a track record. Remember, you get what you pay for. A lot of companies try to save money and hire designers who have no marketing or Branding experience. You should also use Public Relations, which is a tried-and-true approach that should be an integral part of any marketing program. Have the agency write and place announcements of your firms’ achievements, new business and new hires, feature articles, and even speaking and seminar engagements.

So, with tape measure in hand, or at least a fresh look at your company and what you do–it’s time to move forward. Use your talents, seek advice, outsource, revise your image by hiring the right Brand professionals, tell everyone and… succeed.

‘Tis the Season for Smart Business Giving and Getting – Goodwill for your Business

Dec

13

2010

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Hi. This is Allan Ross from AJ Ross Creative Media.

Today’s subject is:

‘Tis the Season for Smart Business Giving and Getting – Goodwill for your Business

The holiday season is a time when customers are frazzled, trying to get a million things done and be a million places at once. Savvy business owners, who forever keep in mind that their role is to solve customers’ problems – often before the customer even realizes they ARE problems – know that now is not the time to sell.

Now is the time to soothe.

Now is a terrific time of year to remain in the customers’ line of sight, and in the best possible light. It’s not too late to spread some holiday goodwill, and by doing so, get some goodwill for your business. This time of year, business slows down for almost everyone – make the best use of that time by connecting – and reconnecting – with clients and customers.

The time you spend making personal connections, without trying to sell anything, will, in the long run, help you sell your products and services throughout the year.

Here are some tips to stand out this season and be a last-minute goodwill ambassador.

While holiday cards are nice, yours are bound to one of many customers are receiving. Try something different. Make a phone call instead. Obviously, you can’t call every client on your list, but it’s worth it, while business slows down this time of year, to sit down and spend some quality time to make a friendly call to some of your best clients. Show them the personal touch – it will pay off big later on.

Consider an e-mail blast: one that doesn’t sell anything at all. Just a simple, positive, grateful message for their business throughout the year. An e-mail can be created in under an hour, and sent in a day. In today’s marketplace, with consumers constantly blitzed with “calls to action,” and messages to “buy, buy, buy,” a concise, thoughtful greeting will be remembered. Keep in mind, however, to avoid specific holiday references, as your customers may not all celebrate Christmas. Some light a menorah, and others celebrate Kwanzaah, and other winter holidays.

When building lists of whom to contact, think of clients and customers with whom you’ve been out of touch – this time of year is a good time to reconnect with those you haven’t heard from in a while; people are much more receptive to getting back together with you.

Don’t limit your thinking to consumers, either. The holidays are a good time to connect with business partners, and potential business partners, as well. Significant and profitable connections can be made, just by making a call or by sending a message.

We hope these suggestions work for you. In the meantime, the entire staff of AJ Ross Creative Media wishes you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season.

Honesty

Dec

01

2010

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Hi This is Allan Ross from AJ Ross Creative Media On How To Market Your Business.

I would like to talk about subject dear to me.

Honesty is the Best Policy In Your Advertising Campaign.

If prospective customers don’t believe your message or you, you might as well put out your “Going Out of Business Notice” right now.

Credibility is an important concern when advertising. As a business owner you can’t afford to be viewed by potential customers as anything less than honest, ethical and above board.

Yet few advertisers use more than half of the strategies that build trust in the prospective customer’s mind, according to advertising industry statistics. A recent study found that with major corporations, like major retail and department stores, the average advertisement was implementing only 55% of guidelines for trustworthy advertising design. Smaller companies tend to use even fewer of the recommendations.

Here are some suggestions you can use to Communicate Credibility In Your Advertising Campaigns

  1. Make sure that all your contact information about your company is complete and easy to find. Especially important is making your Website information visible.
  2. Make good use of color and photos in your advertising. Usually smaller companies tend to cut corners because of budget concerns. By adding color photos it helps to raise your level of credibility. Photos help your prospective customers trust you because they come to feel they know you.
  3. If you are selling something make sure you don’t make prospects look all over for the price. Price it fair and put it there.
  4. Make sure your advertisement looks professional, is up to date, and is free of spelling and punctuation mistakes.
  5. If you require a specific disclaimer, Display it and let your prospects know why it is important.
  6. Make sure your prospective customers can reach someone quickly if they have questions, need help, or wish to do business with you.
  7. Give your prospective customers what they are looking for. If they’re looking for information on a particular service, don’t make them read through a three page brochure about your company before they get to the instructions.

According to and old saying, “Honesty is the best policy.” If you want to be successful in advertising, it’s an essential policy as well.

When Your Business Needs Fresh Ideas By Allan Ross

Sep

16

2010

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Advertising and Marketing

When Your Business Needs Fresh Ideas

By Allan Ross

If this recession has taught me anything it is the value of employees, colleagues, and friends who think outside the box. They believe, like I do, that businesses cannot survive the current economic challenges by sticking their heads in the sand and doing nothing. Maintaining the status quo is not the answer.

Instead, businesses must take advantage of the vacuum that now exists and market their services not only to the local market, but globally as well. As the economy starts to show signs of recovery, the window of opportunity is beginning to close for those who choose the forward-thinking strategy to aggressively seek out new customers and new markets through targeted advertising, marketing, and Public Relations campaigns.

Advertising during a bad economy clearly creates a competitive advantage by creating “Brand Assurance,” thus establishing confidence in your demographic by consistently being in the public eye. People don’t stay loyal to products or companies based on the memory of advertisements viewed months or years ago in rosier economic times.

With more than 20 years experience managing advertising, marketing and Public Relations for clients across the country, I’ve never been more convinced about what my business needs to do to compete locally and nationally. Some of my clients, with the guidance of AJ Ross Creative Media, have employed similar game plans that have reaped prodigious results.

What to Look For Before You Choose

If you are looking for a firm to help you in your advertising, marketing, and Public Relations efforts, here are a few pointers:

1)    Contact a number of prospective firms that have good reputations and have them provide you with their background, list of accomplishments, key personnel, etc.

2)    Make sure the firm you select has experience and first-hand knowledge of your industry.

3)    Have them show you some examples of their recent work. See if their ads, marketing materials are in step with your core beliefs, values, and goals.

4)    Stay clear of the firm that spends more time showing you the ads and marketing pieces promoting their services and little with campaigns they conducted for their clients.

5)    Sit down with the company’s principals or key staff prior to making a selection. The people you choose will have the future growth and prosperity of your business in their hands. You want a company that has experienced writers, designers, and marketing professionals who have the talent and imagination to take your company to the next step.

6)    Select a firm that has broad and well-rounded experience in all aspects of advertising including web design, marketing, media placement and Public Relations. More times than not, a company has talent in one area, but only dabbles in the others. That is a recipe for disaster.

These are just some of the things you should look for in an advertising, marketing, and Public Relations company. Hire the firm that best fits your needs and your budget so that you get your message out ASAP that your business is alive, well and ready to grow. Good luck!

Allan Ross is President of AJ Ross Creative Media, a full-service global advertising, marketing and Public Relations agency celebrating their 20 th year in business located in Chester, NY. A former NYC session musician, jingle writer and producer, Ross parlayed that experience into the development of a full-service strategic marketing agency. AJ Ross offers Brand development, Print, Radio, and TV advertising production, graphic design, Website development, and Public Relations. Some of AJ Ross’s accounts include Orange County Tourism, Hudson Heritage Federal Credit Union, Finkelstein and Partners, Jacoby and Meyers amongst others. To learn more about AJ Ross Creative Media, visit www.ajross.com, call 800-723-4644, or email info@ajross.com .

Be a Leader in the New Economy

Jun

16

2010

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Build off of perception:

Don’t believe everything you hear in the media about the economy. While it is true that in the last two years, we’ve suffered a significant economic decline, you can’t wait for news broadcast saying “the worst is over” before your company invests in marketing again. The world is a more cautious and thrifty place now and it will take time and more companies to take that step forward before consumers will start to believe in the recovery. But again this presents a “good opportunity.” Let your company be one of those that consumers have been waiting for. Show them that in the face of what is still perceived as a down economy, you are strong and so are you services. Instill confidence now in the face of your competition and shape a clientele that will be with you through thick and thin.

The economy is recovering all around you, car sales are improving, homes are starting to sell and banks are able to allow for individual/business investments again. If your company doesn’t take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of it now, the only down economy in the near future will be yours.

According to an article in About.com:

“McGraw-Hill Research conducted a study of U.S. recessions from 1980-1985. Out of the 600 business-to-business companies analyzed, the ones who continued to advertise during the 1981-1982 recession hit a 256-percent growth by 1985 over their competitors that eliminated or decreased spending.”

“Similar findings were shown for the economic downturn of the mid 1970s. These studies reaffirm the notion that in good times and bad, it pays to advertise”.

“Customers will identify with and remember those companies who stuck it out during a tough economy”.

One major opportunity now exists in today’s economy, but only the savviest of entrepreneurs will seize upon it. The opportunity right now is for a business to be leader of the pack, a standard bearer who clearly tells consumers that the economic recovery is at hand. I must caution you that this opportunity will not last very long and in fact, while some business owners are still waiting for confirmation of a recovery, others are already getting a jump on their competition. It’s still not too late! No matter what the state of the economy, there is never a bad time to seize opportunities and build your Brand; but it’s always the wrong time to stop.

AJ Ross Creative Media celebrating its 20 th year in business, is located in the Hudson Valley’s historic Chester, NY and was founded by Allan Ross. A former NYC session musician, jingle writer and producer, Ross parlayed that experience into the development of a full-service strategic marketing agency. AJ Ross offers Brand development, Print, Radio, and TV advertising production, graphic design, Website development, and Public Relations. Some of AJ Ross’s accounts include Orange County Tourism, Hudson Heritage Federal Credit Union, Finkelstein and Partners, Jacoby and Meyers amongst others. To learn more about AJ Ross Creative Media, visit www.ajross.com, call 800-723-4644, or email info@ajross.com .