Posts Tagged ‘times are tough’

Pay Now, or You Might Not Be Around to Pay Later

Jan

05

2011

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Hi, this is Allan Ross from AJ Ross Creative Media.
Today’s article is about: pay now, or you may not be around to pay later.
Remember those classic Fram Oil Filter ads where the mechanic would look you in the eye and say, “You can pay me now or pay me later.” The premise was you could pay for an oil filter today or pay for an expensive engine repair later.

Something similar is going on in the advertising/marketing business today. The wording of the line, however, is slightly different. Today it’s, “You can pay now or you might not be around to pay later.”
The economy is getting better. Believe it.

In good times and bad times, it’s not the time to stop telling customers what you can do for them. The assumption that you can cut back on the ads and wait until everything turns around before you remind people how good you are at what you do, may not be the most prudent strategy. People forget. People change. And if they’re not hearing from you, they’ll always be willing to listen to an offer from somebody else. Don’t for a second believe they’ll jump right back to you when you decide to start communicating again.

So what are we saying here, today’s the perfect time to spend like there’s no tomorrow? No, we’re just saying times like these may be better than you think to advertise and build business. You might well be the only voice in your category. Maybe.

Of course, you have to do the advertising right. And that means having professionals working with you. Unfortunately, there are some people out there nationally, and especially locally, who are trying to make the most of a volatile economic situation. You know who they are. They’re those “new” ad guys on the block who claim they’ll give you everything you need for a lot less. You have to be extremely careful when you hear this pitch. It’s very tempting. Just remember, experience matters and so does proof of success. Cheap is not a good trade off for effective or smart.

If you believe as we do, that these times are good for advertising, you should seriously evaluate any advertising proposal made to you. Just make sure it’s legitimate. Check references. Call the agency’s clients. Ask them if they’re happy. Look at the work the agency’s done. Do you wish you had run some of the ads they created for somebody else?

Finding the right partner and putting some muscle behind a solid plan with creative that grabs eyes and ears can make a huge difference in your business right now and perhaps even more impressive for years to come. People should know you’re still here working hard and you’re not going to forget about them, because if you don’t do this: Remember, you can pay now…or…well, you know the rest.

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 .

When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Starts Marketing

May

13

2009

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skyscrapers When times are tough the first things businesses cut are their advertising and marketing budgets thinking they are saving money; what they’re really doing is cutting off their lifeline to profits in our current hard economy. If anything, advertising should be increased, and here are some of the reasons why:

The Competitive Advantage
Advertising during a bad economy clearly creates a competitive advantage by creating Brand Assurance. Brand Assurance establishes confidence in your demographic when you are consistently in the public eye. Most importantly, you’re at the top of buyers’ minds when purchase decisions are made. People don’t stay loyal to products or companies based on the memory of a strong campaign in rosier times. Memories are short and advertisements that bombard them today and every day are what will stick in their heads and make you a household name when they make a purchasing decision.

There are certain cost effective ways to market your company that you should pay strict attention to. Some of these include:

Website Content
Keep your Website fresh and current. Your Website has become one of your most important marketing tools. It’s the voice of your company 24 hours a day. It can offer customers your latest promotions or house an entire catalog of information.  It allows you to deliver countless amounts of new information without printing or mailing expenses. You have the potential to connect with millions of people. Now it’s up to you to hook them and keep them interested with new information.

Email Campaigns – The New Way to Send Direct Mail
One of the best ways to reach your existing clients and new prospects is by sending out email campaigns.   It could be an article, newsletter, or just new information of what‘s going on with your company. Your presentation of your email marketing campaign needs to be professional and well thought out. It might be a good idea to hire a professional like AJ Ross to design your initial template. As the old sayings go, “first impressions”and“you get what you pay for.”

You’ve established your Brand, built and maintained a strong Website, and sent out an email campaign …… so what’s next?

Can you be found on Google?
Another important factor in marketing your company is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to your Website. When SEO is done properly, it will place you high on search engine result pages with certain key phrases and terms (i.e. Real Estate, law firms, doctor, etc.).  You should also hire a professional like AJRoss to help you with your SEO. With millions of people online daily, it is worth the investment.

The economy may be bad, but people are still spending money on products and services. Now is a great time to keep your market share and prove Brand Assurance particularly in these bad economic times. Consumers and companies alike will feel comfortable spending their money on the services your company provides. Make sure they know your name, increase their confidence in your staying power, and assure them you will be there tomorrow and in the years to come.