Lately, I’ve noticed an interesting pattern with my clients.  They are less inclined to create detailed marketing plans for the entire year.  They may have set goals and rough budgets, but are a little more leery of committing to programs and tactics for the long haul.  There are many reasons for this, including uncertainty with the economy, lower than expected sales, anticipation that vendors may be willing to charge less, and turmoil within the company (acquisitions, new leadership, etc). 

I don’t think three or six-month plans are necessarily a bad idea as long as you are working towards defined goals and you update the plan regularly.  Be careful, though, not to implement tactics without understanding how they fit within your overall strategy and budget.  And be ready to scale back or increase activity quickly as productivity and company focus changes. 

Another option is to schedule and budget the basics for an entire year.  Then, make notes as to programs and tactics that could be added as results are achieved.  This approach is a little less spur of the moment and may be easier for some to implement and track.

Regardless of the method, it is more important than ever to have a plan with well-defined objectives.  If you don’t know where you’re trying to go, how will you know when you get there? 

Maureen M. McCarthy

Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta)   www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management

There is one area often overlooked, reduced or cut from marketing budgets:  imagery.  The photography, illustrations, and videos you use to represent yourself are extremely important.  They set the tone and personality of your company, product or campaign.  They suggest a level of quality (good or bad).  They attract attention.  And if chosen correctly, they can convey more than words ever could.  In short, the right images can help you make more money.

But photo shoots, re-touching, color-correcting, and even stock photography can start to add up.  For those who don’t set money aside, it could mean that a great advertising campaign never gets off the ground.   So I suggest planning accordingly.  Sometimes it’s actually less expensive to invest in a photo shoot, rather than trying to manipulate out-dated, low-resolution or other images that aren’t quite right.  And if you only need one or two “hero” images, than maybe high quality stock photography is the way to go.  Think about your needs for the year and weigh your options. 

Have you ever found yourself without the correct image to represent your product or company?  What did you do about it?

Maureen M. McCarthy

Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta)   www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management

1)      Did you achieve your marketing goals?  Why or why not?

2)      Did you track your efforts throughout the year? 

• If so, which programs and tactics produced the most success?  Are those efforts worth repeating?
• If not, what benchmarks do you need to put in place to track success in the future?

3)      Do you see any good or bad patterns emerging (within your industry, market, sales, revenue, programs, competitors, etc)?  If so, how will you deal with the information?

4)      Is it time to expand your market?  Have you done everything possible to maximize sales and/or revenue within your current target?

5)      Did you stay true to your brand with every marketing, advertising and public relations effort?  If not, what needs to change?

6)      Did you stick to your budget?  Were all of the marketing dollars spent wisely? 

While you should be looking for specific areas in which to improve, don’t lose sight of all the victories you’ve had along the way.  You can learn a lot from those as well.    

Maureen M. McCarthy

Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta)   www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management

To learn more about Cindy, check out her website at:  http://www.cindyernicreative.com

1. Take a few minutes and fill out a creative work plan (see Creative Briefs Keep Your Advertising Efforts Focused http://wp.me/pIsRp-37  for more info).
2.  Ask to see samples of the designer’s work, and references. Make sure they have technical skills and an understanding of what is required to send professional materials to the printer. Most designers use Creative Suite 3, 4 or 5 which includes Indesign, Illustrator and Photoshop, they will also use Quark desktop publishing software. Most designers are Macintosh based.
3.  Budget.  A rough idea of what you can afford will help the designer craft something within your budget and timeframe—don’t expect champagne on a Diet Coke budget but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect a professional job.
4. Allow enough time.  Plan on a week or two for design and a week or two for printing. These deadlines have flexibility but I guarantee you will have a better result if you have some wiggle room.
5. If you need a writer ask the designer to recommend a copywriter. If you are writing the piece, make sure you proof what you give the designer.  This will avoid mistakes and needless revisions.
6. Give the designer samples of ads, brochures or flyers you like and tell them what you like. This can help the designer get a feel for your likes and dislikes. I suggest starting a file with items that have caught your eye.
7. Be as available as possible. The designer will have questions and will need to get approvals as the process progresses.
8. Proof, proof, proof. The designer will need you to proof carefully. Have as many folks as possible review the piece for errors.
9. A Camel is a Horse designed by committee.  Limit the number of decision makers.
10. Create a disk or email all files the designer will need—logo files, photos or illustrations you wish to use. Photos need to be 300 dpi (dots per inch) for printed pieces and 72 dpi for web based work. All logos should be eps file formatted and prepared using a vector format, this means it is not pixilated and can be enlarged and reduced. The software of choice is Illustrator.

 Maureen M. McCarthy

Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta)   www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management

Let me give you an example.  I recently donated a package of my consulting services to the Gwinnett Village Community Alliance Trade Auction.  I attended the event and was able to mix and mingle with local business owners who fit my target demographic.  I passed out cards and made some new contacts.  I bid on a few live auction items and actually won the bidding for a higher-priced package.  People took notice.  Then, the auctioneer introduced me as he displayed my company logo and offering on the large screen in front of the room.  I gained instant attention and credibility.  Plus, I acquired a new client (the gentleman who won the bidding) with whom I hope to form a   long-lasting relationship.  My donation was definitely worth it in more ways than one.

Think about this as you begin creating your 2011 marketing plan.  Philanthropy is a great way to build brand awareness and promote growth.  Have you considered charitable contributions as part of your overall marketing mix? 

Maureen M. McCarthy

Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta)   www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management

Technology has made it really simple and quite cost effective to build a template web site all by yourself.  But I warn you that a poorly designed and written site says more about your company (in a bad way) than you may think. 

So here are a few things to consider:

 1)      Does the look and feel of the site match the tone you have already established for your company?  Make sure to include your logo and use the same colors/overall design used in all of your other marketing collateral.

2)      Is the site easy to navigate?  Ask friends to test the site and point out anything that may be confusing or too hard to find.

3)      What message are you sending?  I encourage people to have one “story” (or main point) per page – it will help with search engine optimization and make it easier for your visitors to find the information they are looking for. 

4)      Do you talk about the benefits of the products/services?  Make sure to address the problems your visitors are trying to solve.  Make them “need” what you have to offer.

5)      Is there a call to action on every page?  Tell your visitors exactly what to do.  Don’t make them work too hard!

6)      Do you regularly add new content to the site?  Give your visitors a reason to keep coming back for more.

There’s a lot more to think about when building a site, but this is a good starting point.  If you are having trouble with these basics, you may want to consider hiring professionals to help.  A writer can create compelling and relevant copy.  A designer can tweak the design to support your visual brand.  A programmer can make the site function in practical and innovative ways. And a SEO (search engine optimization) specialist can improve search engine rankings. 

What have you found to be the most challenging part of creating your own web site?  Did you end up hiring a professional to help?

Maureen M. McCarthy

Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta)   www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management

I took notice of the new car by reading an article about it on MSN.  Then, I happened to see a television ad while channel hopping one evening.  I went to the Honda website and the first thing I saw on the home page was the sporty-looking auto.  A quick perusal of Facebook informed me the CR-Z has joined the fleet in the FaceBook game Car Town.  The music video “Ridin Solo” by Jason Derulo included a cameo appearance by the CR-Z.  And there was a CR-Z Sports Hybrid Stage featuring current musical acts at the MTV VMAs last week. Whew!  I can only imagine how busy that marketing department has been for the last few months!

Because I’m a semi-old lady, the article on the internet caught my eye first.  But think about the 20-something man who was watching the VMAs, was intrigued by what he saw, and went online to check it out.   Honda got both of us to pay attention, albeit in very different ways. 

I think this is a great example of how an integrated marketing program should work.  Honda is able to tell a consistent story and stay true to their brand while generating interest across a very broad-based target market.  Think about that as you create your next marketing plan.  What creative ways can you think of to make your audience take notice?

Maureen M. McCarthy

Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta)   www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management

There is no magic answer to this question. Every opportunity is different and presents its own pros and cons. In order to measure worth (or success), you must first define your objective and create a meaningful benchmark.

For example, you may be wondering if it is worth the time, energy and money to have a booth at a regional trade show. Is your goal to sell product? If so, how much? Or do you want to create brand awareness? Set appointments? Collect contact information for future marketing endeavors?

Once you have set an objective and created a measure of success, you need to look at the audience. Compare your target market with the people who will be attending the trade show. Realistically, do the attendees fit within your parameters for a good customer? Will they help you achieve your objective? Or is there another way to reach your target market and achieve better results for less money, time and/or effort?

After assessing your objectives and audience, ask yourself again whether the effort is worth it. Does the cost of entry offset the result? Is it “worth it” to spend $500 for booth space, another $300 on brochures and prizes, and $10 per hour for each of two employees to man the booth?

The “worth” question generally leads to a broader discussion about strategic marketing planning. A good marketing plan outlines multiple programs and tactics all working together to achieve common goals over a set period of time. Generally, no tactic by itself will make the phone ring off the hook or double sales.

What tactics have been “worth it” for your business? How did you measure success?

Maureen M. McCarthy – Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta) – www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management

I have been looking for a new car for a very long time.  I haven’t found one in my price range that I am absolutely in love with, therefore I’ve been procrastinating for years.  Really…years!  But on Sunday I was very, very naughty. 

I was driving past a BMW dealership and decided to do a little window shopping.  The Ultimate Driving Machine, in my opinion, is priced out of my “sensible” range but I have always loved them.  My dad had them when I was a little girl and I’ve had an affinity for them ever since.

I proceeded to check out the beautiful cars with no intention of taking a test drive.  However, Joe greeted me within minutes of my arrival and asked me a few basic, non-threatening questions.  I immediately told Joe I wasn’t going to buy a car that day and he thought that was just fine.  “No pressure,” he said.  Then he casually asked me if I wanted to take a test drive.  I repeated my stance and Joe assured me it was not a problem. 

I took Joe up on his offer.  And to my surprise, he handed me the keys and didn’t hop in.  I was dumbfounded. 

After being in the car for less than three minutes I understood Joe’s incredibly simple sales tactic.  He didn’t have to deliver a high pressure sales pitch or ride with me to point out the car’s features.  The responsiveness, handling and luxury of the car all spoke for themselves. One test drive has gotten me in trouble.  Now I really, really want a BMW despite my sensibilities!

So this is the marketing nugget that was reinforced by my visit to the BMW dealership:  Offer your customers a quality experience.  Don’t just fill a need.  Create a positive emotional response and you won’t need a sales pitch.    

Maureen M. McCarthy – Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta)   www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management

I used to panic when this sort of thing happened because I thought it meant I’d have to hustle twice as fast to get things done once the client decided to move forward.  But over the years, I have decreased the amount of drama in my work life by asking a lot of questions at the beginning of the project.  This helps me understand the goals up front so I can manage expectations from the very beginning.  Then I can put together a well-defined timeline to help the client understand the normal creative and production processes as well as the repercussions of missing a deadline. 

Although I unexpectedly found myself with a little extra time on my hands today, I’m not too worried about it.   The timelines have shifted and the work will get done…eventually. 

So, how do you take the drama out of your work life?

Maureen M. McCarthy – Marketing & Advertising Consultant in Norcross, GA (NE Atlanta)   www.McCarthyMktAdv.com

strategic marketing planning | copywriting | project management