by IMC | Oct 26, 2012 | Blog, Credibility, Partnership, Tactics
The horrific news of a nanny who allegedly murdered two children has gripped the nation. Organizations associated with parenting now have a new issue parked on their doorstep. That issue is this: Should parents entrust the rearing of their children to The Nanny? Parent bulletin boards are buzzing about this controversy.
The good news for you is that, unlike the media, you do not have to come up with an instant response – or any at all. When clients or customers approach you about the matter, you have a number of options. You can turn the question back to them and ask what they think. In many cases people want just that: An invitation to air their views. You can also indicate that you need more time to consider the issue.
After you have reflected, you could create and publish an opinion-editorial in the local newspaper and post your point of view on your blog, Facebook, and twitter account. You would invite the community to join in the conversation.
In addition, you can leverage this as an opportunity for a special event and sponsor a panel to discuss it. That could be a public service. The media are likely to cover it. You could also conduct a survey of public opinion. For that you might establish a partnership with a School of Social Work or a Sociology Department at a University.
Controversy, especially one such as this which involves children, can seem scary. However, it does present the forum to participate in an issue which counts a great deal to your customers and clients.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation on Marketing, Partnerships, Public Relations, Special Events, and Social Media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Oct 23, 2012 | Blog, Marketing Mix
Organizations often come to Image Marketing Consultants after their marketing program didn’t work. They have lost money and time. Also their confidence has taken a hit. We understand their pain and confusion. However, that failure just as often can become the platform for building big success.
Author of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” Robert T. Kiyosaki emphasizes the power of making mistakes to open people up to fresh ways of thinking and doing. His “Rich Dad” would continually tell him, “The reason so many smart and well-educated people do not achieve great wealth is because in school they were taught that mistakes were bad.” In real life, though, mistakes are necessary to learning.
The trick is to be able to not run from the mistake but do an “autopsy” on it about what went wrong and why. The usual factors underlying failure include bad timing, complexity, not understanding the customer, inadequate resources, targeting inappropriate segments, attempting too much, stale idea, and/or lack of attractive incentives.
The good news is that kind of mistake is usually never made again. Back in the 1980s, Coca-Cola launched New Coke. There has never been another New Coke.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation for your marketing, partnerships, public relations, special events, and social media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Oct 18, 2012 | Blog, Branding, Celebrity Power, Marketing Mix
Celebrity spokespeople such as Lance Armstrong can lose their hero status. Advertisers such as Nike then race to drop them. However, that does not mean that the marketing mix will no longer include a celebrity presence.
Sure, there is a risk that the sports icon or film star will become involved in a scandal. However, their instant ability to draw attention to a brand, product, service, or cause is too powerful to overlook.
It was artist Andy Warhol who connected the dots. Warhol saw that society had come to frame experience in terms of familiar images such as Jackie Kennedy. Marketers took it from there. They recognized that even hinting at one of those familiar images in their promotions would get the right kinds of attention.
No, celebrity spokespeople are not going away. Instead marketers likely will construct campaigns in which there are also other props such as fictional characters, contests, special events, and partnerships. That “hedges” their promotional investments in case the celebrity falls from grace.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you for a complimentary consultation for Marketing, Partnerships, Public Relations, Special Events, and Social Media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Oct 15, 2012 | Blog, Marketing Mix
Opportunity is in the air as the economy moves from The Great Recession to recovery. You can feel it, smell it, and practically taste it.
So, how can you ensure you will be able to maximize this potential for your business? We at Image Marketing Consultants call that “Making your own luck.” Here are 3 tips on making yourself very successful as you shift from hard times to post recession.
Amateurs copy, geniuses steal. The late Steve Jobs saw the potential in Xerox’s graphical interface operating system. Xerox did not, at least not to the point of scaling it up for widespread distribution. Jobs, very legally, took the best of those features and incorporated them in the Mac. The rest is history. Survey what’s out there that you can make part of your own enterprise. The number-one mistake in leadership is priding oneself on total innovation.
Timing is everything. Your business can’t be ahead of the times. And it can’t lag trends. Put your finger on the pulse of the marketplace, then make your moves. All the world is watching new head of Yahoo Marissa Mayer to see if she is in tune with consumer demand.
Failure is a teacher, not a setback. Companies not failing are not taking enough risks. The trick is to reverse engineer what doesn’t work for the lessons it contains. Remember most things don’t pan out.
Luck comes to those who are alert to what’s going down in the external world and who know their businesses well enough to align them with developments.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to complimentary consultations for marketing, public relations, partnerships, special events, and social media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.
by IMC | Oct 11, 2012 | Blog, Marketing Mix
It’s not exactly morning in America when it comes to the economy. But there are clear signs of recovery.
Today, for instance, the Labor Department reports a 30,000 drop last week in filings for unemployment. The challenge for organizations in marketing and fundraising is to pace their initiatives during this period of transition. Here are 3 tips from Image Marketing Consultants.
Listen to the marketplace. There are no set formulas any more about price points, how to add value, and when to phase out of an unprofitable account. Therefore, this is the time to become re-acquainted with the dynamics of the market segments you focus on. Tools for that range from simply getting conversations going to having a brief low-cost survey.
Take inventory of your successes and failures. Most of you learned a lot and quickly during hard times. Now it’s time to analyze the lessons and figure out how to apply them to your changing situation. The sad reality is that too many of you choose to close the door on mistakes made and waste what can be derived from that brutal experience.
Experiment. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. There’s plenty of wisdom in that convential thinking. Unless you try out fresh strategies and tactics you will never know which could be game-changers in your organization. Figure out the level of risk you are comfortable with and then make the commmitment to experiment with a few ideas.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to a complimentary consultation about your marketing, partnerships, public relations, special events, and social media kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868,
The horrific news of a nanny who allegedly murdered two children has gripped the nation. Organizations associated with parenting now have a new issue parked on their doorstep. That issue is this: Should parents entrust the rearing of their children to The Nanny? Parent bulletin boards are buzzing about this controversy.
