Madmedia marketing
July 2013
Monthly muse
Make yourself the oddball pg. 4
Madmedia marketing
“I honestly believe that advertising is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.� -Jerry Della Famina, US Advertising Executive
www.MadMediaMarketing.com
monthly muse July 2013
hn Tijs hssue...
Feature Artjcle Personal Brandjng– Make Yourself tie Oddball pg. 4 Do Promotjonal htem Work??? pg. 4
MadMedja Marketjng Success!!! BaiamasLocal.com pg. 5 Marketjng… Yes, you pay me for my tiougits… pg. 7
About tie Hatter pg. 8
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Madmedia marketing Personal Branding- Make Yourself The Oddball If we really stop and think about it, most of us spend our lives building the brands of others, and often neglecting what is most important- our personal brand- who you are. Many people think about personal branding as it relates to consultants, freelancers, and artist types, but in truth you don’t have to be self-employed to build your own brand. No matter where you are in your career, efforts in personal branding can assist you in further securing your position in your field. As much as we may claim discrimination, personal ap-
course others where you can) is a plus as it gives you international appeal. Likewise, make sure when you speak you know what you’re talking about. Know your industry not just your business or the business you work for. Do your homework, sign up for reputable industry related blogs, and pay attention to your market. Mind you this is not so you can walk around spewing info like a know-it-all but rather so that when the opportunity arises, as it often does, you can make a meaningful contribution and once again get the right people to take note.
pearance is a key step in the personal branding process. We say we don’t judge people by how they look and yet in some ways we cannot avoid this. When you meet someone face to face the first thing you take in is their appearance. As a brand you must ensure this appearance matches your intent. The rule is not to be dressed up but rather on the upside of appropriate. Take a plumber for example - it is not appropriate to show up for a job in a suit and tie, and yet wearing your busted Levi’s from 1989 is no more appropriate- this is why we say the “upside.” If you wear jeans let them be clean and ironed. Look like a boss in your industry not a mere employee. Another example is ladies in the office. Your brand can’t simply be looking good as many things may be attractive but not appropriate. Fishnet stockings and anything that can qualify as “stripper shoes” should not be worn in the office unless you run a brothel. Aim for pretty but professional- skip the fishnets and invest in a nice set of pearls. Just as important as how you appear is how you express yourself. Well-spoken individuals naturally command more attention giving you an opportunity to get your ideas on the table. For some this is natural, others may have to work at it; but have no doubt in today’s global market an excellent command of the English language (and of
Once your brand looks good and has the substance to back up those good looks the last step is simple- market your brand. Network, network, network!!! For the industry to take note you have to take your image beyond the office walls. Many people use Facebook but this can be tricky and it is highly advised to keep business and personal information separate. For personal brand building try social media sites like LinkedIn that are geared at connecting professionals and highlighting your career and skills. If you have the time and talent start an industry related blog and share your ideas. Find a soapbox that works for you and get on it!!! Don’t wait for people to seek you out, put your talents on display. It’s your career and you have to take control. The key to personal brand building is first having a vision not of who you are or want to be but rather a vision of how you need to be perceived. Once you have the vision, set about achieving it step by step, idea by idea, article by article... Make your brand a force to be reckoned with. -TMH
www.MadMediaMarketing.com
July 2013
monthly muse
Do Promotional Items Work??? As a marketing professional, I’m always analyzing the marketing techniques implemented by businesses and individuals alike. You see whether we’re trying to sell a product or ourselves marketing is necessary to achieve the desired outcome. This weekend I attended a trade show of sorts and the varying levels of marketing genius and failure were quite intriguing. One of the biggest issues companies have when participating in events like this comes in the area of promotional items or freebies. Patrons to these events expect to be lavished with samples and free branded gear such as pens, tote bags, and tshirts. However, from a business perspective the ROI (Return On Investment) on these costly promo items is usually quite low. So how can a business make every penny count??? The first step is to stop being random. Most businesses decide what promotional items they’ll use based on what they think people want. The error here is that people simply want free stuff- the determination about what specific promotional items to buy should be made based on your company needs, not solely consumer wants. T-shirts are a perfect example of low ROI. Branded t -shirts while desired by consumers are not often worn enough to make a meaningful impact. Tote bags on the other hand can be an excellent opportunity to further promote your business as they are both desired by consumers and their use lends them to greater exposure. The second step is to aim for quality. The
quality of the promotional items you use can also have great bearing on their effectiveness. For example, the nicer a pen the more likely it is someone will want to keep it. A good quality tote bag is likely to be used for a greater number of reasons as it can bear more weight for things like groceries, and thus be seen more places. Cheap promotional items may end up having a negative impact on your company image as persons may translate this to the quality your company represents. The third and final recommendation is to consider your industry. Consider when it is you want persons to think of you and try to find products that fit that environment. For example, a cosmetics or pharmaceutical company may want to use branded make-up bags or toiletry cases or even small mirrored compacts as these items directly relate to their products. Food brands may opt for
large durable totes and encourage their use for groceries so that every time the consumer is in the store their brand is with them. An insurance company may choose an item such as an umbrella or first aid kit which in a subconscious way makes their brand present at the moment of risk. It would naturally follow that this is the perfect time to remind the consumer of the protection insurance offers. By taking all these variables into consideration, you can better determine how to maximize the money you spend on promotional items. While it may still translate into few direct or immediate sales, the brand awareness that can be achieved with proper execution is certainly worth the effort. -TMH
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Madmedia marketing MadMedia Marketing Success!!! A great part of MadMedia Marketing isn’t just offering marketing advice but recognizing those companies around the world with a MadMedia Mindset… Today we recognize BahamasLocal.com- the largest online information resource for the Bahamian market. In just 7 years this company has transformed itself from a small internet start up with hopes and dreams to the hottest thing going in the Bahamian internet industry. With more than 10,000 unique visitors daily (April 2013) they have managed to corner the market harnessing both local and international traffic all with a goal of furthering the Bahamian economy. The site itself is a true search engine where users can find information on local businesses, news, real estate, cinema, events, and much more. By being so comprehensive they give users a reason to visit their site daily and quite possibly multiple times per day. What makes their services unique is that they are more than a simple directory. BahamasLocal.com is an online marketing firm that actually works with its clients to create the online presence needed to attract the attention of the 2013 consumer. In addition to this they offer a number of free services to assist the business community including free basic business listings, free posts to their news section, and free posts to the BahamasLocal.com event calendar. While all of this is great what truly demonstrates their MadMedia Mindset is the international exposure they’ve achieved. The CEO, Jason McDowall, is a memeber of the IMA (Internet Marketing Association) Executive Council, and just this year traveled to Washington, D.C., where he and 7 other IMA Executive Council members met with U.S. lawmakers and attended 13 meetings in 3 days regarding international internet policies. In addition, BahamasLocal.com has had a participating role in major international events held in the Bahamas such as the FIFA/ CONCACAF Beach Soccer Qualifier held in Nassau, Baha-
(Photo courtesy of BahamasLocal.com and Sophia Taylor Photography)
mas, May 8-12, 2013 (facilitated by the BFA- Bahamas Football Association and BSWW- Beach Soccer Worldwide), the recent Tottenham Hotspur vs. Jamaica game held in the Bahamas’ new national stadium, and the just completed Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic won by Ilhee Lee. BahamasLocal.com’s participation in these events as a major media sponsor shows that they have secured their market positioning not only locally but internationally as the leading online marketing firm in and for the Bahamian market. Hats off, from the MadHatter… BahamasLocal.com- they know MadMedia… -TMH
www.MadMediaMarketing.com
monthly muse
July 2013
Marketing… Yes, you pay me for my thoughts…
“Penny for your thoughts…” As a marketing professional, I’m always analyzing the marketing techniques implemented by businesses and individuals alike. You see whether we’re trying to sell a product or ourselves marketing is necessary to achieve the desired outcome. This weekend I attended a trade show of sorts and the varying levels of marketing genius and failure were quite intriguing. One of the biggest issues companies have when participating in events like this comes in the area of promotional items or freebies. Patrons to these events expect to be lavished with samples and free branded gear such as pens, tote bags, and tshirts. However, from a business perspective the ROI (Return On Investment) on these costly promo items is usually quite low. So how can a business make every penny count??? The first step is to stop being random. Most businesses decide what promotional items they’ll use based on what they think people want. The error here is that people simply want free stuff- the determination about what specific promotional items to buy should be made based on your compa-
ny needs, not solely consumer wants. T-shirts are a perfect example of low ROI. Branded t-shirts while desired by consumers are not often worn enough to make a meaningful impact. Tote bags on the other hand can be an excellent opportunity to further promote your business as they are both desired by consumers and their use lends them to greater exposure. The second step is to aim for quality. The quality of the promotional items you use can also have great bearing on their effectiveness. For example, the nicer a pen the more likely it is someone will want to keep it. A good quality tote bag is likely to be used for a greater number of reasons as it can bear more weight for things like groceries, and thus be seen more places. Cheap promotional items may end up having a negative impact on your company image as persons may translate this to the quality your company represents. The third and final recommendation is to consider your industry. Consider when it is you want persons to think of you and try to find products that fit that environment. For example, a cos-
metics or pharmaceutical company may want to use branded make-up bags or toiletry cases or even small mirrored compacts as these items directly relate to their products. Food brands may opt for large durable totes and encourage their use for groceries so that every time the consumer is in the store their brand is with them. An insurance company may choose an item such as an umbrella or first aid kit which in a subconscious way makes their brand present at the moment of risk. It would naturally follow that this is the perfect time to remind the consumer of the protection insurance offers. By taking all these variables into consideration, you can better determine how to maximize the money you spend on promotional items. While it may still translate into few direct or immediate sales, the brand awareness that can be achieved with proper execution is certainly worth the effort. -TMH
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about the hatter Wjti a background jn djrect sales and customer servjce h've iad tie opportunjty to work wjtijn varjous jndustrjes rangjng from basjc retajl and jnsurance, to fjne arts, tourjsm, and most recently onljne medja. A creatjve type by nature, as an jndependent marketjng consultant my focus js full concept consumer-centrjc marketjng fjlljng tie areas of brand recognjtjon, corporate jmage eniancement, and product promotjon. As an jndependent marketjng consultant h work wjti companjes to create tie brand awareness and corporate jmage needed to remajn vjable jn today's ever competjtjve global market. Check out the mad hatter online
MadHatter@MadMedjaMarketjng.com
www.MadMediaMarketing.com