Marketing Secret - Be a Name Dropper

What's in a name? Could be millions. If you were a movie producer and you wanted a "name" to help you reap millions - you would pay $10 to $20 million for Bruce Willis, Julia Roberts, Jim Carrey or Arnold (when he returns to Hollywood...he said he'd be back). You know the money has no relation to their "acting" ability. It is the name that is valuable - the name that sells.

Imagine if you had the power of these names promoting your business: Wayne Gretzky, Lance Armstrong, Venus Williams, William Shatner or Celine Dion. Some companies paid millions to associate their products with these names. Why? Because there is something special in a name. A name conveys credibility, acceptance and emotional hunger. I want to be like him or her.

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." Bill Cosby

Canadian universities figured this one out. They sold the marquee for their business schools to business names: Ivey at University of Western Ontario, Asper at University of Manitoba, Molson at Concordia University, DeGroote at McMaster University, Schulich at York University and Rotman at University of Toronto. The universities got two things from this association with successful business names. They got millions of dollars and they got the prestige of associating with the successful business name.

"What the Rotman School is doing may be the most important thing happening in management education today." Peter F Drucker

Of course associating with any name could carry a risk. Take the time to understand the character of the individual and culture of the organization. Due diligence might save you some embarrassing harm. But national and international stars can be expensive. If you are paying for endorsement consider regional or local sports celebrities.

The safest names to associate with are dead people. The longer they have been dead - the better. Their history is written and it is not likely someone will dig up new dirt on them. Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Orville Wright, Christopher Columbus, Alexander the Great, Marie Curie, Picasso, Edison, Alexander Graham Bell.

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake." Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)

Mythical figures are another safe bet; Hercules, Popeye, Peter Pan, King Arthur, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-man, Captain America.

"Do, or do not. There is no 'try'." Yoda

If you understand the power of a name - then take advantage of it. And don't limit your options to paid endorsements. Consider these possibilities.

Make Your Name a Name
State your name proudly and clearly when talking to others. Don't apologize for your name. Don't say, "I work for a company called..." or "You probably never heard of us..." How would Bill Gates introduce his company name? Introduce yours the same way.

Make it Easy for Others to Hear and Remember Your Name
Pick a business name that is clear and unique. Don't call your company some non-descript name like, "United International Enterprises" or worst, "HLMS Consulting and Associates Etc.". Both of those are boring, vague and difficult to remember. Try this mental check. What company names can you instantly list? Write them and examine them. What is it about them makes them memorable? Here are some good company names - IBM, Coke, Pizza Pizza, Canadian Tire, and Blockbuster Video. Your million-dollar tip is to use hard consonants (b, d, j, k, q, p, t). We hear these sounds clearer and tend to remember them better.

Repeat Your Name - Often
We need to hear things at least seven times before we remember it. Put your name on everything - your business card, website, sign, golf shirt, coffee mug... And when someone asks you to repeat your name - be honored - not angry. When you leave a voice message state your name twice - once at the beginning of the call and again at the end. You can reinforce your name by spelling it. "That's T-O-R-O-K."

Associate Your Name with Winners
Tell others about your big name clients. Tell others about the associations that you are a member of and mention big name members. Tell others about the charities you support. Run a joint promotion with another leading business. Talk about your heroes and names that you admire.

"In my country we go to prison first and then become President." Nelson Mandela

Name Your Clients
Get testimonials from them. Get their permission and quote their names in your promotions. Post their names and logos on your website. That helps them and you. Avoid using the testimonial from "anonymous". You know - the great testimonial signed "Bob", or "M". We question the veracity of such vagueness.

Brag About Your Clients
Learn and remember their names and stories. Write them notes of appreciation. Proudly tell their stories. Recommend your clients to others. Stay in touch with your clients so they remember and repeat your name. And when you talk with them be sure to mention the names that are important to them.

Clients of George Torok include, "CIBC, Alcan, Bombardier, Dupont, Playtex, Canadian Management Centre, City of Toronto, Ontario Ministry of Finance, Empire Insurance, Zurich Insurance, Coors Canada, 5th Avenue Collection, Union Energy..."

Get Your Name in the Media
Help the media to drop your name - by keeping them informed about what you do. Then repeat what they say.

"Overall it's hard not to pick up lots of useable advice from this book." Globe & Mail on 'Secrets of Power Marketing'

Quote from Famous People
Use quotations from authors, business leaders and celebrities that convey your message. Can you use a quote from Stephen Covey, Anthony Robbins, Jack Welch, Sam Walton, Terry Fox or John Candy? When you do this it appears that those famous people agree with you.

"If you are going through hell, keep going." Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

© George Torok is coauthor of the national bestseller, Secrets of Power Marketing - Canada's first guide to Personal Marketing for the non-marketer. Get your free copy of "50 Power Marketing Tips" at http://www.PowerMarketing.ca To arrange a speech or executive briefing call 905-335-1997 Visit http://www.Torok.com

Essential Marketing for Every Company, Product and Service

Consider marketing to be an ongoing process, rather than a discipline with a 'start' and a 'finish' and you are likely to reap far better benefits from your efforts.

Because marketing deals with an ever-changing entity: markets.

And markets are made up of dynamic, ever-changing buyers. They age, change their spending habits, adapt their tastes and their needs; people come and people go.

One of the most fascinating things about aging has been the realisation that I am no longer considered part of any real target market. No one fights to sell me property, insurance, furniture, music or fashion any more. I already have so many of those things. But if I want to replace a saucepan, I find they are now sold in sets. If I want one, I must buy six. Surely only newlyweds need six new saucepans...what on earth would I do with the other five?

And, let's be honest, I am no longer sylph-like, so in more ways than one, I no longer fit the mould. I'll only want a new home if I down-size; my furniture is mainly antique, not mass-produced; my music is mellow and has stood the test of time and I've bought all the insurance I can afford (and some I no longer can).

Marketers look to much younger people to buy most of their products: the teeny-weenies, the teenage hellions, the upwardly mobile or future families; in short, Generations Y and Z. On my part, that's good! The only marketers who still bother me are banks (and if they checked my bank balance and debt load first, they'd leave me alone entirely!)

Where to start with a marketing mix?

Affordability is as good a guide as any. No SME would book ongoing national TV coverage, for instance. Not only is it unaffordable, but only large companies and franchise systems can service national response to great TV advertising.

Here are ten great commandments for successful management of the marketing process:

1. Your market knows what it wants. You may be bright; you may be clever, but the people who buy (or don't) also have opinions and are easily swayed. Never assume you know what your market needs. Ask it! Tons of companies target markets that provide little of their income.

2. Continually ask questions. The best marketers have insatiable curiosity and questions reveal questioning, intelligent minds. Products fail daily because they are the wrong colour, are too big or too small...questions need answers; find them.

3. Back up all argument with evidential rationale. Argument without facts or proof to back it up is merely opinion. Just because we like something, doesn't mean others do.

4. Lead with strong conviction. It's management's job to lead onwards into new territory. If your team grumbles and disagrees, get them to find their own answers, but don't discount their opinions. Continually 'pushing the envelope' is essential to good marketing management.

5. Surround yourself with positive people. I'm in two minds about this...while essential optimists make every team easier to co-ordinate, I don't believe marketing should forge ahead without relevant research, assessment and report-back. If people don't like the taste, they'll only buy the muffin once and sales will drop before the marketing campaign is done. Ra-ra people may bolster your confidence, but they could also easily miss essential detail.

6. Learn from your mistakes. If you don't take risks and make mistakes, you won't learn anything about your products, your services or your market. Marketing without ongoing research markets to a vacuum. Always aim to reach beyond what you already know.

7. Don't do it alone. Whether you have an internal marketing team or you use an agency or freelancers, listen and include every opinion you can. Discover each person's value and apply it to the tasks in hand.

8. Commit to generating momentum and dynamic activity. Campaigns include providing feedback, like researching target markets, product popularity, service needs and follow-ups. How many enquiries did your promotion generate? Activity based on logic generates momentum and gets results, creating confidence in the marketing process.

9. Hire people who are smarter than you. For true innovation, new ideas are essential and new ideas are generated, not learnt. Find people who think differently and, once tested, let them manage new initiatives. By all means, expect status reports, but give them relative freedom to operate.

10. Honour your failures. That's right! With no failures, you've not learnt what your buying public doesn't like! Whether you use this approach in product design, service orientation or in the promotional context, failures give you valuable contextual information for future decisions.

More on Bootstrap Marketing - One More Way to Launch Your Product in a Tight Market

Every business, organization and individual I know has been impacted in some way, almost always negatively, by the current economic downturn. The ripple effects of slow sales, shrinking home equity, foreclosures and job downsizing has been pervasive. Governments are experiencing record dips in tax revenues. Church and charity donations are logically imploding as citizens attempt to shore up their personal finances and survive the fiscal carnage taking place all around them.

As job losses occur, and I believe more startling, many of these jobs will not be replaced when the economy returns to a more normal footing, my marketing consulting firm is approached with a slew of new business opportunities being presented by fired and laid off workers. Many are former middle managers who have been terminated and received some type of severance package. Their goal is often to leverage this small purse into a business opportunity.

Some have panic in their eyes as they try to find an alternative way to make a living. Some are simply unrealistic. Many think they will need to fund their start-up with an investment round from angel investors. Most have never tried to launch a product before so the process is obviously daunting. The advice we seem to provide most regularly is this: slow down, vet your business plan again and be realistic in the assumptions you are constructing your enterprise around.

The universal issue that confronts entrepreneurs, and always has, is funding. If you have no available funds, cannot put any sweat in the game, or expect to use OPM (Other Peoples Money) in lieu of your own, stop now. There are Angel Investors who invest in early stage startups, however, they are rare, highly targeted and exceedingly choosy as they have a virtually unlimited supply of opportunities available. Most investors use the old three F adage for launch funds: "this type of start up money comes from Friends, Family or Fools".

So what can the newly driven entrepreneur do to launch a product in a competitive market with only a small amount of working capital on hand.

We typically attempt to customize a strategy including guerrilla and bootstrapping marketing. There is no single definition or road map for this type of market penetration strategy. Much like guerrilla warfare, which is free flowing and conducted based on terrain, climate, force size and enemy disposition, new products should take the approach that there is a chink in market armor, discover it and fill the niche.

Almost always a bootstrap marketing campaign starts at the local level. Every entrepreneur wants to see their product on every store shelf in America from the get go. However, the capital requirements required to support national distribution is huge. By working the home turf the product can be nurtured, tested, seasoned and most importantly proven. The most important day in any new businesses life is the day a re-order is placed. This confirms the first stage of market acceptance.

Here is a simple example of bootstrapping a product that we have utilized numerous times to successfully get a line of product in front of consumers:

Let's assume you have a gourmet food product that you are keen to get to market. Utilize the services of local private packer and build a minimal inventory.

Be sure to make sure that the packer signs a secrecy agreement that protects your recipe. Make sure that the label meets all government requirements.

Produce a short film production (DVD) with voice over, music optional. Modern recording equipment makes this process virtually zero cost. Shoot the piece (video loop) at home, or on a picnic table and in the lab/commissary of the private packer. Detail the product, how you developed the product, have on air quotes for attribution from friends and others that love the product and possibly show the lab work being done to safely produce the item in a government licensed facility.

If you live in a town that has five malls or lifestyle shopping centers, choose the property that has demographics most likely to appeal to consumers of the type of product you are selling. Then negotiate with property management to rent a cart or kiosk on a monthly basis. January through September you will pay a basic rent. October through December, the holiday season, your rate will soar, but so will sales.

Typically shopping centers are open about 70 hours per week. The cart can be manned by you, family members or hired students with a minimal salary and a commission incentive. The stand can be inexpensively merchandised with point of purchase display, signs and a television running the DVD video loop. Demonstration of the product will enable consumers to experience the features and benefits of your product. If the product is a food product, you will want to sample the product, for instance.

Once sales commence, and proof of product performance is confirmed, the kiosk can be replicated in nearby malls and ultimately in proximate cities. Typically, we plan sales models to enable the expansion of the cart or mall kiosk to additional locations utilizing the profit from the alpha location.

The bootstrap path described above is just one way to launch a consumer product without the benefit of a funding round or a rich Aunt Bertha available to write a big check. Most people do not have rich friends or family to reach out too for investment. The venture capital process is slow, daunting and fraught with tons of competition chasing precious few dollars. Nevertheless, successful entrepreneurs find a way and bootstrapping is often the most available method of getting a product to market.

We have used variants of bootstrapping many times to benefit clients seeking to overcome launch hurdles. Flea markets, consignment, advertorial, local management of national chains, targeted direct response and many more avenues can be crafted to fit the bootstrap model. Most new entrepreneurs have been lead to believe that a heavy capital investment is essential to insure marketing success. Experienced entrepreneurs know otherwise. They know that there are many other, usually more attainable, ways to achieve their goals.

Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money.

After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance.

Geoff Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. (http://www.duquesamarketing.com) has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Alternative Marketing Strategies Successful Entrepreneurs Must Consider

The hundreds of entrepreneurs, inventors and small businesses that approach my marketing consulting firm each year with new product ideas all confront the same, basic hurdles in attempting to achieve commercial success. Issue number one, they perceive, is how to fund the project. Issue number two, how to market their product.

Let's review the marketing options. Invariably, the bulk of the entities we work with approach marketing with the belief that they need to immediately place their product in big box retailers. This is a laudable long-term goal, but almost always would be the kiss of death for new products and startup companies.

Big box retailers are exceedingly demanding in requiring huge levels of logistical support. The technology required to simply process orders, data entry, shipping, receiving and billing is highly technical and specific to each chain. The software and systems required to communicate with these giants can be prohibitively expensive for new, small vendors. These are just the logistical hurdles. The sell-through and marketing challenges are much more difficult to conquer.

The alternative to running off to Best Buy or Wal-Mart is to utilize "guerrilla marketing" strategies to mitigate expense, lower risk and insure that the new product has a fair opportunity to achieve success. In recent years we have begun to use a "backdoor strategy" to push products into big box store distribution without confronting the up-front challenges that are so daunting for new companies.

Here is an example. Recently we had a dentist approach our consulting firm with a very novel stylized toothbrush. He had deduced from his dental practice that people typically did not brush for three minutes, twice daily, as recommended by the American Dental Association. They really did not know how long they brushed, but the gum and tooth problems he was confronting in his patients indicated they were not brushing enough each day. His new toothbrush was cleverly designed to address this deficiency in oral wellness.

The dentist typically wanted us to create a marketing strategy for the toothbrush that would place the units on mass-market store shelves for the launch. We explained the difficulties, risks and expenses involved in such a strategy and why he should consider alternatives. This was when we described the "backdoor" option.

Big box chains have local and regional management structures. Most people believe that all new items are purchased through home office buyers or merchants. For example, Bentonville, AK is the home office for Wal-Mart. Troy, MI is the buying office for K-Mart. JC Penney is bought out of Plano, TX. Walgreen is located in Deerfield, IL. The Kroger Company is located in Cincinnati, OH.

Each of these, and other national chains in every retail category, have local managers that have the authority to bring product into their doors on a local basis. Few people realize this. These local, regional managers can cut purchase orders and by-pass the national buying process that can be so vexing.

We packaged the novel toothbrush, had our graphic designer create a pop-up shelf display with a header card, created sales collateral and presented the item to the regional manager of a national drug store chain. He was responsible for 36 stores in two southeastern states. He loved the item and even commented, "we love to show the home office that they miss on too many neat products". We left the meeting with a hand written purchase order for 144 pieces of the toothbrush for each store.

To support the launch of the product we wrote copy for a 30-second television spot with a tag for the drug chain. We went to the local cable television studio and they produced the spot for nothing, in lieu of our buying a small cable spot schedule. The dentist, in his smock, was the on air expert detailing the product.

The product was shipped to the 36 individual stores and the regional manager had forwarded a merchandising directive to each store manager. He advised the product was scheduled for delivery, end cap display was to be provided and that there was cable television buy to support the launch. We hired a college student to get to the stores and make sure the merchandise was prominently displayed and rotated.

Every few days we checked in with the regional manager and he provided sales updates. Within a week, he was able to project turnover and re-order needs. As soon as we secured re-orders, we had the regional manager call the home office with his sell-through report. Within two months we were invited into the buying office for a corporate presentation and to plan a national product launch.

We have used this "backdoor approach" a number of times with different products in different retail channels. It works. Local managers love to take successes, their discoveries, to the home office to prove their mettle. Our clients are in a much stronger position to negotiate terms with national retailers when we have already proven sell-through success on local, test market basis. It also enables us to extrapolate chain wide sales projections based on hard numbers, not best guess assumptions. This is a powerful strategy and many more entrepreneurs should take advantage of this approach that mitigates their exposure.

Licensing, bootstrapping, partnering, joint venturing and receivable financing/factoring are other alternative strategies that can be employed to launch new products. The most successful entrepreneurs overturn every stone to find the one route that will get their idea into play. Keeping all options open is essential if you are to realize your goals.

Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money.

After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance.

Geoff Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, Inc. (http://www.duquesamarketing.com) has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Redefining Empowerment-A Case Study About Effectively Marketing To Teens Without Turning Them Off

Can we inspire teens to choose to do something with the same methodology that convinces them not to do something? For example, does the same decision-making process lead to teens buying $15 Starbury One basketball shoes and to not buying the designer $130 Nike Zoom Kobe I sneakers? Is there a common denominator in how teens choose to start smoking cigarettes and how they choose not to? Can we as marketers reach them at the pivotal decision-making moment to inspire desired behavior? Denver-based Cactus Marketing Communications thinks they have uncovered the simple truth about effectively altering teen behaviors by redefining empowerment as a marketing strategy.

I. Background

Youth empowerment has been defined as an attitudinal, structural and cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives and the lives of other people, including youth and adults.

Over the past decade, the word empowerment has become a buzzword in business and youth development, but the word has different meanings for different people. According to the Journal of Extension, "empowering teens" refers to a process through which adults begin to share responsibility and power with young people... It is the same idea as teaching young people the rules of the game...Youth development professionals are helping young people develop non-academic competencies that will help them to participate in the game of life.

Traditionally, most campaigns that employ youth empowerment as a strategy actually encourage social movements through advocacy and activism. They encourage teens to speak out for causes and to rally other teens to join them in activism. This notion has been particularly popular with youth development campaigns such as 4-H and public health campaigns such as tobacco control. Another popular example that demonstrates this notion is Rock the Vote, which encourages young adults to serve as brand ambassadors and activists to encourage other young adults to vote.

II. Redefining Empowerment

In the fall of 2006, Denver-based Cactus Marketing Communications launched a campaign called Own Your C that is redefining empowerment as we know it. Rather than encouraging a public advocacy or activism in their communities, Own Your C aspires to encourage teens to make positive choices to implement change in their own lives.

Commissioned by the Colorado State Tobacco Education & Prevention Partnership (STEPP), Own Your C is a tobacco prevention and cessation educational campaign targeting Colorado youth ages 12 to 18. Over the past year, Cactus and STEPP have worked hand in hand to produce an integrated marketing campaign with the goal of reducing tobacco use among teens. The following is a summary on the insights gained into the complex world of teens and how those insights led Cactus to redefine empowerment as a marketing strategy with the Own Your C educational campaign.

A. Problem:

1. National tobacco trends:

- According to the Centers for Disease Control, a survey released in July 2006 claimed that a decade-long decline in youth smoking has halted among high school students.

- Ninety percent of adult smokers started smoking by the age of 18.

- Camel's No.9, a new offering that The New York Times called "dressed to the nines," employs fashionable marketing techniques that appeal to young women - from ad placements in fashion bibles like Vogue and Glamour and its name's haunting coincidence to the perfume, Chanel No. 21, and the song, "Love Potion No. 9". Flavored cigarettes, including Kauai Kolada, Twista Lime and Mandarin Mint, also appeal to teens.

2. Colorado is on center stage in the nation's battle against tobacco:

- Decreases in tobacco use rates among Colorado youth have become stagnant in recent years.

- The tobacco industry spent $217 million on marketing to youth in 2005, this is more than 200 percent of the funding the state has to combat their efforts.

- Tobacco companies spend $4 million marketing to Coloradoans every week.

- Colorado is often selected to test market new tobacco products.

B. Insight:

A variety of research methods were employed in order to understand the complex and ever-changing world of teens, both tobacco and non-tobacco related. The goal was to find a message is universally relevant and important among teens of all ages, ethnicities, genders, income levels and geographic locations.

1) Anti-tobacco campaign effectiveness

Through secondary research, Cactus and their research arm, Market Perceptions, Inc., set out to discover whether or not other public education campaigns to-date have been successful in reducing teen smoking levels. What they discovered is that there is a precedent for success with advertising in regards to reducing teen smoking levels.

One study published in 2005 measured students in 75 major media markets with varying levels of state-sponsored anti-tobacco TV ads and found that students from markets with higher advertising levels were significantly less likely to have smoked in the past 30 days, more likely to perceive great harm from smoking and more likely to report they would not be smoking in five years' time. Additionally, a study measuring the effectiveness of the national "truth" campaign reported that 22 percent of the nation's overall youth smoking decline between 1999 and 2002 could directly be attributed to the campaign.

While the counter-industry theme (anti-Big Tobacco) has been proven successful in the past and once tested positively in the late 1990's and early 2000's, more recent studies have shown that due to the proliferation of it as a strategy (nearly two-thirds of all state campaigns use counter-industry), it's yielding diminishing returns. A study published in 2006 by the American Journal of Public Health reported that counter-industry ads did not significantly enhance anti-industry motivation or lower smoking intent.

Studies have found that ads graphically portraying the effects of living or suffering from the afflictions of tobacco use (as opposed to dying from) rank high in getting youth to "stop and think" about tobacco use. Researchers caution against using messages that inflict fear, which have several limitations, and trigger disgust, which some believe to be the single most effective strategy in reducing teen smoking. Ads that employ fear tactics are more likely to be rebelled against, don't break through teens' invincibility barrier, and potentially only enhance the idea of tobacco as the "forbidden fruit," whereas disgust motivates action and corresponds with a lower intent to smoke.

2) Communicating with teens

When conducting a marketing campaign aimed at teens, it's not only important to communicate the right messages to them, but to communicate in the right ways with them. Teens are leading the technology-driven, new media movement, spending more time with computers, the Internet, hand held devices, MP3 players, cell phones, etc.

While talking on the phone is still the preferred communication method of choice (when not hanging out in person), teens' communication patterns go hand in hand with their increased use of new media, with online forums (Instant Message, social networks, etc.) growing in popularity and changing the dynamics of relationships.

After the phone, teens report Instant Message (IM) as their second choice for communicating with friends. IM breaks down traditional communication barriers, lowering inhibitions and allowing them to say things they wouldn't say in person. The same is true of social networks, where a majority of teens build detailed and in-depth profiles for the entire world to see. Their profiles allow them to project an image of how they want to be seen, rather than their true identity. Their profiles also allow them to build a large network of friends, seeking out like-minded teens with similar interests, regardless of geographic locations. Teens more than any other generation, are widely connected to each other through this virtual community.

In addition to identifying and prioritizing the proper communication vehicles, Cactus and Market Perceptions sought to better understand what brands are effectively communicating their messages to teens. Through the mass clutter of brands today, they wanted to understand not necessarily which brands are "in" versus "out", as that is constantly evolving with this fickle audience, but what makes a brand relevant, albeit just briefly, in the minds of teens today.

Overwhelmingly, brand theorists point out that a brand is no longer a badge of quality or insurance of a safe choice as it is with older generations, however, it is a means to define themselves, to express who they feel they are or want to be outwardly to their peers, family, strangers, etc. It is an interesting juxtaposition of self-expression while at the same time enhancing connectedness to other like-minded teens.

A recent global brand study showed that several U.S. brands are losing favor with teens to more innovative, international brands. Experts argue that the brands losing on teen relevance are those that try to impose images on teens, rather than reflecting teens' perceptions of themselves. One particularly successful campaign that resonated with youth is the Adidas "Impossible is Nothing" campaign, which spoke to teens optimism and connectedness.

Overall, teens are aware of marketing and "hip to the hype" and they need to feel in control and that they are discovering brands on their own. Teens need to feel as if they are a part of the brand story.

3) Teen decision-making

While secondary research provided an understanding of tobacco usage among teens, Cactus still needed to understand the decision-making dynamic surrounding teen tobacco use, especially when the decision is not to smoke. There was need to understand teenagers in terms of how they see tobacco within the context of their experience of being a teenager.

Therefore, Cactus and Market Perceptions conducted primary research with the explicit goal of enhancing their understanding of teens through a novel approach that would reveal more about the decision-making dynamics from a teen's perspective. Recognizing that developments in computer technology have transformed the ways in which youth communicate and interact, Market Perceptions built a virtual research space, http://www.YouthRuckus.com. This site became the center around which continuous online interaction afforded insight to uncover these truths.

The methodology for primary research included Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis and ethnographic components. After spending two months with teenagers, watching their behavior and interacting with them, Cactus learned that teen decision-making around tobacco requires a broader perspective beyond the topic of tobacco. The research uncovered the simple truth that tobacco use, or the avoidance of tobacco use, stems from a dynamic that lies at the root of many challenges that teens experience. They are making a transition from doing what others want them to do toward doing what they want to do - and they are learning to make choices along the way.

What Cactus revealed is that there are two ways in which teens become non-smokers.

One way looks very much like the decision to smoke. They don't smoke because someone doesn't want them to smoke. For these teens, we must tell them not to smoke, understanding that we are competing with others who are telling them to smoke.

The other way is a choice. These teens choose not to smoke. Recognizing that these teens are different from their reactionary peers is important in two respects. First, the ability for teens to make decisions for themselves remains a critical element of resistance to pro-tobacco advertising. These teens crave the control to make choices and be accountable for those choices. Second, making choices creates a demand for information.

The implications of this research, therefore, are clear. There are two segments within the teen population. One segment requires a simple message - "Don't smoke!" The other segment requires a very different message - "Own your choices." While membership in these segments is not static, the movement is generally from the first to the second. As teens learn and grow, they all begin to own their choices. Unfortunately, this means that the message "Don't smoke!" will have less impact as they do so, and will undermine their ability to see smoking as a bad choice as they make the transition.

4) Key findings

The research can be boiled down into the following key findings:

- Teens desire to be in control of their lives.

- Teens are pack-oriented and experience self-inflicted pressure to belong.

- Teens understand the choices they make today impact their future but, in the moment of decision, they often ignore this and act impulsively without thinking about the consequences of their actions.

- Teens are concerned with their future, but their notion of future often goes no further than getting into or graduating from college.

- Teens are surrounded by negative messages and want to see things that reflect their optimism.

- Teens have high aspirations and respect brands that reflect this idealized version of themselves.

C. Solution:

Armed with meaningful research, Cactus and STEPP determined that a successful strategy for the commissioned public education campaign would recognize youth's desire to make choices as part of making the transition to adulthood and empower them to seek out information and take responsibility for the outcomes of those choices. Doing this, Cactus redefined empowerment as it had been defined by previous social marketing campaigns. Rather than encouraging advocacy and activism, this campaign encourages teens to make positive choices to implement change in their own lives. This empowerment strategy executed via effective vehicles of communication yielded a powerful and impactful youth tobacco prevention and cessation campaign coined "Own Your C" (Own Your Choices).

"Choice" was selected as a message because it is universal to all youth, regardless of gender, geographic location, ethnicity, sexual orientation, income or age. Choice is relevant to all teens since it connects to them on an emotional level. While youth are impulsive by nature, they demonstrate that they are receptive to messages that provide perspective and empower them. Own Your C was developed as the brand because it embodies the empowerment strategy and choice message. A common vernacular among young adults, "own it" means to step up and take accountability for your actions.

To breakthrough the advertising clutter in a teen's world, Cactus had to create a bona fide youth relevant brand, not just another public health campaign. The Own Your C brand has to compete for attention not just against other public health messages, but against other youth brands so campaign elements were designed to fit within the current fashions and trends of the youth culture. A fully integrated communications strategy was developed with the ownyourC.com experiential Web site as the hub. Tactics include irreverent television spots, a street team, events, cessation tools, mobile marketing, online advertising, and tapping social networks.

The site engages teens in education and conversation on the topic of choice-making as it relates to tobacco. Divided into three main sections of a virtual town called C-Ville, the site include a 'Park area to aid teens in the choices that impact their lives; a 'Downtown' area where teens can be immersed in the Own Your C brand through TV spots, contests and downloads of art, music and ringtones; and a 'Drive-in' area where teens can learn and discuss the impacts of using tobacco.

TV Spots. The television campaign is a series of three television spots that drive home the message that choices define you. "Cecil the Seal" is a tongue-in-cheek play on government-sponsored public service campaigns and introduces the campaign concept: C is for Choice. "Haunting C", based on a thriller suspense movie, reminds teens their choices may come back to haunt them. And "Omnipoteen" centers on a teen superhero who has the power to choose and the consequences associated with his choice. These PSAs are designed to appeal to teens and create a buzz, while driving them to visit ownyourC.com.

C-Ride. A branded ice cream truck, the C-Ride serves as a "C" brand ambassador, building buzz and generating excitement at youth-oriented events statewide. The truck features a back-lit chrome "C" hood ornament, airbag suspension and custom rims, custom lighting and sound, and a freezer for distributing ice cream and treats. Cactus commissioned an artist from the U.K. popular for his offbeat character illustrations to design the truck's exterior. Equipped with a street team, the C-Ride extends the brand to urban, rural and mountain communities and serves as a distribution point for tobacco cessation materials.

Promotional Items. Cactus commissioned artists from around the world to express what "owning your C" means to them. Choice-inspired designs from artists in Thailand, the U.K. and the U.S. have been parlayed into t-shirts, winter hats, stickers and magnets, which are distributed by the C-Ride street team.

Quit Kits. Cactus created discreet quit kits for teens to quit smoking or chew tobacco. The kits are encased in anonymous encyclopedia covers with hollowed interior space to store a quit journal, gum, stress balls and alternative-to-tobacco mint snuff pouches.

D. Preliminary results

Since Own Your C launched in the fall of 2006, it has been acclaimed as a relevant youth brand and has created tremendous buzz among the advertising, design and interactive communities. ownyourC.com has been heralded as one of the world's top Web sites targeting youth and has competed for industry awards in the company of Nickelodeon, Curious George, Gillette, Adidas, Altoids and Nike, to name a few. The site has been honored with recent accolades including:

2007 The Webby Awards Winner in Youth category

2007 The One Show Merit Award in Non-profit category

2007 South by Southwest Web Awards "Best in Show"

2007 South by Southwest Web Awards "Gold" in the Business: Green/Non-Profit category

2006 Favourite Web Site Awards "Site of the Year" third place

September 2006 "Site of the Month"

January 2007 CommArts "Site of the Week"

According to ad industry blogs:

"Denver agencies Cactus and AgencyNet have created a visually stunning, bang on strategy online campaign for the state of Colorado... But marketing the value of choices is a strange thing I hear you say? Well, it's a not so thinly guised push at educating teens about the health effects of tobacco. Its completely non-preachy form of communication is refreshing and the perfect tone for speaking to teens." - Tait Ischia, marketing student, Australia

"OwnYourC takes a form conducive to internet-saavy teen visitors-an interactive world, full of animation, green-screen video, 3D characters, stop motion animation, sounds, etc. The campaign conveys this message artfully throughout the site, and the site creators are starting to see that kids are 'becoming the voice to extend the campaign.'" - Josh Spear, trendspotter, writer, designer, Denver.

What's more important, the campaign has been well-received by Colorado teens. The Own Your C street team has visited 115 schools in 40 counties since December 2006. The Web site has had over 310,000 unique visitors since the campaign launched last fall and it has nearly 7,000 C-Ville "citizens," or registered site members, that receive updates on events, contest information and monthly newsletter.

It seems that Colorado youth have responded positively to the campaign message. They appreciate that Own Your C empowers them to make smart choices and does it without preaching or talking down to them. They also seem to like that this campaign doesn't solely focus on tobacco use, but rather overall positive decision-making for the game of life. According to Colorado teens:

"I think that this a really cool, fresh way to get kids to relieve how their decisions effect their future."

"Thank you for not lecturing me on information that I know about tobacco already."

"I'm amazed that someone came out to our school to talk about positive choices."

"I've made a lot of bad choices without thinking of the repercussions, and the outcome. I think that I will start making better choices from here on out!"

The C-ride program has also been lauded by Colorado schools. The branded ice cream truck and the C-ride street team have visited 120 counties in 40 counties, traveling over 8,700 miles since December 2006. On the road, the street team has distributed thousands of t-shirts, hats, stickers and magnets to teens across the state. Additionally tobacco quit kits and posters were distributed to local community health agencies and about 1,000 urban and rural middle and high schools in Colorado. Feedback from students, teachers and other anti-tobacco organizations has been positive.

What's next for Own Your C? The campaign has national potential for expansion. Five state health agencies from across the nation have expressed interest in bringing the youth empowerment campaign to their states. The State of Colorado is currently taking requests from other interested states.

Written in May 2007 by Denver-based Cactus Marketing Communications sharpideas.com a full-service branding agency that grows companies through advertising, design, interactive, media services and public relations. For more information, contact Ashley Boyden, Cactus PR Director, 303.455.7545 or ashleyboyden@sharpideas.com

Media Coaching Critical to Book Marketing and Book Publicity

Book marketing experts know that authors who get excited about landing an interview may lose sight of the goal, which is not to gain media interviews but to sell books. And it’s sad but true that an interview does not automatically generate sales. Effective interviews generate sales; ineffective interviews merely produce idle talk.

The author who can generate sales from a television or radio interview is the author who knows how to relate to the specific audience listening to that show. A book is sold when one listener “clicks” with an author because there is recognition of a common need or experience. Multiply those clicks of recognition, and you multiply sales.

The challenge for all book marketers is that authors are skilled in interviewing other people; they are not skilled in being interviewed themselves. The skills needed to generate sales from interviews are best obtained through media coaching or media training.

Media coaching will give authors the skills to learn how to use the media, not just to convey your message but to compel people to buy your book. As a book marketing expert, I can pitch an author’s story and line up a TV or Radio interview. But most authors won’t be able to amaze listeners and compel them to buy without being trained by a media coach.

A media coach will show authors how to leverage interviews to create book sales, how to feel more comfortable on air and how to relieve the stress and anxiety that can come with interviews. A good media coach also will teach the secrets behind creating effective sound bites conveying the benefits they would get by buying the book.

Specifically, a media coach will reveal tips and let you practice these tried and true techniques, including:

 How to control the interview

 How to insure your message will be effective

 How to employ bridging techniques to get back on track

 How to deal with pitfalls that come up during an interview

 How to answer the tough questions

 How to look your best on camera

 How to sound your best on radio

 How to pitch your message to the host and listener

 How to pitch without sounding like you are

 How to compel the media to discuss your book

 How producers and media people think and how to use that knowledge to your advantage

 How to relate to a specific audience

 How to leverage an interview into book sales

 How to get free publicity on TV and Radio

 How to get the media to hate you (by not returning their phone calls)

 And, how to get invited back

Media coach Jess Todtfeld, who is a former producer for Bill O’Reilly of FOX-TV’s The O’Reilly Factor, says that every interview is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to connect with an audience, to get your point of view to the masses. Most people don’t realize that it must go beyond that. You must motivate the audience to take an interest in you and “do something.” Whether it’s buying your book, going to your web site, or just finding out about you, you must compel them to take that next step. Todtfeld has seen many people use to media to get what they want, but many authors and amateurs make some of the common mistakes. He should know, he’s booked more that 4,000 TV segments with politicians, celebrities and actors on two networks. http://www.successinmedia.com

Radio Interviews provide a tremendous opportunity for authors or anyone with a story to tell. Radio interviews are great because they can be done anytime out of your home, office or automobile (if you aren’t driving). But like any successful marketing venture, radio interviews don’t just happen. Here are some very useful suggestions:

 Be on time. Call the station exactly at the time they tell you, and be at your phone waiting if the station is going to call you.

 Disable call waiting: dial *70 and then call the number. This disables call waiting for the duration of the phone call. As soon as you hang up, it will be reactivated.

 Be self-assured. Remember you know your topic inside and out. Be confident in your ability.

 Smile, smile, smile, whether on radio or TV – SMILE. You’ll feel better, and for TV you’ll look better too.

 Research the show and tailor your message accordingly. Just Google the host’s name and station. Is it a national audience or a small town in Ohio? You need to know.

 Practice your sound bites. Communicate your main points succinctly.

 Be prepared for negative comments, from the host or listeners.

 Be informative and entertaining without directly pushing your book. Make the audience “want more.”

 A kind word about the host can go a long way. It’s good manners and good business.

 A persons name is sweet music to them so commit to memory the name of the host and use it throughout the interview. When taking calls, use the names of callers too.

The last time I talked with Michael Dresser, a well-known media coach http://www.mymediacoach.com Michael told me that there are some realities he makes sure all of his clients know about the media. Dresser says "an interview is an acquired skill. It is a process with a strategy working toward a fixed finish line. Bring your message to the audience in a way that is real for them. Do this by using stories and anecdotes that allow your audience to see themselves in your interview message. Interact with your audience on a one to one basis. Think of a radio interview as an intimate conversation with a friend and not a conversation with thousands. If you stay with the process, the influence and effect of your message will match the intent you had going in. It’s important to go into the interview with a positive attitude and energetic manner. You must be entertaining, informative and persuasive, or you will talking to an empty microphone.”

I pay attention to Michael Dresser because he has been a nationally syndicated radio talk show host for 23 years, and has interviewed thousands of guests. He understands what it takes to be a great guest and understands what prevents someone from achieving that level of success in the interview process. Dresser helps people he coaches to keep their answers short, to stay focused, and to develop a message that will produce results. If you invest in a media coach, use someone like Dresser who was in the game and knows how it’s played.

Media coach and speech trainer TJ Walker [http://www.Speakcast.com] says that because talking to the media is like no other conversation you will ever have, it requires your full concentration and all the skills you can muster. Because of that demand, Walker puts his students through a live interview that he videotapes for instructional purposes. “The camera doesn’t lie,” stresses Walker. “You will learn how to look your best on TV -- if not on the first take, then by the 20th take. There is no way to ‘fake it’ in my one-on-one training course. You will be in the hot seat, the lights will be shining in your eyes, and the microphone will be stuck in your face. Although not always relaxing, the videotaping will turn students into a media pro, ready for any type of media situation.”

Among the types of opportunities an author should be trained to face, says Walker, are live television and radio, ambush interviews, TV and radio talk shows, celebrity appearances, in-studio interviews, newspaper interviews, editorial board meetings, radio talk shows, Internet interviews, edited news programs, training videos, phone interviews, infomercials, press conferences, spokesperson training, and book tours.

Walker’s views are based on 22 years of training CEOs, Prime Ministers and Nobel Peace Prize winners in addition to training managers and staff in client companies such as Microsoft, Bank of America, Unilever, and McDonalds. TJ is the most widely published and produced media trainer in the globe, with more than 50 books, training videos, CDs, and software programs to his credit. I consider TJ Walker’s book, Presentation Training A-Z, to be a must-read.

I’ve heard TJ Walker say many times, and I agree with him that the successful author will carefully analyze what radio or TV shows to book. In book marketing, a book cannot be promoted without first identifying who the readers are in advance of a single sale. Find the reasons why that reader will read that book and then craft a message to be conveyed to information sources that reader relies upon.

Don’t bombard the market with propaganda but send out promotional information to selected streams that reach specific persons. That approach has always worked and always will. Salesmen know that you can’t sell a refrigerator to an Eskimo because he has no need of one, but you’d have a shot at selling him thermal underwear. So follow Walker’s advice -- know your niche and then select the TV or Radio Show that your niche audience listens to or watches.

To successfully market a book, determine who will read it and then target that media directly. By way of example, one of my clients has published a book of poetry. Now the average person won’t buy a collection of poetry. However, certain people love poetry, so we aim our book marketing efforts for this client to poetry magazines, poetry web sites and poetry societies.

Book marketing expert Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a marketing and public relations firm that specializes in book marketing and author promotion. For more information contact him at scottlorenzezinecoaching@westwindcos.com or by phone at 734-667-2090 or visit: http://www.westwindcos.com/book

Recession Proof Income With Affiliate Marketing

One of the best and quickest ways to recession proof your income is through niche affiliate marketing in recession proof industries. Some things are consumed in any economy because people feel they need it or they want it.

Some economists and journalists define a recession as two consecutive quarters in which the gross domestic product (GDP) decreases. The GDP is the value of all the reported goods and services produced by people and institutions operating in a country. An overall decrease in the value of goods and services indicates that demand has decreased in most markets.

The official determination of recession is left to the Business Cycle Dating Committee (no, that is not a relationship service for pencil pushers) at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). It is not a government agency but a private organization that works to further understand the economy. The GDP is not the most important factor they consider. They give more weight to personal income, the national employment rate, sales in manufacturing and trade, and industrial production.

But you and I don't care about all that. All we know is that it costs more to fill the car's tank; that, because of real estate tax and homeowner's insurance premium increases, the house payment is getting higher; that the grocery budget doesn't seem to buy as much as it did 12-18 months ago. And just when we need it the most, if we have any money saved, it doesn't seem to be working very hard for us. If you work in an industry that tends to reflect an economic slowdown you may be worried about layoffs, cutbacks, or smaller or no raises come evaluation time.

Wouldn't it be nice to know that your income producing work was in an area of the economy that is recession proof?

Keep in mind that there are many variations in each of these industries. But you have some choices; you can work for someone else that is involved in one of these industries, or you can market to people or companies that have ties to these industries, or both. Pick the choice you have the most control over, learn all you can about how to do it while you make money at it (I recommend niche affiliate marketing at first), and never worry again about the state of the economy.

Dickie Smith has worked in financial services for over 30 years, working his way up from teller to branch manager, and selling financial products such as mutual funds and term life insurance along the way. He supports niche affiliate marketing as a good way to recession proof your income. For further discussion of recession proof industries see the Recession Proof Industries Report available through http://yrtimenow.com/

For more about affiliate marketing go to http://yrtimenow.com/recessionrescuearticles/

The Crucial Importance of Crude Prototypes in Launching And Marketing New Consumer Products

The most spectacular example of stunning product design extant in the world today must surely be on display in Marinello, Italy at the Ferrari Auto works. Ferrari is the apex of beauty; exclusivity, performance and technology, all bundled into one visually stunning work of mobile art. The famous Prancing Horse icon, seen racing down a winding road, attached to a Ferrari is one of the most beautifully alluring visions in the world.

The legendary Ferrari, so rarely seen on the road or in showrooms is the highest form of world famous Italian design. However, like any other car, the Ferrari is conceived only after small scale models and prototypes are made. Typically the first prototypes are crafted from clay. Then they are critiqued, tweaked and re-worked. Only after much prototype development work is conducted is the car ready to go to engineering for planning and detailed design and construction.

The Ferrari is never produced from a single prototype design. The styling group is always looking to improve and enhance the design. Even when the silhouette of the shape appears perfect, the designers continue to strive for perfection. This drive to make a "Ferrari" is what makes the car so desirable.

Consumer Products that are considered "Hard Goods" are always evolved from prototypes. Established Companies with sophisticated Engineering and Marketing Departments intentionally seek "crudeness" in early design. This relatively undefined "alpha" model is purposely created to spark creative input. Product Design Engineers have learned that a near perfect or too finished prototype results in too much agreement and too little critical thought. It is criticism that generates improvement.

Toy Companies always utilize prototypes to pre-test responses from children before entering production. Jewelry manufacturers use wax and then alloy prototypes to insure integrity and detail of design. Sporting Goods, Small Electrics, Sporting Goods, Packaging Components and Pet Products are made in the same way.

Another reason to produce prototypes through a "crudeness" cycle is to insure proof of product performance. A Consumer Product that must be built from tooling in the manufacturing process requires a significant investment. The cost of a crude prototype can be a source of great savings by confirming the Features and Benefits of the product before spending any monies on the construction of molds.

As the prototype is improved and finished it will take on the look of the go-to-market product that the Sales, Marketing and Branding departments will launch.

For Entrepreneurs the prototype process is crucial. My Product Development and Marketing Consulting firm works extensively with inventors and small businesses. The proper investment in obtaining a Production Quality Prototype is often an enterprise' Achilles Heel. This is a reality that we must constantly restate.

A few points that will reinforce the importance of securing Production Quality Prototypes:

• Decision Makers expect to see a working model in shelf-ready shape

• Garage, self-produced models demonstrate a lack of professionalism

• 3D CAD art used to create Prototypes is essential in learning Cost of Goods

• Manufacturing process requires a Release Packet based on the Prototype

• Finished Prototypes are the model for Manufacturing Execution

• We Pre-sell from Production Quality prototypes

• Prototypes determine unit carton packaging options

• Prototypes can be photo-shopped for producing Sales Collateral

• The Web-Site visuals can be created from Prototype images

• Do not expect the 1st prototype to be perfect, "crude" is a good 1st step

Multi-national Companies such as Toyota, Swatch or Unilever have extensive R&D and New Product Development budgets. Entrepreneurs typically do not. Nevertheless, the prototype development process will be the difference in whether most projects reach market. Do not skirt this step. There are no rewards for taking shortcuts.

by: Geoff Ficke

Geoff Ficke has been a serial entrepreneur for almost 50 years. As a small boy, earning his spending money doing odd jobs in the neighborhood, he learned the value of selling himself, offering service and value for money. After putting himself through the University of Kentucky (B.A. Broadcast Journalism, 1969) and serving in the United States Marine Corp, Mr. Ficke commenced a career in the cosmetic industry. After rising to National Sales Manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care at age 28, he then launched a number of ventures, including Rubigo Cosmetics, Parfums Pierre Wulff Paris, Le Bain Couture and Fashion Fragrance. Geoff Ficke and his consulting firm, Duquesa Marketing, has assisted businesses large and small, domestic and international, entrepreneurs, inventors and students in new product development, capital formation, licensing, marketing, sales and business plans and successful implementation of his customized strategies. He is a Senior Fellow at the Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Business School, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Four PR Tips For Marketing Your Product Or Service on TV & Radio Without Buying Advertising Time

You have a great product, service or book, and you know it. But just like the "better mousetrap," it doesn't mean a thing unless your market knows it, too. Interviews on TV and radio talk shows are great avenues for promoting your product to the masses, and are generally far more dynamic than basic print advertising.

You may believe the only way to get great TV and radio exposure is to buy advertising time, but there is an even better and more cost-effective way - harnessing the marketing power of PR.

Regardless of the product or message you'd like to promote, a targeted TV or radio talk show offers a great forum to get your word out. Hosts are always looking for guests that will help them entertain and inform their audiences. With the correct PR strategy you can land these terrific guest spots - pure marketing gold!

Why are these spots gold? You see, when you or your spokesperson is on the air, you're a featured guest on a show whose host has an established audience that trusts his message. Your appearance on the show as a guest confers an implicit endorsement, enhancing your credibility with the host's audience; they're hearing about you and your product or service from their trusted friend.

The best part? An interview as a guest on a TV or talk radio show is free! Even if you decide to employ the services of a public relations firm to arrange these interview spots, such a campaign usually costs about one-tenth of an advertising campaign.

My PR firm was once approached by the CEO of a life insurance agency, and we ended up representing his agency for years. They initially wanted us to arrange local and national radio and TV appearances for the CEO, who was also their spokesman. Now, I don't think it will offend anyone if I state here that as an interview subject, insurance is perceived by consumers as dull, dull, dull. An angle was needed that would not only interest audiences, but resonate with them as an issue of great importance.

We created a very effective headline for our pitch: "Can You Afford to Survive Without Your Spouse?" The interview focus was about the need for spouses and children to be protected financially after the death of the family breadwinner. In effect, it became a human interest story instead of a boring interview with an insurance salesman.

Our client did a large number of both radio and TV guest appearances, but it was clear after a while that the CEO was a terrific spokesman, particularly on the visual medium of television. So the focus for the remainder of the 3-year-long campaign was on TV talk shows. The CEO appeared on numerous national TV news shows, such as CNBC, speaking to the vital issue of financial security for women and families. The result? The highest number of new leads the company had ever experienced, for any type of promotion.

If you think PR can help market your product or service, here are four specific PR tricks you can use to effectively pitch TV and radio producers and hosts:

1. Stay current. Follow the news, know what the hot trends are, and what people are talking about. What is the current "buzz?" Talk radio and TV are all about current events, so make it your business to be "in the know."

2. Tie In to the News. As you follow the hottest stories in the news, think of ways you can relate stories to your product or service. Look for controversy or big names...these are always tantalizing topics for talk show hosts and their listeners.

3. Pitch Your Topic. Keep in mind that TV and radio hosts are interested in what you can do for their audience, not what they can do to help you promote your product. They want an interview, not an infomercial, so when pitching to hosts and producers emphasize the issue or problem for which your product or service is the solution.

4. Follow the Right Press Release Formula. Your press release is critical - it's the key to the media's door! Make sure your headline is enticing and attention-grabbing, and that the text elaborates on the subject matter and what the interview would be about. Also include a short but impressive bio or company profile. As well as a couple of well-chosen juicy or provocative quotes.

And if you have decided to tackle arranging your own interviews the above can be summed up to a couple of key PR rules to keep in mind when approaching media hosts or producers. First, never pitch yourself - pitch the issue on which you are an expert (and you ARE an expert - have you read my book, "Celebritize Yourself"?). Second, never pitch your product - talk instead about the problem your product addresses and how your product ties in as a solution. Good luck!

For 20 years Marsha Friedman has been a leading authority on public relations as CEO of EMSI, a national public relations firm. Her firm represents corporations and experts in a wide array of fields such as business, health, food, lifestyle, politics, finance, law, sports and entertainment. Some of the more prominent names on her client roster are Teamster's President Jimmy Hoffa Jr., Sergeant's Pet Care Products, Former National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane and the famous Motown Group, the Temptations. She consults individuals and businesses on a daily basis and is frequently asked to speak at conferences about how to harness the power of publicity. Go to http://www.emsincorporated.com to claim your free "Power of Public Relations" video today! Or call 727-443-7115, ext. 202, or email her at info@marshafriedman.com.

Traditional Marketing Tactics Fail to Produce Results in Today's Business Environment

Is your marketing message getting through to your target audience? Is it as effective as it once was or should be? Probably not and here is why.

The National Association of Realtors reports that they have 1.1 million members and there is no mystery that existing home sales are down significantly. There are simply too many agents chasing too few transactions. Add to that the fact that there have been many forces at work in recent years that are changing the way consumers respond to advertising and marketing messages. We are living in an over communicated world that has consumers tuned out and trusting less. What follows is an outline of the problem and the contributing factors.

Business through the ages:

What follows is a look at how our economic base has changed over the years. It is important to know where we came from to understand where we are today and where we are going.

The Agrarian Age

Farming and livestock formed our early economic base. The land gave us what we needed to feed and shelter ourselves. Trade amongst businesses was very prevalent at this time.

The Industrial Age

In the early part of the 20th Century, we witnessed the Industrial Age. We not only worked the land for food but also started to extract natural resources and raw materials to manufacture products. The challenges that companies faced were based on the productivity of workers and the efficiency of factories. Manual labor and hard work were thought to be the answer to higher output and increased profits.

The Information Age

The latter half of the 20th Century ushered in the beginning of the Information Age. The use of High Technology starts to change the game and the basis for our economic output. The Information Age gave us global companies like Microsoft and Intel and the products they produce enable even the smallest of companies to work smarter and not harder. We have gone from using our hands to using our heads. One of the most valuable assets a technology firm has is the knowledge and intellectual capital of its workers.

The Relationship Age

We are now entering a period where we are starting to understand the power of relationships. It is through human relationships that we are seeing new ways to capture and keep customers. If done properly, you create customers for life. The rapid rise in Social Media sites shows peoples true desire to connect with each other. When you take all of this into consideration, it is clear we are living in a Relationship Age

The following key factors have also brought us to this Relationship Age

The Cocooning trend

Faith Popcorn coined the term Cocooning in the 1980's. This trend sees people socializing less and retreating to their homes more. The trend is commercially significant in that it changes the way we reach out to obtain and retain customers. This trend is also a direct assault on brick and mortar businesses. Some examples of cocooning are working from home, internet home delivery of goods, home theaters, gated communities, surveillance cameras and many other services that allow the consumer to retreat and stay home. The Internet has enabled this trend to continue and further points to the need to embrace new tactics for the Relationship Age.

Mistrust in corporations

Over the last decade, consumers have started to develop mistrust in companies. You only need to think back to the Enron, WorldCom and Cendant scandals, to name a few, to see how we got here. For many corporations, regaining the trust of the consumer has been their primary mission. Mistrust in businesses is at an all time high. A recent survey by the public relations firm Edelman shows that only 44% of Americans said they trusted business as a whole. This is down from 58% in the fall of 2007 and the downward trend continues. Consumers are fed up with the status quo and are not going to take it anymore. Now more than ever, advertising messages are being viewed through skeptical eyes.

Mistrust in leaders

Along with a general mistrust in business is mistrust in public figures and leaders. On an almost daily basis, we see another disgraced Politician, CEO, Religious figure or Celebrity grace the front page of the newspaper. Whom we thought to be solid citizens giving sound advice has become anything but. This has also caused business to rethink how they go about advertising and marketing to new and existing customers.

These factors all lead to the consumers need to have a louder voice in what they buy and how business is transacted. The increasing popularity of consumer review sites is aiding them in protecting one another from unscrupulous businesses. As countries around the world struggle with economic challenges, people are yearning for deeper relationships and more say in the process. People worldwide seek more than material wealth and superficial contacts. They want environmental consciousness, business reform and a deeper level of connection with companies, people and the products and services they provide.

The new forms of communication and technologies developed during the Information Age are changing the game. Our past frustrations with corporate performance, government, health care, education and environmental policy are providing the motivation for a new mindset. Enter the Relationship Age.

From Transactional Marketing to Relationship Marketing

The days of "doing the deal" and hit and run marketing are gone. Social Media tools and online technologies are allowing us to deal with customers on a more personal and cost-effective basis. We now have the technology to deal with each customer on a personal level and if done properly, create an outspoken advocate and a customer for life.

To do this you need to move from the old mindset of being product centric to the new reality of being people centric. It is all about the customer. By putting the customer first and serving their needs, we will back into running better businesses via a stronger brand and deeper relationships with our clients.

In the Information Age, employee's knowledge and intellectual capital were the primary currency for companies to keep their competitive edge. In the Relationship Age, it is the number and depth of connections with the customer that is the primary form of capital. It is a shift from Knowledge Capital to Social Capital. We move from serving companies by getting people to buy as much product or services as possible to serving the customer at the highest level and inducing them to buy and remain loyal to your brand over time.

Slow Sales Cycles

Real estate has one of the slowest sales cycles of any product or service. A typical client only needs your services once every 5 to 7 years at best. This makes staying in close touch with the client, adding value and gaining their referrals more important than in any other sales profession.

A Call for Change

When you take all of these factors into consideration, a change in the way you market your service is needed now more than ever. Change is inevitable and the rate at which our environment changes is getting faster and faster each year. How you adapt to that change will determine your level of success moving forward. You need business and marketing systems that speak to today's economy and demography to remain viable. You cannot employ the same old tired methods and tactics and expect to be successful in today's Relationship

Age.

Meeting the Challenge

Marketing has always been a costly endeavor, however, networking and the effective use of your networks and connections is often overlooked. Networking is the most powerful and professional form of selling when done properly. The rapid rise in social networking tools gives you the ability to learn an incredible amount of information about a contact and market to them in a personal and powerful way. Having a sound relationship management system will allow you to remain viable during the long sales cycles and garner a steady stream of referrals. People do business with and refer those they Know, Like and Trust. You must maintain that level of connection with everyone you know to reap the reward of referrals. By adding value to the lives of others, you will gain the success you deserve. If you want to make money, add value to the lives of others. If you want to make a lot of money, add a LOT of value. I have found that by helping others gain what they need all of my needs are met as well. These are RENA's principals of working in the Relationship Age. It starts with a mindset of giving. You need to give to others with the expectation of getting nothing in return.

Most of the marketing methods used by Realtors today have become common and generic. You need to stand out from the crowd if you expect your message to be heard in today's over communicated society.

Becoming a Commodity

Almost all real estate companies and agents are providing the same general services. When you become generic, the only thing you have left to compete on is price. This is one of the major reasons we have seen the decline in fees agents can charge. The public views real estate services as a generic commodity and are refusing to pay what they used to for the service. There are other factors involved in this as well such as the dramatic increase in average sales prices over a relatively short period. This makes the 6% fee much more significant. The internet has dealt a heavy blow to many other financial services and businesses such as insurance, stock brokerage and travel. It is actually amazing that the real estate industry has held up so well for so long. The fact is, our day is coming. If you want to remain viable, you need to provide unique and valuable services.

Niche and Specialization

One of the best ways to cut down on the amount of competition is to have a niche or area of specialization. If you look at the most successful people in the world, they share a few common traits. They all have great networks; they have top-notch coaches and have a specific niche they fill. Establishing yourself as an expert in a specific area gives you the ability to transmit a unique message and stand out from the crowd. You will also increase the amount of referrals you get from within your industry. Your niche does not necessarily have to be real estate specific, like first time buyers etc, you can specialize in a particular industry or represent a particular demographic.

Advanced Database Marketing

Your database holds the key to your success in building your business and relationships. A good database will allow you to do so much more than have contact information for mailings. By acquiring high value data, that is information on your contacts beyond name and address, you can begin to provide a high level of personalized services. Along with custom tailored marketing, you can also employ my cross endorsement and circle of endorsement strategies. Your database is the lifeblood of your business. Maintaining a database rich in information will put you on the path to creating a saleable business.

Identify Key Professionals

You can market your services to two different groups of people. You can spend a lot of time and money trying to find individuals that need to buy or sell real estate or you can work with other professionals that deal with MANY people that buy and sell on a regular basis. By understanding whom these professionals are and how to connect and add value to their lives, you will ensure you will have a steady stream of referral business in any market. You also need to understand the various roles people in your networks play such as Mavens, Subject Matter Experts and Thought and Opinion Leaders. By identifying these key people, you will find it much easier to broadcast your message and brand.

Become a Connector

As I stated earlier, by adding value to the lives of others, your business will grow to new heights. One way to do this is to connect the people in your database with others that will add value to each other. The average database contains 250 contacts. Within those contacts, there are people that should know each other and can add great value to each other's businesses. It is up to you to identify these connections and bring them together.

Branded Unique Services

Another way to stand out from the crowd is to have unique services you offer that are branded to and associated with your name. This is a process of looking at all of the tasks you do on a regular basis and putting your own unique spin on them. A simple example of this would be holding a new home orientation for buyers. After the close of escrow, have the property inspector join you at the home with the buyers for an orientation of the homes systems. You can use the internet to print out instructions for just about all systems and appliances the property may have. This is an excellent way to present the new home to the buyers and leave a lasting impression of service. There are so many steps throughout a transaction you can apply this thinking.

After Sale Services

Another important tool for operating in the Relationship Age is having strong after sale service programs. The actions you take add value to your client's lives and keep you top of mind for referrals. Things such as sending a repair person in for a few hours of free work for a buyer or rekeying the locks make strong statements about your service and make you stand out. I have a long list of service programs I am happy to share with you, just ask.

Referral and Reward Programs

In order to build a strong referral business you must have programs in place that reward that behavior. Teaching people how to refer you, giving them information they can pass on and rewarding them for their efforts are essential for you growth. I recommend having a "referral kit" that your clients can have readily available to aid in recommending you. The kit should contain you resume or bio, specific verbiage for them to use, references and some gift cards.

Conclusion

The economy and business climate has changed dramatically over the last few years yet most people continue to employ the same tactics and strategies that were created 20 or more years ago. The real estate industry is in dire need of fresh thinking for agents to remain viable in the coming years. Many well-funded enterprises are attempting to replace Realtors and reinvent the industry. This is a small sample of many unique strategies that I have created in my 20 plus years in the real estate business.

I urge you to contact me to learn more about RENA and the services I provide.

About Larry Klapow
Larry Klapow has been a luminary in Bay Area real estate for over 19 years. He has been an influential leader holding every position from top producing agent to President of the largest real estate firm in Northern California throughout his career. Using fresh thinking and creative ideas, he has mentored both individuals and entire offices to amazing success. Currently, Larry is the founder and CRO of RENA Professional Networks Inc. RENA is an innovative company that manages powerful networking teams, produces highly impactful seminars and coaches and mentors business leaders to their highest levels of achievement. Larry is also the author of the book "Effective Networking in the Relationship Age" and a member of the National Speakers Association.

Larry Klapow was the President of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's San Francisco Bay Area Region - incorporating 16 offices and a talented team of more than 1,000 real estate professionals. Prior to being named President in 2007, Larry was the Senior Vice President and Regional Manager of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's San Francisco-Peninsula region, a position that he held from 2001-2007. During his tenure, the San Francisco-Peninsula region's offices earned several outstanding accolades. Most notable was the San Francisco Van Ness office's achievement of number two producing office nationwide. This impressive accolade, combined with countless others, positioned the San Francisco-Peninsula region as one of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's most notable and productive regions in the country.

Prior to serving as Senior Vice President and Regional Manager, Larry was Manager of the company's award-winning Morgan Hill/Gilroy offices. Among Larry's impressive list of managerial accolades: member of the President's Council of Managers (1999-2006) and during his tenure, the Morgan Hill/Gilroy office earned the coveted Premier Office - honoring offices with consistent sales achievement for four consecutive years.

The Other Kind of Marketing - Brand Yourself and Sell More Insurance

In the insurance industry, when we speak about marketing we are most often referring to marketing risks to the insurance companies we represent. Albeit a critical aspect of any agency's success, this marketing is not the only thing an agency needs to expend its resources on. There is the "other kind of marketing," often underestimated and not fully understood in the insurance industry, which many agencies simply do not concentrate on at all.

Because of basic misconceptions, insurance agencies are often put off by traditional marketing efforts, which is to find creative ways to move consumers towards their product or service. On the one hand, the industry as a whole seems to be stuck in a time warp when cold-calling and door-to-door sales and other types of interruption marketing held the keys to the kingdom. No new strategies are implemented because agencies believe the old ones still work. The misassumption that marketing strategies and branding are too expensive for the individual agencies and agents makes many think that these strategies are exclusive to the big money insurance companies.

The nature of the modern-day consumer and the rise in the competitive and price-based nature of the market place call for individual agents and agencies to develop innovative marketing strategies in order to maintain an edge in the industry. The advent of the National Do Not Call Registry, Caller ID and email Spam Blockers, for example, make the traditional means of interruption marketing like cold-calling, and mass emailing less effective. Agents must become more creative and begin to take advantage of things like the Internet, newsletters, and article marketing. An Internet based marketing strategy requires very little work and very little out-of-pocket cost.

You need to brand yourself as the insurance producer. It is nice to have a company web page listed on your business card. It is a place for prospects to learn more about your company. However, you need to distinguish yourself from all of the agents out there. Lets face it. Most independent agencies have access to the same markets and the same prices; so what else do prospects have to base their choice on? The agent. An easy way to do this is to create a web page that brands and markets you.

Once you have a web page setup for yourself with content that enhances your image as a highly qualified professional and an industry leader, then you are ready to turn your web page into a fully automated marketing machine. Your web page will become a place to gather prospects' contact information. You can achieve this by offering a newsletter. There are numerous companies on the web that can help you set up a fully automated newsletter. At this point you are no longer engaged in interruption marketing but the much more successful practice of permission marketing. Additionally, you create a space for yourself to show off your industry knowledge and give yourself a reason to stay in touch with and in front of prospects on a regular basis.

The most critical part of your new marketing strategy will be to drive traffic to your web page and then get permission to contact prospects. Use as many strategies to gain traffic as possible. Firstly, there is old-fashioned offline marketing, (i.e. brochures, letters, and faxes), that draws attention to your web page and a reason to visit the site. You will also need to do as much online marketing as you can. It is affordable and incredibly effective so you should do this as much as possible. Some online strategies to become visible on the web include, search engine optimization, advertising on related sites, article marketing, and pay per click advertisement.

To get further, more in-depth information on this topic, sign up for our free newsletter at [http://www.rateyourinsuranceagent.com/newsletter.php] And for more information about a great opportunity to gain Internet exposure visit our "Get Listed" page, [http://www.rateyourinsuranceagent.com/signup.php]

[http://www.rateyourinsuranceagent.com/signup.php]

Insurance Marketing Territory - Great Product Marketing States

Check and see if any of the states in your insurance marketing territory are listed here. These are great insurance product marketing states to enhance your sales. State rankings are provided for the 11th through 21st state along with a recap listing of the first ten.

TENNESSEE, Rating = 11 Tennessee is not considered a rich state by any means. However, it holds a solid reputation as a solid insurance marketing territory. Here long time recruiting operations are as totally committed to mailing Tennessee brokers, as are music collectors totally committed to collecting Elvis memorabilia. What really helps split up the competition is that the state is divided up into three major metropolitan areas, Nashville and Memphis, followed by Knoxville. We mentioned before, how this factor helps to significantly lower total recruiting competition. In addition, the wide diversity for annuity, life, financial, health, group, and senior products offers all product marketing firms an opportunity.

OREGON, Rating = 12 This an all round very good state to market your insurance products. Examining almost every statistical figure points out Oregon is within close range of the national "average" state. This includes the income level, the percentage of senior residents, the number of agents per thousand residents, and the amount of insurance marketing competition. The agent retention rate, and average number of years of agent experience correlate correctly. The response received back from insurance marketing firms contacting the quality agents has been favorable, and the response rate from agents has been slightly above normal. It is these two last, yet very critical recruiting factors that place Oregon significantly ahead of the middle of the pack.

ALABAMA, Rating = 13 Sweet home Alabama, where the skies are so blue, and the recruiters are too few. Alabama has an exceptionally good mix of agents, meaning independent agents, career agents that broker business, and multi-line small agencies that brokers with insurance marketers their life and health business. There is far less recruiting demand than expected. The lower competition pressure mixed with the pleasant response from those who using refined lists to recruit in Alabama, places a well deserved, lucky 13, rating.

KENTUCKY, Rating = 14 You way find the blue hills of Kentucky beautiful, along with the green pockets of Kentucky agent product recruiters. Kentucky has a fairly similar mixture of agents to Alabama. Although here in Kentucky, there exists a heavier concentration of career life agencies. The competition search for recruiting experienced agents to sell products, is just above normal, yet the response feedback from insurance marketing organizations ranks as being very good.

ARKANSAS, Rating = 15 Arkansas is ranked the ninth highest state for its rising senior population, and reasonable retirement housing and living costs. This makes it a must state for insurance marketing recruiters of senior market agents to sell ltc, long term care, medicare supplements part B and D, final expense, and some annuity products. However, here is a drawback for some insurance recruiters. This is a state where it is much harder to sell high premium, sophisticated annuity and life retirement/invest plans. Arkansas lends itself to a rural and small business atmosphere, starting just outside Little Rock city limits and extending throughout the entire state. As it is a low-income state, major life insurance career agencies have focused elsewhere. This leaves many semi-captive agents, independent agents, brokers, and PPGA producers. Moreover, it is a very good state also for marketing medical plans, small group, term, universal life, and family life products.

KANSAS If you have a limited recruiting budget, stay out of Kansas City, Kansas. This area has too many career life agencies. and lower agent retention. Unknown Fact revealed: a state or area of a state with a high concentration of career life agents averages a 5% to 20% lower retention of maintaining The remainder of the state, has agents of the caliber that are much more likely to show an interest in your insurance product or give brokers an opportunity. Kansas holds the 21st position for median family income, plus a senior population equal to the state average. For you, a recruiter, it means you have a vast variety of products for brokers to sell. Products ranging from variable indexed annuities, to long-term care, to universal life, all have their marketplace in Kansas. To these advantages, add good feedback response from other marketers and a lower that capacity demand for recruitment advertisements.

MISSISSIPPI, Rating = 17 For the current time we are keeping Mississippi in this ranking position. .Earning the distinction of currently being the state with the lowest median family income, does not help .This means it is a poor state to market annuity products, while lower cost health and life products thrive. Overdue modernization and a favorable business tax environment will eventually drive up the housing market and associated contracting and building occupation incomes. Local and regional recruiters know that outside areas are not feeling the effects; in fact, some are benefiting from higher quality that normal. Staying out of main town New Orleans is smart, while staying out of Mississippi is not.

OKLAHOMA, Rating = 18 Oklahoma is more than just an "OK" state. It may surprise you that most of the lower income states, have a higher than average rating. Why? Over the last 10 years, larger career life companies, especially those based in the high-income Northeastern/New England states have pulled out almost all their agencies in lower income areas. Why So? A Large career life company wants to get the agents off and running appointments with higher income products. They look for lots of possible clients that can afford high premium life and investment plans. In a low-income state, finding people with this profile is not feasible. For the number of Oklahoma agents willing to broker business, recruiters have overlooked the state far too often. Other than high premium or complex annuities, the state is wide open for business.

NEBRASKA, Rating = 19 Nebraska is not only home to the Cornhuskers. It is also the home of major health insurance companies, like Mutual of Omaha, World, Medico, and others. Although the senior population is slightly above normal, these home base insurers have quite a monopoly of senior related products. Their agent direction has widely changed however to being much less captive than before. This means the brokerage agents in Nebraska are still not very open to non-senior, blue-collar disability, and medical plans. The average family median income is above 28 states. This opens up good premium opportunities for brokers offered variable life, universal life, term, small group, worksite benefits, and annuity plans to sell their clients.

UTAH, Rating = 20 No every man does not have 6 wives, and 20 children. Therefore, it is not selling family life, and family medical policies that place Utah so high up in the rankings. Instead, it is the wide mixture of clients, especially outside the Salt Lake City area. The influx of agents moving from Nevada and Colorado to Utah is worth noting. The market for all types of life, annuity, and health products is very strong. There are a sufficient number of brokerage agents to make your mailing worthwhile.

In case you are wondering here is a recap of the first 10 rated states Florida, Texas, California, Ohio, Georgia, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Carolina, Michigan, and Missouri with the #10 state ranking.

Well published author, Don Yerke likes to concentrate on what you don't know or what no one else dares to print. Tell it like it is.

Watch for his new paperback book debuting on Amazon early this summer. It is loaded with great insurance marketing and recruiting information.

Come and get your FREE "Think and Grow Rich" Ebook by Napoleon Hill instantly. The website address is [http://www.agentsinsurancemarketing.com]