All posts by Jay

Naming A Day Spa

Names + Taglines

I am opening a spa, where I will be doing everything from massage to nails, reflexology and facials. I want my name to give a sense of well-being and relaxation. I would like to expand in the future, so a name that will go with me would be great. I don’t want it to be specific to one area of services I provide. Maybe a little catchy, but nothing that gives the sense that I’m not serious about my quality of service! I would like to add, that the appearance of the spa will be very clean and modern. White and black furniture, plants and sort of lime green accents.

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Jay’s Answer:

  • Ahh! Spa
  • Serenity Spa
  • Zen Spa

Add Quick Response (QR) To Your Marketing

Creative Business Ideas, eMarketing

Many Good Ideas QR CodeBy now, you’ve probably noticed images like the one on the left – a QR (Quick Response) code. A QR code is simply a two-dimensional barcode that can contain information (text, contact information, or even a website’s URL). To use it, take a picture of the code with your mobile phone’s camera, use a application to scan the image (for some phones, this step is automatic), and read the embedded message.

Generating QR codes is easy and free, using such tools as Kaywa’s QR-Code Generator.

Over the years, marketers have been trying to introduce a variety of technological gimmicks to attract attention. The advantage of a QR code is that it can contain a fair bit of information. The downside is it requires your audience to have access to a mobile phone camera and the motivation to immediately take action when seeing the code. Just like any call to action in your marketing, you need to provide a clear motivation to do so – otherwise your message is lost. In Japan and South Korea, people have been well-trained to use the QR Codes (even being used on grave markers).

Business With Passion QR Code QR codes are encoded with data redundancy, which allows for images to still be scanned if the original image isn’t intact. This feature allows you the ability to customize your QR codes – purposely adding your own logo or branding to a QR code to attract a bit more attention (you need to do this carefully to ensure that your customized QR code still works). Since our human eyes only see a bunch of black and white squares, we quickly skip over the image to get to images we can make sense of. By adding a logo or other additional visual, we provide a visual anchor to attract more interest.

QR codes aren’t be the solution to your marketing strategy – but it’s an interesting tool to consider using in your marketing campaigns. And because the information can be linked to a URL, it means their benefit can be measured and tested.

Transparency vs. Opacity

Creative Business Ideas

Is your business transparent?

Photo by Geoff Stearns

Do your market your business transparently or opaquely? A totally transparent business tells their customers where they get their raw materials, how they process them, their internal core values, and a clear statement of how they make money. Alternatively, an opaque business keeps secrets from their customers – their recipe, their innovation process, their markups, etc. How should you market your business?

It all comes down to your marketing story. If you want to charge your prospective customers a premium for working with you (special services, special customization, exclusive offers) – you’re better off marketing opaquely – since you’re trying to set your business off from the competition. You want to show your company has a secret “edge” that they cannot find elsewhere and can’t be duplicated. Such exclusivity is all about perception – making your customers feels special for having chosen to work with you. Examples of companies that market opaquely include: Coca Cola (their secret formula),  supermarkets (where the food comes from is their secret – or you need to trust their labeling), and Apple Inc. (technological and aesthetic innovations are kept highly secret until unveiling).

If instead you wish to showcase your values (how much your company cares about something), market yourself transparently. Show how every step of your product or service offerings is imbued with lots of forethought. Tell why each step matters to your company (and by extension, to your customers). Share your wins and losses to showcase your “humanity” – to show that your company is a natural branding of your clients’ lives. Examples of transparent marketing include: farm tours (meet who grows your food and see them do it),  Zappos (fanatic sharing/support about shoes), and LEED certification (for new construction – details all the steps necessary to build an energy-efficient home).

Opaque business marketing isn’t better than transparent business marketing (and vice versa). But ensure you pick the right type of marketing to appeal to your prospects to have them quickly trust your message.

How Can I Enroll More Students at Our College?

Clubs + Associations, Publicity

I have to attract more students in an aviation college. By now i am able to get admissions of 6 students only. Tell me how can I improve the admissions.

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Jay’s Answer: Your problem is either: 1) there aren’t that many people interested in aviation as a career or 2) your college isn’t perceived to be as good as your competition.

To improve admissions, you need to truly identify the problem you’re facing (low admissions isn’t the problem – it’s the symptom) and then create a strategy to address it.

BTL Activity For A Toothpaste

Publicity

I require unique ideas for a BTL (below the line) activity for a toothpaste in a mall. Its targeted to 28 to 40 years old. Any ideas will be appreciated.

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Jay’s Answer: How about a toothpaste art contest (drawing with the toothpaste itself) in the mall, with everyone welcome to join in. Separate categories for adults, kids, families, etc.

New Underwear Line Needs Tagline

Names + Taglines

A new men’s underwear brand with the name ‘Boxman’ is going out in the south – east Europe market and we need a tagline to go with it. It is medium quality, quite fashionable. Any ideas?

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Jay’s Answer:

  • Live Inside The Box
  • The Boxman Cometh

Help Me Write My Business Script

Starting Out

I work 4 a business consulting firm, how can i write my own pitch so i can be more successful. i call business’s and pitch a script,about how the economy is effecting owners,customers not  coming in like they use to. i need help

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Jay’s Answer: I’m not sure if your problem is your pitch, the way you pitch it, or who you pitch it to. In general, the most successful salespeople don’t pitch – they dialogue. They learn about the problems a business (or person) faces, and identifies ways that they can help solve them (uniquely).

Since you know the results you’re likely to keep achieving should you continue your pitch as-is, I would encourage you to experiment slightly. Perhaps change the tone of your call. Or ask questions. Or call at a different time of day. You need to start learning what can work better for you.

A Domain Name For My Website

Names + Taglines

i am launching a website soon and i will be offering digital paintings and popart canvas and pictures, also i offer a service online in which the customer uploads his picture and i will add effects to it and stretch it on a canvas. The major benefits are:

1) You can reproduce any painting you like and it will be printed on quality canvas sheets and quality high res printing, and finished with acrylic gel. the finished print will look 90% as a true oil painting.therefor you don’t have to ask a painter of copying a famous painting for you where he will charge you lots of money.

2) you can transform any camera taken picture to a painting also by printing it etc…

3) you have the option of placing your print on canvas, perplex, or frame.

4) the prices are low and will cost much more cheaper than authentic painting and it even more precise.

5) also we can customize any painting and change its colors to suit the decoration.

my target audience is:

1) Interior designers: they are my top target audience , because once i can satisfy all their needs ( whether the house they are decorating is modern or classic style and also they have the option to customize the colors of the painting to suit the room colors.) once i can satisfy this audience, we will boost our sales and insure that every designer who buys once from us will always choose our product.

2) home owners any age: paintings are one of the most important decorating item in the house and in every house you find paintings. also this art is not linked to any age anyone can like paintings and print art so we don’t have a specific age target.

3)Galleries: they buy paintings and show it in their galleries and furniture stores and they will resell it and make profit.

4) funky and classic art lovers: our variety includes funky art and illustrations in addition to pop art prints for many musicians and bands members, whether it is sinatra , ray charles or jim morrison or madonna and MJ. So our variety targets both funky modern and classical lovers.

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Jay’s Answer: Here are some available domain names that might be of interest:

  • GicleesThatPop.com
  • ArtThatPops.com
  • YourOwnGiclees.com
  • PaintingsThatFit.com
  • PerfectGiclees.com
  • CustomPaintingReproductions.com

 

Taglines For Communications Company

Names + Taglines

Need tagline for two separate businesses, both in telecommunications field.

Business #1- Skype like platform; providing video communications, video conferencing solution for businesses and people global—Thought “Anywhere. Anytime. —-” drew a blank

Business #2- offers e-solutions to any industry. largely moving to some digital solution. An example, worked with ministry of justice to change court systems to digital court reporting and e-justice platform and solution.

Help???

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Jay’s Answer:

1) See Everybody Anytime.
2) Modern Solutions to Business Problems.