Category Archives: Publicity

How Should I Advertise My New Pet-Setting Business?

Publicity, Services, Starting Out

I’m starting my pet sitting business next month. I have a couple of fliers already printed and ready to go but I was trying to come up with one that is a little more eye catching to people that may not automatically look at bulletin boards. I came up with the idea to have a little dog yelling through a megaphone the word “Attention!” in big red letters across the top of the page. I want to have something to the affect of “vacation season is quickly approaching- line up your pet sitter now” but i’m having trouble wording it. Any ideas?

###

Jay’s Answer: Instead of (or in addition to) putting another flyer on the bulletin boards, contact your local travel agents, AAA, etc. When people are planning to go away, make your offer stand out.

How Should We Encourage People To Shop Locally?

Names + Taglines, Publicity

A local chamber of commerce has provided customer service training to some of the local businesses. It is a small town of 3,000 people. It is a very diverse area with a strong primary production industry, reputed to be amongst the most fertile in the world. Industries: Processing, fish, timber, logging, sawmilling, agriculture, vegetables, dairying, cattle, tourism.

As a follow up to the training, we want to give all participating businesses a poster. Thought we’d do about 10 different ones and rotate them every few weeks to keep the momentum up. We’ve started a list of phrases, but would appreciate some thoughts please…

Here’s a few we’ve come up with –

  • Shopping locally means more jobs for locals
  • Grow together – shop locally
  • What stays local, grows local
  • If you don’t shop local, we wont have local shops
  • Shop locally, it’s a growing concept
  • What goes around stays around

###

Jay’s Answer: “Shop Locally” is a hard sell. People are looking for ways of saving money, and the local merchants can’t always compete on price (and in some cases, on service as well).

Instead, focus on the true cost of shopping locally: travel time and travel cost (gas/wear&tear) as well as the community itself.

  • Save Time & Hassle. Buy Local.
  • Is Local Business An Endangered Species? Protect It.
  • Life Too Busy? Shop Locally.
  • Meet Your Neighbors. Shop Locally.
  • Save Gas. Shop Locally.

How Can I Advertise Our Community Welcome Cards?

Publicity

I am in search for a catchy tag-line for our apartment/townhouse community “Welcome Cards”, brochures, and other other marketing material we handout. Here’s an example:

“UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT. We offer luxurious townhomes and apartments with the amenities you deserve, at a price you can afford. With three spacious floor plans to choose from and a location only minutes away from the mall: 24 Hour Maintenance, On-Site Management, Fitness Center, Pets with restrictions, Laundry Room, Near Freeway Access, etc.”

###

Jay’s Answer: People don’t care about “new management” (if the old management left, there must have been a problem, so why highlight it?). What they care about is their home: price, safety, community, “location” (and secondarily: parking, commute, and services).

  • Come Home To Affordable Luxury
  • All That’s Missing Is You
  • Relax At Your New Luxury Home

How Can Publicize Our Pharmacy’s 50th Anniversary?

Publicity

The company in which I work, has his 50th birthday this year in December. It is a chain of pharmacies/drugstores. I need creative ideas to celebrate and to take advantage of this anniversary. The worry is that the budget that I have is very low.

###

Jay’s Answer: How about a visual history of your pharmacy – from where it began to where it is today. What did you sell then? Now? How has fashion changed? Treatments? Services? Prices?

For example, you could have all your sales people dressed up in vintage clothing. Or, reproduce old pharmacy signs to show your longevity. Or, a contest/quiz for guess what product was used to solve this ailment…50 years ago. Or, a random person will be given 50% off pricing (or pricing from 50 years ago). Simply bringing back an old-fashioned treat (a lollypop sucker, for example) would generate a lot of reminiscing… and a chance to thank those that have been shopping with you for 50 years.

Marketing For Obama and McCain Supporters

Clubs + Associations, Publicity

Obama and McCain Photos

The mistake that grassroot political supporters all make is that they spend a lot of time and money getting their candidate elected, and then….wait.

People seem to think that their job is over by getting their leader in office, and then trusting that their issues will be addressed in the coming administration. When it isn’t, they figure either it’s politics as usual or they made a mistake (and replace their choice with someone better).

Imagine instead if on the first day of office, the newly-elected candidate says:

“Thanks to all the passionate people to get me into office. Your work is just beginning. I want you to keep telling me what your communities need. I need to know what policies are working (and not). I need to know what new laws need to be passed (and scrapped). I want to hear from you directly, not through layers of paid consultants and political action committees

To help you, I will be sending experts to train your grassroots committee chairs to poll, write legislation, and summarize the information in a way that I can easily understand it. I’m just one person leading the country, but I need the country to tell me where to lead. I don’t want to fall into the same mistake that my predecessors have. I want to serve my country by listening to your needs.”

This will convert the supporters into active political marketers for America. Communities will be empowered to do something more than wait until the next election cycle. They’ll be responsible for making sure that they’re in active dialog with the government. The general population will have an avenue for creating change. The President can then inspire Senators and Congress to follow what the people want, instead of pushing their own agendas.

Let’s truly create a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Insure Yourself Against Bad Advertising

Creative Business Ideas, Publicity

Caveman Insurance Advertisement

I received this advertisement in the mail. It begins:

Friends,

Unfortunately GEICO continues to portray Cavemen as inferior and simple-minded in its advertising. For us, it’s been a year of hard work. We took our message of tolerance to the streets, gained national attention in the media by defending our status as equals, and showed how Cavemen are contributing members of society.

However, GEICO stands by its original decision to belittle Cavemen with little regard to how it affects us. In spite of an “apology” and indications that GEICO would cease and desist its public slander of Cavemen, the company continues to use the slogan, “So easy a caveman can do it,” in its advertising…

It was unclear who sent the letter. On the surface, the sender was writing a “political” letter, complaining about the values espoused by the company. Only after reading the small print it became obvious that the letter was in fact sent by the company itself.

The goal of this letter is to build upon the insurance company’s latest advertising imagery and tagline. It’s certainly clever, but misses the goal: getting prospective clients to contact them because they offer best price/service mix.

Here are some suggestions I’d recommend making to this ad:

  • Contact information . As a minimum, create a URL for this campaign, which would redirect to the real company.
  • Focus on benefit . The direct mail piece was intended to be humorous, but it missed the chance to mention the benefits of this company’s products. This is especially important for people who haven’t seen the advertisements before and are only seeing references to other ads.
  • Make it transparent . At the end of the direct mail, show the “punch line”: Who really made this ad? Why they did it. How to contact them. Why the reader should contact them.

What Is A Good Recruting Banner Slogan for Computer Division?

Names + Taglines, Publicity

My company, Meridian Environmental Technology, is going to be attending a few career fairs and we’re developing stand-up banners to provide a visual “booth.” This banner will be 6.5 feet tall, contain information regarding the positions within the computer/IT division (all of them, not only the ones we’re currently seeking), and there will be handouts for the sought positions available from the guys working the booth.

I’ve decided to avoid using a “people” picture on the banner, and instead am looking at using a pair of hands holding multi-colored jelly beans. I’ve come up with a few ideas for a tagline, but I’m also looking for other suggestions.

Idea 1: “It takes all kinds to make a great group”
Idea 2: “We handpick the best”
Idea 3: “Join a great handpicked group”
Idea 4: De-saturate all the jelly beans but one, and have “Stand out from the rest”

###

Jay’s Answer: I’d advise against jelly beans, since it doesn’t reinforce your business of weather forecasting and analysis. Instead, highlight your technology: weather maps, pictures of extreme weather, pictures of your clients farms, etc. Technology is more likely to appeal to your prospects than abstract jellybeans.

As for a taglines:

  • Do Something About the Weather.
  • We’re All-Weather Friends
  • We Forecast A Great Working Relationship
  • Our Talent Is All Over the Map

What Is a Good Event For a Video-Game Distributor?

Publicity, Starting Out

I am doing a pitch to a company who distributes computer and console games. The company is purely a distributor but in a recent press release stated that they would like to be transparent to gamers even though they do not sell directly to gamers, they have started a gamers-club but I feel that there is more they can do. The gamers-club invites members to take part in competitions etc. I need to show them the benefits of hosting an event at various game shops – since they sell directly to these shops they would obviously not lose anything as it will promote the stores which sales rising. The biggest problem I’m facing is how to prove to a distributor that getting their name associated with games will increase their sales. Shops do promotions regularly because they sell directly to people but will this work with a distributor who sells to stores and not consumers? Also, what would a event entail? This is also my first pitch that I will be doing so any pointers on what I need to present them with would also be a great help.

###

Jay’s Answer: If the distributor’s games target a similar demographic or category, then you have an opportunity for presenting “…if you like that, then you might also like this game…” (or “…people who bought this, often buy this game…”).

However, if the distributor simply has a wide inventory, then their name won’t mean much, and probably isn’t worth building on.

Holding events at game shops may bring awareness to a single title of theirs, but given the effort it’ll take to promote each of these one-shot events, it’s unlikely to result in the ROI they’re looking for.

Instead, have the distributor have a contest for best new game idea (in different categories). The winner would get a gift certificate for a selection of games and perhaps a meeting with a game company or two’s principals (to pitch the game itself). Something like this could easily go viral and result in the name of the distributor being mentioned frequently.

Are Donating Door Prizes Good For My Business?

Publicity

Are there any do’s and don’ts to offering a door prize? Do they do any good at all – good will is about all I can figure; maybe a listing in a event program no one will read?

I work for a luxury spa and we typically give a service gift certificate. There is a 50/50 chance the gift will goes to someone who is not new client potential.

The only door prize I remember (having won several) is from a casino. I drink out of their coffee mug every morning. I still don’t play there.

###

Jay’s Answer: Instead of door prizes, donate your services for a silent auction. Everyone will see your advertisement, and those that are interested will bid. You could award your services to the top 3 bidders. It’s a win-win: the charity benefits from the auction, you get a ad, and you get people who are interested paying attention to you.

What Is a Good Idea For A Construction/Repair Listing Advertisement?

Publicity, Services

I’m developing a business plan for a new business and am looking for an ad campaign/marketing angle for 30 second radio spots.

Our company will sell categorical listings of construction/repair companies whom we have pre-screened, and whose work we determine to be consistently above average, to homeowners and business owners who are actively looking for someone to hire. The price of a listing is still being considered, but we thinking they’ll start below $30 for the cheapest categorical listing (probably be handyman/small jobs and repairs) and could top out around $100 for the most expensive listing category (maybe home building/extensive remodeling general contractors).

The benefit of using our service will be that customers are not shooting blind and gambling with an important decision and a major investment. The company’s working name is Bravo Company – Independent Referral Service.

I’m looking for an ad/angle that appeals to people who
a) try to be careful with their money
b) realize that there are good contractors and bad contractors out there
c) are trying to get the best work for the best price
d) cannot afford to pay for the premium, top-of-the-line contracting companies

I know that many times people find good contractors through word of mouth, but sometimes they can still be hard to find. Also, our company follows contractors through job after job to evaluate their usual results, whereas word of mouth referrals are generally based on one or two people’s experiences.

###

Jay’s Answer:

Child’s voice:
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.
Pick a contractor by the toe.
If he hollers let ’em go.
My mother said to pick…

Voice over:
No clue on who to hire for your next home repair? Bravo eliminates the guesswork. Our pre-screened contractors will save you time and money, and most of all, worry. Call 1-800-555-1212.