Category Archives: Publicity

How Can I Market A Conference Room?

Publicity, Services

We have been approached by a new prospect who would like to promote a high-tech conference room (target markets: engineering firms, law firms, accounting firms). The room can be used for: corporate meetings, training seminars, loan closing, board of directors meeting, shareholders meeting. The competition is hotel conference rooms (they do not offer the same type of technology). We’re thinking of using tri-fold brochures.

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Start with getting great pictures of the conference room “in action”. That’s what people are interested in.

The tri-fold may not be the best format for their needs. I’d suggest a postcard for mailing – with a single great photo on one side and benefit statement on the reverse.

Approach the local Chamber of Commerce and advertise in their publications – they are likely to have a cross section of your audience.

Contact local business clubs. Offer your space for their meetings (for free or at a discount) to build awareness with their members.

Contact corporate trainers, event planners, and caterers. They know who’s needing events (or who has had them in the past year).

How Can I Market My Music Venue?

Publicity,

We are a music venue with an approximate 500 person capacity. Our advertising budget is very small. I need to know how to best get people to know bands we have playing and how to get them to come to the shows. We currently send mass emails (I do need help achieving a larger email list – currently only 500 names), we send press releases about the artists playing, we list acts on our website and we run a weekly ad in an alternative newspapers listing the bands. However, even some of the best musicians are playing to an empty room. Any suggestions?

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Do you have a website? Does the website have music samples of upcoming bands? If I don’t know the band, why would I want to pay money to hear them…give me a taste. If you have video of the acts, put in online.

If you seats are empty, then you have nothing to lose to give away tickets (short term). Depending on age restrictions, give tickets away to the local high school (perhaps for A students) or even junior high. The school bands. What about non-profits to thank the volunteers? Community College Music Programs?

Have a free drawing each week to give away tickets. The cost of entry? Their email address.

If the bands are in town, have them play a very short set in the local town square during lunchtime or the local bar.

Co-market with the local bar. The local bakery (they sell stuff at intermission).

How Can I Use Direct Mail To Target Retail Executives?

Publicity, Services

We’re trying to reach specific execs at retailers of a certain size to sell a service. The idea was to use a one-time dimensional mail to drive the execs (600-1000 total) to a microsite (via a PURL) to provide more information and move them into the funnel. Any thoughts on reaching out again to those who do not respond to the mailer? Anything else to consider?

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I don’t know what you offer was, but if your mail wasn’t targeted to their problems, and was instead focused on your solution, you’re likely to get a poor response rate.

Instead of immediately calling the non-respondents, I would communicate with those that did respond. Find out what problems they have in their business that caused them to contact you. This knowledge will allow you to create a more targeted, benefit-based offer (either by phone, email, mail, etc.). If any of your respondents purchase your product, getting a testimonial from a high-profile customer would be very useful. “Jane Smith, at ABC Corp., solved her IT outsourcing needs by working with us…”

Are Trifold Brochures Professional?

Publicity

The “product” is IT Consulting – the immediate need is a trade show in 2 weeks. The medium is a trifold brochure. It’s professionally done – full bleed – professional graphics, etc. Headlines reflect benefits rather than features. “Increase Sales and Profits…” Most people think it looks good. But…

One of my colleagues says it’s “cheap looking” for our company. Our average sale is in the six-figure range.

Any thought on this? My experience shows that in a trade show environment when given a choice between a trifold and a 9×12 folder, most folks take the trifold.

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Trifolds are easier to grab and their layout (generally) makes it easier to scan as well. Heavyweight paper is always preferred as well, since the first tactile response is subliminally noted.

How Can I Launch My First Jewelry Collection?

Publicity

I work for a high end silver jewelry company that is ready to launch its first collection very soon. We have decided to manage in-house all the organization of the launching event. I was wondering which is the right balance for our guest list considering that our mission is to celebrate a classy and nice event that makes people talk about it for long and also get media repercussion (fashion upmarket magazines mostly). I would appreciate very much any advice about how to build the right guest list or any other comment about this kind of event. We are also thinking of what kind of giveaway or party gift would be the most appropriate reconsidering the nature of our product.

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Why would someone want to come to your event? If you have a track record, then they’d want to see your newest collection before anyone else. If you don’t have a track record, then you’re a nobody to them and will need to co-market with a somebody to attract their attention. For example, work with an established clothing designer for a runway show, using your jewelry on the models. For a wine tasting, have all the servers wear your jewelry. For an opera sampling, the singers wear your jewelry,

The media isn’t interested in writing about someone selling jewelry – they’re interested in a story. Does the jewelry designer have an unusual background? Has the silver been melted down from old tooth fillings? Are the pieces copies of ancient Roman statues? Is 50% of the profit for that night going to support a local orphanage? The media will sometimes cover social events, but then it’s clearly focused on the attendees and you may be a quick mention only.

As attendees, you obviously want people who buy jewelry (for example, previous customers of yours). You also want attendees to be community leaders, people who will attract other people to attend your event. Early adopters – people who set trends

How Can I Improve My Real Estate Advertising?

Publicity, Services,

I’m helping a real estate company with their newspaper advertising. They are a small fish in a pond dominated by a large, national real estate company. My client is doing the same old real estate home display ad home listings that the big company is doing, but with mediocre results. I’m considering a campaign that would pull out the home listings and brand them as the smaller, local real estate company that really knows the community (bold headlines supported with 5-10 lines of copy), and then ask the readers to go to their website to see the home listings (i.e. “we have too many listings to fit in this newspaper ad”). I’m new to working with a real estate company on their advertising, and they’re a relatively new company — opinions on if this is too risky to pull their product out of the ads and try something non-traditional to stand out?

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Instead of pulling all-out, change the ads. Instead of a full page, how about a number of 2×2 ads throughout the paper (1 per listing)? Highlight the “small” aspect of the company (we’re small – we give better service – we have to).

I wouldn’t make someone read a printed ad and then go to the website to find a listing. That should happen naturally (if they have the technology and interest). What you really want to happen is for a prospect to call you. Show a home for sale. State what makes the company unique (besides smaller) – Better service? Better connection to the community? Donations to local charities? Lower margins?

The ad has a secondary value – you want to place the name in the mind of someone who’s thinking of listing their home.

Definitely don’t play “me too” in the ads – you’re getting mediocre results right now. Make sure that you’re paying attention to which ads are generating leads. Keep tweaking your ads until you’ve gotten a desirable return on investment.

What Are Good Trade Show Giveaways For A Mapping Service?

Publicity, Services,

My firm, a small but proven aerial photography & mapping company, exhibits at trade shows regularly to market to and capture leads in government & professional fields. My company flies cameras to capture the ground images, processes this data, and uses scientific methods to create accurate maps. I’ve been trying to think of creative – but industry related trade show “freebies,” prizes, and/or booth games that would apply to our technical/scientific industry. I want to do this while keeping up a professional image and having a little fun. Remember, I need industry related ideas (keywords: aviation, mapping, tech, etc.).

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As for a premium prize: An aerial photo of their residence (or other building) (within a certain radius from your business).

Giveaways: Cool origami (animals, insects, etc.) from folded maps.

As for games:

  • An airplane simulator (running on a PC, etc.)
  • A dart throw at a map (with certain locations targeted)
  • A matchup game (show aerial photos and 1 photo from ground level – match the aerial photo to the ground photo)

How To Keep People In Trade Show Booths?

Publicity,

My company will be at a major trade show for the heavy equipment industry early next year so of course we are starting to plan for it now. We’re good to go with booth set up/layout, SWAG, and literature. We are also doing demonstrations of our equipment and qualified visitors will be allowed to ‘test’ them.

The concern is, how to keep people interested enough to ‘stick around’ the booth since more than likely key staff members will be conducting equipment demonstrations.

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The goal for your booth is to get people interested in your products. You should capture the contact information of booth visitors and pre-qualify them. Don’t try to hog them at the show – they’re looking to see as much as possible. Do make it easy for them to find out about you and to schedule a one-on-one 15-minute meeting during/before/after the show to further answer any questions.

How Can I Advertise A Job Fair?

Publicity, Services, Starting Out,

We are having a job fair in 2 weeks and I need to find a way to advertise it on a very limited budget.

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If you have a million dollars, how would you advertise it? Would you get a front page ad in your local newspaper? Student newspaper? A sign at every bus stop? A billboard on every bus?

Who do you want to read the advertisement? Why would they want to come? What makes your job fair of value to them? These are key marketing strategy questions.

Once you have your answers, scale down the million-dollar budget. Where are your likely attendees likely to see your ad (or hear it)? What do THEY have in common – a form of transportation? A common market they shop at? A radio station? A governmental agency? Place the ads in places they are with the reason that this is a good use of time.

2 weeks isn’t a lot of time, but it is do-able. Work smart.

How Can I Communicate The Benefits Of Our Cement?

Products, Publicity,

I have recently joined in marketing department of a company which is into manufacture of cement. The brand is good but is a bit more costly as compared to the brands of other competitors. It is justified by the good quality our cement have. But what is the best way to send this message to the consumers through our communications? And what promotions could be run to support the brand?

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What specifically does an improved quality of the cement mean? Durable? Less likely to crack? More/Less flyash?

You need to highlight the key benefit(s) to the consumers. For example, if the cement is more durable, that would translate into stronger, more lasting foundations (that won’t need to be replaced as often). Perhaps it’s able to withstand acid rain, etc.

If it’s less likely to crack, then it’s great for both interiors (where a large surface area is hard to create) as well as for earthquake prone areas.

The flyash content would make it more eco-friendly.

The key is to identify what the consumer cares about for cement in general, and therefore highlight the benefit (especially when you have to get over the price concern).