Marketing - Organize in 5 Steps

From Heather Demis of Anchor Marketing
guest on the show 9/16/08

Step 1 - Decide your exposure needs; If you have a sales force then you'll need a l lot of collateral, giveaways, apparel, etc.
If your business doesn't entertain clients, if you don't visit clients or pitch against other companies, then you have less pressure to promote your image.

Step 2 - Take a look at your corporate image - do you need a face-lift? A complete overhaul? Or, are you looking pretty good next to your competition?
If you are not loving the look and feel of your business; if your brand is not effectively speaking for you, then you need to get it right.

Step 3 - Budget/Plan - A logo is essential to your brand identity, it will be a one-time investment, if it is done right, plan to spend $500-$1500. Once you have that, then you can take babysteps and build your campaign on your terms, as needed. When it comes to promotional items and gifts, think in terms of the recipient, how much are they worth? There are minimums, so you need to decide your unit cost on the item and how many you will need.

Step 4 - Have all formats of your logo ready to go for whatever need may arise. You'll need a dst file for embroidery, Black/White version, one color versions depending on background applications, etc. It is very important to be consistent with your marketing efforts, color pallettes, fonts and imagery all have to tell the same story. This builds trust with your buyers that they can depend on your service/product time after time.

Step 5 - Don't wait until the last minute when you have marketing needs. Make sure the basic rules are "written" so that you don't waste time making changes under a deadline situation. Have a basic plan ready for holiday gifts/cards, New Year promotions, direct mail, trade show appearances, sponsorships and donations. You will have more choices, save on rush charges, shipping charges and you'll get just what you want!

9/16/08 - Organize Your Marketing and PR

So much marketing and PR to get done.
How do you make time for it and spend your time effectively?
We talk to two experts on the subject.
Randi Leader and Heather Demis get us on track to using our time wisely on Marketing our businesses.

Randi will get your wheels turning with ways to get your PR plan in gear.
randileaderoakes@aol.com

Heather Demis of Anchor Marketing then talks to us about marketing your business once the plan is in place.
hdemis@anchormarketing.com
www.anchormarketing.com

9/9/08 - 24/7 project

Melody Vaughn comes to tell us all about the 24/7 - Project Pay it Forward.
Sara will be working with this group to help a family to get organized and more.

If you would like more info from Melody, she can be reached here:
harmonize your home,llc
404.454.4260
melodyvaughn@yahoo.com

9/9 - Monica Ricci live and in person

Oooh baby! Our local celeb and national "supah-stah" organizer Monica Ricci will be live and in person in the studio this week. We'll talk to Monica about her favorite things (are you listening Oprah?) for getting organized and some of her favorite websites as well.
We'll also catch up and find out what is keeping her busy these days outside of traditional organizing. Is it the spokesperson roles? The book writing? Hmmmm. What else is she up to? I can't wait to hear.
Monica, btw, started this idea of an organizing radio show here at Radio Sandy Springs and we owe our success in part to her innovation! Thanks Mon.

Monica runs Catalyst Organizing in Metro Atlanta and has a blog you can read for tips and news.

9/2 The Family Manager - Kathy Peel

Join us as my friend Barb and I talk with Kathy Peel, well known author and Mom. She has brought fun and guidance to millions of mothers who want to tear their hair out with her fabulous series of books that began with "The Family Manager."
Her latest one is seen here >>>>>>>

She has been like a mentor to me since I began organizing. Her Family Manager book was one of the first ones I read to help me see that I really have to run my house and not let it run me.
Kathy even coaches us a bit on how to deal with our own children.
See Kathy's other helpful products and books on her website.
http://www.familymanager.com

8/26 - Websites that get you organized

Allison & Sara favorite: Facebook.com - keep track of all your friends without having to pick up the phone or send an email. They let you know what's up with them every time they sign on.

Ann Damani, Conceivable Solutions favorites:
Log Me In - allows you to log into another computer to do work, check something, even send email.
Plaxo - a self-maintaining contact database and now networking site.
Refdesk - Info info info. Links to most places you would need to go.
Snopes - Don't waste your time wondering if an urban legend is true. Check it out here.
Cardscan.com / Cardscan.net - These work with your card scanner and allow you to update the contact information.

Allison Favorites:
Igoogle.com - ((See Photo of Allison's igoogle page)) Can be customized so you can have quick links to the sites you want to see at a glance. From the google home page, click on the link on the right, at top, that says igoogle. You will need a google account to use this.
Google Docs for creating and collaborating on documents. They live in a cloud so you can view them from anywhere. Log into google then click on the MORE link at the top to get to documents in the drop down menu.

Brandie Kajino, The Home Office Organizer favorites
Delicious.com - Mobile Bookmarking. Allows you to bookmark your favorite sites and pages so you can return to them. But the bookmark is online so you can see it from any location, not just from your own browser.

Google Reader - allows you to get RSS (real simple syndication) delivery to see many of your favorite sites. Blogs come with this and now many newsletters and websites are adding this feature so you get the latest all in one place and it doesn't jam up your email in-box.
Go to google and click on the reader link to get started.

Grand Central - It looks like it is in beta testing and isn't taking new customers for a while. But it works with your phones to determine which ring and where and a lot lot more.

Earth 911 - links to recycling locations near you.

There were so many more to talk about, we'll tell you about them soon!

8/19 - Organize for Learning

We're joined by two experts who help parents and children organize for success in school.

Donna Goldberg, author of The Organized Student, talks about setting up systems the way the student thinks to organize spaces like the locker and backpack and home study area.

Then Suzy McDaniel from Learning RX tells us how her company helps retrain the brain of students with trouble processing information.