A Right Media Mix Can Make the Difference

Branding is no longer simply about visual appeal (or the cherry in the apple pie example, as given in my earlier article). Unfortunately, many graphic design firms who position themselves as advertising agencies believe that branding your corporate identity is all about developing great looking visual solutions.

However, there is much much more to branding than just looking good. Particularly in this web 2.0 era, where a powerful web presence has become a vital ingredient of your branding strategy, developing the right media mix holds the key to building a powerful brand equity.

In other words, a right media mix would mean:

• Creative design solutions (the design, color, and content of your ads, marketing collateral and website enhance your brand equity, attract customers, and generate sales)

• Web development (every product/service worth its name has a web presence these days, some have truly interactive, animated sites encouraging customer involvement),

• Viral marketing (vitally important in today’s age of social networking, tagging, podcasting, blogs, forums, wikis and what have you)

• Television commercial production, print media advertising (traditional media cannot be overlooked)

• Strategic films (have become necessary elements of roadshows, exibhitions and other promotional campaigns)

• Corporate video production (a very important tool for branding your corporate identity)

• Direct marketing (marketing collaterals need to be just as effective and resonant with the overall branding scheme as the communicate directly with the customer)

• Outdoor advertising (hoardings, roadshows, participations in business fairs, exhibitions, etc)

There are some interactive advertising agencies that have recognized the need of the hour - developing creative design solutions that employ user-centric investigation and involve critical and systematic thinking. User-centric means understanding of needs and priorities of end user; the clients' customers, their channel partners, users, and brand communities.

So if you want to register your brand as one that is synonymous with customer loyalty, you must develop a complete package, keeping the customer as the prime objective and organizing product stories around the way they prefer to learn about, compare, select and confirm purchases, connecting brands and their experiences.

Are You In The Right Profession?

All of us are busy working in a particular area to earn our living. Some of us are business persons and some are employed. Some are engineers, others doctors, carpenters and so on. We have painters, architects, firemen and all types of professionals.

The question is - Why did you choose a particular profession? Were you tested scientifically in our childhood about your aptitude, or whether it was your family profession, or you wanted to become one because you had fancy for that, or you had nothing else to chose so you chose your current profession?

Along the way in life, we stop asking these questions and continue doing what we are doing. We never think about why we are doing a particular kind of job. We never look around for total change in the job. For example - an engineer would very rarely think about dropping out of his/her profession and becoming a full time musician. Why?

why most of us don't think about changing our profession altogether? Why don't we think in that direction at all? One reason is to maintain status quo, which gives us comfort. We want to live in our comfort zone. The second reason is that we never question ourselves- Am I in a profession that I like fully? Can I choose another profession that will give me more success and joy?

Please think about what I have said and rethink about your profession. You may find something else that may give you not only satisfaction but great success.

Avoiding the Scams: How to Find a Business Opportunity That is Right for You

It is heartbreaking to me that so many women with big dreams get knocked down by ruthless business opportunists who take advantage of a woman's passion and trusting nature by offering bogus business opportunities. Don't get me wrong, it happens to men too; it just really frustrates me that women who want nothing more than to operate a home-based business can be taken advantage of so easily and that those pushing the business scams don't care about their ethics, about busting your budget, or diminishing your
self-confidence.

If you want to find a business opportunity that is legitimate, you must be cautious in reviewing opportunities and make sure that you find a business that's right for you. There is a general rule of thumb when trying to find a business possibility that will enable you to work-from-home while generating a significant income. That is, if an offer sounds too good to be true, most likely it is. Most times you will find a business offer that is presented in an inflated manner to be either a scam, or an incredibly exaggerated representation of the opportunity the business venture actually affords you.

There are some legitimate business opportunity packages out there, but honestly, they are few and far between. In most cases, you are better off crafting your very own business opportunity rather than trying to find a business opportunity that is prepackaged, turnkey and ready to go. A turnkey business opportunity is one that provides you everything you need to get started in business in a start-up package for a flat start-up fee, or at least claims to. Some of them have ongoing membership fees as well.

Of course, there are some companies that offer true turn-key opportunities like distributorships or pyramid plans where you sell their products for them, usually through party plans, and recruit other representatives for a percentage of fees. You may find a business like this appealing because it is a package deal that is easy to start-up and generally has good support through the company and an up-line.

The legitimate businesses of this nature are well-known - Avon®, Home Interiors®, Herbalife®, Tupperware®, and Mary Kay®, for instance. You really can make money in these types of businesses while maintaining control over your own work schedule if you are willing to give it your all. However, some people just aren't outgoing enough to make a distributorship business work because they don't have the personality for direct sales and recruiting.

Sometimes, rather than trying to find a business that is turnkey, it is best just to craft your very own business idea, business concept and business plan, and to strike out on your own to transform your entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Here are some simple questions that will help to aim you in the right direction for developing your very own business ideas:

1. What are you passionate about?

If you are going to spend a large amount of your time operating your business, doesn't it make sense to find a business idea that incorporates something you enjoy? Brainstorming for ideas based on your personal interests is a great start to launching, owning and operating a satisfying business.

2. What are your talents or gifts?

If you can find a business idea that uses talents, gifts, knowledge or skill that you already have, it will be much easier for you to get your business started quickly, and to operate it efficiently.

3. What are you interested in that is new and exciting to you?

Everyone has unexplored interests. If there is something that you are interested in learning more about or activities you would like to engage in, these interests can be great to pursue as business ideas. Search your heart and you are sure to find a business idea that will be just perfect for you.

4. Of all the potential business ideas you have generated, which one is most likely to be the best business opportunity?

To answer this question, you need to do your market research. Evaluate the competition, find a marketing niche, and determine whether or not you can make money with the ideas that you have. By following these simple steps in generating your very own, unique business ideas, you will definitely find a business opportunity that will be both fulfilling and profitable.

Are you in the right business?

Are you in the right business? - Part 1

by Polydoros Gavrilakis

If you have just started out with your home business

or even if you are a home business veteran, there is

ONLY one very important reason that will determine your

failure or success...

If you are in the right business you CANNOT fail.

Which is the right business for you?

This depends on several things, but the first and MOST

important thing you have to ask yourself about your

home business is:

Would you recommend the product or service your business

offers to a friend or relative?

What would you say if they ask you about it?

Would you tell them that it is a valuable product they

can use, in case, of course, they need products of this

kind?

or...

you would just tell them that it's totally worthless,

but the payplan is great...and you are in this business

just to make money?

Think about it, and if the answer to the last question

is YES, then you are definately in the WRONG business.

In other words, if the product your home business offers

is not something you would recommend to a relative, a

friend and/or any other person you care about, then it

is NOT the right product to sell or promote.

Instead, if the answer is NO, is that enough?

No, there are more things you have to know to be

sure that you are in the RIGHT business.

Stay tuned to Home Business Opportunity News for more

details next week...

You are free to publish this article online or offline

in any media, as long as it remains unchanged and the

resource box below is included.

----------------------------------------------------

Polydoros Gavrilakis is the Editor of Home Business

Opportunity News, the ad-free newsletter that

delivers ONLY the quality information you need to

succeed with your home based business. Get Your

FREE Lifetime subscription NOW to find out a secret,

but simple and secure way he's using to earn $1000s

per month online: www.HomeBizOppNewsletter.com

----------------------------------------------------

8 Great Interview questions to help you find the right Candidate

1) Do you have written goals you want to accomplish and if so, tell me about them? You are looking for indications of maturity, focus, planning ability and desire for achievement.

2) How did you earn your first paycheck, how old were you, and what did you do with the money? With this question you are probing to check their work ethic.

3) What are the top three leadership traits that you look for in a manager? With this question you are attempting to gauge their expectation and ascertain their preferred management style.

4) Have you ever failed at something and if so, why did you fail and what did you learn from the experience? This question lends itself to a discussion on resiliency, personal responsibility and tendencies under pressure.

5) Everyone has strengths and weaknesses as employees. What are your strong points for this position? This question gives them the opportunity to tell you what assets they bring to the table and how they see themselves fitting into your organization.

6) What is the one thing you would improve about yourself? This question gives you an indication of his or her self- assessment capability.

7) Other than family members, who has been the greatest influence in your life and why?

8) If you were to fail in this business, what do you think the reason would be?


Use these questions as a guide and add to them as you wish. by having a set list of questions it helps you move the interview process through efficiently and effectively. Based on the candidates' answers to these and other questions you may provide, you'll have a good idea if you're ready to take the next step with this person.

Good luck

10 ways to identify if your public relations company is right for you

PR plays a key function in a successful business. And for PR to be productive you will need to trust more than friendship or basic instincts in choosing an “ideal” PR company. Since public relations are about communication and steering the company towards realistic targets, you must consider a number or crucial and tangible issues.

Be clear that PR cannot be handled just by the firm it is a partnership between you and the PR experts. It is your inputs that will provide the PR firm with direction. You must on your side provide complete and updated information, be available to advice on or check material put together by the firm and spend time with the PR team on ideation. Only when the grounding is laid clearly will PR be successful.

1. The company must have worked for a business such as yours before or have at their fingertips the strategies they will employ to meet your PR objectives.

2. The PR firm must have updated its systems to include all the latest in media and communications.

3. The company must understand your business thoroughly and know in no uncertain terms how much strategic versus tactical support they can provide.

4. Determine whether the staff deployed for your project has both experience as well as expertise. Find out about their successes and failures.

5. Ascertain whether they can comfortably reach out to your target market and if they cab quantify their value.

6. Study the proposals presented by them on your project and use your in depth knowledge of your business and the market to determine to what extent this will work.

7. A dedicated PR firm will not hesitate to disagree with you on any aspects of your plan they are not in agreement with. They know the ins and outs of their business and know what works and what does not.

8. The firm must not just have a series of meetings there should be constant interaction as well as reviews of work undertaken and subsequent results.

9. The contract must be clear and transparent with no hidden clauses. The PR firm must have a system where it clearly understands and then delineates in a contract its responsibilities.

10. Be sure to check their testimonials and credentials. Go through their case studies to determine their efficacy and do some research to find out their standing in the market.

The most apt definition of a PR relationship is that of the Counselors Academy of the Public Relations Society of America. It says, “ a successful relationship between client and public relations firm or counselor has as a fundamental: a match of capabilities and needs, a 100% agreement on objectives, constant and instant accessibility, full information sharing, interaction at all levels, regular updates as well as progress review, and a clear contractual agreement.”

A Right Media Mix Can Make the Difference

Branding is no longer simply about visual appeal (or the cherry in the apple pie example, as given in my earlier article). Unfortunately, many graphic design firms who position themselves as advertising agencies believe that branding your corporate identity is all about developing great looking visual solutions.

However, there is much more to branding than just looking good. Particularly in this web 2.0 eras, where a powerful web presence has become a vital ingredient of your branding strategy, developing the right media mix holds the key to building powerful brand equity.

In other words, a right media mix would mean:

• Creative design solutions (the design, color, and content of your ads, marketing collateral and website enhance your brand equity, attract customers, and generate sales)

• Web development (every product/service worth its name has a web presence these days, some have truly interactive, animated sites encouraging customer involvement),

• Viral marketing (vitally important in today’s age of social networking, tagging, podcasting, blogs, forums, wikis and what have you)

• Television commercial production, print media advertising (traditional media cannot be overlooked)

• Strategic films (have become necessary elements of roadshows, exibhitions and other promotional campaigns)

• Corporate video production (a very important tool for branding your corporate identity)

• Direct marketing (marketing collaterals need to be just as effective and resonant with the overall branding scheme as the communicate directly with the customer)

• Outdoor advertising (hoardings, roadshows, participations in business fairs, exhibitions, etc)

There are some interactive advertising agencies that have recognized the need of the hour - developing creative design solutions that employ user-centric investigation and involve critical and systematic thinking. User-centric means understanding of needs and priorities of end user; the clients' customers, their channel partners, users, and brand communities.

So if you want to register your brand as one that is synonymous with customer loyalty, you must develop a complete package, keeping the customer as the prime objective and organizing product stories around the way they prefer to learn about, compare, select and confirm purchases, connecting brands and their experiences.

Are you in the right business? - Part 2

Are you in the right business? - Part 2

by Polydoros Gavrilakis

In the first part, I talked about the 1st step you have

to take in order to determine if you are in the right

business...

The second and also very important step is to know your

product fully.

Have you bought and actually used the product you are

promoting?

It doesn't matter if it's top notch, recommended by 10s

of gurus, or it's been advertised all over the net...

What matters is, what do you think about it.

Forget about the compensation plan, the commission

pay out...and any possible residual income opportunity...

and ask yourself the following question:

If there was no income promise, would you buy this

product for that price?

If the answer is NO, then you are definitely in the

wrong business.

Why?

Simply, because that's what others will also think when

you try to sell it to them and they won't buy, except

of some people like you, that will buy it just to make

money, and after not making any, they will disappear...

and with them your 'residual' commissions will disappear,

too.

If you are just a free affiliate for that product, then

do you need to buy it?

Yes, only if you want to make money - if you are an

affiliate just for fun and don't care about profits,

that's ok!

But, if you do want to make money, or if you have already

sold 1-2 copies of that product, the first thing you

should do is buy it to see for yourself what this product

actually does, do they deliver what promised? do they

provide top notch customer support?

Even, if you have sold 10s of copies of that product for

some time, you need to be sure that it is of the highest

possible quality, in order to not waste your money and

time with it…because even if people buy it, if the product

does not deliver what promised many people will get a

refund and you will eventually end up losing money and time...

So, that's it...

Before you decide to maximize your marketing and advertising

efforts...

Before you decide to focus your time and money on that

product or opportunity...

Make sure to spend that little amount needed to buy it and

also take the time to use it to see for yourself if

this is for you.

You can't imagine how easier it is to persuade others to

buy something you have used and know that it works!

I hear your question...

'What if the product is a very expensive one, but has a

very attractive compensation plan? like for example, those

opportunities where you are asked to buy some online tools

for $500 or more and then refer others to earn 80-90% of

that huge price?'

Please, answer this simple question:

Would you pay that amount, for example the $500, for these

tools, if there was no compensation plan? just for the

product - nothing else? would you do that?

If the answer is no, then, you really don't have to lose

any more time and money with it...

Is there anything more you need to know to be sure

you are in the right business?

Stay tuned to Home Business Opportunity News for more

details next week...

You are free to publish this article online or offline

in any media, as long as it remains unchanged and the

resource box below is included.

----------------------------------------------------

Polydoros Gavrilakis is the Editor of Home Business

Opportunity News, the ad-free newsletter that

delivers ONLY the quality information you need to

succeed with your home based business. Get Your

FREE Lifetime subscription NOW to find out a secret,

but simple and secure way he's using to earn $1000s

per month online: http://www.HomeBizOppNewsletter.com

----------------------------------------------------

A Price-Value Matrix - A Cool Tool for Finding Your Just Right Pricing Strategy

While developing your pricing strategy, it is important to remember that there is an implicit relationship between price and value. We expect to pay more for gourmet food than for fast food and for a luxury car than for an economy model. At the same time, value is a matter of opinion, not fact. I prefer a new Subaru to a '95 Cadillac; my husband prefers the opposite. His wardrobe is built around Dickies; my taste runs to rather more eclectic (and non-synthetic) clothing. Given that there is a relationship between price and value and that value is a matter of opinion, I had always priced my products and services by triangulating three factors: what I wanted or needed to earn, my costs, and what the market would bear. That's what I had taught countless other people to do, and it worked fine. All else being equal, quality, price, and market generally reached a dynamic balance where prosperity and service overlapped.

But, once came the day when something felt out of synch in the way I used that marketing strategy, and I felt some gritchiness around the prices of products I recommended. I kept examining my assumptions, and everything seemed right. Still, the feeling that something wasn't quite right persisted.

Never one to ignore an itch, I kept scratching until this week I realized what the problem is. I had been using quite different "markets" to assess what the market would bear. That is, I'd been looking at markets that had different values from the values of many of the people I attract. I based my pricing strategy and marketing on the proven best practices of other respected "info product" gurus, but those practices were designed to address the values of people who didn't, and probably never would, be attracted to my e-zine.

Readers of my e-zine were a special case. From their emails and phone calls, I knew that they placed a high value on authenticity, intelligence, and creativity. I knew they had high standards for courtesy, honesty, and what I might call "finish." They were tolerant of mistakes (assuming they were acknowledged). They had a sense of humor, a hunger for spirit, and a fundamental commitment to growth. At the same time they tended to be a frugal lot, willing to pay for high quality, but unmoved by hype and positively turned off by pressure tactics.

The generic information marketing model is designed to address the needs of people for whom profit is an over-riding value. These folks -- many of them good souls indeed -- thrive in the hyper-stimulating atmosphere of the motivational circuit: loud, upbeat music, extravagant challenges to dare to be great and simple formulas for achieving success. The more costly the package, the more this customer tends to believe in its value. And I'm willing to suppose that for the right person, that value can be substantial.

But this model didn't fit me and it probably didn't fit my e-zine readers, either. More than likely, they were past believing in "7 Steps to Instant Gratification." They probably didn't believe in easy answers, however much they might sometimes long for them. (Me, too.)

The bottom line is that, in that case, so-called "best practices" just didn't apply. The sophistication, values, and life experience of this community constituted a different market, and we would just have to develop our own best practices.

What would those practices look like? My hunch was:

Transparency: No fake sales; any specials should be clearly linked to a business purpose, and the regular retail price should always be fair so if you miss a sale you can feel good about buying at another time for full price.

-- Clarity: Accurate, no-hype descriptions of products and services.

-- Simplicity: Prices expressed in whole dollar amounts. Forget the "95 cents" gimmicks. We can round up!

-- Trust: Simple returns and exchanges.

I evaluated the marketing and pricing strategy for my products and those of affiliates, keeping asking the questions that gave birth to "Authentic Promotion" in the first place: "What's bugging me about the way I do (or think I have to do) business? What am I assuming? What is the truth of this? What if the truth were not a problem?"

Goldilocks tried three chairs, three bowls of porridge, and three beds before finding the ones that were "just right." In much the same way, your working toward "just right" prices and marketing methods will definitely pay off, as it did for me. I believe this price-value matrix will help you to find your "just right" price!

For example, my client sells a course which is a comprehensive self-guided seminar that transforms fears and resistance to marketing into grounded advocacy for good work. It’s a high value, if she does say so herself. Still, it has a medium price because she is still working on way to convey to potential purchasers the potency and efficacy of this course. One way she is doing that is to develop a series of follow up emails that remind buyers of key practices and principles, that ask powerful questions to help them move forward, and that suggest specific sections of the program that solve specific challenges. As she develops this support, she will be able to charge -- and receive -- a higher price.

PRICE-VALUE MATRIX

HIGH VALUE -- LOW PRICE

Underpriced: value undercut by price. "What's wrong with this picture" pricing strategy.

HIGH VALUE -- MEDIUM PRICE

Attractive pricing: ideal for market penetration. "More for your money" pricing strategy.

HIGH VALUE -- HIGH PRICE

Premium pricing: prestige, prominence. "Connoisseur" pricing strategy.

MEDIUM VALUE -- LOW PRICE

True bargain: may be a temporary special to raise revenue or to move discontinued items. "Inventory sale" strategy.

MEDIUM VALUE -- MEDIUM PRICE

Price and value are in balance, exclusive of other factors. "Square deal" pricing strategy.

MEDIUM VALUE -- HIGH PRICE

Overpriced: informed buyers will stay away; sales may be made to unsophisticated market. "Infomercial" pricing strategy.

LOW VALUE -- LOW PRICE

Cheap stuff. Often sold with lots of "bonus" items or features. "Tourist trap" pricing strategy.

LOW VALUE -- MEDIUM PRICE

Turns sales into complaints. "Caveat emptor" pricing strategy. ("Let the buyer beware.")

LOW VALUE -- HIGH PRICE

Don't even think about it: the "Fleece 'em and run" pricing strategy.

Why and how parents should impart their children with the right kind of sex education?

Summary:

Here are a few good reasons why you need to take some time out and make sure that your child has the right kind of sexual information and how it can help your child...

Keywords:

sex education, parenting, family issues, postive feelings, parents and childrens, teaching sex to kids

Article Body:

Many parents are confused about what they should tell their children about sex and when and how this should happen. Parents are also concerned that sexual information might heighten children’s interest in experimentation, but many studies have shown that information and education do not encourage sexual activity. On the contrary, wellinformed children make better and informed decisions regarding their sexuality, when they feel that no subjects are considered taboo at home. Some parents are concerned that their children never ask any questions of a sexual nature. Children pick up subtle cues and have probably realised that the topic makes parents feel uncomfortable and therefore steer clear of it. It is important to make children feel good about their sexuality from the beginning. This will make it easier for them to ask questions about it throughout their lives. Here are a few good reasons why you need to take some time out and make sure that your child has the right kind of sexual information and how it can help your child.

PREGNANCY AND AIDS: Previously, the threat of unwanted pregnancies and STDs were the main reasons parents talked about sex. Many never did. Sex was made out to be something terrifying that could lead to scandal and disaster and social ostracism. Nowadays, the terrifying rise in HIV infections has added urgency to the need for proper sex education.

AN ONGOING PROCESS: Questions should be answered naturally and in age-appropriate fashion. A question on pregnancy from a five-year-old should be answered differently from when it is asked by a twelve-year-old.

BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL: Model the lessons you want to teach your children through your own behaviour, expectations and messages. Children learn more from what they see you doing than from what you say.

KNOW YOUR FACTS: Even if it means reading up, then do so. If asked a question you do not know, say that you are unsure and go and do some research.

GIVE FACTS: Children are not always able to distinguish between facts and beliefs. Do not let your personal belief system influence what you answer to a factual question. While there is room for imparting your values, this is not it.

ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD: Curious children end up being better informed generally and self-confident children overcome peer pressure more easily. Praise is the best way to teach self-confidence.

LISTEN CAREFULLY: Guard against overkill. Answer what is asked, without going into unnecessary details and don’t jump to conclusions about your children’s sexual activities. Their questions may spring from something they heard on the playground, not because they are experimenting themselves.

POSITIVE FEELINGS: Young people who have positive feelings about sexuality are more likely to be able to protect themselves against STDs, unintended pregnancies and sexual abuse.

BE PATIENT: Sometimes some of your children’s questions could upset or embarrass you. Try not to criticise, lecture or nag. If you do, you won’t be asked questions again.

ASSURANCE: Let your children know that you are proud of them and that they are lovable. It will help to build their self-esteem. Also stress that it is normal for everyone to be different and that you do not find their questions strange in any way. A child is very vulnerable and can get carried away by external sources. Make sure you impart a proper understanding of sexuality in your child, and always be open to them and keep your child safe.
This is also the responsibility of parents of Indian Girls to guide their teen aged children about dating. Some times parents are very strict, because of Indian traditions. They don't allow their children, especially when they are in their teen age, to go out on date. This results in secret relationship and may cause other problems for their children. The better way is to guide your teen aged children and ask them to hold for some times to become of legal age for dating. Even if they are of legal age, they should be guided not to commit mistakes in finding their dating partner or soul mate. Don't take decision in hurry and don't trust any one without testing him for love and sincerity.