Atlanta's Marketing Center

What Exactly is Marketing?

The idea behind marketing (and a good definition) is that you’re attempting to get a targeted group to know, like, and trust you…in that order.

There are a couple of marketing tactics that can speed the process along quite a bit. For instance, in terms public relations and getting a mention by a newspaper about your products or services, you hit all the ‘know, like, and trust’ criteria in one fell swoop because a reporter (instead of you) is singing your praises.

Further, with an organized referral process, your ally (a trusted source…again, not you) is getting the word out about your offering. Since it’s not you, prospects feel as though the information is coming from an independent source and is more likely to

Direct mail, advertising, and a website presence are another story. You can get them to know you, but getting them to like and trust may take repetition and time. There are a couple of techniques to speed up the process here but it still may take some time.

Focus on the process of ‘know, like, and trust’ and you’ll be on the right track.

Real Change You Can Count On

When it comes to politics, I’m pretty quiet.  In fact, few people typically know which way I “lean”.  And that’s ok with me.  When I find myself in conversations with people on the matter, I tend to contribute more by listening.  And frankly, I can generally see my conversation partner’s perspective on it. 

I mean what platform is “correct”?  Who has the “best” political model? Republicans? Democrats? Independents?  Well, I believe it’s subjective and depends upon the context.  Each typically comes along with salient points.  This is not to say I don’t stand for one thing.  I do…and I always encourage active participation in the process. 

But when you reflect, truly reflect on the impact an election has on your life and business…I invite you to consider how it compares to the effect you (and your management team) have on it.  My guess is that your active participation and control of the business dwarfs the trickle down effects of a change in political leadership.

We’ve just gone through an exciting time in our nation’s history.  Some consider this to be a “new beginning”.  I think that’s wonderful.  If it helps to spur healthy change I’m all for it.  But if you believe that new political leadership is going to drastically change your business and life, I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed.  The universal truth is that real change takes place from within.  Relying on ourselves as leaders is always the path to improvement and profitability.

External forces through public optimism, ease of trade, and perhaps even tax benefits can certainly help, no doubt.  But I submit that the activities you engage in for the business such as improvement in strategy, operations, and marketing will have far more impact on the bottom line.  And I believe that if you’ll ask the administration (outgoing or incoming) what they think of the subject, they’d agree with it too.

Atlanta Marketer of the Year AMY Awards

And on the heels of the Academy Awards...

This year's AMY Awards will take place at the Fabulous Fox Theater and will celebrate the most creative marketing minds of 2008.

The AMY Awards celebrate results-driven marketing programs and leaders who drive and inspire their teams to excellence and achievement. The awards honor programs and campaigns in 10 different marketing categories, representing an array of marketing disciplines -- from branding and advertising to social media and search marketing. Additionally, Marketer of the Year Awards will be presented to an outstanding agency and an outstanding corporate individual, and the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to S. Truett Cathy, Founder and Chairman of Chick-fil-A.

Here are details and below is a link to register if you'd like to attend.  Should be fun.

When:    Thursday, March 19, 2009
Where:   The Fabulous Fox Theatre
Time:      5:30 – 9:45 PM
Attire:     Black-tie optional
Tickets:  Register online today