Advertising Agency Blog - Inspired 2 Design, LLC

Today we heard from Family Dog Central that they’ve been contacted by the Publix Supermarket lifestyle magazine for an interview as an EXPERT in dog care. The article being written is about what to do if your dog ever gets lost. What GREAT publicity! What GREAT FREE publicity. This is just the type of thing we tell our clients to go after, and FDC has done it! Here’s how:
1. WRITE articles. Even if you HATE to write, you have to begin putting your knowledge down on paper and submit your articles to local papers, news and lifestyle magazines, local community advertising magazines and so forth.
2. POST articles on your website, and on article sites online. Find the most reputable and the most popular ones, and include links back to your site in your bio.
3. ISSUE Press Releases! You’d be surprised what is newsworthy about your business. Issue Press Releases every month or at the very least, once per quarter. Find out who to address you release to at the local papers, trade magazines, etc and personalize them.
4. POST your PR on your website, and make the info easy for the media to access and download.

Free publicity is the very best you can have, ESPECIALLY when you’re cited as an expert in your field. This opportunity is fantastic for Family Dog Central, as it adds a level of credibility that no advertising in the world can get, no matter how much you spend.

Become an expert and flaunt it! Make sure when you’re cited as a source in an article that you post that article on your site, and ask - always ask - for a link from electronic news articles back to your website.

Contact Inspired 2 Design for more info on Press Releases, or even article writing. We can help you with either or both!

Events are a fantastic way to promote your company in a local territory. Events bring you and your prospects face-to-face in an environment that’s safe from hard sell. Community events typically are centered around social or civic causes, so therefore are conducive to conversational and relationship selling. The prospect always feels more relaxed, and open to suggestive selling.

If your business is located in Cherokee County and you target consumers (specifically families) with your products and services, there’s an upcoming event marketing opportunity you shouldn’t miss.  Movie Night in Heritage Park is coming up on August 9th. This FREE outdoor event will feature a huge movie screen showing the recent Horton Hears a Who film starring Jim Carey. There will also be a bounce house for the kids included. for no charge. The hosting sponsors are the City of Canton and Citrus Solutions Carpet Cleaning, but local businesses are encouraged to participate in sponsoring a booth at the event.

The benefits to your business are clear:

• Non-competitive environment (one business per industry classification)
• Low cost ($150 to purchase a sponsorship space)
• Exposure to 600-1000 people (expected turnout)
• Your ad running 45 minutes before and with the closing credits on the Big Screen
• Your booth space to hand out literature and samples, and to interact with potential customers
• Exposure throughout the county with your logo on fliers and handouts
• Association with other major brands in the area (City of Canton, Chic Fil-A, Ben & Jerrys, etc)
• Event to receive promo spots on local radio and newspapers

Of course, this event is not for every business in town, but there’s a great opportunity for service and product companies to get their name up in lights for many Canton residents to see. We encourage you to call Connie John at Citrus Solution (678-315-4411 or visit their website) for more info - but hurry, there’s not much time left to get your sponsorship ad and logos in for the marketing.  You can also check out the City of Canton’s website here.

The very first step in creating a brand image/identity is selecting the name of your company, product or service. When you choose a name for a child or even a pet, you sound out different names that have a “nice ring” to them, or which have a positive connotation in your mind.

Your company name should be both simple, and memorable; but most importantly, should be unique to your business or product. The shorter the better, in fact. These days, you must also consider matching your company name to a website URL for ease of locating you online, and for brand recognition and consistency. Check the names you’re considering online to see if the .com is available. Second to .com is .net.

You may also want to consult an attorney at this point to research the availability and uniqueness of your choice and to copy protect your intellectual property by filing a trademark registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office.

Avoid at all costs, names that have particular meaning to you, and you alone. By no means should you need to explain what your name means or how to pronounce it. Make your name easy to pronounce, and totally recognizable as uniquely you.

Branding is critical to companies who want to succeed in their industry by gaining an edge over the competition. Developing and maintaining a powerful brand allows a you to gain market share, and helps to deter price wars as a distinction between products and services.

Building your brand is essential for the success of businesses big and small, and it all starts with a little name calling. Inspired 2 Design can help you start up your business with an identity that fits your style, your goals and your budget.