Advertising Agency Blog - Inspired 2 Design, LLC

What a great time to band together with business associates and complementary businesses to advertise. If you haven’t done so, right now is the perfect time to build up a support team of like-minded companies and entrepreneurs. Here’s some ways to get started, and some ideas for cooperative marketing:
1. Join your local chamber of commerce (here in Cherokee County, our chamber is exceptional, and exceptionally active!). If you already belong to the local chamber, consider becoming a member of the chamber for the next town, city or county nearest your business.

2. Join a networking or leads group. We belong to SECBN, Southeast Cherokee Business Network. They meet each week to network and share referrals (and some members meet to drink coffee and socialize). This specific group is exclusive meaning there’s a limit of one business per industry classification, so if you’re interested in this group, contact us, and we’ll give you more info.

3. Join a community or city business association. We belong to both the Downtown Historic Canton Association and the Ball Ground Business Association. Both groups are fairly new and were designed to promote business growth in their respective downtowns and to boost the existing businesses. These groups are a great way to meet new people and to give something back.

4. Once you’ve made some connections, meet for coffee, lunch or dinner to discuss your companies, your challenges and your successes. A one-on-one meeting will give you a chance to learn about other the local company’s needs and also to see who might be open to cooperative marketing.

5. Be a consumer. Use each other’s services, give each other referrals, give each other reviews.

6. Start cooperating. Plan an event together, place an ad together, share reciprocal links on each others’ websites, display and/or hand out each other’s literature, do a direct mail project together.

These are just a few ways to get involved in the community, get to know more business owners just like you, and get to share the costs - and successes - of advertising through cooperative marketing. Call Inspired 2 Design for more ideas at your FREE 1 hour consultation.

Ever see tacky wax? Even know what it is?

In the ancient days of graphic design BEFORE computers, (yes there was a time when we did things manually)… tacky wax was used to hold graphical elements in place on a mechanical board. The wax was similar to a glue, but allowed repositioning of the type or image. Forms of tacky wax are still used in making stained glass, and other creative arts… even advertising.

But for this application, consider tacky wax as a process, not a physical thing you can roll up in a ball and flick or throw at someone. Tacky wax in this case refers to a company which “tacks” itself onto the advertisement or promotional piece designed and very often, paid for by another company. We’re not talking about cooperative advertisement where it’s clear that two companies or more are sharing ad space to promote, but just plain tacky.  Take those ‘free” business cards for instance (you know the ones with the great big ad on the back), if you are serious about being in business, be serious about your marketing and promotion.

If you haven’t seen signs of this around town, be on the lookout. It’s out there. Be wary, and don’t let companies stick to you, no matter how free the service or product is.  Inspired 2 Design wants to talk to you about your company’s marketing. Call or contact us for a FREE consultation - and that’s 1 full hour talking about your company. FREE (period) 770-781-3452.

Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps has his own marketing guru. And why not? This record-shattering American hero is worth even more millions now than he was after Athens in 2004. The ethics of sports figures making zillions really isn’t the point of this post, rather, it’s the interesting take on the brand Michael Phelps as recently reported by The Associated Press.

The AP story reported that Phelps is expecting $100 million in endorsement money over his lifetime. Wow! So how does he make this happen in the reality of these three points:
1. Point one - the Olympics only come but once every four years.
2. Point two - swimming is not typically a sport that’s in the mainstream like say… golf, baseball, basketball etc.
3. Point three - will he be swimming in 2012, or has he peaked?
These points are basically the challenges for the marketing guy. How does Michael Phelps capitalize on his current fame while spreading it out over the top brands, and make it last?

We all suffer from the same challenges as Michael Phelps. And although it’s unlikely we’ll see our businesses on 10 million Kelloggs cereal boxes, the basics are still the same:

1. Don’t jump at every opportunity to advertise, not every one is right for your brand or your target.
2. Go beyond the superficial and the traditional when looking for chances to build your brand.
3. Take advantage of the latest trends, technology and buzz.
4. Get involved in activities that go deeper than just advertising, like charity and volunteer work.