A Smart Start to 2009

As we have all heard and all said, these are unprecedented times in business.
We all read the news about how bad business is and hear about budget cuts and layoffs.
It makes us think about our approach to selling ads and how aggressive we should be in asking for the order.

In Today's Ad Age email was a guest article from an agency exec to other agencies.
I thought the following words could/should be adapted for any of us who write orders and sell stuff. (Italics and bolds are my edits.)

He writes, "Don't be afraid to sell stuff. Our clients sell stuff. Our job is to make sure they sell more of it and sell it more profitably. Retail drives the sales. Branding drives value and profit -- it's really that simple. It's your job to be nimble and savvy enough to see what's not working, pull it and replace it with something that does work, and you do it as many times as necessary to serve your client. If you are embarrassed to admit you sell stuff, you may as well get out of the business because my agency -- and those that think like us -- will run your ass over. The common logic right now is to retreat. And the common result is decreased budgets and, in turn, decreased sales, share and profitability. If you get caught in this downward spiral instead of working to stop it, you're finished. "

I'll repeat his words, Branding drives value and profit.

And I have to rephrase his comment - History has shown that if you foldup your tent during tough economic times, chances are you won't have a place to unfold when good times return. Why? Because the people who push forward, the people who don't give up, and the people who advertise, are the ones who will be successful. And they will take market share from those who hide behind budget cuts.

(Classic historical example is Post cereal v. Kelloggs in the 1930's. One was the premier cereal company in the world. One was number two. Number One quit advertising during the depression. Number Two did not. By the end of the Depression, Number Two had risen to become the Number One cereal company in the world, and the former number one? Well, they never fully recovered. You can tell which one won the fight by checking out the cereal aisle the next time you're in the grocery store.)

How to Advertise for Free

(regular advertisers in TechShop, please disregard this commentary. This is for my shop owner and mobile tool distributor readers....) :)

That's right - you can get free press, especially in your local newspapers. All you have to do is submit a "news release" to most papers, and they'll publish it.

Before you sit down to write anything, you should take the time to really think about the message you want to send. An effective news release is not a blatant advertisement. Instead, it should provide insight into a newsworthy top related to your business. For example, for a great effect, tie something about your shop to a recent news story. A recent news story talked about "Hurricane Katrina victims still homeless 2 years later" You might issue a news release commenting on charitable work you or your employees have done, services you've provided to Hurrican Katrina victims.... You get the idea.

When you write your news release, the way it is written is almost as important as the content.
1 - Be sure it has a HEADLINE. This should be short and to the point.
2 - Open the release with something interesting, either a fact or a quote from yourself. There is nothing worse than a dull first sentence - many editors won't get to the next sentence.
3 - It should read like a news story, not an advertisement. Mention how you've been in business, your specialties, etc.
4 - Cite evidence when it makes sense. For example: "The US Dept of Energy estimates that replacing a clogged air filter can save drivers as much as 10% on their gas bills. Harry Magnum, of Magnum's Parts, says that many drivers are wasting money on gas by not maintaining their cars properly".
5 - Keep it short and simple. To the point. No long sentences, and nothing more than 800 words.
6 - Spelling is as important now as it was in 4th grade. Ask someone to proof your work for content, spelling, grammar and punctuation. You are a professional and want to create a professional-sounding press release.
7 - Include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail. Make sure the press can reach you.