Basic Marketing

Thank you. Surprisingly, I get a lot of comments a...

2011-09-24T18:48:17.132-05:00

Thank you. Surprisingly, I get a lot of comments about the "design". Especially, about the girl hard at work at the top of the blog...

I like the design of your blog very much. It looks...

2011-08-19T02:37:31.934-05:00

I like the design of your blog very much. It looks like a page from fairy tale. I’m really impressed!

Web Design

I haven't really heard of that name. I don'...

2011-07-29T04:08:14.583-05:00

I haven't really heard of that name. I don't think it can kill social media.

web design Perth

Absolutely true Tim. Many businesses still think o...

2011-04-11T01:39:34.814-05:00

Absolutely true Tim. Many businesses still think of value add as just doing a good job instead of being focussed on finding out what causes their customers pain and working out a way to assist them get relief. It may not always be monetary but rather advice or guidance to a new way of getting 'stuff' done that the customer was too busy to see. When customers see that help from someone who cares about their business they are truly engaged.

Understanding social media content is crucial to a...

2011-03-10T08:33:45.740-06:00

Understanding social media content is crucial to an effective communication with customers especially since social media is now on big screens as well. Great post and thanks for reminding us the basics of communication: keep it short and simple.

Great question. I think that Foursquare works best...

2010-07-20T17:05:44.547-05:00

Great question. I think that Foursquare works best for businesses that have high traffic needs such as a restaurant or bar. However, that's not to say that someone hasn't come up with something clever. I always post a question on LinkedIn when I need help. It's a great free resource and there almost always is someone who knows something or someone that can help. That's where I would start and I'd go from there...

Any suggestions on how a service business without ...

2010-07-20T15:11:41.297-05:00

Any suggestions on how a service business without a brick and mortar location can utilize Foursquare?

I have been using it for my home inspection company, looking for other ways

Thanks for the nice review. Glad you liked the boo...

2010-05-10T15:34:19.108-05:00

Thanks for the nice review. Glad you liked the book!

I visited your site.It is difficult to combine a b...

2010-04-23T08:57:30.394-05:00

I visited your site.It is difficult to combine a blog and a product sale site. If your main objective is sales, then I would dedicate more of your home page to the sale of the product: benefits, price, value, etc. I would then have the first part of the blog and then "click here for more". If there is a problem with getting traffic there in the first place, you might try Google AdWords or some other types of advertising. The majority of Web visitors never go beyond the home page, so if you can capture the sale on the first page, you might increase results. Also, encourage readers to sign up for your blog feed to continue building a relationship. Hope this helps. You may get additional comments from readers. Good luck.

Hi, nice article, I have a blog that sells local p...

2010-04-22T00:28:15.309-05:00

Hi, nice article, I have a blog that sells local products, but after a few weeks I advertise, via facebook, talking directly to my friends, about my product. Are there any suggestions from you, about my blog, it's a matter of display or a matter of content? thank you, please see my blog, http://tiretechonline.blogspot.com/, would be very grateful if you gave advice.
- Greeting-

Very well said. I am just now becoming more activ...

2010-03-13T21:11:52.170-06:00

Very well said. I am just now becoming more active in social media, primarily as a way to advise my sister in her new business venture, and this is one of the things I've learned. There's a lot of sweat equity required for social media efforts! And the sweat equity required of me as her "consultant" will pale in comparison to the effort required on her part to keep things going. As I consider providing this service for other small businesses like my sister's, sure, my first question will be how much money they are willing to spend but my second question will be how much time are they willing to commit.

Great question! For the first couple of years of m...

2010-02-26T10:11:33.213-06:00

Great question! For the first couple of years of my blog, I didn't even put my full name on the blog, I was like "Bill from Detroit." I don't want to become a speaker or a guru. I started blogging when it was new, just to learn what it was all about. I continued because I like to write.
So, why don't I continue keeping my name off the blog? Simply because I feel that there's too much hidden in Web communications. When people are anonymous, they write or post all kinds of things, true, untrue, or venom - after all, no one can trace it back to them.I will take responsibility for what I write.
I don't want to brand myself, but I won't hide either.
As for my expertise, I do have over 20 years experience in marketing, if I make a valid comment or two - I hope it helps, if not, continue to surf.
And finally,yes, the blog is the brand here. I cover basic marketing topics - old school. It's directed at small business, or anyone without a background in marketing. Most of my posts cover simple marketing ideas, thus the name - Basic Marketing - and the brand.
- Stephen Wilson
P.S. I hope you come back and comment again. Thanks for reading!

Stephen ... so why isn't YOUR photo at the top...

2010-02-25T15:38:46.326-06:00

Stephen ... so why isn't YOUR photo at the top of YOUR blog? The blog is not the brand, here ... your purported expertise is. I find it lacking.

Online Customer reviews are also a great source of...

2010-02-10T09:22:45.982-06:00

Online Customer reviews are also a great source of ideas for improvements of products and services. Many successful companies, such as Pure Digital (recently acquired by Cisco) and Bose Electronics, use them to monitor, measure and manage their products reputation and improving their processes. Check the service at http://www.amplifiedanalytics.com for aggregation of customer reviews and measurment of Consumer Electronics and Computer products reputation.

Great Post.

2010-02-08T11:12:34.938-06:00

Great Post.

I think added value is an important concept to con...

2010-02-06T11:44:17.524-06:00

I think added value is an important concept to consider, but lets take this a step further with unique selling proposition.

Why should I buy your product instead of your competitions? Can you answer this question with a well analyzed answer?
You should be looking at your competitions weakness and finding ways to enhance your product or service based on solid facts.

This is what Wal-Mart does with always the lowest price, Domino's with 30 minutes or less
and LensCrafter's with glasses in an hour. They raised the bar for the competition.

How can your business raise the bar for your segment?

Tim Little
Publisher, MarketingListBroker.com

From: The Marketing Guy Wow, thanks for the length...

2010-01-27T10:20:49.071-06:00

From: The Marketing Guy
Wow, thanks for the lengthy comment. But let me try to respond.
1. I started out in video production,so I'm not exactly a novice. I've produced, written or directed hundreds of videos and commercials. The comments that I would "muck" it up, is part of the problem.
2. As far as listening to me beforehand. I've been in pre-pro meetings where a director, just a day before the shoot, introduces a complicated shot that is clearly impossible in the time allowed. I informed him that, in my opinion, that was an impossible shot and it would cost us a day. They insisted they could do it, (planned to the second). I asked who paid for the day if they couldn't do it. The agency said, "You do". I was over-ruled. Guess what? They couldn't do it. In the end, the Agency absorbed the cost, but my input had been ignored.
3. These are not nickel and dime shoots, but with major companies like J. Walter Thompson.
4. Finally, the post is about what it's like on the client side. I know that production people work hard - I've done it. I just think the client should be part of the collaboration.
5. As for the surgery example, that's not fair. I am not making a suggestion about something I have no knowledge of, I've been doing this well over 20 years. Do you actually mean to say that my input is not valuable on a shoot for my own company??
6. Please come back an post again! Thanks, I appreciate a difference of views.

Oh unclean! Unfair! I've been making commercia...

2010-01-26T16:50:07.815-06:00

Oh unclean! Unfair! I've been making commercials for over 20 years and 1. my job as the agency is also to sell your product, 2. you are kept from input because your input has been part of the process every day up to the shoot (time up) and 3. because we are professionals at this and getting what you need from the process.

Your input would not be appropriate because we have taken your schedule and budget and yes - hired our choice of production team. They do work for us. And we work for you and should have quelled your issues beforehand - there is no place for quick changes or new ideas at this point. It's a tightly run ship on a tightly run timetable. To keep it within YOUR budget.

Every stage of the process up until how has been done to ensure you get not only your input into the process but the agreed upon direction so not an iota of expensive money/time is wasted "exploring" things now. We know this from experience. Hence, you hired us. It's not because of some plot to keep you out, you were part of it and now it's in the hands of the professionals to execute. You wouldn't ask your plastic surgeon to let you advice more or less to the left/right during surgery - because you trust he has been listening up til now with your end results in mind. Right? Same dealio.

This old school view of us out to "get one over" on someone is rediculous. Ad agencies create products to sell yours. That's our goal. And if it wins awards or seems 'arty' to you - that's because it will get more attention that way to sell better. It's not a bad thing. It's not an 'us versus the client" thing. That's just crazy. Most times, it's us trying to SAVE the client from themselves and thier ideas that aren't effective/good.

If the guy holdign the checkbook knew all about production and creative he/she wouldn't need to hire an agency. The "ploys" of keeping the client separate and occupied had to be created because clients with no knowledge of the process lost time/money making suggestions that HAD to be followed and ruined many a shoot's results.

There is not one expensive second (literally) not budgetted ahead of time, timed out and plotted to accomplish at a well-run shoot. It's to your advantage you are kept away from mucking up the process. Learn to see your ad agency as an asset to your own ends instead of an enemy and you'll probably get some ads that actually accomplish your goals.

I'm wondering if that's a good movie?

2008-11-01T13:01:00.000-05:00

I'm wondering if that's a good movie?

I am not sure about Hillary’s chances right now, I...

2007-12-18T19:11:00.000-06:00

I am not sure about Hillary’s chances right now, I think Oprah’s support for Obama really hurt her it bit strongly into her women support and consolidated all blacks for Obama. I think one of the best trackers for elections is the gambling line as people will only put money on what they think will win, I have watched the line on Clinton drop steadily for the past weeks since Oprah began campaigning for Obama lines are at wagerweb.com Politics Betting I prefer following these lines to polls as I feel they are just as accurate if not more

I can understand the perils of small business peop...

2007-11-18T19:46:00.000-06:00

I can understand the perils of small business people in our current economic climate.

A recent survey by purchasing agents of major corporations revealed that small business--with none of the built-in protections of the majors--are hit up to 200% more often by con men, than are the majors. In total, their losses are staggering.

Nice blog, for those who own a business, and are l...

2007-10-03T23:38:00.000-05:00

Nice blog, for those who own a business, and are looking for ideas to improve.

I've seen a lot of the "pay per post" ideas floppi...

2007-09-25T09:38:00.000-05:00

I've seen a lot of the "pay per post" ideas flopping around the internet.

With my company heavily involved with blogging technology and dynamic publishing platforms we are constantly looking for cost effective ways to keep our clients content visible and relevant. When does the world open up to using complete open source avenues? Or will it ever?

good read, very interesting

2007-09-11T01:18:00.000-05:00

good read, very interesting

I think community is important in any business onl...

2007-06-27T14:40:00.000-05:00

I think community is important in any business online or off great blog