When is the last time you took a hard look at all your branding materials (e.g., your marketing materials, packaging and website)? Do they match one another? Is the information up-to-date? Is the messaging consistent? Perhaps it’s time for an evaluation–a “spring cleaning,” so to speak.

Branding is about emotional impact. Everything that represents your brand visually should resonate with your customers, sending the same primary message and triggering the same emotions. If each piece looks different, brand confusion occurs. It’s essential that your logo, website, marketing collateral, advertising and packaging work together, to inspire your customer to act. If it’s time to clean up, coordinate and/or de-clutter your brand, here are a few pointers:

1. Assess your brand promise.

2. Evaluate your visual image.

3. Ensure consistency.

4. Update content.

5. Review strategies.

Get the details.

[Source: Entrepreneur.com - “5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Brand]

It’s easy to become confused about these terms: advertising, marketing, promotion, public relations and publicity, and sales. The terms are often used interchangeably. However, they refer to different — but similar activities. Some basic definitions are provided below. A short example is also provided hopefully to help make the terms more clear to the reader.

One Definition of Advertising

Advertising is bringing a product (or service) to the attention of potential and current customers. Advertising is focused on one particular product or service. Thus, an advertising plan for one product might be very different than that for another product. Advertising is typically done with signs, brochures, commercials, direct mailings or e-mail messages, personal contact, etc.

One Definition of Promotion

Promotion keeps the product in the minds of the customer and helps stimulate demand for the product. Promotion involves ongoing advertising and publicity (mention in the press). The ongoing activities of advertising, sales and public relations are often considered aspects of promotions.

One Definition of Marketing

Marketing is the wide range of activities involved in making sure that you’re continuing to meet the needs of your customers and getting value in return. Marketing is usually focused on one product or service. Thus, a marketing plan for one product might be very different than that for another product. Marketing activities include “inbound marketing,” such as market research to find out, for example, what groups of potential customers exist, what their needs are, which of those needs you can meet, how you should meet them, etc. Inbound marketing also includes analyzing the competition, positioning your new product or service (finding your market niche), and pricing your products and services. “Outbound marketing” includes promoting a product through continued advertising, promotions, public relations and sales.

One Definition of Public Relations

Public relations includes ongoing activities to ensure the overall company has a strong public image. Public relations activities include helping the public to understand the company and its products. Often, public relations are conducted through the media, that is, newspapers, television, magazines, etc. As noted above, public relations is often considered as one of the primary activities included in promotions.

Learn More

[Source: Free Management Library]

This accurate description of Integrated Marketing Communications, the words often heard when describing the field, are an important part of what we do at Mellon & Co. It may help our clients, and even prospective clients, to have a deeper understanding of our core philosophy:

Marketing: It is a process. We measure the results of the process by number of customers, sales, amount of profit generated, etc.

Marketing Communications (MC): This is an umbrella term for all communication avenues available for conveying marketing messages. These include advertising, public relations, sales promotions, direct response marketing, events, sponsorships, point-of-purchase materials, packaging, trade shows, customer service, and personal sales. MC is measured as the proportion of marketing dollars assigned to each avenue and the marketing return on investment (MROI) for each.

Marketing Mix: The specific MC elements used by an organization, measured in marketing dollars and MROI.

Brand: It is the total collection of perceptions and associations (good, bad, and indifferent) that differentiate an organization from its competitors.

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC): Another process. IMC is the organization, planning, and monitoring of marketing components and data to control and influence brand information, associations, and experiences. The goal is to incubate profitable relationships and dialog with patients and other groups. This is typically measured by internal and external surveys, focus groups, managerial accounting, trend analyses, referral indices, etc. [Source: audiologyonline.com, describing how they use IMC for their business model.]

Read the full article.

March 7, 2008 – Ann McCauley, an emerging women’s literature author from Pennsylvania, will be speaking at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 11 at the Olean Public Library in celebration of the release of her new novel, Runaway Grandma, and Women’s History Month.
McCauley, a retired psychiatric nurse with a certificate in gerontology, will be reading excerpts from her book and speaking about the issues it addresses.

Runaway Grandma is the story of seventy-year-old Olivia Hampton, a widowed retired school teacher who meticulously plans a fake suicide. She believes her son is plotting to have her declared incompetent to gain control of her finances. She moves to a distant state with a new identity but life has a way of refusing to let her be.

McCauley believes that financial elder abuse is a definite problem in America today, explaining that it is not uncommon for adult children to want their inheritances while they are still young enough to enjoy it.

McCauley will also be sharing details of the writing contest “Runaway Giveaway” she is holding. Prizes for winning submissions include a $50 savings bond for children and signed copies of the book for adults.

The event will also include a large-screen debut of her new website, developed by Mellon & Co., and refreshments will be served. To learn more about McCauley, her books and the contest, visit her website at www.annmccauley.com.

Our techs enjoy what they do so much, they are extending the tech hours. Starting on Monday, March 25, customers will be able to drop off and pick up computers in the evening and on weekends. The new hours will be Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

We know it can be hard to get in after work, so we hope this provides even more convenience to our tech customers!

Runaway Giveaway

It’s time for some writing fun courtesy of our client, Women’s Literature author Ann McCauley. She is offering a contest to see who has the funniest stories about the older women in their families. Adults and children are welcomed to enter submissions for varying prizes. Contest details are offered below, and are also available to read on her Web site’s contest page. Visit this link to submit stories. Also, watch for Ann at events throughout the region!

CONTEST DETAILS

Adults and secondary school students: Does Olivia remind you of your own mother or grandmother? Do you have amusing stories about the women in your own family?

If so, now is your chance to share them! You can win a free, signed copy of Runaway Grandma.

Ann welcomes you to use the form below to send her your crazy stories on life with your own mother, grandmother, or an older woman in your family. She

A WELL-CRAFTED SITE: ESSENTIAL FOR ANY BUSINESS

A web site is really the most effective marketing tool around. Plain and simple.

70% of people go online before making decions to go somewhere. Not convinced?

Here