Opportunity – Gain some insight to motivation

The greatest achievement of the human spirit is to live up to one’s opportunities and make the most of ones resources” – Marquis De Vauvenargues

For those of you who don’t know Marquis De Vauvenargues he was a French essayist and moralist that believed a hero is one who is impelled by strong passions to win renown through the performance of great deeds—preferably (but not necessarily) those contributing to the well-being of humanity. (source – Britannica)

Last night I joined about 60 other individuals at a kick off party for our local chapter of the American Advertising Federation.  Rampant throughout the discussions of our industry was an underlying sense of fear, about our customer’s demands, lack of available funding sources, stress of managing overhead and concern for our fellow comrades that were recently included in area layoffs.  As a marketing agency that is both new to the area and new in concept, we are familiar with these hesitations in life.  It was, in a weird way, comforting to know that we are not alone in our struggles.  But how does that relate to Marquis De Vauvenargues?

The foundation of our concept, virtual marketing provider, is designed to restrict the overhead burden suffered by agencies, the time demands put upon creative talent and provide overall guidance and increase confidence levels for business owners.  It has been difficult to explain to our audience that we exist to improve their positions, whether it be in business for our clients or in life for the talent that helps us achieve results.  At Azure we become truly passionate about identifying opportunities for our clients and helping them find the right resources to live up to them.  I’ve almost shown what this has to do with Marquis, just keep with me.

Lindsay and myself have worked enormously hard to develop our concept, the structure of how it can work and we are still dedicating large amounts of time to develop the technology we need to fully launch an online solution to marketing demands of business owners, marketing directors and other marketing agencies.  Does this work ethic sound familiar? 

The engine behind the countless months of work have been a vision. To help big dreamers accomplish realities.  We believe that by offering this alternative to traditional marketing we can bring professional results to business owners that relate to Marquis, they are the dreamers that have identified opportunities that offer superior service and products to the marketplace.  They just need better resources to share their dream, to make smarter profits and live better lives.  In addition there are opportunities for creative talent to dream, of a workday that exists on their schedule, of working on projects that they can be passionate about and sharing in results that positively affect people just like them.

We recently lost a pitch to a more traditional agency because, as they stated, “We prefer to work with a full-service agency” This has been the most frustrating response that we continue to receive.  We are full-service, just not full-staffed.  It is by tailoring our company to the needs of each client that we become a viable solution for their needs and their budget.  We bring on the talent and vendors according to demands of each project. That is why the Azure opportunity is a resource for big dreamers; they can focus on their business, while we focus on streamlining their marketing.  It has been the Marquis quote that continues to get me through these moments and on to more projects.

At Azure we sustain several relationships with non-profits in the area.  One of them, very close to my heart, is the group we started for the Pendleton Street Art District.  These talented artists also happen to be business owners.  They needed a central place to share their business ideas, learn about opportunities in the area to grow and identify resources that could offer the way to turn their dreams into realities.  It’s been three months of activity and the group is truly starting to become a cohesive influence in the area.  It is their appreciation for the simple contribution Azure makes that drives my human spirit to wake up and keep trying to move forward with a determination I’ve never known before in my life.

For the industry professionals that browse this thought I hope it let’s you know, you are not alone. For the business owners who took the time to read through, there are others who share your passion and for the dreamers, who focused for a moment on the rambling, give us a call - We’d like to help.

 

Now Accepting Clients

This is a free write post, so excuse the mess.  We are finally accepting new clients!  There have been many months of eye numbing research, brain exploding idea sessions and exhausting hours of discussion.  But we have finally done it.  Our marketing resource center is up and running, our contacts and relationships are in place. 

We have tapped into our second well of energy to explode onto the market and accept new clients. 

As a relatively young agency we have decided that we should:

• Go the extra mile no matter the client’s budget
• Provide creative solutions that maximize the budget
• Represent ourselves as an agency that offers traditional services as well as competitive pricing options and free resources to help our clients make great business decisions. 

Afterall, if they succeed we succeed.  So I’ve said it all, from the heart and in the moment of excitement. 

If you know ANYONE looking for a marketing/advertising/pr service send them our way.  Whether it be a small project like 500 business cards for the amazingly low Azure fee of $75 plus shipping and $35 for reorders, a medium project such as setting them up an email marketing campaign for just $100 and then $15 every month after that or a large project such as writing and executing an entire annual marketing plan. 

We know our unique approach to working with clients will give them the most valuable tools and the best solutions for their dollars!  Because that is how we designed it.

Brainstorming at Home, gone awry!

Well, we have pulled down the site, restructured it, yes again, and are back on the path again to providing our concept to the small business world.  Lindsay and I have been brainstorming ideas to shoot a video that we can post on You-Tube that will go viral.  All of the top videos are funny or shocking, so we thought up a few pranks.

Get growing with Azure- We bought a 50lb watermelon and stuck it in our garden, which already has some watermelon growing but they only weigh about half a pound.  Then we told Lindsay’s 5-year old daughter that I left the sprinkler on ALL night and she was going to be super surprised when she saw what happened.  Well people, don’t assume how a 5yr old will react!  She gets up there, looks at the 50lb watermelon and answers our question “what happened in the garden” with “It got all muddy”  it was pretty funny to us, but the video didn’t quite capture it.

Let Azure wake up your business - How funny is it to watch someone get awaken during a nap or sunbathing by a huge 5-gallon bucket of water..It’s hysterical..or so he thought… Lindsay after an insomnia attack, decided to try it out on me.  It’s 2am, I’ve just fallen asleep and I get an earful of cold water.  The video never had a chance! When I came up with the idea, I meant it would be funny to do to someone else.  Oh well, guess we’ll have to try again (this time on Lindsay)

Those are all we’ve tried so far – any ideas?

Generation Ageless

The new term for the baby boomers is quickly becoming “Generation Ageless” for their powerful commitment to staying youthful.  I’ve begun accumulating knowledge about their preferences, personalities and how to market to them, especially in the luxury sector.  I’ll release some of my summaries soon but for now I want to discuss this generation on a more personal level.

My parents are young babyboomers, guess what they, along with many others their age, are doing right now.  They are caring for their parents.  They have become lodged between caring for their children and their parents.  I believe the question we should be asking is how is this going to affect their outlook on life? 

My grandparents were recently faced with the decision to either be forced into a state nursing home by their local department of services or succumb their independence to a new 24-hr care lifestyle.  I spent a week with my grandparents while we waited for my parents to hurriedly rearrange their lives to bring two unwilling adults into their home.  I have always admired my grandparents for their mutual love and respect for one another.  While my grandfather may have been passive with his intelligent, Italian tempered wife he always had his feet planted on solid ground.  A recent diagnosis of cancer for my grandfather and alzheimers for my grandmother has completely changed them.  In this one week I shared with them I witnessed polar mood swings, lucid into disorientation, deepening depression and an honest hatred towards their loss of independence. 

So how will a generation that has always proven its focus on vitality react to caring for aging parents and growing children?

How To Create An Email Blast

With our Azure structure in place, we decided to promote our ability to offer virtual marketing services, as we continue to develop the website.  In a previous post I explained my recent coordination of an Artist Hospitality area for the Metro Arts Council.  They have been sending in great compliments about the area so we thought a thank you would be appropriate. What better way than an email blast filled with free resources for them and information about our packages they may want to look into.  It should be simple enough, afterall I get about 3 email blasts a day.

Hah!! I spent 5 days researching, creating and troubleshooting to send one email-blast.  I hope the info in this post saves you from the same time investment.  Look for the full version soon on our site.

Research – You have several options & services available to create your email blast.  They come down to two options.

Do-It-Yourself design and execution.  Unless you have previous experience or assistance from someone who does, I do NOT recommend starting here.  Mining of many design/technical blogs and websites concur, this is extremely difficult.  You must execute an HTML template that does not get distorted beyond recognition and retains utility across all email providers.  Cross-email compatibility must consider many providers: PC’s – Outlook, Express and AOL.  Mac’s – Entourage, Apple Mail and possibly Eudora.  Web-based – Hotmail, Google Mail and Yahoo.  The common recommendation is to create a stand-alone web-page using software like, Dreamweaver and then post that HTML code into the template.   It is also suggested to utilize a service to send your blast.  At a minimum they will test your template for spam, allow you to preview, keep contacts organized, schedule send and process the transmission much quicker.  David Greiner, commonly referred to as an expert on the topic, authored a “Guide to CSS Support in Email”, a must read if you are unfamiliar with DIY email marketing.

Email Marketing Services – There are businesses that will assist you with the execution of your email-blast.  This option is preferred, affordable and will increase your chances of sending an effective email blast.  While there are many small differences between the plethora of services available, there are standard items to consider:

1. Web-based or download – A web-based service enables you to quickly edit and execute your email marketing campaign.  Many offer the option of choosing a customizable template or creating your own.  You can easily export your contacts into an address book.  Pricing may be a small flat fee ($10) plus a per transaction fee (5 cents an email) or a monthly rate based on the # of emails sent each month ($10 – $40).  The other option is to purchase software, download onto your computer and execute from there.  Unless your business focus is on email marketing we suggest Web-based, it will not bog down your system or network and offers comparable tools.
2. Ease of Use – Whether you have your own design or want to utilize a template it is equally important that the service be easy to use.  The process of importing your contacts, scheduling a blast, creating a template and general management of your campaign is facilitated by user-friendly software.  Most services offer a free trial.  Invest 2 hours to tour the more popular services and pick your top 3 to trial. 
3. Personalization features – The software should allow you to integrate multiple fields of entry to ensure your blast does not read like one!
4. Reporting features- Return On Investment (ROI) is a very popular topic.  Any email-marketing you execute you should track for effectiveness.  When you first start your email-marketing consider creating more than one design template.  ROI features determine which template was opened most often and which provided the higher click-through rate to your targeted landing page.
5. Anti-Spam – Any service you use should test the rate of which your template will be identified as SPAM! The better ones give you specific reasons for the rating, allowing you to adjust the template quickly. 

Tips – There are 3 focus points to keep in mind during your email marketing campaign. Design, Content and Execution

Design

• If you choose to embed images into your template then they should be published online already to avoid the dreaded box with red “X” 
• Cover your butt and include an “unsubscribe” link
• In addition to an HTML template offer a Plain Text version to ensure the utility of your blast
• View other successful designs for inspiration

Content

•  Repeat – Include a Plain Text Version
• Do not skip spell and grammar check
• Entertain – Keep your copy short and to a valued point.
• Reward – Give something they can immediately apply, specific helpful information, promotional item or free wanted item
• Begin segmenting your contact list and customize your content to that audience

Execute

• Create a non-personal email account for replies, be sure to check it for email provider responses requesting your reply to identify campaign as non-spam
• Inform your system administrator of your email marketing efforts, request that they whitelist your Email Service Provider, most ESP’s provide instructions
• Plan an execution calendar you can manage, most take up to a year to execute weekly or daily
• Clean your contact list of duplicates, similar entries and old contacts
• To avoid being SPAM send to contacts who have opted into receive your emails and added you to their address book.  NEVER send to a 3^rd party contact without prior permission
• Test your work before sending for email-compatibility
• Be able to receive calls and reply to emails when you send your campaign

We hope this information provided you with a strong foundation for your first email blast.  Below are a few troubleshooting issues I had as well as a list of some popular and preferred email marketing campaign providers.

Trouble Shooting

Exporting Contacts – If you have an older version of outlook you will discover it’s preference for an “outlook translator” to export your contacts to a program such as Excel.  After several hours of research and downloading patches I opted for an easier option.  I was able to export my contacts into Hotmail without needing the translator and then used Hotmail’s export service to put into an Excel form.

Image Upload – 70 kb was a commonly accepted image size.  You can crop the image using Paint or photo-shop.  You can also “save as” to a smaller pixel size.  Don’t forget to already have your images published online as a source – FLICKR is a free service for posting your pictures and is also available as a widget.

katrina@azureadv.com  with any troubleshooting tips that you would like to see added here.

Services we would even refer to our mothers: i-contact, constant contact, campaign monitor, mail chimp

 

Search Engine Optimization and You

There is something to be said for analyzing your competitors.  I was recently conducting a SWOT analysis for a client when I found a company that provided web development (like our client) and SEO services (unlike our client).  Their talents peaked an interest and we scheduled a meeting. 

Quick Tip – spending 30 minutes with a potential partner or provider yields the most benefits with invasive conversation “Who do you use or refer for marketing services now”  “What are the specific points of interest you have in Azure”  “What is most important to you in a working relationship”  “How do you anticipate our companies to work together”  Side note - work these into conversation, not an interrogation session.

My invasive approach secured Azure a free course in SEO, the practices this company uses and an ongoing referral relationship.  Lindsay and I attended the course and graduated with flying colors.  Our background research (spent on the design of the Azure site) proved to a great building foundation for the class.  So how do you come in?  Here on our blog is the top five points we learned.  The full version available soon at Azure.

1. What is SEO- Search Engine Optimization is the process of improving your website to gain more exposure through search engines, such as Google.  It is organic, which means you don’t pay the search engines for the improved ranking.  The search engines compare the terms entered by the End Users with the design, content, navigability and interaction history of your site to determine which position to display a link to your website.  If you want to be number one with Google, then you have to maintain the best ”Quality Score” with google.
2. Factors that determine your optimization- Factors that are on your site and you have control over:    Code - Clean and Simple HTML is preferred by the search engines                                                   Site Layout – Search Engines place emphasis on the content of your site in this order: Left side, top header, center body, right side column then bottom navigation.                                                   Content – Make sure your content has valued content, search engines recognize unnatural structure!  Factors that are not on your page and you do not have control over:                                            Linking – The link relationships established between your site and others                                          Age of Domain – How long have you created and/or owned your domain?
3. Pay per Click is NOT SEO – It is a form of marketing.  A company can pay search engines to list their site in sponsored sections of displayed search results.  Google Adwords is one example.  As an advertiser you are only charged when a user clicks on your ad.  When creating your ad give title that sells you, make sure your text gives the user relative content to their search terms and expect to keep your URL under 35 characters.
4. Choose your words carefully, and your location and timing.  In other words make sure you reach your audience at the right time with the right message.  Request to only display your ad during your business hours, consider only displaying to those users searching in your service area and use a message that appeals to the user instead of focusing on your company.
5. Web 2.0 – So you’ve heard it but what is it.  If you’ve done a search recently on Ask or Google then you’ve seen their search results.  Have you noticed that video, audio and picture content is also identified and displayed?  These interactive features are part of the next phase of Web, it is Web 2.0  A lot easier than you thought huh?

If you’re ready of a FREE website analysis or an SEO or PPC campaign we’re here for you.

 

The Weeks of Launching

At Azure we want to relate to our clients.  We anticipate many of them being, at least to some point, a do-it-yourself-er.  In honor of that principle we elected to do this beta site entirely on our own.  With our experience in business planning, marketing, design, market/subject research and past web-based project management this should be no problem, right? 

 We’ve survived to tell you, it is hard and if at all possible should be left to a professional in website building.  The frustrated emotion we have so often seen in the eyes of business owners is one we now fully understand.  During our creation of a business plan, site map, design concept and content development we have encountered the overwhelming amount of information available. It has taken countless hours and days to filter through everything to build our base.  But, we have one now and just you wait, it is really really good! 

We maintained a solution-centric approach to obstacles and disagreements to remain focused on the project.  Creating a mutual task list and taking responsibility for duties that utilize our individual strengths. We have remained sane and productive.  Now, only a few days from our launch we have become more energetic and determined.  This last push to completion will be our hardest thus far so we are using the momentum of our excitement to fill up our energy well and taking our vitamins.

On a personal note…Wow 24/7 exposure to one another’s work and personal habits has been interesting and testing at times.  We are putting in 16 hour work days that have stretched several times past 2am, a work schedule stressful to most people.  But, taking walks in the garden as a way to conduct meetings, sneaking in a romantic date after a networking event and remaining understanding of one another have been the keys to unlocking a relationship that continues to give more everyday.  These moments have helped us ensure we don’t lose focus of the dream, living the life you love. 

On one of our walks we decided beautiful days are free opportunities to be inspired, refreshed in spirit and conducive to a joyfully productive work attitude.  We will conduct company meetings and client meetings, whenever possible, outside to take advantage of these free thought provoking days. 

The day stretches on, thank you for the moment of clarity to express our excitement.

What is marketing

I was approached by SCORE to present the marketing portion of their small business start-up seminar that they hold 4 times a year.  For those who don’t know SCORE, they are an inspiring group.  The organization here in Greenville has touched the lives of many business owners and demonstrated a great ability to positively influence a strong foundation for these owners.  They are a non-profit nationwide organization that provides FREE counseling to small business owners.  The members of SCORE are accomplished business executives and owners that subsidize their retired schedule with pro-bono hours for SCORE.  I absolutely love them for their realistic advice and understanding approach to counseling. 

When they asked me to present, I was honored.  I’ve provided this seminar  as a pro-bono service.  Each time I present it to a group they have consistently responded with an appreciation for a detailed summary of what marketing is, the opportunities they can use it to grow their business and the specific questions they can answer to complete the marketing portion of their business plans.  So I thought it might be nice to include it here for you.  Let me know what you think.     Azure Marketing Seminar