SoKy Local Business or "SoKybiz"

It's that time again folks, "press week!" This is the week set aside to put the many pieces of Soky Happenings together and this month is very exciting! October brings fall and many family fall festivals. As the leaves change color in the fall, Soky Happenings will make a some changes this month as we make progress toward our original vision for the magazine. It is being made real by the talented designers at Earnhart + Friends.

That's not all folks! Once we are finished with pre-press of the print version, integration of the new design begins online and we will start introducing many new and exciting features online. Our goal and mission is to provide useful information and tools for our community and to that end, SokyHappenings.com with the help of Soky.net will be greatly expanded to include archive versions of the print issues, daily events and more ways for you to get involved. Listings, maps, classifieds, yard sales and many other features are planned to be introduced in October.

The website will also be expanded for the companies who have made Soky Happenings possible! We have created ways to add value to our important advertising sponsors. While we don't want to let out any trade secrets, let me assure you that our sponsors will be well taken care of online. The readers of Soky Happenings will enjoy new ways of interacting with our sponsors and receive special discounts, incentives and fresh information.

As I have written on page four in the past, we're just getting started and will not rest until the dream is realized and the community has the best events guide ever!

Labels: print publishing, Soky Happenings

This was posted by SoKy : 2:00 PM  0 comments links to this post

There are quite a few things I want to write about today, however I realize that our time and space are limited.

1. I want to write about disaster preparedness (again). Inspired mostly by the observance of 9/11 yesterday.
2. I want to write about the new Dell computer I installed over the weekend and how easy it was to set up and transfer the account settings using Windows Vista.
3. I want to write about a post I read yesterday where a blogger dangerously suggests that people starting a new business should not invest in accounting, planning, branding, or risk management. He eludes to the significance of these things but suggests that a business is started when money changes hands. Interesting, apparently this "blogger" has not read the laws that govern commerce in the commonwealth nor his own posts regarding branding and marketing.  
4. I want to write a post titled, “Who are you listening to anyway?” Basically highlighting that the loudest voices are not necessarily the most qualified. From failed business owners to people who have never owned a business, there are plenty of people claiming to be “experts” who are woefully unqualified to make the claim.
5. I want to write about outside sales and the importance of preparation, flexibility and patience.
6. I want to write about some of the observations I’ve made about reactionary business strategy and marketing.
7. I want to write about the concept “you get what you pay for” and the ways it applies to not only advertising, but also design and placement.

As a small businessman myself, there are a million other things I should be doing besides writing a 2 hour blog for a mostly faceless audience. As a small businessman who has chosen a competitive environment, there are reasons I should not share my insights and opinions. As a small businessman with a dream and passion, I need to concentrate on the Primary Aim and continue converting my dreams into action.

So I won’t be posting about the subjects today. Perhaps I’ll pick off one at a time when I feel the need for diversion or when the topic screams to get out. Maybe just listing them will inspire your own thoughts on the topics.
 

This was posted by SoKy : 7:00 AM  0 comments links to this post

Small business owners would do well to look at what the big companies are doing to reach their market. The national brands invest heavily into survey's, polls, studies and market sampling before they invest in expensive national advertising. They also hire large graphics and marketing firms for the presentation and message. I believe small business owners can use the strategies of the big guys to create, modify and adapt their much smaller advertising efforts.

You can look at any major brand for ideas and strategies. Looking at those brands that are trying to reach your customers can be even more revealing. Looking at their ads as well as what media they are spending heavily on can help small business owners choose their methods and message.

Know what to look for! Small business owners should have some nagging questions in minds when looking at national advertising as it relates to their own marketing and advertising.

1. Who are they reaching? Are the customers they are trying to reach the same as yours? Age, income, location?
2. What are they selling? Is their product or service similar to yours?
3. Where are they spending their money? More importantly, what methods do they seem to be using more of? Print, Radio, Outdoor, Direct, Television?
4. When are they reaching out the most? Do their ads play at certain times? On particular days? In select locations?
5. Why are they using the methods? Is it because of reach? Budgets? Strategy? Market? Effectiveness?

This may sound like you need to be an "expert" in order to analyze all of the variables, but it doesn't take rocket scientist to just take notice. Most small business owners are always thinking about their business in one way or another, taking note of the advertising methods used by big budget advertisers as you go through your day takes just a little effort and can reveal opportunities never considered before.

Labels: Advertising, small business

This was posted by SoKy : 11:00 AM  0 comments links to this post

Roy Williams: Advertising
Wow Customers With Your Ads

Home > Advertising > Ad Columnist Roy H. Williams > Wow Customers With Your Ads

Ads that target the relational mindset seem to do nothing at first, but they work better and better the longer you run them. Ads that target the transactional mindset work miraculously at first but less and less well as time goes on.

Which type of ads will you choose?

Style vs. substance: There's a big difference between saying something powerful and merely saying something powerfully. What message communicated in your ads doesn't expire? Is the most powerful part of your message true "for a limited time only" or "while supplies last"? Are you training your customer to wait for the next sale?

Read the full article at Entrepreneur.com

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Coming tomorrow: Observing Big Budget Advertisers
Coming soon: Innovate vs React: Leading or Following?

Labels: Advertising

This was posted by SoKy : 1:39 PM  0 comments links to this post