We come from business. All four of our full time team members are in business for themselves today… and Melinda, the one who put the team together, has built a strong retail business. We know advertising dollars are limited. We know the reality of the balance sheet. We also know how little time most of you would LIKE to give to your marketing. That is where we come in. We PROMISE, yes, we promise that we will take EVERY bit of our experience and knowledge, and put it to full work on YOUR marketing. I (Melinda) will spend your marketing dollars like those dollars came from MY wallet, and I was spending money like it was my company and money. We will discuss everything. You and I will become PARTNERS in your cause. I will put absolutely as much of your budget toward schedules as possible. I need to tell you, good web design and television production is essential, but I will do ALL I can do to keep those costs where they need to be.
We care about your success. It is personal when you go thru tough economic times and we get excited when we can affect your bottom line and see your business grow. It is a fact….if you partner with us, you will NEVER employ a group that cares more about your success than the team at Advertising Strategies.
Melinda Parker Johnson

What we think articles...

I am SICK of hearing about the Economy! Isn't it time to "hunker down?"

We know every business has felt the economic downturn. It has made us re-examine our expenses. It makes complete sense to cut expenses that are not crucial. The temptation is to also cut marketing in these conditions. BUT, there are VERY good reasons you should NOT DO THAT!

Countless studies show how maintaining (and even increasing) your marketing efforts in a recession may not only be profitable, but will accelerate your growth once the recession comes to an end. This has been proven time after time.
Even in a recession, not everyone has stopped doing business or spending money. They may have cut back, but they still need goods and services to live life and do business. If your product and service (and name) are not out there, someone will be brave (and hungry) enough to put their message out there, reminding the listener and viewer of who is still in business. They will earn “Top of mind” and get the buyers IN the recession and earn “Top of mind” for when the recession ENDS. HINT: It is EASIER to get “top of mind” IN a recession. (Keep reading)
Lost market share or loss of “Top of Mind” is harder to make up after a recession. Regardless if you like it or not, marketing takes a while to have an impact. A listener still needs to hear your message over and over to get them out of their “lazy boy”, and that takes time. If your competition has continued to market during a recession, and you do not, you will lose a sizable slice of the business “pie”…during the recession and after it ends.
Many of your competitors do not have good counsel and they are “hunkered down’ and quit advertising or almost quit advertising. LESS competition means YOUR advertising will be seen and heard even MORE! Top of mind achieved by default!
One more thought on advertising in the recession. The media groups want to use are having a harder time selling ads and thus have more inventory to sell. This can drive prices down, so often they have great deals. That means you buy more ads for the same money or the same ads at less cost!

This recession will "take out" the weak companies… but remember this...It also will end! When it ends, let’s have you positioned for great growth, and meanwhile, make more money from the buyers that do exist today.

What we think article...
MAKE THEM WORK TOGETHER!!
Does your marketing consist of a few new paper ads for this “special”, or a few radio ads here and there, or even an email blast from time to time? You may even think you are progressive in your marketing, in these efforts. Those are common marketing efforts for small business, but not optimum. Your marketing channels are NOT working together!

We know that Marketing is a “Battle for the mind”, and that ‘mind” is not easily changed. It takes consistency. It takes marketing that works together! The results of marketing working together are almost ALWAYS better than the sum of any individual marketing. The effectiveness is due to repetitiveness and the messages of varying voices.

For Example, when your prospect is on their way to work, and they hear a radio ad, they may only be slightly convinced your product or service is right for them. But, when they arrive at work, they do a little research on line, (and 83% of shoppers do this on line shopping after they hear your message!) and if they find your marketing message again, they will most likely become a little more convinced. On their way home they hear the radio ad again and they simply smile. (They feel smug that they have heard it before.) Later that night if they are watching their favorite television show and they are once again introduced to your message from yet another direction, they will become convinced your product or service is right for them. This does not mean you will automatically get the sale, but you are in a much better light than all of your competition. (Sadly, we adults are only slightly more mature than our juvenile teens who think if they, or “we” are talking about someone, (good or bad) they are the most popular (and thus, the best) product!