Article: CEO Says Poor Perception of Russian Quality is Inhibiting Economic Diversification
According to this article Alexei Gurin, CEO of Amtel-Vredestein, believes that a poor perception of Russian quality is inhibiting the country’s attempts to diversify economically. Gurin’s remarks were delivered at the 10th Annual Russian Economic Forum, held in London.
The article quotes Gurin as saying, “I can envision a day when products ‘Made in Russia’ will inspire admiration rather than ridicule.”
In my view, this article reinforces the impact and power of perception. Further, it underscores the importance of monitoring and strategically managing the way key people and groups view your organization. In your case, it impacts your bottom line. In the case discussed in the article, a negative perception is impacting a nation’s economy.
Great Quote that Applies to PR Campaigns
“Nothing good comes in life or athletics unless a lot of hard work has preceded the effort. Only temporary success is achieved by taking short cuts.”
- Roger Staubach
Far too many people begin a public relations campaign anticipating overnight success. Simply put, they are looking for a “quick-fix,” a magic silver bullet that will solve their business woes in a single bound. An effective public relations campaign is a long-term process that requires discipline and focus. When it comes to public relations, short cuts will likely short circuit your program.
Raleigh Company Makes Smart PR Move
A Raleigh company made what I believe to be a very smart public relations decision this week: to temporarily halt a component of its sales and marketing effort.
On the surface, this would seem to be counterintuitive… but in this case, it is not.
The company in question, Saf-T-Net, makes emergency notification software for schools. The News & Observer today reported that Robert Bruce, the company’s president, has put a moratorium on making sales calls to colleges and universities in the wake of this week’s tragic shootings at Virginia Tech. The article quoted Bruce as saying, “There’s nothing worse than taking advantage of a situation like that. It’s hideous. It lacks moral conscience and corporate responsibility.”
The Legal Pitfalls of E-mail Marketing
This article discusses some of the legal pitfalls of e-mail marketing. Here are a few key pieces of insight from the article:
- Most of the SPAM you receive on a daily basis (even “innocent,” non-fraudulent SPAM) is illegal under U.S. laws, but since most of the illegal e-mail solicitations originate in places that don’t crack down on SPAMmers, or even encourage them, there is very little most Western governments can do about it.
- Many small businesses who have heard about the new federal anti-SPAM law may be unnecessarily refraining from doing e-mail marketing, for fear of the legal consequences. Such caution is certainly warranted, but you should not assume that all e-mail marketing is illegal.
Article: Political Ads May Invade Super Bowl
According to this article, next year’s Super Bowl may be invaded by presidential campaign ads. If this happens, it will likely be a result of the fact that a number of very large states are holding their primary elections in early February.
The article outlines a few interesting strategic and tactical considerations campaigns will have to take into account if they consider whether or not to advertise during the Super Bowl:
Excellent Marketing Insight from "The E-Myth Revisited"
A week or so ago I finished reading Michael Gerber’s excellent book, The E-Myth Revisited. This book is a must-read for small business owners who are ready to take their business to the next level.
Here are a few key insights from the book:
- The entire process by which a business does business should be a marketing tool, a mechanism for finding and keeping customers. Each and every component of the business system is a means through which the franchisor can differentiate his business from all other businesses in the mind of the customer (Chapter 10).
Companies discover MySpace marketing
This is an interesting article.
Differentiate or Die: How To Create Marketing Messages That Break Through
This excellent article by Laura Lowell discusses the importance of and challenges associated with developing a marketing message that sets you apart in an increasingly cluttered marketplace. Here are a few highlights from the article:
- According to some experts, the quantity of messages the average adult is exposed to daily has increased 100-fold over the past 20 years. The result is that most Americans are becoming numb to these messages and are “opting-out” at staggering rates.
- Now the question is: how do you break through in this type of environment?
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