10 Tips For Bringing Your Event To Life

Written by Susan Friedmann, CSP


How did Hotmail gain over 12 million subscribers in 18 months? How didrepparttar very low budget movie “The Blair Witch Project” become such an incredibly successful phenomenon? The answer lies inrepparttar 120252 power of “buzz.” Buzz or word-of-mouth marketing influences more people to buy, or not to buy products and services, than most other forms of marketing. Why is it so powerful? Basically, we have a need to share information as a means of communication and also as a way of understandingrepparttar 120253 world around us. Often, we base many of our purchasing decisions on information gleaned from friends and well-respected associates. We tend to listen to them more readily then most mass-media messages. In his book “The Anatomy of Buzz,” Emanuel Rosen states, “most marketing today ignoresrepparttar 120254 power of buzz and tries to influence each customer individually.” He believes that “buzz travels through invisible networks that link people together. Noise, skepticism and connectivity all influence today’s buzz.” As exhibitors you need go no further thanrepparttar 120255 tradeshow floor to find a network that creates a real buzz. It starts prior torepparttar 120256 show, gathers momentum atrepparttar 120257 show, and then slowly dissipates afterrepparttar 120258 show ends. Every exhibitor hasrepparttar 120259 power to influencerepparttar 120260 buzz. It all depends on product/service quality, marketing savvy andrepparttar 120261 decisions made. I recall visiting a telecommunications show a couple of years ago whenrepparttar 120262 buzz onrepparttar 120263 show floor concerned a Fortune 100 company and major player inrepparttar 120264 industry, (who shall remain nameless). The talk centered aroundrepparttar 120265 image of their booth which wasn’t quite up to expectations. The buzz went like this: “The ABC Company has gone cheap. They must be having financial problems.” It’s gossip like this that startsrepparttar 120266 wheels ofrepparttar 120267 “rumor mill” turning and can even create havoc onrepparttar 120268 Stock Market. Remarks like this often have very little bearing on reality, but people make assumptions and decisions based on what they see and hear. Obviously,repparttar 120269 originating source ofrepparttar 120270 buzz plays a key role in its basis for truth. I’m sure that you would much prefer any tradeshow buzz to be positive. Since talking about products/services makes economic sense, how can you userepparttar 120271 buzz to add to your existing marketing efforts? I’ve put together ten guidelines for you to consider: 1. Brainstorm all possible groups of people who might be interested in your products/services. Consider includingrepparttar 120272 media, opinion leaders, influencers, lead users, politicians, analysts, etc. Don’t forget chat rooms and newsgroups although buzz still spreads primarily by personal interaction. 2. Research how information spreads among your customers. Ask them how they usually learn about new products/services. Who are their major information sources? Who’s information do they value? You’re primarily looking for groups of people rather than individuals. However, don’t discount individuals, as they may well be a powerful opinion leader. 3. Develop a clear and concise message highlightingrepparttar 120273 product/service benefits you want to filter through these different groups. Zero in on your product’s uniqueness and what it can do, for example, to help save time and money – two basic elements most people seek.

You Are Weird! - - Author Bryan Kumar

Written by Sunny Din


I have decided that you are weird. But, don't worry... it's a good thing! ;-)

Please, let me explain... I promise there's a great marketing lesson in here somewhere... ;-)

Throughout my life, I've been called "weird" on more than several occasions! At first, I thought something was wrong with me. I soon began to notice that I was "different" from others in many ways.

And, being a kid in grade school, you can imagine how "horrible" that feels... to not "fit in" when everyone else around you is trying their hardest to fit in or be part of a "click" - any click.

Fortunately for me, I soon realized that being different or "weird" wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Because I stood out! While others were trying their best to get noticed and be popular, I was usually sticking out like a sore thumb without any effort at all!

Did this draw some negative "experiences" into my life? Sure. I got my share of bullies and name-calling. But it also exposed me to some very positive experiences!

Weird simply means: strange, extraordinary, odd, fantastic. And, I got to choose what that word meant to "me." Because we always have a choice. To me, being different or "weird" was a gift! It meant that I was unique !

I also soon realized one of the most important lessons of my life...

To be successful, you have to be different!

To be successful, you have to be a little weird! You have to do things differently.

As I've mentioned inrepparttar past, over 95% ofrepparttar 120251 population are not financially independent, they're not successful (depending on whatever their definition of success is.) And, it's no surprise thatrepparttar 120252 "less than 5%" ofrepparttar 120253 individuals who are wealthy and successful do things rather differently.

This is not a coincidence! I am successful because I'm a little weird. It's that weirdness or "uniqueness" that helps me be successful at what I do.

And I believe that you are a little weird too.

You know, when you get involved in business and marketing, you start to see and meet many like-minded people. Sometimes, it seems like everyone around you is a marketer or entrepreneur.

But, compared torepparttar 120254 rest ofrepparttar 120255 world, you and I still belong to a very small group. There are very few of us who have decided to go against traditional beliefs and start our own businesses! Most ofrepparttar 120256 world is too scared to even "think" about starting a business. They'd rather do like "most people" and depend on a job, where a check for a fixed amount is handed to them each month. They'd rather be "normal."

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005
Terms of Use