How is a firm to cope?

Global Marketing, Inc. sees too many companies living on a false hope that tomorrow will bring a turn around. Let's give our plans another quarter is heard too often in marketing meetings. Today's environment won't allow this ‘wait-and-see' approach. Fast-changing customer dynamics, unseen or not noticed competition, poorly executed market launch (read: bad hand-off to sales force), and lack of objective measurements all contribute to failure of even best thought out strategy. Understanding how well your marketing program is meeting its objectives is vital to making timely corrections and enhancements.

So how do you know if your marketing strategy is working? Most senior marketing people intuitively know whether their plans are working or not. For pragmatically challenged consider this quick checklist:

► Excessive and constant discounts - first sign your firm and therefore, marketing strategy is in trouble is when your sales force must constantly reduce prices to get orders or retain accounts. I'm not talking about competitive pricing or meet-comp conditions. These will exist in best of marketing strategies. I am talking about special discounts offered on a constant basis. I am talking about your customer base only purchasing after they receive additional discount consideration because they know they are coming. I am talking about specials of month, that turn into specials of week that turn into specials of day to meet sales objectives. If price is only weapon your sales force has, your marketing strategy is not working.

Vision Music USA is a proactive and progressive music service firm with interest of their clients driving force that makes them successful. President Josh Epstein and CEO Nick Stamoulis are focused on helping Independent artists to maintain control of their career by saving them time and their hard-earned dollars. Josh took some time from his busy day to talk to me about their growing company.

MuzikMan: How did you and Nick meet? What interest and goals did you share that brought you together? What are your backgrounds and what qualifies you to provide all of these services to Independent artists?

Josh: Nick and I met in Boston. I was working as Publicist at Mama Kin Music Hall co-owned by Aerosmith. Nick and I care very much about music and musicians. Both Nick and I have always wanted to work in music. Specifically, we want to work on our own terms. Individually we have worked with people who care more about money then actually helping artists. We have seen hard working musician’s be deceived by manipulators posing as true professionals. Our goal is to own and run a company that is a true resource for independent musicians. We both bring very specific talents to our company. Vision Music USA is Nick and Josh. A major prerequisite to gaining employment with Vision is to share not only our beliefs but our work ethic.

What qualifies Nick and I to assist others with their careers is our ability to relate to artist. We have both spent several years in trenches, similar to hard working musicians. Nick and I have worked in several key aspects of music industry (booking, radio, marketing, artist development, promotions, management, etc). As Showcase Coordinator for NEMO Music Showcase and Conference I evaluated over 2,000 bands and musicians. I credit my ear for music and my eye for critiquing press kits to that conference. We chose to work with independent musicians for many reasons. One, with our assistance they might not be independent for long. Two, we have always wanted to provide resources independent bands need to take their career’s to next level. This is what is so exciting. This is what makes going to work a pleasure. It’s knowing that you are making an immediate impact in someone’s career.

MuzikMan: Where did you get name Vision Music USA? How long have you been in business and how does an artist know that you are real deal and really a “No Bullshit Firm” that you profess to be? Do you have actual testimony from customers that supports that statement?

Josh: Vision is simply artists own vision. It is where they perceive their career is headed. This is all before we start with them. Once we start with an artist we take their vision to next level. Vision Music USA has been in business for about two years. “No bullshit firm” is Nick’s idea. It is very true. It means that we don’t give artist runaround. We know how important their time is. We see it as a privilege to be working with people we do. An artist sees this when two owners of company are constantly involved or supervising their project. We are very proud of our testimonials. When our customers take time to express their happiness with our work it truly makes our day. All of our customer testimonials are on our website.

MuzikMan: What happens if a particular artist is not satisfied with something you have done, what is your recourse?