MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES FOR THE RECESSION

Written by Jon Boroshok


Many companies are now payingrepparttar price for following bad counsel duringrepparttar 121653 1999-2000 tech gold rush. While entrepreneurs and VCs vaguely understood that a strong marketing communications (marcom) and PR campaign is needed to create awareness, build brands, and drive sales, too many were ignorant when it came to deciding how to selectrepparttar 121654 right agency to help maximizerepparttar 121655 return in investment.

Using a rationale that paralleledrepparttar 121656 old adage, "nobody ever got fired for picking IBM," companies were often advised by VCs and investors to retain a large, "brand name" PR agency with a posh downtown address. These agencies often came with a premium price and inexperienced junior staffs. There was no emphasis on value. Of course many of these larger agencies were often "friends" ofrepparttar 121657 VCs, with referrals and finders fees - often a conflict of interest -- beingrepparttar 121658 rule rather thanrepparttar 121659 exception.

Despiterepparttar 121660 current recession economy, massive layoffs, and dismal earnings announcements, many tech companies are remaining in business, doing their best within a labor market where top producers are still in demand. Because they have been reluctant to cut highly sought technical personnel, their public relations and marketing departments are oftenrepparttar 121661 first to be downsized or last to be built up, often torepparttar 121662 point of counter-productivity.

Some companies cutting back or just starting to build their marcom efforts have begun looking outside their organizations and "outsiderepparttar 121663 box" for value from PR and other marcom services. They are learning that they can get more for less, particularly in tough times. It's a new concept to VCs.

As funding has dried up, companies have cut their PR and marketing communications budgets. These companies -- along withrepparttar 121664 VCs and investors -- are becoming better-educated buyers of marcom services. The same marcom/PR agencies that once commanded a monthly retainer of $30,000 are suddenly offeringrepparttar 121665 same services for much less. They've also been downsizing, and staff turnover may lead to new, inexperienced members ofrepparttar 121666 account team. Whilerepparttar 121667 investors and tech companies are still scratching their heads trying to figure out what allrepparttar 121668 extra costs were for, they're finding that traditional tech PR agencies still insist upon selling more services than necessary, and require retainers in excess of $15,000 per month. This is frequently beyond what a pared-down budget can afford, especially when a company is simply looking to maintain visibility or beef up its own efforts.

Whether downsizing or ramping up responsibly, economically-astute investors and companies are discoveringrepparttar 121669 option of outsourcing marketing communications and PR to providers who can pick uprepparttar 121670 slack and provide services on a smaller, flexible scale, often on a project-basis. Smaller ("boutique") agencies, virtual PR teams, and individual practitioners are a growing alternative for companies of all sizes, particularly those with monthly marcom budgets well under $10,000. Like their clients, these alternatives have to work smarter, faster, and cheaper in a slowing economy.

Working on a project basis usually goes againstrepparttar 121671 grain ofrepparttar 121672 business models of larger agencies. Downtown offices with skyline views, employee salaries, benefits, and equipment are all overhead costs that must be passed along torepparttar 121673 client. Large agencies need steady retainers to make sure financial goals and obligations are met. They may offer prestigious addresses and a recognizable CEO, but who isrepparttar 121674 day to day contact performingrepparttar 121675 actual account work? Is retainingrepparttar 121676 services of a large agency really a prudent investment or just a "C.Y.A." maneuver?

Internet Marketing: I don't know everything - neither do you!

Written by Steve Nash


===================== INTERNET MARKETING IS CONFUSING, ISN'T IT? =====================

Wherever you go, Internet marketing sites proclaim that they haverepparttar solution to your money-making woes! These sales-letter sites all know how to CREATE AN AVALANCHE OF SALES, all know how to SKYROCKET TRAFFIC. They all claim that they, and only they, haverepparttar 121652 answers. (Some even have answers to questions you hadn't even thought of - now that is confusing!)

The trouble is that there are SO MANY marketing sites, and they often contain conflicting information; it *is easy* to feel confused and overwhelmed by it all. So WHAT do you believe, and WHO do you trust? And HOW do you learn?

After all, none of us know everything about Internet marketing and we all need help. And, with hard study and application on your part, some of these sites, some of these individuals, can really HELP YOU succeed online. Yes, but which ones?

===================== LOOK FOR THESE NAMES =====================

Ken Evoy Corey Rudl Jim Daniels Marlon Sanders Mark Joyner Rick Beneteau : : : : (not exhaustive)

I have visited sites (and readrepparttar 121653 free newsletters) belonging to Evoy, Rudl, Daniels etc., enough times to realise that these people KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. They understand Internet marketing, and all offer products, services and advice that shares this knowledge with you.

Don't get me wrong! I haven't purchased products from all of these people, but I do subscribe to their free newsletters. In actual fact,repparttar 121654 only products I've bought belong to Dr Ken Evoy because he was offering information that I wanted to know at a great price - Make Your Words Sell - with a genuine and trustworthy voice!

(I have since purchased Make Your Site Sell and Site Build It!, and would recommend his products to ANYONE!)

Don't get me wrong! (#2)

I don't expect to be as successful as Dr Ken Evoy after reading his books. And that's simply because I am not as clever (or hard- working) as him! (You only have to read one of his books or newsletters to know thatrepparttar 121655 man is, to sayrepparttar 121656 least, talented!) But I can still be MORE SUCCESSFUL onrepparttar 121657 Internet, from reading and understanding his words *and* putting them into action!

And that isrepparttar 121658 point. ALL ofrepparttar 121659 above individuals are very bright, hard-working folk. They all understand Internet marketing - they know what works, and what doesn't (and they probably have their own gurus who help them too!). They all offer to share their knowledge and skills that CAN HELP YOU be more successful online.

===================== WHAT ABOUT NEWSLETTERS AND EZINES? =====================

So who else do I turn to for advice?

Cont'd on page 2 ==>
 
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