Company Profile

Everyone has a story to tell. For virtually every product, project or service there is an angle or "hook" to help with promotions, publicity and/or sales. So in this age of junk mail, spam, pop-ups and every other kind of invasive marketing, how can you deliver an authentic message?

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind when you really have a meaningful message to send.

#1 Tell a story that's true and can resonnate with the intended reciever. Consumers aren't only interested in saving money, they are looking for a message to be placed in a meaningful context. Make sure you've selected the appropriate media and you are displaying the correct information.

#2 Delivery is everything. When you create a brand, you are building a promise. You must be prepared to deliver what the brand, and subsequently, the promise, implicates. Make sure the look and feel of the ad, mailer, Web image, or other material fits the product and carries out its intended purpose.

#3 You don't have to scream.Some of the best marketing materials I've ever seen are understated. Always be aware of who your audience is and don't underestimate their intelligence. Shouting car salesmen and bright yellow starbursts (think "hurry limited time offer!) don't tell your audience you appreciate their attention or acumen.

Authentic means genuine, so make sure what you have to say is communicated in the most beneficial way possible to the consumer, otherwise your so-called meaningful message will get tossed along with the rest of the junk mail.

University of Georgia Bulldogs v. Virginia Tech Hokies....Go Dawgs! Saturday, December 30, 6:00 p.m. The Georgia Dome, Atlanta

Recently I attended a joint session of LEAD Athens and Leadership UGA sponsored by the National Issues Forums (NIFI). With a focus of discussing poverty, both here in Athens and on a national scale, the best and brightest students from UGA and community leaders from Athens came together for open and deliberative dialogue. Prompted by a video and booklet produced by NIFI, the group discussed different approaches to help working Americans make ends meet.

Millions of Americans are struggling to stay economically afloat while working full-time, but so many are falling short and cannot make their paychecks stretch to pay the bills for basic necessities. Out of our discussion, came staggering facts and figures, but more importantly, raised awareness, produced discussion and offered the opportunity to get involved.

The group reviewed three approaches introduced by the video which included: stressing personal responsibility, improving employment opportunities and rethinking the safety net. Below are some statistics from the discussion.

• Wages are not keeping up with the continuing rise in the price of basic necessities such as housing and health care
• For each dollar a high school graduate earns, the high school dropout earns only about 75 cents. A college graduate can earn double than one with only a high school diploma and an advanced degree can net nearly four times as much as a high school dropout.
• In 1996, the 30 companies that discharged the most workers gave their CEOs increases in compensation averaging 67%.
• Today, more than 28 million people, about a quarter of the workforce betwen the ages of 18 and 64, earn less than $9.04 an hour, translating into a full-time salary of $18,800 per year - an income that marks the federal poverty line for a family of four.

Interacting with these college students was an interesting and enlightening experience. I was impressed with how much thought and energy they brought to the discussion. While any solution to this issue must be well thought out and cross disciiplines, I am encouraged with the discussions that are taking place. Not only from these talented college students but from our community as a whole.

Partnership for a Prosperous Athens is a commendable initiative that has brought this issue to the forefront. With a poverty rate of 28% in Athens and a near 50% high school dropout rate, not to mention a high number teenage pregnancies, its's become a problem that can no longer be ignored. Some of it's initial findings are quite impressive as well:

• Athens' economy is not diverse enough, thereby limiting jobs and driving down wages.
• Sufficient resources are lacking to meet the training needs of the workforce.
• The average cost for licensed early care and learning centers in Athens for an infant is $118 per week or approximately $5,900 per year.

The findings from this group are integral for creating solutions. While those solutions likely will take time to develop, not to mention begin implementing, it is reassuring to know the discussion has begun, the research is being conducted and a movement is taking place.

Their work is certainly commendable. Read more at www.nifi.or and www.prosperousathens.org.

Developing a Web site is no easy task. From design to programming, database creation to XHTML conversion, building a Web site takes thought, creativity, specialized programming and more. So, once it's up on the Web for all to see, what's next?

How can you drive the people you want to your site? And when they get there, how do you keep them there to gather information or lead them through to your e-commerce system? How do they know to use your address or even search for you?

One key factor may be the Search Engine Optimization tools already in place. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is designing, writing and coding (in HTML) your entire web site in order to increase your chances of appearing at the top of search engine queries. Based on keywords and key phrases, Search Engine Optimization triggers search engines to pick up on the deliberate coding encrypted in your site. This can increase the chances a potential visitor will find you through searching.

Another way to lead visitors to your site is through an announcement press release. Think about the media sources the target audiences you wish to reach read, and craft a press release announcing the launch of your site. The publications may include local newspapers, trade magazines and newsletters, business publications, online sources and more.

In addition, be sure to include your Web site address in all business materials such as business cards, letterhead, brochures, advertisements, other collateral and more.

One more very important way of garnering Web traffic is to get your site linked on as many other relevant sites you can. Beware of "link rings" which may add your link to completely unrelated sites. Start close to home. Have business partners, suppliers and customers link to you. Link popularity is the most important factor in determining your position in search query results.

While these are just a few ideas, many options exist. Just because your site is complete, don't think the work is done. Keep thinking about the ways you can promote your site so that all that work translates into a plethora of visitors and the tools you've put into your site are getting used.