Bronner Bros. International Hair Show 7 Feb 2013, 3:00 pm

Telain Ware – President/CEO, Marketing Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.

If you’re a fashion, makeup or hair  industry professional, make your way to Atlanta next weekend. The Bronner Bros. Mid Winter Hair Show will be the epicenter of all things fashionable. This four day event is filled with so much it is going to be a marathon from start to finish. Click the following link to visit the BB website for all the details. http://www.bronnerbros.com/.  If you make it to the show, stop by the press room and say hello…in between all the educational workshops and seminars of course.

It has been positive working with the BB Hair Show team. The organization is fully utilizing multiple social media platforms to engage their audiences and drive them to a very dynamic BB website. Media outreach and targeted advertising rounds out their marketing mix.

If you can’t make it to the show, get updates, photos and videos on the company’s website an on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bronnerbros. or Twitter at https://twitter.com/bronnerbros.

Keep up with Telain monthly right here on the MCOA blog. To learn more about marketing services offered by the Marketing Consultants of Atlanta, Inc., visit www.mcoa-online.com now.

New Year…New View 11 Jan 2013, 3:00 pm

Telain Ware – President/CEO, Marketing Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.

Hope you are well into the year and making good on any resolution you might have made. Maybe you’re like me in that you do not end each year making promises to yourself. I will share with you that I do reflect on the business accomplishments and any missed opportunities. Each December and January, I am executing against the coming year’s plan with an earnest attempt to take a new view of all practices, clients and projects.

What’s your view of 2013? Is it time to overhaul your corporate communications, identity or brand positioning? What about your website and social media sites? Are you presenting an integrated message across all digital channels? It is not as overwhelming as it sounds and this month is the best time to start working on these changes. Have you thought about what compelling stories you will be pitching to local, regional and national media outlets this year?

It is a new year and in deed time for a new view of all these items. The Ware Consulting Group and Marketing Consultants of Atlanta, Inc. can help you plan, prioritize, produce and publish effective online and traditional communications fast.

For a free assessment of your marketing and communications, contact us today. Visit us online at https://mcoa-online.com

Social Media’s Next Phase 12 Nov 2012, 3:00 pm

Telain Ware – President/CEO, Marketing Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.

What are your predictions for the future of social media in small business enterprises, nonprofits and in large global corporations? Do you remember when seasoned business leaders made comments that it was just a waste of time, or that young people were playing online all day instead of working? Now the value placed on social media as a component of marketing, sales, customer service and new product launches is a priority and is no longer question during the strategic planning process. Below is a link to a great article by Brian Rice  that contains predictions by 50 social media experts (Business2Community.com).

http://www.business2community.com/social-media/the-future-of-social-media-50-experts-share-their-2013-predictions-0326316

Over the past three years, every client project I’ve worked on (from promotions of single events to multi-year online campaigns) has contained social media extensions. What I noticed is that clients now ask for the social media ideas vs. when I had to do hard selling of social media in earlier years. Share your thoughts on the future of social media or how your business unit is currently evolving its use of these “community connection” tools.

Marketing and Branding 18 Mar 2012, 2:00 pm

Telain Ware – President/CEO, Marketing Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.

I had the pleasure of conducting a marketing and Branding workshop in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area yesterday. This session was for a regional gathering of 100 Black Men. It was positively received and I wanted to share some key points.

What really is marketing? A big question to tackle in a short presentation. I find it best defined as everything you do to connect with your targeted audience. Think of it as a huge umbrella with the spokes representing the components of your marketing mix: Product/Consumer, Price/Cost, Place/Channel and Promotion/Communication. Since my expertise is marketing communications, that was what I shared most with the group, e.g. advertising, promotions, public relations and media outreach, online marketing, including social media marketing and more.

The branding discussion soon followed. The easiest analogy for this southwest group was reminding them when brands were placed on livestock.  It simply is the name, symbol, phrase, design or a combination of these. It must differentiate you from competitors. I could not have a discussion on marketing and branding without sharing what I feel is the most important item of all…positioning. It is the unique place your product or service holds in the mind of your customer. If done correctly, your marketing and branding should achieve the following:

Marketing

1. Creates awareness (inform and educate)
2. Drives trial and purchase
3. Drives repeat purchase

Branding

1. Establishes presence and identity
2. Resides in the hearts and minds of the target audience(s)
3. Brand identity must be consistently communicated forever (if not, the result is brand genericide).

Public relations and integrated marketing were also discussed, offering the following key takeaways:

Public Relations

1. Creates awareness with various publics
2. Connects your business to the community
3. Builds relationships with the media

Integrated Marketing

1. Traditional vs. New or a combination of the two? (Depends on your audience)…positioning and communication must be consistent across all channels.
2. Online Marketing, a.k.a. web marketing, iMarketing, eMarketing…it all means communicating, connecting and selling online.
3. Social Media can be an effective marketing channel if you are establishing and maintaining online conversations.
4. Mobile Marketing at minimum your website and email communications must be mobile compatible.

We completed the workshop with specific promotion examples, integrated marketing techniques and SEO recommendations to implement today.

It is a great day when you can share knowledge and your passion for marketing and communication excellence with a receptive audience. It is an outstanding day when you are sharing with a group of men who give so much back to young people and their communities.

The Dream Team: A Support Team With The Right Stuff 25 Jan 2012, 3:00 pm

Telain Ware – President/CEO, Marketing Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.

From the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, to large conferences across the U.S., new product and services launches, the Las Vegas Democratic Presidential Debate in 2008, and a myriad of corporate and nonprofit marketing programs and events involving high profile individuals, I have worked with hundreds of interns, vendors, temporary workers and volunteers. As a career marketer, I have led high performance teams that were required to deliver under extremely condensed timelines. Over the years I’ve learned there are some very distinct and consistent characteristics that clearly define great interim workers. Without question, the qualities listed below allow them to stand head and shoulders above an average temporary worker.

• Sense of Urgency
• Resolution and Deadline Focused
• Enthusiasm for the Opportunity/Experience
• Respect for the Organization and their Established Process
• Unwilling to Deliver Mediocrity
• Pleasant Nature
• Extremely Flexible
• Fast Learner
• Strong Communication Skills
• People Person
• Ability to Deliver on Assigned Tasks

Wouldn’t it be great to have these characteristics in any worker? With so many companies outsourcing and many small business owners collaborating to win assignments, adding the right people to your staff (be it short or long-term) will remain critical to your current and future success. In fact, interim workers for every area of the business, across all industries, are now the norm. It will serve you well to establish your company’s “Dream Team” criteria so you will be certain to always secure workers with the right stuff.

Finding a GOOD Video Production Company – Part III (3 part series) 14 Dec 2011, 3:00 pm

Bruce Brooks, Owner: EnVizions Film & Video

LET’S GET YOU STARTED

So here are some key things you can do in your search for a Video Production company or Producer:

1.    Ask for video work samples. But then go one step further. Call the companies whose work the production company just showed you.

• “How was the process?”
• “Was your audience reached and/or goals reached by the finished product?”
• “EXACTLY How effective was the finished product?”
• “Was it a pleasant or an unpleasant experience?”
• “What did you like about working with this company? “
• “What didn’t you like about working with this company?”
• “Would you do it all over again?”

Sometimes something on their video real or sample isn’t really their work. They may have contributed to the production in some way but didn’t exactly produce the entire production. But you would never find that out if you didn’t call the company.

2.    Ask for script samples.

• Scripting is important. Some are more detailed than others, but scripts show time and organization of thought (as well as the ability to do it).
• Many producers shoot by notes, bullet-point and even on the fly. This method can miss the point because they really haven’t effectively though through the entire message before they started production. Scripting again shows commitment to the client and the process.

 3.    Ask how long the process will take.

•  Production takes a lot more than most people think. It takes your time and energy.
• Most often, clients are very excited about shooting a video. Very quickly, they see how much energy and time it takes away from their work and life. That excitement is quickly replaced by anxiety. After awhile anxiety can be replaced by irritation and aggravation.
• As mentioned before, if a producer can shoot 2 days instead of 4 days that means much less intrusion into your company’s work.  It means a more effective use of your budget in time and money.

4.    Unless ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, a video shouldn’t be more than 3 minutes.

•  The exception is a training video. Training videos need to effectively train your employee.
• But a promotional / marketing / informational video should be as short as possible while still conveying your complete message.
• Long videos are usually the fault of the client because they want to put in so very much information. But long videos should be accompanied by popcorn and bathroom breaks. My suggestion is one subject per video and each video can be followed up by print or a handout that goes into more detail, if there is that much information that needs to be conveyed.
• In reality, our attention span can be as short as 8 seconds and can be cut short by a vibrating phone, a previous meeting still lingering on the viewers mind, a noise, or a list of things  …before going back to the point. Eventually, the brain can cease to go back to the message at hand or in your video.
• So anything longer than 3 minutes runs the risk of being dismissed. You audience may begin texting and doing other things, and miss that message you may have just spent thousands of dollars to produce.

 5.    GET A WRITTEN PROPOSAL

•  Even though costs can change slightly, a video shouldn’t go from $2500 to $4300. Spell it out and what it will cost. If you didn’t agree to it, then you shouldn’t pay for it. Many times I’ve added something just because my right-brain said to do it and I couldn’t resist the urge the ‘wow’ them or punch the message up. But because it wasn’t written down, it was simply a gift from me-to-them. I will be sure to let them client know I did it, but I will list it as a no-charge on the invoice, because they didn’t agree to my whims and surprises are bad business.

 6.    GET A SECOND BID

•  I encourage my clients to get a 2nd bid. Know that it can be like comparing apples to oranges, but at least they can familiarize themselves with the video landscape.  I have to admit that a couple has found a ‘cheaper company’. But both of them got what they paid for. (see above re: Lowest Budget).
• But do check with a second company if this is new to you. Especially, if any of the homework you are doing starts sounding like your company is a little less than professional.

One more SMALL suggestion: If the company or producer you are considering is ONLY known for music videos or reality show production, I would let them continue to do those music videos and reality shows. Don’t let them experiment on your company.

Producing a rocker’s video or orchestrating an argument between the latest Reality TV wives doesn’t mean you understand product marketing.  Make sure they have done corporate or marketing prior to you walking in the door. That’s just a small suggestion from my experience.

NOW GET OUT THERE AND GET YOUR VIDEO DONE!

I hope this information has helped you out. If you have any more questions as to how to find the best video production for your company or project send me an email at: brooksbruce@bellsouth.net.

Bruce Brooks has been in Television Production since graduating from Bowling Green State University. After leaving IBM’s Film and Media department, he started his first Production Company and has worked in broadcast media across the spectrum and in a variety of roles. Writer, Producer, Camera, Audio and more. 

EnVizions Film & Video, Bruce Brooks – Owner/Producer, Email: brooksbruce@bellsouth.net, Phone: 770 378 0385

Finding a GOOD Video Production Company – Part II (3 part series) 13 Dec 2011, 3:00 pm

Bruce Brooks, Owner: EnVizions Film & Video

DEGREES AREN’T EXPERIENCE

In this case the ‘producer’ was just out of school and now had a certificate or a degree in TV production and some good work samples to show. The client knew their mom from the gym or church and they seemed like nice people.

After running into problems and digging a little deeper, what this client didn’t know is that he was only the company’s 3rd client. The producer’s 1st Client got a great product with the help of a very experienced producer friend who really didn’t work for the company. The 2nd Client was currently asking for their money back because the job wasn’t what the client wanted or needed and it was taking a long time to fix the mistakes. I had the producer re-shoot some more footage for the 3rd client to accurately address my friend’s audience, pulled together the footage and re-edited the project.

BEING NEAR A JOB ISN’T EXPERIENCE

A client knew a ‘producer’ that had just left a large and well-known production company after several years and had started her own company. What the client didn’t know is that the new company owner never got past the title of production assistant or production coordinator at the company he previously worked for and never actually produced a single project.

There was nothing I could do with any of the stuff this guy had shot. The footage was actually beautiful, but it didn’t even come close to addressing the needs of the client. It was a wash. The client was out of luck on this one.

THE LOWEST BUDGET / YOU OFTEN GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR

I hate bidding on projects, and rarely do it. This is because so many people insist on taking the lowest bid. I can’t tell you how many times I have had people bring me footage that is dark or discolored, or with bad audio or a list of problems that need emergency help because the client went with the lowest bid.  I used to simply make them pay extra and lecture them the entire time I was fixing their project. These days I don’t fix anybody’s disasters.

Also, an experienced producer can turn a 4 day shoot into a 2 day shoot, so even though they look the same, you could’ve been doing something else business related in those 2 days. So you think you saved money, but it cost you in personal time, business and often possibly more.

THE BASIC VIDEO COMPANY STRUCTURE

Whether large or small, Video Production Companies should run like advertising agencies. They should be balanced. Even though we don’t label them like advertising agencies, it should be structured like this:

1. On one side should be ‘CLIENT SERVICING’.
2. On the other side should be ‘CREATIVE & PRODUCTION’.

CLIENT SERVICING should gather as much of the needs of the client as possible.

•  Who is your audience and what are they like, etc?
• What is your message?
• What do you want your audience to do after viewing the message?
• What are the challenges you foresee in reaching your audience?
• What problems have you had in your previous efforts with this audience?

CREATIVE & PRODUCTION begins only after exhausting this process.

Unfortunately, too many Video Production Professionals are fixated on ‘the PRODUCTION’ process.  And to be honest, I have to admit; often my peers can’t help it. That’s what we creative people / ‘right-brained’ can do. For some people, it is hard to have all the latest in visual technological advances at your fingertips and not be anxious to use them. I’ll confess that I’ve been shamefully guilty.

Around 1994, I had just started my company. I had many years of actual production, but we had just scored the newest new edit system and the latest and best graphic software that money could buy. I couldn’t wait to use it all to impress my new clients, and my peers in the industry.

My new project was supposed to show how the HIV/AIDS epidemic had begun to affect the heterosexual community in the mid 90’s.  The end product looked like ‘Star Trek meets the HIV Epidemic’. It looked great, glossy, visually fantastic, hip and eye-catching, but didn’t really tell the seriousness of the HIV epidemic. My clients were speechless and not in a good way. I spent a day of ‘free editing’ to take off all my special effects and graphics get it back to where the message informed people about safe personal habits and responsibility, like it was supposed to.

My CREATIVE & PRODUCTION SIDE had kicked by my CLIENT SERVICING SKILLS to the curb and run amok! I quickly and humbly learned that no matter how good the video was put together visually, if the message wasn’t making my audience understand the message and do what my client intended for them to do, it was worthless. I had to go back to my CLIENT SERVICING to re-edit a good video for my client.  To learn more….read Part III of this series.

EnVizions Film & Video, Bruce Brooks – Owner/Producer, Email: brooksbruce@bellsouth.net, Phone: 770 378 0385

Finding a GOOD Video Production Company – Part I (3 part series) 12 Dec 2011, 3:00 pm

Bruce Brooks, Owner: EnVizions Film & Video

There use to be a day when people actually read things. Well, that was so ten years ago. Now, everything is video and more video. Network television, Internet, cable, even new billboards use video. You do not want to be left behind in the world of print, flyers and handouts.  Well you can stay in your comfort zone, but your competitors have probably moved on to the digital millennium, and video.

Video is just so much more appealing than print. This is because people respond to people. A dynamic live and interactive video is so much more long lasting than a piece of paper in your hands.

There are two basic reasons you are probably considering the use of video.

1. Train and inform your employees. (Internal use.)
2. Promotion, advertising and marketing for your product. (External use.)

Whatever the reason, you have decided to try out video as your latest business tool. That decision itself, is hard enough. But now comes the hard part. You have to figure out who to use and how much you should pay. Unfortunately, I have heard (and seen) way too many bad video experiences. So take a breath, clear your head and know that there are some things that can help you to have a good experience.

Video Production is a Business…Treat it That Way

Would you buy a hamburger or a salad off of your father’s good friend down the street, or because it’s cheaper than the restaurant, or because they seem like nice people? NO! But people insist on doing this with video. Video is a business with standards and levels of professionalism.   In metro areas, there are so many video companies and video production professionals that you could stand where you are, throw a rock and hit one. But in the bad experiences, I found that people didn’t do good research on their choices, do any homework or even check references.  To learn more….read Part II and III of this series.

EnVizions Film & Video, Bruce Brooks – Owner/Producer, Email: brooksbruce@bellsouth.net, Phone: 770 378 0385

Get More For Less: Your Nonprofit Should Be Using Video 11 Dec 2011, 3:00 pm

Telain Ware – President/CEO, Marketing Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.

The need to raise greater awareness and increase the visibility of your nonprofit organization grew exponentially with the recession. Fewer individuals donating, along with corporations decreasing donations (or eliminating them completely), has resulted in the need for cause-related organizations to do more with much less. Now, more than ever, you must tell your story to more people, more often, and produce more results. Video is an ideal solution.

Upon first glance, many nonprofit decision-makers assume that video is too expensive, too time consuming, too far outside their internal expertise, too overwhelming…in short, just too much! Many cause marketers have learned that the opposite is true. Video has been proven to be a very cost-effective, flexible tool that must be added to the cause-marketing toolbox.

When you think about video, replace all apprehension with the knowledge that video consistently delivers positive results to organizations. Audience engagement, compelling content, and the multiple uses that can be achieved from a single video are discussed below, along with a list of video companies I have used over the years.

Audience Engagement: Most new TV shows and new movie releases utilize online video to engage their audience prior to the initial air date. All top-rated TV programs have online connections via social networks that drive viewers to their site to watch previously aired episodes and take some kind of action such as enter a contest, join an online forum, sign up for a newsletter, support a cause, etc. Many churches have thousands of global viewers logging on weekly to view live streaming and on-demand video content.

Compelling Content: To keep your audience engaged, and to reach new audiences, you must continually deliver compelling content. Condensed versions of a video can be used to achieve this while delivering on many other marketing and communications objectives. Here is a quick list of how you can use existing, or a single new video, in many different ways:

1. :15 or :30 sec online commercials
2. :60 sec TV commercial
3. On-demand content on your website
4. The organization’s “compelling story” aired during fundraising events
5. Promotional short video as part of media kits
6. Value proposition video included in partner and sponsorship packages
7. As a video email campaign
8. Broken up and used as part of a blog series
9. Distribution on social networking sites
10. Distribution on mobile platforms
11. As a permanent part of the organization’s historical archives

Suggested Vendors: Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with many creative professionals. Below are vendors who specialize in video, film and multi-media production.

EnVizions Film & Video – Contact: Bruce A. Brooks, 770.378.0385, brooksbruce@bellsouth.net

Level 8 Productions – Contact: Don Whitley, 404.617.2509, Dwhitley@level8productions.com, www.level8productions.com

Meekins Studio, LLC – Contact: Shawn Meekins, 678.851.4337, Sam813@gmail.com, www.Meekins.Studios.com

I hope this puts you on the path of incorporating video into your 2012 marketing and communications plans. This time next year you can have a positive ROI, and all year long you can achieve more with less.

Tips on SEO Outsourcing, Social Networking Strategy and Free PR 21 Mar 2011, 6:16 pm

Telain Ware – President/CEO, Marketing Consultants of Atlanta, Inc.

I recently spoke to a group of professionals who are in the planning stages of launching new ventures. It was immediately clear the “M” word marketing struck fear in some, while others were totally convinced that placing flyers on cars and passing out business cards is a strategic approach to marketing. It can all be very overwhelming for start ups and small organizations. Even those with a good understanding of how to proceed find the time commitment and follow up all consuming.

Some nonprofits and small businesses have modest marketing departments that may include a single individual wearing far too many hats. Responsibilities could range from internal communications, event promotions and writing web content to media outreach, creating marketing materials and improving website ranking.

Tip #1: If your organization does not have a person fully dedicated to optimizing code and content on your website, then outsourcing may be the answer. An expert company, totally focused in this area, will keep you on the forefront of constantly emerging search developments and SEO. You can certainly educate yourself and dive into selecting keywords but bad experimentations can result in your site being filtered or banned from search engines.

One of the questions that came up was…What’s wrong with just jumping into social networking and just going for it? You can always throw caution to the wind and run full steam ahead. The question to ask yourself is…Can I afford to run down the wrong road?

Tip #2: A social networking strategy is invaluable. Strategize and plan around the following items:

Strategic Plan (You must target your specific audience, provide relevant info and interaction opportunities)

• Budget (Ads and promotions)
• Calendar (Dates, topics, offers)
• Process & Procedures (Internal and External Vendors)
• Review & Revise

What about sending out a Press Release? Of course my first, second and third tip would be to use a PR expert. If your current budget does not allow for outsourcing this function, do not miss out on publishing your news to the world. Use one of the free sites for distributing press releases online.

Tip #3: The best comprehensive free PR list I’ve ever seen appears on the following BLOG: http://socialrealist.com/digital-pr/big-list-of-free-press-release-distribution-sites/.

Hope these tips help!