"Getting your sales and marketing right is crucial to the success of your business. Creating a marketing strategy will help you identify potential customers and target them with appropriate products or services. Using the correct sales techniques will help you turn interest in your product or service into customer orders."
The session is free!
The library has many books on the subject of sales. Here are just a few:
The wait is over. It was a long 17 months, but Don Draper and the staff of Sterling Cooper is back for a 5th season. I may be crazy, but I think most people are interested in the creative process involved with advertising. How do you take a product and make people want to buy it?
Of course while the show focuses on the business and personal lives of the people in the firm, it also is a snapshot into what perhaps was the golden age of advertising. The U.S. was experiencing a post war surge in the economy and consumers had more disposable income and were wanting to spend it.
But why is the show so popular? Here are a few theories:
Watching the creative process – and the business of advertising. While Sterling, Cooper, Draper, Pryce is a fictional ad agency, references are made to older advertising agencies that are still around – Young and Rubicam, Ogilvy & Mather. Some of the events referred to are fictional, some true.
The commercials – seasons 1-4 had advertising history trivia before each of the commercials for products still around from the 1960’s. It is one of the few shows that I hung around specifically to see the ads.
The office – secretaries, typewriters, people talked on the phones, no computers. The office politics - that hasn't changed. And of course the fashions - did people really wear these clothes?
Watching the times change. The 1960s were such a period of upheaval, socially and politically that it is interesting to see how events affected people and the advertising business.
Great quotes from Don Draper on advertising:
"Advertising is based on one thing, happiness. And you know what happiness is? Happiness is the smell of a new car. It's freedom from fear. It's a billboard on the side of the road that screams reassurance that whatever you are doing is okay. You are okay. "
And best of all, it has created a resurgence of interest in advertising. Check out a few of these titles available at TPL:
When thinking about social media and small business, don't forget about blogging! It's another great way to share current information about your company. Blogs and blog responses are the beginnings of conversations, and conversations are the beginning of a sense of community between you and your customers.
The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging is a great book to read to get you started. It includes information on all kinds of blogs, not just business blogs, and includes sections on finding your voice, getting noticed, and creating and building community. When I began blogging, this was the first book I read. I highly recommend it.
The book also has lots of advice from Huffington Post bloggers of all types. Perhaps most importantly, the book will whet your appetite for blogging, and get you excited about giving it a try.
Here are some of the Huffington Post's key principles to blogging:
Blog often
Perfect is the enemy of done
Write like you speak
Know your audience
Write short
Each one of these points is explained more fully in the book. Have a look.
Once you've found the enthusiasm to blog and you understand its value, read up on how to do it! The Toronto Public Library has lots of books on this subject, including video blogging:
Access a business advisor and other valuable resources
Network with other entrepreneurs
Upon completion, you will:
Obtain a Business Seminar Series Certificate of Completion from the Toronto Business Development Centre
Be eligible to apply for a small business loan ranging from $5,000 - $30,000 (Completion of the course is not an automatic loan qualification for the loan.)
Orientation sessions for the next round of sessions will take place on the following dates:
Through the program, "your firm will receive financial support towards the employment of post-secondary students who will work on e-business projects. The Government of Canada will reimburse up to 75% of the eligible wages and related expenses such as statutory employee benefits, to a maximum of $10,000. Your firm is responsible for covering other expenses such as fringe benefits and overhead costs. Support will be available for twelve weeks."
What kind of e-business projects could be included?
Email
Blogging
Social networking (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn to name a few)
Search engine optimization
Viral marketing
Podcasting
The program is overseen by Industry Canada. Check it out!
Also, have a look at some of the books available at the Toronto Public Library to learn more about what these types of projects can do for your business. Click on the titles below the book covers to find out where you can get these in the library.
There is so much talk about social media these days, but don't forget: the traditional media (television, radio, newspapers) is still out there. Do you want to get the media's attention? One way is to write a press release.
But how do you go about it?
Canada One has a great tool that will help you through the process: Press Release Builder. This tool takes you through the steps involved, including:
Identifying when to use the press release
Rules for writing press releases
Preparing your information
On-line news release template
Distribution of your release.
The Toronto Public Library also has some books on the subject. Click on the titles below the book covers for more information on each:
Humor in advertising can be very effective if it is "done right". Humor, at times, works very well because it can attract attention to your business or product.
Adweek recently released a list of the 10 best commercials for 2011. Here are a couple of advertisements that used humor effectively and thereby gained attention.
1. Cravendale - Cat with Thumbs
"Why do cats stare when you're pouring milk? The answer seems obvious. They're cats. They love milk. But this irresistible spot by Wieden + Kennedy for British dairy Cravendale wondered if the cute little kitties might not have a more nefarious agenda. After a lifetime of waiting on their owner's generosity, perhaps they want to take matters into their own paws. Maybe they're ready to band together and raid your milk supply. They would need just one thing, and this spot humorously gives it to them—opposable thumbs. Suddenly, the polydactyl felines are seen picking up balls, filing their nails, flipping through books, and doing a little needlepoint. But they're just biding their time and honing their sinister plot. Sure enough, soon they're snapping their fingers, West Side Story style, and preparing to gang up on the selfish, cereal-eating human and steal his milk. Cats are always big in ads, but this spot chased off all rivals this year." Source: The 10 Best Commercials of 2011 : The Year's Most Impeccable Craft and Storytelling in Advertising by Tim Nudd.
2. Volkswagen - The Force
"Resistance is futile. At 7:33 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, Volkswagen unleashed one of the great crowd-pleasing TV ads of all time on Fox's broadcast of Super Bowl XLV. "The Force," from Deutsch/ LA, ingeniously conceived and perfectly executed, more than lived up to its name. It took two familiar ad themes—kids and Star Wars—and merged them to create that most rare species: a true global (who knows, maybe intergalactic) pop-culture phenomenon. Backed by the imposing sounds of "The Imperial March," a child in a Darth Vader suit roams his suburban home, attempting to bend inanimate objects (and the family dog) to his will with Jedi mind tricks. He fails utterly—until Dad gets home in his Volkswagen Passat. The kid races out to the driveway and focuses all of his metaphysical energy on the midsize sedan. It roars to life obediently—thanks to Dad activating the remote starter from the house. The boy steps back, thunderstruck by his own supernatural powers. The spot's metrics are astounding: 44 million views on YouTube, a reported 6.8 billion impressions worldwide, more than $100 million in earned media—all from such a simple execution. The spot, while visually strong, isn't a wonder of craft or technique. It's a triumph of fun, unadorned storytelling, which clearly goes a long way. Few ads in history have been as charming, as clever, as perfectly paced, or as well loved as this. Simply the best of 2011." Source: The 10 Best Commercials of 2011 : The Year's Most Impeccable Craft and Storytelling in Advertising by Tim Nudd.
As indicated, these two "best" ads for 2011 have apparently used humor successfully.
For more information on the use of humor in advertising and its advantages and/or disadvantages, check out the following titles at the Toronto Public Library:
For additional books, search the Toronto Public Library catalogue with the subject heading Wit and humor in advertising.
For articles on this topic, try searching the following online databases at the Toronto Public Library website: (Note: An active Toronto Public Library card is required for access)
Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA) Recommended Basic Searches: Humor and Advertising Humor and Advertising campaigns Humor and Television advertising Humor and Marketing
I have always been a big fan of Coke and its iconic red can, so the recent announcement by Coke to change the color of its can to all white for a brief time (from November 1, 2011 to January 15, 2012) to help support the World Wildlife Federation's efforts to save endangered animals in the polar region, caught my eye. By buying a "white" Coke during this time I will be helping contribute to saving the polar bears!
With the Christmas season around the corner, and more shopping to be done than any other time of the year, do efforts like this influence how we shop?
A number of companies donate a portion of their sales to worthy causes. A few examples include Tom's shoes which donates a new pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair sold, Better World Books, an on-line used book site that helps find new homes for unwanted books, donating 3.3 million books to date to partner programs around the world. Their five primary literacy partners are : Books for Africa, Room to Read, Worldfund, the National Center for Family Literacy, and Invisible Children and The Body Shop, which runs a program called Community Trade, that has the Body Shop purchasing ingredients, gifts and accessories from marginalized countries - giving small entrepreneurs access to a global distribution market.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship, social performance, or sustainable responsible business), has become one of the benchmarks when a company is evaluated by investors and well as potential employees. If done right, it can elevate a company's profile and is good for the bottom line. If done incorrectly, it can smack of hypocrisy and insincerity.
Check out some other examples of CSR done right and wrong. Toronto Public Library has a number of books on this topic. Check out a few recent examples below:
TPL also subscribes to a periodical entitled Corporate Knights, which is devoted entirely to this topic, as well as having a number of websites bookmarked that discuss CSR.
Do you support a company that is trying to make the world a better place?
I attended the Enterprise Toronto Small Business Fair a few weeks ago, and came away with some great information about services to start-ups and new businesses.
One of the most impressive services I came across was The Career Foundation's Recruitment and Training Assistance Program.
The following is a quote from their information brochure about the program's benefit to you, the employer. They include:
Having their experienced staff identify candidates with the right fit for your employment and retention success
Advertising your job opportunities anytime, anywhere on their on-line database or searching for and recruiting job ready candidates
Accessing financial incentives that offset your costs of training new employees and other services to support your training needs.
This is all free!
The Career Foundation is a "non-profit organization which partners with government agencies, private sector companies, educators and community organizations".
Check their website for eligibility requirements.
It sounds like a great opportunity for small businesses to get help with a difficult aspect of the process - hiring and keeping staff.
Achilles Media and the Globe and Mail Report on Small Business are sponsoring Small Business Summit, which takes place November 8th, 2011, at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto.
Maxime Bernier, Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism, will be giving the keynote address: "Canada's Entrepreneurs, Our Only Real Natural Resource".
Seminars/talks will be given throughout the day by experts. Topics include:
"Beg, Borrow or Steal: Early Stage Financing"
"The Art of the Perfect Pitch: Media Coverage and How to Secure It"
"Growth Financing: What's Available and How Do You Get It?"
"Going Global: Navigate the Complex Path to Success"
"Top Tech Tools Every Small Business Needs to Have"
Welcome! We are specialized librarians in our business department and we write about current issues for small business owners and those interested in personal finance matters. For more information and resources see our Small Business & Personal Finance page.
