Bottom Line Business Insights : Maryland Business Lawyer & Attorney : Wagonheim Law Firm : Mergers & Acquisitions & Contractual Negotiation

Unlike many, I don’t see the Baltimore Grand Prix as defined by a few races and the Labor Day weekend. The Baltimore Grand Prix, if we are determined to do it right, is about the branding of a still great city. It is a step in taking back our image from Homicide and the Wire. And the success or failure of the Baltimore Grand Prix will not be determined by a tally of weekend hotel stays and restaurant tabs. It will be determined by follow up.

Much has been written about the downsides. We’ve heard from disgruntled residents, people worried about the noise, the perceived misdirection of funds, and the diversion of government from “what it should be doing.”

I get all those things…and I respectfully disagree.

Government is about larger things; and larger things do not get accomplished without ruffled feathers. But it’s more than that. Thanks to HBO, Baltimore has become known as a place where exciting things happen…but most of them are unsolved. That’s not how it should be.

The Mayor has to be Baltimore’s champion – not just its steward. And it takes more than slogans on repainted benches. It takes some excitement – something eye-catching.

Now I know that there are people out there anxious to report the verdict on the Grand Prix first thing Tuesday morning. Those people remind me of folks who step on the scale after one workout expecting to see a measurable difference. You can’t. You get results by continuous effort over a long period. And you begin to notice results in little ways. A looser collar here, a bit more energy there. Not risking collapse by walking up the steps to the third floor. 

Similarly, the Grand Prix is (or should be) part of an effort to showcase the city as a destination. A place where businesses should be. Anyone with any understanding of marketing knows that one initiative does not establish an identity – not for a company and not for a city. 

I applaud the Mayor for taking a chance; for giving Baltimore a shot to be known for something beyond the headlines.

There is an old saying that sports headlines trumpet man’s successes while news headlines only trumpet his failures. 

 

If that’s the case, can anyone argue that Baltimore needs more sports?

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Guest Blogger: Adam Schechtman, VP of Business Development & Marketing, Eye Catching Creative

To brand or not to brand? That is the question so many small and mid-sized businesses tend to overlook in the early phases of their development. The problem is there’s a tendency to keep shuffling this linchpin of marketing success to the dark corners of the priority list. Then one day, we read an article or hear someone talking about a competitor and cringe in uneasiness because they did something we didn’t…built a solid brand.

Like marketing in general, branding is easy to lose focus on, especially when we have experienced some degree of success. If you agree that today’s markets have changed and the way businesses DO business has changed, then it’s time to recalibrate some of your own marketing efforts. That means its back to basics! Like the “butterfly effect,” small improvements in your branding strategy can have a tremendous impact on growth over time.

We know from marketing 101 that your brand is your identity. Beyond the visual or physical makeup… name, logo, advertising, a brand is quite simply the psychological impact you have on customers. Branding is so important because people buy emotionally and then logic steps in to support their buying decision. Your brand is essentially a part of the ongoing relationship you have with customers. It is a compilation of messages that differentiate (or don’t differentiate) your business, product or service from everyone else who plays in the same space as you do. Take a second look at the competition of today. If someone stands out, why do they stand out? Who doesn’t stand out? Which category does your company fall into and who might be able to help you to improve on that position?

From your email address to your website, to how the phone is answered to the relevance of your marketing materials, your brand must be professional, consistent and CURRENT.  What the company stands for and what you’re offering should be different and clear. When is the last time you really dissected how you are perceived in the market and what your market position truly is? One easy way is to run a survey using existing customers or even some customers that you lost. Resources like SurveyMonkey.com are fantastic, free, e-survey questionnaire tools that are easy to use and easy on the budget.  So let me ask you… what perception do your customers have of your business? What does your presence in the market “feel” like to customers and professional peers (aka competitors) and more importantly… are you being felt?

Adam Schechtman is an entrepreneur and co-owner of Eye Catching Creative, providing virtual, on-call design, advertising and marketing solutions to budget-conscious small and mid-sized businesses. With more than 15 years in marketing, business development and sales, he is also the former owner of Achieve Senior Home Care and former co-owner/franchiser of Advance Realty Solutions. Adam holds an MBA in marketing from Johns Hopkins University. Visit www.eyecatchingcreative.com for more information.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Raise it for discussion on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

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We all know the resolution drill. The new year marks the welcome of new beginnings and a commitment to resolutions focused toward adopting healthier lifestyles. Come the new year, gyms and fitness clubs across the country will be filled with people sweating off the holiday pounds.  Yet, by spring many of those same people are on the way to the office without a workout in sight. With one bite of a calorie-filled blueberry muffin, the resolution once made with dedication is no longer a priority.

Marketing your business can easily be compared to this all-too-common scenario. As soon as a new product is rolled out or new service offered, a business quickly plans a strategy to get the word out to consumers to increase sales and visibility to target audiences. Spending merely a few weeks working to get your business or product noticed, building your brand, and expanding your network will most likely not offer you the same results as making a constant, consistent effort.  

Think about the results you get from exercising. A few weeks of dedication at the gym may result in a pair of pants one size smaller, but months later they aren’t going to fit if you haven’t maintained a consistent workout regimen.   The same can be said for your business. You may feel good when business is busy and profits are up, but you must put yourself and your business at the forefront and keep marketing to consumers to stay visible.  It takes commitment.  It takes a plan.
 

An easy way to commit to marketing your business year-round is by creating a marketing plan. If this is your businesses’ first attempt, consider consulting a professional or start small by creating a short-term marketing plan with smaller, attainable goals that can be reached in shorter time.  Near the end of the short-term marketing plan, evaluate your goals and consider expanding to a long-term marketing plan with annual goals.
 

As daunting and time-consuming as a marketing plan may seem, the following are a few simple activities that can be done every week to help increase your brand awareness in the community: 

• Attend industry networking events
• Volunteer to lecture or speak at appropriate professional associations or community organization meetings
• Write editorial pieces based on recent news affecting your industry for your local newspaper
• Sponsor local events or charities

While a plethora of practices can be considered for use, the invariable ingredient to a successful marketing formula is consistency and rhythm.  Allotting the time for habitual marketing will help to steadily build a company’s brand visibility. Additionally, the regularity in practices will help to avoid making resolutions to get a business back in shape. Let’s face it…resolutions are tricky to keep, especially if they involve going to a gym, but if it’s better marketing you want, take the time and make the commitment to a solid marketing plan and adopt a proactive mentality. It could be as simple as turning on your computer once a week and researching opportunities online, blueberry muffin in hand.

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