Marketing Interview

Marketing Interview

Many small businesses don’t realize how important their company image really is. The following is a formula for low cost marketing for a small business to create or better their image. To find this formula I interviewed Evan Paull, the owner of a small sign making company based in Annapolis Maryland called ‘Independent Sign Consortium’ or ‘ISC.’ ‘ISC’ was started in 1996 and has had a steady growth ever since. I also interviewed Allison Green, the marketing director of ‘Revisions,’ ‘Revisions’ is based in Baltimore Maryland and is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the mentally ill.

Many small companies believe that a corporate or company image develops all on it’s own. Therefore, they believe the business itself has little or no control over shaping the outcome of the image. Often a company will delay any investment in a public image because they think it’s an expensive luxury. It is only after some bad publicity or a negative event do they relies that some effort needs to be put into improving or defining their look. Of course if you wait until something like this happens the cost is always going to be higher.

“Most successful businesses have a carefully crafted image that separates them from the competition and helps to establish a solid public presence,” remarks Allison Green. A distinct corporate image benefits many aspects of any business. Public relations rely on image to attract new customers and to generate repeat business. Finance departments depend on image to impress investors and shareholders with a sense of stability. Employees feel more secure when a company has a good image.

An image should always accurately reflect the substance of a company. However, an image is only a perception, an appearance, a representative look of that substance. Subsequently, as Green says, “…it doesn’t always have to cost an arm and a leg…” to accurately represent the company. Given an unlimited budget, any fat corporation can create a new image or alter an outdated or damaged one. Those of us with more modest resources, given only a camera, a copier and an ink jet printer adding some creativity can do it even better.

There are some things on which you should never cut corners, safety regulations or legal issues for example. Looking only at the surface, in this instance, is a good thing as is going for style not ne...

... middle of paper ...

...e business community perceives you. Improve your image and increase your company’s public awareness and your networking by aligning yourself with a nonprofit as well. Have key staff serve as volunteers on the board of directors for one or more worthy causes.

Press releases can go a long way to help out your image. News reports will jump on a dramatic news story or an important event. Realistically though, how often does that happen at most organizations. One way to improve the odds of getting your news in the press is to do it yourself. Do the research, find the angle, and write the article. Many reporters will take the easy road rather than write their own article. If they have space and all the work is already done, chances are they will use your story. For even better odds put the article on disc in a format that they use and include a photo. Last but certainly not least “never apologize on stage. Let people think you paid a lot for something. Don’t volunteer information. Most times no one will know the difference unless you tell them,” Green says.

WORKS CITED

Paull, Evan D. Personal interview. 22 November 2000

Green, Allison W. Telephone interview. 01 December 2000