BLOGS

Marketing Rant | Advertising Material Up To Par, Or Don’t Play Ball

Advertising is one of the few aspects of a business that needs to really, and I mean really, be impeccable. There is no cutting corners, saving a buck, and settling for less. If you can’t go big, go home. Over the years, I’ve run across many clients that allocate just enough money to reserve an ad slot (television or print), but do not factor in the cost of graphic design or video production. At the last minute, there is a mad dash to collect additional funds so the advertisement will come out halfway decent. This is not the proper way to plan a marketing campaign and such should be calculated far in advance.

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Marketing Rant | I’m Sick + Tired of Bus Stop Ads

As the title says, I’ve come to the conclusion that bus stop advertisements, namely the ones that appear on the rear of benches, are truly a joke, especially in populated cities. Really, what’s the point? More than 90% of the time people are sitting at the bus stop; their bodies cutting off the punch line of a cheesy ad. For the other 10% of the time, the ad isn’t visible due to graffiti, urban mobile homes (shopping carts), etc. This is the sad reality. I sit here now, recollecting cloudy days gone by, and I think to myself: when has a bus stop advertisement ever caught my attention? The answer — NEVER.

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Why is Search Engine Optimization Important for Car Dealerships?

Good ole’ search engine optimization, you gotta love it! Well, if you actually understand how it works that is. Search engine optimization is the act of optimization websites and content to improve “organic” or “natural” search result placement. When a website appears on the first page of search listings, it is far more likely to be clicked on. Increased impressions leads to more clicks and — ultimately — more profit. The goal of SEO is to sidestep costly Google AdWords campaigns that charge per click or per thousand impressions, to eliminate environmentally unfriendly print ads, to demolish overpriced television advertisements, all while building a stronger online brand and increasing sales at the same time. For car dealerships, search engine optimization is an excellent marketing medium that should not, and I repeat should not, be ignored. The average joe purchases a new vehicle every 4-6 years, which is very infrequent compared to groceries, clothing, electronics and other more commonly purchased goods. When beginning to look for a car, most customers will have no clue where to start, and do not have dealership branding in their psyche as they haven’t visited a dealership in over 4 years. This is not something they (people buying cars) do often. This is an important thing to remember.

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WOW! Scary Video + Photos of Fires in the Foothills of Northern Los Angeles

Scary photos and videos, oh my! Last night, just around sunset, I decided to go on the roof a snap photos of the sunset. To my surprise, I had a very good view of the fires in the Los Angeles hills. I could see large flames shooting in the air. Scary — it looks so close. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, a whopping 121,000 square acres have already been scorched and property damage is, so far, estimated at $14 million. Luckily, the Mount Wilson observatory and communications equipment (antennas for phone companies, emergency services, etc.) remains unharmed.

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Realtor Marketing: Why is SEO The Best Marketing Medium?

With a plethora of marketing mediums available, realtors are often faced with a difficult question: What is the best and most cost-effective way to market their business/listings? Well folks, search engine optimization it is! Search engine optimization for realtors is a timeless, functional, and very cost-effective marketing medium. SEO focuses on organic search results and placing websites/listings on the first page of such results, which provides more exposure, increased traffic, and most importantly — increased sales.

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Real Estate Marketing with Video Content | What Brokers SHOULD Be Doing

I’ve been a customer in the real estate market for many years, and have noticed that most real estate agents have marketing that simply sucks (I’m sorry to admit it). I’m sick and tired of seeing a dressed up agent in front of a home, with some Kool Aid smile, trying to get me to purchase a property. This marketing is over and done with, especially with the economy in the toilet. This leads me to the topic of this article: Marketing with Video Content. When looking for properties, I have always found that media-heavy listings attract my attention. I want to see photos, videos, floor plans, and anything else possible. This is what attracts me and makes me schedule a showing — nothing else. I don’t care if the agent has perfect teeth, a nice suit, can juggle 5 watermelons with their pinky finger, etc. This just doesn’t matter to me or my bank account.

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The Guide to Using Blogs for Restaurant Marketing

Blogs have been one of the most influential marketing tools in recent advertising history. They’re a phenomenon — they truly are. Most businesses, especially restaurants, have a difficult time directly connecting with customers, and all patrons know is what they see in the dining room. This is their perception of a restaurant. I myself, as a true gastronome, want more. Much more. Luckily, blogs feed me with just that. When looking for a nice place to have dinner, I always jump online and browse reviews. More importantly, I look for for photos (and possibly even videos) of prepared food. I want to see what I’m eating before I eat it. There’s just something about seeing amazing food that adds a “wow” factor to restaurants and often draws me to them. Blogs are the best and most effective way to offer diners a glimpse at what a restaurant is all about…

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Cost-Effective Ways to Market Your Small Business Using the Internet

For all of you small business owners out there, the times are tough and you need to do everything you can to save a dime and increase profits. Now is the time to re-think your marketing efforts and make a real change. I’m not talking about jumping out of bed and being semi-inspired to work on marketing because you read this article, or had a tasty glass of fresh squeezed orange juice then had a marketing epiphany. You need to be truly inspired. This is not a walk in the park. One of the most effective and most cost-efficient forms of promotion is, by all means, internet marketing. The internet is not only a portal to contact your customers, but also a genie in a bottle that will help you fully understand your customer’s wants and needs. Google analytics and other website/keyword tracking tools provide webmasters with invaluable information on what pages are viewed by visitors, how long they’re on a site, how they found the site, and much much more.

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Topanga Canyon Hike w/ Nikon D90 + Voltaic Generator Solar Bag

This Saturday just happened to be my birthday, and a bunch of friends were asking me where I wanted to go.. I thought about it for a few days and decided I’d love to go hiking, to a cool spot, and simply get out of Los Angeles (proper) for a day. We drove about 15-minutes from my house, up the Pacific Coast Highway, and made a right turn on Topanga Canyon. From that point forward, the directions will have to be a mystery. I could tell you, but I’d have to kill you. =)~

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I’m In Love With A….. Toilet? Yes, You Heard That Right!

As the title says, I have been intrigued by a toilet. What has become of me? The other day, as I ever-so-graciously tinkled in a Los Angeles restaurant restroom, I noticed the sound of water was absent. At first, in all honesty, I thought I was missing the toilet (yes, I’m a man), but realized the toilet was one of the new waterless urinals, which induced a few ohhh’s and ahhh’s on my part. I’ve always been the type of person to hate flushing the toilet in public after peeing (too much information, I know, sorry) because odd, fanatical calculations would run though my head. For example, if each flush downs 1.6 gallons of water, and 25 people use the toilet in an hour, for 10 hours a day, 400 gallons are wasted per day or 2,800 gallons per week. Waterless urinals truly solve this issue…

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