Easy Greetings

Happy 2008!
A week in and it's already an exciting year. Obama and
Huckabee, for instance. Didn't see that one coming. And I hear the trilby is making a comeback. Not to mention a pregnant Jamie Lynn Spears. Are we really ready for all this?
The truth is, most small-business owners aren't ready...not quite. We're almost ready. We'll be ready next week. We would've been ready but we were up all night doing our invoicing....
If you know a small-business owner whose 2008 marketing plan is really just their 2003 marketing plan with all the threes turned into eights, have them give me a call. I can help them build a sustainable, trackable, intelligent marketing plan that maximizes their ROI while minimizing stress...and all-nighters. They'll still be on their own with the invoicing, though.
Thanks for reading,
Reese

PS - A big thanks to everyone who helped make Frolic Circus such a success!

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Easy Arguments

Who are you voting for? Email me about it, and I'll post your comments on my blog. Not sure? Take this handy quiz. Eagerly awaiting my usual plug for the New York Times Online? Try this fascinating post about the class politics of Huckabee's triumphant caucusing in Iowa. And I promise that this is all I'll say about the presidential campaign. Honest. Probably.

Easy Style

As a small-business owner, it's OK if you're trapped somewhere between the eighties and the early oughties fashion-wise...as long as your marketing is as in-the-now as the Buddhists. A marketing-mix that's as up-to-date as Coco Rocha's wardrobe might not make you an international celebrity...but it'll definitely help you get paid like one. Take some tips from the fashionistas and makeover your marketing today.
Seasons Change...
And so should your marketing plan. Frankly, a one-year marketing plan is too much for most small businesses...a big part of our viability is in our flexibility. To stay au courant, reassess your marketing plan on a quarterly basis — and make sure it suits the season.
Cover the Basics
You know you're gonna be living in those blue jeans, so it's worth finding the ones that display your keister to its best advantage. The same holds true for the denim of marketing — your brand identity. Your logo and business cards should fit like a second skin...if you have to cuff the legs or leave the button undone it's time for a new pair.
Make it Your Own
Sure, wearing a sweater vest isn't for everyone. But building unique marketing collateral that complements your brand identity makes you more memorable...and helps you compete for mindspace. You can pair your blue-jean-brand-identity with a blazer of a website or the hoodie of brochures...but ditch the pre-designed template and customize.
Pleats Happen
MC Hammer's pants? Madonna's glove? The eighties? Mistakes are inevitable and, in fact, constitute a big chunk of the growth process. Marketing mishaps are a certainty, and the best way to learn from them is to track them. Assiduously tracking your marketing dollar's ROI is like looking at your high school class photo...it reminds you what not to do.