Build Your Business on Publicity
by Elizabeth K. Fischer, written for International Association of Meal Planning Businesses

Have you ever tasted an entree that was missing its key ingredient? The flavor of the dish was changed, and it was less appealing, wasn't it? Just as a key ingredient is important to creating a tasty dish, publicity is important to a profitable marketing plan. Unfortunately, most businesses don't realize that you build your business on publicity and you maintain it with advertising.

Publicity must be the foundation of your marketing because it is credible. When consumers receive information via publicity they pay attention. They actively ingest what they are seeing, hearing, or reading. Even more, they believe this information. Since the information is delivered via a credible source, consumers trust the information. Very likely, the information is being received from a comfortable source that they access regularly. All this leads to memorability. When consumers actively ingest information from a credible source that they believe, they remember the information.

And frequently they act on it. They mention it to others, notice additional information on the same subject, and make a purchase. Once consumers are familiar with a concept, a service, or a product, they will take note of additional information on that subject, however it is delivered to them.

That is why you build your business on publicity.

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Answer the 3 Ws: Why? Who? What?
by Tony Anderson

As smaller lodging properties prepare to make the most of their marketing in the coming year, an Eau Claire marketing specialist urges them to consider three questions:

Why do people come to your property?
Who is your target market?
What do you have to offer them?

Answering those three questions can help lodging properties lay the foundation for an effective marketing strategy, according to Elizabeth Fischer, owner of Profitable Sales and Marketing Con-sultants in Eau Claire. Fischer has worked with a variety of tourism-related businesses during the past six years including numerous lodging properties.

Fischer warns against taking the quick and easy approach.

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Are You Feeding Your Berry Business Junk Food Marketing?
Find Out by Answering These Five Questions.

1. Does your marketing
a. follow a written plan,
b. or do you fly by the seat of your pants?

2. Is that plan
a. tailored to fit your business,
b. or are you using marketing that you heard worked for some other person’s business?

3. Do you have
a. goals for your marketing,
b. or is the outcome of your marketing a mystery, especially to you?

4. Is your marketing
a. directed to a target,
b. or do you scatter your efforts, hoping to hit something?

5. How often do you review your marketing plan?
a. monthly
b. quarterly
c. review, what’s that?

On questions 1-4, give yourself five points for every a answer and one point for every b answer. On question 5, give yourself five points for a, three points for b, and zero points for c. If you scored 25 points, congratulations, you have healthy marketing. If you scored 10 to 20 points, you’ve given your marketing some feeding, but it could have more energy with better nutrition. If you scored 10 points or below, your marketing needs an immediate I. V.!

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