'Tis the season to be planning...Strategic Marketing Tip #1

Hello Friends,

Today, I'm working on marketing strategies for the coming year. I wish I'd had a clue about bringing my marketing ideas to life when I started my first real business, Dime Figga Entertainment. As hungry as I was for success,I was destined to keep coming up short...until I began educating myself on marketing. But when we know better, we do better, right?

And had I not experienced marketing mishaps in the past, I may not have made a commitment to learn more and to be "the best" at what I do. So, instead of wishing about the “what if’s” I'm grateful that I was able to learn from my mistakes and I'm definitely one to apply lessons learned. That said, I'm excited about the multitude of opportunities to reach my business goals by executing marketing strategies for the remainder of this year and 2010!

If you have a product and/or service that has the potential to "wow" your audience but you need a little direction on getting them to take notice, I want to share a simple, yet powerful tip to energize your marketing with creative solutions.

One of the things I've worked on today is my marketing calendar. This is simply a calendar that I use to create strategies to reach my audience at special times during the year. It includes holidays, special events, anniversaries, etc. If you haven't tried this, pull out that calendar and try it out.

First, observe the upcoming holidays and special events occurring in your audience's life. Then, start creating strategies that tie into the events on your calendar. Next, write a time-based plan of action to carry out the strategy.

Use your marketing calendar as a tool to keep you on track with creative marketing strategies the entire year. Once you've executed your strategies, measure your success.

Let me know what you think!

Jacki Kash
Director of Marketing
BGC Marketing Group
Atlanta, GA

BGC Marketing Group, energize your marketing!

Myths about Marketing

by Jacki Kash

Myth #1

"Marketing my business will make me an overnight success!"

While there are instances where the right marketing strategy can turn your business into an instant cash machine, in most cases, marketing takes time. Employing the right marketing strategies may not generate millions overnight; however, consistently marketing your business is the key to success!

I began my marketing career over a decade ago, and not at all on purpose. The journey began when I was 1/2 of a female rap duo called The Dime Figgas. We began as two young ladies looking to get our music heard, one with dreams of getting a record deal, the other with dreams of creating a record label. It was during this time that I began reading business books, learning how to run a record label, trying my hand at PR, observing up-and -coming artists/entrepreneurs such as Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and coming up with creative ideas to get our music heard.

I took on the role of executive producer of the project, not knowing how much hard work, determination and money were involved in recording, promoting, and travelling to perform. Although we had good ideas at the time, I learned a valuable lesson from this venture: failing to plan is like planning to fail. I knew the direction we desired to go, but lacked a solid marketing plan that would help us to further our dreams.

I also learned that as a business owner, entrepreneur, entertainer, author or individual offering a product or service to consumers you need a solid marketing plan. You have to know what your audience wants and have strategies to get your product or service in front of them.

Businesses, books, CD's, and people do not just "blow up" overnight. It takes a combination of planning, smart strategies, execution, consistent actions, and a dose of positive, can-do thinking to create success stories.

Whether you're already in business or aspiring to be the next big thing, effective marketing is vital to your ventures' success.

I'll be back soon with marketing tips to take your business to the next level!

BGC Marketing Group...energize your marketing