Release the Hounds

The economy is scary, let’s play it safe, cut back spending and hope for the best. You know, wait it out. Now is not the time to take risks…besides “even” is the new “up” right?

Really, we’re going to go into the New Year playing scared and hoping for the best? How did that work out for the New York Giants when they played the second half against the Philadelphia Eagles a couple weeks ago? (Sorry Giants fans, we had to make this point)

When it comes to marketing your business, playing it safe is the least safe thing to do. Limited resources? Understood. Let’s put some effort into strategy – outthinking and outworking the competition. Is it possible that your business is missing opportunities because you’re not looking hard enough in the right places? Here are five places where old man opportunity may be hiding out:

1. Your loyal customers – What do you ask of them? Would they be willing to help? Of course they would (and there’s a good chance that you’re not asking).

2. Self promotion – Doing things better than the competition is not something to be shy about. You say it behind closed doors and you hear it from your satisfied clients, stand up and be proud about what you bring to the table.

3. Social media – If you’re dipping your toe into the social media water, only a small fraction of your body is bathing in the best marketing opportunity to come around since holiday window dressing. Dive in!

4. Target marketing – If your annual marketing budget is smaller than Geico’s (approximately 1.2 billion dollars last year), you may need to work harder to ensure that your messages are being placed where they’re most likely to do you some good. We specialize in this, so just ask.

5. Have some courage (yes, we wanted to say “balls” but it’s just not proper…and it’s sexist) – Most of the best advertising you’ve witnessed in your lifetime involved a fair amount of risk on the part of a major decision-maker. If you have that authority, and you’re not taking chances, you’re doing your business a great disservice.

The truth of the matter is that none of us know how long the current economic climate will last. By now, it’s clear that it may be a while, and only those of us willing to work hard will survive. Part of that “hard” work involves taking risk. At dg Communications Group, we challenge our clients and ourselves to continuously take risks…and it works!

The Juice -- Amy

Amy is dg's Media Director, which means that she's the one who arranges getting ads placed in publications, and on TV and the web, all at the right time in the right places and within the right budget. It's a demanding discipline, to be certain, but Amy is well-armed with experience and welcoming of virtually any challenge. We juiced her to get to the tangy details of what it takes to be so darn detail oriented:

Q1 – Why advertising?

Back in the day, when I was 18, it was one of the few industries that you could “start at the bottom and work your way up,” even without a degree. Advertising in NY on Madison Avenue held that glamour factor as well, and it wasn’t much different from what you see on Mad Men, even though it was over a decade later. As a young kid, I loved it! And when I went back to school at night, that’s what I got my degree in!

Q2 – Aside from working at dg, what experiences have you had on the job that have shaped who you are today?
I’ve been fortunate to have experienced the advertising business from a lot of varied perspectives: for different industries, in different job functions, in far-flung locations – from New York to Tel Aviv to Florida – and in both large and small agencies. 
I’ve also had many great mentors along the way. No question that working for 7 years on the corporate client side at a large high-tech company influenced me greatly, as I had the opportunity to be part of an international team of marketing communications professionals. That experience was extremely rewarding on both a professional and personal level.

Q3 – What is your favorite reality show?

If I had to pick just one, I would say So You Think You Can Dance

Q4 – What superpower do you harness that is mostly concealed to your co-workers and clients?
An uncanny knack of knowing when Murphy’s Law will rear its ugly head!

Q5 – What is your favorite thing about dg?
First and foremost, the people! But on a professional level, and maybe because I’m not “a creative,” I LOVE the work we produce. I’ve been around a long time, and I am so proud to be associated with the great design work that comes out of our studio!

Q6 – Favorite South Florida eating establishment?

That’s a tough question, because I like several places, each for different reasons. Overall, I love “La Cigale” in Delray Beach, though I don’t get there very often.

Q7 - What sites, blogs, etc do you frequent and how often?

Well, I get my general news from my Comcast.net home page on a daily basis, and during season, read the recaps and box scores on the Yankees games (I’m a lifelong fan!); Facebook, of course, to keep up with my family and friends; and my other guilty pleasure is EW.com for all the entertainment news. There are several great writers there whose blogs and recaps entertain more than the shows themselves.