RECESSION BUSTING MOVES

With the economic outlook not great for 2012 one line cost item that often is cut by management is advertising and marketplace communications. Big mistake.

Here’s why:

More than 50% of commercial and industrial clients still use print media publications as their informative source of reference. Of these readers, a large majority are in senior decision making positions - not having the time to learn and adapt to the messages of the social media on the web. Readers such these are looking for well written, informative content, supported by logical arguments. The web is not ideal for this.

So you want to keep your media presence, yet reduce expense. Here are my suggestions for you:

1. Use the editorial channel on an organized, sustained basis. You pay only for the time spent on researching and preparing the content.

2. Use a professional, dedicated service provider to prepare this content.

3. Take a serious look at your current advertising with a view to: 

• Eliminating crossover between your targeted groups.
• Audit - size and content of message

 4. Employ specialist communications service providers, such as freelancers. The days of the large corporate advertising dodo companies are over.

5. Use social media - YES - but use it wisely. Intergrate it into a plan!

Save money. Get it right first time.

When you want to do these things, talk to Energy MC. The time is always right.

ADVERTISING AGENCY SERVICE PLUS EDITORIAL CONTENT

Energy MC offers a fully integrated service - across the advertising media, public relations (media) and online communications resources. See http://eco-insulation.blogspot.com as an example of an expert technical blogging service for clients. My current area of expertise is B2B, technology, business commercial and pecialist industries.

It is important for business to realise that editorial needs to be independent from advertising. There are few agencies that offer the integrated service that this freelance one does. Clients generally do not pay for the advertising management service, since these costs are recovered from arrangements that Energy MC has in place with the various B2B or tech magazine publishers, whom we represent.

Editorial - consisting of copywriting (words) and professional photography is charged independently on a completely different fee basis.

Clients are free to enter into the full service, consisting of 3 legs of editorial, advertising and online, or engage only one or the other individual service.

This is a highly effective freelance service.

I have many satisified clients .Call me for details. 072 905 0252 (leave message).

GARETH

As the Media Evolves

A media freelancers group I belong to recently had a big debate within the group as to the fate of journalists operating in South Africa. With the bad economic situation of the year 2009 and a large number of corporate rationalisations within the media sector, my colleagues are very concerned about the future of freelancing in a shrinking sector.

What is interesting about all of this is that a number of media professionals fall into the classic trap of looking back and see a dwindling pool of work serviced by a growing pool of resources. The solution - and only way out - as I see it is rather to look forward and see the changing nature of media today with the opportunities that it provides.

The lines between pure editorial journalism and advertising are constantly blurring and it is a challenge to all of us to walk through this and recognise the challenges. Then there is the evolution of www and the potential it brings to make everyone a potential editor, commentator or publisher.
Unfortunately for may journalists the playing field has changed completely. Those that survive will be those who grasp the opportunities provided in the future.

If your company is interested in the changing face of media and how to use this to best advantage in marketing communications, give me a call.