Let's Talk

Ok, let's sit down and have a little chat on this Monday afternoon. I've talked in blog entries in the past about marketing and networking, but today I want you to think about something. What do I want you to think about you may ask? Your Logo!

Think back to when you started your business. How much time, how much effort, and how much money did you spent on your logo? If you think about it, you probably spent a good amount of each of those either drawing up, looking over proposals, and thinking about how you want your business to be represented, correct?

So after you picked your logo out from the 20 or so drawings you did or proposals from an ad agency, you were pumped! You wanted everyone to see it. Let me take a guess that you e-mailed it out to everyone you know, added it into your signature, made sure it was at the top of your website and maybe even did something special on your website revealing your logo. You might have also printed up some flyers, did promo items so you could have your nice, shiny new logo on something to hand out, correct?

Ok, so now let's fast forward to right now. Where is your logo? Let me take a few guesses...outside your building, on your website, and your business cards more than likely. People pass by your location all the time but is it enough exposure, probably not. It's on your website, but are enough people finding your website? Unless your doing some sort of SEO, more than likely people are not finding your website enough. And last but not least, cards. What really happens to your cards once they leave your hands? Wouldn't you like to know.

So where else should your logo be displayed? Are you doing any promotions? Do your employees wear branded shirts or hats? Do your clients have t-shirts with your company name on them to wear during their casual time? Are you handing out client appreciation gifts? Business card magnets, schedule magnets, and calendar magnets? Are you staying in front of your clients or potential client base?

I'm not trying to preach to you, I've done the same mistakes and hopefully I've learned from them. All I'm trying to say is you have put a lot into your business including designing your logo, so be proud and let everyone you know how proud you are of your logo and your business. I bet it pays off in the long run!

What Do You Do?

So today when I was e-mailing out our June special to our customers I got an interesting response from one of them. It said the following:

"We are unable to purchase advertising specialties at this time of corporate consolidation."

This is a company that is made up of over 250 independent contractors that strictly work for this company. They do have a marketing department to assist these contractors and have various other staff. So, that got me thinking this afternoon. More of less, this company depends on these independent contractors to do the marketing. Now, in saying that I do have inside knowledge in this company and know they do some institutional marketing as well. However, it is some what limited, mainly magazines and newspaper.....ahh newspaper, really?

Ok, so what I am getting at is where are they spending the money and why? I served for two years on a marketing committee for a company like this when I was in real estate. The committee was made up of all types young to old. The younger agents always fought for more spending related to the internet and other items, while older agents liked glossy magazines and newspaper. The younger agents won for a few months at the end of our terms then when we rotated off it went right back to older forms of marketing.

The issue is you have no way to track who sees your message. Internet you know who is seeing it and with promotional products you know who is seeing, and most importanly getting your brand and logo in their hand. You have ways you can follow up. Second, you are depending on contractors who might or might not be making the extra money to promote and market themsleves and the company. So when does the instution need to step in, promote the company more to give back to the contractors and build business?

Am I off base? Thoughts?

Who is Patrick Finley anyways?

Why am I writing a blog? Well first, I like to be creative somewhat, and second I do have thoughts every now and then that I would like to share.

So, who am I? I am the son of a Baptist minister who after 32+ years of marriage is still married to my mother who plays the organ for my father on Sundays. I have wonderful parents and I do not thank them enough for what they have provided me with and the opportunities that they have sacrificed to give me things that have enriched my life. I have one brother that is married and they are in the process of adopting two wonderful kids that are brother and sister.

I have moved about 9 times during my life and all in the state of Alabama. I still have friends from just about everywhere I have lived. I graduated high school in 1998. When I graduated I really had no idea what I wanted to do so I took a few years off. During that time, I started a lawn care company with a close friend of mine. It was a small company but it gave us something to do. I liked lawn care somewhat so I thought about being a golf course superintendent. So I went to Auburn University in 2002 to pursue a degree in turfgrass management. After a year at Auburn I found out that I had thought wrong, and also not applied myself very well.

I came back to Birmingham in 2003 to pursue a career in real estate. Real estate had always interest me so I went to real estate school and became a Realtor. During my first month I sold my first house! During the real estate years there were ups and downs. I played around with many sides of real estate including commercial, residential mostly, and land development. At the end of 2007 I started to have doubts about continuing my real estate career. At the end of February 08' I had made up my mind it was time to get out. People asked me why, and it was not the economy that pushed me to this decision. See, from September 07 to April 08, I had a closing every month except March. I just did not care for real estate sales any more.

Also at the beginning of 2008 I started back to school at Jefferson State to get my feet wet again. I then approached close friend and owner of Art Promotional Services about a job. We talked about and he said sure. I thank him for that and I've learned a lot from him about marketing and advertising with promotional products as well as life. During the past year my sales have sucked to my standards. During the past year I have also held a 4.0 gpa and have transferred to Alabama. Business in the first quarter has picked up giving me more confidence as well. Also during this time Trey launched a website called magnetsfast.com which specializes in custom magnets like save the date, schedule, business card, and calendar magnets.

So what's in the cards for 09'? Keeping my grades up, selling magnets and promotional items, mixed in with a little bit of fun.

What can you expect from my blog? Well I guess my interest for example: fishing, golf, wakeboarding, snowboarding(maybe if I get to go), Major League Baseball(Go Sox!!), business, and random events.

So have I answered who I am?