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Media Contact: Rodger Roeser, The Eisen Agency
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Cincinnati’s Premier PR Firm Offers Free Communication and Competitive Audits Through End of Year
The Eisen Agency Set to Help Business, Marketing Leaders Kick Off 2012 On Right Foot
Cincinnati, OH – November 29, 2011 – Like a professional sports team, you need to watch tape – on yourself and your competition. Understanding is strength. So, in an effort to assist businesses and organizations throughout the TriState transition into 2012 with a competitive advantage, Cincinnati’s premier public relations firm, The Eisen Agency, is offering a no cost, comprehensive competitive and communications audit through the end of the year.
Anyone interested in the free audit may simply contact the firm by calling 859.291.4302 or emailing Info@TheEisenAgency.com.
The Eisen Agency will work with businesses to review all current communications, such as collateral, advertising, sales and marketing, and public relations activities that they have with their audiences and offer an objective review. Similarly, the firm will conduct a competitive audit to see how the organization measures up. Both reviews and audits can be used for benchmarking and as part of foundational strategic planning for 2012.
Roeser’s firm recently published a “Marketing Tune Up” guide to assist businesses and organizations in their planning, which can be accessed by “likeing” the firm on Facebook keyword The Eisen Agency. “Strategic planning is the key to success, and by objectively understanding yourself and keeping an eye on the competition and the marketplace, you put yourself in a better position to win,” Eisen president Rodger Roeser explained. “Once you have a good foundation for a program, only then can you begin building the house, the tactical execution, for it to stand on.”
Roeser’s firm recently was the only Cincinnati public relations firm to earn a Platinum MarCom Award in 2011, the award being for Best Marketing Plan. The Eisen Agency proudly gives back and provides products and services free of charge to a number of businesses and organizations throughout the TriState in an effort to help the local business community be more successful.
Marketing Tune Up and Year End Business Building Resolutions
It’s the perfect time of the year to step back, take a deep breath and see what worked, what needs improving and what needs scrapping according to most business experts. Public relations and marketing expert Rodger Roeser, president of Cincinnati based The Eisen Agency, says that while many executives may focus solely on the bottom line, he suggests that they take just a few moments and focus on marketing results – a simple investment of time that could not only save significant dollars, but also significantly improve performance.
1. Perform a competitive and communications audit
Roeser advises to take a look at all the pieces produced by your organization that were used for any type of public consumption, including letterhead, business cards, sales presentations, sales letters, press releases, advertisements and the like. Lay them all out on the conference table and make sure they follow your approved graphic standards and brand identity. Double check the messages being sent: are they hitting the mark, does it say what you want it to say? Are pieces outdated and does your material need to be refreshed? What is your competition doing, and how are you measuring up. Are you materials easy to read and understand? What might be some better and more interesting stories about you, your team and your organization. Roeser advises consulting an expert if you feel you cannot be objective or lack the time.
2. Survey your existing clients
It’s never been easier than with the online software that exists, such as survey monkey or zoomerang – both free services. You simply craft a survey and email it out to your clients to glean valuable business intelligence. If you’re afraid to do that, you’re not following a basic tenant of business: listening to your client. Analyzing the results is also quite simple and you may find some easy things you can do to make some clients happy, but almost always, simply asking the question of “how can we make things even better,” is reward enough in that it lets customers know that they’re feedback is valued.
3. Set benchmarks before budgets
Look at what worked, what didn’t perform as expected and set a budget based on anticipated results and expectations. Marketing works because enough “oomph” is put behind it to make it work, and typically, integration is key. Look at your marketing mix and where the dollars are being allocated. Set goals, and above all, set benchmarks of where you are now and where you want to be in as many measurable facets of your organization as you can, such as overall sales, monthly sales, web traffic, store traffic, coupon redemption and the like. That way, you can look at your Advertising, Marketing and PR from a standpoint of “did it work” rather than “that’s a pretty color.” Most press releases, for example, that are crafted and distributed are poorly written because they are overly centric to the business sending it out, or mandated upon the agency to send it out. Don’t impose success when the release or product is the failure. Same goes with a bad ad, or bad customer service. Creativity and newsworthiness are subjective, while sales increases are not. Understand the difference.
4. If you don’t have one, find a community relations outlet for your business
There are hundreds of great causes and programs you can lend your business to, and dozens that will help strengthen and bolster your brand – if you need help, consult an agency. Cause marketing activities and community relations are proven to strengthen brand, increase sales and increase employee morale. It can be something you believe in personally, it can be large scale or small scale, but regardless, it should be part of your plan. Yes, it’s a good public relations move, but more importantly, it’s good for the overall health of your company and most likely, the community in which you and your employees live.
5. Do something different next year
Vow to do something different next year with your marketing, such as a podcast series, a custom publication or even start a blog. There are hundreds of new, fun, effective, inexpensive and creative outlets for marketing products, services or people. Again, consult with an expert, but do something and do something different. Remember, sometimes in marketing it can be okay to be that black sheep because the point is standing apart from the crowd and creating a distinctive and memorable brand. If your marketing is a bit stale, do something fresh. If you think blogs are new – it’s time for some fresh, proactive and creative counsel. Overall, marketing should be proactively effective and fun – regardless of industry.
Roeser adds that his agency provides a free competitive and communications audits for businesses and organizations.
