Storm Dawg Marketing

Good morning, everyone!  I am working from home today due to some extreme weather conditions.  Anyone else out there working from home today?  One thing I noticed about working from home is how much coffee one can consume when working but a few feet from the coffee pot.  Seven cups and counting, folks.

Today’s caffeine-enhanced post is about this blog being rebranded. Yay!  I’ve been talking about branding over the last month, and now most of you probably know why. 

If you don’t, let me enlighten you.  Infogroup – our company/mothership – has rebranded.  We are now showing our united front to the world.  Yep…we’re global…so watch out world, and watch this really great video all about it. 

Since we are now showing a unified front through our product and service offerings, logos and branding, we will also be giving StormDawg a new look and feel.  The new look and feel will be one that represents our entire organization and all of our customers’ interests.  We are going to be launching this sometime in January so keep your eyes open.  We think you will really really like it! 

Although I cannot give you too many details, I will say that the new blog will be in one word…AWESOME!  We have been working with the design firm Dizzain on the new look for the blog.  They have been great and are a talented crew.  Thanks, guys – we can’t wait to see what you’ve cooked up!!

Meanwhile, Bryan and I have been gathering research like mad to put together some great content.  What we want to do is create a place that you will want to stop in every day for your daily dose of humor, sales and marketing tips…and well, I can’t give it all away.  You will have to stay tuned! 

In the meantime, stay warm!

Christina Kudym

 As a business, you always try to make your mark…to be known for something.  Whether it be through great signage/logo, a signature product, a service or a catchy slogan, people always know you for something.

Here is a personal and humorous story about one small business that rebranded itself successfully.

To start, let me explain that my parents have been in the restaurant business for over 40 years.  Thus, my passion for all thing small business, especially ways to help the small business.  Small-business owners work hard…they deserve all the help they can get!  My parents’ first restaurant was a partnership with a few of  their friends.  It was a diner that served homestyle comfort food in large portions. (Just thinking of it brings back memories…and makes me a little hungry!) 

After a few years of running the business with his partners, my father wasn’t liking the direction things were headed and decided to buy his partners out.  Luckily for him, they had all realized that owning a restaurant was quite a bit of work (ya think?) and they didn’t want to do it anymore.  Needless to say he got a great deal in buying them out. 

One big hurdle he saw that first month was a name change, you see the largest partner, who started the business, had used his own name for the name of the restaurant.  With him out of the picture and with a lack of resources, my dad was faced with a dilemma: Keep the name and continue, or change the name and go into even more debt. 

The restaurant was known for good food, great service, and a clean and well-run establishment.  So he worried, ”If I change the name, will customers and prospective customers think ‘everything’ is changed and effectively wipe my slate clean?  Or will people not even pay attention and come in to see the ‘new’ place?”

Well, my dad made decisions about the staff and menu and added things here and there, but the name of the business kept looming over his head.  His ex- partner was pushing for a change and wanted to charge my father for using his name.  You see, when my father made his little tweaks business picked up.   Apparently, making the breakfast menu available “all day” and adding a salad bar were KILLER busines moves in the 80’s. :)   Well, the partners were none to happy about this and wanted additional $. 

To squash this effort and avoid any legal battles, my father decided to change the name of the business.  Being the funny guy that he is, he took one letter off of their sign – changing the name of his business from LAMPE’s to AMPE’s.  The business flourished.  And for as long as I can remember, everyone thought our last name was Ampe.  So not only did my father rebrand a business, he also rebranded our family. 

My parents recently purchased another established business named Sam’s…I wonder how long before everyone thinks his name is Sam.

Until next time,
Christina Kudym

People are spending money… but where they are spending that money has changed considerably. You might be thinking, “This is nothing new”, but I like to think I’ll give it a little something extra…plus I’ve got some fun stats for you.

Who would have thought that going to a movie or buying perfume would become a “luxury” purchase?  Those things always have fallen under “discretionary” purchases, but the majority of people probably wouldn’t have thought of them as a “luxury” – until now.

People are being frugal with their money, and more people are staying home to rent movies, drink and eat.  So how do you get them back? The first reaction is to run a deal or a special to draw in the business.  Not a bad idea, but what happens when you go back to regular price – will your customers be happy?  Watch your specials and don’t go overboard.

Since it seems people aren’t going out as much….do girls need to get all “done up” as often? Survey…Says…..NO.

One industry that usually doesn’t see a large decrease in sales is the beauty industry. As a girl, I can tell you yes, I will eat in more often if it means I don’t have to give up things that I deem essential – hair, cosmetics and perfume.  I mean…if my hair doesn’t look good, if I can’t smell fantastic and if my skin isn’t balanced, then I don’t feel good about myself. And the end result is my work and social life suffer.  Right!?

Deep down I think/know that I can make do without these so-called essentials.  But I’ll do my best to make sure I never have to find out.  Please send your friends to read this post…I need a haircut and color next month!

It appears, however, that some girls have had to find out if they can make do. So sorry!!  According to NDP Group, skin care sales between January and June 2009 were down 6%, makeup was down 7% and fragrances down a whopping 10%.  There has been a slight increase in these numbers, but it just goes to show that people are giving up certain things to buy the essentials…food, water, break and milk…who knew?  Oh and some are even paying down their debt – imagine that.  Please see the attached research from our friends at ORC Guideline. It’s a great piece and worth checking out.

Until next time,

Christina Kudym

Hey StormDawg fans,

I saw this great article in the American Express’s OPEN Forum written by Julia Rogers of Recession Wire titled “New Business in the Downturn:  Desperate Times Do Not Call For Desperate Measures” .  I thought you might like it.

Don’t Work Too Hard – StormDawg

Hey all,

This is going to be a wild week.  I am getting ready to head out to San Diego to the annual DMA conference.  I will be interviewing folks and putting some of their comments on the blog via a webcam.  It should be fun and hopefully informative.  Later, I will be in New York speaking to a group about how the economy is affecting consumer behavior.  I will share some of that research with you all later.

My small business antennae went up last week because of a conversation I heard about one of our stimulus package contestants.  A young man named Keith Fix (who I shouted out to a couple of weeks ago) was getting interviewed by Entrepreneur magazine.  It turns out Keith has a great business model but is at a crossroads with his business.   Is he really ready to make it grow?  Check out his website: http://www.provenpowerful.com/

Keith’s business does tech support for computer owners, much like the Geek Squad, but he does it at a much lower cost.  Keith is very particular about who he hires.  He looks for people who not only have the skills but also are an exact fit for the culture of his business.  It only takes him about one hour to bring a new hire up to speed and put them to work.  The problem is,  because he is so particular, his pool of potential employees is quite small.

In order for Keith to grow his business he will have to hire more employees and he may need to compromise his standards.  This is an example of a decision that needs to be made and it might not be the economically rationale decision.  Keith is a college student and maybe he isn’t ready to have his business take off quite yet.  Maybe he should finish school?

That is Keith’s decision to make!  P.S.  14 of the top 50 billionaires dropped out of college.  14 out of how many drop-outs….the odds aren’t that great.

What do you think Keith should do?

Send in your comments and don’t work too hard!

StormDawg

Hey all,

Here is an interesting article about small businesses chasing the stimulus money. The problem is that pursuing this takes extra effort and time that many small business owners just don’t have.

I would love to hear ideas about how small businesses might join forces and figure out how to take advantage of the programs that are available.

In the meantime, I am announcing my own stimulus package… the StormDawg Small Business Stimulus Plan, where I will choose one small business per month and help them with a marketing plan and kick it off for free. Check it out here, and email me your stories for your chance at some free marketing, StormDawg@infogroup.com.

Don’t work too hard!

StormDawg