Tag: atlanta - Page 15

With 2013 fast on approach, we have been spending hours upon hours researching the latest sales and marketing techniques, opinions, case studies and brands.

It's a great time of year because through this research we are exposed to other companies successes and at times failures - all while thinking about what more we can do for our clients.

A marketing consultant is not necessarily a marketing consultant.

From one to another, they are completely different. Some have great skills in strategy, others in tactical development and execution of marketing plans. Some are great at communicating but not fully across social media or what role advertising plays in the digital age.

In the past year, I have travelled the world talking to marketers and each one has something different to offer. They all have honed their skills in one area or another.

I first started my involvement in the marketing industry 21 years ago at an advertising agency that was quite small. I remember watching the owner of the business operate and being completely fascinated by his skills and creativity. He had started his career as a window dresser for a big retailer and way back in the early nineties was making more than a million dollars profit out of 5-man agency. Incredible.

Today, I learnt that I am not average. No, seriously. Really, I am not average. Well, at least on Twitter I am not average because the average Twitter user has only 126 followers. In total, Marketing Eye has 14, 061 with two accounts. One that focuses on the Australian market and the other that focuses on the US market with an emphasis on Atlanta, Georgia.

There is nothing wrong with being average may I add, but as a business that is focused on helping other small businesses grow, it is important that Marketing Eye stand out from the crowd. Average is not an option. The same as everyone else, is also not applicable. For Marketing Eye, we have to be outstanding at everything.

It is that time of year again, whether you like it or not, that small business owners need to review how their business is going.

Is your business ontrack to achieving the goals that you set out for your business to achieve in 2012? Is your brand where it should be? Are your leads inbound or outbound? Is your sales team performing?

If the answer is "no" to any of these questions, then it's time to start figuring out what you can change today to alter your outcomes of tomorrow.

It's time. We are ready. The curtains have been drawn. In 3 weeks, I will be living in America to follow my dream of building a global small business marketing firm.

It's summer over there and winter here in Australia, so the weather is definately a big plus. Cost of living is significantly less which means I can buy more shoes. There is a god after all ;-)

And... the business is ready. Most importantly, we have dotted all of our 'i's' and crossed all of our 't's'.

So, what's next?

To me, Atlanta is like one big country town. It has a wholesome feel about it, warm people, clean taxi's and an array of cool restaurants.

I have some great friends there who are talented, intelligent, fun, interesting and very likable.

Don't get me wrong... I love Atlanta. In fact, it is one of my preferred cities in the US and its definately very livable.

However, from a marketing and creative perspective, is it allowing itself as a city to be second best?

It's hard to compare to New York - let's face it, but when it comes to business, why should New York companies have greater access to the talents of the world's best creatives and marketers and Atlanta be left to those who couldn't make it in the city that never sleeps.

That's the same for Investment Bankers and a whole host of careers, I know, but it saddens me that Atlanta hasn't used its critical mass of 6 million people to produce some of the world's most distinguished and talented creatives.

How can we as a city change that? How can we make Atlanta the US' hub for marketers and creatives? I don't have an answer, but I will have one tomorrow. Food for thought.

Making a big move to Atlanta is imminent. It's going to be challenging launching a new brand in a market like Atlanta, Georgia.

There are many fears in making a move like this, but mainly there is a lot of positivity around the big move.

Firstly, Marketing Eye is awesome. It's a brand that excels in small business marketing. I can put my hand on my heart and say that we help small businesses grow. I also believe that it is a 'no-brainer' to engage Marketing Eye because of the amount of extra marketing activities and programs that companies get for no additional cost.