THE WHITLATCH WEEKLY

For every MARKETING or ADVERTISING strategy lies a TARGET AUDIENCE . At some point in time, that TARGET AUDIENCE will have a decision to make. Your PITCH, IDEA or OFFER was a SUCCESS or it was not a SUCCESS. Simple as that. For the majority of MARKETING or ADVERTISING professionals, I'm sure you can remember a time where it seemed as if your AUDIENCE was seconds away from buying-in to your IDEA, PITCH or OFFER then all of a sudden, they didn't.  They balked. Your AUDIENCE (for whatever reason) decided not to buy-in to your BRAND, PRODUCT or SERVICE. But why?

Nearly 10 years ago this month, I created my first and last Facebook profile. Sitting in my High School Library towards the end of my Senior year, I cluelessly put together a picture, a couple monumental dates and places, clicked on the "Save" button and wa-la.  Piece of cake. Now, if it could have only stayed that simple.  Social Media profiles are becoming more and more of a reliable source for representation of a person, company, or event. The days of uploading some random picture and being ok with it are gone. Establish what you will be using your Social Media profiles for. Business? Fun? Maybe both? Regardless, your audience needs (and wants) to know what they will be getting. Choosing the right Social Media platforms that fit your lifestyle is key. Don't feel that you MUST HAVE certain accounts to make everyone happy. For instance, I don't use Snapchat or Pinterest. It's just not me. Does that mean Could they work for you? ABSOLUTELY.   YOU MU...

Seeing changes in the gym doesn't happen over night. And the gym is only half the battle. A balanced diet, efficient recovery time, even the equipment and methods of your workout dictate your results. An effective combination of all these things may still not guarantee the results you are hoping for. Any of this ring a bell? Now, let's talk about your Social Media Workout Plan. What's that... You don't have one? How do you expect to grow, expand your knowledge, or allow your Social Media to live a potentially longer life in general?  As I mentioned above, results take time. You won't see results in a week, probably not even two weeks. We all have our own battles in Social Media, just as we do at our local gym . Some swear they can't put on weight or muscle for the life of them. Others feel they can't lose weight no matter what workout or diet they try. The point is, each of us have certain priorities or wants from our workouts, just as we do our So...

So... the Expo, Convention, Trade Show, or Conference is over huh...so now what the heck do you do? First, get some sleep. Monday needs to be productive not nap time.  There is so much effort put into any Business Conference, Industry Convention, Trade Show or Expo, but sometimes we don't make the most of them. Why is that?     WHAT DID YOU LEARN? Throughout your trip, keep track of certain ideas, tips, and any general knowledge you feel may be beneficial to your company or more specifically, your team or department. If you see certain handouts or brochures, don't just grab one, grab a few!  CREATE A LIST OF THINGS YOU TOOK FROM THE CONFERENCE - Keynote Speakers, Workshops, New Contacts and Contact Info, etc. CREATE A LIST OF THINGS TO SHARE WITH THE OFFICE  - General Knowledge or Insight, What are we doing wrong/right, How can we improve, Let's try this, etc. NEXT YEAR - Normally the convention or expo will be held again next year. What can you do ...

A WEEK FROM NOW, THE NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT WILL HAVE THE FINAL FOUR TEAMS DECIDED. THIS GOT ME THINKING A LITTLE BIT. IF THE BEST OF THE BEST MARKETING PLATFORMS SQUARED OFF, WHO WOULD BE CUTTING DOWN THE NETS AND WHO WOULD BE SENT HOME? DIGITAL MARKETING, VISUAL MARKETING, VIDEO MARKETING, SOCIAL NETWORKING, EVEN SEARCH ENGINES...  DON'T WORRY, I'M NOT GOING TO MATCH UP TWO POTENTIAL #1 SEEDS RIGHT OFF THE BAT. THIS IS BASED ON IF YOU HAD ONE AND ONLY ONE SOURCE OF MARKETING FOR YOUR COMPANY/BRAND. WHO WOULD YOU PICK? NO GREY AREAS. JUST ONE. YOU CAN BE ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, EVEN PINTEREST, BUT NO MORE THAN ONE. AND KEEP IN MIND GOOGLE. YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU WOULD NEVER WANT TO BE FOUND ON GOOGLE? YIKES!  LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, MEET OUR DIGITAL MARKETING ELITE 8 -  Facebook                       ______  ( WINNER ) Pinterest           ...

Snapchat, Tweets, Trump , a lingering Bern   that just won't go away, and Clinton could return to the White House.  Man, I bet ole Abe and George Dub are literally rolling over in their graves as I am typing this. The 2016 Presidential Election is definitely unique, let's put it that way. Unlike past elections, Social Media has played a significant role in the election. From Facebook to Twitter , even Snapchat and Instagram have had their persuasion and benefiting moments for a majority of the candidates. Go ahead, hate on the Millennials. It's our fault that little blue bird even exists. Like this share that. But like it or not, Millennials are as involved and as tuned in as really any generation currently. The Presidential Candidates , more importantly, their campaign managers, are fully aware of this and taking advantage of that. Let's take a look at some of the key reasons why Social Media works, even in politics. BE GENUINE   Bad acting...

DO YOU EVER FEEL AS IF YOU'RE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OFTEN THESE DAYS? YOU MUST JOIN THIS GROUP. YOU MUST POST THAT PICTURE. YOU MUST DO THIS. YOU MUST DO THAT. AND THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. FACEBOOK , TWITTER , YOUTUBE, ANDROID OR I-PHONE, GOOGLE OR YAHOO. IT'S LIKE WE ARE BEING ASKED TO ENLIST IN A SOCIAL MEDIA BRANCH OF THE MILITARY. AM I RIGHT? WHAT STARTED AS A FRIENDLY BLUE BIRD AND A CATCHY THUMBS UP TO EXPRESS OUR FEELINGS OR EMOTIONS, SEEMS TO BE GETTING A LITTLE BIT PUSHY. MARKETING IS ALL AROUND US AT ALL TIMES. PICTURES, SLOGANS, ADVERTISEMENTS, ALL MADE TO PERSUADE OR ATTRACT A CERTAIN AUDIENCE TO A CERTAIN BRAND OR PRODUCT. THIS MARKETING IS COMING AT YOU FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT ANGLES - TELEVISION, RADIO, PRINT, AND ONE OF OUR NEWEST MEMBERS - SOCIAL MEDIA. IF YOU HANDLE YOUR COMPANY'S SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS, EACH DAY FEELS LIKE YOU MIGHT O-D ON TWEETS AND LIKES. IT'S OVERWHELMING. BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHICH PLATFORM...