Manhasset Minuteman Press

Conventions are an excellent marketing and networking tool for many small to medium-sized businesses. When managed properly, conventions provide a great opportunity to attract customers, learn more about potential partners or vendors, and build a database of potential leads for the future. The largest conventions may put thousands of prospects within arms' reach of you, while smaller events offer the opportunity to mix and mingle with peers on a more intimate level. If you're considering attending a convention, you need to start planning today. Learn how to choose the right event, what you need to keep in mind when networking, the importance of your booth, and what you should aim to offer those who stop by. Once you have these details under control, you'll be ready to make a lasting impression at your big event! The Big Decision There are a huge number of conventions and conferences each year -- most likely, more than one applicable to your industry or line of b

One of most beloved sitcoms of the 1990s, Boy Meets World was a coming-of-age show about suburban kids, Cory; his best friend, Shawn; his girlfriend and future wife, Topanga; and his brother, Eric. Throughout the show, the characters faced difficulties, important life decisions, and sometimes struggled to make sense of the world around them. Like all teenagers and young adults, they looked for people they could confide in, who would help them make the right decision and correct their path when they didn't make the best choices. The characters found this in Mr. Feeny, a school teacher who also happened to be Cory's neighbor. In becoming their mentor, Mr. Feeny also had a profound effect on many people who tuned into the show each week. Although most of the people who once spent their evenings engrossed in episodes and reruns of Boy Meets World are now seasoned adults, experienced in the business world, the life lessons Mr. Feeny taught an entire generation are far from

Innovation is important for any successful marketing campaign. No company will remain on top if it continues to use outdated marketing techniques. Of course, that doesn't mean you should always look for the latest and greatest techniques. There are as many marketing schools of thought as there are marketing professionals. The key to successfully updating and innovating a marketing strategy is to find the balance between consistency and a willingness to try something new. Identifying what's already working To know when it's appropriate to change strategies and find ways to innovate, you must first evaluate how your original strategies are working. There are a variety of techniques you can use to judge the success of your marketing campaigns, including: Share of voice This is a great way to see how much 'buzz' a marketing campaign is generating. Share of voice essentially monitors how much the consumer base is discussing your company compared to the amou

As business owners, we count on experts to save us time and money. On any given day, we might consult a financial advisor to help us with a major purchase or investment strategy. Or we might hire a sales trainer to oversee the development of our sales team or the implementation of a new sales strategy. Or perhaps we might engage a management consultant to look for ways to run our companies more effectively. Whatever the need, it seems, an expert is there, ready to help. One area where expert advice can be especially helpful is your company's marketing. Consulting an expert early in the planning process can not only save you time but also help you hone your campaign so it reaches just the right audience with a message they're ready to hear. Unfortunately, trends in advertising and marketing can change at the drop of a hat. To make matters worse, what works well for one company or industry might not be right for another. Working with an expert who studies trends, yet

No business can thrive without leads to drive sales. While finding quality leads is challenging enough, maintaining and converting those leads can be even more difficult. As you think about your sales strategy for the new year, consider these ideas for keeping prospective buyers interested and active. Take Your Time Nobody wants to feel as though they're being overtly sold a particular product or pressured into making a buying decision that might not be right for them. Yet many sales reps are very quick to launch right into a sales pitch or offer quick-fix solutions without fully understanding a prospect's needs. This approach tends to turn off a lot of prospects and quickly kill leads. Instead of launching right into your sales speech, start the conversation without broaching the subject of sales at all. For example, if the lead came from a list of customers who are using an outdated software system, begin by asking how the current system is working for them. Some co

We're all connected to the businesses around us in a variety of ways: social media posts, direct mail flyers, advertisements in favorite magazines, commercials on television, and even ads pasted on the sides of buses. Many businesses, wanting to reach as wide an audience as possible, will advertise using a variety of channels. An integrated marketing campaign involves creating a clear, uniform message that will resonate across all of those channels, increasing name-recognition and driving sales. If that sounds like something your company is looking to do, here are some ways to start developing a plan. Refining the brand message Integrated marketing campaigns focus around building brand recognition. Take, for example, Apple. When someone views the Apple logo, they don't mistake it for an actual drawing of the fruit. They see the company associated with it and the crisp and clean nature of the technology it creates. The same goes for the Nike swoosh and the slogan "