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Young & Associates Focus
We're kicking off the fall season with the first-ever issue of The Spark, which includes Young & Associates' latest news, perspectives and helpful marketing tips.
New Client
KidDesktop, a kid-friendly Windows desktop alternative for children ages 3-7, recently joined Young & Associates for an aggressive media relations program supporting the company's national launch.
Industry Award Winners
Client Maximizer Software, a leading provider of simple, accessible customer relationship management (CRM) solutions, was recently named the winner of CRM magazine's prestigious 2008 Market Leader Awards in the SMB CRM category.
Also, we just began our third year of representing Pace Harmon, a leading outsourcing advisory and technology consulting firm. Pace Harmon was recently named one of America's fastest growing companies by Inc. magazine. |
Marketing Minute
Awards: A Way to Sway Prospects
Applying for industry awards may seem self-serving, but this type of public recognition can determine a potential client's impression of your company and often sways them to close a sale. Young & Associates offers a full scale awards program, and our clients consistently tell us that the awards we help them secure have a measurable impact on their marketing programs.
For example, issuing a news release about your newest accolade allows corporate executives to publicly announce the recognition, comment on it and provide thought leadership messages regarding your industry. In addition to submitting external awards, sponsoring your own award competition for clients and/or partners fosters relationships and can increase your company's visibility. Finally, including the award logo and press release on your company's Web site, as well as in RFP submissions, gives prospects another reason to choose your product or service.
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My Two Cents
When The Going Gets Tough, Apple Keeps Talking
by Eve Sheridan, vice president, Young & Associates 
It didn't happen overnight, but I'm a self proclaimed Apple fan. Why? Well, besides the second coming of Mac computers beginning in the late '90s, Apple knows how to communicate with its base whether the news is good or bad. In other words, they keep the dialogue flowing.
Sure, major software issues accompanied the iPhone 3G's debut. However, instead of burying its head in the sand and hoping that the media hype around the glitches would just blow over, Apple's public relations engine pushed out news updates with clear messages for repairing the problems and improving user experiences. When faced with adversity, Apple never seems to "go dark". They stand up and communicate proactively. Oh, and yes, they also follow through with the plans they've shared.
A company's reputation can become vulnerable when high-profile problems arise, but choosing to communicate through the hard times can mean the difference between keeping customers loyal for the long-term or seeing them jump ship. By applying this marketing best practice, Apple still has plenty of wind in its sails.
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