Google to buy Yahoo?

Do you know a Business Owner or Marketing Director that would be open to new strategies and ideas to reach your customers through an everchanging media landscape? If so, please forward our newsletter to them. Many of our clients have come to us through your kind introductions to your friends and business associates. In return, please let us know how we can help in terms of referring business back to you! roger@marketingkeys.com.

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Greetings!

Welcome to the October issue of Key Notes - Marketing Keys' monthly newsletter. Our goal is for you to be informed and entertained with the latest media and marketing happenings quickly and efficiently.

The Chicago Wolves add Marketing Keys to their 2011-12 and 2012-13 Schedule!

The Chicago Wolves and Marketing Keys have "teamed up"! Marketing Keys welcomes the Wolves to our Small Shop with Big Ideas. The Chicago Wolves opened their home season on Saturday October, 15th at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL. The four-time league champions Chicago Wolves Hockey team is a member of the American Hockey League and has never had a losing season! Marketing Keys is excited to become a partner of this winning franchise that has placed a lot of smiles on the faces of Chicagoland families since 1994. In this tough economy, it's refreshing to know that ticket prices start at a family friendly price of $9. Marketing Keys will be handling all the Media Planning and Placement for the Wolves for the next (2) seasons with our "goal" of being on the schedule for many seasons beyond that!

New Advertising Strategy:
Get Customers to PARTICIPATE with Message

In the Madmen days of advertising, there was one goal in mind: your message must get your customers to buy right then and there. QR2

Today, making a purchase is just one action we want from a consumer. After seeing an ad, someone might type in a URL, pass the ad on, join a Facebook page, scan a QR code, send an SMS, download a mobile coupon and so on. In today's environment, where you can give the consumer the option of participating in your message on his/her own terms, the traditional model of advertising - Awareness, Interest, Desire, then Action - is getting flipped around. If you can motivate a consumer to become a participant, your message will be even more powerful. Participating consumers are less likely to feel that the message has been forced upon them. This can reduce their resistance and enhance their motivation. Also, consumers strive to have their thoughts, feelings and actions aligned. As consumers take action, the likelihood increases that they will change their thoughts and feelings to go along with the action.

Outdoor Company gets into App Business!

Lamar Advertising, an Outdoor Advertising company, is taking their highway billboards and road signs a step further. Lamar recently unveiled RoadNinja, a location-trolling app that identifies restaurants, hotels, gas stations and more at every exit on the Interstate. Lamar CEO Sean Reilly calls the app a "must-have for road trips" because it allows drivers to see "what's available at any exit - even if it's 3,000 miles ahead." The free app, available initially for the iPhone and coming soon to the Android, will also deliver location-specific promotions. Businesses will be able to offer special offers etc. to highway drivers through the app. to stimulate immediate response. If you're a business advertising with Lamar, your business will be able to participate in featured promotions at no extra charge. If you're interested in this program, please contact your Marketing Keys rep.

Google and Yahoo to become monopoly?

Google has talked to at least two private-equity firms about potentially helping them finance a deal to buy Yahoo Inc's core business. Any deal tying two of the biggest Internet companies would definately get some antitrust attention. Back in 2008, federal antitrust lawyers thwarted a Web-Search advertising partnership between the companies. About a year later, Yahoo signed a 10-year search partnership with Microsoft. Yahoo fired CEO Carol Bartz in September and has been shopping itself to potential buyers. Yahoo's revenue remains stagnant even though the Internet Ad market grows by 20% annually.

ESSENTIAL READING LIST FOR MARKETERS

Business books can be really helpful in learning more about branding, marketing and advertising. If you have a little extra time or are looking for some useful information here are a few books that come highly recommended.

The Marketing Imagination, by Theodore Levitt: Levitt who was a professor at Harvard Business School makes the concepts of marketing and "why people buy" really come alive in this book.

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, by Jack Trout and Al Ries: This book is an easy and quick read that offers simple yet important branding facts.

A Technique for Producing Ideas, by James Webb Young: This booklet is an invaluable aid in generating ideas of any kind. It presents how the process of creativity works and steps for developing innovative products, services and ideas.

Tweet of the Month.
MarketingKeys Roger Keys Just in time for flu season, Sickweather will forecast sickness symptoms in your area. Follow us on Twitter

Until next month, may all of your marketing dreams and goals
come true! And - if they don't - we are here to help.

Sincerely,

ROGER KEYS
MARKETING KEYS