|
 Please Like us on Facebook
| |
We promise to be a trusted resource! |
|
The Home Show
Looking to remodel, redecorate or just freshen up the look of your home? Then, come out to The Home Show at the Oak Brook Marriott this Saturday and Sunday from 10A-5P. The Oak Brook Marriott is located at 1401 W. 22nd St. in Oak Brook.
| 
|
|
KEY REFERRAL! |
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. |
|
|
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. |
Movin' On Up! Marketing Keys finds perfect "Carat"!
In a strategic move, Marketing Keys has announced its headquarters will be moving to the 28th floor of the 150 N. Michigan Avenue (the Diamond building or the former Stone Container building) by December 1st. Marketing Keys has been based in Northbrook since its inception in 2007. The move has many strategic advantages including being located in the heart of Chicagoland's advertising community and the ability to access Chicagoland's most talented young people."We loved our Northbrook office. I especially loved the convenience to my home," Marketing Keys President Roger Keys said. "In the long run though, I think if you are in the advertising industry and you can office right on Michigan Avenue -close to many of your media partners and many of your clients - then you should do it." One of the most iconic buildings in Chicago, 150 N. Michigan Avenue is famous for its slanted, diamond-shaped roof and is known locally as the "Adventures in Babysitting" building following its appearance in the 1987 movie. The building is one of the most recognizable buildings in Chicago. Sitting right at the corner of Millennium Park, it has some of the best views in the city. It's wide open from the southeast side of the building, and nothing will ever get built to block that view. Our hope is that even more creativity will be developed out of our office while we gaze out at the Lake and Millennium Park.
|
|
Wolves vs. Blackhawks?
 When the Chicago Wolves opened up their 19th season last Saturday vs. the Rockford Ice Hogs, it was almost like being at a Chicago Blackhawks game. First, you had longtime former Hawks National Anthem singer and current part owner of the Wolves, Wayne Messmer, singing the National Anthem. Then, you had the Rockford IceHogs (the Blackhawks minor league team) wearing uniforms very similar to the Blackhawks. Finally, you had Rockford dress (10) players out of their (20) that actually played for the Blackhawks last year including Nick Leddy, Ben Smith, Andrew Shaw and Brandon Bollig. The Chicago Wolves and Rockford IceHogs battled through 65 minutes of scoreless hockey, but the Wolves came through with the extra point in the shootout with a 1-0 win. Oh - and by the way - the attendance was very much like a NHL game - a crowd of just under 15,000 at the Allstate Arena watched the Wolves open up their season victorious. The Chicago Wolves have selected and are entering their second season having Marketing Keys help strategize, plan and negotiate their media buys. |
Is your Website Mobile?
 How does your website appear on mobile devices? The amount of time and money people are spending on mobile devices is growing rapidly and yet many businesses don't have a website optimized for mobile. First, the numbers. Mobile traffic currently makes up 10% of global Internet traffic, and next year more people will us mobile phones than PCs to get online, according to Gartner. Purchases made on mobile devices amounted to $6.7 billion in the U.S. last year, or about 8% of total online sales, and are expected to nearly double to $11.6 billion this year. U.S. mobile sales are forecast to reach $31 billion.
Despite these figures, many businesses have not yet optimized their websites for mobile, frustrating visitors with tricky navigation and slow loading times. Here's the problem. If your site isn't optimized for mobile, shoppers will go elsewhere. The majority of participants said in a recent survey that if they can't find what they are looking for on your site, they'll sooner seek out a competitor's mobile-friendly site instead of switching to a PC to revisit yours. |
An Apple a day may put Pandora in play
 Pandora may soon have some competition in the online radio business. Reports recently began surfacing that Apple might get into the Internet radio business. That would put it in direct competition with Pandora Media, the dominant online radio service. Consequently, Pandora might be on the takeover wish lists of Amazon.com, Google and Clear Channel Communications. "Because Apple is doing something, " says Richard Tullo, an analyst at Albert Fried, "that makes everybody else want to counter their move." Tullo estimates that within a year Apple could win as many as 20 million users for an online service that streams music based on customers' tastes. Pandora has 150 million users, many of whom use the service on their phones - making it appealing to Google and Amazon. Radio Station owner Clear Channel may also be interested as listeners shift to online media. Pandora represents 74 percent of online radio listening; its share of all U.S. radio has climbed to 6.3 percent from 3 percent a year ago. |
Are they full of Pepperoni or Sausage?
 We may never find out whether Barack Obama and Mitt Romney prefer sausage or pepperoni on their pizzas. Just days after Pizza Hut announced its "Pizza Party" stunt - which offered a lifetime of free pizza to any attendee at this tonight's presidential debate at Hofstra University in New York who had the gumption to ask either candidate what pie topping they preferred - it is now backtracking. Pizza Hut has announced that it is moving the toppings question online and open it up to the public. A random voter will now win the lifetime pie supply. What preceded that move was the brand being hit by an onslaught of backlash once the campaign, which was created by Pizza Hut's PR agency, Edelman's Zeno, was announced this week. The Associated Press asked if the stunt could actually ruin the debate entirely, and threaten to anger viewers who expect the proceedings to revolve around more pertinent matters like health care and the economy. In short, there were was an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the stunt, but at the same time, Pizza Hut managed to garner a wealth of press in the span of a few day. This stunt reminded me of a stunt that my radio station - WOVV in West Palm Beach - did during my early days working in radio. Today Show Weatherman Willard Scott was down in West Palm Beach for the Palm Beach County Fair and he was doing his Weather Reports from there for The Today Show . The radio station offered $1,000 to whomever can be the first one to hold up a WOVV bumper sticker in the background of Willard Scott's forecast . A young man in his late teens or early 20s actually bumped into Willard Scott on camera while holding up the bumper sticker and scared the weatherman to death. Although the event got some publicity, the radio station had to apologize for causing Scott to almost have a heart attack on the air. |
PAGE THROUGH THESE TITLES! 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.
Microbranding: Build a Powerful Personal Brand, by T. Scott Gross: One of the best small business branding books written. Easy to understand and follow. Consumerology: The Market Research Myth, the Truth About Consumers, and the Psychology of Shopping by Philip Graves: Important insights on how customers make decisions. You will adjust your product offering after reading this book. Advertising Secrets of the Written Word: by Joe Sugarman From the man who brought you BluBlocker sunglasses, this is a gold mine of copywriting tips and techniques. The Myth of Excellence: Why Great Companies Never Try to Be the Best at Everything by Fred Crawford and Ryan Matthews Maybe the most important book a new entrepreneur can read. Dispels the notion that you have to be good at everything. One of my favorite "unknown" books |
Tweet of the Month.
| MarketingKeys Roger Keys
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
|
|
|
