I already hear you saying, "Okay Rob, what does vintage audio have to do with marketing? Let me explain. I love high fidelity audio equipment. When I was a kid, my Dad would take me to a local stereo shop where we listened to Klipsch, B&O, Acoustic Research and other mid-level equipment, that in retrospect, was great quality. At the time, most of it was American made, long-lasting product.

Thinking I had evolved over the years, I had begun to purchase higher-end digital equipment when I happened to run across a late-70s Sansui solid-state amp for sale on Craigslist. I bought it, hooked it up to my Ohm speakers, and WOW! What a difference. I could hear parts of the music that the digital receivers couldn't produce. It offered an incredible range and depth with less power, and my speakers sounded so much better.

So, what does that have to do with marketing?

In these volatile economic times, it's easy to abandon traditional advertising and turn your focus to the digital revolution (and many of you know I am a HUGE advocate for making the shift). However, that isn't to say that you abandon all of your traditional media. Right now is the best time to take advantage of opportunities in the market like outdoor, print, radio and direct mail. Many media outlets are offering great deals to sell their stock.

Our main goal as marketers is to achieve an effective marketing mix that will reach your intended audience. As much as we love validated responses, there is also something to be said for frequency and exposure in the market. The best marketing is a cohesive plan aligned with your goals and strategies, then developed with consistent creative and placed in an intelligent mix.

Returning to my stereo analogy, I had been convinced that when it came time to buy new equipment, new would always be better than old. Perhaps in a general sense that's true, but I must admit, my stereo made me realize that there are always exceptions. And the same goes for marketing. It requires due diligence, an open mind, and a willingness to take calculated risks in the face of all the changes we're experiencing in today's marketplace. You need to make solid decisions about your media mix and understand why you've made them. If you're having trouble balancing all of it, call us!

Some of you may think of us as your web company, your e-mail marketing company, your creative design firm, or your media buyer. While we do all of this and more, we also create solid marketing strategies and manage comprehensive marketing planning and production for several companies. From meeting with representatives to making deals; from building action plans to helping you with a positioning statement, we're here to make your marketing successful and find solutions to keep you viable during this difficult time in our economy.