Visibility

NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at Texas Motor Speedway. That's Kyle Petty in the background. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If They Can't See You, Nobody Knows You're There

           Marketing is all about getting noticed.  You and your product need visibility.  In grocery stores product vendors will pay premium prices and make special deals to obtain coveted eye level positioning.  Next time you're at the supermarket make note of the items that are typically on the bottom shelves--store brands and lesser known products.  And have you noticed some of the catchy new displays companies like Campbell's Soups are installing in the stores.  They're practical from the standpoint of the retailer and they grab the attention of the consumers.  Product packaging and displays are key elements of catching the eyes of the shopper.

          Store and mall design has become a marketing science focused on getting consumers in the mood to buy things.   Everywhere we are bombarded with billboards, signs, print ads, television commercials, and many other media advertising methods.  Companies sponsor big events like sports tournaments and special interest festivals.   Corporate names and logos are nearly everyplace we go.  Does it work?  Ask the marketing departments of McDonald's, Budweiser, or Ford.   These companies know a thing or two about consumer psychology.

You don't always need big money to get noticed

           Not many of us have a huge marketing budget that will allow us to secure the same kind of exposure as these corporate entities.  However there are still ways that we can become more visible in the public eye.  If we do have an advertising budget we should be sure to use it to gain maximum exposure.  As much as possible we need to look for as many free opportunities to be seen as we can find.

           Public appearances are some of the best ways to get noticed.   If you are interested in public speaking, you can start by volunteering to speak before clubs and schools groups.  When you have established a reputation as a speaker you can even get paid for doing it.

           If you are not so inclined to get up in front of an audience you can still participate in events by volunteering to be on judging panels, helping to coordinate, working as event staff, or whatever the need may be.  You may even end up getting your name listed in a program or some kind of event literature.  Most importantly you will be networking and become more visible to your peers and gain learning opportunities.

          Giving your time and becoming involved in the right places with the right people can be advertising gold in your future.  Choosing wisely in what you do is like an investment in your future.  Getting your name circulating will give you better brand recognition so that when your product goes to market people will be more apt to remember you.

Some Visible Bloggers:

Arthur Brill's Main Street Arts blog is relatively new though Arthur is not a stranger to blogging.  He caught my attention in his commenting and it seemed like I started seeing him everywhere.  He knows a thing or two about the topics of promoting and has been delving into some of the same topics as I have in this year's A to Z Challenge.  Go over and check him out.  His blog is worth following.

Among the bloggers who are highly visible in my comment section and perhaps yours is Lynn Proctor from the blog My Life as Lynn Proctor.   Thank you Lynn for being visible to me nearly every day during this Challenge, not only on two of my blogs but on many other blogs as well.

A blog for the V's is Blue Velvet Vincent.  Who would have thought to create a blog dedicated to Vincent D'Onofrio?   Bev did and she's got this guy covered and manages to make it interesting.


Tomorrow I'll be continuing with the topic of visibility as it relates to Web Presence.   Aside from online presence, what are some things you have done to increase your own visibility?   Authors, how have you best managed to get the word out about your books?

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