This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2025 the theme is a random assemblage of things that are on my mind--or that just pop into my mind. Whatever! Let's just say I'll be "Tossing It Out" for your entertainment or however it is you perceive these things.
Showing posts with label Product placement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Product placement. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Visibility

NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at Texas Mot...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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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

This Post Is a Promotion and Contains Product Placement

          This will be my last regular post on Tossing It Out before the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge begins on Sunday April 1st.   During the month of April, I will be posting daily except for the Sundays after this coming Sunday.   Like many participants I've decided to go with a theme for the Challenge. I'll get to that theme in a moment, but first I wanted to clarify my opening statement.

       
        There will be a post on my blog this Friday as I provide my contribution to Spunk on a Stick's  Sad Songs Blogfest.  So it's a special post because it's part of a blogfest and it's exactly the type of thing I can't resist.  Anything to do with naming songs or anything like that is something I enjoy immensely.   So when I saw that Diane was doing the Sad Songs Blogfest I didn't have to even think about it.  

          The preceding was kind of an example of product placement even if not the best example.  The product was Spunk on a Stick's Sad Songs Blogfest and I've managed to put it in this post announcing my April theme in part because product placement relates to my April theme.  Also I want everyone to come back to read my Friday post and, if you're so inclined,  to join us in Spunk on a Stick's Sad Songs Blogfest.

My April Challenge Theme

         Most of you who follow Tossing It Out probably are aware that I am interested in the topic of marketing.   In fact, in February I had put up a post about Product Placement with the intent of making it the first in a series of posts about the topic of Marketing.  There is still more in that topic thread that I want to address and this is partly where the A to Z Challenge posts will come into play.

        For the Challenge my theme will be Marketing A to Z.  My 26 short posts will address various topics related to Marketing and Promotion.  I will try to keep it general so that I don't focus too much detail on any one aspect of the subject.  What I want to present is a general overview of the topic that might stimulate some thought on what marketing is and dispel any thoughts that marketing is bad or a "necessary evil".

        If you're thinking "I don't have anything to sell" or "I have no need in my life for marketing", then I'd like for you to look at this another way.  We are all marketing ourselves in one way or another.  Whether it be in dating or finding a mate, making friends or settling differences, we are selling personalities and principles in an effort to fulfill personal needs and wants.  When you go to interview for a job or try to get accepted to a university program you are marketing yourself and your talents.   We use marketing techniques on a daily basis whether we realize it or not.

         Hopefully my April series will present baby bites of some food for thought that will be good for you.  I hope you will bear with me and check out a few of my marketing snacks and offer a few thoughts of your own.

         Also, each day I'll be featuring a blog from the A to Z list that corresponds with the letter of the day.  Let me know if you would like yours to be considered.  If I haven't filled that day yet, I'll consider featuring your blog.   Let me know in the comments if you have a blog to recommend.

          See you on Friday for the Sad Songs Blogfest.   Are you going to participate in the Sad Songs Blogfest?    Are you ready for the A to Z Challenge?         



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Monday, February 27, 2012

Just Rambling -- #atozchallenge

English: 1965 Ranbler Classic 660 station wago...Image via Wikipedia



      In the mid-1960s my parents bought a Rambler station wagon.  It caught fire somewhere outside Pulaski, Virginia.

      Actually there was only a tiny bit of fire inside the engine when it overheated as we climbed up the mountain after exiting off Interstate 81 because the gauge was registering a high temperature.  The car didn't really catch fire, but it makes for a good story to tell it that way.  This story is always good for some laughs at family gatherings.

      This has nothing to do with my post today.  I only used this thought because I used the word "rambling" in my title and had a flash of word association.  This concept of making associations is something I'll be blogging about in the future.  How can anyone say they can't come up with something to write about?  Or is it more of a case of having so much to write about that you don't quite know where to start?

     Today I'm just killing some time with this post.  In the future I'll be putting up a post about the topic of "killing time"--somehow that post keeps getting postponed.  I kind of hate it when I have to pone my posts, but these new ideas keep interrupting my schedule.  And since I have a special post scheduled for tomorrow, I thought maybe I'd just blabber today.

     And speaking of blabbering:

Follow me on Twitter logo                    Image via WikipediaI am now on Twitter!  Please follow me @ArleeBird

 

       
         As the cheering subsides, I will continue.   This was destined to happen.  I began playing with Twitter this past Saturday on the A to Z Challenge Twitter account.   Then when I started getting a bit out of hand with my tweets about "Federal Duck" I knew it was time to take the conversation to my own Twitter site.

       So now you can get updates on "Federal Duck" and all sorts of other inanities and nonsensical wise quacks on my own personal Twitter site--that is unless the Twitter folks decide to kick me out of the aviary for my palavering.  And from what I've seen on Twitter so far I'm probably in no danger.  After all, an Arlee Bird needs to Twitter.

       Yes, this Federal Duck thing is going somewhere.  Some of you might hope it will be going far away and if so, you will be getting your wish.  Be sure to check this week's edition of A Faraway View, another blog that many of you probably don't I have.  How's that for some product placement?

        Speaking of product placement, I'm not done with that topic yet.  I've still got more posts to come on that topic, marketing, advertising, and all sorts of capitalistic fun.  Consider this mention today an advertisement of things to come when I'm not getting sidetracked with other topics.

        So like I was saying, this coming Wednesday on this blog--Tossing It Out--I will be putting in a few words about Twitter. It will be more than 140 words you can rest assured, but I'll try to keep it relatively short.

        Here's my goal:  I want to learn about this Twitter thing.  I'll be tossing out my thoughts on it and looking for some education tossed back to me from you Twitter experts.  And I'm sure that even those of you who don't give a whit about how to twit can offer some valuable insight.

       But I'm stealing my own thunder.  Come back Wednesday for that story because I hear the sound of a nearer storm approaching.  Could it be a CassaStorm?   No, that's coming later.  The roar of revelry I hear in the near future is the sound of the party tomorrow for Alex J. Cavanaugh's Catch Fire CassaFire release party.  Are you ready to feel the burn of a hot new best seller from Alex?

       Join us tomorrow as the Blogoverse erupts when Alex makes his grand re-entry into the sci-fi scene.  Are you ready to party?

        And do not--I repeat, do not--forget to sign up for the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.  Tell your friends, enemies, family, and family who are enemies to get on board with us as we strive to achieve the amazing feat of 1000 by this Thursday March 1st.

        Then we'll talk about April 1st.

         Oh, and one more thing.  Be sure to stop by Yvonne's blog Welcome to My World of Poetry as she versifies the visit we had with one another.  Thank you for your sweet words, Yvonne.

     
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Is Product Placement Selling Out?

 
English: Sign “ Coca-Cola ” in the mountains o...Image via Wikipedia
       It has not been unknown for authors to write products or corporate concepts into their works in return for something else.  Movies and TV do this all the time.  It's not a coincidence that the judges on American Idol are all drinking out of Coca-Cola cups.

        What about writing?  Is it okay to sell promotional considerations--or advertising if you will--to make extra money from your written product?   If when you were ready to write your next book, some business entity offered you a thousand dollars to place product into your story would you do it?  What about ten thousand dollars?  Fifty?  What is your breaking point?  Some authors have made some good money doing this.  Would you do it?

        What if the placement included something in the cover art work?   Let's say that a top notch artist would be doing the cover of your book and it would look really good.  And you were going to be paid a nice sum to allow product to appear on your cover.   Would it belittle the writing to accept?

       What if your publisher's terms required you to accept product placement that they were paid for and not you?  But--they guaranteed you huge sales?  Or they at least offered you distribution?   Does this seem kind of tacky to you or just business?

         I don't know if this is still a practice, but I can recall seeing books with advertising in the center of the book--kind of a commercial break between parts.  Would it bother you if your book was manufactured like that?

         This is part of my interest in marketing versus art.   Is the integrity of art sullied by commercial connections?   Why or why not?

          What is better having a wealthy patron fund you?  Or getting funded by government grants?   If you had the opportunity, would you quit your job to receive the same pay and benefits in order to write full time?  Dream job or scary offer?

           Just tossing it out to you.   Now play along and toss it back.



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