Now is the time to crank up your marketing efforts. The ONLY way to work (which is the key word here) our way out of a down cycle is to increase marketing efforts for your business This will help threefold: (1) You will get more leads into your sales pipeline, (2) You will enhance your relationship with your existing clients, and (3) You will refocus on defining your “REAL” value-add and develop ways to maximize their value in the minds of your audience. Therefore, you will have the opportunity to expand your business into new accounts/.markets or you get more business (share of wallet) from you existing clients. I know that this is all easier said than done, but we all have to try if we want to grow now.

Magicomm is doing it by enhancing our web site landing page (if this is the first time you visited, you won’t know this) and we are “beefing” up our demo platforms, interactivity, and high value content such as samples and case studies. We have some pretty good stories that we are going to share. You will see many changes over of the next couple months. It’s a rolling effort, because we have more ideas then resources and we still have to continue to service our existing clients to “keep the lights on.” Additionally, we are evaluating new markets, products, and services that we can “quickly” expand our business with. Opportunities are everywhere, just sometimes they are not out in the open.

It’s easy to cut marketing budgets to save costs. The proof of that thought process is everywhere around us. But maybe we should look at the competitive and economic environment around us to find where growth exists. It does exist, you know. Learn how marketing techniques and tools have changed. The “traditional” ways of marketing are being challenged. The shift is towards leveraging the internet (web site, email, and personalized url’s), integrating the web with print and communicating more relevantly. Databases, personalized communications, social media strategies, and the ability to have measurable results are becoming increasingly important. Real time feedback to our prospects and them having “instant” access to information has high value. Time IS money. Cross media marketing strategies, including use of viral techniques, are coming to the forefront in our marketing thought process. Mass marketing is becoming less important. Finding the right person and communicating with them in the way they want is the game we are in now. The consumer of the information is increasingly able to control the conversation with corporations. It’s becoming more of a “pull” communication process than a push the message out to them process. Deal with this new reality. Don’t delay.

The sands are shifting and we cannot deny it! Why would we (The truth is a defense)? It’s summer time and it’s fun to play in the sand and the sun (equating sun with new business opportunities…I wanted to make sure that you got that connection. LOL). It’s more fun trying to grow business than it is trying to cut costs to profitability (or oblivion?). Don’t be a stay at home couch potato when all the fun is outside. Come on in and join the fun. What’s the worse that can happen? Getting a sunburn? That doesn’t seem so bad, now does it?

The biggest issue that we ran into during installation was the compaibility with the audio chip (which we needed for the interactive video message) on the mother board and Windows Server 2003 (which is a requirement for installation of a Pageflex Server). After much discussion, research, and “googling” we determined the audio chip and the Windows Server software was not going to play nice with each other. So be it…brought in a Windows XP machine, set up as client to server (which we should have thought of sooner), and viola…Sound was happening on our interaction video messaging component.

Link for this cross media demo will be posted soon, once we complete installing and testing the server (and application) here at Magicomm. I think that you will enjoy the video component.

Final thoughts….Drupa was good, ink jet was everwhere, On demand apps were “cost of doing business”, worked with many dedicated people, and learned lots about servers and networks. Got a chance to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Had several members of the “Wurst” family of meats during my meals. How could I be so lucky? Inquiring minds would like to know…or maybe not.

Every time we get to this point with a project (putting the final parts together for release), it becomes a “frenzy”. Magicomm was hired by Canon Europe to design and program an interactive cross media demo for their booth at Drupa, which opens May 29th in Dusseldorf, Germany. We included VDP print, customized emails, Personalized URL (PURL), and an interactive video. The interesting thing about this one is that there is NO database to start with. Part of the objective for the project is to gather prospect info as they get their demo in the Canon booth.

With this many moving parts and different media that is being used, it is challenging to move fast as the revisions to the components are implemented and reviewed with the customer. We have done a pretty good job on this one so far, considering we are working with four companies, including Canon, at four different locations (three countries, and two states in the US) with approximately 15 individuals working on the project. We use a project management product called Basecamp (by 37signals) that has really helped in the communication and organization of the project. It is a web-based platform that includes project management and asset management functionality. This was critical in helping us keep up with everyone’s comments and the ongoing revisions of the various components of the project.

I leave on a plane on Monday (Memorial Day in the US, which has caused a little stress at home as you can imagine) for Germany and we are still updating the files. But, this final frenzy is the FUN PART! This is where you see it all come together and the fruits of your labor are exposed. It’s glorious when the vision becomes a reality! It’s a little scary at the same time, because you end up getting feedback and then you think of how it can be improved, but you have to control your natural impulse to keep changing things. It’s only software, how hard can it be? When you hear that phase, a cold chill should run up your spine if you are the project manager, because you are now entering the “Never Ending Valley of Change”, which can kill a project. Now is the time to wrap it up, confirm that you have a solid technical structure, and that the creative direction has fulfilled the promise of the experience. Now the true test of a campaign/project is revealed. It’s sink or swim time!

Have to leave now to finish my pre-trip routine and review the project for a final time before I get on the plane. If you at are Drupa, stop by the Canon booth at the Cross Media Station and check out what we designed. We hope that you will enjoy the experience and will let us know your thoughts. There’s always opportunity to improve it…After all, it’s only software, how hard can it be?