Is it a Man's World?

“Being a woman in the entertainment industry is hard.” “Women have to work harder to get anywhere in their careers.” “No one will take you seriously because you’re a woman.” I have been hearing things like this my whole life. In fact, just last week, a fellow Full Sail student said something similar to me. I usually shrug it off, because people really won’t take me seriously if I just try to play the “I’m a woman and I’m oppressed” card. Unfortunately, in many cases, the things people tell me are true.

Think Before You Ink

How do you express yourself? Music? Dance? Your clothing? Maybe body modifications? Many Americans express themselves through piercings and tattoos, and although some people still view them in a negative light, tattoos are gradually becoming accepted in the workplace.

Not Everyone Likes a Business Plan Part 2: How I will apply Hsu and Blakeman’s advice to my own business

In my previous post, I discussed two business experts, Will Hsu and Chuck Blakeman, and their opinions on business plans. Both explained that business plans are not necessary to build a successful business. Although I still plan to write a business plan, I found the gentlemen’s advice extremely useful.

Not Everyone Likes a Business Plan

In business school, we’re taught the importance of writing a business plan. When I was working on my bachelor’s degree, most of my classes included a final project that consisted of writing a marketing or business plan. My current master’s program also centers on creating a business plan. Most business experts will insist that it is impossible to start a new business without a plan, and investors will not touch you with a ten-foot pole if you do not give them a business plan. Contrary to what I have always been told, two successful entrepreneurs say that business plans for a startup company are a waste of time.

Marketing Superpowers

In addition to my love of marketing and the music industry, I am also a huge geek. Superheroes, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Doctor Who, Star Wars, Star Trek…if it’s something geeky, there is a pretty good chance like it. One of the items on my bucket list is to attend Comic-Con in San Diego, so I have been reading a lot of articles about the annual event, which took place last month. Not only is Comic-Con a mecca for geeks, the convention is the perfect opportunity for marketers, especially those in the entertainment industry, to promote their products.

One Item Every Businessperson Should Have

I recently stumbled upon an article on Creative Overflow about the importance of business cards. The author lists 4 main reasons everyone should have them. Business cards create a solid first impression, can be used as direct marketing tools, build a brand, and are budget-friendly. The article gives great tips on why every entrepreneur and businessperson should have business cards, but I am going to talk about how I utilized my own.

Skinvertising: The Latest Advertising Trend

What do you think is the perfect ad space? A billboard or bus? Television, radio, or website? What about a person’s leg? Most people would not think to use the last option, but advertisers in Japan are doing just that. Wit Inc, a Tokyo-based public relations firm, has started paying young women to place advertisement stickers on their thighs.

Rihanna’s “777 Tour” Is Still Getting Everyone’s Attention

Last November, Rihanna began a 7-day trek around the world. She performed seven shows in seven countries to promote her 7^th studio album, Unapologetic. She invited over 150 journalists and fans to join the tour. Can anyone guess what plane they took? If you guessed a Boeing 777, you would be correct. A documentary of the aptly titled “777 Tour” aired on May 6 on Fox, and many fans and critics are unhappy with the result.

Simple Negotiation Techniques

My dream job post-graduation is to become a tour manager. I love the idea of working with live music and traveling the world. While the job would have perks, it would also come with its share of challenges, including negotiating everything from artist riders to salaries to what time the buses have to leave the venue. Because I have no experience in negotiating, the idea of doing so on a daily basis can be pretty daunting. Fortunately, there are several resources online that can help a novice negotiator such as myself. I decided to watch videos about negotiating techniques to prepare for future negotiations. Three videos I found extremely helpful are Margaret Neale: Negotiation:Getting What You Want, William Ury:The walk from “no” to “yes,” and Negotiation in the Workplace.

Brand awareness doesn’t always equal profits

Brand awareness, according to businessdictionary.com, is the “extent to which a brand is recognized by potential customers, and is correctly associated with a particular product…is the primary goal of advertising in the early months or years of a product’s introduction.” Every company strives for it, but what good is brand awareness if the company is no longer making money?  Interbrand recently released its “Best Retail Brands” of 2013, as well as the companies that are not doing so well. The company is a business consultancy that builds brand awareness for clients by viewing brands as “valuable business assets.”

Marketing During the Madness

March is here already. It is a time that we Americans celebrate the start of spring, St. Patrick’s Day, and perhaps most notably, college basketball playoffs. The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships, better known as March Madness, has quickly grown into one of the most popular sports events in the United States. The games give marketers a huge opportunity to advertise, especially after a $10.8 billion contract between CBS and Turner Broadcasting that allows every game to be shown on CBS, TBS, TNT, and truTV. An article by Kantar Media breaks down all of the numbers over the last decade.

The Power of Marketing

One of the things I’ve been told over and over again as a student is to network. In fact, they usually tell us “network, network, network.” As a grad student in a new town 900 miles from home, that is quite a daunting task…at first. Networking, though, can be pretty simple if you go about it the right way. One way of accomplishing this goal is by joining a trade association. One of my favorites is the American Marketing Association. I was a member of the AMA during my undergraduate studies, and I think it is an extremely valuable asset to any marketer or student of marketing, advertising, or public relations.

An inspirational video for all businesspeople-Rory Sutherland: Perspective is everything

Psychology is a very significant aspect of marketing, because as a marketer, you must understand how the buyer will perceive your product and what will differentiate your product from a competitor’s in the mind of the consumer. TED.com features a video of Rory Sutherland speaking about how psychology, technology, and economics are equally important when developing an idea and making decisions. Sutherland’s Perspectiveis Everything sends a powerful message about how perception affects the success of a product or service.

Is there still room for Myspace?

Is there still room for Myspace?

Facebook is the top social media site-I think everyone can agree on that, but before Mark Zuckerberg, there was Tom. Tom was the face of the other social media site, Myspace. When I was in high school, Myspace was the only social networking site anyone really used. It was all the rage with its customizable profiles, music playlists, and no one can forget those wonderfully annoying chain posts. Then I went to college, and no one used Myspace anymore, the new place to be was Facebook. Unfortunately for Myspace, millions of users began to switch and the site suffered a huge loss in revenue. After being bought by Justin Timberlake and making some major changes, Myspace is hoping to reclaim some of its social media glory.

Spark your customers' [P]interest...

It is a widely known fact that social media has had a huge impact on the way people interact with each other and how they are exposed to companies. My current favorite social media site, Pinterest, recently made news when the site updated its terms of service to better cater to businesses. I was first introduced to Pinterest a little over a year ago, and quickly became fascinated by the site, which allows users to organize pinboards that feature pictures of home décor, fashion, gardening, and everything in between.