Think KAI

Four Singing Penguins...

2011-12-28T07:48:00.001-08:00

Today is the fourth day of Christmas. According to the popular English Christmas carol "Twelve Days of Christmas", the gift recipient would be receiving four colly birds. [Yes, colly birds, not calling birds, as is commonly sung]. Colly birds are European blackbirds (or crows), which were a delicacy in Medieval times. Not so today. Can you imagine someone offering you a gift of crows? So, I am giving myself permission to re-write the verse--instead of colly birds... singing penguins (smile).

As we approach a new year I am also giving myself permission to re-write other things that need to be changed, or at least updated--like the way I prioritize, reviewing our client base, updating my skill set, refreshing my perspective on down-time.

Give yourself permission to re-write some things in the new year too. Consider these as a start:
- review your business practices to ensure they are serving your company efficiently
- revisit your existing commitments and if they are the best use of your time and resources
- refresh your ways of communication (ex. practice active listening, or allow yourself a "cooling off" period before responding verbally or via email to situation, or work toward conveying your ideas more clearly)
- re-visit your time budget to allow time to volunteer or serve as a mentor

Go ahead, re-write your own lyrics, sing a new song. All together now... four singing penguins, three French hens, two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.

We Appreciate You!

2011-12-28T06:14:00.000-08:00

The team at KAI Strategic Marketing Group is truly thankful for our relationship with you. What an incredible journey we’ve had together—full of positive change and growth experiences. We expect even more growth this upcoming year as we make more
positive changes.

Beginning in 2012 KAI will no longer be providing strategic marketing services to small and mid-sized companies. We will begin shifting our target to corporate marketing management and implementation. We will, however, continue to provide valuable informational marketing resources through our online presence; so please stay connected to us.

It has truly been an honor to serve you and work with you, and we wish you all the best as you continue to thrive. The future is going to be awesome for all of us!

Christmas and New Year’s Campaign Checklist

2010-12-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

With Christmas being just a few days away we wanted to give you a final quick checklist for your holiday campaigns:

• Create and post messages to your social media accounts that not only promote your products/services, but spread well-wishes to your clients
• Send Christmas cards by Monday, Dec 20th or Happy New Year cards by Monday, Dec 27th to selected valued customers
• Send a Happy New Year email blast to your entire database on Wednesday, Dec. 29th
• Give a small token to your vendors whom you can't live without - mail carrier, print shop specialist, coffeeshop barista by Friday, Dec. 24th
• Make a donation to a charity in the name of your clients and send a notice telling them what you did. It's a very meaningful gift that you can give anytime.

Marketing Quick Tip
If you are running a holiday sale or special promotion, in addition to adding it to your social media sites, be sure to add a short, descriptive "buzz" sentence about it to your company email signature, voicemail message, and invoices.

And, remember, to take a breath and enjoy the special moments that the holidays bring.

It's Time to Deck the Halls (re-visited)

2010-10-27T18:04:00.000-07:00

(This is re-post from last year. The tips are still fresh and valuable.)

Well, as Halloween comes and goes, stores are already putting out Christmas decorations. Yes, it's hard to believe that the holidays are just around the corner. And, if you haven't already started planning your holiday marketing campaign, now is the time.

But, before you run out and deck the halls with marketing messages remember: holiday campaigns must be integrated with your overall marketing strategy. They must have clear goals, objectives, target audience, and must stay consistent with your overall brand promise. A focused plan can help your company generate sales, increase awareness about your product/service, and show appreciation to your existing customers, employees and partners.

If your campaign will rely on heavy email-marketing, the right time to start will depend on what product or service you are offering, to whom, and when they are likely to buy it. Restaurants may want to begin now in promoting holiday parties and gift cards, while last-minute gift retailers should wait until the beginning of December. Internet marketing expert Paula Skaper encourages that your email campaigns allow enough time for readers to receive the promotion, respond and receive delivery of their products/services on time for Christmas (click here for full article).

In her article 10 Tips for Designing Your Holiday Email Campaign, Karen Scharf further suggests to segment your merchandise and mailing lists to make shopping easier, such as Gifts for Men, Gifts for Children, etc. Or if you are a service-based company, segment by market--Specials for Retailers, Specials for B2B Companies. "There is so much competition for the in basket at this time of year, don't waste your customers' time with promotions that are irrelevant to their shopping habits."

Because I'm big on the personal touch, consider investing in a small postage budget and mail a gift card or coupon to selected loyal clients and customers. It's a good way to say "thank you" and generate business.

Bottom line: start planning now for happy holidays. Waiting until Thanksgiving will be a little late and will have you and your team scrambling at the last minute--and there is nothing happy about that.

Click here for more holiday marketing tips.

On the Personal Side: Commit NOT to Over-Commit

2010-10-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

(On The Personal Side are rare personal entries by the owner of this business journal blog. We hope the insights here have value for your life.)

Well, this week marks two months since my surgery that I was so excited about having. What was supposed to be a 5-day recovery turned out to be a 2-month ordeal of complications and after-effects (some very serious). So much so that one of my doctor friends said that if I had gone through this 20 years ago, I would not have made it. While I didn’t know the medical implications, I did know that the combination of infection, fibroids tumors breaking down, dehydration, menstruation, vomiting, and excruciating pain was horrible.

So, I am certainly grateful for the miracles of modern medicine, but I know that it was the effectual prayers of the righteous that truly availed much on my behalf (James 5:16b). Now, my infection is cleared, blood pressure is great, hemoglobin levels are good, food is staying down, and pain is manageable—all opposites of where I was 3 weeks ago. I continue to work on my stamina. I still get tired easily, especially while talking. So, thank you for your patience with me if I’ve not yet responded to your caring phone calls. I do check all of my messages and soooo appreciate them. I also check my email and respond to those a little quicker. I love, love, love, love, love all of you so much.

I am starting light duty this week with the expectation that I will be strong enough to return to normal duty the 1st week of November… But, a word about that “returning to normal duty”--I learned something during this journey back to health.

While my healing process has been a painful and draining one, it’s not been all bad. I’ve seen many good movies, read good books, experienced my husband as a good caretaker, enjoyed my dog, seen my parents twice (to help take care of me, my good caretaker husband, and my dog), re-discovered my love for old-fashioned letter writing, and learned Il bel far niente--the beauty of doing nothing (as taken from the lesson learned in Italy by Elizabeth Gilbert in Eat, Pray, Love—one of the good books I read.)

There were so many days that all I could do was stare at the sky that I began to appreciate the value of doing so—(I mean doing so when I am not in excruciating pain and on heavy, street-value drugs). That’s something I rarely ever allow myself to do. Between working 14+ hour days with various large and small clients; and maintaining a house, healthy marriage, and an over-active dog, taking/making downtime was a luxury I couldn’t afford. So, during the last 2 months, in between doses of medicine and all the after-effects that I mentioned, I had a few days that I felt well enough to do nothing but read a few pages of a book without the weight of all my other responsibilities, and I liked it.

Excited about my new Il bel far niente discovery, I sent my friend Melanie a text message to tell her. She kindly noted that I actually wasn’t doing nothing, because I was reading the book and texting her. So, OK, maybe doing nothing is a stretch, but the art of doing less-things-than-I-normally-do is what I am seeking. Or, as my other friend Kay said, “maybe just try to do two things, instead of your normal 20.”

I think that is doable. Strangely, it helps that right now two things is about all I can manage; but I do expect to gradually restore my stamina back to a normal level and I want to be intentional about not restoring my activity to a normal level. I confess it was a bit much, even for me. I also confess that, while it sounds noble to lighten my load, I know it won’t be easy. It means making some hard and sometimes unpopular choices. But I’ve got to do it—for my health, for my sanity, and for my longevity.

So, I’m making a commitment NOT TO OVER-COMMIT, and I’m asking all of you to help hold me accountable. What do you need to commit to?

New Season, New Look

2010-03-23T21:08:00.000-07:00

In honor of our favorite season, we are springing forward with a new logo. This new look dones a natural color palette, and organic feel, which parallels our strategic and creative process. Our marketing process is flexible and natural, which helps us develop unique marketing tactics for our clients that fit together into a unified, organic whole.

Let us know what you think...

News from the KAI Team

2010-03-11T20:44:00.000-08:00

Committed to its mission of pursuing excellence, thinking bigger, reaching father and being more, KAI has great news to share:

New public relations intern Laura Allen is a graduating senior, English major from Spelman College. A native of New York, Laura is interested in a full-time career in public relations.

New project manager Art Bower has extensive experience in marketing communications, strategic planning and marketing program integration. He has led account service departments at multi-national advertising agencies, served as president of the American Advertising Federation-Houston, and been a media spokesperson.

Our president Kimberlee Scott has been selected to join a team focused on a new initiative with Grady Health System that will work to increase the awareness of eight neighborhood health centers in the community. Kimberlee will use her skills in needs assessment, public relations and community outreach to help reach specific measurable goals of the 1-year+ grant-funded initiative.

Let us know what's new with you...

The Personal Touch

2010-03-03T06:09:00.000-08:00

Here at KAI, we believe that the personal touch is one of the most important factors in strategic marketing. We encourage our clients to develop genuine relationships with their customers. This month, we want to focus on relationship wellness and explore ways that you can maintain healthy relationships with your clients, business partners and target audiences in ways that will make you noticeable and favorable.

Personal gestures do not have to be elaborate and extraordinary feats. In fact, the simplest ideas are usually the most effective and genuine ways to improve relationships with those who interact with your business. For example, periodic phone calls and face to face visits will surely stand out in this technology-driven era. E-mail is certainly a wonderful tool to use but never underestimate the power of your voice and your presence.

Another great way to maintain healthy relationships is to consider your clients, business partners and target audiences around holiday seasons. Though it is tempting to only consider this option during the fourth quarter with your annual holiday campaigns, you will certainly make a lasting impression if you consider other holidays like Independence Day and Thanksgiving. Also, sending a card or a small gift to one of your business partners on their business anniversary will certainly improve rapport.

Do some research on national and personal holidays and observances that relate to your clients and target audience, and build ideas from there. When others know that you have their business in mind, they will certainly keep yours in mind. This can only lead to a prosperous and healthy business relationship!

Just Say "NO"!

2010-02-03T06:17:00.000-08:00

As January draws to a close, most businesses have begun diving into their strategic marketing plan. While these new plans can bring much excitement and motivation to move quickly, it is important to consider your approach carefully. A big part of keeping yourself and your businesses healthy, is knowing when to say “no” to requests and projects that you know you will not be able to handle.

Saying “no” can certainly be a difficult task, especially when we truly desire to do the task. However, proper assessment of your company’s resources and the task being asked of you will make you more confident about your decision if you have to say no. Here are a few strategic tips to ensure the process goes smoothly:

1.) Think of what you can do first. Although you may not able to take on the full project, there may be a smaller set of tasks that you can assist with.

2.) Be firm. Whether you have to say no to all or some of the project, stand solid on your answer. Let your clients know that you have thoroughly considered all of your company's time and resources, but you will not be able to committ at this time.

3.) Direct clients toward additional resources to help them accomplish their goals. This will help continue to position you as their problem solver.

4.) Follow up. Make a note to check on their progress within a few weeks. Reiterate that you care about their success and that they can still depend on you.

Let's face it, no one wants to send business away, but sometimes it could actually be better for your bottom line. And, while it may be a temporary inconvenience for your clients, in the end they will appreciate your honesty and desire to see them succeed. They should not hesitate to request your services the next time.

New Ideas for the New Year

2009-12-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

With 2010 less than two weeks away, many companies are shifting their focus to plans on how they can be bigger and better for the next year. This may involve the introduction of new ideas, new products, new services and most importantly, new brands. During all of the exciting planning sessions filled with innovative ideas that you have probably had in mind for awhile, don’t forget to inform your customers and target audience of your changes.

Imagine getting ready to order your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant only to find that it is not there anymore. Or even worse, if you were to walk into your favorite store and everything has been rearranged. You would probably feel frustrated and a little out of the loop. Basically, people are not excited over changes unless they are informed about the change and how it benefits them. This idea certainly carries over into the business world. The reputation that your company has with the public should be one of the most treasured relationships of your business. Informing them of company changes is essential to your marketing strategy. If implemented correctly, your customers and target audience will feel that they are of great value to your company, which they should be.

If changes are ongoing, be sure to update them on progress through newsletters and blogs. If there is a major change, press releases are great ways to communicate the details and show how the changes will benefit customers just as much as they benefit the business. Often times, companies may choose to remove a product or service to make room for improvements. Make sure that that customers are aware of this removal while simultaneously informing them about how great the new products and services may benefit them.

Before you begin to inform customers about changes, make sure you have done some reflecting and solid assessing of the past year. Business strategist, Rick Meekins offers four great suggestions on how to approach the New Year:

Start with thinking about what you are thankful for.
Look at what you planned to accomplish last year versus what happened last year. This will help you to be able to make a good assessment.
Use the results as a baseline to start planning. Spend the next month or so collecting and writing down thoughts and ideas for the next year such as; where you’d like to speak, who you'd like to meet, new services or partnerships, etc.
Next, do a business assessment. This will include a SWOT analysis, a competitive analysis and a gap analysis. You need to know where your business sits and what changes or additions you must make.

Adhering to these suggestions will help you gain the confidence and motivation you need to discuss your new plans with business partners and customers alike. To read more on Rick Meekin’s New Year suggestions, be sure to visit his blog at:

http://www.aepiphanni.com/Stroke_of_Brilliance/Stroke_of_Brilliance_1109.aspx

So as you enter the New Year, be sure to spend the right amount of time on yourself, your business, and continue keep your customers informed. After all they are the ones that help to drive your business and your brand!

Give your small business a gift for the new year!

2009-12-09T13:59:00.000-08:00

Purchase a marketing service package from our new KAI Express Menu for Small Businesses, starting as low as $225, for a limited time only.

Call us today to schedule your Discovery Session, and click here to see your menu choices!

It's Time to Deck the Halls

2009-10-08T03:16:00.000-07:00

Well, it is still the beginning of Fall, and stores are already putting out Christmas decorations. Yes, it's hard to believe that the holidays are just around the corner. And, if you haven't already started planning your holiday marketing campaign, now is the time.

But, before you run out and deck the halls with marketing messages remember: holiday campaigns must be integrated with your overall marketing strategy. They must have clear goals, objectives, target audience, and must stay consistent with your overall brand promise. A focused plan can help your company generate sales, increase awareness about your product/service, and show appreciation to your existing customers, employees and partners.

If your campaign will rely on heavy email-marketing, the right time to start will depend on what product or service you are offering, to whom, and when they are likely to buy it. Restaurants may want to begin now in promoting holiday parties and gift cards, while last-minute gift retailers should wait until the beginning of December. Internet marketing expert Paula Skaper encourages that your email campaigns allow enough time for readers to receive the promotion, respond and receive delivery of their products/serivces on time for Christmas (click here for full article).

Click here for more holiday marketing tips.

New Name, New Services, Same Great Company

2009-10-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

KAI Marketing.Advertising.Consulting is now KAI Strategic Marketing Group.

As our company directs its focus toward corporate strategic marketing, we are changing our company name to reflect this direction. But, our committment to excellent, personalized service remains the same.

Click here for full press release: http://www.prlog.org/10364516-kai-strategic-marketing-group-launches-new-name-new-service-and-new-direction.html

What Do You Need to Get Back to?

2009-09-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems hard to believe that students have already headed back to school. For many of us, "back to school" also means back to full time hours at the office, back to carpools, back to helping with homework, back to weekly or monthly community/organizational meetings, and back to daily treks as the home taxi service. To be sure, summertime offers many of us a quasi-break from some of the hustle and bustle of regular life, but if you are a business owner, you probably didn't get much of a break at all, leaving you to feel a bit tired and deflated. So, let's look at this season as a time to get back to doing some of the things that keep you motivated - listening to a positive recording once a week, reading 10 minutes of a leadership book every day, committing 1 hour/week to enriching or strengthening your skill sets, spending 1 hour/month with one of your mentors. Staying motivated is a key to staying in business. So, what do you need to get back to?

To Blog or Not to Blog? That is the Question.

2009-08-20T05:46:00.000-07:00

Have you been wondering whether or not to blog?

Internet marketer Daniela Koutlis offers the following benefits for creating a business blog:

Increases your company's online presence. Search engines scan a blog quicker than a whole website.
Increases your credibility with potential clients. The more you write about your products and services, or industry-related subjects, the more you appear to be an expert in your field.
Creates a bridge between you and your customers. Customers are able to post comments or opinions about the topics your company has written, thus building an online community.
Allows for up-to-date information. You can communicate new information to your community of customers and partners immediately.
It's easy to get started. Blogging software is relatively easy to navigate on your own, and if you get stuck, there are many online forums to assist you.

What's the catch? Maintaining the blog can present a challenge to already-busy business owners. Therefore, here are a few tips to help you become a successful blogger:

Set an initial blog schedule that you can manage, such as once every other week, then work toward increasing the frequency.
Don't feel like you have to write a dissertation. Keep it short and simple, while providing value to your community.
Enlist your team members to assist with providing content.

Read the entire article by Daniela Koutlis at:
http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Reasons-to-Create-a-Blog-For-Your-Business!&id=2696273

Welcome to ThinkKAI

2009-08-20T05:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, back in January our team had a brainstorming session to outline the purpose, audience, etc. for our new company blog. As a strategic marketer, I try to teach my clients to look at any and every tactic in relation to their overall marketing strategy. This is especially important for social media. So, I wanted to do the same for our company. Practice what we preach, as they say.

Well, our team came up with a very good blog approach so that we wouldn’t be guilty of regurgitating the same marketing information that’s already out in blogosphere. But I wasn’t completely confident that we had the company resources to keep it up. I was right. After my intern set up this blog account, she posted info about our first webinar (back in February), and that was all we could manage.

“No problem”, I thought. “We’re safe because we aren’t really promoting or sending traffic to the blog anyway. No matter that we are a cutting edge marketing firm, and we pride ourselves on staying ahead of the curve. Also, no matter that we are helping our clients launch their blogs, but ours wasn’t ready. ”

Well, recently one of my dear web developers posted the blog link on our home page, innocently assuming that we were ready to launch (we certainly should be by now). Ugh! What a way to put fire under our writing fingers.

So, it’s now August and we’re ready to re-launch our blog. Welcome back to

ThinkKAI! The Marketing Journal for Marketers and Do-It-Yourself-ers.

_______________________________

What’s that last thing that put fire under your fingers?

Don’t miss a free webinar for executives and business leaders—“Focus…Plan…Reach: Moving Beyond Today’s Economic Climate”. www.focusplanreach.com

2009-02-17T16:55:00.000-08:00

Free Webinar
“Success cannot come from standstill [people].
Methods change and [people] must change with them.”
James Cash Penney

Focus...Plan...Reach
Moving Beyond Today’s Economic Climate

Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 2:00 pm EST
Seats are limited. Reserve yours today

One truth we can always count on - things change. To be successful, we must remember that change represents opportunity - always. What that means to us is our decision. Decide NOW that the unprecedented change we all are experiencing in our world represents unprecedented opportunity for you - today.

This webinar will help executives and business leaders improve their ability to:
-- bring bold and unconventional leadership to their organizations
-- think strategically about their businesses and make proactive decisions
-- increase and maintain a presence with your target audiences

Featuring:
Candi Dugas – executive coach for leaders seeking innovation and change
candi dugas, llc

Rick Meekins – principal business strategist
Aepiphanni Business Solutions

Kimberlee Scott – lead SMB strategic marketer
KAI Marketing.Advertising.Consulting

www.focusplanreach.com

Free Webinar! Focus...Plan...Reach: Moving Beyond Today's Economic Climate

2009-02-10T07:42:00.000-08:00

Focus...Plan...Reach
Moving Beyond Today’s Economic Climate

SAVE-THE-DATE
Free Webinar
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 2:00 pm EST
Duration: 1 hour
Seats are limited. Reserve yours today (http://www.focusplanreach.com/index.html)

Top speakers will help you:
- focus your strengths toward success
- plan with a strategic approach
- reach farther with your marketing efforts

Featuring:
Candi Dugas – executive coach for leaders seeking innovation and change
Rick Meekins – principal business strategist
Kimberlee Scott – lead SMB strategic marketer

Paragraph section
“Success cannot come from standstill [people].
Methods change and [people] must change with them.”
James Cash Penney

One truth we can always count on – things change.

To be successful, we must remember that change represents opportunity – always.
What that means to us is our decision.

Decide NOW that the unprecedented change we all are experiencing in our world represents unprecedented opportunity for you – today.