Stephanie Hamiliton – June 2004
Marketing Plans
Many clients claim to have marketing plans, but most clients admit to not having updated them in years. If so, chances are your business plan projections may be headed for trouble, companies must now contend with cautious and refined consumers.
The âprocessâ? comes down to identifying your best clients, researching how you got them, and finally figuring out the best way to replicate that process. Most serious plans feature, a description of the company, its products or services, its customers, a course of action and timeline to review results and update as necessary.
You donât need a marketing plan the size of a phone book for it is comprehensive. Keep it simple and precise â and remember execution and implementation!
USP
Defining the USP of any product or service is vital to the longevity and success of any company. Part of any overall good marketing strategy involves âdefining yourself.â? Sounds easy enough, right? A USP, is defined as your Unique Selling Proposition, which is basically, what makes you different from your competition.
To identify your USP, write down the strong points of your product or service. Then do the same thing for your company/ organization. Take the top two line items on each list and consolidate to make one statement. Now you have your USP!
Innovate Show Controls Announces Educational and Non-profit Discount Program ~ 35% Discount Brings makes the BlueLite X1 DMX controller accessible to even small schools and houses of worship.
IRVINE, CA, June 14, 2005 – Innovate Show Controls today announced the commencement of their Educational and Non-profit Discount program. Under this program, qualified students, faculty, and non-profit organizations can purchase the award-winning BlueLite X1 DMX controller at a significant discount.
âOne of our original goals in designing the X1 was to bring true big show power within the reach of more people, especially the sorts of groups that are important in our own livesâ? said Joe Fitzpatrick, co-creator of the X1. âMy own interest in stage lighting can be traced back to junior high, so it has been especially gratifying for me to see the X1 be embraced by so many schools. To me a program like this is important because, despite all the budget pressures schools face today, there is still more to education than just âthe three Rsâ. If we can help, even in a small way, students of all ages and in programs of all sizes unlock some of their creative potential, I think it is worthwhile.â?
âWeâve also seen houses of worship begin to utilize moving fixtures and even media servers,â? stated Patrick Thompson, Innovateâs President. âThe X1 is an easy to use and powerful controller for even the most complex fixtures, and we want to make sure our technology is accessible to non profit organizations.â?
Under the discount program, the X1, regularly $1,995, is available for $1,295. The BlueLite X1 truly sets a new standard in DMX show control. In recent months, the X1 has been selected as the primary control system for several major shows, including the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Six Flags Theme Parks, The Freemont Street Experience, and Santa Anaâs Pavilion Theatre.
For more information, including case studies, a demo video, and a complete download of the BlueLite X1 software, visit www.innovateshowcontrols.com. Or contact Innovate Show Controls at (949) 502-8470 for more information. Dealer inquiries welcome. The BlueLite product line is distributed by Legend Theatrical: http://www.legendtheatrical.com
About Innovate Show Controls â Founded by industry veterans, the company is dedicated to ground-breaking product development, high quality manufacturing and outstanding customer support.
Innovate Motorsports Introduces LM 101 – Easy to Get Instructional Videos on the Web
Irvine, California, June 14, 2005- Innovate Motorsports has recently made available three new instructional videos that show first hand how to interpret data, install, and personalize the LM-1. Ben Strader, Founder and Senior Instructor of EFI University, narrates the three training videos:
âTuning Basics, Theory, and Applicationsâ?
âInstallation and Setupâ?
âLogWorks Tips and Tricksâ?
These tutorials are easily accessible over the web at www.tuneyourengine.com
Viewers can watch a step-by-step installation process, charts and graphs that explain the process of evaluating air/fuel ratios, and how to prevent problems before they occur.
The instructional videos were produced for channel training as well as end-users. Allowing consumers at home to be able to access the tutorial âhow toâ? videos via the web has helped expand Innovate Motorsports capability of explaining installation tips, problem solving for different cars. In the end, making the LM-1 userâs experience problem free and highly beneficial.
The first video, âTuning Basics, Theory, and Applicationsâ?, introduces the LM-1 user to the basics or air/fuel ratio and different uses of the LM-1.
The short training video features:
· Air/fuel ratio basics
· Benefits of the LM-1âs wideband sensor in comparison to other common gauges which are narrowband
· Defines stoichiometric and lambda for the do it at home garage mechanic
· EFI Maps
· Dangers of turbochargers and how the LM-1 prevents these
· Using the LM-1 to verify you arenât wasting power and fuel by running too rich
· How to find misfires in the ignition with the LM-1
The second tutorial, âInstallation and Setupâ?, is a hands on course that explains step-by-step, the process of setting up an LM-1.
This lesson includes:
· Installing software where the video shows how to setup the software on a computer
· Explanation of the two calibrations, sensor heater and free air
· Best sensor placement, shown on the actual engine of a car
· Options for sensor placement including the Innovate Exhaust Clamp
· How to read the LM-1 for Lambda and Air Fuel Ratio (AFR)
· How to set up RPM and TPS input
· How to log AFR, RPM, and throttle position sensor
· Calibration
· Sensor placement, where the best place is to place your sensors
· Input setup, with segments in the film that show step-by-step how to coordinate the setup of the LM-1
· Data Logging
The âLogWorks Tips and Tricksâ? video makes tuning with the LM-1 on any engine easy and fast.
The video features:
· How to translate log works graphs and charts from the computer into a car enthusiasts understanding
· The comparison of graphs from different sessions of trials, helping to find the problem with the variable while not changing the control
· Diagnosing problems, such as false leans and low fuel pressure
Based in Southern California, Innovate Motorsports is committed to relentless product development, high manufacturing quality, and excellent technical support.
Contact Innovate Motorsports at (949) 502-8400 or visit www.tuneyourengine.com for more information. Dealer inquiries welcome.
John Cecil – June 2005
As Internet Advertising matures I believe that there are two camps developing for the medium ~ internet branding buys and internet conversion buys. Pay Per Click Advertising = Conversions / Most other online media = Branding. Does anyone buy online media strictly for reasons of branding?
The medium offers incredible opportunities for companies to brand their businesses – then why is it not being sold that way? We buy a lot of print advertising for our clients and we have the online reps in here all of the time pitching the online media available for the magazines sites. 100% of the time (literally 100%) they pitch the conversion model off a cpm purchase â trying to convince us that our clients will sell âtonsâ? of products if we buy their media. When has this ever converted with an effective roi?
If a rep came to me, looked me in the eye and said âyou probably wonât sell any products on your site if you buy this but our site will give your company a lot of exposure and branding to support to other media effortsâ? I would buy. The amazing thing to me is â that is not what they are selling â nobody is doing that â still!!
The industry killed itself buy initially selling itself with the conversion model, its going to take years for everyone to dig themselves out of this hole. The reality is what an incredible way to brand your company by having a solid online presence â I am a true believer.
If I want to convert sales online I have an outlet: Google first, then Yahoo!, then MSN. I am not going to buy whateversite.com on a CPM basis to convert sales â But I will make a commitment to the first guy who comes here with a branding pitch â where do I sign?
Mototsportsuniversity.com Launches Creating a Online Sales Training Portal for the Motorsports Industry
Irvine, California, June 1, 2005 â MotorsportsUniversity.com – A new online sales training website that provides a single destination for manufacturer training and a resource for persons selling motorsports products has launched, creating an 24 hour training destination strictly targeted at the motorsports industry.
Motorsportsuniversity.com is a resource site for sales persons at motorsports retailers, auto parts stores, machine shops and other businesses that sell products to the automotive racing, tuner and street performance markets. The site provides free training with the goal of helping motorsports salespersons get a better understanding of the products they are selling and help with improving sales skills.
Companies, like Innovate Motorsports use the site to reach their sales force and end-users. âMotorsportsuniversity.com has been a tremendous resource to our sales staff. By offering our training online, weâve reduced our expenses and created a more comprehensive resource, thatâs available to anyone â 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,â? said Patrick Thompson, President of Innovate Motorsports.
With a functional and easy to navigate home page â users are able to access a variety of companies offering both corporate and product oriented information. The site is currently offering free placement of training content and general company information while offering the services to manufacturers of creating training content via text training modules, flash presentations, videos and online communication tools using blogs.
To find out more, please visit www.motorsportsuniversity.com or contact John Cecil at 949.502.8441/ cecil@innovatemedia.com .