How to Communicate Your Vision Strategy

When two parties come together there are occasionally creative differences that must be resolved to move forward. It is important to be able to explain your vision to your client while also listening to their ideas for the vision and end results. 

Any good conversation, work-related or not, includes healthy amounts of listening, asking questions, and seeking to understand the other perspective. There may be times your client’s vision is the right one for the job. But there may be times you need to tactfully steer your client in another direction.

When there are differences of opinion, it is good to focus on something you can both agree on — namely, the mission, vision, and goals of your client. Ideally, both you and your client will be pursuing their business success, whether that is selling products, running events, or connecting with consumers. Once this ground is reestablished, it is up to you to clearly communicate the vision based on your experience in the field, creative genius, etc. 

 It helps to remember to stay professional and offer your client  reasons why your design ideas are strong and likely successful. You have the experience they need, and when you can clearly communicate your ideas you give your clients every reason to trust you with their hopes and dreams. Remember, business is not personal and a client simply might not like your designs for no clear reason. 

As Steve Jobs once said, “[they] don’t know what they want until you show them.” So your job is to show your clients what they want in a professional and tactful way.

Contact us for more tips about corporate communication or other questions.

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4 Important Email Marketing Strategies

Email newsletters are an important part of any marketing campaign, particularly as people spend increasing amounts of time online. E-newsletters go directly to customers’ inbox, giving them an advantage over other forms of social media. Like other digital media, e-newsletters are inexpensive to produce and send to customers. And fortunately, there are some simple tips for writing an email-newsletter that customers will be likely to read!

1) Start with a captivating subject line. Many readers use an email subject line to determine whether they will open the email, and it is crucial that your e-newsletter stand out among the many other emails a customer receives. Including the word ‘you’ gives the email a personal touch. Make your subject line timely and short, to catch the reader’s eye. 

2) Use visual means to convey your message. Video sites, like YouTube, and applications, like Vine, are rapidly rising in popularity. Often, readers are more likely to watch a short video than they are to read lines of text. Capitalize on this tendency by creating video (or even photo) content for your readers, whether your intent is to engage the customer, sell products, or tell a story.

3) Entice customers with a special offer. Including a special offer in your e-newsletter is one of the best ways to retain customers and keep them interested in future promotions. You will strengthen brand loyalty when you help customers feel as if they are important to your business. (They are!)

4) Utilize other forms of social media. Include social media links (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) in your e-newsletter, as these digital marketing tools go hand in hand. A great way to involve customers and increase your market exposure is by rewarding customers when they share your e-newsletter (or other content) on social media. 

With these tips, you can improve your email newsletters to make the most of the opportunity you have to communicate with your customers. For the best ways to include email in your marketing strategy, contact us today!

“Would You Help Me If You Knew I Was Being Abused?”

Firdosi Wharton-Ali

“In the end, I keep trying to remind myself and my team what counts is that….We did something and worked very, very hard for the WOMEN, CHILDREN, and PETS who rely on the Shade Tree. Not for the approval. We are all in this to please our maker, the universe, or sense of Karma, or whatever, and it for that reason is why this PSA exists.” ~ Firdosi Wharton-Ali

It began back in July during the start of Ramadan, it was also during this time I learned about Zakāt which means charity and is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Charity is a huge deal in the Muslim culture and my friend and client Firdosi Wharton-Ali began a heartfelt campaign on Facebook to help raise money for The Shade Tree, a “501(c)3 non-profit organization providing safe shelter to homeless and abused women, children, and their pets in crisis and to offer life changing services promoting stability, dignity and self-reliance.”

This wonderful organization has been in existence for more than twenty years. On Friday, August 30, Beth Fisher (morning anchor/reporter on KTNV Channel 13) sent a camera for an interview about the project (Step Out of Your Comfort Zone) for a segment called ‘Making Las Vegas a Better Place to Live.’

As it states on The Shade Tree website, “As the only organization with an animal shelter on campus, named Noah’s Animal House, The Shade Tree brings families together with their pets and connects them with assistance and services. The Shade Tree is the largest shelter of its kind in Nevada and is the only 24-hour accessible shelter designed specifically to meet the needs of women and children in Southern Nevada. With 364 permanent beds, The Shade Tree provides more than 100,000 nights of shelter each year. To remove any barrier that might prevent a woman from accessing necessary services for she and her children, 100 percent of services are provided completely free of charge, regardless of the length of stay.”

Sue Kim, Adrienne Hester and Master Magician Lance Burton

Being an accomplished screenwriter, Firdosi’s first instinct was to gather a group of professionals and friends who believed in her mission to donate time and talent in an effort to raise awareness about the critical state of domestic violence in Nevada, and to create, then donate, a Public Service Announcement (PSA) with impact. Most PSAs are less than a minute. This PSA is just over three minutes making it more of a Public Awareness Campaign to raise responsiveness to the critical state of domestic violence in Southern Nevada, which is number one in the nation for fatalities associated with abuse; and the lasting effects it has on families, pets, the body, and mind, and the urgent need for funding The Shade Tree is currently experiencing. This powerful film short is honest and graphic and meant to encourage the public to take action and help those who feel helpless.

On Friday, September 20 at Maru Korean BBQ in Summerlin, a suburb of Las Vegas, the evening began with a film short and special Q&A with Sue Kim of the renowned Kim Sisters, as she shared her experiences with domestic abuse in her professional/personal life during her career which involved her younger sister. She also shared how the Korean American Women’s Foundation, a safe haven for Korean women new to the United States, was formed in Las Vegas.

Debra Weight and Adrienne Hester after makeup

The evening ended with the début of new PSA – THE SHADE TREE: “A Story of Hope” Featuring Master Magician Lance Burton. Volunteers who also participated in filming of the PSA included Dr. Benjamin S. Lurie, Dr. Paul Wilkes, military veteran and combat PTSD survivor Jay Choi, DeAndre Esteen – director of development for The Shade Tree, and professional makeup artists Debra Weite and Cadena Laksis, Composer/ Producer David Rosen, Fremont East Studios, Paradise Seven Pictures, students from The UNLV Film Department and me in the role of an abused woman.

 

This event would not have possible without the support of Keizer Design, Red Carpet Moving Company, and The Neck and Back Clinics.

To learn more about Firdosi Wharton-Ali and Paradise Seven Pictures please contact Adrienne@2girlsconsulting.com.

To learn more about The Shade Tree and Domestic Violence Month, please visit www.theshadetree.org.

A publicist’s work is never done even if I am hosting the event.

Lance Burton, Sue Kim-Bonifazio, daughter Marissa and John Bonifazio

Patti Hester, Carri and Jaslynne Jones, Candace Peters

Sue Kim film short and Q&A.

Korean American Women’s Foundation

Sue Kim, Elynne Greene Victim Advocate, Supervisor at Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Lance Burton

Sue Kim sharing the story of her sister

Ryan Slattery and Rei Bollozos

Vahid and Autoosa Elizabeth Kojoori-Saatchi

Barbara Fisher, Donna Kalbfleisch, Mary Kelly

Sue Kim and Adrienne Hester

Minao Kamegai, Jeff Keizer, Bob Miller

Jeannie and Gary Kim, owners of Maru Korean BBQ

Marissa Bonifazio and Megan Foley

 

PR Effectiveness: Gauging the Many Elements Beyond Sales for Your Campaign

PR effectiveness is a wide picture to be analyzed through different avenues and not strictly by how much money is made. While making money shows a campaign was successful, it may not sustain in the ever-changing social environment. Looking at exactly what prompted those sales can help decide whether it was the result of something unexpected.

Analytics on Social Media

With Google Analytics being such a useful tool in determining web traffic, a firm can discover plenty of evidence in how people reacted to something online. If it was determined the sales were from social media influence, then the main demographics can be known. And despite social media being the place where you’d expect most of the activity to be, there may be a chance sales came significantly from somewhere else.

Analyzing Other Media

Television continues to play just as strong an impact in sales as social media. Most of the time, they work in tandem though mentions from a client on a national TV show or cable news can take sales into the stratosphere. A mention like this (or in a national newspaper) can be the result of an earlier promotion on social media without having spent a dime on a television or a newspaper ad. These interconnections tell a PR firm how the inter-connectivity of today’s media can effectively disseminate enough free information to cut costs of promotion.

Study the Advantages of Small Media

Sometimes sales can be the result of a simple word-of-mouth grassroots campaign or write-ups in small publications. While these might be graded as minor promotional places, it’s worth doing some investigation into these arenas and why they potentially do better than expected. Smaller and more peripheral avenues also typically conjoin with social media for easier methods of passing on information.

Survey the Consumers

Gauging information directly from those who bought a promoted product can help determine where those consumers heard about the product or client. There may be a surprise in store for where they heard about the product through the earlier examples. This may prove the underestimation in the power of fan campaigns by simple word-of-mouth. Determining it can be done through online surveys, telephone, or traditional mail.

Talk to the Client

PR firms need to think of their client and the effectiveness of the PR campaign. Does the client understand what the PR firm is doing and the procedures in how it’s being done? A happy client is a client that understands the entire process of an effective PR plan with a comprehensive understanding of why it was effective.

Contact us if you’re a company needing an effective local or national marketing campaign. Two Girls Consulting (2GC) is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. We also work on a national level. With a decade of experience, plus long-standing relationships with media and other venues, let us effectively take your company message to the masses.

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Before graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a degree in Corporate Communications with an emphasis in journalism, I was one class away from a degree in the Department of Theatre in the College of Fine Arts. I never thought I would formally use that training, until I was asked to donate my professional resources and theatrical talent, to raise awareness about the critical state of domestic violence in Nevada, for a Public Service Announcement (PSA) short in support of The Shade Tree and of the crisis for funding the organization is experiencing.

This facility, “is the largest shelter of its kind in the state, and is the only 24-hour accessible shelter designed specifically to meet the needs of women and children in Southern Nevada. With 364 permanent beds, THE SHADE TREE provides more than 100,000 nights of shelter each year. On average, 33 percent of their clients are children under the age of 18. Senior citizens represent the fastest growing segment of the population.” It is also the only shelter in the state to accept pets.

The Shade Tree is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. It’s mission is to provide safe shelter to homeless and abused women, children, and their pets in crisis and to offer life changing services promoting stability, dignity and self-reliance.

Here is my interview with KTNV Channel 13. More about the PSA and a private event to come in the future.

When Is Event Consultation A Good Idea?

When do you need an event consultant? That question is best answered by the importance of the event itself, not only to the attendees, but to you. What is the purpose of the event? Will it decide your future?  Will it affect your livelihood? The greater the impact of the event on your life, the more important it is to get the details right.

If you have an introduction for a campaign, how much do you really know about focusing the attention of the media on that day? Do you know who reads Luxury Las Vegas, and how to use the demographics associated with it? Have you priced special invitation dinners, and do you know who offers the latest trend and most exclusive venue?

If your event lasts all day, are the people who are there at 6 am going to be there when the last customer walks out the door at 7 in the evening? And perhaps most importantly, do you even have time to worry about it?  Much of the time, when you are staging an event the star of the show is you. 

Perhaps the problem is best stated by a New Zealand firm that offers a venue for entertainment talent. The details that go into event planning are myriad and sundry.

“A well-designed and well-orchestrated event is analogous to a good stage production. It’s all about getting your act together and performing the right show for the right audience.”

One is often able to deal with the “when” and “why” aspects of an event, but the “where” and “how” parts can get a bit tricky. You have a budget that you have to honor. You have a purpose to fulfill. You have to publicize it, and meet expectations.

You have to know how to conceptualize a theme, where to buy the Kobe beef, how to leave them smiling, and where to present your event for the biggest impact on your target group.  Where do you go to hire temporary waiting staff, and what is the best price for oysters? Do you need an investment analyst? A ballet dancer?  A string quartet? 

If this event will affect the public’s conception of your endeavor, then what you need is an event consultant.

Contact us

 

Get Involved Beyond the “Work” and Reap the Rewards

One of my passions in life is helping others reach their personal level of success however they define it for themselves. This past month I’ve had several rewarding experiences while working with clients and learned more about myself in process.

2012 Race for the Cure Southern Nevada

Experience One: On Saturday, May 5 the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure was held in downtown Las Vegas and ended at the Fremont Street Experience. I walked for my friends, those I do not know, those who survive, have lost the fight, and those constantly fighting to find a cure to end the battle against the disease. The past several years, I walked on my sorority’s team, the Pink Pearls, as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated Theta Theta Omega chapter, to fulfill the premise of “one sister making a promise to another sister.”  

Team Downsize Fitness

This year was different. I walked on team Downsize Fitness Las Vegas, a new gym helping chronically overweight individuals wanting to lose 50 pounds or more reach and maintain their goals. I researched the causes of obesity by race, gender and age, and how it relates to cancer; I found chronically overweight individuals are more susceptible to 60 types of cancer like endometrial, esophagus, colon, kidney and thyroid according to the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health. I also learned several other facts I never thought about since I am not an overweight person, however I have many family members in Oklahoma who should be members of the gym. As I walked the quarter mile to meet up with my client and his gym members, I was approached by a mother and her teen daughter who was a bit overweight. The mother started a conversation by complimenting my CamelBak hydration pack then asking what I do as a career. I responded, “I’m a strategic marketer. I’m walking with my fitness client.” I then told them the following facts:

1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found in a study conducted from 2006 to 2008 “compared with whites, blacks had a 51% higher obesity rate.”
2. The Weight-control and Information Network, an information service of the division of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, found “on average, people who are considered obese pay $1,429 (42 percent) more in health care costs than normal-weight individuals”; Marketdata found the total U.S. weight loss market grew to a $68.7 billion industry in 2010; Nationwide 15.2 percent of youth between 10 and 17 years old are categorized as obese.
3. A report recently released by Duke University concludes “the severely obese make up at least 9 percent of the nation’s yearly health spending, or $150 billion a year.” And “severe obesity will double by 2030 and 11 percent of adults will be nearly 100 pounds overweight or more.”

As we walked for the cure, I thought about the future, the importance of good health, and how my participation this year went beyond me. I was able to share what I recently learned with others. It felt good.

Jeanne Goodrich Exec. Dir. LVCCLD, Angelina Paez, Manuja Sahan Gunaratne, Juan Gonzalez, Avree Walker, Rocio Hernandez, Tom and Bonnie Lawyer.

Experience Two: My entire life I’ve been an avid reader and spent many afternoons while growing up at my public library. On Saturday, May 19, I attended an event with my new client, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Foundation, awards presentation of the Tom and Bonnie Lawyer West Las Vegas Library Academic Scholarship of seven $1,000 gift donations to exceptional students who demonstrated a love for their West Las Vegas community, as well as academic achievement and financial need. These young adults are smart! They kept high scholastic standards (lowest GPA 3.5, high 4.7 GPA) while dealing with immense struggles at home like unemployment, low wages, alcoholism, violence and life changing health issues all while giving back to the community.

Philanthropist Tom Lawyer.

The Tom and Bonnie Lawyer West Las Vegas Library Academic Scholarship was created in 2009 by former Library Foundation president Tom Lawyer in honor of the library’s commitment to the community. To be eligible winners met the following criteria: demonstrated success in school, community involvement, a strong connection to the West Las Vegas Library, and a need for financial support to pursue their education goals.

As I stood and listened to philanthropist Tom Lawyer speak about each student, I remembered reading their applications and thinking “I wonder if I would have been as successful academically if I were in their situations?” They taught me that an adverse position is something that happens to a person, but does not make up who we are as individuals. They also reinforced my life motto, “Nothing and no one will determine how successful I will be in this life except for me.”   *Photos Courtesy of Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Foundation

Asst. Mgr. Capt. Maryann Villareal and Exec. Sous Chef Jason Reynolds

Experience Three: I work with a culinary school, the Culinary Academy of Las Vegas (formerly the Culinary Training Academy), the country’s leading nonprofit culinary and hospitality training institute. The Academy provides food for the federally funded Summer Food Service Program(SFSP) administered by Nevada’s Department of Education. This program provides free, nutritious meals to children in low-income areas during the summer.

Students raise both arms ready to eat.

On Wednesday, May 23, the Academy hosted the First Grade Food Critics, a movement founded by Benjamin Brown, an elementary school teacher and food journalist to promote nutrition education, career awareness and academic development among children in at-risk schools, to taste-test two new menu items: chicken salad and fresh broccoli florets, in addition to whole wheat crackers, salad, fruit and low-fat one percent milk. After critiquing the SFSP menu they sampled a chocolate chip cookie from the cafe menu.

One thing about kids is their blatant honesty. If they don’t understand or like something it will show all over their faces. It was interesting to see them experience a non-microwaved boxed lunch, which is the norm for elementary schools in Las Vegas. The fresh chicken salad was a favorite, but none ate it atop the crackers, and the broccoli was a challenge because it was raw. Although provided with a packet of ranch dressing, the kids did not think to use it as a dipping sauce.

                    

I learned a life lesson unknowingly taught by a bunch of six-year-old students. To try new things and try them often. If I never attempt anything new how will I grow as a person?

Get involved with your clients beyond the “work” and realize the personal rewards. You just might learn something about yourself.

*Photos Courtesy of the Culinary Training Academy of Las Vegas

Related articles

• ‘The Weight of the Nation’: New HBO documentary tackles nationwide obesity (thegrio.com)

Good News is Meant to Be Shared

For Immediate Release

TwoGirlsConsulting LLC Chosen as Las Vegas Agency of Record for Downsize Fitness

LAS VEGAS – March 6, 2012 — TwoGirlsConsulting LLC (2GC), a boutique marketing, communications and events consulting business is pleased to announce the addition of Downsize Fitness to its list of clients. Downsize Fitness takes the concept of the NBC hit series “Biggest Loser” and makes it an affordable reality for chronically overweight and obese individuals wanting to lose 50 pounds or more. 2GC will implement a local public relations campaign designed to increase awareness of the Chicago-based fitness company.

Downsize Fitness was established in 2011 by owner Francis Wisniewski after his personal weight loss experience. The new facility is located at 321 W. Buffalo Drive, Suite 120, and offers nutritional guidance, individualized counseling, and small group fitness.

“I am excited to start working with Downsize Fitness especially during National Nutrition Month,” said Adrienne Hester, owner of 2GC. “It is a great concept and given the state of obesity in America, it is a necessity. I am confident my experience creating successful local public relations programs will deliver positive results.”

About TwoGirlsConsulting LLC (2GC)

TwoGirlsConsulting LLC is a boutique marketing, communications and events consulting business with a successful history of developing messaging to effectively promote local and national marketing campaigns through long-standing relationships with media, thought leaders, influencers and the community. 2GC builds mutually beneficial relationships between clients and their audience with solid communication strategies developed from research, planning and evaluation to secure consistent and rewarding placement to help develop awareness and grow businesses. 2GC specializes in corporate communications, publishing, hospitality, restaurants, lifestyle, charities and non-profits. To learn more about TwoGirlsConsulting LLC call 702-434-0173 or visit www.2girlsconsulting.com. Stay informed about 2GC on Facebook and Twitter.

About Downsize Fitness

Downsize Fitness was founded in 2011, and aims to provide an affordable and welcoming environment for chronically over-weight and obese individuals by eliminating the feelings of self-consciousness and alienation conventional gyms can impose. Facilities include specialized state-of-the-art equipment, specially trained staff for individuals who are at least 50 pounds overweight, and nutritional guidance and counseling for maintainable health and wellness. Downsize Fitness creates and facilitates human connections to enable members to find the courage to confront and persevere in overcoming obesity. Hours of operation are 5 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday. To learn more about Downsize Fitness or to schedule a tour, call 702-778-9653 or visit www.downsizefitness.com. Keep up with fitness news and events on Facebook.

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Contact: Adrienne Hester, 702-738-1197, Adrienne@2girlsconsulting.com

Related articles

• Downsize Fitness: Gym Only Accepts Overweight Members With 50 lbs Or More To Lose (huffingtonpost.com)
• A rare health club beckons the obese (mercurynews.com)