Lexus Is a Brand That I Can’t Live Without

Lexus is an ideal brand for a number of reasons. Personally, it relates to my everyday life significantly. As you may or may not know, I have been involved in three accidents. For that reason, I am very anxious about my safety and risk of being on the road every day. I purchased a 2014 Lexus GX460 Luxury for many reasons. The number one reason is safety. It has a gorgeous interior and exterior design, is very comfortable, performs extraordinarily, and has top of line in-vehicle technology. Now, I could have chosen an Audi, Range Rover or Porsche and could have gotten the same characteristics; however, Lexus won me over with their reputation for being ranked the most reliable & dependable vehicle manufacturer. Their vehicles are the least likely to have either cosmetic or technological issues. Vehicle dependability is highly ranked in my list of “must” when searching for a vehicle.

When I ordered my 2014 Lexus GX460 Luxury, I customized it to have every possible safety feature available. Many of the safety features I needed came with the vehicle already so there were only a couple additional packages I had to add.

In my Lexus, I feel safe and secure which is the main reason I purchased the vehicle. I also know that it’s dependable so I’m not too worried about having a back-up vehicle in case something goes wrong and it needs to be in the shop constantly (ie. Range Rover). The ride is comfortable and the safety alerts allows me to be more aware of my surroundings which lessens my anxiety. After three accidents, the most recent two being very severe, this is probably the first product that I can truly say I couldn’t live without.

I highly recommend Meade Lexus of Lakeside located at 45001 Northpointe Blvd, Utica, MI 48315. Call (586) 726-7915 and ask for Larry Lauer.

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How You Can Earn the “Best Boss” Title

By: Jill Monte, Writer & Editor

In the business world, bad bosses are a dime a dozen, but what about the best bosses? While employees are often all too eager to complain about undesirable management skills or lack of empathy, I’m here to tell you that there are plenty of terrific and talented bosses out there who deserve recognition.

For example, take my new boss, Yana Gaines, CEO & President of Michigan Premier Marketing Team. She has already demonstrated more inspiration, compassion and flexibility in two weeks than I’ve seen other bosses show in a whole year. Although I, myself have been fortunate to work for some very intelligent and driven managers over the years, the traits that employees like me appreciate most – shared values and inspired vision – were severely lacking.

There’s so much we can learn from great leaders like Yana Gaines, who ask these questions on a regular basis, “What can I do to make sure my team is happy and challenged, that they’re going to stay and continue to do their best work every day?”

Google recently conducted a comprehensive study that found that “what employees valued most were even-keeled bosses who made time for one-on-one meetings, who helped people puzzle through problems by asking questions, not dictating answers, and who took an interest in employees’ lives and careers.”

Promoting hard work and success while encouraging a healthy work-life balance is a challenge, at best, for many companies and bosses, but Gaines is committed to allowing her team the opportunity to have a great career and a fulfilling family life.

“I treat my employees with the utmost trust and respect. If someone needs to alter their work hours to be able to attend their child’s soccer game, I’m all for it. At the end of the day, as long as we’re communicating and the work is getting done , I am fully supportive of a flexible schedule, time off, working from home … whatever they need to make life easier is what I support,” says Gaines.

This “out of the box” mindset is one of the many traits that Gaines, and all great bosses posses. Here’s what I think are the Top 10 Qualities you need to be in the running for “Boss of the Year.”

1.    Mentor. A great boss coaches us. They take the time to grow and develop our strengths and improve our weaknesses in order to help us achieve our highest potential.

2.    Empowerment. Confident bosses know that stifled or micromanaged employees aren’t going to stick around.  Instead, they encourage us to use our voices by offering solutions and implementing changes.

3.    Communication. Conscientious bosses make sure that we are always well-informed and not blind sighted by new policies, procedures, or other essential company data. Keeping in touch with each employee individually also fosters a sense of connection and camaraderie.

4.    Understanding. A caring boss exhibits the desire to offer stress-free work circumstances and understands when emergencies in our personal lives need to come before the job.

5.    Recognition. An encouraging boss takes the time to regularly let us know that we’re appreciated. Occasionally, the boss also offers monetary bonuses or incentives (gift cards, movie tickets, free lunch, etc.) in recognition of a job well done.

6.    Sense of Humor. A non-egocentric boss can laugh at herself and find the humor in most situations. Inspiring leaders don’t hide their failures, they admit them and use them as learning experiences.

7.    Knowledge. In this competitive market, it’s critical for bosses to be engaged, empowered, driven and motivated. We need a boss who makes sure that we have the resources to get our jobs done and, beyond that, offers foresight and forward-thinking.

8.    Authenticity. Great leaders take the time to get to know us. They are the ones who remember our kids’ names and ask about our ailing mother.  Even when talking in a group setting, they’re able to make a connection based on shared interests and set a tone of commonality.

9.    Humble. A humble boss shares authority, invites feedback and naturally praises our actions far more than the time spent promoting their own personal accomplishments.

10.  Creative. Bosses who excel at creative leadership search for and discover opportunities, introduce positive change and take risks in creating new products and processes.

Inspired to be the best you can be? After reading this Top 10 list, it’s impossible not to feel motivated to be a better boss or employee.  If you’re a boss and you already possess all these amazing qualities, pat yourself on the back. Or maybe one of your employees will nominate you for that “Boss of the Year” award. 

What Every Entrepreneur Should Know About Marketing

By Dennis R. Green, Marketing Expert

There’s an old saying I love in the advertising business that goes like this:  “He who has a thing to sell and goes and whispers in a well is not so apt to get the dollars as he who climbs a tree and hollers!”

Kind of sing-songie, but it has a very profound meaning when you reread it a couple of times.  Up in a tree, yelling at the top of your lungs, you will certainly draw attention.  Perhaps not the attention you are really seeking, but attention just the same!  “Good attention” comes from well-conceived and correctly targeted marketing.  “Bad attention” comes from making false claims, selling inferior products or services, and not delivering what you promise.  You see, the world today is all about marketing.  Besides the obvious cars, furniture, foods, medicines – even doctors, lawyers and hospitals these days, which was unthinkable a generation ago – ideas are being marketed to you many times daily!  Political, religious, cultural, gender-based, and on and on!

Whatever product, service or ideology you are going to sell, you will be marketing it to some highly- targeted audience or audiences who you hope will want to purchase it.  And today, your marketing options are basically endless.  Traditional media like radio, TV, newspapers and magazines, direct mail, brochures, billboards, et cetera, still have their place.  But, your money is also being hotly pursued by the “New Media”, which includes the Internet (obviously), email, mobile marketing, specialty sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Groupon and hundreds – if not thousands more to come!  Also, don’t forget about Press Releases to the same media you are considering purchasing.  They are used free and can certainly help get the word out for start-ups, special events and other purposes!

Even with gigantic marketing budgets, large companies cannot utilize every outlet that might be relevant to reach their prospective customer/clients/patients/fans – or whatever they call their target audience.  So, this is where it gets kind of dicey.  RESEARCH your options carefully!  Get outside advice, perhaps from similar businesses in other geographic areas that pose no threat to you – or vice versa.

If you have an online business that sells to the world, this may be a bit harder to accomplish.  But, research is the key.  Gather pricing, audience reach numbers, frequency of issue if appropriate, and other demographic data about the medium and its audience.  If you can spend a few extra dollars, hire a marketing person (or company) to help you with this very critical aspect.  In any event, seek advice and validation from someone who knows more than you do about marketing!

But, above all, remember that the most important “thing” that you market is YOURSELF!  Particularly if you are a small start-up with zero employees, or just a couple or three.  If you are in the store, on the phone, responding to emails, speaking on Skype, or having any other direct contact with your prospect, YOU are the key to making sales happen.  Remember, even with a large company – say General Motors – the Chairman is not at the dealership, but the dealership’s owner, sales manager and your salesperson are there – trying to charm you into making a very significant purchase based on liking the vehicle, of course, but more importantly in most cases – liking and trusting the individuals you are dealing with at that very moment!

When you market yourself, you must come off as being sincere, interested, knowledgeable, trustworthy, friendly and businesslike – all at once!  Selling a six-pack of Coke in a party store may not compare to selling a house or a car, but if people don’t like you, you won’t sell much Coke!

As with our “hollering from a tree” example, once is not enough (with apologies to Gloria Steinem).  Don’t expect to run one ad in the newspaper, radio, TV, Internet, et cetera and have the world beat a path to your door.  Unless, of course, you are selling twenty dollar bills for a nickel!  Marketing is built on consistency – both of frequency and similarity in content.  You may have to try a few different approaches, styles, content – even company name and slogan – but once you find something that is working, stick with it in subtly changing gradients.  Don’t be one company on the radio, and somebody totally different in the newspapers.  Synergy is King, Consistency is the Queen, and confusion is the Joker!

Above all, put on your climbing boots, shimmy up that tree and give your lungs some exercise!  There can be tremendous “fruits” from your labor!  And, as always, best of luck!

#

Dennis R. Green is a 45-year veteran of the Advertising and Marketing industry.  He offers free consultations and low-cost freelance solutions.  He can be reached at (248) 884-2626 or TheGreenBrain@gmail.com. 

What Every Aspiring Entrepreneur Should Know About Marketing

Starting out in a new business is kind of like opening a jar of pickles.  The first pickle is hard to get, but the rest come easy.

This comparison might make you hungry – not so much for pickles as for your first customer/client/patient (depending on what you decide to call them).  However, always remember to call them something flattering, and never what you might be thinking about them at the time!

You’ve heard the saying, “The customer is always right!”  Never has that been truer than today, when the proliferation of businesses doing exactly what you do, and the wonder of the Internet, combine to make competition in today’s marketplace fiercer, tougher, dirtier and more frustrating than ever before. Ten years ago we never even heard of Search Engine Optimization.  Today, everybody and his brother-in-law is providing something called “SEO” that is guaranteed to be better than anybody else’s.

Kind of reminds me of the dawn of the automotive age, when there were well over a hundred makes of cars out there, all promising you the “best ride” of your life.  Where are they now?  I guess the ride wasn’t all that smooth.

So, starting a business takes a few things:

1.     MONEY: It almost always takes some degree of capital which may be sitting in your piggy bank, languishing in your savings account (right!), loafing in rich Uncle Roger’s little pocket purse, or waiting for you at a Governmental or Private Business Capital Fund.  Without #2 below, you will have a hard time getting money from just about anyone, except, perhaps, your mom, who loves you and thinks you’re perfect anyhow and can do NO wrong!

2.     BUSINESS PLAN:  If you were leaving on an auto trip from London, England to Paris, France, you’d probably do much better with a road map.  The same principle applies to starting a business.  If you haven’t figured out how to get from where you are today to where you want to be in 1, 5, 10 or 20 years, you are headed toward a dead end!  And, do you rally thing investors – besides Mom – would really take you seriously without some idea of where their money is going?  Don’t be in a hurry to ask for financing unless you have a clear and definitive road map for your business!

3.     USP – This is not the United States Post Office.  It means a “Unique Selling Proposition”.  It may be that you’ve invented a new and improved way to skin a cat (not that I recommend that line of thought), a better delivery time method, a totally new concept that no one has ever thought of before (a good bet!), a great service that is unduplicated elsewhere, or any other aspect of your business that makes YOUR company unique and of interest to both investors and future customers/clients/patients – whatever!

4.     PATIENCE:  One of the most important, yet underrated aspects of your whole venture is not only having the patience to both develop the product/service/concept until it operates flawlessly, but to pre-test it in Beta version in order to get out any remaining bugs, quirks or shortfalls.  One way to do this is to pay a group of people to attend a Focus Group, professionally run by marketing experts, wherein you can find out just what people are REALLY thinking about your brainchild.  You sit behind a one-way mirror, so they don’t even know who you are or that someone is watching and listening.  With no holds barred, you may discover some things you weren’t even aware of, and save yourself time, money and aggravation before a local,  nationwide or worldwide release.

5.     There are a few other items you may want to consider: Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Liability Insurance, Marketing, Press Releases directed at your key audience, location(s), rent, shipping, employees needed, and other concerns that will come up sooner or later.

This is just a superficial look at starting a business.  There are professionals out there in Law, Accounting, Insurance, Marketing, Manufacturing, Logistics, Material Handling, and more, all depending on the nature of your product and/or service.  Take advantage of any free advice they may offer, and pay for what they don’t give away free.  

3 Warning Signs That Your Business Is Failing

Every business needs to reevaluate their business goals and objectives at least every six months if not even more. Not only do they need to reevaluate, but also to follow through and then follow-up. A lot of businesses make “verbal goals” but don’t act towards making their goals achievable. You’ve probably heard the saying that if you want different results you have to do different things. You can’t keep doing what you’ve always been doing because you’re most likely guaranteed to get the same results every time.

HERE’S 3 SIGNS THAT YOUR BUSINESS IS FAILING:

1.     You Have High Employee Turnover—

There are a number of factors that contribute to employee turnover. The main two main contributors to high employee turnover are job satisfaction and job alternatives. Employees are most likely to quit if they are not getting paid like others in their field, they worry about job security, they are not rewarded, there’s no opportunity for growth, or maybe because they have a strong work ethic and their employees don’t. Also, the work environment is considered in job satisfaction. Employees may be feel they are in a hostile environment, the firm size is too small, or the job content is boring. As far as job alternatives, you may be working a job that is below your educational level. Therefore, you look for jobs that match skill level, experience and your career desire. Let’s be honest—employee turnover is expensive on so many levels and is a major factor on why your business is failing. 

     
     2.     Employers Have Lost Their Passion For Work/Career—

Evidence of this is shown when employers rarely ever show up to work and when they do, they’re busy handling their personal business lives. They also start making their associates and other employees do ALL the work. Some employers stop improving their skills in their field and are content in their career. Others have other side-businesses that keep them busy and their passion is focused on their new venture.

     3.     Employers Are Content And Don’t Market Their Business—

Look, you’re not the only business in your field. There’s lots of competitors ready to go the extra 100 miles to make their business a success. They invest in marketing, they aren’t content with their current business state and they are always keeping up with new trends. Competitors that are well-known aren’t afraid to take both financial and business risks either.

RESULTS OF COMPANIES FAILING:

1)    Your employers don’t communicate with the staff or with managers.

2)    Bills are piling up and are remaining unpaid.

3)    The best, most valuable employees are leaving and often times the employers don’t make an effort to make them stay by offering them a package they can’t refuse.

4)    They are losing clients/customers/patients.

5)    The business managers are micromanaging employees and focusing their attention on each worker’s efficiency.

6)    Staff perks are being cut-down or eliminated.

7)    Supplies are either being returned or not ordered. The quality of supplies may be low.

8)    Employees are given additional tasks without being given a raise.

                                               i.     Employees are doing jobs that would normally be split between 2-3 people

9)    Employees are looking for new jobs. Sometimes they are job searching at work!

10) Customers are complaining a lot and leaving

11) People quit (and they replace them with lower-paid under skilled employees)

12) There’s lay-offs

13) Low or no bonuses

14) Employees get demotions

15) The accountant/bookkeeper is constantly stressed out

Why A Marketing Team Is Essential to Your Business

The Internet, specifically social media, is largely responsible for the endless opportunities available in the marketing industry. There are now numerous ways to get brand exposure and finding the right methods can be confusing. That’s why more and more businesses are turning to marketing firms to help navigate this new world of opportunity. 

Some start-up businesses may hesitate about the initial cost of hiring a marketing firm, asking questions like, “what is the true value?” or “is it really worth it?” In today’s economy it’s a fair question to ask. Some businesses may feel they can handle the marketing themselves by adding the work onto an existing staff member. As a result, the work appears unprofessional or may go unnoticed. That’s because it takes a trained professional with the background and resources to develop an effective communications plan that fits the business and the budget. 

THESE ARE THE TOP FIVE REASONS EVERY BUSINESS SHOULD CONSIDER HIRING A MARKETING TEAM: 

IT’S AN INVESTMENT, NOT AN EXPENSE 

All too often companies think of marketing as an expense. This is the wrong way to look at marketing; your brand can be one of your greatest assets. According to Business Weekly, your brand, unlike a building or equipment, will never depreciate in value, and if managed well, its value is immense. On the other hand, mismanaged branding can affect a company’s bottom line and damage its overall success. To have the greatest return on investment in your marketing strategies, be sure to carefully consider the three R’s; the right message, directed to the right audience, at the right time. 

MARKETERS MAXIMIZE THE INVESTMENT 

Initially, it may seem like just another expense to hire a marketing team, and it may be tempting for an employer to use an existing employee to handle research and publicity. Don’t make this mistake. Marketing a business requires extensive knowledge of branding and communication strategies that the employee might not have, and launching a new campaign that looks unprofessional and lacks depth could do more harm than good for the business. Marketing firms are in business to help companies grow and working within nearly a budget is typical. Professional marketers use their creativity to minimize costs in getting businesses free publicity through news outlets, social media and interviews. They can also create billboards, radio and television advertisements. The best part is, every plan is specifically tailored to meet the needs of each business.

IT’S A TEAM

Once a marketing firm is hired, it often becomes an extension of the business. It brings a wealth of expertise in social media, brand recognition, programming, web-site design, copy writing, and more. In this multifaceted field, it’s essential to have experts from many different industries. Once these experts come aboard, there’s a cohesive team ready to collaborate with the business owner to develop its image by positioning their company as the go-to business in a community. They do this by exposing the brand to the right people, in a professional way, at the right time. 

DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS 

A marketing firm traditionally has a public relations specialist on staff. This person is well-connected and is often trusted by members of the media. The PR specialist can use those relationships to help position your start-up as an industry leader when communicating with news outlets. Public Relations specialists can also help get your business covered by the news for any positive work your company engages in, ultimately helping to promote your brand. 

HELPS DEFINE MESSAGING 

A business manager is a critical part of the team, overseeing daily procedures and timelines. This closeness can make it challenging for the manager to ask critical questions and objectively evaluate who its target audience should be. That’s where a marketing firm can help. The firm will work with the business manager and the entire team to develop a comprehensive marketing plan that will maximize every dollar, identify the target audience and take the time to analyze and understand what messaging that audience best responds to.

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We Are The Only True Full-Service Marketing Firm In Michigan

Michigan Premier Marketing Team located in West Bloomfield, Michigan is a unique full service firm that specializes in marketing, advertising, and pubic relations. We offer all services required to meet your company's needs. We have everyone from a Creative Director to a Photographer to a Public Relations Director. If you need a producer and/or videographer for a commercial or video, we offer that service too. Every business needs an attorney to advise them on business law such as contracts, liability and managing outstanding invoices. Our marketing firm offers that service for our clients. If you're looking for commercial insurance for your company in regards to workers compensation and liability insurance as well as business auto insurance, we have an insurance agent available for our clients. Truth is, we are the ONLY marketing firm in Michigan that is truly a completely full-service marketing firm.

MICHIGAN PREMIER MARKETING TEAM'S GUARANTEE

As a full service marketing firm, we're required to provide any and every possible service, right? 

Yes, because we are your one-stop shop for meeting all your needs.

If there's a service that you need, that we don't provide, we'll provide it and you get 50% off that service.

Now what other "full-service" marketing firm can guarantee you that?