First, we must learn how to read all types of media, in other words, learn how to be media literate. To understand further what media literacy means, let’s first break down each word.  Media, in this regard, suggests any sort of communications medium; books, radio, TV, newspapers, journal articles, computers, and billboards are all examples. Literacy on the other hand is the condition or quality of being able to read, write, create and understand messages that are present throughout our lifetime. Having this quality will help you filter and sift through all of the information you are saturated by on a daily basis.

Second, we must develop a community of people we can trust and share information with. I believe Windsor is developing a strong community; we have built a foundation of exceptional leaders who are willing to help and share their knowledge. As we move into an information based society we must be aware that developing a community, or developing a network of friends/co-workers/business partners etc. is extremely crucial. Facebook and LinkedIN are great examples of how a community works together. For example, if Suzy said that she loved the new movie “A Run to Forget” then chances are the next time you’re at the movies you might think to yourself that Suzy said that movie was great…maybe I should see it.

Social media is fast becoming one of the most influential tools and resources on the Internet. Think of it this way, if you were on a deserted island and you saw a massive cruise ship that said “Social Media Communities” floating by, and you said to yourself “Yeah I’ll wait for the next one”  chances are you’re going to be on that island for quite some time. As the traditional business minded owner fails to find the need in developing a Facebook page, the forward thinking business owner has already established a page and is now developing a dialogue with Suzy and the other 900 million users on Facebook or the 150 million users on LinkedIn. You might say you don’t have the time to do such a thing; but JEV Marketing & Communications can provide this service. Be part of the growing community, don’t miss that cruise ship, but more importantly be part of the rising network of influencers!

–Frank D. Mancina Account Manager

Every company wants to be heard of, viewed or read about. It is a big part of today’s advertising methods. A company website is more relevant than you think; it could easily guide your consumers to all your information and do it quickly!  A website is a virtual representation of your company whether your company exists in a “brick and mortar” location or not. It can provide a sense of professionalism to new and existing clients because (always remember this)… first impressions are crucial.

Anyone looking to expand their horizons should have a website. From artists to business owners, corporations to associations they all have ideas and objectives to achieve and by adding those thoughts and goals to a website you can drive potential consumers your way. A large percentage of the world has become technology obsessed. Statistics show that nearly 2,267,233,742 people have access to the internet across the world. Without your presence on the Internet, it will be relatively difficult for consumers to discover you.

Having a website that is easily visible will help to expand your market and benefit you in the long run. Advertising new products and delivering daily news to your market audience on your website will save you from expensive mailings. By allowing your visitors to fill out a form or subscribe to your newsletter, sales and flyers will easily build your client/potential client list. There is a purpose to why consumers visit certain websites over and over again, one important reason being that they are interested in your company and want to know more. With a website, all of your essential tabs will become available to your visitors in terms of; who you are, services, products, news, social media and contact information.

Choosing the appropriate marketing company would assist your website in having a greater success rates. JEV Marketing & Communications can help with creating a unique, eye-catching website design or redesign, host your website and even create an easier way to access your site via any mobile device. These are just some of many services JEV Marketing & Communications are able to offer to their clients.

Don’t risk not having a website in hopes that your potential clients will eventually find you. Call JEV Marketing & Communications to get started today. You are just steps away from achieving your dream of a successful business.

Some disadvantages to accessing a regular website on your mobile device are that a big page size from a website could not only be time consuming loading but can also be costly. Traditional websites could eat up all of your wireless data and your left constantly paying for more gigabytes as a result.

A couple of advantages to a mobile website are that it is a comfortable way for a user to locate the information needed without having to make the screen size smaller, scroll between left and right or zoom in dramatically. Another advantage is rather than being forced to view graphics on large page sizes on a traditional site, you have the option to alternate the graphic with a placeholder on mobile site. Only the best contrast is used with the selected colour scheme of a mobile site for easy and clear readability especially on those bright and sunny days. Finally, viewers get the information they need quickly and effortlessly. Visiting a website should be an enjoyable experience for everyone not a difficult one.

Check out some of the mobile websites we have designed.

Want to get started today on your new and improved mobile site? You’re just a phone call away from a great quality mobile website.  Just give JEV Marketing & Communications a call today and we’ll do the rest.

With the arrival of a very popular and informative international computer network called “the internet” we are now provided with fast and easy access to all the information we require. It’s also become one of the most common ways to market a product or service. Small business owners are now curious when it comes to expanding and the internet has now become a way for them to market globally.

Most advertisements and commercials aim to target specific audiences such as gender, age group, marital status, etc.  Ads and commercials from the past have developed, substantially both visually and technically as we move into the 21st century. Global advertising capabilities continue to expand in usage as time goes by but even traditional advertising can help increase your company exposure and thereby grow your sales. Whether you are online, watching television, listening to the radio, or reading magazines, etc. especially if you are a new business seeking popularity, advertising in some form is an absolute must!

Although there are more options provided with every new design program available nowadays it still takes a professional to create an excellent design that will draw in attention to your company. You are able to inform your creative designer of exactly what you want and how you want it and that’s where JEV Marketing & Communications can advise and assist you as you strive to bring your business to new heights. After all, your business is our business!

One of the key components of marketing a new business is the development of a well-designed website. It will help consumers find what they are looking for all in one location. We utilize state-of-the-art technology in creating eye-catching ads and easy-to-use websites. Consumers may also share your website with other potential clients through Social Networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

These new Social Network sites along with YouTube have made it simple to make new friends (potential clients/businesses); creating a page for your business and receiving “likes” on your page will also help promote your business, but this is just skimming the surface of what these social networks sites can offer. Call us to get started along the Social Network path… the newest form of advertising and marketing.

The digital world is, very much, a place full of opportunities… don’t be the last to know how to make this fascinating new world of communication work for you. Make the right choice and contact JEV today!

Everyone Can Access Mobile Websites

Mobile apps are valuable not just from a consumer’s standpoint, but from a brand’s standpoint as well. A well-developed app that is appealing and entertaining to use can help generate many potential clients.

However, apps can be limited to specific phone models whereas mobile websites are not.  A mobile website can be visited by people, any time they can access the Internet on their smart phone or any technology device.

While mobile websites are essentially widespread, apps are not, thereby limiting client access to your company and the benefits, products and services that you provide.

Mobile Websites Add Value

Developing a custom mobile website can be a daunting task but this is where the professional staff at JEV Marketing & Communications can help. We provide many services such as: Mobile Web Design, Social Media Implementation, Ecommerce Solutions, Database Development, Support and Maintenance, Website Hosting, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) capabilities and QR code connectivity.

Quick Response codes (QR codes) are expected to reach worldwide use this year. Consumers want easy and immediate access to what they require and QR codes are being used to make that possible. A quick scan of the code by a client’s smart phone can immediately launch your website on their mobile browser.

As a full-Service Ad Agencies we can create a simple mobile site that can mirror all of the important functionality of your full-service website without the concerns of mobile browser incompatibilities.

Draws Attention to Consumers

A simple mobile website by JEV can improve traffic to your traditional website and social media pages.

Many smartphone users may come across your mobile site when they perform searches on their phone about your brand, products or services thereby satisfying their need for instant information.  Easy access to information will tremendously benefit you in the future.

Contact us for further information at (519) 966-3094 or visit us on our mobile website at www.jevmarketing.com.

DO give out a product with functionality. Stay away from items that don’t offer the consumer any value just to save a buck (one-time use pens, anyone?). Instead, focus your efforts on items that see daily use, items that provide purpose for the consumer visiting your booth at next weekend’s trade show, items that have a decent shelf life. You want the consumer to be reminded of your business every time they pick up that item – not likely if you hand out something that will never see past the cluttered desk drawer.

DON’T blow your budget on a fancy, customized gadget. While higher end products like branded USB sticks can be effective, they also come with a larger price tag. Every decision you make regarding the marketing of your products and services need to derive from an overall, cohesive strategy; don’t throw a flashy promotional item into the mix if it isn’t feasible.

DO align your offering with your business. Give away something that works with your business’s agenda – if going green is something you see as important, dish out reusable grocery bags or sports bottles. Likewise, if you sell higher end products, those higher end promotional items might not be a terrible idea. Your promotional offering, like the rest of a firm’s marketing efforts, should make sense and relate back to the core going-ons of the business.

If you’re in real estate, offer consumers a loaded USB stick with recent home listings; if you’re in construction, why not offer a branded measuring tape? Have the item make sense. The more related the item is to your business the more unique it becomes, and the greater the likelihood that product will be remembered. Make the effort to differentiate your offering from all the others; a creative message will go a lot further than a name and logo on the side of a ball point.

DON’T proceed without a plan. Throwing customized calendars into a piece-meal marketing plan does not success make. The bottom line is cohesion; put the effort into your pieces so customers remember your name, and align the effort with your overall strategy. Items should be relevant and useful, not throwaways that have the potential to leave a bad taste in the customer’s mouth. JEV Marketing & Communications can help your business in moving forward with promotional items, integrating all of your efforts to ensure a successful outcome.

QR codes resemble bar codes that allow users to connect instantly with content. These square codes can be placed on virtually anything – business cards, flyers, billboards – and represent a revolutionary outlet for businesses to provide information. A user simply takes a picture of this code which then leads them to a particular piece of content, such as a website or sales offer directly on their smartphone, putting businesses in the palms of their customers.

QR codes take the link between businesses and consumers one step further, bridging real space with a more dynamic, digital world. A consumer notices an advertisement for a particular product he or she enjoys, and can view more information for that brand via the QR code on the advertisement. It is instant connection through the most accessible channel to consumers that not only revitalizes the traditional method of print advertising through interactivity, but creates a 24/7 presence. These codes help transform a static advertisement to one that is exciting and participative, providing deeper information without added cost.

New technology brings about the opportunity to offer users something special – a unique, customized experience with the touch of a button. Whether it is through a distinct mobile platform, a special promotion only available via the QR code, or bonus content that provides added value, the possibilities for creative marketing are endless. As a firm with extensive knowledge of both traditional media and the latest technology, JEV can help drive your business forward with a unique combination of the two. Let JEV’s expertise take your advertising to the next level – stand out from the competition with the help of QR codes.

Here’s how it works! Web crawlers, automated programs that browse the web to track sites for search engines, regularly scour the internet and index pages for databases. The more new content you post to your website, the more these web crawlers will index the data. On the flip side, if you haven’t updated your site in a long time, the crawlers stop indexing; the site loses importance and rapidly drops in ratings for keywords. In short that means less people find you and less business comes to your door. It’s simple – the better the ranking, the closer to the top of the page a certain website will be placed, and the more likely clients will choose your service over others.

So, does your website content really matter? Absolutely. Google’s PageRank uses an algorithm in its ranking system where every page is assigned a value between zero and 10. This value takes into consideration the volume of inbound and outbound links, and the quality of those links. The higher your PageRank, the more those web crawlers visit and index. Links are essentially considered “votes” and pages with more “quality” links to them are given greater importance. A great way to improve your ranking is to exchange links with complementary businesses, as both parties involved would benefit. Ultimately, it’s not enough to simply fill your page with an endless amount of keywords and derivative content. Google may very well deem your page to be spam, and that’s a label that will do you no favours in your search ranking.

And finally, don’t forget the customers. Websites that are kept current are visited more often and gain the trust of the user. Customers expect websites to be up-to-date and informative, and those that don’t measure up risk being ignored. Providing fresh content creates a superior customer experience, and may be the deciding factor between what you have to offer over that of a competitor.

The goal of every marketing campaign should be to clearly communicate your message to your chosen target market. Vibrant and effective graphic design can help your message stand out. The catchphrase, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it!” – is a fundamental truth in effective advertising and marketing but it’s not a complete statement. Your message must be clear and well targeted too. You can’t expect customers to buy your product or service if they don’t know you exist, but, just as importantly you can’t expect someone to buy your product if they don’t need. I’m absolutely sure that sales of snowmobiles are fairly slow in Florida so I doubt that ANY offer, no matter how brilliantly rendered, would ever generate a sale.

One of the simplest but, often the most overlooked, aspects of good graphic design is a professionally developed and rendered logos. A company, particularly one in a “start up” situation should have a corporate brand that is easily recognized and communicates to the customer exactly what it is you do. A strong logo gives you instant credibility and presents a professional appearance. Unfortunately a fair number of start up businesses decide to “save” money and develop a logo themselves, or worse yet they get their friend who “knows how to draw” to put something together for them. You might save some money but in the end you only leave potential clientele with an unprofessional and less than polished image of yourself. Once you have your logo, stationery for all your business communications is the next step. Branded business cards, letterhead and envelopes all present a consistent image of your company and it keeps your brand in front of a potential client. Next, marketing collateral is required such as a corporate brochure, sell sheets, case studies and a trade show booth if appropriate. Advertising collateral can come in all shapes and forms, from wrapping a bus in a mobile billboard to direct mail delivered right to somebody’s door. Whatever it though, it must grab your targets attention.

And finally, in today’s internet age, every company requires a web presence to be competitive… and yes, I mean EVERY company. Quite often the first place somebody goes to research a product or service is the internet. You absolutely have to be able to provide your potential client with as much information as you can… instantly. If you can’t you’ve lost. That client is already shopping elsewhere. Almost 230,000,000 people are on the internet everyday in North American. It’s fairly obvious that a company website presents an enormous marketing opportunity. So what does all of this have to do with good graphic design? Having marketing materials that are distinctive and memorable can appeal to a wide demographic resulting in increased sales and market share. JEV Marketing & Communications has a design staff with the knowledge and skill to create attention grabbing, award winning materials that will help your company stand out in the crowd.

So what should those companies looking to advertise do? Lower prices? Ask the automotive sector how rebates worked for them. When sales stalled, the “Big Three” saturated the market with so many low-price deals that nobody would buy without a big rebate or a 0% financing offer. Cut product quality? Remember Schlitz? Just thirty years ago it was America’s second-best-selling brew. Someone decided to trim costs by changing their fermentation process to something cheaper expecting that customers wouldn’t notice. Big mistake… six years later the company was out of business. How about cutting advertising costs? Netflix began making serious inroads into Blockbuster’s customer base in 2005 but Blockbuster cut its $150 million advertising budget by 2/3 to less than $50 million. Netflix grew from 4.2 million subscribers to 7.1 million in less than 4 years. And how did Blockbuster fare? In 2007, they closed 500 stores and saw a $33.4 million profit turn into a $125 million loss through the third quarter.

The Opportunity? Absolutely! Advertisers should go all out in the media that produce quantifiable results, especially since their messages will be more prominent as competitors reduce spending. But the key is to advertise where you will get QUANTIFIABLE results and to make sure you are measuring those results. After all, if you don’t know what is working and what isn’t then even good advertising dollars are a waste. No matter how deep the recession is or how long it lasts, it’s the perfect opportunity to become aggressive and grab market share as competitors scale back their marketing efforts. During a recession you may not see increased sales but you will see increased market share.If you can go into a recession controlling 10% of the market and come out with 20% then when the public does get back to serious spending then you have just doubled your profit margin. An aggressive approach will pay some dividends early but down-the-road rewards are even greater and companies that gain during a recession tend to maintain consumer loyalty when the recession has ended. Several studies have shown that after a downturn, companies that maintained or increased marketing communications during the economic slowdown typically experienced 14 times more growth than companies that cut back.

Another trend that is emerging through the recession is that even while consumers are cutting back, they’re not doing so entirely. Consumers want to maintain their quality of life. Even in a time of belt-tightening, North Americans are not giving up on everyday pleasures. In 2008 and 2009 during the toughest part of the recession HDTV sales increased with almost 50% of all households in the US making a purchase. And, despite the expense, consumers are not entirely giving up on vacationing. Even in these tough times, more than half of North American households plan to take a trip of 100+ miles in the next six months. To grapple with fuel costs, they just plan on closer-to-home trips… say Florida instead of Florence… and quite frankly, how many ads have you seen for trips to Italy as opposed to Disney World.