realty-sanjose.com

Please let me tell you about the Internet marketing

systems I use and find helpful. This information may be

of some benefit to you, especially if your goal is to

monetize your site or earn an income from your online

marketing.

My name is Titus Hoskins and I own and operate a very

modest marketing website called http://www.bizwaremagic.com

I have been designing web pages and sites since 1998.

I have an Art/Education background but in the last

couple of years I have been studying online marketing

systems and using them.

Yes, studying them, since I have an art background I like

to examine beneath the surface of things or structures in

order to get a clearer picture. I like to see the whole

picture. The big picture. But the underlying elements behind

these complex systems interests me the most. What’s beneath

the surface excites me, the structure holding everything

in place. How they are designed, the methods and tools

used to make these marketing systems work.

Keep in mind, I still feel a bit funny calling myself an

Internet marketer. Last week my marketing efforts make me

around a thousand dollars; don’t know if that qualifies me

as an Internet marketer or not. Probably not. Most of the

people I associate and have contact with, usually make that

in a day — the real smart ones make that in an hour.

A thousand dollars in one hour?

How is that possible? Well, the marketing experts who

earn the big d’s — usually have complex automated marketing

systems set up and operating on the Internet. These systems

start with their own products but quickly expands and builds

with large opt-in lists or ezines, 1000′s of affiliates,

large JV networks, multi-sites, viral marketing, membership

forums, brandable ebooks, online marketing tools/resources

and the list goes on…

No doubt you may have stumbled across some of these

marketing systems on the Internet… one of the first

I really encountered was Internet Marketing Center run by

the late Corey Rudl who died tragically in a car crash at

the young age of 34. I made my first affiliate check

through Corey’s system and it changed the way I looked

at the Internet forever. And the check was only $5!

What made me earn that $5 was not only my own efforts but

more importantly the whole marketing system behind IMC.

It took an ordinary webmaster and showed him how to market

on the web. It showed me the way. More importantly, it

also taught me Internet marketing is a skill anyone

can learn.

These marketing systems can be good places for the

beginning marketer to learn those skills. There are many

marketing systems quietly working the Internet. Some of

best (in my opinion) are Ken Evoy’s whole Site Sell system,

Marlon Sanders Higher Response Marketing, John Reese’s

Traffic Secrets, Bryan Winter’s PushButton Publishing, Jeff

Mulligan’s CBmalls, Nitro Marketing…

These Internet marketing systems are all different, yet

they all have common elements or features that make them

very effective and very powerful marketing systems. A close

examination of the different components or parts might

give you a better understanding of what makes these

Internet marketing systems work.

Here’s a list of different parts of an effective Internet

Marketing system:

* Founder or Helm: All these marketing systems have a strong

leader or founder at the helm. A very vocal and forceful

communicator or spokesperson is needed as a focal point.

And like any company, its only as good as the person leading

it. Because the Internet is still a very ‘scary’ place for

the average user; a friendly outgoing spokesperson is

needed to break those barriers (real or imaginary) down.

* Unique Product or Products: Most of the effective

marketing systems have their own products to market.

These can be digital info products, web building/hosting

packages, or even self-contained marketing systems. Or all

of the above. Some popular products that come to mind would

include Ken Evoy’s whole Site Sell and SiteBuildIt line,

or Jeff Mulligan’s CBmalls promoting the well known digital

download affiliate site ClickBank.

* Databases or Lists: All these systems collect and keep

large databases or opt-in permission contact lists of

customers and potential customers. The real net value of

any marketing system is in the quantity and more importantly

the quality of its lists. All deliver a weekly or daily ezine

or ezines to these lists. Consider these Databases as the

engines that empowers any Internet marketing system.

* JV Networks: Most have large Joint Venture Networks or

contacts that will kick-start any new product. Momentum and

sales are created with these JV partners. An ideal JV partner

is a well respected online marketer with very responsive and

very large opt-in lists. If Databases are like engines, JV

networks will fill those engines with the fuel they need.

* Affiliates: The best marketing systems use 1000′s of

affiliates to promote and market their products. This is

usually done in-house with their own affiliate program or

onsite software set up. Some use third party affiliate

programs like ClickBank, 1ShoppingCart, Commission Junction,

LinkShare, or Shareasale. Your ignition.

* AutoResponders: One of the most effective marketing tool

these systems use, autoresponders are essential for delivering

the sales. A series of follow-up e-mails will increase those

sales dramatically, studies have shown that it takes 6 or

7 follow-ups before someone purchases your product. Consider

the autoresponder like a fuel injection system.

* Tracking and Marketing Resources: All have extensive

tracking and marketing resources, usually located online

within a membership site. An easy to use and accessible

tracking system for affiliates is needed. So too are

marketing resources such as banners, links, coupons,

graphics, seo tactics, landing pages, lead capture pages,

brandable reports, articles and ebooks. Obviously, your toolkit.

* Viral Marketing: All great Internet marketing systems

use viral marketing techniques. This can be as simple a

brandable reports, articles, software or eBooks. Affiliates

can embed their own IDs and pass these viral products along

to their friends and visitors, these useful viral products

then get passed around all over the web. Creating links,

contacts, buzz and funneling prospects back to your

marketing system. Consider it your Turbo Charger.

* Online Forums: Many of the better Internet Marketing

systems will have an online forum where members can network

and interact. Offering workshops and tutorials. This is a

vital community building tool that must not be overlooked

or underestimated. It will greatly enhance the effectiveness

of any marketing system, building a foundation and launch pad

for any new products. Your gas station.

* Cross Promotion: These marketing systems can become very

complex: promoting programs within programs, cross networking

whole systems within systems, joint ventures within joint

ventures… Marketing seminars, conventions and workshops

are other lucrative features these systems use to market

their products and to network with other marketers. Hybrid fuel.

* Corporate Blogs: Most have company blogs or a network of

members’ blogs. Realizing the importance of these relatively

new mediums for getting the word out. RSS feeds are also used

to syndicate your sales message and content. That would be

your satellite radio.

* Affiliate Incentives: The better marketing systems have

affiliate incentives and contests to motivate the sales force.

From cruises to Ferraries…

* They Pay Their Affiliates On Time: Might seem trivial, except

for the affiliate. The best Internet marketing systems pay

their affiliate regularly and on time. They are trusted and

respected by affiliates and online marketers. This trust have

been built up over many years of good solid business

relationships. The best marketing systems are the ones that

can harvest and develop those relationships with thousands

or even millions of affiliates. Your accelerator.

* Automation: The one key element that makes all of the above

possible. These Internet marketing systems are automated to

the highest degree possible. Without automation these large

marketing networks could not function. Therefore, almost all

the day to day running of a marketing system is automated and

can run smoothly without much work or maintenance. The grease

that makes everything run.

* Internet: These marketing systems have taken full advantage

of the world wide web and used it to their benefit. It permits

global marketing with affiliates in every country around the

world. A large multinational marketing force that is made

possible only with the creation of the Internet. Consider it

the clue that connects the whole system.

The computer and the Internet make these whole automated

marketing systems possible. Closely studied and dissected,

these systems are complex, intricate creatures solidly

embedded into the Internet and the lives of millions around

the globe. Enabling lifestyles that offer mobility, freedom

and enrichment never before seen this side of a PowerBall

win!

When you picture these complex marketing systems, don’t think

of computers, databases, autoresponders, wires…

Rather, picture a sun drenched tropical beach with a light

breeze and a clear blue sky. Picture a person sitting to one

side, checking daily sales stats on a cool sleek shinny laptop…

don’t forget to zoom in real close and you will notice a slight

smug smile. But don’t stop there, if you stare really hard and

think about what you have just read, you will have a clear view

of an Internet marketing system.

…..
The author runs a modest Internet Marketing web site where you will find helpful online guides on RSS/Blogging, SEO, Affiliate Programs, List Building, Laptops, Internet Fax and quite a few Internet Marketing Tools. Including the very popular Free Desktop Calendar & Planner Copyright © 2006 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed if this resource box stays attached.

The following is a short list of things to look at before buying tropical fish tanks. Going through this list can save you a lot of money or effort (or both).

So, lets dive straight in:

1. What fish do you want to keep?

   The absolute most important decision BEFORE you consider anything else. This affects everything from the size and shape of the tank to the type of equipment you need.

2. Compatibility and care of these fish

   It is very important to research the fish you want to keep properly. The best way to do this would be to buy a good book on tropical fish. The adult size of the fish would determine the size of the tank and the habits and care would tell you what equipment you need and how to set up the fish tank.

   This will also give you the opportunity to see if the fish would be compatible. If their care or requirements are too different, or their temperament is wrong, you shouldn’t keep them together.

3. Determine space

   How much space do you have in your home? What’s the biggest size tank you can fit? Determine where you want the fish tank, and see how much space there is. Include some space between the wall and the tank for cord, tubing, etc…

4. Determine your budget

   How much money can you spend? Remember that this money has to buy the tropical fish tank as well as all the necessary equipment, fish, plants, decorations, etc. If this is your first fish tank, keep in mind that this is a hobby you might decide not to pursue.

5. Select equipment

   Go to a local supplier, and discuss what would be needed for the setup you require (This is partly based on the fish you want to keep). Get prices for everything you’ll need (including the fish tank) – preferably from more than one supplier, so that you can get some comparisons.

6. Evaluate your budget against space constraints

   How does your budget compare to the costs you got in the previous step? Can you get a tank large enough for the fish you want to keep that will still fit in the space available? If the setup is too expensive, or the space to small, look at your fish selection again. Is there any specific fish that is causing a problem? If you can remove a single type of fish to fit the rest in the space you have available, how badly do you have your heart set on that fish? Make sure that all the fish you chose are available in your area. See if there is maybe a different place you can fit the tank, or whether you can increase the budget.

7. Buy the equipment

   Once you’ve sorted out your budget, space and fish selection, you can go ahead and buy the equipment. Do NOT buy any fish yet!

8. Set up your tank

   Once you have all the equipment, you can start setting it up. If this is the first time you’re doing this, expect to spend a few hours on this.

   Once everything is set up, fill the fish tank with water and let it settle for a couple of days to make sure that the equipment is working properly and that nothing is leaking. This also dechlorinates the water.

9. Select starter fish

   Select a few fish from your original list that is hardy, small and inexpensive. You only want to select 1″ of fish for each gallon of water, but you can determine this based on their current size – This is the ONLY time that you will base space required on the current size of the fish. The reason for this is the fact that the fish won’t grow significantly in the 4-8 weeks that the tank is cycling.

10. Cycle the tank

    Over the course of this 4-8 weeks you have to be particularly diligent and patient. Make sure you’re not overfeeding and that you are doing regular water changes. For this period, DON’T ADD ANY MORE FISH!

11. Maintain the tank

    Feed and observe the fish every day, Check the filter regularly, change 10-15% of your water weekly (and scrub for algae at the same time). Check all your other equipment, hoses, fittings, lights, etc at least once a month. And most importantly, Enjoy your tropical fish tank!

Now that you have a good idea of what to look for before getting started, I hope that you will get a tank that you can live with and enjoy for a long time.

Let me show you how to choose the correct tropical fish tank, and how to set it up correctly with the right fish the first time. Remember, A properly planned fish tank is that much easier to maintain and care for. You can get more information at My Tropical fish tanks blog

Step One: Finding an Agent

When it comes to shopping for a Real Estate Professional, there are many places to start. As of December 2006, there were over 2 million Real Estate Agents across the United States. With approximately 75% of people turning to the Internet to start their Real Estate Search, you go to your favorite search engine and depending on your search results you have to sort through the clutter of hundreds or thousands of Real Estate Websites. All the Web sites start looking the same and you quickly become bored or even frustrated. So how do you sort through the confusion to choose an Agent that’s right for you and understands your specific Pet Friendly needs?

Getting to know the specialties of a Pet Friendly Real Estate Agent is an important, but sometimes a difficult thing to do. This all comes down to the Agent’s ability to set themselves apart in the competitive Real Estate market and be the expert in their area of specialization. There are few “Pet Friendly” Agents in today’s market that are marketing themselves in the most effective way. It is even more difficult to find a Pet Friendly Agent who specializes in your town or city.

If pets are an important factor in your Real Estate decisions you need to find a Resource that is dedicated just to Pets and Pet Friendly Real Estate. http://www.PetRealtyNetwork.com is a good example of a Pet Friendly Real Estate Website – dedicated to Pet Friendly Real Estate and Pet Friendly Real Estate Agents. You can meet other Pet Friendly Agents in your town, across town, or even across the Country and even obtain information about other Pet Resources such as relocating with your pet or submitting your pet’s photo.

Step Two: Selling a Pet Friendly Property

When preparing a Pet Friendly property for sale, you have a big task ahead of you. It is important to make any property for sale as attractive as possible, but a Pet Friendly property can have a few more challenges. Pet hair has a tendency to find the deepest nooks and crannies in a home and if a home has a distinct pet odors, potential buyers may skip on the property. Your Pet Friendly Agent may suggest a few simple everyday maintenance chores that that can add to the appeal of your property.

o Vacuuming and cleaning your carpets and even your furniture on a regular basis will remove pet hair and dander and is a quick and simple step to keep your home looking neat. To reduce the amount of hair to be vacuumed, make a habit of brushing your pet regularly, which will also keep your pet’s coat healthy.

o Keep up on your ‘Doggy Duty’, which means keeping your yard clean at all times! To a potential buyer a dirty yard could equate with a dirty home.

o Keeping litter boxes clean and covered. Cat urine is a very distinct and difficult smell to eliminate. Keep the litter box in a well ventilated area, clean the litter box often, and consider an odor-reducing kitty litter.

o Have a plan for open houses or scheduled showings of your home. Some people are terrified of animals or even allergic. It is best to remove the pet from your home during a showing or an open house. If that is not possible, or would be stressful for your pet, consider keeping your pet in a crate or ask a friend or relative to pet sit.

o De-clutter your home, including pet toys, pet beds and crates and pet photos. Remember that even if you are Pet Friendly, a potential buyer may not be.

Step Three: Buying a Pet Friendly Property

You can expect your Pet Friendly Agent to be the Pet Friendly Real Estate expert. That means being knowledgeable about everything about a Property from the fenced yard to the local pet parks and Veterinary clinics. After all, you are not just looking for a home is suitable for you but for your whole family – pets included. A Pet Friendly Agent will start by asking you some initial qualifying questions: Are you a dog owner, cat owner, horse or farm owner? The following are examples of a few other topics you can expect that your Pet Friendly Agent will discuss with you:

o Pet Restrictions. You will commonly find pet restrictions in condominiums or deed-restricted neighborhoods. It is critical that you and your Pet Friendly Agent know ahead of time what those restrictions are, if any. They may include the number of pets, size of pet, breed restrictions (even for mixed breeds!) or parking restrictions for horse trailers.

o Veterinary Clinics, Specialty and Emergency Hospitals. In the event of an emergency, it is critical to be close to a 24 hour Emergency Hospital. Luckily, an increasing number of Emergency Hospitals also double as Specialty Hospitals. With the advancement of Veterinary Medicine, you can now provide the very best care for your pet if he or she requires specialty or emergency care and the convenience of a local Hospital may mean life or death for your pet.

o Pet Amenities. The everyday conveniences of safe walking or horse trails, stables, doggy pick-up stations, grooming and boarding facilities, and fenced in exercise areas are great examples of what makes an ordinary property a Pet Friendly property.

o Evacuation. If the potential property you are interested in purchasing is in a natural disaster Evacuation zone, would you have an Evacuation plan for your pets? Evacuation involves a great deal of preparation, especially for horses, and there is usually little notice of an impending disaster. You must be willing to prepare a solid Evacuation plan in place to ensure the safety of your pets.

Step Four: Moving Day

You have found your perfect agent, sold or purchased your Pet Friendly Property, and now it is time to pack up and move. Whether you are moving across town, across country or from another country – you have a big task ahead of you. Preparation is key to a successful move, keeping your pet’s safety in mind:

o Identification. Rule #1 in moving with your pet is properly identifying your pet with an identification tag and sturdy collar. Make sure your pet’s tag includes your destination location and telephone number and a mobile number, so you can be reached easily. Your prior address or telephone number will be useless if you have already moved.

o Medications, Food, and Veterinary Records. Keep a current copy of your pet’s vaccinations in a convenient location and not packed away in the moving truck. If traveling is stressful for your pet, consult your veterinarian about ways that might lessen the stress of travel. Depending on your destination, your pet may also need additional vaccinations, medications, and health certificates. Keep at least one week’s worth of food and medication in case of emergency.

o Crates and Containment Systems. There are many different types of travel crates on the market, and many are lightweight and collapsible just for traveling purposes. Make sure your pet is familiar with the crate you will be using for transportation by gradually introducing him to the crate before your trip. Be sure the crate is sturdy enough for stress-chewers or he could make an escape.

o Traveling by car It is best to travel with your dog in a crate, but if your dog enjoys car travel, you may want to accustom him to a restraining harness. For your safety as well as theirs, it is ALWAYS best to transport cats in a well-ventilated carrier. Never keep your pet in the open bed of a truck, or the storage area of a moving van. In any season, a pet left alone in a parked vehicle is vulnerable to being injured, harmed or stolen. Plan ahead by searching for pet friendly hotels to find overnight lodging during your move, and have plenty of kitty litter and plastic bags on hand for Doggy Duty.

o Keeping your pet secure. Pets can feel vulnerable on moving day. Keep your pet in a safe, quiet place, such as the bathroom on moving day with a PETS INSIDE sign on the door to keep off-limits to friends and professional movers.

o Air Travel. If traveling by air, first check with the airline about any pet requirements or restrictions to be sure you have prepared your pet to be safe and secure during the trip. Give yourself plenty of time to work out any arrangements necessary including consulting with your veterinarian, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

o Preparing your new home. Keep in mind that your pets may be frightened and confused in new surroundings. To reduce the chance of escaping due to fear, or pure excitement to explore the new territory, prepare all the familiar and necessary things your pet will need from day one including food, water, medications, bed, litter box, food and water bowls.

Molly Pavolino and The Pet Realty Network™ Team have a combination of over 20 years of Real Estate experience in the United States, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and Europe and expertise in the Pet industry and can therefore offer a unique perspective about Pets, Real Estate, and everything in between.

With more and more companies wanting to integrate their products into the lives of

celebrities, now seems like a good time to take a closer look at Celebrity Product

Placement, describe three common approaches, and outline what steps can be taken

to guarantee results.

The term “Celebrity Product Placement” is used to describe several related

techniques, but its definition applies to each: free products are distributed to

celebrities in expectation of a promotional benefit. Unlike the more overt, paid-for

endorsement, it offers a distinct advantage. It can appear like a product choice

made on individual preference.

Most marketers are unaware of their options in this category (one form features

contracts with celebrities, guaranteeing performance and allowing marketers to

actively leverage celebrity patrons in the media) and therefore many overlook a very

powerful influencer-marketing technique.

In this article, I will describe each of the three main approaches and discuss their

relative merits by listing their pros and cons. I also hope to quash any

misconception that Celebrity Product Placement has to be a gamble, and show you

how best to secure a return on investment (R.O.I.).

But first, a little history…

Celebrity Product Placement (sometimes called “Celebrity Seeding”) has been with us

since the dawn of marketing. Centuries before Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped into

his first Hummer, an 18th century potter named Josiah Wedgwood began supplying

his wares to England’s Queen Charlotte. Being given the title “Potter to Her Majesty”

led to a huge amount of publicity for Wedgwood which he took advantage of using

the term “Queen’s Ware” wherever he could.

It wasn’t until the 20th century that marketers keyed-in on America’s “royalty”:

Hollywood. But more often than not they met with disappointing results. Some

companies responded only to occasional requests for products (“gifting”), while

others made half-hearted attempts to distribute them without first devising a means

to guarantee results (“seeding”). In the end, most companies seeded product “to the

wind” and failed to grow anything of value.

Those efforts that did succeed, however, were so successful that independent

specialists emerged to help companies achieve better results. But the services they

offer vary and so do the results.

What’s It All About?

Marketers have long known the power of celebrity to influence consumer-

purchasing decisions. The term “borrowed equity” has been used to describe how a

celebrity endorsement can bestow upon a product special attributes and cache it

might not otherwise have.

The same concept applies to Celebrity Product Placement. But unlike celebrity

endorsements, where a highly compensated personality appears in commercial

advertising, Celebrity Product Placement offers marketers a more subtle and highly

effective means of reaching the public – via the media they consume by choice.

Indeed, Celebrity Product Placement is as much about placing products with

celebrities as it is about getting stories about those relationships into the press.

Regardless of the approach, Celebrity Product Placement strategies have a common

aim: to tie celebrities (thought-leaders, influencers) with consumer products in the

public consciousness.

Three different techniques offer three different levels of control over that placement:

gifting-the-talent (this usually involves supplying products for gift bags at live

events); product seeding (products are distributed more widely in hopes of securing

a promotional benefit and kicking off a trend); and, barter relationships (individual

celebrities agree to participate in custom programs in exchange for valuable

products).

Let’s take a look at each one in greater detail.

GIFTING-THE-TALENT

“Everybody” knows that celebrities own all the coolest stuff, and well before

everybody else. Celebrities travel the world and every minute detail of their daily

lives pervades the media. As style-leaders, they are perhaps our most powerful

influencers. It’s no wonder then that companies are lining up to give them the latest

gifts and gadgets for free.

One method to do this is called “Gifting-The-Talent.” This generally involves

supplying free product for insertion into “goody bags” which are handed out as

‘thank you’ gifts to celebrity presenters and award nominees at the now-countless

awards shows and charity benefits that dot the entertainment landscape.

At last year’s Academy Awards, for example, one of two Best Actress gift-bags

featured Gucci sunglasses, a Sprint PCS phone, Christian Tse 18-carat gold Iris

earrings, and more. The Best Actor bag featured Gucci eyewear, a Maurice Lacroix

Swiss watch and assorted other goodies. According to news reports, the retail value

of one such group of bags at the Oscars exceeded $110,000 each!

But how effective is this practice? If the goal of Celebrity Product Placement is to get

press coverage, can we measure the value of gift-bag placements? What types of

products are suitable and which are not? And what level of control does this strategy

offer marketers both in terms of demographics and reach?

There is no denying the value of being associated with these glitzy events, and by

extension, the celebrities who populate them. On the plus side, they offer a rare

opportunity to get close to the biggest stars in the world. On the minus side, the

marketer has no control in matching up celebrities who hold sway over their

particular demographic. They have to play the cards they are dealt.

Gifting-the-talent at award shows virtually guarantees mentions in the celebrity

press at the time of the event; but without permission to associate the celebrity’s

name and likeness with the product, marketers don’t have the leeway to truly

leverage those relationships in their own press activities.

Gifting-the-talent in this way has other limitations: first-movers snap-up desirable

categories and, of course, not all products are deemed appropriate. You won’t find

an energy drink in these bags.

PRODUCT SEEDING

Product Seeding offers marketers more control over whom to place products with

but, conversely, less control over how (or if) those products get used. And, while

virtually any product – from bottled water to consumer electronics – can be seeded

with celebrities, marketers are playing the odds here. But the payoff can be huge if

the seeding is supported by a creative strategy.

Product Seeding is the oldest form of Celebrity Product Placement. Products are

distributed more widely. They can be aimed at celebrities who are most compelling

to your demographic. And they can be delivered directly to the celebrity without the

filters imposed by events. Of course, working with a specialist who can get your

product directly to celebrities becomes paramount here. Film and television product

placement agencies are NOT set up for this practice.

Taken by itself, Product Seeding is a gamble. If you send enough freebies to

Hollywood but you don’t have a creative strategy, a celebrity might be photographed

using your product or evangelizing it on a talk show. But if one looks at Product

Seeding as one tactic in a larger Celebrity Product Placement effort, it can pay big

dividends – particularly in identifying celebrities who have a true affinity for your

product.

Energy Brands, makers of the Glaceau Vitamin Water line, discovered this in 2004.

As a result of its long-time strategy to “home deliver” the vitamin-enhanced drink

to celebrities (including Sean “Puffy” Combs and Tom Cruise), the company gained a

fan in 50 Cent. Having mentioned his preference for the product in a series of

interviews, the Hip Hop star – who is well known for his fitness-centered lifestyle –

became an obvious choice for brand spokesperson.

Speaking to Ad Age magazine, Energy Brands’ VP of marketing, Rohan Oza, said

“We’ve seen that when 50 Cent incorporates [Vitamin Water] into his daily routine …

the brand gets on the airwaves and we create a lot of trial.” Making vitamin water a

visible part of the rapper’s healthy lifestyle worked so well the company launched a

new “Formula 50″ variety named for the artist.

Such “organic” relationships can grow from Product Seeding. Not only can marketers

benefit from press mentions, but the process can be used to uncover promotional

opportunities and, in some cases, identify the most ideal product endorsers.

Product Seeding remains a gamble but, if executed properly, one well worth taking.

Relatively speaking, it is a very low-cost marketing program. And the return on

investment – though difficult to forecast compared to barter relationships discussed

below – can be big. But what if your goal is limited to getting press mentions? Can a

publicist hedge his or her bets in this category?

One of the great things about Product Seeding is how creative you can get. For

Trident White chewing gum, the company commissioned a Harris poll asking the

public to vote on the best “celebrity smiles.” My company, which specializes in

celebrity product placement, delivered gift baskets of the product to the Top 6

winners, allowing Trident to plug the celebrities in their press materials.

On another occasion, Electrolux – maker of a new high-end, super-quiet vacuum

cleaner – wanted to align their product with celebrities. We identified 6 celebrity

moms who had recently given birth and – touting the fact that these vacuums would

not wake a sleeping baby – made gifts of the product to each. Here again, the

company was able to use celebrities to draw press coverage for its product. And

they were able to reference these celebrities because they were stating facts (a gift

was made to…).

But what if you want tighter integration with celebrities? Suppose you need to

forecast a return on investment in order to get approval for a Celebrity Product

Placement campaign? And what if you want celebrities to provide feedback about

your product and authorize use of their names and likenesses as part of your press

campaign?

BARTER RELATIONSHIPS

Barter is, perhaps, the only way to guarantee performance on the part of the

celebrity. Unlike other forms of gifting, this is a quid pro quo relationship whereby

the celebrity agrees in advance to participate in the marketer’s promotional activities

- in exchange for valuable product.

Celebrity Product Placement campaigns of this type work best for big-ticket items

such as consumer electronics and (the loan of) cars. But with creative approaches,

special product questionnaires and generous “Right of Publicity” agreements,

marketers can use the celebrity’s name, likeness and opinion as part of their public

relations campaigns.

Celebrity Product Placement – via barter agreements – is also among the most

affordable ways to use celebrities. For the price of a few products, and sometimes a

token honorarium, companies can integrate testimonials into their PR materials and

create customized celebrity content for their websites.

They can involve numerous stars in a press campaign for less than the cost of a

single paid celebrity spokesperson. It is one of the most under-exploited tactics

available to marketers today.

A Case Study: Sony Electronics

The Sony CD Mavica – at the time, the only digital camera offering a built-in CD-

Rom – had failed to penetrate the increasingly crowded market for digital imaging

products. This was troubling for Sony because the CD Mavica offered clear

advantages over its competitors; namely, freedom from wires. But that message had

failed to reach the public.

Sony wanted to involve celebrities with their products and for that involvement to

influence the public in a meaningful way. They wanted a high-profile event –

preferably benefiting charity – upon which to launch a yearlong press campaign in

time for the Christmas shopping season. The focus: to promote the simplicity of

CD-based photography.

The budget was limited. But, having learned that the latest Sony products could be

made available to gift the talent, The Hollywood-Madison Group proposed a

Celebrity Product Placement campaign. Each celebrity would be asked to take a

picture of what “Freedom” means to them, and those photos would be auctioned off

for charity.

Such an artistic challenge, coupled with the prospect of receiving free Sony product,

not only served to induce celebrities to participate, but offered us an extraordinary

opportunity: to frame these pictures and mount an exhibition which raised money

for charity. Indeed, the charity component attracted higher-caliber celebrities and

provided the “hook” to draw media attention.

We successfully placed the Sony CD Mavica digital camera with fifteen top stars

including Eric McCormack, Alyssa Milano and Dennis Hopper. The photographs were

then offered for sale on eBay as part of Wired magazine’s annual charity auction,

and put on display at a star-studded event in Los Angeles.

Fifteen top celebrities demonstrated the practical use of Sony’s product and

authorized the use of their names, likenesses and opinions about the product for

press and marketing purposes (for one year). Sony received free advertising for its

product in print and online for three months (worth an estimated $100,000), as well

as 3.6 million webpage impressions (auction as a whole) and national press

coverage including Entertainment Tonight.

You can read more about this project on our website>celebrity_projects>influencer

campaigns.

Conclusion

Celebrity Product Placement offers marketers an exciting way to influence

consumer-purchasing decisions. Properly executed, it can be a low-cost, high-

return proposition. As such, it should be part of every consumer-marketing

program.

Three different approaches offer three different results: gifting-the-talent (narrow

focus); product seeding (broad focus) and, barter relationships (one-on-one focus).

But, as we have seen, a tightly integrated celebrity product placement campaign,

combining elements of each, can improve results and deliver an impressive return

on investment.

Jonathan Holiff is president and CEO of The Hollywood-Madison Group – the leading recruiter of celebrities for endorsements, appearances and press campaigns. Visit the website at http://www.Hollywood-Madison.com

Celebrities often choose unique and unusual baby names for their offspring. Some of the trendiest celebrity baby names and their meanings can be found here. These baby names can provide inspiration for choosing a unique name for your own baby.

Girl’s Names:

Apple: Origin: English, Meaning: Apple.

Celebrity Parents: Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin

Ava: Origin: German, Meaning: A bird.

Celebrity Parents: Reese Witherspoon, Heather Locklear.

Coco: Origin: Spanish, Meaning: Coconut.

Celebrity Parents: Courtney Cox Arquette and David Arquette

Ella: Origin: English, Meaning: Beautiful fairy woman.

Celebrity Parents: John Travolta, Ben Stiller, Eric Clapton, Mark Wahlberg & Rhea Durham.

Georgia: Origin: Greek Meaning: Female version of George, meaning a farmer.

Celebrity Parents: Harry Connick Jr., Harrison Ford, Mick Jagger & Jerry Hall.

Leila: Origin: Hebrew, Meaning: Dark Beauty.

Celebrity Parents: Greta Scacci & Vincent D’Onofrio

Lola: Origin: Spanish, Meaning: Strong Woman.

Celebrity Parents: Kate Moss, Jennie Garth, Chris Rock.

Matilda: Origin: German, Meaning: Might, Power.

Celebrity Parents: Michelle Williams & Heath Ledger

Sailor: Origin: English, Meaning: Sailor.

Celebrity Parents: Christie Brinkley & Peter Cook

Shiloh: Origin: Hebrew, Meaning: God’s Gift.

Celebrity Parents: Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt

Sophia: Origin: Greek, Meaning: Form of Sophie, meaning wisdom.

Celebrity Parents: Francis Ford Coppola, Sylvester Stallone & Jennifer Flavin.

Stella: Origin: Greek, Meaning: A star.

Celebrity Parents: Melanie Griffith & Antonio Banderas.

Suri: Origin: Hebrew, Meaning: Red Rose, Princess.

Celebrity Parents: Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes

Boy’s Names:

Banjo: Origin: English, Meaning: Banjo.

Celebrity Parents: Patrick and Rachel Griffiths

Bogart: Origin: German, Meaning: Bowstring.

Celebrity Parents: David “Puck” Rainey & Betty Rainey

Dashiell: Origin: Unknown, Meaning: Unknown.

Celebrity Parents: Alice Cooper. (Also, Mr. Incredible’s named his son Dashiell Robert Parr or “Dash”)

Indiana: Origin: English, Meaning: The country India.

Celebrity Parents: Casey Affleck and Summer Phoenix

Joaquin: Origin: Spanish, Meaning: Abbreviation of the Hebrew name Jehoichin, meaning “Jehovah has established.”

Celebrity Parents: Kelly Ripa.

Jaden: Origin: Hebrew, Meaning: Jehovah has heard.

Celebrity Parents: Will Smith, Christian Slater, Andre Agassi.

Liam: Origin: Irish, Meaning: Unwavering protector.

Celebrity Parents: Calista Flockhart.

Maddox: Origin: Welsh, Meaning: Son of the Patron.

Celebrity Parents: Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt

Marlon: Origin: English, Meaning: Sea of Bitterness.

Celebrity Parents: Dennis Miller

Myles: Origin: German, Meaning: Millstone.

Celebrity Parents: Sherilynn Finn & Toulouse Hardy, Eddie Murphy

Oliver: Origin: Latin, Meaning: Olive Tree.

Celebrity Parents: Bridget Fonda & Danny Elfman

Presley: Origin: English, Meaning: From the priest’s meadow.

Celebrity Parents: Cindy Crawford.

Reed: Origin: English, Meaning: Redheaded.

Celebrity Parents: Ron Howard.

Ryder: Origin: English, Meaning: Knight.

Celebrity Parents: Kate Hudson & Chris Robinson

Seven: Origin: Unknown, Meaning: Unknown.

Celebrity Parents: Erykah Badu & Andre Benjamin (Andre 3000 of Outkast)

Article written by Trisha Jones, owner of the hip maternity and baby boutique, Stella Maternity, offering trendy maternity clothes and cool baby clothes. http://www.stellamaternity.com
Trisha also writes for the blog, S.M.N., the place to find news about celebrity babies and the latest trends in maternity and baby clothes. http://stellamaternity.blogspot.com