Local business is the untargeted market
Within recent years, the focus on local businesses has slowly been dwindling-forcing them to fade into the background of major commercial development projects. Yet, when the recession hit these small industries were the first victims of the economic crisis. This acted as a reality check for all business owners actualizing their fears that despite the size of their company the safety net was no longer present. At this point the American sentiment towards large commercial industries has shifted towards mistrust, once again placing local businesses on the forefront. With these major changes quickly progressing, advertising and public relation firms should look towards the benefits of working towards local causes. Based on some statistics used by Chris Brogan, an online media marketing leader:
40% of small businesses don’t have a web site
81% of entrepreneurs still don’t take advantge of social media
47% don’t think that Facebook, Twitter or even LinkedIn are beneficial to their business
84% don’t provide for e-commerce
62% don’t use email marketing
(Source: Citibank survey.)
Now that you have a tangible idea of how much of an untargeted market is presently unexposed, the potential is endless. With a clear understanding of this, Collective Concept PR has taken on working with local Franklin Avenue merchants whom possess a similar passion and work ethic for success. In guiding these small enterprises through the world of web marketing and PR, Collective Concept PR has helped these once struggling merchants gain the visibility needed to reach the customer base they never knew existed. In addition, the growth of these businesses aid in the progress of the community which extends endlessly from one area to the next. In a time when the international lines are blurred through the mass use of the internet, web marketing has now raised the bar; making the key to success for traditional family-owned businesses more than possible through the extraordinary aid of a media and marketing team that is willing to transcend, converting a vision into a reality. Let us help you reach your full potential. www.collectiveconceptpr.com
In the advent of the Digital Age, there has been an influx of new and improved ways for companies to expand their brand through the use of social media. As a consumer, one may have direct and/or indirect contact with social media on a daily basis. Albeit, if you were to ask the average consumer what social media is and why it is important, they would be unable to give a concrete answer. Social media is hard to describe because the topic is broad. It consists of social networking sites(Facebook, Twitter), blogs, and online community forums.
Social Media has completely changed the way companies advertise and promote their brand to their consumers. People do not like to buy from companies, they much prefer to purchase from people. With that being said, social media enables companies to take on a more personable identity and approach to selling their products to consumers. From a company’s point of view, social media provides them with the distinct opportunity to mold and shape their brand to make it more aesthetically pleasing to their target audience. If a company has a blog, facebook, and/or twitter page they have a larger opportunity to connect to their target audience on an informal and more comfortable platform.
A company has many different platforms on which, they can promote their brand and build a bridge from their company to their target audience. In order to be successful at social marketing, a company has to use social media to its advantage. Without social media, companies would be unable to have a direct and personal link to consumers. Consumers wouldn’t feel the level of comfort and equality that they do when they deal with a company in this new digital age. Social Media has provided a platform where consumers and companies can meet on an equal and level playing field and satisfy each others needs adequately.
Three years ago one of our clients, Kevin Phillip, owner of About Time Boutique established what would become a tradition honoring the residents and children of the Crown Heights community. This yearly anticipated event is known as About Time’s Annual Kids Day Event. The involvement of several local businesses has helped create a grander vision-making each year bigger and more exciting than the last. Tomorrow, July 24th, on Franklin Avenue (between Sterling & Park Pl.) from 12-5PM will be this year’s 3rd Annual Kids Day Event. We are proud to announce that the event is open to everyone at no expense-with all forms of entertainment, food, and attractions paid for through donations from local merchants. Collective Concept PR would like officially thank all the sponsors for their donations towards the 3rd Annual Kid’s Day Event. Without their participation and enthusiasm, this event would not be possible. We would like to express our gratitude to the following businesses:
Today one of our clients, About Time Boutique, made it into the the City Living section of AM New York. Am New York is one of the most widely distributed free newspapers in New York City, reaching an audience of over 300,000+ readers a day. About Time Boutique has gained recognition through its sale of trendy attire featuring designs from underground artists including the Krow Hill label. Additionally, About Time Boutique has played a major role in the development of the Crown Heights community specifically Franklin Avenue. About Time Boutique in collaboration with local businesses is showing its love and support for the community through its 3rd Annual Kids Day Event which will be hosted this Saturday July, 24th from the hours of 12-5PM. With the event being held on Franklin Avenue between Sterling and Park Place and it is all but not limited to the Crown Heights Community; anyone who wishes to attend is invited at no extra expense. Make sure stop by and enjoy the festivities and celebration of a growing community.
During the morning rush hour, as hectic commuters make their way through the impossibly crowded train stations, they are always seen to be armed with a copy of the widely distributed AM New York. Today at AboutTime Boutique, AM New York photographer Andrew Hinderaker dropped by to interview owner Kevin Phillip, in addition to documenting the much buzzed about Crown Heights boutique. The prominent role AboutTime is playing within the community as well as the positive opportunities they are presenting to young impressionable minds, which is reflected in their annual summer youth internships, has gained further recognition. For years AboutTime Boutique has sponsored events that can be branded as philanthropic, in that they unite a diverse growing community. An example of an aforementioned event includes the up and coming 3rd Annual Kids Day, which will be held this Saturday July 24th between 9AM-5PM on Franklin Avenue (Between Park& Sterling Pl.). Come out and support the Crown Heights Community and don’t forget to look for the AboutTime Boutique article in Thursday’s AM New York.
Today’s culture is a reflection of the individuality and creativity embraced by a new generation. They are the artists without limits, bringing to the table a revised form of Dadaism (an early 20th century cultural movement focused on irrationality and nonconformity) with its most prominent form displayed on the skin of countless individuals through permanently tattooed images and piercings. So for those privileged enough to live in Crown Heights look no further than Brooklyn Ink located at 717 Franklin Avenue. Unlike most tattoo parlors where a potential client is greeted with intimidation, the artists at Brooklyn Ink are more than welcoming with open sketchpads and friendly smiles. Combing creativity with the confidence needed to create an image that will forever be on their canvases, the tattoo artists at Brooklyn Ink understand the importance and significance this ancient craft is about. They are even willing to work with anyone in order to create a custom design to their liking. Brooklyn Ink is a reflection of how a subculture can effectively unite a diverse community through a love of art.
Staying in touch with your customer base is the key to building success and maintaining loyalties. This is where PR and marketing teams, such as Collective Concept PR, step in. Those who are responsible for managing and branding the name of a company are the ones who determine whether it will thrive or become another casualty of the current recession. It is the ability to keep a strong business façade while balancing the concerns of the customers that enables people to choose and trust one company over another. A recent example of this was seen with the release of the Iphone 4. Last week, the Boy Genius Report, a well-known technology weblog, reported how “Apple’s (mis)management of the situation involving the Iphone 4′s glitch created a lose-lose situation”. Had Apple’s marketing team properly advised them to be transparent about the antenna issue from the beginning, it would’ve have most likely received less negative reviews, while remaining honest with their customer base-in effect losing less patrons as well as profits. As a business owner, make sure to choose a PR and marketing company that corresponds to your needs, ensuring the success of your product. We at Collective Concept PR understand the importance of branding and the significance reputation plays in the establishment of any new enterprise. Don’t allow just anyone to take charge of your PR-place the responsibility in the hands of someone you can trust to lead you in the right direction. www.collectiveconceptpr.com
In a time when everyone is wired, making your internet presence known is essential to the survival and advancement of any business. The vitality of staying connected can be seen at every glance especially in a city as hooked as New York. Blackberries, IPads, and Netbooks are only a few of the tools this generation has armed itself with, sealing its reputation as the most accessible progeny. Generation Y has embodied the basic rights the American society was founded on. In advancing technology, ultimately leading to its dependence, anyone with an internet connection has the ability to exercise their freedoms by voicing their opinions to the masses. Businesses have caught on to this trend and rightfully manipulated it. Blogging now allows businesses to build their fan-base by establishing a connection on a personal level with the chosen consumers. Without the ability to stay connected to the masses, employers will remain unknown-without a voice, cause, or an audience.
Any business owner seeking to brand, promote, or advertise their business should have daily conversations that include the current internet savvy lingo. Popular social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook have coined phrases such as “Tweet me”, “Follow Me” or “DM any info”; “Check out our Facebook Like Page, and let’s not forget the burning question, “Are you LinkedIn”? Likewise, with almost every handheld device housing internet capability, apps such as “BBM” have created even more convenient methods of communication. On the same note, businesses will greatly prosper by notifying their busy clients on the ease of reading “posts” through the “RSS Feed” from that specific business’s “blog”.
If you find yourself a little confused by these terminologies, please take the time out to hire a Collective Concept PR representative… “LOL” (Laughing Out Loud). Just a joke… but honestly… if you are a business owner you need a strong web presence! It’s okay to feel a little behind; however, it is NOT okay to STAY behind. Let us take you forward. www.collectiveconceptpr.com
Want outstanding cakes? Then look no further than SoulDelicious Catering.You’ll be amazed with the delightful creations this talented young woman can bake up. Shani Porter has established herself and is looking forward to expanding her catering business; with her outstanding capabilities we expect nothing less. An example of Porter’s success can be seen in her upcoming Food Network appearance on August 4th, so make sure to watch and support SoulDelicious. In purchasing one of her baked delights you will gain insight on the love and soul Shani Porter instills within her sweet creations.
Follow SoulDelicious on Twitter!
Also make sure to read Kim Porter’s Interview with Shani Porter!
ABOUT TIME BOUTIQUE & THE CROW HILL ASSOCIATION have come together for the annual Kid’s Day event which will be held on July 24th, 2010. Below is the official press release for the event and an official video of the fundraising done by the children leading up to the event.
ABOUT TIME BOUTIQUE & The Crow Hill Association’s Annual Kid’s Day Event
(July 9, 2010) In keeping with the tradition of giving back to the community the owner of About Time Boutique, Kevin Phillip decided three years ago to host a annual Kid’s Day Event. Phillip is immensely family oriented, it’s commonplace to see his young son, Logan in the boutique with him. Phillip believes wholeheartedly in giving back to his community and supporting his patrons and having his neighborhood come together and support each other.
Kid’s Day is for the children of the community, as the name obviously implies. In the months leading up to the fun-filled day of activities, food, games, and quality time the children of the neighborhood actually fundraise for their own event. Certain weekends of the month you can find children in front of About Time Boutique, heavily fundraising to pay for their much-anticipated event.
There has been media coverage on event recently; it was even discussed on Channel 12 NEWS. Council Member Leticia James has also donated to the Kids Day Event, this year promises to be larger than the past two years. Especially with the addition of the Crow Hill Association as a head sponsor because they have been backing him and his philanthropist efforts from day one. About Time Boutique’s goal is to enlighten the community and make it a better place as much as possible, so it was only right that Crow Hill was brought on.
July 24th, 2010 promises to be a successful and action-packed day filled with positivity and good vibes. The children involved are ecstatic that the event is rapidly approaching and the people of the community love being involved in this event.
WHEN/WHERE
Saturday, July 24th, 12pm-5pm
About Time Boutique
736A Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238
(the entire block: Franklin Ave bet Park Pl & Sterling Pl)
I'm at The Candy Rush (733 Franklin Avenue, btwn Park Pl & Sterling Pl, Brooklyn) [pic]: http://4sq.com/pEW9SG08:05:42 PM August 01, 2011from foursquare
I'm at The Candy Rush (733 Franklin Avenue, btwn Park Pl & Sterling Pl, Brooklyn) http://4sq.com/onAaCO06:09:41 PM July 31, 2011from foursquare
