Question: What Exactly is Marcom?

Marcom, also spelled in all caps like MARCOM, is the abbreviation for Marketing Communications. This concept is the science of marketing messages and the related media (e.g. path, channels, materials) used to share the message with the intended audience. While Marcom can be as simple as print materials advertising your message, the concept of Marcom can include ideas about how the message crafts the brand, how the message is communicated and how long it stays with the audience, and also the mix of channels which convey the message.

Question: What if You Don't Have a Problem?

What if you want to sell a product but can't find a market? Create a market! Here's tip number 1 -- make a problem that people think they have and then solve it for them. Take water softener devices for one. If you grew up with hard water, you might be OK with it. But if you can convince people they are better off without it, you can sell them water softeners! The same goes with just about any device or product that solves a problem. The more people you can convince they have the problem, even if its not really a problem for them, the more you can sell!

Question: Does Cross Brand Marketing Work?

I like giving examples to answer questions so lets do that now. Have you heard of Nike+? Nike+ is a system by Nike and Apple Inc which connects your Nike show to your iPod or iPhone. It allows you to track how far you run and more using your Apple device as a data collection system. It also allows you to better sync your music listening with your running. Both companies win with this product line -- more iPods are sold and more Nikes are sold!

Question: How Can I Get Money for College?

Here's an easy tip -- get your own photo graduation announcements and send them to all your rich relatives! No, I'm just kidding -- what you really need to do is market yourself to universities in a smart way. What does that mean? Well it involves actually developing your own personal marketing mix -- website, resume, letters, video application, personal visits -- its all about getting your "brand" (i.e. you!) out there and in the sights of colleges.

Question: Why Did Google Make the Android?

One word -- Advertising! Google's bread and butter (and 99% of their revenue) is advertising and Google is always looking out for the future. Google knows that in 10 years, most people will access the Internet not via home computers but via mobile computing devices like cell phones and PDAs. Google doesn't care one bit about monthly service charges or per kb fees -- it's all about capturing an entire generation of eyeballs on the ads that they can serve on open and free cell phones.

Question: How to Market Seasonal Products?

Seasonal home aid products like the dehumidifier can be marketed to fight against the ills or discomforts of the season. Winter, of course, means people heat their homes, which makes the air dry and can increase the risk of coughing and catching the cold virus. Step in the dehumidifier -- by wetting the air, you can less likely to have a dry cough and catch a cold! It practically sells itself!

Question: How Will Apple Market the iPad?

How will Apple Inc market their latest creation - the iPad? Well we got a preview of that strategy in Steve Job's unveiling yesterday. Here were some strong points:

• eBook reader: the iPad has its own Apple iBook app and bookstore where publishers set the price and layout of the boo titles.
• Internet portal: the best way to visit and interact with the internet.
• Game console: iPhone and iPad apps like cool motion sensitive games
• Apps console: Of course! 140,000 apps to download and use!

Question: What Ever Happened to Yahoo Search?

News was all abound in the past few years that Yahoo was going to be purchased by this company or that. So what ever happened to the talk? Well on July 29, 2009, news came out that Microsoft had entered a 10 year deal with Yahoo that allows Microsoft full access to Yahoo search engine and that it would be used for future projects for its search engine Bing. That's not too big of news but it could mean that then next time you search for the "quick weight loss diet" on Bing you probably are seeing Yahoo results. How can Yahoo stock price faired? Not well! It currently is $ 15.88 per share, down significantly from its 52 week high of $18+.

Question: What is SimplyTweet?

Its all about Google Wave. Just kidding -- of course its about Twitter. SimplyTweet is a front end application for Twitter. This means it is a way for people to use Twitter without being on the site itself. SimplyTweet is an application on the iPhone and iPod touch. It is a simple yet effective way to use Twitter and its popularity it growing.

Question: What is Baby Boomer Marketing?

As the name suggests, Baby Boomer Marketing is the practice of selling products to the Baby Boomer Generation. The Baby Boomers have an amazing set of statistics associated with them. Just to name a few, there were 77.3 million babies born in that generation and many of them are still alive today. Their income is high and they are focused on staying young and healthy. This creates a huge market for products like best anti aging products and fitness equipment. Its a major category of marketing and it is a major focus in advertising companies.

Question: What is Twitpic?

Twitpic, as the name suggests, is a Twitter-like service for sharing photos online. It is not affiliated with Twitter but it can work with the service. Twitpic can be used to post pictures to Twitter or also other services. They are not the only service which can do this -- no way, there are dozens of other sites including all these available for use: Tweetdeck, Tweetie, Echofon, Twitterrific and Twitfile. Isn't that wild? One success spawns an entire range of other companies and services.

Question: Can Advertising Alone Run Google?

Sure Google has ventured off into different ventures which bring in revenue -- mobile phones, anyone? But could Google exist and thrive only by selling ads like for real estate and sleeping pills? Yes and Yes! How? Well just think about television. Almost all of network television is supported solely by advertising revenue. All those TV shows, costing millions per episode, are funded by the television commercials shown during them. Isn't that crazy? Well its true and that's why Google could certainly continue "only" by advertising.

Question: Has Twitter Been Used in Space?

Its like a milestone new technologies, especially those having to do with the Internet, seem to need these days: Has it been used in space? First there were phone calls from space. Then there was blogging in space. Now Tweeting has been done in space, several times. In May 2009 astronaut Mike Massimino was the first tweeter sending updates during a Hubble Space Telescope mission. October 21, 2009 saw Nicole Stott and Jeff Williams making the first tweetup from the International Space Station. Crazy huh?

Question: How Does Twitter Make Money?

Without noticeable advertising on the website Twitter, how exactly does the company make any money? Well it hasn't had to resort to posting text ads for real estate or human growth hormone -- no, instead it uses a totally unseen method of income generation: Venture Capitalism! Ha, ha, this isn't really fair to say. They don't actually make money but instead "get money" from investors. Its the classic Web 2.0 revenue model. But this sort of thing can't last forever. No, one day Twitter will either have to be bought by a bigger company (e.g. Google) or start selling something.

Question: What is Word of Mouth Marketing?

Well just as the name may imply, Word of Mouth marketing is all about spreading the marketing message person to person using buzz. In the Internet age word of mouth marketing can be brought into the cyber world with email, tweeting, and blogging. Even though its digital, word of mouth is still what they are doing. Word of Mouth is also closely related to the idea of viral marketing, where messages take a life of their own and travel around almost without guidance.

Question: What is MLM?

MLM is an acronym for Multi-level marketing and refers to the structure of product marketing where people use different channels to sell your product. Other terms which can refer to the practice of MLM are network marketing, direct selling and referral marketing. Need an example? Well say you have a product, say the best eye cream in the world but you have no stores to sell it in. You could set up a system where you have independent seller go out and direct sell your product. Furthermore you could incentivize them to get other people to sell your product. This multilevel approach is the heart of MLM.

Question: What Are Marketing Channels?

Channels when it comes to marketing is called "Distribution". It is one of the four elements of the marketing mix and it relates to the places the product is brought to market and sold. An organization involved in the process of making a product or service available for use needs to find the right channels to push that product to the public. The Channels can be pathways to distribution or the final point of sale location, like a retail store.

Question: How Much Money is the in Accessories?

So your company didn't invent the Nintendo Wii -- that doesn't mean you can't cash in on wii accessories! Think about it -- for every innovative product, there is always an aftermarket where you can sell accessories for it. From the mobile phone to the iPod, the market for accessories is huge and very profitable. The main aspect is to get to market first and deliver a quality product. If you can do those two things first on new accessories, you can make a lot of money.

Question: Is It Difficult to Handle Liquid Products?

Think about this -- when you have a liquid as the product you make or sell, there are special consideration you must make. This is known as Liquid Logistics. Here are some things which must be considered -- Liquids flowing from a higher level to a lower level provide the capability to transport the liquids without mechanical propulsion or manual intervention. Also liquids match the shape of the container they are put in. This reduces lost space in packaging and distribution.

Question: What Shouldn't I Put My Name On?

Everyone loves promotional items but you have to be careful which items you use to market your business. Stay away from things that are not well received like visors, cheap cigars, flip flops, and nail clippers. Instead focus on innovative products like digital picture frames, energy drinks, and multi-tools. You can stay with standard products like t-shirts and hat too but the more innovative the better! Don't be swayed by cheap prices -- you need to put a little thought into this.