Business Lesson 2: Marketing Materials

LESSON 2
Marketing Materials

An up-and-coming company has been given the opportunity to publish a full-length article about themselves in a business catalogue that is to be distributed at a prestigious business conference in 3 months. There is also the opportunity for clients to submit testimonials about the service quality of the company.
The marketing team meet to discuss their options and what Marketing Materials to employ.

Steve:  We have three months before the conference and one month to submit our main article. I have contacted the catalogue and they have given us two pages for free. Clients can participate via advertorial or ad, and there is a charge.
Sabrina: How much will it cost for each client to participate?
Steve: I am awaiting information about fees. I will forward them to you as soon as I receive them. I do know that the article will be about 600 words.
Kate: I am willing to collaborate on the article.
Steve: Thanks. What I’ll do is post the proposed article in the company newsletter and allow everyone to review it.
Kate: That’s a good idea. Maybe there will be suggestions for improvements.
Sabrina: We should also consider sending marketing material and information to analysts and bloggers.
Steve: Y es, and the press release should be targeted at key publications.
Kate: We might want to target more business-­oriented publications. Maybe tweak the press releases and announcements to include higher ­level business benefit points of view that would make the information relevant to executives.
Sabrina: A greed.
Steve:  Let’s focus on the proposed text. I have a couple of paragraphs that simply plant seeds of awareness about our next generation initiatives.
Sabrina: That’s a great head start.
Kate: Maybe an intro about our new platform. Then you have a version that could go into the more business orientated magazine. This would allow two versions, one that is technical and one that puts the information in context for senior managers. I would be happy to collaborate on this.
Steve: What’s the best way to work with the magazine in the absence of a press release?
Kate: Pitch a story instead of a press release. Usually managed from a PR department who works with their contacts. Often, the magazine will want to talk with customers.
Sabrina: H ow will we format the story? What will the content be?
Kate: I t will cover much the same information, but to the next level of depth because these articles need to be longer. I figure the proposed content would fit on a single page of an online article.
Steve: Sounds good.
Sabrina: I was thinking that we should submit to the catalogue ASAP.
Kate & Steve: Yes.
Sabrina: And to the magazine soon afterwards.
Kate: What’s the deadline for catalogue?
Steve: Something like 30 days.
Sabrina: We need to get the ball rolling on this on the Marketing Materials.