Business Plan

       In the first of two lectures we learned how to create our own business. This was my first business lecture and I realized just how ignorant I am when it comes to the subject. I never knew how easy owning your own business is, but can certainly appreciate all the benefits. First you need a plan, one you renew every year. Next, get  a lawyer and file an LLC (Limited Liability Corporation.) An LLC is like a membership card and offers security. Once you're certified, get a professional website and business cards. Finally, know how to use taxes to your advantage. Also, get in the mindset of charging no less than sixty dollars an hour!

Cover Letters

   A cover letter can be a useful or damaging tool depending on how you present yourself. It's important to appear confident and capable, no matter how inexperienced you may be. Our class lecture was full of helpful information I will use when searching for a "grown-up" job. I have no work experience outside of the restaurant industry and find myself feeling unsure when I think about sending out resumes and going to job interviews. Now that I know how to write I proper cover letter I will be able to sell a message they will like and present myself as a desirable candidate before they meet me.

  Some tips:   Be concise
                    Have a good "hook"
                    STAND OUT!
                    Sound up for the task
                    Do some research/ Know your audience
                    Use concrete language
                    A.I.D.A!!!

Fear

We all know fear is a powerful thing. It can be a tool used for something good or bad and it can be a catalyst for change, positive or negative. Although it seems manipulative I know a gameplan for using fear... you just remember to use it carefully so it doesn't backfire.

The 4-Part Appeal for using fear is simple:
1. Introduce Threat        (Strong "Hey you!")
2. Demonstrate Risk      (Audience makes decision)
3. Offer Solution            (Must be simple and workable!!!)
4. Show Audience they can perform the solution.

Now, to strengthen your appeal:
1. Make Threat Serious   (Likely to happen)
2. Make References        (People love facts and statistics)
3. Paint Vivid Word Pictures!
4. Personalize                 (This will affect YOU!)
5. Don't forget to be Negative!

McDonalds

Oh McDonalds. A fast-food chain so popular it's more than a company. It's a concept, and even a sociology term. How did McDonald's become such a powerful force in our country? In the world? There's more to it than being cheap and efficient. There's even more to it that it's so standardized we can go to any McDonalds in the world and feel right at home. I hate McDonalds (I'm more of a Wendy's girl) and I still found myself there in Spain. Why? Because it was familiar and I was sick of eating unfamiliar, room-temperature sandwiches! (No offense to Spain, it was a wonderful country! I'd go back and eat those sandwiches anytime.)

The point is, McDonalds sells more than a product, they sell ideas that don't relate to their product. This is evident in all their commercials. And I love the diversity angle they've got going on... did you know by eating a Big Mac you're celebrating diversity? If you didn't just watch the commercials with the adorable little girls-- one from every race imaginable, all playing dress-up together in an attic. Seriously, I love multiculteralism but come on! Do people not see right through what they're doing?

Oh well, they're still better than Wal-Mart.

Trunk Monkey

This particular blog has less to do with Trunk Monkey (although he is pretty entertaining) and more to do with the evolution of car ads. It's interesting to think about how we have gone about selling cars over the years. We started with family and then moved towards sex. Then the kids came into play. Now it's about selling to YOU. What was once a practical asset has become a statement or symbol of who you are. After seventy years we went back to selling stories, something the audience (you) can identify with. This relates to our next assignment. We are making own car commercial  based on attributes like mood coating. (An attribute where your car changes depending on what mood you're in.) The important thing to remember is that we're not really selling the attribute, we're selling the benefit!

Car Ads

      Who knew that by buying a car you were upholding American leadership, taking a new lover, and living the American dream? According to advertisemets during the 1950s-70s, all these things are true. I must admit I got a kick out of today's lesson, where we watched a bunch of old commercials to see the evolution of car advertisements. Car commercials are already pretty ridiculous (hoodrat hamsters anyone? I know, I like them too..) but this took it to a whole new level. Nothing like some good ole' fashioned sexism and even racism to sell the American dream, aka cars....

Evolution of Advertising

     I'm going to start by doing a blog for Monday, a day I was absent. I already felt that shameful feeling of walking into class after missing a day which was reinforced by a "welcome back" by our professor. Luckily he said it with a smile instead of a scowl but either way I was reduced to blushing and mumbling. At least today I got the gist of what I missed.
     The evolution of advertising is basically divided by the 1950s. Before then advertising was primarily directed at "mom and dad," who had the money, made the choices, and had a tendency toward brand loyalty. Slowly, as kids gained more power and became spoiled, something shifted and ads started targeting them as an experimental group who decided how mom and dad spent their money. This is turn led to the trend today with a very specific target audience for whatever product you may be selling. This is just a quick summary and doesn't cover everything. Like I said, it's the gist...