“Entertainment Marketing” has not been taken advantage of very much by many brands and companies.How To Fulfill A Human Need?Hook your customers’ attention and persuade them to consume your products by fulfilling the human’s needs for entertainment.Now what is “Entertainment Marketing?” Here is a simple definition:Entertainment marketing is the strategy of creating, associating with and promoting entertainment and entertaining activities to excite, then engage the customer, while forming a high-profile, positive affinity with the brand to drive continuous profitable customer action.Other Marketing ApproachesSome other marketing terms that have been used by marketers, for example, are:Retail Marketing: Retail marketing is the range of activities undertaken by a retailer to promote awareness and sales of the company’s products — Tracey Sandilands, Demand MediaContent Marketing: Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.When it comes to marketing and attracting more customers, I observe many businesses, especially retailers, hit the wall. Usually, the strategy being employed tends to be more of what I call “sales marketing” which is offering services such as “discount coupons, freebies, sales, ladies’ nights, happy hour, special packages, birthday specials… “Those are strategies a business should keep using regularly, but after awhile, it loses its lustre with customers and in the end, it doesn’t matter much to them if they get another discount. I know this is what happens with me.Why Does Entertainment Marketing Work?But on top of that, a business should really look into the immediate elevation of your brand or product in the minds of the customer by associating itself with an entertainment idea or activity, whether it be an event, a performance, a song, a movie, an entertaining video, a game or contest, celebrity or public figure endorsements and appearances.Now, “entertainment marketing” probably works best for retail businesses, but it is not only applicable to B to C’s (business to customer), but often, bosses find that they also need it in B to B’s (business to business).McDonald’s is a ready example of a business that has kept customers coming in for years with entertainment marketing. Rather than keep “pounding on” (no pun intended) the ingredients or value meals for their burgers, McDonald’s is often your source for the current box-office movie premiums. Remember the “Hello Kitty” or “Minions” soft toy craze which saw alarming lines at McDonald’s? Well, we don’t need to ask McDonald’s to show us their daily sales report in order to know that they would have had jackpot sales that day!If, as a business, you are expecting the media to give you some coverage — unless you are an NGO (non-governmental organization), political or governmental organization, social or charitable benefit, cultural or educational association — do not expect the media to give you much time of day unless you advertise hugely with them.Now, many small medium enterprises (SME) might lament that you could not possibly afford the licensing or cost of bringing entertainment to your premises, or even being associated with big-time Hollywood films, like the McDonald’s example.Believe it or not, your customers will still be entertained by cleverly-executed concepts at much lower budgets. Therefore, don’t worry if you cannot afford the licensing fees for hit movies such as Star Wars or engaging top Hollywood or K-Pop superstars!The keywords to remember are Excite, Entertain and Engage — conceptualized and customized for your needs.Once entertainment elements are used to market your business, product or brand, the opportunity is very much bigger for:1) the media to report your stories,2) the customers to run through your doors,3) customers to bring friends and family along to enjoy fresh offerings,4) elevating your brand into a premier, go-to position,5) more public relations and networking,6) collaborations with and third-party endorsements from the media, celebrities, public figures and customers.
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Selling Life Insurance Policies – Selling Term VS Whole Life Insurance Coverage Plans
Over the last 50 years, the debate on selling life insurance policies has only gained fire. Is selling term vs whole life insurance coverage plans killing agents and enriching clients? Look at the dilemma ignited and fueled by low rate cheap internet term life versus whole life insurance with high commissions.In excess of 600 companies selling life insurance compete unfairly, having their agents compare apples to oranges to lemons. Every conceivable mishmash of term and life insurance is blended into an easily digestible lemonade combination. Einstein could not finish high school let alone taking on the greater task of developing a formula for comparing life insurance rates.That is because instead of one true formula, there are 2,400 formulas. Each life insurance company has at least one formula for comparing its best selling term to other insurers, plus a formula showing why there best selling whole life insurance coverage is the best. Then they have an illustration how their top selling term coverage beats out buying whole life from any competitor. Last, they have an illustration why buying their whole life insurance plan is superior to purchasing any insurance providers cheap term.The policy scramble name game. First you have whole life insurance coverage, and then you have life insurance policies called, “straight life”, “life endowment at age 100″, simple life, and ordinary life. Four more plans for selling the exact same whole life policy. Numerous options exist for an agent selling “all risk”, no cash value”, term life insurance. The term could be straight term, annual renewable, 5 year renewable, 10 year renewable, straight decreasing, mortgage decreasing, and many more. The 6 term types mentioned here could the same company, and all at selling at different premium rates offer all.Each year there are new crossbreds added to heap. Some pay cash dividend values, others provide none. Popular derivatives like Universal Life when introduced were going to end all the term vs whole life insurance confusion. You could make your own pie, with a certain amount of pure risk term, grouped in an orderly process with cash value whole life. This did not end the controversy, as now there was another selling choice that agents heavily promoted.Commission is no longer a factor, at least among independent agents. Career company agents are typically paid 15 to 20% less commission to sell term insurance policies. The whole life policies, more profitable to their home office, gave them a higher incentive to sell. Today you can find independent life insurance carriers that provide various forms of whole life, universal life, and term insurance all at a high first year commission.Individual policy rates are no longer a factor. You cannot judge an insurance policy by looking at its rate. However a very short time ago, one of the largest term life insurance companies (with AIG) as its first three letters got into a earth destructing bind by combing the lowest rates with absolutely some of the highest commissions. With 99.5% of insurers not so greedy, how do you compare apples to apples? Rates, company age, commissions, overhead, financial investments, policy riders, mortality tables, and underwriting requirements can be researched, and you still will not know which apple you should be selling or buying.The proper way of buying or selling life insurance policies Insurance is a matter of total risk, and only so many dollars exist to cover only these seven major risks. These are for providing risk plans for sufficient life insurance, car, homeowners, major medical, disability, retirement, and long-term care. How many insurance agent sellers, and policy buyers sit down, and at one time figure out the entire picture. They don’t. Insurance is mainly bought by either price (like cheapness), commissions, or by what a prospect is solicited with.Try this. Come to my house, and I will show you my risks and assets. I have a bank check for $10,000 and tell you to handle all my insurance needs. I would then tell you that you are in competition with 2 others, and I will take the most logical plan. Do you think this is fair? I am giving you a vast selling opportunity, and testing your integrity. Should I care if you increase the cash value of my life insurance policy to provide more retirement benefits or assets? Likewise does it matter if I get some cheaper term insurance so a mortgage disability income plan could go into effect?Insurance agents have not got their act together in over 100 years. In this information age, they do not have another 20 to wait. People do not need an extreme education on insurance. Insurance agents need to become extremely educated on adapting to their client needs on a total insurance concept.
As a Leader What is Your Understanding Regarding the Example and Pattern Set by Melchizedek?
Who is this slightly mysterious but intriguing character called Melchizedek? Over these past weeks in my reading and study of the letter to the Hebrew Christians, or the early Messianic Jews, I have been drawn to consider the importance of this figure.Melchizedek holds the position and role and job of king and priest. As a leader he is someone from whom we can learn much.Later, God made the tribe of Judah produce the kings of Israel and the tribe of Levi the priests, but here is the city of peace being ruled over by a king of peace who is a priest.At first Jerusalem was for everybody.It was not only for Jews, and at the end it will be for everyone.To have a city of peace, you require a king of righteousness, and that makes us think of these words which the angels spoke when Jesus Christ was born; “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace”. That has to be the order. God has to come first and then peace will follow, and it has to be the God as revealed in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, because he is the one and only true God there is!When man gives glory to Almighty God, there will be peace. Try it in your own life and discover its wonderful consequences.There is no reference to Melchizedek’s mother or father or to any children or to the date of his birth. These omissions are highly significant. We read about him in Genesis Chapter 14 and in Hebrews Chapter 7, and he is mentioned in the Psalms too.When God does not say something it is important.When you read somebody’s references, and C.V., the employer will note what is not said as well as what is said.Only Jesus Christ was Great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. He is a priest who continues and he goes on being a priest for ever.In Hebrews Chapter 7 verses 4 to 10, we read of the relationship between Abraham and Melchizedek. Melchizedek blesses Abraham, as the greater blesses the lesser, and Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe.You give a tithe to one greater than yourself.We must not be legalistic about tithing but it is another very ancient sacred privilege, going back 4,000 years, and giving our offerings should be done reverently as part of our worship as we acknowledge our Great High Priest.Melchizedek gave Abraham his blessing. He had more to give than Abraham had. He is the king of righteousness.What might this have to teach us? In which areas of our lives might this personality give us real meaningful and relevant help?Melchizedek also took bread and wine. This is a practice which is very ancient, going back these four thousand years and Jesus Christ gave these elements of bread and wine such a new and profound significance at the Passover meal just hours before He was taken away to be crucified.David looked back to Melchizedek too. This character emerges and disappears but his significance is recorded by Almighty God in His Holy Word and that should make us give heed and pay attention to the role and importance of his appearing.Sandy Shaw