Ah, the wonderful world of business. It certainly has plenty to offer anyone really. However, we generally get what we put in, and when we make the following branding mistakes, we are practically setting ourselves up for failure. Here are the best ways to stay on top of the name game.

Confusing and Convoluted

Brilliant ideas for life in general might not equate into brilliant ideas for branding. When people see images or logos designed for a particular business, they don’t want to be so overwhelmed and overcome by it that they have no idea what it means. Creating complicated and convoluted branding images likely means that customers are going to be chased away. They don’t want to spend a long time figuring out what your brand’s about – it needs to be succinct.

Ignoring Target Audiences

You might be inclined to come up with something that you think is fun and interesting, and certainly, these qualities are important. However, unless you’re a part of your own target audience, your own tastes and desires don’t really matter. You’re not trying to sell the product or service to yourself; you are trying to sell it to a specific group of people. Therefore, you must analyze the needs and wants of your target audience. By crafting images that reach this group, you’ll have more opportunities for success.

Improper Branding Venues

You could have the most wonderful brand in the world, but if no one sees it, then it won’t carry any real value. You need to explore all of the options at your disposal for visibility in order to be successful. Of course, you’ll likely want to go the traditional route with advertisements in the local paper and flyers. However, you must also consider other signs of signage as well. For example, having your brand on a big sign that stands above the highways or soars above the stores is almost always a smart idea. People from all over are going to be able to see it, and it is big enough to make an impact. Be sure to choose a location that’s away from opportunities for vandalism.

Connect to Media

Some businesses keep their branding efforts entirely separate from social media, and this is not a wise plan. Just imagine how much more business you could have if you made that branding image media friendly. Not only should you use paper advertisements and signs in the physical world, you must also have a presence in the virtual world. Set up a Facebook page that addresses your target audience, and be sure that the actual brand is on there as well. You can also use the brand on the website and in emails to ensure a sense of cohesion and thoroughness throughout all of your efforts.

Jender Gilmore writes social media and technology. Her recent work lists 15 Great iPad Apps for Students and Professionals in Psychology. 

When you are at a Concert as an artist, or a trade show or event as a vendor, there are things you can do to make your wares shine a little and get as many or more views than the competition. Even if you are the sole musical act or speaker, work to improve your merchandise’s visibility and appeal. One rule of thumb is if you are allowed to, you do not have to put your merchandise table right next to another competitor. If you have to, you are in direct competition, which could be good for you if you are organized and have fresh content, but if you don’t have to, don’t. The reason for this is individuality; if the competition has their goods displayed in one area of the venue, you can still retain revenue and interest by simply being located in a different spot. It’s subtle enough of a tactic to seem innocent, and you can shrug it off and immediately start leading onlookers to why your product or idea is stellar and fitting for them.

Display Placement

If you are at a trade show and have a choice about where to be set up, don’t worry about being in an area that is not bombarded with 5 to 10 other displays. If your visual appeal or idea, contest, giveaway, or host is attractive enough, the foot traffic will wander into your display zone. Even though it sounds simple, keeping the display area clean is probably the number one way to enhance a good visibility factor. Even the tidiest person may start to exchange business cards, demonstrate a product or gadget numerous times, and all of a sudden there is a pile of clutter around. When you see this happen, you sympathize with the display person, but mentally you may steer yourself away from their merchandise booth. Another very important rule for merchandising is still frequently ignored, if your company has a green logo, keep the product or selling points near to the same color. Have you ever seen a booth with an energy drink style lightning bolt, but then on the booth table are soft white wedding tones? There are still many vendors who are in such a hurry to get to the show that they forget to consider the sensibility factor of their display.

Vivid Colors

It is true when advertisers and consumers alike say that “Colors speak a thousand words”. If you are working on a green, recycling or eco-minded project or product, sticking with greens and blues and a little white is a guaranteed key to staying on “color topic”. There are consultants and idea brokers out there that will steer you towards many different and modern color schemes with the sales pitch of “being cutting edge and unique”. Keep in mind that if your product is one of the best in the world, this may work. But overall, sticking with the usual color scheme will earn you points in the form of interest and foot traffic. Another very important tip is to keep the merchandise at the center focus of the table or area. We have seen many tables where there is a high tech tie in gadget, mailing list, or sweepstakes giveaway and then the merchandise is at the back left or back right of the table. Try to avoid making this mistake and physically place the item for sale up front where it needs to be.

Booth Setup

A well put together merchandising area is one of the strongest tools you can use to promote your product or service. Of course your selection for booth personnel is key as well so be sure you’re giving future costumers someone with an outgoing personality. Some of the old rules do not apply in the current era of Smartphone apps and high tech allure; but if you take a closer look you will see the basics of merchandising can edge you ahead of all the other booths. Freebies always help, and thinking outside the box well beyond just pens and stick it notes can gain you momentum. And if your product is food or drink, well there you have it; you have just climbed the first hurdle of what to offer for free to keep them coming back. So pack the portfolio and large display case in the airport shuttle, the trade show or music event is waiting. Accept the challenge of representing with grace, and dream of success in your current situation.

Whether you are an artist or entrepreneur that has an product, idea, or website to promote, a sponsorship consultant is someone who can help take your product, assist with the branding and figure out where to best have it appear. And this is just the beginning as a consultant will offer you valuable advice, and provide demographic research. Once the demographic research has been determined it taps into statistics, and results will show exactly which people in your area or sphere of influence have purchased similar products or services in the past. This can give you great insight as far as who to target as potential sponsors and offer valuable details for inclusion in your sponsorship proposal.

If you are a looking to secure sponsors, it is always best to first review your current material. Compare your deck and sponsorship levels with competitors and be critical of your own so you can determine any areas of improvement. You may have competent personnel on staff to make the adjustments or you can reach out to a sponsorship consultant for assistance. A professional consultant will note both the positive aspects of what you already and what could be changed.

Consider partnering up with someone and participate in exclusive happenings such as red carpet events in LA, Miami, New York, Vegas, and beyond. These opportunities present great exposure for the sponsors with multitudes of ways to gets their name out. You can take advantage of press release, tv/radio and print ads, list sponsors and parking a sponsor’s brand in front of consumers who are influenced by this kind of active marketing. Also, sponsors are listed on websites and event programs. This is great promotion as the sponsor’s logo or products will register in the buyer’s subconscious after an event is over.

Sometimes red carpet events carry the misconception that high-end lifestyle companies and the like are the usual players; there are plenty of them around but no matter what brainchild you have dreamt up, don’t be afraid to pitch consumer brands; There could be a positive place for it in red carpet sponsorship. When you are putting together sponsorship levels remember to add extra value to the sponsors involved. Think outside of the box and suggest fun sweepstakes, ticket/product giveaways, gift bags with samples, etc. If the consumer likes the product they will remember and give the sponsors valuable ROI in the future.

Big events such as NBA All Star Weekend, Rehab at the Pool in Vegas, and Spaghetti Fests need extra sparkles of glitter, continuity, and artist performances or celebrity appearances to stand out. Once those finishing touches are applied, an event can really provide a positive memorable experience for its attendees. Projects seeking sponsorship are in a highly competitive market and should pay extra attention to how they can stand out and gain the attention of a prospective sponsor.

Just another fresh touch or informational tweak by a sponsorship consultant can land you out of the red and into the operating zone. Once you let a sponsorship consultant take the wheel, the guidance you’ll receive in these pivotal times can be the last step needed, until the sun shines gracefully on your endeavor, with all its rewards.

DJ Spinderella of Salt ‘N’ Pepa is is confirmed to perform at this years End-of-season party on Friday, June 28th, 2013 at the exclusive Philharmonie Concert Hall in Luxembourg.

Other performers includes Peter Kruder (Kruder & Dorfmeister), Kevin Saunderson and A Boy Named Seb.  Salt ‘N’ Pepa is the biggest female rap group of all time, selling over 15 million albums and singles worldwide and at least six singles were certified gold or platinum.

Philharmonie Luxembourg is a famous concert hall designed by french designer Christian de Portzamparc located on the Kirchberg plateau in the City of Luxembourg. Opened in 2005, it now plays host to 400 performances each year. The acoustic design is the work of Chinese-born acoustician Albert Yaying Xu.

When you have reached the point in a creative venture, clothing line, or entertainment personality in which you want to go national or global there are huge issues to consider. The most important element of publicity is that if any type of budget allows, you are having someone call, glean, screen, or otherwise hustle up any contacts that can help you while you work on getting your craft perfected. The real nature of agents for musicians and creative people in general is to reach out and let people know who have opportunities for you that you are there, willing and ready to appear or be interviewed. As an artist, you ask yourself if you have a product like an album that you want to get more plays or purchases from, or if your main objective is to book performances and writeups.

For artists that are budding and have one album that they have done locally, or even a solid 4 to 6 song demo that is mastered and marketable, performances and writeups are of high importance. This is the time to start booking shows in venues of the hometown and that area of the country. There are many bands that use social media and demos to book their own tours these days, and success stories range from mega to muddy. The best home grown tours that are booked by the band are ones in which the guaranteed rate of pay is not an issue, they just need a place to play and will take a cut of the door. If the music is great and the merchandise such as t shirts is marketable, you CAN do this but many bands come back to town citing gas costs as the “tour killer”. It’s tougher out there than many imagine.

For musicians, many polish their live show, choreographing moves, and playing abilities on their instruments and forget to seek out write ups. They will still see some level of success, especially if they drive traffic with YouTube videos, Facebook, and the like. Here is where we are going to cover one important area of Do It Yourself marketing: the Facebook invite. A lot of very talented bands will simply refuse to use any kind of publicity agent or third party citing Facebook traffic as their biggest asset. Then, every show they have, they send invites to their Facebook fan base, and create “events”. This can work for you, but nationwide we have seen a lot of people complain about created events that say “click if you are going”. The tactful thing to do is simply post on the Facebook news feed the show, who you are playing with, and the venue. More people are getting sick of the “invites” but may not tell you to your face, creating more headaches then help.

Many musicians think that those “bloggers” are people who write about parenting, gadgets, college, sex, or the economy in general. They fail to note that believe it or not, a slick writeup or review with some high quality images and someone’s spin on their music is something to put in the press kit as a new jewel. Publicity agents tell musicians that having writeups in lifestyle blogs or other hubs of interest is one of the most diverse ways of marketing the band possible; and the same agents really do understand when the band doesn’t want to take that route. Some bands tell us their success came from sponsors, events such as Jager girls, Models, or guitar string sponsors driving traffic online. It is true that these too are excellent options to turn people on to music. For some it is a long way from the basement to the well lit stage. Is having your music featured on TV shows and the like important to you? Those are other areas publicity vendors can help you with. The rules have changed a bit in the realm of technology; but it just so happens that every once in a while you need someone with a contact list leaving voicemails for you and drumming up interest. That way, you can focus on YOUR drummer having time to rehearse, which is what they will love to do most, and let’s face it… what they are better at.

Click here to learn more about our Music Publicity campaigns today or give us a call for a friendly conversation: +1 (310) 295-4150.

DJ Alexandra Richards will be spinning at SUNSET® Produce’s private corporate event on Thursday, April 18th in Toronto. A pioneer and industry leader in the gourmet greenhouse industry, SUNSET grows and markets  nationally recognized brands such as the Campari® Tomato, Splendido™ Grape Tomatoes, Kumato™, and Champagne Cocktail Tomatoes™. The event will host top buyers, tastemakers and key industry personnel.

April 2, 2013 – Los Angeles – Newcomers begin their quest to redefine underground electronica with forthcoming EP project entitled Beauty.

On Tuesday, April 2^nd electro-pop duo Wolf Colony will digitally release the long-awaited singles, “Beauty” and “Calling” through iTunes and Spotify.

Entirely written and produced by members seventhleopard and Neal Sarin, Wolf Colony’s Beauty invites you to experience a unique progression of electronic pop music through the beautiful vocals of seventhleopard and Sarin’s one-of-a-kind production. The duo is focused on creating timeless music that bridges the gap between mainstream and underground electronica.

“I knew we were on to something as soon as I sent the first few instrumentals to seventhleopard. Within an hour, he sent them all back but with fully recorded verses and hooks. It was something special. We booked the first studio session that night.” –Neal Sarin

The two singles are just an introduction to Wolf Colony’s contribution to the new era of electronica, as they plan to release a full-length LP just in time for summer.

Wolf Colony

Wolf Colony is an electro-pop music duo based out of Miami and New York City. Comprising of singer-songwriter seventhleopard and music producer Neal Sarin, the duo began collaborating together in college at the University of Miami with no intention of having their music reach the masses.

After an intensive week of recording sessions in New York City, it was clear that Wolf Colony was far greater than the sum of its parts. The concoction of powerful vocals and lyrical depth complementing unique and engaging soundscapes simply could not be ignored. Check out their debut singles, “Beauty” and “Calling” now on Soundcloud and stay tuned for their upcoming album dropping this year.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WolfColony

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WolfColony

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Thousands of large events are held every year around the world. Corporations hold large events when they release new products. Seminars are also held at major hotels by a variety of career specialists in addition to the many trade shows that take place across the country. Hosting an event of a similar magnitude can be an overwhelming task for a business owner. Individuals interested in hosting a major event often hire an event management company to plan and execute the event for them.

Time is Precious: Focus on Your Business

So much preparation goes into planning and executing a major event. A venue must be secured, caterers must be hired and staff must be trained. Taking care of every aspect of your event could take months of full time attention.

An event management company can take care of all of this for you. They will work within your budget and consult with you when necessary. Event managers have professional experience in planning and executing major events, and therefore will be able to pull together necessary resources from their various contacts and vendors to get you the best results possible.

Your Event is Unique: Hire Someone who has the Expertise

While you may be a pro in your career field, you may not know how to successfully execute an event to promote your product or business. Event management companies employ a large number of successful managers that have extensive experience in multiple types of events.

Organizing an event without proper knowledge may be detrimental to your business and can cost you thousands of dollars. Make sure to consult with a professional event manager to ensure your event will be successful.

Get the Most for Your Money

Professional event management companies realize budgets are very important. As a business owner, you have to set a strict budget to ensure you don’t lose an enormous amount of money should an unexpected expense come about.

Event managers will be able to work within the budget you set for them. If you need a large event produced for a small budget, your manager will do everything within their power to get the best deals possible from their vendors. They will spend as much time as it takes to secure an affordable but quality venue, will find ways to save money on catering and will find you the best event staff possible.

A Package Deal: What Should Your Event Manager Provide for You?

Reputable event managers create easy-to-understand packages for potential clients. Services that should be included with each package are: personalized event manger, catering and bar services, marketing assistance, invitation management and live entertainment.

The price of each package will vary depending on the type of event and which services are needed, but you should be able to find one that fits within your budget.

Contact A&M Entertainment today to discuss your needs with a friendly event manager.

Glitz and glamour are synonymous with Los Angeles. Angelinos do not ‘throw a party’; they ‘host an event.’ The bar is set high and tapping into each aspect of the event can be a challenge without the right connections.

Yet, to receive attention for anything of importance in the city of angels, events are a requisite. To draw a great crowd, the host must choose the right venue and create an atmosphere that impresses the most sophisticated guests. Event marketing in Los Angeles demands creativity, the ability to entertain, and a healthy dose of organization.

All events in this city must meet this high standard whether it is a charity event or product launch. Careful planning will ensure success and prevent problems from spoiling the fun. Most event hosts find the task daunting, not only in the time it requires, but also in the sheer scope of details. For large events, committees can add confusion and missed steps.

Event marketing is a critical aspect of any event looking to attract attention, whether its from the media or prospective clients and consumers. Creating a one of a kind experience for audience members is paramount. Our staff is prepared to develop a custom marketing campaign suited to meet your needs. Once we’ve completed the preliminary discussions of your event we then format a strategy to properly promote it as needed. Not only do we use traditional marketing strategies but also implement social media, pop up shops, media partnerships and customized events to highlight your brand.

Hiring the right company for event marketing in Los Angeles will alleviate any issues. We can easily solve problems by handling these details for you. Share your vision with us and we will take it from there.

Your event can succeed in three easy steps

1. Planning: In this stage we identify your needs
2. Production: We proceed to build all parts of the campaign
3. Launch: We introduce your event to the world and deliver great results

Our event professionals will meet with you and discuss your goals. From there, we will propose scenarios that will ‘wow’ your guests. Once the details are agreed on, we handle all phases of marketing; from idea conception to final execution, our staff will see that everything is in place prior to your event. We handle the design, entertainment, décor and all those tiny, but necessary, details that can make your event fabulous.

There is no need to worry about losing control – you can track event progress using our dashboard. At any point in the process, you will know the status of every detail and have the ability to contact the team throughout with comments or revisions.

Since 1997, we have helped corporations build their brands through outstanding events in a place where imagination has no boundaries. Our seasoned staff will ensure everything is perfect – from the perfect artist for entertainment, to the best menu and bar service. You can tap into our extensive resources for an event that will exceed the loftiest goals and create a buzz for weeks. Event marketing in Los Angeles is easy when you know who to call: +1 (310) 295-4150.