Too many messages, too much said, no focus, and you'll lose them at "hello".

Subtle cues gleaned early on will help close the deal, retain the business, and keep you from getting blindsided. 

1. Read key power relationships

2. Detect crucial social networks

3. Understand forces that shape views and actions

4. Accurately read the organization and external realities

Now:

Go Roman: Do it!

Go Greek: Think it!

Creative choices are intimately connected to the Target and the Offer:

1. Type of communication: 3-D, letter package, html email, etc.
2. Look and feel: Sophisticated, humorous, technical, big picture, educational, promotional
3. Tone of the content

Creative should be personalized by individual title and function, and customized by level and industry

Creative shouldn't be timid. Surprise equals buzz equals action equals market share

Creative should convince your prospects that they matter

Creative should build your brand

Where oh where can I find my perfect customer?

Commercial lists are used to find the defined target

    Response Lists

    Compiled Lists

    One-Time Rentals

Commercial databases are better for locating high-level decision makers

    Longer-term lease arrangements

    More information per record

    Less list cleaning

    Use for sales and marketing

Sometimes we forget that results depend on these principles. 

Looking for a good, inexpensive marketing person
-------------------------------------------
I am looking for a good print and internet marketing
person/company that doesn't cost thousand/s per month.  We have a small personal training/yoga/massage business and we are trying to get the word out locally. We are also willing to give students a try, if they have a great plan.

How about an entire marketing program for two sun salutations, one warrior pose, some chapati, and a half lotus? 

Unfortunately, small businesses are often on their own when it comes to marketing. It can be tough at the bottom. 

The Buddha fountain is all that remains – long after the Asian fusion restaurant that installed it lost its lease a few years back. Restaurants occupying the same space since then opted to keep the fountain and also failed. 

Sometimes everything must change, the concept, the product, the service, the hairdo, the schtick, to make it work in 2010.