Meet Cassandra
 Avatars go mainstream?

Meet Cassandra online at www.rgmcomms.com. Wait a second or two and she'll pop up with some relevant message. She's probably only 23 years old, just out of college and suffers from a slight speech impediment (techno-garble).

Welcome to the world of online avatars. Yahoo!'s definition is best: it is a character that you can personalize and use when interacting with friends online. By changing hairstyles, clothes, accessories, and backgrounds, you can create your own unique persona.

Cassandra is an avatar we created to represent the crazy world of PR agencies, many of which overcharge and underserve, thanks to a business model that has newbies doing all the account work (with very little experience doing it) while the senior PR executives trapse across the nation selling the sizzle and building business.

My question: Is there any business value in avatars? Of course, there are pundits who agree and disagree. Personally, I've invested in various avatars since November 2007 using SitePal. My business goal was to offer more interactivity on my home page, and to use the avatar to share a relevant, personal message when someone visited the RGM Communications Web site.

• Can I quantify its value to date? No
• Is anybody listening to the avatar's message on our home page? See Usage statistics below
• Is it worth what it costs?

I'm still asking the questions. I have seen increased usage of the avatar. For example:

• 11 visitors listened to the avatar during the last two weeks of November
• 66 visitors listened to the avatar in December
• 24 listeners in January, as of Jan. 14

Regarding cost, it's $20 per month. It allows me to access a variety of tools that customizes a number of avatars, their message, voices and other attributes.

The jury is still out. Here's more information for your consideration and review.

News, views and Web sites about avatars

Business value and avatars

Avatars and small business

Avatars and kids, New York Times

The hottest avatar/virtual world out there, non-business

SitePal

So, what's YOUR take on avatars? Take our Quick Poll, click here.

 

 Small Biz: Survey says
 

At the end of December, we did a survey of about 1,000 people, mostly subscribers of this newsletter, plus another set of business executives. We asked about 2008 and the economy, expectations for the year's marketing communications (marcom) budgets, and then a few insights into the value and validity of PRactically Speaking, our monthly e-newsletter. Here are the results. For those who participated, many thanks!

Some of the survey results show:

• Almost 80 percent said they expect 2008 to be a stronger-or just as strong--economic year than 2007
• 38 percent said they expect 2008 to be much stronger than 2007, another 38 percent reported "just as strong."
• Almost 24 percent said they expected a weaker or much weaker economy in 2008.
• 41.9 percent said they are increasing their marketing communications budgets by more than 10 percent; another 39 percent said they were increasing their budgets or maintaining spending. About 20 percent said they were reducing marcom spending in 2008.

Other survey results focused on value and relevance of information they receive as a subscriber to RGM's PRactically Speaking e-newsletter. For example:

• Almost 90 percent of newsletter readers rate quality of writing as Good or Excellent
• 73 percent report that their favorite aspect of PRactically Speaking is the "first story," followed by How-To information and Motivational stories. The first story typically focuses on practical communications advice, issue, trend or theme.
• 23.3 percent forward the newsletter to others but only 16 percent of readers save the newsletter, and 7 percent saying they print it to read it.
• Almost 96 percent say the value of the e-newsletter is Superior, Excellent or Good. About 50 percent rate value as Superior or Excellent. Only 3.33 percent rated it as Fair, with Poor not being included.

RGM recognizes the anecdotal nature of the survey, noting that survey results are not quantitative or statistically relevant. Regardless, the survey results offer an interesting glimpse, especially since respondents largely represent small businesses.

"We created the survey to get a feel for what our clients and other business professionals are thinking about their new year, especially from an operational, sales and marketing perspective," said Roy G. Miller, president of RGM Communications "We also asked gathered data bout the value and validity of online communications, particularly RGM's monthly PRactically Speaking newsletter."

 

 The CommsCoach: Q&A
 

QUESTION: I'm so confused when it comes to sales vs. marketing. Aren't they the same thing?

ANSWER: It's common to hear business professionals use both terms synonymously. Sales and marketing are NOT the same. Sales is the effort to convince people-usually an individual or core set of people--in the marketplace that you and your products/services will fill a need they have. Then they buy from you. Marketing is the effort to convince a larger set of people in the marketplace that your products and services fill a need they have. Marketing provides a broader audience, more detail and continuity in reaching potential buyers.

Learn about sales

Get The Field Guide to Sales

Consider This Executive Sales Approach

Referrals and the sales relationship

 

 Inside RGM Communications
 

The Privilege of Customers. Too often, so many businesses forget that customers are a privilege, not a byproduct or just some "cog" in the wheel of capitalism. I sometimes forget too. At RGM Communications, we are privileged and blessed. We have customers. Great customers. The best customers. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am honored to work with great clients such as Alternative Funding Resources, Duck Business Acquisitions, KSS Fuels, Nelson Westerberg, New Generation Ministries International, Paul Mitchell The School, Resource Link, Rick Koch, The Sales Company, Tetra Point Fuels and Wasp Barcode and others. -RGM

Need a guest speaker? RGM Communications can help. Contact RGM to learn more.

Check out RGM's PR blog. All About PR is a great place to keep in touch. Check it out.

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