Self Promoting vs. Agency Marketing

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Table of Contents

Abstract
Introduction
Self-promotion tactics
Agency Marketing
Alternatives
Statistics
Comparison
Conclusion
References

Abstract

The issues of promotion are generally regarded from the view point of marketing activity. The fact is that, the promotion may be either Agency assisted, or self-arranged. The advantages and disadvantages of both variants are obvious, and the current paper is aimed to discuss both variants. The interviews, arranged with the representatives of Terry Richardson’s agency revealed, that both variants may be either successful, or failing. Originally, it depends only on fantasy and creativity of the person, who wishes to promote the goods or services. As for the proportion, it is approximately 70% vs. 30%. Nevertheless, 30% of those who prefer self-promotion tactics appear to be among the most successful dealers.

Introduction

As marketing science reveals, Promotion is one of the “4P’s” in the marketing success (price, product, promotion, and place). These 4P’s shape the marketing mix, and it is claimed, that this mix depends only on the amount of each component. The elements of promotion, in its turn, are the following:

Personal Selling
Sales Promotion
Public Relations
Direct Mail
Trade Fairs and Exhibitions
Advertising
Sponsorship (Davies, 2006)

Originally, promotion represents the different elements of marketing communication, that is, the communication of information concerning the product with the aim of creating a positive customer response.

Self-promotion tactics

First of all, it is necessary to mention, that self promotion is generally selected for various reasons. These reasons may vary from the most banal – shortage of the finances to use the services of an agency till the most creative – the wish to express own fantasy and creativity. The fact is that, self-promotion is generally selected by the people, who “sell their brains”, as they need to impress with the creativity, and the way of thinking the potential employer. On the other hand, if the company selects the self-promotion technique, it means, that this company needs to impress the potential customers, and get distinguished among the numbers of the companies with similar services.

The central aim of the original self-promotion is the showing up, thriving and interrelation with the employer or customer. Promotion helps to put the company or the employee forward, and it is the part of having (or starting) the successful business. The successful business, in its turn, provides the sustainability of the entrepreneur. Originally, self-promotion is the self care of the business, and one can not be the successful businessperson, if he or she does not take care of the business.

The fact is that, the authenticity and originality is the solid basis of effectual and successful self-promotion. The reason of this feature is in the fact, that originality emphasizes the ability to attract customers/employers, and extraordinarity of the cognition process, that is highly respected nowadays. Original self-promotion strategy is based on the premise, that the person/company has the unique value or feature that may be offered. (Seringhaus, 2007)

The examples of successful self-promotion reveal the original mind of the creators, that created these unique pieces of self-promoting strategy:

Self-promoting strategy

This is the ID card of a person, who seeks works as a freelancer. It is a small poly-wrapped meat tray containing “a fresh brain”.

The ID card of a person

It is not necessary to explain, that this ID promotes the services of the dental care clinic. There is even no need to see what is written on the card to realize it.

Undoubtedly, such cards will be remembered, and the services. That these people offered in their ID cards will be used. The fact is that, the authenticity and originality is the key factors of successful self-promotion, consequently, the competitors will have to invent something more original.It should be emphasized, that the self-promotion strategy is like the wrapping of the production. Independently on the content, if the covering is not attractive and eye-catching it will not be reviewed for the first turn, so, the opportunity to get the successful job or the wished customer may be lost.

The tactics of self-promotion also entails the rules of presenting the promoting innovations, as even originally created ID cards, or other tools of self promotion should be backed up with the real actions, that feature the company / employee as the creative person, that will fulfill the expectations of the customer / employer. Alongside with the abilities, skills and talents, the factor of appearance is also necessary, as specialist should make an expression of the perfect human, who is not only expert in the selected sphere, but also the one, who is good looking, and is able to communicate with the other people.

Agency Marketing

The promotion with the assistance of the agency is selected either by the companies, that do not have the creative department (which is able to create original tools of promotion), or by the persons, who lack fantasy. Surely, the promotion agencies have their own creative departments that may provide rather interesting ideas. Nevertheless, these departments will never know perfectly, what do the consumers want to get of the promotion. Undoubtedly, these departments have experienced workers, who dealt with different consumers, engaged in different business spheres, however, this experience often appears to be unimaginative and full of patterns. From this point of view, the self promotion tactics is regarded to be more effective. On the other hand, the use of the services by an agency is often more complete, as agencies may offer several variants, provide the creation of the advertisement (print of the ID cards, creation of the poster or video), and some offer the spread of the pamphlets or leaflets.

Thus, Katy Barker’s promotion agency offer the original design and the unique photos, representing the key premises of the selected sphere, that should be promoted. All the photos are made in black and white color, and may be used as logos, promotional images, that may be used as images, which cipher the commercial message for the consumer, and that may be deciphered after particular promo campaign. Katy herself states, that she would rather prefer self-promotion, but she makes everything possible to realize all the hopes and expectations of her clients in order to realize these anticipations completely.

Moreover, some agencies provide the service of creating social ad campaigns that are unavailable for the self-promotion. The variants of the usefulness of social media are various: if a company is focused on product sells, the social promo may be focused on the warning against genetically modified foods. Private clinics may support the campaigns against cancer, HIV/AIDS or drug addiction. Dental clinics may arrange the free medical examination for the population and so on. This kills two birds with a single stone: the popularity of the services increases, and the company, who supported the social campaign becomes to be associated with the charity, and the trust credit of the population increases.

Dave White argues on this point, that social media is the best tool to support the promo campaign. It is especially successful, if oriented for children as the most impressive consumers, who may influence the decisions of their parents. Most of his promos are created in the form of cartoons, and the images of cartoon characters touch the kids’ impression, and force them to make the choices in accordance with the associations and memories of the cartoons.

Terry Richardson, in his turn, selected the way of nudity and brutality, as he argues, that people remember most the things, that disguised them, but not that impressed, pleased or touched them. When he started his business, most leaders of the promo market forecasted his soon decline, nevertheless, Terry Richardson has become the equal among those who told this.

Nathan Fox is the promo agent that combines the cartoons and brutality in his promo project. He argued that this creativity is in no way for children; however, it is neither aimed for the adults. These brutal cartoons and comics are mainly for the teenagers, who often accept the brutality as the part of natural behavior. Nathan himself is the person, who prefers self-promotion, as he clearly knows his target audience, and perfectly realizes his aim and place in the creativity business.

Alternatives

In spite of the fact, that all the interviewed representatives of the promo agencies have different approaches to the promotion process, all of them agreed, that the best way to create the perfect promo campaign is to encourage the cooperation of the promo agency and the person or the company that needs to be advertised. The cooperation undermines the disadvantages of both methods, and has the advantages of both, if arranged properly. First of all the customer of the promo agency should clearly realize, what he / she wants of the campaign, and what results the campaign should have. It is perfect, if there are some sketches of the promo tools, as they help both sides to choose the best variant, and consider on the best campaign strategy and scenario.

The alternative of plagiarizing someone’s promo is not the best anyway, however the successful and interesting ideas should be taken into account, and analyzed in the context of the up-to-date situation on the market.

Statistics

	self-promotion %	promo agencies %
medical care	5	32
foods	6	28
household chemistry	8	25
freelance employees	45	2
services	36	13

This data reveals, that both strategies of promotion are used. The only essential gap in the proportion is among the freelance workers, as they often need to show their own creativity. This statistical data is rather approximate, as the promo agencies are reluctant for providing the information about their consumers. Partly, this reluctance is caused by the confidentiality of the information, and by the fact, that some of the clients failed to enter the market, and collapsed: this is the defamation in some measure.

Comparison

The issues and the reasons that make the promo campaigns successful or failing generally never depend on the variant of promotion (self or agency assisted). The key premises of the campaign have been already discussed, nevertheless, there are some other factors, that should be taken into account. The fact is that, the essential element of the promotion is the service / production itself, and most campaigns fail because the promoted object appears to be really awful. This is not the fault of the promo campaign, as it is impossible to make a cake out of mud, as the Chinese proverb goes.

The role of promotion should never be underestimated, as it is the wrapping of the business: it should be bright enough to catch an eye, and trustworthy enough not to disappoint the customer.

Conclusion

In conclusion it is necessary to mention, that the tactics, that should be selected depends on different factors, but, in spite of the tactics, the offered services should really correspond with the expectations of the customer or the employer, as the resources, spent for the promo will be spent to no purpose.

The promo agencies all over the world prefer acting by themselves, and tell that it is the best way to advertise, if one knows what he / she wants of the promo. Otherwise, it is necessary to address an agency. However, in spite of the different approaches to the promo process (color, emotions, associations etc) all of them concur, that the best alternative is to join both variants, as the proper and accurate joining of both variants helps to undermine the disadvantages of self and agency assisted promotion, and increase the advantages of both.

In accordance with the statistical data, both variants are used equally by the companies, as the most essential factor here is the strong determination and clear realization of the market sphere, target audience and the target region.

References

Carr, Terese. “The Executive Trade Promotion in the Twenty-First Century.” Houston Journal of International Trade 25.1 (2008): 141.

Davies, Maggie, and Wendy Macdowall, eds. Promotion Theory. Open University Press, 2006.

Seringhaus, F.H. Rolf, and Guenther Botschen. “Cross-National Comparison of Promotion Services: The Views of Canadian and Austrian Companies.” Journal of International Business Studies 22.1 (2007): 115.

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