VOTE FOR MARY ANN MCQUEEN BUTCHER FOR NV SMALL BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR

Please click/circle the very first square on the top left to vote for me.  Thanks in advance.  I look forward to serving you and your company in the now and in the coming year.

SBA 2011 Awards Nomination Initial Contact Form

Please fill out the information below for any individual you desire to nominate.  Please submit all nominations to the Nevada SBA District Offices via fax to 702-388-6469 no later than Friday, November 26, 2010.  We will contact the nominee to begin the process.

Please check the category you are submitting this nomination for (check ONLY one):

X Nevada Small Business Person of the Year            □ Nevada Small Business Exporter of the Year

□ Nevada Young Entrepreneur of the Year            □ Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Bus. of the Year

□ Nevada Entrepreneurial Success Award                        □ Financial Services Champion of the Year

□ Home-based Business Champion of the Year            □ Minority Small Business Champion of the Year

□ Women In Business Champion of the Year            □ Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year

□ Microenterprise Business Person of the Year            □ Michael Graham Entrepreneurial Spirit Award

        (Nevada only)                                                                     (Nevada only)

Today’s Date: _______________________

Nominee Name:__________________________________            Phone:_______________________________

Nominee E-Mail (if available): ___________________________________________________________

Nominee  Business or Organization:_______________________________________________________

Your Name:_____________________________________            Phone:_______________________________

Your E-Mail:__________________________________________________________________________

Your Organization:_____________________________________________________________________

May we use your name when we inform the person they are being nominated? ____Yes   ____No

Will you provide the Nominee with a letter of support on your letterhead for their nomination package? _____Yes    _____No

We will contact you within one week to provide an update on this nomination, and the person’s feedback.

FAX TO:  702 943-3185 -- DUE BY THURSDAY, 11/25, 9 PM PACIFIC TIME

In Less than Three Years...

It's amazing what can happen in three years....the launch of a marketing and PR company in the worst economy since the great depression...in one of the hardest hit cities in the country -- Las Vegas.

Two web sites....7 new employees....15 accounts in the last year from entertainment (Tony n' Tina's Wedding) to technology (Anexeon) to restaurants (Cadillac Ranch and Ventano's)....Three offices in less than 12 months due to unprecedented growth....new professional affiliations like the Q Business Alliance and the Social Register of Las Vegas...

Then there is the downside....employees who the company had to let go due to inappropriate behavior -- giving away company information....sharing contacts and outright lying to the company and its customers. Totally unacceptable so while their service was appreciated, they had to go.

Another interesting phenomenon is the amount of malice people can have toward another company just because of the new company's success. Maybe if you would concentrate more on your business and less on ours, we not be kicking your butt.

Then there's the "pimping"....Oh how I highly dislike that. Phony potential clients call and ask for a meeting in the hopes of getting free information. A consultation is always free but a plan, tactics, contacts, etc.....not on your life.

This also a good time to mention barter....Do yourself a favor and don't use IMS or ITEX. Instead, barter with a reputable company that has services you want and vice versa.

And events? The ones we produce do not invite the "shrimp munchers" who just come for free food and alcohol.

But for every negative point, RCM & PR is grateful for what it is TODAY: an organization with a filled pipeline, a sharp, honest and customer-service focused staff, great contacts...our friends at David Saxe Productions and our new office on Dean Martin Drive.

Lest I forget, RCM & PR has a new area of practice: marketing to seniors. If you think, this is a small market....please do your research.... Our expertise can help you tap into the boomers, seniors and elderly who have more disposable income than any other group and who spend more time on the web than 18-34 year olds.

Please...Don't Be the Best Kept Secret....Contact us today: 24/7: 702 260-8282

Stand Out Above The Crowd: A Guide to Job Hunting in a Brutal Economy

No one has to tell you it’s an atrocious market out there…. Banks having to merge, mortgage companies folding, casino profits down and the government bailing out Wall Street. But at the center of it all are people; People with families, mortgages, car payments, credit card debt living week-to-week trying to live the American Dream.

These people are our neighbors. Everything is normal until one day “Mom” or “Dad” loses his/her job. That scenario is becoming more common with hundreds of businesses closing. The unemployment rate is over 7%. Countless people are pounding the pavement looking for work in our city. If the rumors are true, more casino employees’ jobs are about to be cut.

That’s the bad news. But I am going to share some ways to WIN even in a poor economy in your job search I’m going to show you how to separate you and your resume from the thousands of other resumes floating around town for the hundreds of jobs that are open. Just like companies brand products (i.e., Pepsico branded Mountain Dew and Adrenaline Rush or Procter & Gamble have products like Noxzema, Cover Girl, Bounty and Braun), you too must BRAND YOURSELF!

It’s a dog eat dog world out there, folks. You have to make sure your resume gets to the top of the heap and your potential employer knows who you are before the interview. One of the best ways to get yourself out there is branding yourself. 


Personal branding is nothing more than understanding what makes you interesting, compelling and differentiated and using that to stand out from your peers. It’s about building a solid professional reputation around your unique promise of value. It’s important because there are numerous others with your job title, many people who share your goals. The only way to succeed is to stand out from them and create demand for your services. If you want to get the compensation you deserve, you need to offer something that is only available from you! You MUST try to create a niche for yourself. What makes you different? What skills, traits or training do you have that most others do not. What awards or honors do you have?

Keep in mind; branding isn’t just about promoting yourself. It’s about creating a trusting relationship. It’s like buying a certain brand of jeans because you like the way they make your butt look. You go with that brand because you know what they’re all about. You want potential employers to feel the same way about you. 



So, how do you develop your brand? First, you have to determine what you love, what you hate, what you’re good at. And then you have to make it look good.

As a marketer, I can tell you one of the keys is creating a unique look. Whether it is your resume or your letterhead, or whatever you send, when someone opens it they need to know whom it’s coming from. Be sure your strengths and skills are clearly displayed along with your contact information. That includes: Home phone number, cell phone number, Email address and even IM screen names and the programs with which they are associated.

Other than your resume and cover letter, another great tool for branding yourself is having a Web site. Think of all the cool things you can do: videos, pictures, blogs, and links to projects you have contributed to, even a full bio. Try making a short video explaining yourself, your strengths, the jobs you have had, what you would like to do and why. It would be like a video resume. Keep up with the trends in your industry and blog about them.

You might also want to consider a MySpace, Face Book, LinkedIn or website of your own that features more about you and your work. This only works for some professions, but it’s another feature that can make you stand out from the crowd.

Be sure to include networking in your personal marketing mix. The old saying is true: “it’s not just what you know; it’s WHO you know.”

Branding is about advertising yourself. By creating an organized, professional image, you can have potential employers lining up to offer you jobs! 


Need some help branding yourself? Call Mary Ann McQueen Butcher, Goddess of Marketing. 702 994-7282 or go to www.RedCarpetMarketing.com

Don’t Be the Best Kept Secret!
Mary Ann McQueen Butcher

Red Carpet Marketing, LLC
www.LVRedCarpet.com
702 994-7282


Red Carpet Marketing, LLC is a full service media, marketing, advertising, public relations and promotional services company. It targets small to medium sized companies in need of marketing expertise; specifically the companies that cannot afford a marketing department, a publicist or an agency.

Red Carpet Marketing, LLC -- www.LVRedCarpet.com is in Previews. See it Now!

Red Carpet Marketing, LLC is a full service media, marketing, advertising, public relations and promotional services company. It targets small to medium sized companies in need of marketing expertise; specifically the companies that cannot afford a marketing department, a publicist or an agency.


While based in Las Vegas, her marketing practice serves also serves the needs of ALL sized companies throughout the US with her expertise in retail, hospitality, travel, media and technology.


A seasoned marketer, the CEO of the company is Mary Ann McQueen Butcher who has 29 years of successful marketing experience with ABC TV, the Walt Disney Company, Intel, Cisco Systems and PepsiCo. She was also a member of the team that launched Las Vegas' first TV station dedicated to covering "All Vegas All the Time".


Armed with an MBA from NYU, Mary Ann has book smarts but over the years, she gained her “street cred” while collaborating with the biggest Fortune 500 companies in planning their advertising, sponsorships and media. Just a few of those companies include McDonald's, Revlon, Ford, Kroger, Microsoft and many more.



Mary Ann and her team will work with YOU to determine the best use of your budget -- no matter how modest -- to best promote your company and goals. From traditional media to interactive marketing to sweepstakes to local events, you'll NEVER be the best kept secret when you work with Mary Ann's Red Carpet Marketing.



Mary Ann specializes in a variety of areas including:

• Strategic Marketing Plans


• Product / Service Launch


• Public Relations


• Partnerships & Sponsorships


• Product Placement


• Event Planning


• Trade Shows


• Crisis Management


• Media Training
• 
  Media Buying including traditional and new media


• Media Training


• Custom Marketing Programs and Promotions


• Tastings, Samplings, Demos


• Models

Mary Ann McQueen Butcher is a member of:

• American Marketing Association
  eWomenNetwork.com


• National Association of Women Business Owners


• National Association of Female Executives


• Las Vegas Interactive Marketing Association


• Marketing Profs


• Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce


• Las Vegas Internet Marketing Association

She also writes a weekly column for http://www.vegascommunityonline/ and will soon be heard on radio and TV as a small business expert.

Don't Be The Best Kept Secret!


Mary Ann McQueenButcher
Goddess of Marketing
Red Carpet Marketing, LLC
3230 E. Flamingo Road #8 -- Suite 421
Las Vegas, NV 89121
Primary Phone: 702 994-7282 Secondary Phone: 702 533-8803
Fax: 469 533-8803

MaryAnnButcher@LVRedCarpet.com www.LVRedCarpet.com

Does Your Business Need to See Stars?!

Welcome to the first edition of Red Carpet Marketing's News You Can Use from

the Goddess of Marketing: Mary Ann McQueen Butcher

When celebrities appear in a company's advertisements, it can create a very LOUD buzz. Typically, this happens for two reasons: We are unconsciously drawn to the familiar. So, right off the bat, the presence of a celebrity gives many customers an extra reason to stop and pay attention to the ad. Second is the widespread belief that a celebrity appearance in an ad represents a true endorsement - that the celebrity uses the product and believes it to be better than its competitors.

Sometimes the usage of celebrity endorsements can carry the same weight for customers as a recommendation from a friend.

While the illusion is that the celebrity is endorsing the vendor's product or service, the job of celebrity spokesperson is strictly business. So my opinion is, IF you can afford the celebrity's fee, you have as good an opportunity of attracting the celebrity's services as any other company. And many celebrities cost much less than one would expect. A well-known person might work on a television commercial for $10,000 or less per day. To the celebrity, $10,000 per day is very nice income. To the business owner, who then runs that ad on television 100 times, the talent fee-per-appearance is really quite small.

Celebrity spokespersons are usually represented by agents who serve as brokers. If you're interested in contracting the services of a celebrity spokesperson, go ahead and contact one of the many agents here AND in Los Angeles. Describe your business goals, and then ask for recommendations on available celebrities who best fit your product or promotion.

The key to making celebrities work for a company is finding someone who will be credible for your product. You NEED a good fit for your specific demographic. For example, let’s say you are marketing an energy drink; even if the celebrity comes to you dirt cheap, if your target demo is Men 18-34, you won’t want to pick someone over 65 that doesn’t look healthy. Just doesn’t make sense. The closer the fit, the greater the perceived endorsement value.

Secondly, if you are receiving outside funding from angel investors, you’d better be able to justify spending your ROI on a celebrity spokesperson. Think of all the money that was spent during the Dot Com boom in the ‘90s. Much of it was wasted on stars hawking companies that had poorly made products or services. Invest in YOU and YOUR COMPANY before you spend on a star.

I can give you a personal example. When I was consulting for Westfield Shoppingtowns (they are a global shopping mall/real estate investment trust), I hired Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. She was a perfect fit for the company because we portrayed her as both royalty (by marriage) and a working mom. Once the integrated marketing campaign hit, there was A LOT of buzz. During the period when the Duchess was the center of our campaign, shopper foot traffic went up 18% and sales went up 7%. Oh and by the way, Sarah Ferguson wasn’t really that expensive. The moral to the story: Inexpensive talent, good fit and a spike in sales. That is measurable success.


Next week: MEDIA BUYING: The Right Mix for Your Company



Red Carpet Marketing, LLC is a full service media, marketing, advertising, public relations and promotional services company. It targets small to medium sized companies in need of marketing expertise; specifically the companies that cannot afford a marketing department, a publicist or an agency. COMING SOON: http://www.lvredcarpet.com/