D E C E M B E R ’ 0 8

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News

Merry Christmas!

I know it’s a well worn saying but hasn’t this year fl own.

We have had a busy year at Sill Marketing with the addition of new

services to now include event management and video services.

During these uncertain economic times, the team at Sill Marketing

enter 2009 with a positive outlook, buoyed by the addition of some

new clients and affi rmation by clients that Sill Marketing’s added value

approach is assisting in their development and implementation of

marketing efforts.

Of course what we do would mean nothing without our clients and I

would like to thank you all for assisting Sill Marketing to grow and to

allow us to continue to do what we love.

We will be taking a short break from the 24th December until the 12th

January to recharge our batteries and ensure we come back focused

to take on the new challenges 2009 will bring.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Stay safe. Stay well. And we’ll see you in 2009!!!

Yours sincerely,

Andrew SillYours sincerely,

Stay safe. Stay well. And we’ll see you in 2009!!!

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News

The Sill Marketing video team recently got a workout whilst shooting a casestudy video for Motorola. Commissioned by Motorola to showcase their client’s enterprise mobility solution, the pace was hectic with a tight shooting and editing schedule.

The shoot began at Motorola’s offi ce in Melbourne where a principal from Motorola’s client was interviewed on camera. Later the team ventured down the road to the client’s retail store.

Directed by Sill Mar-keting’s web, multi-media, digital music composer and video editing guru, John Scarpa, the shooting was completed within a 2 hour timeframe. A combination of inter-views and store ambi-ent shots were taken as well as a bag of still photographs that would enhance the video and help communicate the client’s message. John went straight into the editing suite to edit the motion, stills and sound utlising some of his own digital music tracks to add to the ambience of the video.

The outcome was a slick, cost effective casestudy video that was completed from start to fi nish in a week.

Thanks go to Motorola for assisting in the shoot and coordinating their client and the team at Sill Marketing for producing a professional video in a short space of time. ■

ON LOCATION AT SPOTLIGHT

We Are Taking a BreakSill Marketing will be closed for a short Christmas break starting the 24th December ‘08 and returning on the 12th January ‘09.

If you are at work and have an urgent request simply email info@sillmarketing.com.au or phone 0433 184 344.

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Business

W ith what you ask. The economy. One minute the stock market is down. The next it is up. What about the

exchange rates? Our IT customers that are subjected are faced with the dilemma of managing price rises as a result.

How can such fl uctuations be real?

Way back in my university days studying economics, our learned lectures like to remind us quite often that economics is a social science. From that I took it that economics is all about the way people think or perceive what is reality in the business world. We were taught to understand the economic drivers to work out what might the future bring. Educated crystal ball reading really.

So if economics is all about the way people think then my simplistic view tells me that what people think can impact the economy.

Ok, I am not a rocket scientist but in such fl uctuating times fi nding reality is confusing.

I heard on the radio the other day a caller state that the great Australian depression was brought about by people’s thinking. It got me thinking back to the whole economics is a social science thing.

Maybe the way we think impacts the economy. And as most of our thoughts are infl uenced by what we see or hear it would make sense that we are feeling the economic doom and gloom. I don’t know about you but I can’t escape the constant economic analysis in the media. It’s starts on the radio on my way to work and continues through to the late night news. When one radio talk back caller tried to encourage the radio host to not be so negative about the economy as it was making things worse I put up a little cheer.

In Australia we still are experiencing low employment, have a strong banking sector, forecasted economic growth, albeit at a lower rate, and a budget surplus that will come in handy if things get even tougher. We are in better shape than most economies.

Ok, my crystal ball reading is not great so I cannot predict the future circumstance but what I do know is that the way we feel about the economy can infl uence the outcome.

Don’t take my word but look at what the government is trying to do? They are about to embark on spending half of our budget surplus on encouraging us to spend. Why? They are trying to infl uence the way we feel by instilling confi dence in our spending habits in order to kick start the economy.

Why reduce interest rates? To make us feel that we can afford more as the cost of money has dropped.

As I wrote in last month’s newsletter, doom or gloom or opportunity. I think opportunity but only for those that feel it and put action in place to capture it.

I may not be able to predict the economic future but I can say that clearly our psychological state infl uences the way it goes. ■

Are you keeping up?Is it All Psychological?

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Knowledge

Step 1 - Document Your Sales IssuesIf you have worked in your organisation for a while it may be quite easy to determine what are the issues that are preventing you from growing sales. If you are relatively new then seek some advice by asking the sales team or other work colleagues.

At this stage we are not looking for answers but the problems. Laying all the cards out on the table will enable us to determine which is the best way forward.

Step 2 – Rank The IssuesWith a list of issues now developed ranking them in order of importance would be bene� cial.

Not only will this allow you to determine the most critical issues that need resolving but also allows you to determine where your marketing budget can best be spent to generate the maximum return.

Step 3 – Shortlist The Issues To AddressWith your business issues ranked, you can now shortlist those that will be focused on.

Liaising with other stakeholders at this stage might assist in creating the shortlist.

Remember we are still not looking for answer at this stage. >>>

At this time of year we are often asked by our managers to develop a marketing plan for 2008.

For most this can be a daunting task but there are simple ways to quickly and effectively develop a marketing strategy.

A good marketing plan will set the course for increased sales. It will support and guide sales efforts but the power is in the detail. Helicopter view strategies might appear great on paper but in reality might be missing the detail to make a difference. For example, rather than say you need to increase sales, why not document what it will take to increase sales.

Our fast paced working lives can often lead to complacent strategic planning but simplifying the planning process does not necessarily mean taking short cuts. We need to work smarter not harder.

The Simple WayDevelopinga Marketing Plan

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Knowledge

Step 4 – Brainstorm SolutionsWith our sales issues shortlisted we can now document all ideas that we can think of that will assist in overcoming them. No need to think of the creative ideas at this point as this will occur when the initiative is to be implemented by the creative team.

For example, statements such as, “We need to increase communication to existing customers about our new product range”, should be sought.

Any idea is a good idea at this stage.

Step 5 – Select The Most Appropriate SolutionsIt’s time to select the most appropriate strategy to achieve your marketing goals.

Consider, your budgets, branding requirements, the number of customer communication touches and the mix of initiatives so that they complement each other and when combined provide a powerful marketing push.

Step 6 – Document Your StrategyAll that is required now is for you to document your strategy.

Documenting the strategy provides a framework that will enable the entire organisation to follow. Ensure that you clearly articulate what the sales issues are you will be addressing, the action that is required to address the issue and a marketing calendar outlining when and what activity will take place.

Creative vs Strategy

A common mistake that marketers make is to develop strategies that revolve around creative ideas. Artwork designs, formats and headlines have no place in a marketing plan.

The best time to develop the creative ideas is at the time of implementation when you can concentrate on that individual piece’s aim. Creative ideas are good but they must make sense. Ensuring they make sense is as simple as reviewing creative concepts against your initial strategy objectives.

Developing a marketing plan needn’t be a long drawn out process. By taking a structured strategic development approach you will not only develop your marketing plan quicker but ensure that the outcome is targeted and effective. ■

For further assistance in developing a marketing plan just give Sill Marketing a call.

There are simple ways to quickly and

effectively develop a marketing strategy.

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Design Showcase

ClientGalvin Construction

ProjectDevelop a web presence for Galvin Construction. The site was targeted to architects and property developers.

SolutionA clean yet attractive website was developed that showcased Galvin’s work in the form of the images of projects that had been completed or that were currently being constructed. A strong emphasis was placed on having a web structure that could grow as projects are constantly changing. ■

WEB

S -life

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ith the weather warming up, the afternoon seabreezes kicking in and the ocean warming up there is no better time to get out on the

water and give kitesurfi ng a go.

Kitesurfi ng has been one of the fastest growing watersports worldwide since it’s mainstream adoption in 1998. Many windsurfers converted to kitesurfi ng due to the ease of transporting the equipment and ability to get out on the water when the wind was too light for windsurfi ng.

Kitesurfi ng involves a combination of a large kite and surfboard/wakeboard style of board. You simply stand on the board and use the kite to propel you in a forward direction. Controlling the kite is via a bar setup that allows you to manoeuvre the kite from left and right as well as depower and power up the kite. The kite is attached to the rider via a loop connected to a hook on a harness which can be easily detached if in trouble.

Sounds simple but it does take a little practice and it can be dangerous if you don’t take the necessary precautions or have a few lessons. When you get the hang of it you will experience high speed blasts across the water.

A unique feature of kitesurfi ng is the ability to jump into the air from fl at water providing for spectacular aerial tricks. It is not uncommon for an experienced kitesurfer to jump more than 20 meters in the air whilst doing multiple backfl ips and twists.

Wby Andrew Sill

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The latest trend in aerial tricks is high speed wakeboarding moves that involve the rider unhooking the kite from the harness allowing for more movement in the upper body with the results being fast twists and fl ips.

Kitesurfi ng has become a national sport with locations in all major coastal cities and towns from WA to Far North Queensland so it is accessible to most that are willing to give it a go.

The costs of a kitesurfi ng kit have dramatically dropped as popularity has grown with a strong second hand market that offers some pretty good deals. Costs for a new kit are between $2500 - $3500 and second hand between $1000 - $2000.

Lessons are recommended and are available around Australia. Visit the Australian Kitesurfi ng Association website at www.aksa.com.au for more information and to fi nd your nearest kitesurfi ng location and instructors.

For further information contact Sill Marketing’s resident kitesurfer Andrew Sill. ■

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S -life

by Eva Ianev

During my fi rst few weeks at Sill Marketing I couldn’t help but notice the strange recurrence of the following monologue of my boss Andrew (over the phone): “Guess what, I’ve got a new graphic designer. She’s from Bulgaria. No, she’s NOT a weightlifter.”... What the...?

“What is this weightlifting thing?”- I asked. “Well, that’s all Aussies know about Bulgaria.”- he answered. Really? Nothing about the famous Bulgarian rose oil, or yoghurt, or at least ... feta cheese? Or the ski resorts, or the beautiful mountains? No? Humm...

Now, to tell you the truth, Bulgaria is much more than a country populated with weightlifters (actually it seems to be anything BUT lately, but we are not talking about sports issues here). So here are some facts and pictures of this small (about twice the size of Tasmania) and remote (about 15 000 kilometres from Oz) country somewhere in South-eastern Europe - in a galaxy far, far away...

Country: BulgariaLocation: South-eastern Europe, Balkan Peninsula.Area: 110,550 sq km Borders: Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, the Black Sea.Coastline: 354 kmTerrain: Mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast.Population: 7.3 million. Capital: Sofi a (1.2 million inhabitants).Offi cial language: Bulgarian, alphabet – Cyrillic.Time zone: GMT (London) + 2 hours.Currency: Lev ( Exchange rate Lev/AUD approx.1:1).

Oh, by the way, the sumo champion Kotooshu Katsunori, who made history in 2008 by becoming the fi rst European sumo wrestler to win the Emperor’s Cup in Japan, is actually a bulgarian bloke - Kaloyan Mahlyanov. Speaking of wrestling and weightlifting...

How to get there: Fly to Sofi a via

Athens or Istambul with Emirates

or Singapore airlines. I would

recommend fl ying with stopover

in Singapore or Dubai.

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S -life

he picturesque small country called Bulgaria has existed for more than 13 centuries in Europe, linking East and West. Bulgaria occupies

the northeastern part of the turbulent Balkan Peninsula (which by the way takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria). The Bulgarian lands are crossroads of many ancient civilizations. The Thracians bequeathed famous tombs and unique gold treasures, proof of the oldest European civilization and the world’s oldest gold circa the 5th millennium BC. The Hellenes built beautiful coastal towns and the Romans - well-designed roads and well-built towns with developed urban infrastructure. Huns, Goths and Avers later passed through those lands. Around the mid-7th century the Slavs came from the north across the Danube and reached as far as the Black Sea and the Adriatic, followed by the Bulgarians of Khan Asparouh, who settled here and established the First Bulgarian Empire. In fact, there were only three states in Europe in 681: The Western Roman Empire, Bulgaria, and The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium)... Centuries later, with the decline of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 – 1396/1422), Bulgarian kingdoms came under Ottoman rule for nearly fi ve centuries. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 led to the re-establishment of a Bulgarian state as a constitutional monarchy in 1878. In 1945, after World War II, Bulgaria became a communist state and part of the Eastern Block. In 1990, after the Revolutions of 1989, the Communist party gave up its monopoly on power, Bulgaria began the transition to democracy and free-market capitalism. Although the country became a member of NATO in 2004 and of the European Union in 2007, it still shows the marks of the life behind the Iron Curtain.

Well, enough history.

Bulgarian geography is extremely varied - large plains and lowlands, valleys, lovely gorges, spectacular caves (more than 4,000), both low and high alpine mountains (with peaks nearing the 3,000 meter mark) and nearly 400km of Black Sea coastline. Next to Japan and Italy, Bulgaria features one of the highest concentrations of mineral springs (about 800). The climate is temperate continental with clearly marked four seasons. A Mediterranean infl uence is felt in the country’s southern regions. The average annual temperature is 10.5°C, the average January temperature - around 0°C (average -10°C in the mountains) and average summer temperatures rarely exceeding 30°C.

Living costs in Bulgaria are very low. Property prices (although increasing) still remain excellent value for the moment. Visitors from Western Europe and America fi nd prices in Bulgaria cheaper in general. Few examples: pizza - up to 10 AUD, movie tickets - 5 to 10 AUD, 3-course meals - approximately 25 AUD, fruit & veggies - at least 30% cheaper than in Australia. And check this out: a daily ski lift pass - only about 50 AUD. Speaking of which - the ski resorts are excellent, with perfectly prepared ski tracks, modern lift infrastructure and many attractions at affordable prices. Most slopes are at high altitude (between 1900 and 2600m) with lots of snow (between 2 and 5 meters at mountains’ top). The ski season kicks in at mid-December and ends mid-April (for more information visit http://www.banskoski.com).

So next time you plan your overseas trip consider visiting this small country with warm and welcoming people. It has been there for 14 centuries, it will wait for you.

>>>

T

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SKIING: From mid-December to end of April you can book your ski holidays in one of the highest Bulgarian ski resorts - Bansko, Borovetz, Pamporovo or Chepelare with ski slopes’ altitude between 2,000 and 2,600m and snow cover between 1 and 5m. Bulgarian ski resorts have modern infrastructure, perfectly maintained slopes and many attractions at affordable prices. Bansko offers also great opportunities for extreme skiing.

SPA RESORTS: The abundant mineral water resources rank Bulgaria among the leading countries of the world in terms of balneology. More than 30 well-developped spa resorts in ecologically pure areas, with beautiful natural surroundings and mild climate, offer accomodation form hostels to 5 star hotels. The hottest mineral

water is found in the village of Sapareva Banya - its temperature is 101.6 degrees centigrade. According to some sources, this is the hottest spring in Europe.

HIKING: In summer or winter you can hike in one of almost 40 Bulgarian mountains. Five of them are not to miss: RILA, the sixth highest mountain in Europe, with its famous group of lakes of glacial origin - the Seven Rila Lakes, and the highest in the Balkans peak - Mussala (2,954m). PIRIN, with the harsh granite ridges, glacier lakes and its 19 peaks higher than 2,700m. THE RHODOPES, famous with the largest coniferous woods in the Balkans, their mild relief and the lush vegetation, combined with with deep river gorges, large caves and specifi c sculptured rock formations. THE BALKAN, remarkable for its fl ora and fauna (edelweiss grows there), steep cliffs, the highest waterfalls in the Balkan peninsula and lush vegetation. VITOSHA, on the outskirts of the capital, one of the tourists symbols of Sofi a and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing.

Things you must see and do:

CAVING: There are about 4620 caves found in Bulgaria. All with their own specifi c history, most of them - explorable. Among the most spectacular are: The Devil’s Throat cave, with the biggest cascade of waterfalls on the Balkan peninsula, with a total height of 60m. Yagodina cave, the longest on the Balkan peninsula (10km) with many labyrinths and abysses. Magura cave, famous for its Picture Gallery of 2800 years old wall paintings showing hunting scenes, made with guano. Ledenika cave, really enchanting in winter when icicles and clubs, thick columns and gentle stalactite start growing in it.

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NATURAL PARKS AND RESERVES: Bulgaria has three National Parks (Pirin, Rila and Central Balkan), ten nature parks and a lot of nature reserves with glacial lakes, many caves, waterfalls, majestic abysses and cliffs, home of a large number of Bulgarian and Balkan endemic species. There are a few trees declared to be natural heritage, including the “Baikusheva” white fi r in Pirin, more than 1200 years old.

CULTURAL TOURISM: Bulgaria features numerous landmarks in the UNESCO List of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage - Kazanluk Tomb, Ivanovo Rock Churches, Madara Horseman, Rila Monastery, Nessebur, Sveshtari Tomb, Sreburna Reserve, Pirin National Park, Boyana church. Perperikon, the recently discovered ancient Thracian sanctuary, built some 3,500 years ago, is also a must. Don’t miss the old-town of Plovdiv with its antique Roman theatre, the numerous beautiful orthodox Monasteries with impressive wall paintings, the towns of Sofi a, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo. In early June visit the valley of Kazanluk, home of the famous Bulgarian rose (Bulgaria is one of the world’s largest producers of rose oil for the high grade perfume industry) and the Rose Festival.

RURAL TOURISM: Bulgaria is a country of old traditions and rich folklore. Most Bulgarian villages have preserved their traditional appearance, genuine spirit, old crafts and festivals. You will enjoy visiting Koprivshtitza, Kovatchevitza, Arbanassi, Leshten, Momchilovtzi, Gela, Kotel, Melnik, the Ethnographic complex Etara (to name just a few).

14 Ph: (03) 9529 4988

Sill Marketing Video Services

If you are seeking to communicate your solutions in a different way, then consider a video casestudy.

Sill Marketing provides end to end HD video services from script writing, shooting, editing and disc burning.

Contact Sill Marketing to see samples of our work or to evaluate how we can help you with our professional video services.

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Sill Marketing Pty Ltd.9/161 -165 Greville St, Prahran VIC 3181, AustraliaPh. +61 3 9529 4988 Fax. +61 3 9529 4390 Email: info@sillmarketing.com.au www.sillmarketing.com.au