Casino Marketing

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Casino marketers have an interesting job of getting players to come play their games and try to win money.  This business can be very expensive but also have high returns.  Now if they win too much, that’s going to hurt the profit of the casino.  Their marketing strategy needs to help them recoup their expenses from their gambling business.  The casino (or the house) already has an advantage on each of their games, from which they make major profits.  Many casinos’ strategy to keep profits high and grow is to entice gamblers with compensations such as free drinks, dinning, rooms, transportation, etc. (SOURCE).  The more someone gambles, the more expensive their compensation, which means a bigger affect it has on the assets of the house (SOURCE).  The main idea is that if the house can get the gambler to be loyal and to return, then they will eventually make their money back.  In the new age of the Internet, online gambling has boomed and they too have their own marketing strategies.  They offer bonuses when you sign up for their website, or bonuses for loyalty to the site (SOURCE).  The higher the bonus, the more appealing it is to the gambler.   “The more gamblers there are patronizing their casino games and service the more profit the casino is likely to earn” (SOURCE).

To prove that this strategy works, take a look at Native American Casino’s.  They started out as nothing more than a restaurant, a couple blackjack tables and some slot machines (SOURCE).  By employing the casino marketing strategy they were able to upgrade by adding a variety of card games, thousands of slot machines, four star restaurants, and a hotel with beautiful rooms  (SOURCE).  “The marketing company began by creating innovative advertising campaigns for radio, television, and print. They also developed promotions and rewards cards to attract and maintain the customers” (SOURCE).  Just by getting more people to play at their casino, profits rose allowing for them to expand. 

As for my career in marketing, getting into the casino industry interests me.  There is a lot of money in the business and it would be important for me to learn how to advertise to a mass market.  Coming up with promotions and rewards is a part of marketing that I want to get into.  Casino marketing is an industry where I can explore those skills.    

Social Media Affect on Corporations

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Social Media has become one of the most widely used applications on the Internet.  Blogging lets the regular person get their ideas and beliefs out to the public.  Even on a small scale, these writings can change an individual view.  But in the world of business, all this on the Internet means free marketing research.  According to Candice Choi, a writer for the Marin Independent Journal, she says that sites such as Facebook aren’t just for goofy pictures and chatter (Choi).  Companies are using the information on these sites to dictate what’s in stores this holiday season.  For example, Macy’s decided to carry denim jeans in bright neon colors rather than pastels based on a social media poll.  Wal-Mart is also letting customers decide which toys they want discounted (Choi).  There is no concrete evidence that says these tactics will raise sales for their companies, but the bottom line s that al this online chatter is actually market research (Choi).  Jennifer Kasper, the head of head of digital media at Macy’s, claims that having the customers feel like they are insiders has an affect on their brand loyalty but also helps better tailor their products (Choi). 

All of this is important to my career as a marketer because this shows that Internet marketing is growing not only in retail but with small businesses as well.  It will be important for me to learn how to acquire good data and how to analyze it into something useful.  They are offering an Internet marketing class now at San Francisco State that I plan on taking and will help me build the skills I need to be a good marketer in the modern business format. 

Source

Choi, Candice.  Facebook users guide store direction.  Marin Independent Journal, Page A10, published 12/19/12

Entering the Business Industry

           

           The marketing industry consists of advertising, sales and public relations.  It is very difficult to enter the industry and immediately begin making money.  A series of steps and decisions are necessary to get to a point of profitability and respect.  Christina Macres listed eight steps to begin a marketing career.

The first step is to understand the media universe. (Source) It is important for marketers to be able to be able to read and understand the technological output, such as the demographics data from a survey. (Source) The analytics of marketing is a big part of the industry.  Being able to use the technology and understand it will serve me well in learning and succeeding.

After you understand the tool used in the business. The next step is finding your niche. (Source) Your niche is your expertise.  For myself, my niche is sports marketing.  It is up to me to get to know the sports industry as best as I can so that I can one day become respected for my knowledge of the industry.   

Education is crucial to getting a job, and advancing in that position and also the third step. (Source) I have chosen to get my education at San Francisco State.  Completing my degree will not only help me find a job, and prepare me for the work I’m going to do, but it will allow me move up in the industry with experience.  

Christina says the next step to finding a job is assembling a book of your work. (Source)  While I think this step is good if you are and artist, a marketer doesn’t have a book of work to give to someone unless they’ve been in the industry and done previous work to show off.  So in my case, when I go to job interviews, I won’t have a book of my previous work. 

The fifth step is to network. (Source) This is the most important step for my career.  Getting my name out there to potential employers will be my biggest obstacle because I don’t know any body.  Hopefully school resources can help me find places to apply.  One of my biggest concerns going forward in my career is actually getting the interview and I can’t get that first interview unless I begin networking with others in the industry.  

Much like the last step, the sixth step claims to research potential employers. (Source) Getting your name out there and network is necessary to finding a job.  I want to work in the sports industry so it would be advantageous to network in my niche.  This would get my name to places where I actually have desire to work.

The seventh step is to polish your resume. (Source)  Having a flawless, well-structured, full resume will appeal to managers looking to hire.  A resume is the first thing an employer looks at to judge your quality.  Having that perfect document could mean getting the job or not.  

Finally, once you get that interview, nail it. (Source)  Dressing to impress is necessary to presenting your self as a respectable, hard worker.  Answering questions clearly and to the point also shows the interviewer that you are serious about working.  I think I will be good at the interview process because I enjoy meeting people and answering questions.  Nailing the interview will also make you stand out in the employers mind and that could be the decider for him or her. 

These eight steps listed out by Christina Macres are important keys to getting a job in the business industry.  I know that doing these steps will help me in my job search.  But for me, I want to do more than just land the job.  Once I get in the company and get comfortable, I want to be able to make an impact and offer my services any way they can be helpful.  My education at SF State will prepare me to do just that. 

The Spirit of Competition

           In the world of business there are industries and within those industries are different companies that compete with each other.  So far in my blogs I’ve mainly been focusing on sports marketing but little marketing in today’s world could be done with out one appliance; a computer.   The computer industry in Silicon Valley has grown at a rapid pace birthing new technologies and ideas.  One of the most radical ideas some experts say was the opening of the Apple Store.  In 1996, when Steve Jobs opened the first Apple Store, his company was looking for a way to retail their computers directly to consumers.  Before the Apple Store they were a store-within-a-store at CompUSA.(Source) The Apple Stores became a big hit with a user friendly, helpful atmosphere. 

 

            Just like in any industry there are competitors.  A current event that suggests Apple Stores competition is the opening of Microsoft Stores.  Microsoft opened its first store in 2009 in Scottsdale, Arizona and currently has opened 27 more since then.  These stores have brought in 13 million customers. (Source) These stores are also modeling their store atmosphere like Apple’s.  They offer a wide range of their products such as Xbox 360 consoles, desktops, laptops, software and more.  The services they provide include: answer desk for quick trouble shooting, personal training and workshop area, personal shopping sessions, and business solutions.  Contributions will also be made to the community by hosting events for Girl and Boys Scouts, local chamber meetings, school field trips, or for people looking to enter the workforce. (Source) What does all this mean for Apple?  There’s a new force looking to take up some of your market by making it easy and friendly to get their product.  Through their own storefronts Microsoft is slowly making an impact.

            Although this impact might happen at a faster and faster rate than expected.  Microsoft is taking an interesting tactic and putting up stores right next to Apple store’s.  On Saturday morning, November 3, Microsoft opened its new retail store, just a stone's throw from the rival Apple outlet in The Village shopping center, in Corte Madera, CA. (Source)  I think this tactic will really make people think about whether to buy an Apple or Microsoft computer because if the options are so close to each other, it makes it tricky to decide.  As a consumer, having more options is a right in America.  It’s good competition to have the stores right next to door.   

These events are important to my understanding of how competition in the business environment works.  For example in the case of computers, Apple had a good idea with their own stores, and Microsoft jumps on the idea years later.  I see this as a monkey see, monkey do mentality.  Being the first to market is very important when coming out with a new product because consumers will recognize your brand over others.  In my future career, learning about this competition between Apple and Microsoft could serve me well in how I deal with my own competition.

The Online Experience to School

          

           Classes I take at San Francisco State will prepare me for my future career in Marketing.  Having transferred from College of Marin a semester ago, I have only completed fifteen units at State.  But the courses I have taken have been specific to my discourse.  A couple courses I’ve taken are International Business, Marketing, and Information Systems.  All these are required business courses that really introduced me to what exactly business is and how it affects the globe. 

            The odd thing is, with these classes being so important to my major, they were all online courses.  I never actually stepped into a classroom when I took these classes.  There are both advantages and disadvantages to a set up like this.  An advantage is that I don’t actually have to get myself to campus for a lecture.  This way I could schedule work with out having to worry about getting to a class.  Another advantage is I never had to print anything out and turn in a hard copy to the professors.  This saved paper, time and ink, which ultimately saved me a little money.  Chancellor of the University System of Maryland, William E. Kirwan, said that online courses cut costs by 25% and give students more personal attention.(Source) In my personal experience, I didn’t receive any more personal attention in online classes than I did during in-person courses.  I found that being away from campus made me more distant from the college.  

            Disadvantages I found to online courses is, as previously mentioned, the feeling of disconnection to the university.  I was only on campus one day a week that semester and commuting at the time so I never really felt part of the university.  Also from a more ethical point of view, if the costs to actually teach the class are lower, and we are trying to cut costs, then why does our tuition continue to rise?  My own expectation is that if a student participates in a cost cutting class, then their tuition should reflect that cost cut.  According to a financial aid guide, the annual cost of tuition increases about eight percent, which means it doubles about every nine years.(Source)  I believe that if students take the risk of an online course then their tuition should be lowered to reflect the lower costs on behalf of the university.

            Despite the courses being online, I did learn about business that makes the world turn.  International Business taught me about the downstream and upstream stages of the value added chain really affect the product’s quality as well as its price.  This will help me understand how different areas of the world have different expertise that makes their product more valuable than others.  Marketing is especially important because it is my major.  Marketing gave me a complete overview of what it takes to get a product to the market and how to make that product appeal to a certain market.  This is really important to making money and to stay in business.  Information Systems taught me about how to manage a business using a computer.  This class was really specific in its use of excel to manage business finances.  This is important for a company to have up-to-date reports of their finances so that they know if they need to make cuts, or whether they can expand.    All of these courses are connected because they all have to do with aspects of business.

            Overall in my experience with online courses, I would say it was a good one.  I passed all the classes and I got an overview of the business life.  I would not discourage others from going the online route because although there is that disconnect from the university that I felt, it does free up my schedule to do what I want and I get to complete the work on my own time.  And although I felt less teacher attention, I still learned what I needed and I will use it for the entirety of my career.

Reading is Caring

            Reading and writing are two very crucial aspects of business.  Being able to clearly state what needs to be addressed is a skill that is never undervalued.  Reading and being able to comprehend the jargon is necessary to conducting business.  The businessman I interviewed, Peter Santora, has to read and write many things daily.  Being a salesman, Mr. Santora has to read emails constantly.  But during his busy day, he usually finds time at the beginning and end of every day.  He has to read catalogs and magazines to keep up with the products he’s selling.   To go along with the catalogs, he also has the order sheets that his customers place.  All of this reading leads to him knowing the industry and making a profit, along with keeping up with personal relationships with clients. 

            Reading emails is important to placing orders and returns.  This is really the main thing he reads.  Emails are defined as a method of exchanging digital from one author to one or more recipients.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email)  Being able to write email “blasts” to many clients makes it easier to reach a lot of people instantaneously.  When I write emails I try to make them short but clear, and I always consider my audience. 

            Catalogs and magazines display the products that a company is offering.  Peter needs to read these because he needs to know what he is actually selling, which products he has in stock, which ones are new, and which ones are on sale.  Knowing the product line is one of the main jobs of being a salesman. 

            The order forms are necessary to read as a man in sales.  This is the actual point where he puts in the order.  If he gets it wrong, then he lets down his customers and is then forced to do more work to fix it.  I would think that this is where much of his time is spent, making sure that the orders is correct. Along with orders, returns also occur for various reasons.  He treats these like regular order forms when processing the requests.  “Being accurate and timely makes doing the order forms easier,” said Mr. Santora.  I agree with this in all aspects of business.  This creates a better image for yourself and the companies you represent. 

The Golf Wizard

            My own goal for my career is to be in sports marketing.  There are many genres to this field such as advertising and sales.  While I like the side of advertising, sales is also a huge makeup of marketing in general.  They are very similar to each other and I feel it would be good for me to see both sides and to learn about both.  Therefore, I interviewed an independent sales representative.  What is a sales representative you might ask? Well a sales rep goes to the different locations representing their supplier and sells them whatever they need. 

The man I interviewed, Peter Santora, sells for three golf apparel companies: Cutter & Buck, Imperial Headwear, and Sterling Cut Glass.  He goes around to all the different golf courses and pro shops in Northern California for them to place orders with those companies.  Independent sales reps are different because they choose whom they sell for and whom they don’t.  There is a circuit of courses and shops that he sells to and makes regular stops.  This keeps up the relationship and personal attention to the customers.  Mr. Santora said, “they won’t forget about you if you meet them face to face.”  This is a good motto because it is true.  I remember people better if I meet them than if I read about them online.  For my own career, keeping an open line of communication through in person meetings and online will be crucial in being successful.

Peter graduated from University of San Francisco with a Bachelors degree in business.  He started his career in sales the fall of 1981.  The day starts the same way is ends, looking at emails and phone for those first and last orders and returns of the day.  He always does this because he needs to stay ahead because he doesn’t want to loose out on orders.  One of the biggest problems is time management.  Keeping up with the orders and returns that happen overnight can put him behind for the day and he might not get to all the face-to-face meetings he had scheduled.  I can see this being very important because I wouldn’t want to sell something that I don’t have. 

Another problem he faces daily is inventory.  When customers want something that’s not in stock then he looses out on a sale.  The good example he gave me was if the Giants win and keep going in the postseason, then everyone is going to want the latest equipment with Giants logos.  Only so much can be produced and sometimes can’t keep up with demand.  He called these kinds of sales “time sensitive.”  I would think all sales people have these sorts of problems.  Keeping up with orders and knowing what’s in stock are important to being a good salesman.  Being prompt with putting in the orders to get it to the clients as fast as possible is also what makes a trustworthy salesman.  I want to be trustworthy in my own line of work so being prompt is just a good all around goal for anyone.

Overcoming these challenges can be remedied with the use of technology.  Online sales make it easier to place orders for customers.  More golf companies are going to online sales.  According to Mr. Santora, “Golf tends to lag behind when it comes to technology.”  More and more his customers are going to the Internet.  Using this to his advantage, email technology can send out “blasts” of catalogs to customers reaching many people in a short amount of time from far away.  As much as online sales are taking over the industry, it is still a personal industry.  Customers still want to see the product and hold it before they buy it.  Golf sales, in general, are still very much a face-to-face industry.  Sales aren’t going down but going up due to the Internet.  I think everyone these days are trying to find that piece of tech that will make doing business easier and more efficient.  Email, and online sales is just a portion of the potential that the Internet provides. 

After this interview I realized that sales is a very difficult thing to be really good at.  Learning all the products and clientele would take a lot of experience.  Having been in the industry for over thirty years, Mr. Santora knows his products and how to appeal to certain customers.  I hope that one day I can get to the point where I have a true beat on the sports industry.  I take away from this interview a better sense of what happens on the daily basis for a man in marketing. 

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